Schools have competed against each other in sport since rules were agreed in games. They have also inferred their own status relative to the teams they play against. The fixture programme is not simply an organisational expedient of local teams; it has always implied something about both schools. The ancient public schools were reluctant to recognise the schools which were established in the late nineteenth century by granting them matches.

Sport is essentially a collaboration between schools to mutual advantage. No school can have a satisfactory competition programme without help from opponents who are prepared to operate teams in...

The great majority of parents like to see their offspring participate in sports or physical activity. Rarer is the carer who sees no value in this. The reasons why they approve of this type of involvement vary, though they are infrequently thought-out beyond the vague conviction that it’s somehow “good” for the kids. What parents want their kids to get out of their experience of youth sport will determine the environment they choose to put them into, and the achievements that they wish to celebrate and encourage.

Research is quite clear what children enjoy in sport. Having fun, being...

In most subjects, there is no disconnect between the educational and business purpose of an independent school. Good exam results are good for business. Full stop. This might lead to accusations of teaching to the test, in “exam factories”, but parents and schools find rare and easy agreement here. Good grades are the right outcome, and everyone aspires to the same thing. When exam results are published every summer, each school seeks a new way of measuring the to claim another record. High grades correlate with high happiness - across the board. Results mean reputation. For the avoidance of...