The Dolphin 2023

THE D OLPHIN

Whole School Photograph September 2022

Photograph courtesy of Gillman & Soame

Presentation of Governors’ Prizes

Cups and Prizes

Third Form

Achievement Prizes for academic excellence

Sarah Hughes

Eleanor Chappell

Isabelle Johnson

Sascha Busk

Morgan Veysey

Maxim White

Lydia Hall

Commendation Prizes for sustained hard work

Emily Squire

Bronte Preston

George Weeks

Coco Cowan

Alice Ruddock

Henry Rostrup

Miguel Lopez Gonzalez

Buster Swift

Fourth Form

Achievement Prizes for academic excellence

Jamie Zagoritis

Samuel Hooper

William Hoskins

Charlotte Allen

Fraser Harrington

Abigail Waller

Grace Stafford

Commendation Prizes for sustained hard work

Winifried Klein

Jemma Webb

Theo Richards

Stanislav Shkliar

George White

Emma Russell

Fifth Form

Achievement Prizes for academic excellence

Harriet Vallings

James Squire

Winifred Dawes

Adam Mulford

Anabelle Rundle

Thomas Buck

Benjamin Longman

Commendation Prizes for sustained hard work

Emily Weeks

Alexina Andrews

Jakob Nesemann

Emily Young

Matilda Green

Sebastian Young

Lower Sixth Form

Subject Prizes

Biology

Harry Allen

Business Studies

Millie Hutchinson

Chemistry

Caspar Smith

Design & Technology

Barnaby Charles

Economics

Skyla Cannon

History

Niamh Wright

English

William Hawkins

French

Eleanor Duval

Geography

Frankie Hayward

Latin

Emil Schuetz

Further Mathematics

Frank Huang

BTEC Hospitality

Kitty Schofield

Mathematics

Caspar Smith

Politics

Isabel Waller

Physical Education

William Hawkins

Physics

Harry Allen

Psychology

Yasmin Harding Meireles

Spanish

Georgia McDade

BTEC Sport

Felix Burton

BTEC Enterprise

Freya Cameron-Clarke

BTEC Performing Arts

Jenna Coverdale

Upper Sixth Form Subject Prizes

(Subject prizes are awarded for effort, application and attainment within a subject area and are not entirely based on examination results)

Biology

Bodo Wirth

Business Studies

Mia Jessett

Chemistry

Heydar Huseynli

Design & Technology

Tia West

BTEC Performing Arts

Agatha Dawes

Economics

Tom Curry

English

Alexia Smith

Further Mathematics

Bodo Wirth

French

Lena Hassler

Spanish

Luke Hutchinson

Physics

Bodo Wirth

Geography

India Finch Hatton

History

Alexia Smith

Mathematics

Amelia Blunden

Philosophy

Charlie Warburton

Physical Education

Alice Forrester

Psychology

Alexia Smith

BTEC Sport

Davina Ellis

BTEC Enterprise

Jessica Vallings

BTEC Hospitality

Archie Martyn-Smith

Music Prizes

Slogrove Trophy

Hugo Fisher

Headmaster’s Prize for Music

Jocelyn Chappell

Headmaster’s Prize for Music

William Bird

Moore Cup for Outstanding Contribution to Choral Music

Tom Hyde

Bill Gordon Jazz Trophy

Jemima Hurst

Band Shield

Angus Evans

Art Prizes Senior Award

Natasha Edwards

Junior Award

Lilah Bird

History of Art

Melosina Lenox-Conyngham

Bo Lee and Workman Prize for Best Emerging Artist

Georgina Woods

Named Prizes

EPQ Prize

Eleanor Duval

Davey Prize for creative writing

Coralie Smith

3rd Form Reading Prize for outstanding performance in the Accelerated Reading Scheme

Sarah Hughes

Yusof Memorial Cup awarded to a 3rd Form pupil for their outstanding contribution to the School community

Eleanor Chappell

Strayt Prize for Biology (Junior)

Frederick Walburn

Most improved English as an additional language (Senior)

Lexin Cao

Most improved English as an additional language (Junior)

Hannah Motojima

The Mary Tindall Prize (for continued academic improvement)

Matilda Green

O.B.A. Prize for excellence in GCSE

Isabel Waller

The Viney Prize for achievement in GCSE beyond expectation with continued progress in L6th Form

Eleanor Grieve

The Tremlett Prize for historical work

Amelia Blunden

Henry Deanesley Prize for Chemistry in the Sixth Form

Laila Squire

OBA Progress Prizes for progress not exclusively academic

Tyler Hodgson

James Black

Phoebe Lennard

Thomas Hodge

Bertram Hopkins

Samuel Loughrey

Hugh Sexey’s Memorial Prizes for contribution to School life outside the classroom

Oscar Cheffings

Patrick Dick-Read

Bertie Haywood

Ellie West

Benjamin Sheldon

William Owen

The Alex Edwards Cup for loyalty and service to the School community

Isabella Mason

The Sir David Allen Prize for public speaking

Rachel Tudhope

The Sloman Cup for contribution to the dramatic arts

Tia West

Junior Award for Contribution to Drama

Grace Wilkes

The Gibbs Cup for Drama

Jemima Hurst

The Galbraith Cup for contribution to girls’ sporting achievement both in School and at representative level

Marcia Kennard

The Coney Cup for contribution to girls’ sport on and off the field

India Finch Hatton

The Pineo Bowl for contribution to boys’ sporting achievement both in School and at representative level

Jay Terry

The Ridley Cup for contribution to boys’ sport on and off the field

Archie Frost

The Blunden Trophy

Archie Atkinson

Headmaster’s Prizes

For Outstanding Academic Achievement

Bodo Wirth

For the Deputy Head Girl

India Finch Hatton

For the Deputy Head Boy

Rafe Burfield

For the Head of School

Amelia Blunden

For the Head of School

Luke Hutchinson

George Bailey Beak Trophy for the Top Performing House

Click or scan the QR Code to view the photographs of the Presentation of Governors' Prizes.

The Headmaster Reflects...

Ian Wilmshurst Headmaster

I hope that you enjoy reading the 2023 edition of The Dolphin . This amazing school magazine is the ideal way to get a real understanding of the breadth, quality and diversity of a King's Bruton education. It is a testament to the initiative and professionalism of the staff, alongside the energy and positivity of the pupils, that so much happens in such a small school. We should always remember that, with 360 pupils, we are much smaller than virtually all our neighbouring HMC schools. However, our size, coupled with the quality of the education we offer, allows us to build an exciting and proactive school community, illustrated so vividly in the following pages.

It was a pleasure to open The Sir Peter Squire Pavilion this term. The refurbished pavilion and adjoining changing rooms finally mean that we have facilities that match the high quality of our sports pitches. However, on a personal level, the

opening was a way for me to join the Squire family to remember Peter. Peter was the Senior Warden when I started as King's Headmaster in 2009. Peter provided me and my family with invaluable support, and I valued his insight and wisdom.

Being fascinated in military history, I always tried to get Falklands War anecdotes from Peter, but he was too humble to say much about his RAF exploits. When I asked him what he was most proud of, assuming it would be one of his many military or leadership achievements, he replied quickly, “I think it is my ability to get on with everyone, be it a member of the Royal Family or a cleaneratKing's.Itrytotreatandrespect everyone the same.” Peter is missed in so many ways, but his name will now live on in the new Pavilion.

I would like to thank our leaving staff for all that they have done for King's and

wish them well for their future, and in particular Alison Grant and Tim Walker who have both sadly had to leave King's earlier than expected. Both could not have given more to the School. Alison has championed the pastoral support for all pupils whilst Tim, a natural schoolmaster, has been one of our best classroom teachers. I wish Alison and Tim the very best for their future and I hope that they keep in touch with the School.

I am very grateful to Naomi Warren and the pupil editors, Eleanor and Isabel, for all their hard work compiling, collating and editing TheDolphin . I hope the exam results in August go well for all our pupils and I wish our U6th Form leavers well for their exciting futures. I look forward to welcoming the rest of the School back to King's in September.

Floreat Brutonia.

Click or scan the QR Code to view the photographs of the opening of the Sir Peter Squire Pavilion.

A few words from our Heads of School

Amelia Head of School Wellesley House

To have been Head of School has been an awe-inspiring privilege, occasionally daunting, sometimes challenging, but always an experience wrapped within a school environment that has such a long and rich history.

Like all of us here, my time at King's has been characterised by the impacts of Covid, but King's has shown an ability to develop, modernise and grow. It has done this whilst maintaining its values, being small enough to know your peers and teachers, yet being large enough to allow opportunity for all. That it continues to grow and develop is testimony to the hard work of the whole community here at King's. It is a community that is unique to King's, and one that I will miss greatly, yet remember fondly as I go on to study Arabic at university.

Since joining in the 3rd Form, the School has equipped me and my peers with the skills, the knowledge and the awareness that is pivotal to moving on to the wider world. It is not just the academic development, but that ability to argue vociferously, to lose graciously, to look someone in the eye, to reach for help when we need it, and to put that reassuring arm around someone’s shoulder when life’s lessons can’t be faced alone. King's enables us to leave with confidence, but not arrogance, onto the next stage of our lives, knowing that we have done the best we can.

King's will forever hold a special place in my heart as the birthplace of many lifelong friendships. Therefore, even though the future seems to be filled with some uncertainty, I will always be able to look back fondly at my years at King's. Though I may be moving on to a new chapter in my life, I leave with the knowledge that I remain part of the King's Bruton community.

Luke Head of School New House

This last year as Head of School has been an absolute privilege and the most enjoyable year of my school life. We have been lucky enough to have the first full year free from Covid, and having the normal routine back in school has been a pleasure to experience. The last four years, and this year in particular, have shaped me into the person I am today as the environment at King's has facilitated the growth and development for me, and the rest of our year, in all areas from academics, sports, debating and various other areas.

From joining King's in 4th Form, I was easily integrated into school life by the welcoming and easy environment surrounding the School. Throughout my time, I have been able to take advantage of the clubs and activities on offer, allowing for the refinement of my social and academic skills which have prepared me for life after King's. I hope to study International Business (with Spanish) at the University of Manchester, and the preparation put in place by the School has broadened my conceptions of what is possible, and I believe it has prepared me in the best way to take advantage of all opportunities available to me after school life. Although my future is uncertain, I know that I, and many others, can look back at the foundation of connections and friendships that this school has provided for us, and we can feel ready to take on the wider world with confidence.

What King's has meant to our Prefects

India Deputy Head of School

I Joined King's in 3rd Form, I’ve loved every minute of it because of the people I’ve met throughout the past five years. I have so much to thank King's for as I’ve grown and developed into a more confident and positive person. In every aspect of school life, whether in the classroom, the sports pitches or in House, there has always been the support for the individual pupil, which has been hugely impactful to me due to the size of King's and its community. The memories I have made at King's will stay with me as I move onto the next chapter of my life, travelling and hoping to go to university the year after.

Rafe Deputy Head of School

It would be an almost impossible feat to describe the past five years of my life at King's in the body of a single paragraph. I joined King's in 2018 from Perrott Hill, nervous and scared at the prospect of starting a new school. However, I soon found myself immersed into almost every aspect of school life - honing my inner thespian on the Fitzjames Theatre stage, performing in school productions of The Crucible and Mary Poppins Jr, becoming the captain of the New House Debate Team, and ultimately serving as Deputy Head of School. Despite the disruption brought about by Covid, the support I needed as an individual was continuously provided by King's, for which I am forever grateful. King's has taught me to always strive to achieve my goals, to win with humility and to lose graciously. I know that the skills, friendships and ethos King's has bestowed upon me will send me far as I study Politics and

International Relations at University. Floreat Brutonia!

Agatha

I am infinitely grateful for all the opportunities, support and valuable guidance King's has given me over the years. I joined King's in the 5th Form following a school closure and a pandemic. Sixth Form has not only been full of wonderful memories, but has equipped me with all the necessary skills to take my next steps in life. The School has encouraged, as well as challenged me, in many areas of school life. I leave with a great comfort that a precious, supportive network of friends and staff awaits me beyond King's. After U6th Form, I am hoping to take a gap year to work and travel before heading off to university to study English Literature and Film Studies. Thank you to all the staff, my gorgeous Wellesley House girls and my fellow pupils for making my time at school so memorable. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving you as a School Prefect this year, and I am ever so proud to have been a pupil here at King's.

Angus

My time at King's has been well fulfilled and I have accomplished so much here. A particular event that draws to mind is Her Majesty The Queen’s visit in 2019, an amazing experience that I will always treasure. The many concerts and performances are a staple of my journey, with some standouts being the annual Swing into Spring and Summer Concert at the end of every year. As well as adapting to Prefect duties, U6th Form has been full of memories and a brilliant send off. King's has prepared me thoroughly, the last five years moulding my character, as I have become more confident in

my strengths, and willing to try new things. This is evident in my upcoming gap year, where I will be teaching as a Choral Scholar, something I would never have considered at 13 years old.

Bertie

I joined King's in 2018, and over my five years, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time. Being a part of this community has taught me many valuable lessons and has prepared me for my future beyond King's. I came here from Kenya, so I had to adapt to the new environment. However, over my time, I have embraced every opportunity and feel safe to say that I am walking away with many more new skills and fond memories. King's has allowed me to form lifelong friendships with people I will never forget, and that I will miss as we all move onto the next chapter.

Jemima

I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for King's Bruton. King's has nurtured my diligence to my academics through the incredible teaching staff, inspired me to take my passion for the arts wherever I go, and most importantly, King's has never given me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. I have grown here in so many ways and I am beyond proud to soon call myself an Old Brutonian. I am looking forward to starting RADA in September to study Acting, reassured by the fact I will take a part of Bruton with me wherever I go.

Isabella

I joined King's in 3rd Form, from Perrott Hill. King's has allowed me to explore so many different paths I never imagined before joining, it has made me the person I am today thanks to the support of the amazing staff and many others. I will always value the lessons I have learnt throughout my time, not only in the classroom, but also through the friendships I have made along the way. King's has given me the chance to flourish and reach my full potential, as

I have thoroughly enjoyed my subjects during the past two years within Sixth Form, doing BTEC’s in Hospitality, Enterprise, and Sport. King's has been my second home for five years now, and I will cherish every memory I have made along the way. After King's, I am taking a gap year and hoping to travel around Africa and Southeast Asia. I will then be going to Oxford Brookes to study Business and Marketing Management. I will always look back on my time with fond memories and will miss it greatly as the next chapter starts.

William

This last year of King's has been a privilege, as being appointed both Prefect and Head of House, I have learnt so much. And it has been a truly enjoyable experience. From the start of my time at King's, to the beginning of this year, feeling a bit apprehensive about being appointed Prefect, to where I feel I am today, truly shows how much King's

as a school, both academically and socially, helps prepare their pupils for the outside world.

I joined King's in 3rd Form from Perrott Hill. King's ensured a very easy integration into school life, and allowed us all to settle in very quickly. I still remember the first whole school House Night up on Hyde games pitch.

I hope to study Sports Conditioning Rehabilitation and Massage at Cardiff Met University. Although life after King's is a mystery, the teachers have done a great job at helping set us all up with networks and connections to help us thrive on the outside, making us feel confident enough to leave on a massive high and excited about our new paths.

Tia

I joined King's in 3rd Form, and these five years have gone by much quicker than I could have anticipated, but I have

come out of King's as a very different person, as I’m sure many others have also. The years we spend at King's are important, we are at the stage where we make decisions about our future, learn so much about ourselves, and become independent. And so, for me King's has become a journey point, a ‘marker’. And while not every experience can be a good one, they’re important in their own right.

I’ve also met some incredible people from being here, the coaches who have supported me through my team sports, the teachers who took my extra curriculars, my subject teachers who have supported me through my studies (because it hasn’t always been easy), and the friends I’ve met who’ve kept me going. I’m so thankful to all of them for being such an important part of the things I will miss about this school as I move on to university to study Engineering.

Arion House

One thing I always say to my U6th is that they shape the House into what it is - and my fantastic U6th have certainly done that; it has been another bumper year in Arion House. With Davina, Izzy and Darcy taking the reins in the House, and India as Deputy Head of School, we knew we had a great team who would lead by example, rally the House and help to create the Arion that we are all proud of.

The House is completely bursting at the seams, with a record 54 girls, and so it was a whole new level of business! We welcomed a brilliant new group of 3rd Form girls; Lily, Olivia, Eva, Aurelia, Martha, Holly, Issie, Eleanor, Annie and Minnie, who were all eager to get going, especially on the sports fields. We also welcomed Ana and Sophie into the 4th Form and then six new L6th girls; Hannah, Livia, Phoebe, Yas, Franca and Rebecca. It is always great to have some new faces in the House and we spent the first few weeks in September making sure everyone felt settled and part of the Arion family. The new girls quickly learnt that our Arion House Nights are the best and everyone getting involved is what we are all about. We pulled out loads of the classics this year, party games, outdoor games, fire pits, blackout, pancakes, quizzes, and we also added in a few new ones - karaoke, TikTok Mondays and Phoebe’s fight night to mention a few!

We returned in September, still on a high from winning the highly coveted George Bailey Beak Trophy which was awarded to Arion for finishing the top House last year, and naturally this is something we wanted to shout about! As I knew we would, Arion continued to impress this year. Highlights included being Champions of the pool, 1st place in the Inter-House Swimming for the juniors and seniors, and junior InterHouse Badminton champions thanks to Lucy, Annabel, Ashtyn and Ana. We

made it to the debating final, and a big thank you goes to our super team of Izzy, Charlie, Leah, Samira, Lottie and Abi. Then we were unstoppable on the netball court winning the Senior InterHouse competition in style, and finally a wonderful sports day where we were just pipped to 2nd place overall but came away with a 1st place in the Medley relay (Lily, Lucy, Edie and Davina) and winning the all-important Parlouf Cup.

Once again, I am hugely grateful to my fantastic support team. My super matrons Sue and Emma pour their heart and souls into the House and there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their pink ladies. Our wonderful House staff Ange and Suzy who ensure our House is immaculate, although the 4th Form have tested them this year - there is also never a dull moment when they are around, from ‘Not real Neil’ to ‘water running down the stairs and constant frights!’ Finally, I am always hugely grateful to our wonderful House tutors who all go above and beyond to support the Arion girls and me: thank you Ms Bell-West, Mrs McMunn, Ms Wilson-Brown, Mme Webb, Mrs Carpenter and Mrs Goffe.

I may have been in Arion a long time now, but each year the girls keep me on my toes. As I often say, ‘you cannot do this job if you don’t love it’ - and I do! It is rewarding on a huge level to watch the girls grow, mature, flourish and get stuck into all that King's has to offer.

This year I have admired so many doing the Duke of Edinburgh awards, the Ten Tors Challenge team was made up of mostly Arion girls, and the Pink Lady Trophy has been awarded each week to those who have stepped out of their comfort zone and shown what a little confidence can do.

As always, it’s an emotional time when we say goodbye, and this year is no different. I wish India, Izzy, Davina, Darcy, Alice, Rosie, Amy, Tash and Charlie all the best for what I am sure will be exciting futures ahead of them. Now I’m ready to relax, enjoy the summer and get ready to do it all again next year!

Bethany Griffiths Housemistress

In Arion House, we are proud to be known as “The Pink Ladies”. Everyone gets involved in House Nights, from being wrapped up in toilet roll, to having chilled evenings in front of the fire pit and singing Kumbaya. Fridays are a highlight with our amazing Matron, Sue, cooking homemade brownies which are the best in Bruton!

We all get involved in the inter-house events, whether that is music or sports, and importantly we all rally together to raise money for good causes at our charity netball event. All these things bring the House closer together, and helps lift our House spirit even further.

I will miss being part of the Arion team, and my thanks go to Griff for all her support over the last five years.

Davina Head of House

Blackford House

@KSBBlackfordHse

It has been another successful year in the ‘Red House’ where the boys have worked hard, played hard and looked out for each other. The boys have more than played their part in the school wide successes in terms of sport, drama, and music but they have also found time to work hard. Once again Blackford has accumulated an enviable number of Commendations whilst receiving the fewest Poor Behaviour and Work chits. For two terms running Joel, Miguel and Algie were in the top five in the School for the number of Commendations that they received. It comes as no surprise therefore, that Blackford boys are prominent in the end of year academic awards. School should be about ‘doing one’s best’ in all aspects of life including respecting those around us and being polite and well mannered, something that we put particular store by.

Success in Blackford is allowing everyone to have their moment to shine; their moment in the sun representing Blackford. What I love about Blackford is the fraternal feel and the special sense

of community that pervades all that we do. In my recent House Prefects’ interviews, it was clear that the boys also share this pride. For me winning the Inter-House Hockey was very special as was doing so well at Athletics earlier this term. As is the case every year, the Inter-House Music Competition was a wonderful day culminating with an excellent rendition of Delilahorganised, led and accompanied by our senior boys.

This term, the House has been well led by Bertie, assisted by Harvey and the House Prefects Oscar, Tom, Sam, Angus and Ben. I have been grateful for all that they have done so publicly, as well as all the things that they have done behind the scenes. I am as ever grateful to the Blackford House staff. We have two excellent Matrons in Janice and Anna (supported by Angela one day per fortnight) who keep a close eye on the boys and care for them in a very obvious manner. We are blessed with Hayley, Claire and Siobahn who manage to keep the House looking so

clean and tidy despite the fact that nearly 60 boys live there. Finally, I and the boys are indebted to the House Tutors Mr Lee, Mr Gordon, Mr Thompson, Mr Hambleton, Mr Barrow and especially Mr Crump the ever-present Resident Tutor. It would also be remiss of me not to thank Mrs Bunday who does so much organisation for me and the boys behind the scenes as well. I thank all of them wholeheartedly for what they do.

The comings and goings in terms of the personnel in the House is a constant, but we have been delighted to welcome into the 3rd Form Toby, Harry, Sammy, Will, Josh, Louis, Algie, Jesse and Archie: so far they are proving to be a really cohesive group of young men and I am excited to see them rise through the School. Elsewhere we have welcomed into the fold for only a term or two, Miguel, Henry, Ben, Caspar, Jakob, Ben, and Finlay. At the end of term, we will be sad to lose the U6th who have been great fun in the House, namely, Bertie, Oscar, Joe, Oscar, George, Alex, Tom, Sam, Ben, Ollie, Angus and Harvey.

Blackford can look back over this year with considerable pride. Everyone has played their part in making this a memorable year: the task now is to make next year, my last in Blackford, even better!

Nick Bunday Housemaster

Lyon House

@KSBLyonHouse

There are moments as a Housemaster that bring together everyone’s efforts, and culminate in something quite memorable, and dare I say, magical. This year in Lyon House has seen many of these moments and it has seen the very best of the boys. From the beginning, the U6th have been fabulous. They have helped us all to have fun and they have been inclusive, as well as supportive, of all the other years. From Lyon House football, where the boys played in superb spirit, to all the House nights where we have had: “One Minute Plays”, karaoke, dodgeball, bingo and football to name a few. When I say that the boys have played in good spirit, this is significant, and praise must go to all the boys, but especially the Upper 6th.

The U6th have been led ably by Archie and Will, who have been tireless in their efforts to get the House performing at its best and competing hard in every sphere. They have been a superb support for the staff, and thoughtful spokesmen for the House. They are two of the most considerate boys that I have had as Heads of House, and I thank them for all they have done.

The House began the year with a victory in the Inter-House Football and they have been hungry for more success throughout. They were focussed and determined when debating, and Joe led by example on every occasion. The standard was incredible this year and the boys lost in one of the best debates that has been seen at King's to a strong and capable Arion side.

Inter-House Music saw the boys produce a really good version of Daydream Believer for the evening event, and both Samuel and Hugo were placed First in the Junior and Senior Solo’s. All in all, it was a marvellous day and Hugo is to be commended on his efforts in driving the boys to do better (no easy task) as well as in his

own (superb) performance.

This year we said goodbye to Mel, who has been missed as matron. Angela and Anna have been brilliant in the House and special mention has to go to Julie, who has looked after the boys, guided them through difficult times, listened to their endless “chat”, fed them, cleaned for them and always had their best interests at the forefront of everything she does. The boys know how lucky they are to have such a fantastic team led by Julie, and my thanks go to them all. Mr Eriksson has worked tirelessly to get the best out of the boys and along with the other tutors, he has made sure that every boy in Lyon House has been supported fully and has done their best. The thanks of Lyon House go to them, the Tutors, the Cleaners; not to mention the Estates Department, Caretaking, Catering and Grounds, for all they do.

After spending the last year living near a building site (pavilion), it has been particularly nice for us to see this project come to completion and we are all looking forward to the opening of the refurbished pavilion and getting our beloved Hyde back. The pavilion and changing rooms are fantastic and it has really added to the whole atmosphere up on Hyde. Lyon House is a wonderful place; we are all privileged to be a part of it and look forward to more success in the future!

Malcolm Jeffrey Housemaster

We would like to start off this report, by talking about the 3rd Form. Since day one, they have mucked straight in and adapted very well, coping with the big step from prep school to senior school. This has been the case right up to the end of the year. Now they are regularly playing Lyon House football with the older pupils on House Nights, and playing cricket, rugby, and football on the games pitches with the whole House. We will miss Gonzalo’s presence in the 3rd Form, not least his enthusiastic nature around the House, and especially all the Spanish Jamon, which he keeps in the fridge in Matron’s office, and which all the boys are envious of...

Over the 5 years we’ve been in Lyon

we have found that the general House environment is the thing that stands out. From our House Nights, where Mr Jeffrey never lets us have a dull moment, to the summer where you will find the whole House playing cricket in the nets or golf on Slopey, after prep. I think that we can all agree that Mr Jeffrey has perfected his waffle making recipe from the sheer quantity the House gets through each House Night.

We would really like to thank the groundsmen. Although they are technically not part of Lyon, we feel they should be commented on, as they go to such huge efforts looking after the sports pitches, which feels like our front garden at times. We can see just how hard they work.

Next we would like to thank the cleaners for ensuring that our home is always spotless and they do an amazing job considering they are in a House of 60 dirty teenage boys! - now just Will speaking - I would like to apologise for the state of my room throughout the year!

We would also like to thank Julie and her matron team, throughout the past two years that she has been part of the House. Julie, Anna and Angela have always worked with our best interests at heart. Julie is always there and on the go. Whether you rip your trousers, just want a chat or a delicious snack on the weekend, she is the one we turn to.

Finally, I would like to say a massive thank you to both Mr Eriksson and Mr Jeffrey. They are always thinking of the House community and what’s best for it and always there for anyone who has any issues.

To finish, I hope the unique features of Lyon House continue for years to come, as it been a memorable 5 years for us here at King's.

Will & Archie Heads of House

New House

New House has found success in sport, music and drama and it is wonderful to support and witness all the boys putting their best foot forward and getting involved, whether it be in sport, music, CCF, debating, chess or doing their best academically, and as always, I am incredibly proud of the wide-ranging achievements of all the boys.

Each year we bid farewell to the U6th Form, along with other pupils who move to pastures new, and they leave with our good wishes. Finally, my grateful thanks go to our fantastic team of Tutors and Resident Tutors along with Claire, Anna and Siobhan, our matrons, and the cleaners, Jacqui, Kelly and Kerry for helping to support the boys throughout the year.

Ashley Marshfield Housemaster

With a packed matron’s office and busy corridors, New House has thrived this academic year and has remained as the largest boys’ house with a whopping 71 boys.

In the Christmas term, New House braved the cold weather for our end of term trip to Hollywood Bowl and Zaza Bazaar in Bristol where we all managed to have a great time bowling, despite Mr Godfrey’s bowling skills (or lack thereof). Mr Hawley also found his calling as a competitive eater at Zaza Bazaar, banking upwards of 46 plates. In the same term, Rafe led his fifth and final year of debating, with a few strong performances from the whole team.

We started the Easter term with brilliant performances in the InterHouse Music Festival. Our thanks go to Will who shone with his impressive conducting using a wooden spoon in Round 3 for the House Song. We ended up as the top performing boys' house, in third place overall, despite our memorable ensemble performance of ‘Standbyme’.

Over the course of the year, we have proudly competed (with some success) in the many inter-house competitions. Highlights include the Inter-House Science Quiz with the team led by Bodo, Johnny and James. Alongside retaining our title as reigning chess champions, with a particularly strong performance from Ludo, the current school chess champion. We also had an overwhelming victory in the InterHouse Badminton, where the senior team won every match. Once again, the House came together for Inter-House Athletics, with some strong individual performances, but more notable was the House spirit which kept all the athletes going throughout the afternoon.

House Nights each Thursday are very popular where we have enjoyed activities such as one-minute plays, karaoke and watching other members of the House act in performances such as the junior and school play. It has been great to see more and more day pupils choose to board or stay late to take part and this helped to foster a great and supportive atmosphere that we are proud of as a House.

During the last five years, New House has been a vital part of my school life, especially being a full boarder, the House has felt like a second home, and I am not sure how I would have got through the last few years without it. I am truly grateful to have been part of such a brilliant environment and I am both sad to be leaving but also optimistic for the future.

Tyler - Head of House

New House, for me, has always provided a feeling of support, friendship, and pride. I have been extremely lucky to have Mr Marshfield throughout my time here and appreciate his dedication

to both the House as a whole, and each pupil within it.

In New House, I have always felt at home, despite only boarding two nights a week. I have made friends that I genuinely believe will be friends for life, and I am beyond proud of what our House has achieved. I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr Marshfield, Claire and all the New House tutors for all the warmth they bring to House. Good luck to the next year’s Upper Sixth.

Ruben - Head of House

Priory House

@KSBPrioryHouse

We have come to the end of another remarkable year, with multiple achievements to be celebrated in Priory. With Priory’s homely and friendly environment between all year groups, the House has welcomed in our new 3rd Form, and we will now be saying goodbye to our U6th leavers.

This year has been extremely eventful, and every girl in Priory has immersed themselves within the boarding house, creating new memories and filling the House with laughter. There is never a dull moment in Priory. From House Nights to JCR’s, to 6th Form Clubs, TikToks, and of course, late nights in House making fond memories for us to look back on as we move into the next academic year.

This year Priory has had an extremely successful array of achievements in all aspects, including winning House Song, House Ensemble and the overall House Music Competition, led primarily by Jemima. It was a wonderful occasion and led to huge celebrations in House and of course, we were rewarded with a performance of Mrs Simper’s Irish dancing. We went onto win House Debating, which was another phenomenal achievement that the debating team thoroughly deserved through their remarkable collaboration and teamwork, led by Rachel, Head of Debating. We were also delighted to win the Junior Girls, Senior Girls, Relay Cup and Overall Trophy at Sports Day - the purple reigned again. We have also proudly won the following: House Cross Country, Junior Girls’ Hockey, Senior Swimming, Senior Girls’ Tennis, top girls’ House in the Chess Competition, Senior Girls’ Badminton, and the House with the highest commendations.

I would also like to say huge congratulations to Grace and Polly who took part in Ten Tors, which is a marvellous achievement that we are all so proud of, Lily and Jenna who amazed us with their incredible musical talent on

Instagram, which Florence then reposted! We are also so proud of our 5th Form pupil Alexina who came 8th out of 2000 people in the Springboard Southwest Regionals Cooking Competition, which is an excellent achievement that she thoroughly deserved. All these achievements sum up just what an amazing year Priory has had as a whole, and which makes us all so proud to be part of such a high achieving House.

Priory has accomplished many things; however, I feel our greatest achievement is how the House produces a fun and exciting environment which enables every girl to excel in their own way. This is why we are the Priory bees - busy and buzzing.

I would also like to say a huge thank you to all the Priory staff from Matrons to House Tutors, and to the Cleaners who have made Priory feel like a relaxing home. We are so grateful for everything that you do from chocolate at breaks and cakes on birthdays. You have all provided such a supportive environment during exam season to keep all our stress levels at a minimum, that we are forever thankful for. We wouldn’t know what to do without you, the House really wouldn’t function.

After Miss Miller’s ‘brief’ stint as

Resident Tutor, we welcomed in Miss Russell to Priory, who has been a great support to us all. We are so grateful for everything you have done and we know that you will help the new Housemistress find her feet next year.

Priory House will be saying goodbye to our U6th Form Leavers who are going off on their new adventures. Priory will miss them and their energetic charismas in the House that play a huge part in Priory’s daily life. As Head of House, I wish the rest of the Priory girls good luck with their transitions into the new academic year and especially the L6th who will be taking over as top of the School. Priory has been a massive part of our King's experience, and we will miss everyone. Thank you for making our five years of Priory so memorable and special.

Finally, all of Priory are very sad to be saying goodbye to Mrs Simper who has been the Housemistress of Priory for eleven years. As a House, we loved hosting a concert for Mrs Simper, celebrating her time in Priory and wishing her farewell and good luck in her new endeavours. On behalf of us all, I would like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Simper for everything she has done in Priory House. She has created an enjoyable environment that we call a second home, and an environment

where each girl has a voice and character that is respected and listened to by all. Mrs Simper has dedicated herself to Priory and been a huge support to every girl, and somehow, even though she has a family of her own, she manages to be everything to everyone. We wish Mrs Simper all the best with her new position as Deputy Head, Pastoral.

I hope all the Priory girls achieve the grades they deserve this summer after all the hard work put in. However, regardless of grades that are yet to be received, Priory has thrived once again academically and as a boarding family. I wish you all a fun and exciting summer and good luck to you all next year. On behalf of the Upper 6th, we will miss you all very much and please don’t take down our photo collages!

Jess Head of House

Wellesley House

@KSBWellesleyHse

Throughout my five years at King's, Wellesley has been known as the “kind house” because of its supportive culture and family like atmosphere and this year has been no different. It is so much more than just a boarding house for all the girls, it is a place we all proudly call home. What makes Wellesley stand out is the inclusivity of the House and interyear group friendships that makes it feel like home. This year the Wellesley family has grown as we have welcomed a new 3rd Form cohort that very quickly, not only settled in, but flourished, involving themselves in every part of House and school life.

As this academic year comes to an end there is no doubt that individually and as a House, we have had a wide range of achievements. Every girl, no matter the year, has proudly represented the House and played a part in allowing this to happen. As with everything we do, on the sports pitches we have put House spirit first and prided ourselves on encouraging each other and taking part in inter-house competitions with our senior girls winning Inter-House Football. We are also so proud of all our girls who have represented the School this year, especially the many girls that have played for 1st teams with a special mention going to U6th Former Phoebe, for captaining King's first ever girls’ Cricket and Football 1st teams. Musically we have also excelled, coming together and winning second place in the Inter-House Music Competition with a rendition of ABBA’s Angel Eyes lead by wonderful U6th Former Jocelyn.

One of the biggest highlights this year for every one of us has got to be the House production “Alice in Wonderland”, directed by our talented U6th Former Mia, with a special thanks going to U6th Jodie and Phoebe for painting the set and running backstage. The cast was made up of all year groups with 4th Former Gracie starring as Alice.

The whole school appreciated the nights of entertainment and as for Wellesley, we appreciated coming together as a team.

After everything, I want to say a huge thank you to our wonderful Year Group Tutors and Resident Tutor, Miss Ling, who have been the backbone of the House and have showed us nothing but kindness and support. Our fabulous Matrons Donna and Angela are the beating hearts of the House, and we are all so thankful for everything they do for all of us. In particular, I want to thank our astounding Housemistress Mrs Loveless who has filled the House with love and compassion and has been a role model and a second Mum for all of us.

As the U6th prepare to say goodbye, I know we can all agree that the community and culture we have in Wellesley is truly special and it has given us the best possible foundation. Within the supportive atmosphere, we have been able to thrive and grow into the women we are today and when we leave, we will take away a strong set of morals that Wellesley has taught us and will treasure the memories we have made. We are all so proud and honoured to be Wellesley Girls.

Laila Head of House

Some of the fun in the Houses this year

Christmas Term House Twitter Compilation

Some of the fun in the Houses this year

Easter Term House Twitter Compilation

Summer Term House Twitter Compilation

We say goodbye to...

own way through it. Pupils benefitted hugely from seeing the mechanics of his thinking and the logic of his readings.

Duncan Ericson

By Mark Hambleton

In September 2017, Duncan arrived at King's as a recently qualified teacher. Earlier that year he had attended the interview whilst suffering from a bout of pneumonia. Despite the lack of oxygen in his system, he still managed to deliver a five star A Level lesson.

With a great level of subject knowledge and meticulous attention to detail, Duncan quickly established himself as a respected figure within the Department and one who could be turned to for ideas and advice. His passion for the texts was evident from the outset and proved a guiding light for his pupils. Despite the striking continuity of beginning every lesson with the word “Right!”, Duncan delivered varied and challenging material: a few moments in the doorway of M1 was always sufficient reassurance of the fact that hours of work had gone into each and every lesson’s research and design.

A maestro of assessment, Duncan was an absolute stickler for fine detail; many an English Department meeting was spent enjoying his withering corrections of misguided applications of various mark schemes. With a resolute and rigorous foundation in place, Duncan was free to bring texts to life and convey his readings with force and enthusiasm. One of his true strengths was the ability to get into the text and find his

Beyond the classroom, Duncan headed-up School Debating, coached hockey, and masterminded the 2023 record-breaking unbeaten run of the 1 st Volleyball team. But beyond all of this, Duncan was hugely loyal team player in every sense - he would never allow a job to go unfinished or leave the Department in the evening without knowing that he had given his all.

Duncan delivered admirable remote learning, churning out masterclass after masterclass of remote teaching, working with customary grit, quality, skill and judgement. All of this can be said of Duncan because he has been a fantastic teacher for us, one whose commitment to King ' s has been unwavering. He leaves us to take up his new role at Denstone College, Derbyshire; we wish him every success and offer our profound gratitude for every little bit of his work.

English teacher and found his way into so many areas of School life. He was a leading light of the School’s response to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, opening minds and closing the door on prejudice.

Within the classroom, Gervase’s big strength was his capacity to get pupils writing - particularly creatively. He set thoughtful tasks and inspired pupils to deliver quality work. He also did much in terms of fostering a diligent and resolute attitude to work and had a razor-sharp focus on pupils meeting deadlines: there was nowhere to hide! Always keen to help, he gave up hour after hour of time to workshops and support sessions - and was never too busy to offer his ideas and advice. Gervase also got results: his intervention support for the GCSE cohort of 2022 was instrumental in the individual triumphs of pupils who might otherwise have struggled.

Alongside the day-to-day basics, Gervase was famed for his theoretical approach to the subject. Whether discussing the “metalinguistic contexts of shoes” or the “umbilical” connections between and within texts, there was always something to be said and an idea to consider. Gervase could often be found regaling unsuspecting lunchgoers with a starter of Khantian theory, a main of Maslow, and a sweet of Bouldelaire.

Gervase Gordon

By Mark Hambleton

Gervase arrived at King's in 2020, fresh from a stint at Wetherby School, London. He quickly set about his work with a great sense of energy, throwing ideas around with customary enthusiasm. Gervase was never solely an

An accomplished sportsman, Gervase coached the U15As cricket, delivered (with Mr Bunday) the unbeaten 2nd XI Hockey season of 2022, and blessed the badminton circuit with his racquet skills. Originally a musician, Gervase also shared his talents with King's through his ideas on the soundtrack to the School’s production of The Crucible and delighted in playing with his tutor group band, TheHappyBundays

Gervase leaves us to take up a new role just down the road at Sherborne; we wish him the very best and thank him for our window into the wonderful world of “Gerv”!

Alison Grant

By Emilie Loveless

Alison Grant joined King's in 2008 as Second Deputy. With an ever-increasing number of girls at the School, this was a key appointment, as Alison was central to ensuring female representation on the Senior Management Team. Coming from the Royal Hospital School, where she was an experienced and successful Housemistress, Alison had a wealth of insight and expertise for ensuring a thriving co-educational environment. She later took over the role of Deputy Head on Gareth Evans’ retirement.

Alison facilitated and nurtured the growth of female provision at King's, and has been involved in supporting all pupils. She has been entirely committed, always present, and available to staff and pupils alike. Her door was always open, and she was eager to help

wherever needed; she cared about everyone. As a Housemistress or Housemaster, we knew that she was always willing to be a sounding board or offer astute advice. A trusted support to the Headmaster, Alison was involved in the day to day running of the School and has been responsible for organising whole school events.

Her focus has always been on ensuring that decisions made were right for the pupil body and this has motivated her reviews of policies and procedures. She was ahead of her time with promoting pupil voice and has been instrumental in developing the role of the School Prefects.

Perhaps her most lasting legacy, is her passion for promoting mental wellbeing and equality. During Covid, alongside Naomi Warren, Alison started the King's Spirit which kept our sense of community close and gave us hope Click

through challenging times. She created the first week of activities at King's for Mental Health Awareness Week and started the Mental Health Committee and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, allowing pupils to participate and run school wide initiatives.

From all at King's, we are incredibly grateful for Alison’s leadership and guidance over the last fifteen years and we wish her the very best for the future.

We say goodbye to...

Dan Lovell

By Gervase Gordon

At our New Staff induction day, Dan Lovell immediately struck me as bright, thoughtful, friendly and sincere. Over his three years as Head of Classics, EPQ Coordinator, New House Resident Tutor and latterly, Librarian, he has brought the same thoughtful sincerity and bright affability to bear in all that he has done at King ' s.

The School Library has often doubled as Dan’s Latin classroom - on a few occasions, I have found myself supervising library study periods during his Latin lessons. Inevitably, I found myself distracted from whatever else I was trying to do, so compelled by his ability to bring complex classical texts to a 4th Form group on a wet and windy Wednesday morning, rendering them accessible, relevant and fun.

The EPQ - Extended Project Qualification - is an optional offering for our Lower 6th Form pupils at King ' s. Pupils work closely with a staff supervisor to conduct a research project of their choosing - it is often a challenging but immensely rewarding undertaking. As an EPQ Supervisor, I have worked under Dan in his role as EPQ Coordinator, and I have seen how he consistently places the needs and demands of pupils front and centre of every decision or action. The success of our EPQ candidates over the past three years is testament to his commitment, attention to detail, judgement and empathy.

Dan has built strong relationships with pupils and colleagues at King's, and also at Hazlegrove, where he has taught 40% of the time. It speaks volumes of his deep subject knowledge, professionalism and competence that he has been able to successfully bridge the ‘key stage’ gap between the two foundation schools. I was lucky to

support the recent 3rd Form/4th Form Latin trip to the Roman Baths in Bath, and I was excited to see his passion for the history and language of the location reflected in the pupils - he offered them a memorable experience that will inspire their ongoing study of Classics.

It is here where Dan’s legacy at King's will best be seen - in the generations of passionate classicists that will follow the subject as they move up through the schools. The loss to King's and Hazlegrove is Truro School’s gain, and we wish him the very best for his next step. Bene vale!

short, with Martin leaving at the end of the Easter Term 2023, he made a significant impact in so many aspects of school life. He took a commission in the CCF, and his military know-how was invaluable and highly sought after by the Staff Officers. He became the Ten Tors Manager in 2022 and was able to see the two teams he managed come home tired but happy and with a great sense of achievement when they completed the challenge in April 2023. His planning for the whole event was exemplary and he had a real passion for the event and took great delight in seeing how individuals grew as people during the whole training process on Dartmoor. He loves the event so much that he will hopefully continue to help the new Ten Tors Manager (me!). with the training of future groups. More opportunity for jokes and anecdotes which he is famous for.

Martin Miller

By Craig Barrow

Martin Miller joined King's in September 2021 as a Physics Teacher, highly experienced Army Officer, tutor in Blackford House and enthusiastic Sports Coach. He came from a military background, having worked in uniform since he left school at the age of 16, and so the challenge of becoming a class teacher was a real baptism for him. He had a great deal of experience and practical knowledge in his subject area and having taught throughout his military life he had the capabilities of getting the best out of people.

Although his time at King's was

On a personal note, I shall miss Martin’s sense of humour and his ‘dad’ jokes which were cringeworthy but memorable. He had an immaculate sense of dress, a discipline learnt through his military career, and had an approachability which made it very easy to have a meaningful conversation with him. His advice on all things military gave me so much confidence and belief that what we were doing at King's Bruton CCF was good. He was a man with a world of life experience and good ideas which will benefit his new challenge as a Systems Engineer Consultant working for the Ministry of Defence.

It is not goodbye, as Martin will continue to help with CCF and Ten Tors, but I'll miss the day-to-day chats and those awful jokes!!

Kirsty Moran

By Rebecca Dixon

Kirsty Moran joined King's as Head of Learning Support in September 2020, following a career that started in industry but quickly moved to teaching, where her real passion lies. Through teaching science, she realised her interest lay with teaching those who needed extra support - this saw her teaching in various settings from behavioural units to running the medical tuition service for Somerset, working as a member of SMT across both the independent and state sectors.

Kirsty quickly made her mark at King's, not least when she recruited colleagues and art pupils to transform the Learning Support department into the welcoming, vibrant environment we now enjoy. One oversight was forgetting to tell the Headmaster of her plans…fortunately, he was delighted (if a little baffled) to find pupils painting a beautiful mural on the entrance to the department.

As well as teaching in, and heading the Learning Support department, Kirsty has been an excellent tutor for the past term and a half in Priory, where her positivity, constant support and sense of humour have been an asset. She has also been heavily involved in the CCF, having completed her initial officer training course at Dartmouth in October 2021 to become section commander of the Royal Navy. Pupils have enjoyed trips organised by Kirsty, to the Cheddar Reservoir to complete sailing, kayaking and paddle-boarding activities, and this year she organised

the DRIU and fire training at HMS Raleigh.

Not only has Kirsty championed the cadets by putting several of them through leadership courses, she has also supported every pupil who has come across her path, with genuine care. Having volunteered as a support driver on the past two Ten Tors trips - a role she will continue - she is renowned for crying with joy as the pupils cross the finish line!

Miss Moran leaves King's to set up a school (with her friend and former colleague) for children with autism. We wish her every success with this exciting project. She will be greatly missed but her warmth and generosity of spirit to both pupils and staff ensures she won’t be forgotten.

readily to take on tasks like adapting a scheme of work or preparing an examination and always completing them punctually. His pupils benefit from carefully crafted questions that probe their understanding and have never suffered from being given too little homework. They have great respect for Tim and appreciate the efforts that he puts into his making teaching interesting and relevant. Tim was a popular and effective Blackford tutor for 12 years and his contributions to the House were much appreciated by Nick Bunday.

Tim has a careful, logical approach to problems and he loves puzzles of all kinds. It is a pleasure to work on a crossword puzzle with him - you never feel silly for being a few steps behind him because he explains the process in such a gentle way, helping you to reach the correct answer - or at least understand why his answer is correct. He reads widely and would be a great asset to any pub quiz team.Tim’s problem-solving abilities and organisational skills were a great help to the School when he served as Examinations Officer, a role he was very successful at. Nevertheless, stepping down from that role has given him a few summers of sheer joy watching someone else run around in the heat!

Tim Walker

By Tomi Owens

Having taught at King's for 17 years, Tim Walker has become what feels like a permanent fixture in the Maths Department. It is therefore with great sadness that we will say our goodbyes to him at the end of this term. He is a brilliant mathematician, with keen insight into Pure Mathematics and Mechanics in particular. He marks the A Level Maths and Further Maths papers and his experience has proved invaluable when we plan our teaching or discuss how best to assess a pupil’s understanding.

Tim is utterly dependable, offering

Although I think of Tim as first and foremost a great teacher of Mathematics, he has a broad range of interests that have nothing to do with Mathematics or the classroom. He loves making marmalades and chutneys - I’m sure I’m not alone in treasuring a jar of his spiced apple jelly for special moments with the cheese board. He loves cycling and can spend hours advising cyclists of all skill levels on specialist equipment, interesting routes and out of the way coffee shops.

Always putting others first, Tim has put a huge effort into raising awareness of and money for charities like the Motor Neurone Disease Association. He has bravely and uncomplainingly managed to keep working whilst fighting his own battles against ill health - I am sure that most of his pupils have been completely unaware of his difficulties whilst he has kept on helping them with their difficulties with Mathematics. I wish Tim continued good health and a long and active retirement.

Remembering Peter Jenkins

Ashley Marshfield Housemaster New House

Peter was a truly outstanding young man. Hardworking, determined, and resolute; he gave every aspect of school life his all. He was an outstanding sportsman having played in the 1st XV Rugby, 1st XI Cricket and 1st XI Hockey teams, captaining the latter. When the opportunity arose, Peter relished the chance to further hone his skills by taking part in an exchange programme to New Zealand that he thoroughly enjoyed. In the 4th Form, Peter and his team completed the Ten Tors challenge in record time for the King's Bruton CCF; he also completed the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award

ItistragictothinkthatPeter left this world too soon; however, hedidleavebehindmanyhappy memories to look back on. I had theprivilegetospendfiveyears withPeteratKing's in New Houseandmanyofthesefond memories occurred from our sharedpassionforsportsandlove fortheoutdoors.Peterwasagreat friend,anditwasapleasureto playalongsidehiminschooland inter-housematches.Iwillalways admirehisabilitytonevergive up,grithisteethandkeepgiving 100% until the final whistle, which often led to the desired result. Peterwasalsoagreatstoryteller;I deeplyenjoyedcomingbackfrom theholidaystohearsomeofthe most unbelievable and climactic storiesfromhistimeinKenya. ThankyouPeterforcreatingthese memorieswithme;mayyourestin peace.

Harry MacLeod-Ash

in the 5th Form. Peter’s commitment and determination to his studies saw him receive an enviable unconditional offer from the University of Reading to read Environmental Management, graduating over the summer just this year. He also successfully applied for training at Sandhurst, where he was due to start in April.

Peter was a hugely respected and integral part of New House, where he was Deputy Head of House in his final year. It was an immense privilege to have known and supported the remarkable young man that Peter was

Itisdifficulttoexpressinashort statementtheprofoundimpactthat Peterhadonmylifeduringour timetogetheratKing's,especially afterhearingthetragicnewsofhis passing.AsPeter’sroommateinNew House,Iwasprivilegedtowitness hisuniquecharacterfirst-hand.Our sharedmomentscreatinggames,such asourpersonalfavouritecorridor cricket,andgettingintomischief intheboardinghousewillalways holdaspecialplaceinmymemory. Additionally,Peterwasatalented second-rowrugbyplayer.From beingahookermyself,Peterproved tobeaninvaluablesupporterduring scrums and I couldn’t think of a betterpersononthepitchtoquite literallyhavemyback,demonstrating hisloyaltyandtrustworthiness.I admiredhisleadershipskillsonand offthesportsfieldsandbelieved thatthiswasjustoneofthemany attributes that would have made him anoutstandingofficer.

Will Sandy

as his Housemaster for four years. A life cut so tragically short hit us all hard, particularly when he had already achieved so much and had a bright future ahead of him. I know how close Peter was to Myles and his parents, and my deepest condolences go to Clare, Myles and their family and friends as they grieve the tragic loss of two remarkable men; may their souls rest in peace.

IholdveryfondmemoriesofPeter fromtheexercisesandtripswedid inourCCFdays.Peterwasastough asnails,buthealwaysmanagedto putasmileonourfacesandhave agoodlaugh!Hewasarealteam playerandalwaysgreatcompany. Hehadawarmheartandthebiggest whitest smile that will never be forgotten.Hewasacourageousand kindbloke.Restpeacefully,Pete.

IhaveknownPeteforabouteight years,havinggrownupthrough HazlegroveandKing'stogether.We both did Ten Tors and CCF so we reallydidgettoknoweachother well.Petewasthekindestperson,and healwaysknewhowtopushandget youthroughthehardbits.Wealso sharednearlyeveryacademicclass togetherwhichwasalwaysgreatfun. Hehadthemostgorgeous,cheeky smile.FlyhighPetex

Clara Bracey

Anna Wilmshurst

Rev’d George Beverly Tutor

New House

The school community was heartbroken to learn of the tragic and sudden death of Peter alongside his father Mark. I had the genuine immense privilege of being Peter’s tutor for his five years at King's, including being his Resident Tutor in New House for his first three years. Peter’s tutor group truly were a “vintage year”, and Peter was a standout member. If I may, I want to share three of Peter’s qualities I deeply admired: loyalty, humour and perseverance.

Loyalty. Peter was devoted to his brother Myles, parents, friends and New House. Nothing would get in the way of Peter having his regular phone calls with his mum and dad back in Kenya. Frequently, I had to chase him up to hand in his phone on-time before bed. “Just five more minutes, Sir,” he’d say - and it was rarely just five! The point is, Peter deeply loved people - he invested time into relationships. Nothing was more important to him. We can all learn a lot from Peter.

Humour. Peter loved to joke and would regularly be in fits of belly-aching laughter. He used to enjoy tapping on the Chaplaincy door to tell me the latest funny thing he’d just witnessed. Often as not, his joking would be at my expense! In the 3rd and 4th Form, he and other tutees used to enjoy hiding before tutor period, or whilst I was on evening duty in New House, so that they could then jump out shrieking at me, causing me to jump in alarm - much to their delight!

Perseverance. Peter was ambitious and possessed the increasingly-rare attribute of diligence. He relished a challenge and his determination saw him achieve great things. I was thrilled when he shared with me the recent news of his pilot’s licence, and I have no doubt he would have made a sterling army officer.

I have been liaising with Clare and Myles over potential options for commemorating Peter at King's. If anything is decided, current and former pupils/staff will be contacted as appropriate. Our job now is to remember and honour Peter - to embody the above qualities in our own lives day-by-day. Peter, you are missed more than words can express. My love, thoughts and prayers remain with Clare and Myles.

Remembering Peter Jenkins

The Old Brutonian Association

As I write this, we are about to welcome a new cohort of pupils into our thriving community of Old Brutonians. For those who have just left the U6th Form, a huge welcome! Many congratulations on getting through your exams and courses and I hope you are getting settled into some summer fun, before you embark on gap year adventures, university or whatever your next chapter holds. It’s wonderful to have you in our community and we sincerely hope you’ll stay in close contact with us; there are many ways that we can help you transition into this new stage of your life. I promise we are a friendly bunch so don’t be shy about reaching out wherever you are in the world, we have a large international presence.

One of the services which may be of great benefit to recent leavers will be our new mentoring scheme that we introduced this year. Emilie Head, our fabulous Assistant Secretary, has worked extremely hard in getting this off the ground and we have a growing list of mentors, from all industries and walks of life, ready and waiting to share their vast breadth of knowledge and experience with OBs looking to progress their careers. This is a great way of networking, gaining valuable advice and is open to every OB over the age of 18. Do sign up to the King's Bruton Community website to find out more. We have over 1300 members on the site now and it is a great way of keeping up with news and events from both the OBA and the School.

Elsewhere in the Association, we’ve been busy bringing OBs together in

other ways and have started a series of regional drinks that have proved a great way of reaching out in an informal local setting. The events have reconnected people to the OB network, some of whom hadn’t had any contact at all with the School since leaving. All said how lovely it has been to discover the community and will now forge closer ties with the Association.

Socially, our London Lunch is ever popular and we will be hosting this years lunch on Friday 1st December at the Ironmonger’s Hall, with a special welcome to those marking their 30th anniversary of leaving.

We proudly shout about achievements by our members and in the last year there have been several books published including ‘The King’s 56’ by Charles Noble (P90/95) and ‘In Search of Thomas Russell’ by David Hindley (Hon OB) and Kirsten Palmer (Hall69/71). Elsewhere, Simon Lilly (O72/76) has had an instrumental role in NASA’s flagship astronomy mission, the James Webb Space Telescope and Bruce Keeping (L74/76) has been part of a team building a replica seaplane, the legendary Supermarine S.5. among many others, of course.

Our three bursaries to existing King's pupils have continued this year, helping relieve some of the pressure on school fees for their families. We’ve also been able to award small grants towards existing King's pupils to help explore their aspirations. Notably we assisted Amelia to attend a Harvard summer school and also a pupil to take part in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award.

We aim to find more of these small but valuable ways we can help future and current OBs fulfil their potential, and as an Association it’s wonderful to collectively give back to the School that gave each of us so much during our days in Bruton. In the spirit of giving, the very generous legacy from one individual Old Brutonian was instrumental in getting the new Sir Peter Squire Pavilion to completion amid skyrocketing construction rates. An incredible act of generosity and absolutely in the spirit of everything the OBA stands for.

It has been a very successful year and we are looking forward to more exciting developments in the year to come.

Gemma Brunton (W92/94)

President of the Old Brutonian Association

Events & Friends

Penny Bird Events Manager

Events and Friends are intertwined at King's, providing a social network for parents whilst raising funds for additional projects. Funds raised purchase additional equipment, facilities, fund projects and provide a small budget for the Boarding Houses, with the aim of enhancing the education and welfare of the pupils.

Over the past few years, through the generous efforts of parents we have been able to provide items such as BBQs for House Nights, a Holy Communion Set for the Chaplaincy, 6th Form Club laser lights and disco ball, CCF Uniform Badges, a football goal for Hyde, outdoor lights and games and sewing machines for the Art Department to name but a few.

It has been fabulous to have a full and busy calendar year of events at King's for parents, pupils and the wider Community. Events have ranged from The Cheese and Wine Quiz Night in October, prepared and served by the BTEC Hospitality pupils, a visit from Kirstie Macleod and her famous Red Dress, the popular King's Christmas Fair, the 6th Form Dinner, the Sports 1st Team Dinner, the Snow Ball, and the Community Concert and Tea, and Swing

Into Spring!

The Opening of the Sir Peter Squire Pavilion and Celebration of Sport was a memorable day, the 5th Form Dinner marked the end of their GCSE exams and also their time as Juniors before they look forward to the next stage. Most excitingly we are busy planning the Leavers’ Ball once again, which is the final celebration for our U6th Pupils time at King's and one they all look forward to, lots of laughter and lots of tears as they realise they might just miss King's!

We want to offer as many fun events and networking opportunities as possible. The aim is (for those who want to), to be able to come to a huge variety of events, meet friends and feel connected. If you have any ideas as to events you would like to see happening, run workshops or courses which you would like to offer to the King's community, or would like to be a point of contact for your year group, please do get in touch with me, Penny Bird, Events Manager at pjb@kingsbruton.com. Wishing you all a very happy and restful summer holiday.

We Will Remember Them

Rev’d George Beverly Foundation Chaplain

After two COVID-enforced years of virtual acts of remembrance, this year the whole school community gathered in the Memorial Hall to mark the National Act of Remembrance at 11am.

Physically gathering in the Memorial Hall feels especially powerful. We are surrounded by the names of Old Brutonians who fought and died in the Great War of 1914-18, the Second World War, the Korean War, and the War in Afghanistan. Their details of service and sacrifice are carved into the wooden panelling. Our Act of Remembrance took the form of saying some set prayers for remembrance, reciting the famous words of Binyon, hearing a pupil play The Last Post and Reveille, holding a two-minute silence, and closing in prayer. Pausing to reflect, remember, and express our gratitude for the freedoms and rights these men fought for is truly important - I was impressed by the School’s attitude to doing so.

On Remembrance Sunday, the Military Band played with style and professionalism for the Town’s parade and Act of Remembrance outside St Mary’s Church. This is an important whole town annual event and, as always, King's pupils approached Remembrance thoughtfully and maturely. We will remember them.

Click or scan the QR Code to view the photographs.

The King's community celebrated Commemoration Day in glorious sunshine

Ian Wilmshurst Headmaster

We were blessed with glorious sunny weather for our Commemoration Service, with the Chapel Choir excelling in the first anthem 'Zadok the Priest'. Commemoration is an important annual celebration of the original three founders of King's, and of Edward VI our Royal Re-founder. The School is always looking to develop and improve, but we must never forget how blessed we are with the heritage of our royal and ancient foundation.

Click

Our Guide Dog puppy, Basil

The School community raised money to sponsor a Guide Dog puppy, who we named Basil. This year, much to everyone's delight, we got to meet our puppy.

How well-trained Basil was even as a pup with his friend Ava at only 6 months old. He has grown so much since we saw a photograph of him as a little puppy. He has such big paws, and he still has much training left to do. Basil and fellow Guide Dog puppy, Ava, had such a lovely demeanour saying hello to everyone that came their way, with a little playfighting between them, always wagging their tails and even got to have a play with one of their toy cows.

I witnessed the level of training that had already been completed with Basil, from being able to sit, lie down and stay until the handlers called otherwise, and much more than just that, even in very busy places. Basil has visited cafes and shops to help him get used to different places and will surely make a brilliant Guide Dog.

Basil is in pup training at the moment, learning the basics of what it takes to be a Guide Dog, he will then progress onto Guide Dog school where the proper training begins. Even though it was a short visit, it was much loved, and we would all like to continue to be a part of Basil’s future.

Basil’s Second Pupdate

Since we last wrote to you, Basil has improved further in his training and learnt lots of new things – we’ve spoken to his Puppy Development Advisor, Lucy, to find out how he’s getting on.

Basil now wears the Guide Dogs puppy jacket while out on training walks. This jacket is useful for showing people that the puppy wearing it is in training and shouldn’t be distracted. It also helps pups get used to the feeling of something on their back in preparation for wearing a harness in the later stages of training.

Recently, Basil has been honing a new skill – his recall, on the free runs he’s been able to enjoy since receiving the last of his vaccinations. Lucy said that Basil’s recall is really good to both the whistle and his name being called and that his Puppy Raiser has reported no issues with this.

Basil has been visiting towns, supermarkets and cafés and also attends his Puppy Raiser’s place of work regularly and is well behaved wherever he goes. He’s not fazed by bikes or prams and is happy using stairs and lifts when out. Lucy said that Basil loves meeting people and especially likes children but remains calm while enjoying a fuss Well done, Basil!

Lucy told us that Basil has now started using buses regularly with his Puppy Raiser and is happy and confident when travelling on them. He’s also been to a train station to get used to the sights and sounds there to prepare him for his first train journey soon.

Lucy describes Basil as a happy and laid-back pup who is doing well with his training so far. She said he’s lovely to live with and is adaptable – he’s recently been boarded out to another local Guide Dogs’ volunteer and settled into their home well. We think that Basil sounds like an absolute delight; a spirited pup who’s doing well with all his training, and clearly thriving in his loving home. We look forward to sending you Basil’s next report card soon.

King's Community Supporting Charity

These are some of the events from the past year.

Bruton Larder Foodbank

Samuel, Tommy and Freddie have been raising money for Oddballs

We are three boys running, walking, swimming and cycling 2300 kilometres (which is the amount of people in the UK diagnosed with testicular cancer) for Oddballs Foundation. Oddballs is an organisation who raises awareness of the effects and dangers of testicular cancer in young men. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer to affect men between the ages of 15-49. However, if detected early, Testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers.

Help us raise awareness of testicular cancer to break down the stigma associated with the disease and to encourage more young men to CHECK themselves on a monthly basis, and in doing so detect any problems early. We are now 1,460 kilometres into our journey, and we have just under 900 to go, progress in the last few weeks has been slow but we will continue fighting through until we complete our challenge. Please help us reach our goal, and donate to such a great cause, by scanning our QR Code.

A record amount of food donations for the Brue Larder Foodbank

The King's Big Band played a fundraising gig at Caryford Hall to raise money for a new extension to the Hall

King's Bruton pupil, Lottie, walked the South Downs Way to raise money for Ward 10 of Yeovil District Hospital

New House put on a charity rounders match to raise money for The Growing Space

The School Charity for the year has been The Growing Space, a Wincanton-based charity focused on supporting people of all ages with mental health difficulties. The charity, uses gardening activities to help improve happiness, confidence and health in those who attend. Gardening has been shown to help offer relief from the stresses of people’s lives, whilst increasing their confidence and self-worth.

The Prefects' charity Splashdown, raising money for The Growing Space

Our international pupils held a cake sale for The Growing Space

A successful Christmas Fair and Charity Raffle The Growing Space and Friends of King's Bruton

Priory House raised money for The Growing Space by selling sweets and candy canes

Lyon House raised money with their Dodgeball Competition for The Growing Space

Pupils had fancy dress fun at the Wellesley and Priory Charity Hockey Event for The Growing Space

A successful BTEC Enterprise charity fundraising Easter event for The Growing Space

A brilliant afternoon in the sunshine at the Arion charity event raising money for The Growing Space

Interesting Times

Celebrating the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

After six months planning, I set off to London on the morning of Tuesday May 2nd with four friends and a reporter from BBC South Today. From past experience we knew where we wanted to be and were delighted to be able to set up our camp of beach shelters and chairs opposite Clarence House.

Apart from reporting and filming by the BBC, the requests for interviews from TV crews from all over the world were relentless. We can only think this was due to our Coronation hats and our ages - two 81 year olds, 78, 76 and a youngster of 57.

We took all our food and drinks with us. Coronation chicken followed by meringue case with cream, bananas and passion fruit on the first night was the piece de resistance, but we continued to eat well with the appropriate tipple for the time of day.

There are so many wonderful memories. The full dress rehearsal on Tuesday night, David who was back and forth to check on us and to solve any problems that arose, the lovely people from all over the world who just wanted to chat, friends who visited, the fun and laughter, the general atmosphere and buzz, the wonderful processions, the pomp and ceremony that only the Poms can do!

On Friday, I turned around in response to a tap on my shoulder, and there was my grandson, Milo. What a super surprise to see him and then to be side by side when we met our wonderful King was so very special. The King made us feel as if we were the only people there. He was natural, friendly, so delighted we were there to support him, and just a truly lovely man.

Later on Friday, David and his niece

joined us to camp the night, and a message from Kathryn at 7.22pm informed me that she and Felix were hard at revision at home. However, less than an hour later, they walked into our camp - I was bursting with pride and excitement - my cup overfloweth.

The security on this occasion was far far greater than we have had on previous occasions. The police and security were all kind and helpful and made us feel very safe. The few protesters in our area were made to feel most unwelcome and did not stay long.

The rain on Coronation Day went unnoticed as we savoured every minute of a truly remarkable day.

Fortunately, we had family Mounde with us as we started our journey home. Without them, I fear we would have been camping another night on the street. Tube station closures and lack of information regarding same saw us walk to Westminster, Charing Cross, Embankment and finally Waterloo where we received assistance to get the trolleys up the stairs from none other than the Royal Dragoon Guards, David’s old regiment.

The experience far exceeded our dreams and the wonderful memories will stay with us forever.

Click or scan the QR Code to watch a BBC report of Milo and his Grandma meeting His Majesty The King.

Milo, 3rd Form Lyon House, and his Grandma spoke to His Majesty The King on the eve of the Coronation. This report is written by Margaret Tinsley, Milo’s Grandma.

We had a wonderful Coronation celebration. On Friday, there was a picnic in Bruton Primary School for all pupils, parents and also local PreSchools and luckily the rain stayed away.

On Saturday, we thoroughly enjoyed watching the Coronation, then on Sunday our village, Stoney Stratton, had a street party for about 80 people which was a very social and memorable occasion.

Emily Simper Housemistress Priory

Here are two photos from Northern Ireland during the King’s Coronation, at Hillsborough Castle, Lisburn. The first photo shows the gun salutes, and the marching is a beating of the retreat.

4th Form in Food Preparation and Nutrition made Coronation Quiche. It was tricky to make in a 50 minute lesson but we managed to produce excellent quiches, perfecting our pastry making skills.

Fran Portch Food Prep & Nutrition Teacher

I went to a friend’s party who had invited loads of old mates from my old School, so I was able to have a good catch up as well as celebrate The King’s Coronation in good spirit.

of His Majesty King Charles III

Ellie L6th Form Arion House

Jack U6th Form New House

Old Brutonian, Myles Jenkins, has been awarded the Sword of Honour by His Majesty The King

Old Brutonian, Myles Jenkins, (New House 2013-15) has been awarded the Sword of Honour as the best Officer Cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Sovereign’s Parade for Commissioning Course No. 222. This was not only the 200th anniversary of Sandhurst’s Commissioning Parade, but it was combined with the presentation by His Majesty The King of colours for the Academy. The colours were the first set of military colours presented that bear the new Royal cypher of CRIII. His Majesty presented Myles, who is to commission into the Scots Guards, with The Sword of Honour, awarded to the Cadet considered to be the best Cadet of their intake.

This is a significant achievement for Myles, in so many ways, and he is a credit to both King's Bruton and to the King's CCF. Myles was described by his Housemaster and Tutor when at school, as being diligent, loyal, respectful, confident (quietly so) and honouring of his House, the School, the CCF and most importantly his family. I am sure that Myles has a bright future ahead of him and we wish him well for his career in the Army.

Ian Wilmshurst, Headmaster

Copyright Tempest Photography

TheSwordofHonourisanawardattheRoyalMilitaryAcademySandhurst that is awarded to the Cadet considered to be the best out of the intake. It is presentedbytheSovereign,orSovereign’srepresentative,attheSovereign’s Parade. It is a huge honour and a privilege to be awarded the Sword. It was an even bigger privilege for me, as I was lucky enough to have it awarded to me by His Majesty, Himself, on the 200th Commissioning Parade, and the first Parade he had attended since becoming King. I have nowcommissionedintotheScotsGuardsandwillbejoiningtheBattalion in a few months, once I have finished the Platoon Commanders Battle Course.Mythanksgotoeveryonewhohashelpedmeachieveallofthis.

Old Brutonian, Myles Jenkins, has been awarded the Sword of Honour

Myles Jenkins

Second Lieutenant in the Scots Guards

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Katie Proctor

My name is Katie Proctor, and I was lucky enough to be at King's from 2015 to 2020 in Priory House, and I had the privilege of being Head Girl.

I really do look back and feel so lucky that I went to King's Bruton. It made me branch out into different subjects and explore what my talents could be. Something that I really thrived in was music, drama and sport. It made me think creatively, get me up on my feet, and make me enjoy communicating and presenting to others. I then went to the University of Sussex to study Musical Theatre for three years and I loved my time there.

As I was coming to the end of my third and final year of university in 2023, I got a phone call to ask if I could teach drama for the summer term at Hazelgrove Prep School. I have always wanted to be a teacher and with this incredible opportunity I really couldn’t say no. This community and these teachers work tirelessly, and I cannot express enough how amazing it has been working with them and learning the ropes so well on the job. I was still finishing my dissertation whilst teaching. I had limited free time, but all the support in the world by the staff and my peers.

Already since being at Hazlegrove, I have put on four amazing productions with children who work so hard. Singing, dancing and acting is never the problem for these great pupils. They throw themselves into everything, and it is such a pleasure working with all of them. I have been working with most of the teachers at Hazlegrove, who put their lives into their jobs, and it makes me so proud to be a part of Hazlegrove.

In my first two weeks, I was thrown into the deep end by helping with the Year 5 production of The Brothers Grimm Tales. This was an incredible

experience and one that made me fall in love with teaching. Year One and Two productions were straight after that, and they loved learning the dance moves and actions. I even got the Headmaster, Ed Benbow, dancing! To finish the school year, I am in the production team for the Year 8 musical. This was cleverly written by Director of Studies, David Edwards and singing by Head of Music, Nicki Sclater. I had the pleasure of teaching them all the dances. Wow, did they put their heart and soul into this. It was a tough two weeks, but they managed to end the year with a bang, and I was proud of them as well as myself.

From April to July my life has been turned upside down and I am enjoying every moment of this exciting adventure. I finished my dissertation, graduated from university, started working at Hazlegrove and found peers to confide in. I feel lucky to still be a part of King's School Bruton community, and I look forward to every visit. My home for my school years has given me this incredible opportunity, and I hope to make them proud.

Hazlegrove has really helped me flourish, and I feel fortunate to be included in this school. I am excited for what the following year will bring.

The Inter-House Debating Final

"This House believes in a world without borders"

Priory vs Arion

It was fantastic to be able to adjudicate such an exciting Final of the Inter-House Debating Competition.

Both Priory and Arion teams gave excellent performances, in what was a high-quality debate, full of engaging, enthusiastic and well-argued speeches. The quality of public speaking on show from both teams was outstanding, with all involved making fantastic use of language, tone and pace to engage the audience and put their arguments forward.

Both teams had clearly prepared incredibly well, demonstrating excellent levels of research to support their arguments, and to counter the opposition team's points. The ‘points of information’ were used successfully by both teams to disrupt the oppositions argument and counter the points being put forward. In the end, it was felt that Priory narrowly beat Arion in both Style and Strategy to run out narrow winners by 3 points.

This was a fantastic and close fought debate, with all involved deserving a huge amount of credit for the part that they played in this Final. However, the InterHouse Debating Programme involves far more pupils than those debating this morning, and all involved this year deserve great credit for producing such an impressive series of debates.

Dan Cupit DeputyHead,Academic

From New Zealand to King's Bruton to play hockey

My boarding school experience at King's was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to attend a boarding school in England, where I was able to immerse myself in a new culture, make lifelong friendships and gain experiences that I would never have dreamt of.

Initially, I thought life in a foreign country and boarding house would be difficult to adapt to, but as I settled in, I realised a lot of cultural similarities to back home in New Zealand. A massive thank you to Mr Bunday (Blackford Housemaster), Mr Crump (Assistant Head of Hockey) and Janice (Blackford Matron) for making the transition into the boarding house so smooth.

Living in a boarding school environment was also a new experience for me. I had never lived away from my family for an extended period before, and it was both exciting and daunting. However, I quickly learned to appreciate the independence that came with living away from home. I had the freedom to manage my time and prioritise my studies, which was crucial in helping me develop strong study habits.

Beyond the academic experience, my time at King's allowed me to meet people from diverse backgrounds. The friendships I made at the School will last well beyond my time there. It was incredible to learn about different cultures, backgrounds and social experiences, and I am grateful for the lifelong friendships that I formed.

The hockey season was no disappointment. An exciting array of playing and watching games definitely developed my physical and mental side of hockey. Mr Eriksson (Director of Sport), thank you for being an incredible mentor and guiding the team through our hockey season. Your passion for the game and dedication to the team definitely inspired and will continue to inspire us in our hockey careers. I don’t think the team and I can thank you enough for the amount of work you put into hockey at King's.

Overall, my boarding school experience overseas at King's was unforgettable. I learned valuable life skills, developed independence and gained a broader perspective of the world. I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

Finlay Blackford House L6th Form

Alexina’s success in the Springboard Chef Competition

This year, I have been lucky enough to represent Somerset in two cooking competitions. Following my recent achievement of Somerset Junior Chef of the Year, I was invited to the National South West Finals for Junior Chef of the Year. This started off with being given the opportunity to be mentored by Head Chef, Andrew Swan, at the Castle Hotel in Taunton. This was the most amazing chance to experience a fully industrial working kitchen and to be given the opportunity to be mentored by such a talented chef.

I then attended the Finals at Exeter College. The Finals was an intense experience, as I was competing with the best chefs in each county, I was also lucky enough to be judged by the famous Michael Caines. For this competition, I restyled my well known Beef Wellington, as well as adapting it to change with the seasons. This opportunity was an amazing experience

for me, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given.

Following this, I was invited to represent my county again in the Springboard Chef Competition. For this I had to make a main course and a dessert in 90 minutes. Whilst this came with many difficulties, I was very proud of my achievement. My dish consisted of a spiced cod with cauliflower puree and a mango relish, as well as a raspberry and pistachio nougatine. Although there were a few complications during the finals with my oven, I was able to adapt quickly in order to improvise to ensure I created the best dish possible. It was an incredible experience to come in the top 8 out of 2,000, and I am very proud of my achievements over the last few years. I hope my achievements help to inspire others to compete in similar competitions in the future, as you never know what could happen.

Click or scan the QR Code to read more and view the photographs.

Alexina’s success in the Springboard Chef Competition

Alexina Priory House 5th Form

Dolphin Interview Dr Brown Science Teacher

The Dolphin Editorial Team were delighted to have the opportunity to interview King's Science Teacher, Dr Brown, who has had articles published in Nature Communications Journal who rank themselves in the top 10 of over 3000 natural science journals, rejecting 97% of articles submitted to them.

This conversation highlighted the crucial role that sea ice in the Arctic plays because it provides food for a great diversity of organisms which inhabit the region. This is an extremely relevant interview, as research indicates that the situation is so severe that in about 10 years time we may see the culmination of the rapidly declining levels of sea ice. Dr Brown stressed the importance of contributing to the global knowledge on climate change through open access articles to help educate and encourage action to combat this.

We were inspired to learn how Dr Brown himself has conducted his research for over 15 years, despite often working in extreme conditions. In addition, one important message from the interview was the diverse option of pathways into careers within STEM which was highlighted by Dr Brown’s unconventional journey into scientific research. We are extremely grateful that we were able to conduct this interview and wish Dr Brown the very best for his future adventures.

Isabel Dolphin Editorial Team Arion House L6th Form

Eleanor

Dolphin Editorial Team

Arion House L6th Form

In my 11 years as a Housemistress, Priory gave me:

In my 11 years as a Housemistress, Priory gave me:

12 Heads of House

11 Years of House Nights

10 House Song Competitions

9 Commem Days

8 Battlefield Trips

7 Different Matrons

6 Resident Tutors

5 House Songs Wins

4 Snow Balls

3 House Plays

2 House Debating Trophies

And finally 1 House Cup!

So…. as you see being Housemistress of Priory has not been dull!

The memories of my time in Priory I shall treasure for the rest of my life... for it has indeed been an amazing experience! I know, however, that what we have achieved in Priory over the years would never have been possible without the support, enthusiasm and trust from the team of Matrons, Resident Tutors and Tutors with whom I have been fortunate to work with over the past 11 years. But essentially Priory is about the girls - and what super characters they have been! Each has had her own individual

talents, interests, abilities, dislikes and challenges too! But of each, I take pride and delight in their achievements, and it gives me much joy to see them return to Priory as confident young women succeeding in whatever is their chosen path. The 12 Heads of House that I have worked with - Ellie, Andrea, Edie, Beth, Olivia, Harriet, Harriet, Santina, Charlotte, Lily, Bella and Jess have been outstanding role models to their peers and a wonderful support to me in their year of duty.

Finally, thank you to my fellow Housemasters and Housemistresses for

their friendship, not to mention their competitive banter, and of course to the Headmaster for his ever present guidance, support and indeed for appointing me to this role some12 years ago. Priory has been home to Oliver and I for the past 11 years and having had our 3 children Luke, Louis and Charlotte whilst we have been here, has made it a very special place for our whole family. Now however, it is time for this chapter to close and a different role awaits, but Priory House is always going to hold a very special place in my heart. Thank you to you all.

Emily Simper Priory

Housemistress

2012-23

2012-13 2012-13

2020-21

2020-21

2021-22

2021-22

2022-23

2022-23

Volunteering with the Ocean Youth Trust

I received my sea staff recommendation for the Ocean Youth Trust in August of 2021. I have sailed a total of 999 nautical miles with the trust, 888 of which have been as a member of sea staff.

The sea for me has always been something of a Venus fly trap, once I caught onto the sea, I was doomed to the madness it often holds. My first voyage with the charity in 2018, without a doubt, changed my life, whether for better or for worse, I’m yet to determine. I have made friends, the like of which it is impossible to make anywhere else, I have worked with some interesting and inspirational seastaff, and have learned things about myself that I would never have known were it not for the sea. For example, coffee, or anything with caffeine in it, is your friend, the number of fish fingers you can eat at once without being sick is 19 (by a mildly insane skipper) and it is possible to sleep anywhere, upside down, or both, and many, many more humorous and serious things, such as, my dancing ability is worse than a one legged horse.

I can’t believe that it has only been two years since I started volunteering with this amazing charity. Thus far, I have sailed with some amazing young people, I have witnessed friendships form that will last a lifetime, and people go from strangers to an outstanding team. And all through this, I have received advice, information and help from an endlessly supportive, kind, and knowledgeable group of people who are always keen to help others in their own time. I am now in a position, largely thanks to the lessons and skills taught to me by OYT South, where I have an opportunity to spend part of a season in Hong Kong, sailing with Outward Bound. I look back on my time so far with

OYT South and realise exactly how much of a lasting impact every person, from crew to sea staff have played in my life. I can’t recommend sailing enough, even if you only go once, it might just change your life.

If you are interested in giving sailing a try, you can find the OYT website here.

If you want to see what previous crews have said, you can find feedback quotes here.

Harry Lack Lyon House L6th Form

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Anya Evans

One year on from leaving King's, and I still don’t know what I am going to do with my life… and that’s okay. Post A Levels, I did the scariest thing I could think of and flew to the other side of the world; however, it was the best thing I’ve ever done. Eleanor Roosevelt said that you should “doonethingeveryday that scares you,” something that solo travelling had me do hundreds of times.

Leaving school, I was never someone who you would label ‘confident or outgoing,’ but over my 4 months in Australia, the things that once scared me, became the things I looked forward to and excited me the most. I realised that I’d become the confident person I’d always wanted to be.

Despite ‘solo travelling’ for 4 months, hardly a day went by that I was on my own. I had the time of my life in Australia, which was mostly down to the amazing people I met along my way. The people I met, turned from strangers to life-long friends in the space of hours, something that is unique to the travelling lifestyle, and something that I’ll be forever grateful for. If I hadn’t done things that scared me (i.e. talking to strangers) I would never have met some of the incredible people I could now call family.

Spontaneity is not something I ever used to enjoy, I had to make lists and do research before travelling anywhere. Now, I make decisions “for the plot”

and for the stories I’ll be able to tell the next day. Almost every one of my favourite memories from my gap year has been from deciding in the moment to just do it. Some of my favourite nights out were with people I’d met only 30 minutes before going out the door, and some of my favourite days were plans that were only made the night before. Being spontaneous is scary but it’s also exhilarating, and I promise those snap decisions will turn into the best memories.

I finish my gap year and 5 months of travel with no regrets. Yes, I made mistakes, but are you really living if you never make any at all? Instead of having regrets, I made sure to chalk them up to experience and turn them into stories I could laugh about later, and pieces of wisdom I’d wisely pass onto other travellers I met down the line. Having regrets the morning after the night before, will only take away from making better memories the next day, and looking back years later you won’t remember them anyway.

Through my year out, I have learnt a lot about myself and grown to embrace my independence and freedom that I’ve discovered travelling solo around the world, taking all the lessons I’ve learnt with me into my next adventure in September at University.

On Tuesday 9th May, Bruton was flooded

After a thunderstorm and prolonged heavy rain on Tuesday 9th May, Bruton was flooded. In under an hour, over 20mm of rain fell! The video compilation was filmed by pupils and staff around Bruton. It shows views to Lusty Bridge, Dropping Lane as a river past Lyon, water pouring over the wall at the bottom of Wellesley garden and the footbridge at King's over the River Brue. We are so grateful to our Grounds Team who helped with the clear up operation, clearing sand and stone debris from the road and pavement in Bruton with their tractor.

Learning to be a leader of the future

The L6th Form Leadership Conference was held at Blundells School and six of us attended. At first, we were put into groups with a mix of other pupils from a variety of schools, and listened to a deeply interesting talk about what makes a Leader, showing how everyone has a leader inside of them, you just need to tap into it in the right way. Not by being loudly opinionated, but by listening, collaborating, and adapting to the situations at hand. The next step was to move to a different area of the School but split into three groups.

First, my group attended a session on communication skills. There was a small talk about what communication involves, from listening to helping everyone have their say. We then split into even smaller groups to solve a maths puzzle, to give a clue to our next puzzle which was naming as many countries as possible of the world on a map. This taught us that even standing back can be helpful to let the mathematicians of our group solve the puzzles and to check with a calculator for them. After that we used our leadership skills to build a bridge out of newspaper and tape to withstand the weight of a phone at the highest point. There was a lot of laughs but overall, we learnt that teamwork and collaboration is key in a leader and to use everyone’s strengths combined to the teams advantage.

Next, we moved to look into conflict resolution. You might think that this is about how to break up a fight, but that is far from what this was about. We studied posture, body language, tone of voice and movements of the body to help people feel comfortable and to reassure them in what they could

say after a conflict of sort. This was extremely important in understanding how to approach younger pupils, especially to make sure they feel safe and heard.

A session on inclusivity, diversity and equality was next introduced to our groups, to implement how using everyone’s unique skillset, no matter what type of person you are, what makes a team a team, and what makes a leader, someone who uses everyone with their strengths to make sure no one is left behind.

This was all summarised in a small booklet which identified a colour wheel (C-me colour profiling) with four varying sections to what type of a leader you are: red, yellow, blue, or green. Red portraying boldness, optimism, and confidence. Yellow representing creativity, inspirational and openminded. Blue signifying realism, problem solving and detailed. Finally green showing consideration, patience, respect. I personally, through a small questionnaire we did beforehand, had a personal preference of the blue category, along with smaller sections of the other colours. This booklet was accurate, displaying strengths and areas for development, which was so fascinating to learn about myself and how I am in a team. In conclusion, the point I took back with the most importance is that anyone can be a leader, I used to think that a red personal preference was a leader, but anyone can be, even you.

I believe that more people should be exposed to this amazing process and personal learning curve to get a deeper understanding about yourself.

Eleanor Dolphin Editorial Team

Arion House L6th Form

A passion for trains and the railway...

Trains and the railway have been an interest for as long as I can remember. Even when I was just a few months old, my family and I would stand next to a bridge overlooking our local tube station, waving to them to get some toots back. Since then, my knowledge of the railway has grown to the point that I can draw an accurate map of the South West Network from memory.

To go and enjoy the trains, I tend to go out for “train days” where I spend the day going out to watch some high speed trains run by at speed at a specified station for a given time period. One of which, in 2019, was Bruton, where the newer High Speed Trains (this particular variant of livery nicknamed “the cucumber”) run through at 90mph going up or down the steep gradients. Another one was a trip to the London suburbs of Balcombe, where trains are at their fastest on that line, and Hemel Hempstead, where trains exceed 110mph. Everywhere I go, I try to make a train day out of it. When I lived in Australia, where even express trains are notoriously slow, I always tried to find train days.

I will continue to do so even through University and the later stages in life. After a gap year, I will read Civil Engineering at University, and plan to enter the workforce, specialising in the railway, where I can work with and enjoy my passion.

Click or scan the QR Code to watch a compilation of some of Alex’s Train Days.

Alex Blackford House U6th Form

The CCF NCO’s completed a 2 mile high skydive...

The philosophy of the current CCF NCO’s is to try new things. This time we took it to the extreme. Completing a tandem skydive on Sunday 14th May, from heights between 13,500 and 14,800ft. This is just over 2 miles above the Wiltshire countryside. The free fall took around 50 seconds traveling to speeds of 120mph.

We initially booked to do it in late December when we had the frost. Thankfully this was postponed till May. Despite the initial nerves of the day, they were soon shaken off by most people! The plane ride was the hardest part as there was so much anticipation. The instructors made us feel completely at ease and in safe hands. I would highly recommend everyone trying it! Once shaking off the nerves it is the most amazing feeling.

Isabella Arion House U6th Form

The Greenpower Challenge Final 2022 and the journey there

Ben Blackford House U6th Form and Bertie New House U6th Form

Our journey as the KSBMotorsport team has been a long one, with many intense moments along the way, the result we have managed to achieve as a small team in our first year is incredible.

On Sunday the 9th October, we took our team and a group of spectators to Goodwood in order to compete in the International Final for the F24+ racing series, with an outstanding result of third overall, we have achieved much more than anyone could believe when we took up this project just under 2 years ago.

With a troublesome early start to the day, the organisation and skill of the whole team was really put to the test and we all managed to show varying degrees of rapid problem solving and engineering style solutions to any issues that arose. Once we had arrived at the race track we got everything set up in record time leading to us getting a full session on the practice laps, giving us useful and positive insights towards the race later on that day.

By the time we returned to the paddock from the practice session, and had finished preparing the car for the big event, our spectators arrived providing immense amounts of moral support, and lifting the moods of the exhausted team ahead of the daunting race. And so the spectators went off to the viewing stands and, as crew, we then walked the car out onto the starting grid, performed all the final checks and retired to the control tower to watch the start.

From the moment the flags dropped it was a gripping race, with us making up many positions in the first lap, putting us in fourth in our class. After just 4 laps, we also managed to overtake the car in front of us placing us in third, which is where we then fought hard to remain right up until the very end of the race, an intense and nerve racking 45 minutes later.

With the 2022 Greenpower International Final completed, and with such an incredible result, the whole crew was elated with our final position, leading to many celebrations before and after the awards ceremony a few hours later.

This podium finish was very special for our founder and driver, Bertie, who’s late relative won a race at the very first Goodwood Revival in 1998.

This journey with its humble beginnings has ended up being a large and very influential part of our lives at school, and we speak for the whole team in saying that we have all gained valuable experience both on and off the track, in engineering, aerodynamics, sponsor relations and many other areas.

None of this would have been possible without our incredible group of sponsors who’s funding, support, and advice is the key contributor that has allowed us to come this far, and progress so well. And so we here at KSBMotorsport have to give our thanks to all of the people who believed in us and allowed us to achieve this dream.

Another much deserved thanks, is to the rest of the team, we have all been so enthusiastic about this project from the day we started it, and we truly do not believe that we would have managed these successes if anyone was not there, as we have all played crucial roles at varying points.

Bertie (Team Principal & Driver), Jack (Driver), Luke (Aerodynamics Engineer), Harvey (Bodywork Engineer), Bodo (Engineer), Ben (Head of Sponsorship Relations and Engineer), Tia (Engineer), Mr Nick Hart (Team Supervisor).

Driving for the KSBMotorSport 2023 Team

The first ever race that I went to watch was at the Greenpower Challenge Goodwood Final last year. I went to support our KSBMotorSport 2022 team. They let me sit in their car and see what it was like, and they talked me through what the Greenpower Challenge is all about. Once I settled in the car, I knew this was meant for me, and I knew I had an exciting journey ahead.

My first practice was at Haynes, where I practiced driving for 40 minutes around the track to get used to the car and to prepare me for the upcoming races. Driving the car made me feel full of freedom and independence, and I am proud to be able to be the driver for the KSBMotorSport 2023 team.

The first race was at Goodwood. This time, I came back as the driver, which was a dream come true. I couldn’t believe I was here being able to drive and compete in a huge race with other cars in different categories.

Once I was in the car, I knew I had a great team with me. They all worked so hard to get the car ready and do all the final checks.

Being in a car built by the School was exciting, and once the adrenaline got going, I was excited for the start and finish of the race, and it made me fight my fear of being scared I’d disappoint the team.

The race at Chivenor was amazing. Not only did I come in 1st Place, but it really made me experience the progress from my first practice to this race, and it also showed me how determined I was and amazed at my own self that I could achieve such an outstanding place with a great team supporting me throughout.

I love driving, especially in competitions, and Chivenor and Goodwood really gave me the opportunity to expand my experience and for me to learn and improve.

Hannah Arion House L6th Form

Paying tribute to Her Late Majesty The Queen

A race against the clock to pay our respects...

On Thursday 15th September at 3pm, Mr Hambleton and I jumped into my battered old VW Golf and headed for Basingstoke Station. The Queen’s death had deeply moved us both and we were keen to travel to London to pay our respects as she lay in state inside Westminster Hall. We had been watching the rolling news and decided that in the midst of busy boarding school life, this evening was the optimum moment to try and make the visit work - especially, if we were going to see The Queen and be back at school in time to not miss any lessons the next day.

At Basingstoke we boarded a 4.30pm train and were at Paddington by 5.30pm. By now the queue to visit Her Late Majesty The Queen Lying in State was stretching further than ever. We sprinted through the underpasses, raced along the Tube all the way to Bermondsey and then ran to join the queue at Bermondsey Beach at 6pm on the dot. Not bad: three hours from the Memorial Hall in Bruton to the bank of the River Thames! We knew the timings were going to be tight - very tight if we were going to be back at King's in time for tutor period at 8.30am the following morning. Disaster: the queue didn’t move for a whole hour! We just stood, worrying more and more about the mistake we had made - “we’re fools!”. And then suddenly an official appeared out of nowhere, gave us a wrist pass and the queue began to walk, then jog, and then run. Indeed, we sprinted in our school suits all the way through to the Southbank and Globe Theatre. It was there that the proper queuing began, a deadly slow shuffle all the way to the Houses of Parliament.

The evening was thankfully balmy warm and the sites to us rural Somerset

boys were a delight to take in. As Brits, this was the queue to end all queueswe’re a nation of expert queuers and this was our time to shine! Indeed, our experience of the queue saw us encounter a genuine sense of community, friendship and support with our fellow shufflers. We soaked up the time reminiscing about The Queen, chatting to those nearby, making phone calls and doing quick runs to buy drinks and food.

11pm came and we crossed Lambeth Bridge - five hours of queueing and we were just a stone’s throw from Parliament. This would be a breeze! Little did we know we were about to enter the purgatory that was Victoria Gardens - a never ending zig-zag of barriers where we limped along for nearly another three hours. 1.45am arrived and things were getting alarmingly close to the wire. We said to one another that if we didn’t make it inside within the next thirty minutes, we’d have to bail in order to catch the last viable train that would mean we were back at King's by 8.30am. Success! At 2am we entered the Palace of Westminster, and at 2.05am we were honoured to be able to pay our respects to Her Late Majesty as she lay in state.

It’s hard to put into words how moving the experience was. It will stay with me for life. Just a year earlier when I was ordained into the Church of England, I had publicly sworn that, “I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs andsuccessors,accordingtolaw:Sohelp me God”. As Head of the Church, The Queen was in effect my boss. Her strong and public Christian faith had been one of the most inspiring examples for my own faith. This was my chance to say, “thank you”, and to thank God for her life of exemplary service as she lived out following Jesus Christ, the Servant King. As I approached her coffin, I prayed the General Thanksgiving prayer and I’m

unashamed to admit that as I walked away there was a tear in my eye.

We then found ourselves walking up Whitehall all the way to Trafalgar Square. The Tube was shut, and we desperately needed a taxi to get us to Paddington Station. Ubers were fully booked, but a Bolt car came to the rescue. We dared not fall asleep on the train back to Basingstoke for fear of missing our stop. The car journey back to Bruton was fuelled by diesel and a lot of Red Bull. It was 6.40am when we arrived in Bruton. Enough for us to get an hour’s “sleep” in our beds before being back in for tutor period and lessons - mixed with the occasional nap here and there!

Was it worth it? You bet. Will we ever forget it? Never. After all The Queen had done for us, it felt appropriate and fitting that we should say farewell to her inperson. May she rest in peace and rise in glory!

Rev’d George Beverly Foundation Chaplain

Click or scan the QR Code to watch a video of Mr Hambleton and Rev’d Beverly paying their respects.

A Service Marking the Death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has affected us all in varying ways...

For our ancient and royal foundation, who The Queen had visited in 2019, the news was hard felt by many of us. On the morning of Friday 9th September, we gathered as a school community in the Memorial Hall for a service to mark the occasion. We sang The Queen’s favourite hymn, took our sorrows and concerns before God in prayer, gave thanks for The Queen’s faithful service, and dwelt on eternal truths of comfort found in passages of scripture that The Queen especially admired. The service closed with us praying for the new King Charles III and singing the National Anthem.

Click or scan the QR Code to watch our Service Marking the Death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Ididn’texpecttofeeltheemotionsI feltlearningoftheQueen’spassing andwatchingherfuneral.It’sanodd feelingtolosesomeonesointegral toone’scultureyetalsososeemingly remote,likelosingtheframeofan artworkorthestageofaplay.Ididn’t realisehowstrangelycomfortingit wastohaveknowledgethatshewas alwaysthere,inthebackground,asa stableconstantinthelivesofsomany ofus.Nowthatshe’snolongerthere, manyofusareleftfeelingunusually empty.Yet,Ialsofeltastrangesense ofhopewatchingherfuneral.The stirringbagpipesandtheenduring measuredmarchingevokedsome unexpectedpassioninme,andIwas surprisedathowconnectedIfelt totheeventandtoallthepeople involved.Icertainlywon’tforgetit.

Click or scan the QR Code to read our book about Her Late Majesty The Queen’s visit to King's.

Rev’d George Beverly - Foundation Chaplain

Charlie U6th Form Arion House

Emil from Germany tells us what he thinks of King's Bruton

I am a student from Germany who spent a year at King's Bruton. Although the first few weeks were a bit difficult, as I had to get used to the language, and the school system is so different from my experience in Germany, it got better day by day thanks to the relaxed and friendly teaching atmosphere, as well as patient help from the teachers.

During the year, I gained a lot of experience and found that our learning was enriched by trips and visits outside school. The first highlight was the joint excursion of the Politics pupils and the international pupils to London, where we saw the Houses of Parliament from the inside, and the areas of the city where important politicians lived and worked.

The Politics and History Departments also organized a trip to Northern Ireland to visit the Irish Parliament, too. What an opportunity to see such interesting places, especially for me as a Politics student! We international pupils also had another glimpse at the local surroundings and culture when we went to Wookey Hole Caves and visited the amazing Wells Cathedral, where the School Chapel Choir sometimes sings.

I thought that school would be just lots of learning, but here at King's the pupils enjoy fun opportunities as well. At the end of the Christmas term, we went bowling in Bristol with my House, and ended the evening with an all you can eat dinner. There is never a dull moment, thanks to the variety of activities that take place every afternoon, as well as the wide range of sports on offer. Every term, there are different possibilities of what you can do as a sport. You can take part in anything from rugby to hockey to athletics. The School offers a great opportunity to play

and learn different instruments through the new and modern “Queen Elizabeth Music School”, and through regular concerts, you have the opportunity to perform what you have learned. Nervewracking, but it gives you a sense of achievement.

What was very new for me as a German student, was that there was the opportunity to become part of the Combined Cadet Forces (CCF), which is a youth organisation of the British Ministry of Defence. We did a lot with the cadets, from drills to shooting live ammunition on a trip to the Yoxter Ranges. Being able to fire live ammunition was quite a responsibility. Thanks to the great organisation of Major Barrow, all the officers and the NCOs, there was always something new for me to learn every week. The highlight of my time with the cadets was the Biennial Inspection, where the Contingent was inspected by Commander James Dible. Careful preparation meant that, thank goodness, we got a great inspection report.

In my boarding house, New House, I received a warm and friendly welcome from the very beginning and made many friends in the first week. The House community always provided a supportive atmosphere. No matter what problem you had, you could always turn to the Housemaster, Mr Marshfield, or our House Matron, Claire, and they always tried to find a solution for the problem as quickly as possible. I am very grateful for the wonderful year I had at this school, and I think it was one of the best years of my life that I will remember forever.

Click or scan the QR Code to read more about the trip to Wells and watch a video.

A future in film, “Well, nobody’s perfect.”

Since 1888 we have been experimenting with film, with every film maker trying to develop their perfect concoction of film theory to blow our minds. Many have succeeded, but only a few have succeeded in making the perfect film. In truth, this is up to the individual to judge. Marvel, for many people, is as good as films get, but I think not. Perfect films are refined and sensitive blends of breakable and changeable rules that you can completely ignore if you so please. This prose builds the timeless Classics we love and admire. The Shawshank Redemption, The Deer Hunter, Platoon, Master and Commander, Casablanca and Gladiator.

From a young age, inspired by these films that have made such an impression, I became wary that true seminal ideas may slip away from us. For a career I want to make films that continue to meet the standards of the Classics. The year 2000 was the moment in which the golden era of film ground to a halt, my aim is to change that.

As a part of Art GCSE course work, we looked at the human figure. Very kindly, various staff from Drama to Marketing and, of course, the Art Department itself, provided me with the equipment and help needed to make a 2-minute Film Noir style sketch, showing the human figure through harsh shadows, light and haze. With fellow 4th Form pupil, Daniel, as the star, together over several nights and many hours in the editing suite, we finished our short film. I believe through no fault of Daniel’s, that there is more I could have done to enhance it and future projects will hopefully be more effective. Luckily that is what the rest of my years will be there to work on.

Archie Blackford House 4rd Form

Editor's Note: Archie preferred not to include a link to his film, but I would like to point out that Mr Cole and Mrs Warren thought the film was absolutely brilliant and look forward to Archie's next Film Noir very much.

Has the Beautiful Game become unattractive?

The selection of Qatar to host this year's FIFA World Cup brought cheers to the streets of Doha in a celebration of the first edition of the tournament to be held in the Arab world. However, the choice of Qatar back in 2010 has also been marked by controversy and criticism. In this article, I want to explain why Qatar is such a controversial host nation for the World Cup, and argue why it is right for footballers to enter the political debate surrounding the controversy. Though it should be stated, it is a shame for the beautiful game to be tainted by the ugly political debate, however, the harsh realities that accompany FIFA’s decision to host in Qatar should not be ignored.

Why is the Qatari World Cup controversial?

Working conditions.

Despite the importance of such a significant event, we cannot ignore the exploitation and slaughter of thousands of migrant workers in not only Qatar but the wider Middle East. In 2021, an investigation carried out by the Guardian found that more than

6500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since 2010, from causes such as workplace accidents, suicides and heat-related illnesses. It was under these awful conditions that yet more immigrants were forced to build hotels and the stadium for the event - failure to do so would see them lose their visa and be deported. To force innocent men and women to work under these deadly conditions is a blatant abuse of human rights. Though human rights are not protected in the Middle East, as well as they are in Europe (under the European Convention on Human Rights), we should recognise that all people on this planet have a claim to human rights. FIFA should have worked harder to protect the rights of those who were abused during the construction of the host resort.

Environmental reasons.

In regard to the environmental state of Qatar it was a poor choice of location to host a World Cup. In an age where we are ever striving to become greener and kinder to the environment, Qatar seemed an odd choice. Qatar has a very dry environment with temperatures

regularly reaching 40°C. The amount of water required to grow and maintain a grass pitch in those conditions would be far more than usual, suggesting little thought was paid to the green priorities of many nations competing in the event. Moreover, an immense surplus of electricity was required to power the air conditioning that prevented heatstroke among the players and the crowd. Yet again, another unneeded environmental consequence of bad decision-making uninterrupted by the football community.

Bribery and corruption.

Unfortunately, the driving factor for the unlikely choice of Qatar was down to the sinister nature of corrupt enterprise. The selection was announced in 2010 after a series of votes by FIFA officials. Qatar won out over bids by the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Australia. The selection of Qatar has long been dogged by allegations of bribery and corruption. For example, it is believed that gas deals between countries had a major influence over the voting for who would host the World Cup finals. Moreover, about a dozen

of the FIFA officials involved in the selection have since received bans from the organization - including its former president Blatter - or been indicted over allegations of corruption. In 2019, French soccer great, and former head of European soccer, Michel Platini, was arrested during an investigation into a $2 million payment connected to his efforts to bring the World Cup to Qatar. This would suggest that FIFA itself cannot be trusted with producing a truly fair ethos for football. Minority

rights.

Perhaps one of the biggest topics in this debate next to workers’ rights would be the abuse to minority rights during the World Cup. LGBTQ members of the football community were forced to make the difficult decision to let go of their fundamental values in order to spectate and participate in the games. In a recent interview, a Qatari ambassador for the World Cup described homosexuality as “damage in the mind”. This outdated, disgusting view is thought to be a fact in Qatar; sex between men is punishable by up to seven years in prison. The decision to host an event of inclusion and acceptance between all nations, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations in a country that persecutes the majority of our society’s progressive views is utterly baffling.

Should footballers be political?

It’s certainly tough to admit that politics has a place within the sport of football. From asking my school peers the question “should football be political?” they all responded strongly against the idea. However, when posed with the question “should football be political in order to protect the rights of minorities and workers?” many responses were more supportive of politics and football. The Qatar World Cup bubble demonstrated that FIFA cannot be trusted to protect the great game in all its glory. Their regrettable decisions have watered the seeds of corruption within the sport. The faith must now lie in the players on the pitch to do what is right in the circumstances. Arab nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Mauritania severed relations with Qatar wanting to remove it as host of the World Cup, deeming it a "base of terrorism." In order to protect the good nature of football and prevent further abuse of human rights related to the great game, boycotts and protests against these events are the only things that can bring about change, and the players are the people to do it. No one wants politics in football, but unfortunately, football has now entered politics. We cannot ignore it, we cannot deny it, footballers and fans must act.

Dolphin Interview Ms Bell-West Swimming

Coach

The Dolphin Editorial Team were very pleased to have the opportunity to interview one of King's influential sporting figures.

Ms Bell-West is an accomplished swimmer with years of experience from peak performances swimming for GB in the World Championships, being part of the GB Lifesaving Team, competing in Surf Races and winning medals.

It was inspiring to learn how she had attained such a high level of athleticism despite facing challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic and setbacks from injuries.

One important message from this interview which stood out was to maintain a balance between sport and daily life using an acronym she has coined the 3Ps; Planning, Prioritizing, and Play. She also stressed the importance of maintaining separate attitudes towards competing in sport and not competing in life, as not everything is a competition. In her own words it is very important to “understand when to competeandwhentobeateam.”

This interview has shed light onto the importance of listening to your own body and limits, and to seek support when you need it. We are extremely grateful that we were able to conduct this interview and wish Ms Bell-West well in her future within King's and her outstanding sport.

Isabel Dolphin Editorial Team

Arion House L6th Form

Eleanor Dolphin Editorial Team

Arion House L6th Form

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Abagael Hyde

In the five years since I left King's, I have been extremely lucky to have travelled quite extensively, and completed a degree in Sociology. After King's, I joined Sherborne Prep School as a Gap Student. I was inspired by the environment, which spurred me on to implement Education into my degree. I then travelled around Europe with my fellow gap students and journeyed to Australia with my brother before starting university back in Oxford.

My time at Oxford Brookes University was unforgettable. Straightaway, I joined the Oxford Brookes Hockey Club and auditioned for the University Big Band, which were two huge parts of my time at university. Although Covid

changed my university experience, I still enjoyed three years that I’ll remember forever. I have spent the last six amazing months traveling around South East Asia and Australia, and am now living and working just outside of Sydney with my Australian family. My next plan is to backpack around New Zealand before returning home to start a career in Education by completing my PGCE.

The friends I made at King's have been integral parts of the last 5 years since leaving, most of whom I still view as close friends. I have even bumped into a few OBs while here in Australia! King's helped build friendships for life, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Abagael Hyde

Cycling up Mont Ventoux, one of the hardest climbs in the Tour de France

My wife, Helen, asked me several months ago if I thought a cycling holiday in Provence would be a good way to spend half term, which I readily agreed to, despite not having cycled much over the past year. Helen has been cycling regularly with Bruton Cycling Club, and what she failed to mention to me was that the itinerary would include the ascent of Mont Ventoux (1912m), one of the hardest climbs in the Tour de France.

Mont Ventoux is an iconic climb in cycling and resonates with British cyclists as it was near the summit that Tommy Simpson died in the 1967 Tour de France. Many cyclists will leave a water bottle, cap or jersey on the Simpson memorial, set on the right of the road in the lunar landscape of bare limestone rock.

We hired excellent road bikes that certainly proved their worth, as we finished our first day’s ride in the wonderful Dentelles de Montmirail, while the second day saw us cycling up to, and then descending down through the majestic Gorges de Nesques. The rides were all through wonderful landscapes of poplar trees, vineyards, cherry orchards and medieval hilltop villages and towns.

Mont Ventoux dominates the whole Vaucluse area, and we looked up at it with awe and apprehension as we concluded the early rides. We decided to take the most-used Tour de France route up the mountain via Bedoin and then descend the north side to Malaucene, the usual finish for the Tour de France stage. The ascent starts gently but then ramps up to an average of 4.5% through a forest. I was pleased that I had spent May getting some hill training in, but

inevitably, the only cyclist I overtook was certainly aged over 75!

Still, Helen and I continued to push up through the forest, despite the gradient increasing to 9%. Admittedly, we did stop periodically, but in two hours of climbing, we reached Chalet Reynard, the restaurant before the last climb up to the summit. We left the treeline and started cycling up through the rocky slopes, with the Mont Ventoux summit and observatory looking down on us, seemingly within touching distance, but actually another hour’s climb away. The final slopes increase to 11% and both tiredness and altitude take their toll, but we both made the summit in three hours.

I would like to say that I admired the view, but I was pretty exhausted, if proud of what we had achieved. The 20km continual descent to Malaucene for lunch was incredible, as were the final two days of riding through the Luberon hills. It was an amazing cycling holiday with Mont Ventoux dominating the week’s experience.

Our Gold DofE teams successfully completed the Snowdonia challenge

Following a successful practice on Exmoor in March, on the 25th May 2023, ten intrepid L6th Form pupils travelled up in glorious weather to Snowdonia, all in good spirits, despite the 5 hour drive. The first night, before they began, was spent at a lovely and secluded campsite next to a lake, which allowed them some time to gather their thoughts in preparation for the challenge ahead… while fighting off the midges.

On the first day of trekking, the groups set off from the village of Trawsfynydd full of vim and vigour. After a little misstep or two, they found that the navigation started to come naturally again and they started to make good progress as they trekked around Llyn Trawsfynydd. They took in the strangely juxtaposed view of a Magnox nuclear power station as they turned north towards the mountains and the alpacas! They gratefully arrived at the campsite where they found a stream to bathe and some more midges. It was a hot and successful day and a great start to their adventure.

Day two, another glorious day with baking sun. The groups set off southeast of the Tanygrisiau reservoir and climbed up to the north of the lake via the western edge following the Festiniog Trainline past the hydroelectric power station. After a short stop to refuel they started up to the gap between the two peaks of their first mountain, Moelwyn Mawr, and the Llyn Stwlan reservoir near the top. A testing ascent was rewarded by views across the national park, they descended to a verdant valley and were given a final briefing before their wild camp, the experience gained on this day cannot be overestimated.

On the third day they set off early after a successful wild camp. The day was spent navigating through the Beddgelert forest south-west of Snowdon itself. The mountains loomed over them as they enjoyed the shade of the trees on what was the hottest of the days that they were out walking. They arrived at Snowdon base camp, where they celebrated Ollie’s birthday and started to prepare themselves mentally for the last challenge.

The final day was the biggest challenge of the lot, a climb up to the peak of the tallest mountain in England and Wales, no mean feat when you are carrying a 70 litre rucksack on your back. A super early start in cool weather was the order of the day as they set off to find their route up the mountain. They walked the Snowden ranger path and made great time, the first group getting to the top after just under 3 hours of climbing. The views from the top were astounding, as were the gusts of wind. The satisfaction of completing the greatest of their challenges was self-evident. It was a relatively gentle stroll down the Llanberis path back to the minibus and the final completion of their Gold DofE qualifying expedition. A final debrief from Steve (the DofE assessor) and we were off back to Bruton with ten exhausted but happy, and mostly sleeping, teenagers. Many thanks to Mrs Dixon, Steve and Tilly the Dog for making it such a successful and enjoyable adventure.

Gareth Thompson DofE Leader Watch a documentary style video filmed by the pupils.

Glory to Ukraine!

My name is Stas (short for Stanislav). I was born in Odessa but live in Kiev in Ukraine with my parents and my brother. I’m a typical teenager - I like to do computer programming and play video games. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, I went to a school in Kiev and had a particular focus on maths.

When Russia invaded, I was in Kiev with my brother, but my parents were in Odessa seeing my grandmother. They raced back to Kiev and one day later we went to our friend’s house in Lviv. I wanted to stay in Kiev, I was calm about the situation, but looking back I can understand why we made the move - especially because my mother and brother were feeling anxious. It’s interesting how the war affects people differently. For example, one night in Lviv there was a Russian missile that hit an oil refinery near us. The explosion caused my mother and brother to run for safety under the stairs, but my father and I were not as affected (in fact, I slept through it!).

We remained in Lviv until April/May at which point I moved with my brother and mother to the UK. My father had to stay in the country because he is a physically able adult. I had a mixture of feelings about coming to the UK - on the one hand, it would be interesting, but on the other, I was sad to leave my country and be far away from friends and family.

When we arrived, we at first stayed with a sponsor - a contact of my father’s. He and my father are both lawyers and have been involved in the past in taking legal action against many people including some Russians. After a few weeks we moved to Bruton. My first impression of Bruton was that it was a tiny place - very small, and therefore it would be really boring compared to a big city like Kiev. How wrong I was! I

have ended up enjoying living in Bruton and have found it really interesting. I have especially enjoyed visiting all the galleries and taking in the art - it’s incredible!

My first day at King's was the beginning of the second half of the Summer Term. It was weird having to wear a uniform; at my school in Kiev we don’t wear a uniform. However, even though the uniform is not to my taste, I realise how beneficial it is to helping with productivity and building community. King's is brilliant - I love it here. Particular things I like are: New House (the best House!), the science lessons, an awesome maths department, and activities (photography, TGI, and astrophotography). The big difference here is that the lessons are not boring - they are far more exciting than most lessons back at home in Kiev. In Ukraine the teachers are usually stricter, and there is no drama, a little music, and a small amount of sport. I want to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am for all the chances I am given here at King's. I am improving academicallyin many ways it has been nice to have a fresh start. I also want to say how proud I am to be part of Ukraine and long for the day that we can return.

The war has been devastating for Ukraine. The start of the war saw huge damage done to Kiev. Buildings were destroyed, water and electricity cut off.

Stas New House 4th Form

It was very frightening for so many people. Now, our defences in Kiev are far stronger - Russian missiles are shot down out the sky (some people call it a “firework display!”). Also, we have become used to the background of warfare. However, in the East it is obviously much worse, especially near the frontline and in the illegally occupied territories. From what I have heard, so much in the East has been utterly destroyed. It makes us feel angry, sad and sometimes scared. War is horrific.

My hopes for the future are for the war to end. I also hope that Ukraine will soon be accepted into the EU and NATO. I want people to realise that life as part of Russia isn’t a life. It’s also important to remember: Just because the media are not talking about the war so much, it doesn’t mean that the war has become any easier. Also, everyone needs to appreciate that if we lose, it won’t be the end; Russia will go for another country - probably one of the Baltic states.

Slava Ukrayini!

From Ireland to King's Bruton to play cricket

As an international student at King's Bruton, I am very fortunate to be spending the summer term here, which involves playing cricket fixtures on behalf of King's Bruton for the 1st XI side. King's Bruton offers a unique blend of sporting and academic excellence. King's have incredible facilities onsite with 3 full cricket pitches, indoor and outdoor nets, a gym, tennis, hockey courts and much more.

Mr Crump leads the cricket programme at King's Bruton, which involves a focus on individual and team cricket skill development, assisted by Mr Godfrey. Mr Crump and Mr Godfrey are very experienced and knowledgeable and have a real passion for the game. The training is tailored to individual players and the coaches really work in a very positive manner, supporting all the players on the team. This creates a clear spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork which benefits everyone. From a player perspective, the experience is allowing me to play very different formats - T30, T35, Declaration, One Day with a very

strong team, some of whom play at county cricket level. As part of my role here, I assist Mr Crump with coaching the younger team (U14A) and get to work with some very promising young talent at the School. I really enjoy this experience, seeing the younger students further develop skill and a love for the game.

In addition to sport, King's Bruton offers an excellent academic programme. The small class sizes lead to individual support and attention, and combined with committed teachers, the experience is very positive. Classes are set up to encourage both learning and discussion and I have been easily welcomed into all my classes. This has made the transition to King's Bruton a very smooth one.

In terms of boarding, my House, Blackford, overseen by Mr Bunday, has a really warm and welcoming atmosphere, which has made me feel at home straight away. The boarders in Blackford are a really great group of people. The Thursday evening House Night is a clear favourite for me and

Ben Blackford House

L6th Form

sees Blackford boys enjoy a wide range of activities in a spirit of fun, respect and inclusion. Many Blackford boys are keen cricketers, which has certainly helped my boarding experience!

Finally, I can’t overstate what a positive experience this has been for me. A huge thanks to Mr Crump who has gone above and beyond to support me in King's for this term. I have been very fortunate to have been welcomed so readily into such a positive tightknit community from a boarding, academic and sporting perspective. I would recommend King's Bruton to any student who wished to hone their cricketing skills in a competitive and positive environment, within a school based community.

Catching up with our musical leavers

Catching up with our musical leavers

It is very exciting to have a new Leavers’ Destination board in The Queen Elizabeth Music School, with details of Old Brutonians who have left King’s to study a music-related degree, or who have been awarded a University or Cathedral Choral Scholarship. It serves as a reminder of the high-calibre of musicians we are fortunate to have at King’s, and importantly, that these pupils were inspired by their experiences to read music at undergraduate level and beyond. We catch up with a few of our musical leavers.

Lauren Glover

I was at King's from 2013 to 2015. I graduated from RWCMD with first class BMus (Hons) (2016-2020) and went on to complete an MA in Arts Management at RWCMD (2020-2021). After leaving education, I worked as Programme Coordinator (Community, Health and Wellbeing) for Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Some of the projects organised included:

Family Orchestra (multi-generational music making bridging generational social gaps.

Recovery Orchestra - working in

Partnerships with Bristol Drugs Project to support recovering substance abusers.

Rusty Musicians & Not so Rusty Musicians - providing side-by-side opportunities for “rusty” and aspiring musicians to play with BSO musicians.

Dementia-friendly Cake Concerts where audience members enjoy a performance in a relaxed environment.

Care Home Concerts - bringing the concert hall to those who can no longer attend.

BSO Resound - BSO’s professional disabled-led ensemble. Various

I was at King's from 2011 to 2016. Having completed my undergraduate degree in Architecture, I am now studying part time for a Masters in Architecture at the London School of Architecture, whilst working for an architect. Happily, music still is a part of my life. I currently sing for the London based ‘City of London Choir’ and for the roving Kingsbury Singers.

I have many happy memories of my time at King's with a few chuckleworthy highlights including Callum Thorner and I singing the plainchant for Allegri’s Misere Mei using a concealed earphone in order to keep in tune; and having to play the saxophone with one hand, whilst holding up my trousers with the other, after my braces gave way marching down the high street on Remembrance Sunday.

Otherwise, I’m simply immensely

grateful to all the music staff. It’s difficult not to lapse into cliché or sentimentality, but I will say that I arrived at King's having been kicked out of my former choir and having barely played the saxophone beyond the confines of my living room. Yet somehow, the music school spotted an inkling of potential, and with patience; talent; and energy, kindled perhaps the most rewarding and important set of skills that I now possess.

performances across the South West, joint concert and collaboration with National Open Youth Orchestra (NOYO) and partnership residencies with Royal Northern Sinfonia’s ‘Moves’ ensemble.

I had a break from playing music due to a shoulder injury after graduating, but have been getting involved again over recent months and enjoying it very much. I’m currently performing with the Fulltone Orchestra which is based in the South West and features a mix of professional and semiprofessional musicians. In February / March I played in a series of concerts featuring a collection of film music

and Karl Jenkins’ Symphonic Adiemus in Wells Cathedral, Bath Abbey and Cirencester Abbey. The next patch we have coming up is a tour with West End singer Lucie Jones in Reading Hexagon, Bournemouth Pavilion, Bath Forum and St David’s Hall in Cardiff. After thatwho knows!

Life’s been a little hectic the last few years with studying and travelling lots with work, but now things are settling down and we’re in our new home I’d like to take on some students and get back into teaching alongside gigging.

My life would have been completely different if I hadn’t have gone to King's.

I had opportunities given to me and doors opened that would have otherwise remained closed. I had fantastic and frequent performance opportunities which, while the nerves of performing never really go away completely, certainly helped me learn to manage them. I loved being a part of so many different types of ensemble that things never had a chance to get remotely boring. Swing into Spring was a huge highlight of the year for me. I remember dropping and breaking the tenor saxophone five minutes before we went on stage, so Mr Marshfield very kindly let me borrow his for the night!

Sam Young

Catching up with our musical leavers

Eleanor Little

I was at King's from 2012 to 2016. After leaving King's I went to the University of Bristol to study Medical Microbiology. After three days of studying Science, I realised I had made a terrible mistake and changed to study Music - the University were very supportive of me doing this and I’m so pleased I decided to change course! Whilst studying, I played bassoon and contrabassoon in the University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Symphonic Winds and Baroque Ensemble, whilst also doing several solo recitals and playing in the orchestra for various opera projects. I was awarded the Sir Thomas Beecham Scholarship for Outstanding Orchestral playing. I also played with several local orchestras during uni.

I had always sung at King's but never really considered myself a singeronce I got to uni that changed! I was a choral scholar with Clifton Cathedral Choir for four years and then a Choral Exhibitioner for a further two years, which included singing on the live BBC broadcast for Midnight Mass in 2020, which was an incredible experience! I was also the Organ Scholar at Clifton Cathedral for two years, which involved working with the Junior Choir and sang with the University Singers. Outside of the university ensembles I also sang with the Fitzhardinge Consort and the Melgas Consort, alongside depping at Bristol Cathedral.

I was the Chamber Music Coordinator for Bristol University Music Society (BUMS) and the Social Secretary for Bristol University Operatic Society (BOpS) and I’m not quite sure how I managed to fit in my degree! Although I prefer singing in a choir, I did perform in two operas - part of the chorus Hydrogen Jukebox by Phillip Glass (for the UK premier) and performed the role of the Cock in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen. I was also a Witch in Opera in a Box’s production of Macbeth in February/March 2020, and conducted Hansel and Gretel for

Love Opera in 2018!

After completing my undergraduate degree (graduated First Class in July 2019) I decided to go into teaching. I did my PGCE in Secondary Music Education at the University of Bristol 2019-2020 (which was a terrible time to train to be a teacher!). I now teach Music in a secondary school in Dorset and absolutely adore my job - I get to make music every day and teach the next generation about it!

I really enjoyed returning to King's for the opening of the new music school and being able to sing for The Queen was a fantastic experience - I have recently sung at a funeral where the King was in attendance so I feel very lucky that I have sung for both in my lifetime!

I still sing with The Fitzhardinge Consort (Bristol based), The Melgas Consort (Bristol based) and am often back at Clifton Cathedral for services! I also dep with Bath Camerata (where Ashley Marshfield also sings) and for Wells Cathedral as part of their Schola Cantorum. I also have been doing more work as a soloist since leaving university - highlights include being the soprano soloist for Faure Requiem with the University of Bristol Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Vivaldi Gloria and The Creation with The Phoenix Choir, amongst others. I do some orchestral work as a bassoonist and have set up a wind quintet in the last year. My fiance is also a musician and we both attend a summer music course with many of our friends which is the highlight of the year!

I spent most of my time at King's in the (old) Music Department and got involved in as many ensembles as possible - including learning the trombone one summer so that I could play in Big Band! I remember all my Music teachers very fondly, including Peripatetic staff - I was back in Bruton for a concert a few weeks ago and many of the peri staff were there and it was so lovely to catch up with them all! Winning Inter-House Music in 2016 was also one of my proudest moments at King's - I don’t think Wellesley had ever won before (and haven’t since?) - perhaps then I should have considered going into Music teaching!

Oscar Farrell

I was at King's from 2012 to 2017. After leaving King’s I went on to study Music at Newcastle Uni, followed by a Master’s in Electronic Music at Guildhall. After finishing my master’s last summer I’ve been working as a music director, building live shows for artists such as Sampha, Lil Silva, and George Fitzgerald, as well as writing production music and my own tracks.

My life revolves around music. I write music under my own name as well as DJing around the UK and Europe. My aim is to focus on writing and performing more in the future. I’ve just started building my first live show, so I hope to start touring it in the next year or so.

My experience at King's really set the path for everything I do now, although I never would have guessed it when I was hiding away in the old

Joe Loughrey

I was at King's from 2015 to 2020. I have been studying music technology at the London College of music (University of West London) and am currently in the process of doing my Final Major Project alongside two other projects to finish my degree. My major project researches the innovation and development web3 can bring to the music industry, how releasing music (in my case as sample packs) compares to current means, and what could become of IP and distribution in the future with the help of blockchain technology and NFTs.

Playing music has become less and less a part of my life over my time at uni mostly due to time, as I work a part time job as a sales associate as well as my course and my social life. However, I believe covid had a big part to play too as my course was online only for the first year, meaning none of the groups were running and there was

cupboard of a music tech room making music that was incredibly bad. It’s lovely and also quite funny how things like the harmony I learnt from singing in choirs and techniques from recording the Big

Band have come in so useful when I’m sitting in a studio surrounded by cables or playing a gig on a festival stage.

no opportunity to get involved. As my workload increased in year two I found it hard to get stuck in. I do miss playing my instruments in bands and groups and would love to find some after I graduate.I am very interested in exploring web3 and the music industry in greater depth, I am intrigued to see what developments there will be in the next decade.

I enjoyed the opportunity to return to King's recently to help out in the Military Band for Remembrance Day. It reminded me how much I enjoyed playing in all

the different groups, bands, and choirs that I did over the five years. Special mentions for me have to be the trip to Paris in 3rd Form, every Swing into Spring, leading Inter-House Music music for Blackford, jazz performances with the sextet, singing in St Paul’s Cathedral, my performance with the orchestra, and last but very much not least the amazing opportunity to sing and play the fanfare for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Thank you to Ashley, David, and Oliver for an amazing musical experience at King's.

Catching up with our musical leavers

Imogen Moore

I was at King's from 2012-2017. I went to the University of Chichester, initially to study Musical Theatre and Acting for Film, before changing to BA Music Performance in my second year. I graduated in 2021 with first class honours. I then completed a PGCE in Secondary Music, also at Chichester. I graduated from this in 2022. Since then I have been teaching singing at the Forest School in Horsham, and at Colgate Primary School. I also teach singing privately. I run three choirs within schoolsForest and Hazelwick.

I sing with the Chichester Chorale which is a choir based in Chichester. I used to be a choral scholar at Arundel Cathedral. I was also in the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, notably performing the Once in Royal David’s City solo in the Royal Albert Hall in 2019. I occasionally sing with the Boundstone Chorus in Lancing. In the last few years I have also performed with the East Sussex Bach Choir in Lewes, Eastbourne Choral Society in Eastbourne and the Baroque Collective Singers in Lewes. I would love to sing with a professional choir such as Tenebrae or The Sixteen.

The reason I do what I do now is because of Ashley Marshfield. His

Hetta Campbell

I was at King's from 2014 to 2019, and went on to do my undergraduate degree in Musical Arts at the University of Salford.

I graduated last summer (2022) and then enrolled on the music composition masters course at Salford uni which I hope to graduate from in August!

In my first year of uni I played in

passion for choral music grew my love of it, and I will be forever grateful for that! I loved going on choir tours, to Belgium in 2013 and Paris in 2016 (I think!). Performing a solo in La Madelaine and singing in the solo quartet in Allegri's Miserere in Notre Dame is something I’ll never forget! Also performing in evensongs at different cathedrals around the country.

the university wind band, but due to Covid these groups were suspended for a while, and then in second year I decide to focus on my composition and dropped the performance module to take up audio for media. As well as my composition, I’m currently researching about sound healing and how we can use different frequencies to help heal and benefit peoples general wellbeing and mental health. For my final negotiated project for my masters, I’m hoping to write 45 minutes worth of music incorporating elements of sound healing, and potentially perform it to an

audience in a gig/ dj set setting.

I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today without the help and patience of Mr Marshfield and Mr Gorodi at King's, so I’m super grateful.

Watch a video of Hetta’s masters work in music.

I was at King's from 2020 until 2022 for 6th Form, and I am now studying Music Production and Music Business at York St John Universitiy. Music is now an even bigger part of my life. I have been doing music and sound design for animation students and I have applied to work with the York Theatre to record a performance!

I could see myself working in the music industry doing anything to do with music and sound design. Looking back at King's, I would love to mention how supportive my teachers were, especially Mr Marshfield, Mr Higgs and Mr Tupman for being so supportive of me and my work.

I was at King's from 2017-2022. Since leaving King's, I’ve started my bachelor’s degree in music at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. I’m currently in my second semester there. I will be declaring a major in Film Scoring and a minor in Musical Theatre Writing and Composition at the end of the semester.

Last semester, I was privileged enough to be hired to work on two separate movies, both of which are award-winning. The first was called ‘A Triptych about Water’, and is a student movie written and directed by Matthew Pelton, an Emmerson College student. He and the composer for the movie, Luke Colombero, hired me to create an acoustic mashup for the credit sequence of the movie. ‘Triptych: Credit Sequence’ can be found under my stage name Amie Wren on Spotify.

I worked with Colombero again later in the semester, recording vocals for the student movie ‘The Princess and the Pond’, which went on to win best original score at an LA film festival.

I live and breathe music every day. I am enrolled in 7 music classes per week plus one liberal arts class. I am a part of Berklee’s Broadway Band, and recently got to perform in their ‘Unplugged’ show, which

was a wonderful experience. Berklee auditions the various ensembles per show, and so I hope to continue to be invited back to the Broadway Band in the coming years. I have also performed for the Berklee Musical Theatre Club in an open mic evening. All musical groups that I perform in are student run Berklee-owned associations.

I’d like to put together a folk ensemble in my fourth and fifth semesters - there isn’t a big ‘traditional’ folk following at the moment, and I already know of many talented musicians that could be a part of the ensemble, and so I would love to facilitate and manage that.

I am currently working on my second album, which I would love to release in Summer of 2024 - it will be a collaboration between musicians in the UK and the US, and we plan to call it ‘Across the Pond’.

For the further future, I’d like to finish my degree by the end of the four years. I am also considering going on to do a masters in film composition at Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain, or perhaps a musical theatre masters at Berklee’s NYC, NY campus.

King's is a truly wonderful school, and it prepared me so well for college. Deciding to study not just abroad, but in America, was a very daunting decision, but I am so glad that I made it. It has changed my life, and I’m already a much better musician than I was.

Alex Martin

Amelia Warren

From Fiji to King's Bruton to play rugby

It was hard at first when I arrived here in England. The idea of coming to a new country and boarding an airplane for the first time was a bit overwhelming, but mostly exciting, as I had never been out of Fiji before in my life until now. I was so fortunate to receive a sports scholarship to King's School Bruton, and grateful to be part of this great school which has been around for over 500 years.

Before I joined King's School Bruton, I was in a catholic school in Fiji called Marist Brothers High School. My previous school was also a boarding school, like King's Bruton, so boarding was something that was not new to me when I first got here. I was the captain of my under 16 rugby team back in Fiji and aspire to be the captain for King's 1st XV team come this year's 2023 season in September. Playing rugby in England was challenging at first as the weather was a lot different from the beautiful weather in Fiji. At one point it started to snow, but that didn’t stop me from playing the sport that I love, as I acclimatised to the weather here and played to the best of my ability.

Since I have been here in England, I have learnt a lot of new things academically and in sport, but also a new way of life. Coming straight from the village of Saunaka in Fiji to King's was a dream come true for my family and I. I would like give a special thanks to Mr Wilmshurst and Mr Hawley for giving me the opportunity to come to this wonderful school and be part of the King's Bruton community.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Emily Gilmour

After eagerly hopping on the rollercoaster that is life beyond the Bruton bubble, and after having experienced incredible adventures when visiting Izzy at her home in Kenya in the summer, I embarked onto the next stop, University.

I started at the University of Bristol studying for a BSc in International Business Management in September 2022. Although daunting, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sweating from nerves in the car on route to “Welcome Day”, since then I haven’t looked back! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first-year meeting countless new people, making new friends, experiencing uni life, and discovering what the city has to offer. The first year seems to have flown by, but I’m very excited to return to Bristol and live with my friends in our own house next year. It’s all very exciting!

I realised pretty quickly that King's had prepped me entirely for navigating such a journey. Whether it be how to live and thrive in halls with new people, or understanding the balance between one’s academic and social life. Naturally, I’ve found I have been given the tools to not just survive, but rather relish uni life. In the midst of uni, I have travelled home to Mallorca several times, and been lucky enough to visit my family at their home in South Africa over Easter; I’ve even popped into King's a few times on route to uni!

I can only wish the best of luck to both exam years with your results, and those leaving King's all the very best for the future.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Emily Gilmour

Failure can be a good thing: How I got into Cambridge by Old Brutonian, Isaac Baxter

Failure is a really bad thing. I remember opening an email in January of 2022 that told me I didn’t get a place at the University of Cambridge for the 2022/23 year. In that moment, it really wasn’t fun. I’d worked incredibly hard to become the best economist and academic I could, I achieved ten Grade 9s and one Grade 8 at GCSE and was predicted high grades for my A Levels and yet I still fell short. What did this say about me? It felt like my dream had been lost, and I spent many days dreaming of what could have happened if I answered one or two interview questions slightly better.

Unfortunately, my rejections didn’t end with Cambridge. I also failed to receive offers from Warwick, UCL, and Edinburgh, leaving me with only an offer from my “back-up option” for if my

A Levels didn’t go to plan. Oversubscribed courses at top universities, as a result of deferrals due to Covid, did not help, but I still felt that I had failed.

Something told me I had to do better. Something told me I could do better. So that’s what I set out to do.

I picked myself back up from the disappointment and worked incredibly hard towards my A Levels, securing A* Grades in Economics, Further Maths and Maths. I was determined to go for Cambridge again. Whilst on a gap year (I did not intend on taking) I studied hard, looking into depth at several areas of the subject I had skimmed over at A-Level, in an attempt to become the best economist that I could in preparation for a second Cambridge application.

Sometimes, hard work and determination pay off. Exactly 52 weeks after the rejection email, I was accepted into Fitzwilliam College to study Economics. I’m now incredibly excited to be heading to the best university in the world to study the subject I’ve loved for the past three years, since I started taking the A Level at King's. The main thing I’ve learned from all of this, is that failure is sometimes only shortterm, and working harder and smarter can push over a hill that once seemed impossible.

I cannot wait to go to Cambridge in October, and I’ll forever be grateful to my Maths and Economics teachers, but also King's as a whole, for putting me into a situation where these goals are attainable.

Eco-tourism: A growing tourist sector

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, 8-10% of global CO2 emissions are caused by the travel and tourism sector, with the risk of it tripling in the coming decades, thus making it more and more essential that we evaluate our lifestyles.

For many years travelling has been identified as an un-environmentally friendly activity, yet we are all still using harmful commercial airlines, staying at unsustainable resorts and hotels, without actually using the tools around us to research more ecofriendly options and save flying as a last option of travel. Eco-tourism as defined by the International Eco-tourism Society refers to a ‘responsible form of travel that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people,’ however, is this form of travel popular enough to fully make a positive impact? Is it too expensive for the majority? Or simply, is it fashionable enough?

To be considered an eco-tourist (green tourist) the following elements must be considered: limiting personal waste, reducing carbon footprint and giving back to local communities. This can be achieved through volunteering at a local project, staying at a locally owned eco-friendly hotel or resort, making fuel-efficient travel choices, conserving energy at home when you are away travelling, packing your own refillable containers and opting for sun cream that are oxybenzone and octinoxatefree (as they are the most harmful chemicals for coral reef growth).

Another element to consider when attempting to be a green tourist is to be mindful of geotagging on social media photos. Geotagging can lead to a sudden increase in visitors to a specific spot, which can be particularly dangerous if it is a poorly managed area. Large numbers of visitors to these specific spots can lead to trail degradation and increased litter in the area, to which park rangers may not have the resources to counteract. In addition to this,

to assess the impact on the environment from your holiday, you can use an online carbon calculator which will measure the CO2 output for your trip. These calculators can also be used as a donation platform for projects to compensate for ones total CO2 footprint. These projects work towards restoration of land or energy conservation in the destination country. Principally, to be an eco-tourist it is important to remain conscious of the impact of your travels short and long term, and explore ways in which your holiday can assist the community in which you visit. Eco-tourism also aims to be cost effective, therefore, it is a good option to consider when travelling on a budget (gap years). It is estimated that the number of eco-tourists a year increases by around 10% and is thought to be becoming a cultural global movement in tourism interests.

Eco-tourism despite enforcing the green tourist lifestyle is still further criticised for not being entirely free of impact to the environment. Currently in this time period it is truly very difficult to secure an entirely 100% eco-friendly holiday, even Greta Thunberg, in 2019, was criticised for sailing to New York on a sustainable yacht for a climate conference, because it was later revealed her crew had to take flights to bring her boat back, which released 0.67 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Therefore, can holidaying abroad ever be entirely eco-friendly?

Well, companies such as Airbus think so and have announced plans to create the first zero-emission aircraft by 2035, using hydrogen fuel cells. However, to entirely decarbonise the aviation industry, it will

be a long and complex task that will cost companies billions. But experts believe that the long-term outlook for the use of sustainable aviation fuels is promising. As countries and industries around the world become committed to the 2050 net zero target, increasing amounts of investment mean that new technology and solutions are likely to be developed. Whilst completely green options will take longer periods of time to develop and be integrated into the airline industry the eco-tourism sector can only wait until these options are available to fully transform their industry into being a 100% eco-friendly business.

I do hope pupils at King's, who are planning on taking a gap year, have now become aware of this form of tourism, and can now consider or research more into becoming greener tourists before, or even throughout, their travels. I believe this will have a positive impact, not only to the environment, but to the individual’s conscience. Furthermore, it is clear that eco-tourism proves to be a prosperous industry that I hope becomes the new reality for tourism as the global climate emergency continues to threaten our world. It is through our lifestyle changes, such as changing how we take our holidays, that can ultimately reduce the global impacts of climate change.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Jack Fowler-Baxter

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Jack Fowler-Baxter

I began DJing in the Sixth Form after the new Music School had opened. I spent my Friday afternoons in there instead of CCF, and found it to be a nice distraction from my A Level work. At the time it was nothing more than a hobby - I wasn’t even that good, but the practice on professional equipment put me in a good position for taking it further.

On my gap year I managed to find my first proper DJ shows. One of which was out in Bali on a beach while I was travelling. I also set up my own music events in Sherborne which have become very popular.

I’m now currently at University in Bath and play on a weekly basis. I also work for an events company which run most of the club nights in the city. I’m a manager for a few of their nights and regularly DJ for them.

I'm also going to be performing at the freshers arena next year, where I'll be supporting some fairly large music artists in front of 5000 people. Last year they had Sigala and ScoutingforGirls!

Why is Latin a useful subject to study at King's?

The matter of my GCSE subject choices is a question I am frequently asked, and when I reveal that one of them is Latin, I am often accustomed to confused and disapproving glances. I am then met with the classic “But Latin is a dead language, it’snotusefultoday,” and despite my deep passion for this subject, I can seldom come up with a comprehensive response as to why Latin is indeed a worthwhile subject to study. It is these types of experiences that have motivated me to write this article and raise the profile of this relatively unpopular subject.

Firstly, Latin never truly died but rather evolved into the five romance languages: French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian plus one West Germanic/ Latin hybrid language - English. About 90 percent of the vocabulary of these languages comes from Latin. Once you really understand how language works, the task of learning a new language will be more than cut in half. Don’t settle for just one language. Learn a dozen but learn Latin first!

Additionally, Latin is one of the most efficient ways of learning English grammar. When pupils try to analyse the English language, which they use naturally and have learned by imitation, they find it rather useless and dull. But when we’re stuck trying to remember where to put an apostrophe or maintain a particular tense throughout a piece of writing, we are reminded of its importance. English grammar is abstract and invisible because of its lack of structure and inflection - inflection meaning that all parts of speech in a sentence change their form in order to reflect a specific grammatical function. But Latin grammar is concrete and visible because of its structure and inflection. Because of this, I find myself having to break down both English and Latin sentences into their most basic forms in order to translate them interchangeably. This has been essential in my understanding of English grammar beyond memorisation.

However, at the places where English and Latin grammatically disagree, it is important to remember that Latin is always correct! I also receive the “why not learn Spanish/French grammar?” argument, but when it comes to grammar, Latin is unparalleled among all the languages. The Romans were the most disciplined, structured, organised people in history, and so was their language. Every lesson in Latin is a lesson in logic - it boosts mental acuity. It has no equal. Latin grammar teaches English better than English teaches English.

Latin literature makes up half of the Latin GCSE and AS Level, and when we read authentic Latin written by the greats, we learn the great rhetorical techniques of Cicero, the speeches of Virgil’s Aeneid, and the persuasive techniques of Julius Caesar. While the concept of public speaking developed early around the world, much of what we know about the art of public speaking and persuasive writing comes to English speakers from ancient Rome and Greece - where it was an important tool of government, law and philosophical debate. The brilliance of these figures of speech shines through the plethora of literary techniques developed by the Romans such as anaphora, chiasmus, polysyndeton, metaphors and juxtaposition. Being among some of the first in the world to document purposeful and successful rhetorical techniques, it is an undeniable truth that these authors have had an immense impact on writing today. They are highly influential; they have shaped the way in which we talk and write, let alone the impact they’ve had on some of the most renowned speeches in the world. For example, anaphora is used heavily in Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech.

Latin is also extremely beneficial in helping pupils excel in a wide variety of subjects and career paths. For example, Latin provides the root words for all the

Winnie Wellesley House 5th Form

modern sciences. All the modern sciences began their development at the time of the Renaissance (about 500 years ago) when all educated people knew Latin and Greek. A new science means a whole new set of words, a whole new vocabulary. An understanding of Latin creates a strong foundation for studying science and helps pupils to learn and recall otherwise foreign terminology. Just one example of this is the word ‘iron’ which is represented by the chemical symbol ‘Fe’ on the periodic table because it is derived from the Latin word for iron ‘ferrum’. We live in an age dominated by science and with these subjects being among some of my favourites to study at King's, I would advise studying Latin alongside them. Latin is also the language of law, government, logic, and theology. Law is the exclusive domain of the Latin language. All legal terms are Latin such as ‘de facto’, ‘bona fide’ and ‘per curiam’. The Romans excelled in the practical arts of law and government, and it is from them that we derive our legal and political language. So, if you’re a pupil hoping to advance into this field of work, I highly recommend studying Latin here at King's or during higher education.

Ultimately, Latin is the most influential language in human history and consequently, the world in which we live in is saturated with Latin phrases, vocabulary and influences, just take our own school motto ‘Deo Juvante’ as an example. An understanding of Latin promotes precise analysis, inspiring a new generation of critical thinkers and problem-solvers.

Enjoying the 6th Form Club

The 6th Form Club this year has been full excitement and good laughs as the new L6th have become part of the Club's history! Everyone looks forward to a Saturday night to either enjoy a dance or have a chill evening with friends. The Club also brings people together, allowing the L6th and U6th to socialise as one cohesive group.

Being a part of the Club is such a joy, whether that being coming up with ideas for Theme Nights, setting up the lights and music, or rocking up on the night to have fun. It all brings the Club to life. We make sure the 6th Form Club maintains a welcoming ethos, where anyone and everyone is welcome to come and have a good time, whilst leaving any stress or issues that come with school life behind.

Theme Nights in particular are incredible evenings. This year's theme nights have been hugely successful with a Festival theme, American High School, Gangsters and Mobsters and Eurovision. The final 6th Form Club of the year involves a pizza and ice cream van for all to enjoy in the sunshine. Everyone can dress up however they like and still come and enjoy a wonderful evening in the 6th Form Club. We are very fortunate to the have space in the Club, to be able to have a dance floor, a pool table and a bar area to cater for all.

The Club stands for inclusion, positivity and respect for others. It is a special place to be in, and all 6th Formers at King's benefit from the joy and excitement it brings to school life.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Sophie Newman

I attended King's between September 2019 and Summer 2021, studying Music, Music Technology and English Literature A Levels.

I am currently travelling and working around Australia, I have just returned to Melbourne after travelling up the East coast of Australia for a few months to start a new job. I am then returning to the UK to carry on my musical studies.

Music is still a very important part of my everyday life; due to my current travels I have looked to composing music instead of performing as it is a lot easier to carry around a pen and paper rather than a trumpet or piano! I have also attended many concerts over the last few weeks such as the Piano Guys and The 1975, as well as visiting many of Melbourne's jazz venues and piano bars. Being surrounded by a different art and music culture has been inspiring and I am really looking forward to using this to inspire my studies on return the the UK.

Over the last few years, I have been a member of an orchestra, jazz bands, brass bands and even spent a few months learning new musical skills as part of an Indian music ensemble. Currently I am not playing in any bands so have turned to composition instead. It was never my favourite area of musical study at school, but I have found it very comforting whilst travelling away from home.

I have big musical hopes and dreams for the future, I am hoping to return to the UK and use my knowledge gained from my Music and Music Technology A Levels, as well as the online physics courses that I have been taking to apply for acoustics and music technology degrees. Post university I am hoping to enter into a career within this sector of the music industry.

I had such an amazing time studying music at King's, I met one of my closest friends, Constance, the first day that I entered the music department, and I know that it was a special place to us both. Especially on Fridays when we attended music enrichment, a great memory I look back on is when Constance brought her family's theramin in one Friday afternoon and we had so much fun trying to recreate

the Doctor Who theme tune. I always loved being in the music department and I want to say a massive thank you to Mr Marshfield, Mr Higgs and my trumpet teacher Mr Bertie for all of their support during my time at a King's, I look back with fond memories.

Catching up with: Old Brutonian, Sophie Newman

International Women’s Day

William Blackford House L6th Form

In the year 2023, it is 104 years since women won the right to vote here in the UK. Clearly, there has been meaningful progress across the world in striving for gender equality. International Women’s Day aims to celebrate the progress that has been made whilst also acknowledging the struggle and sacrifice that has allowed us to arrive at this point. Importantly, International Women’s Day also reminds us that we still have work to do.

If men view International Women’s Day as a threat to their masculinity, that is because they do not properly understand what International Women’s Day is actually about. International Women’s Day exists so that we can actively appreciate and respectfully recognize the contributions that women have made and continue to make in shaping our world.

When we talk about gender inequality, it is often assumed that this is something

that happens in other places - something that happens in the developing world. Gender Equality was number five on the list of United Nations Millennial Development Goals. Clearly, it’s working. According to the World Bank census in 2020, over the past 50 years, roughly half of the world’s economic growth can be attributed to girls having improved access to education. We know that empowering women helps to make an entire community happier and more successful.

However, this isn’t just a problem in the developing world. International Women’s Day is also about shining a light on the structural gender inequalities that persist in the developed world. According to a 2020 survey by United Nations Women UK, 97% of women under the age of 25 have been sexually harassed. 96% of women say they wouldn’t report sexual harassment, with 50% saying it “wouldn’t change anything”.

It is worth noting that fixed ideas of Gender Inequality also affects men. We still hear men being asked to “man up” if they allow themselves to be vulnerable and open about their feelings. As a young man raised in a mostly female household with my mother and sisters, I have witnessed first-hand the challenges that women face in society, and the strength needed to overcome them. My personal perspective has left me in no doubt of the importance of International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day isn’t simply about empowering womenwomen are already strong. International Women’s Day is about trying to change the way we understand and appreciate that strength.

King's Bruton Eco Committee

In June 2022 King's Bruton successfully completed the Eco Schools Green Flag award, and the King's Eco Committee has spent this academic year building upon this achievement in accordance with our Eco Code: ‘recycle, reduce, re-wild’.

It was great to see numerous new pupils join the core group of founding members this year, and this brought fresh ideas and perspectives on how to make positive environmental change at our school.

In the Christmas term the Eco Committee led a school-wide ‘Sustainability Week’ with the aim of raising awareness and encouraging action around the important issue of sustainability. Over the course of the week, the committee led an assembly and created videos to spark discussions in tutor groups on how we can reduce our impact on resources as a school through behavioural change, and help to maintain an ecological balance at King's, both now and into the future.

To incite the necessary change in behaviour and lifestyle to achieve a more sustainable school community, the committee also put on a number of events throughout the week, the most popular of which was the ‘Clothes Swap Shop’. To combat fast fashion, pupils were invited to donate unwanted clothes and swap these with other pupils as a way of freshening up their wardrobes without the need to buy something new.

The Eco Committee has also made contributions to wider projects and

initiatives this year. Members have been conducting regular litter-picks around Bruton across the year, the most recent of which was part of a cohesive push by Bruton Town Council to improve the environmental quality of the town. In addition, three member of the committee submitted letters to the ‘Write the Wrong’ project conducted by Hauser & Wirth to urge for action on a variety of environmental issues. These letters will be part of an environmentally themed exhibition at the gallery over the summer. The Eco Committee also produced a blog post which was published in the HMC magazine, highlighting the positive work that was being carried at King's in the hope of inspiring other schools to follow in our footsteps.

Finally, work has continued into re-wilding the School site. The area designated to wildlife by the river Brue last year has matured further, with an abundance of wildflowers attracting key pollinators to the area. More emphasis will be placed on this over the next year, with plans also afoot for the Eco Committee to construct and manage its own vegetable patch.

A huge thank you to all of those that have contributed to the Eco Committee this year, with special mentions to the following: Harry, Lexi, Harriet, Emma, Eddie, Bodo, Skyla and Fraser.

If you’d like to keep up with our projects, you can find us on Twitter at @KSB_Eco as well as on our webpage on the School website.

An Eventful Year

An Academic Roundup

Dan Cupit Deputy Head - Academic

In my last end of year report, I mentioned how nice it had been to return to a sense of normality, and with all pupils back to school in Bruton. For the first time since the 2019-20 academic year, we have now had a ‘normal’ and full academic year, without any restrictions, changes to examinations or prolonged absences. This has allowed for a full, and unrestricted academic, sport and enrichment programme. It has been amazing to see pupils make the most of the opportunities available to them, whilst also managing to find time to see their friends and complete their academic studies.

There has been so much to celebrate this academic year, with outstanding academic success, excellent concerts, brilliant performances on the stage, a wealth of creativity in art, and extensive activities and enrichment. My highlights of the year include Six the Musical, a brilliant production put on by King ' s pupils about the six wives of Henry VIII. The time and effort that went into this production was clear for all to see, and it was a huge success, alongside many other performances this

year. I very much enjoyed adjudicating a very close and tightly fought InterHouse Debate final between Priory and Arion. Whilst I thought the debate itself was a huge success, I was delighted to see that debating remains popular and continues to be very strong. The GCSE and A Level Art exhibition was incredible, demonstrating huge variety and creativity, and as always, the Inter-House Music Competition demonstrated the strength of Music at King ' s, as well as the fantastic participation by all in the House song competition.

Whilst there are many things I particularly enjoy throughout the academic year, celebrating individual success is at the very top of the list. Often behind every success there is a story, one full of determination, overcoming adversity, and making the most of the opportunities available to achieve the target. Whether it be academic grades, exam results, selection for teams/performances, UCAS success, performing in front of others or succeeding in a leadership role, it is always brilliant to celebrate the journey that pupils have taken, as well as the

success that they have achieved. A big factor to achieving success is applying effort, one of the reasons we place so much emphasis on this as part of the reporting process. So, it was brilliant to be able to celebrate Morgan of Priory House breaking the school record for the number of commendations in a single term, achieving 35 in the Christmas term!

Earlier this term, I was fortunate enough to be enjoying a fantastic afternoon tea prepared by BTEC Hospitality pupils as part of the assessment required for their coursework. However, this was like no other tea party I had ever been to, as for the last 5 hours Bruton had experienced torrential rain, with three of the four roads out of Bruton under water. As we dealt with the flood related issues around Bruton, I dared to think that we may get away with a slightly ‘cooler’ summer than last year, helping to provide slightly less of a distraction from any examinations. Little did I know that Bruton would then enjoy a month of Mediterranean style weather, and not a drop of rain. Despite the glorious weather, I have

been impressed by the way in which all pupils have engaged with both their lessons and examinations throughout the summer term.

Whilst the return to normal examinations in May/June 2022 was feared by a few, I was actually delighted to welcome their return. Whilst we can certainly learn some valuable lessons from the pandemic and the subsequent programme of assessments, I strongly believe that exams are the fairest way to assess pupils across all schools in the UK, at least within the current programme of qualifications. Whilst the return of exams was dreaded by some, the stress and anxiety soon lifted on the GCSE and A Level Results Day, as pupils secured the best grades on record.

The GCSE results were outstanding, with almost 50% of grades awarded a grade 9-7 (A*-A) level, and with 94% of grades falling within the grade 9-4 range. This record-breaking success continued at A Level, with pupils achieving 58% of A*-A grades, and 91% A*-C grades. The brilliant results continued with outstanding BTEC

success, with 83% of grades awarded a Distinction*/ Distinction level (A*/A A-Level equivalent).

Not only were these grades an incredible success for all pupils, they were also the best GCSE grades achieved by King ' s pupils outside of the CAG/ TAG years, and the best ever A Level grades on record. However, for me, I particularly enjoyed that nearly every individual grade, regardless of the level, represented a success for a pupil. Having seen the perseverance and hard work that this cohort had put in throughout the period of remote learning, and in the time since schools returned, these grades were most definitely well deserved, and had definitely been earnt!

It has already been brilliant to see many pupils continue this fantastic exam success, with excellent EPQ, AS Geography, BTEC Units and Cambridge English examination results already being seen this academic year. Whilst the full GCSE and A Level examinations will see a return to the 2019 grade profile, pupils should take confidence from the work that they

have put in throughout the exam cycle. I wish all pupils every success with their examinations this summer.

As we look ahead, there is much on the horizon for schools to tackle in the future. On the academic front, there are major reforms taking place across vocational subjects, MFL reforms, qualification changes, and the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence to deal with. However, with change comes great opportunity, and we remain vigilant to the changes in the academic landscape and wider world.

So much has been achieved by all pupils this academic year, with strong foundations built for the next stage of their education. However, after such a busy and successful year, I am sure that all pupils are in need of a welldeserved rest. I wish all pupils, parents and colleagues a fantastic summer, and I hope that pupils receiving examination results achieve the grades that they are hoping for.

The Library

Boo - Priory House

Once upon a happy time, that will never come again, there once stood a glorious mansion, with vast double doors, opening up to reveal grand staircases, libraries, and bedrooms. Glass chandeliers dripped diamond droplets from the high Victorian ceilings. A regal structure, fit for a King and Queen.

The once elegant, luxurious structure was now a charred corpse, lying lifeless on the blistered hilltop. It was a dreadful disfigurement to a beautiful landscape, stirring up painful memories that the innocents had tried to forget years ago.

Where there once were magnificent events, with ballgowns and butlers and ballrooms as big as any of the houses in the village, there now was a painful sight, with blackened walls, only half standing. The eaves burned and cracked. A scorched skeleton, with rotting flesh still desperately clinging to bare rib bones. You could almost see the smoke still smouldering away, whisps of a distant memory fading away.

The fire had started in the west wing, reaching all the way to the other side, sparing two rooms. Almost an insult. Few in the village believe in such coincidences.

The only rooms, not collapsed, burned, or crumbled were the second library and a child’s bedroom. Some say it was because those rooms have suffered enough and didn’t need more torment. Others say it was the occurrence of foul affairs, and dark doings not even the merciless sea of flames dared disturb. Even the evil will be punished for meddling with decade-old deeds.

Seas the Day

Issie - Arion House

As I stepped out of the stifling car, the salty, sunny scent of the sea hit me as I inhaled deeply. I could see the turquoise water peeping over the golden sand before me, and I yearned to kick off my shoes and dive in. I ran down to the shore and did just that. It was bliss. I could see my parents pitching our beach tent in the beating sun. I waved and began strolling over to help. My mum looked up and smiled at me. In the space of a second, her face turned from happy and relaxed to panicked and worried as she focused on something over my shoulder. She screamed, and I turned, confused, to see a colossal, seemingly possessed bird charging towards me up the beach. Its talons were razor-sharp and it roared like a creature from a nightmare. It was immediately obvious why we should not have settled on this beach: it was the domain of the fearsome cassowary.

Running like my life depended on it, which I suspect it did, I turned my head a fraction to see that the bird was coming ever closer. Its bulging, crimson eyes flashed. I felt its talons claw the air millimetres from my back, and I tried to sprint even faster. The cacophonous screams of the other beachgoers echoed around me as I dashed away from the terrible beast. ‘Surely,’ I thought, ‘surely, it won’t be able to swim,’ as I dived into the surf.

The Haunted Forest Iona - Priory House

No matter how tightly I wrapped my coat around me, the cold still cut through my bones. The cry of the wind struck my frosty ears. The sapphire moonlight glistened on the twisted, foreboding trees. Crunching through the frozen leaves, my coat wrestled with the wind and tried to escape from my numbing body. Gripping it tightly, I pushed on into the gloomy shadows. My eyes were watering as I squinted to distinguish patches of shadowy light through the heavy darkness. The feeling in my hand seemed as if it would never come back. I couldn’t remember what it felt like to be warm.

The branches all around me roared and clashed against each other. My teeth clattered, and my breathing became slower. Bone chilling sounds of cracking and grinding wood echoed around me. I was a ship lost at sea in a storm. My mind raced, filled with dreadful thoughts of fear and helplessness, longing for the safety of open ground and escape from this dark, haunted place. Menacing eyes seemed to pierce through the dark corners of the forest. It seemed as if the trees were moving and closing in on me. I was certain I could see them staggering through the murky air.

Suddenly, the smell of rain. Droplets splattered down the damp leaves. The mist tasted bitter and intense, sending shivers down my spine and sharp goosebumps across my skin. I reached for the trunk of a tree to catch my breath so I could sit down. Branches reached out like long, grabbing arms. Wrapping myself into my coat, I still wasn’t warm enough, my hands were numb and my feet frozen.

There was no fire anywhere to keep me warm, so my body curled into a ball. I reached back onto the thick branch to pull myself up from the ground. I stumbled back into the depths of the forest, still nothing seemed familiar to me. Just as I was going to make my way forward, a noise of wood snapping echoed through the trees…I thought that no one else was there. I couldn’t help but think it was all in my imagination, maybe I was just hearing things. Or maybe someone was really there.

A terrifying sound of a tree breaking reflected into the depths of the woods. Just in time, I managed to avoid the tree landing near me. Tiptoeing backwards, my feet got caught together and tripped me up, landing backwards. But I didn’t land on the damp forest floor. A pair of long arms grabbed me securely. I was so scared I didn’t want to turn my head to see who it was. Briskly, I got back to my feet and attempted to run. Whoever it was just didn’t let me go. Petrified, my mouth was going dry from not being able to swallow from fear. My head turned and before I knew it, I was getting dragged into the depths of the forest.

3rd Form Creative Writing

The Library

Isabella - Wellesley House

It had always been my favourite room. However, as I looked at it now, it was not at all how I remembered it. Books were scattered everywhere like autumn leaves. Broken furniture, dismembered like trees after a storm. It looked almost as if a bomb had hit it. I used to sit in that room with my paper, enjoying the warming sunlight through the old windows. Later, through those same windows, I would watch my daughter arrive home from school. She would sit at the old majogany table, eat her supper, play a board game or read her beloved ghost stories.

January 1951, Cornwall. I had just woken up. 6am on the dot, as always. That’s how it was in the army. I marched downstairs, filled up my copper watering can and continued my march down to the end of my garden. There beyond vast rectangular regiment of pinstraight blades of grass, all standing to attention, my precious peace lily was sleeping, all alone. I gave her her morning refreshment. My eyes rolled as they met multiple vines. My horrible neighbour’s apparent passion for gardening didn’t extend to getting rid of the weeds on his side of our shared picket fence.

People have always sad that I have a short temper. I got it from my mother. However, I think it’s completely reasonable to whip out an air rifle if someone just won’t listen.

So that is what I did one crisp January morning. Little did I know he was thinking the same thing. We had the usual discussion about weeds and week-killers. One thing led to another, and both of our heads were blown off. Obviously losing a head can be fatal, and in my case it was. But for my neighbour, Mr Drab, it was not.

It was rather an odd sensation being completely detached from by body. I had no head, but I could still hear and feel. I heard Mrs Drab darting out the house in floods of tears. She took out here sewing kit and sewed my head onto his body. He had stolen my head. Things went from bad to worse. As my wife and daughter were distraught, they left our home. I heard the coughing engine of our ancient motor car as they sped off up the lane.

I was furious with Mr Drab. I decided then and there that I had no choice but to haunt him. I hovered my way through the fence and into his home. I would enjoy this, I thought. I would scare the life out of the pair of them.

Haunting proved to be fun. For a while. I was as determined as ever to send the old chicken-hearted cad to the afterlife, so I could retrieve my own head and return to life. How I yearned to watch my daughter grow up and have a family of her own.

This estate being rather old and all, I wasn’t the first ghost here. With two of these, I became rather good friends. There was Larry, a sixty-four-year-old college professor. It turns out my house was previously a school. Then there was Linda, an eighty-nine-year-old woman who just recently died down the road. She would often bring us a casserole at Christmas. Or lemon sponge in the Summer. There was also Dylan, an uncouth youth from the early 2020s, who divided his time between here and the East End of London. Dylan wasn’t as much a friend as he was someone who I would direct to “mess up tha’ old geeza’ innit”.

The four of us would spend our time in the afterlife plotting ways to make Mr Drab’s last years living hell until he would actually go to actual hell. But as a ghost, your powers are actually quite limited.

So it wasn’t until many years later, the shooting incident long forgotten, that Mr Drab, my nemesis, finally made his way to join me in the afterlife via a slippery paving stone and an unfortunately placed garden rake.

When I re-attached my own head, it was like nothing else mattered. I hovered rapidly back to my house where I glided back into my beloved library. I did not however see my daughter growing old there, but a dump of board games books and my paper that wrote January 1951 on the top corner, damp, on my chair below a water drip from the ceiling. Drip drip drip. I was heartbroken to not see my daughter with her children or grandchildren sitting around the mahogany table playing a board game, but then I heard “papa!”.

As my head turned and my eyes met my daughter, my face lit up and I smiled as I saw the glowing gold lights beam down through the sky, and with that she was gone.

An unforgettable Battlefields Tour for the 3rd Form pupils

After two fallow years (due to COVID), the King's Bruton Battlefields Tour was back - and its return was better than ever!

Sunday morning at 4am saw us load our double-decker coach with luggage for 68 pupils and seven staff. After a smooth and speedy border check at Dover we crossed the channel. Our first stop was Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, located eight miles outside of Ypres. Here we met our superb guide, John, who ran us through the history of the Great War, before showing us the grave of Staff Nurse Nellie Spindlerthe only woman buried in the cemetery alongside 10,000 men. It is such individual stories that cut through the statistics and provide a deep relevance to studying the Great War and its impact. Sunday evening saw us arrive at our wonderful hotel near Ypres where we were excellently cared for over the next four days.

Monday’s focus was the Ypres Salient, where we considered the horrors of Passchendaele and the nature of trench warfare. Stops included a visit to Essex Farm to see the remains of a field dressing station, Langemark German Cemetery to appreciate the contrast in remembrance styles, Zonnebeke Memorial Museum to get to grips with trench clothing, weaponry, mining and munitions, and a visit to Caterpillar Crater to see the effects of mines being detonated.

Tuesday saw us journey across to the Somme in France, to appreciate the reasons why the famous battle in 1916 proved to be so deadly and ineffective. The Thiepval Memorial and a visit to Serre provided ample opportunities for us all to reflect on the history, poetry, and literature that was shaped by the madness of the Somme. Across both the Ypres Salient day and Somme day, several pupils were able to pay their respects to ancestors who fought and

died during the Great War. Alongside, all the history, English, and remembrance, there was a lot of socialising and laughter - the tour proved to be a great success for pupils forging/strengthening friendships across the year group. Another highlight occurred late on Tuesday afternoon when Mr Hambleton and several King's pupils were honoured to bump into the Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Lt Gen Sir Bill Rollo KCB CBE, whilst they were visiting Serre Road Cemetery No.1.

Wednesday morning involved wrapping up the tour by visiting Tyne Cot which commemorates nearly 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom and New Zealand who died in the Ypres Salient after 16th August 1917, and whose graves are not known. It was here that we held a short service of remembrance, reflecting on Jesus Christ’s words recorded in John chapter 15, verse 13,” Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

The pupils gained a huge amount from the tour and should be congratulated for such an excellent attitude. Furthermore, thanks must go to our guide, John, and to all the staff who helped plan and run such an unforgettable tour. We are already looking forward to next year’s!

Rev’d George Beverly

An amazing MFL French trip to Paris

This was an amazing French trip to Paris. Three members of staff from the MFL Department of King's Bruton (Mme Webb, Mr Loveless and Mr Gordon) took 23 4th & 5th Form pupils to Paris for 7 days at the end of March 2023.

Our hotel was located in Porte d’Italie (South of Paris), and we travelled by tube/bus and tramway every day to the wonders of Paris. The trip was a cultural and linguistic trip, and we successfully visited many beautiful and famous places in Paris. On our first day, we started off walking around the Parc de Bercy, walked across the bridge named Simone de Beauvoir and ended up in La Place de la Bastille. On our second day, we visited the museum in the Pompidou Centre and, as it was a few metres away, we spent a few moments in the Church Saint-Merri. After having our picnic in the gardens of the Palais Royal, we spent the afternoon visiting the memorial of those who had been deported to Auschwitz during WW2, a very poignant visit. We finished the day by admiring the Eiffel Tower that sparkles with lights every hour. I am sure it will live long in the memories of the pupils who were also enjoying singing along with a singer who was performing at the Trocadéro with the background of the Eiffel Tower.

On our third day of the trip, we spent the morning in the Musée d’Orsay, and then, after our picnic in Les Jardins des Tuileries, we spent the afternoon in Montmartre to visit le Sacré Coeur, the second most visited monument in Paris after the Eiffel Tower. On our fourth day, we spent the morning in Les Champs Elysées and the afternoon in Le Château de Versailles. The fifth and sixth day of our trip was filled with visits to Paris: Le Musée du Carnavalet (which holds the story of the French Revolution), La Maison de Victor Hugo in the heart of La Place des Vosges (Le Marais), Le Champs de Mars, La Tour

Eiffel and Le Musée du Louvre. On Sunday night, we decided to finish off the week by admiring Paris by night from the top of the Pompidou Centre, topped off with an ice-cream. On the last day, we had a lazy day while we were getting ready for our flight back to Bristol Airport, we went shopping in the morning and spent the afternoon in the Parc de Montsouris where the children could play football and enjoy a walk.

Every evening before dinner, the children spent time writing in French in their cahier d’exercices, summing up the day's events. We also ensured that we spoke French to the pupils at every opportunity. We also had an ‘animateur’ from Tuesday to Friday who spoke French to all the pupils, and he became a firm favourite of the pupils.

The pupils of King's were extremely well-behaved and respectful during the trip and a credit to the School. I thank them for all their hard work and it was a pleasure for the teachers to take them on the trip.

Mme Agathe Webb Head of MFL

Click or scan the QR Code to view the photos and the video.

A memorable and spectacular Geography trip to Iceland

Bright and early on the morning of Thursday 23rd March, King's Bruton Geography pupils and staff embarked on a trip to Iceland to explore the wide range of geographical topics that this unique country has to offer. The trip began at Heathrow, where all pupils were buzzing with excitement. Once we arrived in Reykjavik (after a somewhat smooth flight), pupils were welcomed by our driver, Augustine, and tour guide, Katherine - who stayed by our side until we were back in the UK. Katherine was very experienced at tour guiding and was full of local knowledge and geographical insight. On the way to our first accommodation, Guesthouse Husid, we stopped to see where the Eurasian and North American Plates diverge, which is the beginning of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge formation that spans into the Atlantic Ocean. This was a great way to kick off our first few hours and a real exciting moment for us geographers who had studied, or had been taught about this formation in the classroom.

Our first day consisted of visiting the Lava Centre: an exhibition of volcanoes where we learnt about the volcanology of Iceland, equipping us with a valuable baseline of background knowledge for the rest of the trip and beyond (content all relevant to all geography courses at King's). The second stop on day one also included soaking up the beautiful scenery at Thingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) before stopping off at the local dairy for a quick ice cream treat together - thanks to Mr Godfrey’s generosity! We also enjoyed getting close-up views of the geysers. To round off the day, we visited the extremely impressive Gullfoss (‘Golden Falls’); an incredibly powerful waterfall which, despite it being very cold and windy at the viewing platform, the pupils still maintained high energy and enthusiasm. Later that evening, we enjoyed letting off steam with a game of football back at the accommodation and

relaxing with a movie night. During the night, King's Bruton geographers were hugely lucky to get a wonderful view of the Northern Lights from our guesthouse, which was an absolutely magical experience.

Day Two consisted of many waterfalls and hikes. Our first stop in the morning was Gluggafoss waterfall which was glistening in the morning sunshine with its huge scale icicles. Shortly after the first waterfall, pupils had a challenging but rewarding hike to the top of StoraDimon to see the breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. We managed to see a great example of braided river channels meandering into the sea, but in

particular, a brilliant view of the famous Eyjafjallajökull Volcano which erupted most recently in 2010. Soon after, we visited the second waterfall of the day, Seljandafoss, which was spectacular in its scale and many pupils felt a spray from the fresh glacial water flowing out from the waterfall. Viewing waterfalls throughout the trip was a great opportunity for those studying rivers in their geography classes, as we were able to have a good look and think about the formation and the erosional processes that were taking place.

Next up on the itinerary was the Black Sands beach and basalt columns, located on the south coast near Vik, which was a marvellous example of coastal landforms and gave pupils an insight into the scale and processes involved in the formation of these landforms. Soon after, pupils stopped at the local supermarkets and cafes for a break and a recharge before embarking on a small hike to see the Solheimajokull Glacier. The glacier showed us some great examples of glacial deposits as well as giving us a good idea of the overall scale of glaciers, whilst reflecting on the amount of ice lost over time due to climate change. The penultimate waterfall of the day was the immensely powerful Skogafoss which had a steep climb to get to the top viewing platforms, but we were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow. To wrap up the day we also visited a secret waterfall which soaked us with the sheer strength of the water spray which, for many, was the highlight of the day. Later that evening a quiz night kept pupils busy and many laughs were had; unfortunately the staff team won!

On day three, many of the pupils were very excited to experience the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa on the outskirts of Reykjavik. The warm water of the lagoon is heated by geothermal processes, and it originally only came about by accident as it was discovered that waste water from the geothermal power station next door was nice to bathe in, and has healing properties! Visiting and experiencing the lagoon was most definitely a bucket list activity which was appreciated by all. The lagoon

Agatha Wellesley House Prefect

handed out silica clay masks and many purchased a refreshment to enjoy in the lagoon too. After we had relaxed at the lagoon spa, King’s geographers went on to visit the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Station to gather an insight into the energy strategy of Iceland and learn more about how geothermal energy is harvested and used across the country. This was valuable information to those studying energy strategy and supply units in their courses. After collecting this information, King’s geographers then proceeded onto Reykjavik for an evening stroll to see the sights and settle into our final accommodation.

In the blink of an eye the final day came about, which started with pupils having some free time to explore what Reykjavik has to offer or to enjoy the local food and drink. Some pupils had a look around the Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral to indulge in the stunning views before departing for the airport. The pupils arrived back at school safe and sound and were greeted by their parents to start their Easter holidays. A massive thank you to all those involved with this trip, but in particular our incredible King's staff who kept us all safe and happy: Mr Godfrey, Mr Danskin and Miss Flavell - Takk fyrir (thank you in Icelandic) for a memorable trip!

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to view the photos and the video.

A Year of Music

Christmas Term

New Musicians’ & Award Holders’ Concert

Ashley Marshfield Director of Music

During the past year over twenty ensembles have regularly rehearsed in The Queen Elizabeth Music School involving pupils across all year groups. There have been well over 30 performances during the year ranging from smaller solo and chamber recitals through to impressive end of term concerts showcasing ensembles both large and small.

As ever, the highlight of the year must be the annual Inter-House Music Festival that included Round 3 (the House Song Round) for the first time since all the disruption caused by COVID-19. It was wonderful to have full Houses back on the stage in the Memorial Hall and singing together, returning the competition to its rightful form as a whole-school event. We were very fortunate to be able to have Mrs Yvonne Fawbert come to adjudicate the competition; Mrs Fawbert has been Director of Music at both Sherborne Prep and Hazlegrove in recent years.

As I look back over the concert programmes for the year, I am reminded of all the wonderful achievements made by the pupils. I am indeed indebted to the professionalism and creativity of all the music teachers who work so tirelessly hard to provide a stimulating and exciting environment in which pupils can realise their musical potential and strive to work at the highest standard.

A packed and exciting theatre trip for music and drama pupils

The news articles released throughout the year provide a snapshot of the talent and variety we have at to offer at King's. Well done and congratulations to all involved including pupils, Mr Higgs, and Mr Tupman along with our dedicated team of peripatetic music staff. My thanks also go to Mrs Warren who does a super job at overseeing photography and producing programmes for all concerts.

A wonderful Joint Concert with Hazlegrove Prep

A wonderful Senior Vocal Concert

The Groove Ensemble played at Perrott Hill’s annual Bonfire and Fireworks event

The Chapel Choir sang Choral Evensong at Tewkesbury Abbey

Tom shared his experience of singing with the National Children's Choir of Great Britain

A wonderfully festive Winter Concert

The Christmas Carol Service

Easter Term

An outstanding Woodwind Concert

The King's Big Band played a fundraising gig at Caryford Hall

The Chapel Choir sang Choral Evensong at Wells Cathedral Impressive performances at the Junior Vocal Concert

A magnificent Inter-House Music Festival

A memorable Community Concert and Tea

A wonderful Swing into Spring

A super Spring Concert

Summer Term

An excellent Piano and Strings Concert

A hugely successful Brass & Percussion Concert

The Chapel Choir were on excellent form singing Choral Evensong at Wells Cathedral

A super Hazlegrove and King's Bruton Joint Concert

This magazine was printed before these concerts took place, but by the time you read this, there will be photographs to view and videos of the concerts to watch. Please click or scan the QR Codes.

The Summer Concert

The Leavers’ Concert

Battle of the Bands

Performing Arts

Will Stainton Head of Performing Arts

It has been an incredibly busy year, as ever, at King's for the Performing Arts. This year, I have decided to take a slightly different approach to Dolphin Reports of old by incorporating more voices and perspectives.

The Fitzjames Theatre stage has seen over 20 performances, ranging from examination devised projects to Constellations by Nick Payne, and SIX: The Musical to The Rivals by Sheridan. A huge range of texts and styles, that have pushed and pulled our pupils in all directions.

As ever, I have been inspired by the dedication the pupils have shown towards the performances, whether that is in a co-curricular environment or an examination performance, to an Edexcel examiner. Their attitudes have certainly made my job much easier, but more importantly, a pleasure.

The year began with a cross department trip with Music to London to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria. Whilst the musicians went to the Royal College of Music, the Drama and Performing Arts pupils went to the National Theatre on Southbank for a tour and an insight into their working methods.

Ana

Arion House

4th Form

Alexina Priory House

5th Form

London Trip to the National Theatre and the Apollo Victoria to see Wicked

The Drama trip to London was one of the best things I’ve done in my time at King's. In my opinion, it was a very interesting trip and I had lots of fun visiting the National Theatre and watching Wicked

The National Theatre is an amazing place. We had the opportunity to see how they design the costumes, props, stage, how they control the lights and sound, how they make sure everything is perfect, in definition, how much work and time is spent behind the scenes of a play.

After our visit to the National Theatre, we had some free time around London, which I really enjoyed with all my friends. Following a nice time out in the streets, we went into the Apollo Victoria theatre to experience an astonishing musical, Wicked. From my point of view, it was a very nice musical which captured the audience completely.

In short, the drama trip to London was a fabulous trip which all the pupils really enjoyed.

On Wednesday the 10th October GCSE Drama and BTEC Performing Arts and Music pupils were given the opportunity to visit the National Theatre in London, and see the show Wicked

Wicked was an amazing experience to see such a high level of singing and acting ranging from Elphaba to the ensemble. The lights and staging created such a great atmosphere as we were watching the show. Watching Wicked has benefited us so much with our GCSEs and BTECs, we are so grateful to the Drama and Music departments for giving us this wonderful opportunity.

Please click or scan the QR Code to read the news story, which includes photographs and video.

In November, we welcomed Eric Mallett from Complicité to the School for a masterclass in devising and storytelling. Devising Theatre forms part of the syllabus for both GCSE Drama and BTEC Performing Arts and is a tricky skill to master.

However, Eric introduced the pupils to a range of techniques to start and to refine the devising material. It was a great afternoon and I really enjoyed seeing several of these techniques in the classroom and the final performances.

On Wednesday 23rd November, on another cross-department trip with English, we travelled to the MAST Studios in Southampton to see Frantic Assembly’s adaptation of Othello by William Shakespeare.

Frantic Assembly are a recommended practitioner at both GCSE Drama and BTEC Performing Arts, and Othellois a set text for the A Level English Literature course. This, therefore, was a superb opportunity to see the electrifying Frantic Assembly perform the age-old tale of jealousy, betrayal and revenge.

If you have never seen a production by Frantic Assembly, I could not recommend it more. Their performances are full of energy, with their inimitable style of physical theatre capturing the audience and allowing them to access different levels of the characters and story.

The annual whole school production takes place in December, and this year we chose a musical - SIX: Teen Edition Having recently been made available to schools for performance, the adaptations made to this hugely popular musical, meant we could have a much larger and mixed cast whilst still retaining the energy and joy of the original performance.

In February, following the success of the workshop with Eric Mallett and Complicité, the GCSE Drama and BTEC Performing Arts pupils went to Bristol Old Vic to see the latest Complicité production, Drive Your Plough Over The Bones Of The Dead. This is an adaptation of the Nobel prize-winning writer Olga Tokarczuk’s darkly comic novel of the same name. It was a thought provoking, highly creative, murder mystery that explored the possibilities of activism. Theatrically, it was superb, with specific mention to the sound designer, Christopher Shutt and lighting designer, Paule Constable. The flexible set took us to a huge array of locations and kept us intrigued throughout. The physical theatre used gave us an insight into the techniques that were explained to us back in November and showed that with creativity the possibilities are endless.

Drive Your Plough Over The Bones

Of The Dead at the Bristol Old Vic was a very entertaining and compelling performance. It did a great job in delivering tense and thrilling moments through great lighting and sound. The cast put on a wonderful performance which kept the audience on board throughout the whole play.

The story was full of twists and surprises and the mixture of humour and more serious, darker subjects set up for an amazing original plot. The

pacing of the story wasn’t too quick or too slow, and I was always intrigued into the story. The Bristol Old Vic is a wonderful theatre with an interesting antique look to it. This was a very fun trip which I'm glad to have gone to.

Lily Priory House L6th Form

I had the privilege of participating in the cast for the School Play SIX - Teen Musical. Despite the many demands of a live musical, it was an incredible experience. One of the biggest challenges was juggling schoolwork with the numerous rehearsals leading up to the four performances. However, the entire crew worked together seamlessly to bring the production to life, resulting in an unforgettable experience that will stay with me always.

Being a part of this musical has not only enhanced my theatre skills, but it has also introduced me to a newfound confidence in the world of drama. The dance choreography was a highlight of the rehearsals for me, and I loved every moment of learning it. I am so glad that we could do SIX - it was so much fun to explore the history of Henry VIII’s wives, and I will never forget the buzz of performing it to the sold-out audience in our theatre.

I felt unbelievably lucky to be a part of the team and I can’t wait to see what performances come to life next at school. Thank you, Mr Stainton, and Ms King, for all the time and effort you spent on making the musical as special as it was.

Please click or scan the QR Code to view the photographs.

Ellie Priory House U6th Form

Being the sound engineer for the performance of SIXwas a hugely enjoyable experience for me. The role came with worries about microphone connections and battery life, as much of the performance was singing, but the microphones lasted the whole of the first two performances with issues only arising on the third night. Luckily, we had backup microphones behind monitors on the stage in preparation for this!

There were several of our amazing music teachers down by the stage responsible for the music, but I was controlling their sound levels from the black box at the top of the theatre. This included backing tracks on Q-lab, guitars, and an electric drum kit. I was also responsible for muting and monitoring the levels of the Queens' microphones when they were singing and speaking. This was fast-paced and required me to focus hard on the performance to listen for cues. I struggled with this at first during the tech rehearsals, but by the time opening night came around I was prepared and very excited! Overall, I think if I had had more practice the performance could have run more smoothly, but everyone did their best! I loved being part of the show and I would’ve loved to have continued with it for longer.

Having seen SIX in the West End, and as a fan of the musical, with its infectious musical numbers (“Get Down” - Anna of Cleves and Company is a personal favourite) and high-energy show, I jumped at the chance to see King's Bruton version of SIX:TeenEditionin December 2022. I was intrigued to draw comparisons with the adult version, and it certainly lived up to expectations. It was a night to remember! - the staging, digital screen backdrop and costumes were outstanding and of the calibre of a professional production. The cast engaged throughout the performance encouraging audience participation and did the characters justice in the delivery of the songs. A nice addition were the dancers and even featured Henry VIII in this version.

Having exposure to the musical setup with the Music department, highlighted the technical preparation that was required to ensure everything was in keeping with the show design, and was impressive with Ashley Marshfield and Oliver Higgs looking the part on show night!

Overall, it was a well-rounded show and the night ended on a high, having been taken back on the journey of Henry VIII’s wives. If anyone is looking for a show to see this one will leave you feeling uplifted.

Mr M Ebbage-Evans - ICT Technician

Wellesley House Play, Alice

The Easter Term brings the focus onto the academic productions and the House Plays. This year, we welcomed a visiting examiner for the first time since 2019 to see the GCSE Drama Component 2 productions of Equus, Lovesong, and Teechers.

It was also the turn of Wellesley House to perform their House Play, Alice by Laura Wade. This was a pupil led production, directed by Mia in U6th Form. It was a superb production with a large proportion of the House involved and some taking part in a play for the first time! A true display of House Play spirit.

Grace Wellesley House 4th Form

When playing Alice in Alice by Laura Wade, I was taking on a challenge of being a main character, which I had never done before. When rehearsing Alice, Mia let us freestyle a lot of the characterisation but that was great as it made me feel more comfortable in playing Alice, and I could add a bit of my personality into the character. As the time got closer to the production, I was getting more nervous, but I was so excited. On the first night of the play, I thought that if I were to act as if the audience were my friends, then I would be more comfortable. Which was the case as I got less nervous as the production kept on going on.

My favourite moment when playing Alice is my scene with Niamh when we throw the pig baby around with the music playing, I couldn't stop laughing it was so hilarious to act out. Also, my scene with the Mad Hatter when I threw the bread at the knave, it wasn't planned but I thought it was right to do at that time and it made a lot of people laugh. Overall, I loved being Alice and I would do it all over again if I could. It was a euphoric moment for me.

Please click or scan the QR Code to read the news story, which includes photographs and video.

There was keen interest at the Activities Convention in January to sign up for the Junior Play. I was eager to give all those interested in an acting role a good opportunity to show us their mettle, so chose to produce two One Act plays to accommodate the interest shown.

After some research, I chose Between Mouthfuls and The Virtuous Burglar ; the former due to the simple staging, good comic potential and the fact that it requires excellent timing on the part of the ensemble; the latter because, whilst challenging in its speed and dialogue, the plot and setting are relatively straightforward. As a result, we ended up with two farces, but quite different in tone.

Rehearsals began in late January: as ever, line learning has been a challenge for some, thus making progress made in rehearsal painstakingly slow at times. Inevitably during a winter term, illness and absence also interrupted our progress at times. Rehearsal and performance are team efforts through and through, and whilst I hope the cast have enjoyed being a part of the Junior Play, also I hope they have learned about meeting deadlines, pulling together as a group, taking responsibility and digging deep for resilience.

As with all performances, we would be adrift without the commitment of a dedicated backstage crew, who work hard to make the performances as seamless as possible. There is something for everyone in preparing for performance; I hope to see some new and familiar faces in the theatre again next year.

Maggie King - Director

Between January and June each year, the 3rd and 4th Form prepare for the Junior Play, giving them an opportunity to take on larger roles and more responsibilities backstage.

There were a large amount of people interested in the Junior Play this year both, for on-stage and backstage roles. Therefore, we decided to produce two one-act plays to ensure everyone could be involved.

Please click or scan the QR Code to read the news story, which includes photographs.

Performing Arts

There are productions and workshop performances throughout the year that form part of both the internal and external assessment for BTEC Performing Arts. These are focused on play texts, performance styles and techniques, and devising.

This year, we have had a huge variety of performances ranging from The Rivals to Constellations, and Blue to People, Places and Things. However, some of the most interesting pieces have been devised by the pupils from a range of stimuli such as the Iranian Protests, the Russian-Ukraine Conflict, and the poem Random by Liz Lochhead.

Alexander New House L6th Form

This year’s performing arts course has been highly productive. We started the year with a performance done in small groups using either of the given titles, ‘Black Lives Matter’ or ‘Women’s Rights in Iran’. We did research on the topics and were guided, with support, to produce a theatrical performance conveying one of the given subjects. These performances provided us with additional knowledge and experience of many aspects of performance as well as theatrical techniques. This was highly useful for applying to our main BTEC performance of the year; which we produced from the given texts, ‘Blue’ and ‘Constellations’. We were encouraged to use physical theatre for these pieces and were aided with help when needed, although we were inspired and motivated to produce our performances independently. The way in which we were taught to do so, has been both astounding and incredibly impressive. Prior to this year, we would not have been able to accomplish the performances and output that we have to such a high standard.

The academic side to this year has also been commendable. We have been taught everything we needed to know, from the theory of theatre, all the way through to our exam technique. The way in which we have been taught has really resonated with me and has been an excellent experience. The whole process has fully prepared us for all our academic presentations, examinations and writeups. Overall, it has been a highly enjoyable year, with great teaching, leading to great personal outcomes, be that on stage and on paper.

This

academic year myself and my U6th Form Performing Arts class began working on our third and final unit of the course which consisted of devising theatre, based on a set stimulus issued by the exam board.

Agatha Wellesley House Prefect

This stimulus consisted of a poem titled ‘Random’ by Liz Lochhead. To kickstart our devising we spent a couple weeks brainstorming possible themes and ideas from the poem then narrowed down our research. Alongside this, we also began exploring the stimulus through movement and devising techniques, which we had learnt from our previous studies on theatre companies and practitioners.

During the Easter term, we refined our ideas, rehearsed routines we had devised and finalised a script. The process of devising theatre was a very collaborative experience and required high levels of teamwork and lots of dedication from all those involved. This final unit was highly pressured and stressful for all. This process showed us, as a class, just how challenging creating theatre from scratch can be, and required us all to take time to overcome hurdles and disagreements throughout. However, despite these challenges, clashing of ideas, days of low motivation and creative dead ends we supported each other and knuckled down to reach our goal to create a 10–20-minute performance for our qualification.

Overall, our performance was a success, which we completed in early May, and was followed by some evaluative writing to complete the unit. I really enjoyed the process of devising theatre and found it a very rewarding experience. I had lots of fun creating a piece of theatre which I am proud of. I’d like to thank my wonderful teachers who offered such thorough and professional feedback throughout. I am also very proud of my group’s hard work and determination to get our ideas off the ground to the highest possible standard.

Performing Arts Successes

Alongside the GCSE and BTEC assessments, we have also been looking externally at both university courses and national theatrical organisations. We have had success throughout the School, but it was hugely exciting to hear that Jemima was awarded a place to study Foundation Acting at RADA starting in September and Jenna was awarded a place on the British Youth Music Theatre Summer School for the second time. A huge well done to both!

In January this year, I successfully auditioned for the British Youth Music Theatre, a theatre company which educates and supports aspiring performers within a professional environment.

After submitting an audition singing tape in the first round, I was accepted into the next part of the process which took place online. This consisted of learning a song from scratch, acting with prompts and guidance, and learning choreography to individually perform to the panel of judges. It was a very exciting 2-hour process which I definitely recommend trying, as it is such a great experience, introduced into an industry-level environment, which is also very good fun! I am so grateful to be accepted and have the opportunity to be a part of the company again, which I am very much looking forward to.

Jenna Priory House

L6th Form

Jemima Priory House Prefect

I firstly filmed my audition tape, where I performed one contemporary monologue and two classical monologues. In all honesty, when beginning the process, I was in it for the experience more than anything, practicing what to expect from a rigorous audition process, I was not too focused on what the result could be. Then I got a call back to attend an audition day at the institute. It was one of the most inspiring experiences I've ever had - I felt that I got an authentic insight into the industry and what to expect. It was a long day - 9 to 5 - and consisted of analysing Shakespeare sonnets, performing, and reworking our classical monologues and an interview. I met some incredible people, the other auditionees who came from a wide range of background and ages, as well as the coaches who have years of experience in acting, directing, and teaching at RADA. I left the audition grateful for such an incredible experience regardless of the result. A month later, I was called and offered a place on the Foundation Course in Acting which starts in September. The whole process was an amazing experience, and I can't wait to start in September.

In the summer holidays of 4th Form, I was accepted into this Company and had the most incredible experience, where I met many talented performers, taught, and directed by West End professionals during the two-week residential course. The days were very intense, rehearsing 8-10 hours a day, yet it was so enjoyable and I learnt and developed many skills that has contributed to my life at King's massively. Earlier this year, I also auditioned for the National Youth Music Theatre, a larger company where over 6,000 performers audition for a year. I firstly submitted an audition singing tape, I was then accepted into the next round held in Bristol Old Vic. I met and worked with many different people throughout the day, learning and developing various acting material, performing different solos, and learning challenging choreography. After being assessed by multiple NYMT directors and educators, I was accepted into the final round which took place in London. This audition was ‘workshop’ based, a similar style to the previous auditions, which was a fantastic experience, meeting more musical directors and composers, who were very inspiring.

I really recommend to any aspiring performers to give these auditions a go as you have nothing to lose yet so, so much to gain, including a chance to develop and showcase your skills to industry professionals and the opportunity to meet other performers who you will stay in touch with for life!

Dance

Dance has become a week in-week out staple at King's this with visiting Dance Teacher, Nicole, from local dance company Danceworks. The pupils have studied a vast range of techniques linked to Jazz, Modern and Tap. We started the year with a weekly jazz dancing class where we focussed on developing our strength, flexibility and style. Our jazz class always starts with an intensive warmup focussing on isolations, stretching, leg stretching, loosening, and abdominals. Jazz dancing incorporates a wide variety of movement styles, and this year we have been learning choreography in Musical Theatre, Commercial and Fosse styles.

We donned our tap shoes and started learning basic steps to learn a new dancing genre. All the girls were beginners and showed great concentration in attempting a new skill. Tap is very different and requires soft knees, ankles, feet and a great deal of rhythm and coordination. I have been so impressed with the girls’ progress and continued determination.

Nicole Masters - Danceworks

A Year of Art

Seamus Harkness Head of Art

This year saw a big change to the annual Art Exhibition as the doors of Old House opened once again, but in the 500 years of its prominence had it ever been at the heartbeat of such intoxicating A Level work?

The pupils involved invested an extraordinary amount of time and energy into making sure that it was a roaring success. Over the course of three months, they decorated and prepared their spaces, commandeering rooms and passageways, all with one goal in mind- to make sure that it left an indelible mark on its audience and to show just how progressive and exciting their work was. The work ranged from a greenhouse infused with multiple clay figurines, a blue room, to a painted chair that inspired a performance piece in Glastonbury. All the work on display was extremely personal and portrayed high levels of both skill and creativity.

The GCSE Exhibition was equally as exhilarating and was in the gallery space and U6th Studio. The work ranged from beautiful textiles cushions to a disintegrating, cotton dress. Another highlight was the bronze resin sculpture of a crouching girl. All the cohort exhibited both their coursework and exam units. The work was extremely varied and well developed. It was lovely to see the pupils show their family members and friends around the exhibition and to listen to them talk so animatedly about their work.

The Senior Art Prize this year goes to Natasha for her outstanding contribution to the department over the last two years.

The Junior Prize for Art goes to Lilah for her breath-taking exam unit about her family name.

The Bolee and Workman Prize for the Best Emerging Artist goes to Georgina for her hugely impressive eclectic mix of work, ranging from her sensitive life class studies, to her 48 hour performance piece in a box.

As we say goodbye to this year’s crop, we thank them for the endeavour and energy that they have brought to the department. They have been a delight to teach, and we wish them well with their onward path. Congratulations to Georgina for securing her Foundation Course place at Camberwell School of Art, also to Colette for getting onto the Foundation Course at Central Saint Martins and finally, Natasha for being offered her place at the Paris School of Art.

The 5th Form pupils have risen to the challenge and created some outstanding work over the course of the two years. The level of skill and creativity is something that we haven't seen to the standard before. They have been an extremely enjoyable cohort to teach and they have created some truly impressive work.

The 4th Form continued to work hard and they are an exciting prospect for next year. The 3rd Form have enjoyed various activities such as art club, photography club, ceramics club and fashion and textiles. Once again there is some brilliant emerging talent and we're very excited to see how they embark on the GCSE course.

Please click or scan the QR Code to view the Art Exhibition.

Art Enrichment

George Cole

Art Teacher

The Art Enrichment program has grown from strength to strength as our core group of dedicated artists have embraced all opportunities that have come their way. Our theme was ‘Nature’ to provide a starting point and rich source of inspiration as we explored a wide range of disciplines such as sculpture, ceramics and plein air sessions to help connect with our local environment. The aim was to create art that works in collaboration with nature along with documenting our collaborations with nature using photography.

Ruth Asawa summer exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, ‘Citizen of the Universe’ provided an inspirational start. Asawa is a new hero of mine as she created sculptures, drawings and prints inspired by the natural world. She studied at the legendary Black Mountain College and had an eye for experimentation. 'An artist is not special. An artist is an ordinary person who can take ordinary things and make it special'

- Ruth Asawa.

The first challenge set was to create a 3D ‘Wave’ sculptural piece that should entice you to walk and look around its form. Including creating positive and negative shapes in space. Pupils responded well to using messy media to sculpt their own individual responses. The tactile nature of pupils’ works was evident as each piece invites you to touch and combine materials in an interesting way.

Following on from this we factored in a series of trips to fuel pupils’ connection with the natural world and exploring artists techniques, materials, and ideas whilst out of the studio. We visited Hauser & Wirth, Somerset, Stourhead and Arusha Gallery the Old Silk Barn. Including a series of workshops with the aim to provide alternative voices, ideas,

and an opportunities to learn new skills.

Our Friday afternoon visit to Hauser & Wirth was all round enjoyable as we were able to extend their gallery experience with a tailored workshop with the intention of exploring Fabian Peake’s experimental style. We had success working in a surrealist manner by collaborating with one another to create fragmented group drawings using the exquisite corpse method. This collective assembly of imagery led to a range of unexpected combinations, bringing the element of chance to the forefront. We then followed the first activity by creating a series of Louise Bourgeois water colour studies examining plants and flowers using a limited colour palette, whilst taking inspiration from the Oudolf Field garden to make further links to our nature theme.

On Friday 18th November, the Art Enrichment cohort visited the local country estate of Stourhead, as we focused on gathering inspiration. The weather was on our side as we had an interactive tour exploring the landscaped gardens around the lake. Our tour guide, Irene, gave us an inspirational insight into the stunning landscape from the Temple of Apollo, the Pantheon and the Palladian Bridge. As we chased the autumnal sun around the lake, we had opportunities to sketch and were given the history of the estate and the Hoare family who originally owned the property.

Pupils gained an understanding of the Romantic landscape painters such as 17th Century artists Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin and Gaspard Dughet who were major influences. These masterpieces, many collected on the grand tour, were celebrated as they immortalised idyllic rural landscapes in works of art. With its iconic views, this area of the estate is where art and landscaping collide. The

‘living work of art’ as it was described when it first opened.

In the new year, back in the studio we took inspiration from St Ives School of Modern Art in the form of Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Terry Frost and their relationships between shapes and a move towards abstraction. Sophie Tauber Arp’s circular abstract motif became a catalyst for our development of ideas as we began to investigate into what can the circle represent. As Tauber Arp described this circle as ‘a cosmic metaphor. The circle shape being an infinite shape that contains the world’. This led our artists towards creating their own 2D design ideas using collage and wet media to bring to life their own abstract art by distilling their ideas down to basic shape, colour, and pattern. The works created evoked many different scenes from rolling waves, vibrant sunsets, neon metropolis and blazing desert scapes.

To conclude our exploration into creating their own enchanting worlds in the form of circular abstraction we shifted to using clay. This meant we could translate their 2D designs into ceramic relief tiles building confidences using hand building techniques and colour slips to bring their works to life.

We are proud of all the effort and commitment shown by our talented cohort of young creatives, and we are delighted to share the results of this year’s outcomes from the wave sculptures, workshops and circular abstraction inspired by Sophie Tauber Arp. A huge thank you to all involved and we hope you enjoy browsing through our photographs and experiments. We look forward to transforming our Abstract Circle Motif beyond the classroom as we seek to explore Mural Art in the next academic year.

Art & Photography Trip to Rome & Florence

Please click or scan the QR Code to view all the photographs and watch the video.

Art & Photography

Trip to Rome & Florence

4th Form Art Trip to St Ives

Please click or scan the QR Code to view all the photographs and watch the video.

Dead Artists’ Society

After taking inspiration from the Dead Poets Society, the Dead Artists Society was created.

As a society we aim to explore a variety of themes from throughout art’s history by taking turns to read extracts of our work and discussing our opinions. It gives us a chance to explore a shared passion outside of the classroom. Current members include Jess (Secretary), James (Honorary Board Member), Melo (Vice-President) and Georgina (Founder).

At our first meeting we held an opening ceremony and had works read out by Jess and James which lead to some fascinating discussions on Michelangelo’s David and Feminism.

We are hopeful to expand our society as we believe it not only benefits our work but also our minds, allowing for critical thinking and insightful comments to be shared to a group of like-minded people. As said in the opening ceremony ‘I one dayhopeforthissocietytobecomeapart ofthehistoryofart’.

Lucy Priory House U6th Form

Design & Technology

Nick Hart Head of Design & Technology

It is getting back to business as usual in the superbly equipped Design and Technology Department here at King's Bruton.

For the first time in three years the 5th Form and U6th Form have been required to fully produce a prototype product as part of their Non-Examined Assessment (NEA). Congratulations must go out to these two-year groups who have worked incredibly hard and with impressive determination to complete their projects. We saw a wide range of well thought through products which, as in previous years, were produced for a third party who functioned as their client.

In the 5th Form, a variety of ideas were manufactured, from customised horse feeders and automated cat water bowls to a feline exercise area, a bespoke side table and a discreet desk clock for the busy executive. The pupils fully embraced their tasks and can be delighted with their efforts.

U6th were able to investigate and explore their own context to work within. Following on from the success of the 2022 KSBMotorsport Greenpower racing team, one of our pupils decided to create a practical solution to deal with the problems faced through the storage and transportation of the wide gamut of tools required by the team for each race. Being able to use his own experience and calling on his knowledge of the situation enabled this authentic insight to be used to drive a purposeful solution. A pupil produced a bespoke solution to a mobility issue for a young person which was designed and evolved following many observations of the client in a variety of locations and even more discussions with the client and his

parents. At the end of it a life changing product was developed. All our pupils worked with great focus and energy for the duration of their NEA and can be immensely proud of how they all embraced this design challenge which delivers a range of real-life skills and experiences. One of the most resourceful concepts I have seen was generated by a pupil who used their knowledge of life in Kenya to investigate ways that smallholders can increase their ability to capture rainwater more effectively and efficiently. A splendid solution was developed which our pupil can be rightly delighted with. It is equally as perfect for a place on the BBC Television programme the Dragons’ Den as it is with the United Nations to support one of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition to brilliant design ideas, it was also wonderful to be back ‘making’ and the workshop was buzzing for weeks during elongated periods of manufacturing.

Yet again, this year we are seeing the pupils of the 4th Form and the L6th setting off on their own new and exciting design challenges as they commence their own contextual challenge. Initially, busy investigating and researching several real-life design possibilities to solve real world problems. It is a fabulous journey of opportunity for all our pupils.

The 3rd Form have enjoyed a year of two halves. In the first part of the year, we all participated in the nationally renowned Design Ventura competition which allowed our pupils to design and make a product which could eventually be manufactured and sold in The Design Museum Shop. Our 3rd Form participated in teams, and they all embraced the design and make task.

In the second part of the term, 3rd Form pupils worked fruitfully, making a ‘Skillbot’ - a friendly desk robot which to be completed successfully, meant the pupils needed to learn and develop a wide variety of skills. All the groups performed well and hopefully, around 70 Skillbots will be enjoying their new surrounding at pupils’ homes now.

To coincide with this, Design & Technology organised a joint trip with the Art Department to visit The Design Museum and the V&A Museum. It was a tremendous experience and one that we are looking forward to repeating this coming year.

Some of our elder pupils were able to experience two distinct types of car manufacturing through trips to the MINI production plant in Cowley, with Business, and to the Morgan Cars factory in Malvern. This provided some insight into real production methods as well as the ability to compare a modern computer-controlled production system with the more traditional handmade approach.

The D&T classroom and workshop began phase one of its transition, with new desks and a collaborative working space and the D&T area began to take shape with Prototyping, Graphic Communication, Making and Tech spaces evolving each taking on their own identity and purpose.

We are looking forward to running some Extra Curricular Clubs next year, including the hugely successful KSBMotorsport Greenpower Team. In September we are hoping to introduce a 3D Printing workshop which will make the most of the seven 3D Printers we run in the D&T Tech Zone.

Please click or scan the QR Code to view photos and a video of the trip to The Design Museum.

BTEC Hospitality

Emily McMunn Head of Food Studies

It has been a whirlwind of a year in Hospitality and we have enjoyed hosting and contributing to some fantastic events. The Cheese & Wine Quiz Night, thank you drinks for the contributors to the ‘Dove Magazine’, the CCF Dinner and CCF Biennial Lunch, the Cafe@ the Christmas Fayre, the Community Concert & Afternoon Tea, Snow Ball mocktails and our Showcase Culinary Event to name but a few. We have also collaborated with Hazlegrove Prep School at Christmas, and Perrot Hill Prep School in the summer term.

The Christmas term was launched with a hugely successful Cheese & Wine Quiz Night where parents came together to sample a lovely selection of local Godminster Cheese, paired with some delicious wines courtesy of Somerset Wines. This contributes to one of the units’ pupils study on alcohol and food pairings. A selection of Petit Fours, all made by Hospitality pupils, were made to accompany the savoury selection. This was a chance for pupils to finesse their presentation skills by preparing small scale delicate desserts.

The CCF Formal Dinner is an opportunity for Hospitality pupils to learn about etiquette and customer service in a formal setting. Lots of planning, polishing of cutlery and glasses prior to the event, table layouts and napkin starching and folding are all skills developed for this event in particular. We were lucky enough to also be invited to prepare, make and serve lunch to staff, senior military inspectors and pupils during the CCF Biennial Inspection. Here we showcased Asian cuisine with a menu of carefully prepared sushi, Asian fishcakes and greens, and a fusion mango meringue dessert.

U6th Form pupils enjoyed a couple

of days in London exploring Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Borough Market and China Town during Chinese New Year. We were also lucky to sample an Asian inspired afternoon tea at a members only hotel ‘The Sanctum.’ Staying centrally, enabled us to walk everywhere and pupils got a real insight into provenance, customer service and the meal experience within Asian cuisine.

Lastly, the year culminated in our Showcase Culinary Event, where U6th Form pupils take the reins and plan their own event, inviting guests from surrounding Hospitality businesses. This year, inspired by our visit to London, they delivered an Asian inspired afternoon tea. The pupils were focused, meticulous and demonstrated fantastic teamwork in delivering this event. I am so proud of them. The event was on the day of thunderstorms and flash flooding, but in the face of adversity they kept their cool and managed a spectacular event. Every pupil had a role to play and they were incredibly professional and motivated.

A busy year, but as always, our King's pupils have shown resilience and dedication, challenging themselves and delivering events with professionalism and a smile!

Emily McMunn Head of Food Studies

Archie - U6th Form - Lyon House

Throughout the course, BTEC Hospitality has taught me a number of different skills which I’ve improved on over the last year and has made me prepared for university. We have cooked a huge variety of Asian dishes, which have included dishes such as Sushi, Thai Green Curry and dumplings.

As a class we were lucky enough to visit a whole number of different establishments in London such as Brick Lane, Spitalfields, China Town and Borough Market. By visiting these different places, it has allowed us to notice how different Asian dishes are cooked and made. We also visited different Asian shops and supermarkets which provided us with some key ingredients which are used in everyday Asian cooking.

A highlight for me was visiting The Sanctum. By visiting The Sanctum, it allowed me to try a variety of different unique Asian afternoon dishes. By trying the different dishes, it allowed me to understand what flavours went well in the certain dishes, allowing me to use them in the dishes I cooked in the Hospitality kitchen.

An event which I thoroughly enjoyed was the CCF dinner. This is because I was fascinated to learn and understand the rules and etiquette of how to serve drinks and dishes which has prepared me well for future dinners. Another event I enjoyed was the Culinary Showcase as I was given the role of project leader. This allowed me to show off a huge variety of skills I have learnt over the year and show my independence which I will require at university. To conclude, I have really enjoyed Hospitality this year as I can take the skills I have learnt forward with me to university and future life.

The Sixth Form

Will Daws Deputy Head - Sixth Form

It never ceases to amaze me how much King's pupils achieve in the course of their time in the Sixth Form. Writing during the heatwave of June 2023, the winter months of the Christmas and Easter Terms seem distant in climate and yet so recent in terms of the standout nature of the accomplishments and characteristics of the current U6th Form in particular. Whilst one could write a long list, instead I would like to focus on a few particular highlights. Of course, this sits in the context of so many other areas of the School, be that sport, music, drama, DofE, CCF, within Houses or elsewhere, where Sixth Form pupils have led by example in their commitment and excellence; these are mentioned in other pages of TheDolphin.

Authentic Leadership

A hallmark of the U6th Form this year has been their leadership. Whilst high profile personalities are often associated with strong leadership, the current cohort of individuals have demonstrated their credentials in a less public manner with exceptional work behind the scenes, but in many ways more impactfully.

A clear demonstration of this has been the stance that the School Prefect body has taken in educating the School community in areas of equality and diversity, as well as in ensuring that the pupil body is one where harassment is not tolerated and everybody is accepted. Sixth Form pupils have ensured their voices have been heard and lessons learnt. Indeed, they have taken an array of initiatives, from creating pupilperspective videos to help inform staff, to speaking in whole school assemblies on sensitive issues, leading discussions as facilitators in anti-bullying workshops and ensuring that all pupils’ opinions are represented on pupil voice committees.

The Sixth Form have also demonstrated leadership by example in many other areas, where hard work has been a hallmark for others to follow. Pupils have taken a lead in helping to plan and run important mental health initiatives and events, culminating in their significant input in the success of the Mental Health Week.

There have been many occasions where the U6th have taken clear, commanding and public leadership roles. An example of this would be the Senior Cadets of both the Army and Navy Sections, as well as the CSM, in the Combined Cadet Force at the Biennial Inspection, where precision, clarity and self-confidence were attributes which embodied the approach of those on display and so clearly impressed the inspecting officer.

As ever, the U6th Form received leadership training early in the year, but it was also abundantly clear that they possessed a natural ability to be authentic, serving leaders who will undoubtedly carry these attributes into future roles within wider society.

Individuality

A critical and significant focus for the Sixth Form is looking ahead to those initial years beyond the School. In doing so, it is often easiest to simply follow what others have done in the past, or what is viewed as a “standard” route. However, as befitting the ethos of the Sixth Form where pupils are encouraged to find the right fit for themselves as individuals, the current U6th (and L6th in their early explorations) have demonstrated a clear desire to find their own unique pathways which works best for them.

It is right to celebrate the successes of those gaining places at the most

internationally selective institutions, at institutions that are traditionally recognised as elite destinations, such as Amelia (Oxford offer), Bodo (Stanford), Laila (Medicine at Imperial). However, all those who have gained university and careers offers, some at even more selective institutions than the above, are to be congratulated. Whether pupils have gained places at York, Oxford Brookes or Edinburgh, the key is that they have found the route suited to them. Some of these have included paths less travelled, which has added to the challenge, such as Jemima (RADA), Lena (The Hague UAS), Archie (Tennis Scholar to University of the Ozarks), Natasha (Paris School of Art) and too many more to mention!

Such individuality of destination is further marked by those following apprenticeship pathways, with Bertie (Airbus), Sam (PWC Flying Start), Harvey (G&H). Three excellent examples where they have fought off strong competition to gain places on prestigious apprenticeships, supported by Mrs Goffe. A further article in the magazine explores these in more detail.

It is a credit to the U6th Form that they have demonstrated their individuality in their futures and I am delighted that the current L6th are clearly following suit in their own explorations!

Determination

As part of the Sixth Form enrichment programme, and amongst other talks, the Sixth Form heard from professional skier and entrepreneur, Rachel Findler, who spoke of resilience and determination in the face of setbacks and to achieve goals. Another speaker, Emma Coles, spoke with incredible frankness about living with HIV and her determination not to let that stop her living life to the full. These talks, which

Marie Goffe, Will Daws & Emily Corrigan

inspired, shocked and challenged in equal measure, clearly led to reflection on the part of the Sixth Form.

Whether it be the motivation of personalities like Rachel and Emma, or the desire to simply fulfil one’s own potential and - as the Sixth Form tag line says - Be Ambitious, the approach the pupils are taking in their approach to their studies has been most impressive. It is easy in a busy school life, where we celebrate the range of activities and accomplishments on offer, for the day to day hard work to slip under the radar. However, anybody who has ventured into the Sixth Form Centre study area during 1st prep in the Summer Term or dropped into the numerous academic workshops on offer, cannot fail to have noticed the studious atmosphere and desire to succeed that has been demonstrated by U6th. Once again, leadership by example has been key to this and it is encouraging to also see the L6th following suit.

The Sixth Form are embodying determination in their studies and, whether their results match the record outcomes set last year (against a national backdrop of falling grades) or not, the majority should be rightly proud of the effort and ambition they have shown.

The Sixth Form can be proud of all they have achieved this year. They have packed it full to the gunnels and gained so much, with a lot of fun being had along the way. Those leaving at the end of this year do so with strengths and attributes which will see them flourish in their own lives as members of society in the future, with leadership, individuality and determination at their core. We wish them prosperity and success in the future.

King's Bruton pupils secure Apprenticeship Success

Marie Goffe Head of Business & Economics

Apprenticeship Advisor

It has been a busy year once again with regards to Apprenticeships with more and more pupils considering the pathway as an alternative to university. We have a number of pupils in the middle of applications and two pupils have already secured fantastic apprenticeships with top multinational companies. Below, Sam and Bertram talk us through their application process. We also welcome back Old Brutonian, James Newcombe, to update us on his experience as a degree apprentice with Cushman and Wakefield.

Name of your apprenticeship: PwC Flying start Degree Apprenticeship: Accounting & Finance

Length of your apprenticeship: 4 years

Where will you be based: Reading University/PwC Reading office

A level subjects taken: Further Maths, Maths, Economics

Why did you decide to choose the apprenticeship route?

I chose this route because I was keen to start a career in accounting as soon as possible. I really liked this particular apprenticeship as it combines university with real work. I actually spend the first year at university then progressively move towards 100% work at the PwC offices. Of course, I was also attracted to the fact that I will complete the degree with much less debt than a straight university degree as the programme is funded and from year two, I will be paid.

Can you talk us through the application process?

There were four stages to the application process. Firstly, I submitted a CV (it should be noted that all applicants must have predicted grades of AAB or higher). After the submission of my CV, I was invited to the second stage which involved completing a number of online tests including a verbal reasoning assessment, mini game that strangely tested reaction times and a

Name of your apprenticeship: Airbus Mechanical Engineering Degree Apprenticeship

Length of your apprenticeship: 4 years

Where will you be based: Filton, Bristol

A Level subjects taken: Physics, Maths, DT

Why did you decide to choose the apprenticeship route?

I chose the apprenticeship route because it allows me to gain 4 years' experience in industry whilst completing my degree. This will help to make me stand out when applying for jobs in the future, though as long as I prove myself to be a good apprentice, I will secure a graduate job with Airbus.

Can you talk us through the application process?

Bertram

I had to fill out a simple online form along with sending a cover letter and my CV. I was then fortunate enough to be shortlisted and invited to a 'Virtual Assessment Centre'. This was a full day on video calls including group exercises and one-to-one interviews. I was then offered the apprenticeship as a result of my performance in the Virtual Assessment Centre.

Any tips for future applicants?

Show enthusiasm towards the company and their industry during the interviews, and make sure to research projects that they are currently involved in.

maths assessment. Having passed stage two, I was invited to take part in stage three which involved me answering five questions online. This included Why PwC? Why Reading? Why an apprenticeship? Answers are assessed by PwC associates, and I waited a couple of weeks to hear if I had made it to the fourth and final stage. I was successful and moved to the final stage which is called ‘the career focus assessment day.’ This stage is also online, and you are grouped with other applicants and given confidential company information to discuss. In your groups, you are then questioned on the topic by PwC management.

Any tips for future applicants? It is a tough application process but if you are successful, it is a huge achievement as thousands of students apply each year.

If you get to stage 2 - be quick in the maths assessment as you earn more points. In the interview stage, make sure you have researched the company and chosen university. Also just be yourself, PwC want to see genuine personality.

Samuel Blackford House U6th Form

James Newcombe

Old Brutonian Degree Apprenticeship, Chartered Surveyor

You have now been an apprentice with Cushman & Wakefield for almost a year, what is the best thing about being an apprentice for Cushman & Wakefield?

I believe two things are the best things about being an apprentice for C&W. Firstly, everyone is incredibly kind and helpful. There is a lovely culture in the business which aims to raise everyone up, not just a few, and they truly believe in inspiring and helping the next generation. Secondly, work-wise I have been given plenty of opportunities and responsibilities. I was worried at the start that as an apprentice I wouldn’t be trusted due to my age but this was not the case.

Do you have a typical day?

I wouldn’t say I have a typical day as I tend to juggle quite a few different things. One day I could be doing my university work, the next in the office or I could be on site visits travelling across the northwest inspecting all different kinds of properties.

What has been the most challenging aspect?

The most challenging aspect for me hasn’t been work but the move from home to Manchester. Moving here not knowing anyone at the start was very difficult. I had to actively get involved in things which previously I was not used to. I now feel much more comfortable as I know people and have gotten used to the new way of living.

Have you missed ‘a university experience’?

To be completely honest, at the start yes. I was seeing all my friends at freshers’ week and thinking I was missing out. This quickly changed, seeing the novelty of the “university experience” wear off and money quickly run out for them I realised that I am not missing out on much. I have certainly been able to have my own kind of experience here. I have been lucky enough to live in the city centre, where I can regularly go out with other apprentices from other companies, with Thursday being our ‘going out’ night. In addition to this, I can always go and see my friends at their universities, which I do quite regularly.

What would you say to current King's Bruton pupils about taking the apprenticeship route?

I would say there is a reason why the apprenticeship route is becoming more and more popular. Due to university becoming more expensive and the increased benefits of being an apprentice, it is worth at least looking into it. I would also say to not be put off by the stigma of being an apprentice. I found this a lot when I first started looking into it. Apprenticeship programmes are very different now with major companies starting to invest more and more, even to the same level as graduate programmes. It is now a way of having a highly successful career without any student debt. Finally, if you do decide to be an apprentice, research the company heavily. Specifically, look at the social life that they offer and the opportunities which they will provide for you. Every company has varying approaches to their apprenticeship programmes.

Oscar Joseph Jack William James

Amelia

Agatha Ruben

Patrick

Natasha Davina

Angus

Jodie Helena

Lucy

Lena Bertie

Thomas

Alexander Thomas

George

Mia

Grace

Marcia

Collette Isabella Oliver

Darcy

William

William

Rachel

Charlie Harvey Ellie Jessica Oliver

Rafe James Jocelyn Oscar Luke Thomas

George India

Edgar Hugo

Alice

Archie

Tyler Olivia

Bertram

Jemima

Heydar

Luke

Phoebe Melosina

Amy Oliver

Samuel Archie

Charlotte Benjamin Alexia Laila Jay Rosie

Tia Bodo

Georgina Johnny

English as an Additional Language

Nicola Checketts Head of EAL

The EAL department has worked hard again this year supporting our international pupils with their English language. My thanks go to Miss King for her expertise with this year’s cohort of EAL pupils, many of whom faced exam challenges. Johnny and Heydar went through their paces with the IELTS exam, both sitting it early in the Christmas term, and for those who sat the first proper post-Covid GCSEs in summer 2022, this year meant a whole new language challenge.

A Level and BTEC courses bring with them independent learning and sophisticated text to tackle. Our 6th Form international pupils chose a range of A Levels from Politics to Art, Mathematics to Business Studies, Psychology and more. This year’s GCSE pupils, Hannah, Jonathan and Lynn, having worked hard to improve their English alongside their GCSE studies, will be making those choices for next term.

In March, Friedrich, Oskar, Maja, Friederike and Imke sat their Cambridge Advanced examinations with success. This is a very challenging

exam to prepare in just two terms so a huge congratulations goes to these pupils. Likewise, to our Cambridge First candidates, Caspar, Jakob and Konstantin, who excelled in the March exam session. We were sad to say goodbye to many of these pupils at the end of the spring term.

Ana, 4th Form and Gonzalo, 3rd Form are entered for the Cambridge First summer session and Emil for the Advanced.

The EAL department aims to give the international pupils a taste of British culture outside school, so our termly cultural trips are important events. In September, we visited the Houses of Parliament with a bespoke tour, which is indeed an extraordinary day out. We had a wonderful guide, and it is always a fascinating experience for the pupils. There is a lot to take in and remember, but even if they take away one important image or idea, our day has been well worth the journey. The spring term trip was to Wookey Hole caves in the Mendips - a fascinating environment of underground rivers and pools,

stalactites and stalagmites. We also visited Wells Cathedral which is such an iconic building. It was wonderful to see the pupils mesmerized by the clock, one of the oldest astronomical clocks in the world. And of course, a happy shopping trip ensued.

The most rewarding part of teaching EAL is seeing how our international pupils engage with every area of school life, gradually gaining confidence and forming relationships. Many have performed in music concerts and some in the School play, as well as taking part in sports, science events and Art. Among the many activities, Heydar and Johnny gave a memorable presentation at the Chemistry Symposium and Jasmine sang regularly in the Chapel Choir which sings a termly service of Choral Evensong at regional cathedrals.

As we say goodbye to those who are leaving us for pastures and challenges new, I would like to thank them for their contribution to King's and wish them luck in their new experiences, hoping that their time with us will prove useful and memorable.

The E-Safety Committee

The eSafety Committee meets once a term, to discuss issues that affect the pupils and the wider school. The Committee have been encouraged to get involved with policy development as well as being a voice for the pupil body. This year we have produced a training video for the new pupils, organised a poster campaign for Safer Internet Day and discussed many of the threats and concerns that are posed when using the internet and interacting online. Each House has a representative and they have been proactive in bringing new and current issues to everyone’s attention.

In an ever changing and developing online environment, the pupils’ views, and contributions, are essential.

“In the E-SafetyCommittee, we decided to make a video for new pupils. In this video, I talked about cyber bullying online and how nothing is fully erased from the internet. This highlighted the threats and dangers the internet causes. As a group, we discussed how we use the internet as a school and how we can use it safely without danger being involved.” - Gracie.

“I am in the E-Safety Committee. I have found it a good way in which to bring up important queries concerning the e-safety at King's.

When reminded of the Acceptable Use Agreement (AUA), many of us had no recollection of signing this or had forgotten about it all together. The document itself contains many important matters which you agree to when you join the School and sets the perimeters of what pupils can and can’t do with regards to internet use.

We, therefore, suggested that the pupils should be reminded of this yearly in order to get them to think about the issues on an annual basis.

We also advised that the form should be online, as it would make it easier for pupils to complete and when needed to be reminded of the rules, they could get easy access to it.” - Ellie.

The EDI Committee

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee meet twice every half term to help discuss and plan events to help our school recognise and learn about equality, diversity and inclusion.

Black History Month

In October, we celebrated Black History Month, and this involved a special assembly which was led by the Prefects and the EDI Committee. We made and put up posters around the School highlighting successful black achievements. Teachers were also sent lesson ideas to incorporate Black History Month into everyone’s lessons. This was a really innovative and meaningful experience for our school as it encouraged everyone to recognise and celebrate the work of black people.

International Men’s Day

In November, we celebrated International Men’s Day. This year’s focus was on men’s mental health, and to raise awareness of this, some of the King's staff grew impressive moustaches (Movember). This highlighted awareness to men’s health including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. To help highlight this further the 4th and 5th Form pupils were invited to have a talk from the Odd Balls charity who raise awareness of testicular cancer, and as a 5th Form pupil, in the EDI Committee, this was a really interesting talk which has really encouraged pupils to speak up. This also inspired three 4th Form boys to run, swim

and cycle 2300km to raise money for the Oddballs Foundation. As a whole, International Men’s Day was an inspiration to all at King's Bruton to spread awareness about men’s mental health.

International Women’s Day

In March, King's Bruton celebrated International Women’s Day. In Assembly, Mrs Simper asked the pupils and staff to talk about a women who they admired, and why they had chosen them. Following this the whole school wrote about a woman that they admired and why, then the cards were displayed outside the dining room. This meant that everyone passing by were able to read about these inspirational women. We also had a special chapel service by a visiting preacher, then we had a joint tutor group session with our twinned Houses. International Women’s Day was great for King's Bruton to come together to recognise female achievements in history.

Question Time on Diversity

We also held a Question Time on Diversity and Inclusion for the 6th Form and EDI Committee members. This was a fantastic occasion with a range of panellists. Dr Finn Mackay and Dr Nilufar Ahmed from UWE and Bristol University provided very professional and varied opinions, whilst Raymond

and Esther were 2 Old Brutonians who answered questions from the pupils on their perception of discrimination in school, in comparison with life after school, and ideas in the future for King's to promote greater diversity. David Walsh offered a disabled perspective; he had been involved in a serious car accident in his early 20s, resulting in a partial loss of his right arm and a leg amputation. He talked about people’s micro-aggressions and these being more damaging than often the bigger things. The pupils offered thought provoking questions and this was superbly chaired by Rev'd Beverly.

Alexina

Whole School Days

Over the course of the year we had 3 whole School PSHEE days which were focussed on different themes.

In the Christmas term, we were following the theme of Health and Wellbeing. Zoe from IT Happens Education gave 3 talks all which were extremely relevant to the pupils. The 3rd and 4th Form pupils talk was centred around vaping, cannabis and alcohol, and it also touched upon peer pressure and harm reduction. The 5th & L6th Form talk was focused on parties and festivals, looking at the risks and how to get help in difficult situations. Finally, the U6th Form talk was about the Next Chapter, looking at the risks of travelling, in Freshers week, and a topic that the Upper 6th were concerned about, drink spiking.

All pupils had been invited to answer a survey beforehand, so the talks were tailormade for the needs and requests of the pupils. We were introduced to the very useful website www.talktofrank.com and pupils learnt about initiatives such as Hi I’m Angela and The Loop. Tutors all attended too, as did our new PSHEE Governor, Jean Walker. As a follow up to this, pupils joined with their twin House for this term (Blackford & Priory, Lyon & Arion, New & Wellesley) for a joint Tutor session on Wednesday afternoon. The themes were discussed and pupils feel that both talks have taught them a lot about drugs and substances.

In the Easter term, we were looking at the theme of the Wider World and it was great to welcome Annabel TaylorRoss, a former Captain in the Army, UN Aid Worker, Head of PSHEE at Blundell's School, and now a business owner selling canoes, to talk to King's pupils. Annabel spoke to the 3rd and 4th Form on Careers in Conflict focussing on her career in conflict zones such as

Kosovo, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. She explained key bodies to the pupils such as the UN, and the different branches of the military thus showing the pupils the many different types of careers are available in the military. The 6th Form talk was very different looking at the idea of Blankets or Barriers and the response to the refugee crisis in the world. Pupils realised the many different reasons why there are refugees with the phrase ‘no one chooses to be a refugee’ really emphasised. The aim for both of these talks is to educate the pupils about life beyond the Bruton bubble

In the Summer term, the theme was Relationships and Allison Havey from The RAP Project Raising Awareness and Prevention Project, came to King's Bruton to raise awareness about personal safety issues on and offline. The 3rd and 4th Form had a very engaging talk titled ‘Altered, airbrushed and unrealistic’ which focused on body image, sexting and selfie obsession. Allison had a very impressive presentation style and her content was very relevant to what the pupils have learnt in their PSHEE lessons this year. The 5th Form did not have a talk due to public examinations, but the 6th Form had a very informative talk titled ‘The Big Leap’ and educated pupils on rape culture, sexual harassment and pornography. Again, the content was very informative and extremely appropriate for all pupils. They also provided some very useful Acronyms which pupils can use in the future. Following the talk, pupils met up in their Joint House Tutor groups for the term (Arion and Blackford, Priory and New, Wellesley and Lyon) and watched some specially selected videos and discussed the idea of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

EmilySimper Head of PSHEE

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week was an extremely busy, yet rewarding, week for pupils and staff focussing on the theme of anxiety. We were very fortunate to start the week with an excellent Assembly, led by our Mental Health Reps Eliza, Niko and Millie, and Educational Psychologist Amanda Benbow.

Amanda’s talk was inspiring, answering questions such as: what triggers anxiety?, how can you control it? and along with some very useful breathing exercises, she also gave us the anacronym CLANGERS as a way of coping with anxiety. The pupils really took note of this and produced some excellent posters in their Tutor session after Assembly, which have been displayed in the Dining Room corridor this week.

Rev'd Beverly also spoke superbly about anxiety in his chapel service on Wednesday, and following this service, we all dressed in the Mental Health Awareness colour of green, walked up to the Dovecote in the sunshine, as it is known that being outside and having fresh air really helps anxiety. This was also the case with our five afternoon teas, held every day for each individual year group.

Our catering team went above and beyond with their production of delicious doughnuts, chocolate crispy cakes and muffins, and we were so lucky that the sun shone every day, though we did have a torrential hail storm on the last day which cut the 4th Form tea short. The Catering Department also made delicious curries for our sharing curry meal on Wednesday and

lovely homemade scones for the entire staff. There were lots of events in the evenings too with karaoke, dancing and firepits, but I think it was the whole school House Night at Hyde which was probably my favourite event of the week as everyone was there and the exam pupils really enjoyed a hot dog, an ice cream and a short break from their revision, whilst the 3rd and 6th Form loved playing games and socialising.

Overall, I was really impressed with the enthusiasm and support given by all pupils, and an enormous thank you to the Mental Health Reps - Archie, Eliza, Niko, Scarlett, Will, Millie, Archie, Izzy, Ollie and Holly for all their planning and help in organising a very successful week.

Emily Simper Head of PSHEE

Inclusivity at King's

Kirsty Moran Head of Learning Support

The Learning Support department can be found in the Hobhouse building, just beyond the Library. Walk through the magical forest, designed and painted by 5th Form Art scholarship pupils in 2021, and into the department which displays a portfolio of work created for A Level Art and uses the pupil's journey with dyslexia as the focus. These pieces of work are truly insightful as to the struggle that face many pupils with a learning disability.

In fact, the department is formally known as The Mary Tyndall Centre, named after a previous member of teaching staff who in the 1970’s was a pioneer of methods developed to identify and support the teaching of pupils with dyslexia.

Here at King's, we pride ourselves on our inclusivity, with the Learning Support department at the forefront of championing neurodiversity. We are advocates of equity over equality, to ensure our pupils get the support they need to help them reach their potential. The concepts of equality and equity are beautifully presented in the picture, below, which we shared with all staff during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, in March.

Inclusion is a process that embodies changes and modifications in content, teaching methods, structures and strategies in the classroom, helping pupils to overcome their barriers to

learning. Integration, in itself, does not necessarily equate to inclusion, which is why striving for equity is so important in ensuring all pupils feel included and supported in their learning journey.

In the Learning Support department, we ensure staff receive up-to-date information on Specific Learning Difficulties by uploading tips, quizzes and news (for example, during Dyslexia Awareness Week, which occurs every October) as well as presenting triedand-tested teaching methods at the monthly ‘Teach-meets’. As members of several professional bodies, we are able to keep staff up to date on other matters of inclusivity, such as the everchanging regulations for Exam Access Arrangements.

Within the department, we have both specialist teacher and examination access assessor qualifications at Level 7 and we continue to study to ensure continuing professional development. We usually offer 1-1 lessons, as this means intervention can be highlytailored to need, but we also offer dropin sessions, after school, where pupils can come for a bit of extra help. A large part of our work is liaising with staff (both teaching and House) alongside specific external agencies to make sure our pupils are fully supported and made aware of any updates, such as teaching strategies or exam access arrangements, that we recommend.

Where previously, Learning Support was a stand-alone department, since 2020 the teaching staff have become fully integrated and included into the life at King's, supporting the School community - as a whole - to become further immersed into the ethos of inclusivity.

The Chess Year

Tomi Owens

Head of Chess

We have had another good year with healthy numbers attending our weekly Chess Club. There has been some excellent new talent in our 3rd Form as well as our regulars from previous years.

In November, a team from King's Bruton took part in the regional stage of the National Schools Chess Championships. This is a national competition, with 240 teams from 140 schools having entered this year. We went to Bristol Grammar School for our regional qualifier stage, along with 14 other schools from the South West. It was an interesting evening and a good learning experience for all pupils. Overall, we were in the top half of the teams, but didn’t do quite well enough to qualify for the next stage.

At the end of January, two teams from King's Bruton went to Bristol Grammar School to take part in the Team Chess Challenge 2022/23 West of England Regional Round. KSB Team A came 9th out of 20 teams. KSB Team B came 18th out of 22 teams.

We held the Inter-House Chess competition in April. There was a good turnout, with 26 pupils playing. It was interesting that the boys’ Houses fielded large teams: 9 players, 7 players and 4 players, whilst the girls’ Houses all sent exactly 2 players. Despite having small teams, it was great to see the girls’ Houses do so well: Priory came third. The battle for first place was very close between New House and Blackford House, but after 90 minutes of play and a total of 52 games played, we had a winner: New House got to retain the Chess Trophy for another year!

The individual school champion for 2022/2023 was Ludo (New House) with 4 wins out of 4 games.

Psychology

Dr Rebecca Larsen Head of Psychology

It has been a fun, busy year in the Psychology Department. L6th Form pupils put their interview skills to the test when they interviewed male members of staff about the role of the father in a child’s development. Our thanks goes to Mr Higgs and Mr Godfrey for talking so honestly about the challenges of modern day fatherhood with their young daughters and the positive enrichment this provided for the attachment topic. L6th Form pupils also interviewed Mrs Lambert (Science Technician) about her spider phobia and the impact this has on her everyday life, as part of their Psychopathology topic. U6th Form pupils took part in a brain dissection practical which allowed them to explore the different areas of the brain they had been learning about in the Biopsychology component of the course.

U6th & L6th pupils attended a lunchtime lecture by Professor Paul Hodkinson from Surrey University on the topic of Contemporary Fathers - Experiences, Expectations & Wellbeing. This gave pupils an insight into the style and format of lectures and teaching at university level whilst also providing them with additional information for their attachment topic.

At the end of the Christmas term, pupils took part in the annual Psycholchristmastree competition, where they are challenged to make a Christmas tree decoration related to a topic they have studied - Well done to Darcy and Alice in U6th for their amazing HitchAngel representing the working memory model. Dr Larsen was so impressed that he has become a permanent feature in the Psychology classroom!

U6th pupils’ revision was kickstarted with a trip to Tutor2u’s Grade Booster Revision Workshop held in the Vue Cinema Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. The day was packed full of interactive activities with many pupils winning a prize, well done Melo, Liv, Joe, Ned and Jay!

Alexia

U6th Form - Priory House

I have always been interested in the psychological explanations for behaviour - infamously writing my EPQ on the childhoods of serial killers - so I was excited to start Psychology A Level and I have really enjoyed every topic we’ve covered over the last two years. I am always looking for an insight into the wider world and have found it fascinating learning about the influence of different cultures upon topics such as gender stereotypes and attachments. I am now going on to do Education with Psychology at the University of Bath, where I am looking forward to building my knowledge of the mind and behaviour, which will be highly useful to me in my future career as a primary school teacher in the UK, China and Southeast Asia.

A topic that ignited my passion to study psychology in higher education was the idea of cognitive bias which crops up in both the cognitive explanations of schizophrenia and addiction. This led me to undergo my own exploration into imposter syndrome and the glass ceiling effect, which allowed me to understand that these internal biases form the crux of societal prejudice and unequal opportunities for many. I look forward to exploring this concept further whilst studying Psychology BSc with a placement year at the University of Leeds.

Jodie

U6th Form - Wellesley House

Rutter et al.’s study on Romanian orphans was captivating, it showed how being institutionalised from birth led to a lower IQ and developmental problems, in addition to reducing the physical size of the brain. What fascinated me was how an understanding of this could be applied to education to support children from challenged backgrounds. I would like to explore the importance of attachment on the minds of children further whilst studying Educational Psychology at the University of Manchester.

Mia U6th Wellesley - Priory House

Community Service

Darcy Arion House U6th Form

Prefect of Community Service

When I first began at King's Bruton in L6th Form, I was able to take part in the Community Service programme and contribute my part to the local community of Bruton. This opened up many opportunities. Community Service has had such a positive impact on the pupils of King's Bruton as well as its local residents. When attending the first meeting for Community Service, Ms Wilson-Brown shared the attributes, skills, and qualities that someone needed to be, and have, to be able to fulfil their role within the programme. An individual must be kind, patient, resilient and enthusiastic, as well as an ambassador for the School, and displaying the very best of what they have to offer in the service of others.

For my first placement, I befriended an elderly lady who I would visit every Friday afternoon. I would enjoy the walk up to her house where we would chat, garden, play games and much more. We would discuss, where in the world we had been and where we dreamed of going next. On the sunnier days we would move out to the garden, as she told me all about the different plants that she had growing. It was a great first placement and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her.

The following year I was appointed as Community Service Prefect, and so had the task with Ms Wilson-Brown to allocate each pupil to their placement. This year we had we had five volunteers, Yasmin, Phoebe, Ellie, Skylar and Joe, working in Sexey’s garden. Phoebe and Frankie working at St Mary’s Hospice Charity Shop in Castle Cary, Kitty and Reina at Mendip School, Dominic and William at Mill on the Brue, a range of pupils at primary schools and

Rosie, Amy and Charlie at the school library. Alice and Tia, a couple of our Community Service volunteers spent their Friday afternoons at All Hallows Prep School in Shepton Mallet. They would help out with the Forest School with pupils aged between 5-6 years old. They told me one of their favourite moments was when they had baked a homemade apple crumble over the fire, and they enjoyed learning about how to educate children beyond the classroom.

For my own placement this year I was down at Sexey’s Hospital befriending a vicar. I spent time chatting with him about his travels and work. He also had a lot to share about the Hospital and I was able to learn a lot from this placement and very grateful for the experiences that the King's Bruton Community Service Programme has given me.

Community Service has been a great help to those doing DofE volunteering. It has taught us all valuable moments and lessons about the importance of service to our local community. As Headmaster, Mr Wilmshurst, states regularly in all school assembly’s, we need to have made the most of our time at the School, and make the most of all of our talents, and to be kind to one another. I think the King's Community Service Programme has indeed contributed to this. It has pushed us to serve in new ways, helping others, but also finding strengths and talents within us that sometimes we didn’t even know we had. I hope next years’ Community Service pupils make the most of every opportunity, just as I have done in the last 2 years.

Chaplaincy

Rev’d George Beverly Chaplain

Mark, chapter 10 in the Bible tells us that the King of King’s, Jesus Christ, “came not to be served, but to serve.” This powerful message continues to shape the Chaplaincy’s ethos at King's. It’s a glorious message, isn’t it!? God himself adopts a posture of serving others - of serving you and me! He lovingly serves us through redeeming us to give us new life. He generously serves us with daily blessings. And he calls us to follow him, the Servant King, by seeking to serve those around us. So, as we look back across the academic year 2022-23, it’s great to see the many ways the Servant King has blessed us and shaped us.

It was ace to see an early appetite for engaging with life’s big questions and exploring faith at events such as TGI. During the Christmas Term at TGI, we had stacks of fun playing numerous games, and enjoying refreshments, before looking at the eternal wisdom found in the Psalms.

encouraging to see the entire school dig deep by donating a record amount of food for our Harvest Service. All the donations went to the Brue Larder Foodbank who were incredibly grateful to receive enough supplies to keep them going for a few months.

October came and brought with it a fun evening hosting the Friends of King's Quiz Night - we won’t forget the King's Trivia and face-blend rounds quickly! October, wouldn’t be October without the Battlefields Tour. It was lovely to see this return after two fallow years due to COVID. The value of this tour is immense, not just socially, or in terms of the English/History, but in terms of driving home to us the madness of war, the preciousness of life and the hope that can be found in the face of death. It was especially poignant to hold our Service of Remembrance at Tyne Cot Cemetery, right next to the stone engraving where Old Brutonian, Second Lieutenant Oliver Wakefield is remembered.

volunteered and chose to take part in our Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday activities. Church Bridge was back to pre-COVID levels as the town and school community came together to honour before God the brave fallen. In the afternoon, it was lovely to welcome Old Brutonian Charles Noble back to King's to launch his book, ‘The King's 56’ which documents the Old Brutonians who died in the Great War of 1914-18.

Our Wednesday Chapel sermon series saw us work through the book of 1 Peter, and in Sunday Chapel Services we explored distinctives of the Christian faith in 2022. It was particularly

Talking of Remembrance, I was mightily impressed with all those who

In the second half of the Christmas Term, we were blessed to have two special interactions with the new Bishop of Bath & Wells, The Rt Revd Dr Michael Beasley. On 12th November, I was honoured to anoint the Bishop at his Welcome & Installation Service in Wells Cathedral. What exactly is anointing? Well, it’s a visible way to help the bishop, “Remember that at

your baptism you were signed with the cross of Christ. Rejoice in God’s goodness and grace and remain faithful to him, walking with us in the life of the Spirit. May God give you grace to continueinhisway.” Later in December we welcomed the bishop to Bruton to confirm nineteen pupils. What a joyous

occasion this was - we had an amazing testimony from Emil, and it is always powerful to hear the candidates boldly declaring that they want to live for Jesus Christ day-by-day. It was also a profound honour for me to baptise two pupils - congratulations to Max and Daniel!

As ever, the start of December saw us pause to mark Advent. This year we focused on the reality that Jesus Christ is so significant that Christians mark time by him! Christians begin their year by remembering his first coming to earth and how one day in the future he will come again!

The whole school was shocked, and countless people deeply saddened, to learn of the tragic death of recent Old Brutonian, Peter Jenkins on 8th December alongside his father Mark, when their plane went down during a

excitement about joining Sandhurst in April 2023. Above all, it was Peter’s warmth of character, generosity in friendship, and passion for life that I will miss the most. Do look at pages 30-31 of this Dolphin magazine to see the deep affection so many people had for Peter. As Chaplain, having to break such sad news to colleagues, pupils, and Old Brutonians is never easy - especially when they are someone as talented, cherished and inspiring as Peter. The way pupils and staff supported one another was tangibly comforting. Scores of pupils and staff came to light candles in memory of Peter at the King's Bruton side chapel within St Mary’s Church. In the evening, we held a memorial service for Peter in New House. Even boys in the junior years who had never met Peter, were keen to honour a young man, who just like them, had called New House his home during term time. From my contact with Clare (Peter’s mother) and Myles (Peter’s brother) I know they are grateful for the sympathies and support the school community (past and present) continue to show them. We will keep holding them in our prayers. It remains our duty to honour and remember Peter and his father in our lives going forward. I have been liaising with Clare and Myles over potential options for commemorating Peter at King's. If anything is decided, current and former pupils/staff will be contacted as appropriate.

The end of the Christmas Term saw many Christmas celebrations. My thanks go to all those who helped decorate St Mary’s and took part in our Wednesday Christmas Chapel Service - I don’t think any of us will forget singing the Twelve Days of Christmas in rounds! In the midst of the end of term madness, I was delighted to watch the Sunnyhill Nursery Nativity Play in St Leonard’s Church, Pitcombe, followed by visiting the excited boys and girls in the

afternoon to sing some Christmas songs and go through the story of Christmas.

As ever, the end of term arrived with our Christmas Carol Service - for the first time as a whole school since December 2019 (again, due to COVID). The Chapel Choir excelled (thank you Mr Marshfield) and the readers were exemplary. It was great to ponder together how the wise men’s gifts showed that Jesus really is a big deal: Gold - He’s God’s king over everyone. Frankincense – come to give us peace. Myrrh – through his death on the cross.

patrol of Tsavo East National Park in Kenya. Peter was a much-loved pupil at King's 2014-19. I feel truly privileged and blessed to have been his tutor for his five years at King's. Peter had so much ahead of him - not long before his death, he had gleefully told me about his recent degree result, him successfully gaining his pilot’s licence, and his

This academic year, taking on the role of Foundation Chaplain has meant there’s been the delight of paying more regular trips to the mighty Hazlegrove! What fun it is to take chapel services, run

assemblies, help at Advent/Christmas/ Easter and of course enjoy a feast during my weekly lunch trips where I have a good old natter with pupils! During the Easter Term I was honoured to be grilled about life and faith, by the deep-thinking Year 6s as part of their Festival of Curiosity. Their overflowing eagerness was somehow surpassed by the Pre-Prep pupils when I was invited to speak about the fab news of new life at Easter. This was followed by a spectacular Hazlegrove Easter Service in Sherborne Abbey. It must be added: one mustn’t forget the warm welcomes received at Perrott Hill and Port Regis too.

We Breathe’ where we considered how common cultural values we hold dear (e.g. equality, diversity, compassion etc) are rooted in the Christian faith.

A particular highlight this year has come with the introduction of short optional services of Holy Communion, which started in the Easter Term and continue to run a couple of times each term. Everyone is welcome to come and receive the bread and the wine, and so remember Jesus Christ’s saving death in the way he commanded us to. Scores of pupils have experienced these services and the profound spiritual nourishment they provide. Special thanks must go to The Friends of King's Bruton for paying for the Holy Communion silverware and linen.

Lastly, I must express my thanks to all the boarding houses and their HsMs for such warm welcomes on my weekly visits to participate in House Nights and take the occasional House Service. Every Thursday night proves to be a treat. Some notable evenings have been: Cucumber facemasks in Wellesley House. Judging Christmas decorations in Priory House. Enjoying fireworks with Arion House. Coaching and participating in a Ceilidh with New House and Priory House (run by a certain Scottish Headmaster!).

The Easter Term also saw lots of fun at King's. In Wednesday Chapel we did a sermon series called, ‘JesusThroughThe EyesofWomen’. An especially poignant service occurred when we marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Stas, a Ukranian pupil, powerfully shared with us, during an interview, how the war has affected him, his family and friends. Sunday Chapel saw us look at, ‘The Air

And so we arrive at the Summer Term! There have been two big Chaplaincy highlights over the past several weeks. Firstly, in Wednesday Chapel services we have looked at the hallmarks of leadership according to the Bible. We’re all called to be leaders in different contexts, but the sermon series has proven especially useful for those pupils in the L6th Form applying for leadership positions next year.

The second highlight has to be Commemoration Day. It was a real redletter day: the procession was perfect, Bishop Rob’s sermon exhorted us to embody our motto (Deo Juvante) by seeking God’s help day by day, and the singing was top notch. Well done to all!

Also during the Summer term, we came together to hold a Coronation Service to celebrate the corononation of King Charles III. Thanks go to Heads of School, Luke and Amelia, for playing the roles of King and Dean so well!

Thus, that gives a flavour of the 2022-23 Chaplaincy season. The above article has of course failed to mention the numerous other chaplaincy groups and events that have taken place; not forgetting the various chats with pupils and staff, plus pastoral encouragements along the way. It remains my greatest honour to be your Chaplain. No single day is the same; working with King's Bruton pupils and staff is truly energising. Thankfully, through the highs and lows of an academic year, the God who came to serve, continues to serve - his grace is sufficient no matter what we face.

As ever, the Chaplaincy’s door remains open to everyone, regardless of belief or lack of. It is our hope and prayer that you would know more and more the supreme goodness of the Servant King.

Deo

Juvante!

The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) offers all pupils at the School the chance to undertake a variety of military skills as part of the Royal Navy and Army Sections, and adventurous activities on land and sea, with the aim to develop resilience and teamwork in the cadets. More importantly, it aims to put responsibility into the hands of senior pupils, and for those who assume roles as NCOs and help to run the Contingent, it offers unparalleled opportunities to cultivate leadership and planning abilities. This year’s NCO cohort have been excellent, led by the RSM, Amelia, who has been the epitome of enthusiasm, knowledge and organisational excellence.

The highlight of the year was the Biennial Inspection in March, when the inspecting officer was Commander James Dible RNAS Yeovilton. Read RSM, Amelia's report on the day. It was a fantastic inspection and my thanks to all involved who made it such a success.

The 5th Form Advanced Infantry had a busy year with their Field Day at Yoxter Ranges, Priddy. This involved night patrolling, a night ambush and a dawn patrol followed by section attacks. The rest of the day was spent on the 100m Live Range. There was some excellent shooting from a great many cadets. Later in the term, the cadets were able to shoot Scorpion Air Rifles, Cadet Target Rifles, Shotguns at Yoxter again and paintball guns.

The RN had an exciting year with kayaking and paddle boarding at Cheddar Reservoir and a welcome visit to HMS Raleigh where they were able to experience Fire Fighting & DRIU Training (Damage Repair Instructional Unit).

In late April, the Ten Tors Challenge was undertaken by two 35-mile teams who completed the Challenge. It was

tough going for both teams, as is the nature of the Challenge, but they succeeded and deserved the great welcome they received as they crossed the finishing line on Sunday afternoon.

The 4th Form Cadets had a busy year with Army fieldcraft skills, first aid and weapon handling assessment, culminating in the end of year “Skirmish Exercise”. The Royal Navy undertook sea-faring leadership tasks, communication challenges and raft building. They had two excellent Field Days run during the year. The first was run by Footsteps of Discovery where cadets learnt a variety of survival skills and they had an exhilarating Field Day in the Summer Term on the Dorset Coast with a day of High Ropes and Coasteering.

The CCF could not run without the support of so many volunteers amongst the Staff Officers and the NCOs. I am indebted to the quality and enthusiasm that exists in our leaders, and having attended two CCF conferences during the year, I am increasingly aware of how fortunate I am to be able to call on such a committed body of people. My thanks to all.

Click or scan the QR Code to go to our CCF webpage for more information on all these events and to watch our CCF videos.

Major Craig Barrow Contingent Commander King's Bruton CCF

The Biennial Inspection

A fantastic CCF Biennial Inspection review from Commander James Dible RN...

Impression on Cadet Turnout and Training

I was privileged to witness an immaculate parade, commanded by an impressive Cadet Warrant Officer (female). The standard of dress was first class and I found the Cadets to be engaging and interested. The afternoon programme saw demonstrations across a wide range of activity, including practical first aid training, section attacks, field tactics (using paint ball guns), orienteering, raft and stretcher construction. Much of this training was being delivered first hand by the Cadet NCOs, who were clearly relishing the opportunity to lead - this is very much a theme of this fine unit and I commend the Staff, who absolutely encourage this methodology. The day finished with two highlights, an impressive Field Gun Run and Beating the Retreat by the School's Military Band. The former was clearly enjoyed as much by the Cadets as me and the latter was simply superb.

Overall impression of CCF

To finish my 40 year career as the Reviewing Officer for King's School Bruton CCF was both an honour and a privilege. It is clearly an integral part of the School, supported whole heartedly from the top, and driven forwards by a dedicated, professional and engaged staff - the smiles and comments by the Cadets were testament to this. This unit must rank amongst the best.

Amelia RSM CCF Head of School

The Biennial Inspection was a momentous day that demonstrated the ever-growing success of both the Army and Navy sections of the King's Bruton CCF. Whilst the parade was a daunting experience for all involved, Commander James Dible RNAS Yeovilton put the parade at ease, as he showed genuine interest in the aspirations of the cadets and their roles in the CCF.

The cadets excelled themselves in every aspect of the inspection, as epitomised by the ‘Gun Run’, where both Army and Navy teams demonstrated the core values of the King's Bruton CCF, that being teamwork, stepping out of one’s comfort zone, and ultimately having fun.

Click or scan the QR Code to read more, watch the video and view the photographs.

Special mention must also go to the Military Band who were exemplary on parade in the morning of the inspection, playing during the General Salute and throughout the parade. They ended the day with the Beating Retreat on Old House Yard, performing with exemplary style and sophistication. Thus, the Biennial Inspection finished on a wonderful note, which demonstrated the success of the CCF, and signified its ability to continue to adapt, modernise, and flourish.

It has been a privilege to be part of such an exemplary CCF in my final year, as RSM. The inspection certainly highlighted the hard work of all the Officers, especially Major Barrow and SSI Charlton, along with the NCOs, most notably WO2 E. West and CSM A. Dawes, who enabled the Biennial Inspection, and, in fact, every Friday afternoon of CCF that we have, to be such a success.

Dolphin Productions

Lluc Tupman Recording Suite Manager

We have been lucky enough to have had some amazing artists and exciting projects visit Dolphin Productions and perform in the Hauser & Wirth Recital Hall this year. There has been a vast variety of people and musicians that have fuelled the creative space and brought to life the venue and studio. Not only have we had professionals, but our own pupils have also produced some amazing work and furthered their knowledge and skill to university level, with some of them persuing music production into further education.

It was great to welcome back Jeremy Thomas - a pioneering A&R force in the music business during the 70s’ working with artists as diverse as Al Green, John Williams, Caravan, Johnny Thunders and The Levellers. Author and producer, and most recently working with Stephen Fry on the award winning documentary about manic depression. Jeremy approached me to work with him on producing his show ‘ShedTalks’, an interview-based podcast that focuses on guests talking about how they dealt with their mental health problems amidst their high-profile careers and success. I was honoured to work with Jeremy as engineer and producer on two podcasts with a third to follow shortly.

The first was an interview with Clive Brooke, Baron Brooke of Alverthorpe, a British trade unionist and Labour Member of the House of Lords. Clive took us through his upbringing and how his career as a politician evolved alongside his alcoholism and addictions. It was a powerful interview showing how his eventual resolve and threat of a young death aided with help and guidance from his wife enabled him to beat his addictions and go on to have a fascinating career.

I was also lucky enough to part of the next Shed Talks episode with the very successful song writer Nicky Chinn of Chinny Chap. A hugely influential song writing partnership from the 80s. They wrote songs for many artists including Tina Turner, Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Huey Lewis and Toni Basil. It was wonderful to hear how Nicky started in the music business and just how different things were back then. The episode goes through Nicky’s overnight success and partnership with producer Mickie Most and Rak Records. It also details his problems with bipolar disorder and how he struggled with episodes of mania and the treatments he had to undertake and indeed the only ones available during that time.

Nicky was an amazing guest and it was fascinating to hear his story. Once again, a guest that showed a huge amount of resolve and fought hard against his problems to achieve worldwide success. Both episodes are available now on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

Another guest I would like to highlight was Barbara Bergin. Barbara called the studio looking for a creative environment to record her multiinstrumental jazz EP. Covering such songs as Fly Me To The Moon and Beautiful Love, Barbara needed a place that would successfully capture that live feel with just the right amount of swing! It was a wonderful opportunity to record on King's Bruton’s new Steinway & Sons piano. A recent addition to the fabulous facilities on offer.

Not only did we have a Steinway to record on, but we also had the perfect environment to capture its beautiful sound. Experimenting with different positions of the piano in the recital hall and using an array of different microphones, I was able to bring Barbara’s performance to life. Combined with an upright bass and a drummer we captured the band as if they were

Dolphin Productions

performing at a gig at an old Jazz bar, capturing all the special elements that give it soul. I also produced a live video for Barbara for her performance of ‘If I were A Bell’ which will be available for streaming.

It was great to once again to host Hauser & Wirth, Somerset, for a screening of the Louise Bourgeois film, Louise was a French-American artist best known for her sculpture and installation art. From the Hauser & Wirth website:

“Louise Bourgeois is recognized as oneofthemostimportantandinfluential artistsofthe20thCentury.Foroverseven decades, Bourgeois’s creative process was fueled by an introspective reality, often rooted in cathartic re-visitations of early childhood trauma and frank examinationsoffemalesexuality.”

It was a fascinating film highlighting Louise’s life and journey from print making to sculptor and effects on her life growing up in France during the World Wars. The evening was a great success with a sold-out crowd of 120 guests joining us in the foyer for pre- drinks and recital hall for the screening.

We also provided the venue for The Arts Society Mid Somerset for a special day on interest, hosting renowned art historian and lecturer Julian Halsby. Julian was a fascinating guest and took us through the history of some of the most influential paintings and their effect on society at the time and well as many years after their creation. It’s been great to include some amazing artistic presence on the premises and I look forward to hosting more art events in the future.

Building on their Music Tech skills from last year, we have had a very creative A Level class who have excelled at their own projects. From electronic music compositions made entirely of beats and samples to pop productions and a call back to 70s rock. The pupils have utilised the studio and our new Macs to produce their own work as well as an accomplished repertoire for university applications.

They have learned how to record live drums and mic up various instruments – modern and classical (even a tuba!) to layer their work and complete their A Level coursework. I am pleased to say Ellie (U6th Form, Priory House) will be studying Music Production at BIMM

in September. We look forward to welcoming a full class for A Level next year.

Not only have the King's pupils been hard at work, but we were pleased to welcome Hazlegrove’s very own rock band. Having formed in Year 6, these Year 8 leavers were an incredible talent and came to visit Dolphin Studios for the afternoon to record and produce their 2 track EP. I was pleased to give the boys the studio experience and was very impressed with their obvious talent at such a young age. I look forward to hearing what they’ll produce in the future!

Dolphin Productions is taking bookings right now, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if we can help bring your future project to life.

Click or scan the QR Code to go to our Dolphin Productions webpage.

The excellent King's Bruton Grounds Team

The team is headed by Graham Kitley and supported by Marcus Rushton (Deputy Head of Grounds), James Ford (Head Gardener), Sam Pollard and Max Brown.

Throughout the year at King's, we cover a variety of sports across our grass and artificial surfaces: football, rugby, cricket, hockey, tennis and netball. These surfaces must be turned around in short time frames. The team also manage the School gardens; we have a sizeable estate to look after.

Sports surfaces and how the School is presented are a priority. As a team we are very lucky to be supported so well by the Heamaster and Bursar. With all surfaces being multi use it is important that they are well maintained.

In the Christmas term, we play rugby and football on grass, devoting, cleaning out of the surface and hoovering up debris are weekly activities. Prep for matches includes mowing and line marking. We vertidrain the surfaces to relieve compaction and help drainage and aeration, this also helps us to reduce

thatch build up. Hockey is played on artificial surfaces, regular brushing and blowing keeps these surfaces tidy. On the gardens front, we are keeping the School tidy, picking up leaf fall and cutting back herbaceous boarders.

In the Easter term, we still have rugby and football on grass, but only on two pitches. Hockey and netball are played on the artificial surfaces, and again the maintenance for these is brushing and blowing to keep the surfaces tidy. The gardens have slowed down so keeping the site safe is a priority, salting steps and pathways along with painting benches and servicing machinery. We also do any small project work when time allows.

As we move towards the Easter holidays, we start to think about the end of season renovations. Scarifying, over seeding and top dressing help reinstate levels and grass coverage. We then fertilize to keep the grass healthy moving into summer.

From the Easter holidays onwards we are full on cricket prep. Pre-season

rolling on the squares are important for consolidation to give us a better pitch once the season starts. More raking out of surfaces to keep them clean and not too thick helps to keep the outfields nice and quick for cricket. Tennis is played on the Astro and hard courts; athletics is located on Farr Field. The grass is growing regularly now across the site so the gardens team are busy mowing, weeding and hedge cutting.

During the summer holidays, we host some more cricket, then we renovate our pitches ready for next year. Our attention then turns back to the rugby season, marking out, putting up the posts and spectator fence. More small project work is undertaken throughout the holidays.

The School always looks fantastic and that all comes down to the hard work and dedication from my team.

Graham Kitley Director of Grounds, King's Bruton and Hazlegrove Prep School

Sport

A Year of Sport

Henry Eriksson Director of Sport

I am proud of the way in which our sports teams have acquitted themselves this year, both in terms of the way they always look to perform to the best of their ability, whilst also ensuring that they conduct themselves in the correct manner and with high standards. As a result, we are very much a school that others want to have on their fixture list.

I am delighted that we continue to punch well above our weight with regards to how well we compete with much larger schools, and whilst we are very much performance orientated, it has been wonderful to see us record some excellent results throughout the year. A few standout moments from this academic year include our 1st VII Netball team winning the Somerset County Cup for the first time, the U16 girls becoming Regional Indoor Hockey Champions and we also saw the first ever King's Bruton girls’ football team compete in an inter-school fixture.

As a department, we continue to strive for pupils being offered as many sporting opportunities as possible and this has led to the continuing development of our sports provision at King's. I am confident that this will continue to grow further, not only due to the fantastic buy in we receive from pupils at King's, but also from the tireless commitment and dedication shown by both the sports department and wider staff common room alike. I am extremely grateful to everyone that makes sport at King's what it is and something we can certainly be proud of.

Photographs from the 1st Teams' Dinner

Rugby

I have been impressed with how dedicated both staff and pupils have been to improve the rugby programme this year. The coaches have spent a lot of time understanding the game model which has reflected in some brilliant training sessions throughout all ages and ability. We now have 3 members of staff: Mr Lane, Mr Stainton and Mr Danskin, all who are through completing their Level 2 Rugby Qualification ready for next season. We have increased our number of pupils involved in the Bath Academy and County representatives this year.

Bath Development Pathway (Bath DPP): Levi, Kit, Sidney, Jeevan, Ludo, Angus

Bath Player Development Group (PDG): Ronnie, Henry

1st XV

Ben Hawley

Ben Hawley reflects on a 1st XV who had to dig in deep at times and unfortunately, due to a vast number of injuries, the decision was made to fold the 2nd XV team. However, this did mean that we had over 39 pupils representing the 1st XV this season which is a huge success in itself.

Dorset and Wiltshire U18’s & South West England: Oscar, Will

We first played Monkton Combe in a preseason game which was a good eye opener to see how much work the boys did over the summer holiday. We came up against one of the strongest sides I have seen at Monkton with their captain running the show at number 8. However, I was impressed with the heart and desire we showed in defence. Our attack was a bit slow, but I was excited to see what we had in store for the rest of the season.

Playing Clayesmore away is always a hard place to travel. Niko put in a man of the match performance with two tries with George adding another off a fantastic chip and chase from Luke. However, Clayesmore dug in deep, and we lost 17-29. This was a tough one to take as there were a lot of opportunities in the game to sneak the win in, but our poor execution let us down at times.

make sure we train a little bit harder and execute better in training. We then played Well’s Cathedral which was a strong performance. Henry and Ronnie both putting in solid performance. We lost another fly half due to injuries which meant we were waiting for Archie to come back into the squad. Oscar and Ollie were linking up well and took the game to Wells Cathedral. Tommy made a 50m break from the back on the lineout and offloaded it to Will to score the first try. Ronnie scored from a pick and go from close to get over just before the half time. King's looked very comfortable on the ball all day. Henry scored the next try under the post with a great pick up from the scrum 20 metres out. Tommy rolled over for another try. Final score 31-8.

We drew to Prior Park with the match being abandoned due to a head injury and then faced a strong Exeter 2nd XV where we won 17-10. We then won 22 -10 against Milton Abbey who made things more difficult than expected but we battled through out.

Dorset and Wiltshire U17s

Niko, Oliver, William

After two defeats in a row, we had to revaluate what was going well as a team and really build from our successful parts in the game. We all agreed we need to

The next fixture was a triangular against West Buckland and Collegiate School. We knew this was probably going to be one of the hardest games we played this year. The physicality was massive from the first whistle against Collegiate School who probably had 50kg on us in the pack. However, as ever, we took the game to them. Oscar and Mats carrying the ball hard to get us over the gain line all game. The game went back and forth with both

teams missing opportunities to score. However, in the last play of the game Henry converted a penalty to win 3-0. Collegiate then played West Buckland where again the level of physicality was high but Collegiate came out comfortable winners. To finish the day, we played West Buckland and came on top again in the last minutes of the game to win 3-0.

We had a point to prove against Clayesmore. When we lost to them in September that was the first lost in over 6 years. We were nearly at full strength and felt confident at home. We started well with the likes of Will, Niko and Tommy carrying the ball well. Archie was controlling the game with Ollie

making some threating attacking lines in midfield. Final score 19-0. Man of the Match: Ollie and Will.

After 6 games without losing, we played Monkton, who again were the better team this year. However, a special mention to Oscar for his best performance in a 1st XV shirt. Downside was a tight encountered and a fixture the U6th were desperate to win to carry on from the famous win last year. We manage to scrape a 5-0 win after some tremendous scrabble defence on occasions. The last weekend of rugby was a triangular with Dauntsey’s and Prior. We drew 5-5 with Prior Park and had it been longer I feel like we would have pulled away. Dauntsey’s where

super strong and beat us 10-0.

I was happy with how the season went and the U6th were patient and led the team well with so many injuries throughout the season. I wish the U6th all the best in the future and I hope they carry on playing rugby for years to come.

U16A Will Lane & Will Daws

Will Lane and Will Daws enjoyed their season with the U16A team who had a fantastic season, in which as a squad they displayed teamwork and skill on the field with a very strong win percentage.

The attitude that the U16As showed throughout the season on and off the pitch. Their dedication to training, sportsmanship in victory as well as defeat, and overall mindset towards rugby and what the sport advocates excites us coaches here at King's for the future of rugby.

A highlight of mine as a coach was a loss at Monkton Combe, how these young men despite some equivocal decisions being called, they played their game, losing to just a few points against the strong Monkton team. Following this, despite the disappointment of the loss, the 16s demonstrated incredible professionalism by acknowledging defeat, how this is an opportunity for development and growth, displaying a maturity and respect for the opponents. Mr Daws and I took a step back and watched these young men take ownership of that loss and how moving forward this can be used as a tool for growth and development, both feeling very proud of the positive attitude and resilience encompassed by all.

The rugby here at King's is outstanding and is a by-product from the hard work of our Head of Rugby Mr Hawley, reflecting across all years at the School. The future is exciting, with my first season done, I’m looking forward to the next already!

U16B

Guyan Mitra & Oliver Higgs

Guyan Mitra and Oliver Higgs are celebrating an unbeaten season for the mighty Under 16Bs. A feat - in other years - that may have been enough to win Team of the Year. Granted, we only had four fixtures, but as the old adage goes: ‘Youcanonlyplaywhat’sfrontof you.’ And, boy, did this team dispatch all comers.

The season opener vs Clayesmore saw the Under 16Bs find their feet with a comfortable 55-12 scoreline, thanks to some relentless jackaling from Daniel and silky hands from James - both subsequently earning deserved call ups to the As for the rest of the season.

The toughest match of the season came against Prior Park. A fair bit of needle between the packs saw our opponents receive a sending off and close finish resulting in a 17-12 win - Mychjlo providing some solidity in the backline and crucial defending in the final moments. The season ended with two strong wins against Monkton and Clayesmore. Oli, Sam and Douglas providing relentless, straight running lines that ground down the opposition defences. Overall: a superb season played in the right spirit. Well done, all.

U15A Will Stainton & Craig Barrow

Will Stainton and Craig Barrow were delighted to follow the U15s up from their season last year and see the development of this team into their second year in Bruton. This season saw the first entry of an U15 team into the National Vase, which is a landmark occasion for the rugby at King's.

The results were certainly a mixed bag but they were as follows:

Played 14 Won 5

Drawn 1 Lost 8

the contest. However, 22 unanswered points followed and the first victory of the season was awarded to King's.

Firstly and most importantly, I must commend the attitude and ethos that the team carried throughout the season. The age old saying of “there is no I in team”, most certainly did not appear and did not need saying. They were a squad through and through, with support for everyone on and off the field. Regardless of results, if this is what they take forward from their experience of the season, I will be happy.

The first fixture saw a return to Monkton Combe School and a graduated return to play featuring touch, hold and tackle only quarters. This was a steep introduction back into the rugby season and really indicated the need for some fitness work before the first official game! The first formal fixture of the year was at home against an old foe, Clayesmore School. Last year the results were 1-1 for the fixtures, so it was all to play for here. With the pressure on and a fixture on the 1st XV pitch, the boys were fired up and ready for the challenge. Unfortunately, it was a repeat of last year with Clayesmore scoring a try within the opening few minutes of

The next match was Round 1 of the National Vase at home against Gillingham School. This was going to be a fiercely contested spectacle with a number of players from both squads playing for local club North Dorset RFC. King's went 19-0 down in the first half and it was looking like an early exit from the competition. However, the boys got together and something switched. They scored 31 points in the second half to come out 31-19 winners and progress through to Round 2. My favourite fixture of the season followed; away at Prior Park College. The previous season, we were easily defeated, giving away interception tries and more missed tackles than England during the Six Nations. However, this year was different. With 2 minutes to go the score was 12-7 in favour of King's and we were camped in the opposition 22. The white line had evaded the team for 12 minutes until an interception of a wild pass saw Prior Park race down the end and score under the posts, resulting in a 14-12 loss. Lessons to be learnt; close out the game.

The rest of the season was up and down. With a win in Round 2 of the National Vase against Kingsmead School and two hammering losses to Exeter School and Collegiate, there was a desperate need for consistency. This came in the form of a return fixture away against Clayesmore School. It was our turn to win in the final moments of the game 29-26. A superb fixture, using the entire bench to get the 3 away points.

There is no doubt that we would have liked to win a few more fixtures,

but the season was bigger than that. Reaching Round 4 of the National Vase was a huge achievement and one that the squad should be incredibly proud of. The enjoyment and growth of the individuals and the squad has paved the way for an exciting future of rugby at King's. I hope that the whole squad continue to play rugby in some format as they progress through the school. It was an absolute joy to coach them over the last two seasons.

U15B

Will Danskin & Sam Gordon

The U15Bs kicked off the season with a sensational 56-10 victory against Clayesmore. Hard-carrying forward Archie produced a Man of the Match performance and Harry was an outstanding runner, as King's scored a remarkable ten tries. Two losses followed, against strong opposition in the form of Prior Park and Collegiate. This was not through lack of trying, and King's displayed great grit and determination in both games. No player epitomised this more than Will and his ferocious work around the field. Tommy also stood out with his astute kicking displays, showing awareness, personality and no shortage of skill.

The return fixture against Clayesmore, this time away from home, proved as fruitful as the first, with another heavy victory for King's. Joel was named Man of the Match for his outstanding carrying and tackling. Monkton Combe were the next team to be put to the sword, with King's running out 3112 winners in an eye-catching display. Notable performances came from Taishi and Charlie for their elusive running and courageous defence, respectively. The final weekend of the season served up a challenging triangular fixture against Dauntsey’s and Prior Park, and it was great to see the boys test themselves against high quality opposition. Robert and captain George, both of whom had outstanding seasons, were particularly impressive despite both games ending in defeat.

Notable performances throughout the season came from key forwards Jamie,

Oscar and SiHan, and jackaling scrumhalf Freddie. Huge improvements were made by many, particularly Daniel and Edward, and valiant backup was provided by Jamie and Angus. A tremendous effort by all, and Mr Danskin and Mr Gordon look forward to seeing the boys continue to improve their rugby next year.

U14A

Paul Brice & Martin Miller

The U14As rugby team had an enjoyable first season at King's being coached by Paul Brice and Martin Miller. They gradually learnt to play some strong and expansive rugby and created a strong team spirit towards the end of the term.

The first fixture of the season was a training match against Monkton Combe School which started off as a touch game and gradually progressed to full tackling. It was obvious from the start that many of the team relished the opportunity for contact and this proved to be the case in the following games.The first competitive game was against Clayesmore School and where the team played well in parts but lacked the cohesion and teamwork needed to compete against a good side. This became a key focus for training in the coming weeks with steady improvement being made in the following few games. Toby, Milo, Harry and Miguel began to carry strongly in the forwards and Oliver, George, Charles and Nathan began making yards in the backs.

This led to a good win in a close fought game against West Buckland School as well as much closer return fixtures against Clayesmore School and Monkton Combe School. The whole team really enjoyed the season and their

effort and determination should put them in a much better position moving into the next season.

U14B

Seamus Harkness & Nick Hart

Seamus Harkness and Nick Hart look back on a truly memorable year for U14Bs rugby team. Not only did we inherit a firstclass bunch of boys who gave their all to every training session and match, but their committed approach meant that the rugby, was breath-taking at times. A particular highlight was the 36-36 draw up at Prior Park. The boys were under the cosh in the first half and were haemorrhaging points badly. The second half however, they turned it around and used their wit and guile to claw it back. Sadly, for them time ran out before a famous victory was surely going to come their way. There were other notable wins throughout the season and some super individual performances. A huge thank you must go to Marley, Luke and Archie for their leadership roles and on-field input. Well done and thank you for making it such a memorable season.

Girls’ Hockey

I am very pleased with the seasons that both the girls’ and boys’ hockey clubs enjoyed this year. Each year we aim to finish with a 50:50 win/loss ratio and I was delighted to see the girls’ and boys’ teams end up with 48% and 49% respectively. This is particularly pleasing due to the strength of the fixture list and the quality of some of the schools that we come up against. A special mention must go to the outstanding U16A team who won the regional Indoor Finals and qualified for the latter stages of the National Tier 1 outdoor competition.

1st XI Henry Eriksson

The 1st XI girls’ enjoyed an outstanding season whereby they grew in stature, strength and quality each week and they were an absolute pleasure to coach. Despite going down 4-2, the Independent Schools’ Hockey Cup match versus Millfield demonstrated how the team could compete with the best in the country.

The season began with a well attended and enjoyable pre-season tour to Cardiff where we competed in the Cardiff Met Schools’ Invitational Tournament. Despite the squad being very young, it was a fantastic couple of days where the team made huge progress and learnt a lot which would benefit them going into the season ahead. This certainly showed in the first two fixtures of the season, as the team secured very impressive 2-0 victories versus Dauntsey’s and Kingswood respectively, with Emily, Imke and Matilda being amongst the goals. Equally, Georgia keeping two clean sheets, and supported by the outstanding Maja showed that King's would be a tough team to score against. The team grew in confidence from this point forward as they secured two excellent 7-0 victories versus Bryanston and Exeter School. The attacking threat of the team had become apparent at this point, as goals were shared around, and it was wonderful to see Georgina, Lily and Martha contribute their share of the goals. Equally, Harriet in the King's

midfield was going from strength to strength with each 1st XI game that she played.

The second half of term began in the most difficult of ways with a fixture versus Blundell’s before then facing Millfield in the ISHC. Having had some very competitive and enjoyable encounters with Blundell’s over the years, this one did not disappoint as King's produced their best performance of the season to win 2-1. A player of the match performance from co-captain Marcia inspired the team to victory as they held on despite a late rally from the Blundell’s players. This set the tone for the Millfield match which would be the toughest test yet. Despite Millfield racing into a two-goal lead, King's showed their resilience and positive mental strength to come back and make it 2-2 at half time. However, they couldn’t quite keep their opponents at bay as Millfield scored two late goals to secure victory. Comprehensive victories versus Monkton Combe (4-0) and Clayesmore (5-1) followed, with both victories being built upon the solid defensive foundation provided by Davina, Jenna and Lottie. It was also great to see Sophie be deservedly promoted from the 2nd XI off the back of her excellent performances in the ‘2s’. A disappointing 3-1 loss to Wells Cathedral was a rare performance blip as an understrength King's team could not find the motivation to battle it out with a very determined Wells side. However, the season ended with yet another victory as a mixed 1st and 2nd

I would like to thank the whole squad, as well as Alex Ireland and Ben Crump for their support and encouragement of the team over the course of such a long term, however, a huge thank you must go to the brilliant co-captains Marcia and Davina who did the job to a very high standard and helped to set a positive example for the rest of the team to follow.

2nd XI

Nick Bunday & Tim Fletcher

Nick Bunday and Tim Fletcher can reflect on a good season with the Ladies 2nd XI which resulted in six wins, one draw and two losses.

XI defeated Downside 3-1, in a game where Minty dominated in the midfield.

Girls’ Hockey

The initial beginning of term frenzy of putting a team together was not helped when the key centre half was deservedly promoted to the 1st XI after the first two training sessions on the Friday night before the first fixture. It was perhaps unsurprising therefore that the season began with a 4 – 0 loss to a strong Dauntsey’s team. However, it was a credit to the team that they dusted themselves off from this defeat and worked hard to salvage a draw against an even better team in the shape of Kingswood.

Having fallen behind to Sherborne in the next match the girls did well to dig deep and run out as eventual winners. Self-belief began to course through their veins and from then on they managed five more wins and one more disappointing loss against a Blundell’s team that we could have beaten had we been a little more clinical in front of goal. In terms of the most pleasing performance, the victory over Clayesmore despite being only 2 – 0, was comfortably the best that the girls played all season, indeed the opposition could not compete with the intensity with which the girls played.

The team was ably led by Jessica both on and off the pitch. Since she was the best player in the team it would also be fair to say that she led by example. The other U6th players were India and Tia, both of whom are thanked for their service to King's hockey especially in this their last season.

For completeness sake, the other girls who regularly played were Friederike, Emma, Anna, Florence, Freya, Rose, Phoebe, Ellie, Edie, Mimi, Sophie and latterly Araminta. Both coaches, Mr Fletcher and Mr Bunday very much enjoyed coaching this 2nd XI and, at the end of this successful season, thank them for their hard work, enthusiasm and good humour.

3rd XI

As several of the previous players had moved on, seasoned veterans like Captain Alice, Rachel, Phoebe and Jocelyn shepherded the fledging squad to a respectable season. The opening match of the term was played against Dauntsey’s. Sami was declared player of the match for her sterling efforts in goal. In the second match of the season, against Kingswood, the team was more cohesive, and Alice worked well with Hannah to move the ball into an attacking position. The team continued to improve in their third match, this time against Blundell’s. Rachel was singled out by her fellow players for her tireless worked in defence. In every match the results were steadily moving more and more in the team’s favour until we finally achieved our first victory in a stunning 6-0 triumph against Clayesmore. Eliza was identified as one of the players of the match for 2 definitive goals and Jocelyn worked resolutely to keep any threats far away from the King's goal. A week later the 3rd XI drew against Monkton Combe in a closely fought contest. Jocelyn was again recognised as a player of the match, as was Alex who truly gave 100% in this game. Our final match of the season, due to snow cancelling the fixture against King’s Taunton, was played against Downside. The 3rd XI was bolstered by a number of players from the 2nd XI and the team once again achieved an impressive 6-0 victory. Emma, Phoebe and Phoebe were all

commended for their performances.

The 2022 season was a challenging one for the 3rd XI, but the players all acquitted themselves well and didn’t give up, even when the odds were against them. It’s for this reason, and for their consistent efforts throughout the term, that their coaches, Miss Flavell and Mr Ericson, believe they should be most ardently celebrated.

4th XI

Heidi Bell-West & Rebecca Larsen

Heidi Bell-West and Rebecca Larsen celebrate a season with the Fabulous Fourths where they started with bags of enthusiasm which never dwindled, and they showed a fantastic attitude on and off the pitch throughout.

The first two matches were at home, against Dauntsey’s and Kingswood. These proved very tough and didn’t give us the starting wins we would have liked; however, I cannot fault the game play and the learning throughout the games that took place. My favourite aspect of all our games was the feedback and support given to all players from the captain and others in the team. Everyone took on advice to make each passing play better than the last.

Sadly, our next two matches were cancelled which meant we could have lost our fighting spirit. This was not the case and we came back with gusto to

Kate Flavell & Duncan Ericson

win against Monkton Combe 2-0.

Throughout all the games and challenges, the best was against Marlborough School. We lost 4-1 but the score did not show the possession and will of our team to put so much pressure on their defence whenever we had the chance. Charlie had the most amazing match holding the fort in goal and gained Player of the Match.

All in all, the 4th XI had an enjoyable season. We may not have won many matches, but their skills and confidence improved no end. They were a pleasure to coach, and we look forward to seeing these girls back out on the pitch next year!

Played 4: Won 1, Lost 3

Josh Godfrey and Tara Russell had a thoroughly enjoyable season with the U15A Girls, as they battled hard throughout the season.

It was fantastic to watch such a talented and competitive group work so hard in training to learn and improve as we moved through the term. Ashtyn led the team expertly doing an amazing job of motivating and organising the team.

Against some formidable opponents, the dynamic defence of Ashtyn, Olive, Polly and Olivia worked tirelessly to keep their team in matches and a special mention goes to goalkeeper Mae for

her tenacity and bravery. The girls' ability level significantly improved over time as they continued to participate actively in training. Indigo, Ana, Tilly and Lucy demonstrated outstanding drive and togetherness, resulting in some great connecting passes to carry the ball towards the attacking circle. Florence, Annabel, Grace, and Polly all worked hard to generate numerous opportunities at goal.

We can all agree that we did not complete the season with as many goals scored as we would have liked, however, the girls’ cheerful attitude and sense of humour throughout the season made it one to remember! All the girls were a pleasure to coach and will undoubtedly have an exciting future ahead as they move up to senior hockey teams at King's next year. The highlight of the season was the impressive 6-1 win against Clayesmore, and winning two more games than last season provided a tangible measure of how much the girls have progressed.

U15B

Emilie

Loveless

Emilie Loveless really enjoyed the season with the U15Bs who demonstrated how much they had matured together since the start of 3rd Form.

The first fixture against Dauntsey’s was a tough start but helped build their skills moving forward. Top goal scorers of the season included Grace, Freya, Lila and the defence went from strength to strength thanks to the determination of Abigail, Matilda and Jemma. The girls learned to post up effectively helping their progression up the pitch as well as remembering to set the press quickly and close down the opposition. Fixtures against Kingswoood (1-0) and Monkton Combe (5-0) allowed the team to shine and show their true potential. All players should be proud of their contribution to the success of the U15Bs this year. I hope they will continue to enjoy their hockey in years to come.

U15A

Josh Godfrey & Tara Russell

Girls’ Hockey

Ben Crump, in his first term at King's, thoroughly enjoyed working with the Girls’ U14A who team who started their King's journey with great success only losing one fixture all year.

Competing in the Tier 1 County Cup, King's picked up great results against both Taunton School and Millfield School in games that they should arguably have won both.

With strong wins against Blundells School, Sherborne Girls and Exeter School, this team really does have a bring future ahead of them and we look forward to following their progress next year.

Beth Griffiths embraces the opportunity of coaching an U14 team as it is always exciting as many are new to the game, no one has played 11 a side before and the coaches are getting to know the girls as they go. We got stuck straight in and after 2 quick training sessions we lined up for our first ever 11 a side match and faced Dauntsey’s. We improved dramatically as the match progressed, losing the first half 2-0 then 0-0 in the second half, with a few great shots just off target. Issie and Brontë being recognised as players of the match. Issie for being our steady rock in defence and Brontë for the fire in her belly, never giving up!

The next Saturday we travelled to Kingswood and we managed to

score our first U14B goal, and it was a sensational goal by Sarah, followed by the promised celebratory cartwheel from myself! A final score of 2-1 to them but an excellent game which again saw us grow in confidence. After exeat we had our first home fixture of the term against Exeter School and it was a corker! An amazing 4-2 victory where we actually began to play some excellent hockey, with confidence. With goals from Coco (2), Anstice and Sarah. Anstice being awarded player of the match for her nonstop attacking play, which then saw her depart us for the U14As! We then played in a mixed A/B team against Bryanston and played out of our skins, ending with a 2-0 victory.

After the half term break we turned up refreshed and ready to go with Blundell’s at home. It was an absolute thriller, ending with a 1-0 win, even with 5 short corners against us in the last 6 minutes! Brontë scored her first goal for King's and Geneva was awarded player of the match for her constant drive and energy on the pitch. The following Saturday was not our finest game against Clayesmore! After giving away an early silly goal, Coco managed to equalise and it finished 1-1, with Holly achieving our player of the match. This was followed with a 0-0 thrilling draw against Monkton Combe, and it was amazing to see how so many of the girls have progressed. Players’ of the match were June on the wing and Lydia for stepping up and taking more control. We then faced Downside and we played 2 x 7 a side matches, we had a healthy 3-0 win with Olivia player of the match and the other team a 3-3 draw with Emily recognised as the player of the match.

Unfortunately, it was a sad end to the season with our final match against King’s College Taunton cancelled because of snow and ice. A brilliant season though, with so much progress, enthusiasm and fun!

U14A Ben Crump

U14B Beth Griffiths

1st XI Football

Boys' 1st XI

George Cole & Gareth Thompson

As we continue to grow the sport here at King's, George Cole and Gareth Thompson are delighted to report that their second season in the fold has provided plenty of quality football, entertainment, and positive results.

After getting our first 3-2 win against Wells Cathedral mid-way through the season, our squad has grown from strength to strength with a winning mentality dominated our journey to the end of the season.

It’s been a pleasure to work alongside our talented footballers who have dug deep and worked hard to gel and galvanise as a group by getting behind one another both on and off the pitch. Along with an increasingly positive atmosphere within the squad and great team spirit that we look forward developing in the coming seasons.

Wells Cathedral vs King's (A) Won 3-2

An outstanding all round team performance and a long overdue victory. In the first 5 minutes King's started off a bit shaky with some passes going awry and before long Wells were ahead after their centre forward latched on to a long pass and took advantage of confusion in the defence to put the ball in the back of the net. This was the jolt that the team needed, and it shook them into life. As the game progressed King's began to wrestle control of the midfield and started to play some good quality football. As the pressure built, we gained a corner and an excellent delivery from Jack had Oliver on the end of it to knock in from inside the 6-yard box, we were level and on top. The team continued to play well and put the Wells boys under pressure, and this led to the move of the match, deft passes were exchanged between Ewan and Jay who put a through ball to Jack who had cut in from the left to receive, he took the ball and hit an unstoppable shot past their keeper.

The second half was mostly even, both teams playing well and with intensity, Wells equalised when a speculative but well struck shot rebounded out and was knocked in by their incoming forward. With 15 minutes to go Wells pushed us back and we dug deep. Our defence rallied with a series of well-timed blocks and excellent teamwork meant they did not have any clear-cut chances and we weathered the storm, with 5 left on the clock we pushed forward and looked for a winner. A corner was won and another excellent delivery from Jack was diverted into the net by Tommy after a dash to the front post, his first goal for King's. Player of the Match: Jack.

Queen’s Taunton vs King's (A) Won 2-0

Despite our star player, Louis breaking his collar bone we came away with a well-deserved hard fought 2-0 victory. This was a golden opportunity to see our reserve players get some valuable game time with one eye on the future. We began the first half on the front foot, pressing high up the pitch and testing the keeper with darting runs and pop shots. Tommy followed up with his second goal this season from a set piece as he attacked a corner with an exquisite flick to take the ball away from the keeper and into the back of the net.

After finishing the half strongly and as we competed well in the middle of the park, we fortunately relieved the pressure on ourselves in the final quarter of the match with Ewan stepping up to strike a 30-yard free kick that rocketed

into the back of the net.

A special mention goes to our captain for the match, Oli who stepped up his performance and played a solid match in front of our new back four partnerships for the match. Oli was unlucky not to get a goal or two at the other end. Player of the match: Ewan

King's vs Canford (A)

Won 3-2

An entertaining match all round from start to finish. This returning fixture did not disappoint with both teams producing free-flowing football that keep the supporters on the side lines engaged on a bitterly cold winters afternoon.

Canford began the match on the front foot with three or more early attempts on goal. We escaped the initial warning signs with a goal disallowed for the home team as the Canford front line darting through our defensive high line left us a little exposed in the early stages. As we settled into the match with some great link up play in midfield, we gave ourselves a fighting chance as our boys began to play down the channels with some pinpoint passes out wide and a series of quality crosses. We were rewarded on our third attempt, as Oli was able to put the ball into the back of the net with a great poachers finish as he connected with the ball after the keeper attempted to parry the ball to safety.

We took a 1-0 lead into the break with our confidence growing after an end to end first half with lots of flare up front as both teams looked sharp. Our lead did not last long in the second half as we struggled to contain their attacking front three with a quality curing shot from their left winger from the edge of the box as Canford drew level. Shortly after we struck again taking the lead with an excellent cross and assist from Benji who set up Ewan to tuck away a quality finish in a congested box. Once again, the match was on a knife edge as Canford responded well with a superb heading with great movement from their agile number 10 from a set piece. As this enthralling encounter moved towards the final stages with both teams going for a third, Jack was able to hold his composure as he sealed the game with a quality finish. Jack latched onto a rebound and rifled into the bottom corner to round of an entertain match.

Player of the Match: Tom

Player of the season: Jack

Players’ player of the season: Ewan

Most improved player: Louis

There were multiple memorable moments throughout our campaign which included an outstanding double save from Sam in goal to keep the game level in dyeing seconds of the match against Downside. Including an epic win against Wells Cathedral that made shock waves after our double figure loss in our previous encounter. I’m sure Toby our stand in keeper will take all the credit for this one!

To round off last season, we are grateful for all involved who have worked hard to develop a positive footballing culture at King's. Our aim has been to nature talent from all ages including juniors and senior activities sessions providing a springboard for coaching staff to work alongside our players throughout the academic year. We are looking forward to continuing to build a team with a strong spine through the middle with key positions filled for next season, we can’t wait to kick off, once again!

Finally, a big shout out to Jack our overall player of the season, and coach’s player of the season last year. We were delighted to hear that Jack had the opportunity to play in the independent school’s cup (ISFA U18 match) against Loughborough University with a 4-2 victory. We are sure this will live long in the memory and provide a great source of inspiration for the next generation of King's footballers.

Girls’ 1st XI

George Cole & Gareth Thompson

Gareth Thompson and George Cole summarise the rise of Girls’ football which is also on the up at King ' s! The popularity of girls’ football has grown swiftly this year. From the Christmas term, where we had a dedicated group consisting of pupils from all year groups coming to an after-school club every Thursday, through to the Easter

term, where football was an option for the girls in games for the second year running. This season uptake was higher, and we were able to put together a team to play some fixtures.

Our first ever Senior Girls’ 1 st XI football fixture was a match against Sherborne Girls 3 rd team. This match has been on the cards as over the past two seasons as our U6 th girls had worked incredibly hard to build their skills and grow the sport at King ' s. With great excitement we travelled over to Sherborne, and, with a hint of nervousness in the air, the girls took to the pitch, led out by their inspirational captain Phoebe and our stalwart Jodie marshalling the back line. We had no idea how good we were, by the end of the match we had a better idea. A double hattrick from star striker Imke from clinical and direct play was outstanding and there were several other fantastic performances. Ruby competed well in midfield, as she provided the bridge between our defensive line and attacking play, whilst captain Phoebe led by example as the driving force through the middle, she displayed great communication skills and scored our fifth goal with her well struck drive deflecting past their keeper. The team held their positioning well throughout and were galvanised by the strong sense of team spirit that ran through the core of the team. History was made and we came away with a resounding 7-1 victory. After the match Phoebe said “Our hard work in training paid off, and it was great to see everyone working together as a team”. Player of the Match: Imke.

Our second match was away at Sherborne again, this time against their 2 nd team. A much closer affair, our girls put in a super performance and got better as the game went on. In the first half it was a very good defensive display from the girls with Jodie and Winnie organising some of our new players and keeping their shape well as Ruby disrupted their play in midfield, during this time Mia kept us in the game with several good saves. Lucy in the full back position continually linked up well on the left

with Hannah and then Liv as they switched wings, while Agatha was a constant worry for their defence with her intelligent runs. In the second half a tactical switch reaped rewards as we took more control of the midfield and the game, we created several good chances, but we could not break through the Sherborne defences. With almost the final kick of the game a long ball from the back allowed the Sherborne striker through and she scored the only goal of the game with a solid strike. Player of the match: Ruby.

The season was ended with the brilliantly supported girls interhouse football competition. Played in great spirit with competitiveness across the board. As the tournament went on the games and the teams got better and better. Arion’s attacking pair of Hannah and Liv shone as did Georgina, Georgia and Eliza for Priory, but it was Wellesley who won out with a team that contained the spine of the Senior Girls 1 st XI. Excellent performances from Lottie, Ruby and Jodie throughout their

games helped them to just pip Priory to the title, driven over the line by Phoebe who was both player of the tournament and scored the goal of the tournament with a dipping drive from

outside the box.

A great season where football gained in great popularity amongst the girls of King ' s. Bring on next year.

Boys’ Hockey Badminton

Callum Forder & Tomi Owens

Callum Forder and Tomi Owens look back on a highly successful and enjoyable term of badminton in which the 1st team had over 7 fixtures against several schools from the southwest.

They started off the season against the successful Wells Cathedral team, a team which is made up of pupils who regularly compete for their county. King's Bruton started the match well, Johnny, Tyler, Harry and Sebb all displayed some excellent forehand smashes and allround consistency which troubled the Wells team. Unfortunately, this was not enough to secure the win. The Wells head coach made several comments about the improvement of the King's players and noticed a huge improvement from the previous year.

Other matches included King’s College, Sherborne and Downside, games that we are confident will help the development and growth of the King's pupils.

The boys’ hockey club had a good season whereby they certainly had to hit the ground running as fixtures came thick and fast right from the outset. Huge credit must go to the boys and staff for ensuring that the season started on a positive note and it was great to see so many boys opting to play hockey at the senior end. Equally, the U15s could field three teams, which again speaks volumes of the enthusiasm the boys possess. The season saw all our teams improve as the season went on and a huge congratulations must go to the 2nd XI for their very impressive unbeaten season.

1st XI

Henry Eriksson

The 1st XI, captained by Will and supported by his vice Hugo, had a successful season in terms of results where they won 10 games and lost 5. However, more pleasing was the attitude and dedication shown by the players which meant that they were playing their best hockey as the season came to an untimely end.

The season started with a very enjoyable and productive pre-season camp, where the team trained at King's and played matches versus Dauntsey’s School, before travelling to Cardiff for

the Cardiff Met Schools’ Invitational Tournament. This was a hugely positive three days as the boys demonstrated the potential they had, as well as their willingness to listen and learn. A trip to watch Cardiff Devils ice hockey team was also a treat which everyone enjoyed.

This whole experience meant that the team came back to school in a positive frame of mind and excited for the season ahead. This was of paramount importance as the boys had an away cup match versus Clayesmore on the first day back. Despite a good start, King's soon found themselves three goals down due to some questionable defending and lack of tracking runners from midfield. However, a fantastic solo goal from Charlie on the stroke of half time, saw the deficit reduced to two goals.

Unfortunately, a sloppy start to the second half saw Clayesmore restore their three-goal cushion, however, this was the wake up call the team needed as they started to dominate the game. With Oskar in an advanced role, combined with some excellent movement from forwards Archie, Jack and Benji, saw King's soon score three goals in quick succession to level the scores. King's looked the more likely to score the winner but the result remained a draw, and a penalty shootout would be used

to separate the teams. Fortunately, it was King's who held their nerve better, as Oskar scored the winning goal during sudden death. Such an exciting game was not expected on the first day back, but it somewhat set the tone for the season ahead.

A very impressive 4-2 victory versus Warminster in the Independent Schools’ Hockey Cup ensued, as two excellent goals from New Zealand exchange pupil Finlay inspired the team before a further victory versus Prior Park on the Saturday capped off an excellent first week. Having actually had time to train for the first time in the season, the team felt well prepared as they lined up against Exeter School. A very physical and entertaining match ended 3-2 to King's, with the impressive Felix producing a player of the match performance. A further 2-1 victory versus Wells Cathedral School, where Jack was outstanding, was sandwiched by two unfortunate losses in the cup, 1-3 and 0-5 versus Dauntsey’s and Millfield respectively. However, the team bounced back well as an Archie hattrick inspired the team to a 5-2 win versus Bryanston and to end the first half of term on a very positive note. The second half of term started poorly for the team as a 2-5 and 1-5 loss to Exeter and Clayesmore respectively proving to be the lowest point of the season. Fortunately, the team bounced back well, and a slight change in formation saw King's end the season on a high, winning four, and drawing one of their final five games. A 2-2 draw with a good Bristol Grammar School side was good preparation for the local derby versus Sherborne, where an impressive fightback saw King's win 3-2, as Jeevan and Julius were named as players of the match. Mats produced his best performance of the season, as King's defeated Wellington 8-0 and which left the exciting prospect of a rematch with Dauntsey’s on the final match of the season. This game did not disappoint as a large crowd of spectators were treated to a 4-3 thriller, with King's coming out on top. A man of the match performance from Ronnie in goal, as well as a Jay hattrick was a fitting end to a wonderful season.

Congratulations to Oskar (Players’ Player) and Ronnie (Player of the Season) for their deserving individual rewards and a huge thank you to both Will and Hugo for their help and support in terms of leading the team so well.

2nd XI

Gervase Gordon & Nick Bunday

Gervase Gordon and Nick Bunday reflect on the rare ‘lightning strike’ moments in team sports when the individual players - all with unique yet complimentary attributes, abilities, skills and personalities - coalesce to form a unit that is greater than the sum of their parts, thus exceeding the hopes and expectations of even the most blindly-optimistic coaches, fans and parents. Leicester Tigers Rugby Club (English Rugby Premiership, 2021). The Denmark National Football Team (UEFA European Cup, 1992). The Manchester United ‘kids’ (English Premier League, 1995). The King's Bruton 2nd XI of the 2023 Easter term - aka ‘The Invincibles’ - can and indeed must now be placed among these great teams in the annals of sporting achievement.

And what a team they were. While they undoubtedly had the ability to produce periods of dominance, critically, they also had the savvy, sagacity and sheer determination to

safely negotiate periods of tension, turbulence and turmoil. At times, their power, passion and panache even had opposition parents applauding.

The defensive back five gave the team firm-footed foundations - Centre Backs Casper and Captain Sam combined technique and tenacity, Half Backs Dan, James and Tom added tireless competitive energy and positional instinct down the flanks, with dynamic Centre Half Joe restlessly roaming and skilfully nurdling, darting, disrupting and distributing. It wasn’t until the 4th match of the season against Warminster that an opposition team managed to put one past Goalkeeper Joe.

Further up the pitch, the team was no less effective. Victories of 9-0 and 7-0 early in the season gave the team confidence that when they kept their shape, trusted each other, and played their game, they were able to create and convert chances. Though perhaps not the most elegant of technicians, Ludo was a ruthlessly combative and at times mercurial target man, capable of conjuring moments of inspiration from chaos. And with combinations of Benjamin, Angus, Hugo, Max, Patrick, Harry, Jakob and Harry running off him and around him, Ludo’s centripetal hold-up play often created space elsewhere, bringing an edge to our attacking repertoire.

In a season of great moments, one

particular moment does stand out; 2-0 down at half time against a competent Sherborne team in relentlessly wet conditions. The team talk was tense; honest, unflinching words were shared by captain and coaches. Through a tricky second half, the team stuck to their gameplan, going close a couple of times without ever quite managing to score. With ten minutes to go, a defensive error by Sherborne resulted in a penalty flick, which was calmly dispatched by Angus. With three minutes on the clock, Patrick managed to scramble another one back from close range to bring us level, potentially saving the unbeaten season. Left with one minute to go, some quick thinking at the restart by Joe, followed by a quite magnificent piece of skill by Benjamin, produced a goal with the final play of the match to win 3-2. It was a moment of high drama that will live long in the memories of the players and coaches, and the handful of weather-proof parents who stuck it out to the bittersweet end.

In a season of great goals, solo Goal Of The Season must go to James who, in a tight match against Clayesmore, pickpocketed a procrastinating opposition player on the edge of the attacking third. With Mr Bunday and I animatedly ‘encouraging’ him to pass the ball wide, he went rogue and

instead elected to nimbly dance through a thicket of opposing defenders before making the cleanest of connections, ‘roofing it’ from the edge of the penalty area with such power that the opposing keeper barely flinched.

From a coaching perspective, however, some of the most satisfying pieces of play came when a training pitch routine opened up an opposition team during a match. I recall one such move against Dauntsey’s when the team successfully pulled off an ‘attacking transition’, which resulted in a relatively straightforward back-post finish for Harry.

Angus was awarded the ‘Most Improved Senior Player’ award. It is often said that good players help those around them to play even better; rapid, direct and skilful, Angus added timing, composure and judgement to his game as an Inside Forward. He often helped the team turn defence into attack with speed and precision, and his impressive performances through the first two thirds of the season were rewarded with a deserved promotion to the 1st XI squad.

A special mention must also go to Goalkeeper Joe, who often led from the back and saved us in many

key moments; opposition coaches frequently commented on his complete commitment to the cause. He was also a great stand-in captain when Sam was side-lined with injury.

In 14 years of brilliant hockey coaching of both boys and girls’ teams (28 seasons!), this was the first unbeaten season of Mr Bunday’s esteemed KSB career; a master tactician, an inspirational coach and a keen psychoanalyst of umpires, it was a pleasure and a privilege to be in the passenger seat this season. I will fondly recall his knowing pleas to KSB players if they dared to visibly disapprove of an umpire’s decision - “This isn’t Association Football, y’know!”. We were both delighted to see the team’s efforts - and yes, the results - recognised with the prestigious ‘Team of the Season’ award.

3rd XI Duncan Ericson & Will Daws

Duncan Ericson and Will Daws have fond memories of the 3rd XI season which resulted in victories in 6 out of the 9 games played.

After a strong start against Prior Park, we were humbled against Dauntsey’s School. The boys could have lost heart, but thanks to the sterling leadership of Captain Ollie, who maintained a cool head and reassuring presence throughout the season, the team was able to recover. A victory against Wells Cathedral School was sorely needed, and after an evenly matched contest, we achieved a well-deserved win. Another loss against Monkton Combe was disappointing, but several players were absent for this game.

By the end of February, the team had really started to coalesce, and confidence was building. With a solid midfield of Oli, Toby and Luke set for the rest of the season, games quickly started to go the team’s way with a string of victories. Toby and Luke demonstrated inexhaustible energy all season, and many goals were made through their efforts. However, it’s also important to recognise the massive achievements of Oliver, Louis and Felix in attack as they

frequently made the oppositions team’s defences look like Swiss cheese.

Our own defence of Barney, Tyler, Angus and Bertie more closely resembled a solid wall in the latter half of the season as they were swiftly able to move the ball back to the midfield, time and again. The team would not have been so successful without Sunny volunteering to strap the goalie pads back on after several years out-field. The whole team were grateful to Sunny, and he did an admirable job. George stepped up multiple times throughout the season and took on positions throughout the team, where he could always be counted on to make an impact.

Mr Daws and Mr Ericson want to thank the whole team for their excellent efforts this year. For several of the boys, it was their last hockey season at King's, and they should all be proud of their determination when facing disappointment, their energy when facing exhaustion and their virtue when facing victory.

4th XI Dan Cupit & Oliver Higgs

Dan Cupit and Oliver Higgs look back on a season with a 4th XI side which started the season full of enthusiasm, keen to use the experience generated over the last few very strong seasons. With a small number of senior players having left after their U6th year, it left the current team with a number of boys who had played many seasons of hockey, as well as some very keen beginners.

Whilst the first fixture of the season

saw the 4th XI play a very strong Dauntsey’s team, the opposition set the standard and the King's 4th XI saw the level they were aiming to play at. It was therefore brilliant to see the 4th XI bounce back after this defeat and secure two very good wins against Clayesmore school. Unfortunately, due to a combination of the weather and other schools cancelling fixtures, the 4th XI didn’t manage any further fixtures. It was incredibly impressive to see players from the 4th XI step up and play for the 3rd XI, with Luke particularly impressing. Special mention should also go to Adam for a fantastic season in defence, as well as Friedrich for an impressive first season in goal.

U15A Josh Godfrey

Under the tutelage of Josh Godfrey, the U15As enjoyed a hugely successful season, losing only two of their block fixtures throughout the Easter term.

The team conceded very few goals across the matches that they played, and opposition teams found it very difficult to create chances against us, with a defensive core of Lenny and Sid proving very competitive in this area of the pitch. When chances were created, Rory was on hand in goal to produce saves and keep us in matches.

The improvements made this season, both individually and as a team, were

Boys’ Hockey

Boys’ Hockey

a mark of how consistently hard this group worked during training sessions, and how they were willing to listen and respond to feedback given to them. Harry and Tommy deserve special mention for leading the forward line with outstanding energy and being a constant threat to opposition defences. Captain Freddie, however, was the player of the year, not only due to his leadership but also his ability to control and influence matches in our favour. In addition to their weekend matches, the U15s also had a short cup run in the Independent School’s Cup. After a nailbiting win on penalty strokes against Dauntsey’s in the first round, they were subsequently knocked out by a strong team from Sherborne.

This was an extremely enjoyable group to coach, with lots of natural talent, but also a desire to learn and improve, who all contributed to the success that they had. I very much look forward to seeing all these boys playing an important role in senior hockey sides over the coming years.

Player of the Year - Freddie Squad: Otis, Freddie, Oliver, Lenny, Harry, Hayden, Samuel, Freddie (Capt.), Rory, Sid, JJ, George, Jack, Tommy, Oliver.

U15B

Will Danskin & Tara Russell

Mr Danskin and Miss Russell reflect on a memorable season with the U15B Boys.

The boys had a very competitive fixture list, which made them work hard throughout the season. It was great to see the boys grow during the season, allowing them to finally gain a win. The team was ably led by captain and midfielder Levi, who kept the team motivated despite facing some difficult opponents. Will, Theo, George, and Jamie battled every game in defence to limit the opposition's chances at goal.

Harry and Taishi deserve special notice for their brilliant performances as

goalkeepers. Levi and George (captain and vice-captain, respectively) formed the team's 'spine' and worked tirelessly with Will and Charlie in midfield. In the attacking line, Harry, Archie, SiHan and Jamie were throughout, which allowed them to create numerous scoring chances. Overall, the team can look back on a positive season that, with luck, could have been much better in terms of outcomes. The boys brought a lot of humour and energy to training sessions which meant that they were great fun to coach! They should be really proud of their resilience throughout the season and both Mr Danskin and Miss Russell look forward to seeing them develop next year.

U15C

Will Danskin & Tara Russell

Mr Danskin and Miss Russell would like to thank all the U15C Boys for their ongoing commitment and energy throughout the season.

It was a delight to have such strong numbers during the boy’s hockey term, showing how the teams have progressed over the years. The boys developed tremendously throughout the season and should be proud of their ongoing efforts. Both Mr Danskin and Miss Russell look forward to seeing the team develop next year.

U14A Ben Crump

Ben Crump enjoyed his season with our talented U14A team.

The U14 Boys started the season well with a strong win on the first weekend against Prior Park School with Milo completing his hattrick with a strong open side shot into the bottom corner. Stepping up to play in the Tier 1 County Cup, the U14s would face tough opposition in Millfield School, King’s College Taunton and Taunton School. Although results didn’t go our way, the team can be proud of how they competed throughout the day and took each game to the wire. They continued their fine form in friendly block fixtures, beating Clayesmore School and Wells Cathedral School whilst also picking up results against Wellington School and Dauntsey’s School. A special mention must go to Josh for his progression into the ‘As’ over the course of the season which resulted in him picking up ‘Most Improved Junior’ of the term. An exciting start to this team’s journey at King’s and we look forward to watching them go again next year!

U14B

Will Stainton & Seamus Harkness

Will Stainton and Seamus Harkness had the pleasure of coaching the U14B team who were eager to learn,

passionate about the team, and had a drive to win each time they stepped out onto the turf. With 8 games throughout the season the results were as follows:

Played 8 Won 2 Drawn 4 Lost 2

As you can see, it was a fairly even season results wise, but the development of the squad throughout the season indicates a greater achievement. The fluidity of personnel between the A and B teams meant that the competition for places in the coveted A team was high with several players moving between the squads right up to the last fixture away at Dauntsey’s School. The first outing of the season saw a trip away against Prior Park College hosted at Ralph Allen School, which ended in

a narrow 2-1 defeat. At this stage, the structure and playing style of the team was in development and this was noticeable in our use of space around the pitch. Despite being on top for most of the 50 minutes, two break-away goals found the flaws in our defensive structure. This gave us something to focus on and the changes made results in 2 months without a loss. Half way through the season, we lost our goal scoring machine, Joshua, as he was promoted to the A team. Whilst this was blow to our “Goals For”, it allowed other players to step up to the plate, and Issa must be commended for this. His ambition and unrelenting running kept the B team on the scoresheet.

One of the favourite fixtures of the season was on the final weekend of the term away at Dauntsey’s School. Playing second is never an easy task, particularly with the 6 Nations in full swing at this point. However, the team were determined not to lose their final match together and came away with a dominant 2-0 win. It is not as easy place to play away at with the pavilion looking over the pitch and vast amounts of travelling fans. However, the pressure did not get to the boys and they were superb from the first whistle to the last. Player of the Season - Issa.

We hope that this season has provided a foundation for the players to push for more places in A teams as they move up the school and continue to enjoy their hockey.

Netball

Netball

It has been an honour to be a part of the netball at King's this year. With playing standards ranging from academy players to girls who have never played netball and are joining us in 6th Form. We have had more than enough players for 6 senior teams, although no other school has managed to field a team against us, which is a huge credit to the positive culture that has been built in the netball set up. In the juniors every girl has had the chance to play a competitive match at King's this year, with 6 teams regularly playing on a Saturday afternoon. The win ratio across the whole sport was 55% which is a brilliant achievement against some strong and much larger schools than King's.

1st VII

Alex Ireland

Selection for the 1st VII was very difficult, with 15 girls playing for the squad throughout the season, thus highlighting the strength in depth. A notable inclusion this year has been Eliza who has moved from the 5th team to the 1st! She has adapted to the difference in speed and tactical awareness needed at this level and has become more confident and accurate over the term.

The season started against Wells Cathedral, which is always a competitive fixture. A strong start and confident play resulted in a 5-goal win, with Emily making her 1st team debut. Both Queen’s and King’s Taunton were good fixtures, both showing very strong court performances from all areas of the court. The game against Blundell’s, with key defensive and shooting players missing, was one of the strongest team performances, despite the outcome.

After half term we travelled to Kingswood, for traditionally the strongest opposition of the season. The girls started very well, keeping a draw, and despite some very good performances from Marcia and India,

Kingswood were too strong. The match against Clayesmore saw one of the best comebacks I have seen at schoolgirl level, showing how much belief the girls have in their own ability and how they can remain calm under pressure. Having drawn the first quarter, they then went 8 goals down by half time. With a regroup and team talk, they then pulled the result back to win by 8 goals! A recovery of 16 goals!! Led by lots of positive talk from Georgia and calm shooting under pressure from India and Eliza, this was my match highlight of the season!

The match against Bryanston, despite being hit by injury and absence, was a very good game, sadly losing by a mere 4 goals! A great team effort under a lot of pressure. The final game of the season against Prior Park, was also

exciting, and had another come back from a slow start. The girls remained calm and effective in their attacking play, resulting in a 11-goal win.

The U19 County Cup is always an exciting day out and having been delayed by a week due to snow, meant we only had 8 girls available to take in the squad. They played a round robin format, winning against King’s Taunton, Queen’s, Downside in a very close recovery game, and Wells Cathedral, drawing in an exceptionally exciting game against a strong Richard Huish and losing against Taunton School, by 4 goals! With other results going in our favour we were very surprised to finish equal on points and winning the cup on goal difference!! We have never won this before, so this is a fantastic achievement by this group of girls!

Full Colours were awarded to India, Marcia, Davina, Alice and half colours to Jenna, Georgia and Eliza.

Best wishes in the future for the U6th Form leavers from this year’s squad India, Marcia, Davina, Alice, Issy and Jemima.

2nd VII & 3rd VII

The squads for the 2nd and 3rd VII were even tougher to decide and resulted in a lot of flexibility as players developed. The squads trained together to ensure everyone was learning and developing the same skills and tactics, which has led to a large number of very skilful players emerging.

The 2nds were one of the most successful teams of the term, with 80% win ratio. With lots of competition for places in this team, the performances within this group were very high and every training session required improvement to keep a place in the team. This led to some fantastic efforts in their competitive matches, notably with strong wins over Wells Cathedral, Queens and King's Taunton, Clayesmore and Prior Park. The match of the season has to be the game against Kingswood, where the 2nd VII were the only team to win their fixture, with strong shooting from Jocelyn and Harriet and great defence form Issy and Ellie. The 2 losses they had were some of the best toughest games they played, and when pushed to play at

a higher level, by stronger opposition the girls rose to the occasion and although not winning the fixtures, play netball to a very high standard.

The 3rd VII also only lost 2 games, and drew one, winning 6 out of their 9 matches. They had a great number of players represent the team, which reflects the standard of play that many of the senior girls have achieved. Players players’ have consistently gone to three players; Lottie, Freya and Honey, all of whom also played in the 2nds as the season progressed.

I have been delighted by the positive attitude and hard work the girls have put into their netball this term, and look forward to seeing them play next season.

Well done to all players, but in particular

the U6th who have committed five years to King's netball squads. Watching them progress and develop as both players and team mates has been a pleasure and we hope they take this forward into adulthood.

Many thanks to all the staff who have helped across the whole netball club this year. It has a been a busy and enjoyable term of sport.

4th VII

The 4th Netball team had a great season as out of 7 fixtures we lost only 2 and won 5. The matches were close, and the team stepped up and improved week after week. Our shooters were exceptional throughout. We even gained another awesome shooter to the team when Eleanor joined us, never to return to the 5ths. Player of the match was a sought after award and nearly all players gained this accolade at least once. Throughout the season there was movement across teams. Some of our most improved found themselves selected for the 3rds on a quite a few occasions and this just shows the strength of the squad.

Tia went from a shooting position to our key Goal Defence player and then led Isabel to really start to shine in the same position, making our defence almost impenetrable.

Our first (Downside) and our last (Prior Park) showed the biggest goal score differences with a 15-4 and 19-

10 respectively. Niamh took on the role after this as an extraordinary shooter for the entire season. Gaining her Player of the match by the opponents on many occasions. Especially in our penultimate against Monkton coombe where the score was 28-6. We only lost to Blundells and Kingswood and on both occasions the matches were the closest they have ever been and both only losing by 1 goal!

As the season progressed more exceptional play and team work was practiced, with Rachel and Flo highlighting this with their excellent attacking and Holly holding centre, giving the team all the support and movement it needed. A great team to coach and work with. Such a fun atmosphere at all times!

5th VII

The 5th VII had a fantastic netball season with team captain Ellie leading the team to more wins than defeats. Over the course of the season the team went from strength to strength. Franca proved to be a great defender despite this being her first season of netball. She soon became a force to be reckoned with along with Matilda in goal defence. The strength of the centre players, Phoebe, Sami and Edie ensured that the ball was passed quickly in the first seconds of play to the dynamic attack trio of Scarlett, Kitty and Reina ensured that the ball was passed efficiently and effectively down the court to our fantastic goal shooters, Ellie, Jess, Evie, Alexina and Kitty.

Junior 1st VII & Junior 2nd VII

As always, we are thrown into the County Netball Tournament in the Christmas Term and our new U14s spent a few weeks training hard, getting to know each other on the court in the first few weeks of term. They did themselves proud, still working out our combinations on the court we finished the tournament a respectable 4th place, after winning three games and narrowly losing three. A great start to their first netball season together. However, we then decided to try something different with our junior teams this year and on the whole, it worked quite well! The girls had to train hard to secure their place in our teams ranked from 1st VII - down to 7th VII. It was going to

be a season to work hard, learn to be versatile in our positions and through this try out new positions.

After a cancelled Inter-House Netball, the first Saturday we were all desperate to get out on the court and we were more than ready to face Queen’s College. A brilliant, hard-fought win, for the Junior 1st VII, they were a little slow to warm up and then they really found their feet. Abi having a fantastic match at both ends of the court and Tilly named player of the match.

The 2nd VII improved dramatically throughout their game, finishing comfortably on top. Rosie was awarded player of the match for her movement and brilliant shooting. It was a tough 2nd week though with both teams losing heavily to King’s College Taunton, with Olive recognised as player of the match for the 1st VII for her constant battling and the 2nd VII Emily being awarded player of the match for the amount of interceptions she created or made. It was a very quick first half of term and for our final match before the break we faced Blundells and played two incredible matches. Both teams showing how far they had progressed as teams. Although both teams came away second I was proud of the performances, a step up in their games. Lucy for the 1st VII and Sascha for the 2nd VII both awarded players of the match for the way they fought until the end.

After the half term break we faced Kingswood, who we knew be strong.

The girls raised their game and played brilliantly with a 10 goal loss not reflecting the game. Ashtyn was named player of the match after a 48 minute battle where she never gave up! The 2nd VII made too many silly errors and gave away easy balls and unfortunately, also ended with a disappointing final score. Molly receiving player of the match for her endless interceptions. However, the final four matches of our season are the ones I will remember. They saved the best until last and showed that they had achieved what we set out to do. Both teams coming away with comfortable wins over Clayesmore, where some fantastic netball was played, a huge step up from the team we watched at the start of the term. Polly and Lottie were players of the two matches for their flare and constant interceptions and their calm collective manner under the post respectively.

My absolute favourite match of the term though has to be the 1st VII drawing 24-24 against a very good Monkton Combe team, a team full of Team Bath academy players and we were not afraid to show them how competitive we are. A match I will not forget, Ashtyn leading from the centre in the way she always does, proud doesn’t even come close! The following week we had depleted teams because of Ten Tors so we put out a 2nd VII team against Bryanston and once again this was a performance I cannot fault. Molly literally throwing her body on the line for the match and Eleanor securing goal after goal and although we lost

Junior 3rd VII

The Junior 3rd team had an excellent season, working hard in training sessions and gradually learning to play with a structure and style of play that suited them. Grace, Tallulah and Anstice learnt to play together and create space rather than just think about themselves, whilst Eva, Martha and Martha worked hard to defend as a unit rather than in isolation.

The season began with a hard-fought draw against King’s College, Taunton before a comfortable win against Milton Abbey. A narrow defeat and another draw followed but by then the team had begun to play with speed, style, and structure.

by 4 goals they played out of their skims, so I couldn’t ask for more. Then our final Saturday did not disappoint, unfortunately Prior Park could only put out one junior team and a slightly depleted 1st VII played and ended with a sensational last match, with a 33-32 win, what a way to end, keeping us on our toes! Indigo ended the season as player of the match in recognition of how hard she has worked this entire season, always keen to progress further and this doesn’t go unnoticed.

This is definitely a season I will look back at for progression. I am incredibly proud and pleased for both terms, they dug deep, worked hard and I look forward to seeing them go further next year.

Three wins in the final four matches showed the outstanding progress that the team had made. Eva, Florence, and Annie all began to control the centre of the court, and this allowed some fantastic flowing netball to be played.

The highlight of the season was the final game of the season where the team went ahead in the first half playing some of the best netball of the season, before allowing Prior Park School back into the game in the third quarter. Just as a draw look likely, the team raised their game to pull away and win by four. The determination and positive attitude made the season really good fun and I hope to see much more strong netball performances from these girls in the coming years.

Junior 4th VII

With lots of girls to select from, the girls changed teams a little as their play developed over the course of the season. They started with a tough game against Queen’s Taunton, where the girls played well in very cold conditions winning the first 3 quarters. Unfortunately, Queen’s came strong in the final quarter, resulting in a narrow loss. Both Martha and Alice played very well.

The girls improved each training session and fought hard throughout the game against King’s Taunton, but came up against a very strong team despite the efforts of Anstice and Geneva. Blundell’s saw the first win of the season, following another team rejig, which was clearly effective. The team showed great skills and more drive and determination. Two more tough games were followed by a very pleasing draw to finish the season on a positive note.

I would like to thank the girls for their hard work and enthusiasm shown throughout the season, in training and on match days. Each member of the team was a delight to work with.

Junior 5th VII

This season, the Junior 5th team went unbeaten and recorded some convincing wins which they should be very proud of.

They learned to move the ball effectively

down the court, strengthening their passes and eliminating unforced errors. They worked well as a team and were defensively strong. Particularly impressive were their quick centre passes which often led to them dominating early on in games. Well done to all the girls for high goal scores and great team play.

Junior 6th VII

The Junior 6ths enjoyed a fun season of netball and many players made huge progress in their technique.

Fixtures against very strong teams from King’s Taunton and Kingswood did not end favourably for us but allowed our girls the opportunity to show great character and commitment in the face of tough

opposition. Throughout the season, Sarah, Bronte, Lydia, Emily and Lyla displayed great energy in the centre of the court, while Liv, Izzy and Iona were very effective in the goal third. Defensively, Isabella, Morgan and Soizick improved a great deal as the season went on. Chloe and June were two more standout players in a variety of positions. Well done all round!

Kenyan Touring Side

We were very honoured to host a combined IAPS team from Kenya in March. The team are selected from the Prep Schools in Kenya to train together and tour around England, before playing in the IAPS Netball Finals at Bryanston School.

They arrived and had a training session on Saturday, before a lunch and an opportunity to watch the 1st VII play against Bryanston. This was a fantastically competitive match to watch. As a very close game the girls were kept enthralled until the end. They even spotted a new warm up drill and wanted to learn it for their next session.

On Sunday, they headed to Bath for a shopping and cultural visit. On return King's played a select VII boarding team against them, over the tournament times, allowing them to practice for their main day on Monday. An early breakfast and minibus trip to Bryanston was an exciting start to the day. On arrival the scale of the event was impressive, despite the inclement

British weather, which was not what the girls are used to! They played very well throughout the day, gaining in confidence with every match. Having finished the morning’s games, the girls played in the

Bowl in the afternoon, with a good win and a close loss meaning they finished as runners up and went home with a medal! It was lovely to host the girls, allowing our current Kenyans pupils to reunite with

old friends, and everyone to meet new players from other parts of the world! We look forward to hosting the squad again in the future.

Cross Country Table Tennis

Guyan Mitra reflects on an enjoyable cross-country season.

Whatever the weather, King's crosscountry runners are so very lucky to have the Brue valley on our doorstep. Be it the sloppy woodland terrain of Dam Run, the steep hills of Junior Creech, the fields of Snake Lake or the 5 mile road run of Twin Towers, we have some stunning tracks to traverse, which we rotate through on our thrice weekly training sessions.

As ever, the season began with lots of poorly chosen footwear - and more than a few trashed pairs of Christmasacquired Air Force Ones. But everyone found their rhythm - and appropriate trail runners - as we built up endurance, strength, and speed. Occasionally, training included mixing up from running long distances: hill sprints, interval training and time trials around the school circuit.

Competitive matches were held at local schools, kicking off with the season opener at Downside and finishing with the King's hosted Marden Trophy. The excitement of the season culminated with the House Cross Country event, which saw whole school participation for the first time since Covid. Priory House were the victors in both the inter and senior girls’ categories. Lyon House won the senior boys and Blackford won the inters. Flo and Maja were the fastest around the course in their categories, while Max and Samuel were the speediest boys.

Max and Matilda performed well at regionals and nationals and competed for Somerset and finishing 200th and 218th place, respectively in their age grade Nationals. A superb achievement. As ever, many thanks to the crosscountry staff: Mr Jeffrey, Mr Hambleton and Mrs Simper for all their hard work.

Callum Forder ponders a competitive season for the King's Bruton table tennis team with some memorable matches against highly experienced opponents.

They started the season playing against Downside, a school they had lost to the previous year. The captain of the 1st team, Alex, started off strongly in his singles, beating the consistent 2nd seed of Downside 11-4 and securing the first leg. The 1st team was also made up of Jonathan, Harry, Siru and Frank, all of whom played to a very good level and displayed some excellent consistency. Unfortunately, they couldn’t quite secure the win as a team.

This was the second year that table tennis was offered to pupils at King's. I have been hugely impressed with the improvement over the past year and it has been a pleasure watching pupils grow and develop their skills. I am confident that table tennis will continue to grow as a sport at King's in the coming years.

Cricket

Our new Head of Cricket, Ben Crump, has made his mark in his first year as he looks to grow and develop the cricket programme at King's.

Cricket at King's started back in the September of last year with a record number of pupils (over 50 Boys and Girls) involved in the Winter Programme receiving 1-1 or small group sessions over the ‘off’ season. Included in the programme this year was a weekly session for both the Boys and Girls 1st XI squads in the build up to the season ahead. During the winter, the Girls’ U15 team took part in the Lady Taverners National Indoor Cup. Beating Downside School in the first round, King's went onto host the Somerset Region U15 Finals in which King's unfortunately narrowly lost out to Taunton School.

The Boys’ 1st XI welcomed top order batsman, Ben, from Ireland in April. Ben is the first pupil to join King's from our new relationship with Cricket Ireland.

Pre-season was heavily affected by inclement weather, this saw the U18 Boys’ Warminster CC Invitational cancelled and both the Boys’ and Girls’ 1st XI forced indoors due to the heavy rain.

Boys’ 1st XI

The 1st XI enjoyed an exciting season with a number of closely contested matches.

The Boys’ 1st XI started the season well with great wins against Monkton Combe School and Exeter School. They recently posted 168-4 off their 20 overs (Jay 68* and Ronnie 59) against Dauntsey’s School before rain stopped play in the second innings without a ball being bowled. The 1st XI have also been in action against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the annual showcase fixture. The King's attack made regular break throughs with the

MCC posting 205-10 off 46 overs. The pick of the bowlers, Jay, who finished with fixtures of 15 overs, 1 maiden, 5 wickets for 65 runs. King's unfortunately lost both opening batters before tea before Ben and Archie started to rebuild the innings with a partnership of 55 runs. Ronnie took on the MCC attack before he fell for 40. Unfortunately, King's were unable to hold on and lost their final wicket with just 7 overs left in the game. Congratulations to Jay who was awarded Player of the Match and Patrick who received the Spirit of Cricket award. The Boys’ 1st XI look forward to competing in the National Schools T20 competition this season alongside an exhibition match against the Nathan Lyon Academy from

Australia during the last week of term whilst we also host Bryanston School and Exeter School in new block fixtures.

Boys’ 2nd XI

The 2nd XI this season kicked off their campaign with a strong victory over Monkton Combe School, congratulations to Oscar for a great contribution of 120 with the bat on the first weekend of the season! The 2nd XI look forward to competitive fixtures against Wells Cathedral School, Warminster School and Sherborne School to name a few.

Boys’ 3rd XI

It has been great to see the high number of Senior Boys’ who have opted for the cricket pitch this term and they have been rewarded with a fixture against Sherborne Boys School later in the term.

Boys’ U15A

Jamie led the U15As to a strong victory over Monkton Combe School on the first weekend of the season which was followed by a strong performance against Exeter School. Samuel and Joel have led the attack well with the ball supported with crucial runs from Freddie and Jamie. They now look forward to fixtures against Sherborne School for Boys, Warminster School, Queens College Taunton and Clayesmore

School before their showcase game against the Nathan Lyon Academy from Australia during the last week of term.

Boys’ U15B

The U15Bs have been led well by captain Daniel with two great performances in their opening fixtures of the term.

Boys’ U14A

The U14As look a very promising outfit for the future of cricket here at King's. They posted 150 for 4 batting first against Monkton Combe School on the first weekend of the season. Milo made an impressive 50, supported well by Charles who made 38 not out. In response, King's were far too strong with

the ball and won the game by 126 runs.

King's U14As won their second fixture against Exeter School by 20 runs. Batting first and losing two quick wickets, Oliver (27) and Nathan (41)

put on a 72 run partnership. Charles contributed a very useful 28 not out. King's finished on 153 for 5. Some good early bowling by Hugo and Nathan put Exeter on the back foot and they never really got up with the run rate losing key wickets along the way. They ended on 133 for 6 from their 25 overs with King's running out 20 run winners.

Boys’ U14B

Mr Gordon is yet to see a full strength U14Bs in action due to illness and injury, however, the team have made promising improvements. With players recovering to full fitness, the team look forward to fixtures against Sherborne School, Warminster School and Clayesmore School following an exciting first win against Monkton Combe School.

Girls’ 1st XI

The Girls’ 1st XI made King's history this term when they competed against Wellington School in the School Sport Magazine U18 National Schools T20 tournament. A great mix of those that are more experienced and complete newcomers makes for a team that learn from each other throughout training and fixtures and the such high numbers of girls’ selecting to play cricket at King's bodes well for an exciting future. The Girls’ 1st XI will also feature against the likes of Sherborne School for Girls, Wells Cathedral School, Downside School and Queens College Taunton.

Girls’ U15A

New to the school this year, the U15 Girls has been a real success with a high number of 3rd and 4th Form girls opting for cricket this term. Like the 1st XI Girls’, the U15s have also been in School Sport Magazine U15 National Schools T20 action. Their first game of the season was a highly contested fixture against Millfield School, they now await their opponents in the National Plate competition.

County Representative Honours - 2022/23

Oliver - Somerset U14s

Nathan - Somerset U14 Training Squad

George - Dorset U14s, Samuel - Dorset U15s

Georgia - Wiltshire U16s

Ronnie - Somerset U16s

Archie - Dorset U18s

Jay - Somerset Academy/2nd XI

Tennis

Callum Forder celebrates a hugely successful summer of tennis where we have had over 100 pupils playing tennis and several senior and junior boys’ and girls’ teams competing against schools from across the South West.

During my time at King's, this has been the most successful season of tennis in terms of participation and match results. The Senior Girls’ 1st Team have had some memorable wins against the likes of Clayesmore, Downside and Leweston. However, the most impressive win was the 5-4 victory over Prior Park, a school that King's has never beaten and is made up of pupils who regularly compete at county level.

The Senior Boys’ 1st Team have looked very strong since the start of the summer. They have played a high level of tennis and breezed past tricky opponent’s such as Monkton Combe and Clayesmore. The hardest match of the season was against the experienced Dauntsey’s team. A team that is undefeated and is made up of talented individuals. This was a game that was played to the highest level and included some good net play, accurate serving, and precise ball placement. Unfortunately, King's didn’t play the big points well enough and lost 6-3 in rubbers.

The Boys’ 2nd team also had the win

of the season, they beat Dauntsey’s 5-4 in a game that had everything from consistent ground strokes, good intercepting volleys, and a strong mindset. This saw King's take this match in a deciding rubber.

The junior girls’ and boys’ have had some very tight matches. They have had several games that have come down to the wire including the Wells Cathedral and Prior Park game. I was extremely impressed with the junior girls’ ability to bounce back from the 5-4 loss to Wells. They demonstrated an excellent ability to forget about the previous match and apply themselves in the moment. As a biproduct of this they were able to secure a comfortable win against Downside.

I have been blown away by the standard of tennis at King's this year. I am extremely proud of all pupils that have competed, they have shown they can compete with schools that are twice their size and have demonstrated that they can apply drills from training into matches. I am confident that they have not only developed as tennis players, but individuals too.

Athletics

The athletics season could not have started in wetter conditions! For the first two weeks, all the training was forced onto the Astros, and field events were seriously limited.

However, the attitude and enthusiasm from the athletes was very positive, and despite the conditions, a large squad travelled to King’s Taunton for the first meet of the term. This is a friendly meet, with a ‘have a go’ attitude, allowing everyone to try an event and get the first PB’s of the season. Performances of the day go to Emily for her first 300m hurdles, James, Charlie and Henry for middle distance performances, and Benji, Lily and Lucy all sprinting in good form.

With still no track training, a squad went to Dauntsey’s for their opening meet, where Matilda and Toby threw PB’s in Discus, Benji ran a very quick 100m and the distance runners all improved their times. This was also the Combined Events weekend, where Ben entered the Decathlon. Being new to this event, he had a lot to learn and with the help of much more experienced athletes, performed very well throughout the two days. The comradery and support that the athletes give each other creates a fantastic atmosphere at the combined events. Ben completed the two days and won the Somerset Junior Men's category, leading to a qualification spot

at the South West meet later in the season.

With junior sports day prelims also succumbing to the weather, we moved towards the area competition still with limited practice. However, this did not inhibit some fantastic performances at Yeovil in early May. 29 boys were elected to represent Yeovil at the Somerset Schools trials, in 39 events. Key performances from the juniors came from Toby, Oliver and Fraser in the throws, Josh in triple jump which he is new to, Zak in 1500m and Charles in hurdles. In the inters PB’s came from Kit in long jump and 100m, Benji in hurdles and triple jump, Sam and Henry in middle distance, Toby and Sid in throws, Robert, Sunny and Charlie in high jump, Harry in long jump, and Freddie and Charlie in 400m.

Performance of the day has to go to Rory who qualified in 4 events! We had the largest number of senior boys qualify this year, from Max in the 3km, James in 1500m and Ollie and Luke in 100m on the track. Ben in pole vault and Javelin, Tyler and Louis in long and triple jump and Leo in Hammer.

The girls had 12 athletes qualify in 19 events. Lily, Sascha, Minnie and Anstice performed exceptionally well on the track all qualifying in 2 events, with Molly in hurdles and Geneva in Javelin and Discus. In the inter girls Emily stormed the hurdles, with Polly also qualifying, Matilda in discus and Lucy and Anna in sprints. Well done to everyone.

The following weekend was another friendly meet in Taunton, with more

opportunities to try new events. The relay teams had some pleasing performances, with the change overs becoming smoother. On the track James ran a fast mile, with Charlie and Henry also gaining PBs. The sprints were very popular with Lily, Lily and Lucy all running well. Niko throw a fantastic shot, and Toby and Matilda great discus throws. These friendly meets have allowed lots of athletes to gain confidence in a relaxed environment.

The main team event of the season is the English schools cup track and field competition. A team of 14 girls and 14 boys, cover 24 events plus a relay, each having to do two events, one track and one field. This means athletes may perform an event they would not usually do for the team! This year we travelled to Millfield with high hopes and were not disappointed. With points given for distances and times in each event a school finishes with a total, and those with the highest totals progress to regional rounds after half term. The boys team performed brilliantly, with 4 scoring over 40 points in their 2 events - Rory, Freddie, Robert and Kit, three in the 30s, Sam, Harry G and Zak and most of the others achieving PBs. With several boys in this team who do not do athletics full time, this was an exceptional result, with the final score of 426, resulting in a place in the regional A final, and a record score for the Inter boys at King's. The girls’ team also performed very well, with notable high scores from Lucy, Anstice, Florence and Ashtyn. There were several girls in this team who are new to athletics as a full time sport and have made fabulous progress over this term. Well done!

The final big meet of the half term was the Millfield Eleven Schools Meet. Again this is a team competition with athletes scoring points for the finishing position. Performances of the day came form Rory, Benji, Alex, Robert and Lucy and Lily in the sprints. This is a much tougher competition and the first full meet of the calendar.

The girls made it through to the regional A Final of the ESSA Cup and travelled to Exeter Arena straight after half-term. With two key athletes

unavailable due to a school trip, new girls stepped into their events, giving them the opportunity to compete at a higher level. With some strong performances in the sprints form Lucy and Lily, 300m from Minnie and Ashtyn, 800m from Sascha and Anstice in the 1500, our points were a little higher than the first round. Special mentions must go to Lucy and Grace for stepping into the team and Eleanor for changing to run the 1500m for the team, and all of them performing with incredible determination. Well done to all those who competed.

We wish the boys team the best of luck in the A Final later in the term.

At the Somerset County Meet we had some very good performances across the day. There were 2 county champions

with Emily winning the triple jump and Ben winning the pole vault, both of whom will represent Somerset at the Southwest meet. Reserve champions went to Geneva and Matilda in discus, Emily in 80m hurdles, Benji, Josh and Tyler in triple jump, Lily and Lucy in 100m and 200m, and Max in 3000m. finishing third in Somerset was Henry in 800m, Robert in high jump, Anstice in 1500m and Fraser in Hammer. There were also very strong performances from Sachsa in 300m and 800m, Minnie in 300m, Toby and Toby in the throws and Joc and Skyla in high jump.

Well done to everyone who competed and best of luck to those who are going forward to represent Somerset in the Southwest Meet.

Sports Day

Sports Day was held on a beautiful day, blessed with sunshine and warmth. Starting with the hurdles, which demonstrates some of the strongest athletes in school, with Rory getting close to a school record and Benji and Emily winning the senior events in fantastic style.

The 100m were very close races, won by Kit and Harry in the junior boys, and Benji in the seniors. The girls was won by Lucy, with Lily close behind and Lily for the seniors. At 200m Lily and Lucy fought it out again, and Davina gave Lily a strong challenge in a close race. The boys was a close senior race between Alex and Tyler, with the juniors being won by Rory, closely followed by Harry. Emily and Ashtyn won the 300m girls races, with Harry and Kit finishing with very close times. The senior boys, racing over 400m was won by Henry.

The middle distance events also demonstrated an enormous amount of strength across the events. James, who as athletics captain, has trained and performed exceptionally well all season, dominated both senior events to take the win, with Sam H following his lead and winning both the 800m and 1500m for the junior boys. Flo G and Sascha dominated the 800m, with Anstice winning the 1500m for the junior girls. Matilda ran a fantastic 800m, and trying to do the double at 1500m, was just pipped over the line by Skyla.

In the field events there were fantastic performances from Kit in junior long jump, Freddie in junior triple jump, Robert in junior high jump. In the senior boys Louis owned both the high jump and triple jump, with James winning the long jump. The girls winners were Jocelyn, Skyla and Emily, with Anstice winning both the high jump and long jump, and Sascha winning the long jump.

The throws have been a developing area this year, particularly in the discus. Wins came from Matilda and Geneva in the girls and Oscar and Sid. In javelin Lenny and Levi had a good contest, separated by only 30cm, with Ben winning the seniors. The girls was won by Jenna and Geneva. Shot putt was won by Tyler and Sid, and the girls was won by Grace and Jodie.

Victrix Ludorum for the best performances by individuals over three events were won by the following:

Junior Boys - Rory

Junior Girls - Polly

Senior Boys - James

Senior Girls - Emily

The relays are the most exciting part of the day. The junior boys 4 x 100 was won by Lyon, and junior girls by Priory, with the seniors being won by Priory and Blackford. The mixed medley relay was won by Arion and Lyon.

Swimming

Heidi Bell-West reflects on an enjoyable year of swimming. At the end of the Christmas term, the Inter-House Swimming Gala was the ideal time to see the very best of King's Bruton swimming. Many King's Bruton records were broken, and it was a fun and competitive event for all. It also gave the swimming coach a chance to see who has emerged to join the very successful swim squad and pick the Swimming Captains Isabella and Angus.

The gala against Wells Cathedral School was held in early February. King's Bruton swimmers, across all year groups, were absolutely awesome in and out of the pool. With 44 races in less than two hours, the competition was always going to be tough, but the wins and the cheering were second to none! The final score was 71-82 to Wells Cathedral with Abi and Molly as Swimmers of the Gala. Not only for their amazing races, but also for ‘diving’ in to support the senior girls in the final races.

The Annual Gala against Queen’s College Taunton saw King's Bruton swimmers, across all year groups, take the lead early. The final score was 138110 to us with William and Emma as Swimmers of the Gala for their amazing gutsy races.

Health Related Fitness

It has been yet another successful year in Health-Related Fitness (HRF).

Sadly, the two galas against Taunton School and Godolphin Girl’s School in the summer term were cancelled due to other sporting fixture clashes and events in the opponent schools. However, these fixtures will be rearranged for next year and we hope to add more to the calendar with group fixtures against multiple schools to really raise the competition! We hope to host one of these at Hazlegrove’s impressive school pool where we train regularly. Well done to all King's Bruton Swimmers for their dedication, and thank you to the Captains Isabella and Angus for sorting out the races and making sure every race was covered, especially all the Butterfly events! Keep swimming over the holidays and we will dive into the new term!

Pupils have enjoyed sporting activities ranging from cross country, dance and yoga (with our amazing external yoga teacher Clare Torday) to tennis, gym sessions, and of course the ever-popular mixed rounders and mixed football.

Massive improvements in general fitness for many which is what it is all about. Testament to the value of HRF is the fact that many of our ‘exam leavers’ are joining us after half term. Thank you to all of the staff who have supported this year.

1st XV Rugby

U14A Rugby

U16A Rugby

U16B Rugby

U14B Rugby

U15A Rugby

U15B Rugby

Senior Rugby Squad

1st XI Hockey

3rd XI Hockey

4th XI Hockey

U14A Hockey

U14B Hockey

1st XI Football

1st Badminton

U15A Hockey

U15B Hockey

2nd XI Hockey

1st VII Netball

5th VII Netball

Junior 3rd Netball

2nd VII Netball

6th VII Netball

Junior 4th Netball

3rd VII Netball

Junior 1st Netball

Junior 5th Netball

4th VII Netball

Junior 2nd Netball

Junior 6th Netball

1st XI Hockey

U15A Hockey

U14B Hockey

2nd XI Hockey

U15B Hockey

Rugby 7s

3rd XI Hockey

U15C Hockey

1st Girls' Football

4th XI Hockey

U14A Hockey

Table Tennis

Boys' 1st XI Cricket

U15 Girls' Cricket

U14B Cricket

Girls' 1st XI Cricket

U15A Cricket

1st Golf

2nd XI Cricket

U15B Cricket

Swimming

3rd XI Cricket

U14A Cricket

1st Volleyball

Boys' 1st Tennis

Girls' 3rd Tennis

Junior D Tennis

Boys' 2nd Tennis

U15A Girls' Tennis

Junior Athletics

Girls' 1st Tennis

Junior B Tennis

Senior Athletics

Girls' 2nd Tennis

Junior C Tennis

The Dolphin Editorial Team

(From left to right)

Eleanor (Arion House) L6th Form

Isabel (Arion House) L6th Form

The Editors thank you for your contributions to this edition of The Dolphin and we hope you enjoy reading it.

Huge thanks to Penny Bird, Emilie Head and Andrew Warren for proof reading, a mammoth task! Huge thanks to Rev'd Beverly for the cover photographs, for all his support and for making the sky blue!

Acknowledgements

Formal pupil photographs have been reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame photographers and can be re-ordered by contacting Gillman & Soame directly, by email to action@gillmanandsoame.co.uk

Formal pupil House photographs have been reproduced by kind permission of Pret-a-Portrait Ltd and can be re-ordered by contacting samantha.stevens@pret-a-portrait.net www.pret-a-portrait.net

Sports Team photographs have been reproduced by kind permission of David Wiltshire Photography and can be re-ordered by contacting David Wiltshire Photography directly, info@davidwiltshire.co.uk www.davidwiltshire.co.uk

Click or scan the QR Codes below to read previous Dolphin magazines.

Sir Peter Squire's Harrier Jump Jet weather vane on top of the Sir Peter Squire Pavilion, officially opened by Lady Carolyn Squire and family on 17th June 2023.