Another headmaster of Winchester College, Tommy Cookson, wrote in The Daily Telegraph that he was "one of the most gifted schoolmasters of his generation", stating that "He ran the school with a light touch.

He overcame a childhood stammer to "sh[i]ne as a classical scholar, author, actor, sportsman, carpenter and cabaret artiste".

[1] Its inspectors stated that under his headship the school's standards were "consistently at the highest level", assisted by the "intellectual rapport which exists between teachers and pupils".

[2] The Guardian reported that Sabben-Clare "caused controversy" by telling the conference that A-Levels had become easier and "failed to stretch the brightest pupils."

To the news that Winchester College was once again top of the A-level league table, Sabben-Clare commented that Wykehamists were getting more grade As, but that did not mean they were any better than school-leavers of 20 years earlier.