Harrow: A Very British School (2013) s01e08 Episode Script
Goodbye Mr Smith
1 Harrow, one of the most famous and influential public schools in the world.
Over 400 years old, steeped in history, synonymous with wealth and privilege.
But what's it like to go there? Across a school year, we follow the boys of West Acre, one of Harrow's 12 boarding houses, to discover what it takes to make a modern day Harrovian.
It's the last few weeks of the summer term, and it's goodbye to the upper sixth, and house master Martin Smith.
Ooh! Whoa! But the boys have an awful lot to do before school's out, with exams Aaaaaahhhh! .
.
competitions Wasn't that guitar in tune a minute ago? Thank you very much! .
.
and the final goodbye to the man who has seen them through their teenage years.
Thank you very much for all this.
Don't do this Um, hang on a minute.
Where's the camera? It's midway through the summer term at West Acre, one of Harrow School's 12 boarding houses, and house master Martin Smith is busy packing.
This box seems to contain my birth certificate.
I'm not sure why it's in there.
Amazing.
I was born in 1953.
Still, the Second World War was over by then.
This is Martin's last year at Harrow.
In just six weeks' time, he'll be retiring after more than three decades working and living at the school.
'I think most members of my family are considerable hoarders 'and I'm one of the main culprits, of course.
' We've come across boxes we've not actually opened since we last moved 12 years ago! It's a passport photo from 1993.
You see, I've definitely got hair there, haven't I? I think he is a bit of a hoarder, yes.
And I think it's been a mission.
He's been doing it for months.
He's been packing for months.
Ooh! Whoa! Mrs Smith always said it was a very unwise thing to do Right, here we go.
It wouldn't do it a second time, would it? Martin's been house master of West Acre for the past 12 years.
I probably ought to get a chair without wheels on to get up here, reallybut there we are.
It's a relentless job that sees him juggle teaching economics in the school Bit exciting, isn't it? .
.
with being responsible for the 66 boys he shares the house with, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Oh! Many words spring to mind to describe Mr Smith.
UmI think the first one is fantastic.
He really has a sense of humour about everything.
He really knows what it was like to be 17 or 18.
The house is going to probably miss his overall character and liveliness, and just his presence, really.
This is one of the pictures that needs to be stored up with the old house history here.
This is the West Acre house group in 1928.
And in those days, the house and the house master in particular had a butler, and his name was Baylis.
And whereas all the boys have their initials, poor Baylis just gets "Baylis," no initials, no anything, not Mr, he's just Baylis the butler.
I think you have to see your own time at the school, even if it's a long time, it's really just the blink of an eye.
I mean, we're at a school that is 400 years old plus, and, um, you have to see it within that context.
And Matron in those days really got dressed up for the part.
I'm not sure Cate would necessarily go for that uniform, but Martin has just six weeks to dismantle his life at West Acre, leaving behind his home, his colleagues and the school he's dedicated more than 30 years to.
Ah, yes! The removal of the file from the book case is a very good first move.
Yes! Transparent, isn't it? All the while, he must ensure West Acre runs as smoothly as ever and guide the boys through the toughest time of their academic year - exam season.
So just go back to the original question.
What are you doing in here? I'm getting help with the revision because I don't know it.
Well, how is he supposed to help you do that? No-one can help him, sir.
Well, no, I think there's something to be said for that.
He knows it! The youngest boys, known as Shells, face a gruelling week of internal assessments, called trials.
For the Shells, they have importance because that may affect which classes, which divisions they go in for the next two years for their GCSE subjects.
And so it's quite important that they perform to their potential.
What is starch broken down into? Fatty acids.
No! Fat is broken into fatty acids! Amino acids? Starch is just sugar in loads of, like, molecules attached together.
Can we do that again? But for the oldest boys in the house, the term holds even more significance.
Their final A-level exams are only days away.
Five years at Harrow has cost their parents in excess of £150,000 in school fees, so the pressure's on to get the grades they need for their chosen universities.
Got less than, um, 16 hours till my exam.
Good luck.
I'd be tempted to say that the mood of this term is one of pressure.
One of panic.
You've got a screen pad upstairs.
With so much riding on their exams, it's vital the boys stay focused.
Hey, Smith, so what're you doing right now? Doing some economics revision.
But in a house of 66 boys, avoiding distraction isn't easy.
Thorn's going to go into his room.
Place the camera, hide.
He's going to go back in his room.
And Ade will scream like a little girl.
What else do you have on Monday, besides C1? Economics.
Anything can distract me if it's other than work.
We're going to Mark Knopfler the boy from Dire Straits.
We've got the tickets.
We've got the rickets.
We is going to go! Yes, yes, you can put off revision for all sorts of reasons, can't you, and they seem to be good reasons at the time.
It's a bit like me getting down to writing end of term reports.
I can think of quite a few other things I ought to be doing.
Going to play yarder.
Going to play yarder.
Waargh! Argh! Right, there, we're off.
Making sure the boys concentrate on their revision is just one of a host of chores on Martin's to-do list this term.
We're not going to get knocked down.
That's good.
With just four weeks until retirement, it's the busiest spell of his Harrow career yet.
This is it in the Harrow stint, I think.
Yes, I'm hoping it's not it altogether.
After all, I think Mr Chips in one of the films died in his chair, didn't he, in the last week? I'm hoping to miss that.
Working nine till five What a way to make a livin' While holding down the day job, Martin's also preparing to hand West Acre's reins to a new house master, and his teaching responsibilities to a young upstart.
I'm just looking to see who's been appointed to teach economics in my place Previously a postgraduate assistant at St Edwards at Oxford .
.
so he must be about 22 or 23.
That's marginally younger than I am! That's very good.
He'll be full of energy.
You're still full of energy, aren't you, Martin? I'm very good at getting on a plane in the holidays! MUSIC: Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata In a school where rivalry between boarding houses means everything, there's one final inter-house competition before the year's out.
Ahshould open.
And it's one that West Acre, with its reputation for musical excellence, is keen to defend.
There we are.
The Warwick Smith Cup.
Music prizes, preliminary rounds.
It's lived in there quite a long time.
We've won it for certainly half a dozen years running.
And it would be nice to defend it in my last year, I have to say.
Unusually, the competition doesn't just involve the elite musicians.
Anyone who plays an instrument can take part, and in West Acre, that's a lot of boys.
Half the house will be directly involved, and if you go there and you manage to play a note or two, then you will get one point.
There are more points available for greater competence.
They do like contributing for their house, particularly if so far they've not managed to do very much on the musical front as such.
So it is a very nice competition in that sense.
But with the whole house focusing on their exams, will West Acre be able to secure the trophy for another year? Hugh.
Yes.
You'll do anything not to revise.
Exactly! I rememberI remember my A-level, one of my A-level papers where we seemed not to have been taught the right syllabus and I spent a lot of time looking at the ceiling.
So I know how it feels.
There are three weeks to go until the end of the Harrow school year.
And at West Acre boarding house, housemaster Martin Smith is getting ready to retire after 33 years of service.
Oh, this is for my packing.
I go round the house, round the bins collecting all the cardboard boxes.
So this will be very useful for putting things in.
Hello, Barnaby.
Hello, sir.
Do you want some cardboard boxes? Because I've got some.
Oh, yes, yes.
I've got several pink ones.
Oh, wonderful! I love the pink ones! They're quite strong.
As well as packing up his life, he has to make sure his 66 boys get through the toughest time of their year - exam season.
I'm not sure if it's boys typically or Harrovians especially, but they tend to be last minute merchants.
So these last few days before an exam, they're they're critical to their prospects.
You told me sugar! It's the same thing! Maltose! OK, start again.
Actually, to be honest, maltose is a sugar, so No - you put maltose, you don't get the mark.
After weeks of revision, the exams are under way.
The youngest boys, or Shells, face a week of gruelling assessments, known as trials.
See you, guys.
Good luck.
Good luck.
They will determine which academic groups they'll be placed in for their GCSEs.
Fun is had by all.
Meanwhile, the upper sixth are in the middle of the most important exams of their school career.
OK, 45 minutes standard time.
Extra time is ten extra minutes.
You may start.
Doing well in their final A-levels is critical to winning a place to the universities of their choice.
Sixth former Henry is taking exams in politics, English and business studies.
He hopes to study philosophy at Exeter University.
I need three As to get to Exeter.
And I'm likeif things go, like, well, then I'll get that, but if they go, like, wrong, then I won't.
That's a really obvious statement.
I sort of planned to go to Cambridge this year, but the hard thing is not getting a place.
I still love the look of all the other universities that have offered me places - UCL, Bristol, Warwick, etc.
But at the same time I think I would like to give it another stab.
I'm going off to Kings College in Cambridge to read English which iswhich obviously I'm really, reallyI'm happy about.
And also I'll be singing there, too.
Depending on my grades I'm going to go to the University of York.
Got to make sure I get those marks, get those As.
Or A stars.
Doubt it, though.
Pens down please, and leave quietly.
It has always been the case with any schoolchild that some exams go better than others.
Back in the safety of West Acre .
.
the boys lament a difficult day in the exam room.
I don't want to talk to anyone because they'll all be, like, how was it, and it went so badly.
Oh, my God! The joys of examination.
I needed 80.
I need 80%, essentially.
Well, 82% in this exam to get my A star.
If I don't get my A star, I'm going to kill myself.
Yeah, great, you have If you got 82%, then I am the Queen of Sheba, let me just say that 18 pages.
I wrote 18.
Sometimes they imagine that it's actually gone worse than it has.
You really want to break something! I know.
We can go downstairs and break something.
I will.
Break lots of stuff.
But most of them, there's a painful short period and then they're bouncing back again.
MUSIC: Baggy Trousers by Madness For the Shells, their trials are over, and they're being rewarded with a special fun day.
They finished their trials yesterday, and so although they don't realise it, it's the perfect way for them to let off steam now, and just celebrate it's all over.
And we're at the last two weeks of term, so it's nice.
Some of them, I haven't seen them laugh for a week.
Sachin has passed his trials with flying colours, and Dillon has also done well, coming top of his division in maths.
I was quite happy with my result.
I had a feeling I would do well, and, and I thought I would be in the top three or four in my division, but I wasn't quite expecting first.
Well, they've changed such a lot since they arrived, but we're a full year on, and a year at this age is a long time.
They'll change again next year, and again the year after.
And there's another change facing all the boys of West Acre next year.
The introduction of a new house master, Martin Walker.
Come in.
I won't give you Tara's chair - that'll cause a riot.
It's her birthday today.
She's 11 today.
She's had an extra eggy.
She had little sausage eggies.
For her birthday, yes.
Will you be getting a small dog? No, I don't think so.
I have a small cat - probably wouldn't like a small dog.
The corridors are big for individuals to be corridor monitors.
And I found that didn't work very well, so that's why I got rid of that.
'I think they're pretty big shoes to fill.
'Everyone around the school loves him.
'He's always sort of jovial and positive.
It's quite daunting,' but I'll probably, you know, do things quite differently from him because I just think you have to be yourself in the role.
Help yourself to a bickie if you'd like one.
Would you like a glass of water? Um, yes, please.
Yeah.
One of the first tasks facing Martin Walker is appointing new house monitors from the current lower sixth, who'll help him in his duties next year.
And would you like to be a monitor? I would love to be a monitor.
Yeah? He also has to decide which boys should take on the most coveted roles of head and deputy head of house.
But choosing between them won't be easy.
Are you interested in being head of house? Definitely.
Uh, yeah.
Just about every member of the lower sixth form wanted to be head of house, and just about every boy wanted to be a monitor, and I think that's just because they're very proud of their house.
They, you know, care greatly about it.
Right, OK, thanks very much.
Thank you, sir.
Cheers.
It's vital Martin chooses wisely.
If he doesn't pick the right boys, then he risks losing the respect of the rest of the house.
You get the right people in the positions of responsibility, so that everyone in that year group thinks, yes, these are the right people to do it, then that starts to help to create that positive tone and keep the right sort of atmosphere in the house.
OK, any other questions? Can I have another biscuit? Good question! Go for it.
It's the evening of the inter-house music prizes competition.
West Acre has won the contest for the past six years, thanks to talented music scholars like Henry.
'The whole houses go along 'and you basically just go down to the music schools 'and play whatever instrument you have,' and whatever you play gets a certain amount of points.
But in recent years, the competition has been getting tougher, and so tonight West Acre are pulling out all the stops to impress director of music, David Woodcock.
We want to keep it in the trophy cabinet, so, a bit of pressure.
But this competition isn't just for the music stars.
Points are awarded not only for quality, but also quantity of performances .
.
a rule that West Acre intends to take full advantage of.
Nextnext.
Right, next.
'What I've told people in the past is just go down' and I say play Mary Has A Little Lamb or Twinkle Twinkle on the piano.
I mean, much, to Mr Woodcock's dismay, as he has to sit through hours ofof BEEP really.
That's it.
OK, thank you very much, yup, that will do.
Wasn't that guitar in tune a minute ago? LAUGHTER Not all of West Acre's performances may have may have been stellar, but will their tactics pay off? Two hours from one house, so, um, yeah, it shows you, um, you know, how many of them learn musical instruments.
Sorry, Mr Woodcock.
Thank you for the first year, sir, and for the chocolate cake - it was really nice.
Thanks, sir.
It's the second half of the summer term at West Acre boarding house.
House master Martin Smith has been anxiously awaiting the results of the final inter-house contest of the year the music prizes cup.
Please find the attached results.
Hard copies are in the pigeon hole.
Over half the house turned out to compete, desperate to defend the trophy for Martin in his last year.
But have they done enough? It's taken quite a long time for the results officially to come back to me of the music prizes, and I'm pleased to tell you that you have defended it by a very long way, so very well done indeed! MUSIC: "Our House" - Madness One or two boys said, "Oh, that was great for you, "we got something in the last term.
" I was very pleased for them, is what it came down to.
With the cup safely back where it belongs, it'll soon be time for Martin to hand the trophy cabinet keys to his replacement, Martin Walker.
So I'm about to announce the head of house and the monitors.
A big moment.
It is a big moment, yeah, yeah.
So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
A bit nervous, and I hope I've got the decision right.
I hope they allthey all agree, they all like the appointments.
Good evening, everybody.
All right, I'll just count you to make sure everyone's here.
It's OK, you don't need to stand up.
At ease, at ease! 'I felt nervous about that announcement 'because I felt it was a really important one in, in some ways, 'my sort of, one of my first strategic decisions 'in the boarding house.
' And, you know, I think it's one of the difficult things because they all want it so much, there were inevitably going to be a few people who were disappointed.
So, the head of house is going to Barnaby Bartlett.
The deputy head of house is going to be Joe Murray.
The reaction was very positive, I thought.
They were all sort of, you know, giving each other hugs and handshakes and all the rest.
That's Barnaby.
Yes, yes! That's my boy! It was a really nice moment.
It seemed really positive, and I was sort of thinking I'm quite looking forward to getting in and to September.
My great grandfather, the fourth Duke of Norfolk! The summer term is a significant time for all the boys.
As the lower sixth take over the leadership of the house, the first years, or Shells, are about to have their names etched permanently into the school's 400-year history.
The tradition at Harrow is that you have your name carved, well, it used to be on the walls of the original fourth form room, then it was on the backs of the chairs, and notice boards in the school, and then it came to the houses, and you can look back over my years and go back, way, way back into the history of West Acre.
Once their name goes up on the board, it, you know, it associates them with the house as such.
It's there for ever, really.
Yeah, I suppose it's marking the beginning of the mark of their transition from new boys as Shells to the remove year, and that's something, of course, they'll look forward to because they won't be bottom of the pile any more, they'll be the all-knowing removes, and when you're that age, you know everything, of course.
Solid! The Shells are now fully fledged Harrovians, but a whole new batch of boys are about to be initiated into the unique world of Harrow.
You can't stay as one group together today, all right? You've got to meet the others, get to know them.
Split these three up when they're out, when they're playing football.
Today is the new boys' tea party.
A chance for next year's Shells to get a glimpse of what their life at West Acre might be like, and to meet their new house master.
It was my weak science, and I got an A star in it.
Oh, did you? Fantastic.
Well done.
There you are.
I was, you know, a mixture of, sort of, nervous and excited.
I suppose much like the new boys themselves, you know, thinking, you know, what lies ahead, how am I going to get along with everyone, what's life going to be like? Hello, hi, good to see you.
Welcome, welcome.
Most new boys will have booked their slot at Harrow a couple of years ago.
But 13-year-old Michael, fresh from a state school in Derby, has only recently been awarded a place at the school.
After thrilling Harrow's director of music with his talent for the trombone, Michael has won a scholarship and a clutch of other awards that have made it possible for him to come to the school.
I never thought when I first saw that instrument and gone, "It's got a moveable bit to it!" And thinking, "I want to play that," that seven years later, seven years later I'm here, and because of it I'm actually at this school, it is You never think of that happening from just picking up an instrument.
It's changed my life! Kick ass! Today is Michael's first chance to meet the boys he'll be spending the next five years with.
And watching on - the Shells, who were in his shoes a year ago.
'Watching the new boys just reminded me of my new boys' tea, really.
'I felt quite nervous, quite weird, 'quite unfamiliar in the surroundings.
' And we sort of tried to talk to each other but it was a bit, obviously a bit weird.
I'm lost for words, really.
It's going to be a change, but I think I'll be able to get used to it.
And there's a lot for the current Shells to get used to next year as well.
The new boys' tea was really the start of the new West Acre.
Because it was the first time we've actually been around Mr Walker.
You don't mind a bit of hard work, Dillon, do you? I'd sayI say I don't like hard work, a bit of an understatement for me And also, it was quite different, because when we're usually in the house master's private side, we're with Mr Smith, but this time, we were with Mr Walker.
You're just, like, dude, what are you doing in this guy's house, it's Mr Smith's house.
So, um, that was quite weird.
It's the last week of term, and Martin is bidding farewell to all that he loves most about Harrow.
Gosh, that was a hit and a half.
That boy's hitting it all around the park.
'I've always enjoyed the game because I've played a lot of cricket myself 'when I was considerably younger than I am now.
'It's always been my favourite game.
' It was my favourite game at school and I suppose that'sthat's that is the point, that you like something at school, you do something that you like at school and you carry it forward.
Now I'm afraid I'm just a spectator, but there we are.
Martin has come down to check on the progress of the Shells, who today are playing against Eton.
Sachin? Were you very long I don't know.
I was going say you were hitting it all right, but the other chap at the other end was smashing it too.
That's a huge score! That's a huge score, isn't it? He's also come to sample another of his great loves.
Hello! Good afternoon! Ah, these wonderful cricket teas! I'm very fond, yes, I'm very fond of cricket teas nowadays, probably more fond than I should actually be, but we're very lucky because we've had two new pavilions built on the Phil grounds, the cricket grounds, and the tea facilities seem to have improved beyond all measure.
Egg sandwiches, my favourite.
Followed by chocolate cake.
What shall I choose?! They're only smallyou see, we came down, saw a little bit of cricket and then it's time for tea.
Remarkable.
He may be leaving Harrow, but Martin has no intention of giving up every aspect of his school life.
He's bought a small house on the hill that overlooks the cricket pitches.
When we're in Harrow in the summer term, I shall be able to look at the cricket.
And I think as an old beak, meaning of course former beak rather than ancient beak, that I'm probably entitled to a cup of tea after all those years.
Possibly a chocolate brownie, too.
Yeah, we've got two bats, guys.
That will hopefully contain the names of all of the house.
Back at the house, West Acre's matron, Cate Bain, is preparing a leaver's present for Martin.
Immediately whenever I was asking the boys, what do you think we should get Mr Smith from all of you, what sort of present would you like to get him, it was immediate, they said something to do with cricket, cricket bats.
So, we went with it, we found some vintage ones.
I don't think Martin has much of an idea at all, so everything will be a surprise.
The boys loved the idea because you could tell by how excited they were about signing them all.
They knew it was the right present.
It was the right gift to get, and that's always lovely when you know you've got something right.
Very.
Yes, I know.
Life continues at such a pace that you think it's always going to stay that way, you know.
We're in such a busy routine.
Such a busy, busy life.
It's unrelenting, and then suddenly the end of term comes and it's all over.
But this is a bit more significant, isn't it, obviously, because the year, the year's ending, the boys are going and Martin's going.
It's all very different.
I hate saying goodbye to people.
Are you they going to miss him? Very much so.
Everybody is.
Everybody's going to miss him.
What will you miss most about him? I wasn't Yeah.
Don't do this Um Hang on a minute.
we follow the boys of West Acre, one of Harrow's 12 boarding houses, We are going to miss you.
We will miss you, but we won't be here, so What're you trying to say? We won't be missing you as a house master, we'll be missing you as a As a person.
As a person, exactly.
Exactly how good was That was good phrasing.
That was good phrasing.
We're going to miss It's the last few days of the summer term at Harrow.
For the upper sixth of West Acre Boarding house, their five years at the school are nearly over.
Height order, you know the deal, height order.
Today, house master Martin Smith is organising his last house photograph.
They almost look respectable like that.
Within a few years, there's not a boy in West Acre who'll know who I am, actually, because they've moved on, and that's probably the way it should be, so it'll be old boys' dinners! Sometimes known as Zimmer dinners, I'm told.
I've got a really itchy nose.
Can someone itch it On three! One, two and three.
The unspoken deal is that you behave nicely and so forth in the formal photograph, so that's the sort of one that we can send to Mummy and Daddy or Granny, and you have a little bit more leeway in the informal one.
We take stupidity very seriously at this school.
What's the plan with the box? Not much, I'm just going to sit in it.
Literally, I've always come up with some random stuff.
I dressed as a terrorist last year.
There's a hat, a charger.
What's the theme? Erelitism? Thorn, I mean for goodness' sake, was dressed like Kate Upton, but you wouldn't have thought it, like you would have thought he was just dressing up like someone from the production of Priscilla.
I wish we could dress like that all the time, but I wish you could as well.
But society won't let us.
Never mind.
Yeah.
Can you make sure you're standing behind somebody if you're only in your underwear? One, two and three.
Good! That wasn't that embarrassing.
You'll be feeling more embarrassed when you start acting, the reviews you get.
Anyone who says they're not going to miss this place is still deluded and it will hit home at some point.
Back in his room, Henry is busy with another Harrow custom that dates back to the 1800s.
The writing of leavers' cards.
Exclamation markdon't pull them out that often, so it means something.
Yours - which is emotionally, like, invigorate - Yours, Henry.
There we go.
The leavers is definitely one of the best traditions by far.
It's a really heart-warming way of saying to someone, like, like, yeah, like, I know you, like, I know you've been a part of my experience here.
So I shall write to Henry This year, as a leaver himself, Martin has decided to join the boys in the tradition.
These are some of the 278 images of myself which the sixth form, the upper sixth managed to produce on the evening before speech day.
And so it seemed a pity to just throw them out, so I'm As I'm for the first time, of course a leaver alongside the upper sixth, I was going to use it as rather an enlarged leaver, and I'm then going to add a little sticker which is my contact details after July 15th.
Are they ready for the big wide world? Some of them are more ready than others for the big wide world.
The question then is, is the big wide world ready for them, I think.
BELL RINGS It's the last day of the school year, and for Martin, the last time he'll be waking up his 66 boys.
One more time.
Yes, that's right! Right, here we go.
OK.
See, Cate's in very good form - she's sprinting up the stairs.
He's always such a cheery person first thing in the morning, whenever we set off to wake them up.
Morning, Deng! Morning.
Morning, Achill! Morning.
He's dead on the bell and there's always a smile on his face.
Another happy day! So, yeah.
And it's a nice way to start the day, it is.
Mrs Smith will be very pleased.
Extra boxes for packing.
Very good! He will be sorely missed, definitely.
He's always been a very good guy.
It's going to be sad to see him go.
It's the wonderful noises, I think.
I like the noises.
Every now and then he goes, "Ah-ah, argh.
" HE GROANS AND GRUNTS It's all part of the, sort of, the wonderful eccentric character that he is.
Urhhh.
Do you feel emotional about leaving Harrow after all this time? I don't really, no.
It's time to go.
Ooh.
Somebody got a pink doughnut! Who managed that? Oh, you got a doughnut, well! I missed out there, didn't I? 'I shall on the other hand clearly miss the company of the boys, 'and I shall miss the company of colleagues, because to me' that's what makes the place special, and I'm aware that I'll miss that somewhat.
Oh, you're the one with the pink doughnut? Hm.
Hm! Mind you, if I get desperately hungry I'm planning on keeping one suit so I can put it on and shuffle up to the Shepherd Churchill, my favourite place in the whole school and see if I can beg lunch.
I've copied in the Bursar as well.
The boys must have been plotting that.
I don't know who to blame for that.
Bunch of plotters.
Back at West Acre, Cate is busy wrapping Martin's gifts - two vintage cricket bats signed by the entire house.
Everybody's began to realise that, you know, tonight is time for celebrating now.
School is over, they've finished their lessons, they're now truly into preparing for the end of term.
It's, yeah, a sense that it's all over.
Where did I put the thing? Ah, here we are.
While Cate puts the finishing touches to Martin's presents, the upper sixth get their glad rags on and prepare themselves for an emotional evening.
It's a bit of an odd thing.
Like, sometimes it feels like it's not actually happening.
Like, I'm just sort of leaving for the summer and coming back again.
But I'm not.
I'mI'm leaving for good.
It'll properly be the end, and I'll be, like, saying goodbye to everyone.
I'll probably cry.
The evening begins in speech room, and it's packed not only with the boys and their beaks, but also the leavers' parents.
Good evening, everyone.
Welcome to this leavers' ceremony, and how right it is that we should focus on our leavers tonight, because for them, this is a poignant event.
33 years ago, Mr Martin Smith was gearing up to start a new job at Harrow.
Since then, he has proved himself to be an excellent all-round school master, and for the last 12 years, a superb house master of West Acre.
Avuncular and wise and unflappable, he is someone with unerring judgment.
He knows what to do, what to say, and at just the right time.
Now, for leaving boys, this is, I expect, a bitter sweet evening.
You cannot leave a place like this, where you have spent formative years of your life, without some sadness.
If in your careers you have the determination to build strong relationships and sustain them, to serve others as well as lead them, then you will make a difference and make your impact on the world.
Ah, wait, who's that? Ah, ah, that's Henry Smith.
There's a little bit of insult in there, but you'll like it.
Daniel, my dear, enjoy.
As leavers, they become members of an exclusive network of thousands of old boys that spans the globe.
Dr Roberts, cheers.
Yeah, it's a damn good start in life.
Being an old Harrovian, I'm going to have all this wonderful access to a network of Harrovians, and hopefully that will help a lot getting jobs.
Mate, you've got a bit of Am I ready for the memoirs? You've got a bit of reading to doyou've got trois.
Cry if you want.
Cry for me.
So sadistic.
You join, like, a sort of, like, a band of brothers almost.
And it defines everyone's life.
There's no way that it couldn't.
With the ceremonies over, the boys file back to West Acre for the traditional house songs.
A final goodbye to the friends they've spent the last five years with.
And to the man who's seen them through their teenage years.
It's easy to forget that we've got another leaver amongst us, our esteemed house master Martin Smith, and I think we can speak on behalf of all the boys in saying that you will be sorely missed, and words really cannot express our gratitude in all that you've done for us.
'He's done an absolutely sterling job, 'the difference he's made in boys' lives' Ooh, good gracious! Wow! Thank you very much.
Well, that's very kind, thank you.
This is a very curious thing! Thank you.
.
.
and we hope we give him a good sendoff, really.
Thank you very much for all this.
I have enjoyed this evening immensely.
It was perhaps not an easy evening to approach in many respects, but I have enjoyed it immensely, and that's thanks to your warmth.
It's a moment in time and it's caught, and we've lived it, and it's been brilliant, and we do it with every year, and it doesn't get any easier.
THEY SING AULD LANG SYNE It's quite weird knowing that I'm never coming back here after tonight.
But I haven't quite welled up yet, but I'm certainly feeling that I'm going to soon.
Oh.
Isn't that wonderful?! Oh, I couldn't have had anything nicer! That's really good.
It's the end of my time at Harrow.
It's a pretty sad time for all of us.
It's sad to see Mr Smith go.
There's a lot of emotions floating around in the air.
Saying goodbye to everyone, it's all a bit sad.
But you've survived it, eh, you've survived it.
I have.
I think I've done the best that I can to make it as comfortable an atmosphere, as pleasant an atmosphere as I can for the boys, because I do feel that if they're as happy as they can be within the teenage-angst years, then they will be more purposeful, they will achieve more, and it gives them a base, an anchor if you like, through the squalls that inevitably they will come across in their teenage years.
Yes, I think lights off, evening finished.
And there's a very clever light which still shines so that you don't walk into that pillar, which is very hard.
It looks as if it's wood, but I don't think it is, I think it's metal.
So, have you done OK? We've done the best we can.
This one goes here! accessibility@bskyb.
com
Over 400 years old, steeped in history, synonymous with wealth and privilege.
But what's it like to go there? Across a school year, we follow the boys of West Acre, one of Harrow's 12 boarding houses, to discover what it takes to make a modern day Harrovian.
It's the last few weeks of the summer term, and it's goodbye to the upper sixth, and house master Martin Smith.
Ooh! Whoa! But the boys have an awful lot to do before school's out, with exams Aaaaaahhhh! .
.
competitions Wasn't that guitar in tune a minute ago? Thank you very much! .
.
and the final goodbye to the man who has seen them through their teenage years.
Thank you very much for all this.
Don't do this Um, hang on a minute.
Where's the camera? It's midway through the summer term at West Acre, one of Harrow School's 12 boarding houses, and house master Martin Smith is busy packing.
This box seems to contain my birth certificate.
I'm not sure why it's in there.
Amazing.
I was born in 1953.
Still, the Second World War was over by then.
This is Martin's last year at Harrow.
In just six weeks' time, he'll be retiring after more than three decades working and living at the school.
'I think most members of my family are considerable hoarders 'and I'm one of the main culprits, of course.
' We've come across boxes we've not actually opened since we last moved 12 years ago! It's a passport photo from 1993.
You see, I've definitely got hair there, haven't I? I think he is a bit of a hoarder, yes.
And I think it's been a mission.
He's been doing it for months.
He's been packing for months.
Ooh! Whoa! Mrs Smith always said it was a very unwise thing to do Right, here we go.
It wouldn't do it a second time, would it? Martin's been house master of West Acre for the past 12 years.
I probably ought to get a chair without wheels on to get up here, reallybut there we are.
It's a relentless job that sees him juggle teaching economics in the school Bit exciting, isn't it? .
.
with being responsible for the 66 boys he shares the house with, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Oh! Many words spring to mind to describe Mr Smith.
UmI think the first one is fantastic.
He really has a sense of humour about everything.
He really knows what it was like to be 17 or 18.
The house is going to probably miss his overall character and liveliness, and just his presence, really.
This is one of the pictures that needs to be stored up with the old house history here.
This is the West Acre house group in 1928.
And in those days, the house and the house master in particular had a butler, and his name was Baylis.
And whereas all the boys have their initials, poor Baylis just gets "Baylis," no initials, no anything, not Mr, he's just Baylis the butler.
I think you have to see your own time at the school, even if it's a long time, it's really just the blink of an eye.
I mean, we're at a school that is 400 years old plus, and, um, you have to see it within that context.
And Matron in those days really got dressed up for the part.
I'm not sure Cate would necessarily go for that uniform, but Martin has just six weeks to dismantle his life at West Acre, leaving behind his home, his colleagues and the school he's dedicated more than 30 years to.
Ah, yes! The removal of the file from the book case is a very good first move.
Yes! Transparent, isn't it? All the while, he must ensure West Acre runs as smoothly as ever and guide the boys through the toughest time of their academic year - exam season.
So just go back to the original question.
What are you doing in here? I'm getting help with the revision because I don't know it.
Well, how is he supposed to help you do that? No-one can help him, sir.
Well, no, I think there's something to be said for that.
He knows it! The youngest boys, known as Shells, face a gruelling week of internal assessments, called trials.
For the Shells, they have importance because that may affect which classes, which divisions they go in for the next two years for their GCSE subjects.
And so it's quite important that they perform to their potential.
What is starch broken down into? Fatty acids.
No! Fat is broken into fatty acids! Amino acids? Starch is just sugar in loads of, like, molecules attached together.
Can we do that again? But for the oldest boys in the house, the term holds even more significance.
Their final A-level exams are only days away.
Five years at Harrow has cost their parents in excess of £150,000 in school fees, so the pressure's on to get the grades they need for their chosen universities.
Got less than, um, 16 hours till my exam.
Good luck.
I'd be tempted to say that the mood of this term is one of pressure.
One of panic.
You've got a screen pad upstairs.
With so much riding on their exams, it's vital the boys stay focused.
Hey, Smith, so what're you doing right now? Doing some economics revision.
But in a house of 66 boys, avoiding distraction isn't easy.
Thorn's going to go into his room.
Place the camera, hide.
He's going to go back in his room.
And Ade will scream like a little girl.
What else do you have on Monday, besides C1? Economics.
Anything can distract me if it's other than work.
We're going to Mark Knopfler the boy from Dire Straits.
We've got the tickets.
We've got the rickets.
We is going to go! Yes, yes, you can put off revision for all sorts of reasons, can't you, and they seem to be good reasons at the time.
It's a bit like me getting down to writing end of term reports.
I can think of quite a few other things I ought to be doing.
Going to play yarder.
Going to play yarder.
Waargh! Argh! Right, there, we're off.
Making sure the boys concentrate on their revision is just one of a host of chores on Martin's to-do list this term.
We're not going to get knocked down.
That's good.
With just four weeks until retirement, it's the busiest spell of his Harrow career yet.
This is it in the Harrow stint, I think.
Yes, I'm hoping it's not it altogether.
After all, I think Mr Chips in one of the films died in his chair, didn't he, in the last week? I'm hoping to miss that.
Working nine till five What a way to make a livin' While holding down the day job, Martin's also preparing to hand West Acre's reins to a new house master, and his teaching responsibilities to a young upstart.
I'm just looking to see who's been appointed to teach economics in my place Previously a postgraduate assistant at St Edwards at Oxford .
.
so he must be about 22 or 23.
That's marginally younger than I am! That's very good.
He'll be full of energy.
You're still full of energy, aren't you, Martin? I'm very good at getting on a plane in the holidays! MUSIC: Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata In a school where rivalry between boarding houses means everything, there's one final inter-house competition before the year's out.
Ahshould open.
And it's one that West Acre, with its reputation for musical excellence, is keen to defend.
There we are.
The Warwick Smith Cup.
Music prizes, preliminary rounds.
It's lived in there quite a long time.
We've won it for certainly half a dozen years running.
And it would be nice to defend it in my last year, I have to say.
Unusually, the competition doesn't just involve the elite musicians.
Anyone who plays an instrument can take part, and in West Acre, that's a lot of boys.
Half the house will be directly involved, and if you go there and you manage to play a note or two, then you will get one point.
There are more points available for greater competence.
They do like contributing for their house, particularly if so far they've not managed to do very much on the musical front as such.
So it is a very nice competition in that sense.
But with the whole house focusing on their exams, will West Acre be able to secure the trophy for another year? Hugh.
Yes.
You'll do anything not to revise.
Exactly! I rememberI remember my A-level, one of my A-level papers where we seemed not to have been taught the right syllabus and I spent a lot of time looking at the ceiling.
So I know how it feels.
There are three weeks to go until the end of the Harrow school year.
And at West Acre boarding house, housemaster Martin Smith is getting ready to retire after 33 years of service.
Oh, this is for my packing.
I go round the house, round the bins collecting all the cardboard boxes.
So this will be very useful for putting things in.
Hello, Barnaby.
Hello, sir.
Do you want some cardboard boxes? Because I've got some.
Oh, yes, yes.
I've got several pink ones.
Oh, wonderful! I love the pink ones! They're quite strong.
As well as packing up his life, he has to make sure his 66 boys get through the toughest time of their year - exam season.
I'm not sure if it's boys typically or Harrovians especially, but they tend to be last minute merchants.
So these last few days before an exam, they're they're critical to their prospects.
You told me sugar! It's the same thing! Maltose! OK, start again.
Actually, to be honest, maltose is a sugar, so No - you put maltose, you don't get the mark.
After weeks of revision, the exams are under way.
The youngest boys, or Shells, face a week of gruelling assessments, known as trials.
See you, guys.
Good luck.
Good luck.
They will determine which academic groups they'll be placed in for their GCSEs.
Fun is had by all.
Meanwhile, the upper sixth are in the middle of the most important exams of their school career.
OK, 45 minutes standard time.
Extra time is ten extra minutes.
You may start.
Doing well in their final A-levels is critical to winning a place to the universities of their choice.
Sixth former Henry is taking exams in politics, English and business studies.
He hopes to study philosophy at Exeter University.
I need three As to get to Exeter.
And I'm likeif things go, like, well, then I'll get that, but if they go, like, wrong, then I won't.
That's a really obvious statement.
I sort of planned to go to Cambridge this year, but the hard thing is not getting a place.
I still love the look of all the other universities that have offered me places - UCL, Bristol, Warwick, etc.
But at the same time I think I would like to give it another stab.
I'm going off to Kings College in Cambridge to read English which iswhich obviously I'm really, reallyI'm happy about.
And also I'll be singing there, too.
Depending on my grades I'm going to go to the University of York.
Got to make sure I get those marks, get those As.
Or A stars.
Doubt it, though.
Pens down please, and leave quietly.
It has always been the case with any schoolchild that some exams go better than others.
Back in the safety of West Acre .
.
the boys lament a difficult day in the exam room.
I don't want to talk to anyone because they'll all be, like, how was it, and it went so badly.
Oh, my God! The joys of examination.
I needed 80.
I need 80%, essentially.
Well, 82% in this exam to get my A star.
If I don't get my A star, I'm going to kill myself.
Yeah, great, you have If you got 82%, then I am the Queen of Sheba, let me just say that 18 pages.
I wrote 18.
Sometimes they imagine that it's actually gone worse than it has.
You really want to break something! I know.
We can go downstairs and break something.
I will.
Break lots of stuff.
But most of them, there's a painful short period and then they're bouncing back again.
MUSIC: Baggy Trousers by Madness For the Shells, their trials are over, and they're being rewarded with a special fun day.
They finished their trials yesterday, and so although they don't realise it, it's the perfect way for them to let off steam now, and just celebrate it's all over.
And we're at the last two weeks of term, so it's nice.
Some of them, I haven't seen them laugh for a week.
Sachin has passed his trials with flying colours, and Dillon has also done well, coming top of his division in maths.
I was quite happy with my result.
I had a feeling I would do well, and, and I thought I would be in the top three or four in my division, but I wasn't quite expecting first.
Well, they've changed such a lot since they arrived, but we're a full year on, and a year at this age is a long time.
They'll change again next year, and again the year after.
And there's another change facing all the boys of West Acre next year.
The introduction of a new house master, Martin Walker.
Come in.
I won't give you Tara's chair - that'll cause a riot.
It's her birthday today.
She's 11 today.
She's had an extra eggy.
She had little sausage eggies.
For her birthday, yes.
Will you be getting a small dog? No, I don't think so.
I have a small cat - probably wouldn't like a small dog.
The corridors are big for individuals to be corridor monitors.
And I found that didn't work very well, so that's why I got rid of that.
'I think they're pretty big shoes to fill.
'Everyone around the school loves him.
'He's always sort of jovial and positive.
It's quite daunting,' but I'll probably, you know, do things quite differently from him because I just think you have to be yourself in the role.
Help yourself to a bickie if you'd like one.
Would you like a glass of water? Um, yes, please.
Yeah.
One of the first tasks facing Martin Walker is appointing new house monitors from the current lower sixth, who'll help him in his duties next year.
And would you like to be a monitor? I would love to be a monitor.
Yeah? He also has to decide which boys should take on the most coveted roles of head and deputy head of house.
But choosing between them won't be easy.
Are you interested in being head of house? Definitely.
Uh, yeah.
Just about every member of the lower sixth form wanted to be head of house, and just about every boy wanted to be a monitor, and I think that's just because they're very proud of their house.
They, you know, care greatly about it.
Right, OK, thanks very much.
Thank you, sir.
Cheers.
It's vital Martin chooses wisely.
If he doesn't pick the right boys, then he risks losing the respect of the rest of the house.
You get the right people in the positions of responsibility, so that everyone in that year group thinks, yes, these are the right people to do it, then that starts to help to create that positive tone and keep the right sort of atmosphere in the house.
OK, any other questions? Can I have another biscuit? Good question! Go for it.
It's the evening of the inter-house music prizes competition.
West Acre has won the contest for the past six years, thanks to talented music scholars like Henry.
'The whole houses go along 'and you basically just go down to the music schools 'and play whatever instrument you have,' and whatever you play gets a certain amount of points.
But in recent years, the competition has been getting tougher, and so tonight West Acre are pulling out all the stops to impress director of music, David Woodcock.
We want to keep it in the trophy cabinet, so, a bit of pressure.
But this competition isn't just for the music stars.
Points are awarded not only for quality, but also quantity of performances .
.
a rule that West Acre intends to take full advantage of.
Nextnext.
Right, next.
'What I've told people in the past is just go down' and I say play Mary Has A Little Lamb or Twinkle Twinkle on the piano.
I mean, much, to Mr Woodcock's dismay, as he has to sit through hours ofof BEEP really.
That's it.
OK, thank you very much, yup, that will do.
Wasn't that guitar in tune a minute ago? LAUGHTER Not all of West Acre's performances may have may have been stellar, but will their tactics pay off? Two hours from one house, so, um, yeah, it shows you, um, you know, how many of them learn musical instruments.
Sorry, Mr Woodcock.
Thank you for the first year, sir, and for the chocolate cake - it was really nice.
Thanks, sir.
It's the second half of the summer term at West Acre boarding house.
House master Martin Smith has been anxiously awaiting the results of the final inter-house contest of the year the music prizes cup.
Please find the attached results.
Hard copies are in the pigeon hole.
Over half the house turned out to compete, desperate to defend the trophy for Martin in his last year.
But have they done enough? It's taken quite a long time for the results officially to come back to me of the music prizes, and I'm pleased to tell you that you have defended it by a very long way, so very well done indeed! MUSIC: "Our House" - Madness One or two boys said, "Oh, that was great for you, "we got something in the last term.
" I was very pleased for them, is what it came down to.
With the cup safely back where it belongs, it'll soon be time for Martin to hand the trophy cabinet keys to his replacement, Martin Walker.
So I'm about to announce the head of house and the monitors.
A big moment.
It is a big moment, yeah, yeah.
So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
A bit nervous, and I hope I've got the decision right.
I hope they allthey all agree, they all like the appointments.
Good evening, everybody.
All right, I'll just count you to make sure everyone's here.
It's OK, you don't need to stand up.
At ease, at ease! 'I felt nervous about that announcement 'because I felt it was a really important one in, in some ways, 'my sort of, one of my first strategic decisions 'in the boarding house.
' And, you know, I think it's one of the difficult things because they all want it so much, there were inevitably going to be a few people who were disappointed.
So, the head of house is going to Barnaby Bartlett.
The deputy head of house is going to be Joe Murray.
The reaction was very positive, I thought.
They were all sort of, you know, giving each other hugs and handshakes and all the rest.
That's Barnaby.
Yes, yes! That's my boy! It was a really nice moment.
It seemed really positive, and I was sort of thinking I'm quite looking forward to getting in and to September.
My great grandfather, the fourth Duke of Norfolk! The summer term is a significant time for all the boys.
As the lower sixth take over the leadership of the house, the first years, or Shells, are about to have their names etched permanently into the school's 400-year history.
The tradition at Harrow is that you have your name carved, well, it used to be on the walls of the original fourth form room, then it was on the backs of the chairs, and notice boards in the school, and then it came to the houses, and you can look back over my years and go back, way, way back into the history of West Acre.
Once their name goes up on the board, it, you know, it associates them with the house as such.
It's there for ever, really.
Yeah, I suppose it's marking the beginning of the mark of their transition from new boys as Shells to the remove year, and that's something, of course, they'll look forward to because they won't be bottom of the pile any more, they'll be the all-knowing removes, and when you're that age, you know everything, of course.
Solid! The Shells are now fully fledged Harrovians, but a whole new batch of boys are about to be initiated into the unique world of Harrow.
You can't stay as one group together today, all right? You've got to meet the others, get to know them.
Split these three up when they're out, when they're playing football.
Today is the new boys' tea party.
A chance for next year's Shells to get a glimpse of what their life at West Acre might be like, and to meet their new house master.
It was my weak science, and I got an A star in it.
Oh, did you? Fantastic.
Well done.
There you are.
I was, you know, a mixture of, sort of, nervous and excited.
I suppose much like the new boys themselves, you know, thinking, you know, what lies ahead, how am I going to get along with everyone, what's life going to be like? Hello, hi, good to see you.
Welcome, welcome.
Most new boys will have booked their slot at Harrow a couple of years ago.
But 13-year-old Michael, fresh from a state school in Derby, has only recently been awarded a place at the school.
After thrilling Harrow's director of music with his talent for the trombone, Michael has won a scholarship and a clutch of other awards that have made it possible for him to come to the school.
I never thought when I first saw that instrument and gone, "It's got a moveable bit to it!" And thinking, "I want to play that," that seven years later, seven years later I'm here, and because of it I'm actually at this school, it is You never think of that happening from just picking up an instrument.
It's changed my life! Kick ass! Today is Michael's first chance to meet the boys he'll be spending the next five years with.
And watching on - the Shells, who were in his shoes a year ago.
'Watching the new boys just reminded me of my new boys' tea, really.
'I felt quite nervous, quite weird, 'quite unfamiliar in the surroundings.
' And we sort of tried to talk to each other but it was a bit, obviously a bit weird.
I'm lost for words, really.
It's going to be a change, but I think I'll be able to get used to it.
And there's a lot for the current Shells to get used to next year as well.
The new boys' tea was really the start of the new West Acre.
Because it was the first time we've actually been around Mr Walker.
You don't mind a bit of hard work, Dillon, do you? I'd sayI say I don't like hard work, a bit of an understatement for me And also, it was quite different, because when we're usually in the house master's private side, we're with Mr Smith, but this time, we were with Mr Walker.
You're just, like, dude, what are you doing in this guy's house, it's Mr Smith's house.
So, um, that was quite weird.
It's the last week of term, and Martin is bidding farewell to all that he loves most about Harrow.
Gosh, that was a hit and a half.
That boy's hitting it all around the park.
'I've always enjoyed the game because I've played a lot of cricket myself 'when I was considerably younger than I am now.
'It's always been my favourite game.
' It was my favourite game at school and I suppose that'sthat's that is the point, that you like something at school, you do something that you like at school and you carry it forward.
Now I'm afraid I'm just a spectator, but there we are.
Martin has come down to check on the progress of the Shells, who today are playing against Eton.
Sachin? Were you very long I don't know.
I was going say you were hitting it all right, but the other chap at the other end was smashing it too.
That's a huge score! That's a huge score, isn't it? He's also come to sample another of his great loves.
Hello! Good afternoon! Ah, these wonderful cricket teas! I'm very fond, yes, I'm very fond of cricket teas nowadays, probably more fond than I should actually be, but we're very lucky because we've had two new pavilions built on the Phil grounds, the cricket grounds, and the tea facilities seem to have improved beyond all measure.
Egg sandwiches, my favourite.
Followed by chocolate cake.
What shall I choose?! They're only smallyou see, we came down, saw a little bit of cricket and then it's time for tea.
Remarkable.
He may be leaving Harrow, but Martin has no intention of giving up every aspect of his school life.
He's bought a small house on the hill that overlooks the cricket pitches.
When we're in Harrow in the summer term, I shall be able to look at the cricket.
And I think as an old beak, meaning of course former beak rather than ancient beak, that I'm probably entitled to a cup of tea after all those years.
Possibly a chocolate brownie, too.
Yeah, we've got two bats, guys.
That will hopefully contain the names of all of the house.
Back at the house, West Acre's matron, Cate Bain, is preparing a leaver's present for Martin.
Immediately whenever I was asking the boys, what do you think we should get Mr Smith from all of you, what sort of present would you like to get him, it was immediate, they said something to do with cricket, cricket bats.
So, we went with it, we found some vintage ones.
I don't think Martin has much of an idea at all, so everything will be a surprise.
The boys loved the idea because you could tell by how excited they were about signing them all.
They knew it was the right present.
It was the right gift to get, and that's always lovely when you know you've got something right.
Very.
Yes, I know.
Life continues at such a pace that you think it's always going to stay that way, you know.
We're in such a busy routine.
Such a busy, busy life.
It's unrelenting, and then suddenly the end of term comes and it's all over.
But this is a bit more significant, isn't it, obviously, because the year, the year's ending, the boys are going and Martin's going.
It's all very different.
I hate saying goodbye to people.
Are you they going to miss him? Very much so.
Everybody is.
Everybody's going to miss him.
What will you miss most about him? I wasn't Yeah.
Don't do this Um Hang on a minute.
we follow the boys of West Acre, one of Harrow's 12 boarding houses, We are going to miss you.
We will miss you, but we won't be here, so What're you trying to say? We won't be missing you as a house master, we'll be missing you as a As a person.
As a person, exactly.
Exactly how good was That was good phrasing.
That was good phrasing.
We're going to miss It's the last few days of the summer term at Harrow.
For the upper sixth of West Acre Boarding house, their five years at the school are nearly over.
Height order, you know the deal, height order.
Today, house master Martin Smith is organising his last house photograph.
They almost look respectable like that.
Within a few years, there's not a boy in West Acre who'll know who I am, actually, because they've moved on, and that's probably the way it should be, so it'll be old boys' dinners! Sometimes known as Zimmer dinners, I'm told.
I've got a really itchy nose.
Can someone itch it On three! One, two and three.
The unspoken deal is that you behave nicely and so forth in the formal photograph, so that's the sort of one that we can send to Mummy and Daddy or Granny, and you have a little bit more leeway in the informal one.
We take stupidity very seriously at this school.
What's the plan with the box? Not much, I'm just going to sit in it.
Literally, I've always come up with some random stuff.
I dressed as a terrorist last year.
There's a hat, a charger.
What's the theme? Erelitism? Thorn, I mean for goodness' sake, was dressed like Kate Upton, but you wouldn't have thought it, like you would have thought he was just dressing up like someone from the production of Priscilla.
I wish we could dress like that all the time, but I wish you could as well.
But society won't let us.
Never mind.
Yeah.
Can you make sure you're standing behind somebody if you're only in your underwear? One, two and three.
Good! That wasn't that embarrassing.
You'll be feeling more embarrassed when you start acting, the reviews you get.
Anyone who says they're not going to miss this place is still deluded and it will hit home at some point.
Back in his room, Henry is busy with another Harrow custom that dates back to the 1800s.
The writing of leavers' cards.
Exclamation markdon't pull them out that often, so it means something.
Yours - which is emotionally, like, invigorate - Yours, Henry.
There we go.
The leavers is definitely one of the best traditions by far.
It's a really heart-warming way of saying to someone, like, like, yeah, like, I know you, like, I know you've been a part of my experience here.
So I shall write to Henry This year, as a leaver himself, Martin has decided to join the boys in the tradition.
These are some of the 278 images of myself which the sixth form, the upper sixth managed to produce on the evening before speech day.
And so it seemed a pity to just throw them out, so I'm As I'm for the first time, of course a leaver alongside the upper sixth, I was going to use it as rather an enlarged leaver, and I'm then going to add a little sticker which is my contact details after July 15th.
Are they ready for the big wide world? Some of them are more ready than others for the big wide world.
The question then is, is the big wide world ready for them, I think.
BELL RINGS It's the last day of the school year, and for Martin, the last time he'll be waking up his 66 boys.
One more time.
Yes, that's right! Right, here we go.
OK.
See, Cate's in very good form - she's sprinting up the stairs.
He's always such a cheery person first thing in the morning, whenever we set off to wake them up.
Morning, Deng! Morning.
Morning, Achill! Morning.
He's dead on the bell and there's always a smile on his face.
Another happy day! So, yeah.
And it's a nice way to start the day, it is.
Mrs Smith will be very pleased.
Extra boxes for packing.
Very good! He will be sorely missed, definitely.
He's always been a very good guy.
It's going to be sad to see him go.
It's the wonderful noises, I think.
I like the noises.
Every now and then he goes, "Ah-ah, argh.
" HE GROANS AND GRUNTS It's all part of the, sort of, the wonderful eccentric character that he is.
Urhhh.
Do you feel emotional about leaving Harrow after all this time? I don't really, no.
It's time to go.
Ooh.
Somebody got a pink doughnut! Who managed that? Oh, you got a doughnut, well! I missed out there, didn't I? 'I shall on the other hand clearly miss the company of the boys, 'and I shall miss the company of colleagues, because to me' that's what makes the place special, and I'm aware that I'll miss that somewhat.
Oh, you're the one with the pink doughnut? Hm.
Hm! Mind you, if I get desperately hungry I'm planning on keeping one suit so I can put it on and shuffle up to the Shepherd Churchill, my favourite place in the whole school and see if I can beg lunch.
I've copied in the Bursar as well.
The boys must have been plotting that.
I don't know who to blame for that.
Bunch of plotters.
Back at West Acre, Cate is busy wrapping Martin's gifts - two vintage cricket bats signed by the entire house.
Everybody's began to realise that, you know, tonight is time for celebrating now.
School is over, they've finished their lessons, they're now truly into preparing for the end of term.
It's, yeah, a sense that it's all over.
Where did I put the thing? Ah, here we are.
While Cate puts the finishing touches to Martin's presents, the upper sixth get their glad rags on and prepare themselves for an emotional evening.
It's a bit of an odd thing.
Like, sometimes it feels like it's not actually happening.
Like, I'm just sort of leaving for the summer and coming back again.
But I'm not.
I'mI'm leaving for good.
It'll properly be the end, and I'll be, like, saying goodbye to everyone.
I'll probably cry.
The evening begins in speech room, and it's packed not only with the boys and their beaks, but also the leavers' parents.
Good evening, everyone.
Welcome to this leavers' ceremony, and how right it is that we should focus on our leavers tonight, because for them, this is a poignant event.
33 years ago, Mr Martin Smith was gearing up to start a new job at Harrow.
Since then, he has proved himself to be an excellent all-round school master, and for the last 12 years, a superb house master of West Acre.
Avuncular and wise and unflappable, he is someone with unerring judgment.
He knows what to do, what to say, and at just the right time.
Now, for leaving boys, this is, I expect, a bitter sweet evening.
You cannot leave a place like this, where you have spent formative years of your life, without some sadness.
If in your careers you have the determination to build strong relationships and sustain them, to serve others as well as lead them, then you will make a difference and make your impact on the world.
Ah, wait, who's that? Ah, ah, that's Henry Smith.
There's a little bit of insult in there, but you'll like it.
Daniel, my dear, enjoy.
As leavers, they become members of an exclusive network of thousands of old boys that spans the globe.
Dr Roberts, cheers.
Yeah, it's a damn good start in life.
Being an old Harrovian, I'm going to have all this wonderful access to a network of Harrovians, and hopefully that will help a lot getting jobs.
Mate, you've got a bit of Am I ready for the memoirs? You've got a bit of reading to doyou've got trois.
Cry if you want.
Cry for me.
So sadistic.
You join, like, a sort of, like, a band of brothers almost.
And it defines everyone's life.
There's no way that it couldn't.
With the ceremonies over, the boys file back to West Acre for the traditional house songs.
A final goodbye to the friends they've spent the last five years with.
And to the man who's seen them through their teenage years.
It's easy to forget that we've got another leaver amongst us, our esteemed house master Martin Smith, and I think we can speak on behalf of all the boys in saying that you will be sorely missed, and words really cannot express our gratitude in all that you've done for us.
'He's done an absolutely sterling job, 'the difference he's made in boys' lives' Ooh, good gracious! Wow! Thank you very much.
Well, that's very kind, thank you.
This is a very curious thing! Thank you.
.
.
and we hope we give him a good sendoff, really.
Thank you very much for all this.
I have enjoyed this evening immensely.
It was perhaps not an easy evening to approach in many respects, but I have enjoyed it immensely, and that's thanks to your warmth.
It's a moment in time and it's caught, and we've lived it, and it's been brilliant, and we do it with every year, and it doesn't get any easier.
THEY SING AULD LANG SYNE It's quite weird knowing that I'm never coming back here after tonight.
But I haven't quite welled up yet, but I'm certainly feeling that I'm going to soon.
Oh.
Isn't that wonderful?! Oh, I couldn't have had anything nicer! That's really good.
It's the end of my time at Harrow.
It's a pretty sad time for all of us.
It's sad to see Mr Smith go.
There's a lot of emotions floating around in the air.
Saying goodbye to everyone, it's all a bit sad.
But you've survived it, eh, you've survived it.
I have.
I think I've done the best that I can to make it as comfortable an atmosphere, as pleasant an atmosphere as I can for the boys, because I do feel that if they're as happy as they can be within the teenage-angst years, then they will be more purposeful, they will achieve more, and it gives them a base, an anchor if you like, through the squalls that inevitably they will come across in their teenage years.
Yes, I think lights off, evening finished.
And there's a very clever light which still shines so that you don't walk into that pillar, which is very hard.
It looks as if it's wood, but I don't think it is, I think it's metal.
So, have you done OK? We've done the best we can.
This one goes here! accessibility@bskyb.
com