Kipling

Meet the Housemaster

Harry Baxendale has been Housemaster of Kipling since September 2013 and lives there with his wife Kasia and their two sons, Leopold and Felix. Before that, he spent four years as Assistant Housemaster of Trevelyan, having tutored there since his arrival at Haileybury from Berkhamsted School in 2006. Harry teaches English, and was Acting Head of English for the 2012–13 academic year.

He was Master in Charge of Cricket from 2011 until he took up the reins at Kipling, and has been President of the spectacularly amateur staff cricket side, the Nondescripts, since 2007. Harry has also coached football at the school for five years.

As Harry says: “Kipling has had several Heads or Deputy Heads of School in recent years, something about which we are all very proud. As Housemaster, I find it hugely rewarding to help the new boys settle in, grow in confidence and begin to flourish – and to build a house ethos based on values and principles I really believe in.”

Kipling is home to a group of boys who are encouraged to be generous in spirit and curious about the world. Kindness underpins the whole character of our House and it goes without saying that Kipling boys are remarkably supportive of each other and a great pleasure to spend time with.

Harry Baxendale Housemaster of Kipling

House character

Whilst Kipling has long been strongly associated with the Arts (many fine musicians, actors and artists have been through the House), it has also more recently become a major force in school sport.

We are now fortunate enough to have a high number of boys in the School’s 1st team for each major sport.

The Kipling community is founded on the three central tenets of kindness, ambition and enthusiasm.

The boys understand that kindness to others, whether they be other pupils, teachers, support staff or members of the public, underpins the house’s character and is seen as the main identifier of a Kipling boy.

Getting involved in the myriad opportunities the School offers is also crucial — and doing it all with a smile on one’s face is key too. Cooking together and sharing the end product is another way that the boys develop their personal skills.

The camaraderie amongst Kipling boys is palpable, but this has long been a House for the more independent Haileyburian too.

Kipling prides itself on being known as the People’s Republic of Kipling, but also shares warm relationships with other Houses, including Hailey and Melvill, its sister Houses.

A most enjoyable event in House is its annual dinner for old boys not only of Kipling but also Le Bas. Held every year since 1940, the dinner has recently attracted between 100 and 130 former pupils, many flying from around the world to be there. An impressive and heart-warming tribute to what House means for every Kipling boy – and a record unique in Haileybury.

House facilities

The House has two sizeable Common Rooms, one on each floor, both with the full Sky TV package; the second floor also has an Xbox and a piano.

The first floor has a much-used table tennis table, pool table and table football. The boys have two kitchens, including a lovely airy kitchen-diner on the second floor with views over the games fields.

Matron, tutors and HPA representative

Harry is supported in his work by Valerie Allen, the House Matron, who helps with the day-to-day domestic management of the House and an experienced team of Tutors. The House also has its own representative from the Haileybury Parents’ Association.

History

Kipling is named after Rudyard Kipling and celebrates Haileybury’s ancestry in the United Service College (later known as the Imperial Service College) of which Kipling was a former pupil.

In 1942, when Haileybury and the ISC amalgamated, 120 pupils made the journey to study at Haileybury and Kipling House was created. The physical House itself is older, dating back to the 1870s and was once known as Le Bas, after Charles Webb Le Bas, one of the College’s first four principals.

The Kipling House badge, St Mark’s Lion – the emblem of Venice – was originally used by St Mark’s School, Windsor, which merged with the USC in 1906. House colours are green and black.