TheAlfredian2022

Magazine 2022

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The Alfredian Magazine 2022

CONTENTS

KEEPING UP WITH KAS Message from the Head

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LOWER SCHOOL

Reception 6

Want to peep behind the KAS gates more often than once a year?

Year One Follow KAS for term-time insights:

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Year Two

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Year Three

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Year Four

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@kingalfredsch Year Five

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Year Six

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Music 20

Design Technology @thekingalfredschool

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French 24 Maths 26 Forest School

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the_king_alfred_school Art 28 Library 30 Lower School Head’s Review Of The Year

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Lower School Camps

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The King Alfred School

UPPER SCHOOL Learning Reimagined

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Art 40

Our Old Alfredian officeEnglish 46 would love to hear from former students and parents.

Drama Get in touch via oa@kingalfred.org.uk with all your news.

Follow them on:

Upper School Shows

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History 54

Twitter: @OldAlfredians Film Studies

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Music & Music Tech Instagram: oldalfredians

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ICT 62 Maths 63

Science 64 The Alfredian Magazine 2022 & Spanish Edited: Diane LeemingFrench & Rocco Panaggio

Design: Sparkloop

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Economics 70 Politics 71 Psychology 72

Philosophy 73 The King Alfred School, Photography 74 North End Road, 78 London NW11 7HY Physical Education Geography 82

www.kingalfred.org.uk Tel: 020 8457 5200

Design Technology

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Latin & Classical Civilisation

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Sociology 89 Email: kas@kingalfred.org.uk Education On The Move Conference

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TEDxKingAlfredSchool 92 The Village Project

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Old Alfredians & Development Office

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Archive 98 Farewell To James

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Farewell To Lucy

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Farewell To Linda

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Farewell To Dennis

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Time To Say Goodbye

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The Alfredian Magazine The Alfredian Magazine 20222022 5 109

ROBERT LOBATTO

ROBERT LOBATTO - Message from the Head

Robert with student speakers at the ‘Education On The Move’ Conference

Robert Lobatto

Tucked away in a semi-subterranean space, nestled between the Photography Studio and the stationery cupboard is a small, air-conditioned room. Inside, you find treasure consisting of photographs, documents and artefacts that go back to 1897. This is our archive, neatly arranged, with historical papers carefully tucked into protective wallets.

As with any good archive, it lives and breathes and

They highlighted a testing regime which automatically

Year 6 have recently been exploring its content. They

condemns a third of all pupils to ‘fail’ due to capping the

have discovered the original school song, have leafed

number of students who can achieve a pass.

through the handwritten school magazine of 1914, and have studied the war years in Royston when our site was commandeered by the army. They explored the idealism of our founders who saw education as an engine improve society. Inspired by what they found, letters have been

analysed the decline of creative subjects and the failure to develop the broader skills of communication, collaboration, and creativity required by employers.

flooding my way requesting more girls cricket, regular

And they focussed on well-being. There are multiple

lessons in the treehouse, and the return of the goat!

causes of mental health challenges, but the Commission

At the very same moment, the Times Education Committee Report also landed on my desk. Its 20 members include luminaries from across the educational and political landscape and they painted a bleak picture of the state of education in England.

found that many students themselves cited the pressure of exams as a driving force. 1 in 6 young people are now seen to suffer from a probable mental health disorder and more than half of adult mental health problems emerge before the age of 15. British children are among the unhappiest in the world. The OECD found that pupils

They described the paltry levels of provision and funding

in the UK suffered the steepest decline in life satisfaction

for early years, with funding well below the European

between 2015 and 2018 and ranked 34th out of 35

average and childcare seen as more of a way to enable

countries for fear of failure.

parents to work than a vital educational experience for young children.

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Due to the unrelenting focus on exam outcomes, they

The Alfredian Magazine 2022

Message from the Head - ROBERT LOBATTO

They maintained that we have a responsibility to campaign against the superficial preparation for testing which all the research shows is forgotten within a few months and instead advocate for deeper learning. They promoted the Arts which bring millions to the economy as well as personal and communal cultural richness.

They pushed for freedom, allowing young people to find their own path and take responsibility for who they are.

Above all, they championed a child-centred approach to schooling where the needs of the individual take precedence over the external pressure to meet institutional accountability measures.

King Alfred has therefore always had this aspiring

Robert with students

utopian mission. Today, more than ever, we can Comparing the Year 6 letters with the Interim Report,

recognise that we have an approach, a philosophy

reminded me why it is so important that KAS champions

and a history that addresses many of the depressing

a broader vision. As our recent Inspection report lays out,

problems in our system. That is why we must continue

it is by embracing a holistic approach that we stretch far

to campaign, to run our conferences and to build our

beyond short-term goals to long-term educational and

outreach programme - we can use our experience, our

personal development.

know-how and our passion to join with others, build

Is it not right for all schools to embrace the creative

partnerships and make a difference on the ground.

subjects as we do? These subjetcs unquestionably

This idealism, I feel, would resonate with our Year 6’s.

nurture conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and

As well as working with the Archive, they met and

individual responsibility as much as any other parts of the

interviewed a group of Old Alfredians, some of whom

curriculum.

had been here as far back as the 1940s.

Does it not make sense for schools to nurture broader

“Was it interesting?” I asked a couple of the pupils.

skills and personal qualities as happens here?

“Fascinating” they said, “we loved their stories about

Opportunities in the 6-8 curriculum, in the Village, in

school life, and what they did next.” “Any surprises?”

new courses during the GCSE years, and in the EPQ

I asked. “Well, a lot of what they said made it sound

qualification at Sixth Form level systematically build these

quite similar, although I think they had even more

to prepare our young people for the future.

freedom in those days.” “And did they have anything in

And should not well-being be front and centre of

common?” I finally asked. “Oh yes,” they both replied.

everyone’s thinking? Children will always compare

“They all wanted to improve the world.”

themselves to one another, but schools can have a very different approach in this area. Exams will always be part of assessment, but should not coursework, portfolios and presentations also contribute towards final grades, avoiding the one-off, all-or-nothing high stakes scenario which dominates our system? Rather than lazily using comparison and ordering of children as a motivator to work hard, can the focus not be on intrinsic motivation, valuing everyone’s achievement on its own terms?

I am grateful that our late Victorian founders built these principles into our DNA; and they also set us a broader task. As a charity, they saw our role not only to educate

Robert discussing the Space Interdisciplinary Enquiry with Y7 students

our own KAS community, but to turn the dial in the wider system.

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RECEPTION - Claire Michael, Shireen Muhunthan, Emma Neale, Sam Carrington and Amina Ahmed

RECEPTION

The way the children settled into school life, quickly got to know each other and formed lasting friendships made the teachers glow with pride.

Superheroes

WHO ARE OUR SUPERHEROES?

One of our topics of enquiry has been ‘Who are our Superheroes?’ We considered heroes at home, school, and the wider community as well as some historical heroes, such as, Rosa Parks and Jane Goodall. The children came up with questions and interviewed community heroes, including our school chef, gardener and nurse, a vet, a dentist, and community police. They also thought about what superpower they’d choose and how they would use it.

Superheroes. Reception Class C

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The Alfredian Magazine 2022

Claire Michael, Shireen Muhunthan, Emma Neale, Sam Carrington and Amina Ahmed - RECEPTION

Curious, questioning minds are one of the characteristics we aim to foster through play, along with other characteristics which enable them to be effective, life-long learners.

Courageous and Resilient. Mariana, Kobi & Cassie

Collaborative and Playful. Gabriel, Rudra, Fionn & Dean

Collaborative and Playful. River & Arjan

Throughout the year, children have taken part in small group, seasonal walks, as well as Forest School trips. The Heath and Golders Hill Park are fabulous resources to develop the children’s understanding of the world, physical skills, peer relationships and courageous exploration.

Determined and Proud. Reggie

Determined and Proud. Ryan & Rudra

Playful and Collaborative, Reception Class E

Inquisitve and Observent. Felix, Clement, Ari & Reggie

World Book Day Reception Class E Inquisitive and Observent. River, Sasha, Clement, Ari, Tigs & Amelie

Reflective Problem Solvers, Dean, Cillian & Ayav

Reflective Problem Solvers. Kiki

Reflective Problem Sovers. Stella

Determined and Proud

Reflective Problem Solvers. Max, Misha, Adam & Gabriel

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YEAR ONE - Caitlin Bennet, Emily Tucker, Lisa Bellamy, Kasia Kita, Frauke Ehmke

YEAR ONE

Enquiring and learning through the year for our Ivy Wood explorers MATHS

We have found so many intriguing ways to explore number and shape together this year. We have created games, songs, dances and solved puzzles together. Maths day was a new highlight this year - each child came as a different number, then worked together to form a number line! And who could forget our 100th day of school party?

Working together

Exploring numicon

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Working on our 100 squares

Maths week dressing up

Fun with puzzles

Caitlin Bennet, Emily Tucker, Lisa Bellamy, Kasia Kita, Frauke Ehmke - YEAR ONE

ENQUIRY TOPICS We have centered our learning around several different interesting enquiries this year. We began our year looking at seasonal changes, then learned about recycled materials, the design process and oceans. This year group have a real passion for designing and making, which we have explored through several design challenges in class. We ended the year by learning to work as a team through investigations into pirate crews!

Designing

The music area

Art projects

Learning and exploring

Learning and exploring

The making area

Experim-eating!

READING AND WRITING Year One have not stopped writing since September! We

The tinker table

have written books, posters, leaflets, poems, songs and

Sharing stories

comics! We have worked especially hard on developing our talents as storytellers and have used the story studio Story writing

process to help us come up with our own original ideas.

We have also read so many fantastic books, as a class and individually. Our special favourites this year have been The Book with No Pictures by B.J Novak, The Donut of Doom

by Elys Dolan and many of

World Book Day costumes

We write anywhere!

the traditional tales we heard throughout the year.

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YEAR TWO - Natalie Petzal, Nina Soulsby, Shirley Sum, Sarah Michael, Jacquelynne Poole

YEAR TWO

These adventurous and enthusiastic learners have spent some time, to summarise their year in rhyme CALLOVER

Glass, paper, plastic and tin, Put it in the correct recycling bin.

We made recycled outfits for our ‘trashion’ show, To inform our parents of all we know.

We gave different ways to save our land, ‘Cos the future of Earth is in our hands!

BRIAN AND WILDER We hatched two small chicks from the farm, Who chirruped all the time in alarm, But they settled in fast, Became part of our class, With their fluffed frizzle feathers and charm.

Brian reading about himself

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Hatching Brian and Wilder chicks

Natalie Petzal, Nina Soulsby, Shirley Sum, Sarah Michael, Jacquelynne Poole - YEAR TWO

ART

ZOO TRIP

TREE PROTEST

In Hockney’s style we learnt how to paint,

We enquired into animals,

2, 4, 6, 8 – save our planet - it’s not too late!

Used bright acrylics - bold not too faint.

Sorted them into groups,

What do we want? A greener Earth! When do we

We’ve sewn many creatures and bunnies,

Then took a trip to the zoo,

want it? Now!

And made clothes to cover their tummies.

And saw monkeys in troops.

Using paper mâché we made birds,

Saw a tower of giraffes,

So life-like we were lost for words!

Saw a herd of camels, And using our knowledge, We knew they were mammals.

Forest school

The Butterfly House

Forest school

Forest school

Camels!

Making bunnies

Exploring animal characteristics

Seeing the penguins

Enquiry into animals group

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YEAR THREE - Ilona Ullmann, Rocco Panaggio, Lolly Issacs, Carla Geoghegan, and Harriet Dell

YEAR THREE

This year Year 3 have been focusing on the attributes of independence, compassion and curiosity

WE ARE COMPASSIONATE The children have been looking at how pollution is damaging the oceans. We explored how much litter we could find on the school site and recycled it into artwork of aquatic creatures.

The team-work and positivity of our students towards each other when rehearsing for our Callover was wonderful to see.

Callover 1

Recycled plastic starfish

Litter picking

Litter picking

Recycled plastic fish Ocean Commotion Callover

PLANTING Year 3 have been tending their planters outside their classroom planting different bulbs and tomatoes. The children have done this as part of their enquiry into how food is made.

Planting bulbs

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Replanting tomatoes

Ilona Ullmann, Rocco Panaggio, Lolly Issacs, Carla Geoghegan, and Harriet Dell - YEAR THREE

WE ARE INDEPENDENT Our 3I students were very proud of their fundraising efforts in support of Ukranian refugees and counted the money they raised as part of a Maths lesson.

Elsa and Luca were curious about life in Roman times, so used information books to find out more and then wrote about what they had found out.

Camila, Bobby, Isobel counting the money raised for Ukraine

In the Spring term the children looked at Life Under Water. They chose one of their favourite under water creatures to research by using iPads and reading books to find out interesting

Independent research

facts about the animals diet, habitat and appearance.

Independent Research

The children have learned to read and re-read instructions in order to be able to tackle Maths problems independently.

Making aqueducts

Eligh independent learning

Independent learning outside the classroom

WE ARE CURIOUS In 3R children explored how the Romans used aqueducts to provide their expanding settlements with more fresh water. They tried to make their own from paper to better understand some of

Roman Testudo Formation

the issues faced by Ancient Roman Engineers.

The children in 3I were curious about what gives water droplets their shape, so conducted an experiment to investigate how and why they are formed.

3R investigated how the Ancient Romans developed tactics to allow their armies to be more successful.

Elsa and Luca 3I

Conducting an experiment

Roman Wedge Formation

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YEAR FOUR - Sara Beattie, Sophie Cooper and Claire Robinson

YEAR FOUR

In Year 4 the learning hasn’t stopped, with highlights including trips and treading the boards NATIONAL GALLERY VISIT

4S being art historians

In March Year 4 were lucky enough to be able to go on a school trip. Travelling by coach to Trafalgar Square they walked excitedly to the National Gallery.

4S looking upside down at Tiger in a Storm

In the gallery students were taken by a guide to see particular paintings and to hear the stories behind them. The guide was impressed by how much the students already knew about history and mythology.

Quote of the day from Gabe, “We came out more cultured than we went in!”

4SC in the National Gallery

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Stop press, in 4S, pencils were sharpened as students practiced both their handwriting and their language skills by producing newspaper articles about their Forest School experiences.

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4S studying Turner

Sara Beattie, Sophie Cooper and Claire Robinson - YEAR FOUR

TAKING THE STAGE

WE’RE HISTORY

The Spring term enquiry topic

In 4SC students got to grips with history by putting together a

was ‘Picture Our World’, was

timeline. First they named all the eras they could think of, then

decided that the Year 4 play

put them in order before each choosing one to investigate further.

would be based on James

The resulting timeline is helpful and informative!

Mayhew’s ‘Katie’s Picture Show’ books.

Alys and Shira being caretakers

After a lot of preparation and practice students were thrilled to be able to put on their production in the Phoenix Theatre with families there to watch!

Here are some of the rave reviews from parents: “We thoroughly enjoyed Katie’s Picture Show and were so impressed with how

Alys Clara Kaspar and Freddie as the tiger

professional the production was. A brilliant play!”

“Having read and enjoyed lots of Katie books, our expectations for this stage production were high and the cast did not disappoint! Fun, energetic and informative

Blythe and Scarlet listening to Guide Hettie trying to convince them about Jackson Pollock

performances from everyone and some unforgettable tunes.

A must see!”

“A triumph - full of joy and fun with a stellar cast! Learning about art has never been so fun. Top marks all round!”

Bonny and Isabella in the art gallery

Seb and Isadora appreciating the work of Frida Kahlov

Flo Rufus Maddie and Molly singing the Tale of Henri Rousseau

Flo and Molly looking at Tiger in a Storm by Henri Rousseau

Theo and Thomas studying Woman in Gold by Gustaf Klimt

Lola, Rishan and Rufus in a JMW Turner painting Tommy being a museum guard

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YEAR FIVE - Zac Pollock, Lucy Bailey, Becky Tolley and Georgia Keene

YEAR FIVE

DIVERSITY TREE

In PSHE students made leaves for our Diversity Tree. Their leaves were filled with things they liked and which make them unique: their culture, country, race, ethnicity, languages spoken and religion.

Diversity Tree of Life

ELEMENTS Year 5s created mixed-media artworks based on the four elements. They divided a circle into four sections to represent Earth, Fire, Water and Air. To create each section, they used oil pastels, coloured pencils, paint, tissue paper, charcoal and natural resources like soil and twigs.

JAMES BOND SCIENCE In Science lessons students helped James Bond overcome Spectre using different forces found in nature. These included: friction, upthrust, water resistance and air resistance.

The four elements

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Elements Artwork

Zac Pollock, Lucy Bailey, Becky Tolley and Georgia Keenew - YEAR FIVE

THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION In the Spring term we looked at how the countryside changed during the Industrial Revolution. These paintings

by Marley and Poppy show the pre-industrial revolution landscape, inspired by famous artists of the time.

Marley

Poppy

FIVE RHYTHMS In Drama, we did the Five Rhythms by Gabrielle Roth for five weeks. The five rhythms are: Flowing, Staccato, Chaos, Lyrical and Stillness and are a set of different types of dances and music where anyone can join in.

GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851 Our Spring enquiry topic was Victorian Society and the Industrial Revolution.

The children researched innovators of the time and this led them to look at the Great Exhibition of 1851, a celebration of modern industrial technology and design. They created newspaper articles and shoebox scenes. We even put on a play telling the story of how the exhibition was set up and some of the weirder things you could have seen there like the Tempest Prognosticator and the first public toilets.

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YEAR SIX - Nick Ryde, Adele Bridgwater, Hayley Sloane, Martin Pearce

YEAR SIX

Another smashing year for the Sixes!

TEAM BUILDING

At the beginning of Year 6 we did lots of team bonding activities like shelter building, fire making, baking, a trip to a

Shelter building

Fire making with Chris

water sports centre and crew games.

Paddleboarding

Fire making

Crew games

THE ARCHIVES PROJECT As part of our enquiry into Identity and Community, students looked at the history of KAS as a community. They were even allowed to go into the archives and explore some artefacts. Some were over 100 years

History of KAS

old. They then made connections to life at KAS today and produced their own projects to go into the archives. The Year 6 students engaged Karen Portrait

in many projects from rewriting the school song, researching the old site of the school, Ellerdale Road, painting a portrait of Karen, and redesigning

Ellerdale Road Project

the school emblem.

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Nick Ryde, Adele Bridgwater, Hayley Sloane, Martin Pearce - YEAR SIX

TRIPS This year students headed off on trips to The Migration Museum and St. Pauls.

Migration Museum

St. Pauls

CITY OF EMPATHY In the Spring term, Year 6 explored migration through our empathy and perspective interdisciplinary enquiry. The pupils worked collaboratively to design cities that would be welcoming for all. We considered equality, diversity, accessibility and funding. The pupils pitched these Cities of Empathy in their crews to their peers and a panel of experts.

City of Empathy presentations

IE books

VISITORS Year 6 have had incredible visiting speakers this year.

Ben Haggerty told us about how Mesolithic people shared stories.

We loved listening to Maria Thomas, who told us about her work with refugees, a group of Old Afredians who told us of their memories of KAS and Dr Avinash Sharma, who spoke to us about keeping healthy, the Ben Haggerty City of Empathy presentations

human heart and circulatory system.

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LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC - Camilla Ovenden

LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC

ALL THE SCHOOL IS A STAGE

The Spring Concert featured Year 6 Watford choir, the Lower School Orchestra (conducted

by Hannah), bands and soloists. Parents loved seeing their children perform.

Spring concert

Students in 3I put on a great performance

Maypole dancing lessons have started again, something KAS

of Ocean Commotion featuring songs they’d

hasn’t seen for a long time. Camilla dusted off the old Maypole

worked on in Music lessons.

which had been stored behind a classroom for 20 years and students have been developing coordination, teamwork and rhythm.

Ocean commotion

Maypole

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Camilla Ovenden - LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC

YOUNG VOICES It had been a wait of a couple of years but we finally made it to the O2 Arena for the Young Voices 25th Anniversary event.

Students from Years 5 and 6 sang their hearts out and danced the night away with wonderful enthusiasm.

Young Voices rehearsal

Lev 4S

freddie and Eliza 4S

UKE CAN DO IT In class students have been getting to grips with Ukuleles preparing to busk in front of the KAS Community at the end of term.

Young Voices singers at the O2

MAKING MUSIC

Jake, Alys and Layla 4S

Jake, Alys and Layla 4S

Saul 4S

Jago 6A Isla 2NP

Penelope 2NP

Sachdhian 6A

Amba conducting 2NP

Bella, Amberley and Amba 2NP

Georgia and Henry 2NP

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LOWER SCHOOL DESIGN TECHNOLOGY - Jill Salmon, Teresa Hales

LOWER SCHOOL DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Getting hands on and learning how to make your ideas into reality gives students a real feeling of achievement Jill and Teresa have been really excited to be back in the workshop. Students now have a double lesson, once a week for half a term giving them

RECEPTION Reception students hammered their initial letter into a block of MDF then painted it. They then learnt how to saw and made jigsaw puzzles.

more concentrated time to work on projects. As you can see from all the smiles, the children are loving being back in the workshop too!

RE - Jigsaws (Tigs)

RC - Jigsaws (River)

RE - Jigsaws (Rudra)

Letter Blocks (Frilly)

YEAR 1

Secret Houses made by Year 1 – lift the roof and see what’s inside! After

1E - Secret Houses

learning how to use the saw safely they made mobiles.

Y1 - Secret Houses

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1C - Xmas Trees (Jesse)

Jill Salmon, Teresa Hales - LOWER SCHOOL DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

YEAR 2

YEAR 4

The children learnt to use different saws and then chose one to

Jump-up character toys were full of life.

make a frame. Can they remember the name of each saw?

2N Sawing (Guy)

2N Sawing (Isabella)

2N Framed jigsaw puzzles

2NP Framed jigsaw puzzle (Hunter)

4S -Jump Up Characters

4S Jump-up character (Lev)

4SC Jump-up character (Martino)

4SC Jump-up character (Shira)

2N Sawing (Xander and Georgia)

YEAR 5 2NP Sawing (Alek)

2NP Sawing (Sammy and Scarlet)

We made clocks using IT and mixing materials.

YEAR 3 The children used the vacuum former to make racing cars. Tvhey then used the off-cuts to make new recycled plastic sheets.

3I - Plastics Sorting (Grey, Marti)

3I Testing their racing cars (Daisy, Tiber and Grey)

5Z Clock making (Remy)

5Z Clock making (Charlie)

5L Clock making (Clara)

5L Clock making (Vivian)

3R Vacuum forming (Penny, Mars, Jad)

3I Vacuum forming (Elsa)

3R Racing car (Maddie)

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LOWER SCHOOL FRENCH - Anna Kendall, Helen Kelly

LOWER SCHOOL FRENCH

Bringing the French language to life the teachers aim to create a hands-on, relevant experience where communication is key and confidence and enjoyment are the result

Creating role plays inspired by a song

Making models Year 2

This year the rich French curriculum has seen learning take place through a diverse range of activities; cooking, theatre, role-play, songs,

Enjoying French theatre

Following a French recipe

outdoor games, story enactment, food tasting and our annual French cake sale.

Life cycles Year 4

French drinks tasting

Acting out traditional tales Year 1

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Celebrating French festivals Year 3

Meeting and greeting

Anna Kendall, Helen Kelly - LOWER SCHOOL FRENCH

HISTOIRES INSPIRANTES Older students spent time exploring inspirational French people who have created change in the world, both contemporary and historical.

Recreating a painting

Planting flowers using the colours of the French flag Year 4

Reading authentic texts

Reading a short script Year 5

Speaking with puppets

Writing about an inspirational French change maker

Recording with soundboards

The return of spring, Reception

Preparing to write our hopes and dreams for the future of the world

Setting up our display for the Year 5 project

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LOWER SCHOOL MATHS - Jenny Collins

LOWER SCHOOL MATHS

Five, six, seven, eight – we think maths is really great!

All the children have worked so hard this year, diving into our Maths Mastery approach with enthusiasm. It has been

Year 1 number line

Year 2 exploring 3D shape in class

great to see so much problem solving, investigating, and exploration of different maths concepts going on in maths lessons and being applied in other areas of learning.

Exploring number in class

MATHS CELEBRATION WEEK

Year 6 Ivy Wood Fair

Captain Tom Race to Space

A particular highlight of the year was Maths Celebration Week which took place in the Autumn Term. Children got to enjoy a visit from

Captain Tom Race to Space

astronaut ‘Captain Tom’ who set some rather tricky shape and number challenges. Year

Maths week digital root art

6 set up a wonderful Maths Fair for Reception and Year 1, with lots of games and activities all linked to maths.

Throughout the week lots of interesting workshops and challenges were being held

Investigating multiplication in class Year 4

in class including recreating famous landmarks from 3D shapes in Year 2, dressing

Year 1 number line

up as a number line in Year 1 and making bridges in Year 5. Kat, our art teacher, also Maths week bridge building

led a whole school workshop combining patterns in art and maths.

Maths week creating famous landmarks Year 2 Year 6 Ivy Wood Fair

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Chris Raymond - LOWER FOREST SCHOOL

FOREST SCHOOL

The great outdoors is both teacher and classroom for all our Lower School students

With the great outdoors as their classroom the children get to experience the wonder of nature.

Soaking in the early spring sunshine, puddle paddling and mud mountaineering are just a few

Mud mountineering

Beech tree

of the activities they have enjoyed this year.

Forest School lessons are year round but we’ve chosen some of our favourite moments from Spring to show here.

TREE-MENDOUS

The big story of Spring came after strong easterly winds blew down a huge Beech tree carved with many names. Despite the sadness it has become the greatest of bare foot playgrounds until it returns to the soil and the cycle continues.

Beech tree

Beech tree

Beech tree

Beech tree

Puddle paddling

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LOWER SCHOOL ART

LOWER SCHOOL ART - Kat Fotopoulos

YEAR 1

RECEPTION

Young artists have been taking an adventure into colour. After

Children in Reception have been making

making colour wheels, using only primary colours, the children

observational drawings of the playground in Ivy

have gone on to explore the work of Henri Matisse and create

Wood, they will use their drawings to create a

striking and bold collages.

large-scale artwork for their outdoor space

The children have also made these beautifully colourful felt works, using pure wool fibres and traditional felting techniques.

Colour collage by Year 1

Josie Mei drawing in Ivy Wood

YEAR 2

The children have been enjoying mixing colour in some adventurous ways. They have been learning all about colour mixing and going on to use what they have learnt to create trees.

The trees symbolise the children and the leaves represent the skills and attributes that the

Libby’s felt work

Ruby’s felt work

children are developing.

Bella’s tree

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Colette sprinkling pigment onto wet paper

Ivy marbling

Kat Fotopoulos - LOWER SCHOOL ART

YEAR 3 The children in Year 3 have been making a huge display for their classroom wall. The theme is ‘Under the Sea’, so they have been painting and printing imagery for their underwater world.

YEAR 5 As part of Black History Month, each Year 5 pupil researched the life and accomplishments of a celebrated figure and then created an eye-catching poster using mixed media.

Arden painting waves

Diversity Display Library

The final artwork

YEAR 4 Year 4 children have been making relief prints as an extension of

Mo Farrah by Buzz

Mohammad Ali by Eugene

Nina Simone by Penny

their topic about Dragons. They enjoyed abstracting shapes from initial drawings and then turned them into relief prints.

ONE KIND WORD In response to Anti-Bullying Week which is held in October, the children each thought of a kind word and used various materials and processes to decorate them. The words were then collated to make these patchwork wall hangings for the Lower School Hall.

Isadora’s final print

Isadora making a relief printing plate

Ruby’s final print

Shira rolling out the ink for printing

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LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY - Rachael Herman and Jill Salmon

LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY

The story of the Library this year is a thriller with children and families across Lower School putting the space to good use

LIBRARY IN ACTION We have a dedicated team of Year 5 Library monitors who work collaboratively with Rachael and Jill to keep the Library running smoothly and well stocked. All classes have enjoyed weekly sessions, either exploring a diverse range of stories, or working on class or individual lines of enquiry.

Reading ambassadors at work

Book cafe open for business

Books everywhere!

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The Library in action

Rachael Herman and Jill Salmon - LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY

AUTHOR VISITS The highlights of this year have been visits from some inspirational authors and illustrators.

These included Laura James (Year 2 and 3), Zehra Hicks (Rec and Year 1), Jasbinder Bilan (Year 4) and Piers

Karen on World Book Day

Torday (Year 5 and 6).

Piers Torday brought books to sign

Rachel on World Book Day

WORLD BOOK DAY AND FUNDRAISING FAIR Everyone (including teachers) enjoyed dressing up for World Book Day in March. The Reading ambassadors team also helped to organise an amazing fundraising event with proceeds going to charities working with Ukraine.

Author visit Piers Torday

Author visit Zehra Hicks

James and Lucy on World Book Day

World Book Day costume

Year 5 costumes

A stall at the Fundraising Fair

At work in the Library

Rocco’s Year 3 class on World Book Day

Fundraising fair action

Year 6 on World Book Day

Year 5 costumes

Author visit Laura James

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HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL - REVIEW OF THE YEAR

KAREN THOMAS

Each year, to prepare for my contribution to this magazine, I look back through Lower School newsletters in order to reflect on all the learning, events and highlights of our past few months together.

The year started on a high; the easing of Covid restrictions meant that parents could venture to the classrooms for the first time since the pandemic and we started to regain the sense of community that is so important to all of us. As the months passed we were able to bring everyone together for conferences, performances, Callovers and concerts and now, in the Summer Term, we can enjoy the sound of families enjoying each other’s company in the school grounds long after the end of the school day. Whenever I meet families who want to join the school I talk about the power of our community – the togetherness of teachers,

change the school’s default search engine, money was raised for various charities through busking, bake sales and a sponsored ramble, books have been collected to share with others, nearly twenty children trained to be anti-bullying ambassadors, Pupil Council shared their lunchtime suggestions with the catering team, Y6’s personal projects are centred around the concept of making a difference and each class devised ways to support the people of Ukraine. The list goes on and on and their passion never fails to impress me. I feel proud that even at this tender age they already know that they can make a difference if they feel something needs to be improved in the world...just imagine what they will achieve as they get older!

Now in our final term we are bracing ourselves to say goodbye to some well-loved staff. Georgia and Becky, our Y5 classroom assistants, are off to continue their studies. James is taking on a well-earned headship Dallington School, I hope you know how lucky you are!

Finally, after 33 years of going over and above for King Alfred children, Lucy is leaving us. Knowing Lucy, her

parents and children makes KAS a really special place.

retirement will be just as busy as her professional life

This year the learning in Lower School has been enriched

passions and hobbies. To all the staff, children and

by the development of transferable skills and attributes that have been woven into the curriculum. The children have had the responsibility to share their progress with their families in termly meetings, sharing not only what

has been as she allows more time for all her other parents who are leaving at the end of the year, we wish you all the very best for your new adventures – please remember that you will always be part of the KAS family.

they have learned but also reflecting on their learning habits. Personalised goals have been established to increase each child’s awareness of their learning journey and to empower them to recognise their successes and ‘personal bests’. We have adopted the mastery approach

Karen

to Maths this year. Underpinned by ‘dimensions of depth’ which address conceptual understanding, language and communication and mathematical thinking, Maths Mastery supports mathematical problem solving and enables children to make connections between topic areas, draw on representations to support their thinking and be prepared to articulate, justify and explain this thinking. The staff have continued to push the teaching and learning to make sure it is meaningful and challenging for all. I am beyond thrilled that this was

Karen

Karen with Deputy Head James at Kastonbury 2019

recognised by the inspectors in March when we received the top rating: Excellent.

The children continue to be advocates for the causes they connect with, never hesitating to take action. This year Y2 staged a march to raise awareness about protecting the environment, our Eco Warrior team have lobbied to

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Anti-bullying week t-shirts

Lower school is fun!

LOWER SCHOOL CAMPS

LOWER SCHOOL CAMPS

Year 5 camp team work

Year 4 camp dinner time!

Year 6 camp self catering

Year 4 climbing wall

Year 4 camp toasting marshmallows

Year 5 camp exploring

Year 4 camp making new friends

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LOWER SCHOOL CAMPS

LOWER SCHOOL CAMPS

Year 5 camp country park exploring

Year 6 camp dune diving

Year 6 camp campfire singing

Year 6 camp canoeing

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Year 5 camp rain doesn’t stop ice cream

Year 5 camp evening entertainment

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LEARNING REIMAGINED - Julian Reed

LEARNING REIMAGINED

This year saw the introduction of a more integrated curriculum in Year 7 as KAS continues to look for ways to update the education model to meet the needs of students Our new group of Year 7 students have benefitted from some changes as they began their Upper School journey. With a dedicated building serving as their home base, this new approach was inspired by education in Finland, Singapore and globally through the International Baccalaureate.

A third of their timetable has been dedicated to enquiry projects which integrate three subjects in order to answer an overarching question. This approach requires pupils to apply skills and knowledge learnt in one discipline to the context of another, more closely mimicking how we use knowledge in the workplace and a skill which is the hallmark of a more sophisticated cognitive level.

BIG QUESTIONS

In each term, students investigated a ‘big question’ through a combination of subject lessons and cross-curricular learning activities.

‘Physical World’ projects have combined Science, Maths, Design and Physical Geography. The students have investigated important questions such as: • How did early humans survive?

• Is space tourism ethical?

• Will it be possible for humans to live on another planet?

• What are the optimum conditions to grow a microcrop?

In ‘Human World’ projects have combined English, History

Robert visits the Space and Migration exhibition

and Art. The students have enquired into similarly important questions: • How do communities form and express their identity?

• Why have people migrated in the past and why do they continue to do so?

• How should we commemorate the end of the slave trade?

Learning to light fires

Presenting to parents

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Julian Reed - LEARNING REIMAGINED

Exhibition in new 6-8 space

EXHIBITIONS

STUDENT REACTIONS

Each project culminated in a mini-exhibition or presentation.

Parents and staff have been invited in to witness students presenting ‘communal identity’ collages, survival shelters, space research articles, space display boards, migration ‘zines’, slave trade memorials and microcrop-growing systems. These presentations gave impetus and an audience to the end of each project and provided students with a real sense of achievement.

“We had to work as a team to progress and support each other.”

“I enjoyed learning how to make the fire because we were outdoors and we were doing something that would actually be useful when we are older.”

“I found it really interesting to learn about different cultures.”

“We were really independent and worked in groups of new people, which I wouldn’t do normally.”

Students presenting their work on Space and Migration

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LEARNING REIMAGINED

LEARNING REIMAGINED - Julian Reed

Storyteller

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Slavery and the City tour

Y7 have enjoyed a range of visits, speakers and practical experiences to enhance their learning. For the ‘survival’ enquiry, storyteller Ben Haggerty helped us to understand what life was like in the Mesolithic era. The students learnt how to light fires and how to measure the energy in foods.

As part of their ‘community identity’ enquiry, students were riveted by the stories of the Old Alfredians who came to visit.

They also learnt a lot about religious communities from their visits to London Central Mosque and the Jewish Museum.

To start their ‘plant reproduction’ enquiry, students met the urban farmer Nikos, who showed them how to plant pea shoots. They then experimented with different variables to increase yield and improve the quality of their crops. They also enjoyed a day at Kew Gardens, which included a workshop about reproduction and pollination.

Investigating pollination at Kew Gardens

As part of the ‘end of slavery’ enquiry, a guided tour of the City of London showed us how the slave trade permeates the history of London. They also enjoyed a lively performance of The Tempest by the SPLAT theatre company.

The Tempest visiting theatre

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Nikos demonstrates microcrop planting

Julian Reed - LEARNING REIMAGINED

Medusa mask

Creating medusa-inspired heads during Creativity Week

Medusa pot

GETTING CREATIVE In February the whole year group took part in a Creativity Week inspired by the myth of Medusa. Sessions included vase-painting and poetry workshops around the theme, and then each person chose to contribute to an exhibition and performance through either Drama, Dance, Art, Music, coding or theatre tech support.

The outcome was a great credit to the efforts of the students and all the teachers involved in delivering this innovative new curriculum.

Students preparing for the Creativity Week performance

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ART

ART - Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni

Whatever they are painting, drawing, sculpting, creating – you can feel the heart in all the art at KAS The Art studios have been bustling with creativity once more this year, with the sounds of radios

‘THE CREATIVE MISTAKE’ EXHIBITION

Creative Mistake exhibition

Y9 discussing work in the Creative Mistake exhibition

Y7 RE-ENVISIONING MONUMENTS WITH TEXTILES

blaring, the scratching of charcoal and chatter! Life drawing classes for the Sixth Form started in the autumn, and we have run a full programme of exhibitions and workshops, including the Upper School ‘Mistakes’ exhibition in January, ‘The Figure’ and ‘Raft of the Medusa’ by Y12, and the Y9 ‘Abstract Fashion’ group workshop. Across the age ranges students have explored ideas with energy, verve and imagination, building sketchbooks, taking creative risks and experimenting with ideas. GCSE and A level trips to see the Noguchi and

Holly Y7

Louise Bourgeois exhibitions have brought inspiration.

Well done to everyone for all their hard work, ambition and focus, especially the exam groups who,

Maia Y7

against the odds, have really pulled out the stops this year.

The Art Department have been so impressed with the way that students have sustained their motivation and ambitions for their work.

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Poly Y7

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Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni - ART

Y8 WILDERPEOPLE MASK DESIGNS FOR THE VILLAGE

YEAR 9 ABSTRACT FASHION WORKSHOP

Raffi Y8

Ahaan Y8

Benj Y8

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ART - Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni

ART

YEAR 10

Max

Rosalind

Huxley

Jake

Rosalind

Lily Rae

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Lauren

Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni - ART

YEAR 11

Anna

Iola

Alicia

Berry

Maeve

Iola

Iola

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ART - Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni

ART

YEAR 12

Y12 figure exhibition in progress

Y12 art figure exhibition - Tom

Y12 Critical & Contextual Studies medusa exhibition

Y12 Critical & Contextual Studies medusa group transcription - Medusa

Y12 art figure exhibition - Avalon

Y12 art figure exhibition - Kai

Y12 Critical & Contextual Studies medusa exhibition

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Alan Cusack, Thea Stallwood, Anna Harrison, Will Lewer, Nic Bevers, Dom Callaghan, Isabella Busoni - ART

YEAR 13

Marielle

Stella

Stella

Marielle

Chloe

Phoenix

INSTANT ACCESS ART For a peek into the ongoing creativity in the art studios, follow king_alfred_art on Instagram!

Phoenix

Stella

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ENGLISH - Zoë Rawlings, Dan Love, Shivani Singh, Steven Fothergill, Alex Marrion, Lucy Wiser, Alexia Michael

ENGLISH

Exploring the written word from the page to the stage

NORSE MYTHOLOGY AND NAMES As part of their contextual studies for ‘Beowulf’, Year 7 researched Norse mythology and designed posters about Norse gods.

It’s been another stimulating year in the English Department. Key Stage 3 had the pleasure of a virtual visit from Matt Dickinson.

The author, film maker and Everest summiteer spoke to them as part of World Book Day celebrations. National Poetry Day saw Adisa, a firm favourite, back to widen Year 7’s literary horizons.

To launch our study of ‘The Daydreamer’, Year 7 decided to test out the theory of nominative determinism. On the left, students researched the provenance and significance of their own names and on the right, they had the chance to

Students were able to enjoy trips again and Year 9 loved going

give themselves a new name that truly reflects

to the theatre to see ‘A Woman in Black’ - always a frightful

their identity.

experience! Year 12 were lucky enough to see the critically acclaimed ‘Small Island’ which made us laugh, moved us to tears and made us scrutinise our history.

In the classrooms, we’ve continued to read across a number of genres and time periods; enjoyed some outstanding speeches and debates as part of our Speaking and Listening units; and written creatively.

Georgia Willmott

POETRY POSTERS As part of their exploration of World War I poetry, Year 8 analysed some recruitment posters of the time and created their own.

Flynn Attwater

Alice Y8

Bruno Y8

Liza Y8 Lila Behling

Nathan Y8

Omar Y7 Norse mythology poster Imara Y8

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Luke Y7 Norse mythology poster

Zoë Rawlings, Dan Love, Shivani Singh, Steven Fothergill, Alex Marrion, Lucy Wiser, Alexia Michael - ENGLISH

GOTHS AND ROMANTICS Year 9 studied ‘A Woman in Black’ and explored the gothic genre of which this gripping novel is a part. Here are some posters they created outlining the conventions of the genre.

ON THE FARM Year 10 are studying ‘Animal Farm’ as part of their GCSE Literature and wrote accounts of the battle in the cowshed but from one of the animal’s point of views.

They also spent time studying the Romantic poets. Whilst they considered William Blake, they interrogated the notions of ‘innocence’ and ‘experience’.

“A loud whistle cuts through the chaos, ‘Is that the signal? Is that the signal?’ The noise is almost unbearable as we rush to Snowballs aid, the humans are falling left and right, I look up at our brave leader but am suddenly overcome with fear over what Mr. Jones has in his hands. What was it? I can’t think over the noise and turn back to the battle. ‘BANG!’ Suddenly everything goes quiet. I fall to the floor.

Amelie Y9

It all seems so scary from down here.

What had happened? I can’t move. I can’t feel.”

Elion, Y10 Lois Y9

“Snowball came to stand beside me and looked down at the boy. I sniffed slightly and turned to him, “He is dead, I had no intention of doing that. I forgot I was

Ned Y9

wearing iron shoes. Who will believe that I did not do this on purpose?” Would I face punishment? Or would my comrades see the dead boy as a good thing? Something to be celebrated?

“No sentimentality, comrade! War is war. The only good human being is a dead one.”

I wondered if the others would agree with him.”

Cyrus Y9

Rosalind, Y10 Ella Y9

Innocence and Experience Eden Y9

ANALYSING THE DANE One of the first texts we study in Year 12 is ‘Hamlet’. The class paused at the end of Act 2 of the play to analyse the presentation of the key characters so far.

Innocence and Experience Mika

Claudius analysis Nico

Hamlet analysis Ciara

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DRAMA - Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson

DRAMA

A packed programme of performances has kept all our studios and stages busy UAL

Our performing arts students explored, tested, and developed their creativity in some brilliant projects.

An immersive devised performance about cults and belief was created by Y13s which included a silent disco. Y12s produced Pinter’s comedy of menace ‘The Dumb Waiter’ and were even able to recreate mould for the basement setting. Physical comedy and finding one’s

UAL Dumb Waiter

inner clown was another highlight alongside a magical ‘Night at the Musicals’ in a joint collaboration across year groups.

Our students continue to show how they are able to rise to the demands of each project, allowing them to develop transferable skills in real world scenarios. Hollywood watch this space!

Exeone UAL Devised Play

BACKSTAGE ACCESS Students on the UAL Diploma course give regular updates on their progress and performances via their king_alfred_UAL Instagram page.

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Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson - DRAMA

WORKSHOPS AND MASTERCLASSES Across the year groups learning was developed through amazing workshops with industry professionals, ranging from audition technique, understanding and performing Shakespeare and how to walk on stilts!

UAL students: • talked Pinter with Tom Conti • worked on Shakespeare with Adjoa Andoh • looked at dance and audition technique with Cameron Macdonald • took part in a stilt workshop

Mime workshop

UAL students demonstrating their stilt skills

Ricardo Gaete mime workshop

Mime workshop

Ann Marie Duff workshop

Tom Conti workshop

• Y7 got into the physicality of Macbeth with Anne Marie Duff • GCSE and A level students took part in a stage fighting session with Squire Combat • Ricardo Gaete ran a Mime Workshop for KS4 students

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DRAMA - Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson

DRAMA

NATIONAL THEATRE AUDITIONS

We welcomed the National Theatre to audition students for their Youth Company. Students participated in a workshop on ensemble theatre making and auditioned with their chosen monologue. It was an invaluable experience for all students and five ended up being chosen.

Year 12 Theatre Studies Devised Play

EXAM PERFORMANCES National Theatre auditions

ISA - SHAKESPEARE WINNERS

A level students created a powerful piece for their exams. ‘A Doll’s House,

Y7 students learnt a Shakespeare monologue for the national

Part 2’, was performed

Independent School’s Association competition. Polly achieved first

by Y13 students. They

place for her Lady Macbeth, Maisie earnt a highly commended

were exceptional in their

award for her Juliet, both were their own interpretations of their

realisation of character and

chosen character. Alia performed a spirited Puck.

style and were not afraid to be provocative when exploring Nora’s decision to leave her husband.

Year 12 Devised play Theatre Studies

Y12 Theatre Studies used the recent uprising of voices shared through the Everyone’s Invited testimonials to create an original piece of theatre called ‘The Impurity of Women.’

Performer Ellie said: “There’s something very satisfying about performing your own work as you feel that bit prouder to show it off especially when it gets a positive response from the audience.”

At GCSE students showcased their talents in a variety of plays Shakespeare Winners

that stretched and challenged them, whilst also entertaining the

LAMDA

audience. We had the pleasure of seeing Macbeth, Chekhov’s

Continued success in LAMDA

in the Rain.

‘Drama’, Plastic Figurines, The Donaghue Sisters and September

this year. Including a Gold Medal for Yulia, and Bronze for Iola, Nancy, Cecelia, Annie and Alice!

LAMDA Gold Medal

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A Doll’s House Part 2

Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson - UPPER SCHOOL SHOWS

UPPER SCHOOL SHOWS

CRAZY FOR YOU

One of the highlights of the performing arts calendar is the senior musical. This year we were delighted to present the hilarious romantic comedy ‘Crazy for You’, written by Ken Ludwig and set to the marvelous melodies of Gershwin. It was an exhilarating celebration of the great Broadway musical.

Some standout moments included our Y13 students in the tightly choreographed ‘I Got Rhythm’ led by Alanna playing Tess, the romantic ballad ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ sung by lead Harriet and the jazz standard ‘Embraceable You’, with her co-star Arthur.

We were so delighted to welcome back audiences with the high energy, high kicking blaze of colour production where the whole cast shone, back under the stage lights after two years away!

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UPPER SCHOOL SHOWS

UPPER SCHOOL SHOWS - Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson

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HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL In the Summer Term students from Years 7-9 presented the all American ‘High School Musical’ full of cheerleaders, jocks, brainiacs and some fabulous musical numbers including ‘We’re all in this together’ performed by the whole cast.

Cydney Y8 performed as one of the iconic Cheerleaders and told us: “Taking part in this production has been a great bonding experience for all the year groups. All the singing and dancing brought everyone together and the show was full of adrenaline and energy.”

Lucy Hall, Rob Messik, James Houlbrooke, Lynne Sasson - UPPER SCHOOL SHOWS

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HISTORY - Leon Whitham, Alex Wahnon, Chloe Collingwood, Emma Sevitt

HISTORY

The past is all around for staff and students finding ways to connect historical events to the here and now

REMEMBRANCE DAY Students were able to mark Remembrance Day in the Amphitheatre this year, with words, poetry and music. Thank you to the many who contributed, particularly Dylan V in Year 7 who ably performed the Last Post on the trumpet.

remembrance event

WELL READ The enthusiasm of Sixth Form Historians has prompted the revival of History Reading Salon, run by Sheila and Leon in the new Sixth Form Centre. A small but committed group of students have been watching and reading about topics from the African presence in Tudor England to the role of the evil witch in History, as well as trips to the Archive to find visual evidence of the school goat.

School goat c 1980s

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WW1 poem by Eden in Year 9

Leon Whitham, Alex Wahnon, Chloe Collingwood, Emma Sevitt - HISTORY

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Year 10 were able to visit the Elizabeth and Mary exhibition at the British Library earlier this year, telling the tale of the contrasting fortunes of the royal cousins.

Year 10 trip to Elizabeth & Mary exhibition

SPOKEN HISTORY Year 11 students practised their skills in oral history, interviewing visiting Old Alfredians about their experiences at KAS from the 1950s and 60s. They found a fascinating range of differences and similarities from KAS in the present, and all were keen to repeat the experience in the future.

Glasnost and perestroika propaganda poster by Nisi Year 10

Year 11 students oral history interviews

Elizabeth and Mary Old Alfredians, Robin Jacobs, Peter Ross formerly Shack, Hugh Sheridan, Diana Hardman née Kabadi and Valerie Saunders with Y11 history pupils in the Old Library

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FILM STUDIES - Nuray Jemil

FILM STUDIES

Watching, writing, filming, editing – it’s all in the can for our fledgling directors

Ethan Y13

Eve Y13 storyboard

Oscar Y13

Dylan Y13

YEAR 13 All our Y13s completed their coursework in full, despite the added difficulties of lockdowns over the two-year course. They

Stella Y13

have shown great resilience, working independently to put the finishing touches to their 5-minute short films and screenplays. From an ‘80s inspired time-travel comedy to a poignant midlife homecoming and a dystopian survivalist thriller, the range of genres and styles demonstrates originality, creativity and mastery of technical and production skills.

Their work will be premiered at the Art House Cinema in Crouch End in June.

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Layfe Y13

Nuray Jemil - FILM STUDIES

Flame Y13

YEAR 12 The creative thinkers, who are always drawn to this course, have made great strides in the subject already – even more impressive when one considers that this is their first foray into the academic world of film. They have studied industry practice, including exhibition and distribution, and visited our favourite picture house in Hampstead to see some of the year’s most anticipated releases. They’ve also begun their ‘elevator pitches’ for their own filmmaking.

Year 13 at the Everyman Cinema

INDUSTRY SPECIALIST VISITS David Arnold, the film and TV composer, visited and spoke to students about all aspects of music and sound in film. Andrew O’Connor, writer, producer and director, also shared his wisdom. Having professional film practitioners come in brings the subject to life, so if you’re reading this and thinking you

Tom & Bertie Y12 at the Everyman Cinema

have something to offer, we’d love to hear from you!

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MUSIC & MUSIC TECH - Neven Vangelov, Nell Buckingham, Dan Aarons, Richard Ward

MUSIC & MUSIC TECH

What a great sounding year it’s been for the Music Department!

Performances were back and students were free to express themselves and show their talent. With the Axe Monsters Concert, Senior Show, Soloist Concerts, Christmas Concert, GCSE Concert, Spring Concert,

Spring Concert

Y7 Creativity Week, informal Concerts, Workshops and ABRSM Practical and Music Theory exams, our musicians are having an amazing time working together and developing their performing skills!

With over 200 students taking part in musical activities (both in class and as part of

Students getting in the zone before performing for the Soloist Concert

co-curricular clubs) we’re grateful to all of them for their dedication. The Music Department want to extend a huge thanks to all the staff (including a huge roster of visiting music teachers) for their passion, commitment and the support they give to our young musicians.

Spring Concert

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Spring Concert

Informal Concert

Neven Vangelov, Nell Buckingham, Dan Aarons, Richard Ward - MUSIC & MUSIC TECH

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY Music Technology goes from strength to strength, and this year we introduced it to Y6 working with Lower School Music teacher, Camilla. They got hands on with Logic Pro and have been using technology to support their current curriculum.

Concerts are moments in the year when we can see the results of students work and it was great to see one of our Y13 students perform a wonderful medley of Electronic pieces at Axemonsters. With Music Tech students integral to the Unplugged and KAStonbury concerts there is no time to rest!

Jazz Band rehearsal

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MUSIC & MUSIC TECH

MUSIC & MUSIC TECH - Neven Vangelov, Nell Buckingham, Dan Aarons, Richard Ward

Middle School Choir and Band at the Christmas concert

Christmas concert

SINGING

In the rehearsal room, Nell has been

main school concerts; proving once

and Helena was also a finalist in the

working with the many singers at

again how much we have all missed

BBC 3 Christmas Carol Competition

KAS. Senior students took on a full

singing together. The KAS Bellas and

while Ellie performed as a soloist for

Gershwin Musical delivering great

The Baby Bellas have reformed with

‘Aylesbury Opera’ and won the ‘Opera

performances in ‘Crazy for You’.

many new recruits creating some

Aria Class’ and ‘The Young Singer

magical ‘accaperfect’ harmonies.

of the Year’ at Milton Keynes Music

Jazz and Chamber choir have performed their classical and

Two of our Y12 singers are members

contemporary repertoire in all the

of the National Youth Choir of GB

WORKSHOP WITH EOB A level and GCSE Music/Music Tech students were honored to receive a seminar from Radiohead band member and solo artist, Ed O’Brien.

They were treated to a fascinating insight into his compositional and sound making process.

Ed also spoke about his influences, gave a demo of his playing style, and explained the functionality of his effects pedals before answering student questions. Inspirational!

EOB Workshop

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Festival 2022.

Neven Vangelov, Nell Buckingham, Dan Aarons, Richard Ward - MUSIC & MUSIC TECH

VOCAL MASTERCLASSES UAL students singers had an exciting and transformative vocal masterclass from award winning actress Samantha Spiro. Specialising in character through song she looked at a variety of ways singers can express this. The boys were tutored by operatic baritone James Cleverton, and the girls by Royal Academy of Music coach and soprano, Yvette Bonner. Each was given extensive feedback on their audition performance and presentation with plenty of inside information on vocal and audition techniques.

Yvette Bonner vocal masterclass

Sam Spiro character through song masterclass

James Cleverton vocal masterclass

Yvette Bonner vocal masterclass

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ICT

ICT - Raj Bhalsod

Year 9 SketchUp

Using keyboards to create order and learn the skills which will take our students far Year 13 Vitan

It’s been another busy year which as seen a range of new projects introduced and new applications for our students to use.

We have looked at developing a broader range of skills as we get our students to think

Year 8 Web Design

Year 9 Sofia

Year 11 Michael Python Programming

Year 9 Rafi

computationally and have achieved this through a varied curriculum which allows students to work on projects with industry specific software.

From creating movies using Adobe, coding to control Lego Mindstorms robots and programming 3D printers to create physical objects.

Students have also continued to develop their skills in key areas such as programming in Python and web development.

Our A level and GCSE students have been developing and testing a variety of programs with real world applications.

Examples have included writing programs using Java Development which predict the spread of covid and its ability to replicate, amazing work with outstanding results.

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Year 9 Natalie

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Jeff Harlow, Sam Kirkwood, Pany Kokotsi-Symeou, Bettina Robbin-Coker, Kerry Randall, Tanvir Dharamsi, Hannah Sheath - MATHS

MATHS

This year it’s all about the addition of staff, the division of students, the subtraction of stress and the multiplication of maths successes RUBIK’S CUBE ART

SENIOR UKMT CHALLENGE

Between practising for Maths challenges and competitions, Maths Club have been

Year 13

working on project to make pixelated

Silver – Tobias S (best in school),

images out of Rubik’s cubes.

Maria J, Finn S

Superman

ADDITION

Year 12

This year the Maths Department welcomed

Silver – Samson D-M (joint best in year), Rowan W (joint best in

Hannah to the team. As well as teaching lessons, she has led the Maths element

year), Luka L

of the 6-8 curriculum, helping to design

Bronze – Olga FS, Sacha B, Alex M

the cross-curricular projects which have formed a key part of the Year 7 students’

INTERMEDIATE UKMT CHALLENGE

experience.

Hannah

Year 11

PINK KANGAROO

Gold – Michael D (best in school,

Each year we enter a selection of our most keen

Kangaroo qualifier)

mathematicians from Years 9, 10 & 11 into the UKMT

Silver – Jed T, Mayan W, Anna R,

Intermediate Maths Challenge. Students who score in the top

Fenn R

10% of the nationwide competition receive a Gold certificate.

Bronze – Theo G, Luca L, Evan S

Y11 student Michael D not only achieved a Gold, but placed in the top few thousand and was invited to compete in a follow-

Year 10

on round called the Pink Kangaroo where he narrowly missed

Bronze – Huxley F (best in year),

out on an additional Merit, for placing in the top 25%, by a

Noa D, Theodora B, Jonathan L,

Michael

mere three marks, an incredible achievement.

Luke N, Azrael H, Seth P

Here is Michael’s favourite question from the Pink Kangaroo.

Year 9

He answered it correctly, can you?

Bronze – Talia K (best in year), Tamara D, Kuber W, Mia E

JUNIOR UKMT CHALLENGE * answer below Pink Kangeroo question for you to try

Year 8 Silver – George G, Nathan L (joint best in year), Ahaan G

LET’S TALK ABOUT SETS

Bronze – Rafferty MOF, Luca W,

Being strong advocates of mixed-ability learning, the Maths team delays moving students

Liza P, Louis G, Mateo R, Huxley M

into ability sets for as long as is feasible, often not introducing them until Year 10.

Year 7

This year we decided to give students more ownership over the process. Year 10 students

Silver – Matthew L (best in

were surveyed, asking if they were ready for sets and what paced group they felt they

school)

would work best in.

Bronze – Otto F, Holly C, Omar

The teachers also had a say, but nearly every student ended up in their elected group. The

G, Polly H, Maia McN, Felicity B,

students were impressively mature through the process and teachers noticed an increased

Nathaniel MC

positivity in the new groups.

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Solution C: If Mo is positive, then the answer to his question must be ‘Yes’ and that means he is negative, a contradiction. Hence Mo is negative. Therefore the answer to his question must be ‘No’. So Mo and Bo cannot both be negative, and therefore Bo must be positive.

SCIENCE - Phillip Price, Stephen O’Byrne, Laura Hymers, Ryan Godfrey, Philip Avram, Fionn O’Sullivan, Roger Grech, Eileen O’Brien, Giovanni De Cicco, Jo Tang, Peter Nixon

SCIENCE

The labs are always busy with experimentation and ideas as our Science team share their knowledge with students

FIELD STUDIES

In November the Sixth Form Biologists completed their ecology field trip at Flatford Mill deep in Constable country. The students experienced a wide range of habitats and practised a number of field work techniques including sampling, understanding succession and data handling.

After experiencing the rocky shore, the saltmarshes and the ponds and rivers around the centre they devised their own study which formed one of their core practical activities for the A level qualification. It was intensive but they learned a lot from the experience.

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SCIENCE - Phillip Price, Stephen O’Byrne, Laura Hymers, Ryan Godfrey, Philip Avram, Fionn O’Sullivan, Roger Grech, Eileen O’Brien, Giovanni De Cicco, Jo Tang, Peter Nixon

HANDS ON SCIENCE Lower School Science Club saw a change this year with Year 5 pupils being involved instead of Year 6. As always the participants showed great enthusiasm for the wide range of activities: they identified chemicals using flame tests, built building bridges to hold the greatest mass, tested balloon powered cars and looked at Lissajous patterns created from swinging a double pendulum filled with sand over a piece of black paper.

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SCIENCE - Phillip Price, Stephen O’Byrne, Laura Hymers, Ryan Godfrey, Philip Avram, Fionn O’Sullivan, Roger Grech, Eileen O’Brien, Giovanni De Cicco, Jo Tang, Peter Nixon

SCIENCE

SCIENCE WEEK

To celebrate Science week, we invited Zoolab in to speak to Year 8 students about biodiversity. The pupils were given the opportunity to handle unusual animals such as a Madagascan hissing cockroaches and a corn snake as well as take a peek at a rather large rose tarantula. There were a lot of smiles.

The Year 9 pupils were treated to a presentation about the Solar System, stars and the Universe from Explorerdome who came in with their inflatable planetarium. Students learnt about some of our constellations and the different types of star in the universe. They learnt about some of

Forensic Science workshop

the history behind the observations which led to the creation of the signs of the zodiac. Year 9 really enjoyed the presentation and were all amazed and somewhat awestruck by the sheer scale of the universe.

Y7 took part in a Forensic Science workshop where they learnt about fingerprints, chromatography, DNA, blood and hair sampling before applying their knowledge to solve a ‘crime’.

Explorerdome

Forensic Science workshop

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SCIENCE - Phillip Price, Stephen O’Byrne, Laura Hymers, Ryan Godfrey, Philip Avram, Fionn O’Sullivan, Roger Grech, Eileen O’Brien, Giovanni De Cicco, Jo Tang, Peter Nixon

Zoolab

Forensic Science workshop

Zoolab

Zoolab

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FRENCH & SPANISH - Camilla Parsons, Pauline Moloney, Sandrine Rodrigues, Ander Fraser, Alessandra Cesarato

FRENCH & SPANISH

The MFL team have been bringing Europe to Manor Wood through words, food and festivals FLIPPING GREAT

Year 8s have been practising their French over a meal at an authentic Creperie in Kentish Town. They ate some delicious savoury galettes and all enjoyed the Nutella filled sweet crepe.

Creperie

Year 9s learnt about La Chandeleur a day dedicated to eating crêpes. They made the pancakes at home and brought them in to enjoy in lessons.

Creperie

LYON BLEU

Year 11 missed out on chance to go to Lyon in person but the

Chandeleur

French Department pulled together a plan to allow students to attend online lessons with Constance, a teacher at Lyon Bleu. Even though they couldn’t experience the real thing, this experience was just as memorable. Constance was a fantastic teacher who helped students grow their linguistic abilities by speaking in French 90% of the time to challenge how they heard and responded to the language.

Lucy and Lucas told us: “We discovered it severely enhanced our skills in the exams as we understood the language more deeply.

Is was definitely a worthwhile experience that aided us massively with our GCSEs.”

Chandeleur

Lyon Bleu

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Camilla Parsons, Pauline Moloney, Sandrine Rodrigues, Ander Fraser, Alessandra Cesarato - FRENCH & SPANISH

GETTING DRAMATIC KAS proudly hosted the 7th French Drama Festival in March, with a record number of schools signing up, some of them travelling from as far as Warwickshire. We obviously also took part, with Lara and Raffi giving a stunning performance, embodying a grumpy teenager trying to work out the

French Drama Festival

difference between ‘will’ and ‘would’, and her irascible English teacher who has just been dumped.

Their hilarious rendition of the scene left the audience in raptures, and earned them the loudest applause of the

French Drama Festival

evening, as well as a well deserved team prize for ‘Best Unique Theatrical experience’.

SPANISH CELEBRATION In Spanish, students learnt about the cultural aspects of Dia de los Muertos, a tradition from Latin America (Mexico) which happens every year on the 1st and 2nd of November.

Years 9 & 10 researched and reproduced the altars people use to celebrate their dead, placing on them flowers, fruit, candles and skulls. Year 6 students made masks, Year 7 sang along to ‘En Mexico’ and students from different year groups watched the film ‘Coco’.

Y9s baked and decorated cupcakes and biscuits; and there was traditional sugar skull make-up face painting.

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ECONOMICS - Victoria Gibson

ECONOMICS

Looking at how local and world events are shaped by pounds and pence (other currencies are available) It’s been another interesting year for students of Economics. Both Year 12 & 13 students have been learning about the impacts of the

Revision workshop

Ukraine Russian conflict and what this means for the global economy as well as how it affects us here in the UK. Tied in with this, students have been learning about the causes and consequences of the ‘cost of living crisis’ and interesting questions have come up about how the Government could tackle this and what it means for the future? Should

Y13 Economists

the government nationalise energy provision? Is this the UK’s chance to really invest

STUDENT VIEW:

in green energy? Is a 54% price cap for energy firms reasonable for the average worker?

Y13 students benefitted from

“The past two years have allowed me to improve my understanding of how markets work and a general understanding of the differences between micro and macro

a revision workshop which

economics. I feel like I now understand the world a lot more.”

focused on exam skills from

Sal Y13

expert examiners while Y12 students visited the Bank of England Museum and City of London as a grand finale to their first year of study.

“Studying Economics means I can now argue with my dad about economic current affairs!”

Georgia Y12 “I now understand how the government makes decisions to try and control our economy and what that means for businesses, workers and consumers.”

George Y12

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Takako Yeung and Nabihah Ahmed - POLITICS

POLITICS

Studying those who’ve been chosen to govern is never less than fast paced and fascinating The busy vibes in the Politics Department perhaps reflect what has been a rather busy year politically in the real world! We welcomed new staff member Nabihah Ahmed, who is a great addition to both the School and to Politics at KAS. In April students had the chance to meet Lord Balfe, a member of the House of Lords, who spoke to students online to answer

Takako teaching A level students

their questions. They definitely didn’t pull any punches with questions such as, “Do you think the ‘partygate’ scandal was handled appropriately?” “Should there be a more severe consequence for those involved?” and, “What is your opinion on the current living cost crisis and how would you aim to solve it?” The students asked insightful and challenging questions, and Lord Balfe was surprisingly frank in his responses, especially in relation to his views on Boris Johnson.

In May, students were able to watch a 2022 Private Members’ Bill Ballot drawn live. It was a great opportunity to watch the UK legislative

Mock election poster by Cyrus Y12

process in action and see something they’d studied in class happen in real time.

The Year 12 students also took part in a mock election of minor UK political parties.

They were randomly assigned groups and then chose which of The Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru they wanted to represent. The activity gave them the chance to exercise their campaigning skills with students creating posters, videos and canvassing for votes amongst the Sixth Form students, whilst learning about the policies of their party. In the end Plaid Cymru was declared the winner.

This is perhaps a reflection of the campaigning skills of the group rather than any latent Welsh nationalist sentiment amongst the Sixth Form!

Lord Balfe talking to students

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PSYCHOLOGY - Ania Herbut

PSYCHOLOGY

The lessons learnt as part of this course give students tools they can use outside the classroom School closure, months of zoom lessons, uncertainty about A levels, confusion about revised exam content - this year’s graduates have seen it all. We are so proud of how they coped with the stress and pressures of post-covid

Psychology Y12 class hard at work

examination. The last two years of studying Psychology no doubt helped them with

STUDENT VIEW:

managing some of those demands.

“Doing Psychology, I learned a lot about myself, which I really didn’t think I needed or could know. I believe that Psychology should be a mandatory subject for everyone at school.”

“The best part of Psychology A-level is the in-depth discussion! When learning the specification, I would always look forward to talking about the nuances of our topics so I could get a proper understanding of content and how to apply it to myself and real life. It is a fascinating course.”

“I always thought I was bad at maths, but I have learned how to manage research methods and statistics, which made me feel more confident about myself as a learner.”

“I really enjoyed learning how the process of memory works in terms of what it takes for us to remember things in the long term through rehearsal and memory associations. Also, why we act in certain ways and how our minds work.”

“I have learned how relationships are formed between people, what makes people attracted to each other and why some relationships break up. This is going to be quite useful to me in the future!”

“I mostly loved the discussions and hearing different views. Not only was that interesting, but it helped me to understand the topics more deeply.”

“Learning about how peoples’ adulthoods and adult relationships can be based on childhood experiences is really good to know for the future.”

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Paul Dawson - PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY

The great questions are unchanging but how we answer them is a lesson for us all What is reality? What is truth?

What is knowledge? Do we have any knowledge? If we do, where does it come from?

Does the world exist outside of our minds? Outside of your mind? What is the mind – is it just the brain? What is the relationship between the mind and the body? What is consciousness? What is

process of rational argument, intended to explore some of the biggest, most profound questions human beings can

a person? Do we have free

ask.

will? Does God exist? Can

It is, in this way, a deep

God’s existence be proved?

conversation between great

Can God’s non-existence be

thinkers of the past, present

proved? What is the correct

and future, where the

method for making moral

thoughts of past philosophers

choices? What sorts of lives

are as ‘alive’ and relevant

should we live? Is there any

as the thoughts of current

such thing as moral truth?

philosophers. And to study

Is morality objective or

philosophy as a subject is

subjective? Why does anything

not only to listen in on that

exist at all?

conversation, but also to

Traditionally, philosophers

participate in it. That’s what

have asked these questions and many more, all of them very big and very deep. And traditionally, philosophers have tried to answer them too.

Not just any old answers will

STUDENT VIEW:

we do in Philosophy class.

“The first thing I learnt in philosophy was that ‘the only thing I know, is that I know nothing’ (Socrates). Thanks Paul!

I came into the course thinking I might get answers to some of life’s grand questions - I didn’t. I just left each lesson with more.

If you feel queasy at the possibility that nothing really exists or matters, then maybe it’s not the subject for you. However, if you are okay with sceptical, existential meaninglessness weighing on your mind (a side-effect of the course), then Philosophy can teach you how to readily debate, think and refute.

do, of course. The answers

Not to mention, gaining the ability

philosophers give are the

to endlessly annoy everyone

conclusions of rational

in your life with philosophical

arguments – arguments, that

ramblings. But it’s alright,

is, which are based on reason

chances are they don’t

and logic.

And these arguments may be

exist anyway!”

Raffi Y12

challenged by other rational arguments. Which means that philosophy is an ongoing

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PHOTOGRAPHY - Cliff Bevan

PHOTOGRAPHY

Picturing the world, creating emotion in images or bringing ideas to vivid life – it’s all possible through the right lens As the school year ends, the pressure builds in the Photography Department but it’s the most rewarding time as they pull together the A level exhibition and all of its production aspects, mark GCSE and A level work, and finish off various print and media projects.

VIRTUALLY REAL

Covid got the Photography Department thinking about how to showcase student images in a world of lockdowns and social distancing, and so they turned their minds to creating a virtual space to show work and play with ideas. An Old Alfredian, Leo, has been busying away, putting the aaah! in VR and building a virtual photography gallery which you will see soon.

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GCSE

Cliff Bevan - PHOTOGRAPHY

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PHOTOGRAPHY - Cliff Bevan

PHOTOGRAPHY

A LEVEL

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Cliff Bevan - PHOTOGRAPHY

INSTANT CAMERA The Department has pushed their social media profile in order to celebrate the work KAS students do and link up with other makers, thinkers, and institutions.

The result? The king_alfred_photography Instagram has become a significant feature of our output this year. Students work has been picked up by, and shown on various sites such as Londonaltphoto and The Photocopy Club, where we also had a physical show in London back in December. We have also launched a magazine titled Open Book which will come out each term so watch this space!

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION - Lauren Weston, Tom Franklin, Henrietta Farr, Claire Murphy, Aarun Woodhouse, Alex Conn and Victoria Stewart

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The trophy cabinet is filling up with success across all sports as competitions resumed

LOWER SCHOOL SPORT

Aarun has been giving Lower School students their first taste of competition through Interform activities. These friendly events pit mixed ability teams from the same year group against each other, with the focus on teamwork

Y4 footballers

and furthering understanding of the sport they’re playing.

Fixtures against other schools have also returned and students have shown a great attitude towards winning (or losing) with the emphasis on progressing their knowledge of tactics and sports specific skills.

Y2 football tournament

Year 6 boys winning regionals

Year 2 played in their first friendly football tournament against local schools and put in all their effort. They enjoyed the atmosphere of the event and worked superbly as a team.

Year 4 girls also played in a football tournament, with many of them representing

Jumping for joy in gymnastics

KAS for the first time. They showed a willingness to celebrate each other’s successes of scoring goals, tackling opponents, making great saves and determination to chase the ball down throughout the tournament.

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Y6 netballers celebrate the joy of the game

Lauren Weston, Tom Franklin, Henrietta Farr, Claire Murphy, Aarun Woodhouse, Alex Conn and Victoria Stewart - PHYSICAL EDUCATION

NETBALL It’s been an excellent season of Netball with players who’ve been committed since preseason training all the way through to ISA nationals and Barnet finals. Teams have been sporting new kit which ensured they looked as good as they played and gave them

Year 9 netballers

Year 6 netballers

a professional outlook as they wore it with pride.

Y6 girls joined Tuesday’s netball club to great success.

They’ve shown excellent commitment and the PE team hope they will continue to develop as they move up the school. They competed in their first ever ISA tournament, working tirelessly throughout the day, drawing many games

Year 8 netballers with their medals

Year 8 netballers with medals

and ending up third as a result of some excellent defensive work.

Our U12s (Y8) won their Barnet league this year, winning all their games over the year. In the Barnet finals (the majority of Barnet schools enter this – state and private) they came an impressive fourth!

There has been such a large group of Y7s coming to club

Year 7 full squad

that the PE Department is

ISA NETBALL NATIONALS

considering splitting the team in two. We are extremely

The U15 (Y10) team

proud of them all and there

participated in the

is a good future for these

U16 ISA nationals

budding netballers!

to gain experience.

Despite being a year younger than their rivals, they held Year 7 netballers

their own and came away with second place in the Cup.

Year 10 at the ISA national competition

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION - Lauren Weston, Tom Franklin, Henrietta Farr, Claire Murphy, Aarun Woodhouse, Alex Conn

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

FOOTBALL YEAR 9 WINNERS

On a cold day in Nottingham a group of resilient and talented boys defied the odds to win the ISA U14 regional football tournament. It was a long drive but worth it when the boys not only won, but went the whole tournament unbeaten and without conceding a single goal!

Coach Tom Franklin said, “I’ve never ever seen a KAS sports team show such dominance in the many years that I have been here. I couldn’t be prouder!”

U14 boys ISA Winners

Year 6 boys at ISA nationals

YEAR 6 SUCCESS After winning all four games in their group stage, ur U11 (Y6) boys cruised through the regional quarter finals with a 4-0 victory and then knocked out favourites Gatehouse School in the semis. Despite losing in the final, the boys were excited to make Nationals which were held at St Georges Park. Playing at England’s training ground made for a great day and the team rallied together through a series of difficult matches resulting in a deserved sixth place finish and Plate winners of the competition.

An incredible achievement for all involved!

SPORTS LEADERS

This year we had 27 students completing the Sports Leadership Level 2 course; it’s been amazing to see the high level of coaching and problem-solving skills on display. Students are building upon these skills and learning to plan, lead and evaluate their own sport/physical activity sessions both in KAS and the wider community. Students are required to volunteer for 1 hour with an external coaching company and 4 hours within a school setting. This year the students will help with school sports days and we are recruiting Sixth Form students to help coach extra-curricular sports.

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Sports learders running a session

Lauren Weston, Tom Franklin, Henrietta Farr, Claire Murphy, Aarun Woodhouse, Alex ConnW - PHYSICAL EDUCATION

GIRLS KICKING IT The U12 (Y7&8) girls football team showed great progression making it to the semi-finals of the cup after showing commitment to extra-curricular training and remarkable spirit throughout the season.

Year 7 & 8 girls football team

ATHLETICS & CROSS-COUNTRY With Athletics meets restarting, students have been mastering their sprint starts in Games and PE. Peer coaching and teamwork have been the essence of these sessions.

TENNIS Students have been using the Golders Green Tennis courts

Several students participated in a cross-country event on the

to practise

Heath extension in January, with Oliver in Y8 going on to compete

and taking on

at the ISA London North event and placing highly.

local schools

We sent 35 students to the ISA Athletics competition in

in doubles

Bedfordshire with Laurie (Y7), Louis (Y9) and Freddie (Y6) all winning their events and qualifying for Nationals. The Year 9 relay

and singles tournaments.

Y8 boys ready to take on Archer Academy at tennis

team were gutted to miss out on a medal by tenths of a second!

CRICKET Lower school students have been putting their cricket skills to the test this summer as they’ve begun learning Kwik cricket. Fun, fast games with batting and fielding practice in the sunshine!

ISA Athletics relay

ISA Athletics team

Oliver with his cross-country medal

Cricket

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GEOGRAPHY - Eleanor Mitchell, Athena Coddington-Wiratunga

GEOGRAPHY

Across the school geographers cover more than islands and isthmuses, but also issues and ideas YEAR 8

Year 8 have studied sustainable cities which culminated in students designed their own sustainable city! We had a ‘gallery walk’ in school where students could view each other’s designs. Highlights included a skyline transport solution, micro-farms on balconies and citizens using exercise bikes to

Year 8 sustainable cities posters

generate electricity.

YEAR 9 Year 9 had a fantastic trip to the ‘America In Crisis’ exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. After an informative tour and a galleryled workshop, students created their own collages or leaflets, inspired by the exhibition. The exhibition tied in perfectly with our learning – the issue of immigration in America, the history of the police force, police brutality cases and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

This year, we’ve also looked at which countries have the potential to become the next China by researching coastlines and ability to trade, natural resources, population, and land mass. The students had some brilliant ideas from Argentina to Madagascar.

Year 9 at the Saatchi Gallery workshop

Year 9 in the gallery

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Year 9 emerging countries posters

Eleanor Mitchell, Athena Coddington-Wiratungaw - GEOGRAPHY

YEAR 11 GCSE students got to grips with coast and river landscape case studies through two day trips. In Leigh-on-Sea they determined the impact of human activities on the coastline. While along the River Lea then explored how differences in geology and human land use have an impact on the river by designing their own fieldwork techniques.

Year 11 GCSE field trip to Leigh-on-Sea

YEAR 12 Year 12 A level students have been investigating ‘place’ and the power of rebranding. They explored this through the Kings Cross regeneration project where they spent time collecting primary data and building on secondary research, to investigate how successful the project has been in relation to its original aims. Students explored the sensory impact of the place, took field sketches, and experimented with psycho-geography inspired field techniques.

Kings Cross visitor centre

Kings Cross field trip

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY - Miranda Socratous, Adam Findlay, Pascoe Lintell, Chris Raymond, Nic Bevers

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Taking and idea and making it; the process of making and creating is something which teaches many lessons A LEVEL

Sixth Form designers have pushed themselves out of their comfort zones this year. While the final products are impressive and skillfully made, it is the journey that is equally important. The A level students all reached a new level, both in their practical work, but also in their creative and critical thinking,

Dylan Y13

surprising us and even themselves with their ideas and solutions.

The collection features lighting installations, material explorations, sculptural pieces and contemporary fashion design.

The exhibition would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of the students and staff which we are extremely proud of.

“I’ve loved my time working with this big family. It’s been such a great experience that has taught me so many skills.”

Benji, Y13

Benji Y13

Louis Y13

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Miranda Socratous, Adam Findlay, Pascoe Lintell, Chris Raymond, Nic Bevers - DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

To create, one must question everything.

Eileen Gray

Vitan Y13

Marielle Y13

Benji Y13

Layfe Y13 Toby Y13

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY - Miranda Socratous, Adam Findlay, Pascoe Lintell, Chris Raymond, Nic Bevers

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

GCSE

We are very proud of our GCSE designers, who approached their projects with maturity and flair. We ended up with 11 unique and effective projects that challenged them creatively and answered their briefs

Cassidy, Y11 Design brief: To make a product that will encourage young people to stay fit and active.

with feasible yet imaginative solutions

Pippa, Y11

to real world issues.

Design brief: To design and make a product that will aid adults aged 50+, during a climate-related emergency in the UK.

Fenn, Y11 Design brief: To create a product that prepares small refugee families for immigration.

Milou, Y11 Design brief: To create something that is going to help a homeless person live on the streets whilst being multi use and desirable.

Bea, Y11 Design brief: To create a product which provides a sense of safety and security for those affected by hurricanes.

Anna, Y11 Design brief: create a product that aims to aid parents with encouraging outdoor play as well as developing life skills in their children.

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Miranda Socratous, Adam Findlay, Pascoe Lintell, Chris Raymond, Nic Bevers - DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Fashion choice We are excited to introduce fashion choice with Toria this year. The students have mastered a range of skills from learning how to use a sewing machine, fabric choices, pattern making and embroidery techniques.

Jacob, Y11 Design brief: To design a product that help relieve stress for students by bringing the outdoors in.

Old Alfredian expertise We want to say a special thank you to Leo who is currently on a gap year after leaving KAS last year. He led a CAD project with Year 10 who designed and 3D printed plant pots.

Jed, Y11 Design brief: Design a product that encourages and facilitates someone in the 65 plus demographic to exercise.

Berenice, Y11 Design brief: To design a product that will aid sleep, falling asleep, and/or quality of sleep, in children or preteens using the senses e.g. sound, light, smell.

Year 9 students Gabriel and Eden model their final logo designs for their T shirt project.

Lola, Y11 Design brief: To design a product that helps people engage in sports by removing fear.

Josie, Y11 Design brief: To create a product that will help students manage stress when experiencing the pressures of academic and social life using nature and the senses to create a feeling of calm.

The Forge “It’s very empowering to have an all female group in the forge. Which is a supportive, kind and fun learning space.” Poppy Y10

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LATIN & CLASSICAL CIVILISATION - Judith Rice, Al McConville

LATIN & CLASSICAL CIVILISATION

STUDENT VOICES

The Classics Department has started two new clubs: Latin and Ancient Greek for years 8 up.

Here’s what students love about the subject:

“Classical Civilisation gives me the opportunity to explore my interest in mythology. I also do Ancient Greek club and, although it involves learning a whole new alphabet, I find enjoyment discovering meanings behind familiar words and symbols. Did you know the fish symbol used in early Christianity comes from the Greek word for fish, ‘ἸΧΘΥΣ’, which early Christians saw as an acronym for Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Yἱός Σωτήρ - ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour’?”

Rosalind Y10

Omnibus by Lauren, Y10

Greek derivation image

BOUDICCA: FREEDOM FIGHTER OR TERRORIST?

In October Raffi joined Classics For All - a charity supporting the teaching of classical subjects in state schools and in areas of socio-economic disadvantage – for a ‘moot trial’ of Boudicca on charges of terrorism at the Supreme Court.

The Department welcomed new Deputy Head Al McConville:: “Teaching my lovely little Latin and Classical Civilisation classes is without

“I played Boudicca

doubt the highlight of my week! I love the

for the barristers to

fact that Classics can find a happy place

talk to and gesture at

in a progressive and forward-looking

during to add drama!”

school.”

The verdict? Acquittal!

Raffi as Boudicca

“I came to KAS because it offers Latin A level and I plan to

“I especially love the etymological side of it

study Classics at university. It’s a multi-disciplinary subject

(the study of the origin of words). For example,

- language, ancient history, art, literature, philosophy….

the Latin word ‘omnibus’ means ‘for everyone’

Through it we learn about how past societies, systems,

- just like a bus is for everyone. I find the club

ideologies, and cultures were built. It’s just like history but

enlightening and I can’t wait to learn more!”

with more sex and violence!”

Alex Y9

Raffi Y12

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Nabihah Ahmed - SOCIOLOGY

SOCIOLOGY

Looking at society and the structures which shape our world has been an eye-opener for these Sixth Formers

STUDENT VIEW:

As part of our first unit we’ve covered loads of interesting topics to do with education.

This is the first year Sociology has been on

Issues like racism in schools and inequality of

the curriculum at KAS and its first cohort of

opportunity has given us the chance to form

students have been engaging in a variety of stimulating learning experiences, such as,

a bigger picture on these real-world issues.

Sociology pushes me to work collaboratively,

debating whether private schools should

putting things into context. It’s a great balance

be abolished, using the movie ‘Mean Girls’

of debating as a class and listening to opinions

to understand pupil subcultures in schools

on some controversial issues, as well as taking

and stepping up to positions of (hypothetical)

time individually to form my own judgments

political power to form effective educational

and better my understanding of how society

policies. Students have been captivated by the

changes and the impacts on different groups

subject so far and will delve deeper into ‘Crime

within a society

and Deviance’ and ‘Beliefs in Society’ next year.

Mia Y12 I’ve found this year both intriguing and eye opening to learn about how our social class, gender and ethnicity affect our academic success. This made me reflect on my own educational experiences too. I have also enjoyed researching the impact different governments have had on the education system, especially in terms of making schools like businesses!

Sociology pushes me to achieve my best and gives me an insight into contemporary society and my role within it.”

Kiki Y12

Nabiha teaching Sociology

Mia Levy - Excerpt from her Marxist Analysis of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Essay

Sociology Whole Class Photo 2022

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EDUCATION ON THE MOVE

EDUCATION ON THE MOVE

Changing the way we assess and evidence students at GCSE level was the talking point as the KASS Conference returned

On Saturday 19th March The King Alfred School Society and campaign group Rethinking Assessment hosted the ‘Education on the Move’ conference, bringing together voices from across the UK to share ideas on how our education system needs to change.

Researcher and educator

Aliyah speaking

Professor Bill Lucas summed up the day saying, “A very broad group of thinkers, parents, employers, educators, students, researchers came together, all convinced that in different ways we have something of a curriculum emergency and we need to radically rethink the way we evidence the full range of young people’s strengths.”

The day started with a poetry performance by three Year 6 King Alfred students who

Al with panel

talked about being in their perfect school. This was contrasted by a Year 13 speaker, Alanna, who felt that having to cram for exams was crushing her love of learning. The point was clear, by insisting students take make-or-break exams we are robbing them of the positive learning experiences which characterise much of the primary school years.

Educaton on the Move panel members and speakers

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EDUCATION ON THE MOVE

The day featured a panel of speakers representing different perspectives, including Cambridge University admissions and Law firm Mishcon de Reya. Aliyah York, founder of Pupil Power said, “Exams de-humanised my experience of school.

Something has to happen and we need to open our minds to alternatives.”

Schools who are already making changes to how they assess pupil attainment and moving away from a solely

L-R Y13 speaker Alanna, Y6 poets and Robert Lobatto

GCSE based offering gave presentations in the new Sixth Form Centre and 6-8 Building. The presentations included one by our own Julian Reed on the new 6-8 curriculum. The afternoon session then concluded with a Q&A with Gwyn ap Harri of XP School and a sneak peek of the Learner Profiles being developed by Peter Hyman and his colleagues at School 21.

Co-organiser and KAS Deputy

King Alfred School carousel presentation

Head Al McConville said, “It’s been great to host this amazing group of people and there is a real feeling here today that we are building the momentum for real change to happen. We are already trialling a new way of delivering a more interdisciplinary curriculum in Years 6-8 and want to start taking the learnings from that, and from speakers we’ve heard today, into the GCSE years.”

L-R Olly Newton, Jac Y12 student, Gwyn ap Harri

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TEDxKINGALFREDSCHOOL - Kara Conti

TEDxKINGALFREDSCHOOL

The King Alfred community took centre stage with funny, thought provoking and powerful talks The long delayed TEDx event finally took place in September 2021 and featured 14 talks by students, staff and parents on subjects on what excites, terrifies or motivates them – everything from cold water to hot metal, happiness, hope and humour.

Head Robert Lobatto welcomes everyone from the stage

We were proud to showcase the importance of student voice in the KAS philosophy with half the talks by students from Years 11-13, which were by turns funny, poignant and thought provoking and covered topics from insomnia, failure, representation and gaming.

Year 13 student Alanna was first on and she spoke about why we should value the negative emotions we experience just as much as the positive ones: “I was quite nervous but once I got going, I relaxed. It feels like quite a big achievement and something I’ll remember forever. Since I joined the school they’ve given me so many opportunities, things that other schools wouldn’t, so it was really special.”

School Art Technician and Blacksmith Nic gave a moving talk which echoed the King Alfred guiding principle of ‘Freedom, play and the enjoyment of education’. Her talk looked at the power of blacksmithing to teach lessons that the classroom can’t and the impact this kind of teaching can have on students, she said: “Finally

Kara chats to speakers Zah and Simon

doing the talk after so many months was great.

It’s made me better at what I’m doing next, I feel more capable having done it.”

Despite there not being a formal theme to the days’ talks, many of them seemed designed to be heard together. Themes of coping during the pandemic, embracing the negatives as well as the positives and of personal growth were woven through many.

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Theatre technician Matt with TEDx organiser Kara

Kara Contiww - TEDxKINGALFREDSCHOOL

Audience member Lucy commented: “What surprised me most today was the diverse range of topics and the fact that there is such a broad range of interests in the school. I especially enjoyed the students talks – they were fantastic, really punchy and pertinent. I’ve really enjoyed the way it’s a collective vision of contemporary society.”

Organiser Kara Conti said: “This all started with a Zoom call in November 2020 when we first heard ideas for the talks so it was wonderful to see it finally happen. The thing I enjoy most is seeing the different people up on the same stage and the confidence it gives to them - something that’s so valuable, especially for the students but is equally true for the adults.”

You can see videos of all the talks on the school website – search for TEDx.

Alanna

Jacob

TEDx 2021 group shot

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THE VILLAGE PROJECT

THE VILLAGE PROJECT

The Village sees Year 8 students live in the school grounds for a week, creating their own shelters, community and guiding their own activities This year as The Village

A story maker came to

took over to woods at the

guide students on whatever

back of the field, there was

imaginative journey they

a new approach to shelter

wanted to take and our

building. The previous

artist in residence, Vic,

shelters came in kit form

created willow sculptures

and had been designed

aided by those who felt

with students and the DT

so inclined. There were

department a good few

drumming workshops, Ju

years ago. They were

Jitsu and the mobile forge

falling into disrepair and

alongside student-initiated

the pandemic had meant

activities like chess, poker

no time to fix them. But

and pom-pom making.

this turned out to be an opportunity for students to be involved again in their design. Students were given eight panels, large tarpaulins and some very clever eco-friendly cable-tie replacements and allowed to design their own shelters. This gave each group more agency over what they built and challenged them to think for themselves.

The idea behind The Village is to remove students from their screens and other devices, and to allow them to choose how they want to shape their week. They can learn new skills and create new friendships, or they can enjoy activities they already know and like without having timetables to stick to. They have to be resilient, making shelters and cooking their own meals,

As usual we were visited by

they have to co-operate,

Mell and Meg from Kinda

sharing their space with

Forest School who set up

others and they have to be

a campfire area where

present, no phones and no

students could choose to

going home at 4pm. In this

create or relax. Visits to this

way, The Village creates

quiet corner of The Village

a memorable window in

saw makers bringing axe

their King Alfred journey –

handles, nettle lip balm and

one that students in lower

leather pouches to life while

years look forward to, and

others found their spirit

those in later years always

animals or just took time to

remember on graduation

sit by the fire.

day as a formative experience.

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THE VILLAGE PROJECT

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OLD ALFREDIANS & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE - Tamlyn Worrall, Heather Roberts

OLD ALFREDIANS & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

We are delighted to announce that KAS has received a significant pledge of $50,000 from the Roger and Barbara Michaels Family Fund, which was set up with the intention of supporting

THANK YOU You can give a significant contribution

educational institutions which promote and uphold the principals

to the school by gifting

of progressive, humanist, innovative, community-based teaching

the balance of your Fee

and learning. In awarding the grant, the Fund confirmed: “We are truly inspired by KAS’s determination to be the leading advocate for the much-needed change to our education system. The leadership role that Karen and Robert have taken in encouraging KAS to be at the forefront of what the future of education will embody, is exactly the type of programme that the fund was set up and designed to support.”

Deposit to KAS when your child leaves. This year, we are delighted many families have pledged their deposit in support of the Phoenix Theatre.

The recognition of our educational objectives, and this leadership gift from the Roger and Barbara Michaels Family Fund hopes to inspire other families at the school to give in whatever way they are able.

DAY FOR DAWN

On a sunny Saturday in May Old Alfredians past and present, gathered in memory of Dawn Moore, Head of KAS from 2003 to 2015. Stories were shared on how Dawn

Salad bar now

touched so many lives and her

EVERY DAY EVERY LUNCH EVERYONE

influence on our school. Robert unveiled a bench on the field for future generations to enjoy.

Speeches on the field as we remembered Dawn

families who supported Annual Giving for the Main Hall. The stage has been refurbished and new furniture gives a refreshing look and is easier for our students during lunchtimes. Cashless catering has now been introduced as we move towards completing the servery project in the coming academic year.

School dog Alfie on the bench dedicated to Dawn

Chairs theatre style

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Thank you to all the KAS

Lunch set up now

Tamlyn Worrall, Heather Roberts - OLD ALFREDIANS & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

OLD ALFREDIAN OPENS KAS SIXTH FORM CENTRE Old Alfredian Ian Lush, OBE opened the Sixth Form Centre in September 2021 and spoke of the impact of KAS on his life and career. The son of school architect, Cecil Lush, Ian credits his role as Chair of NHS Charities Together and CEO of Imperial Health Charity with an understanding of the importance of being able to ‘give back’ instilled at KAS. The stunning plaque was created from a 300 year old yew tree from the original Manor House estate, by OA Leo Robert with OA Ian Lush at the Sixth Form Centre opening

Larche Hitchcox.

Old Alfredians were interviewed by Y6 & 7 students and learnt about life at KAS in the 1940s, 60s and 80s.

Later in the autumn term, GCSE history students took time to talk with a group of Old Alfredians over a festive lunch in the Old Library. Please read more on this under History.

Robert and Karen hosted a drinks reception in spring to

Year 7 students interview Old Alfredians

Reception for parents who are Old Alfredians

welcome both current and past parents who are also Old Alfredians back to the school.

OA REUNIONS This year, through a calendar packed series of events and

FESTIVE POST

reunions, we have welcomed many former students and loved

Year 6 students made and sent Christmas cards to our

hearing about their experiences at the school.

oldest Old Alfredians.

Naomi Hull with her Christmas card from pupils

Class of 2008 reunion

Old Alfredians at the KAS fireworks

Class of 2008 reunion

Class of 1989 reunion

Old Alfredians catch up with their teachers at the KAS Fireworks

1940s and 1950s reunion

Year 6 pupils with the festive cards they designed and sent to Old Alfredians

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ARCHIVE - Sheila Hanlon

ARCHIVE

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Enjoying your 2022 copy of The Alfredian? Did you know students have been making school magazines since KAS opened in 1898?

The earliest editions of ‘The KAS Magazine’ were handwritten and included original illustrations.

Students from all year groups contributed. The

Alfredian 1923 KAS Poem

pages were then bound into an annual volume.

Articles ranged from poems to sports news to a 1914 Roll of Honour showing KAS alumni and staff serving in the war effort.

In 1923, the format changed to print. Beautiful student-made wood block cover prints, a treasure of the archives, were printed here on the KAS press until 1938. The contents are interesting too! The first issue featured a poem about KAS, news from the annual garden fete and a report on a visit by the Inspectors from the Board of Education. Witty editorials give insight into school life and the antics of the magazine committee.

The historical context of the wider world infiltrated the pages of the school magazines. In Winter 1939, the editor wrote, “Since the last magazine was published KAS has seen events moving

Alfredian Jan 1923

Alfredian 1948

fast in Europe. The crisis affected the School as it has affected every community in this country.” WWII soon saw the magazine go on hiatus.

In 1948, The Alfredian was revived in print form with a jubilee edition. It has been going strong ever since, with issues published biennially until the current annual format was adopted in the 1990s. Perhaps 100 years from now historians will be reading this Alfredian!

KAS Magazine Senior Part King Alfred

KAS Magazine Junior Part

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Alfredian Bundle

Sheila Hanlon- ARCHIVE

1955 Printers Devil Film Showing Nov 11 and Nov 12 1955

1955 Filming Printer’s Devils Photo

KAS ON FILM The KAS Archive holds more than just dusty old documents – we have a small collection of

1950s School Film Camera Bell and Howard Filmo 70

Dear Lucy Title Screen 1957

1955 Filming Printer’s Devils Photo

historic film.

The earliest KAS productions date to the 1950s. One of the first films, ‘Printer’s Devils’ made 1955, was a fictional story set in the KAS Print Rooms. ‘Dear Lucy’ made in 1957 follows a letter sent to the protagonist who left KAS

1963 KAS News Reel

to attend Bedales! A series of ‘KAS News Reels’ from 195865 capture everyday life, trips and special events.

KAS staff and student filmed, edited and even starred in the films. The finished productions premiered in the Main Hall.

Copies were made available for other organisations to hire. These film projects were hugely successful - KAS even

Film Canisters

invested in state-of-the-art cameras to make them.

The original KAS films have been deposited at the BFI for safe keeping. Watching them provides a unique glimpse of mid-century KAS.

1959 School Films Programme

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FAREWELL TO JAMES

FAREWELL TO JAMES

James

“Out of the heart springs life.

stumbled upon the job post of

The school’s motto resonates

a Deputy Head in the Lower

all the more now as I reflect

School. I absolutely, without

on my time at King Alfred. I

a doubt, had to apply. I was

joined the Lower School in

delighted to be invited for an

2013 as an enthusiastic and

interview and ecstatic to be

excited individual taking on

offered the role.

my first Deputy Head role. I am leaving as a confident and accomplished leader, ready to broaden my influence as a Headteacher in my new school.

But even more significantly, I have a greater understanding of who I am. I have King Alfred to thank for this and when I say, ‘King Alfred’ I mean the people, the people, the people.

He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata (Māori proverb).

years. From the inspirational KAS Conferences and moving TEDx events, to the spectacular fireworks and fun filled KAStonbury festivals. But at the top of the list are the amazing children I have had the pleasure of working with.

King Alfred provides the adults with opportunities to truly tap into what makes a positive difference in children’s lives.

school was when a friend of

The reason why you entered

mine asked me to drop off her

the world of education can be

CV for a teaching role (as it

fulfilled in this truly child-

was a short detour from my

centred environment. Yet, it

daily commute). I remember

will be the positive impact

walking through the gates to

the children have had on me

be welcomed by the lush and

that will stay with me. They

expansive field which takes

have delighted me, surprised

centre stage. Looking around,

me, challenged me and have

I felt a strong sense that I had

brought me joy. I will be

arrived somewhere special.

eternally grateful for this.

That feeling stayed with me for the next few years until I

James as BFG

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highlights over the past nine

My first introduction to the

James on camp

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There have been countless

FAREWELL TO JAMES

Pantomime

A few other worthy highlights

King Alfred for introducing me

to mention include:

to colleagues and friends who I

Dress up days. One year, I

will treasure for life.

remember lying in a makeshift

King Alfred has evolved since

bed on the school field with

I started in 2013. Firstly,

Lindy and Adele dressed as the

under the guidance of the

grandparents from Charlie and

empathetic Dawn Moore and

the Chocolate Factory.

the supportive David Weale,

Christmas Pantomime.

Unbeknownst to me, I was set up to be the protagonist in Karen’s craftily scripted pantomime for the children.

This involved me having to perform an impromptu dance with cheerleader pom-poms, bobbing for apples and being sprayed with sticky streamers, amongst other embarrassing things, much to the amusement of the children. All the staff were in on it, including Robert, and took part in the show.

This did not only happen once but twice, two years in a row.

Obviously, setting me up was a display of affection.

Friendships. I have been

James and Lucy who both leave KAS this year!

and now with the dedicated Karen Thomas and the wise Robert Lobatto. Thanks to their leadership, we can articulate the school to outsiders clearly, with confidence and pride.

However, I think King Alfred is more than just words. It is feeling. A sense of belonging.

A home. If my new school can fill half the gap King Alfred will leave, I will be happy.

James with Robert in the Christmas Pantomime

Farewell King Alfred! I miss you already.”

James Griffiths ‘‘Goodbyes make you think.

They make you realise what you’ve had, what you’ve lost, and what you’ve taken for granted.” – Ritu Ghatourey

blessed with working with some of the most wonderful people over the years. They have taught me, inspired me, and supported me. Thank you

James with previous Head of Lower School, David Weale

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FAREWELL TO LUCY

FAREWELL TO LUCY

Class teacher, science club supremo and dramatic dressing up artist – the curtain is coming down on Lucy’s run as a beloved Lower School teacher

“I remember very clearly the

days you had five, separate

day I came to KAS for my

interviews. I tried not to get

interview, thirty-three years

my hopes up but was delighted

ago. It was sunny, with a blue

when Francis phoned to offer

sky and, as I came through

me the job as a Year 5 class

the gates, I could hear music

teacher.

coming from two practice rooms (which are now Nikki’s and Karen’s offices). My thoughts were “How lovely! I think I could be happy here…”

In my first term at KAS I couldn’t stop smiling. It was as though, from a teacher’s perspective, I had ‘died and gone to heaven’. I had a lovely

I heard about the job through

class and was fortunate

a lovely friend, Jane Townsend

enough to have Chris Potter

(a former KAS teacher). She

as my parallel teacher and

and I sang together in the

mentor.

Crouch End Festival Chorus.

One day, she suggested I apply for a job at the school at which she taught. I shall be ever grateful to Jane for pointing me in the direction of KAS.

I have loved teaching Years 4, 5 and 6 and appreciating the incredible development which takes place with each child during each of these years.

The residential camps, both

Previously, I had taught at

in residential accommodation

two very challenging schools:

and under canvas, have given

one in Tottenham where I was

me fantastic experiences,

teaching secondary science,

allowing me to get to know

and the other, in Hackney

the children and colleagues

where I had converted to being

in a more holistic way. Whilst

a primary teacher. I was ready

at camp, I also managed to

for a change.

overcome my fear of heights

I enjoyed my rigorous interview day. In those

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Lucy as gangsta granny

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to abseil and to whizz along a tree top flying fox. The children

Year 6 Camp 2018

FAREWELL TO LUCY

were very supportive when

such fun working with heads

Friends of Priory Park which

they realised how terrified I

of Science for Upper School,

is a ‘thank you’ for the park

was!

Donovan Whitfield and Phil

helping my well-being during

Price, with our Science Club

Lockdown.

I love being part of the Lower School ‘Team’. It is like a very

members.

I am very excited for KAS

loving family. I feel blessed

As a class teacher, your

that it is the school’s 125th

in the Lower School head

parallel teacher becomes a

anniversary next academic

teachers I have had: the

very important ally. Highs and

year. I was editor for the

marvellous Mike Young, divine

lows are shared with each

Alfredian Centenary Magazine

David Weale and now the

other and I have been blessed

(1998) and spent a lot of time

brilliant Karen Thomas! Chris

with tremendous people from

researching the school’s

Potter and James Griffiths have

whom I have learnt so much as

history in the Archive Room.

been wonderful deputy heads.

well as sharing our common

KAS has had a rich and

teaching practice, with a lot of

diverse journey through its

laughter.

125 years which is greatly to

I will sorely miss teaching the children. I do love being a class

be celebrated. I have already

teacher. I am not brilliant at

People ask me what I am going

remembering names, but I do

to do when I retire. It is time

remember precious details

for me to spend more time

about each child I have taught.

with my incredibly supportive

I generally recall my classes

husband, Kollyn. We will be

according to the theatrical

heading to North Devon more

production we have performed

often and there are a number

So, as one says in theatrical

together. This is eccentric

of friends and relatives whom

circles, I have no intention of

of me but, as an ex-actress,

we would like to visit – which

making a ‘clean exit’ from KAS

Drama has always been very

might involve a trip to The

- I will be back!”

important as something I

States and New Zealand! I love

can share. Science is equally

to sing, dance and keep fit, so

important to me and I have

will continue with Crouch End

loved teaching the subject

Festival Chorus and my adult

and being the co-ordinator

ballet classes – and Pilates.

for Lower School. I have had

I am already gardening with

offered my assistance to KAS Archivist, Sheila Hanlon, as I hope to be a part of sharing my love and knowledge of the school with others.

Lucy Bailey

Dressed up as a Victorian School Mistress with her class

Lucy on the field

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FAREWELL TO LINDA

FAREWELL TO LINDA

After 16 years welcoming families through the Admissions process and telling the world about what we offer through Marketing and Communications, Linda can be proud of the positive changes she’s brought to KAS

When Linda started at KAS in

From 2012 Linda also took

August 2006, the school was

on the marketing role

significantly smaller and had

within KAS. The team has

just one person responsible

gradually increased in size

for Admissions. The process

and the area today looks

for attracting and admitting

very different to 2006. Under

students was fragmented

Linda’s leadership, we now

with only one Open Day each

have termly open days, KAS

year, an event combined with

branding, a fully functioning

the KAS Summer Fair. Tours

school website, targeted

for prospective parents were

advertising campaigns and

organized on demand resulting

vibrant KAS social media

in a staggering 1,360 tours

across Facebook, Twitter, and

conducted between 2006 and

Instagram.

2012! The school prospectus was designed and produced by a group of parents and the KAS website by the Head of ICT.

Linda’s professionalism and inter-personal skills have been greatly appreciated by both KAS families and staff.

Linda took on the challenge to

She represented the Support

attract prospective students

Staff on Council and has

in the now highly competitive

served on many important

North London school’s

committees over the years.

marketplace. Group rather

Her determination and

than individual visits were

commitment to promote and

offered to parents, including

celebrate the KAS ethos have

talks and tours of the site. The

been inspiring, and she leaves

format of the Year 7 intake

a strong legacy as evidenced

was totally re-shaped, and

by KAS’s reputation and our

the interview process for

very healthy pupil numbers.

the Sixth Form prospective students firmly established.

The introduction of on-line registration was a particularly important development – KAS was one of the first schools nationwide to adopt this practice.

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Throughout her career,

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Nikki with Linda at Kastonbury

Whilst Linda will be much missed, we wish her well in her retirement and know that she will always be part of the extended KAS community.

Robert Lobatto, Head

Linda in her office

FAREWELL TO LINDA

In the Bull & Bush

On a staff night out

LINDA SAYS GOODBYE “It has been quite hard to write this piece, and I realise that this is because part of me is rather in denial about leaving King Alfred. Although I’m looking forward to moving on to the freedoms that retirement will bring, it is also difficult to imagine leaving KAS and everything that it has given me over the last 16 years.

When I walked through the main gate on my very first day here – from the busy road outside to the oasis of green calm - I felt a surge of optimism and the sense of positive hope and many possibilities, and that feeling has continued (very nearly!) every day that I’ve walked through that gate since. Maybe this is what the children feel too when they come to KAS, I hope so.

Working at KAS has always been busy

incredibly grateful for being able to work in such an extraordinary place, with so many inspiring, thoughtful colleagues and to have seen more than a generation of children come through Admissions.

It has been a privilege to take on the Marketing role as well, and to have the opportunity to take part in setting the

With colleagues

school on its path to reaching a wider audience.

I’ve always thought that one of the best aspects of my job is that I get to work with just about everyone in the school.

Many of the wonderful colleagues I have known have moved on over the years, but I know how much I will miss everyone who is here now, and especially the brilliant Admissions and Marketing team, Gill, Caren and Diane.”

Linda Fraser

and demanding, but also energising, joyful, and above all, rewarding. I am

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FAREWELL TO DENNIS

FAREWELL TO DENNIS

His quiet organisational skills are already being missed as he danced off into retirement earlier this year

DENNIS IN PICTURES Asked to remember his time at the school, Dennis chose these two photos and shared his

Dennis Cooke retired at Easter

memories of them with us:

after working at KAS for an incredible 33 years. He was

Dennis Cooke

appointed in September 1989 as

“Here I am dressed as Dennis the Menace at the work Christmas party in 1989, with

a Lower School Class Teaching

my daughter Sibyl aged 5

Assistant and settled in quickly,

months. Sibyl was the reason

initially as a maternity cover and

I joined the school as the

then job-sharing with Josie as TA

maternity cover for TA, Josie.

in Year 2. In 2004, he graduated

Jane Townsend was the class

to the role of Senior Teaching

teacher and an excellent

Assistant in Learning Support in Lower School.

mentor for me in the ‘lower

Throughout his career at KAS,

and 2 mixed). It was certainly

family group’ setting (Years 1

Dennis has skilfully supported

a bit of a change from teaching

individual Lower School children.

Dennis’ structured one-to-one

music and guitar.

Xmas 1989

intervention significantly improved the achievement of learners in literacy or numeracy. In addition, he was talented Classical and Spanish guitar player and so Dennis has performed in many Lower School Callovers, inspiring children to take up the instrument.

Organised and methodical, he was the ideal person to oversee the purchasing of resources for the whole of Lower School and he was also an invaluable member

Untangling maypole ribbons

of Lower School camps for many years and acting as Camp Quartermaster.

In this photo we are untangling the Maypole ribbons in May 1991.

It was about 5 months before the birth of my daughter Florence.

Dennis was a familiar sight

The maternity cover role I’d started in became a job/child-care

arriving by bike each day and will

share for several years. In the early 2000s when a learning

be missed by staff and students

support post became available, I was thankful to be able to fill it

alike.

and allow Josie to return to a full time TA position.

Now I’ve retired I’m going to keep busy with music and my house and garden. I hope to see everyone soon.”

Dennis Cooke

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TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

GEORGIA KEANE

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

You can sign out at reception – but you can never leave the KAS community!

Andre

ANDRE MOURATO

After coming to KAS as a student, Andre first started work at KAS as part of the Estates Team. Over the next 13 years he took on many roles and ended up supporting Claire in the Upper School Admin office taking responsibility for attendance (and

Georgia leaves us after a year as a TA in Year 5 to undertake her teacher training. She said about her my time at KAS, “I have absolutely loved it here. It was my first classroom experience and I’ve felt supported from the start. I was put in a class that I have grown to love and I have learned so much from Anna

ANNA NÍ CHAOIMH were sorry to wave Anna off to a new chapter with her baby boy and husband Charles in Ireland.

Anna was a key member of the English Department who brought passion and intelligence to her classroom for many years at the school. She also contributed a great deal to the life of Year 7 as their Head of Year and undertook some

Head of Estates, Zah said: “Andre is

education for us before she left.

and ready to step in when the proverbial hits the fan. He is a great

everyone else around me.”

At the beginning of the year, we

mobile phones!)

always positive, helpful, involved

working with the children, Zac, and

invaluable research into progressive

Georgia

We warmly wish her and her family all the very best.

colleague and friend and, whilst the school will be poorer for his leaving, I am so pleased he has found an avenue into his long-term career aims to be a mentor and youth worker. I am sure in you will be a great inspiration to the young people he will be working with.”

BECKY TOLLEY “I have worked at King Alfred School for two years and have been involved with Reception and Years One, Four and Five. Thank you to everyone at KAS for an amazing

GIOVANI DE CICCO

time here over the past two years

Giovanni started working as a

but I would give particular thanks to Caitlin, Emily, Nina, Amina, Nick, and Lucy for helping me find my feet in each new year group and creating such lovely environments.

I’m moving on to study Primary Education this September. I have learned so much and will always have great memories of working

Becky

Giovani

science technician specialising in Biology in 2016. Colleague Roger Grech said: “He was a pleasure to work with, hard-working and a valued member of the Science Department. He will be sorely missed and we all wish him well in his future endeavours.”

here. It has been amazing!”

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TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

Priti, Annabel and Sharon

PRITI SHAH

ANNABEL CROSS

SHARON MYERS

Wishing a fond

After moving to the UK from Zimbabwe in the

Sharon leaves us after six years as

farewell to, Priti, who

early 2000s Annabel came to work at KAS as a

Finance Manager working first under

is left KAS at the end

financial accountant in 2007. With her relaxed and

Alan, then Julie and for a short time

of May.

friendly manner, and wonderful sense of humour,

with Victoria. She was a dependable,

she instantly fitted into the community, so much

supportive, and encouraging

so that her husband Adrian also came to work

colleague and leaves behind lots of

here on the Estates team, staying until 2018.

great memories.

team for the last 6

Annabel continued in the bursary after Adrian’s

Bursary Manager, Tricia said: “When

years. Known by

retirement and rose effortlessly to the challenges

Sharon came for her interview in

staff to be tireless in

of a department which experienced significant

2016, I wondered if this high-powered

her quest to have all

change over the years. A supportive colleague

woman would fit into our small team.

invoices approved and

and staunch gatekeeper of our financial records

She turned out to be a breath of

supporting documents

she was always a welcoming presence and a

fresh air and most certainly became

to hand at the end of

strong team player.

one of the team very quickly, I really

She has been a very important member of the Bursary Finance

each week.

After 15 years of dedicated service, she has

We will miss her

recently moved to Gloucestershire to spend more

Sharon worked closely with Annabel

sense of humour in the

time with her family.

and Priti and was always there if any

Bursary not to mention the yummy Indian treats.

There are so many fond memories of Annabel (not least her love of Maltesers!) including the tradition of her and Adrian sitting in the Lower

Sending all our good

School playground at staff parties, singing and

wishes with her for the

playing the guitar and recounting their escapades

future.

in ‘Zim’.

She will be keenly missed and the KAS Community wish both her and Adrian every happiness in this next chapter of their lives.

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shouldn’t have worried!

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of us needed advice regarding work or home life. Out of work Sharon was a fitness guru and astounded us with photos of her on a stand-up paddleboard in the Lake District or practicing yoga and we loved hearing about her open water swimming.”

We wish Sharon all the best of luck.

KEEPING UP WITH KAS Want to peep behind the KAS gates more often than once a year?

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@kingalfredsch

@thekingalfredschool

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Our Old Alfredian office would love to hear from former students and parents.

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The Alfredian Magazine 2022 Edited: Diane Leeming & Rocco Panaggio Design: Sparkloop The King Alfred School, North End Road, London NW11 7HY www.kingalfred.org.uk Tel: 020 8457 5200 Email: kas@kingalfred.org.uk

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