Headmaster
Since 2019, Keith Metcalfe, previously deputy head at Harrow. He’s a local lad – educated at Monmouth School from where he went to Downing College, Cambridge and took a degree in geography, ‘the most broad-ranging subject’, and a blue in golf. After graduating he worked for Christians in Sport where he discovered that he ‘really liked working with young people’, and so completed a PGCE in Oxford. Joined the geography department at Harrow in 2000. He is married to Clare, a photographer and primary school teacher, and they have three young children, two at The Downs, Malvern College’s prep, and one at the college. ‘I wanted to lead the kind of school I would like my own children to attend.’
This is Mr Metcalfe’s first headship and the disruption of Covid soon after he took up the post must have made it a pretty tough debut. He acknowledged this with a wry smile and then paid tribute to his staff: ‘I’m so proud of the people here.’ Parents told us they were impressed by the way Malvern rose to the challenge of switching to virtual school: ‘They were brilliant.’ And some measures may be here to stay, ‘Online parents’ evenings are a big plus.’ His role encompasses not just Malvern College, but also the Malvern ‘family’: two preps, five international schools and alumni. Getting to know four thousand plus pupils worldwide is ‘tricky’, he says with considerable understatement. Teaching geography to FY (year 9) keeps him grounded. ‘If I’m here, it happens. It’s in the timetable.’ He disagreed when we suggested that Malvern College must be very different from Harrow. ‘No, it’s very similar.’ Perhaps he meant from a leadership perspective? While we were still pondering this he went on to confess that he had ‘stolen something from Harrow’. It’s the idea of ‘a super curriculum’, the purpose of which is to make teaching and learning more inspiring; ‘GCSEs can be quite dull.’ Other big things on his to-do list are a ‘focus on bursaries’ and ‘building leadership and collaboration skills into sport’.
He was described to us by parents as ‘friendly, approachable, but maybe a bit shy,’ and several approved that he was canvassing opinions, listening, ‘taking his time and not doing anything drastic’. ‘He’s in and out of classrooms a lot, he’s very astute and knows what he’s doing.’ We detected some underlying worries about whether changes on the academic front might narrow the all-rounder ethos of the school. We didn’t get this impression from our discussions with the head and senior members of staff (‘We’re not about elites, we want academic strength and challenge for all’) but it was mentioned quite frequently by parents: ‘There are lots of rumours about the head’s intentions.’ Some room for clearer communication on this front? ‘Listen to his podcasts, you’ll get a good understanding of what he’s trying to do,’ another parent advised. Pupils say he’s ‘really nice but very busy’ that he’s ‘quite sporty, he cycles and runs a lot’, and that he is ‘very strict on uniform’. Like parents, they also felt there was a ‘bigger push on academics,’ but seemed pretty sanguine about things, ‘he’s left lots the same too so it’s okay.’ Any changes you would like the head to make, we asked? ‘Floodlights on the cricket pitch’ was the immediate response. Oh, and could he ‘change the fixture list so that the whole school can watch games.’ Over to you, Mr M.
Life at Malvern is clearly suiting Mr Metcalfe, he loves the countryside and running with his dog and has close family nearby. He’s been out with the school mountain biking group and taken up rackets, ‘I like to do things really well, I am competitive.’ Other interests are music and theatre, both of which abound in his school and the town beyond. He described Malvern College as, ‘Friendly. It’s big enough so that there’s a niche for everyone but small enough for each pupil to be known. Everyone has a chance to shine, either for the school or for their house.’ His aim is for ‘pupils to leave here feeling fulfilled and successful, ready to go out and make a difference.’
Entrance
Register three years before 13+ entry; some houses fill up faster than others. New system of online entrance tests based on verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Around 35 per cent from the linked prep, rest from all over. Some entries into years 10 and 11 for a one-year pre-A level/IB course. About 30 join the sixth form each year, for which applicants need six GCSEs (including English and maths) – three grade 5s and three grade 6s, with at least a 6 in the subjects to be studied at A level or IB; a 7 is required for maths and advised for sciences. Applicants normally do tests in the subjects they want to study too, including an English and maths paper as appropriate. Interviews and school reports also part of the process. All parents (boarding and day) asked to select two or three houses from which they will be allocated one and in most cases they get their first preference. Parents of day pupils are advised to check number of other day pupils in their chosen house (can be low) and ask about what is done to ensure day and boarding pupils are integrated – we heard one or two concerns about day pupils feeling excluded.
Exit
A quarter leave after GCSEs. Almost all the sixth form go on to higher education. Durham, Warwick, Imperial, LSE, University College London, King’s College London, Exeter, Bristol, Cardiff and Edinburgh all popular. Four to Oxbridge in 2022, eight medics and 28 to overseas universities including some of the most prestigious European, Canadian and US universities. Most recently, these include TU Munchen, TU Delft, Columbia, University of Southern California and NYU.
Latest results
In 2022, 62 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 43 per cent A*/A at A level (73 per cent A*-B). IB average score of 36. School did not publish its results in 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results).
Teaching and learning
A levels and well established IB programme offered in the sixth form and the different options are ‘really well explained’ to pupils and parents, ‘there’s no push either way,’ we were told and if they want to swap early on pupils can do so. School is realistic about the demands of doing the IB, ‘It’s a huge commitment.’ Parents seemed to view it as something that was predominantly popular with the international pupils, less so with the UK contingent. There are 27 A level options from which pupils choose three or four, all the standards plus classical civilisation, psychology, government and politics and physical education (the latter should be offered as a BTec, suggested a couple of parents). A delve into the ‘Academic excellence’ section of Malvern’s website reveals little in the way of useful specifics such as year on year exam results for individual subjects. Even university destinations are recorded generally. One can learn much more than headline grades from this kind of information – how popular subjects are at GCSE and A level for instance. Malvern isn’t the only school to be coy about such things but it’s still rather frustrating for potential parents. ‘Exam results are only one piece of the jigsaw’, is their explanation. That may be so, but how can we view the full picture if a piece is missing? We dropped into a science lesson (IB chemistry) where pupils were brushing up on isotopes and electrons – quick fire testing with answers scribbled on laminated cards held up for the teacher to check, much better than hands up. Science facilities are excellent, with light, modern labs that felt more university than school. ‘Our job is to find, develop and value our pupils’ talents. We don’t want them to be constrained by things they think they can’t do,’ the head told us. Parents agree that pupils are stretched and challenged – ‘tutors are very good at picking up slackers’ said one. ‘Not every teacher is fantastic, some can be quite dry, but others are phenomenal.’ ‘The teachers are there all the time, they teach all day and then tutors are in houses from 7pm until 9pm in the evenings, they’re so impressive.’ So what’s this ‘super curriculum’ that the head purloined from Harrow? Should it go in this section or under the heading of extracurricular? Both probably. School describes it thus: ‘The super-curriculum gives pupils a chance to take leadership responsibility by designing their own individualised and independent curriculum…Super-curricular activities help pupils develop intellectual curiosity beyond the constraints of examination content and create a passion for advancing their own knowledge and bringing their education to life.’ That’s super as in above, or extra then - academic enrichment as a parallel to the core curriculum alongside co-curricular activities. It will take a while to embed something this ambitious, but early signs are very positive.
Learning support and SEN
About 20 per cent of those who arrive in Year 9 receive some learning support. We hear from parents that learning enhancement, as it’s now known at Malvern, has improved hugely in the last few years, ‘There used to be a stigma about it and my daughter was reluctant to go, but it’s so different now, she loves it,’ said one. Another told us, ‘The department has had a change of location, name and staff and it’s absolutely fantastic.’ In class, group work, individual support and short courses provided for mild to moderate SEN. Study skills support and EAL also offered. Emphasis is on in-class support rather than withdrawal from classes and if that’s not possible sessions are offered at the start or end of the day.
The arts and extracurricular
Music and drama are ‘phenomenal’, was the unanimous verdict from parents. Malvern has been awarded the status of All-Steinway School in recognition of its musical excellence, there are 30 Steinway pianos at the college, including a performance grand which is used for recitals. It’s also the headquarters of the National Schools Symphony Orchestra and a rehearsal venue for several local groups. Choirs of all kinds, multiple orchestras and instrumental ensembles perform regularly, there are ‘unplugged’ sessions for bands and house singing and music competitions get everyone taking part and are highlights of the school year. Five or so pupils sign up for music and music technology A levels each year and there is a good record of music and choral awards achieved by those going to university or music college.
Great facilities for design, technology and the visual arts – pupils can realise their creations using 3D printing and lasers but also learn the skills of hand and eye doing wood and metal work. Photography is offered as a separate A level. Around 30 pupils opt for these subjects at A level, going on to art foundation courses, to study architecture or other creative degrees at university. ‘It used to be quite easy to do very little extracurricular stuff, but that’s not the case now,’ a pupil confided. Another told us, ‘The housemaster will have a word if we’re not doing enough.’ There’s already a huge amount to choose from – dance, film club, debating, creative writing, Model United Nations and the like, but Mr Metcalfe’s super-curriculum means that in the pursuit of academic enrichment societies will be pupil-led and subject focused, ‘We shouldn’t be afraid to get rid of old societies, we want to do things in a different way. We want to facilitate pupils to follow their interests and create new societies. Some may last for just a year, some will endure.’ School has a separate outdoor pursuits department which runs co-curricular activities such as climbing, mountain biking and kayaking, making the most of Malvern’s proximity to the River Wye and Brecon Beacons. CCF (Army, RAF and, unusually, Royal Marines) is linked with the DofE expedition programme meaning that it’s possible for pupils to do both.
Sport
Excellent sports facilities both indoor and outside and an impressive list of highly qualified coaching staff. Specialist programmes cater for the elite players but not to the exclusion of the rest, their expertise enables pupils of all abilities to raise their game. Core seasonal sports are rugby, hockey, netball and cricket. Rugby is the dominant boys’ game in the autumn and lent terms; girls’ football is very popular and several players have been selected for the U18 national development squad. Cross country running is also a big deal, first years start with the Ferret’s Race; seniors do the Ledbury Run which begins seven and a half miles and some very big hills away from the edge of Ledbury. There’s also an inter-house cross country league. The cricket pitch is right at the centre of the school campus and that tells you all you need to know about the importance of this game at Malvern – several parents told us that the school’s cricketing heritage was a deciding factor in their choice, ‘It’s definitely a cricket school.’ Coaches all have English Cricket Board qualifications and many have played professionally. Malvern’s cricketers were national T20 U18 champions in 2019 and 2021 (no competition in 2020 because of Covid). Hockey is equally well provided for with a new water-based pitch and large indoor arena – since hockey is mainly a winter game this means play can continue whatever the weather. Shooting range, mostly used by CCF. Very nice swimming pool, ‘You can do canoe water polo or just swim for pleasure.’ No on-site golf course but pupils play competitively all year round at a nearby club and can practise under cover at school using some fancy equipment donated by the Old Malvernian Golf Society. The traditional independent school games of fives (like squash but without a racket) and rackets, also like squash but with rackets, are both very popular at Malvern. There are just 14 other schools on the rackets circuit and competition is fierce. Sport is part of the defining culture here and seemed a huge deal for nearly all the pupils we met – we wondered how school life would feel for those less able or less interested, ‘It is very sporty, but there’s plenty of other things to get involved in so you don’t feel you’re missing out.’
Boarders
Houses – known by numbers, not names – are based in a mix of characterful old or well-designed newer buildings, boys on one side of the campus and girls on the other. They are among the nicest we’ve visited – warm, welcoming and as non-institutional as it’s possible to be in a school setting. No separate day houses, day pupils (around 25 per cent) are members of boarding houses and day fees include 15 ad hoc nights a year – useful for occasions such as trips, concerts and other events. Parents can also buy additional days. All new year 9 pupils board for their first seven nights which is great for bonding and does not use up the day pupils’ annual allowance. Depending on the house there are sometimes proper beds for day pupils or else ‘very nice’ camp beds if they stay over. First and second years sleep in four or five bed dorms; older pupils have double or single study bedrooms. Day pupils have their own study area. First years have supervised study ‘until they get the right merits’, usually by the second year. Fifteen minutes of reading time for all first and second years every evening. We enjoyed our lunch in one of the girls’ houses, served by pupils at round tables seating eight or so – all rather civilised and better for conversation than long refectory tables. ‘Mixing up the year groups on dining tables means they all get to know each other, it’s especially important post-Covid,’ said the house mistress. In-house dining is much less common in boarding schools these days and has its pros and cons – some parents thought it would more sociable if girls and boys from different houses could mix, others liked the idea of children returning to their house for meals. The pastoral advantage is clear, ‘It means we see pupils at several points in the day.’ Another big bonus of in-house dining is that breakfast can be eaten in pyjamas, ‘it’s quite quick, eat and leave’ we were told (presumably after having dressed). Another is that teachers and visitors routinely lunch in different houses, ‘It’s great for social skills and getting used to talking to adults.’ Cakes, fruit and snacks provided for sustenance between meals and there are small kitchens for making toast and hot drinks. External company supplies meals and house catering staff do final preparation. Mixed views on food (as ever), ranging from ‘terrible’ to ‘it’s mostly okay but depends how hungry you are.’ Apparently menus are being trialled so that pupils can choose in advance. Parents mentioned ‘too many carbs and not enough protein’ but told us they knew that the school is working to address these and other concerns about catering. School shop, known as the Grub, sells snacks such as paninis and cookies (as well as uniform and other supplies), but apparently ‘girls go and buy food in Waitrose’ and the boys order takeaways at weekends.
We visited House 8 (girls), a rather grandly proportioned Edwardian pile. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly with girls popping in and out of the ground floor ‘hub’, the place to go for everything from tea and sympathy to plasters and paracetamol. A large chart was covered with stars keeping track of the (many) extracurricular activities girls had chosen to take part in. Bedrooms were decorated, ‘we encourage personalisation,’ with photos, mostly of dogs and ponies. Phones are allowed after lessons but pupils below year 11 must hand in their tech before bed, ‘We sign phones in and out and there are sanctions for keeping second phones or hiding them.’ Day girls can stay for house events such as arts soirees which celebrate creative writing, music and drama (parents are invited too).
Ethos and heritage
The advent of railways made Malvern easily accessible from London and it consequently became a fashionable destination for 19th century travellers in search of pure air and healing waters – we can vouch for the former, if not the latter. Malvern College was founded in 1865 on the outskirts of the town as a boys’ school with 24 pupils and 12 masters. The college had a brief spell at Blenheim Palace in 1939 when its premises were requisitioned by the Admiralty and was ousted again, this time to Harrow School, to make way for the war time government’s Telecommunications and Research Establishment. It was a great privilege for us to talk to staff in the wood-panelled senior common where vital work on the development of radar took place during WW2. The college went co-educational in 1992 which was also the year the IB was introduced – it was among the earliest adopters for both of these. Full, weekly and flexi boarding may be on the menu at other schools, but Malvern is holding firm to its full boarding tradition, making it particularly appealing to international and military families, ‘We chose it partly because of the proper boarding.’ Saturday remains a school day for all but the shape of the weekend has been changed to allow a bit more relaxation time, ‘We took chapel out of Sunday,’ says the head, ‘to allow more time for leisure and the chance of a lie in.’ That’s not to say that chapel has been sidelined, it just happens on Saturday. ‘Some want less, some want more,’ a pupil observed, ‘but it’s more pupil-led now and the talks are really good.’ Hymn practice (known as ‘Congo’) is enjoyed by believers and non-believers alike, ‘especially when we sing Jerusalem.’ Fabulous library – no danger of books being replaced by electronic devices as far as we could tell. On their first day all pupils are taken for a walk on the glorious Malvern Hills immediately behind the school so that they get to know the landscape (and elements) that will define their next five years. We arrived for our visit in warm autumn sunshine but a few hours later were struggling across the campus in lashing wind and rain. ‘You get used to it,’ said our guides. The large site is on a slope which means a fair amount of up and downhill walking between houses and classrooms – parents are happy that their children get lots of that healthy fresh air but several pupils confessed they would like a way of getting from A to B that was a bit faster, warmer and drier, ‘It’s a long way up that hill,’ said a girl from one of the houses at the top. The school bar may have slightly fallen out of favour elsewhere but it’s still going strong at Malvern and known as the ‘Longy’. ‘It’s literally a night club’ said one sixth former (if this is true then prospective parents might be concerned, but we suspect the pupil in question may not have been to an actual night club). Three beers is the Longy limit and pupils are breathalysed on the way in and out.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Malvern – it was a privilege to be allowed such free range and access to different parts of the school, especially given Covid restrictions. We met and enjoyed talking to lots of pupils as well as members of the senior leadership team. A first for us was hearing unprompted praise and affection for the house domestic staff from a pupil, ‘They’re really kind, they are sort of an unofficial part of the pastoral team and you can talk to them about things.’ Tells you a lot about a place.
Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline
House staff and tutors are the bedrock of pastoral care and we heard nothing but the highest praise for them from parents, ‘My child had a few problems and support from the school was fantastic.’ ‘The environment house teams create is superb. There are lots of different personalities but the staff know each pupil as an individual, they find out what a child likes and build on that.’ Another parent commented on what good role models the senior pupils were for the younger ones. Appreciation too for the ‘calm and helpful’ way the school deals with parents’ anxieties, particularly during Covid. Discipline was described to us by parents (approvingly) as ‘Firm, they will follow through if a pupil breaks the rules, but they also understand that young people have lapses.’ Very strict on vaping, a persistent problem in all schools, ‘they are working really hard to stamp it out.’ Sixth formers are allowed to go into Birmingham or Worcester on the train and over-18s can have up to three drinks in a town pub (with parental permission). Apparently school employs security guards to ensure pupils out in Malvern stay on their best behaviour. Occasional isolated incidents of bullying have been ‘resolved straight away.’ When it comes to friendship problems, relationships between pupils or other anxieties there are many different sources of help and advice, from specially trained peer mentors (‘house buddies’), to personal tutors, school counsellors and (unofficially) house dogs which are ‘good for a cuddle if you’re feeling sad.’ Parents describe the interaction between boys and girls as ‘well balanced, it’s mostly about close friendships rather than romance.’ School says, ‘Any relationships are expected to be discreet. Pupils know the rules and that they run the risk of being expelled if they break them.’ House parents ‘have a little conversation’ as necessary and keep a watchful eye. We asked pupils about the issues raised by Everyone’s Invited, ‘There’s been a really big push to get discussion going – it’s mostly been initiated by pupils but staff have really encouraged us. We think individuals could speak out now if they had a bad experience.’ School has ‘audited’ both its curriculum and disciplinary processes with the pupil-led Black Lives Matter Society. A programme of peer-to-peer talks covers subjects such as racism, sexism and co-education, ‘There has been a massive increase in pupil voice,’ we were told, ‘which is the foundation of strong pupil teacher relationships.’
Pupils and parents
‘Down to earth’, ‘grounded’, ‘mainly middle class, not super rich’ is how parents described themselves. The head agrees, ‘It’s not a city school, pupils are less sophisticated - their biggest thrill comes from things like house singing, silent discos and firepits!’ Several parents said they chose the school because the linked prep made it an all-through option, others said it was the location and emphasis on outdoor activities. Around 30 per cent international pupils (quite a few ex-pats) from 50 different countries. IB has long been a draw for European families and according to the school remains so post-Brexit. Former pupils include Sir Chris Whitty, epidemiologist and chief medical officer during the pandemic, Jeremy Paxman, Monty Don, actor Denholm Elliott, sports commentator Mark Pougatch, novelist C S Lewis, the occultist Aleister Crowley, and two Nobel prize winners (economics and chemistry). Plus a pavilion full of eminent cricketers including Reginald ‘Tip’ Foster, the only man to have captained England in both cricket and football, and ranks of distinguished politicians, diplomats, clerics and soldiers. Back in the here and now, ‘Our Malvern Stories’ is a very interesting read (website or book) about what more recent leavers, girls and boys, have gone on to do.
Money matters
Means-tested bursaries and scholarships for a wide range of talents, just over half of pupils receive some fee assistance. Learning support and EAL tuition come as extras.
The last word
Malvern’s motto is ‘Sapiens qui prospicit’ (Wise the one who looks ahead), it’s a fitting epithet for such a well run, dynamic and forward thinking school. Just the place for families in search of a top flight, all round education with plenty of fun and fresh air. As one parent put it, ‘Each of our very different children has flourished here. When you come over the hills and see the school, see the houses, you feel that you belong.’