King's Association Newsletter Autumn-Winter 2024

King’s Association Newsletter

Autumn / Winter 2024

At King’s, our mission is to offer an education in Mind, Spirit and Heart, the enduring ethos of our foundation, and to prepare our young people in the best possible way for life aged 25 and beyond. As Head, I care deeply about preparing our young people to create their futures – to lead purposeful and fulfilled lives, and to make a positive contribution in the world, whichever pathway they choose.

A key initiative to support our alumni was launched in December: the King’s Association Hub. This new digital platform is designed to bring our community closer together in the world beyond school. The platform provides opportunities to connect, grow and support one another via careerrelated networking and social activities. Alumni will be able to expand their professional networks, reconnect with old friends or register for activities taking place around the world. We have also just launched four

“A key initiative to support our alumni was launched in December: the King’s Association Hub. This new digital platform is designed to bring our vibrant community closer together in the world beyond school.”

our annual Benefactor’s’ Garden Party in June to thank our supporters for their generosity over the past year.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Friends of King’s who work so tirelessly to support the school through fundraising activities such as Fireworks Night, the Christmas Fair, the Summer Ball and Second-Hand Uniform Sale. This volunteerled group has a huge impact on our bursary and partnerships programmes and provides many important opportunities for our community to gather.

new Regional Societies and three Knowledge Networks, that group our alumni via career sectors, life journeys or geographical locations around the world, and we will expand this provision going forwards. Gathering the King’s network to offer mutual support in this way represents a significant step forward for our alumni.

Looking to the coming months, we have many events and initiatives on the horizon. I am particularly excited about the second edition of the King’s Business School: following the introduction of the programme last year, we are delighted to be expanding the programme for summer 2025 to incorporate two distinct streams: Business Founders and Business Leaders. This allows us to increase the numbers to 100 pupils, from fourth form through to lower sixth. You can read about last year’s programme in this newsletter.

As ever, our development team has been busy planning events for our alumni, supporters, former staff and our wider community. Our reunion programme for 2025 includes Life at 25 for our OK 2018s, the OK Reunion in June for alumni celebrating milestone years and our One Year On Barbecue in September for those who left King’s last year. We will also be hosting

Finally, I would like to say how grateful I am for the effort that has gone into establishing our endowment, the King’s College School Bursaries Foundation. By ensuring that talented and motivated students have access to the transformational education we offer, regardless of their financial circumstances, we are reaffirming our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment where every student can thrive. Established to offer financial assistance to deserving students for many generations to come, our foundation has been made possible by the generosity and commitment of our supporters.

Thank you for being a part of this exciting journey with us.

With best wishes,

Dr Anne Cotton Head, King’s College School Wimbledon

Dear King’s Community

Ihope that you enjoy this edition of our newsletter, which provides an overview of what is happening across the King’s Association community. In this section you can find out about the impactful lives of some of your fellow alumni, catch up on what is on offer to our community around the globe, read about our Partnerships & Outreach Programme, and discover some of the treasures uncovered from our School Archivist, Dr Lucy Inglis.

There are many exciting initiatives taking place across the globe for King’s alumni; we are super excited to have launched our new King’s Regional Societies in four locations across the globe: The US East Coast, US West Coast, Australia & New Zealand, and Asia. These volunteer-led alumni networks aim to provide our community with opportunities to come together socially and professionally. In the latter part of last year, we held alumni gettogethers in New York, Boston and Sydney and will be planning more in the coming months. We have also launched ‘Knowledge Networks’ that group our alumni globally according to career and life interests. Meet our new volunteers in the coming pages and find out how you can get involved by attending an event or helping to volunteer. We are at the very early stages of building these networks, so if you have an idea or would be keen to lead a network please do get in touch.

One of the other major developments for our alumni has been the launch of our new digital alumni hub, Kingsassociation.org.uk. This is a one stop platform for King’s alumni to register for events in the UK and across the globe, to find other alumni working in sectors or countries via a searchable directory, and to read all the latest news from the school, our Regional Societies and Knowledge Networks, and various sporting and special interest clubs. If you haven’t already, please register here . We are also delighted to have completed

the establishment of our first ever endowment for bursaries, the King’s College School Bursaries Foundation, dedicated to supporting our bursaries provision in the school. King’s has a century-long tradition of supporting pupils with financial assistance, and a culture of purposeful contribution to society is at the heart of our community. We are committed to widening access to talented young people who would not otherwise be able to access a King’s education. The establishment of the foundation will enable us to endow this social commitment in perpetuity, shaping a King’s ready for its third century. Thanks to the generosity of our community of parents and alumni, we are able to offer parents of eligible pupils means-tested discretionary financial support and temporary hardship support. The impact of bursaries on our school is profound and long lasting: it brings diversity to our student body, enriching the lives of everyone, and has transformational benefits to the lives of our recipients. I am delighted to be sharing some impact stories in this newsletter.

And finally, our Partnerships & Outreach Programme reflects a strong belief in the benefit of educational partnerships and a permanent commitment to sharing our resources with the local community. A unique feature of King’s, it fosters an ethos of social awareness and respect for difference, and it brings me great pleasure to be sharing some of the successes of the past term with you in this report.

We are always keen to hear from our alumni – so please don’t hesitate to reach out at: development@kcs.org.uk to share any updates or milestones happening in your life and I wish you a fantastic year ahead.

Best Wishes, Antony Berry Director of Development, King’s College School Wimbledon

The King’s Association Hub

Your One Stop Community Platform

We are thrilled to have launched our new alumni engagement platform, the King’s Association Hub. This dynamic space is designed to bring our vibrant community closer together and provide a wealth of opportunities to connect, grow, and support one another for career-related networking and social activities. Whether you’re looking to expand your professional network, reconnect with old friends, access photographs from an event you attended, or register for activities taking place around the world for King’s alumni, this platform is your go-to community hub. We encourage you to explore some of the great features, including:

- Connect with fellow alumni: Our searchable directory allows you to find and connect with alumni around the world. Whether you’re looking to rekindle old friendships or build new professional relationships, this tool will help you foster meaningful connections for personal and career development.

- Join Regional Societies: Our Regional Societies stage events in various countries, providing you with the chance to network and engage with alumni in your area. These events are perfect for building local connections and staying involved with the global alumni community.

- Register for a Knowledge Network: These group alumni according to their interests and career paths, facilitating knowledge sharing and professional growth. We have Knowledge Networks catering to Law, the LGBT+ community, and Entrepreneurship – and are keen to welcome anyone wishing to volunteer to establish other groups – so please get in touch if this could be of interest to you.

- Discover Sporting Clubs and Events: Stay active and connected through our alumni sporting clubs and events. Whether you’re interested in finding out about the 1886 Boat Club, or participating in an alumni rugby game, there are plenty of opportunities to stay fit and have fun.

- Read Obituaries: Our platform includes a section where you can pay tribute to fellow alumni who have passed away. This space allows us to honor their memories and celebrate their lives.

- Access Newsletters and Publications: Stay informed with the latest news and updates about our alumni network. Our newsletters and publications will keep you up-to-date on upcoming events, alumni achievements, and school news.

- Register to become a mentor: Our platform will soon allow alumni to connect for peer-to-peer career related conversations and mentoring. Register to become a mentor so that younger alumni can reach out for career advice.

- Sign up for an event: Whether it is your upcoming class reunion, a networking event, or a get-together organised by your sports club, all of the events across the King’s network will be hosted on the platform.

- Volunteer or give back: There are a number of ways in which you can support the school by volunteering for a Knowledge Network or Regional Society, or by supporting our bursaries campaign to widen access to a King’s education and helping us create a diverse student body. Please register on the platform here: Homepage | The King’s Community and let us know if you have any feedback – we would love to hear from you at development@kcs.org.uk

US East Coast Tour and Regatta

In October, Dr Anne Cotton, Head, and Antony Berry, Director of Development, spent a week on the East Coast of the US visiting alumni, universities and attending the Head of The Charles Regatta.

Their first stop was New York, and they took the opportunity to see King’s alumnus Ron Bottitta OK 1978 perform on stage as the star of Fatherland at the New York City Center. He delivered an incredible performance as the father of an 18-year-old who turned him in following the US Capitol attacks on January 6th, based on the true story from 2021.

One particular highlight from New York was the dinner hosted by King’s for 38 alumni who left the school from the 1960s

to OKs who had left as recently as 2022. There was a vibrant sense of community thousands of miles away from Wimbledon. Antony Berry reflects on the evening “The joy of seeing alumni reconnect with hugs, high fives, and exclamations of “I didn’t even know you were here!” filled us with immense pride. Witnessing alumni reminisce about former teachers, share inspiring moments, and laughter over comical memories was truly an honour. What surprised me most was the number of attendees who commented on only hearing about the overseas dinners in New York from their parents. This underscores the importance of our entire community coming together and remaining connected to the school.” A huge thank you to our Regional Society co-chairs,

Fatherland

Great Refractor

Ryan Houghton-Berry (OK 2010) and Peter Cureton (OK 1996) for their help in bringing people together for this fantastic evening.

The second leg of the journey involved a trip to Boston and involved an informative visit to see astronomer and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowelll (OK 1977) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. You can read more about his work on page 29, and an opportunity to see the Great Refractor from 1847.

At the end of the week, they enjoyed dinner with 35 parents of the King’s rowing team as well as alumni.

On the final day they had the chance to cheer on our alumni and King’s pupils in the Head of the Charles Regatta. All our rowers showed huge spirit, stamina and commitment; the two King’s crews came home with two outstanding performances under their belts. The 1st VIII celebrated an impressive race which won them a bronze medal in a tough field of 90 boats in the men’s youth eights

category. This is the school’s best ever result in this field. Meanwhile, the second boat was a coxed IV which came 19th of 90 in the men’s youth coxed fours category – a placement that has only been exceeded once in the school’s history. Well done to all fourteen of the sixth form pupils. The crews were ably led by Mr Whitelaw, Acting Head Coach (Rowing), Mr Rendell and Miss Barwick Ward.

Our alumni also raced throughout the weekend with Calum Betteley (OK 2020) and Ollie Pearson (OK 2020) racing for Durham’s 1877 Club, in the Men’s Alumni VIII’s, Hal Hunter (OK 2024), who coxed the VIIIs for Penn State University. Oscar Olsen who rowed for Cambridge in the Men’s Championship Eights having previously rowed for Harvard. There was also a third win for Ben Lundie (OK 2022) and Alex Forbes (OK 2022) in the Men’s Lightweight VIIIs who represented Harvard. Finlay Murray (OK 2024) who represented Yale in the Men’s Lightweight VIIIs.

King’s Eight

“Dr Cotton and I had a fantastic and insightful trip; we enjoyed meeting alumni from across the decades and meeting up with parents to cheer on our rowers. On behalf of the school, I wanted to share my sincere gratitude to our community of US-based alumni and visiting parents in New York and Boston who have generously come together to raise over £85,000 to go towards

the establishment of our bursaries foundation, this is truly phenomenal and we very much look forward to our trip in 2025. A huge thank you to Mrs Monaghan the Chair of the KCS Boat Club Supporters Association, to our East Coast Regional Society co-chairs Ryan Houghton-Berry and Peter Cureton and to the anonymous donor who sponsored our trip: thank you.”

King’s Four

Yale Crew, Finlay Murray (OK 2024)

Harvard Crew, Ben Lundie (OK 2022) left, Alex Forbes (OK 2022) right

Penn Crew, Hal Hunter (OK 2024), far right

Durham Crew, Calum Betteley (OK 2020) third from right, Ollie Pearson (OK 2020) sixth from right

Regional Societies and Knowledge Networks

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing our alumni with the opportunity to tap into the powerful King’s network for career development, networking and social activities, we have recently launched four new Regional Societies (location based clubs for King’s alumni) and a growing body of Knowledge Networks (topic or industry based networks to help support alumni on their post-King’s journeys). They will be putting together events in the coming year to serve the needs of our alumni and help our community forge lasting connections.

Regional Societies:

MEET THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE KING’S REGIONAL SOCIETY US EAST COAST

RYAN HOUGHTON-BERRY (OK 2010)

Ryan studied a BA in Public Policy at Duke University, followed by an MBA at The University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business. He is currently VP Business Planning & Strategic Communications in the Global Marketing group at Goldman Sachs in New York, leading the function’s strategy and budget planning, results reporting, and senior leadership communications. Outside of work, he’s most likely to be found on the golf course, in a darts bar, or watching his beloved Chelsea FC.

PETER CURETON (OK 2006)

Peter studied Money, Banking, and Finance at Birmingham University. He spent most of his early career at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse in London, New York, and Hong Kong. He is currently working with Private Equity portfolio companies, driving business transformation and value creation. Outside of work, his world is dominated by his three small children and their various football commitments, watching Arsenal on his phone while standing on the sidelines and dreaming of the days when his weekends were free to play golf.

MAX KIRBY (OK 2005)

CHAIR OF

THE

KING’S REGIONAL SOCIETY US WEST COAST

Max Kirby read Modern History at Magdalen, Oxford and then joined Lehman Brothers on their graduate programme, straight into the teeth of the financial crisis. After two whirlwind years as a debt capital markets banker, he moved to Stockholm to work for a (then tiny) Swedish fintech startup called Klarna, where he led preparations for global expansion. On returning to London, Max advised alternative asset managers on raising capital and became the youngest partner at the boutique advisory house, VCP Advisors. In 2016, he accepted an offer from then-

Ryan Houghton-Berry, Co-chair of the King’s Regional Society US East Coast

Peter Cureton, Co-chair of the King’s Regional Society US East Coast

CFO at Stripe to join the payments unicorn. Today, Max is Director of Market Intelligence at Stripe and lives in San Francisco. He’s an active member of the Episcopal church, and his other interests include history, politics, classic cars, and cycling through sundrenched mountains.

MEET THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE KING’S REGIONAL SOCIETY ASIA

JIN HYUNG LEE (OK 2010)

Jin was educated at King’s before completing his A-levels in Singapore. He went on to gain an MEng in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and served in the Republic of Korea Air Force as an officer. Jin is currently based in Seoul, Korea as Managing Partner at Advanced Growing Labs. He enjoys shooting rifles and losing golf balls in his spare time.

Jin Hyung Lee, Co-chair of the King’s Regional Society Asia

ALEX DOUGLAS-JONES (OK 1998)

After King’s, Alex went to Durham university and then began a career in management consultancy, joining Accenture in London, then Deloitte in London before being transferred to Singapore as Partner, Consulting and Banking, in 2017. As part of the consulting financial services leadership team in Deloitte Southeast Asia, he focuses on end-to-end digital banking, as well as channel, front and middle office transformation across asset management, asset servicing and banking clients.

Alex Douglas-Jones, Co-chair of the King’s Regional Society Asia

Knowledge Networks:

We have recently created Knowledge Networks to serve the needs of our alumni community across the world. These link our alumni to have conversations, networking and career-development opportunities in areas that are pertinent to their lives. We currently have Knowledge Networks for Law, the LGBT+ community, and Entrepreneurship, and are recruiting alumni volunteers to help us run the Women-in-Business, Finance and Tech Networks. If you would be interested in helping us, please get in touch: development@kcs.org.uk.

LAW KNOWLEDGE NETWORK

CHAIR: MATT ABRAHAM (OK 2006)

After leaving King’s, Matt attended University College London to read Law, and later the University of Oxford, BPP Law School. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2012, and the Bar of the British Virgin Islands

Max Kirby, Chair of the King’s Regional Society US West Coast

in 2015. Matthew is currently a Barrister at South Square – his practice focuses on insolvency and restructuring matters as well as commercial and banking litigation (including arbitrations). He has an interest in international work and in particular work from Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean following time spent on secondment to Clifford Chance Singapore early in his practice.

Matt Abraham, Chair of the Law Society Knowledge Network

REGIONAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

CHAIR: JAMES SMITH (OK 1995)

After a gap year working as a laboratory technician at an international school in Switzerland, James read Electrical Engineering at the University of Warwick. He then worked at the BBC in technical project management and engineering operations. He joined the technology team at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, managing the procurement and contract management of all venue technology. He returned to the world of broadcasting at SkyTV and the BBC prior to moving to Australia in 2016 to work on the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. He was appointed the Head of Technology at both the 2018 Invictus Games and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup as well as working for the Queensland Government delivering capital investment projects for the Courts Service. He worked as the Chief Information Officer of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games, before joining the Queensland Government as Director of

Court Technology Services. James lives with his husband of 11 years in Brisbane, Australia.

James Smith, Chair of the Regional Society of Australia & New Zealand LGBT+ Knowledge Network

ENTREPRENEURSHIP KNOWLEDGE NETWORK

CHAIR: OLHA DOLINSKA (OK 2017)

Olha is currently Entrepreneur in Residence at the impact VC Zinc. She has a First-class neuroscience degree from Oxford with dissertations in Alzheimer’s and sleep. At university, she was on a startup incubator working on a wearable SleepTech concept and consulting for a Y Combinator genomics company. Most recently she worked as Chief of Staff (sounds like HR but is actually a founder-type role) at a HealthTech startup. Fun facts: Olha landed her first job through a viral LinkedIn post and organized a NY Tech Week event with 300+ attendees in just 72 hours. In her spare time, she enjoys surfing (and planning crazy events).

Olha Dolinska, Chair of the Entrepreneurship Knowledge Network

University Networks:

We have recently established University Networks so that our alumni can access a friendly face and welcoming network as they move on to their universities.These are chaired by fellow alumni who will put on informal get-togethers for King’s alumni. You can reach out to your University Ambassadors on the King’s Association Hub. We are currently recruiting Ambassadors in all universities –please get in touch with development@kcs. org.uk if this would be of interest to you. It’s a great way to grow your network and make new friends!

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

CO-AMBASSADORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH NETWORK

DAN HOKHLOV (OK 2024)

Dan studied at King’s for five years, leaving in 2024. Dan says: “My last 2 years were predominantly dominated by rowing and studying the IB in which I studied Higher English, Philosophy and Music. I am now studying Economics and Business at my first-choice university, Edinburgh. Here I have joined the clay pigeon shooting, polo, tennis, business and economics societies. I am absolutely loving it here and could not have asked for a better uni experience. Feel free to ping me a message and I will try to answer your questions as best I can.”

Dan Hokhlov, Co-ambassador of the Edinburgh University Network

ANGUS HAWKINGS (OK 2024)

Angus left King’s in 2024 after studying IB. Angus says: “I am in my first year undergraduate studying Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh. I left King’s in 2024, having studied IB (HL Maths, Physics and Chemistry, SL English German Geography). I’m currently taking modules in Computer Science, Linear Algebra and Human Geography. Outside of studying, I enjoy playing squash, doing theatre tech and I am also volunteering as a tutor. Happy to answer any questions about life at Edinburgh!”

Angus Hawkings, Co-ambassador of the Edinburgh University Network

Partnerships and Development Highlights

PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH

King’s extensive Partnerships and Outreach programme reflects a strong belief in the benefit of educational partnerships and a permanent commitment to sharing our resources with the local community. A unique feature of King’s, it fosters an ethos of social awareness and respect for difference.

Our programme has three main strands: the co-ordination of the Wimbledon independent state-schools partnership, consisting of King’s and nine maintained secondary schools and sixth forms, a wide range of arrangements with over 20 other maintained secondary, primary, special schools and sixth forms which offer mentoring opportunities for our pupils, and an outreach programme which includes gardening, work in libraries and a weekly tea for the elderly.

Many members of the school contribute to the programme, from governors to over 400 pupils in the lower fifth and above, almost all of whom take part on a weekly basis during term time. It is run by the Partnerships and Outreach team, and over 50 members of staff.

PARTNERSHIPS

This year almost 450 King’s pupils, a record, are taking part in the community project programme on Friday afternoons in conjunction with 41 partnership schools (another record), Wimbledon Library, Wimbledon Guild and two care homes. More than 50 projects are available to choose from, providing a wealth of opportunities to help pupils to connect with the world around them, contribute to their wider communities and develop the skills that they will need for life at

25 and the world beyond school. The pupils have recognised the skills that community projects give them and their top three are gaining confidence, learning how to engage with the local community and providing useful experience for university applications.

Rehearsals are well underway for the community production which will feature 150 pupils from eight schools. This will be a devised response to Beowulf complete with props and set constructed by pupils as well as original music and performances from a massed choir. The performance will take place at the end of the spring term.

The junior aspirations programme has now expanded to nine primary schools, increasing the numbers of gifted and talented partnership year 5 pupils who can take part in the study of English, Maths and Science together to 36. They are led by 22 King’s pupils.

As part of the senior aspirations programme, 40 year 11 pupils from four partnership schools, who would be first generation university scholars, attended a bespoke visit to Royal Holloway University of London at the beginning of term. The day included an explanation of the degree courses available at universities, a campus tour, a taster lecture focusing on History and a Q & A with current university students. All students agreed that the visit was very useful in understanding more about university life. One student said that as a result of the day they would ‘Do more research in my own time and checks out websites’, another added, ‘I learnt that you learn independently at university’ and a third said, I am now going to ‘start researching options and figure out next educational steps’.

Year 10 senior aspiration partnership pupils attended a talk given by King’s staff

about the art of learning. This helped them to consider more deeply their own learning styles as they begin GCSE courses.

To fulfil the aim of expanding the partnership programme to younger year groups, year 8 pupils will each spend one day of world beyond week, in the summer term, engaging with the local community in a range of activities.

Almost 40 year 12 HAWI pupils are coleading community projects with King’s pupils this academic year. Building on the success of last year, there are now ten jointly run projects including the addition of beekeeping. These projects assist pupils from both schools to develop a range of transferable skills together such as empathy, leadership and organisation.

We were lucky to catch up with two pupils, one from King’s and one from Harris Wimbledon, who shared their experiences being involved with the Partnerships Programme:

Isabel (U6) – Harris Wimbledon

“I’ve been involved with the partnership programme for over a year, and it has allowed me to be involved with choral directing and learning how to conduct on stage. I have learnt so many music skills that wouldn’t have been available to me if it weren’t for the Partnerships Programme. Being able to sing and speak in front of people has been amazing and the networking opportunities have been great. I always look forward to it and as I’ve had to meet a wider variety of people, it has broadened my horizons and made me more confident.”

Nichloas (U6) – King’s

“I teach science to partnership schools which has been great for my leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Working as part of a team and directing other pupils has been so much fun – it’s really rewarding to teach children – they are keen to learn and ask interesting questions and it’s great to inspire them to pursue science in their later lives. I would definitely encourage pupils to get involved in the Partnerships Programme with an open mind.”

Partnership pupils take part in music lessons

OPEN DOORS 2024: A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, CHALLENGE AND CREATIVITY

The Open Doors Project 2024 took place at the beginning of July, bringing over 200 children from local primary school pupils together to take part in a week of activity, with friendship, enjoyment, learning and discovery at the forefront of every day’s itinerary.

The project has been running for 17 years with the generous support of the Friends of King’s, and its primary aim is to offer children the chance to take part in an array of enjoyable activities designed to develop skills in sport, music, art and drama.

Amongst this year’s participants was a group of year 5 pupils from Southmead Primary School. Their teacher, Ms Ellie O’Connell, shared her thoughts on what her pupils get from taking part in the Open Doors Project, “We love coming here to be able to use the facilities and learn from the staff and the student-leaders, and it gives our children the experience to do things that they’ve never had access to before.” She went on, “the children have the chance to learn teamwork, resilience, social skills, what it means to be part of a group, part of a team, and to interact with other schools in the local area.”

Ms O’Connell described her own feelings on witnessing one of her pupils experience

Partnership Programme science

a real ‘first’ as part of the week’s activities: “The moment for me that really will stick with me and almost made me cry, was seeing one of our children access swimming for the first time. They’ve never felt that feeling of being submerged in water and to see the unbelievable joy on their face from that experience, the feeling of ‘I just did something new – I’m swimming! I’m swimming!’ was honestly incredible.”

Run by teachers and student-leaders from King’s, Ricard’s Lodge, Coombe Boys’ and Coombe Girls’, the Open Doors Project also offers an invaluable opportunity for these older students. Not only do they have the chance to give back to the community and to form new friendships with fellow partnership

pupils, their participation in the project also brings with it an array of opportunities to develop vital skills.

After a week of activity and collaboration, which culminated in an exuberant performance by the pupils involved in the creative programme and a tournament of physical fun for those following the sporting itinerary, Ms O’Connell offered the perfect description of what we hope the project has offered, commenting on the way her pupils had learnt ,“what it means to be part of a team, what it means to be able to try new things and to have the confidence and the courage to try new things.” She ended by saying, “it’s giving them insight into what’s out there for them”.

We hope that Open Doors 2024 has inspired all the pupils who have taken part – primary school participants and student leaders alike – to continue pursuing whatever brings excitement, curiosity and passion to their lives beyond the classroom.

Peter Hatch: Partnerships at King’s

https://www.kcs.org.uk/commitment-tothe-wider-community

Peter Hatch, Director of Partnerships and Outreach, talks about his work at King’s

Alumni Highlights

ADAM KELLY (OK 1966)

Adam Kelly is President of IMG Media, a leading global sports media agency. Adam’s journey with IMG Media began in 2001, and over the years, he has steadily climbed the ranks, showcasing his exceptional leadership and strategic vision.

In his current role, Adam is focused on transforming IMG Media’s business model to add more strategic value for their clients. He emphasises building long-term relationships rather than purely transactional interactions. Under his leadership, IMG Media continues to evolve, striving for incremental gains and adapting to the ever-changing sports media landscape. Adam’s dedication and innovative approach have positioned IMG Media as a powerhouse in the industry, managing toptier sporting properties like the Premier League, NFL and the International Olympic Committee. His commitment to excellence and forward-thinking strategies are truly inspiring. We are proud to celebrate Adam Kelly’s achievements and look forward to seeing his continued impact on the sports media industry.

DR PATRICK DIXON (OK 1975)

After leaving King’s, Dr Patrick Dixon MBE continued his academic journey at King’s College, Cambridge, studying Medical Sciences, as well as pursing his training at the University of London. There, he led a research programme on medical technology and AI in the Department of Medicine at Charing Cross Hospital, in partnership with the National Physics Laboratory.

In the 1980s, as a physician, Patrick encountered many patients with HIV who faced significant stigma and were often denied care. In response to this he founded ACET in 1988, following the release of his book, The Truth About AIDS, to provide compassionate care and support during the HIV pandemic.

In 1996, Patrick established Global Change Ltd, a trends forecasting company that offers strategic insights and advice to over 400 multinational corporations and various governments. He continues to serve as Chairman of the company. In 2004, Patrick was was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours for services to HIV and AIDS Care, and the following year he was ranked as one of the 20 most influential business thinkers alive according to the Thinkers 50 (a private survey printed in ‘The Times’).

Patrick Dixon

Adam Kelly

PRAFUL NARGUND (OK 2009)

Praful Nargund is a dedicated Labour Party Councillor in the London Borough of Islington, passionately working to address social inequalities within his community. His commitment to social justice is evident through his roles as Director of The Good Growth Foundation and Director of Create Impact Ventures, an early-stage investment firm dedicated to supporting social impact enterprises.

Recently, Praful was awarded the Spectator Magazine’s Economic Innovator of the Year 2020 award for London and the Southeast. He continues to dedicate his time to serving the constituents of Islington and supporting The Good Growth Foundation.

Praful Nargund

DISCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT FOOD WITH DR CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN (OK 1996)

In an engaging three-part series for the BBC’s “Royal Institution Christmas Lectures,” Dr. Chris van Tulleken delves into the fascinating world of food and its profound impact on our bodies. Titled “The Truth About Food,” this series explores how our food system has evolved and the challenges it presents today.

Dr. van Tulleken takes viewers on a journey through the history of food, from the very first meal on Earth to the modern age of ultra-processed foods. He highlights how humans have uniquely adapted to process and cook food, giving us significant evolutionary advantages. Through ingenious experiments, such as creating un-meltable ice cream, he demonstrates how industrial food production can confuse our bodies’ feedback mechanisms.

The series also addresses the serious problems caused by our current food system, including health issues linked to ultraprocessed foods. However, Dr. van Tulleken remains optimistic, showcasing potential solutions and innovations that could improve our food landscape.

This series is a must-watch for anyone interested in the science of food and its impact on our health. Catch all three episodes here , and join the conversation about the future of our food system.

Dr.

Chris van Tulleken

Share Your Story

CLIVE BARNETT (OK 1967)

Clive Barnett left King’s in 1967 with a strong passion for teaching history and a lifelong love for cricket and rugby. Post King’s, Clive embarked on a teaching career and was appointed Headmaster of Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School in Salisbury in 1992. Two years later, he was admitted to the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), a rare honour for a state school head. In 2002, Clive became one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), dedicating the last seven years of his full-time career to monitoring the standard of teacher training in England.

During his time at King’s, Clive formed lifelong friendships with his fellow arts sixth form students. His love of history was greatly influenced by Patrick (Paddy) Richardson (Head of History, 1962-1968). He also fondly remembers Frank Shaw (Former Headmaster, 1960-1975), Graham Tingay (Head of Classics and Teacher of Classics, 1953-1988), Geoff Taylor (Head of History and Teacher of History, 1961-1974), Douggie Dalziel (Teacher of Classics, Secretary to the OKC,

JOHN CAMPION (OK 1960)

John Campion joined King’s junior school in 1953, the senior school in 1955 and finally the sixth form in 1958, shortly after the completion of the new biology labs. He fondly remembers his form tutor, Eric Springthorpe (OK 1949), who recently passed away, as a kind and patient teacher. One of John’s school highlights was a week-long field trip to Dale Fort in Wales, where he studied the seashore.

After leaving King’s, John attended Kirkley Hall Agricultural College in Northumberland. He then took over a farm in Northamptonshire, where he established a prize-winning herd of Friesian dairy cows. After leaving farming, John worked for The Lord Chancellor’s

1927-1963) and David Belchamber (OK 1992, Teacher of Modern Languages, 19591970, and Bursar, 1970-1988, 1994-1995).

Since retiring as an HMI, Clive has worked as an educational consultant, specialising in supporting initial teacher training and teachers’ continuing professional development.

Clive strongly believes that teaching is a noble profession that brings great satisfaction and personal fulfilment. He encourages anyone interested in entering the field to pursue it with passion.

Department at Northampton County Court, enjoying a blissful five-day work week after many years of seven-day weeks in agriculture.

Clive Barnett

John Campion

James Smith (OK

James (He/Him) graduated from King’s College School in 1995.

After a gap year working as a laboratory technician at an international school in Switzerland, he pursued a degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Warwick, graduating in 1999. James’s career began at the BBC, where he held various roles in technical project management and engineering operations. His expertise led him to significant positions, including managing venue technology contracts for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and later roles at SkyTV.

In 2016, James moved to Australia, where he held a senior manager role at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and then leadership roles at the 2018 Invictus Games and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He also worked within the Queensland Government, delivering capital investment projects for the Courts Service. Most recently, he served as the Chief Information Officer for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games until the event’s cancellation, and he is now the Director of Court Technology Services within the Queensland Government.

James is a passionate advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights, having been involved in numerous initiatives, including the London 2012 LGBT+ working group, BBC Pride, and the Queensland Government LGBTIQ+ committee. He is currently the Chair of the Regional Society of Australia and New Zealand for King’s College School alumni and the Global Lead of the school’s LGBT+ group. James lives in Brisbane with his husband of 11 years and continues to support LGBTIQ+ representation and acceptance in all areas of life.

1995)

Can you share some of your fondest memories from your time at King’s College School?

I joined KCS from a non-Common Entrance School, so it was all very new to me, and I remember the school being huge but a welloiled machine. My fondest memories relate to extracurricular activities; my main passion whilst at school was doing lighting and sound at Collyer Hall Theatre, I also remember watching Neighbours over lunchtime in Mr Rowson’s Physics lab. I’m not afraid to admit I was a bit of a geek and really enjoyed the sciences – Chemistry and Physics in particular, including end of year experiments exploring the explosive effects of a hydrogen and oxygen mix in a balloon in the middle of the rugby field.

What inspired you to pursue electrical engineering at the University of Warwick after your gap year in Switzerland?

As I said above, I always enjoyed the sciences, and working practically with electricity and electronics. So I was looking for something at university that was as hands-on a degree

as possible that involved those subjects. I suppose the work I did at Collyer Hall Theatre was what transitioned my academic interest to one that led me towards the world of work.

How did your early career experiences at the BBC shape your professional journey?

The BBC was a great foundation for my career, as it had solid engineering development and a structured graduate development programme. Looking back, it satisfied my desire to do technical work but outside of the ordinary. By the end of my first year, I was leading substantial technical projects delivering infrastructure for the BBC, as well as feeling I had an input into the TV we all watched. This, in turn, allowed me to go on and work in the very dynamic environments of mega events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

What were some of the key challenges you faced while managing venue technology contracts for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games?

This was my first major event job, and the fixed term contract petrified me as I’d always been permanently employed before. I loved the dynamic environment and common goal of everyone on the team. There was no messing about or petty politics, we all were moving in the same direction with an immovable end date. The main challenge was that end date - it was unforgiving and meant compromises and long days were sometimes needed. I learnt a lot about how major events work and it set me up for future work in this field.

Can you describe your role and responsibilities during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and how it differed from your previous positions?

I was a “Cluster Venue Technology Manager”, which in non-event speak means a Senior Project Manager. I was responsible for a team of Venue Technology Managers who delivered technology to a cluster of venues for the Games. This role allowed me to use both my operational and project management skills to deliver a significant technology project. Historically I built things to last many years,

James and his husband, Richard, at a family wedding in Richmond, London

James at the International Olympic Committee HQ in Lausanne, Switzerland.

but this project had a life of a matter of weeks, so it took a bit of adjustment and change of approach to get the job done in the most efficient way. That said, it really cemented the major event bug and got me wanting to work more in this arena, because the buzz of getting such a mammoth project over the line and seeing the impact it has on communities really excited me.

What motivated you to move to Australia and take on roles in major sporting events like the Invictus Games and FIFA Women’s World Cup?

The initial move to Australia was simply because it seemed like an adventure! An 18-month job seemed long enough to have a great time exploring the other side of the world and living the ex-pat life, and then we could return to the UK, however 8 years later that clearly didn’t work out.... Simply put, there is nothing like working on a major event, in my mind. This is what drove me to work on events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Invictus Games, which incidentally was one of the best work environments I’ve ever had - an organisation with such a laser

sharp focus on doing good, whilst allowing me to deliver a best in event technology solution compared to previous editions of the Games.

As the Chief Information Officer for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games, what were your primary goals before the event was cancelled?

My main aim was to deliver the technology scope in record time – it had never been done this quickly before, even Birmingham 2022 had a longer lead time. In addition, the event was trying to deliver the first mega event across multiple regional locations rather than in a single city or urban area and do it in a country that is characterised by vast distances between urban centres. This meant I was working with the wider Games stakeholders to work out an innovative technology delivery strategy and build the supplier and partner base to deliver this. I was also focusing on creating a great team to deliver this big scope, and developing a legacy of technology training and apprenticeships for the regional towns we were hosting the

James at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Doha, Qatar

James with the FIFA Women’s World Cup Winners Trophy, at the Powhiri (Maori welcome ceremony) in Auckland New Zealand

Games in.

What advice would you give to current students and recent graduates of King’s College School who are interested in pursuing careers in technology?

This is an easy question – be clever and keen! By that, I mean, that you should know your chosen subject well and be across the basics and emerging trends. Being keen is important to get noticed, and to get things done, it’s also something that is hard to criticise, if you are keen and get something wrong it’ll be forgiven by a good leader / manager, with them giving you pointers to improve. All the best new team members I’ve employed have had these qualities, amongst others, and have gone on to career success in their chosen field.

What does it mean to you to be the Chair of the Regional Society of Australia and New Zealand for King’s College School alumni?

It’s great to be able to facilitate contact between alumni who’ve moved across the world like me. It’s a small contribution to maintaining connection with roots that are far away, and I’m pleased to be able to help out.

Can you discuss your involvement in various LGBTIQ+ initiatives and how these experiences have impacted your advocacy work?

I was a member of the BBC Pride network, but didn’t really get involved in the actual work of

employee networks until I became a member of the London 2012 LGBT+ Working Group. This was followed by supporting the Gold Coast 2018 Pride House, and then the Queensland Government LGBTIQ+ steering committee. The main reason I get involved in these groups is because I feel lucky to be supported by my family, friends and colleagues to live my life to the full, without having to hide my sexuality. I am lucky to have reached a reasonably senior level in recent years and I feel that visible leadership allows others to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. In the case of the 2018 Pride House, it was to allow athletes and team members from the surprisingly large number of Commonwealth countries where being from the LGBTIQ+ community is illegal, punishable by some of the harshest penalties available, to be themselves and have a safe space to go whilst competing.

How do you see the role of the Global Lead of the LGBT+ group evolving in the future?

I think this is an evolving space as society moves on. I see that younger people have a very different experience growing up in the UK, and even at KCS, compared to when I was doing so. This means that alumni will also have different experiences and outlooks on life, so the lead alumni community will need to adapt to the differing needs of its membership. I think the lead role for this group is more about listening to its membership to understand the

James being interviewed during the Invictus Games 2018, Sydney Australia

James and his husband, Richard, after completing the Bridge to Brisbane 10km race with the LGBTIQ+ running group, Brisbane

Conor O’Neill (OK 1999)

We were very happy to hear of Conor’s stellar career in the Royal Navy and are delighted to share here details of his career. After leaving King’s, Conor went to Oxford on a Royal Navy University Cadetship, and after finishing his masters, went back to sea.

He has served in most corners of the globe, and was promoted last July to Commodore, Royal Navy and appointed as Head of Capability Strategy in the Ministry of Defence, right into the current Strategic Defence Review. Conor also represented the Service at Bob Mitchell’s retirement celebration, presenting his valedictory certificate from the Combined Cadet Force, in June 2024.

Can you tell us about life after King’s, and how you chose a career in the Royal Navy?

My interest in the forces started at King’s –I was in the CCF, had an interest in public service and international affairs, so if you put it all together, the Navy made sense! I was fortunate enough to win a University Cadetship, so I joined the RN straight from school, completed a year of training ashore and at sea, and then went to university as a serving officer.

Could you tell us about your journey from the Royal Navy to your current role as Head of Capability Strategy in the Ministry of Defence? What key experiences shaped your leadership approach along the way?

The first twenty years of my career were largely spent at sea in ships of various sizes. I commanded five ships, culminating in being the Captain of the Frigate HMS MONTROSE and deploying on operations around the globe, from the South China Sea to the Gulf of Oman. Command and leadership on operations is one of the great privileges

and challenges of serving in the military, and so it shapes your personality and leadership style. You learn how to build and develop a team, how to recognise and manage good and poor performance, when to be calm and when to raise your voice, when to sit on your hands, and when to intervene.You carry those lessons forward into more senior roles, more of which are in offices than afloat! Many of the same lessons carry through – whilst context is important, humans are humans. However, the balance does shift as you become more senior, from personal effort to enabling the efforts of others, setting the conditions for your team’s success.

How do you define effective leadership within the complex and high-pressure environment of defence strategy? Can you share an example of a leadership challenge you faced and how you overcame it?

Leadership is about motivating people to achieve a shared goal – whether that is in on operations, strategic financial planning or capability strategy. When I was a frigate captain we had to manage multiple changes to the ship’s long-term programme, all of which would upend people’s lives. The most challenging was the announcement that we would deploy overseas early, for longer, and would be away for Christmas – and that change came just as we were activated as the Fleet Ready Escort to monitor unusual Russian activity around the UK. We had to keep people focussed on the task at hand, whilst acknowledging the major change that they would have to work through with their families. We managed it through as much transparency as we could provide, clear sight of the immediate mission and a series of briefings on the implications on our future plans.

The role of naval forces is constantly evolving. How has the Royal Navy adapted to the changing geopolitical landscape and the emergence of new technologies. Although the trends were evident, no one could have anticipated in 2021 that by now we would be three years into a major war in Europe.The UK has placed renewed emphasis on our contribution to the NATO alliance, with Defence playing a leading role. This includes the Royal Navy placing our Carrier Strike Groups under NATO command to ensure a seamless transition in case of crisis. The pace of technological change is eyewatering; staying ahead requires constant adaptation, but in a service where ships and submarines take years to build, we must balance spiral development of the new with ensuring our current platforms stay relevant.

In your current role, what are the key priorities in shaping the UK’s defence capability strategy, and how do you ensure these priorities align with future threats and challenges?

It is not a very post-modern thought but perhaps the only thing that stopped Russian

Replenishing HMS MONTROSE from a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker in some delightful weather in the Atlantic, 2017

forces rolling further west beyond the borders of Ukraine was the NATO security guarantee, underpinned by nuclear weapons. Given that Defence’s priority is renewal of the Continuous at Sea Nuclear Deterrent, the nation’s ultimate guarantee of security. Beyond this, as I write we are in the middle of a Strategic Defence Review which will set our priorities for the coming years, so I am limited in what I can say. In principle, however, the role of my team is to translate defence policy demand into a force design and set of capabilities which can deal with the future threats which the intelligence services assess we are likely to face.

Defence has historically driven innovation. How do you see the role of innovation in your work, and what advancements are most exciting or critical for the future of naval and defence capabilities?

Conor riving MONTROSE alongside, Tokyo 2019

Escorting HRH the Princess Royal alongside in Valparaiso, Chile in 2018 as part of the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the Chiliean Navy

Defence must be honest that most of the exciting innovation now happens in the private sector – a change from 50 or even 30 years ago – our challenge is how we harness that in the service of the nation. The amazing work done both within defence and in industry in support of the defence of Ukraine shows what can be done when the stakes are high, and flowing the lessons of that work into our work at home is underway. Autonomy and AI clearly offer opportunities to transform many of our capabilities, provided that the ethical and legal complexities can be worked through, and we are only at the start of understanding what quantum sensing can do.

What leadership or strategic lessons have you learned during your time in the Royal Navy that you think would be valuable for future leaders in any field?

Strategy is an oft used but little understood

term, despite the 1000s of books written about it. Fundamentally it is about balancing ends, ways and means, and taking a long-term, multi-stage view of your objectives, and the challenges to delivering them. The challenge for any leader is to maintain the long view or, if your team’s work is necessarily short-term, the overview of your ultimate objectives –what are you seeking to achieve and, crucially, why? It is so easy to get bogged down in the day to day, letting the urgent trump the important – fight to keep your team’s priorities aligned to what is truly important.

The Royal Navy has a rich history. How do you balance preserving naval traditions with the need for modernisation and technological advancement?

The simple answer is to ask whether the tradition is helping or hindering the organisation – and whether it reflects what

the organisation wants to be. Sometimes our practices have come about because of decades of hard-won experience, and we shouldn’t lightly ditch them – but on other occasions they reflect pretty archaic assumptions. I look back at the changes during my 25 years in the service – there are some things that are exactly the same and others which are, happily, very different.

The military often faces crises and fast-moving situations. How do you manage decisionmaking and communication under pressure? Training helps – we are put under pressure in training to improve our ability to make decisions and communicate in complex and pressurised situations. People across the military sometimes remark that some combat engagements felt less stressful than some of the training scenarios they had been put through! ‘Train hard – fight easy’ is one of our mantras. Clarity of both decision making and communication is key – absorb the information presented to you, assess it, make a decision, communicate it succinctly. We learn short-cuts, standard formats and mental models to make that quicker and easier. The more ambiguous the situation the harder it is, as those short-cuts are less applicable – then you must fall back on experience.

Throughout your career, have you had mentors who shaped your path? How important is mentorship in the military and do you actively mentor others now?

I didn’t have a mentor in my early career –it was less common then and sometimes regarded as a form of patronage. I benefited from the support and advice from a number of great Captains though –and to this day Commanding Officers see it as part of their job to coach and guide those who work for them, accepting that that is a different relationship that a mentoring one, given that they are also in charge. Mentoring has really expanded in the last ten years, and it is far more common. I’ve benefited from some informal mentoring; I mentor a junior officer, and I have a reverse mentor to help me develop as a leader.

For alumni who aspire to lead in challenging and strategic environments, what advice would you offer, particularly in terms of developing resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking?

Never stop listening – the moment you close your mind is probably when you start making bad decisions. Equally, once you’ve made a decision, see it through until the facts change or the situation demands you re-assess. Understand your objectives, your boss’s objectives and their boss’s objectives. The first principle of war is ‘selection and maintenance of the aim’ – if you don’t know what you are trying to do and why you are unlikely to succeed. Your resilience might well come from outside work – it is your relationships at home, with your family and friends, that will be most crucial in keeping you grounded and sustained as a leader.

On duty in the Operations Room during an exercise in 2018

MONTROSE approaching Auckland in 2019 for the first visit of a British warship there for 20 years.

Jonathan McDowell (OK 1977)

On a recent trip to Boston, we caught up with OK Jonathan McDowell, a British-American astronomer and astrophysicist who works at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’s Chandra X-ray Center.

After school, Jonathan worked at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich held a summer job at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh before he began his PhD studies. His first post-doctoral position was at Jodrell Bank Observatory followed by another at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts. McDowell then spent a year at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center before joining the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

From studying black holes and their effect on the galaxies around them to chronicling space launches and assessing the impact of satellites on the environment of outer space, Jonathan has had a truly extraordinary career, and we are delighted to share details here:

Can you share a bit about your journey into astronomy and astrophysics? What sparked your interest in these fields? Really there were two influences – the moon landings (I was 9) making me fascinated by space exploration, and reading an astronomy book that got me interested in the origin of the universe and where we all come from. (I admit that Dr Who was also a major influence!). Part of the joy of science is the way it all hangs together – when you understand one area of science it often connects to and supports your understanding in a totally different area. That feeling of ‘oh, THAT’s why! NOW I understand...’ is so rewarding.

At KCS I helped run the astronomy club. The opportunity to give talks to my fellow students was good preparation for doing

television and radio interviews starting in my early twenties. I did maths, further maths and physics for A levels – but as a result of KCS’s attempts to make me slightly less narrow, I also did O level Russian in the sixth form, and I still make use of this every day translating Russian news about their space effort.

At university I again ended up running the astronomy club and had the opportunity to meet researchers doing all kinds of groundbreaking stuff, from PhD students in my college up to and including Stephen Hawking, so that was pretty inspiring.

After finishing my maths degree and astronomy PhD at Cambridge, I did a research fellowship at Jodrell Bank – which is not a bank, but a radio astronomy observatory attached to the University of Manchester – and then skipped across the ocean for further fellowships at Harvard and at a NASA base in Alabama, before being hired to a longer term position working in space astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in 1992; I’ve been there ever since.

What were some of the most significant challenges you faced during your early career, and how did you overcome them?

I started off as very much a theorist, I was never a very practically oriented kid as my arts and sports teachers at KCS would attest. But my mentors encouraged me to go on observing trips, and I learnt the confidence to do things like refill the spectrograph with liquid nitrogen which would have terrified me a few years earlier.

A PhD degree is always a long slog. There’s a point a few years in where you feel like you haven’t made any progress and it’s time to give up. This is usually about three weeks before you get to the point where you realise

Clockwise from top left: Jonathan’s first day at KCS Senior School, 1973; at Vandenberg Space Force Base, 1996; at the telescope on Mt Hopkins, Arizona, 1993; at the Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the Chandra space telescope, 1999

you know more than your supervisor about the subject and it’s time to write up the thesis! So, a bit of stubbornness really helps.

Could you describe your role and responsibilities at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics?

As an astrophysicist in the Chandra X-ray Center team, part of my job is to support the Chandra space telescope mission and part is to do my own scientific research. In my own research I study black holes and their effect on the galaxies around them, using telescopes on Earth and in space. This involves asking what new observations would be needed to solve a particular riddle, writing a research

proposal to get the observations approved, then analysing the data and writing up a paper with the results. Scientists have to be very self-sceptical: once you have the data it might take a month to analyse it and find the answer, and a further six months to pick it apart and convince yourself that you didn’t fool yourself.

In my support role, I lead a team that figures out what software astronomers around the world will need to turn Chandra data into scientific results; we also document and support that software. I also run a summer research intern program which prepares undergraduate students for postgraduate research in astronomy.

What about your research on satellites?

I have a second life as a historian and journalist of space exploration, which started when I was at KCS and getting frustrated at the lack of space coverage in the UK media. Commuting to KCS from Woking in Surrey, I was able to use my rail season ticket to go up to London at the weekend to do research in the Science Reference Library. 50 years later, that has resulted in the world’s most complete chronicle of space launches on my website (planet4589.org), used by space agencies and news sources around the world.

What are the corporations and governments really doing with their satellites in space?

Mathematical analysis of orbital tracking data lets me report what’s not in the public press releases and ensure that we leave a detailed public historical record of how the early years of space exploration actually unfolded.

How do these two areas of study intersect?

The vast increase in the number of satellites launched in the past five years is starting to have a noticeable effect on the environment of outer space and the upper atmosphere. In particular, as astronomers we now have to look out at the universe through a shell of visually-bright and radio-noisy commercial satellites, and I’ve been at the forefront of

assessing the impact of this development as well as advocating for research on whether using the atmosphere as an incinerator for dead satellites may cause environmental problems. My dual expertise in astrophysics and space history has been key in letting me address these issues.

What are the some of the most exciting developments you have witnessed in your career?

It’s been a huge privilege to be `in the room’ as some of my colleagues have managed to get definitive answers to big questions that have been the province of philosophers for millennia. How old is the universe? When I was at KCS we already knew it was somewhere between 10 and 20 billion years (and not 4004 BC!) – now we know the answer is 13.7 plus or minus 0.1 billion years. A few centuries ago, Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake over the “multiplicity of worlds” question: Is the Earth unique in the universe, or are there Earth like planets orbiting other stars? In the 1970s it was still possible our solar system was the only one – now we know that almost every star you see in the sky has a bunch of planets around it, and many of them are Earth-sized, with atmospheres of various kinds. Can any of them support life? That’s still an open question

Galaxy Arp 220 seen in X-rays, picture by Jonathan using Chandra

that the current generation of KCS students will have an opportunity to answer. Was Einstein right in his predictions about black holes, and about the existence of gravitational waves? The evidence is now in with the usual answer: never bet against Einstein.

What advice would you give on young scientists aspiring to work in the field of space research?

I think you need to get the broadest possible background in maths and physics – the astronomy/space part you can get by independent reading. I did a maths degree at Cambridge before doing my PhD in astrophysics. On the science side you’ll really need to do a PhD; to work in aerospace and satellite engineering, a masters’ degree is usually all that’s needed. Often underestimated is the importance of being able to communicate your results: the ability to write clear and correct English is critical too.

The field is pretty broad though - some aspects require a lot of maths expertise, but others require more practical skills, like building scientific instruments. So, if it’s something you really want to do; you can find

a route in space research that is well matched to your talents.

Can you share a memorable moment or breakthrough from your career that stands out to you?

One of the most exciting times was when we launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory space telescope on the Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center. After two postponed attempts, on the third try we stood on the beach watching the Shuttle head spacewards with our precious cargo aboard, and then listened to our friends in the control centre talk with the astronauts as the telescope glided out of the cargo bay: `Columbia, this is Cambridge, do you copy?’.

A few weeks later, back at Harvard, we clustered around the computer monitors as we sent the command to open the camera lens cap and take our first images. Would the image be in focus or would it be another embarrassing and expensive fiasco like Hubble 9 years earlier?

We saw an unexpected extra blob sitting next to the X-ray light from our target, the quasar PKS 0637-752. Faces fell, but I

Jonathan on the BBC explaining a Chinese space station re-entry, 2018

recognized that the position of the blob coincided perfectly with the position of a jet coming out of this quasar that had been seen by radio telescopes.

Our focus test image had made a scientific discovery – quasar jets are unexpectedly bright in X-rays! At that point we knew we had a successful mission, and the succeeding 25 years have reaped a scientific bonanza.

What are your thoughts on the commercialisation of space and its impact on scientific research?

Until a few years ago, most space activity was governmental. Now the vast majority is commercial. That’s accelerated the rate at which things have been changing, and regulators haven’t been able to keep up. This and other political developments have been squeezing scientific space research while exposing it to threats from various kinds of orbital pollution. I hope that with time we can restore the balance and have a combination of healthy scientific and commercial space activity.

How would you like to be remembered?

I hope I’ll be remembered as someone who combined an enthusiastic advocacy of space exploration with a thoughtful concern for how we can make that exploration sustainable and environmentally responsible; and as someone who combined efforts to communicate science to the public in global media with supporting students and friends in my immediate community.

From top: Aerial view of the Mt Hopkins observatory; Near the summit of Mt Hopkins with the telescope (and a tiny James in foreground); Chandra space telescope mission control center

Artist impression of Chandra space telescope

In Memoriam

We warmly invite you to visit the King’s Association Hub, where we have a dedicated space to honour and remember the cherished members of our community who have passed away. Here, you can view obituaries and share your own heartfelt tributes, celebrating the lives and legacies of King’s alumni who you have shared time with. By contributing your memories and stories, you help us preserve the rich history of our community and honour their lasting impact on our lives.

JOHN CURRY CBE (OK 1957)

John Arthur Hugh Curry, born in 1938, spent his early years in Burma and India before attending King’s. He excelled in tennis, winning several championships and later captaining the tennis team at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford. He also earned an MBA from Harvard, with high distinction.

Curry’s career included significant contributions to the All-England Club, where he became a Full Member in 1971 and Chairman in 1989. During his tenure, he oversaw major developments, including the Long-Term Plan, which enhanced Wimbledon’s facilities and reputation. He was instrumental in increasing the Championships Surplus from £300,000 to over £30 million.

Curry was made a CBE in 1997 and retired as Chairman in 1999. He is remembered for his leadership and dedication to the Club. He is survived by his wife Anne, three sons, and a daughter.

John Curry

Archive Highlights

German pupils at King’s, 1911

A ‘SCHOOLBOY ENTENTE’: THE ANGLO-GERMAN SCHOOL TRIPS IN THE LEAD UP TO WORLD WAR I

Thirty-five school children. An educational trip to improve language skills with visits to see sites of historic interest and marvels of engineering. It doesn’t sound that unusual. Except that the date of this school trip was 1911. Foreign travel was relatively rare in Britain, foreign travel undertaken by schools rarer still. Between 1911 and 1914 four visits to Germany were organised for pupils from King’s, and three return trips were made by German pupils to Wimbledon. The journey from Wimbledon took around 24 hours and involved several train journeys and an overnight ferry. When the tours were introduced at King’s, they were heralded as an ‘innovation in education’ in the press. The then Head Master, H. Lionel Rogers, believed them to be the first school trips of their kind. It was a pupil who had first suggested

the idea of visiting Germany. He asked the German master at King’s, Mr Koch, for advice. Before long it was decided that a whole group of pupils would go. Herr Koch had previously taught at the Evangelische Paedagogium, a large boarding school in Godesberg, close to Bonn, and so had the contacts to make the necessary arrangements.

The visits each lasted around three weeks and included a mix of lessons at the host schools and several excursions. The itinerary of the first tour, in 1911, was largely repeated on subsequent trips. In Cologne the pupils went to the Cathedral, the Bridge of Boats, the Zoological Gardens and the opera. In Bonn, they visited the University and the Victoria Baths. They saw the Kaiser Wilhelm Brücke at Schuberg, a skate factory at Remscheid, a smelting works and its forge. At Barmen, they

took the over-head railway, suspended over the River Wupper, to Elberfeld. There was a walking tour through the gorge of the Rhine from St. Goar to Bacherach, seeing the Lorelei Rock, the Sieben Jungfrauen and several castles on the way. There were trips on the Rhine steamer, a chance to enjoy the delicacies on offer at Fobbe’s ‘conditorei’ (bakery), and a tour of the extensive wine cellars of Deinhart and Co. in Coblenz (in Coblenz, they also climbed the monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I). The visits made by German pupils to Wimbledon were equally jam-packed.

One of the highlights for King’s pupils, on all the trips to Germany, was spotting a Zeppelin. During the 1912 visit, a sighting of one was arranged specially: ‘We arrived on the ground just in time to see the monster come out of its shed; and after having prepared everything in order for rising, the engineer climbed into his box, and gradually the great creature rose and sailed away at high speed. It was a grand sight to watch her make the ascent, and with many others on the ground we wished we could be in the cabin of the Princess Louise on this aerial flight.’

The design of these rigid airships was indeed incredible and it is no wonder that the boys were excited to see one in flight. Within

a matter of years, however, the Zeppelins were given a new purpose: the Viktoria Luise was used by the German Navy as a training ship, whilst others carried bombs which were dropped on British towns and cities during World War I.

It is impossible, now, to read the accounts of the tours in the school magazines without them bringing to mind the context in which the trips were undertaken. Europe was divided in two with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy on one side and France, Russia and Britain on the other.Tensions between nations – between empires – were running high. This had already led to considerable unrest in both the Balkans and North Africa as states fought to gain, or maintain, control. Nationalism was on the rise.

It would appear that Lionel Rogers viewed the tours as more than just educational experiences; he believed they could help dampen this political noise. On Speech Day in 1911, speaking of the first visit to Germany, which had taken place that Easter, he said, if English boys – ‘learned to know the customs, institutions, and ways of foreign nations; if they made friends with foreign boys, and lost their priggish estimate of others without forfeiting their legitimate pride in what was good at home, then… although they might not have universal peace they would be much more unlikely to be engaged in ignorant and senseless struggles.’

An aspiration to build better relations with Germany was not that unusual. Indeed, there were many in Britain who felt that Germany was a more natural ally in some ways than France. Even so, Britain had signed the Triple Entente with France and Russia in 1907 for strategic reasons, one of which was to protect its empire from Germany which had grown increasingly powerful since its unification in 1870. Germany might not, yet, be seen as the enemy but there was a nervousness creeping in. It was surpassing Britain in terms of manufacturing, in terms of culture and, more worryingly, threatening Britain’s dominance in terms of naval power. In 1902 John Knox Laughton, Professor of Modern

History at King’s College London, came to King’s to deliver a lecture on the ‘Naval Policy of Great Britain.’ He stressed the need for a robust navy, the main objective of which was to protect Britain’s trade routes and safeguard its food imports in the event of war.

In 1908, a pupil wrote two articles for the school magazine in which he presented his research into the relative naval strength of Great Britain compared to other nations. One country was singled out for further comparison: Germany.

‘Some of my readers may like to have before them some further figures showing our present position with regard to Germany, and for them I will append a table of details, the first column giving the numbers for Britain and the second those for Germany.’

In this race, Britain remained ahead. Just about. If the same article had been written about the British army, it would have been a very different story. When German pupils visited King’s in 1911, they witnessed a drill of the Cadet Corps and wished they had something similar in Germany. What Germany had instead was conscription. Britain, resisting this route, had, since 1908, been building up

a body of young men who could be used to bolster the British Expeditionary Force if needed. King’s was among those schools to establish its own Officer Training Corps under the scheme introduced by Lord Haldane. King’s pupils joined the O.T.C. in increasing numbers. This did not mean they were all necessarily in favour of war, however. In 1912, the Debating Society asked “Is War Justifiable?”: when it came to the vote, a large majority agreed that it was not.

Were the tours a success? Did the pupils lose their ‘priggish estimate of others’? The reports in the school magazines certainly suggest so. The British and Germans alike are most grateful and deferential to their hosts. They toast the King and the Kasier. They sing each other’s national anthems. When the final visit by German students ended in July 1914, one King’s pupil summed it up thus:

‘This interchange of visits, which was instituted by Mr. Koch, has now attracted general attention in England, and its importance cannot be overestimated. We British are very insular, and are prone to regard everyone else as “foreigners,” a kind of race apart, having little or no resemblance to us. But when members

King’s O.T.C., 1910

of the rising generation in both England and Germany have the opportunity to mingle, to see each other’s home life and the institutions of each other’s country, and to realise how much there is in common between them, a very good work is being done, which may have a deep influence on events in the future.’

Less than a month later, Britain declared war on Germany in support of its French and Belgian allies. Over 1,000 former King’s pupils served in World War One. George V changed the name of the Royal Family to Windsor; the Kaiser is said to have joked that he looked forward to seeing, ‘that great Shakespeare play The Merry Wives of Saxe-CoburgGotha’. It was no laughing matter, however, for thousands of Germans living in Britain. Shortly after Britain joined the war Friedrich Wilhelm Koch, who had been Senior German master at King’s since 1906, was informed by the governing body that they were ‘unable to hold out any hope of renewing his engagement.’ Koch, like the other 50,000 or so Germans

living in Great Britain at that time, had now become the enemy because of his nationality. The Aliens Restriction Act was passed by parliament on 5th August 1914, the day after war was declared on Germany: all foreign nationals had to register with the police and might be interned or deported. After the war, in May 1920, the school Governors went some way to make amends; they voted to repay Koch ‘his own contributions to the Retirement Fund, plus interest, plus 5/12ths of the Governing Body’s equivalent contribution, with interest, calculated to 4 August 1914.’ School-organised trips to Germany would not resume until the 1930s; then, once again, they took place against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile political landscape.

If you would like to read more about the 1911-1914 Anglo-German tours and the lead up to the First World War, an online version of the exhibition on which this article is based can be found on the King’s Association Hub.

King’s College School magazine, July 1911

Events Round-up

The Friends of King’s is the school’s parent association and registered charity, which organises social and fundraising events across the school year. Since the Friends of King’s was founded, they have raised over £1.3 million and allocated funds to purchase high quality equipment to enhance sports, drama and music departments, as well as supporting the

FRIENDS OF KING’S FIREWORKS DISPLAY 2024

More than 3,500 members of the King’s community gathered on site in November for this year’s Friends of King’s Fireworks Display. Attendees were treated to a spectacular fireworks show which was synchronised with light projections and music. The audience was also treated to live music performances by the talented musicians from King’s and a variety of tasty Bonfire Night treats, along with circus performances and face painting.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Friends for their dedication in organising this fantastic event, which has become the highlight of the school year. The proceeds from this and other Friends’ fundraisers play a crucial role in supporting the school, funding special projects and equipment, and providing a vital contribution to the King’s bursary programme.

King’s partnership and outreach programme to ensure that the school continues to play an active part in the life of the community.

The Friends host several events throughout the year, this varies from the second-hand uniform sale to the Fireworks and Christmas Fair and all members of the King’s community are invited to attend.

FRIENDS OF KING’S CHRISTMAS FAIR 2024

The Friends of King’s Christmas Fair took place at the end of November, drawing a large crowd from the King’s community and beyond. Visitors enjoyed festive treats provided by our parent association, with carol singing from our junior school and partnership choirs adding to the atmosphere. The fair featured 80 stalls offering a variety of products, including gifts, artisan food, tree decorations, jewellery, books, flowers and pre-loved winter sportswear.

Fun activities included an inflatable photo booth with festive hats and masks, and both indoor and outdoor children’s games zones. The event also featured seasonal gastronomic delights and an eagerly awaited raffle draw, making for a day of festive fun and cheer.

We extend our immense gratitude to the volunteers from the Friends who made this event a highlight of the autumn term. Proceeds from the fair support the school’s Bursary Programme and fund special projects and equipment for King’s pupils.

Over 3,500 people gathered to watch this year’s Friends of King’s Fireworks Display

OLD KING’S CLUB ANNUAL DINNER

This year’s annual Old King’s Club Dinner took place in the prestigious surrounds of Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. Over 100 alumni and partners came together for a banquet dinner in the presence of the Lord Mayor of London and guest speaker Chris Jones (OK 1984), an award-winning rugby and tennis correspondent. It was wonderful to see different members of the King’s community coming together to share their memories of the school and to enjoy excellent food and drink. Alexander Malmaeus, Chair of the Old King’s Club, warmly thanked guests and their partners for attending.

The Old King’s Club has been keeping former pupils in touch with one another since 1884. The club organises social activities including an annual dinner, Duel Day, sporting get-togethers, careers evening and with the King’s Association they help to organise the OKC annual reunion. The Club is owned by its members and is independent of the school. Annual membership is free and open to all past King’s pupils.

Alumni enjoy dinner at Mansion House

OKC Annual Dinner at Mansion House

OKC Chair, Alexander Malmaeus and the Lord Mayor of London

SECTOR NETWORKING SERIES –LAW PANEL DISCUSSION, Q&A & NETWORKING SESSION

The King’s Association, in collaboration with the King’s Law Society, was thrilled to host a Law Q&A Panel Session in September. The event brought together pupils, alumni, parents, and staff to engage with, and ask questions to a panel of industry experts. The session was expertly chaired by Matthew Abraham (OK 2006), a Barrister at South Square. The panel included Alex Shandro (OK 2003), Partner at A&O Shearman, Parishil Patel, KC, Essex Chambers, Alex Payne (OK 2006), Head of Legal (Commercial) at Chelsea Football Club, and Katy Blake (OK 2012), Senior Legal Counsel at AlphaSights. These experts offered valuable insights into the legal sector and provided a platform for students and current professionals to network and share their experiences. Thank you to all those who joined us for this event.

Our panellists are joined by Antony Berry, Director of Development and Head, Dr Anne Cotton

SECTOR NETWORKING SERIES –ENTREPRENEURSHIP PANEL DISCUSSION, Q&A & NETWORKING SESSION

We were thrilled to host an inspiring Sector Networking Series event that brought together over 100 participants, including students, staff, current and former parents, alumni and pupils from our partner schools. The event featured an engaging panel session on entrepreneurship, followed by a dynamic networking opportunity.

We were fortunate to welcome a distinguished panel of experts from various facets of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including venture capitalists, founders, chairs and CEOs who generously shared their insights and experiences. Among the esteemed speakers were:

• Olha Dolinska (OK 2017), Entrepreneur in Residence at Zinc, and Chair of the King’s Entrepreneurship Knowledge Network

• Rishi Khosla, CEO and Co-Founder of OakNorth

• Preet Ahluwalia, Principal Director at Dominus

• Marie Korde, Co-Founder and General Partner at Two Magnolias Venture Capital

• Nicholas Shekerdemian (OK 2013), CEO and Founder of The Venture Collective

• Tony Stockil (Chair), Chairman of Coat Paints

The session provided invaluable insights into the entrepreneurship sector, highlighting the challenges and opportunities within the field. It also served as a platform for attendees to network, exchange ideas and build meaningful connections. The diverse perspectives and experiences shared by our panelists enriched the discussion and left a lasting impact on all who attended.

Pupils networking at the SNS Law panel event

up by

from the OKC

On Saturday 31st August, the King’s Old Boys Football Club came for the opening match on the sparkling new home pitch at Arthur Road. At stake were the bragging rights for the Kane Cup (in honour of Liam Kane) – the trophy awarded to the victor in the annual fixture played between the Old Boys and School Football 1st XIs, which fell victim to heavy rain last year. It was fantastic to see so many alumni and pupils take part in the fixture, with the Old Boys squad consisting of some 28 players ranging from 1999 leavers who had originally set up the club, right through to recent school leavers.The game was split into 3 x 30 minutes to allow for sufficient squad rotation, with the Old Boys 1st XI taking to the pitch for the first third and making a fast start, scoring two goals within the first 5 minutes. Further goals were added in the final 30 minutes by a team made up largely of 2nd XI and Vets, with the Old Boys running out 4-0 winners and lifting the Kane Cup, handed over by Liam Kane himself. This was followed by speeches and a barbecue

Club, which was also playing a pre-season fixture that afternoon, financed by the development office.

It was great to have so many parents and supporters of the pitch project in attendance, from OKC clubhouse trustees through to representatives from the Development Office and school, including Head Dr Anne Cotton. Thanks must also go to the groundstaff, led by Miguel, for preparing such a high quality pitch that is now the envy of the Arthurian League. Following our opening home league match of the season on Saturday 7th September, a 5-3 defeat against last season’s champions the Old Reptonians, the opposition captain sent the following message around the league captains and organisers:

“If anyone here is lucky enough to play at KCS this year, make sure you’re not unavailable or injured that weekend. The new pitch is spectacular!”

It really feels as though we have begun an exciting new era, which duly reflects the growing stature and quality of football at Kings.

Result: 4-0 (Goals: Chester Gash, Patrick Barton, Aren Sargood, Sam Pederzolli).

kindly cooked

Paddy Ralston

Rugby

KING’S 1ST XV V WIMBLEDON COLLEGE 1ST XV

September saw a thrilling match between King’s 1st XV v Wimbledon College 1st XV. King’s triumphed with a winning penalty kick, resulting in a final score of 20 -19. A number of old rugby boys came to support the King’s team from the sidelines, having enjoyed breakfast together beforehand.

Tony Hein, who is warmly remembered as a coach at King’s from 1962-1991, shared fond memories of his time at the school and read a passage from his recently published memoirs. We would like to thank everyone who came and wish the King’s 1st VX success for the season.

ENLIGHTENING MINDS: THE RISE OF POPULISM IN EUROPE: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES | SARA HOBOLT

We were delighted to welcome Professor Sara Hobolt from the London School of Economics to deliver a talk on The Rise of Populism in Europe: Causes & Consequences.

Professor Hobolt is a political scientist specialising in European politics and electoral behaviour. She holds the Sutherland Chair in European Institutions at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her research focuses on elections, referendums, public opinion, and the European Union. She has published extensively and received numerous awards, including being elected a Fellow of the British Academy. Her most recent book (co-authored with Catherine De Vries), Political Entrepreneurs: The Rise of Challenger Parties in Europe, was published by Princeton University Press in 2020.

In this talk, Professor Hobolt explores the economic, cultural and political factors driving populism and its impact on European democracies, which can be streamed online.

Antony Berry, Director of Development, Professor Sara Hobolt, Sutherland Chair in European Institutions, London School of Economics, and Sam Young, Acting Assistant Head (Enrichment & Pupil Progress)

Tony Hein shares his memories of the school

The match in full swing

In November, OKs who are currently studying at various UK universities gathered for reunion dinners at Edinburgh, Durham and Cambridge, hosted by Mr Herman Lam, our Director of Higher Education.

In Edinburgh and Durham, over 40 OKs caught up over pizzas about their recent activites; from discussing their favourite lecturers to talking about their latest sporting adventures with their university teams. Edinburgh and Durham are now firm favourites with recent graduates, with 20 and 32 from the class of 2024 attending the universities respectively.

In Cambridge, Ms Clarke (Senior Deputy Head) and Mr Sandels (Head of Middle School) and Briony Blohm (Head of Alumni and Engagement) joined Mr Lam in the

historic setting of the New Combination Room at Corpus Christi College. For two of our attendees, the commute to dinner was mere seconds! Mr Sandels gave a moving speech reminding our OKs that it is important to enjoy the journey of being at university as much as treating it as the staging post for what comes next in life.

These university reunion dinners are piloted as part of our commitment to preparing our young OKs for life at 25: it was brilliant to see OKs of different year groups networking and sharing wisdom with each other during the dinners, forming connections they would otherwise not have. For the next year, we are looking forward to hosting dinners in west of England universities as well as Oxford – watch this space!

Cambridge alumni dinner

Durham alumni dinner

Edinburgh alumni dinner

ENLIGHTENING MINDS: FOUNDLINGS, CARE AND THE ARTS | EMMA RIDGWAY

The first event in the Enlightening Minds lecture series of the new academic year offered a fascinating insight into the real-life history behind this year’s senior production, The Coram Boy.

Emma Ridgway, Director of London’s Foundling Museum, delivered a captivating and moving talk entitled ‘Foundlings, Care and the Arts’, in which she explored stories from the archive of the Foundling Hospital. She shone a light on some of the histories of love, loss and care wrapped up in objects retained from the institution, which was established by philanthropist Thomas Coram in 1739 as the UK’s first children’s charity and its first public art gallery, dedicated to caring for babies at risk of abandonment.

Emma’s talk highlighted individual stories of love and loss from the hospital’s history. Today, the Foundling Museum, located on the original site, showcases many tokens used to identify the foundling children and supports artists who advocate for social change.

The timing of this lecture was planned to coincide with the final rehearsals of The Coram Boy, which premiered in King’s Collyer Hall Theatre on Wednesday 27th November.

Our Enlightening Minds lecture series can be accessed online.

Emma Ridgway, Director of the Foundling Museum, delivering a talk titled ‘Foundlings, Care and the Arts’

SYDNEY REGIONAL SOCIETY ALUMNI GET-TOGETHER

We were thrilled to host our inaugural alumni networking event in Sydney last month. It provided a fantastic opportunity for our alumni to reconnect, share their professional journeys, and explore potential collaborations. Held at the Keg & Brew, the evening was brimming with lively conversations, laughter, and a strong sense of camaraderie.

We look forward to hosting more alumni networking events in the future. If you’re interested in attending, please keep an eye on our website and monthly eBulletins for registration information.

A special thank you to James Smith (OK 1996), Chair of the Regional Society of Australia/New Zealand and the LGBT+ Knowledge Network, for hosting this wonderful event.

Alumni from Australia and New Zealand gathered for our inaugural Sydney Regional Society event

School News: Mind

CELEBRATING ACADEMIC CURIOSITY

Our sell-out TEDx King’s College School event was a vibrant showcase of the academic curiosity of our pupils, presented under the theme ‘Enlightening Minds’. It began with a pupil exhibition fair which offered guests a chance to explore an array of enrichment projects our pupils have been working on, with pupils on-hand to present their work

and engage in conversation about their ideas. A selection of pupils then hosted their own exhibition presentations, delving deeper into their projects, before the evening culminated in the pupils’ TEDx talks.

The captivating talks were delivered with clarity and humour by nine shortlisted pupils, who took to the Collyer Hall Theatre stage to present their individual study projects to the audience of 100 guests and live-stream viewers. Pupil-presenters and subjects were:

• Gyaan (L5Mac) – “Plasma: The Fuel of the Future”, explored how plasma—the fourth state of matter – could revolutionise energy, aviation, medicine and space exploration.

• Alec (L5G) – “Is Culture Food?”, examined why culture consumes so much of our daily lives and how it shapes our identity.

• Rehan (8R) – “Hidden Hazards in Top Treats”, investigated ultra-processed foods, uncovering hidden additives in popular snacks, and offering tips for making smarter food choices.

• Zoya (U6L) – “The Benefits of Sleep”, emphasised sleep’s critical role in brain health and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, along with practical advice for improving sleep hygiene.

• Sen (L6A1) – “Will Humans Ever Live on Mars?”, discussed the challenges of Martian living, recent advancements like NASA’s MOXIE experiment, and how space exploration could address Earth’s critical issues.

• Sebastian (4L) – “How Do Purchases Affect Our Happiness?”, examined the science behind our buying decisions and offered advice on avoiding impulsive purchases to make better choices.

• Elizabeth (L6A1) – “Imaginary Numbers: Do They Actually Exist?”, explained how imaginary numbers exist beyond the real number line in an alternate dimension that challenges our understanding.

• Veer (U5K) – “The Frozen Wastelands of Antarctica and Why It Matters”, focused on the crucial role of krill in the ecosystem and proposed sustainable ecotourism to aid conservation efforts.

• Ethan (U6) – “Experience Unstoppable Productivity: ‘Flow State’”, revealed how to harness the flow state for heightened focus and productivity through personal stories and actionable steps. Pupils worked incredibly hard in preparation for this exciting event, and received guidance on public speaking to help them develop this key skill. For the nine pupils who led the TED talks, there was additional tutelage provided through participation in four workshops which aimed to help refine their talks and impart additional tips on public speaking. They also received individualised coaching to help prepare them for the event and took part in a special workshop led by business leader Joe Garner (OK 1987). During this highly informative session, Mr Garner provided individualised feedback to the pupils, in addition to tips on how to manage anxiety

through all stages of preparation and delivery of presentations.

Mr David Miller (Assistant Head –Innovation) lead the event and he had this to say about the pupil-participants: “I am incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work our pupils have demonstrated over the past month in preparing for TEDx King’s College School. Their outstanding contributions not only showcased their talents but also facilitated personal growth and the development of valuable skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and collaboration— skills that will undoubtedly serve them well in their futures. My heartfelt thanks go to everyone involved who ensured the event and live stream were a tremendous success.”

It was wonderful to see so much engagement from pupils and from the audience of parents and other supporters who joined the event in-person, at the Watch Party in the Great Hall and from their own devices, via the livestream.

Hafsa (U6) brings the TEDx talks to life.

Year 8 recently welcomed writer, comedian, actor and director Spencer Brown to the school for the start of their annual writerin-residence project. This year, pupils faced a new writing challenge as they turned their hands to drafting a screenplay.

The project required them to produce a thriller film that they devised and wrote independently, with the help and support of the English department and Brown, who will return to King’s to host a series of workshops over the course of the year. Pupils will present their final pieces at an exciting exhibition event which will take place during King’s Arts in the summer term.

The introductory workshop introduced the writer, the format and the genre, with a carousel of seminars looking at loglines, taglines, structures, character arcs and settings. The students were then tasked with gathering their ideas into a mood board presentation for what their own film might be.

Formerly of the Cambridge Footlights,

Brown has written a number of film screenplays, including the sci-fi thriller T.I.M. which reached number one on Netflix. It was fantastic to see him share his experiences and expertise with our pupils, and we look forward to reporting on the project as it unfolds over the course of the academic year.

Pupils begin drafting their own screenplay

Spencer Brown shares his experience and expertise with pupils

PHENOMENAL RESULTS FOR KING’S PUPILS

We are delighted to report that the excellent accomplishments of this year’s GCSE, A level and IB pupils have been reflected in The Telegraph’s national school league tables.

The lower sixth achieved some phenomenal GCSE results last summer, breaking several school records with their exam marks. 98.26% of all grades were at 9/8/7, which has placed King’s as the highest performing independent day school in the country for 2024.

Our A level and IB pupils also recorded new highs. With 86.1% of all marks being recorded at A*/A. King’s class of 2024 is the secondhighest achieving cohort of independent day school pupils in the UK this year.

These two fantastic year groups have shown exceptional scholarship, while their pursuits outside the classroom speak to equally enthusiastic levels of engagement with the world beyond. With a resume of activities that includes record-breaking sporting achievements, award-winning drama productions, and numerous examples of competitive success at both national and international levels, their unique combination of intellectual endeavour and appetite to contribute to our communities exemplifies the spirit of excellence and adventure we nurture in our pupils.

“The lower sixth achieved some phenomenal GCSE results last summer... which has placed King’s as the highest performing independent day school in the country for 2024”

MR STABLES RECEIVES THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO’S OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AWARD

We are delighted to share that Mr Stables, Deputy Head (Director of Studies), has been awarded the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award. This prestigious honour was given based on nominations from students accepted into the Class of 2028, who highlighted educators who profoundly influenced their academic paths. Mr Stables’ unwavering dedication to nurturing intellectual curiosity and his strong commitment to helping forge our pupils’ paths have distinguished him in a highly competitive field.

Mr Stables said, “I am honoured to receive the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award. This recognition is a testament to the wonderful pupils I have had the privilege to teach. Their enthusiasm and dedication to learning inspire me every day. Thank you for this prestigious award!”

The University of Chicago said, “An Outstanding Educator shapes young minds in meaningful ways – thoughtfully approaching instruction, sharing an infectious love for learning, and caring for students both inside and outside of the classroom. Each year, newly admitted UChicago students have the opportunity to reflect on their time in school and nominate an educator who played a significant role in their education, made a positive impact in their lives, and whose influence has brought them to where they are today.”

Mr Stables

Dr Anne Cotton, Head, and Ms Elinor Garnett, Head of A level, recently delivered the closely guarded results of this year’s King’s essay competition which is undertaken by A level pupils. The competition takes place in the lower sixth year, requiring students to complete a university-style study on a subject of their own devising, in the form of a dissertation essay of up to 4,000 words. This year’s topics were as diverse and ambitious as ever, encompassing a wide range of interests, depth of research, creativity and intellectual rigour. Undertaking the process is itself a significant achievement in that it marks the pupils’ first taste of university-style study and Ms Garnett noted how difficult it was to select the overall winners from such a strong field of submissions.

We are delighted to announce this year’s winners:

• Alma (U6Mac) – ‘To what extent is Durvalumab immunotherapy capable of improving outcomes for patients with unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer patients?

• Ethan (U6A1) – ‘To what extent can vector spaces serve as a unifying framework to model diverse sets of phenomena?’

• Jonah (U6G1) – ‘How have environmental themes been depicted in poetry by English poets from 1790 to 1980?’

• Ryan (U6Mac2) – ‘Does Marxist Analysis Provide a More Accurate Explanation of the Iranian Revolution than Religious Interpretations?’

• Ella (U6M) – ‘To what extent do external factors impact judicial decisions?’

With the standard of writing so exceptionally high, the judges were very pleased to announce that a further 29 pupils were receiving ‘highly commended’ awards. These went to Zoya (U6L), Elizabeth (U6M), Isla (U6A), Mimi (U6M), Lorraine (U6Mac), Luca (U6G1), Zoé (U6Mac), Maxime (U6A2), Ethan (U6Mac2), Tom (U6A1), Phoebe (U6A), Emma (U6G), Vivien (U6L), Ryan (U6L2), Shawn (U6L2), Dylan (U6Mac2), Jaye (U6L1), Aditya (U6M1), Shreya (U6A), Tommaso (U6A2), Celine (U6K), Niamh (U6M), Niccolo (U6M1), Sofia (U6K), Joohun (U6A2), Samuel (U6A1), Maximilian (U6Mac1), Alexander (U6A1), Shan (U6Mac) and Luciana (U6G).

CORAM BOY

In the autumn term, the curtain rose on this year’s stunning senior production, Coram Boy. Dramatised from the award-winning novel by Jamila Gavin, Coram Boy tells the tale of two cities – Gloucester and London – and two orphans at the Coram Hospital for Foundling Children. It is a story of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, dreams and nightmares. The play presents a huge challenge to both cast and crew as it includes a vast number of scenes, characters, and locations, as well as spanning a great many years and covering some incredibly deep - at times harrowing - subject matters.

This highly ambitious piece of ensemble theatre featured the largest numbers of pupils ever to have been involved in a senior school

production and demonstrated the remarkable dedication of everyone in the cast and crew who worked so diligently to bring this moving and morally complex tale to life. The play featured fantastic musical accompaniment provided by King’s singers and musicians, whose performance of movements from Handel’s Messiah was woven throughout the story, and the staging was no-less impressive with a rotating stage elevating the production even further.

Directors Ms Barron and Ms Feeny commented: “It has been an absolute privilege and a humbling experience to collaborate with such an intellectually and emotionally sensitive company who have, with their incredible talent and dedication, brought to life this haunting and powerful tale.”

KING’S BRINGS HOME THE RUSSELL CHESS TOURNAMENT TROPHY

The King’s chess team won the Russell Chess Trophy Chess Tournament which was hosted by RGS Guildford in September.

The school entered two teams, A and B, both of which took part in two introductory rounds of chess to decide the finalists. The A team were placed in the Championship section, while the B team joined the Major section. The A team played extremely well and came away with victories against Wilson’s A and Hampton A, both of whom were challenging opponents to overcome. The B team put in an excellent effort also but missed out on winning their section after losing their last matches.

All the boys did extremely well, comporting themselves with maturity and sportsmanship. After winning the National Final in June and now the Russell Chess Trophy, the year ahead looks set to be another successful one for the King’s chess team.

Congratulations to Luca (L6K2), Zain (L5M), Shahvez (U6M2), Sanjit (L5A), Diego (U6G2) and Alfred (4G). Special mention goes to Kabir (U5A), Shahyan (L5M), Sen (L6A1), Aarav (4K), Indra (L5G) and Cédric (4Mac).

Bringing home the Russell Chess Trophy

The Russell Chess Trophy Chess Tournament

School News: Heart

BIOLOGY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

We are proud to be contributing to ‘Biology for a Better Tomorrow’, a digital series from the Royal Society of Biology and Content with Purpose, which explores the profound role that biologists play in impacting everyday life and contributing to a flourishing future for people and the planet.

Through a collection of insightful interviews and engaging short films, ‘Biology for a Better Tomorrow’ will explore a wide array of topics, from cutting-edge research and technological advancements to the development of new skills necessary for our changing world. As the only school to have been chosen as a content partner, pupils and staff took part in filming with the two organisations, and feature in their very own short documentary, which launched here today. King’s alumnus, Dr Chris van Tulleken also features in the series, acting as one of the ‘expert interviews’. In his piece, he highlights how biology is in every breath we take, every meal we eat, and every sport we play.

On the eve of the project launch, two members of the Biology department including Dr Jane Blythe (Head of Biology) attended the RSB Biology Week Networking and Awards Ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society. Dr Blythe, who features in the King’s film herself said, “What we do here at King’s is create a lifelong curiosity and understanding of science that pupils can go on to apply at any point in their lives and for it to have that long-lasting impact”. The film’s lead studentcontributor, Justin (U6K2) shared his profound belief in the scope of pursuing a career in a biology-related field: “Currently my dream is to do something that can make the world better. I want to work in biotech, or a related field to do with Biology, and to make a difference and an impact on this world”.

ACT OF REMEMBRANCE 2024

Pupils and staff gathered in the school quad for the Act of Remembrance, ahead of Remembrance Sunday. Every year the school comes together to take part in this service which honours those who have given their lives in conflict. Reverend Madeleine Miller led the service from the steps of the Great Hall, overlooking the war memorial, and was joined by our Head, Dr Cotton, senior members of staff and members of the Old King’s Club.

Pupils played a leading role in the service with the school’s CCF in attendance in full uniform, and the choir providing some beautiful musical accompaniment. The ceremony culminated in the laying of wreaths by Dr Cotton, the Old King’s Club and the CCF, after which a smaller party of representatives proceeded to the Great Hall to take part in a private service.

The school’s Combined Cadet Force at the Act of Remembrance

School News: Spirit

EMMA RIDGWAY TALKS ‘FOUNDLINGS, CARE AND THE ARTS’

Emma Ridgway, Director of London’s Foundling Museum

The first event in the Enlightening Minds lecture series of the new academic year took place on Tuesday 12th November, offering a fascinating insight into the real-life history behind this year’s senior production, The Coram Boy.

Emma Ridgway, Director of London’s Foundling Museum, delivered a captivating and moving talk entitled ‘Foundlings, Care and the Arts’, in which she explored stories from the archive of the Foundling Hospital. She shone a light on some of the histories of love, loss and care wrapped up in objects retained from the institution, which was established by philanthropist Thomas Coram in 1739 as the UK’s first children’s charity and its first public art gallery, dedicated to caring for babies at risk of abandonment.

The event was introduced by sixth formers Hana (L6M) and Alfie (L6A1) who shared this account of the talk: “Emma Ridgway’s fascinating Enlightening Minds talk explored the establishment of the Foundling Hospital by Thomas Coram. Emma explained how Coram, a naval sea

King’s College School welcomes Emma Ridgway, Director of London’s Foundling Museum

captain turned philanthropist, petitioned to alleviate the suffering of London’s children in the eighteenth century. Inspired by Coram’s efforts, the artist Hogarth and composer Handel used their own art to support and raise funds for the enterprise. Emma’s talk also touched on some of the individual stories of love and loss from the hospital’s history. Now, the Foundling Museum, on the site of the old hospital, displays many of the tokens used to identify the foundling children who were under the hospital’s care, and supports artists who drive forward social change.”

The timing of this lecture was planned to coincide with the final rehearsals of The Coram Boy, which premiered in King’s Collyer Hall Theatre on Wednesday 27th November. Described by award-winning author, Phillip Pullman as ‘A rich and almost gothic drama [...] full of dastardly villains, cold-hearted aristocrats, devoted friends and passionate lovers, and set against a background of cruelty, music and murder’, the play tells the story of two orphans resident at the Coram Hospital.

DRACULA ELECTRIFIES THE COLLYER HALL THEATRE

KCS Theatre Co staged its first show of the year, an innovative interpretation of Dracula, which was performed for one night only in the Collyer Hall Theatre.

The bold stylised new production of Bram Stoker’s gothic masterpiece featured acrobatics, fighting and ensemble movement which created a spine-tingling atmosphere of unease and anticipation. This highly ambitious physicality was brilliantly paired with and enhanced by the original score, which was performed by King’s musicians, and helped to bring the classic tale of Dracula’s sinister seduction and descent to vivid and horrifying life.

“The staging here is mesmerising”.

King’s has established a long-standing tradition of performing at the globally renowned festival which celebrates the arts and culture, with last year marking the 25th year at the Fringe.

A very well done to everyone involved in this remarkably accomplished piece of A mesmerising performance

Audience members were wowed by the production which had already received rave reviews at its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer. Comments from the Fringe included: “The choreography is nothing short of exquisite”; “The acting was superb, communicating all the emotions and nuances of the characters, as well as each scene.”; “this adaptation’s blend of physical theatre, original music, brilliant costumes and exquisite lighting design creates a must-see piece of theatre”;

KING’S HOSTS ITS FIRST BURSARY SUMMIT

King’s hosted its first ever bursary conference, The Bursaries Summit for London Schools, in partnership with The Bursary Foundation in November.

Representatives from London schools joined us for an afternoon of discussion around bursary provision and ways to ensure it makes a meaningful impact. The programme began with a welcome from hosts Dr Anne Cotton, Head, and Jenny Hopkinson, Founder of The Bursary Foundation, a social mobility charity that works with primary schools in disadvantaged areas to help prepare high potential pupils for bursary funded places at leading independent schools. Jenny shared the aspiration behind the event:

“The summit is an opportunity to learn from our speakers and from other schools about the amazing work that is going on in our sector towards social mobility through bursaries. Attracting the right talent, guiding it towards opportunity and ensuring that those young people are nurtured and supported to thrive is hard work, and it’s this that we are going to explore at the summit.”

Along with a presentation on pupil insights and key learnings presented by Jenny, delegates had the chance to learn from industry experts Dr Cristina Floe, former Social Impact Lead at Latymer Upper and Kieran Smith, Partner at Crowe, as well as from King’s Director of Partnerships and Outreach, Peter Hatch, and

Caroline Roberts, Director of Marketing, Communications and Admissions.. The talks covered a variety of topics relating to bursary funding and outreach, including around change research and data analysis, the impact of VAT on bursaries and King’s bursary engagement initiative, King’s Connect, and the partnerships programme. There was also an opportunity for a highly insightful round table discussion which was led by the CEO of the Independent Schools Council, Julie Robinson. This debate allowed representatives to share their experiences in tackling the challenges each institution faces carrying out this vital work.

“...an opportunity for leaders across London to come together collectively to increase our impact in this important work”

Dr Cotton said: “We were delighted to partner with the Bursary Foundation on the Bursaries Summit, it was an opportunity for leaders across London to come together to increase our impact in this important work. Bursaries and fee assistance is core to our mission at King’s and has been for the last century; it was inspiring to be a part of the conversation to ensure we can act on behalf of our community to create a truly diverse student body in our schools”.

EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES FOR KING’S DEDICATED YOUNG ROWERS.

Ten talented athletes from the boys’ senior rowing squad participated in the GB U19 early identification assessment trials. These rowers had been selected for the trials following the tough GB juniors ergo cut off and travelled to Boston, Lincolnshire to take part in a 5km time trail. The whole group raced excellently, with Sebastian (L6K2), Alastair (U6K2) and Ivo (U6M1) offering particularly strong performances. Their respective times were 19:28.8, 19:31.7 and 19:32.1, which placed all

of them in the top 40 of 201 competitors.

For those who were not involved in the GB trials, a good day of competition awaited at the Teddington Head. Both the senior boys’ coxless four and the J16 1st VIII won their respective events, while the top two J15 coxed quads placed second and third of 18 boats in their event. The senior girls’ quad also put in a strong performance: they brought home a fourth-place finish.

KING’S IS ONE OF THE TOP CRICKETING SCHOOLS IN THE UK

We are delighted that King’s has been ranked amongst the top 100 cricketing schools in the country according to The Cricketer Schools Guide 2025.

The guide was published in the December issue of The Cricketer, the world’s best-selling cricket magazine, and celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Renowned for its longstanding coverage of all things cricket, the judges scour the large number of entrants to produce a ranking of both independent and state

best all-girls and prep/junior schools. Inclusion in the top 100 is a significant endorsement for any school, with entrants being judged against an extensive set of criteria, including a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixture programmes and coaching. King’s Head of Cricket, Mr Tom Gwynne shares his reaction below: “We are delighted that King’s has been placed in the Cricketer Magazine’s Top 100 schools guide in their tenth anniversary addition. Whilst cricket at King’s continues to thrive, it is always nice to receive external recognition. It continues to be an incredibly popular core sport for our pupils and the significant success we had on the field last season is reflective of the talent and hard work of our pupils and the outstanding provision given by an excellent group of cricket staff.’

ROWERS ACHIEVE AN ALL-TIME BEST IN BOSTON

Far from relaxing into a well-earned break over half term, King’s senior rowers spent the first half of the October holiday competing at the highly competitive Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, Massachusetts. There were no signs of fatigue from these dedicated sports men and women, however. Showing huge spirit, stamina and commitment, the crews came home with two outstanding performances under their belts.

The 1st VIII celebrated an impressive race which won them a bronze medal in a tough field of 90 boats in the men’s youth eights category. This is the school’s best ever result in this field. Meanwhile, the second boat was a coxed IV which came 19th of 90 in the men’s youth coxed fours category – a placement that has only been exceeded once in the school’s history.

Well done to all fourteen of the sixth form pupils who flew out to America: James A-P (U6A2), Rafael (L6A2), Gheorghi (L6A2), Ethan G (U6K2), Bridget (U6G), Callum G (L6M1), Alastair (U6K2), Benjamin H (U6G1),

Ben L (L6L2), Ivo (U6M1), Felix S (U6Mac2), Sebastian (L6K2), Ben V (U6Mac1) and Jonas (L6G2). The crews were ably led by Mr Whitelaw, Acting Head Coach (Rowing), Mr Rendell and Miss Barwick Ward, who supported the pupils as they took part in a fantastic few days of additional training in Boston once the competition was over.

Our rowers in Boston

King’s and Wimbledon High School recently hosted the third Charter Student Leadership Conference, with delegates and colleagues from 28 schools across greater London, representing nearly 30,000 students. The day featured several guest speakers and workshops centered around the key theme, “building bridges in divided times”.

Olivia (U6A) and Peter-Gabriel (U6MAC), heads of the charter at King’s, share their reflections of the day:

Olivia said, “the charter conference was an amazing event; as head of the charter, I was involved in hosting the event and ran a panel with the head girl at Wimbledon High School. The theme for this year was ‘building bridges in divided times’, an idea which was especially prevalent during our panel with Rabbi Johnny Hughes and Anki Deo. They were able to show us that the issues faced by victims of antisemitism and far-right extremism stem from the same issue of miscommunication and underlying stigmas which lead to discrimination.

At first, the prospect of being up on stage in front of so many people was daunting to me but in the end, I really enjoyed myself. I had the chance to meet other students attending the conference, and we shared our thoughts on each of the talks at the end of the day. I really liked this aspect of the conference because it was an interesting way to promote dialogue on the issues covered during the day, such as islamophobia, in a safe environment.

I really appreciated the chance to be able to meet so many like-minded people and spend a day learning about how we can help prevent conflicts and discrimination as young leaders in the community. Taking part in the panel was an incredible experience and it has really fed my love for public speaking.”

Peter-Gabriel shared, “This year’s charter conference provided a really interesting forum for discussion on the matter of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. I learned quite a bit about the difficulties faced by Muslim communities through the work of baroness Sayeeda Warsi. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to discuss these topics with

such an objective and unbiased disposition. I enjoyed the opportunity to represent the charter’s qualities to an especially receptive audience, and the conversations that followed on many different subjects were both thought provoking and clearly affirmed the importance of such a forum for discussion.”

Building bridges in divided times

Pupils participating in the Charter Student Leadership Conference

King’s U13 swimmers competed at the English Schools’ Swimming Championships in Birmingham. Alex (8S) shares his report on the exciting day of racing which saw the pupils secure a bronze medal in the 4x100 medley relay against a field of 205 schools and subsequently win the ESSA shield for the biggest improvement between the qualifiers and the finals.

“On Saturday 16th November we started the day early to go to the swimming national relays and arrived after a smooth 3-hour drive to the Sandwell Aquatic Centre in Birmingham, which was the commonwealth pool. The programme kicked off with a quick warmup, the national anthem, and our first race: the 4x100 medley relay. First up we had the heats and only the top 10 teams went on to the final. After qualifying in 20th, we were hopeful that with a changed order we could make it into the top 10. Lewis gave

us a strong start, Kaplan pushed us into third, I held the position in the 50 butterfly, and Gustave finished to put us in 4th place into the finals – an incredible leap from our 20th seed.

“In the final, we knew we would be in the mix for a medal and after a tantalising swim, we secured a bronze medal for the school. After a break, we competed in the 4x100 freestyle relay with Kaplan delivering an impressive finish just milliseconds from third and so we narrowly missed out on the podium but placed 4th out of 205 schools!

“We returned home thrilled with our performance and our bronze medal!”

Huge congratulations to Kaplan (8W), Gustave (8R), Lewis (8S) and Alex for their excellent achievement, which is the school’s first recorded medal at these events.

The school has recently been excited to share news about the development of education at King’s.

As we approach our 200th anniversary in 2029, we are implementing our World Beyond strategy, focusing on community and partnerships to prepare our young people for purposeful lives and to be ready to make a positive contribution in the world beyond school. Our plans are wide-ranging, and they are fundamentally about people, community and the partnership between pupils, parents, staff, alumni and our wider communities, which is central to the school’s educational philosophy. At the same time, the spaces we inhabit are important for our work, and we are always looking for opportunities to improve and extend our facilities, so as to enhance the educational experience we offer our pupils in all areas of school life.

Among projects completed this summer, our new learning enrichment hub, futures hub, refurbished classrooms and the new OKC pitch at Kingsway are already proving popular, and these form part of an ongoing programme of renovation works planned for our site.

We are delighted to share the news that the Corporation of King’s has acquired an additional educational site close to our school, to extend the King’s footprint in Wimbledon. This is the site of the former Ursuline Preparatory School, which sadly closed in summer 2024, and is located around seven minutes’ walk from King’s on The Downs in Wimbledon. This represents a rare opportunity to add to the King’s estate so close to our main site and offers considerable potential for the future development of the school.

Our planning is currently at a very preliminary stage and will be affected by a range of factors, but we intend to use this additional space to benefit the whole school by creating a new, world-class educational facility for our junior school, enhancing the educational environment for pupils in

transition to third form. The relocated junior school would comprise its own modern and bespoke facilities, drawing together Rushmere and Priory. Junior pupils would, at the same time, retain the scope to access the current facilities on our main site.

Our vision for a continuous educational experience for pupils as they move through the school remains unchanged, rooted in extensive collaboration between the different sections of the school, as pupils progress from junior school through to the sixth form. This would then create opportunities for the necessary renewal of some spaces on the main site, together with the enhancement of facilities used by senior school pupils. We intend to undertake a comprehensive master planning exercise to evaluate the various possibilities on our current site to ensure that we carefully consider all the various needs of the school and develop the educational experience we offer in a forward-looking and sustainable way.

In exploring this opportunity, we have been mindful of the current financial environment, the need to continue to manage costs effectively and operate the school efficiently, so this new development is being funded conservatively using a combination of reserves and long-term financing. Likewise, we remain committed to widening access to a King’s education by growing our bursaries programme through the generosity of our community and through our international and enterprises activity.

We expect to plan and implement the developments of our site in a careful and sequenced way, and this will take some years to realise.

You are very welcome to reach out to our head, Dr Anne Cotton (head@kcs.org.uk), to our bursar Mr Dave Navarro, (bursar@kcs. org.uk), or to our junior school headmaster, Mr Ted Lougher (EHL@kcs.org.uk) about these plans.

King’s Summer Business School

This summer will see the second weeklong programme of the King’s Business School, an exciting new initiative designed to introduce and foster entrepreneurship. This five-day course aimed at pupils having just completed upper fifth or lower sixth forms immerses students in various aspects of entrepreneurship and innovation, guided by expert trainers and seasoned entrepreneurs. Following the positive outcomes from last year, we are delighted to have expanded the programme for summer 2025 to incorporate two distinct streams: Business Founders and Business Leaders. This strategic development allows us to increase the numbers to 100 pupils who will join the business school and better serve pupils across different year groups, from fourth form through to lower sixth.

The jam-packed programme includes an array of activities and a host of skills workshops, giving pupils the chance to learn the A to Z of business and entrepreneurship from ideation and business planning to equity investment and business ethics.

Here are the highlights from 2024:

Day one: Robert Abrahams, co-founder of COAT paints, took to the stage with a compelling keynote speech. COAT, the UK’s pioneering B Corp certified paint company, embraces eco-friendly practices across its operations. Abrahams shared insights into sustainable business practices, inspiring the eager young minds in attendance. Later, Peter Wolf – an esteemed trainer and lecturer in finance, banking and economics – led a workshop on understanding profit and loss. His expertise illuminated the financial

Pupils engage in a product design project

intricacies that underpin successful ventures, leaving students with practical knowledge to apply in their entrepreneurial journeys.

The afternoon sessions, facilitated by Nina Lanzon and Annabel Byrne from the Entrepreneurship Institute at King’s College London, honed essential entrepreneurial skills. Team-building activities fostered collaboration, while a quick product design competition sparked creativity. To conclude the day, students embarked on a memorable trip to Immersive Gamebox, where interactive gaming experiences provided a delightful end to an enriching day.

Day two commenced with a captivating keynote speech by Jon O’Donnell. With over 25 years of experience in IBM Consulting, Jon specialises in AI, analytics, and data solutions. His insights resonated with the eager pupils as he explored different industries and discussed

how waves of change can disrupt sectors.

Following Jon’s thought-provoking address, Hattie Willis, a Venture Builder, Startup Coach, Trainer and Speaker, facilitated workshops that delved into the lean start-up methodology – an essential framework for budding entrepreneurs. Participants learned to identify market trends, recognise gaps and engage in problem ideation. Through user journey mapping, they honed their ability to address customer frictions, setting the stage for innovative ventures.

On day three, keynote speaker Robert Grieg-Gran, Co-founder of Mindful Chef –a health-focused food box delivery service – captivated the pupils with his insights into sustainable business practices.

The remainder of the day unfolded in a series of workshops, skilfully facilitated by Andy Ayim, a professional coach and investor

Designing a better TV

in entrepreneurs, and Felicity Halstead, founder of GoodWork – an inclusive youth employment programme. Participants delved into the intricacies of fundraising and exit strategies, recognising their pivotal role in business success. The importance of customer insight was emphasised, setting the stage for practical application and creativity.

Teams eagerly embraced quick pitch tasks, honing their communication skills, and then embarked on crafting their own business models.

Day four unfolded with inspiring talks and engaging discussions. Michelle Kennedy, Founder and CEO of Peanut – an innovative platform fostering connections among women – and Will Dean MBE, Co-founder of Immersive Gamebox and Tough Mudder, joined us. They focussed on ideation and niches.

Later, guided by LJ Silverman (Head of LSE Generate), Silvana Leon (Founder of Somosfin), and Chandni Hirani (Accelerator Lead of LSE Generate), pupils immersed

themselves in workshops covering crucial aspects of business establishment and management. From defining a business to exploring funding options, the day’s sessions were rich with practical insights.To end the day, Tony Stockil, Chairman and NED of multiple ecommerce businesses, shared his invaluable experiences, leaving a lasting imprint on these budding entrepreneurs.

The culminating day featured a keynote address by Nick Robertson, co-founder of ASOS, Britain’s largest fashion e-tailer. Students then participated in the ‘Founder Challenge,’ helping entrepreneurs tackle realworld business issues. The day also included a public speaking workshop, during which founders Nisha Ramisetty (Naksha), Raj Singh (Mindhug), and Akber Tahir (Pharmovo) guided students in refining their business models and finessing their final pitches. The day concluded with students presenting their pitches to a packed audience.

One pupil shared, “I just wanted to say

King’s 2024 Business School pupils

King’s 2024 Business School pupils

another huge thank you for the incredible week that you have made happen! It truly was such an amazing experience, and I feel that I have learnt so much and enjoyed myself thoroughly. From the speakers to the workshops, I really think there was such a fascinating array of activities that you have so kindly put together and I am so grateful to have been able to attend. I am also honoured to have won the LSE internship and cannot wait to attend. This is such an incredible opportunity that is much appreciated!”

Another said, “This programme has helped me to understand how you can actually turn an idea into a business, and this was best highlighted by the workshops. I also think learning about disruption was important because it redefined what innovation meant to me and showed you don’t have to create an entirely new product to start a business.”

Panellists Michelle Kennedy, Founder of Peanut, Lukas Kolff, Founder of Bowline Capital and Will Dean MBE, Co-founder of Immersive Gamebox and Tough Mudder

Thanks go to our amazing keynote speakers, facilitators, teachers, and advisors. We would also like to make a special thanks to The Kusuma Trust, who have very generously supported King’s Business School for the next three years. If you would like to know more or contribute to the future of our business school by delivering a workshop or keynote, please contact Mr Miller

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

Make A Difference Day (MADD) has long been a mainstay of the school calendar: on this day each year, the whole senior school looks forward to taking part in a series of off-timetable activities focused around a particular theme, with the aim of extending pupils’ understanding of and engagement with key social issues of the day, while also offering an opportunity for extended fundraising. The theme for this year’s event was ‘Health and Hope’ and the chosen beneficiary of this year’s activities was Cancer UK.

Hosting a ‘wear your own clothes day’ is always an excellent way to fundraise, and with every participant donating £2, the collection pots filled up quickly. Lower school pupils had the chance to learn first aid in their morning sessions, while older students took turns to hear about robotic surgery from Professor Prasanna Sooriakuruman. Other talks focused on important topics such as health policy and showcased two key charitable organisations: the St Giles Trust, which helps people held back by poverty, unemployment, the criminal justice system, homelessness, exploitation and abuse, in order to build a positive future; and the Anthony Nolan Charity, which supports stem cell donation, matching and transplantation. One fantastic outcome of these presentations was that 112 sixth form students signed up to

the stem cell donation register.

With follow-up discussions, quizzes and tutor-time activities alongside, break times offered pupils a chance to take part in and enjoy performances by the King’s jazz band and our very own buskers, and each house had the opportunity to run its own fundraisers and activities, too. These included a penalty shootout challenge, touch rugby, Just Dance, a tug of war, bake sales and a lively karaoke session on the steps of the Great Hall!

As the school day ended, dedicated colleagues braced themselves for the next stage of their Friday: Midnight Marathon walkers cheerfully pulled on their hiking boots and began a walk from King’s up to Central London, with all proceeds going towards this year’s charity. Friday evening also saw the close of our annual food drive campaign which saw pupils bringing in offerings of groceries for donation. The boxes of goods will be deployed by City Harvest, a local charity that delivers food and support to those who need it most. Our thanks to everyone in the King’s community who has supported this campaign with such generosity.

MADD 2024 was an uplifting and energising day, and it was great to see pupils inspired and empowered by the knowledge that they can make a meaningful impact on their world now and in their lives beyond King’s.

Pupils engage with MADD

The Anthony Nolan charity takes part

Upcoming Events

ENTREPRENEURSHIP KNOWLEDGE NETWORK BREAKFAST NETWORKING

– THURSDAY 27 FEBRUARY, 7.45-9.30AM, GILLARY’S RESTAURANT, LONDON

MARIOTT COUNTY HALL, WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON SE1 7PB.

All King’s alumni working in entrepreneurship or who would like to grow their networks are invited to come to a breakfast networking session taking place in London on Thursday 27 February. Hosted by the Entrepreneurship Knowledge Network Chair, Olha Dolinska

(OK 2017), this is their inaugural event, and we are keen for as many alumni as possible to come along and connect, help one another on their career journeys, and map out next steps for this alumni network. Please register here.

OLD KING’S REUNION – 14 JUNE 2025

2025 is the year for all of our alumni who left King’s in the 80s, as well as anyone from the years 1945, 1955, 1965, 1975, 1995, 2005 and 2015 to come back together and enjoy a day of reminiscing and reconnecting. We will also be welcoming former and current staff and will host lunch and a tour with our archivist, Dr Lucy Inglis, to see how the school has changed and developed over the years. This annual reunion is always incredibly special, with old friendships rekindled and new ones forged. Please register here.

LIFE AT 25 – 22 MAY 2025

Our Life at 25 Reunion is a great chance for our alumni to come back to school, reconnect with their former classmates, former teachers and staff for this milestone year after university, when alumni have stories to share about their journeys since King’s. We love catching up with this year group and hearing about the array of different experiences, and this is a super popular reunion. All 2018 King’s alumni are invited to register for this reunion here.

BENEFACTORS’ GARDEN PARTY – 28 JUNE 2025

The Benefactors’ Garden Party is a special opportunity for us to gather and celebrate the generosity of all those within our community who offer their valuable time and resources in support of the school.

The garden party promises a convivial afternoon, with live music from King’s pupils, summer cocktails and afternoon tea. There will also be the opportunity to connect with staff and fellow members of the King’s community. Invitations will be sent out in the coming weeks.

ONE YEAR ON BBQ – SEPTEMBER 2025

To mark one year since leaving King’s, we are hosting our popular Class of 2024: One Year on barbecue in September for all OK 2024s. The barbecue offers a fantastic opportunity for alumni to come back to school and catch up with friends and former teachers, to swap

memories from your time at King’s, share what you have been up to over the past year, and hear news from across the school. Full details and registration will be shared in upcoming eBulletins.

TOUR & TEA – WEDNESDAY 26 MARCH, 2:45-5:00PM

If you would like to revisit the school and find out more about its history and development, you are warmly invited to join our school archivist, Dr Lucy Inglis, for a campus tour in March. Revisit familiar haunts such as the Great Hall and discover the stories behind the school’s evolution to the current day. The tour will be followed by refreshments and a chance to see a selection of documents from the school archive. Please register here