During our Third Form leavers’ Prize Giving, guest speaker and school governor Julie Robinson, CEO of the Independent Schools Council affirmed the importance of schools like King’s in enriching children’s lives. Mr Lougher’s own speech reminded us that friendship — true, enduring friendship — is one of the greatest gifts of a childhood well spent.
As our leavers move on to the next phase of their education, they do so enriched thanks to the excellent provision of teachers and staff, and the friendships forged, some of which will last a lifetime. These pages are once again a testament to the value added of a King’s College education.
Mr Norman
PRIZE GIVING
HEADMASTER’S SPEECH 2025
MR LOUGHER
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to King’s for our annual Third Form Prize Giving ceremony and thank you for being here this evening for our most important event of the year. We are gathered to celebrate the Class of 2025 and commemorate their time in the junior school.
I am especially grateful, as always, to Dr Cotton for joining us and for giving an energising sense of what awaits you all from September and I must give particular thanks to our guest speaker this evening, Julie Robinson, who, as CEO of the Independent Schools Council and our junior school governor, has had an eventful year on all fronts!
We are eagerly looking forward to hearing from you later, Julie, as well as from our three Head Boys, who are primed and ready to give the inside track on their time at KCJS. I asked Mr Jones to vet their speeches and, given their knowing smiles, I’m beginning to question the wisdom of that decision!
This cohort of pupils has special significance for me, as those who started in Transition joined King’s at the same time as I became headmaster. I’m sure we all remember our first day, wondering where we were going, if our parents had packed us the necessary equipment and whether the teachers would be nice to us...
Since then, we have shared approximately 644 school days. That’s at least 30 trips, tours and residentials, more than a thousand break times, and well over 5000 lessons. We have been joined and enriched by newcomers in First Form and Second Form and during our time together we have all grown so much. You have grown upwards and I have grown outwards, but we have all grown spiritually and intellectually and I would be immensely proud to have had a fraction of the influence on you that you have had on me.
I find it very poetic that, as you are embarking on the next great chapter in your lives, I am doing the same, having become a parent just under two weeks ago. My wife and I have been deeply touched by the many well wishes and lovely gifts we have received from the people in this room, so my sincere thanks for these.
A former headmaster and mentor of mine once said that having a child was the best thing I could possibly do for my continuing professional development. I should stress that this wasn’t our primary motivation in starting a family, but the last few days have given me a renewed appreciation of the faith that you, as parents, place in us in entrusting us with the care of those most dear to you. I also, for the first time,
find myself sharing the view that it would be wholly preposterous for my child to receive a communication card – there must be some mistake!
I am joking, of course, for you have been a truly exceptional set of parents, hugely supportive both in your attendance of our many events and in your subscription to our ethos. I always say that the triangulation of messaging between pupil, home and school is of pivotal importance in a child’s development and this has been very easy with you: it has felt like a really productive partnership. Before we go any further, boys, let’s put our hands together for your parents.
The theme of our leavers’ service this afternoon was friendship. Thomas Aquinas, the thirteenth century philosopher and theologian said that “there is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship” and, as such, there can be no greater souvenir of your time in the junior school than the connections you have made.
Friendships improve you.They literally make you better. Social interaction stimulates neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganise and form new neural connections. Particularly in childhood and adolescence, peer relationships help shape the prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making, impulse control, and empathy.
“...it is not just important for you to have good friends, it is a fundamental human duty for you to be one.”
Engaging in meaningful conversation and shared experiences stimulates the hippocampus, which is vital for learning and memory. Social support limits stress by reducing the secretion of cortisol. Kindness and kinship trigger dopamine and oxytocin, some of the body’s ‘feel good’ hormones.
Sadly, we know that mental health issues pose the greatest threat to the wellbeing and futures of young males in the UK. Supportive bonds provide a sense of belonging and encourage emotional openness, countering societal pressure to suppress vulnerability; in other words, it is not just important for you to have good friends, it is a fundamental human duty for you to be one.
This is especially true as you move into the senior school, where your cohort will grow with the
HEADMASTER’S SPEECH 2025
immediate addition of around 64 new pupils. We want you to nourish and further your existing relationships at the same time as forging new ones and enabling those external joiners to feel welcome and fully integrated from the word go.
Bearing in mind the responsibility that this represents, what better framework for friendship than the six core values you have learned here? Be curious, ask questions and encourage one another to express your feelings. Do so honestly, especially when things are going less well than you’d like, as inevitably they will at some point.
Be brave in acknowledging frailty and in holding your friends to high standards, whilst being patient with them and with yourselves in the face of challenges and mistakes. Above all, be kind and do so inclusively, affording everyone the same care and respect.
There can be no better preparation for the world beyond school. When we talk about life at 25, of course we hope to have helped you to a point where you are
thriving professionally and continuing to derive joy from the hobbies and pastimes you first nurtured here at King’s, but, above all, we hope that your friendships will endure and that you continue to support one another.
“...above all, we hope that your friendships will endure and that you continue to support one another.”
On the theme of life at 25, I must now turn attention to our departing staff, all of whom, this year, are notably closer to that age than I am!
Mr Allanby-Bassett leaves King’s for the second time, having been a pupil here before his Classics degree at the University of Edinburgh. He has been a great Rushmere Assistant and has also inspired a new generation in the school archives and, especially, its model trains. I am delighted to share that Maximillian
HEADMASTER’S SPEECH 2025
retains his love of education and leaves us to begin a Masters (and probably a DPhil) at the University of Oxford.
Mr Gibson has spent a year in the junior school as our graduate assistant, working predominantly in the Games and PE department whilst also being a calm and reassuring presence in the Priory playgrounds and on countless trips. Fortunately for us, Luca is not going far, moving to the senior school in September to take on a similar role, so the pupils are bound to see more of him and benefit further from his expertise in Year 7.
Mr Dean joined us in the summer term of last academic year, having recently arrived in London from his native Australia. He seized on an opening in the Maths department and made it his own, teaching in Priory and the lower school and leaving agency work behind to become a fully-fledged member of the team. We’ve all benefited from Adam’s enthusiasm, not least for Aussie rules football, and we wish him well as he returns Down Under.
Finally, Mr Fernandes has spent two years with us, teaching History, RSP and Games across junior and lower schools. He has been an excellent colleague, both in his teaching and his pastoral care and his wisdom, tact and sensitivity all belie the fact that he joined us a year after qualifying. Charlie moves to the senior school History department in September and I am thrilled that he is staying within the King’s family whilst taking this next step in his career. I know that many of these pupils who were previously in 2F are excited to be reunited with their former form teacher in Year 7. To all four of you: thank you, good luck and best wishes.
As we express gratitude and affection to our departing colleagues, we must also pause to reflect on all the staff members in the room, every single one of whom has played a part in the journey of these pupils, whether as form teachers, subject teachers, games coaches, activity leaders or simply as part of the pastoral fabric that serves to support them. I am immensely fortunate to work with such a dedicated, talented and professional group: thank you all very much indeed.
All 82 pupils in front of me have done exceptionally well during their time in the junior school. Some of you have been singled out for individual accolades and we applaud and congratulate you for these, but I would like to focus on the single prize that unites you all this evening.
The Graduation Award recognises that you have successfully navigated and - assuming no disasters between now and tomorrow lunchtime - completed your time in the junior school. It is the most significant
and hard-earned of all the prizes because, whether you joined in Transition, First Form or Second Form, it takes years to qualify for it.
During these years, you must dedicate yourself to our community, abiding by our rules, meeting our standards and embodying our values. What’s more, to even be eligible, you need to have succeeded in your application to King’s, something that very many candidates didn’t manage to achieve.
So, the Graduation Award is no mean feat and, while no individual token can adequately do justice to this, you will soon discover that your prize is a small badge, featuring the King’s lion embossed in gold against a cherry red background, the cherry red of our famous blazers.
“...we are part of your history and you will always be a part of ours. We are very proud of the young people you are becoming.”
Whether you go on to wear this badge or keep it in a drawer somewhere, I hope that it will serve to remind you that you have been part of something really special: we are part of your history and you will always be a part of ours. We are very proud of the young people you are becoming.
Allow me to send the pupils into the senior school with a summary of my key rallying cries, set against the three pillars of the King’s ethos: mind, spirit and heart. For the mind, try hard. Whatever you do, it is worth your full effort. Leave no stone unturned in doing the best you can. For the spirit, be nice. Being kind and respectful to one another is more important than anything else. And for the heart, have fun. Take advantage of every opportunity available to you and remember to relish each moment.
To finish, the American author Douglas Pagels said “a friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.” I urge you to cherish the friendships you have developed here and the lessons they have taught you. May they last a lifetime.
JULIE ROBINSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL AND KING’S COLLEGE SCHOOL GOVERNOR
Ladies and gentlemen, boys; class of 2025: it has been my great pleasure and honour to serve as junior school governor this academic year, not least because it meant I could come to as many plays and concerts as I could manage! I’ve learnt much about Disney characters, some of whom look uncannily like Mr Lougher, and I’ve shared the pride that parents and staff here feel when you boys perform so beautifully; it melts our hearts.
Of course, the finished results are hard earned by dedicated staff who set their sights so very high for you and then lift performances with encouragement and high expectation. And you, boys, I’ve seen your application to study and rehearsal and your goodnatured support of each other as you achieve amazing things in class, on stage and in the annals of King’s’s history.
“I’ve seen the school thrive and grow and develop many new and exciting projects, setting it apart dynamically from other schools...”
Being a school governor brings deep insight of the workings of a school day to day. I strongly recommend school governorship to you all for the insight it brings into learning communities and the sense of giving back to society. In my working life, I represent 1400 independent schools across the UK and in the past I was head of two prep schools, so I should know what I’m talking about when I say that King’s College School Wimbledon is a superb school.
As a governor, I’ve read thousands of documents, attended many hours of meetings and received reports and presentations from heads of department, heads of school, from risk-management, health and safety and safeguarding specialists and architects, and even from the boys themselves. I’ve attended assemblies and clubs, meetings, partnerships events and lessons, staff training days and meals…And (the most frightening experience of all) I’ve been interviewed and cross-questioned by severe-looking inspectors keen to scrutinise the evidence upon which King’s school governors base our opinions and decisions for the school.
I’ve been a governor long enough to have seen the appointment of Dr Cotton and the return of Mr Lougher, and to witness the way they work together in developing school strategy and culture so that King’s families can feel assured that the school is in safe hands. Not only that, I’ve seen the school thrive and grow and develop many new and exciting projects, setting it apart dynamically from other schools and demonstrating why King’s parents choose this school and why King’s boys do so very well. Also, why staff of such high calibre want to work and train here.
Of course, it’s important to relate to pupils and that’s why I’m especially delighted that Dr Cotton’s son is a pupil here and Mr Lougher is conducting his own research and development project by bringing into the world a future pupil! Congratulations, Mr Lougher.
We have applauded the parents and rightly so because, boys, much of your strength of character and future success is thanks to the support your close family gives you.
Mr Lougher is right to celebrate friendship, too, because we are social beings and only by forging meaningful relationships with others can we become the best contributors to society. It is through that that we experience happiness, friendships and fulfilling lives.
Over recent years, I have been presenting to unsympathetic politicians and journalists the realities of independent schools. Those individuals had already made up their minds and haven’t always been swayed by facts. When I’ve pointed out that most independent schools are small, community schools, that parents choose to pay fees because they can’t quite get what they seek in the state sector and that our schools are a key element of international soft power while providing much needed capacity and specialism across the educational ecosystem, I am sometimes greeted with scepticism.
When we poll the public, we discover not antipathy but sympathy for independent schools with their bursaries and community partnership working, teacher training and curriculum enrichment.
And, ladies and gentlemen, when we went to court, we discovered that VAT exemption on school fees was absolutely not a “tax break” and its imposition would have negative consequences including for special needs children in the state system.
GUEST SPEAKER’S SPEECH 2025
“Good manners, sportsmanship, respect for others and an ability to speak appropriately are elements of a King’s education...”
These facts are not enough to sway our critics.
But when they see case studies of real children and real schools (rather than stereotypes); when they hear about our genuine care for all kinds of children; some of these politicians and antagonists - not all, sadly(!) - but some of them, have looked again, reconsidered their viewpoint and directed their attention towards more realistic and supportive policies. It’s only by introducing that human element of relatability that some messages get through.
Good manners, sportsmanship, respect for others and an ability to speak appropriately are elements of a King’s education and you, the pupils of King’s, have such a superb start in life that you will have the freedom and power of choice to make this world a significantly better place in your time.
Appreciate what is good; be grateful for your many opportunities; be responsible, kind and courageous like the lion: your good judgement and positive attitude will shape a better future.
As a governor at King’s, I have been hugely impressed by the culture of kindness and the real focus on core values that make us all better people. Better for others and also better for ourselves. Because it’s when we behave with sincerity, genuinely caring for others, authentically supporting our friends and family, and our wider community, showing trustworthiness and integrity, that’s when we become important and meaningful forces for good in society.
The courage to stick to your personal values and beliefs; to have a positive and cheerful attitude and to work…now, when you’re 25… and when you’re a hundred and five, cultivating your mind and spirit and heart: this will serve you well whatever the future holds.
My own, personal favourite quotation about friendship is from Bernard Meltzera: “A true friend is someone who believes you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked!”
So go out and seize every day. Live a meaningful life and be a positive force for good.
Good luck!
HEAD BOY SPEECHES
HEAD BOYS
AUTUMN TERM: Harry Mansfield
SPRING TERM: Kareem Kerman
SUMMER TERM: Finlay O’Connor
HARRY MANSFIELD
During my time in the junior school, I have made many great memories. I have been inspired by my teachers and have made many friends. All my experiences at King’s have been so enjoyable, from Maths on a rainy winter’s afternoon, to Sports Day down at Kingsway on a scorching summer’s day. But today I would like to highlight a few things which have made the last few years in this school so special.
After moving from Rushmere to Priory, everything was so different from life before. We had to move classrooms for each lesson, we didn’t have our own desk where we kept all our belongings, and we had so many different book bags and lockers – I am sure everyone got confused! Whilst it was a challenge and it took a while for us to settle into Priory, there were many upsides. The addition of the MUGA and table tennis took break and lunch to a whole new level of
competitiveness, especially after the creation of the MUGA’s iconic ‘Big Match’. The food in the main dining hall was a big improvement from Rushmere!
Throughout my years in Priory, I have loved taking part in so many fixtures and sports matches against other schools, and of course I have loved representing Windsor in the infamous House competitions. All King’s boys are enthusiastic about sport, and we have benefited significantly from the great support and encouragement of our sports coaches. We have had so many opportunities to show off our talent at all levels.The atmosphere in school and House matches is always very friendly but still competitive, and everyone has fun, no matter if they win or lose. One of my favourite sporting memories is representing the school in Reigate 6s and the St Paul’s 6s tournaments. Cricket is one of my passions, so I have loved every summer term.
Clubs have been one of the reasons why my time in Priory was so memorable. I would like to thank all the staff who have made these activities possible - they have all been fantastic. The range of clubs there are in Priory ensures everyone can shine, as all King’s boys excel in something, no matter if it is Athletics, Music or French Culture!
As we have progressed through the junior school, we have enjoyed so many different trips, such as the spectacular ski trip and, of course, the PGL residential.
HEAD BOY SPEECHES 2025
Everybody who went on the ski trip would agree it was phenomenal. I will always remember when I managed to slide head-first down the whole mountain, looking like a penguin, after someone crashed into me. And who could forget the time when Mr Fernandes wiped out? Or the epic snowball fights? Last week’s PGL residential was also unforgettable. We topped off our final year of junior school with some amazing activities, such as rifle shooting and zip wiring, as well as just relaxing and playing cards in our dorms.
Even though I am excited to move up to the lower school, I will miss and treasure many things about the junior school. In particular, I will miss the junior school staff, who have been a big part of my school life over the last four years. It was a great honour to be Head Boy this year, and I wish everyone the best of luck in the senior school. Thank you.
KAREEM KERMAN
Good evening, my name is Kareem Kerman and I’m really proud to be standing here as one of the Head Boys. I wanted to talk to you about my Rushmere years.
On my first day, I arrived in my cherry-red blazer, feeling nervous and not knowing a single person. “Introduce yourselves,” we were told. The person in front of me turned round with a massive smile — and from that
moment, in the words of Bob Marley, I knew: “Every little thing gonna be alright.”
My Rushmere journey flew by, filled with amazing experiences and memories. We explored RAF Hendon, discovered local landmarks, and screamed our way around Legoland — Miss Walshe’s screams on the Dragon ride still ring through my ears! We celebrated Jubilees and Coronations and performed What a Knight! and Hoodwinked to packed audiences. We had guest speakers and authors who made us laugh, think and dream big.
Over those two years, I learnt so much — not just in lessons, but about myself too. I made great friends, tried new clubs, and even learned how to speak in front of a whole room — like I’m doing right now!
But the moments I’ll treasure most aren’t the big events — they’re the little ones. Playing football with friends in Rushmere playground, sharing jokes, swapping stories with teachers, and feeling like we’re all part of a special community. It’s these everyday moments that make King’s King’s.
As I look back, I’m amazed at how fast Rushmere went and how much we’ve grown. And as I look ahead, I’m excited — because if the future is anything like our time at Rushmere, then we’re in for something brilliant. Thank you.
HEAD BOY SPEECHES
FINLAY O’CONNOR
Let me start with learning. It has been amazing to learn so much over the last four years; not only, millions of aspects of history, why rain happens, how to speak other languages and even Pythagoras’ theorem but I’ve also learnt about public speaking, which is going to be key in the next minute or... or this might not go so well.
Then there’s sport. For me swimming has been a huge part of my time at King’s and I’m very thankful to Mr O’Sullivan for not going insane with my consistent pestering at galas. I’ve also really enjoyed rugby, football, cricket, water polo, athletics, tennis and even rounders!
Co-curricular activities have also been a particular highlight. With over 70 available to us, no break time could ever be boring. I’ve really enjoyed French Culture Club and not only because of the sweets, although that has been a big bonus. Other clubs I have particularly enjoyed have been Debating Club, which has helped me think about so many interesting topics and Coding Club, to build a whole new skill.
Now I’ve saved the best to last. What I’m most thankful for over the last four years is the fantastic community
I’ve been able to be a part of. This was created not only by the pupils but by the extra mile that all the teachers go to help us be our best at King’s.The three of us would like to thank Mr Lougher and all the staff for everything they have done over the last four years to make this such a fantastic experience for us all.
We should also thank you, all of our parents, for all that you have done for us. You’ve been our personal chauffeurs, alarm clocks, snack suppliers, homework helpers, and the number one fans at every performance or sports match, even when it was pouring with rain. We know we haven’t always made it easy—especially when we suddenly remembered a project was due the next morning at 9pm the night before—but you stuck with us, supported us, and helped us grow. We wouldn’t be standing here without you (literally, some of us wouldn’t have made it out the door this morning), so thank you for everything!
Because of everything I have said, I’ve had the opportunity to make some life-long friends here, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds as we move on to senior school together! Thank you.
PREFECTS
SCHOOL PREFECTS
Ben Andrews
Atlas Aydin
Oscar Ballance
Dhilan Besser
Roshen Bhimjee
Freddy Casey
Francesco Cavaliere
Ashwin Chockalingam
Leo Del Zompo
Jack Doran
Joshua Hauviller
Sebby Hidalgo
Kareem Kerman
Affan Khan
Harry Mansfield
Long Nguyen
Finlay O’Connor
Sean Oh
Ata Ozen
Dhruv Patel
PRIZE GIVING
RUSHMERE
RUSHMERE PRIZE FOR ART
Olly Casey
RUSHMERE PRIZE FOR ICT
Kashyap Goyal
ACTING CUP FOR THE RUSHMERE PRODUCTION
Harry Young, Leonardo Anatriello
JOHN EVANS PRIZE FOR RUSHMERE MUSIC
Aidan Gilbert, Tristan Lui, Charlie Xiao, Baxter Zee, Jasper Howard
MOST PROMISING SOCCER
PLAYER CUP
Leo Ellis
CRESSWELL-EVANS CUP FOR MOST PROMISING RUGBY PLAYER
Hugo Barton
TENNIS CUP FOR MOST PROMISING TENNIS PLAYER
Baxter Zee
MOST PROMISING SWIMMER CUP
Kimi Chen
WESTON CUP FOR MOST PROMISING CRICKETER IN RUSHMERE
Harry Chockalingam
LUDDINGTON CUP FOR ALL-ROUND CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN RUSHMERE
Hugo Barton
CHESS PRIZE
Ethan Bogerd
PRIORY
11+ ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP
Sean Oh, Oliver Buckney, Freddy Casey, Ethan Geng, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Kareem Kerman, Arjun Patnaik , Yiru Su, Neel Sumanth
11+ SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP
Rafferty Guest, Long Nguyen, Jack Doran
11+ MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
Jacob Dyakonov, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Louis Gu, Neel Sumanth
MUSIC COLOURS
Jacob Dyakonov, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Louis Gu, Neel Summanth
VIKRAM SINGH PRIZE FOR THIRD FORM ENGLISH
Ethan Geng
CARTER LIBRARY PRIZE
Oliver Buckney
MICHAEL SMITH PRIZE FOR THIRD FORM SCIENCE
Freddy Casey, Arjun Patnaik
PYTHAGORAS PRIZE FOR THIRD FORM MATHEMATICS
Dhruv Patel
CECIL VENNER FOR THIRD FORM MUSIC
Jacob Dyakonov
THIRD FORM FRENCH PRIZE
Kareem Kerman
THIRD FORM LATIN PRIZE
Arjun Patnaik, Neel Sumanth
THIRD FORM GEOGRAPHY PRIZE
Sean Oh
THIRD FORM HISTORY PRIZE
Ashwin Chockalingham, Soham Bedekar Phatak, Jack Doran
THIRD FORM RELIGIOUS STUDIES PRIZE
Soham Bedekar Phatak
THIRD FORM ART PRIZE
Lucas Ginzburg-Maly
SECOND FORM PRIZE FOR ART
Souki Fukuzawa
ART/DE COLOURS
Long Nguyen, Roshen Bhimjee, Sebby Hidalgo, Sean Oh, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Oscar Ballance, Johnathan Paice, Joshua Selvachandran
THIRD FORM DESIGN & ENGINEERING PRIZE
Ethan Geng
THIRD FORM DRAMA PRIZE
Oscar Ballance
NICHOLAS D’ALOISIO MONTILLA CUP FOR TECHNICAL INNOVATION (THIRD FORM ICT PRIZE)
Ethan Geng
SECOND FORM PRIZE FOR ICT
Yichen Xiong
COLLYER HALL PRIZE FOR THE PRIORY PRODUCTION
Ata Ozen
THE MORREN CUP FOR COMMUNITY MERITS
Dyllon Ang
LINDON SPEAKING CUP
Kalrav Agrawal
JOHN EVANS PRIZE FOR PRIORY MUSIC
Sean Oh, Joshua Selvachandran, Ethan Geng Affan Khan
HAMPTON & SONS LEADERSHIP HEAD BOYS’ AWARD
Harry Mansfield, Kareem Kerman, Finlay O’Connor
HENNESSEY CUP FOR BEST BATSMAN
Rafferty Guest
BEST BOWLER
Ben Andrews
THE RAWLINSON CUP FOR BEST ALL-ROUND CRICKETER
Rafferty Guest
KNOX-MURRAY CUP FOR BEST RUGBY PLAYER
Hiroto Tamura
THE BENNET CUP FOR BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Theo Rowe
RICKY BARTLETT PRIZE FOR SPORT
Hugo Stehn
SWIMMING CUP
Freddy Casey
ORTIZ WATER POLO CUP
Faraj Dadashev
BOLT CUP
Long Nguyen
PRIZE GIVING
DOUGLAS TENNIS PLATE
Jack Doran
SAMIR SHEIKH CUP FOR ALL-ROUND CONTRIBUTION TO SPORT IN PRIORY
Long Nguyen
OLD KING’S CLUB AWARD
Ismail Mallick, Noah Thomas, Ryan Bourne, Daniel Hewitt, Atlas Aydin, Dhilan Besser, Roshen Bhimjee, Leo Del Zompo, Joshua Hauviller, Sebby Hidalgo
WINDSOR HOUSE
HOUSE CUP WINNER
THIRD FORM LEAVERS 2025
THIRD FORM PUPILS
Kalrav Agrawal
Zayne Ali
Ben Andrews
Dyllon Ang
Nathan Au
Atlas Aydin
Oscar Ballance
Soham Bedekar Phatak
Dhilan Besser
Roshen Bhimjee
Pedro Borges Lima
Ryan Bourne
Ludo Branca
Oliver Buckney
Freddy Casey
Francesco Cavaliere
Ashwin Chockalingam
Anderson Chow
Matthew Cook
Tommaso Cristofoli
Faraj Dadashev
Axel Dahlstrom
Ethan Das
Gabriel Das Wermes
Leo Del Zompo
Jack Doran
Jacob Dyakonov
Xander Etienne
Alexandre Garagnon
Ethan Geng
Shlok Ghosh
Lucas Ginzburg-Maly
Leo Gomez-Franqueira San Pedro
Louis Gu
Rafferty Guest
Joshua Hauviller
Daniel Hewitt
Sebby Hidalgo
Logan Kee
Kareem Kerman
Affan Khan
Alexander Kjaer
Leo Kou
Joshua Lajumoke
Thomas Le Coguic
Sean Lee
Adam Li
Edward Lovett-Turner
Vince Lu
Dhruv Mahajan
Ismail Mallick
Harry Mansfield
Edoardo Maraffino
Zachary Mohan
Lorenzo Monaco
Vihaan Narula
Long Nguyen
Finlay O’Connor
Sean Oh
Ata Ozen
Johnathan Paice
Devansh Pandey
Dhruv Patel
Arjun Patnaik
Severyn Pidkuyko
Alexander Plith
Izaia Porteous
Krish Rai
Theo Rowe
Joshua Selvachandran
Hugo Stehn
Yiru Su
Neel Sumanth
Rohan Takhar
Hiroto Tamura
Marco Tedeschi
Noah Thomas
Andrew Totsky
Alex Trzcinski
Avik Tull
William Zhu
Ibrahim Zulfiqar
THIRD FORM LEAVERS 2025
TRIPS & EVENTS
UNLOC LEADERSHIP
BOOT CAMP
Third Form pupils took part in a two-day boot camp on leadership led by Unloc.The boot camp focused on developing leadership skills and competencies of pupils, focusing on the importance of being a fair and equitable leader.
GODSTONE FARM
Despite the weather, Transition pupils had a fantastic day at Godstone Farm, where they had the opportunity to bond with their new year group. The day was filled with exciting activities and exploration of the farm. It was a wonderful setting for the pupils to make new friends and memories as they embark on this new chapter together.
AUTUMN TERM HIGHLIGHTS
THIRD FORM
HOCKEY CLUB
Third Form Hockey Club was played under spectacular skies in September, and met again throughout the term every Wednesday afternoon.
DR STUART LAWRENCE
The junior school began its Black History Month celebrations with an incredible talk from Dr Stuart Lawrence. Dr Stuart focused on how pupils can make a difference and inspire change.
DRUISILLAS ZOO
The First Form enjoyed a trip to Drusillas Zoo in the autumn term. As well as learning about the Maasai in a workshop, the pupils enjoyed
taking part in some zoolympics challenges and had the chance to get to know their classmates better.
AUTUMN TERM HIGHLIGHTS
JEANS FOR GENES DAY OBERA ASSEMBLY
In September, pupils and staff took part in our Jeans for Genes day. Pupils donated £1 to the Jeans for Genes charity and came into school in their own clothes.
DAY OF LANGUAGES
The junior school celebrated the Day of Languages with a quiz hosted by eight pupils speaking a variety of languages including French, Italian, Mandarin and Spanish.
The wonderful Mr Baker beamed into Rushmere’s assembly live from Kenya. He was able to show Rushmere pupils how the school in Rarage had benefitted from all the Rushmere fundraising in previous years.
BATTERSEA POWER STATION
Third Form pupils visited Battersea Power Station to learn about its history, location and regeneration. The pupils were amazed at the scale of the old power station building and the number of modern shops, restaurants and apartments.
AUTUMN TERM HIGHLIGHTS
AUTHOR M. G. LEONARD
M. G. Leonard, author of Twitch, Beetle Boy and Adventures on Trains visited King’s in October for her annual author talk.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Transition proved themselves to be excellent history detectives at The National Archives in Kew. They were lucky enough to have the opportunity to look at lots of amazing documents there such as a royal seal dating back to the Elizabethan period.
AUTHOR CLIFF MCNISH
Junior school pupils welcomed children’s author, Cliff McNish as our Writer in Residence. Over the course of the year, Cliff returned at regular intervals to work with Second Form pupils on a short story about an animal of their choosing.
FRANÇOIS VAN DER MERWE
The pupils were treated to a fantastic talk from François Van Der Merwe at the first Cavan Taylor Society of the year. He talked about his childhood growing up in Bloemfontein in South Africa and his journey to becoming a professional rugby player in France. He also talked about his life after rugby and how he trained himself in a new profession.
OBERA PRESENTATION
Mr Baker, MBE, delivered an engaging presentation to the junior school community, sharing insights on the Obera Schools Project and recounting his recent visit to our outreach schools in Kenya.
AUTUMN TERM HIGHLIGHTS
ODD-SOCKS DAY
To celebrate Anti-Bullying Week, the junior school took part in Odd-Socks Day to celebrate difference.
ROMAN WORKSHOP
The First Form thoroughly enjoyed their Roman workshop; they learned about how the city of Rome got its name by participating in an interactive play, which told the story of Romulus and Remus.
On Wednesday 11th December, we welcomed Tom Kershaw (OK 2013) back to the junior school. He spoke to all pupils about his fascinating career as a sports journalist.
REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE
Junior school pupils joined in paying their respects to the fallen during the school’s Remembrance Day Service.
AUTHOR CHRIS BRADFORD
Award-winning author Chris Bradford came into school to talk to pupils about his Young Samurai series and his newest edition, The Way of the Warrior
TOM KERSHAW
SPRING
CITY PAY IT FORWARD
Third Form were joined by Quentin Nason from City Pays It Forward. Quentin spoke to pupils about finance, investments and being sensible with money.
JOSH LACEY AUTHOR TALK
Junior school pupils had the incredible opportunity to listen to author Josh Lacey discuss his books. They were particularly fascinated by his insights into the adventures of The Time Travel Twins, a series that explores historical events from two opposing perspectives through the eyes of a pair of twins.
MICHAEL UNDERWOOD TALK
Mr. Underwood spoke at the Cavan Taylor Society, where he gave pupils an engaging overview of his career before becoming a teacher. He shared his experiences as a children’s TV presenter for the BBC, captivating the students with his exciting journey to joining the teaching staff at King’s.
WWII BFI ARCHIVES
Our First Form evacuees headed up to the BFI on Southbank to take part in an interactive event exploring wartime life through clips from the BFI National Archive, newsreels, government information films and drama activities, concluding with a screening of Goodnight Mister Tom.
CHILDNET TALK
Second Form pupils enjoyed an engaging and informative session from Childnet, learning valuable lessons about online safety and responsible internet use. This was then followed by an evening talk to parents about keeping their children safe online.
SPRING TERM HIGHLIGHTS
FRENCH THEATRE WORKSHOPS
On Tuesday 11th February, Priory pupils enjoyed some interactive workshops in French. Third Form participated in a lively retelling of the story of Les Trois Mousquetaires and Second Form got involved in some fun fairy tales.
CHIMP MANAGEMENT
Our pupils had an inspiring visit from a speaker from Chimp Management, who helped them understand how their minds work and how to develop valuable emotional resilience and psychological skills using the Chimp Model.
BRISTOL U11 RUGBY TOUR
The U11 Rugby squad toured Bristol, training with Bristol Bears coaches, visiting their stadium, meeting players, and watching Bristol beat Bath. They played a triangular tournament at Avonmouth Old Boys RFC, then enjoyed incredible activities including laser tag, bowling, and Ninja Warrior before returning home.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
We celebrated International Women’s Day with an inspiring assembly led by Miss Walshe and Sixth Form girls. Junior Forum Representatives interviewed them about their experiences joining King’s. During PSHE lessons, pupils engaged in competitions and talks on influential women and the history of equal rights.
WORLD BOOK DAY
The annual World Book Day celebrations started in fine and colourful form as pupils gathered in the playground before school. Hobbits and witches, Wallies and Wimpy Kids, and one Roald Dahl complete with spitfire - playtime was certainly surreal! A day of booky celebrations ensued, and it was great to see so many students throwing themselves into the spirit of the day.
SPEAK UP GRAND FINAL
Severyn and Dhruv did themselves proud at Wimbledon High for the Speak Up Grand Final, an inter-school public speaking competition. They performed beautifully and the evening was a great success.
THIRD FORM SKI TRIP
The Third Form ski trip to Les Deux Alpes offered the perfect mix of challenge and fun. Pupils developed their skills, progressing from beginner slopes to confident runs. Evenings brought bowling, laser tag, scavenger hunts, and time to relax with games back at the hotel.The trip provided a memorable week of skiing, adventure, and time spent together.
WWII TALK
To help our understanding of how ordinary people were affected by World War II, Mrs Reiniger helped First Form start to understand how Jewish people were persecuted by Nazi Germany with an engaging and empathetic assembly.
WARNER BROS. STUDIOS
On the penultimate day of term, Second Form pupils set off by coach to Warner Bros. Studios – The Making of Harry Potter. The day combined hands-on learning with pure wizarding wonder. Pupils explored the iconic sets, props, and special effects that brought the films to life.
SPRING TERM HIGHLIGHTS
SCIENCE WEEK
§ CHRIS LLOYD’S TALK
Chris Lloyd captivated Rushmere students with an engaging hour-long presentation on the history of the world, spanning from 4.6 billion years ago to the present day.
RUSHMERE SCIENCE ASSEMBLY
Miss Hunter led an insightful assembly on the environment, where Rushmere pupils worked in groups to explore practical ways they can help protect the environment.
ANNUAL SCIENCE QUIZ
Mr Hipkiss hosted the annual Priory Science Quiz, challenging students with 40 questions covering a wide range of topics, including space and the animal kingdom.
THE BIG BANG WITH DR. SIMON SINGH
Dr Simon Singh enthralled Priory pupils with a talk on the Big Bang. He took them on a whirlwind tour of the universe, followed by an in-depth discussion with pupils.
SUMMER
WIMBLEDON WINDMILL
Transition visited the Wimbledon Windmill, in the heart of Wimbledon Common. They were fascinated by the history, technology and science of the windmill.
MORDEN ISLAMIC COMMUNITY CENTRE
Second Form pupils visited Morden Islamic Community Centre to explore the role of a mosque. Guided by an Imam, they learnt why shoes are removed, how prayer times are observed, and the importance of Friday worship. They were surprised to find not just prayer rooms but spaces for games, learning, and a food bank - a hub for the whole community.
WIMBLEDON SYNAGOGUE
Transition pupils explored Wimbledon Synagogue and learnt more about the Jewish faith. They wore kippahs and tallits, handled artefacts linked to the Torah, and sampled traditional Shabbat food.
SAMANTHA LEWIS
Rushmere pupils had the chance to learn from British chemist, documentary maker and writer, Samantha Lewis who captured the children’s imagination with her vivid explanations about the elements that make up everything in our world.
SUMMER TERM HIGHLIGHTS
WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK
Pupils, parents and staff participated excellently in this year’s Walk to School Week, with lots of families making a great effort to leave their cars at home and get to school on foot.The week culminated in a group walk from Wimbledon Common to school.
CLARE BALDING TALK
Clare Balding regaled the junior school with the story of her childhood in the saddle and her ascent to becoming one of the country’s most prolific broadcasters.
BRITISH MUSEUM
On 15th May, Transition pupils visited The British Museum to explore Ancient Egypt. They examined key artefacts, including the Rosetta Stone, completed treasure hunts through the galleries, and studied exhibits on the afterlife.The trip ended with a visit to the gift shop, rounding off an exciting and educational day.
CANNIZARO PARK TRIP
On Thursday 8th May, First Form went to Cannizaro Park, looking for signs of spring which was part of their Science topic for the term.
SUMMER TERM
AELTC
Second Form visited the AELTC to study the historical and geographical significance of Wimbledon’s world-famous sporting venue. Pupils took part in a workshop exploring the evolution of the game and the sight before touring the iconic grounds. The trip gave pupils a deeper understanding of how an international sporting landmark developed within and impacted on their own local area, making for an exciting and memorable day.
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK
Mental Health Awareness Week in the junior school began with a special assembly led by Miss Walshe, who spoke to pupils about the importance of self-kindness. She also hosted a mindfulness event in Collyer Hall, where pupils were invited to drop in and take part in calming, mindful activities.These included colouring, planting seeds, and trying out some simple yoga, offering a peaceful moment in the middle of a busy week.
RUSHMERE FAMILY DAY
THIRD FORM HAMPTON COURT VISIT
Third Form took a trip to Hampton Court and imagined life in Henry VIII’s court before immersing themselves in some Tudor exploration during the reign of Elizabeth I.
ANCIENT EGYPT WORKSHOP
Transition welcomed an Ancient Egyptian this week to talk to them about their History topic. The highlight was seeing the process of mummification before their very eyes!
HISTORY COMPETITION WINNER
Dhruv P 3A presented his research into Richmond Park’s Sheen Gate to win the Historical Association’s Talking History Competition. Oscar B 3D joined Dhruv in the heat stages of the competition, which saw pupils from across the country present their local historical research to a panel of experts.
JOHANES KISAKA VISIT
Mr Baker and the junior school welcomed the Kenyan Headteacher, Johanes Kisaka who has been visiting King’s to talk about Obera, our international outreach project in Kenya and the impact it has on more than 1,500 children in the schools King’s sponsor. Pupils gained a better appreciation of how very fortunate they were in Wimbledon and how, if they worked together as a community, they could make a real difference for so many less fortunate children. A total of £18,700 was raised in the 2024/25 academic year and this has added two more classrooms to bring the tally to 32 classrooms built since Mr Baker started the project.
CHARITY AFTERNOON
COLLABORATIONS LE PETIT DÉJEUNER
CANNIZARO PARK
FIRST FORM PGL MARCHANTS HILL, SURREY
THIRD FORM PGL MARCHANTS HILL, SURREY
HASTINGS
WISLEY
HEADMASTER’S WALK
HOUSES
HOUSES
AUTUMN TERM RESULTS
HOUSES
SUMMER TERM RESULTS
AUTUMN TERM
SPRING TERM
STUART HOUSE
TERM
SPRING TERM
TERM
SPRING TERM
TERM
SPRING TERM
ART & DESIGN
Leo D TWL
Casper P TU
Tom L TDM
Simon P, Avi A, William S & Ethan N-L TWL
William C-K TU
Qais S TDM
Lucas L TDM
Max I TWL
Archie B TU
Glenn B TDM
Glenn B TDM
William S TWL
Theo C-H TU
William S TWL
Rohan T TWL
Nicky A TDM
Oliver C 1N
Leo 1MB
Ryan X 1MB
Alfie 1MB
Nicholas P 1CM
1N Maze Games
Ningtao J 1CM
Yoonki C 1CM
Nicholas S 1HM
Nicholas P 1CM
Ibrahim A, Alfie O-W, Varun P & Ryan X 1MB
Shriyan M 1CM
Baxter Z, Kasper L, Lewis L & Christian K 1MB
Oliver W, Noah W, Peregrine H & Kimi C 1HM
Okito M 1HM
Kunyi C 1HM
Charlie H 1N
Adam F 2F
Adyanth R 2M
2Z Collaborative Fairy Woodland Scene
Josh 2B
Kemal K 2M
Victor W 2B
René U 2B
Leo H 2Z
Leo F 2F
SECOND FORM
Alfie S 2M
Anthony C 2B
Dylan T 2M
Thomas A-D 2F
Nye H 2Z
Daniel H 2Z
Richard Z 2F
Oliver B 3H
Sean O 3A
Sebby H 3B
Anderson C 3A
Rafferty G 3D
Tommaso C 3B
Joshua S 3A
Jacob D 3H
Pedro B-L 3A
Edoardo M 3D
Ryan B 3B
Affan K 3D
Andrew T 3B
Lucas G-M 3A
Edward L-T 3H
Oscar B 3D
Izaia P 3B
Nathan A 3H
3A Group photo
THIRD FORM: DESIGN ENGINEERING
William Z 3B
Marco T 3A
Severyn P 3H
Hiroto T 3A
Oscar B & Ata O 3D
Pedro B-L 3H
Roshen B 3H
3A slot acrylic project
THIRD FORM: DESIGN ENGINEERING
Joshua S 3A
Dhruv M & Neel S 3D
Vince L 3B
Matthew C 3A
Long N 3H
Long N 3H
Johnathan P 3B
Joshua L 3H
Long N 3H
Lucas G-M 3A
Ludo B 3H
ART CLUB
JUNIOR SCHOOL ART CLUB
Junior School Art Club explored a multitude of media this year. We began the year making papiermâché monsters for the Out of This World Junior School Christmas Art Exhibition. In the spring term, we made giant origami snowflakes for the Priory Frozen production. In the summer term, several Transition
pupils led their own project, making 3D landscape dioramas working in pairs, whilst some First Formers created 3D cardboard cricket bats. Some students constructed woven flowers using wool and paper plates. It was a wonderful club full of creativity and enthusiasm and a highlight of my week! Ms McIlroy
Zain P 1HM, Leo D TWL, Philipp D TWL, Avi A TWL, Vikram R TWL, Rohan T 3A, Nye H 2Z, Jamie T 1HM, Misha S 2Z
Philipp D TWL
David P 2Z
Avi A, Philipp D, Vikram R, Adrian V-D-S TWL
Zain P 1HM
Philipp D TWL, Leo H 2Z, Peregrine H 1HM, George T 2M, Jamie T 1HM, Zain P 1HM, William F 2M, David P 2Z, Alfie S 2M
Art club’s aliens
COMPETITIONS
Lucas G-M 3A was the recipient of an award for The Fourth Plinth Schools Award Prize. Lucas was the overall winner in his age category with his piece It’s Gonna be OK. This artwork sends a positive message because we all need a little reassurance sometimes. Lucas had his photo taken with the Deputy Mayor for Art, Justine Simons and head judge, Onjali Rauf who interviewed him about his art inspiration and process. As a special bonus, Lucas took the cable
car over the river on his way back to school. Well done, Lucas - what an achievement!’
Students at King’s also entered other national competitions such as the Royal Academy Young Artists’ Summer Show as well as several school art competitions like the Friends of King’s Christmas Card Competition. Mr Pollen
Lucas G-M 3A
RA Summer Show - Tom L TDM - Greed 2
Lucas G-M 3A
RA Summer Show - Theo C-H TU
FoK Xmas Fair competitionLucas G-M 3A
RA Summer Show - Kasper L 1MBGrasps for Nature
JUNIOR SCHOOL ART SHOW
JUNIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION 2024: OUT OF THIS WORLD
The Out of This World Exhibition held on December 12, 2024, concluded the autumn term with enormous success. Our many visitors praised the diverse and thought-provoking art projects on show. Every one of our junior school pupils exhibited.
Teachers created new projects to inspire our pupils: aliens invaded; ceramic fairy doors adorned classrooms; dreamscapes came to life; the Time Bandits lost their
map; exquisite batik pillows floated and Aboriginal Dreaming collaborative paintings shimmered. A multitude of Green Men and The Tiger That Came To Tea witnessed it all. These and many more projects showcased our pupils’ skill and imagination.
Teachers’ artwork was also on display and Mrs Zeqiri, the genie on the magic carpet handed out mince pie wishes! The technical team in Collyer Hall Theatre, once again, provided exceptional support. Mr Pollen
JUNIOR SCHOOL ART SHOW
JUNIOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS
SATIPS INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS NATIONAL ART EXHIBITION
On March 1st and 2nd 2025 a group of junior school pupils presented their artwork at the Satips 2025 Art Exhibition. This annual event highlights the artistic talents of prep school pupils across the nation.This year, Moreton Hall in Shropshire proudly hosted the exhibition. King’s was commended for its high standard and creative approach.
Sam E 2F
Long N 3H
Shriyan M 1CM
Shenghao X 2F
Harry M & Sean O 3A
Niyrel T-H 2F
Abir S 2M
Geoffrey A 2F
Ata O 3D
Lucas G-M 3A
Leo D TWL
Ethan N-L TWL
2B tapestry
JUNIOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS
YOUNG WIMBLEDON ARTISTSWE WILL REMEMBER THEM EXHIBITION
In commemoration of Remembrance Sunday, several King’s pupils exhibited artwork at the Wimbledon Museum.The exhibition was coordinated by Young Wimbledon Artists. Our pupils created work that was personal and extremely poignant. Mr Pollen
Olly C 1N
Anthony C 2B
Nolan S-W 2B
Tom L TDM
Jasper H 1N
MUSIC
YOUNG MUSICIAN
RUSHMERE YOUNG MUSICIAN COMPETITION
In the Rushmere Young Musician Competition, all pupils auditioned in class, with fifteen finalists selected. The event, judged by violinist John Dickinson, saw Charlie Xiao take first place, with Lucas Li and Yulun Zhao as runners-up.
PRIORY YOUNG MUSICIAN COMPETITION
The Priory Young Musician Competition saw 64 pupils audition across various heats, showcasing their various musical talents. Fourteen pupils were selected as finalists and performed in front of their peers, making it a well-supported and enjoyable event.The competition was adjudicated by Jill Morton, a respected soloist and chamber musician who also serves as the Principal Tutor for The Piano Teachers’ Course UK.
After a series of strong performances, Louis Gu (piano) was named 2nd runner-up, Lucas GinzburgMaly (cello) 1st runner-up, and the overall winner was Jacob Dyakonov (piano).
VOICE AND PIANO CONCERTS
We presented our annual junior school and lower school Voice and Piano Recitals in February. Solo singers and pianists were included, as well as several pianists playing duets and even three Second Form pianists performing on one piano.
PIANO MASTERCLASSES
Our most advanced pianists from across King’s took part in our Maurice Ravel 150th anniversary piano project, which involved 19 pupils being allocated a piece by this great composer. They enjoyed a six-hour masterclass with the French piano music expert, Roy Howat on Sunday 2nd March and performed an absorbing concert of these complex but magical works on Friday 21st March.
Pianists were able to enjoy three further piano masterclasses, which were given by Nina Schumann (on Friday 14th March), Samantha Ward (on Friday 16th May) and Charles Owen (on Tuesday 17th June).
KING’S PIANO COMPETITION
The King’s Piano Competition followed in late March with over 130 pupils across the whole school submitting a video for the first round. Just over 50 were selected to play in the two finals evenings in April.The standard was impressive and the following pupils won prizes in the junior and lower schools section on Wednesday 30th April, adjudicated by Janneke Brits, Head of Piano at Eltham College:
RUSHMERE CATEGORY
Winner Aidan Gilbert 1MB
Runner-up Kien Le TWL
Commended Baxter Zee 1MB
PRIORY CATEGORY
Winner Jacob Dyakonov 3H
Runner-up Alex Liu 2M
Commended Kai Sayed 2B & Ethan Geng 3D
DUETS & TRIO CATEGORY
Winners LS pupils
Runners-up Alex Liu 2M & Jacob Dyakonov 3H
Commended Souki Fukuzawa 2Z, Kai Sayed 2B & Victor Wu 2B
FOUR PIANOS FOR FORTY PIANISTS
The academic year ended with a stunning piano extravaganza with the ‘Four Pianos and Forty Pianists’ concert (as part of King’s Arts) on Tuesday 24th June. Devised by Mr Nixon, this impressive concert included over 30 of our most gifted pianists, as well as all nine of our piano teachers at the school. Multiple piano works on four pianos spanning 250 years were performed to the delight of the audience, who gave the performers a prolonged standing ovation at the end.
CHAMBER CHOIR
CHAMBER CHOIR
HIGHLIGHTS
The junior school members singing as part of the Chamber Choir have sung several Evensongs locally as well as in Portsmouth Cathedral, St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace; a concert of choral music; a Christmas concert in Piccadilly; the Remembrance Parade; two carol services; the summer soirée and a concert tour of Germany.
TOUR OF GERMANY
At the very start of the October half term, the Chamber Choir toured Germany. They sang for the Sunday morning service at St Thomaskirche in Leipzig where JS Bach had been the cantor some 300 years ago. Other performances were in the Peterskirche in Leipzig and in Weimar, Jena and Muhlhausen. The choir enjoyed being welcomed and applauded by large enthusiastic audiences.The boys also had time to enjoy historical tours, museum visits, a trip to Leipzig Zoo and plenty of tasty local cuisine.
ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE
Early on in the year, the pupils headed to Windsor Castle. They much enjoyed singing some of their favourite repertoire in this special place, including Walton’s Chichester Service and Wood’s uplifting anthem, Hail, gladdening Light.
CHAMBER CHOIR
CHRISTMAS IN PICCADILLY
Always one of the choir’s favourite concerts of the year, this annual Christmas concert in Piccadilly was again a resounding success and much enjoyed by the large appreciative audience. For the first time in many years, it featured a senior school brass quintet, which led to some thrilling descants and fanfares, over which the boys sang with panache.
GALA CONCERT IN SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL
The choir sang together with the choral society in this biennial concert. Some 130 singers gave an exhilarating rendition of Bairstow’s Blessed City together with Fauré’s much-loved Requiem. The choir was accompanied by the London Mozart Players together with twenty-five senior King’s pupils.
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
For the final Evensong of the year, the choir traditionally sings in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. This year the choir tackled Jonathan Dove’s setting of Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars, singing this challenging repertoire with consummate ease and professionalism.
PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL
In the spring term, the choir headed to the coast to sing in this more modern Cathedral where they received a very warm welcome. Blair’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in b minor has quickly become a choir favourite and this was sung together with the Libera me Domine from Fauré’s Requiem
YEAR HIGHLIGHTS
MUSIC EXAMINATIONS
In the 2024/25 academic year we ran 209 instrumental lessons on a weekly basis in addition to 26 students involved in the beginner group scheme for the junior school.
ABRSM EXAMINATIONS
WICKED , THE MUSICAL
ABRSM
RESULTS
As part of an exciting musical theatre experience, pupils received a visit from Ron Crocker, the musical director of Wicked, and Laura Emmit, the alternate Elphaba in the production. Laura led a vocal warm-up session and performed several songs from the show, giving the boys a practical insight into the vocal demands of a West End musical. Both visitors delivered an engaging talk about the development of musical ideas in Wicked and shared valuable behindthe-scenes knowledge about the logistics of running a large-scale production. The following day, pupils were fortunate to attend a performance of Wicked
WEST END PERFORMER AND MASTERCLASS
Charlotte Scott, a returning guest to King’s, and West End performer, gave an inspiring talk about her journey in musical theatre, performed songs from well-known shows, and coached three pupils in their own theatrical pieces, Ata Ozen, Alfie Sargeant, and Jerome Collins.
AUTUMN AND SUMMER CONCERTS
The Autumn and Summer Concerts featured over 100 pupils in two large-scale events that included the orchestra, two choirs, jazz, guitar, trombone, string ensembles, as well as rock bands, showcasing a broad range of musical styles and the dedication of the musicians and visiting music staff.
YEAR HIGHLIGHTS
RUSHMERE AND PRIORY SOLOISTS’ RECITALS
Rushmere and Priory Soloists’ Recitals offered a fantastic opportunity for pupils of all abilities to perform on stage and develop their confidence in one of the most supportive environments of the year. With 11 concerts taking place, it was one of the most frequent and varied platforms for showcasing talent, where pupils performed on a wide range of instruments and received valuable feedback to improve their skills.
YEAR HIGHLIGHTS
RUSHMERE BEGINNER GROUPS’ CONCERT
Pupils who were part of the Beginner Group Scheme performed in the annual concert.
At the start of the year, pupils experienced demonstrations on all orchestral instruments and singing, led by visiting music teachers and guest performers. Many signed up for the 20 weeks of group lessons and progressed to individual one-toone lessons after this period. Several of our music scholarship pupils began their musical journey through this scheme. It is a fantastic opportunity for pupils to learn an orchestral instrument and explore their musical potential.
DRAMA
RUSHMERE PLAY
SHAKESPEARE ROCKS!
We were absolutely thrilled to put on the Rushmere production of Shakespeare Rocks! This lively and energetic musical is a wonderful celebration of Shakespeare’s world, full of humour, history, and rock ‘n’ roll flair. For many of the pupils, this was their first opportunity to explore the life and works of the famous playwright, bringing a small part of some of his timeless stories to life in a way that was fun, engaging, and accessible for all.
Treading the boards was not for everyone, but throughout rehearsals, the pupils not only embraced the challenge of learning lines and creating characters but also tackled new songs and dances. They fully committed to this production and it was truly inspiring watching them grow as performers, collaborators, and storytellers in such a short time.
Putting on this musical, with its catchy tunes and witty lyrics was a brilliant way for our young performers to connect with Shakespeare’s works while having an absolute blast on stage. The combination of rock music and Shakespearean storytelling was both innovative and fun and we were incredibly proud of the hard work, dedication, and passion that Rushmere put into it.
A special thank you to the staff, parents, and volunteers who supported the production behind the scenes, and Ms Orr for her superb musical direction.
We hope you enjoyed the show! Mr Underwood & Mrs Zeqiri
PRIORY PLAY
FROZEN
Our cast of 38 junior school pupils channelled some of Anna’s trademark courage, found the confidence to take the stage in role as villagers, snow magic, Icelandic huldufólk (hidden folk), and talking creatures in order to bring this frosty journey to life.
Getting Frozen JR. onto the Collyer Hall stage was an impressive team effort, with every pupil giving their very best to the production, whether that meant making the most of a small part or rising to the challenge of a bigger role. Some of those challenges included learning enthusiastic dance moves, ribbon dancing, climbing ladders (with supervision!), and keeping our special guest (Mr Lougher) a secret for months.
However great the challenge, the fantastic cast remained unfazed, and the actors and singers rose to every task, worked hard to remember some complex movements and stage direction, and worked together to create some truly magical moments.
Organising enthusiastic young actors on the stage was no mean feat, and I couldn’t have done it without the help from my directorial team; Ms McGregor’s creative flair, Mr Blackburn’s dry wit and Mr Underwood’s fresh perspective were all vital in making the action-packed magic happen, while Eashan Treanor’s supervision and encouragement of the cast helped beyond measure.
This classic tale of a Snow Queen, turned into a Disney masterpiece, had an incredible and well-known
soundtrack, and with many songs already so beloved by fans, there was a lot to live up to! Mr Weber provided the powerful accompaniment to the songs, brought together an amazing nine-piece orchestra to complement the voices of the cast, and worked tirelessly with the cast to help them master the melodies, building their confidence alongside their harmonies!
As ever, the design team did a wonderful job of transforming Collyer Hall into a wintry wonderland; Mr Lougher really enjoyed delivering his morning assemblies from the snowy castle! Huge thanks to Jo Howcroft for her boundless ambition, energy, and enthusiasm in bringing my Frozen vision to fruition with her lighting and her supervision of our designers, Lily Booth and Richard Doherty.
Thanks also to Kit Chow for his extraordinary patience whilst fixing microphones and managing sound, and to Bea Cramer and Amaya Arteaga for their gorgeous and creative costumes.
Thank you to all the staff and students who were so generous with their time and helped with the production in so many ways, and also to parents and audiences for giving the cast the warm support their hard work deserved.
We hoped that you enjoyed every moment of your trip across the snowy Nordic landscape but be careful; don’t let the frostbite bite! Mrs Zeqiri
DRAMA
LINDON SPEAKING CUP
Eight courageous pupils stood in front of the whole school in Collyer Hall and recited their choice of poem, before delivering a speech they had prepared on a range of diverse subjects, all inspired by a singular object.
Our judge, novelist Becky Mayhew, had a tough job, but awarded Daniel a prize for best poem, and Alex a prize for best speech. Kalrav won the cup overall, and last year’s winner Ben came back to the junior school from Year 7 to join in the presentation and hand over the cup. Well done to all the other finalists - Soham, Ethan, Lucas, Sean and Oscar - for speaking so beautifully and bravely to a packed house. Ms McGregor
ILAMDA
t was another season of enjoyment and success for our LAMDA cohort. Led by members of the English and Drama department, students participated in a variety of ‘Speaking Verse and Prose’ and ‘Acting’ exams and, along the way, learnt some key skills: memorising lines, discussing poetry and prose, working on intonation and building confidence. Much laughter was had along the way and, again, we were impressed by the diverse skill set we saw from our pupils. The collection of results was outstanding and we want to congratulate each pupil who participated. Bravo! Mrs Gordon
SPORT
FOOTBALL - U8
U8 PUMAS & TIGERS
U8 LIONS & LEOPARDS
FOOTBALL - U8
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U8A Joshua Rajasingham, Xan Williams, Alex Hohlfeldt
U8B Glenn Bernhardt, Theo Cauwood-Huang, James Garrod
U8C Kien Li
U8D Leo Dib, Lucas Li, Muyao Su
U8 Leopards Ari Prajapati, Kabir Singal, Tom Lea
U8 Lions William Liu, Matthew Plowman, Ethan Jiao
U8 Pumas Alexander Lenegfeld, Tristan Lui
U8 Tigers Lucas Woo, Jared Zhou
TOURNAMENTS
Cranmore Semi-finals
Centenary A Semi-finals
Centenary B Knockouts
FOOTBALL - U9
U9 PUMAS
U9 TIGERS U9A
U9 LIONS U9B U9D
U9 LEOPARDS
FOOTBALL - U9
TABLE OF RESULTS:
Fulham
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U9A Leonardo Anatriello, Charles Boot, Leo Ellis
U9B Charlie Eppley, Zhongheng Xu, Hari Chockalingam
U9C Divij Ranjan, Baxter Zee, Danila Vidyaev
U9D Olly Casey, Charlie Xiao, Kashyap Goyal
U9 Leopards Ishaan Bhagat, Ryan Sadeghi
U9 Lions Christian Kwan, James Jagger, Aviraj Amin
U9 Pumas Lewis Lawrence, Eoin McLoughney, Jonathan Wang
U9 Tigers Charlie Simonson, Peregrine Henbest
FOOTBALL - U10
FOOTBALL - U10
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U10A Harry Glynn, Noah Awopetu, Hector Pirrie
U10B Sam Edmondson, Ravi Singh, Xavi Sarkari
U10C Anthony Cocula, Timothy Gussago, Leonardo Cordoni
U10D Richard Zhao, Niyrel Thomson-Hing, David Pataki
U10E Shenghao Xian, Adyanth Ram, George Turner
U10F Daniel Holmes, Ryan Pang, Marc Alcover
U10G Josh Yuan, Nolan Scott-Wilson
U10H Eugene Bok, Aman Mishra, Krishant Ponniah
TOURNAMENTS
Cranmore Tournament 3rd overall Dulwich Tournament 3rd in group Centenary Tournament Quarter finals
FOOTBALL - U11
FOOTBALL - U11
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U11A Atlas Aydin, Ben Andrews
U11B Alexander Plith, Freddy Casey, Krish Rai
U11C Devansh Pandey, Severyn Pidkuyko
U11D Zachary Mohan, Edoardo Marrafino
U11E Axel Dahlstrom
U11F Dhruv Patel, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly
U11G Matthew Cook, Sebby Hidalgo, Affan Khan
U11H Kalrav Agrawal, Alexandre Garagnon, Pedro Borges Lima
TOURNAMENTS
Micklefield (Surrey Cup) Lost Charterhouse Finalists ISFA Lost Hampton Prep Finalists
Fulham School (Novices) Lost
Colours awarded to:
Hiroto Tamura, Theo Rowe, Long Nguyen, Sean Oh
W: 34 D: 9 L: 5
RUGBY - U8
TABLE OF RESULTS:
House
House
House
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U8A Viggo Neeson, Xan Williams, Charlie Mansfield
U8B Leo Dib, Simon Petchenikov, Theo Cauwood-Huang
U8C Ethan Narain-Lohrman, Max Ingram, Ari Prajapati
U8D Matthew Plowman, Derui Lin
U8 Bears Ethan Jiao, William ChristovKohlhas, Arthur Homann
U8 Falcons Lucas Woo, Tristan Lui, Qais Sheriff
U8 Tigers Casper Pote
TOURNAMENTS
U8 Sharks Rohan Thota Touch festivals against Surrey Rugby Festival U8A unbeaten
RUGBY - U8
U8A
U8C
U8 BEARS
U8B
U8D
U8 FALCONS
U8 SHARKS
U8 TIGERS
RUGBY - U9
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U9A Hugo Barton, Kimi Chen, Jamie Boyes
U9B Harry Young, Charles Boot, Alfie Oulidi-Wernicke
U9C Olly Casey, Jayden Lin, Charlie Hogarth
U9D Charlie Simonson, Nicholas Paice, Oliver Watson
U9 Bears Keshav Vasudevan, Aviraj Amin
U9 Falcons Divij Ranjan, Peregrine Henbest
U9 Sharks (Touch) Jonathan Wong, Max Chen, Charlie Xiao
U9 Tigers (Touch) Hari Chockalingham, Yoonki Choi, Danila Vidyaev
TOURNAMENTS
Touch festivals against King’s House Rokeby
King’s House
Rugby Festivals
Surrey Rugby Festival (U9A)
RUGBY - U9
U9A
U9C
U9 BEARS
U9B
U9D
U9 FALCONS
U9 SHARKS
U9 TIGERS
RUGBY - U10
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U10A Sam Edmondson, Dylan Turner, Oliver Jago
U10B David Pataki, Miles Wong
U10C Nye Hughes, Alex Golubev, Alex Yau
U10D Magnus Long, Amartya Maharaj
U10E Vihaan Haldea, J.J Cartisser
U10 Touch Kai Sayed, Humphrey Warrick, René Uzdin
TOURNAMENTS
Touch festivals against Finton House
Danes Hill & Thomas’s Fulham Triangular
Broomwood & Thomas’s Fulham Triangular Broomwood
RUGBY - U10
U10A
U10C
U10E
U10B
U10D
U10 TOUCH 2
U10 TOUCH 1
U10 TOUCH 3
W: 21 D: 3 L: 11
Colours awarded to:
Long Nguyen, Hiroto Tamura
RUGBY - U11
TABLE OF RESULTS:
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U11A Hugo Stehn, Alexander Plith, Ryan Bourne
U11B Harry Mansfield, Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Sebby Hidalgo
U11C Joshua Lajumoke, Leo Del Zompo, Alex Trzcinski
U11D Finlay O’Connor, Alexander Kjaer, Leo Gomez-Franqueira San Pedro
U11E Kalrav Agrawal, Krish Rai, Francesco Cavaliere
U11 Touch Sean Lee, Axel Dhalstrom, Kareem Kerman
TOURNAMENTS
Touch festivals against Broomwood Rokeby
Danes Hill
King’s House
U11A Rugby Festivals
King’s House
Surrey Rugby Festival
Donhead 7s
Rosslyn Park 7s
RUGBY - U11
U11A
U11C
U11E
U11B
U11D
U11 TOUCH 2
U11 TOUCH 1
CRICKET - U8
U8 LEOPARDS
U8B
U8D
U8 PUMAS
U8 LIONS
CRICKET - U8
TABLE OF RESULTS:
St Paul’s W L W W W W D
Shrewsbury House
King’s House (H) W
King’s House (A)
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U8A Charlie Mansfield, Benjamin Ross, Joshua Rajasingham
U8B Max Ingram, Kien Le, Avi Aggarwal
U8C Theo Cauwood-Huang, Ari Prajapati, Adrian Van Doosselaere
U8D Leo Dib, Lucas Li, Glenn Bernhardt
U8 Leopards William Liu, Arthur Homann, Lucas Woo
U8 Lions Jared Zhou, William Christov-Kohlhas, Leo Lin
U8 Pumas Xiaoyu Li, Hector Howard, Tristan Lui
CRICKET - U9
U9D
U9 PUMAS
U9 LEOPARDS
U9 TIGERS
U9 LIONS
CRICKET - U9
TABLE OF RESULTS:
Danes Hill
King’s House
St Paul’s
(W) 113
King’s House
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U9A Hari Chockalingham, Aryaan Thiele, Zain Pesnani
U9B Charles Boot, James Nutt, Jamie Boyes
U9C Kabir Kasusal, Nicholas Suppan, Olly Casey
U9D Danila Vidyaev, Okito Mori, Rafe Gold
U9 Leopards Shriyan Makwana, Nicholas Paice, Max Chen
U9 Lions Jayden Lin, Oliver Chong, Ibrahim Aisaut
U9 Pumas Kunyi Cao, Eoin McLoughney, Jasper Howard
U9 Tigers Zhongheng Xu, Varun Pattabiraman, Charlie Eppley
CRICKET - U10
U10E U10B U10D
U10G
U10F
CRICKET - U10
TABLE OF RESULTS:
House
King’s House
Thomas’s Fulham
Shrewsbury House
Shrewsbury House
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U10A Thomas Aitken-Davies, Yash Malhotra
U10B René Uzdin, Khizer Khowaja, Humphrey Warrick
U10C Jamie Ansbro, James Coretki, Leo Hewitt, Gabriel Rochu
U10D Leonardo Cordoni, William Farastad
U10E Misha Semiletov, Alex Yau, Marc Alcover
U10F Conrad Collins, Sam Jones, Adam Fernandes
U10G Ryan Pang, Josh Yuan, Nicholas Dippel
CRICKET - U11
U11A
U11C
U11E
U11B
U11D
U11G
U11F
CRICKET - U11
MENTIONS: TABLE
U11A Devansh Pandey, Harry Mansfield, Shlok Ghosh
U11B Theo Rowe, Dhruv Patel, Ryan Bourne
U11C Hiroto Tamura, Leo Gomez-Franqueira San Pedro, Soham Bedekar Phatak
U11D Atlas Aydin, Alexandre Garagnon, Leo Del Zompo
U11E Ibrahim Zulfiqar, Kareem Kerman, Rohan Takhar
U11F Lucas Ginzburg-Maly, Joshua Selvachandran, Ismail Mallick
U11G William Zhu, Dyllon Ang, Vince Lu
TOURNAMENTS
Surrey Cup U11A
Cumnor House 103 (L) 104
Verney Cup U11A
Royal Russell 155 (W) 65
Hampton Prep 135 (L) 136
Colours awarded to: Rafferty Guest, Ben Andrews, Ashwin Chockalingam
Colours awarded to:
Jack Doran (reawarded), Francesco Cavaliere, Alexandre Garagnon, Hugo Stehn, Gabriel Das Wermes,
TENNIS
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
U8
Charlie Mansfield, Kaan Koseoglu, Simon Petchenikov, Benjamin Ross
U9 Danila Vidyaev, Baxter Zee, Jayden Lin
U10
U11
Kemal Koseoglu, Leonardo Cordoni, Anthony Cocula, James Coretki
Harry Mansfield, Freddy Casey, Sean Oh, Daniel Hewitt, Kareem Kerman
TOURNAMENTS
Whole swim squad reached the final
Highest finish ever achieved by the school
Colours awarded to:
Kimi Chen, Timothy Gussago, René Uzdin, Victor Wu, Alexander Kjaer, Freddy Casey, Faraj Dadashev, Finlay O’Connor, Joshua Hauviller, Jacob Dyakonov
London Grand Final
London League Swim Squad
ATHLETICS
Colours awarded to:
TOURNAMENTS
Thomas’s Athletics Championships
U8s - 1st overall
U9s - 1st overall
U10s - 5th overall
U11s - 3rd overall
Xander Etienne, Long Nguyen, Anderson Chow, Joshua Lajumoke, Theo Rowe
CROSS COUNTRY
TOURNAMENTS
Danes Hill Cross Country
U8s - 1st overall
U9s - 1st overall
U10s - 3rd overall
U11s - 3rd overall
Colours awarded to: Alex Hohlfeldt, Joshua Rajasingham, Xan Williams, Jamie Boyes, Isaac Lumby, Leo Ellis, Joshua Storey, René Uzdin, Harry Glynn, Marco Tedeschi, Oliver Buckney, Theo Rowe
CHESS
This year, the school hosted five events which counted towards players’ national ratings, entered teams in another three events, and played an additional eleven rated matches against other schools. Chess is in rude health in the junior school, and with more players than ever playing rated tournaments outside school, the overall standard of our chess is sure to continue rising.
The junior school chess season got underway in earnest in September with the Rushmere Championship. Over a quarter of Rushmere was involved, and after a day of fierce competition Jeremy Gu was crowned the new champion.
The Chess Ladder continued to produce excellent chess every week, with the best lower school and junior school players battling it out. It is a great sign for the future that it has been mainly junior school boys topping the table this year.
Junior school boys also formed the backbone of the U13 team which played in the Surrey Schools’ U18 league. The team finished 8th in division 1 (ahead of our senior school’s B team), which was a terrific performance given the level of the competition and the age of the team.
National competitions returned this year at U9 and U11 age groups, and the junior school teams relished these opportunities. The U9 team reached the semifinal stage of the EPSCA competition, while the U11 team (Ethan, Yichen, Ismail, René, Arjun and Ravi) qualified for the final and eventually finished runnersup. The U11 team also travelled to Nottingham to play in the final of the inaugural Primary Team Chess Challenge, where they finished third. Mr Hortin
Rushmere Winners:
SPORTS DAY
RESULTS
100m 14.19 R. Taylor (2012) 17.08 Ravi Singh Harry Glynn Noah Awopetu
200m 30.26 H. Nicholls (2014) 32.36 Harry Glynn Danya Evseev Noah Awopetu
600m 2.02.63 O Coleman (2019) 2.04.23 James Coretki Noah Awopetu Magnus Long
800m 2.45.00 M. Dodd (2015) 3.00.15 Danya Evseev Victor Wu Gabriel Rochu
1500m 5.28.00 H Klein (2019) 5.39.54 Harry Glynn Joshua Storey Anthony Cocula
High Jump 1.22m S. Hoyes (2015) 1.05m Leo Flouch Dylan Turner Conrad Collins
Long Jump 4.03m N. Evseev (2023) 3.15m Noah Awopetu Carl Messing Leo Hewitt
Vortex 41.20m A. Adams (2015) 35.55m Oliver Jago Dylan Turner Thomas Aitken-Davies
Med Ball 5.82m A. Rydnik (2022) 4.74m Dylan Turner Sam Edmonson Miles Wong
Tennis Ball 34.51m K. Suri (2022) 25.40m Adyanth Ram Abir Singh Khizer Khowaja
Shot Putt 9.10m L. Dickinson (2018) 7.65m Noah Awopetu Oliver Jago George Turner
U11 Record 1st 2nd 3rd
100m 13.54 A Gilligan (2021) 15.37 Long Nguyen Josh Lajumoke Anderson Chow
200m 27.77 R. Philpott (2014) 30.15 Long Nguyen Anderson Chow Jacob Dyakonov
600m 2.03.03 L. Nguyen (2025) 2.03.03 Long Nguyen Faraj Dadashev Joshua Lajumoke
800m 2.38.19 R Garcia-Davis (2024) 2.49.44 Anderson Chow Jacob Dyakonov Lucas Ginzburg-Maly
1500m 5.14.32 W. Belton (2016) 5.33.53 Theo Rowe Oliver Buckney Francesco Cavaliere
High Jump 1.31m F. Casey (2025) 1.31m Freddy Casey Kareen Kerman Rafferty Guest
Long Jump 4.22m T. Thompson (2014) 3.82m Lucas Ginzburg-Maly Long Nguyen Xander Etienne
Vortex 47.50m M. Rawlinson (2019) 33.52m Rafferty Guest Izaia Porteous Ben Andrews
Med Ball 6.91m W. Ritchie (2022) 6.80m Francesco Cavaliere Tommaso Cristofoli Jack Doran
Tennis Ball 34.42m Z. Owen (2022) 29.80m Ashwin Chockalingam Marco Tedeschi Freddy Casey
Shot Putt 9.78m A. Adams (2016) 8.06m Sean Lee Xander Etienne Faraj Dadashev
VALETE
VALETE
CHARLIE FERNANDES
It is not often that a teacher arrives, bowls with such impeccable line and length, and then leaves us wishing they could have bowled for a longer spell. Charlie Fernandes has been a model of reliability and dedication since joining the junior school — a History teacher of great worth, a much-loved form teacher, and a cricketer, whose contributions extended far beyond the classroom.
On the academic pitch, Charlie’s notable wickets included diversifying the curriculum with imagination and care. His introduction of a Silk Road unit brought fresh depth and a global perspective, while his coleadership of the Religious Studies and Philosophy Department, alongside Juliet Blight, transformed the curriculum for the better. Like a bowler who knows his field, Charlie approached planning, teaching, and collaboration with consistent accuracy, industry, and expertise.
Pastorally, he has been equally invaluable. His 2F forms thrived under his thoughtful guidance; pupils and parents alike valued his calm, steady support. Beyond the classroom, his leadership of the U10s’ cricket season ensured that the school’s sporting prowess and spirit remained strong.
Though his time at the junior school may feel like an innings declared at 50 not out, a second innings now begins in the senior school. Their gain is very much our loss — for colleagues and pupils alike. We thank Charlie wholeheartedly and wish him every success as he steps up to the next crease. Mr Norman
Mr Adam Dean joined the junior school’s Maths and Games department in Summer 2024, and he immediately struck up a fantastic rapport with his students, who loved the sense of humour and fun he brought to every lesson. He was an invaluable member of the Maths department, teaching in Second and Third Form, as well as in Lower School with Year 7 and Year 8.
On the sports field, Adam had to learn the actual laws of Rugby Union, being much more interested in Aussie Rules (a real sport!), a topic on which he was keen to evangelise in his Teacher Interest Assembly. Adam’s other passion has been travelling around Europe during his time in the UK, including an AFL fixture against a team of firefighters in Poland!
Adam returns, as per the plan, to his native Australia at the end of the summer holidays, returning to his previous school who had held his job. A big guy with a big heart, he will be sorely missed in the classroom, on the sports pitch, and off it in the pub afterwards! Mr Blackburn
ADAM DEAN
LUCA GIBSON
Luca worked at the junior school for a year, and we are delighted that he will stay with us, this time taking up a role in the senior school as a Sports Graduate.Throughout the year, Luca built such a strong rapport with the pupils in the junior school, be it in the playground on break duty or on the sports field coaching his impressive sessions.
Luca possessed strength across many sports, helping to shape the pupils’ knowledge and understanding in each. His real passion was football, which he coached in both the junior school and senior school – sharing his ethos and styles of play to help nurture the pupils’ development. Next year, Luca will take on the role of Head of Basketball in the senior school, yet another string to his bow.
Throughout the year, Luca helped on many trips both in Rushmere and Priory; most memorably his time in Bristol with the Third Form on their rugby tour, in which he supported the pupils to ensure they had the best experience possible. Personally, I am delighted to be able to teach alongside Luca for another year and look forward to seeing him grow in the King’s community. Mr Cheers
Maximilian started life in the junior school as a pupil in 2009, where he flourished under the expert care of Mrs Lewis and Miss Hutchison in TLH, Miss Attié in Second Form and Mr Hortin in Third Form. He left Upper Remove in 2015 with an academic scholarship, leaving the Senior School for Edinburgh University in 2020.
Returning to King’s as a Rushmere assistant, Maximilian has provided invaluable support to the Rushmere teachers and the junior school as a whole. From excelling as an assistant costume director for the Rushmere production, to acting as a Roman centurion, he threw himself into each role. He also introduced Model Railways and Greek Mythology Clubs which were popular with the pupils. All this was done with a smile on his face, in fact, the very same smile he has had on his face since he was himself a pupil in Rushmere!
Maximilian leaves us to take up the OxfordMurray Graduate scholarship at Wadham College to complete his master’s and doctorate postgraduate degrees. He will be sorely missed and we wish him every success. Mrs Madge
MAXIMILIAN ALLANBYBASSETT
The sports team photographs have been reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame photographers and can be ordered online at https://www.gsimagebank.co.uk/kcs/t/dwx5hh2025
