King Edward VI School Prospectus

prospectus

King Edward’s is a school with a long and distinguished history and it has been at the heart of Southampton for over 450 years. However, while proud of our heritage, the School is forward looking, vibrant and dynamic.

We aim to prepare you for your future in a rapidly changing world. We combine the pursuit of academic excellence with a range of opportunity and challenge to develop self-confident and independent young people who have a strong sense of community and will become responsible and reflective future leaders. High quality teaching, a strong sense of belonging and the space to grow and achieve your full potential is what we offer at King Edward’s.

We hope that you will visit us to see for yourselves.

Julian Thould, Head Master

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

welcome

learning

King Edward’s has an outstanding record of academic achievement and is amongst the top co-educational independent schools in the country. Our aim is to encourage you to develop a life-long love of learning supported by a disciplined yet enjoyable approach to your studies.

The teachers are highly qualified, talented and dedicated. They will give you the skills and confidence to fulfil your potential with the focus on the pursuit of excellence and individual achievement.

Small teaching groups, supported by the very latest technology and modern facilities, make for a demanding and stimulating learning environment where everyone can thrive.

We will endeavour to ensure that wherever your strengths lie, they are developed to the best of your ability.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

One of our key priorities at King Edward’s is to ensure you experience a school where you feel safe and secure.

We provide you with a supportive and nurturing environment with a strong pastoral system at its heart.

Your tutor will play a pivotal role in ensuring you are happy and settled at school with additional support from your Head of Year, the school nurses, the school counsellor and the school chaplain. As a member of the school community we expect you to be cared for, and to be caring towards others. Many of the friends you make will be friends for life.

Although a non-denominational school which welcomes pupils from all faiths, we have a strong association with our founder church, St Mary’s in Southampton. Regular assemblies and services will help you to share experiences, broaden your horizons and establish a strong set of values.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

well-being

sport

We consider sport to be an important aspect of your time spent at King Edward’s, regardless of your ability. You will be given the opportunity to represent the School or your House in a variety of events that take place throughout the year, encouraged by expert coaching and supported by first-rate facilities.

With sport our main aim is enjoyment, but we will also foster an atmosphere of excellence. Across the major team games, as well as individual activities such as sailing, tennis and golf, we will strive to ensure you compete to the best of your ability. We promote a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude to competition, giving you the chance to learn through shared endeavour.

Overseas tours, regular fixtures, tournaments and school events will offer a challenging environment for both the best athletes (who represent the school, the county and the country) as well as for those for whom sport is just good fun.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

At King Edward’s we provide you with an atmosphere where your creativity will flourish.

You will be offered a wealth of opportunities in which you can explore and develop your creative interests whether they are in the fine arts, music, drama or dance.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

The Music Department offers recital rooms, a recording studio and music technology suite and caters for all musical tastes and talents with its wide range of ensembles. An array of public performances throughout the year gives students the opportunity to showcase their talent whilst the exceptional artwork on display throughout the School gives a glimpse of what can be achieved through sculpture, painting and photography within the Art Department. A custom-built dance studio and a separate theatre provide professional settings for a variety of drama and dance productions and the abundance of talent, so readily visible at King Edward’s, is further supported by workshops and professional master classes.

creativity

“I feel so fortunate to have been at King Edward’s these past few years. I’ve been offered wonderful opportunities, learnt invaluable lessons, been encouraged and challenged and surrounded each day by the bubbly, energetic enthusiasm that epitomises the School. From the moment you walk in, it is impossible not to notice the warmth and vitality that fills KES. Students bustle from one lesson to the next, and it pervades the classrooms thanks to our teachers, who are always so passionate and supportive, encouraging us to try new things, to be curious about everything, and to be proud of our achievements.

Coming to the end of my schooldays I’m certain that, although we don’t really have any idea what the future holds for us, we will face it well prepared and undaunted. The education, in the widest sense of the word, which we have

Dora Amos

received at King Edward’s, has provided us with all we need for taking these first

Former Pupil

tentative steps into the outside world.”

“Not one day seems to pass by without an activity, meeting, society or sports fixture taking place at King Edward’s. There is no doubt that this school has a lot to offer by means of co-curricular activity, whether in relation to sport, music, art, drama or indeed academic societies.

I think it would be easy for the age hierarchy to make younger students feel less important but I have found that King Edward’s puts significant emphasis on engaging younger students. Right from the beginning of my time at KES I have been offered an overwhelming amount of opportunities, particularly in the Music and Drama Departments, and it seems that this balanced concern for all year groups engenders a widespread engaged student response. However, what is significant about the nature of this involvement is that students participate out

Ed Richards

of desire not obligation. There is a noticeable lack of pressure and a considerable

Former Pupil

amount of encouragement and opportunity at KES, and it is this which I think provides a constant willingness to involve oneself in clubs, societies and fixtures.”

opportunity

Life is never dull at King Edward’s and with over fifty co-curricular clubs and societies on offer we are confident that you will find something to excite you. From astronomy to philosophy and cookery to rock bands, King Edward’s offers a wealth of opportunities for you to try new activities and to pursue those that interest you.

The School also runs a well-established Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in which hundreds of students participate each year. Making full use of our Rural Studies Centre on Dartmoor and our proximity to the New Forest, frequent Duke of Edinburgh expeditions will test the physical and mental strength of all those involved.

Numerous field trips, curriculum visits and other activities will ensure that you are never short of something to do and that you have ample opportunity to try something different.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

An adventurous spirit is a key characteristic of so many of the pupils at King Edward’s. We want you to expand your horizons, particularly through the extraordinarily wide range of national and international expeditions that we offer to students each year.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

Whether it be diving in exotic locations such as Indonesia, trekking across glaciers in Alaska, skiing in Europe, playing netball in the Caribbean or cricket in Sri Lanka, you will have the chance to visit all corners of the globe, ensuring that your education is not restricted to the classroom.

We have well-established foreign language exchanges with schools in France, Germany and Spain as well as a cultural programme with Charlotte Country Day School in North Carolina.

adventure

community

At King Edward’s students have a deep sense of personal and social responsibility and you will learn to appreciate the advantages that you have and be encouraged to contribute to the wider community through active involvement and fund-raising.

The School Charities Commission, run by students, has raised substantial amounts of money for local and national charities since its inception and plays a leading role within the School.

Many students work with our partnership primary schools.

These include reading schemes, language teaching and art, maths and sports workshops. Community links extend to hospital visiting and running a summer camp for local young carers.

Further afield, work with children in rural poverty through the Goedgedacht Trust in South Africa involves a large number of students, all of whom find the experience inspiring and profoundly moving. www.kes.hants.sch.uk

Achieving academic excellence is a key feature of your King Edward’s education and former students can be found in prominent positions worldwide with a significant number choosing careers in medicine, law, finance and business.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk

Whatever your aspirations, our highly experienced staff within the student guidance team will guide you through the complex process of university application and the world of work. For those students taking a year out, specialist gap year advice will open your eyes to the variety of opportunities on offer around the globe.

When you leave King Edward’s, we are certain that you will possess the personal skills and qualifications to make a confident and successful transition into the adult world.

We hope you will return and, as many do, share your experiences with subsequent generations!

the future

join us

We understand that choosing a school can sometimes seem a daunting experience but we hope that this prospectus has given you a glimpse of what makes King Edward’s special.

For boys and girls the main intake is at 11+ [Year 7].

However, there is an additional entry into the Third Year [Year 9] at 13+.

All applicants are interviewed and will sit an entry examination in the January prior to admission.

Applications are also welcome for entry into the Sixth Form.

Students attend our school from all over Hampshire and our extensive bus network (including a late bus service) offers flexibility to those pupils living further afield as well as those living closer.

We believe you can only really fully appreciate the true measure of life at King Edward’s by visiting the School to see for yourself. This can be done either on Open Evening or by contacting the Registrar who will be happy to arrange a tour for you and your family. You may also wish to visit our website at www.kes.hants.sch.uk.

We look forward to meeting you. www.kes.hants.sch.uk

King Edward VI School Wilton Road Southampton SO15 5UQ Tel: +44 (0)23 8070 4561 Fax: +44 (0)23 8070 5937 Email: enquiries@kes.hants.sch.uk www.kes.hants.sch.uk