May 16th 2026
Last weekend was action packed with the Year 7 & 8 Disco on Friday evening, ‘Adventure into the Wild’ on Saturday, followed by matches against Lambrook in the afternoon. A very large thank you to the very many staff, parents and children who ensured that all three events were wonderful experiences.
‘Adventure into the Wild’ was a particularly successful morning and we were delighted to welcome 111 families to the school site, 68 of whom are considering Moulsford for their children. The inspiration for the event was ‘Old Mole’ Jack Randall, a conservationist and wildlife expert, who was a pupil at Moulsford from 1995 – 2001.
Following Moulsford, Jack went to Stowe and then to Oxford University where he studied zoology. Jack’s passion for nature and wildlife started early and his first pet, aged about 11, was a snake! He followed his dream and was successful in an application to serve an apprenticeship in Australia with Steve Irwin aged 14. Steve was a mentor and friend to Jack until he was tragically killed by a stingray barb in 2006.
Jack gave such a brilliant talk to the children and parents on Saturday, and his passion and knowledge came shining through. He brought various animals with him including a python, scorpion, bearded dragon, cane toad and a tarantula – the risk assessment for the latter meant that it stayed in its box!
It was a pleasure to give Jack a tour of Moulsford and he was so proud to show his old school to his wife and 4 year old daughter. Jack was very clear that the most influential period of his education was at Moulsford, and he credits these 6 years with inspiring and nurturing his lifelong passion for nature. I told Jack’s story in assembly this week and it was clear that he’d had quite an impact on many of the children who heard him talk.
Jack personifies Moulsford’s values: his curiosity to learn about the natural world; his courage to follow his passion; and the kindness he showed to the children on Saturday.
For those who particularly enjoyed Jack’s animal showcase at the weekend, and would like to take their love of wildlife even further please see details about Jack’s company ‘Made in the Wild’ in our news story below.
