From the Head
Over the past two years, we have been on quite a journey as a school, working to define a new sense of purpose and a set of values that genuinely reflect who we are. As Head, this matters deeply to me – because I believe a school like ours is uniquely placed to nurture young people and set them up to lead fulfilling lives.
Our families – and our pupils - join us with different needs, different experiences, and different ambitions. But what unites everybody within the KES community is something rather powerful: a shared belief that we are here to help young people lead lives that are purposeful, rewarding and rich in possibility.
Our new values shape everything we do. We encourage our pupils to do the right thing – with integrity and self-belief. We teach them to lift others – through kindness, collaboration and a genuine sense of community. And we inspire them to keep growing – embracing ambition, resilience and the courage to try, fail, and try again.
In developing these values, one of the groups we were most keen to involve was you – our Old Edwardians. Your experience spans many decades of what is precious and unique about
KES and should be cherished and protected, but also perhaps what needed changing or modernising from your own time at our school. Several alumni came to focus groups, whilst others generously volunteered to share their personal stories, and we were especially fortunate to work closely with Liz Hatherley (KES 1994–2001) on brand and content strategy.
One of the messages we are most passionate about sharing with our pupils is that success is theirs to define. We encourage ambition, of course, but we recognise that in 2026, career paths are varied and ever-changing. There is no better demonstration of this than our OE community – indeed, within this magazine alone you will find Old Edwardians working in the arts, sustainability, AI, consulting, media, foreign policy, healthcare and sport.
If you share my belief that we can help shape the next generation and meet the many challenges they face, we would love to see you back at KES. For our current pupils, seeing what you are doing now can provide genuine inspiration to pursue a particular path – especially if it is a less familiar one. As an alumni community, you can help bring our school values alive. I hope that you will be inspired to do so.
Thank you for your continued interest and engagement with KES. Hopefully, I will see you at the school for an event or visit soon.
With warmest regards,
Neal Parker Head
From your Alumni Team
Welcome to the 2026 edition of The Edwardian, our first bumper annual issue, filled with more features than ever before. This extended hard copy version will now land with you once a year in the spring. We will also send e-magazines each summer and autumn, bringing together the best of what is happening at KES.
We believe we have two of the best jobs going at KES, because we get to work with you, our OEs, to do real good in the school and celebrate the many brilliant things happening in our community. We have squeezed as many features in here as possible and you can find more stories each week on the KES Alumni Hub. Please keep your updates coming, whether professional or personal – we always love hearing what you are up to and sharing these if you are happy for us to do so.
This October we launched our Boundless Futures Giving Campaign, which aims to raise £5 million by 2030 to create more bursary places, and to enable 500 volunteers to give their time to support our pupils. Since launching, we have raised over £2 million and 134 volunteers have kindly given their time. Both ways of giving make such a difference to our young people and you can read more on pages 18-20. Thank you very much for all your support.
We also hope you are enjoying our new events programme. London and Christmas Drinks have both quickly become fixtures of the OE calendar, and our OE Sports Festival is also
back for a second year this June. OEs often tell us that they love coming back to the School but their next reunion is a way off. Why not come along to one of these events, which are open to everyone, and bring a group from your year – it is always lovely to see old friends catching up. Former KES teachers are often in attendance too.
You are also most welcome to visit us whenever you are in the area. The School is always changing and there’s plenty to see. Please do drop us a note if you would like to visit.
Thank you very much for staying connected with KES, and we hope you enjoy reading this latest edition.
Richard Wilson Director of Development & Suzanne Hooper Development Officer
A KES Crossword
Put your knowledge of the school to the test with our first ever KES Crossword.
1. Name of school building prior to Hill Lane (8)
2. Surname of Head after whom the Library is named (6)
5. A central space at Hill Lane where reception is situated (5,4)
6. School Motto (4,2,3,6)
Do you still need to collect your Examination Certificates? Down
Across
3. Surname of 1920s OE who became noted biochemist and philanthropist (7)
4. Animal featured on left of the school crest (4)
7. Winchester Prep School that has recently merged with KES (7,4)
9. Surname of 70s and 80s Head and current theatre name (6)
10. North Carolina city and longstanding KES exchange partner (9)
11. KES sports ground off Stoneham Lane (10)
16. House who won six consecutive Allen Grant trophies from 2014-2019 (4)
18. Decade the school moved to Hill Lane (8)
19. Name of local Church where founder William Capon was Rector (2,5)
20. Road adjacent to KES (7)
8. Surname of the School’s Quaker Head (6)
12. Dorset town to which the school was evacuated during WW2 (5)
13. Surname of classics teaching legend and Cactus Club founder (5)
14. First name of the first female Head of School, of a fully co-educational KES (7)
15. Surname of school hymn composer and name of KES House (5)
17. Southampton Street which was former KES site and now houses Southampton Registry Office (5)
Answers on page 23.
The Exams Office has recently been contacting OEs who are yet to collect their examination certificates (some as recent as 2024). If you have received an email from the Exams Office, please do arrange to collect them as soon as possible. These are important documents and are difficult to replace. If they are not collected, there is no statutory obligation for the School to retain examination certificates for a period of longer than 12 months so they risk being destroyed.
Join us on our networking and social media channels.
The School has an active Linkedin networking group and KES alumni Facebook page. Join us to keep in touch with other alumni and friends and hear news on school activities and reunions.
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Have you recently moved or changed your email address? In order to continue hearing about alumni activities relevant to your year groups and receive your free copy of the magazine, please notify us of any changes to your contact details, particularly if you think we may not have an email address for you.
Unsubscribe
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The easiest way to amend your contact preferences or to unsubscribe is via our new KES Alumni Hub (alumni.kes.school). Alternatively, you can email edwardians@kes.hants.sch.uk stating your full name and date of birth.
King Edward VI School, Wilton Road, Southampton, SO15
News from the School
KES cricketer Ben
Mayes, stars at U19
Cricket World Cup
Upper Sixth KES pupil, Ben Mayes, recently played a key role in England U19s run to the final of the U19 Cricket World Cup. Batting at number 3, he finished the tournament as the leading run scorer, amassing 444 runs at an average of 74. This included him smashing 191 off 117 balls against Scotland. Last year Ben signed his first professional deal with Hampshire Cricket Club which will see him remain at Utilita Bowl until the end of the 2027 season. He regularly represented the Hampshire side in the 2025 One Day Cup and also featured in T20 Vitality Blast Finals Day. Ben shared his experience of playing in the World Cup with KES pupils at a recent lunchtime talk. Everyone at KES is right behind Ben and we look forward to watching his cricketing career progress.
Legally Blonde
Last autumn the stage in The Dobson Theatre was lit up with performances of Legally Blonde following the story of sorority president Elle Woods as she crosses the country on a mission to find love at Harvard Law School. It was a spectacular display of KES musical and theatrical talent and even featured two canine cameo performances.
Art Trip to Florence
A group of Year 9 and 10 students headed to Italy last summer for a joint Italian language and Art trip. They immersed themselves in the rich culture, history, and creativity of the city of Florence where they took part in a wide range of activities from Italian lessons and gallery visits to climbing the iconic Cupola of Brunelleschi’s Dome. They also explored the Gucci Garden exhibition, experiencing language and art far beyond the classroom.
KES Christmas Carol Service
The 2025 annual KES Carol Service took place at Romsey Abbey. Current pupils, parents, KES staff, former staff and former pupils all enjoyed the event, some singing in the School Community Choir and some within the congregation. It was a wonderful evening of reflection and festive music and rounded off by the customary mince pies and mulled wine.
A Level results
We are celebrating another year of outstanding academic success. In 2025, 96% of students achieved grades A*-C, a rise on last year’s performance and 50% of pupils secured three or more A* or A grades. From future medics to artists, engineers to entrepreneurs, our Class of 2025 are heading towards bright and exciting futures.
EPQ Showcase
The EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is completed by many of our Sixth Form students in addition to their chosen A Levels. An independent research project on a topic of personal choice, this qualification allows students to develop university-level skills in planning, research, and critical thinking, culminating in a final essay and a presentation which can earn valuable UCAS points for university applications. At this year’s EPQ Showcase, our Upper Sixth students impressed presenting their academic posters summarising their research. They demonstrated remarkable confidence, in-depth knowledge, and enthusiasm as they shared their findings. From scientific innovation and wellbeing to politics and the film industry, the range of topics reflected their curiosity, creativity, and commitment to learning beyond the curriculum.
Harriet Nicholson (KES 98-05),
Olivia May (KES 99-06) and Imogen Bhogal (KES 03-10)
The Pierce family have had a longstanding connection with KES that continues today. All three sisters attended King Edward’s, all holding the position of Head or Deputy Head of School, whilst their mum, Carol, served as Chair of the KES PTA, organising many successful events. Even now, the connection is maintained with Harriet following in her mum’s footsteps as a member of the KES governing body. Each of these remarkable women have followed a different path post-KES but here we read their thoughts on how KES has helped shaped them into who they are and what they do today.
Harri
As a certified nerd, KES was an incredible place to be. I only really appreciate now how valuable - and maybe even unique - it was to grow up somewhere that celebrated hard work, and where throwing yourself into sport, drama, charities and volunteering was genuinely aspirational. I definitely took it for granted at the time but, looking back, it was such a special environment: striving felt normal.
I joined in the first year KES had girls all the way through the School, and it was inspirational watching it evolve quickly into a place where we could properly thrive - even if some adjustments took a while (does anyone else remember how many times our skirts split trying to climb onto the dining hall benches?). But it meant that being an ambitious, nerdy girl didn’t feel like something you had to apologise for. I’ve recently been thinking about the teachers who really made an impact. Special shout out goes to Mr Herklots. I regret never telling him directly that he remains my go-to example of genuinely inspirational teaching. I was frankly useless at physics, but he brought it to life in a way that
was both crystal clear and impossible to forget. In my later years at school, he wrote and directed Einstein the Musical, which, to this day, is still the only reason I can wrap my head around wave-particle duality.
After KES, I went to Oxford University for my undergraduate degree, then Southampton University for my master’s. I feel incredibly fortunate that KES gave me the work ethic that made both experiences so rewarding. Since then, I’ve built a career in marketing, mostly agency-side. In 2020 - at the absolute peak of Covid chaos - I set up my own B2B marketing company, Nine+Nico. We’ve since worked with multiple major businesses, including Adobe, Arqiva, T-Mobile and BP. I’m also currently in the throes of launching a second business, Margo, which is a SaaS B2B marketing planning platform. Looking back, I think KES gave me the confidence and resilience to keep adapting, plus the very useful belief that there’s very little I can’t learn myself into – eventually!
Since 2017, I’ve also been a governor at KES. Watching the school evolve from a board perspective has been incredibly rewarding and sitting on the board alongside some absolute financial titans has been all kinds of educational.
And, of course, the friendships. My two best friends from KES are both godparents to my kids and constant stalwarts in my life. Friendships forged in freezing netball matches, trying to nick polo mints from the bottom of the vending machine, making a dramatic break for it past the Sixth Formers guarding the doors at lunchtime - and bringing peak teenage ennui to the School’s attempt to break the world record for the biggest chorus line in 2003. These are the kind of lifelong friendships I can only hope my daughters find for themselves.
It has become a running joke in our household that whenever I meet up with “the KES lot”, I revert to my 16-yearold self. For my husband, this means I lose my inhibitions, resurrect decades-old in-jokes, and may even dunk someone in a swimming pool. For me, it is a reminder of the friendships and fun I so strongly associate with my time at KES.
Personally - and for many of my peers I am still in touch with - school was a happy blur of lessons and laughter. We worked hard, had excellent teachers, and cared about the grades that would take us to university, but we also took huge joy in everything else the school had to offer; sports teams, school musicals, and Sixth-Form-wide games of OTOB in the Concourse. I was fortunate enough to discover a love of geography that took me to Oxford, but I feel even luckier to have found friends who were bridesmaids at my wedding and are now godparents to my children.
I have many fond memories of my time at KES, but performing in Alan Bennett’s Habeas Corpus in the Lower Sixth stands out. In true Alan Bennett style, the play demanded sharp wit, precise physical comedy and impeccable timing - perhaps an ambitious ask of a group of 16- and 17-year-olds prone to collapsing into laughter. Yet we rose to the challenge. While I can no longer recall a single line, I vividly remember how special it felt to be part of that cast: sharing in the audience’s laughter and delighting in the sheer joy of performance. Looking back, that experience reflected something broader about KES - a sense of inclusivity and a confidence in not taking itself too seriously - that made me feel truly at home.
My decision to pursue a career in consulting was shaped by the skills KES nurtured and celebrated: intellectual curiosity, relationship-building and teamwork. Today, I lead a team supporting clients across the retail and consumer sectors to solve complex challenges and drive growth. The role demands analytical thinking and problem-solving, but also empathy, confidence and leadership—qualities honed in the classroom, on the hockey pitch and in the Dobson Theatre.
As a parent to two young boys, I am more aware than ever of the challenges facing young people today. Pressures from social media, rising mental health concerns, cost-ofliving stresses and political polarisation mean that school looks and feels very different to how it did 20 years ago. Yet I still see KES as a safe space: a place where young people are supported, challenged, and given the freedom to simply be 16.
Imogen
When I arrived at King Edward’s, I was super small and a massive dork. My sisters had armed me with countless bits of advice on the “correct” and “cool” way to carry your pencil case and folders. Needless to say, I remember being extremely intimidated.
However, within one term it became apparent that effort and, more importantly, taking pride in your efforts, was
encouraged. Whether it was filling lunch breaks with junior drama or school council meetings, I was right at home. I enthusiastically volunteered to be the hockey goalie, a position I kept until I left school, despite never making it above the height of 5ft 2in during that time.
Whilst I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and support to work hard academically, I don’t think that fully captures why KES was such a valuable place for me. A few months ago, I went away with a wonderful group of 10 women from my school year. They are all doing overwhelmingly well, as doctors, software consultants, management consultants, marketing managers, and engineers, as well as building families and participating in various triathlons. Yet they all came armed with a bakery’s worth of baked goods.
It sounds ridiculous but “Cake Day” was such a pivotal part of my school experience. Each Wednesday, according to the rota, you were expected to provide your group base with delicious home-baked goods. This instilled an acute sense of wanting to put the effort and time in, to ensure your peer group would not begrudge their lack of Wednesday morning Victoria Sponge. It also taught us the value of making time to sit and chat and make an effort for others. It is something that still unites our friendship group today.
Upon leaving school, I wanted to be a Blue Peter presenter, something which was embarrassing to admit out loud. In lieu of that opportunity presenting itself, I studied Engineering at Oxford and went on to work in aerodynamics and design at Jaguar Land Rover. It was an extraordinary experience but, after spending the best part of a decade working in the automotive industry, I discovered that I am much better at talking about it than doing it. It was then that my love of science and maths, and my desire to be a presenter finally came together.
Today, I run a YouTube channel with a combined audience of 20 million people across the world, as well as freelance presenting for various outlets including the Financial Times and Green Queens. I am lucky enough to be able to present countless episodes, podcasts, keynotes and panels covering the latest and greatest in technology and sustainability, from clean energy, electric cars, and battery technologies. I also interview leaders from across the world and delve into everything from tiny labs in obscure industrial estates in Plymouth, to copper mines in Canada and luxury electric yachts in Sydney.
I know that I could not do this job without the foundation KES instilled: being deeply curious, learning for the love of it, and having the confidence to meet new people and visit new places. For me, the biggest thing for which I’m grateful, when thinking about my time at School, is the opportunity to have met like-minded people and being able to thrive in an environment where keenness was encouraged. Our “Home Girls Group” still thrives. They are just the best kind of people; it’s the greatest pleasure to see their careers, livelihoods, and families grow, and to be a part of their stories.
In October of 2010 I was just finishing my first half-term as a Lower Sixth Form student when I became very unwell. Unfortunately, I deteriorated and became so unwell that, following a seizure, I was placed into an induced coma. When, after 5 days, I was well enough to be brought out of my coma, the infection had damaged the nerves in my spinal cord and I was completely paralysed from the waist down.
I was told the myelin sheath would regenerate but we wouldn’t know to what extent. After 5 months in hospital, I was able to walk 10 meters with two crutches. During my time there, KES was incredibly supportive, providing me with work to do from my bed and even supporting one day a week in school whilst still in hospital. Now, 16 years later, I have made great progress to where I have about 60% leg function.
A big part of my life has always been tennis - as a teenager training about 5 times per week, competing in regular competitions and playing on the school team. In the last few years, I developed the itch to start competing again and have been competing in disability tennis. Originally, this was in wheelchair tennis but I have started competing in para standing tennis - the fastest growing form of tennis for people like me who have a disability but don’t use a
wheelchair. The only difference to the game in my category is that I get two bounces rather than one. I have had so much fun competing all over Europe and last year made the quarter finals of the World Championship and finished the year ranked as World number 11. I was privileged enough to captain the English team as we took on Ireland in the AngloHibernian Cup.
Disability sport has made a huge difference to my life, both in terms of scratching that competitive itch but also being inspired by all the people I have met, all with different disabilities but who are still living a full and successful life. My goal now is to continue to build my game and hopefully secure more funding and sponsorships to be able to travel to more international tournaments and finally crack the top 10.
Reflecting on the past few years, I have learnt that that having a disability doesn’t define you and limit your success. With resilience, determination and a support network you can achieve your goals. The academic strength of KES is a fundamental component of the school, but the opportunities and support that the school offers, and the focus on personal growth, are just as important in setting you up for life.
Peter Jones served in the British Diplomatic Service for over thirty years, retiring from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2021. He was Chief Operating Officer and Director-General at the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 2017 to 2020, up to its merger with the Department for International Development. Prior to that, Peter was FCO Director for Defence and International Security from 2014 to 2017. He served in four UK diplomatic missions overseas: the UK Delegation to the Conventional Arms Control Negotiations in Vienna, British Embassies Bonn and Rome, and British High Commission Accra, where he was British High Commissioner to Ghana and non-resident British Ambassador to Togo and Burkina Faso from 2011 to 2014. We asked Peter to reflect on his time at KES and how it shaped and helped him in his subsequent career.
“I quickly felt at home in KES. This was the King Edward’s of the 1970s and we were fortunate in living nearby, so I was able to walk or cycle to school. History was always my big interest – it still is – and I am grateful for having had wonderful history teachers, each with their own style. They gave me the confidence and belief that I had some aptitude for the subject and started to build the analytical skills that proved central to my subsequent civil service career. My two brothers went to KES after me, and then, amazingly, my dad, Bill Jones, worked there as a lab technician after he had retired from his main career. So quite a family connection!
I was fortunate to win a scholarship to study Modern History at Pembroke College, Oxford (thank you, KES). After graduating, I worked in the private sector for a couple of years, before getting into the civil service fast stream and
joining HM Diplomatic Service. That began a wonderful 36year career at the Foreign Office, which took me around the world, including overseas postings in Vienna, Bonn, Rome and Accra, as well as working at the heart of government in Whitehall. I retired from the Foreign Office a few years ago and am now pursuing a portfolio career, including being Vice Chair of MAG International, a UK-based international Non-Governmental Organisation dedicated to landmine clearance and armed violence reduction around the world, and a Fellow at a couple of foreign policy think-tanks in London. I think back to first playing a board game called ‘Diplomacy’ at KES: something stirred in me that day.
I’m still adjusting from a full-on civil service role - contrary to some media portrayals, the civil service I know is one of hard-working people dedicated to public service – to a varied portfolio phase, where weeks differ. One constant is the importance of contact with other people. I believe that’s fundamental in whatever walk of life you find yourself.
I’m fortunate to have travelled to lots of interesting places, met amazing people and occasionally been on the inside of big events. I remain proud of being in the team, on my first overseas posting to Vienna, that helped to negotiate some of the arms control agreements that marked the end of the Cold War. I’m deeply concerned about the current state of conflict in our continent and the wider world – a lot of work will be needed by diplomats and others to get us back to a better state of affairs. On my last overseas posting, as British High Commissioner to Ghana, I had the chance to experience elections in a country which for a time had lost democracy but then had it restored. That deepened my belief in both the fragility and importance of democracy and the liberal international order, both of which are under threat now. They matter and are worth striving to protect and promote.
I come back above all to my history teachers, who helped me to think and to write, and gave me confidence. I loved the academic atmosphere at KES, and I can only apologise in retrospect for my shortcomings and for my uselessness on the sports field. I also remember with great fondness the schoolfriends from that time. Again, it’s all about the people.”
After leaving KES, I went to King’s College, London where I studied Philosophy. I always knew I wanted to study in London, and I spent a lot of my time going to see plays, operas, exhibitions and generally making the most of lots of student offers, one of which was various short courses at the National Theatre offering an insight into backstage roles. This opened up a whole world that I could really see myself as a part of, so I took what I learned on those courses back to the uni theatre societies. In my final year, I produced 9 plays for KCL and independently took a production to the Edinburgh Fringe, by which time I knew this was something I wanted to do as a career.
I got a fully funded scholarship to study Production and Technical Arts at LAMDA - a two-year course covering lighting, sound, stage management, scenic construction and I specialised in production management. I graduated just as Covid hit so, at first, went back to my student jobs, tutoring and working in primary schools. Then, after helping on some short films for LAMDA, got taken on by an Assistant Director to go and do some TV work. I did days and weeks, here and there, as 3rd Assistant Director on a few shows for ITV, BBC, and Amazon.
When theatres reopened I switched back to working as a Production Manager for smaller London theatres like Theatre503 and The Bush Theatre, working my way up to larger scale shows, and as deputy in the West End. I have spent the past two years at the National Theatre, initially as a deputy, supporting on making shows across the three theatres, including ‘Nye’ with Michael Sheen. I finished my
time as a Production Manager on the musical ‘London Road’ and the Christmas show ‘Ballet Shoes’ in the Olivier Theatre, as well as a new piece of work ‘The Land of the Living’ by David Lan directed by Stephen Daldry.
At the end of last year I moved to the Royal Shakespeare Company as an in-house Production Manager across the three theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon as well as touring and international work. I’m currently working on a new version of ‘The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui’ featuring Mark Gatiss with music by Placebo, as well as a production of ‘The Cherry Orchard’ featuring Kenneth Branagh and Helen Hunt.
My job means that there is no standard day for me. I start on a show anywhere from 4 months to about 8 months before it will open to the public, working with the producer, director, and designer to make their vision a reality. I hold the budget for all the elements that will go onstage, and coordinate the technical teams across lighting, sound, video, automation, and stage crew, plus specialists such as acrobatic instructors, illusionists, animal handlers or puppet makers. Early in the process my day might be calling suppliers, visiting workshops or looking at technical drawings for how the set will be built, running the budget and writing risk assessments. Once we are towards the end of rehearsals, and I get handed over the empty stage, I will be working 13-14 hours a day, 6 days a week, putting all of our equipment into the theatre and doing technical rehearsals with the cast before we open for performances. There is usually around 2-3 weeks where we are in the theatre non-stop, but for some huge productions in the
West End this can be months. We will then begin preview performances, continuing to work on the show in the day and seeing how an audience react to it in the evening, tweaking it to be the best possible version. This can be the most fun part of the process! I once had a production where one scene really wasn’t working. We tried it a different way each night for the first 3 preview performances, then on day 4 the director asked to try cutting it altogether to see if it was better. It was, and the scene never came back! Those 3 audiences have seen a show no one else ever will, as the scene isn’t in the published script! Once we lock the show, and invite all the press to see it, I then leave the show to run with its crew, and I move onto the next one.
My job has allowed me to meet some icons of mine. I have had impromptu drinks with Emma Thomspon and listened to her talking about the importance of women supporting each other in roles of influence in theatre, been caught by Lily Allen after the show to ask if I thought the performance that night was alright, and had my hand grasped by Stephen Daldry whilst he told my dad how wonderful I had been. Perhaps my proudest achievement though, was a much less glamorous small play I did early in my career, called ‘Old Bridge’ at the Bush Theatre in 2021. It won the Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in affiliate theatre and was such an important story of division and war in Europe through a tale from the Bosnian War.
My time at KES gave me opportunities to lead, which has no doubt helped with the role I am in now. From roles leading the House Choir (and winning might I add...) to setting up and running a society and giving assemblies in front of the whole school, KES made sure I left surer of my voice and
being able to see myself in a leadership role. In Upper Sixth, I ended up the only person who was taking Philosophy and Ethics A Level. In a strange way, being encouraged to do something on my own, and not worry about following the path that everyone around me was on, really boosted my confidence to do what was right for me. I didn’t know my job even existed at that point, but my 2 hours a day with Mr Tofts, exploring philosophers above and beyond the ones on the syllabus, set me up to be curious and explore the things that interest me. This has ultimately been the principle that has guided me since.
My job is incredibly rewarding. I am so lucky I get to spend my time doing something I love - making theatre and bringing emotion, provoking thought, and highlighting pertinent political and social issues within the public eye.
OE Events
Christmas Drinks
In December, we welcomed over 50 alumni of all ages for our OE Christmas Drinks event. Guests spent an enjoyable couple of hours chatting and catching up with old friends and former teaching staff whilst listening to some festive Christmas music, played by one of our fabulous student musicians. The offer of a quick tour of the School was taken up by many, and the evening was a wonderful way to kick off the festive season.
Class of 2015: 10-Year Reunion
The Class of 2015 topped all previous records for the number of one year group attending a reunion - over 80 alumni gathered in November for their 10-year anniversary event. A close year group, many pockets of the Class of 2015 still meet regularly, but for some it was a chance to meet up with friends that they had not seen for a decade. It was a fabulous evening of catching up, with smiles and hugs aplenty.
Classes of 2000 & 2001: 25-Year Reunion
Over 50 members of the combined classes of 2000 and 2001 turned out for their 25- year anniversary reunion in January. They had a great time catching up with each other, as well as the numerous former members of staff who were also present.
Forthcoming Events
Giving Circles Luncheon & MCC v KES cricket match (BY INVITE ONLY)
Date: Wednesday 10th June 2026
Time: 11.30 am – 7.00 pm with lunch at 1.00 pm (guests are welcome for all or part of the day).
Venue: KES
Type of event: Lunch with opportunity to watch KES 1st XI v MCC cricket match
OE Sport Festival (OPEN TO ALL)
Date: Saturday 27th June 2026
Time: 10.00 am - 7.00 pm
Venue: KES
Type of event: Multi sports (including women’s cricket, netball and hockey and men’s hockey and cricket) to either play or spectate. Fixtures will be followed by BBQ. To register to play and represent the OE teams, please complete the google form accessible via the events page on the KES Alumni Hub.
Class of 1963 – 70 year reunion (CLASS OF 63 – 56 STARTERS)
Date: Friday 9th October 2026
Time: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm
Venue: KES
Type of event: Cream tea followed by tour of the School. Further off-site events have been organised by members of the cohort. For further information please contact edwardians@kes.school
Class of 2016 - 10 Year Reunion (2016 Sixth Form leavers including 2014 Fifth Year leavers)
Date: Friday 16th October 2026
Time: 7.30 pm – 10.30 pm
Venue: KES
Type of event: Informal evening with curry and drinks.
OE Christmas Drinks (OPEN TO ALL)
Date: Wednesday 9th December 2026
Time: 6.30pm - 8.30 pm
Venue: Art Atrium, KES
Type of event: Informal evening with mince pies and drinks and live festive music.
Class of 1976 & 1977 50 Year reunion (1976 and 1977 Sixth Form leavers including 1974 & 1975 Fifth Year leavers)
Date: Friday 29th January 2027
Time: 7.30 pm – 10.30 pm
Venue: KES
Type of event: Informal evening with curry and drinks.
To attend any of the following events, please register via the KES Alumni Hub at alumni.kes.school or by emailing edwardians@kes.school
OE golf: 2025 Season round-up
Nine OE golfers took to the excellently presented Corhampton course in October for the final events of the 2025 OE golfing season: the Wally Kemp cup, the Ray Paull medal, and the Order of Merit cup. The weather held off but the breeze made scoring tricky. However, three of the players managed to tackle the course better than the rest to contest the three prizes.
In the Ray Paull medal, Hardeep Basi managed to sneak a victory on countback with a one over par score. In the Wally Kemp cup, Keith Sinclair walked away with the wooden spoon on his debut appearance, with Pete Bull finishing in second place. Victory went to David Creal who took advantage of playing his home course to score 35 points.
Hardeep, David and Pete were all in the contest for the Order of Merit but the overall victory for 2025, upon the counting up of all the points, went to David Creal.
The OE Golfing Society welcomes OE golfers of all abilities to join them at future events. If you would like to be added to the mailing list or have any queries, please email Nick Creal on squealer13@yahoo.com
2026 Golfing events
OE golfers of all ages and abilities are welcome to play at either of the two open golfing events being held this year.
Events open to all players of all levels.
The House Competition: 1st June 2026 at New Forest Golf Club
Cost: £40 to include breakfast. First tee off at 10.30 am
The Ray Paull and Wally Kemp Competitions: 1st October 2026 at Corhampton Golf Course
Cost: £45. First tee off at 9.58 am
By selection
The annual Triangular match against the Old Symondians and Old Tauntonians: 24th June 2026 at Corhampton Golf Course
Cost: circa £65
Feature a Teacher
Nick Culver – Former Economics teacher and Director of Sixth Form
Last year we waved ‘Goodbye’ to Nick Culver who retired after teaching for 18 years at KES. We caught up with him before he went to ask him about his time at KES.
What originally inspired you to become a teacher? The idea that someone would pay me to talk about Economics was great. I’d be lying if I didn’t say the holidays were appealing. Also it’s a bit cheesy, but it just felt like I might do some good – I got a bit fed up implementing economics in the business world when it became more about software implementation, making people redundant and selling people ‘enterprise transformation’ – I figured that probably wasn’t going to make the world a better place. What was your first day of teaching like? So that’s when I realised you didn’t really get paid for just talking about Economics. It was pretty full on and utterly exhausting. The government has implemented a ‘Fast Track’ programme which I got on, so fair enough, my first school probably thought I deserved some ‘challenging’ classes. I remember coming home and just closing my eyes in a darkened room. It definitely didn’t put me off though.
Can you share one of the funniest moments you’ve had in the classroom? We had bees invade H1 one time, and one of the students was allergic so I heroically whacked the bee with a folder to try and waft it out the window. Instead, it dropped stunned into the corner, straight into a spider’s web. Whereupon the spider came out and started wrapping it up and eating it. We learned more Biology than Economics that lesson.
Is there a standout student or group of students who left a lasting impression on you? Obviously there are a few who with whom it’s been particularly fun or memorable, but I’ll leave it blank so every student and group can think it’s them!
What’s been the most rewarding part of teaching all these years? A line I’ve used in class a lot, and which is quite genuine, is that I’d like students to know what I later wished I’d known at their age, so trying to do that is rewarding in itself. Obviously, it’s great when either at the time, or years later, someone thanks you for helping them, or inspiring them, or just for making the lessons interesting.
In your opinion, what is the most important quality a good teacher needs to possess? Like your subject, like your students, make it interesting.
How would you describe your teaching style? You’d better off asking the students that, but I guess I’d say enthusiastic and narrative – there’s usually a story to bring it to life, and there’s usually a chance to widen it out beyond Economics.
Teacher of Economics or Director of Sixth Form – which have you enjoyed most and why? At its best, they’re sort of indivisible. The privilege of being Director of Sixth Form was to be able to get a real holistic view of students - their ambitions, challenges, relationships, interests etc, and all of that makes you a better teacher. But then it also makes you stupidly busy so you’ve got less time for planning and developing lessons. Short answer: I enjoyed both hugely, but the Sixth Form role came with added stress!
What are you most looking forward to in retirement? The luxury of being able to be abroad in September. What, or who, will you miss most? The camaraderie and humour with both colleagues and students.
Quickfire questions:
Best KES lunch? The homemade curry
Best school trip?
Tough one, but I’m going with the music trip to Venice / Lake Garda
Sun or snow? Sun definitely
Teacher superpower? Knowing when to stop!
Favourite song?
Wow – only one? That’s impossible; I’ll go with American Pie by Don Maclean, with Sting singing Fragile in the background, mashed up with Slide Away by Oasis
Best School House? My kids were in Lake so we’ll go with that
Favourite colour? The pale straw blending to yellowish gold of an aged Puligny-Montrachet
Dogs or cats? Dogs – a shoutout to my cockapoo Wilson!
The King’s Stripe - Ties & Scarves for Old Edwardians
How it started
The King’s Stripe began as part of the Peter Jones Foundation Tycoon Enterprise Competition. The Peter Jones Foundation exists to provide young people with the enterprise skills and experiences needed to better prepare them for successful employment or self-employment. The Tycoon Enterprise Competition is just one of the programmes organised by the Foundation. A free national competition, open to all primaries, secondaries and FE colleges across the UK, it aims to encourage the nation’s budding entrepreneurs and help young people to develop core enterprise skills.
With the aim of building a real business from scratch, one of this year’s KES teams started exploring ideas that could connect students with the wider KES community. Old Edwardians have a deep connection to their school and they wanted a project that forged a link between current and former pupils.
A student-led project
“Just like our pledge to connect to the wider community of Old Edwardians, we wanted the project to involve our current school community as well. We worked with two of our fellow students (one doing A Level Art and one doing A Level Photography) to help develop our designs and to capture the images for this article.”
Coming soon
Old Edwardian ties and scarves will be available soon.
Learning from the craft
“As part of our research, we met with people from the historic John Comfort tie company which for generations produced ties for Harrods and the Flying Scotsman. Hearing about their family business and the craftsmanship behind traditional tie-making helped us understand what makes a truly great tie and the challenges faced in the industry. Learning about the significance that a tie can hold for a community inspired us to work to find the best quality product possible with the resources available to us. That is why we chose to source only 100% silk ties.”
Giving back
“This project isn’t just about starting and running a successful business. 10% of all profits will go directly to the KES Boundless Futures Giving Campaign raising money for bursaries. Every purchase helps support future students who deserve the same opportunities that we have had.”
From students to Old Edwardians
“We hope these ties and scarves become something that connect generations of the school, something that reminds alumni of their fond memories and, most importantly, something that celebrates the special place that KES is.”
To register your interest in purchasing one of these items, please email: thekingsstripe@gmail.com
Thank you for your support.
Angus, Will & Tom
Boundless Futures Giving Campaign update
Through donating, volunteering or spreading the word about our Boundless Futures Giving Campaign, OEs can play a vital role in supporting the next generation of KES pupils.
Just before Easter we held our official campaign launch event at The Science Gallery in London. After a drinks reception, guests listened to an inspirational panel hosted by OE Liz Hatherley. Speakers included two of our former Bursary Award holders, Dom and Amanda, as well as Sarah Butterwoth, Director of Schools at the Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation. Our panellists spoke with candidness and poignancy and our Bursary Award holders each told deeply moving stories about how attending KES had changed the trajectory of their lives, and those of their families.
As part of the evening, we were delighted to announce that we have got off to a tremendous start, raising over £2 million for Bursary Awards so far. Thank you so much to our whole community for your incredible support.
Why I am supporting the Boundless Futures Giving Campaign
“Having valued my early education at KES, I had always intended to leave a sizeable amount to the School in my will. I had a big personal pension fund to cover it. However, with recent changes to tax rules, what would previously have been outside the scope of inheritance tax suddenly got caught. So I thought why wait? I wanted to make my gift now and get the money working towards bursaries during my lifetime.”
A recent anonymous donor.
“I wanted to support the School because it gave me such a good start in life and what I learned at KES remains with me every day. I would like King Edward’s to be able to continue to offer similar opportunities to young people from all backgrounds. The Boundless Futures Giving Campaign has an exciting level of ambition to increase bursary places and I hope it will be a very successful initiative.”
Tim Faithfull (KES 56-63) Former Head of School.
Fundraising target: £5 million by 2030
Progress so far:
£2.05 million
Volunteering goal: 500 volunteers by 2030
Progress so far:
Bursary Award holders currently at KES
Meet our Campaign Ambassador:
Jordan Florit (KES 05-12)
My name is Jordan. I attended KES through a Bursary Award between 2005-2012. I’m currently Chief Scout at Phoenix Rising FC, a football club based in Arizona, in the United States. Football has always been my passion and every lunchtime at KES, you would find me out playing on the Astro. I can never forget Saints’ back-to-back promotions to the Premier League in 2011 and 2012 during my A Levels and quite a few additional sleepless nights around each examination period!
KES always encouraged pupils to be ambitious and follow their dreams. That has certainly been the case for me - 20 years on from joining as a confident kid but in unfamiliar surroundings, football is my full-time role. My dad used to tell me, ‘build it and they will come.’ My mum would say, ‘you can be anything you want to be.’ KES gave me the lifelong skills to turn well-meaning parental advice into something tangible. I love my role because I am empowered to work autonomously on something I am passionate about, while knowing I am surrounded by knowledgeable and caring professionals – just like at KES.
At Phoenix Rising, we’ve taken a unique approach to scouting for a USL team, taking players from the top divisions of Mexico and Colombia, and the lower divisions of France and Germany in the last year alone. Live-scouting private academies in Senegal was something I’d never expected to do, either, no matter how many hours of Football Manager I snuck in between lessons and in the concourse all those years ago!
Meet our other Campaign Ambassadors:
(Pictured left to right)
Dominik Reynolds, Guest Experience Host – Marwell Zoo
Emily Pike, Veterinary Medicine student at the University of Surrey
Amanda Asiedu, LLB Law student at UCL
Afjal Chowdhury, Mathematics student at Imperial College London
Anne Boulton, Speciality Trainee Doctor in Allergy, Clinical and Laboratory Immunology
Our Ambassadors are all former KES Bursary Award holders and kindly give up their time to support our campaign.
My scouting experience draws on my wider knowledge and engagement around football. In 2020, I published a book in two languages (Red Wine & Arepas: How Football is Becoming Venezuela’s Religion), which I’m proud to say sits in the KES library, and in 2022 I was commissioned to direct a documentary on Caracas Futbol Club for COPA90. In the last year I have also become a guest lecturer at UCFB Manchester on their BA (Hons) International Football Business degree. I lead sessions to first year students on the topic of Technical Directorship and to second year students on International Culture & Relations.
I can trace so much of all this back to KES: the Spanish exchange that gave me the belief that I could move abroad and speak another language and the many hours spent in the library, developing my love for writing. Above all, KES empowered me to teach myself and become a lifelong learner. Exam results are important – and I achieved good ones – but what really means something is knowing how to learn. That never stops for me – every year I’m embracing new opportunities and learning within football.
All of this is why I was happy to be asked to become an Ambassador for the Boundless Futures Giving Campaign. I came to KES in 2005 from a single-parent household in which our income was less than the annual school fees. Things weren’t always straightforward, but KES was instrumental in my growth and I hope that by giving something back I can help to create more opportunities for future young people.
Thank you to all those who have already supported bursaries at KES, and I’d urge anyone to get behind our campaign if you are able to. Together, we are aiming to increase bursary offers to 1 in 10 pupils by 2030. By supporting bursaries, you will be having a lifelong and life-changing impact on young people, just as I have experienced.
Volunteering Roundup
In our rapidly changing world, it has never been so important for our young people to understand the variety of career options they have ahead of them. In 2025, the School appointed a new Head of Futures, Anne Sparkes. Anne is keen for our pupils to begin exploring the world of work from the outset, before consolidating their thinking in more traditional ways during Sixth Form.
OEs have so much experience to share with our pupils. A huge thank you to our OE volunteers who helped with our first Year 7, Year 8 and Year 10 Careers Carousel and Showcase events. In the first session, our volunteers shared insights into their career journey, key highlights, and the essential skills that contribute to success in their field with small groups of our youngest students.
They then visited the Year 10 Showcase. This year group have been participating in three distinct programmes: Business Proposal, Business Consultancy, and Deep Thinking and presented their learning using visual aids in a trade stall–style exhibition. Our OEs visited the stands and gave valuable feedback on the students’ performances including clarity of ideas, communication and ability to handle questions. Our students learnt much from our valued visitors.
Beth Self (KES 10-17)
“Going back to KES for the careers event after 9 years was a great experience - it brought back a lot of memories and reminded me how much those early conversations matter. It was great to be able to share my experience and hopefully help students feel a bit more confident about their next steps.”
Luke Benali (KES 04-11)
“The carousel careers event was a real pleasure to attend. I was very impressed by the questions asked by the Year 7s, they were really interested in what all of the OEs had to
share with them. KES did so much for me, so I am always really happy to give some time back to the next generation of pupils.”
If you would like to give your time at our next career event on Monday 6th July, from 2.00pm-4.00pm, please contact us on edwardians@kes.school.
A taste of Law
Current KES Sixth Formers Yasmin and Euan have recently experienced a minipupillage with James Arney KC (KES 81-88), an experienced barrister who is instructed on multi-million-pound personal injury and group litigation cases.
Current Sixth Form student, Yasmin, on her mini pupillage with James:
“I was first introduced to James through a Law Society talk where his refreshingly clear delivery immediately interested me. After this, I had the opportunity to do some work experience with James, sitting in on conferences, reading up on legal documents, and even travelling up to the chambers in London to see the inner workings of a personal injury settlement. Without James, I would never have gained this exposure that really allowed me to decide that I wanted a future in law.”
Current Sixth Form student, Euan, on his mini pupillage with James
“My time with James has been extremely beneficial and I am very grateful to him for offering this fantastic opportunity. It has been both enriching and insightful and I feel I have been able to have a better grasp of what litigation looks like in practice. My time with James embodied the values of a community and a network that supports one another. I would encourage other OEs to do the same as I feel it was rewarding for the both of us.”
Snippets
Sesika (KES 20-25) returned to KES in November to share her Ghanaian heritage with the school community as part of the School’s Black History Month celebrations. Sesika spoke passionately about the cultural significance of name days in Ghana offering students a deeper understanding of identity and tradition. To bring the experience to life, she treated everyone to delicious Ghanaian foods including sweet puffs and fried plantain and shared a video from her recent trip to Ghana.
Later in the day she also led an incredible African Dance workshop, sharing her passion, energy, and expertise with pupils who learnt about the origins and cultural significance of the dances and explored the rhythm, storytelling, and community at the heart of African movement.
Aryan (KES 20-25) kindly contributed to the judging panel at this year’s Battle of the Bands. Aryan is an accomplished musician and competed in Battle of the Bands himself on multiple occasions whilst at KES. As a talented guitar and bass player, he was ideally placed to judge this year’s performances having previously won three awards at the event with his band. He listened carefully to all the entries before deciding, along with other members of the panel, on the eventual winners.
Olly Knight (KES 18-25) is currently training to be a pilot. We were delighted to welcome him back to KES to talk to a handful of our students who have similar aspirations. Olly spoke about why he chose to become a pilot, the qualifications needed to get into flight school, and his next steps towards securing his pilot’s licence. It was great for our KES students to hear about his experiences first-hand.
Sanya Khurana (KES 17-23) was in the first cohort to experience cricket as the principal summer sport for girls. Today she continues to play cricket at a high level and has signed her first professional cricketing contract with Worcester Rapids, and all whilst studying for a degree in Business. Sanya also plays cricket internationally, representing the Netherlands, who have qualified for the Women’s T20 World Cup in England this summer.
Kamran Dhariwal (KES 16-23) has signed a professional cricketing contract with Gloucestershire Cricket ensuring he will stay at the club until the end of the 2026 season. He played regularly for Gloucestershire’s Second XI in 2025 after impressing during his rise through Hampshire’s Pathway and Second XI system. Kam is a talented top-order batter and will be balancing his cricketing commitments with his studies at the University of Bristol, where he has recently completed his second year studying Medicine.
Nuzhath Siddiqua (KES 16-23) is currently in her 3rd year studying Neuroscience at Cardiff University. Nuzhath kindly gave up her time to come into school to deliver a presentation to Year 11 Biology students about stem cells and whether they may offer a cure for Huntingdon’s Disease. It was great for our students to hear about some of the most recent trials, looking at induced pluripotent stem cells. These potentially can replace lost spiny neurones; giving a real example based on what they learn at IGCSE. It was a fascinating talk providing a great chance for our current IGCSE students to hear from a member of our OE community. Nuzhath studied Art, Biology and Chemistry at A Level and the students were interested to hear how she had made decisions about what to study in the Sixth Form and beyond.
Kit Chapman (KES 96-01) is preparing to launch his new book on 30th April. ‘The Age of Alchemy’ is a pop science history of chemistry, starting with the discovery of fire and stretching to the French Revolution. Unlike other histories, it covers early chemistry around the world, from China to the Americas, and focuses on its role in shaping our societies. He is currently on a tour of the world acquiring book material; Rwanda was the 102nd country or territory he has visited, having spent Christmas at Victoria Falls, and so far this year visiting Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa. He will be returning to the UK via Uganda, Kenya and Qatar, before heading off again to do some guiding on cruise ships around Taiwan and Japan.
Rory Penrose (KES 16-21) was back at KES last term to speak to the School’s hockey players and athletes. Rory attended both KES Prep and KES Senior before progressing to Loughborough University. He spoke candidly about his hockey journey to date, including his time playing for the Junior and U21 GB teams through to his first cap for the Seniors earlier this year. He explained the role of good nutrition in keeping his body at peak performance level and underlined the importance of not allowing an end goal (in his case reaching the Olympics) to overshadow the enjoyment of playing the game. Currently living and playing professional hockey in Germany, Rory is also an advocate of yoga and breathwork for optimising performance, training and overall wellbeing. He will soon be starting a further role, alongside his hockey playing, with Optima Performance - a company that brings together expert knowledge and hands-on experience to develop proven breathwork and mindset practices that empower lasting athletic performance.
Matt Sutton (KES 76-82) joined us in October as part of our KES Lecture series. Matt delivered a fascinating lecture on his career pathway. He shared his journey from school days at KES, through unexpected turns, to a dedicated career in law enforcement, leading major investigations at the National Crime Agency. Thank you Matt for a really absorbing insight.
Helen Budd née Carter (KES 96–03) competed in the Tier 1 World Masters European Hockey Championships in Valencia as part of an international Alliance squad last year. Helen first picked up a hockey stick at KES Prep aged 7 and never looked back - going on to represent Hampshire, Welsh Universities, the South of England o35s and more.
Anna Jackman (KES 00-07) is Associate Professor of Human Geography at the University of Reading. Anna completed her undergraduate degree in Geography and Management, her Master’s and her PhD at the University of Exeter. After a short spell working in the technology industry at Google, she moved into academia where she has been ever since.
A specialist in political geography, with a particular interest in feminist geopolitics, Anna splits her time between lecturing and her research. Anna is particularly interested in how digital and robotic technologies impact everyday, urban and military spaces and life. Along with co-authoring a textbook (Political Geography: Approaches, Concepts, Futures) that she uses to support her 2nd Year undergraduate teaching, Anna’s research focuses on how technologies such as drones impact people, built environments, and the wildlife around us. An expert in this field, in 2019 she was appointed as a specialist adviser to the Science and Technology Committee inquiry into the ‘commercial and recreational drone use in the UK’. She also acted as an expert witness for the UK Defence Committee’s inquiry into the threat of drones in the UK and has shared her research in Westminster and to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. Her recent talk was a real insight into the varying ways in which a career in academic geography can help us explain as well as influence what goes on around us, both at local, national and international scales.
Adrian Roberts (KES 79-83) is Legal Director, International Trade at UK’s Department for Business and Trade. He recently visited KES for a lunch conversation with the KES Pride Society and then gave a talk on his fascinating and varied career. In his talk, Adrian covered some of the issues his department deals with that our pupils are aware of. He also talked about his prior role as part of the UK’s climate negotiation teams, his experience of the negotiations around exiting the European Union, and more recent international trade deals struck by the UK.
Reflecting on the careers advice he was given himself at KES, he gave some helpful advice to pupils, especially around the value of learning languages and spending time in Court. He talked about his own personal motivation to make a positive difference through his work, which means that his role as a Government Lawyer suits him very well.
Richard Morris (KES 82-89) has worked in advertising for over 30 years. This term, we were delighted to welcome him back to KES to talk to our Sixth Form pupils. As well as explaining the advertising landscape, giving real-life campaign examples and speaking about global trends, Richard spoke openly about how AI is disrupting the sector, and the challenges and opportunities that this creates. He emphasised the need for hope in periods of great change, and his belief that human ingenuity and creativity would be key to what, he hopes, will be a renaissance of creativity and become a golden age for the industry. Richard was also able to offer advice on the key character traits employers look for in graduate employees as well as extolling the importance of good teamwork in the workplace. He encouraged pupils to seek a career doing something that they are passionate about as this would ultimately intrinsically motivate them to succeed.
Our thanks to Oliver Mcquitty (KES 10-15), Curtis Crowley (KES 08-15) and Eilidh Williams (KES 12-19) (photo) who all revisited the School in the Spring Term to talk to our Upper School students about the benefits of studying a foreign language. Oliver is Product Director at POPSA, Eilidh is a doctor at Winchester Hospital and Curtis works as Judicial Assistant at the Court of Appeal with a view to becoming a barrister. All studied a modern foreign language at A Level at KES.
It was fascinating to hear them speak about their very different careers which, whilst not directly related to their language studies, all rely on excellent communication skills within each of the different contexts. They extolled the benefits of the many transferable skills that learning a language provides, including how this prepares you to think on your feet, communicate clearly and persuasively, and the power of being able to engage with someone in their own mother tongue.
Obituaries
Crossword Answers:
During the Autumn Term, the KES community filled shoeboxes ready to send abroad during the festive period. Our thanks to James Lapage (KES 68-75) who, on behalf of the Rotary Club, collected the boxes ready to help distribute them to disadvantaged children and adults in Eastern Europe. The Rotary Club have been operating the programme for over 30 years delivering over one million boxes in their mission to ‘spread a little happiness’.
Across: 3, Abraham; 4, Lion; 7, Prince’s Mead; 9, Dobson; 10, Charlotte; 11, Wellington; 16, Lake; 18, Thirties; 19, St Mary’s; 20, Kellett
Down: 1, Marlands; 2, Thould; 5, Crush Hall; 6, Dieu et mon droict; 8, Stroud; 12, Poole; 13, Giles; 14, Natalie; 15, Watts; 17, Bugle
Peter (Pete) Angus Jarvis Moy (KES 84–91) passed away last April aged 51 from Multiple Myeloma. Sporty (1st XV rugby), sociable, and funloving, he studied architecture at the University of Nottingham and worked in the UK before relocating to Dubai in 2008. He thrived amid unparalleled architectural opportunities, creating immersive, highimpact spaces and specialising in hotel and entertainment development, including projects such as the Dubai Expo 2020 and One & Only resorts worldwide. Latterly, Pete worked for Kerzner International and the Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Saudi Arabia, balancing global projects with family life in Devon and a love of rugby, skiing, reading, DIY, and BBQ. He adored his wife, Victoria, and their children, Imogen, Monty, and Esme and he leaves a deep and lasting absence.
Christopher David Roles (KES 74-80) was raised amidst family, Methodism, music, The Saints and Hampshire Cricket – all remaining important to him throughout his life. At KES, he was a member of Sylvester House and played cricket at all levels. In the Sixth Form he was appointed Head Librarian, ‘discovered’ economics and devoured history. He went on to study History and Economics at Pembroke College, Oxford but not before, in his gap year, he had spent seven months volunteering in Zululand, South Africa. This experience had a profound impact on Chris, and he went on to spend nearly all his working life in the charitable sector. He started out with Action Aid, then Christian Aid, a brief stint at the Royal College of Music, then the YMCA and Y-Care International before becoming, in 2012, the Chief Executive of Age International. He also served in several trustee positions
including the BBC’s Appeals Advisory Committee and the Disasters Emergency Committee. After his retirement from Age International in 2022 he took on roles as a Lay Canon and occasional preacher at Winchester Cathedral and was a trustee for the Pensions Trust and Wesley House, Cambridge. After Oxford, and upon moving to London, Chris became an active member of the Hinde Street Methodist Church, revelling in its progressive social action, and trained to be a preacher. He continued preaching throughout his life. In 1992, Chris married Penny and they had three children, Ollie, Sam and Miranda. Chris was taken suddenly ill in March 2025, and he died peacefully at home just ten weeks later. His life was spent in the service of others, and he will be greatly missed by his family and by all those whose lives he touched and enhanced.
Michael Kingsland (KES 51-59) died on October 12th, 2025. Whilst at KES, Michael was secretary of the Photographic and Film Societies, a committee member of the Scientific Society and Head of School. As a schoolboy though, his great interest was scouting, and he served as Patrol Leader and Assistant Scout Master as well as Regional Secretary. Upon leaving KES, Michael read Chemistry at Imperial College, before moving on to Southampton University for his doctorate. After two years as a post-graduate at University of East Anglia, he joined Exxon working in a variety of roles for his entire career in Abingdon, Southampton and Brussels.
Peter Lewis Wake (KES 61-67) passed away peacefully in May 2025 aged 74. He will be sadly missed by his wife Sue and his family and friends.
John Stuart Alker (KES 58-65) passed away earlier this year.
David Robert Octon (KES 4955) died on 21st February 2026 aged 88. Born in Brighton, David was a proud member of Capon House whilst at KES. As an active Boy Scout he developed a lifelong love of the outdoors, particularly fishing and camping, pursuits that remained close to his heart throughout his life. In his youth he also played rugby for Eastleigh 1st XV. After leaving school, David undertook National Service with the Royal Air Force, initially stationed at RAF Calshot, where he worked on the famous flying boats. He later received a commission in the RAF and trained as a pilot. When this path did not ultimately succeed, he adapted with characteristic resolve, retraining as a Navigator. David served with both 46 Squadron and 64 Squadron, and between 1963 and 1967 was stationed in Singapore at RAF Tengah. In September 1959 he married Audrey Bates with whom he had 2 sons. On returning to
the United Kingdom, David continued to serve with the RAF while living in Ipswich. After leaving the service, he embarked on a new professional chapter, studying at the College of Estate Management based at Reading University. The family later moved from Reading to Redlynch, Wiltshire, and David established himself as a commercial estate agent. In later years, David and Audrey also enjoyed owning a house in the Lot valley in France, where David became an active and well liked member of the thriving expatriate community. He will be remembered as a man of quiet strength, adaptability, and deep commitment to his family. He is survived by his wife Audrey, his sons Timothy and Christopher and their children.
Barrie George Fewins (KES 43-49) died in May 2025 at the age of 92. He joined KES during the war years when the school community was evacuated to Poole. After completing his National Service, he joined Westminster Bank in Southampton also working in the Bitterne and Cowes branches. He transferred to Bournemouth in 1967 as Deputy Manager of Old Christchurch Road before being promoted to Manager at Lansdowne House as the youngest manager in the area. Later, he also managed the Highcliffe and Parkstone branches as well as acting as treasurer for Winton Boys’ School association for a number of years. His wife of 63 years, Margaret, predeceased him but he leaves two sons, Paul and Neil.
Donald John Mackinnon (KES 46-49) came to King Edward’s at the age of 16, from a small school in Ullapool, Wester Ross. He left in 1949 to study Physics at University College, Southampton, joining Plessey Company research lab in 1955. In 1957 he went to work at Atomic Energy of Canada in Chalk River, Ontario, studying the effect of bombarding metals, held at liquid helium temperatures, with fast neutrons. He returned to the UK, in 1961, to work for the Glasgow Health Board as a Medical Physicist, working firstly in Radiotherapy and latterly running an Equipment Advisory Service, retiring in 1990. Donald passed away in December 2025.
Andrew Killick (former Classics teacher at KES) passed away peacefully at his home in Middlesborough on January 9th following a battle with cancer. He was 78. A much loved husband, father and grandpa, he will be sadly missed by his family and friends.