King's School Magazine 2023 - 2024

KING’S AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

Danyal Sayedfourth form

King’s at the Edge of the Universe represents the limitless of King’s education and teachings. The sports pitches represent King’s talents away from academics and the fact that King’s itself is a planet symbolises the school being a world in which students can learn, create and enjoy.

EDITORIAL

Montserrat Kidwell

Welcome to the 2023-24 edition of the school magazine. There are many highlights in this year’s edition, including our biennial Day of Languages: from the generosity of the King’s parents to the buzz and excitement of the pupils from junior through to senior school, the day really brought the whole King’s community together. I personally found the production of Billy Elliot in a league with West End productions, and a fabulous night at the theatre — who knew that King’s pupils could fly! The colourful trips section should entice you all to want to experience some of these at some point during your King’s career, and the piece on the summer King’s Arts festival captures the amazing performances and famous faces presented at the 2024 event, which included Rt Hon Theresa May MP who drew a packed festival tent audience and inspired some would-be MPs to ask some probing questions.

There is so much more I will leave for you to enjoy in this packed edition, as you admire the efforts of the artists, musicians, sports people and cadets that make up this accomplished and erudite community of young people.

Finally, we say a fond farewell to all the departing staff, not least to Mr Bob Mitchell who served the school for 40 years. Sadly, we also mourn the passing of our colleague and friend, Mr Chris Willow, who provided me with invaluable musical assistance for Day of Languages each year and is sorely missed by all.

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2024

IB RESULTS DAY

Ms S Doherty

This year’s IB results were released at the beginning of July, we bring you some of the stories behind this year’s joyful results day photography.

SEBASTIEN AND MATTHEW

Among the cohort’s highest-achieving IB students are best friends Sebastien Virgo and Matthew Schafer, who met aged 11 at a King’s induction event and formed a friendship that has lasted throughout their seven years at the school. United by a shared commitment to academic excellence and a love of sport, they played football together and later joined King’s ranks of determined rowers — most recently competing at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta.

On results day, both received phenomenal marks that now propel them onto exciting new paths. Sebastien is heading overseas to study at SciencesPo College, Reims campus, where his threeyear degree will cover international relations, law, politics, history and sociology, along with a year abroad at one of 480 partner universities worldwide. Meanwhile, Matthew is staying in the UK to study Economics and Management at Merton College, Oxford.

“On results day, both received phenomenal marks that now propel them onto exciting new paths.”

SAM, AYAN, ANGUS, NIALL, HALLA AND WILLIAM

Another group of high achievers who featured in our results day photography was Sam Herbert, Ayan Nandi, Angus Barker, Niall Radcliffe, Halla Lee and William Bishop

This group of friends includes some of the year’s highestscoring pupils and highlights the diversity of degree choices and destinations. Heading furthest afield is William, who is off to Boston University to study business and finance. A keen rower just back from Henley, he’s excited to join Boston’s varsity rowing programme.

Niall is also leaving England, heading to Edinburgh to study History. His outstanding IB results and election as vice-captain of Maclear House reflect his dedication and leadership.

Still looking north, Angus and Sam are both bound for Durham. Long-time King’s pupils—Angus since transition, Sam since second form—they now pursue Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts respectively. Sam has represented the school in football, rugby and cricket, while Angus explored diverse interests from tennis and music (piano, trumpet, Jazz Ensemble) to the F24 electric go-kart project.

Closer to home, Ayan will study Chemistry at Imperial College London. His glittering IB score is matched by achievements including Golds in the British Chemistry Olympiad and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, and top honours in the UK Linguistics Olympiad. Meanwhile, Halla takes her love of History and artistic flair to study Human, Social and Political Sciences.

A-LEVEL SUCCESS

Ms S Doherty

The class of 2024 have enjoyed a phenomenal time at King’s, and their outstanding exam results this summer are a testament to the dedication and commitment they’ve shown in all their academic pursuits. With such brilliant school careers behind them, this remarkable cohort now heads into the world, and we wish them every success. While some pupils are taking a year out to travel or work, the majority are preparing to start university this autumn, with an impressive 91% securing places at their first-choice institution.

This year’s university destinations include many of the UK’s top institutions, running from the likes of St Andrew’s and Manchester towards the north, down through the country to Bristol and Exeter in the south. University hot spots include Oxford and Cambridge which, combined, will offer 39 members of this year’s cohort a new home, while Durham, UCL and Edinburgh will host 35, 22 and 21 upper sixth leavers respectively.

Pupils have chosen a wide array of degree courses, reflecting the breadth of intellectual ambition in this year group. A record-breaking five pupils are heading to Cambridge to study Maths—meaning King’s pupils will make up 2% of students on this highly competitive course. Nine pupils have secured places to read Medicine, while Economics and Engineering have emerged as the most popular choices, together accounting for nearly a quarter of the cohort.

Looking further afield, over 20 pupils are heading overseas for further study. Fourteen are crossing the Atlantic to attend prestigious US universities, including Princeton, Yale, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, and Berklee College of Music. European institutions are also gaining popularity: three pupils are bound for Bocconi University in Milan, two for Sciences Po in France, one for Trinity College Dublin, and another for IE Madrid. Notably, one pupil is travelling to Japan for their degree. We wish all these pupils safe travels as they embark on their studies at top global institutions.

From this year group full of brilliant young minds, we bring you a few glimpses of individual journeys from those who studied A levels, as we wish the whole year group the very best for the future.

LUCY & MENGHAN

Friends Lucy Harper and Menghan Wang are both heading to world leading universities—on opposite sides of the Pond and with contrasting interests. Lucy, who achieved excellent A level results in Drama, English, History and Music, is off to Princeton University in New Jersey to read Liberal Arts. A natural fit for the super-musical and theatrically-gifted Lucy, who became a key performer in King’s orchestras and choirs, and starred in numerous school productions, including the award-winning Billy Elliot.

Taking a different path, Menghan is heading to Cambridge to study Natural Sciences (Biological). She studied Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths, and distinguished herself with a remarkable string of academic awards.These include a certificate of merit in the Senior Kangaroo, distinction in the Maths Olympiad for Girls, and gold awards in five national competitions: the Senior Maths Challenge, Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, RSC Chemistry Olympiad, Intermediate Biology Olympiad and British Biology Olympiad.

BEN AND XIMENA

Ben Clarke and Ximena Harrington To have been true role models at King’s. One of this year’s captains of school, Ben has consistently achieved at the highest academic level. While studying A levels in Economics, English, Latin and Maths, he also represented the school in rugby, cricket and football, and was a leading figure in the debating society, mentoring younger pupils. His talent for written communication earned him a coveted King’s Essay prize and a commendation for the Peter Cane Legal Reasoning Prize. He now heads to the University of Oxford to pursue his passion for law.

Vice-captain Ximena, an inspiring example of all-round excellence, is planning to study Biochemistry or Natural Sciences after a gap year. Her glittering school résumé includes the Freake Cup for outstanding achievement, leading the UK Space Design team to national victory, and winning ‘Best Presenter’ at the International Space Settlement Design Competition at NASA. She also earned commendations for her King’s Essay and the Mark Allen Memorial Prize, played for the 1st team in tennis and swimming, and helped develop the Wimbledon Charter with Wimbledon High School

FRASER

As one of this year’s Freake Cup nominees, Fraser Burdett has exemplified the lion-hearted spirit of King’s. While maintaining a top-tier academic performance (Biology, Chemistry, German, Maths), Fraser showed unwavering commitment to rowing. As captain of the Boat Club, he competed in elite competitions, representing the country

at the Home Countries Regatta, the Munich International Regatta, and the Rowing World Championships in Canada, where he reached the U19 junior men’s pairs final. Fraser became the first U19 GB rower to win three golds at Munich and helped the 1st VIII secure their first-ever bronze at the Schools’ Head of the River race. Looking ahead, Fraser will spend a gap year developing his rowing with the Sydney Rowing Club in Australia, before aiming to study at Brown University in the U.S

ROHAN

Rohan Reddy is one of this year’s scholarly superstars. Alongside excellent grades in Biology, Economics and Geography, he achieved the highest mark in the country for History A level. With razor-sharp focus and a gift for distilling complex ideas with clarity, he is perfectly suited to the Law degree he will study at UCL. His success in prestigious essay competitions—earning highly commended awards in both the Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law and the Peter Cane Legal Reasoning Prize—combined with the leadership and interpersonal skills he developed running Model United Nations sessions with local secondary school pupils, shows that Rohan is firmly on the path to making a real impact beyond King’s.

It has been our pleasure to have such a wonderful cohort of young people with us and we hope they will stay in touch as they take flight on journeys of adventure and achievement in the world beyond King’s. We wish all our IB and A-level graduates this year the very best of luck for the future.

PRIZE GIVING

Ms S Doherty

The final day of term offered the perfect occasion for reflecting on the academic year and celebrating all the achievements pupils have made since September. This year’s Prize Giving ceremony was led by Head, Dr Cotton with special guest prize giver, BAFTA nominee and award-winning actor, writer and comedian Tom Basden (OK 1999).

Tom gave a brilliant speech which was met with avid attention and much laughter from the assembled community of pupils and teachers. The mix of humour and wisdom he employed was used to great effect and ensured that the serious message he ended upon was received loud and clear: Tom advised pupils to pursue things that are really meaningful to them and which make “hours seem like minutes”. Some excellent and inspiring advice that really enhanced the optimistic and celebratory atmosphere in the marquee.

Musical accompaniment to the Prize Giving ceremony was beautifully performed by the cello ensemble, Isabella Bejko, Oregon Gerrits, Gabriel Harper, William James, Bryan Lai, Isabella Song, Desmond Zee and Jamie Zweimueller and the audience was treated to an excerpt of the recent middle school production, Hamlet.

The event came to end with some eloquent words of thanks offered by the new Captains of School, Zoé Dreanen and Tom Flood and - just like that - another school year had come to an end. As pupils and colleagues head off for the summer holidays, we wish everyone in the King’s community a restful and enjoyable summer.

CHESS CLUB

Shahyan

Ali – lower fifth

This has been a great year for Kings College School in chess. King’s chess team won the National School Chess Championship for the first time. KCS Wimbledon A team have also taken home the bronze medal in Division 1 of the Briant Poulter League, with 1 point separating them and the first-place trophy. KCS Wimbledon B ended up in 9th place, and considering that the B’s were relying on many reserves (at one point having 5/6 of the B team as reserves) is a great accomplishment.

Special mention to KCS Wimbledon A for qualifying for the Under 19 National Final!

Player of the Season Name Year

A team Hari Stewart (lower sixth)

B team Hari Singh (fourth form)

We hope to see many year 8 chess players join the teams next year!

UNDER 19 NATIONAL FINAL!

Mr O Vella

The King’s Chess A team qualified for the National Schools Chess Final held at the University of Nottingham.The chess competition was held over two days and included 5 rounds of chess, each lasting almost two hours long. Going into the competition, King’s was seeded second, behind last year’s national champions, Hampton School. In round 1, the team of six, Luca Buanne and Shahvez Ali (upper fifth), Diego Cordova-Lopez and Hari Stewart (lower sixth), Sanjit Kumar and Zain Patel (fourth form), were paired against King’s Edward School and won 3.5-2.5. Afterwards, the team played Tiffin School in round 2 and won comfortably 5.5-0.5.The final round of the first day saw the team face Magdalen College School and again the team won that, 4-2. At the end of the first day, King’s finished in second place, behind Hampton. As both King’s and Hampton were the only teams to have won all their first three matches, it meant that King’s would play Hampton in round 4. The King’s team needed to beat Hampton to have a strong chance of winning the whole competition and they did just that with a score of 3.5-2.5. It meant now that King’s had to face the number one seeded school, Wilson’s School, in the final round. It was a nail-biting end to the competition in that it all came down to the final two students on board 1 which ended in a draw which was just enough to secure the win over Wilson’s with a final score of 3.5-2.5. The chess team can be extremely proud of their success at being a part of the first ever King’s chess team to win the National Schools Chess Championship. They held their nerve through difficult games and managed to put their losses behind them and focus on the game in front them. Congratulations Luca, Shahvez, Zain, Diego, Sanjit and Hari!

“The King’s chess team held their nerve through difficult games, overcame champions, and were the first ever King’s chess team to win the National Schools Chess Championship”

CANSAT

Mr M Benyohai

Two teams from King’s—ParaSat and CamSat—participated in the UK CanSat Competition during the Easter break.This annual STEM event run by the European Space Agency (ESA) offers students hands-on experience working on a small-scale space project. Their challenge is to design and construct a simulated satellite that fits within the dimensions of a soft drink can. Despite the tight space, they must incorporate essential subsystems like power, sensors, and communication.

Once complete, their miniature creations are launched into the sky via a rocket, reaching an altitude of approximately 300m. The primary mission for each team is to record temperature and pressure data, transmitting it to a ground station during descent. Additionally, each team selects a secondary mission: ParaSat opted for a parafoil design, allowing precise control over their CanSat’s descent; CamSat equipped its arms with two cameras to capture ground imagery and create a 3D map of the surface.

Out of the 260 registered teams, 130 advanced to the regional stage. Unfortunately, due to adverse weather conditions, neither ParaSat nor CamSat could launch their satellites at regionals. However, both teams received valuable feedback and guidance from the organisers.

Excitingly, CamSat was chosen as one of the 10 finalists to compete in the Nationals held in York This achievement is particularly significant since it marks the school’s first-ever entry into the competition. A team composed of Hugo Carter, Ethan Hewitt, Niamh Holder, Joel Horrocks, Ankit Mukherjee and Krush Patel competed. Their achievement was remarkable, considering that out of the 260 participating teams, only 10 advanced to the national final. The team’s primary mission was to record temperature and pressure data, transmitting it to a ground station during descent. They also chose to capture a 3D image of the ground using a pair of cameras that deployed on release from the rocket. After meticulous preparation, the team successfully executed two launches. On the third day, they confidently presented their project to experts from the UK Space Agency, who deemed it the best overall! As a testament to their hard work and dedication, the team travelled to the prestigious European Space Research and Technology Centre in Leiden for a celebration event in June along with the winners from 23 other ESA member states. This was a significant recognition of their achievement and a great opportunity for them to explore the world of space research and technology further.

CanSat national winners present posters in Leiden

The Team

The team’s miniature satellite to 200 mph in 0.5 s

Reaching a height of 1000 ft

Calibrating the cameras before launch

Final testing session

"CamSat achieved two successful launches, receiving data over radio 500 m away."

In memory of Channel 4 news foreign correspondent and KCS Old Boy Gaby Rado, who died in Iraq in 2003, every year ITN offers a week’s work experience placement at Channel 4 News to one King’s sixth form student who is interested in the field of journalism. To be considered for this award, students are asked to produce a 1000-word article of original research on a local issue, current world affairs or topic of personal interest.

2023/24 GABY RADO PRIZE

News moves fast – that’s what I learned on my first day of work experience at ITN HQ. While the Gaby Rado Prize was to go behind the scenes at ITN, I was assigned to Channel Four News for the week, producing two live bulletins daily: a brief headlines summary at midday and an hour-long news round-up between 7 and 8 in the evening. I was warned early on that Summer is a quiet time for news – people are on holiday and, generally, the world gets into less trouble. I was about to discover that can change very quickly.

First thing Monday morning, I was given a guided tour of the ITN building: Channel 4 entertainment and legal on the ground floor, Channel 4 News on first, and ITV on third. I was then assigned a desk. To my right was one of the Channel 4 video editors who showed me the 3-minute news highlight reel ready to air at 12, while to my left were several BAFTAs and Emmys casually lying on a desk. The next surprise was that above my head was a long panel of monitors constantly playing Channel 4’s competitors: Sky, BBC, CNN and others.

The planned news for the day included a recent discovery of marine wildlife in the Pacific Ocean and some sporting highlights from Paris – the Olympics were still happening. However, shortly after the midday segment aired, I was invited to the midday meeting,

where they decide the day’s schedule. Some serious news was emerging – the tragic stabbing of multiple young girls and adults in Southport.

Of course, everyone was understandably shocked and upset at the situation, but the excitement and adrenaline of reporting breaking news filled the room with an excited buzz, and it spilled over into everything. In the afternoon, I was put with a team working on a ‘package’ – a short video segment—about the Middle East. Again, it was a fast-moving situation: the Golan Heights had been hit by a missile attack, and the intelligence suggested that a major escalation was imminent, possibly even war.

However, only minutes before we were due to go to the 7pm live show, the news came in regarding the arrest of BBC presenter Huw Edwards –and the Middle East package was immediately cut from the programme. The foreign correspondents who had spent the day working on the piece were surprisingly chilled about it; this happens all the time.

The highlight of the day was being invited to the control room to watch the programme go out live. This happened in a dark room where a group of editors, directors and myself stared at 60 screens (I counted), cueing up clips and ads and fixing sound. It was high-energy, fastmoving, and so much fun that

I went back to watch it every day I was at work.

Not every day had such big stories, of course, but that meant I got to see – and in some cases, get hands-on –with other parts of the news throughout the week. On day two, I was put in with the social media team, where I learnt how their content is created, edited and colour-graded for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, standing right behind the camera as the journalists shot their pieces. I even had a hand in writing some of the lines and choosing clips.

On the third day, I spent the day with the fact-checking team and the legal team where I learnt about all the legal protocols news agencies must follow: things you wouldn’t normally think about, but fascinating all the same. And on my final day, I spent the morning assisting the Olympics coverage team and in the afternoon, I sat in on the weather segment.

Saying my thank yous and goodbyes was bittersweet – I was glad I was able to have such an enriching experience at Channel 4 but disappointed that I wouldn’t be going in the next day. My week at ITN and Channel 4 was an incredible experience for anyone even remotely interested in journalism or even any sort of current affairs. I loved every minute.

Finlay Perry - upper sixth

GABY RADO AWARD

Finlay Perry’s winning essay

HOW BIG A THREAT IS AI TO OUR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES?

According to Ravensbourne University, two-thirds of young people are interested in a career in the creative industries. But with AI revolutionizing the worlds of film, tv and books, what creative job opportunities are going to left?

The use of AI in entertainment has been dominating the conversation all summer. From the sight of a de-aged Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to Tom Hanks’ admission that he could be hit by a bus tomorrow but keep on appearing in film due to the sophistication of ‘deep-fake’ technology, no wonder AI was a hot button topic at the Edinburgh TV festival and the Venice Film Festival.

In a Twitter post earlier this year, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen said, “we are entering an AI powered golden age of writing, art, music and science,” and with such change

“Tom Hanks’ admission that he could be hit by a bus tomorrow but keep on appearing in film due to the sophistication of ‘deep-fake’ technology”

This is an AI-generated image

and innovation in the air, perhaps it’s no wonder that young people are clamouring to get into the creative industries. In a survey last month, Ravensbourne University found 66% of young adults are interested in working in the sector.

Yet across the pond, Hollywood is mired in the first strike of both actors and screenwriters in over sixty years; and at the heart of the argument is artificial intelligence and what it will do to the creative industry.

In his Honest Broker newsletter, media commentator Ted Gioia pointed out that studios say they have no interest in substituting creatives with machines and merely want “a balanced approach, at the same time as Netflix listing a $900,000 opening for an ‘AI Guru’.

“That doesn’t feel like a balanced approach to me,” wrote Gioia. “It looks like they’re hellbent on replacing creative professionals with bots, and the faster the better.”

“Right now, it’s fun to watch a deep-fake version of Frank Sinatra singing an Adele song on YouTube,” says Ahmad Butt, co-founder of Re-art talent agency. “But AI could have devasting consequences for the creative community. Bill Gates said ‘AI will be our co-pilot’, but it’s human nature to want quicker, easier, more profitable. I worry we will lean on AI too heavily and impact human employability disastrously.”

Indeed, in a workplace where AI can copywrite, generate a news story or design a book cover in seconds, the temptation for business owners to outsource to ‘workers’ who don’t require tea breaks - or payment - must be overwhelming.

In the world of publishing, however, New York Times bestselling author Bella Andre believes that generative AI – the ability of large language models like Chat GPT to generate content –could expand revenue earning opportunities short-term, but could be damaging to the industry longer term.

“Independent publishing has been very empowering for the creative community,” she says. “Writers can get their work straight to their readers without the need for gatekeepers like agents and publishers. But it also makes it easy for people to dump AI generated copy onto the likes of Amazon. It means that almost anyone can be a writer, but there’s the possibility that the market could be flooded with inferior product because AI can’t develop sophisticated story-arcs yet. If readers can’t trust the quality, they could easily be turned off books altogether.”

Andre believes regulation is the answer, allowing the use of AI tools to assist writers while protecting the creatives. The Hollywood picketers would agree; the Writers Guild of America has stopped short of calling for a ban on AI, but the regulation of technology looks set to be a key topic at

the global AI conference hosted by Rishi Sunak this Autumn. Companies like Amazon already have their own restrictions in place; Amazon Audible currently doesn’t allow synthetic voices on its Audio books meaning real-life actors must be used, but if AI products are cheaper, it’s likely the market will follow.

“I suspect we’re going to see a two-tier level of art and literature - AI generated and human generated,” says Will Storr, bestselling author of The Status Game. “I think there’ll be a luxury appeal in a product that has been written by a human. People love to have a Salman Rushdie novel on their bookshelves in the same way they like to have a Chanel bag – there’s a status attached to it. Although this works best for brand names, not new writers.”

What future then for the would-be creatives keen to get into the industry?

“Established names will have the power to negotiate, but entry-level positions become vulnerable when a bot can do the menial work,” says Ahmad Butt. “The rich become richer and the poor poorer, and as a society we could become weaker culturally if all our art is just a constant remix made by AI.”

According to some creatives, however, being human could be its own protection.

“Reality TV certainly thrives on personality,” says Made in Chelsea series director Damian Power. “Perhaps AI could replicate humans, but how popular would those AI creations be? Fans of the show like to invest in the lives of the cast. People are interested in people not avatars.”

Will Storr agrees. “The best books or films express something meaningful about the human condition. I doubt something as powerful as a Lars Von Trier movie could ever be written by AI. To plumb the depths of the human condition you need to be a human. Pain and love are things that AI will never be able to understand.”

Dr Alex Connock, a specialist in the media business and AI believes that our inventiveness will save our place in the industry. “If you are worried about the ability of AI to take away creative jobs from humans, ask yourself this: if an AI had written the Barbie movie, would it have been any good, and would it have taken (so far) $1.36 billion at the box office?”

The answer is no, and no. Because it would have been trained on the dataset of past Barbie marketing literature, or past comedies, and either way, it would not have been an original work. As long as young people are prepared to be original and daring in their careers, and to master the AI tools that are available for production activities like editing, then they will be absolutely fine.

ENLIGHTENING MINDS LECTURE SERIES

As part of our focus on pupils’ intellectual development we launched a new initiative in the spring term - our Enlightening Minds lecture series. It was designed to nurture and spark intellectual curiosity amongst the whole of the King’s community – be that students, parents, governors, alumni, teachers, partnership schools or otherwise. Whilst the lectures were delivered by members of the wider King’s community sharing insights related to their field of research or expertise in a topical subject, it was our sixth formers who hosted the talks and ran the question and answer sessions.

Aniket Garg and Matthew Coleman (upper sixth) hosted our first speaker: King’s parent Mr Mark Melford, who gave an engaging, insightful and informative talk on how to solve the climate crisis, the amazing untold story of the path to Net Zero.

Aaditya Jhamb (lower sixth) was Master of Ceremonies for Professor Viganò, head of the Cybersecurity Group at King’s College London. His reflections: “His enlightening presentation delved into the realm of cybersecurity, intertwining elements of fairy tales. Using Cinderella, he illustrated the concept of two-factor authentication, while employing the tale of Pinocchio to vividly portray fraud. With these narratives, Professor Viganò not only captivated the audience but also provided valuable insights into recognising and mitigating online dangers.”

Ben Clarke (upper sixth) facilitated the Q&A session for Professor Alexander H. Türk (Vice-Dean (International) at the Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London), for his talk Redefining Liberty for the 21st Century: The US Supreme Court and the 14th Amendment.

“Professor Alexander H. Türk illuminating talk was a fascinating blend of law and politics as he discussed wider impacts of the Supreme Court denying the constitutionally protected right to abortion in Dobbs (2022). He did an impressive job of laying out a vast history of the Supreme Court in layman’s terms; …The talk left us with some thought-provoking questions: Will we see Dobbs overturned in our lifetime? Given changes in technology and attitudes, might the constitution itself be outdated?

“Professor Rachel Mills (Senior Vice President (Academic) at King’s College London) gave an insightful and captivating talk on the future of our oceans and the sustainability of our seas. As the she spoke, the entire audience leaned in, their curiosity piqued” – James Aden-Patel (lower sixth)

Through the breadth of subjects and topics being covered, the series aims to encourage pupils to engage in intellectual exploration beyond the classroom, as a foundation for the deeper academic work they will undertake in later years, adding a new dimension to pupils’ academic journey. Hosted in the concert hall, lectures are also livestreamed and recordings published on King’s youtube channel to maximise accessibility; we are delighted by the engagement of King’s alumni in the UK and across the world, who tuned in.

In the words of Ben Clarke (upper sixth and previous vice-captain of school) Each lecture was “An intellectually stimulating evening of discussion” and we “highly look forward to the next lectures in the Enlightening Minds series!”

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Dr F Cheung

ONE WORLD DAY

On Thursday this week, the senior school celebrated One World Day, the annual celebration of the school’s cultural diversity. Our motto this year being ‘Sharing our diversity, celebrating our community’, the Lower School threw themselves into the spirit of the day. In the morning the year 7 and 8 students enjoyed speaking to their overseas peers at King’s Bangkok via video link during form period. This was followed by the highlight of the day, the cultural fair in the Great Hall.There were over twenty nations and cultures represented, with the pupils selling food and drink and displaying items from their cultures for their peers to enjoy. The money raised will go towards Médecins Sans Frontières. Students also enjoyed hearing from their subject teachers who put the spotlight on figures from underrepresented groups in different subject areas.

“Overall, the event went splendidly, fostering cultural appreciation and connection among peers.”

Celebrating this day was an enriching experience, blending cultures through food, music, and handmade crafts- a truly great opportunity to share and appreciate the diversity within the Kings’ community.

I enjoyed setting up and running the Pakistani stall with my team. It was nice to meet some fellow Pakistanis in King’s across different year groups. The stall featured Pakistani delicacies like cake rusk, pani puri, and mango lassi, showcasing the vibrant flavours of Pakistan. Crafts from the very heart of Pakistan were on display, including rickshaw sculptures, bangles and a handmade Multani vase, which garnered admiration, with Lev Dormitontov of the upper sixth, purchasing the vase and declaring it as his “new best friend.” We also had henna on offer which enticed a range of people- including some of the boys!

Tutor time was a delightful journey across the globe with diverse musical selections, from Pakistani hit “Sochta Houn” to the iconic German bop “99 luftballoons” to the Irish ballad “Danny Boy” though my personal favourite was the Turkish song “Kuzu Kuzu.”!

My French lesson on the day was also excellent and fascinating. We had a guest speaker come in who explained Rwandan and Congolese culture- all in another French dialect which was very insightful and broadened my horizons.

For me, the best part of the day was witnessing the joy on people’s faces as they sampled the Pakistani treats and interacted with the cultural items which truly encapsulate the essence of Pakistan. Many people asked questions about our traditional dress or what our national dish is (Nihari!). There was a huge satisfaction associated with facilitating people to discover something they never did before and teaching some of my teachers something.

Overall, the event went splendidly, fostering cultural appreciation and connection among peers.

Mahnoor Jamal - lower sixth

DAY OF LANGUAGES

Miss M Kidwell

On yet another glorious September day, almost fifty King’s mothers from the Spanish, French, German and Italian-speaking communities gave up their time and energy yet again for a fifth year, to set up their colourful market stalls in and around the quad.

The products sold ranged from national delicacies like chocolate marshmallows in a crispy bun and plates of Tapas and empanadas to croissants, filled baguettes and waffles, but as always, the lunchtime pizza run proved as popular as ever. In addition, the raffle prizes this year were bigger and better than ever with football memorabilia top on the priority list for winning.

To advertise the day, Benedict Holder in the upper sixth, created a very informative publicity video for tutor groups, having interviewed a number of staff and pupils to talk in a variety of languages to welcome the linguistic element and to announce the programme.Then the middle school took part in a linguistics quiz while the years 7 and 8 were in an interactive assembly about languages with Mrs Montgomery-Massingberd.

After countless early morning rehearsals and tireless coaching from their French teachers, the year 8 students delivered their best-ever performance of the school’s beloved flashmob routine— Eurovision 1976’s Un, Deux, Trois—lighting up the sixth form green with song and dance during breaktime.

At lunchtime there were a myriad of activities laid on. Pupils from fourth form to lower sixth led some taster sessions in Swedish, Italian, German and Portuguese; Our French assistant, Gala Durieu and her trusty lower sixth helpers ran the Grande dictée in aid of the charity Bibliotheques Sans Frontieres. In this competition 24 pupils from year 8 and above listened to a piece read by Sasha Mueller and Josh Cheong from Le petit prince and they tried their best to make as few mistakes as possible rewriting what they heard, for fun prizes and raising over £700 for the charity.

On the cricket pitches, there were house events inspired by languages with Mate (a Spanish version of dodge ball), un dos tres, chocolate inglés (grandmother’s footsteps), pétanque, pañuelo and egg and spoon. They all seemed to be having a whale of a time as I surveyed the scene full of house colours. To relax after

all this activity, the Tom Constantinou-Hickman band entertained one and all from the Great Hall steps.

This fun and culture-packed day had a two-fold objective: to bring languages, countries and their cultures to the door step for the pupils and staff to enjoy and learn about; and also to raise money for several charities. Our thanks to all the parents who came and supported the day; they chose the following charities to benefit from funds raised on the day: STEM, Autism Together, Volunteers Foundation and finally Wimbledon Guild and raised over £3000 for them.Day of Languages didn’t end there as there was a new addition this year in the shape of the Black Tie Variety Show Supper Club with parents, pupils and staff raising £762 for Cancer Research.

We had student ambassadors/ushers showing guests to their tables, selling them raffle tickets, marking their table quizzes, handing out prizes ably led by our prefect Aniket Garg and deputising him was Benedict Holder. There were four waiters from lower fifth to lower sixth training with the catering team and serving us our 3-course dinner.

We were taken on a comic journey by three diverse and talented compere hosts (in the shape of Pierce Kelly and Barney Lewis in the lower sixth) who introduced us to the variety of acts whilst telling some corny language jokes. We were also treated to the amazing quiz mastering talents of new pupil to the sixth form Jet Sun. And then there were the acts. All 23 of them including the Tom Constantinou-Hickman band band were tremendous and performed superbly.

Highlights would be Steele Forbes-Thomas’ beautiful renditions of Schubert and Caldara songs and the show-stopping Chris Dunckley’s La vie en Rose accompanying himself on the guitar, which aptly closed the show.

A lot of enjoyment was had by one and all and my thanks go to all involved from the parents to the pupils to the support staff and catering and to those that made breaktimes run smoothly due to their presence.

German food bitte

Our Performers before going on stage

A busy French and Belgian stall

An enchanting performance of Schubert

Cyrano de Bergerac

Miss Kidwell, Miss Liberti and Miss Toussaint - the organisers of the event

KING’S ARTS FESTIVAL 2024

King’s Arts 2024 took place under the sunny skies of June, offering a vibrant array of artistic activities.The event engaged King’s pupils through hands-on workshops, while friends of King’s enjoyed inspiring talks and performances by creative speakers and talented artists, fostering an uplifting and enriching atmosphere for all.

The aim of the festival is to celebrate the transformative power of the arts and pupils were given the chance to explore art in as many forms as possible.

Music is a huge part of King’s Arts, offering pupils diverse opportunities to explore their musicality. A selection of lucky cellists attended a masterclass with Julian Lloyd-Webber, while lower sixth pupils learned about the powerful bateria drum. The week also featured the Lower School House Music Solo Finals, where finalists performed beautifully, buoyed by strong support and encouragement from their avid audience of peers.

Using art as a means of self-expression and as a creative outlet has been shown to have huge benefits to mental health as well as providing a foundational platform upon which ideas are expressed and shared, conversations started, relationships built, and communities united.

Year 8 pupils explored stop-motion animation with plasticine figurines and experimented with spray-paint artistry, creating vibrant pieces using stencils and freeform techniques. Meanwhile, fourth form pupils participated in an intensive fine art workshop led by renowned guest artist, Ian Murphy, benefiting from his expertise as they completed their assignments. Members of the lower fifth explored movement in a drama workshop, using their bodies to express emotion and plot while working together to convey meaning. At the same time, fourth form pupils enhanced their theatrical performance skills in a full-day workshop led by King’s Director-in-Residence, Iain Jones.Evening performances were aplenty in that week. Pascal Rogé and Elena Font performed an amazing piano concert which held the audience spellbound. The synergy between the two musicians created a unique atmosphere in the concert hall which will be long remembered by all in attendance.

Nobel Prize-winning scientist,Venki Ramakrishnan was the first of our illustrious speakers to take to the lectern. The wisdom and insight he shared into the process of aging made for fascinating listening, as audience members heard all about the science behind our eternal quest for immortality. Meanwhile, those with a musical appetite lapped up the exquisite music of members of the Philharmonia Orchestra, who were playing alongside King’s and partnership school string players in the String Showcase. Participating in a concert with world-class musicians inspired the pupils, who displayed poise, skill, and passion. Their collaboration culminated in a performance that earned a lengthy standing ovation from the appreciative audience.

Art Exhibition

Theresa May

Two’s company -Pascal Rogé (acute accent) and Elena Font

Year 8 pupils explore stop-motion animation with plasticine figurines

Mid-week, the programme surged with three top-billing events in one evening, showcasing the versatility of creative expression. Rt Hon Theresa May MP drew a packed festival tent, discussing power dynamics and justice in modern politics. Reverend Richard Coles brought a lighter tone to the Great Hall, sharing the latest madcap adventures of his bestselling protagonist, Canon Daniel Clement. Onyx Brass celebrated their 30th birthday with a dynamic repertoire spanning classical giants like Bach and Handel to modern anthems immortalised by musical theatre, giving the audience an emotional ride and delivered with characteristic humour and wit.

Bringing an entirely different musical perspective to the festival, the Band Showcase and DJ performance on Thursday highlighted the pupils’ modern and original music talents, featuring a heartfelt rendition of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here in memory of Mr Willow.The musicians’ energy and mutual support captivated the audience. Later, the sixth form’s Under the Glinting Snow offered an intimate and enthralling experience in the Drama Studio, showcasing their creativity across writing, directing, and performing.

As the week ended, members of the public attended the King’s Arts Exhibition in the Reeve School, showcasing vibrant works by talented GCSE, A-level, and IB artists. That evening, it was a joy to welcome King’s alumnus and fellow, Dr. Chris van Tulleken who gave the final talk, highlighting public health risks of ultraprocessed foods with an engaging and entertaining conversational style. Chris’s pivot from doctor and BAFTA-winning television presenter to public health lobbyist demonstrates how influential those in the creative industry can be in advocating change.

The grand finale of this year’s King’s Arts festival took place on Saturday, celebrating collaboration, music, and community. Zimbe! showcased pupils from five Wimbledon Partnership schools and King’s alumni, performing Alexander Le Strange’s choral masterpiece inspired by African songs. With the Concert Hall filled with proud parents, the concert embodied the festival’s spirit of unity and the uplifting power of the arts. Heartfelt thanks go to all performers and organizers who made the week a success.

It was a pleasure to work with Wimbledon BookFest on some of the speaker events. We are also immensely grateful to King’s Arts sponsors, Wimbledon Homes, for their generous support in making this exciting celebration possible and to the Friends of King’s who generously supported the partnership concert.

King’s Arts 2024 is produced by KCS Enterprises Ltd. We are proud that all KCS Enterprises Ltd’s profits are donated to the King’s College School’s bursary fund, helping us to offer exceptional education to talented young people irrespective of background or means.

Julian Lloyd Webber Masterclass

Ian Murphy Workshop

Jeanette Barnes’ lower fifth workshop on experimental drawing, architecture, urban environments and sket

Philharmonia Concert

Pupils join Onxy Brass

Chemistry Creativity Workshop

Experimental drawing

Zimbe! - Rehearsal

Art Exhibition

Animation

Onyx Brass

Sixth Form Drama Rehearsal

Dr Chris Van Tulleken

Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Venki Ramakrishnan

Spray Paint

‘King’s Arts Festival by Amy Allen - upper sixth

“Throughout the year we have presented work across all year groups as a chance to celebrate the creative success of our phenomenal students. ”

A CELEBRATION OF CREATIVE SUCCESS

Miss

Hannah Williamson – Acting head of Art

The art department has been a hub or productivity and creative expression this year with pupils across all year groups enjoying many creative successes. Exhibitions including the Lower School (Reeve School Presents); A level, IB and GCSE have been an opportunity to showcase and celebrate our phenomenal students’ work. Alongside this we have seen excellent engagement with our clubs and competitions throughout the year.There were also trips including year 7 pupils’ visit to the stunning botanical treasures at Kew Gardens; lower fifth pupils got to work with guest artist, Jeanette Barnes and fourth form pupils enjoyed a wonderful full day workshop with artist Ian Murphy; sixth formers benefited from many gallery visits and life drawing workshops throughout the year. As part of the King’s Arts festival, year 8 took part in animation and street art workshops along with Fantastic Beats drawing lessons with visiting artists.

We’re delighted to show this small selection of work as examples of the breadth of ideas explored by our creative and curiousminded pupils and their narrative as they express themselves through their art.

Ethan Cooke

Oliver Au

LOWER SCHOOL ART

The lower school developed exciting and imaginative art over the course of the year through a variety of schemes of work and projects. They demonstrated a range of skills from clay to spray-painting, learnt technical drawing and painting skills and explored contemporary art throughout the curriculum. The themes explored ranged from portraiture to symbolism

celebrating people from marginalised communities, surrealistic landscapes, conflict & war in art and early 20th Century abstraction, natural forms, contrasts in urban and natural scenes and with links to many other subjects throughout. All year 7 and 8 pupils’ work was displayed in the annual lower school exhibition in the Cotman Gallery at the end of the Spring term.

Oliver Pearey

Abdulaziz Sultanov

Petroc Anderson

Jeremy Dong

Lower school exhibition

YEAR 7

Alp Kucukyildiz

Arthur Boyer-Chammard

Tomas O’Leary

Daniel Valeev

Elijah Underwood

Thomas Osbourne

Xavier Underwood

YEAR 7

Daniel Valeev

7S Class Mural

Casper Zee

Rajveer Kejriwal

Sebastian Pearson

Luan Tran

Adam Tan

Kane Lai

Victor Kou

George Treacy

Ethan Hull

YEAR 8

Ethan Smith

Gabriel Desaedeleer

Alfred Soulier

Sam Bowles

Kristen Rolfsen

Theodore Vladimirov

Spencer Stanley

Yannis Paschopoulos

Maxim Matteen

YEAR 8

Oscar Liu

8S and 8W Patchwork Monsters

Harry Yu

Aaron Hu

Ashvin Waegner

Vedant Jaiswal

Matthew Ingham

Archie Whitaker

Alexander Beharry

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOURTH FORM

In the middle school, fourth form pupils took part in a number of creative endeavours during their art lessons and plenty of extra-curricular activities. Projects included exploring landscapes, surrealism, portraiture, ceramic food sculptures, animation and photo-editing. They built on the technical skills developed in the lower school and through the introduction of homework, enjoyed more time to explore artists and movements in depth through research based investigations and responses.

UPPER FIFTH

The highlight of middle school had to be the celebration of success of our upper fifth GCSE pupils, showcased in the end of year exhibition. The ambition and creativity of the pupils shone through their coursework and exam projects, and the outcomes were produced in their timed fifteen-hour examination. Interesting topics and themes were explored, portrayed through beautiful observational studies, rich contextual links and conceptual expanding of ideas through a variety of media.

LOWER FIFTH

Lower fifth pupils thoroughly enjoyed their introduction to Art GCSE, producing some brilliant work including collaborative and experimental drawings, sculptures based on natural forms and beautiful landscape and botanic studies, towards the end of the year.

Nikolas Andrijanovs

Osman Valiyev

Jacob Hillier

FOURTH FORM

Anthony Taylor

Chris Dunckley

Andrew Brundrett

Harry Jones

Joaquin Amir Faisal

FOURTH FORM

Samuel Garner

Collaborative drawing

Jaime Atherton Hernandez

Collaborative drawing

James O’Donnell

Marc Rassi

Walt Roscoe

Egor Musatov

LOWER FIFTH

Charlie Maguire

Yassin Hassan

Charlie Maguire

George Gibbs

Osman Valiyev

LOWER FIFTH

Oliver Au

Osman Valiyev

Robbie Holdsworth

Oliver Au

Collaborative drawing

Soham Vasishth

Yassin Hassan

Theodore Rolfsen

UPPER FIFTH

Louis Grodner

Fionn Duggan

Fionn Duggan

Louis Grodner

Nikolas Andrijanovs

UPPER FIFTH

Alexander Beharry

Charlie Maguire

Mayank Upadhyaya

Nikolas Andrijanovs

SIXTH FORM

Throughout the year both A level and IB pupils have engaged in life drawing workshops and gallery visits to see current exhibitions in London. These include visiting Tate Modern, The Royal Academy and the Barbican. Students thoroughly enjoyed exploring the everchanging vast display of art on offer in the city and drawing upon links to wider practice and to inform their own work.

LOWER SIXTH

Lower sixth created some brilliant work over the course of the year. Through a variety of experimental workshops, pupils were exposed to a broad range of media and techniques, which they began to utilise and expand upon in their independent coursework unit. We look forward to seeing the range of art that will develop over the next year!

UPPER SIXTH

The upper sixth pupils worked tirelessly and showed their commitment to Art throughout the duration of their final year of A level and IB Art. The end of year exhibition showcased the phenomenal talent that students had to offer, from the pure talent and skill base in drawing, painting and sculpture to the complex and advanced concepts and ideas. Themes included the human condition, the transience of humanity and the ever evolving relationship between man and machine through the rise of AI in the artworld. We were blown away by the talent on offer and the diversity of ideas, skill and independent thought. The level of inquiry was phenomenal. We wish our upper sixth students the best success as they move on to study creative subjects at their top choice universities around the UK and abroad.

Luciana Estrada Gaviria

Amy Allen

YOUNG WIMBLEDON ARTISTS COMPETITION

Jonah Pask entered the annual Young Wimbledon Artists competition with his excellent self-portrait entry. Jonah was successful and his work was showcased at the Norman Plastow Gallery. He received a monetary prize for Highly Commended in show – well done Jonah!

“I’d say that art this year has probably been the most unique subject I took for A level - it feels so much more creative and independent, with a real degree of control over your own work and your project, with a wonderful sense of satisfaction as you build up your portfolio of work over the year. I feel I’ve developed a lot over this yearyou’re really pushed beyond the confines of GCSE and learn a lot more about different techniques and ways of conveying your ideas, alongside instructive learning in life drawing and gallery visits.” - Jonah Pask

A LEVEL, IB AND GCSE EXHIBITION

On 28th June 2024 Reeve School opened its doors for the private view of the annual exhibition, showcasing the work of GCSE, IB and A level pupils. Parents, staff, pupils and friends of King’s celebrated the pupils’ creative talents and success, and it was a wonderful opportunity to come together as a creative collective before the summer break.

LOWER SIXTH

“I thoroughly enjoyed our Friday exhibitions in London, with Francis Bacon’s work leaving a particularly strong impression on me. His pieces resonated deeply with the themes and motifs I’ve been exploring in my IB SL Art course. Beyond artistic inspiration, this experience significantly broadened my cultural awareness and deepened my understanding of how artists engage with historical and social contexts. Seeing the artworks in person—experiencing their texture, scale, and presence—was far more powerful than viewing them online.”

- Arya Joshi

Mimi Furber Jonah Pask

Arya Joshi

“I have loved being able to visit so many exhibitions over the course of the year which I would never have made the time to go to myself. Some of my favourites have been the Yoko Ono exhibition in Tate Modern and Hiroshi Sugimoto in the Hayward Gallery. Being able to regularly visit new galleries has really opened up my knowledge about art and artists in the current world which has overall made me a better artist.”

- Luciana Estrada Gaviria

LOWER SIXTH

Alexander Fann

Arya Joshi

Luciana Estrada Gavira

Jonah Pask

LOWER SIXTH

“Life drawing in Art A Level has been a highlight. Initially daunting, the focus on creativity over perfection made it enjoyable. The teachers challenge us to use unorthodox methods, like painting with our hands.

This approach has greatly benefited my coursework, helping me think outside the box and refine my charcoal style, making the experience truly rewarding.”

- Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett

“I have really enjoyed having a creative subject amongst my other IB subjects. I have learnt so much with different mediums.”Jyotsna Sridhar

Jyotsna Sridhar

UPPER SIXTH

Hannah Sawyer

Collective Life Drawings

Catherine Chang

Yoyo Zhang Kaz Boehringer

UPPER SIXTH

Larissa Aperghis

Amy Allen

Larissa Aperghis

Izzy Sermon

Taro Philpot

Summer Kent

Halla Lee

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

LOWER SCHOOL

Year 7 and year 8 continue to develop their skills in Design and Engineering through a range of projects, each designed to give them a solid foundation of learning in the subject, from CAD to workshop processes and materials knowledge to mechanisms and electronics. They have also been busy in their extra-curricular clubs which include a student led 3D printing club and VEX robotics.

Scroll saw manufacturing

3D printing

‘Turn it Up’ passive speakers

‘King’s Green Club building sustainable planters in the International Garden Year 8 Prusa Use

Year 7 Spinners using the 3D modelling software Onshape

Green Design Club

Year 7 speaker

Nicholas Chen and Gino Coquis Power working on the chassis

GCSE

Our GCSE cohorts have been working hard on their coursework projects, exploring a range of contexts including accessible spaces, celebrations and cold weather impacting the elderly. They came up with a huge range of innovative solutions to these contexts, and a few of our best are showcased here.

Nemmat Tabandeh - present wrapping device

Matteo d’Allance de Melo - canapé server at parties

Tom Gilbert - portable BBQ

Mayank Upadhyaya - tennis ball dispenser

Endymion Goh Debricon - Chinese lunar new year food container

Saksham Agrawal - automated firework launcher

SIXTH FORM

Our sixth formers have been working hard on their coursework projects. Amongst the many innovative solutions for sporting applications are these examples for rowing, athletics and boxing.

A Level and GCSE show

Akash Burgess - recovery aid for running and other athletic sports Lucca Butler Cassar - boxing training aid

Hal Hunter - water pump to remove water from small RIB boats.

A Level and GCSE show

DRAMA

DANTON’S DEATH

STUDIO PRODUCTION

Mr P Dyer (Director in Residence)

This year’s Sixth Form Studio production of Danton’s Death presented the historical reality of the French Revolution with a powerful contemporary relevance. Performing in the round, dressed in modern suits, and seated amongst the audience, the close-knit company of fourteen actors pulled off an extraordinary evening of passionate debate, arguing the pros and cons of the Revolution’s Terror. The famous figures of Danton (Fred Andersson- lower sixth), Robespierre (Saahan Kapoor - lower sixth), and St Just (Lev Dormidontov – upper sixth) were presented as modern powerful lawyers, Camille (Patrick Bouch – upper fifth) and Lucile (Madeleine Hands - lower sixth) played sensitive artists regretting the course events were taking in destroying their love together, and the whole superb ensemble switched with graceful movement (and Haydn’s music) from Parisian streets, private bedrooms, and desperate dungeons to execution squares.The Studio’s walls, covered with claustrophobic revolutionary posters and pictures, reminded all that history has a terrible habit of repeating itself. The dramatic themes are demanding, and much was asked of their acting, particularly by performing in the round, but they truly excelled, and presented a production that would have graced any West End stage.

by Georg Büchner

OCTOBER 10th to 12th, 2023 I 7PM

“The dramatic themes are demanding, ... but they truly excelled, and presented a production that would have graced any West End stage.”

the King’S Co ege Sch l Production of

BILLY ELLIOT

SENIOR SCHOOL PRODUCTION

Ms D Barron & Ms H Feeny (Directors)

It has been an indescribable joy taking on one of our biggest challenges yet in Billy Elliot, the musical with a big heart, where families stand together in the face of economic struggles and strikes, and one boy finds hope through dance. With a cast of 35, band of 17 and crew of 10, this has been a production with wonderful experiences and collaborations across five year groups: the cast have trained in such things as ballet, tap, acrobatics, flying on wires and stage combat to name a few, the large brass band on stage created a soaring emotional journey with true skill, and the crew executed a highly professional and beautifully designed show. A special mention must go to the two incomparable Billys, Alec Gilligan (fourth form) and George Macklin (lower fifth), who led the company with such professionalism, flair and dedication, and to the full company for winning Best Musical and Best Supporting Actor going to Sal Swinburne as Tony, at the National School Theatre Awards 2024!

“Sal Swinburne portrayed inner conflict so well you could feel your heart being torn in all directions.”

“The cast gave performances that were visually outstanding: their acrobatic movements and lifts were jaw-dropping, and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Billy flew – yes, flew!”

“George and Alec were so convincing (as Billy) that one could easily imagine them seamlessly transitioning onto a West End stage.”

“Grace Davidson portrayed strong determination and humour with precision, as did Caitlin Costello, whose Grandma song was perfect.”

“Nick Steinmeyer… remarkable for a teenager, conveying emotions that even adults might find challenging.”

“A stunning school production.. this rendition of the acclaimed musical showcased the remarkable talent within the school’s theatrical community.”

“Chris Dunckley was a hilarious insight: his adlibbing skills were exquisite, showing true professionalism.”

“Compelling narrative and exceptional performances… blurring the lines between a school production and a professional West End show.”

NATIONAL SCHOOL THEATRE AWARDS 2024

HOUSE PLAYS FESTIVAL 2024

115 students took part in acting, music, design, direction and producing, putting together six 20-minute shows over one month. Forty students from the lower sixth took on the mammoth responsibility of running their House Plays which performed in the festival just before half term: they ran the entire process, from adapting / writing scripts through casting, designing, and rehearsing, to final performance as actors, stage management, technical operators, and musicians. It was an incredible achievement taking on true leadership and teamwork, and they should be congratulated for such a successful process and final performance!

Adjudicator

7PM / FEBRUARY 8

STUDENTS £ 6 / ADULTS £ 12

Incredible work also from Kingsley (Little Shop of Horrors), Maclear (Ocean at the End of the Lane) and Glenesk (One Flew

the Cuckoo’s Nest)!

Over

Best Play - Major for Split (directed by Aaron Juma and Izzy Perry)

Best Actor - Pierce Kelly as John Proctor for Layton’s The Crucible

Award for Inspiring Storytelling- Alverstone with Peter Pan

Best Actor Award for John Proctor in The Crucible –Layton

Alverstone – Peter Pan (Adjudicator’s Award Most Inventive Storytelling)

Major – Split (Best Play)

LECOQ INTENSIVE

Generously sponsored by the Friends of King’s, we were delighted to host this five-day intensive workshop as part of the King’s Arts Festival, led by two specialists from the pedagogical team at the prestigious Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Avignon.The workshop focussed on practical skill-building and storytelling through a process of analysis of movement, improvisation, and collaborative devising, and offered an unparalleled opportunity for pupils to experience professional training in this specialist drama field.

Kingsley - Little Shop of Horrors

Layton - The Crucible

Maclear - Ocean at the End of the Lane

Glenesk - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

TREASURE ISLAND

LOWER SCHOOL COMPANY

Mr I Jones (Director in Residence)

The Lower School Company of Treasure Island took captivated audiences on a thrilling adventure. Comprising of 38 performers and a team of eight student technicians, the team went above and beyond all expectations to produce a slick, extravagant and highly engaging show. Mr Jones, the Theatre Director in Residence, lauded the company as “a collaborative, talented, and creative lower school ensemble. Theatrical seafarers - one and all - who navigated the course of the rehearsal and production process with humour, professionalism, and a barrel load of swashbuckling.”

Over the course of three nights, audiences were enthralled by daring sword fights, riveting storytelling, unforgettable characters, enchanting singing, incredible live music, and even a talking parrot! The audience response was overwhelmingly positive. One audience member emailed to declare:

“WOWSERS! What an amazing show!”

Tue 14th May, 6.30pm Wed 15th – Thu 16th May, 7.00pm

by Robert Louis Stevenson adapted by Bryony Lavery

King’s College School, Wimbledon presents

HAMLET

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION

Ms D Barron & Ms H Feeny (Directors)

The Middle School production was a dynamic and fast-paced retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous revenge tragedy, Hamlet With a stylised movement ensemble bringing to life Hamlet’s madness and torment, the audience experienced the classic story with a spine-tingling twist. Jake Poghosyan in the lead role was electrifying, bringing incredible sensitivity, intelligence and vulnerability to the stage; the Hamlet Ensemble proved a thrilling and expressive team bringing to life the fracturing psyche of Hamlet’s mind; and the whole company worked together beautifully to serve the story with such talent and dedication –their collaborations were a true joy to watch.

“Jake Poghosyan in the lead role was electrifying...”

UNDER THE GLINTING SNOW

SIXTH FORM PRODUCTION

Ms K Nash (Director and Writer)

Inspired by Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, this electric adaptation by sixth former, Kiera Nash, followed the charismatic Edmund Cochran as he faces his imminent death in a world surrounded by beguiling illusions and dangerous adolescence. The audience were treated to an hour of enthralling drama directed, produced, designed and starring the lower sixth dramatists – an incredible achievement continuing the new writing tradition in this slot after last year’s Scottie by Caitlin Costello, about the lives of the Fitzgerald family.

Our all-sixth form cast and crew of 13 certainly learnt the perils of time pressure, putting the performance together in the space of 6 weeks, but with some hard graft we pulled together to create something we were all proud of. Working on the production was extremely fun, and I hope our audience enjoyed the final product.

“The audience were treated to an hour of enthralling drama”

Kiera Nash

KCS Theatre Co. were thrilled to return to the Edinburgh Fringe this year for a completely sold-out run: they delivered a bold and stylised reimagining of Bram Stoker’s gothic masterpiece Dracula , where thrilling drama, daring movement and original score combined in this visceral new production of atmospheric horror. With the New Writing

DRACULA

KCS THEATRE CO.

“An incredibly atmospheric production... beautifully choreographed and eerily intimate.”

club creating the script, the KCS Theatre Co. movement club devising movement, and technical theatre students creating the lighting and sound design, with wholly original music from Tom ConstantinouHickman in the upper sixth and alumnus Tom Hunt (original album Dracula now available on Spotify), it proved to be the most collaborative and studentled Fringe production yet!

The Wee Review

Scottish Field

ACADEMIC

DRAMA

Mr J Trapmore (Head of Academic Drama)

Our academic drama pupils presented some truly gripping evenings which showcased their great skill, talent and dedication.

The upper fifth GCSE Drama pupils provided the first event of the year, sharing half a dozen deftly crafted original plays, devised in response to a playlist of evocative songs including The Fool on the Hill by The Beatles.These pieces were thematically diverse, as reflected by their intriguing titles: 17, At What Cost, Broken Clock, Foxhole, Rest for the Wicked and Time Moves On

Next up was the fourth form duologue competition. Following heats in class involving all fourth form Drama pupils, 26 finalists were chosen to perform in front of parents and a specially invited adjudicator, who this year was our esteemed outgoing director in residence, Peter Hamilton Dyer - also a hugely experienced actor. All finalists gave a fine account of themselves, but Peter awarded the prize to Barney Rawlinson and Peter Stockil for their intense and very amusing scene adapted from the Joseph Conrad novel The Secret Agent. Worthy runners-up were Sam Dyson and Freddie Moudiotis for their touching scene adapted from The Hunger Games.

“...some truly gripping evenings which showcased their great skill, talent and dedication. ”

In the new year there were eclectic sixth form showcases in the drama studio. The upper sixth IB Literature and Performance pupils presented their dynamic theatrical transformations of episodes from the novel The Plague by Albert Camus, whilst their lower sixth counterparts served up a dose of real tragedy with their coursework scenes from Hamlet

The lower sixth A-Level Drama pupils treated us to two performances in the second half of the year. They staged scenes from an exciting modern adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac featuring swashbuckling sword play, and brought to life Bram Stoker’s Dracula through the electrifying lens of practitioner Steven Berkoff for their devising project.

GCSE drama scenes rehearsal

The winners of the fourth form duologue competition 2023

A level drama devising - Dracula

“It was an evening of truly thrilling drama, hilarious comedy and exciting stylisation and movement... ”

Examination season saw public showings of assessed practical work. The upper sixth A-Level pupils presented scenes from A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman, both of which were informed by the intense naturalism of Konstantin Stanislavski. There was also a dynamic performance of an extract from The Effect by Lucy Prebble, inspired by physical theatre company Frantic Assembly, which was accompanied by an excellent student lighting design in the style of Paule Constable.

Finally, it was the turn of our largest-ever cohort of GCSE Drama pupils to present their examination scenes, featuring performances and lighting designs in extracts taken from varied and challenging texts including Blue / Orange by Joe Penhall, Equus by Peter Shaffer, The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh and Steven Berkoff’s version of The Trial by Kafka. It was an evening of truly thrilling drama, hilarious comedy and exciting stylisation and movement: a fitting end to another vibrant year of academic drama.

“...a dynamic performance ... inspired by physical theatre company Frantic Assembly... accompanied by an excellent student lighting design...”

A level scenes

Sixth form drama showcase

GCSE drama devising

LANGUAGES

HIGHLIGHTS

A year in the languages department is always bustling with activity and success, especially when it comes to extra-curricular events, and this year was no exception. Debates, poetry readings, plays, and gastronomical feasts were just a few of the inter-age activities on offer. This doesn’t even include the biennial Day of Languages and the newly introduced Day of Languages Supper Club, which supported Cancer Research and was also a highlight of the calendar. You can read more about this on page 18.

Miss M Kidwell

Fourth form French poetry competition finalists

Joules oratoires

Joules oratoires

INTERNAL COMPETITIONS

SIXTH FORM FRENCH

DEBATE

On the 16th November a selection of eight lower sixth pupils partook in an intense debate in French, the motion discussed was ‘faut-il instaurer un droit à la paresse?’Should we have a right to laziness? Following three strong speeches from each side, a free debate ensued, in which the economic, social and political aspects of the motion were discussed at length. This was followed by brief and powerful conclusions from both sides and some thoughtprovoking questions from the audience. The debate was ultimately concluded with a victory for the opposition. We are very thankful to the language assistants, teachers and audience for creating this wonderful opportunity to help us further enrich our French education.

SIXTH FORM SPANISH DEBATE

On 7th March, 8 lower sixth students participated in a fascinating debate with the motion: Should Picasso’s works be valued without taking into account his personal life?

The debate was feisty and tense, with both sides strongly putting forward their cases. After a two-minute introduction from each speaker, ‘la lucha’ began, which was a heated (yet civil) discussion where any speaker could question or rebut a point made. Finally, the closing conclusions were made, and the room voted. The “against” side won by 8-2 votes, demonstrating the general view that Picasso’s artwork should not be separated from his personal life. Both groups thoroughly enjoyed the preparation and experience of the debate, as it was a thought-provoking topic which broadened our perspectives.

Samson Green (lower sixth)

Amina Rafique - lower sixth

FRENCH POETRY COMPETITION

FOURTH FORM CELEBRATES YOUNG TALENT

Pierce Kelly and Massimiliano Tondo - lower sixth

On 9th May, fourth form pupils showcased their passion for French poetry at the annual school French poetry competition, enchanting an audience of peers and teachers with their flawlessly created pieces. Alec Gilligan clinched the first place with his complex and emotional poem, which was excellently presented. Moreover, Georges Montefiore and Peter Stockil took second and third places, respectively, impressing the audience with their emotive performances.

Special mentions were awarded to Alex Oussedik, Samuel Garner, and Oliver Buccellato, each recognized for their unique contributions to the event, especially Samuel for his hilarious performance.The competition highlighted the students’ linguistic skills and artistic expression, which was a pleasure to adjudicate for.

FIRST PRIZE SECOND PRIZE THIRD PRIZE SPECIAL MENTION

Gilligan

« Le poète »

Le poète n’était pas

Seulement un écrivain.

Il n’a pas écrit

Seulement pour s’amuse.

Il a donné

Du sens aux mots

Il a donné

De la perspective

Et de l’expression

Aux mots.

Les mots étaient en cage,

Mais il les a laissés chanter.

Il les a laissés libres.

Les mots ont dansé

Sur la plage,

Le journal – leur scène.

Il n’a pas parlé

Avec ses paroles

Mais il a agi.

Sa mère est entrée

Dans la pièce. Elle lui a demandé comment s’était passé la journée. Il a souri

Sans une parole

Pour lui, ce n’était pas

Seulement un poème

Mais son langage

Le poète n’était pas

Seulement un écrivain

« La corvée »

J’étais en train de prendre mon petit déjeuner, Quand soudain ma mère a eu une autre idée.

J’ai dû passer l’aspirateur… C’était un vrai bonheur !

J’ai fait la vaisselle, Les couverts étaient nickel !

J’ai fait mon lit,

Et ma mère a souri !

J’ai fait la poussière, Mon père était très fier !

J’ai aussi lavé la voiture, J’ai fait ça à toute allure !

J’ai sorti les poubelles, Et la vie m’a semblé belle !

Bref, j’ai fait le ménage.

« Juste moi »

J’étais assis dans un restaurant

Au centre-ville

J’étais seul

Pas d’amis, pas de famille

Je regardais par la fenêtre

Et il n’allait pas pleuvoir

Mais quand même une gouttelette roulait

Car c’était juste moi

Je mange, je dors, je m’habille

Je le fais tout seul

Je ne suis pas gentil

Je ne suis pas drôle

Mais j’avais des choses à faire

Que j’aurais pu faire avec ma journée

J’ai eu un million d’activités

Mais je ne savais pas par où commencer

J’aurais pu faire la vaisselle

Ranger l’armoire

Mais à la place je suis resté assis là

Personne sauf moi

« À Wimbledon »

C’est toujours heureux, À Wimbledon

L’herbe est verte À Wimbledon

Les fraises et la crème

Les biscuits et le thé

C’est toujours heureux À Wimbledon

Parfois il pleut,

Parfois il fait beau,

Mais c’est toujours heureux À Wimbledon

Vos joueurs préférés

Jouent pour gagner

Parce que c’est toujours heureux À Wimbledon

Le gagnant est content

Et les perdants sont tristes

Mais c’est toujours heureux À Wimbledon

Le public rentre chez lui

Et les portes sont fermées

Jusqu’à l’année prochaine À Wimbledon

Alec

Georges Montefiore

Peter Stockil Samuel Garner

SPANISH POETRY COMPETITION

LOWER FIFTH POETS INSPIRED BY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

Miss M Kidwell

The lower fifth Spanish poetry competition took place yesterday in the Great Hall. 15 top poets were chosen to perform in the final on the topic of childhood with the requirement that they use their past tenses. An impressive, moving and at times light-hearted look back at how things were when they were five years old.

The judges comprising of Miss Rodriguez our Spanish language assistant and two enthusiastic lower sixth pupils studying Spanish at A-level, Elina Dernika and Amina Rafique, were very torn when the decision had to be made amongst the strong contenders this year.

The following pupils were chosen as winners: Josh Patel – first prize, Arjun Nair – second prize, Omer Oz – third prize

FIRST PRIZE

O ese niño

Había una vez, cuando yo era un niño pequeño

O fue hace tanto tiempo

Un día tan simple, cuando el sol brillaba

Mientras las olas amortiguaban la arena dorada

O ese niño

O ese niño

¿Pero dónde está?

¿Qué hacía?

Solía construir los castillos de arena; Remachado con pequeñas grietas de luz colorida

¡Mientras los cangrejos se escabullían sobre mi pierna pequeña,

Y las gaviotas se zambullían en el azul turquesa.

O ese niño

O ese niño

¿Pero dónde está?

¿Qué hacía?

Oh el helado; dulce todavía fresco en mi lengua, Con el sol al horno de arena descamación piel desnuda; Ondas de vainilla que se encuentran con el cono crujienteA través de la oblea delgada, raramente

O ese niño

O ese niño

¿Pero dónde está?

¿Qué hacía?

Todos esos recuerdos perdidos ahora; Mientras duermo soñando con mi infancia,

O ese niño

Que ya no soy Me gustaría ser el ahora.

SECOND PRIZE

En mi infancia

Solía pasar todos los días con mis hermanos

Correr, jugar, reír, y hablar en un idioma que nadie más entendió nunca parecíamos cansarnos o aburrirnos

¿Era la vida un sueño o fue eso lo que la hicimos? porque poco a poco

mis hermanos empezaban a crecer

La luz en la que vimos el mundo pronto fue solo para mí.

Los días se hicieron largos y oscuros

Al final no fue culpa de ellos ni mía

Esa es solo la forma de vida.

Josh Patel

Arjun Nair

EXTERNAL COMPETITIONS

FRENCH THEATRE FESTIVAL

On 7th March, Zoe Dreaneen, Emiliano Gallenzi (lower sixth) and I took part in the King Alfred School French plays festival. With Emiliano and I having competed in previous years, we knew the high level of competition we would be up against. That being said, with the help of Ms Durieu and Ms Marissal, we chose to perform a section of the comedic play Art by Yasmina Reza, which revolves around three friends - Serge, Marc and Yvan - who find their previously solid 15-year friendship quite unstable when Serge buys an expensive so-called white painting that is in reality a blank canvas.

We thoroughly enjoyed rehearsing and putting together our piece of drama and of course the performance in the competition itself.

Our thanks go out to the entire language department, including Miss Toussaint and Ms Marissal, but particularly to Ms Durieu for all her hard work and incredible support in guiding and assisting us through the process. We look forward to next year!

JOUTES ORATOIRES

A NATIONAL FRENCH DEBATING COMPETITION OPEN TO ALL SIXTH FORMERS IN THE UK

The opportunity to participate in the Joutes Oratoires has been an extremely valuable one for us all in lower sixth.

As a team, we worked in the weeks leading up to the competition preparing and researching around the debate motions. The motions were centred around real-life, current events which gave us insight into the global issues we explored on a unique level. Not only could we learn about the impacts of migration on different groups in society for example, and explore some key outcomes of freedom of expression in music historically, but we were working to learn to express our findings in another language. After several mock debates with our peers, enabled by our dedicated French assistants, we felt ready to put our debating to the test. Several rounds later, the team put in an incredible effort, reaching the bronze final, and finishing in fourth position. The finals in particular, presented a new kind of challenge, with a surprised motion: ‘Love cannot buy happiness’ with fifteen minutes to prepare, we collaborated to present our perspective on the motion, and participated in the fierce lutte acharnée. Not only did we conclude the competition with a victory, but also with a new found confidence in our French expression, and the skills to form convincing arguments for relevant global issues. We would not have been able to do as well as we did without the dedication of our French assistants, who organised our practice and reinforced our research and arguments leading up to the debate.

Sofia and Stella finally came fourth overall, as the first team of three that went to the competition, and Samson Green, Olivia Martin, Josh Cheong, and Sasha Mueller also put their debating skills to good use and were rewarded with a very inspiring and educational evening out.

Saahan Kapoor- lower sixth

Sofia Barassi and Stella Rodriguez Kanoti - lower sixth

FRENCH TRANSLATION COMPETITION

Winner of the University of Sheffield French translation competition

On 26th November 2023, I decided to enter the University of Sheffield French translation competition, as it was an excellent opportunity to exercise my newfound translation skills outside of the classroom, translating a passage drawn from Proust, roman familial, by Laure Murat. The text dwelled on the narrator’s former life in the French aristocracy at the time of the Belle Époque, choosing to focus on a particular memory and its historical significance, representing the principle on which the entire caste balanced. Following some research regarding the period it was set in, I endeavoured to translate the passage into English, attempting to reflect the passage, as if through a mirror, from one language to the other. Upon the new year, I was delighted to be informed of my success in the competition, as a winner, and that I had been invited to a translation workshop by the university, which discussed in detail the importance of a good translation and the concept of tapping into the author’s emotions, that are conveyed in the text. Overall, it was a very enjoyable and informative experience, which has allowed me to glean further knowledge and understanding in my subjects.

GERMAN

2024 has been an eventful year for engagement beyond the curriculum in German, with competitions ranging from Kafkaesque writing for the University of Oxford and the University of Sheffield translation competition to a poetic rendition of the euro’s impact on Germany. Competing in these competitions has been a thoroughly academically enriching experience, allowing for the exploration and development of an interest in the world of German literature while strengthening a future university application.

FLASH FICTION COMPETITION

The Oxford Flash Fiction Competition, launched last year by the Modern Languages School at the University of Oxford, asked participants, from year seven to year thirteen, to write a short yet complete story of 100 words or less to be in with the chance of winning £100.

Samson Green – lower sixth

Samson Green – lower sixth

This is to certify that Samson Green King's College School Wimbledon

is a winner of the University of Sheffield French Translation Competition 2023 Congratulations!

FREYA NOTT

Upper Sixth

Paleta De Colores

Yo era su paleta de colores.

Me hacía llorar.

Laqueaba su lienzo con mis lágrimas blancas nacaradas.

Me golpeaba. Lavanda florecía en mi piel. Sus pigmentos de color morado lúgubre igual a mis moretones. Me cortaba.

Los ojos de sus personajes eran profundizados por el rojo ardiente de mi sangre.

El matiz de fuego se filtraba de los barrancos enormes de mi carne.

Él era el maestro de mi negrura, mi vacío, que el usaba para perfilar sus creaciones.

Con mis colores, sus obras maestras eran diseñadas.

Y yo era su paleta de colores que le ayudaba a crearlas.

After reading Oxford’s Modern Foreign Languages Blog Adventures on the Bookshelf—there were several previous entries, and I thought it would be an exciting yet challenging competition to enter! At the time, I was also on a school trip in Valencia, where the language classes helped to further develop my linguistic skills.

Having recently read an article by a labour economist on domestic violence and its increasing prevalence, I was struck by the statistic: 1 in 3 American women are affected. This, along with my reading of The Colour Purple by Alice Walker—where relationship abuse is a key theme—compelled me to submit a short story with this issue at its centre. I was fortunate to win first place in my age group category. The experience has strengthened my Spanish language and literature skills.The hardest part was keeping it to just 100 words

ELLIE MCQUINN PRAYAAN SHARMA NICHOLAS BAILEY

Year 7

Le Combat des Chevaliers

Les deux chevaliers se batent vicieusement avec leur épée. Ils étaient tous les deux très fatigués car c’était une longue bataille. Mais le roi regardait le combat et ils devaient donc

Les deux chevaliers se batent vicieusement avec leur épée. Ils étaient tous les deux très fatigués car c’était une longue bataille. Mais le roi regardait le combat et ils devaient donc

Les deux chevaliers se batent vicieusement avec leur épée. Ils étaient tous les deux très fatigués car c’était une longue bataille. Mais le roi regardait le combat et ils devaient donc continuer. C’était un roi très méchant qui avait dit « le chevalier qui perd sera mis à mort «

Soudainement, un des chevaliers frappe avec force son assaillant qui tombe et lève l’œil au ciel en attendant sa mort. Le chevalier soulève son épée mais…

« Nico, viens diner »

« Oh, s’il te plait maman, j’ai presque fini mon jeu! »

« D’accord, mais seulement une minute! »

“My story is about a medieval duel with a modern day twist at the end! I was inspired to write this story because I really love history and I had just been learning about medieval history and also really enjoyed reading the Letter to the King. I was not expecting to get a prize so when I received the email to say my story had been Highly Commended, I was really surprised and excited! I am really enjoying learning French and although I find writing French quite difficult, after winning this competition, I am looking forward to doing lots more writing in the language!”

Lulu le ferry

Year 8

Il y avait un crocodile qui s’appelait Lulu. Il habitait dans la Tamise, le fleuve londonien.

Tous les jours, il regardait des personnes avec des portables et du café qui traversaient la Tamise en ferry. En regardant ça tous les jours, Lulu rêvait d’être un ferry. Il se tenait

debout et attendait son premier client mais les personnes le craignaient. Lulu disait des blagues et chantait des chansons pour attirer des clients. Un matin, un petit garçon arriva et lui demanda de faire la traversée pour aller à l’école. Lulu devint ainsi le ferry le plus

Il y avait un crocodile qui s’appelait Lulu. Il habitait dans la Tamise, le fleuve londonien.

Tous les jours, il regardait des personnes avec des portables et du café qui traversaient la Tamise en ferry. En regardant ça tous les jours, Lulu rêvait d’être un ferry.

Il se tenait

debout et attendait son premier client mais les personnes le craignaient. Lulu disait des blagues et chantait des chansons pour attirer des clients. Un matin, un petit garçon arriva et lui demanda de faire la traversée pour aller à l’école. Lulu devint ainsi le ferry le plus rapide de Londres

“My inspiration for the story was from stories my mum used to tell me when I was younger, when I went to bed. I was very rejoiceful and exhilarated when I received the news that I had received Highly Commended in this prestigious competition. For me, it helped me to progress my French, by using new tenses, vocabulary and grammar, and overall, it was a very beneficial experience. I would love to enter next year as well!”

Lower Sixth

Le Flétrissement Lentement, je m’étiole. J’erre à travers ton esprit, te bénissant à chaque minute qui passe. Bientôt, lorsque les ténèbres de la mort s’abattent, je serai métamorphosée, méconnaissable à toi. Puis, tu te rendras compte que mes mœurs, qui t’ont étouffé, t’ont donné du sens.

Tu peux te battre, mais, en vain. Tu ne gagneras aucune guerre, car vous êtes tous les mêmes: la même chair tendre et le même sang chaud. Ce regret lourd t’alourdira jusqu’à la fin; les défunts sont éternellement jaloux de cette vitalité gaspillée. Tu dois me saisir, puisque je suis éphémère, la vie éphémère qui s’étiole.

“My story, called Le Flétrissement, meaning ‘The Withering’, was about the ephemeral, short lived nature of life, and how it begins to escape us when we find it most precious. I am very proud to be highly commended in the competition, especially due to the volume and quality of the other entrants, which I am looking forward to reading. It has been a valuable experience, as you rarely get the opportunity to write creatively in French, and my result has inspired me to also enter other competitions.”

FOOD FESTIVALS

CARNEVALE FESTIVAL

King’s Italian linguists gathered to celebrate the annual Carnevale Festival.

Each year, Italy’s carnival is celebrated 40 days before Easter, the day before Lent begins, this year that falls during half term. Although Venice holds the most famous Italian carnival events, there are parades, festivals and parties almost everywhere in Italy, some of them very unusual.

Professor Liberti had organised a special pasta cooking celebration, which the upper fifth pupils all devoured!

Noah Luxman and Shaan Patel share their reflections:

“La scorsa settimana abbiamo cucinato dei piatti di pasta deliziosa, ognuno di noi ha preparato una ricetta del sugo per condire la pasta , una bonta’! Ci siamo divertiti molto a prepararla, e poi abbiamo anche mangiato “le fritelle di Carnevale”. Ringraziamo molto la Professoressa Liberti per aver organizzato questo evento favoloso!”

“Last week we cooked some delicious pasta, and each one of us has prepared a recipe for the sauce; how delicious! We had a lot of fun preparing it, and then we also ate the” fritelle di Carnevale”. Many thanks to Professor Liberti for organizing this fabulous event!”

“A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale!”

The Fête Gastronomique, which took place in the Dalziel room after school, was by all means a fantastic experience. The aim of the event, generously organised on behalf of the MFL team, was to introduce keen King’s linguists to yet another part of their respective language country’s cultures – namely the Christmas food!

In brief, the evening began with each of the representatives of the five countries, Russia, Germany, Italy, France and Spain, introducing the cuisine on offer in that country’s language. I had the pleasure of starting the whole thing with the Russia section, where there were delicious black-caviartopped pancakes prepared by Miss Robinson. The rest of the food on offer certainly did not disappoint either, including German pretzels, Italian Panettone, French tartes Tatins and Spanish jamón.

Otherwise, there was an overall warm atmosphere the whole time. Music from many of the languages spoken could be heard in the room, including German Neunundneunzig Luftballons by Nena, Italian Sarà Perché ti Amo by Ricchi e Poveri, and Russian Батарейка (Batareyka) by Жуки (Zhuki). The latter really surprised me as I had never heard any non-Russian know of, let alone put on, that song, which is otherwise pretty well-known.

Overall, the event was phenomenal and I would only encourage the MFL department to host, if possible, more of the such in the future.

FÊTE GASTRONOMIQUE

Alexander Chokin - upper fifth

MUSIC

Christmas concert in St James’s Piccadilly

DIPLOMA SUCCESSES

Tait Walsingham

Arvin Kinigama

Toby Proddow

Qasim Choudry

Isabella Song

William James

William James

Thomas Constantinou-Hickman

Amar Jaffer

Emma Owen

Lucie Lindsay

William James

Alp Kucukyildiz

ALCM (singing)

ARSM (piano)

ARSM (alto saxophone)

DipABRSM (percussion)

DipABRSM (piano)

DipABRSM (cello)

DipABRSM (double bass)

ARSM (piano)

ARSM (piano)

ARSM (french horn)

ARSM (singing)

FRSM (singing)

ARSM (piano)

SUMMARY OF THE YEAR

Mr D Phillips

There has been much to celebrate again this year. Two pupils reauditioned and retained their positions as members of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, both of whom were given the additional prestigious role of strings leader. Meanwhile, two pupils gained places in the National Children’s Orchestra and three in the National Youth Choir. Whilst every term we celebrate the success of talented musicians gaining diplomas, it was a first when we heard the news at the start of term that William James (lower sixth) had been awarded three diplomas in the course of the past year on three different instruments – cello, double bass and singing. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, his singing diploma was a fellowship (FRSM), the equivalent of a Master’s degree. This was an outstanding achievement.

In the spring term, four chamber music groups took part for the first time in the South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition, with two reaching the finals performing in St George’s, Hanover Square and one, a piano trio, returning victorious having won the junior category.

The Arts Festival, towards the end of the summer term, included a cello masterclass for King’s pupils with Julian Lloyd-Webber OBE, a joint concert with the Philharmonia, a spectacular band and technology showcase and a colourful partnership choir event involving four primary schools and members of coro.

Congratulations to all the pupils who have performed throughout the year as soloists and in bands, orchestras, choirs and chamber music; and heartfelt thanks to our dedicated and talented staff team of full-time and visiting teachers, as well as our superb administrators.

South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition participants

Winners of the South East Schools’ chamber music competition

Cello ensemble

CONCERTS

AND EVENTS

There have been numerous events for our solo performers across the year, including scholars’ concerts, informal concerts, concertino and the termly music recitals. As ever, the range of instruments offered and repertoire played was diverse.

The annual competitions were popular once again, with impressive standards in all age categories in the finals.

A first was the obligato concert, involving some twelve singers performing Bach and Handel arias accompanied by pupils on solo (obligato) instruments, harpsichord/ organ and cello. The evening was full of mature Baroque interpretations in some demanding repertoire.

Music competitions were held in all sections of the school, enabling peers to hear and support each other perform, whilst there were masterclasses for cellists, pianists and French horn players.

There was a hugely enjoyable voice and piano recital, a piano concert, a dazzling music technology showcase and an evening involving our technology students recording one of our sixth form bands.

Instrumentalists also featured playing brilliant solos on Fellowship Day, at the benefactors’ garden party and at the Old King’s reunion.

St James’s Piccadilly

Obligato concert

Piano masterclass

Horn masterclass

ORCHESTRAS AND ENSEMBLES

The first orchestral concert of the year brought the wind, chamber and symphony orchestras together for a programme including Rachmaninov’s much-loved Piano Concerto no 2 as well as music by Britten, Walton, Piazzolla and Michael Jackson. The orchestras were all on fine form, as was the impressive

soloist and pupil conductor.

We also welcomed over fifty musicians from our local partner schools to play in an orchestral workshop and concert, an annual event which has proved very popular. They were joined by fifteen of our own talented musicians, some of whom performed solos to the appreciative crowd of parents and staff.

The wind, chamber and symphony orchestras came together again the following term for a programme including Saint-Saëns’s monumental Third Symphony , complete with a large organ specially imported for the occasion.

The orchestral concert saw sinfonia joining symphony orchestra for a massed performance of the final

movement of Beethoven’s 5 th Symphony . Other works included movements from Bizet’s Carmen and music from Pirates of the Caribbean. The chamber orchestra, wind orchestra and a cello ensemble gave exciting and energetic performances that delighted the audience. The other large ensemble event was the excellent lower and middle school summer concert, showcasing the musical talents of pupils in our younger year groups.

Wind orchestra clarinets

Saxophone quartet at Jazz Club

Guitar ensemble

Wind orchestra brass

Wind orchestra percussion

Concert band

CHOIRS

Choirs have sung in a range of concerts and services over the year.

The chamber choir has sung regular Evensongs as usual in St Matthew’s and St John’s Churches in Wimbledon as well as further afield in Guildford and St Paul’s Cathedrals and in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. Their concerts this year included the annual Christmas event in St James’s Piccadilly, a performance of Handel’s Messiah and the choir soirée.

All six school choirs took part and led the singing in one of the four Christmas carol services held in the Sacred Heart and St John’s Churches, whilst also performing in various concerts during the year. The choral concert The Greatest Show was presented by Coro and King’s 9 at the end of the spring term featuring assured and polished performances of Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia and music from The Greatest Showman , James Bond and Phantom of the Opera

Chamber choir Evensong in St John’s Church

Royal School of Church Music award winners

Cambiata

Beginning of term service

Middle school choir

BANDS

Jazz and rock bands have flourished this year in number, talent and opportunities.

The big band played to their usual high standard at The Friends’ Fireworks event, together with four talented pupil bands who also took to the main performing stage in a thrilling evening of musical entertainment.

There was also an exceptional jazz club evening, featuring the big band, jazz combos and saxophone quartet. The three band showcases offered our many pupil bands opportunities to perform in front of an audience as well as the everpopular house battle of the Bands. The final band showcase of the year was part of the King’s Arts Festival allowing for an even larger stage and technical support.

Maclear in battle of the bands Upper fifth jazz band at band showcase Kingsley in battle of the bands

Battle of the bands

Big band rhythm section

John Evans string prize - lower school entrants

John Evans string prize - middle school entrants

Middle school Brass winner

Overall winner of the piano competition

John Evans string prize - sixth form entrants

MUSIC COMPETITIONS

OVERVIEW

This year there were five separate competitions held for instrumentalists as well as house music competitions for soloists and bands. Pupils taking part were able to benefit from advice from the world-class performers and experts who came in to be our external adjudicators

for these events. Our thanks to Benjamin Hulett (leading international tenor), Ann Elise Smoot (concert organist), Dr Ben Schoeman (concert pianist), Amos Miller (head of brass, Birmingham Conservatoire) and Graham Hobbs (Academy of St Martin in the Fields).

SPORT

RUGBY

U13 RUGBY

Mr R Mortimore

The U13s enjoyed a tremendous season during the Autumn Term with many fantastic performances across the board, delivering some incredible results and demonstrating why they are such a promising rugby age group going forward, capable of ongoing success. All rugby teams from A to D, plus the touch rugby group, ended the season with a win ratio of over 50%, with the A’s and B’s only losing one game each. Knowing the determination and capabilities of this group, they will certainly strive to maintain such high standards at U14 level and turn these narrow defeats into wins next year. Overall, as an U13 rugby cohort, their win rate was above 80% and one of the highest in the school.This is something the players really should be immensely proud of as it demonstrates the hard work and talent throughout the age group as a collective and is no small feat by any means.

There were many standout moments during the term, however, two weekends stick out more than the rest. Block fixtures for the A, B, C, and D teams against RGS Guildford in midSeptember, followed by a block against St John’s Leatherhead in the last weekend of term delivered wins across the board, topped off with some sensational performances to round off the year. To have these clean sweeps of wins across the age group bookending the rugby season, highlights the talent the year possesses whilst also demonstrating how much all teams had developed over the course of the term, with the improvement in their performances colossal. The hunger of this group to constantly improve and develop made our lives as coaches so easy, knowing the U13s would continue to set themselves high standards and come to every training session or fixture with a strong desire to work hard. All members of staff involved with coaching this group really enjoyed taking them every week throughout the season, seeing their development in each session, and having some great fun whilst doing so, with some great personalities in every team.

All pupils involved deserve a lot of praise for their efforts over the term, their application in training, the endeavour showed during tough matches, and their heart to work hard for the team and each other throughout the season are all positives they should hold on to and take with them going forward as they move through the school. Well done on a super term of rugby U13s!

U14 RUGBY

Mr J Barrington

The U14 age group consisted of ABC and Touch teams. The U14A team had an impressive term, starting with a dominant 40-0 victory over Hampton School, setting the tone for their campaign. Their structured gameplay, discipline, and attacking efficiency were evident in their commanding performance. Against Caterham, they faced tougher resistance but adapted well, securing a 36-12 win through strategic play and decisive finishing. They continued to show resilience in tough matches, learning valuable lessons against RGS Guildford in a tight win and Wimbledon College, where they had to recover from a disappointing loss. Against Trinity School, they displayed high work rate and structured play to win in emphatic fashion. Later in the term, they faced physically demanding fixtures against Hurst and Tiffin School, showcasing defensive organization and adaptability. The team ended the term on a high note with a crucial victory over Emanuel and St John’s, reinforcing their growth and strength as a cohesive unit.

The U14B team was unable to play their opening fixture against Hampton due to a cancellation but showed no signs of early term rust when they returned to action against Caterham, delivering an emphatic 55-12 victory. Their strong attacking display and teamwork were evident throughout the term. Against RGS Guildford, Wimbledon College and Trinity, they put in a commendable effort, showing resilience against a well-structured opposition.Their term concluded with brilliant performances Tiffin and Emanuel, where they displayed a strong defensive setup and the ability to execute attacking opportunities effectively.

“Their unbeaten record reflects the depth of talent within the...squad”

The U14C team exhibited their attacking strength early on with a dominant 50-0 win over Caterham, showcasing their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities.Throughout the term, they continued to demonstrate their depth and strategic execution. In matches against Wimbledon College and RGS Guildford, they showed strong teamwork in very good defensive display. A highlight of their term was a well-earned victory against Trinity, where their disciplined defence and attacking precision shone through. With only one loss all term to Hurst the U14C team had an exceptional term overall!

The Touch U14 team had a highly successful term, remaining unbeaten in all their tournaments. Their performances showcased excellent teamwork, skill development, and a clear understanding of strategic play. As a non-contact team, their ability to move the ball efficiently and outmanoeuvre opponents was commendable.Their unbeaten record reflects the depth of talent within the U14 squad and the strength of the rugby program at large.

The results from this term indicate a strong foundation for the future, with all teams demonstrating commendable synergy and continuous improvement. Maintaining momentum and refining defensive structures will be key to sustaining success next year. Across all teams, individual performances complemented collective efforts, setting a high standard for next year. I would like to thank every player that contributed to the U14 teams this year.

U15 RUGBY

James Stephens – U15A captain

“Lucas De Mol could not be stopped as he powered through 3 defenders to reach for the line.”

This was the most challenging and difficult season this team has faced since meeting for the first time in 2021. Our preseason matchups weren’t the perfect start to the year with King’s losing to Brighton and fumbling a lead to Tonbridge, but we took an extended squad, and this was good preparation. However, to start the season, all 3 teams were very excited to get out at Kingsway and have a shot at Reed’s.

The victories for King’s did not emerge in the heat. The squad moved on to Caterham, knowing this could be a victory. Yet, it was heartbreak as the B team were beaten. Even worse though, the A team game that was in the balance until the last whistle went against us. Caterham took the lead in the last play of the game after a 3-point kick to win.

Following this low moment, both teams were comfortably beaten by a strong RGS Guildford side away. However, after several defeats, the A’s had a cup fixture in front of a big school crowd on the 1st XV pitch on a Thursday afternoon. To win it would be an incredible feat of determination and skill since St. Richard Reynold’s came with a big reputation. 5-0 down and it seemed like another loss was inevitable, but Lucas De Mol could not be stopped as he powered through 3 defenders to reach for the line. The conversion went through, and King’s found themselves in a winning position for the first time in the season, at the best time possible. The scoreboard read 7-5 to King’s and the ball was kicked into touch.

Only days after glory, we faced Wimbledon College on derby day. Much like Caterham, the game went down to wire for the A’s and they lost by just 2. The b team fought hard to come out on top, but ended up 1 score behind. What preceded this was a loss to Cranleigh from the B’s and C’s and another fumbled lead for the A’s. When faced with round 2 of the cup, Hampton managed to run away with a 22-point win in the second half, leaving the team devastated. Hurstpierpoint also managed to keep both teams at bay.

Yet, we were soon back to winning rugby against Tiffin and Emanuel, finding plenty of scores across all teams and winning all those games. Then came St. John’s, who managed to defeat both sides despite being under great pressure. Finally, against Reed’s again, the B team played incredible rugby and had a muchimproved score line to the previous encounter.The A team could have easily won this last game comfortably but were somehow put out by the conditions and unfortunate decisions.

As captain I couldn’t be more impressed with the fight and resilience from this group of boys and all of them are incredible players and people.

U16 RUGBY

Mr T Rogers

Following the immense success of the U15 season, the 2023 campaign for the U16A team was always going to present a unique challenge. One of the most rewarding aspects of the year was seeing players step up to fill the gaps left by those promoted to the 1st XV. Many of these players had limited previous experience at A team level, yet rose to the occasion with real maturity and skill.

There were several closely contested matches that didn’t quite go our way—our fixtures against RGS Guildford and St John’s being prime examples. These were games where the outcome hinged on a single decision or bounce of the ball, highlighting just how fine the margins can be. While we didn’t always come out on top, these experiences helped the group learn how to manage tight games and develop the resilience required to find

a way to win. When everything did come together, as it did in our victories over Emanuel, Tiffin, and Hurstpierpoint, the team’s true potential was there for all to see.

Throughout the season, we placed a strong emphasis on skill development. While playing cohesively as a unit remained a priority, we also aimed to prepare each individual as best as possible for the step up to senior rugby next year. True to form, this group approached training with consistently high intensity, and both individual and team improvements were clearly evident.

A huge thank you must go to Mr Young for his support of the team, and to the boys for their outstanding effort, commitment, and excellent company throughout the season.

3 RD XV RUGBY

Mr E Bowden

The 3rd XV saw most of their fixtures played midweek and all their matches were terrific spectacles, lots of running rugby, high scoring and the game played with a smile on the players faces. Despite on occasion some terrible weather! It was great to get these pupils competitive opportunities.

“A big thank you to all the upper sixth who represented the senior squads, as you move on from King’s, stay involved with the game in whatever way you can.”

2 ND XV RUGBY

Mr E Bowden

For the 2nd XV, the group started the season very well with convincing wins against Caterham, RGS, Guildford and Wimbledon College. Several players from the 2nd XV made appearances for the 1st XV showing the progress the group made throughout the term. The team were more suited to the dryer conditions of the first half of term as they struggled with consistency in the second half of term but another good win versus Emanuel was deserving for the group’s efforts throughout the term.

Ed Shinn and Guy Sigee – upper sixth

The 2nd XV saw a lot of different faces come and go over the season, but there were definitely some very memorable moments. The season started off strong with a tough session, or two, in Nottingham due to fitness issues, while a close loss against Reeds for the first game of the season got the boys fired up and ready for the next matches. An absolute domination against Caterham for ‘Friday night lights’ was definitely a game to highlight, with standout performances all round. A close and entertaining game against Guildford was definitely one of the most satisfactory wins of the season, with the result of the game coming down to the wire. However, a Fergie drop goal would secure the win, and see us beat the team which we had previously lost to 9-43 the year prior. There was an obvious improvement in the performances in the 2nd XV from the previous season, and with things really starting to click, this was showcased when we won a third game on the trot, comfortably, in the big annual Wimbledon college derby. While we were very much in form, a disappointing bartering from Cranleigh saw us finish the half term, with a loss.This absolutely did not represent a very promising first half of the season. Enter the second half of the season: a change in captain and some much needed R&R saw the return of the upper sixth guns, minus Charlie who was still nursing his career-ending ankle roll. Brookers’ Boys were full of fire after a game of fluid joué against Wimbledon College in the local derby, yet the momentum was faltered by a waterlogged Kingsway and a tough loss against Hurst. Nevertheless the boys bounced back against Emmanuel to take home a 26-10 win. And though the fellas struggled to find results against a strong John’s side and a Reed’s rematch, it was clear that a sense of camaraderie had been formed among the squad, for which I would be proud to see in the future generations of the mighty seconds. A huge thank you must be given to the persistence and determination of Mr Brooker, and of course it wouldn’t be a fair mention of the seconds without giving credit to Mr Grabowski’s passing drills. Up the 2s!!

1 ST XV RUGBY

Max

Robinson – lower sixth

The season started when 41 pupils joined a preseason trip to the University of Nottingham and this enabled the group to build bonds, develop their style of play and increase fitness levels. This put the senior rugby team in a good position for a triangular with Tonbridge and Brighton which allowed the players to experiment with combinations and hone their skills against a tough opposition. The first game for the 1st XV saw a narrow victory against Reed’s, the game was played in the sweltering early September heat and the boys did well to maintain the lead and close out the game. This is something they were not able to do in the matches that followed vs Caterham and RGS Guildford. The young side made significant progress and took learnings from these close games.Their understanding of game management, the importance of set piece and being patient in attack, were a few examples of the learning. The performance of the first half of the season came away to New Hall School in Essex, dominant in every facet of the match, it showed the capabilities of the group. The second half of term saw a continuation of the progress the group had made with the peak of this being the victory vs St John’s School, Leatherhead. In a game where momentum was swinging from one team to the other, the

group dug deep and the score line finished 31-26 in King’s favour.

For the 2nd XV, the group started the season very well with convincing wins against Caterham, RGS Guildford and Wimbledon College. Several players from the 2nd XV made appearances for the 1st XV showing the progress the group made throughout the term. The team were more suited to the dryer conditions of the first half of term as they struggled with consistency in the second half of term but another good win versus Emanuel was deserving of the group’s efforts throughout the season.

The 3rd XV saw most of their fixtures played midweek and all their matches were terrific spectacles, lots of running rugby, high scoring and the game played with a smile on the players faces. Despite, on occasion, some terrible weather! It was great to get these pupils into competitive opportunities.

A big thank you to all the upper sixth who represented the senior squads, as you move on from King’s, stay involved with the game in whatever way you can.

HOCKEY

Mr B Tibble

BOYS U12 HOCKEY

The U12 age group had a fantastic season of hockey this year and it was great to see so many players involved in training and fixtures over the course of the term.The improvement that those involved made from start to finish was remarkable. Having a group of pupils who actively want to learn and get better makes the role of a coach 10 times more enjoyable and the U12s did just that. They faced teams like Alleyns, Reigate and KGS in some cracking games with tight scorelines. The U12A team in particular have

had a fantastic season of hockey and winning almost all of their matches is an impressive achievement. They also celebrated a huge win at the London County Cup Tournament (getting through not 1 but 2 rounds at various venues) beating teams like UCS and Dulwich College – a King’s first for the U12 age group and was lovely to see the boys celebrating with the King’s Cake a few weeks later. A truly brilliant term for U12 hockey and hope that these boys continue their success next year at U13 level.

BOYS U13 HOCKEY

Firstly, a big thank you must go to the coaches who have taken the U13 squad; Mr McCluskey, Miss Leach, Mr Beck have helped develop the pupils during this term and in matches. The main thanks though must go to the pupils, the progress they have made is down to their hard work and commitment to training. We have had some sessions in terrible weather conditions, but the boys have given their all and made the most of each training opportunity. This has seen much improved hockey being played across all four teams and a greater game awareness from the pupils. We have regularly had 4 teams out for this age group against strong opposition.

For the A team, the latter half of the season saw two of their best performances. Against Caterham we moved the ball well and defended resiliently. The group created loads of chances but just could not find the back of the net despite patience in possession. And then on the last weekend, against RGS Guildford, the group scored some excellent goals and created chance after chance.

“...close to 45 saves in one of the all-time great performances.”

The U13 London Tournament saw us put forward some great performances, in the shorter format of the game the squad really developed their tactical awareness and were deserving of the 3rd place finish.The squad has been committed throughout the season, but plaudits should go to Martin O’Flanagan who has played both in goal and outfield as well as Ismail SaleemSheikh who has led from the front and gained experience as an U14 hockey player also.

The Saturdays have been tough for the U13B team and no tougher than Alleyn’s away but the attitude on a Tuesday in games was as if it was a new dawn. The word resilience is

overused in education, but this group have shown it in bucket loads. Special mention must go to the performance of Vincent Janjic vs Kingston Grammar as this was not just the B team performance of the season but perhaps the performance of all hockey players in the country over the season. He made close to 45 saves in one of the all-time great performances.

The U13 C and D have been excellent throughout the term and shown much improved performances as the season progressed. The U13C win vs Caterham a highlight for them with a hattrick from Oliver Pearey and 2 goals from Sebastian Sinclair.The U13D performance of the term came against Reigate Grammar, stringing good passes together and defending like titans.

It is great to have over 40 boys on hockey in the U13s and I hope you continue to enjoy your hockey into the fourth form. Finally, a big thank you to the coaching staff that took the squad during the term.

“a highlight for the U13C was a hat-trick from Oliver Pearey and 2 goals from Sebastian Sinclair”

BOYS U14 HOCKEY

The U14 hockey teams have had a positive and energetic start to the season, with both the A and B squads showing strong development, excellent team spirit, and an eagerness to learn. The group is full of character, and their performances have reflected both individual talent and a growing collective identity.

The U14A team had a tough day out against a strong Reeds side. Despite the result, Nathan delivered a standout performance in goal, showing bravery and sharp reflexes to keep the scoreline in check. The team bounced back impressively with a 2-1 win over St Dunstan’s, demonstrating improved structure and attacking intent. This was followed by a superb 1-1 draw with Caterham—a game where the boys matched their opponents throughout and showed real grit. They capped off their run of fixtures in emphatic fashion, producing a commanding 9-0 win over Dulwich. The team played with confidence and control, rotating players effectively and keeping the tempo high throughout. The attacking movement was fluid and the defensive line rock-solid. It was a performance that showcased how far the group has come in just a short time.

The U14B team have been equally impressive in spirit, adaptability, and progress. Playing with a rotating squad of 13 in one fixture gave them fresh legs and tactical flexibility, which paid off in a controlled performance where they conceded just once in the second half. Giorgio Watson was phenomenal in goal, providing a calming presence and making crucial saves. It’s been heartening to see many players stepping up from last year’s U13D side—a great reflection of the depth and inclusivity of the hockey programme.

Against Alleyn’s, the B team faced tough opposition and played with no substitutes, but showed real determination. After conceding twice in the first half, a few smart positional changes saw them tighten up and only concede one more. Despite a

3-0 loss, the boys left the field smiling, knowing they’d given everything. They followed that with a well-earned 0-0 draw against St Dunstan’s—an end-to-end match between two very evenly matched sides. Oliver Lovett-Turner and Henry White were standout performers, driving the team forward in a game full of chances and energy.

The team saved one of their best performances for last with a 6-0 win over Harrodian. Goals were shared across the team, with Abi Mukund shining throughout and TPR covering every inch of the pitch with relentless energy. Three penalty shuffles were won but not converted, adding a bit of humour and something to work on in training! Meanwhile, Georgio Watson—guesting in goal for Harrodian—put in a commanding performance of his own.

It’s been a term of progress and promise for the U14s. Both squads have shown fantastic commitment and energy, and their development so far is a credit to their attitude and to the strength of the programme. The road ahead will present more challenges, but it’s clear this is a group full of potential and enthusiasm.

BOYS U15 HOCKEY

The U15A and U15B hockey teams have had a busy and eventful run of fixtures recently, showing great character, development, and team spirit across a range of competitive matches.

The U15A side began with a spirited comeback win, overturning a sluggish first-half performance to defeat their opponents 4-2. Ollie Curran and Tom Wood both netted twice, with the team responding well after some halftime encouragement. Caleb was named Player of the Match for a string of crucial and impressive saves that kept the team in the game at key moments.This fighting spirit carried through to their next match—a commanding 5-1 victory over Ardingly. Ollie continued his scoring streak with a brace, while Noah, Ibby, and Danny added their names to the scoresheet. The team finished strongly, scoring two late goals despite playing much of the second half with just 11 players.

“In U15Bs Toby O took Player of the Match honours for a strong overall display”

A closely contested 1-1 draw followed, in which the U15As again came from behind. Taiki was the standout, scoring a sensational equaliser and earning Player of the Match honours. While the performance wasn’t their strongest, the boys showed maturity in their post-match reflections and recognised areas for improvement ahead of future games.They continued their cup run with a hardfought 2-1 victory over Bradfield College in the ISHC, thanks to goals from Tom W and the ever-reliable Ollie Curran. It was a solid, disciplined performance against strong opposition that saw the team progress to the next round.

“U15As Taiki was the standout, scoring a sensational equaliser and earning Player of the Match honours”

Not every result went their way, however. A tough 5-1 loss against a very well-drilled Alleyn’s side tested the team’s resolve. After conceding four goals in the first half, they rallied and produced a superb goal through ollie, lifting spirits amidst a challenging afternoon. Parental support was fantastic, and the team remained in good spirits. Another demanding fixture came in the form of a cup tie against Whitgift. Despite knowing the strength of their opponents, the U15As displayed impressive resilience. With regular goalkeeper Caleb unavailable, Aryan stepped up with only two previous matches to his name and delivered a remarkable performance in goal, making a number of sensational saves. Taiki was outstanding in defence, leading by example and producing his best display of the season. B team players Charlie McGuire, Luke O’Brien, and Freddie Hagon also stepped up impressively, contributing with tireless work ethic and determination. Although the scoreline didn’t go their way, the effort, attitude, and pride in their performance was a real credit to the squad.

The U15B team have also shown strong development, despite a 4-1 loss in their recent fixture. After some early confusion around positioning, the team regrouped and played an excellent second half. Luke O’Brien scored a stunning goal, and Toby O took Player of the Match honours for a strong overall display.The second-half performance in particular showed the potential of this developing squad.

Across both age groups, the boys have shown grit, skill, and growing tactical awareness. Most importantly, they’ve represented the school with pride and maturity—on and off the pitch.

BOYS U16 HOCKEY

The U16A hockey team have had a busy and competitive season so far, showing significant promise in their National Cup campaign and demonstrating both resilience and skill throughout a series of challenging fixtures.

They opened their cup run with a commanding 7-0 victory over Caterham, delivering an emphatic performance in the first round. The team played with confidence and control from the outset, putting on a clinical display of attacking hockey. This result set up a second-round tie against Trinity, which proved to be a tougher encounter. Despite a determined effort, the U16s fell to defeat, struggling at times against Trinity’s physicality and athleticism. A costly 10-minute spell in the first half defensively gave the opposition too much of a foothold, but standout performances from Sal and Taiki showed the team’s quality. Although disappointed, the team took valuable lessons from the game and regrouped well as they transitioned into the plate competition.

“They opened their cup run with a commanding 7-0 victory over Caterham”

Their response was impressive. A 4-0 win in the next round was a testament to their focus and resilience. Dylan bagged a brace, while Charlie and Adam added to the scoreline in a commanding team display that booked their place in the quarter-finals. It was one of their most composed performances to date, marked by intelligent movement and solid defensive structure.

In a dramatic quarter-final clash, the U16As travelled to Eltham for a match that tested their character to the limit. Trailing 2-1 for much of the game, the boys dug deep, and with just two minutes remaining, Max produced a crucial equaliser to send the match to a shootout. The tension was high, and the boys had two chances to seal victory, but it wasn’t to be. They were narrowly edged out 3-2 in penalties, bringing their cup journey to a close. Despite the heartbreak, the team can be incredibly proud of their performance, particularly the fight and composure shown in such a high-pressure environment.

The season so far has showcased not only the talent within the squad but also their growth as a group. With plenty to build on, the U16s continue to show promise for the future.

BOYS 2 ND XI HOCKEY

The 2nd XI hockey team have had a rollercoaster season full of gritty performances, learning moments, and flashes of real quality. Kicking off with a strong 3-1 win, the team overcame a nervy start to settle into the game and dominate possession in the second half. Goals from Sal Swinburne(2) and Adam Watkins secured the win, while captain Benedict Holder put in a commanding performance to earn Player of the Match honours. The “2s train” was officially rolling, with spirits high heading into a tough away fixture against Alleyn’s.

Against Alleyn’s, the side delivered a well-organised and hard-fought display, narrowly falling to a 2-1 defeat. Jethro Eley, described as “very tired,” still managed to find the net on the break late in the game, but the team couldn’t hold their lead and conceded shortly after. George put in an excellent shift at the back in what was considered a fair result against a top-quality opponent.

A 6-1 defeat followed, in a match that didn’t reflect the team’s effort or moments of promise. Despite being outclassed for periods, the 2s fought back to 3-1 with 15 minutes to go, only to be halted by a stunning goal that killed their momentum.The match was framed as a valuable learning experience against a well-drilled opposition.

In a scrappy 4-2 loss to Caterham, the 2nd XI struggled early, conceding twice in the first five minutes, but responded quickly with an equaliser and battled hard throughout a physical game.The second half was more controlled, ending 0-0. A special mention goes to Ollie Curran, who generously stayed on to help when the team were short—a testament to the squad’s spirit and unity.

Their resilience was rewarded in the penultimate fixture, where a combined 2nd XI/U16 side beat St James 3-1. After going a goal down early, the team rallied, drawing level by halftime and then pulling away in the second half. A big thank you went to Mr Wood for stepping in to umpire, and the team endured a memorable halftime talk, famously compared to the tempo and tactical structure of Arsenal’s recent Champions League clash with Porto.

“Adam Watkins secured the win, while captain B. Benedict put in a commanding performance to earn Player of the Match honours.”

The 2nd XI close their season with one final test against Reeds, looking to end a spirited campaign on a high. The squad should take pride in their development, camaraderie, and the way they’ve represented the school through a demanding run of fixtures.

BOYS 1 ST XI HOCKEY

The 1st XI have had a season filled with competitive fixtures, tight margins, and moments of real quality, marked by both learning curves and standout individual performances. While results were mixed, the squad showed resilience, growth, and an unwavering determination in a series of closely contested games.

The term began with a high-scoring match against Reigate, where the 1st XI fell 6-2. Despite the scoreline, the match was far more balanced than it appeared, with King’s showing real quality in possession but struggling out of it. Max Mumford scored both goals, including a sensational long-range strike that was one of the goals of the season.

Their next outing saw them travel to Caterham, where they produced one of their most disciplined performances of the term. Missing several key players, they defended heroically and played some excellent hockey under pressure.The match ended in a narrow 1-0 loss, with King’s pushing hard in the closing stages, winning four short corners in the final minutes but unable to convert. A draw would have been a fair result.

“Max Mumford scored both goals, including a sensational long-range strike that was one of the goals of the season.”

Another close battle followed against Alleyn’s. A 3-1 defeat didn’t reflect the even nature of the contest, with the opposition deadly on the counter and fatigue setting in for King’s in the final quarter. The story was similar against Ardingly, where the boys held their own at 2-1 for much of the match before Ardingly’s standout England player turned the tide, with the game finishing 4-1. A bright note came in the form of Kav, who impressed on debut after a late call-up to the squad.

The team found their reward in a gritty 1-0 cup win over a physical Dulwich side. It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but it showed their ability to dig deep when it mattered most. Milo scored the decisive goal, sealing a hard-fought and wellearned victory. Confidence continued to grow with a 2-1 win over St John’s in a dominant display where the margin

could—and perhaps should—have been greater. The team kept their composure, scoring late to secure a deserved result.

Perhaps the standout performance of the term came in a narrow 4-3 defeat, where the team led for long stretches before conceding twice in the final 10 minutes. It was their most complete and cohesive performance yet, with debutant GLT excelling in defence and the team showing real cohesion and belief.

The final block fixture of the season ended in a 3-3 draw with Dulwich, a result that fittingly captured the nature of the season—excellent hockey between the circles, but some soft goals conceded and missed chances proving costly. Still, it was a great watch and a strong way to round off their fixtures. The final challenge comes in the form of the annual match against the Old Boys—a fitting way to close a term of real effort, progress, and pride.

While the season has been shaped by fine margins, the 1st XI can be proud of their commitment, their development as a team, and the moments of brilliance they’ve produced along the way.

BOYS INDOOR HOCKEY

The indoor hockey season saw both our U16 and U18 teams competing at a high level, showcasing quick thinking, sharp skills, and tactical maturity in a fast-paced version of the game. Both squads demonstrated resilience and adaptability, thriving under pressure and representing the school with pride.

GIRLS INDOOR HOCKEY

The Girls’ 1st VI Indoor Hockey team had a stellar run in the indoor season, beginning with a highly successful London qualifying tournament. The team kicked off their campaign with an outstanding 3-0 victory over JAGS, where Martha was the star of the show, netting all three goals in a commanding performance. She not only scored but also led with great determination and skill, inspiring her teammates throughout the match.

The U16s had a superb campaign, starting by winning the regional round in convincing style. They opened with a composed 3-1 win over Trinity, before powering to two dominant 6-1 victories over Kingston Grammar School (KGS) and Langley Park—three excellent results against established hockey schools. These performances earned them a place in the prestigious London Indoor Finals.

At the London Finals, the U16s continued to impress. They picked up strong wins over Bancroft’s, Alleyn’s, and Trinity, displaying both attacking flair and defensive solidity. Despite narrow losses to KGS and Whitgift, they finished a very impressive second overall in London—a fantastic achievement and testament to the quality and depth of the group.

The U18s also enjoyed a competitive indoor season, taking on top-level opposition including Trinity, KGS, Alleyn’s, and Langley. Every match was fiercely contested, with all games decided by fine margins. Although they were ultimately unlucky not to progress from their group, the team showed a high standard of play and great character throughout the tournament. Their performances demonstrated real promise and a strong team spirit, and the experience will serve them well heading into the outdoor season.

The girls’ second game in the tournament was a hard-fought 3-2 loss, with the final goal being conceded in the last minute—a bitterly unlucky outcome. Despite the loss, the team showed immense character and teamwork. Every player was engaged, asking insightful questions, eager to improve, and developing their skills on the fly. It was clear that they were not just focused on the game, but genuinely enjoying the learning process. The squad’s hard work paid off, as they qualified for the London Finals, a well-earned achievement for this motivated group.

At the London Finals, the team faced tough opposition, starting with two draws against Godolphin & Latymer and Mill Hill.These matches were competitive and well-played, with the girls showing their resilience and teamwork. With a win needed against KGS to progress, the team pushed hard but unfortunately couldn’t secure the victory required. Nevertheless, the girls displayed excellent teamwork, sportsmanship, and a growing understanding of indoor hockey.

“Martha was the star of the show, netting all three goals in a commanding performance.”

U16 INDOOR HOCKEY

U18 INDOOR HOCKEY

ROWING

J14 ROWING

Alec Gilligan - fourth form

Despite just getting into rowing, the J14 year has been very enjoyable and packed with races. Focusing primarily on the technical aspects and getting familiar with the basics, We loved frequent water sessions in all boat sizes from octos to singles. Despite rowing for only a term, we were able to get our first taste of competitive rowing earlier in the year at Junior Sculling Head, which was really exciting and really incredible as we got to race at an Olympic course. In the Summer term we got to enjoy plenty of side by side regattas, and even some multi lane regattas, at races like Chiswick and Hammersmith.The final highlight was of course getting to compete at National Schools regatta, a whole day of rowing and competing. Both boats achieved impressive results for our year group, especially when compared to results from previous years. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year of rowing and I’m sure the other people in my boat would agree.

J15 ROWING

Alex Hoo - lower fifth

This year’s head season started off strong for the J15 squad, having transitioned from scull (2 oars) to sweep (1 oar), pulling an impressive 3rd and 9th place at the hotly contested Quintin Head. Approaching worryingly quickly, we began to devote our efforts to the School’s Head, which was then swiftly cancelled due to the river conditions. Thankfully, a replacement event was organised at Eton Dorney, with a 7th place result for the second boat, and a 3rd place result for the 1st boat.

After a hard camp spent in the rain in Spain (not on the plain), we returned to the UK to take on the regatta season. Building into the National School’s Regatta, we trained hard, hoping to break our bronze streak, which we did, coming in 4th place,

with the second boat coming in a very strong 5th in the B-final. Amongst this, we also attended some smaller local regattas, winning in doubles and fours at Barnes & Mortlake as well as in eights at Hammersmith. To wrap up the season, we attacked at Marlow, coming a miniature 0.8 seconds off St Paul’s in the time trial, and second place in the final, with the 2nd eight coming in a very respectable 5th in the B-final.

None of this would have happened without the support of the coaches, parents, and everyone else involved in the rowing programme, so thank you ever so much for everything you give up for us. All in all, an extremely successful year for the J15 squad.

J16 ROWING

Rafael Aram – upper fifth

The J16 rowing season has been a remarkable one, filled with outstanding achievements and memorable moments. The team’s hard work and dedication were evident from the very beginning, as they secured a triumphant win at the Hammersmith Head. This was followed by an impressive second place in the prestigious School Head event for both the first and second eights, setting the tone for the rest of the season.To further refine their technique and build upon their success, the team embarked on a weeklong rowing camp at Cerlac.The beautiful weather provided the perfect backdrop for intense training sessions, allowing the rowers to focus on honing their skills and working together as a cohesive unit. The first major test of their progress came at the Wallingford Regatta. The team’s hard work paid off, with the first eight

securing a commendable second place and the first four claiming victory in their event.This momentum carried through to the National Schools Regatta, where the J16’s made school history. For the first time ever, both the first and second J16 eights achieved podium positions, each securing a third-place finish. This unprecedented success showcased the depth of talent and the strength of the rowing programme. To close out the season, the team set their sights on conquering the Marlow Regatta. Once again, their determination and skill shone through, with both the first eight and four winning their respective events. This final triumph served as a fitting culmination to an extraordinary season, highlighting the team’s growth, resilience, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

SENIOR BOYS ROWING

Mr R Winchester

The Senior Boys rowing squad is in a very healthy position at the moment, with both strength and depth in spades. For the head race season and up to National School’s Regatta, the squad focussed on two VIIIs. At School’s Head, the biggest time trial of the season, the 2nd VIII came a creditable 7th of 19 crews and the 1st VIII won bronze. After a trip to Spain for a training camp in was onto the regatta season, where the side-by-side racing began. After many successes during the early regatta season, it was time for the National School’s Regatta at Dorney Lake, the site of the 2012 Olympic rowing. The squad raced a coxless IV, which came 12th, a 2nd VIII which made the A-Final of their competition and came 6th and a 1st VIII which had a fantastic two days of racing to come 5th in the country. The culmination of the domestic rowing season, for clubs and schools alike is Henley Royal Regatta. 1st VIII rower William Groom gives his experiences of this year’s Henley in the article below.

Throughout the season, some of our most talented rowers battle it out for international representation via the gruelling GB trialling system. This years bunch have done exceptionally well with no fewer than six rowers representing the country this summer!

SENIOR GIRLS ROWING

Zoya Siddiqui and Raffy Sinclair – lower sixth

The girl’s squad had a great year with many highlights. For the first time, we were able to race an eight at Schools Head which was a great experience especially as most of the girls had only started rowing this year. We also raced a coxed four at Nat schools.

The Ball cup regatta was particularly memorable as we won second place in the coxed fours category. We also had a single do incredibly well in the time trial to get a place in the final. Henley women’s was our last race of the year, and we finished off strong with a time very close to some other crews in our category which showed how much we have improved this year. Overall, this year has been so enjoyable and we are excited for our progress to continue next year.

HENLEY

William Groom – upper sixth

This year, KCSBC entered four crews into Henley.Two eights put down strong times in qualifiers for the Temple Challenge Cup, the university eights category, and our quad narrowly missed out on a spot in the fiercely contested Fawley Challenge Cup, showcasing the depth of the squad.

In the 1st VIII, we were eager to progress as far as we could against some of the fastest schoolboy crews from around the world. Our first race was against Great Marlow, and after getting clear water by the end of the island, we were able to lengthen out and take the rating down through the remainder of the course. The next day’s opposition was Dulwich College, and again we took a quick lead, but they were determined to hold on and the gap remained at about two lengths right to the finish. Thursday was a rest day, and then on Friday we were to take on St Edwards, last year’s winners, in the quarter finals.

The rain fell hard in the evening, but despite this, the support for our walk out was incredible, the route down to the water packed with parents, friends and teachers cheering us on. In the race itself, both crews were very quick off the start, and then St Edwards took an early lead, but we hung onto their stern with the knowledge that around halfway the conditions would be in our favour. We pushed them hard, and gained back a few seats in the latter stages, but they were able to find an extra gear and respond, and despite our best efforts we couldn’t crack them, ending up just under a length behind at the finish.

We knew it was going to be a close race, but to be on the wrong side of that margin was gutting. However, the support we had over the entire week was incredible, as well as the top-class coaching. It capped off a fantastic season, and I’m excited to see what next year’s squad can achieve.

FOOTBALL

Mr J Barrington

U13 FOOTBALL

The football season was a bit unfamiliar this year with it being the first time they’ve played 11-a-side in school, and with Hampton being their first fixture, it was important they focused and worked hard in the build-up. With mixed results in the first set of fixtures, it was a good building block moving into their busy season. We then faced Wimbledon College, the local derby, where the U13s were excited to continue where they left off last year with some good results. The football being played was outstanding as they started to understand the technical and tactical aspect of 11-a-side football. As a result, we saw the majority of KCS teams win their derby match.

Wilson’s were up next for the A-E teams who were all settling into their new formations and starting to play some neat football, which again resulted in some great matches and positive results. St Paul’s were the next opponents, and this was always going to be a tough match up given the quality of players the opposition have. This was not reflected in the results however, where we clean swept them convincingly scoring a total of 22 goals across the 5 matches.

Unfortunately, the weather got the better of us for the Whitgift game, but it wasn’t long until we were back in action playing Sutton Grammar. In tough conditions, the pupils battled hard and once again, came off on top showing that they can do it on a wet windy afternoon in Sutton. The C and D team had the opportunity to play City of London Freeman’s school which saw high quality football on display and whilst those teams played City of London Freeman’s, the others faced Emanuel school. When a team (or year group) have been very successful in recent matches, there will always be a dip in performance eventually and this was the case for this set of matches where results were mixed after full-time.

As we progressed through the season, it was great to see the pupils improving and was evident in the results from all teams as we clean swept St John’s, Leatherhead playing some outrageously good football. A big shout out to the A team in this game who changed their whole system of playing and managed to put in their attacking performance of their season winning 7-4. These positive results set us up nicely for the final fixture of the year, Dulwich College. Well done to the A – E team for finishing off their season in style against a very tough opponent which is great motivation going into next year.

House football was a blast with the Houses battling it out for the title of champions, but there could only be one winner. A

big well done to Kingsley for ruling the football pitch for 2024. Finally, a big well done to every individual for their efforts during training, where they took on board all the information and as a result, we saw a massive improvement technically, physically and tactically. A special mention to the U13B team who went the whole season unbeaten – a fantastic effort from the pupils and we must give some credit to Mr Gwynne (B team coach), for his tactical masterclass all season. In addition, it was fantastic to see such high attendance at club and most importantly, everyone enjoying playing their football. We all look forward to next year!

U13 ISFA FOOTBALL REVIEW

The U13s kicked off their ISFA campaign in autumn, beginning with the ISFA Cup. A select squad from U13 and U12 faced Forest School in round one, showing impressive commitment despite the off-season. The match was tightly contested, but thanks to a penalty save by Will Ritchie, we secured a 2-0 victory and progressed to the next round.

Round two against the Hall School saw us playing some outstanding football, dominating from the start, controlling the tempo, and claiming a comfortable 4-0 win. Alongside the ISFA Cup, we competed in the Shield, where we thrashed Claremont Fan Court 9-1, then displayed maturity and ruthlessness to beat Buckswood and Ryde. At this point, the ISFA squad were playing a level of football that is way beyond their years. Their tactical understanding was exceptional, a key asset as they faced Whitgift in the last 16. Focused and disciplined, they frustrated Whitgift before countering clinically, winning 2-0 and reaching the quarterfinals thanks to some quality goals from Kentaro Tamura and James Behan — the furthest we as a school had ever reached in this competition.

Highgate proved a tough challenge, conceding a couple of goals early on and were 4-0 down at halftime. Despite a dominant second half, the U13s could not find a breakthrough, ending their Cup journey, but one the team should be very proud of. Fuelled by that loss, we stormed through the Shield, thrashing Crosfield’s 6-2, then adapted brilliantly in tricky conditions to beat Kimbolton 2-0 in the semi-final.

The ISFA Shield Final against Lingfield was a thriller. Ethan Smith’s free-kick put them ahead before Lingfield equalized three minutes later. In the second half, Kentaro struck twice from set-pieces to make it 3-1. It was looking good and King’s were on their way to being crowned champions until... a penalty to Lingfield with 3 minutes to go made for a tense finale. In what was probably the longest 2 minutes of their lives, King’s threw their bodies on the line until they heard it... the final whistle!!! They had done it, KCS were U13 ISFA Shield champions. What an incredible season of discipline, skill, and determination! Well done to the U13 ISFA team and squad.

U14 FOOTBALL

The U14 football squads have shown grit, resilience, and flashes of brilliance throughout a testing but rewarding season. Each team has had its moments of challenge and triumph, with clear development across the board.

The U14A team had a strong season, finishing with an impressive string of victories. They started with a narrow 2-1 win over Hampton School, built on intense pressing and a well-organised defence.The victories over Wimbledon College (3-1) and Epsom College (3-2) showcased their consistency and tactical maturity. The standout was their 3-0 win over St John’s, a commanding performance that demonstrated how far the team has progressed. Despite early setbacks against Sutton Grammar and Dulwich, the A team responded with tactical discipline and attacking flair. Ilya Vasiliev emerged as a pivotal player in midfield, and Arda Urganci’s crucial penalty saves were highlights.

The U14B team experienced a season of highs and lows. Heavy losses to Hampton and Wimbledon College were tough learning moments, but the squad showed remarkable character to bounce back. Their attacking strength shone in a 7-1 win over St John’s and a 3-1 victory against Dulwich. The 3-5 defeat to Epsom was a game of two halves, where the team rallied admirably after an early deficit. A 2-1 win over Sutton Grammar reflected a growing composure and confidence in tight games.

The U14C team navigated a challenging fixture list with perseverance. Early losses, including defeat to Ewell Castle and to City of London Freemen’s, were tempered by the spirit they showed—especially in second-half performances. Against Ewell Castle, the team regrouped to draw the second half 1-1, with Ayan Patel standing out as a leader in defence. They closed the season with three impressive wins: 3-2 against Hampton, 4-1 over St John’s, and a narrow 1-0 victory over Dulwich. The team grew in confidence, resilience, and tactical discipline as the season progressed.

The U14D team developed steadily over the season.Though their defeat to Hampton doesn’t tell the full story, their performance showed moments of real quality and spirit. They fought hard in a 1-1 draw with Wimbledon College, a game marked by strong midfield play and a crucial goal from Harry Lane. Their most satisfying result was a 3-1 comeback win over Claremont Fan Court School, driven by Marc Rassi’s hat-trick and James Andrew’s pitch-length assist.These performances suggest a team brimming with potential, learning to turn effort into results.

The U14E team made their mark with a 2-1 win against Epsom College.The match was full of character, with a determined firsthalf performance followed by a backs-to-the-wall defensive display in the second. Led by Eliott Lespiau-Curial and with standout goalkeeping from Keeran Jithendra, the team showed they can dig deep when it matters most.

Across all squads, the U14 teams displayed development in tactical awareness, team cohesion, and individual brilliance. From tight defensive battles to attacking masterclasses, this term has laid the foundation for future success on the pitch.

U15 FOOTBALL

The U15 football squads have shown impressive character, diverse play styles, and a shared passion for growth across a testing and rewarding season.

For some, progress came through breakthroughs. The D team, after narrow defeats and unlucky decisions—including a fiercely contested 2-2 draw with Ewell Castle—finally earned a brilliant 3-1 win over Fulham Senior. That game marked a turning point: after trailing at half-time, the boys showed resolve and came back strong. Joe Swan’s reflex save, hailed as the “save of the season,” preserved their lead and confirmed their momentum.

Meanwhile, the B team quietly built one of the season’s strongest narratives. After a narrow 1-2 loss to Hampton— where Will Jones opened his tally with a cracker—they delivered several commanding performances. A 4-3 thriller at St Paul’s showcased their attacking flair and depth. Their possession control and composure under pressure reflected a maturing side. Even in setbacks, like the late 2-2 collapse against City of London Freemen’s, their football remained positive and progressive.

C team results don’t tell the full story. A 0-2 defeat to Freemen’s, though disappointing on paper, featured disciplined positioning and high football IQ. Their tactical execution— setting traps, holding structure, pressing—was excellent.This is

a side clearly building something; once finishing and confidence align, wins will follow.

The A team’s season has been about moments of quality amid steady development. Their emphatic 5-1 demolition of Wimbledon College stood out—crisp passing, intense pressing, clinical finishing. Mr James called it the best performance in years. Defensively, Harry Klein offered calm under pressure and leadership from the back, while Josh Grenville-Jones’ late goal against St Paul’s secured a hard-fought draw that epitomised the squad’s spirit.

Back with the D team, potential was evident even in losses like the 2-3 battle with Whitgift and a tough 1-3 trip to Hampton. Sam Wildman showed strong defensive presence, and the team’s belief never wavered. That faith was rewarded as confidence grew.The B team’s rise continued with a confident 2-1 win over Ewell Castle, featuring slick attacking play and tighter defence. For the A team, even narrow defeats—like their 2-3 loss to Dulwich—offered valuable lessons in composure and game management.

Across all teams, the themes are consistent: growth, unity, and belief. Whether it’s structured defensive pressing, moments of individual brilliance, or full-team resilience, the U15s have learnt not just how to play—but how to compete.

U16 FOOTBALL

Mr S Lyle

The U16s had a season of ups and downs, but with over 80 pupils choosing football and plenty of fantastic fixtures, it was a season to remember for the U16 age group. There was lots of movement between teams showing the strength in depth of the age group, with the most competitive fixture being the house football week where Layton came out victors.The best weekend fixture coming at home against rivals St Paul’s where the U16 age group came away with two wins and a draw from four games.

It was a case of what could have been with the A team. Creating lots of chances but failing to find the finish proved costly in fixtures against St Paul’s, Hampton and St John’s. The As best performance came against Ewell Castle 1st XI with a pleasing 5-2 victory where we finally found our scoring boots. I cannot fault the effort and passion the boys had for football, and I wish them all the best for their football next year.

The Bs had an excellent season and showed they were a strong team with some impressive results against top schools (and the A team). Mr. Bithell did his best Arsene Wenger impression by trying to have an invincible term. They started with 2 wins and a draw but with some players coming up to the A’s meant they couldn’t finish the term unbeaten. It was a credit to so many of the B team players that made their debuts for the A team, and not looking out of place at all.

The U16C had a storming season with two wins from three games with Mr. Beck clearly playing to their strengths of fast, attacking and effective football.

It was great to have so many pupils playing that we were able to put out D and E teams who both showed fantastic heart and spirit in many competitive internal games against each other.These are often the most fiercely fought games we see as coaches.

A big well done to all teams this term. It is great to see so many choosing to play team sport and to represent their school in competitive fixtures. I have no doubt that many of this age group will go onto to play 1st and 2nd XI in the sixth form.

1 ST XI

The 2023-24 football season at King’s will be remembered as one of grit, glory, and extraordinary moments. The King’s 1st XI delivered a season packed with unforgettable victories, thrilling comebacks, and a level of passion that would make any fan proud.

The season began with a bang in the ISFA Cup, where the team displayed early dominance. After a 4-1 victory over Lingfield College, they replicated the scoreline against Aldenham School, stunning everyone with their comfortable win against a team known for its ISFA Cup pedigree. Berkhamsted School was the next to fall, succumbing 4-0 in another masterclass from King’s.This set the stage for a showdown with Millfield School, a six-time ISFA Cup winner. Despite a valiant effort, King’s narrowly lost 2-0, but the match was memorable for Noah Porter’s acrobatic goal-line clearance—a moment of defensive brilliance.

Beyond the ISFA Cup, the team showed its mettle in other competitions and regular fixtures. A thrilling 6-4 victory over Sutton Grammar School highlighted their attacking prowess, while a 2-1 win against Hampton School demonstrated their ability to grind out results in tight matches. However, the season was not without its challenges. A 1-0 loss to City of London School for Boys and narrow defeats to ACS Cobham International School (0-2) and St. Paul’s School (1-2) provided tough lessons in resilience.

The London Cup saw King’s 1st XI at their best, starting with a resounding 6-1 win over RGS Guildford.This was followed by a solid 2-0 victory against Reading Blue Coat School, propelling them into the semi-finals. Despite their strong run, they faced a setback with a 2-4 loss to Ardingly College, who went on to win the competition, ending their London Cup dreams.

Mr J Barrington & Ben Curtis (1 st XI Captain)

SENIOR FOOTBALL

But the team’s spirit never wavered. In the Trinity Cup, they showcased their dominance with a 3-0 quarter-final win over Latymer Upper School, followed by a 6-1 demolition of Dulwich College in the semi-final. The final against RGS Guildford was a fitting climax to the season, where King’s triumphed 5-2 to lift the Trinity Cup, adding another trophy to their cabinet.

There were moments of individual brilliance throughout the season. Max Webber’s flamboyant goal celebrations, Alex Rough’s crucial goal in the Trinity Cup semi-final, and Aidan Thompson’s consistent heroics in goal, including an assist against Ardingly, were just a few of the standout contributions. The term concluded with the leavers’ fixture against Dulwich College, ending in a 1-1 draw.

The King’s 1st XI can reflect on a year of unparalleled achievements. Reaching the last 16 of the ISFA Cup, making it to the semi-finals of the London Cup, and winning the Trinity Cup are accomplishments that will be remembered for years to come. As we bid farewell to the upper sixth leavers, we thank them and the entire team for a season that will be remembered for years to come.

With Euro 2024 on the horizon, King’s football was buzzing with anticipation for a spring term inspired by hopes of national glory. This enthusiasm translated into record-breaking participation, with over 130 senior pupils donning their boots, leading to an unprecedented eight teams representing the school.The highlight of the term was Super Saturday against St. Paul’s, a thrilling event featuring 27 fixtures that ended in a perfectly balanced outcome: 12 wins, 12 losses, 3 draws, and an equal 60 goals for and against—proof that nothing could separate these two schools!

The 2nd XI embarked on an exhilarating journey through two cup competitions. In the London Cup, they dazzled with a 5-2 victory over RGS Guildford in the last 16 and a 4-2 win against Mill Hill in the quarter-finals. Their run, however, ended in the semi-finals against a formidable Hampton side. In the Trinity Cup, a tough quarter-final loss to Reigate Grammar School couldn’t overshadow their term, highlighted by a gritty 1-0 triumph over St. Paul’s, with Lucas Pearl adding yet another crucial goal to his impressive tally.

The 3rd XI delivered the comeback of the season, overturning a 4-1 deficit to conquer Trinity 6-4, thanks to Bertie Moore’s hat trick and Seb Clarke’s game-changing impact off the bench. Stand-in goalkeepers Arya Joshi and Nasser Baccouche were heroic, preserving the victory. Meanwhile, the 4th XI emerged as the standout team with only one defeat all term, including a memorable 2-1 win over Sutton Grammar, where Adam Fox scored a stunning goal from halfway.

The 5th XI shone in a 2-0 victory over St. George’s Weybridge, highlighted by Nic Lutgen’s powerful header. And while one-sided games aren’t our usual preference, the 6th XI’s 9-0 demolition of Harrodian’s 3rd XI was a masterclass in dominance from start to finish. The 7th and 8th XI teams were unfortunate to have their fixtures cancelled this term, but we look forward to new challenges for them next year.

This term was filled with outstanding performances, unforgettable moments, and undeniable success both on and off the field. On behalf of all the senior team coaches and myself, I extend heartfelt thanks to the players for a fantastic term and wish our upper sixth leavers the best of luck in their future footballing endeavours.

NETBALL

SENIOR NETBALL

Without a doubt, the 1st VII is the most improved team across a single season that I have ever had the privilege of working with. Back in September, it was clear we had players with real individual talent. And for a while, that is what we were – a team of individuals with talent. With hard work, those individuals turned that talent into match-winning moments. And again, for a while that was all we had – individual moments of brilliance. What we lacked was consistency and connectivity. Captained by Sophia Lovett-Turner, with Naina Harish as vice-captain, at Surreys and Nationals we had patches of genuinely sublime netball. St Catherine’s is a school who regularly qualify for regional or national finals, and regularly win Surrey Schools; however at the first round of the Surrey’s we were beating them 6-3 at half time, in the end losing by just one goal. After a really positive pre-season, we really began to work hard on our consistency and how to connect as a team. We worked on ensuring that if our attack end was firing the defence had to win us more balls; and if our defence end was firing the attack needed to reward them. Until eventually it all came together in the most brilliant way. We have had some goal for goal thrillers, as well as some hard-fought losses and wellearned wins. Our final three fixtures of the term have ensured that we have ended the season on the biggest of highs and with truly our best performances. ‘Super Saturday’ saw us edge out two fantastic wins against the second teams of both Epsom College and St John’s. Thank you in particular to the upper sixth who lead us from the front and gave the team such a strong foundation and best of luck for the future.

The 2nd VII’s journey this season has been nothing short of remarkable. Throughout the season, the team exhibited unwavering dedication and determination, constantly pushing boundaries to improve their skills and coordination. Their commitment to training and development bore fruit in every match, as they showcased remarkable progress in their gameplay and strategic execution. One of the most notable aspects of their progress was their enhanced cohesion as a unit. In Georgia

Kelly’s words, it all started off being very polite to each other but not really knowing each other very well; by the end of the season the team were like a little family. They demonstrated a deep understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, utilizing this knowledge to their advantage to outmanoeuvre opponents and secure victories. The U19B VII Surrey Schools competition was a major point in our season, as the girls earned four hard-fought wins against strong opposition. Finishing third in the group they were unlucky not to win a place in the semifinal. Other performance highlights included a 29-25 win against St Benedict’s, a 43-15 win against Pangbourne and a 27-11 win against Woldingham.

Congratulations to the girls on a brilliant season.

The 3rd VII had a very good season and should be congratulated for the competitive spirit that they adopted in every game. They approached every match with a sense of determination and a healthy desire to win, but were also aware of the need for strong relations within the team and the ability to work successfully together. The girls all conducted themselves with considerable maturity and composure at every fixture. Special mention should go to Sasha Mueller, Larissa Aperghis (who was voted player of

Miss J Leach

the tournament at the Lord Wandsworth) and Celeste Aperghis who modelled great leadership skills and demonstrated to the team what it is to motivate and encourage one another. The lower sixth girls have demonstrated considerable ambition and a particular mention should go to Vivie Sleight, Maya Asimus Minnbergh and Charlotte Burke who could always be relied upon to put in a brilliant performance and were always happy to play in different positions wherever they were needed. Those of you in upper sixth, we will miss you greatly, and hope that you continue to play netball where you end up next year. The lower sixth – I am very excited to see you girls keep developing next year, and taking the role of leaders for the new girls who will join us. Well done, everyone.

The 4th VII had a season to be proud, full of grit and determination and huge improvement on the court. The girls showed fantastic commitment, turning out on both Wednesdays and Saturdays for fixtures and really growing in cohesion as the season went on. Against very strong opposition, at the start of the season not too many wins were coming our way. However, the girls stuck with it and grew in confidence every game. Very close games against Claremont, CLFS and Woldingham gave the team the belief that a win would soon be on its way; when it arrived it was an absolutely brilliant 33-32 result against an excellent St John’s side. A 26-6 win at home against Pangbourne was another highlight and a match the girls very much enjoyed. Congratulations to all of the players on a brilliant season.

The 5th VII were the best represented team, with around sixteen girls turning out for the team on any given day. The commitment on both Wednesday and Saturday fixtures was a delight to see, with the girls always having a brilliant time showing superb attitudes whether they were winning by lots or losing by a few! The season began with a huge 39-5 against Pangbourne – made all the more amazing because everyone was playing out of position. Morale was really high and the team pushed on to secure a second 24-22 win against Reigate Grammar. The season finished on a brilliant high, just as it started with a 22-9 win away to St George’s. Congratulations to everyone that represented the 5th VII this season. Your passion and joy on the court was always inspirational to see.

Player of the Season

Team

Isabella Allenby-Bassett

Isabelle Zeidler

Sasha Mueller

Millie Freely

Lila Datta

TENNIS

Mr B James

King’s pupils continue to excel on the tennis court after another fantastic year. OK’s have been getting great publicity on the International stage and we look forward to seeing this continue for years to come.

We have seen progress across the whole school with one of our U10s being crowned National Champion, numerous pupils representing their counties both Middlesex and Surrey, as well as a huge amount of individual success at regional and

national level tournaments. There was also a huge amount of success on the team front as the U12s were Surrey Festival winners & National regional runners-up, with U13, 14 & 15 boys coming out 3rd best in the county. The 18s boys also had a successful campaign, coming out in 3rd place multiple times, to a very strong Ewell Castle & Reeds outfit. However, the U18 Girls stole the show as they were crowned Surrey Champions, Rootham Shield runners-up and National Plate Champions.

ATHLETICS

MERTON ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

A huge squad left King’s to take part in the Merton Athletics Championships in May, led by Mr Broderick, Miss Leach and Mr Lyle. The squad was made up of athletes from years 7, 8, fourth form and lower fifth. Pupils were competing against a huge number of schools from the Merton area, and the competition was fierce. The soaring temperatures did not help either, but the King’s squad did extremely well. Stand out performances were silver for Zaal Owen in javelin, silver for James Etienne in 80m hurdles, gold for Sam Dyson in 1500m, silver for Luke Nunn in discus and long jump, and bronze for Pablo Odumboni in the triple jump. The squad’s attitude throughout the day was fantastic, with a number of athletes performing well enough to be selected for the Merton squad for the Surrey Schools championships. Well done all - the standard at sports day should be very high!

Mr J Broderick

SURREY SCHOOLS TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sam Dyson represented Merton at the Surrey Schools track and field championships winning a silver medal in the 1500m. He has now qualified to represent Surrey at the Inter Counties Track and Field Championship. This has been another amazing year for Sam and he is becoming one of the most feared competitors in the area for the 800m and 1500m.

MINI MARATHON LONDON

Mr J Broderick

A number of King’s athletes (from years 7, 8, fourth form, lower fifth and the lower sixth - plus a couple of upper fifth!) were selected to run for Merton in the recent London Mini Marathon on The Mall, by the finish line of the London Marathon. Blake Haden, Reis Fernandes, Charlie Kolff, Dylan Deol, James Etienne, Tom Wood, Maxime Fery and Xavi Cochrane were just some of our star performers. James in fact raced in the age category above him (U17) and he more than held his own. We are aiming to take an even bigger squad to this event next year, so please check your emails from JDB next March!

CRICKET

U12 CRICKET

Mr J Barrington

The King’s U12 cricket age group had a busy and eventful term, with several matches offering excitement, challenges, and learning opportunities. From thrilling last-over finishes to dominant performances, the players have shown resilience, skill, and a passion for the game.

The U12A team has had an impressive run, with several strong performances in both regular matches and the Jubilee Cup. Their campaign in the Jubilee Cup began on a high note with a convincing victory against Ibstock Place School in the first round. The team bowled Ibstock out for 67, with Sebastian Pearson’s hat trick being the highlight. In response, King’s chased down the total with ease, winning by eight wickets. However, their second-round match against Whitgift proved to be more challenging. Despite a valiant batting effort, setting a target of 139, Whitgift’s powerful batting lineup saw them chase down the target in 18.3 overs, unfortunately knocking King’s out of the competition.

The U12A team quickly bounced back with an impressive win against Wilson’s School. After setting a target of 110, the bowlers, led by excellent bowling from Sebastian Pearson and Vedant Khera, dismissed Wilson’s for just 61 runs. Another notable performance came against Hampton School, where the team defended 117 runs in a nail-biting finish, securing victory by a single run. Despite a few losses, including a tough match against Epsom College, the team has shown remarkable teamwork and individual brilliance, with Sebastian and Lachlan Malan consistently leading the charge.

The U12B team had a season filled with close contests, some of which they narrowly lost, but each match provided invaluable lessons. One of the most exciting games was against Dulwich College, where the U12B almost pulled off a miraculous victory. Despite a challenging start to their chase, Captain Ethan Hull’s powerful hitting nearly snatched victory, but they fell just five runs short. The team, however, found redemption against Wilson’s School, where they defended a modest total of 65-5 with excellent bowling, securing a comfortable victory.

The U12C team had an outstanding term with notable victories against Tiffin, Wilson’s (by 9 wickets), and Ibstock Place. William Lowe scored an abundance of runs, alongside Amar Verdi, who took countless wickets as he made his rise through the teams.The U12D team must be noted for being the only team to remain unbeaten across the term, with notable wins against Dulwich, Hampton, and Ibstock Place in a very impressive term for Mr. O’Sullivan’s team.

The U12E & F teams also showed great promise for the future, particularly in their first matches of the season against Emanuel School. The E team batted first and posted an impressive 156 in 20 overs, with notable performances from Vivaan Kothari, Ethan Huang, and Archie Murdoch.The bowlers then took centre stage, taking 14 wickets to secure a comprehensive win.

The King’s U12 cricket teams have had a season filled with highs and lows, but each match has provided the players with opportunities to grow and improve. Finishing the term, there is no doubt that all teams and individuals have developed their skills, teamwork, and cricketing knowledge, setting the stage for future successes.

SPOTLIGHT ON U12 CRICKET SEASON

Cormac Power – Year 7

We went into the season with a positive mindset and, after a couple of training sessions we were confident that we were a strong bowling and batting side. Our main focus going into the first match was to have set positions in the field with people saving singles and sweeping on the off and leg sides. This paid off immediately in our first game against St. George’s College, Weybridge where we scored a decent amount of runs with Max Lee, Luis Worthington, and Charlie Austin all playing major parts. After this, we kept them down to 34 with 3 of our wickets being run outs as well as a wicket maiden from Luis. After an initial success, we were ready to take on a formidable team, Dulwich College. They won the toss and elected to bat first and scored an impressive total of 127 runs after a few successful batsmen trickled shots down to the short boundaries. Ishaan Rao bowled particularly well and took two of the four wickets. Their main source of runs was our extras which we took as something to focus on. In our innings, we started well with a four off the first ball and after Oliver Root got out for a respectable seven, Eashan Treanor and Cormac Power put in a good partnership and saw off the first 10 overs. Cormac soon got out along with Eashan for the highest innings of the season, 32 off 33. By the 18th over, we had slowed down somewhat and needed 23 to win. Rohan Shan–Muhammad and Evan Pearce scored quickly and we won the game with 2 balls to go.

After the first two games of the season, we experienced some movement in teams. Amar Verdi, an expensive yet incredibly rapid bowler and William Lowe, a powerful batsman, joined the team and Ishaan Rao, after two impressive performances, moved up to the B team. We were batting first and had a few consistent batsmen including Oliver Root who captained and held the team up. Our opponents started strongly with a lucky six off the first ball. However, the hurricane Amar whirled two incredible wickets and made a great debut for the C’s. In the end we bowled them out for 78 with only 30 extras. While we still were unbeaten this season, we knew the toughest games were to come. Hampton and Trinity among them who had had impressive seasons so far. We beat Wilson’s quite easily with Evan scoring 24 off 20 and we headed into our match with Hampton confidently. However, after winning the toss and electing to bat, everything fell apart under their impressive bowlers with 6 ducks. However, to his credit, William held up the team’s hopes and steadied the ship with a valuable 26 off 42 with minimal boundaries and maximised running. Unfortunately, we could not keep their batsmen down and we lost the match. Our game against Tiffin was short but sweet and all our batsmen scored over 15. Finally, with some impressive bowling we finished them off with Charlie’s bamboozling spin

making them knock the ball onto their own stumps. In our last game of the season, we played courageously and managed to score decently, but it was not enough and with five overs to go, Trinity needed one run. We showed great excitement and spirit, and kept it going despite certain defeat. We had an impressive and enjoyable season, worthy of a summer break.

Batsman of the season Evan Pearce

Best bowling figures

Highest innings of the season Cormac Power, 32

Highest strike rate Evan Pearce, 103.75

Top wicket taker Ethan Hiley

Luis Worthington, 2/0

Player of the season

Evan Pearce

Most improved player

William Lowe

U13 CRICKET

Mr J Gibson

What a season for the under 13 cricket club. Cricket brings out the very best of the King’s community and the lows from the occasional duck, loss or match lost to the weather in the 2024 only made the highs more euphoric. It was a season where the A team reached the final of the county cup, several of the squad played at Lords for their club and Mr McCluskey completed his tenure as King’s Director of Sport in a losing battle with the Under 13Cs at Trinity –his team nearly bringing him tears with their post-match speech. The highs certainly far outweighed the cricketing lows and the potential in this age group is mighty. The A team arguably lacked a season of prolific run scorers but made up for this with the ability to win tight games, field like demons and bowl with the control and discipline of players much greater in maturity and age. Marshalled by some outstanding tactical capacity from Sam Meijer, it was Theo Lester and Leo McCann’s all round contributions, often in difficult circumstances, that saw them pick up the end of season awards. The manner in which the team lost the final certainly did not do this talented, committed and tightknit group justice, nor reflect the outstanding season they had.

‘Yule’s army’, ‘McCluskey’s giants’, ‘Josypenko’s braves’ and ‘Lyle’s legends’ brought so much to the club vibe of the age group. Despite the never-ending, sometimes incessant, India versus England camaraderie across the age group, the victories across the teams were celebrated by players in all teams and high intensity training sessions and competition for places allowed for huge improvements and plenty of movement between squads. The school team of the week regularly saw under 13 players featuring and parents got involved too, with big turnouts on the boundaries edge and loud celebrations across all four pitches (thank you parents!). If we were given more column inches, we’d go into detail not just with each team but every player to represent the under 13s in the 2024 season.

The season will be remembered for the incredible strength in depth, the fielding sweatbands, the Reigate 6s plate A team victory and B team nearly going one better. It will be remembered for some outstanding individual performances and taking down some big named school opponents at every level. Most of all, it will be remembered for memories created on and off the pitch and a fantastic group of players, staff and parents. Well done and thank you, all. A special season and one we can all look back on very fondly.

U14 CRICKET

Mr C Beck

The U14 cricket season has been a very successful one with plenty of close games and over 45 pupils representing the school in over 10 weeks of cricket fixtures. The U14A team started off the season with close wins over Reeds and St Georges, with an abandoned game vs RGS Guildford sandwiched in the middle. George Butterworth steered the team home vs Reeds with a very calm 36 off 21 balls to see us home. Another standout performance was from the U14B team, successfully chasing down the total of 154 inside 25 overs vs St Johns. Elias Berger being the standout performer scoring 50 off 34 to get the team over the line. After a last ball loss to Dulwich away from home for the U14A, they bounced back with a convincing win against St Johns.

Having Whitgift in the cup was always going to be a tough ask, and after having them 58/6 they were looking to get them out for under 100. The Whitgift bowling attack however kept the pressure on from the first ball and never let us get close to their score, knocking us out in our first cup game of the year. Another standout performance was from Arthur Anthony scoring an unbeaten 52 before the rain came down against Hampton.Three wins to finish the year for the U14A team made it a season with 6 wins, 3 losses, and 2 abandoned games. It has been a pleasure being involved with this group of pupils and I wish them well moving onto cricket in the lower fifth.

U15 CRICKET

U14 A Team

Player of the season

George Butterworth

Most improved player

Indra Luthia

U14 B Team

Player of the season

Oskar MacGillivray

Most improved player

Douglas Adams

U15 CRICKET

Mr B Tibble

U15A

The U15A cricket team experienced a thrilling and actionpacked season, filled with highs, lows, and moments of real character. From narrow defeats to emphatic victories, the boys displayed grit, determination, and a clear passion for the game throughout the term.

The season got off to a challenging start with a tough loss to Reeds, where the team struggled across all departments and fell short by 84 runs despite a valiant 76 from Harry Klein. A narrow three-wicket defeat to RGS Guildford followed, with wet conditions and missed opportunities between the wickets proving costly. However, signs of improvement were already visible, particularly in the bowling of William Jones, Joseph Galligan, and Nikhil Raizada, who kept the game tight.

It wasn’t long before the tide began to turn. Against Dulwich, the team clawed back from a poor start with the bat, thanks to a gritty 34 from Aneesh Rao, before a game-changing runout from Nicholas Holder helped swing the momentum and secure an 8-run win. That fighting spirit became a hallmark of the squad.

Momentum continued with an emphatic 98-run victory in the County Cup over Ibstock, where Tom Jackson’s first century for the school and Harry’s strong support were matched by Aryan Vedhara’s excellence with the ball. A thrilling 4-run win over Hampton followed, with Ralph Adamson and Nicholas Holder leading the way with the bat before Hiren Nathan delivered a sensational first-ever five-wicket haul to close out the match in style.

One of the season’s most impressive all-round team performances came in the 3-wicket win over St Paul’s. After restricting a strong opposition to just 61, thanks largely to Harsha Murthy’s four wickets and tight spin bowling from all three spinners, the team held its nerve to chase the target in a low-scoring thriller.

The team’s progress in the County Cup continued with a confident 5-wicket win over Wilson’s, where Hiren’s composed run-a-ball 30 laid the foundation for a smooth chase. Unfortunately, they came unstuck against St George’s in the semi final where an excellent opening spell of bowling by the opposition ended the chances of KCS progressing to the final.

Next up in the national T20 was a pivotal clash against Whitgift in the area final. In arguably their best T20 showing, Ben Reffitt and Aryan Vedhara’s aggressive batting saw the team post

150 before an excellent bowling and fielding display sealed a 29-run win and qualification for the regional stage.

The team came agonisingly close to going further, losing by just 2 wickets in the regional qualifier against Harrow with one ball to spare. Though the result was heartbreaking, the boys left everything on the field and should be immensely proud of pushing one of the strongest teams in the region all the way.

They responded brilliantly in their final matches. A commanding 69-run win, powered by fifties from Max Malan and Odran Williams, along with sharp bowling from Nikhil and Aryan, was followed by a comfortable six-wicket victory to round off the season. Max capped his term with back-to-back halfcenturies, supported well by Harry, while the spinners and Odran’s opening spell ensured a strong finish.

Overall, the U15A team not only developed their skills but also grew in leadership, teamwork, and resilience. From tight contests to dominant wins, each player contributed to what has been an immensely rewarding and exciting season of cricket.

U15B

The U15B side had an eventful season that included everything from last-ball finishes to tied matches and gutsy comebacks.They opened their campaign with a strong batting performance, posting 143, thanks to solid contributions from Sacha Colas (36) and Ewan Berry (22). In another memorable outing, they secured a 7-run victory in a game that was closer than it should have been, with Sacha producing a matchwinning all-round display—scoring 36, taking two wickets, a catch, and a run out to earn Player of the Match.

Perhaps the most dramatic moments came in two separate tied matches, where the team showed both their potential and their areas for growth. In one game, after controlling large spells with both bat and ball, a dip in fielding intensity cost them the win. Sacha, Albert Mitchell, and Adam Fox impressed with the ball in that contest. Another draw came after a middle-order collapse and an inability to rotate the strike late in the innings, but a blistering 32 off 17 from Ralph Adamson helped level the scores.

The season also included near-misses and notable comebacks. A narrow 3-run defeat saw the team almost recover from a collapse at 40-5, with the lower order showing real fight.

Tom Hands took a standout five-wicket haul, while Zayn Pasha and Otto Collins added quick runs. Tom continued his fine form later with another impactful performance— claiming three wickets and supporting Ralph, who scored a crucial 50 in a last-over win. Another dominant outing came against opposition they beat comfortably, with Adam Sage’s four wickets and Zayn’s rapid fifty helping the team to a nine-wicket victory. Through it all, the U15Bs demonstrated resilience, skill, and the ability to compete in every match.

U15C

The U15C team also enjoyed a strong and entertaining season, showing both individual brilliance and solid teamwork. One of their most competitive games came against Hampton, where they fell short by just 26 runs but played with great energy. Alex Saker impressed with 40 off 28 balls, and Miguel De Lacerda Ruiz notched a classy half-century with 52.

Their finest all-round team performance may have come against Dulwich. After the opposition raced to 55 without loss, the Cs fought back brilliantly to bowl them out for 118—highlighted by Will Guthrie’s memorable over featuring three wickets in three balls, including a run out. Joe Swan and Cameron Chapman added two wickets each. The team chased the target with composure, led by Alex’s unbeaten 36 and Joe’s supportive 20.

They capped off their season with a well-earned 26-run win over Epsom, showcasing once again their growing understanding of the game. Across the season, Alex Saker stood out with the bat, consistently anchoring innings and playing with maturity beyond his years.

In both B and C squads, the enthusiasm and progress of the players were evident. From thrilling finishes and individual milestones to improved tactical awareness and teamwork, the U15B and U15C teams can look back proudly at a season that combined learning, development, and plenty of memorable cricket.

SENIOR CRICKET

Mr T Gwynne

The Easter tour to the UAE provided a wonderful start to the 2024 season and proved to be the perfect preparation for the senior squads who managed to record one of the most successful seasons in recent memory.

The 1st XI targeted a good run in the National T20 competition whilst also trying to improve on the number of victories recorded in 50 over cricket on Saturdays. Both were achieved and the squad should be proud of their performances. In the National T20, Wilson’s and Emanuel were both beaten well in the opening rounds before a contest with Epsom College awaited, who were much fancied to go deep in the competition. A superb effort in the field restricted them to 135, before the rain came and washed out the match with us frustratingly in a fantastic position to win. Unfortunately, after another rain cancellation days later, the rearranged match after half-term clashed with exam week and an under-strength team were beaten to end our time in the competition.

On Saturdays, the team showed their batting potential in convincing wins against RGS Guildford, Dulwich College and St John’s Leatherhead. A good bowling performance was the catalyst for a nail-biting win against St George’s Weybridge with the team just holding on in the final delivery to win after a late onslaught by the opposition. After half-term,Trinity and Tiffin were both beaten well and there was an impressive rain affected win against a strong Hampton side that featured the England U19 opening bowler.

During cricket week at the end of the season, it was pleasing to win the Eltham ‘Hundred festival’ for the first time, beating Canterbury Academy and Trinity in the semi-final and final respectively.

The team had an excellent habit of different people contributing at different times and this is often a sign of a good side, when several individuals can be counted on to produce match winning displays.

“ Adam Fox scored a remarkable 1293 runs which, at the time of writing, could be the highest total in the country”

However, there were some exceptional individual achievements that are seldom seen on the school circuit. Adam Fox scored a remarkable 1293 runs at an average of 68, including four centuries which, at the time of writing, could be the highest total in the country. Oliver Richards scored 750 and took 39 wickets which was a hugely impressive all-round effort, and captain Sam Herbert led from the front with his 32 wickets at 16 apiece. Aditya Jhamb was another important contributor scoring 400 runs and taking 17 wickets.

Many of the 1st XI were also present in the National U17 cup which saw good wins against Wilson’s and Hampton before getting knocked out by a strong Forest school side which included many of the Essex side.

Benedict Holder and Ben Herbert led the 2nd XI superbly with both their captaincy and performances and the team lived up to expectations, performing well throughout an excellent season. Early season victories against Reed’s and then Gordon’s 1st XI set the tone for the season and despite a couple of wobbles along the way, further impressive wins were recorded against Tiffin, Trinity and Ernest Bevin.There were 5 wicket hauls for Ethan Cheah and Zoe Dreaneen, while Noah Luxman was the standout batsman passing 50 on several occasions. Over 25 pupils represented the 2nd XI throughout the course of the season, highlighting the strength in depth across the senior teams.

The 3rd and 4th XI had their usual fixtures at either end of the season, and it was again brilliant to see large numbers of pupils representing the school. After convincing 3rd XI wins against Reed’s and St Benedict’s, there were victories for both teams against Hampton which highlighted the talent on display in these teams and it was particularly pleasing to see some upper sixth returning to cricket for the first time in several years.

Player of the season

Adam Fox

Players’ Player of the season: Adam Fox

Breakthrough Player

Tommaso Wood

ARMY

Lt Brown (OC Army section)

This year, the Army section has worked hard, training extensively and welcoming a keen intake of twenty-four lower fifth cadets. Cadets followed the Army cadet syllabus, learning military knowledge, drill, fieldcraft, communications, first aid, and navigation. A highlight was seeing a new cohort train on the cadet GP rifle and practice these skills during activities week. Staple CCF events reaffirmed why past cohorts rave about their experiences. In the November Remembrance Day parade, Sergeant Dan Hokhlov represented the Army section. As always this was one of the most poignant memories for the whole corp and a reminder of the wider military community to which we are a part.

A new academic year saw sixth formers taking on instructor roles, with lower sixth cadets flourishing as senior cadets, including NCOs Seb Hayward, Alexander Fann, Kwame Sarpong and Jarred Townsend. Commander Mitchell hosted his final Trafalgar night dinner before retiring, with wonderful speeches, toasts, and singing. We wish departing upper sixth cadets success in their university endeavours and thank them for their contributions.

The year concluded with a five-day camp at Longmore Training Area, where cadets excelled, showcasing teamwork and leadership. Senior cadets Luke Belderbos and Seb Hayward were promoted. The final competition day saw us create a successful partnership with Harris Wimbledon

The Army section continues to develop and improve. We are always enormously grateful to the staff supporting our endeavours and this year welcomed Mr Bishop, Head of Estates, who has already shown so much commitment and energy. As always Lt Painter provides support and guidance that we could not manage without and we cannot thank him enough for all the work he does to make all the CCF trips possible.

For so many cadets the best part of CCF is the opportunity to get outside and have fun. There is no better way to see the impact and enjoyment experienced by cadets than hearing from them first hand.

Below is an account from Noah Hayward, a new lower fifth Army cadet, of his first year in the Army section.

NOAH HAYWARD - LOWER FIFTH

This year, my first in the CCF, I wanted to participate in as many activities as possible. We started with First Fling, learning key principles like tent-making and cooking MRE ration packs—an amazingly fun way to get involved. Then, I joined the night hike, navigating Hankley Common in mixed-year groups, which was both fun and educational. Working with other sections, we applied lessons in map reading and orienteering. We also shot L98 cadet rifles for the first time and went on an expedition involving blank firing drills, patrols, close target reconnaissance (CTRs), and experienced an ‘artillery strike,’ which led us to sleep under trees with just sleeping mats, sleeping bags, and bivvi bags.This unique experience has me excited for my future in the CCF.

Trafalgar night dinner

CCF Army Unpacking

Laying the wreath on behalf of the school

Firing down the range

Army Unpacking

Mr Painter checking all is ok

RAF

Cpl Thomas Constantinou-Hickman

It has been another busy year in the RAF section.The year began by welcoming Pilot Officer Chandler (Design and Engineering) to the team, bringing expertise from his time as an Air Cadet at Hampton School. We also welcomed eleven lower fifth cadets and four members of the lower sixth from other cadet corps around South West London.

The new lower fifth cadets made a strong start to the year, learning basic foot drill, how to prepare their uniform and how to work in a team. All eleven pupils passed their first class exam and have now taken part in their first Air Experience Flight at RAF Benson. Along with the other sections they took part in a range of adventure training activities including: the first Fling exercise on Hankley Common, the night hike and the adventure training camp in the Lake District. Their year culminated in an action-packed activities week where they took part in a Navy trip to RAF Collingwood, flying at RAF Benson, drone flying and a trip to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford.

Classification training continued for all members of the corps and many members of the NCO team have now achieved the highest

academic qualification, Master Cadet.The lower sixth engaged in the challenging leadership cadre, run by Mr Grabowski and began to develop their teaching, presentation and leadership skills ready to lead the section in September.

Beyond the excitement of Friday afternoons, the annual Night Hike gave the cadets a chance to practise their night navigation and leadership skills.Trafalgar Night celebrated success across the whole contingent and activities week. Several cadets completed their gold and silver Duke of Edinburgh awards and our first Air Experience Flights in five years took place this year.

A highlight of the year was the astonishing efforts of the upper fifth pupils, supported by Pilot Officer Chandler, to plan and build King’s first ever flight simulator. Lance Corporals Saksham Agrawal and Nemmat Tabandeh worked with a select group of pupils to write a proposal for, and build, a flight simulator. This was kindly supported by the Friends of King’s who funded the project. This will undoubtedly transform the experience of RAF cadets for years to come.

Trafalgar Night dinner

Flying Trip at Benson

Enjoying the RAF Flying Trip at Benson

RAF Flying Trip at Benson

RAF Flying Trip at Benson

Remembrance parade

On parade

ROYAL NAVY

Peter-Gabriel Adjetey, Leading Hand

This academic year, the Navy CCF has enjoyed a wide variety of activities and events, as well as the usual success in training both new and experienced cadets. The beginning of the year saw the annual Trafalgar Night dinner on November 2nd, an event that has been a clear highlight of the year for all involved.

“DofE Gold was the kind of entertainment you don’t fully know you are having until you reach the end. Commander Mitchell said it best, ‘type two fun’”

Anton Pearce-Kulyk on the DofE Gold expedition

Trips and expeditions have also been a central element of the year for many members of the section, with the lower fifth receiving some preliminary training on their First Fling and some of them having the opportunity to go on adventure training during the Easter holidays. A number of successful Duke of Edinburgh expeditions were also undertaken at both Silver and Gold level, with many in the lower sixth seeing the completion of their Silver award. The upper fifth have continued to develop their skills in various endeavours such as drill and navigation, making significant progress towards achieving their two-star ranks. Our lower sixth cadets, in addition to achieving their three-star ranks, have begun to hone their leadership abilities in classes led by S Lt. Grabowski. Through cadet-led revision sessions and the occasional command task delivered to younger year groups, we have been adequately prepared for filling the shoes of the current upper sixth, next year. In the summer term, the section has had the good fortune to spend a lot of time on the water at Wimbledon Park, with the lower fifth, lower sixth and (albeit briefly) the upper sixth getting to do some canoeing and kayaking, which is always great fun.The inter-section competition put on by both the upper fifth and lower sixth proved to be an exciting way to round off the year before exam season, and was great fun for all involved. Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that this year is the final of 40 years of service by our Contingent Commander. For the past 32 years, Commander Mitchell has served as Contingent Commander and Head of Naval section with King’s CCF.The tremendous amount of effort that he has put into the running of the Navy throughout the years has provided every cadet with an enriching and enjoyable experience. From the planning of lessons to trips and activities week, we have all been able to learn valuable lessons and have created lasting memories. I speak on behalf of the Navy section and the entire CCF contingent in thanking Commander Mitchell for all that he has provided over the years.

Commander Bob Mitchell

DRIU 3 - that cupboard!

Field Gun training

HMS Collingwood - fall of faith

Listening to the plan HMS Collingwood

Command task, HMS Collingwood

Canoeing at Wimbledon Park Lake

Fun on on Chichester canal

DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Finished the expedition just before the rain arrives

DofE gold evening meal

A break in the North Downs

DofE silver expedtion in the South Downs

The end of a day in the Peak District

Ready for Gold

Jarred Townsend DofE gold expedition in Wales

ADVENTURE TRAINING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

Abseiling down the rock face Lake District

Mountain biking in the Lake District

Enjoying the water

Climbing near Derwent Water

Canoeing on an angry Ullswater

Having a great time Pot holing in the cold water

Mountain biking in the Lake District

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

THE AFRICAN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY (ACS)

Otis Ikpase - lower sixth

The African Caribbean Society (ACS) continues to thrive as a space for black pupils to explore, celebrate and discuss their history and heritage.

I am honoured to lead the ACS and be a role model to our more junior members. The most fulfilling part of leading the society is seeing younger pupils, who remind me of my past self, benefitting from having a warm social space with other black students. I see the impact this has, and I am proud when I see how they thrive and grow in confidence.

With the committed support of Mr Barrington, the ACS has accomplished much this year. We have celebrated Black History Month, welcomed multiple guest speakers, including the tv presenter Angellica Bell, led a number of assemblies and celebrated our culture during the annual One World Day.

I look forward to helping the ACS grow in the future.

LINGUISTICS

Vinicius Greene – lower sixth

On 7th February, a group of pupils from lower fifth to lower sixth undertook the UK Linguistics Olympiad. This involved five tough language-based logic puzzles to be completed in 2.5 hours, based on aspects of language from grammar to writing systems. Many of us had prepared quite a bit at the regular Linguistics club, which put us in a good position going into the real thing. As a school, we achieved 4 golds, 2 silvers and 8 bronzes- a brilliant result- with the 4 golds going through to the second round later in March!

Student Name

Nikhil Santebennur

Vinicius Greene

William James

Ishaan Chinoy

Pablo Buira Spatharos

Madi Rudge

Samson Green

Ellie McQuinn

Yaroslav Ananyev

Lily Brandts

Charlotte Burke

Amar Jaffer

Antoine Dubreil

Alexander Chokin

BRIDGE

Mr T Phillips

Bridge continues to be popular with pupils across all years and we have enjoyed some successes this year in competitions. Here Hugo Carter (lower sixth) reflects on The Surrey Schools Bridge Cup competition:

THE SURREY SCHOOLS BRIDGE CUP COMPETITION

“On 2nd February Bridge Club made the journey to Richard Challoner School for the Surrey Schools Bridge Cup competition. The atmosphere was lively: anticipation was building. Arriving in the tournament hall, we split into teams and took our seats. Then ensued an intense six boards for each pair to play, with varying levels of success but morale nonetheless high. After drinks and light refreshments, play resumed with another set of boards which concluded after nearly three hours of complex strategy and deliberation. Our A team achieved third place in the Surrey Schools Cup prestige event and the rest of the squad returned with a largely positive set of results and having enjoyed an afternoon of bridge.”

Congratulations to the four members of our Cup teams:

Maks Bilcharz (fourth form), Raffy Sinclair (lower sixth) and Sebastian Sinclair and Joseph Hedges (year 8).

Well done to the following pupils who competed for the salver for new bridge players:

Blake Haden, Hari Narendranath and Hugo Carter in the lower sixth; Eliott Lespiau-curial (fourth form), Aleks Blicharz (year 7), Aniket Garg (upper sixth)

and the Mini-Bridge team players:

Kartik Dabke (year 8), Kush Barathan and Lucas Danson (fourth form).

Special thanks also goes to Ms Robinson and Ms Strachan.

This year Winston Qiu from the fourth form, Ishaan Chinoy and Sam Salwan in lower fifth, Ethan Lim in lower sixth and Caleb Monk in the upper sixth all competed in the Hans Woyda Maths competition against some of the other top London schools.

We began the group stage against last year’s champions,Tiffin, narrowly winning 52-48 thanks to Caleb answering the final question to avoid a tiebreaker. Next, we comfortably beat Emmanuel 46-39. In our final group match against Wimbledon High, Sam Salwan of the lower fifth replaced Ishaan, and we won again to top the group and reach the knockout stage.

HANS WOYDA

Ishaan Chinoy – lower fifth

“We’ve had several nail-biting moments and Caleb has been our saviour, winning for us with crucial tiebreak questions.”

Ethan Lim - lower sixth

In Round 1 of the knockout, we faced Dulwich away. It was a very tight match, but on the last question, Caleb managed to get the correct answer and clinch victory, meaning we moved on to the quarterfinals.

KCS 41 Dulwich 38.

In the quarterfinals, we went to St Olave’s Grammar School, the school which had won two years ago and beaten us for the last two years straight. The scores were drawn, so we went into a tiebreaker at 43-43, and where again Caleb got the last question right again, to ensure our place in the semifinals, where we faced Whitgift and that was the end of the road for KCS, until next year.

HISTORY & POLITICS

Miss R Davis

We have enjoyed a broad range of talks this year

EXTERNAL SPEAKERS

The first lecture was delivered by Alessandro Gallenzi, who gave a fascinating talk on how researching his book Written in Water: Keats’s Final Journey changed his perception of the poet. This offered insight into both Keats and the research process.

Professor Ian Beckett gave an inspirational lecture titled Zulu: Fact, Fiction and Film, exploring the cultural legacy of the Zulu War of 1879. As Vinicius Greene (lower sixth) reports, “after a summary of the pivotal characters and events of the war, with a particular focus on the key battles at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, the talk then focused on the war’s appearances in contemporary literature, music and even in people’s choice of names. Having declined in popularity, the war reemerged in the 1964 film Zulu, depicting the overwhelming courage of British soldiers while respectfully portraying the might of the Zulu soldiers.” This led to a discussion on how the film could be viewed in the context of colonisation in both the UK and South Africa. Kiera Nash, also of the lower sixth, commented: “The talk was fascinating and exposed us to a history not taught in the remits of the sixth form curriculum, but one quietly prevalent throughout history.”

In the Spring, Professor Garnett gave a scholarly and engaging talk on the Bayeux Tapestry. Harry Rushton (lower sixth) explains: “Despite its name, Professor Garnett clarified the piece as an embroidery, not a tapestry, serving as a visual narrative of events preceding the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Referencing William of Poitiers, he unveiled the tapestry’s most likely purpose: a commentary of the events leading up to the invasion, to justify it in the eyes of the Pope. Contrary to ideas that it is a partisan narrative, he proposed it was from a neutral, even cynical perspective. He debunked notions of medieval simplicity, highlighting subtle allegories within the tapestry’s margins. His talk revealed not only the tapestry’s historical context, but also the sophistication of medieval communication, urging audiences to reconsider preconceptions about the intelligence of society in the Middle Ages.”

Our final external speaker was Dr Samuel Zeitlin, Lecturer in Modern Intellectual History at UCL. Gina Saltykova (lower sixth) reports: “Dr Zeitlin enthralled us with his captivating talk about Carl Schmidt, a Nazi political theorist and the ‘crown lawyer’ of Hitler’s Reich. In his fast-paced presentation, he explained what political theology is, Schmidt’s concept of the state and definition of Weimar Germany, as well as going into depth on Schmidt’s greatest influence: his propaganda book Land and Sea, which illustrated the Nazi version of world history and sold 40,000 copies in 1942. We were then introduced to Schmidt’s concepts of friendship and enemies within political theology, and his attitude to the Nuremberg trials.”

SIXTH FORMERS’ TALKS

Oliver Phillips (lower sixth) was instrumental in organising a programme of talks given by members of the sixth form on topics ranging from Senator Frank Church, a leading US senator opposed to the Vietnam War, to the Irish War of Independence, Kenyan independence, and the Black Death. Oliver believed this allowed his peers to delve further into areas of history not covered by the syllabus and provided an ideal environment to practise public speaking. Particular thanks go to the following sixth pupils who gave lectures: Pierce Kelly, Peter-Gabriel Adjetey, Kwame Sarpong, Harry Rushton Mateo Rubio-Prida, Noah Pfander and Oliver Phillips.”

HISTORY S&C

This year also saw the launch of ‘Strength and Conditioning’ for a keen group of lower fifth historians. They met before school on Fridays— accompanied by pastries and coffee (mostly consumed by Dr Ruddick)—to stretch their historical muscles by examining unfamiliar primary sources, from a pro-Vietnam War children’s comic to piecing together a British wartime romance from postcards and bills. A highlight was a visit from Ms Inglis, the school archivist, who showed us records of the school debating society from the 1950s and 1960s. Topics ranged from nuclear disarmament to the usefulness of prefects. Strength and Conditioning will return next year with a new batch of sources for the curious!

F24 CLUB

Mr T Phillips

The King’s F24 club, running since 2016, offers students an exciting opportunity to build and race their own electric-powered Formula 24 car. Under the guidance of staff, pupils collaborate to construct and maintain the racing car, adhering to technical and sporting regulations set by Greenpower, who facilitate an annual F24 competition for schools across the UK.The club aims to inspire young people to pursue engineering careers and by building and racing their own electric-powered race car, students gain practical experience and insight into real-world engineering.

Some thoughts from students:

‘I joined F24 club as I saw it as an opportunity to widen my horizons in Design Engineering, which I am enthusiastic about, and will be taking for GCSE. F24 club also offered us teamwork and partnership which I needed experience with! My role is Chassis: The body of the car as well as the appearance. I have enjoyed working with my friends and I love engineering and use 3D modelling software like Onshape and Fusion 360 regularly, and 3D printing is a large hobby of mine. I just think that this is a fantastic club, and I will definitely be doing it next year as well!’- Danyal Sayed, fourth form

‘I joined due to an interest in engineering and fundamentally building things, and I thought that this would be an opportunity to further that interest. I am in charge of regulations, ensuring that the final product is within all the specifications it needs to conform to. The development of the car has been most enjoyable, with everyone chipping in to help with different things, and learning new workshop skills as time progresses. I’d say a future career in engineering is very much a possibility for me.’- Ayra Chandrasekharan - lower fifth

I love cars and putting together stuff. I thought this was a great opportunity to exercise my love for DE. My role was Deputy Captain, but I helped a lot in the electrics department. I enjoyed putting together the new components for the car. A future in engineering is extremely likely.’- Gino Coquis Power, fourth form

F1 IN SCHOOLS

F1 in Schools is a global competition where students design, build, and race miniature compressed gas powered Formula 1 cars.Teams develop valuable skills in engineering, teamwork, and project management, while also producing portfolios and delivering presentations. The challenge includes racing their cars on a 20 metre track. This year, we competed at the South West regional event and were proud to come away with two awards. The competition offers a fun and hands-on way to explore STEM subjects through real-world challenges and friendly rivalry.

INSTINCT

The fourth form Team Instinct

We arrived at the venue, excited and anxious about the day ahead, planning for presentations and the actual races.

Once we had set up our pit display, Indra Luthia, Harry Nield, Misha Katanov, and Devansh Gupta went to do the engineering portfolio presentation. We had lots of confidence after this, as many people had been interested by our pit display and spoke with JJ and I, while the others came back saying that they had done quite well in the engineering presentation.

After this, we had the identity and team brand presentation, but there were a few flaws in this, giving us learning points for our pitch later that day.

We then prepared for racing. Indra was our first choice, with stunning reaction times, then Misha, then Harry. In the end, only Misha and Indra got to race, but our car just wasn’t fast enough unfortunately. We were 9th after racing, excluding cars from the pro class (we are development class).

At around 2:45, after lunch, we had our pitch. This, we knew, was the most important part, and so we prepared lots during lunch and before the event itself.This paid off, as we smashed the pitch, impressing the judges with our style and detail.

Finally, the event was coming to a close, and at around 4:00, after cleaning up most of our things, we sat down for the awards and closing ceremony. Although we knew we did well, we had no idea that we would go on to win an award - best portfolios, of all classes. There We were competing against people up to 2 or 3 years older than us, making this a brilliant achievement. Our hard work paid off, and we came back from the event proud and excited.

The lower fifth Team Nox

F1 in Schools Regional Race Day was an extremely enjoyable event, full of friendly competition and an opportunity to meet new people and of course, try to win. We arrived at the event at roughly 10 am and quickly set up our pit display’s, portfolios and carried out a few short bits of admin. We were then briefed and almost immediately after had the first of many presentations: the engineering portfolio discussion. This was followed up by the enterprise portfolio presentation, race, pit display discussion and 5-minute verbal presentation. The event ended by a debrief and awards ceremony in which NOX received the award for 3rd place, just short of allowing us to proceed to the next round. All in all, it was an extremely enjoyable end to what has been a fun, educational and interesting project and we hope to repeat next year. Albeit try to win of course.

TEAM

TEAM NOX

DRAMA CLUBS

Miss D Barron

It has been a wonderful year for King’s Drama clubs, with many pupils choosing to develop their skills in a variety of different disciplines, adding to the quality of both curricular and co-curricular performances and journeys!

In lower school and fourth form Drama Club, pupils met each week to play games, develop their improvisation skills, and collaborate creatively with their peers. The year 7 and 8 pupils particularly relished opportunities to hone their quick-thinking and comedic talents in competitive rounds of ‘theatre sports’!

To give a hands-on experience of technical theatre in the areas of lighting and sound, all while exploring methods of teamwork and creative problem solving. Participants often go on to participate in junior and lower school productions in technical and stage management roles to continue to develop their understanding (and to have plenty of fun!)

In KCS Theatre Company, a team of dedicated sixth form pupils developed and refined their practical skills, exploring object manipulation, acrobatics, partner lifts and balances, and visual storytelling techniques. Much of the research and development and initial devising for the Edinburgh Fringe production Dracula was done in these weekly sessions.

“The year 7 and 8 pupils...relished opportunities to hone their quickthinking and comedic talents...”

TRIPS & VISITS

FRENCH EXCHANGE

Oliver Hutton

During Activities Week in June, Mr Ross, Mr Bransfield and Dr Cheung bravely took 17 fourth formers on a French exchange to Lyon. It promised to be an interesting week immersing ourselves in French family life and culture.

On arrival, we were met by our exchange partners and spent the weekend en famille. The French families went to great lengths to make our weekends enjoyable and memorable; one lucky King’s boy even travelled to Paris to spend the weekend at Disneyland. Our first night coincided with France’s national Fête de la Musique and many of us were fortunate to see some live music being played in the city’s squares and open spaces.

On Monday we enjoyed an interesting walking tour of Lyon’s historic city centre and a boat trip on the Saône River, offering us lovely views of Lyon’s riverside, and showing us the historical importance of the city which was once the European capital of silk trading from the 15th to the 19th century. The Musée Miniatures et Cinéma was very impressive, displaying the largest collection of film memorabilia in the world - the miniatures were particularly interesting to see, with the incredible detail of the set artists. On Tuesday, we walked to the modern Confluence district, explored some French shops and went indoor climbing, which was great fun. On Wednesday we were taken to the market in the Croix-Rousse district near the school, and many of us bought watermelon in order to cool down! Later we visited the Musée des Beaux-Arts, where we could see a vast collection of art, ranging from Egyptian sarcophagi to impressionist paintings. On our last day, we had a fascinating tour of the traboules in the Croix-Rousse district. These secret passageways are unique to Lyon and were historically used by silk merchants, highlighting the city’s significant role in the silk trade. We then spent a long time relaxing in the Parc de la Tête d’Or, one of Europe’s largest urban parks, followed by a visit to the Musée d’Art Contemporain.

The French Exchange was a wonderful opportunity to improve not only our French language competence, but also our understanding of French culture. For me, a real highlight was a trip to a local music festival, where a live band performed Queen and Pink Floyd with a very heavy French accent!

All too soon, we were back in London, however some milder weather was much appreciated! I would like to thank Mr Ross for organising the exchange and to the other staff for accompanying this very successful trip.

A boat ride on the Saone river

Zipwire fun at the indoor climbing centre

Admiring the beautiful view from the Basilique de Fourvière

A stroll in historic Vieux Lyon

Relaxing on Place des Terreaux

BELGIUM

Ms S Toussaint

Shortly before Christmas, A level and IB pupils visited Brussels for a cultural trip to complement their studies. Pupils were given the opportunity to explore the intricacies of the European political system, soak in the historic culture and develop their knowledge beyond the syllabus.

Jonah Pask - lower sixth

Over four days from the end of the autumn term, around 24 King’s pupils went to experience the incredible sights and culture of Brussels in Belgium.

On our first day after getting off the Eurostar, we visited the fascinating EU institutions, learning about the way their governance worked. Then, we explored the Grand-Place area on a tour, looking at the historic buildings, before visiting the Comic Art Museum, learning how Brussels, the capital of comics, develops these wonderful stories.

Finally, we visited the Magritte Museum, a beautiful Collection of iconic Surrealist art. I had a fantastic time in Brussels, exploring both political and artistic worlds.”

“King’s pupils went to experience the incredible sights and culture...”

The Brussels trip saw us get lucky with the weather keeping us dry the whole time we were there. We arrived at the Nhow Hotel in the evening, which was extravagantly decorated with a contemporary art style reflecting the large comical influence in Brussels with creations of comics such as Tintin and The Smurfs.

The following day we visited the whole EU quarter and learnt the detailed political system upon which the EU was structured. A specific highlight was the Q&A session with an MEP the day after Ukraine was accepted to join the EU, giving fuel for hot and polarising questions.

On our last full day, we had a guided walk around the city’s “comic strip”, a route full of artistic displays of comical culture, and reached the iconic Christmas market; the city has something unique on every street.

This trip was incredible for both Politics and French enrichment and was an excellent way to end the autumn term.Thank you to all the staff who helped us explore Brussels in such an authentic way.

Alex Moore - lower sixth

Delicatessen on the Christmas Market

Students enjoyed a guided comic art tour of the city

Students admired the Schtroumpf fresco painted on the ceiling of a passageway in the centre of Brussels

“This trip was incredible for both Politics and French enrichment and was an excellent way to end the autumn term.”

Visit of the European commission

Mont des Arts visit

BERLIN TRIP 2023

Finn Cruikshank and Kai O’Neill - upper fifth

The Berlin Trip in October of 2023 was an altogether exciting, educational and enjoyable experience, run by none other than our esteemed History department, and led by Mr Reekes. We stayed in a hostel with comfortable rooms each shared by six boys. The trip lasted four days, and all of them were brilliant, with us taking a coach around Berlin to various historic sites, which Berlin is absolutely full of, and listening to our extremely knowledgeable and experienced guide who took us around places including Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where we saw firsthand where many of the atrocities of the Second World War took place; the Olympiastadion Hitler had built for the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin and was renovated after its damage sustained in the war to become a football stadium; and what still stands of the Berlin wall, and the streets alongside it where escape and rescue tunnels were dug and guard towers were set up. In addition to these monuments, we visited a museum showcasing life in West Berlin, with clothes, a model of the wall and even a Trabi (a popular East German car) inside; and we took a walk around central Berlin, looking at the many other incredible edifices and being told stories about them by our wonderful guide. While the Brandenburg Tor was certainly awe-inspiring, my personal favourite is the Fernsehturm Berlin, a Soviet radio tower built where a church used to stand, but when the sun shines on its dome it creates a golden cross, known as “The Pope’s Revenge” because of how many churches demolished or repurposed by the East German government. Finally, after a long week of sightseeing we ended with an evening of bowling, a nice bit of fun to round off an excellent trip, before we flew home the next day but not before snagging an excellent souvenir – an Ampelmann duck.

Amplemann Duck

Fernsehturm

Sachsenhausen

Olympic stadium

Berlin Wall photo

The Synagoge

Block der Frauen – Ingeborg Hunzinger

GERMAN EXCHANGE

The German exchange was one of, if not the most memorable school trip I have ever been on, partly due to the activities we took part in, but also because of how it was brilliantly organised by the amazing staff. After our arrival in Tübingen, we each got to meet our partners and their families. It first seemed nerve-racking, yet we soon found out that they were all extremely friendly. We spent the weekend with our host families, getting to know all about them, and we became fully immersed in German culture. The weekend was terrific — we all did fun activities with our partners like going to water parks and theme parks, where we got to know each other’s partners and made new friends.

Throughout the week, Mr. Starrett and Miss Lindsey-Noble arranged loads of enjoyable activities for us.To start off our week, we were free to explore Tübingen for the morning and wander through the peaceful streets.Then, we went punting in the Neckar river, in a rather lightweight boat in which we were constantly terrified of becoming soaked, and comically yet unexpectedly, one of us actually ended up in the water.

The days following were just as eventful, on Tuesday we trekked to Hohenzollern Castle, blasting music and even getting Mr.

Starrett to sing along! The castle was stunning, but the trek up there was certainly the true highlight. The next day we took the train to Stuttgart, where we headed to the Mercedes-Benz Museum, and then having lunch in the city-centre, where the 2024 Euros fan zone was filled with supporters.That Wednesday also happened to be Frau Lindsey-Noble’s birthday, and some of us came up with a plan to surprise her with balloons and an assortment of gifts — she was surprised to say the least! But the true highlight was our visit to the Freibad, an outdoor swimming pool with tons of different activities. And while Miss Lindsey-Noble was supervising from the side, Mr. Starrett was conquering his fear of heights by plunging off of a 10-metre diving board into the pool below, as well as speeding down water slides, racing against us. On the final day, we went on pedal boats in the Neckar once again, and luckily no one fell in this time! After this, we said one final goodbye to our partners and host families and wished them nice summers, and we departed Tübingen for Heathrow airport.

Overall, the German exchange was not only fun, but also beneficial for our speaking skills and our vocabulary, while also experiencing a new culture!

Yassin Hassan – upper fifth

Castle hike

Euros 2024

Pedalo fun

Town Hall

Mercedes Benz trip

Tubingen

FOURTH AND FIFTH FORM TRIP TO VALENCIA

Torre de Miguelete

Fallas museum

Fallas museum

Souvenir exchange

Albufera boat

Calatrava complex

Cena

Visiting the Cathedral

ITALY - LAKE GARDA

During the autumn half-term, more than 20 pupils from upper fifth to fourth form arrived at school at 3:15 am, ready to travel to Lake Garda. We flew into Verona airport, reached Poiano Resort, before heading straight to the pool. Lunch was at the first of many pizzerias, and by dinner, we had already done padel, football, swimming, and golf. The next day we headed to Gardaland, an amazing amusement park. The rides ranged from thrilling to dizzying, and we ended the day with a football match. The following morning, we caught a boat to Limone, known for its lemons. We toured a historic lemon garden, shopped for souvenirs, and visited Castello Scaligero with its stunning lake views. Back at the resort, we played football against German students.The next day, we travelled to Venice.The view of the Grand Canal was breathtaking, and something I will never forget. A guided tour took us through its historic landmarks, including the Rialto Bridge, where we helped a lost boy find his parents. On the penultimate day, we visited Sirmione and the Grotte di Catullo, overlooking the lake, before making our own pizzas in the evening; it showed us how they are created, and how much effort goes into creating a delicious pizza. On our final day, we toured Verona, visiting the Romeo and Juliet balcony and museum. It was an incredible trip, certain to be cherished by many boys to come.

Lake Garda is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Italy has a deep and enriching cultural heritage. From enjoying The Hotel Poiano Resort where we were staying and exploring magnificent Venice, I was always learning new things about Italy. This trip has given me the opportunity to make new friends and being exposed to a new language.

We arrived in Lake Garda, unpacked, set up rooms, before tucking into a lovely dinner and a game of football. The following day, we visited the Italian version of Disneyland: Gardaland, where we rode an exhilarating rollercoaster that paused as we reached a complete vertical drop. Next, we went on a confusing ride that twisted us upside down and tricked us as we weren’t aware of whether it was the room that spun or the ride itself. We conquered the blue tornado, apparently the scariest ride of them all, with some shouting and screaming. A trip to the province of Limone, where we visited a lovely farm more suited to tourists than commercial growth, taught us about why it has such a strong affiliation to lemons. We returned via boat, where our hair was tossed upwards and lots of embarrassing photos were taken. The following day, a trip to Venice was in store. We marvelled at the famous bridges we had all seen in films and photos and yet now were present in the flesh. Further on, we took a gondola and toured its peaceful streets, expertly guided by a Venetian himself. Upon our return we were greeted by another lovely Italian dinner and another game of football. On the fifth day, we visited Sirmione and its castle with awesome views, before lunch, a huge gelato and a couple of hours of free time at the beach. On the final day we went to the city of Verona to see the famous arena, learnt about the ancient Romans, and posed on the famous Juliet balcony. Our thanks go to Mrs Liberti and her team for making this such a memorable trip.

Safin Sheikh - upper fifth

Indra Luthia Fourth form

James Macmillan - lower sixth & Indra Luthia - fourth form

Pietra Bridge in Verona (Ponte Pietra a Verona)

Rialto Bridge in Venice ( Ponte di Rialto a Venezia)

MULTISPORT TRIP TO ITALY

Mr L O’Sullivan

Over the Easter break, 41 year 8 pupils enjoyed a wonderful week in Northern Italy on the Multisport trip. Nestled in the picturesque Lugano region, the Bella Italia sports centre provided the perfect backdrop for a week filled with camaraderie, skill-building and fun.

Despite the occasional challenge posed by the weather, the pupils demonstrated dedication and determination as they immersed themselves in the numerous training sessions across a variety of sports, including rugby, football, hockey, swimming, and basketball. Their commitment to improving their skills was evident each day, reflecting not only their passion for sport but also their determination to push their limits and grow as athletes.

The culmination of their hard work came on the final day, as they eagerly took to the pitches to compete against local Italian clubs in football and hockey matches. They represented King’s with pride, putting on a good performance for their opponents and showcasing the values of sportsmanship and fair play that we encourage in all our sports activities.

On the final day, we had the opportunity to explore the wonderful city of Venice. Basking in the glorious sunshine, we explored the winding canals and architectural wonders and also found time to indulge in some mouthwatering pizza.

Relaxing by the Rialto

The Team

In training.

Meeting the opposition

Ready for action

A moment of calm

Team tactics

Canal boat fun

Represented King’s with pride

UAE CRICKET TOUR

Mr T Gwynne

The senior cricket tour to the UAE took place in the Easter holidays with two squads playing fixtures at first class facilities in both Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah. Adam Fox & Joseph Galligan both scored centuries and Joseph and Oliver Richards both took 5 wicket hauls. Away from the cricket fields, the pupils enjoyed enlightening cultural experiences including:

• Visiting the SMCUU cultural centre and having a traditional lunch

• Visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

• Exploring the Souks around Dubai Creek

• Experiencing a desert safari including 4x4 sand dune driving

A fantastic time was had by all.

BARCELONA HOCKEY TOUR 2024

The 1st XI Hockey Tour to Barcelona proved to be an unforgettable experience, both in terms of performance on the pitch and the cultural opportunities off it. The tour began with a visit to Terrasa Hockey Club, a venue rich in hockey history and passion.The squad was warmly welcomed by the hosts, who ran a top-class coaching session before the teams faced off in the opening match. Playing against Terrasa’s U18 B side, our players rose to the challenge and secured a hard-fought 2-1 win in a competitive and closely contested game. The match provided a great opportunity to shake off the travel fatigue and adapt to playing in the warm Spanish conditions.

The next morning, the team headed to the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona for their second match, this time against the FC Barcelona U17A team. The iconic venue provided an inspiring backdrop, and the boys responded with an excellent all-round performance. They claimed a convincing 4-1 victory, producing some outstanding goals and demonstrating growing confidence and cohesion as a team. Once again, the hosts were gracious and welcoming, underlining the tour’s strong spirit of international camaraderie. The afternoon was spent soaking up the sporting

atmosphere with a tour of the legendary Camp Nou stadium, home of FC Barcelona, followed by a fun and relaxed evening of ten-pin bowling—an enjoyable way to unwind and bond further as a group.

The final fixture of the tour took place against Lluro Hockey Club, and the team saved their best performance for last. With sharp passing, strong defensive organization, and clinical finishing, they secured another 2-1 win. It was a fitting end to a thoroughly successful set of matches, with the squad going unbeaten across the three games. The players showed development in both individual skills and team dynamics throughout the tour. Later that afternoon, they had the opportunity to watch elite-level hockey at the Real Club de Polo, gaining inspiration from some of the sport’s top players in action. With spirits high and memories made, the team returned to the UK the following day, proud of their performances and the way they represented the school. The tour was not only a sporting success but also a chance to experience a new culture, build friendships, and deepen the team’s sense of unity.

Mr B Tibble

Tour versus Barcelona

Tour versus Terrasa

Tour versus Illuro

ROWING TRIP TO OURENSE, NORTH SPAIN

Mr R Winchester

60 rowers and coaches from the lower fifth to upper sixth flew out to a beautiful spot on a dammed part of the Mino river, near the city of Ourense in Galicia in North West Spain. Despite this being the boat clubs first trip to this venue, the rowers quickly settled into the riverside hotel and got stuck into seeing who could sneak the most doughnuts onto their breakfast plate.

Even though the first couple of days were rainy, the rowers quickly settled into the new routine and the crews set off at the same high level they raced School’s Head. Unfortunately the same could not be said for the coaches, who struggled with the unfamiliar coaching launches and reverted to zig zagging down the (luckily wide) river, frantically trying to keep up with their crews! After a couple of days the coaches settled into their new environment,

the sun came out and everyone’s focus turned towards making super-quick crews primed for the regatta season.

The week flew past and all squads made the most of the camp and made excellent progress. Coming into the traditional end of camp race, rivalries were created between similar speed crews, with the school 2nd VIII and the J16 1st VIII being very competitive with each other as well as the J16 2nd VIII and the J15 1st VIII. Both races didn’t disappoint, which set up the usual debates of whether the real race was in real time or against “% Gold Medal Time”. Either way, it was great to see the camaraderie grow between the different year groups and all the rowers worked together to load the trailer in double quick time so that they could enjoy one last feast before the journey back home.

On the Castrelo de Miño reservoir

The sun going down over Ourense

Rowers at Cerlac Training Camp

BIOLOGY FIELD STUDIES TRIP

Mr T Gwynne

Lower sixth biologists visited the Field Studies Centre (FSC) at Nettlecombe Court, nestled in a peaceful valley on the eastern edge of Exmoor National Park. While there, students engaged in practical learning, conducting their biology internal assessments (for IB students) or completing a series of ecological practicals from the essential list of 12 experiments (for A-level students). This field experience was enriched by classroom sessions with FSC experts and King’s biology staff members, ensuring students carried out their fieldwork with optimal outcomes and enjoyment.

A 7.00am start may not have been ideal for many of us, but a few power naps on the coach meant we arrived at Nettlecombe Court eager to stretch our legs and explore the grand house—hard to imagine it once housed a single family (people must have been very rich back then).

Attention soon shifted to our first field research location –the rocky shore. While it might have been lovely on its day, the biblical winds did not drum up enthusiasm for the place. Keeping on our feet in the face of unearthly gales, which were unrelenting in their attempts to rob us of our equipment and disperse it into different rock pools across the beach, was perhaps more of a challenge than the field work itself. Still, the trip ended on a high, with tales of the lives of ammonites hundreds of millions of years ago capturing the imaginations.

Mouse catching brought excitement, with much effort put into trap placement and who could catch the largest small mammal. Those who succeeded claimed this was an activity requiring great skill, whereas calls of “it was all luck!” seemed to be coming predominantly from those who returned in the morning to an empty trap (if Mr. Pinder is reading, I myself found a viciously scrabbling shrew which I, in true Petruchio style, was able to soothe using great skill until it was as happy to settle as any domesticated creature and peacefully returned to its wild home).

Our first evening was filled with a combination of working, not working and sitting with laptops open pretending to work while actually chatting to neighbours who had made similar decisions (the latter two options were much more popular). Stargazing followed, then bed.

Day two began with trap checks, then a shift to IAs and research questions. A tour of the Woodford meanders, counting critters from pools and riffle homes, inspired our

Collecting samples

decisions. After lunch in the sun, we wandered Nettlecombe for more inspiration. The rocky shore didn’t fare well—data collection was tricky post-gales, and Dr. Blythe cancelled the next day’s beach trip. Fossil hunting would have to wait.

The last day brought the most important part of the trip: data collection Some hoped for correlations; others accepted null hypotheses. After two frantic hours of measuring abiotic variables, counting mayfly nymphs, and quadrat sampling, our data was collected, and we could embark on the long coach journey back to school.

Some used the journey to get ahead on write-ups, but most of us, worn out from three packed days, took the chance to snooze or reflect on all we’d experienced.

Jack Thomas – lower sixth

The meanders invertebrate sampling in the river

Mr Grabowski supervising mammal weigh in

Watchet Beach rock pool sampling

HOUSES

LOWER SCHOOL

ALVERSTONE

When I was chosen to be house chair of Alverstone at the beginning of the year, I was delighted, as it meant that I was able to help my house towards another brilliant year. My first highlight was sports day, as it was a chance for every pupil to compete for their house. My other highlight of the year was in house music as everyone sung their heart out with Sachin Gilchrist (year 7) conducting us beautifully. One special performance I must mention was in house football, where our goal keeper Sid Banerjee (year 8) made lots of memorable saves. I congratulate every member of Alverstone in both year 7 and year 8 for an amazing effort in every house event. Lastly every member of Alverstone is extremely grateful for Mr Blackburn’s efforts to organise and run everything. Go Alverstone and good luck for next year!!

Vidhan Vedhara - House Chair

Year 7 House Futsal team

Table Tennis anyone

House Rubik’s cube

House badminton

House Basketball team ready to go

GLENESK

This year all members of Glenesk have worked hard for their house. Whether in the form of House Events or in other ways, every single member of the house has something to be proud of. The House have had some very noteworthy performances in these events since the February half-term, most notably victories in House Swimming, House Water Polo, year 7 House Cricket, and penultimate finishes in both House Taskmaster and House Music, not to mention three new school records in sports day set by Zaal Owen (year 8), Alexandros Contaroudas (year 7), and Alex Park (year 8). In my opinion, the highest point of our house’s year would be House Music. It concluded the year with a high and was one of the only house events where all members could get involved. We sang (and played) Stick Season, by Noah Kahan. An enchanting solo performance from Henry Thwaites and brilliant musical accompaniments from year 8s, Alfred Soulier, Kristen Rolfsen, and Natan Sarkar gave our performance a well-deserved second place. This year has been a blast, and it has been a privilege to be led by Mr O’Sullivan, our head of house. Since this is his last year as lower school Glenesk head of house, I would like to thank him for the amazing work he has put in for us over the two years I’ve been in the house. Truly, this year has been fantastic and I look forward to further serving the house.

Daniel John & Martin O’Flanagan - House Chairs

Lower school sports day Mr O’Sullivan’s last event as head of house.

House quiz

Glenesk winning house rugby

KINGSLEY

I have really enjoyed being a part of lower school Kingsley and the committee as well.There have been so many great activities we have done and so many new experiences and skills that I have gained from the committee.

There have been a wide range of exciting activities that all members of the house have taken part in throughout the year – sports, maths, board games and many more – which have contributed majorly to the excitement and atmosphere of friendly competition in the lower school, reinvigorating pupils for the afternoon.

The committee consists of a house chair, who takes the helm of the house, the vice chair, who fills in for the house chair if necessary and also helps make decisions, a charities rep, who thinks of and organises all the events we do to raise money for charity, an arts and activities rep, who chooses the house song and oversees other artistic and creative events, and finally the sports rep, who oversees sporting events conducted.

I have enjoyed my time in lower school Kingsley so much as there has been the perfect balance of everything – perfect amounts of fun and competition, which has created a strong and kind community that I will be very sad to leave at the end of this year. Good luck future LS Kingsley!!

Kingsley have had a great end to another eventful year. Students have been involved in all sorts of activities and events, with us narrowly missing out on first place during sports day by 12 points! Pupils have been getting stuck into activities inside and outside the classroom, with house taskmaster being one of the last but most successful events so far, and with all of the preparations for the house song, it is sure to be lot of fun that everyone will be taking part in. Kingsley have had a great year, and I am sad to be leaving the lower school group but hope that future years continue to bring energy to all house events, whether that be taking part or coming along to support your friends on a Thursday lunchtime.

Finn Moore, House Chair summer term

Aarav Gupta, House Chair autumn term

Competing together for the first time at Frisbee, Dodgeball and Benchball

The whole house at Sports Day

First ever house event for year 7 students! Mixture of frisbee, benchball, dodgeball!

House badminton

LAYTON

Last year, lower school Layton had a great year. We won many house events across all aspects such as art, drama, sport, music, and academics. But most importantly, we had amazing participation. We had enough volunteers, often too many for all house events. We were also very organised and had lots of fun. Mr James has a special way of bringing everyone together and raising morale. We also won major house events such as House Music, where Jack McBride (year 8) gave an amazing performance and Sports’ Day, which saw Thomas Tijerina (year 8) break a record. Overall, we had an amazing year and won what would be the House Cup, and it was an amazing ‘debut year’ from Mr James as Head of Lower School Layton.

Sebastian Davis, Leo McCann and Sebastian Arney, House chairs autumn and summer term

House football

Cricket winners

House basketball

House tennis champs

Sports day

MACLEAR

The house events at the start of the year brought people closer and helped new year 7’s make friends along the way. They gave the members of Maclear the chance to shine. From chess to basketball, there were a variety of events for everyone to enjoy, and everyone took part. This feeling of inclusiveness is the core of LS Maclear House; to embrace the activities, work together and help others. I have seen lots of excellent collaboration during house events whether it was at the maths table helping someone solve an especially difficult equation, or thinking of a game plan for house frisbee.

The house events were well organised, with teachers putting lots of effort into getting them prepared and up and running. Members of the house committee supported Miss Hunter in selecting teams and leading assemblies. Overall, the events were exceptional and helped bring Maclear House together.

In my time as Chair for LS Maclear, there have been so many great house events: House Netball, Taskmaster, and the House talent show to name a few. Maclear members who weren’t in the events often came to support, which really gives a sense of teamwork and community.

The House song this year was Call Me Maybe by Carley Rae Jepsen, and everyone was very motivated and practised diligently for the performance - some members even choreographed their own dance routine! On Sports Day, although we didn’t come top, the effort and achievement of some individuals was very impressive, and the whole house did their best and were supportive of each other.

Maclear has also held charity events like the ‘sponge the teacher’ stalls and the triathlon which saw the normally competitive houses work together to raise money for charity. Overall, a great year for Maclear – Maclearly the best house!

Harry Yu, House Chair summer term

Jack Dawson, House Chair autumn term

House Basketball

House Spelling Bee

House debating

Sports Day

House Chess

MAJOR

Lower school Major house has had an exceptional year, with pupils consistently representing the house with pride at a variety of events. Their performances in chess, bench ball, debating and house hockey have been particularly impressive, demonstrating strong teamwork, strategy and skill. The house spirit is always evident, especially when it comes to the house song, which continues to be a highlight of the year. It’s fantastic to see all the pupils getting involved, from year 7 to year 8, contributing to a sense of unity and enthusiasm that defines lower school Major house. The energy and camaraderie surrounding the song never fail to inspire, making it a key moment in the school calendar. It’s clear that lower school Major house is a place where everyone can shine and be part of something truly special.

Mr B Tibble

Year 7&8 Dodgeball

Year 8 Cricket

Year 7 Futsal

Year 8 Futsal

SENIOR SCHOOL

ALVERSTONE

Alverstone have had another fabulously busy year filled with house events, charity work, and lots of raw Alverstonian spirit! Our house event wins came thick and fast throughout the year in volleyball; 5-a-side football; chess; cross-country, tug-of-war and waterpolo.

The Alverstone house play this year was led by sixth formers Ava Rickman, Tom Flood, and Seb Hayward in an absolutely exceptional abridgment of Peter Pan.Their hilarious and yet refreshingly contemplative rendition won us the Adjudicator’s award for ‘Most imaginative storytelling’. Alverstone continued excelling in the arts, winning second place in House Battle of the Bands with a stellar ensemble performance of Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA, led by house captains Tom and Catherine. Alverstone also enjoyed the first ever House Christmas Song of Driving Home for Christmas featuring a chorus and band of only Alverstone musicians, and recorded and edited by Tom as well.

Charity remained at the forefront of Alverstone’s house efforts, with several successful charity weeks featuring the ever popular ‘Sponge the Teacher’, Krispy Kreme sales, and darts competitions. Alverstone’s charitable efforts were rounded off by the annual game of ‘elimination’, raising money for our house charity ‘Metabolic Support UK’.

Thank you so much to our vice-captain Rory, the Alverstone prefects, and all of the tutors for their help and guidance in creating another successful year, and most especially to Miss Ward and Dr Squires in keeping both the Friday lunch queues and all of Alverstone running smoothly. It is both with great sadness and best wishes that we pass on our duties to our next lot of captains and prefects. Best of luck to Ava, Cassius and Ankit for their leadership roles within Alverstone next year, and keep the tight Alverstone ship sailing strongly!

Tom Constantinou-Hickman and Catherine Chang, house captains

Lower sixth dodgeball

Fourth form Cross Country - 1st Place

Senior Tug of War (1st)

Upper sixth 5-a-side

Middle school rowing teams

GLENESK

When I joined Glenesk in the fourth form, I was jokingly told by an upper sixth that the informal motto of the house was “Glenesk, we put the G in average.” However, this could not be further from the truth. Never once has my experience in the house been average. What makes Glenesk so special is the common house spirit and sense of camaraderie that you feel at house events.These events have provided some of my fondest King’s memories and I encourage everyone to make the most of their time in the house as before you know it, it’ll be up.

A particular favourite of mine was the adaptation of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by sixth formers Luca Branton-Speak, Kiera Nash and Charlotte Ward for the House Play Festival. In Battle of the Bands, Glenesk’s creativity shone through once again.Tait Walsingham and Angus Graham (upper sixth) masterminded a theatrical performance of Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity, which took home third place. We took home the win for improv in ‘House Line is it Anyway?’, as well as came out on top in House Art.

Out on the sports pitches, we also found glory in lower fifth five-a-side and senior tug-of-war. We may not have taken home the overall prize on Sports Day, but our fourth form were the top house in their year group, a highlight of which was the stunning performance by the winning 4x100 relay team.

Charitable efforts continue to be an important part of Glenesk. The charity bacon sale was back by popular demand and continued to sell out on each occasion. These events have proven to be a massive success in raising money for our house charity St Raphael’s Hospice, which is local to the Wimbledon community.

Thank you very much to Miss Sanford and Mr Barber for ensuring the house runs so smoothly. Whether it’s supporting us pastorally or co-ordinating house events, they do an unbelievable amount for Glenesk. Additionally, thank you to the tutors for your sustained help and guidance.

It has been a privilege to be Glenesk’s house captain; it has given me so many opportunities, for which I am incredibly grateful.Thank you to the vice-captains,Ted and Adam, for their help throughout the year. I look forward to hearing how Ben, Bridget and Luca lead the house next year. I have no doubt that they’ll do an excellent job.

Charlie Bark, house captain

Fourth form form frisbee

Lower fifth five-a-side

Our winning 4th form 4x100 relay team

Senior tug-of-war

A smiling bunch of Gleneskians at Sports Day

The House Play cast/crew

KINGSLEY

Having the privilege of being house captain this past year has been nothing short of incredible. Getting to see and help Kingsley excel in so many different house events has been fantastic. Despite the result achieved by the house in each event, it has been wonderful seeing the brilliance of Kingsley.

That being said, there have been some fabulous results, with ten wins in house events across the year and ten events in which we achieved second place.These wins have come from a diverse range of events. In sport, we have seen successes in the indoor mixed hockey and lower fifth squash in the autumn term, as well as mixed netball (an event in which I can attest to how multitalented Kingsley is, although I am not sure many of the rules were actually followed), and lower fifth football in the spring term.

As well as significant sporting achievements, Kingsley has dominated in other areas. One of these that deserves a mention is house speaking. Kingsley won both senior and middle school speaking, and middle school debating. In drama, although unfortunately we did not win an award this year, it would be remiss of me not to mention house plays. The fabulous performance of Little Shop of Horrors was absolutely robbed of a title and has set the standard high for next year’s play. We also placed in the top three for ‘House Line Is It Anyways?’ displaying the high level of dramatic talent in the house.

Saving the best for last, Kingsley’s win this year in House Battle of the Bands, with our rendition of Hypersonic Missiles, was a spectacle to behold. I am not only saying that as I was singing but witnessing Noah sing, play guitar and play the saxophone is a spectacle on its own. This was not our only musical achievement, with a win in middle school music and second place in senior school music.

Overall, the year has been highly successful for Kingsley, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each member of the house. Obviously, a massive thank you must go to Mr Rogers and Mr Tipping for keeping our house running so smoothly. Additionally, I would like to thank Jack and Riya for all their hard work this year, with a special mention to Jack for his fabulous website that has helped organise house events.

To all members of Kingsley, thank you for a great year, I wish you all the best of luck for next year.

Have courage, be kind and stay purple.

Laura Lovell, house captain

Fourth form form frisbee

House speaking champions

Kingsley - Little Shop of Horrors

Bake sale in aid of Save the Children

The paper airplane competition- Purpolympics

LAYTON

Lucca Butler-Cassar, house captain

As the Captain of Layton for 2023/2024, I am proud to say that this year has been nothing short of exceptional for our house. From sporting triumphs to academic achievements, the spirit and determination of our Laytonians have truly shone through. Your unwavering commitment to house events and relentless determination throughout the year have been inspiring.

Thank you to each and every one of you for making this year so memorable. With a total of 10 wins and 7 second places, this year has been a remarkable success for Layton in house events.The Autumn term kicked off with a strong start, securing second place in the fourth form cross country. Our first victory quickly followed with the upper fifth Spikeball team showcasing their skills. Spikeball seemed to be our

sport this year, as the upper sixth team dominated their event two weeks later, winning all four of their matches and leaving the other houses in a 5-way joint second place. The final match, played by none other than Sam and Luca, was a spectacle of natural prowess, bringing Layton that second victory of the year. My surprise return to rowing added another highlight, as Layton clinched second place in senior rowing. It was incredible to see the support from everyone, including those who have never rowed before, which truly embodied the spirit of Layton.The Autumn Term concluded with a win in a new house event, the ‘House Quiz.’ This victory was a testament to our diverse talents and set the stage for many more achievements in the coming two terms.

The spring term was filled with victories across all aspects of King’s life. Our first win came in house bridge, thanks to a team entirely comprised of Ms. Mulcahy’s tutor group, featuring the dynamic Dyson duo, brothers Sam and Ben. This impressive start was followed by a dominating performance in senior basketball. One of this year’s vice captains, Jess, showcased her natural basketball abilities, playing a pivotal role in securing the win for Layton. The successes didn’t stop there. The U16s continued Layton’s legacy in football by winning their U16 house football competition, building on last year’s triumphs. Netball also proved to be one of our strengths, with Layton securing two more victories in upper sixth and lower sixth mixed netball to close out the spring term.

Beyond sports, the term also highlighted our talents in the arts. Layton put on an impressive rendition of a scene from The Crucible during the House Play, with standout performances by sixth formers Georgia Kelly and Pierce Kelly in the main roles.

Lower fifth 5-a-side football

Fourth form cross country

Senior Cross country

The summer term saw more of Layton’s theatre skills with a win in “House line is it anyways?” coming from our improv team of Shawn Wong, Jack Thomas, Pierce Kelly, Barnaby Kingsbury and Anthony Taylor. Their quick wit and creativity captivated everyone, earning Layton yet another victory in the arts. Building on our strong tradition in Spikeball, the lower fifth team secured a commendable second place, keeping our legacy alive. Meanwhile, our sixth form Laytonians brought home two more victories, excelling in both touch rugby and badminton. There was amazing performances throughout all the years this term and it was lovely to see the red flag being waved at all the outside events to keep our Layton spirit alive.

A big thank you is deserved by Mr Grabowski and our new Assistant Head of Layton, Ms. Smart, who have done so much amazing work on and behind the scenes. I also want to extend my gratitude to my vice-captains, Jess and Alex, who have helped me throughout the year in charity events, coming up with fun ideas for assemblies and handling all the prefect duties with enthusiasm and efficiency. The biggest thank you goes to all the Laytonians that have helped keep the Layton spirit going and brought their all to each event this year. To the upper sixth, I wish you all the best in your future endeavours and for the rest of Layton, I hope you continue to wear red with pride in the years to come.

House netball

Fourth form football

Sixth form Tug of war

MACLEAR

This year saw incredible achievements from everyone in Maclear house. It was impressive to see students from fourth form to upper sixth juggling so many events, clubs and activities on top of their academic work.

Our 2023-24 house event campaign was highly successful. We welcomed a new fourth form cohort into Maclear and they did not disappoint.They won the frisbee, spikeball and 5-a-side events, and came second in basketball, dodgeball and table tennis – an impressive haul of podiums. We also came first in Middle School rowing, as well as lower fifth football and table tennis. Away from the sports pitch, we won Sixth Form House Music with an impressive performance from Isaac Epstein (lower sixth) on the oboe and came second in Middle School and Sixth Form Debating. Overall, an impressive year with high turnouts and strong teamwork – it was brilliant to see so many Maclearites spend their Tuesday lunchtimes representing the house.

Angus Hawkings, house captain

House relay

100m sprint

Two of the highlights on the house event calendar are the House Play and the Battle of the Bands. This year’s performance of The Ocean at the End of the Lane was led by brilliant lower sixth producers and designers and was directed by Hafsa Saeed. It featured lead actors from the youngest and oldest years, with impressive performances from fourth formers Chris Dunckley and Harry Jones and sixth former Madi Rudge in particular. For the Battle of the Bands, Maclear performed the song Forget You. While we just missed out on a spot on the podium, it was certainly a fantastic team effort and excellent performance. Another Maclear success this year was our charity partnership with Perseid School (which supports young people, aged 3-19 who have severe and complex learning difficulties and learners with an additional diagnosis of autism and/or physical/sensory difficulties). We have been fundraising for them for over 10 years, and this year was no exception. We continued to run our Krispy Kreme sales – this year implementing Apprentice-like schemes to sell extra sprinkles and chocolate sauce! We also ran charity karaokes – including Mr Josypenko and Ms Burke singing Hakuna Matata on the Great Hall steps! In the summer term, each tutor group took on a charity initiative including arm wrestling competitions, raffling early lunch cards and ‘soak the teacher’. Some Maclear students had the chance to visit Perseid and see the difference the money is making first-hand. Thanks are in order to our wonderful house leadership team – Mr Josypenko and Ms Burke. Mr Josypenko has his watchful eye over the whole house and is supportive of everyone in Maclear. Hearing his distinctive voice from two buildings away and signing his emails with ‘BOSH’ never fails to put a smile on our faces! Ms Burke will be leaving her role as assistant head of Maclear to join the middle school team. While only having been part of the Maclear family for two years, she has made an incredible impact. Her success campaigning for card readers at charity events is just one example of this and will make a big difference to King’s charitable donations from all houses. Both of them deserve much credit for the work they do behind the scenes to make sure the house runs so smoothly. A huge thank you is also owed to all the Maclear tutors for their continued support throughout the year. Unfortunately for us, two tutors are moving on from Maclear in September. Mr Davies leaves to become head of Physics at Brighton College. He (and his physics jokes) will be missed. We wish Ms McGarvey well as she leaves us temporarily to go on maternity leave. We also have one tutor returning – Ms Nahorniak has been missed this year during her maternity leave and we are excited to have her back.

I would like to thank all the outgoing upper sixth for their contributions to the house, particularly the prefects for giving up their free time to do the sometimes dull task of martialling the lunch queue! Being house captain this year was an honour, and I have been really grateful to share our form room with a wonderful upper sixth cohort. Thanks go to vice-captains Allegra Zeier and Niall Radcliff and captains of school Keira Au and Aniket Garg for their help with the house, especially taking a lead on our charity committee. I wish the best of luck to new Maclear captain Dylan, vice-captains Alma Laurent and Amina Rafique, and captain of school Zoe – we leave the house in excellent hands. While it is sad to be leaving Maclear, I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of what is unmistakably the best house in the school.

Captain of Maclear and captain of school

House Sports Day

MAJOR

Consistency of excellence throughout the house is not uncommon in Major and this year was no different.The autumn term got off to a great start with house event first place finishes in plentiful supply (five to be exact); from senior girls’ cross country, demonstrating the gifted runners in the cohort, to upper fifth 5-a-side football and lower fifth cross country, reflecting the talent in the younger years of the house. House points were gained rapidly; Saahan Kapoor (lower sixth) reached an outstanding total of 43 house points in his Major tenure so far. ‘Majorians of the Moment’ were not sparse this term either – Ellie Pobjoy, Benedict Holder and Jonathan Martin all gained the award, for playing European-level lacrosse, significantly aiding the running of the School’s Day of Languages and gaining a Gold Award in the BPO Computational Physics Challenge respectively. Charity equally played a significant role this term, with Major hoodies returning to be as favourable as always, the evermore popular charity week, ‘Own Clothes day’ and Major-themed Christmas cards sales. £1,410.25 was raised that term alone. Furthermore, the Wimbledon Guild offered Majorians an opportunity to give back to the community, with each pupil buying two Christmas gifts for a child of an allocated age group.

In the new year, Major sleekly dispatched six house event first place finishes. The House Play Festival, which was won for a record third year in a row, and House Improvised Poetry, won shortly afterwards. Both fourth and fifth form successfully championed their competitions in squash. By now, Izzy Perry (lower sixth) had a total of 12 house points, an impressive feat after only two terms at the school. ‘Majorians of the Moment’ were again dispensed thrice; Neo Millar (fourth form) for impressive flute performances across a range of national competitions; Nicholas Roets (lower sixth) for completing the Hampton Court Half Marathon for our house charity, and Josh Hatcher (upper fifth), for the astonishing completion of his awe-inspiring skydiving course. Charity work flourished perhaps more than ever, with the ‘£20 Tutor Group challenge’ (once £7 but inflation costs had to be considered!), whereby each tutor group was given £20 to create a charity initiative, and when combined with the whole house Sponsored Walk, an admirable total of £10,634.76 was raised overall.

In the final term of the school year, we had fewer house events due to public exams, but this did not prevent Major from continuing its winning ways. We

Nasser Baccouche, House Captain

Sports Day

House Plays

Lower sixth mixed netball

were victorious in volleyball and in Middle School touch rugby. Fourth form Life Drawing was another highlight. Charity initiatives continued to remain a focal point in the summer term with an ingenious ice lolly sale contributing to an outstanding final total for the year of £12,947.28 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Then came the climax of the whole year, the muchanticipated House Sports Day which Major had been planning for several weeks. Miss Peel was determined that this year would be the year! Majorians fought hard and with sheer determination throughout the day and we saw some brilliant performances across the three year groups. It was so close and so tense. The results were read out and it was between Major and Alverstone for victory. Everyone was silent. The result: Alverstone won by one single point! We were disappointed, of course, but no one can take away the house spirit we displayed on that day. Maybe 2025 will be our year!

I would like to thank my team of blue ties, Sid Joshi and Benedict Holder, for working cooperatively and unwaveringly with me to make this academic year of Major so successful; without them and their creative initiatives and ideas, as well as their reminders of meetings we needed to attend, we would not have been able to help run the house as we did. Furthermore, I wish the blue tie team, Oliver Phillips, Vikram Tandon and the new captain of house, Izzy Perry, all the best in helping to run the house next year, and I am totally confident that they will do an excellent job, if their current efforts are anything to go by.

Lastly, I owe a huge thank you to Miss Peel and Mr Reekes for taking a chance on me as captain and, more importantly, for their immeasurable effort and work in running such a tight-knit house; in my opinion there is no house like Major and, without their unrelenting dedication, this simply would not be possible. This is what makes Major’s golden era timeless.

House frisbee

Fourth form basketball

Middle school rowing team

PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH

INSPIRING CURIOUS MINDS THROUGH IMPACTFUL PARTNERSHIPS

Mr P Hatch

On Friday afternoons, nearly 440 King’s pupils participated in activities with local schools and organisations through the community project programme.

The new sixth form partnership with Harris Academy Wimbledon (HAWI) thrived this year; there were many community project collaborations, a joint university fair, academic talks to inspire curiosity, and career networking events. Also added was a new dimension, King’s and HAWI pupils co-leading subjects like Spanish, Latin, and Maths, as well as Book Clubs at local primary schools. The pupils really enjoyed working together and HAWI pupils commented that the benefits of taking part in these projects included, ‘being able to build a community and connect with new people’ and ‘having a similar mindset in the way we teach and learn’.

There were more new projects added to the programme this year. Amongst them, the Writers in Residence workshops with Rutlish and Ricards Lodge, reading support at Knollmead, and coled sports at Merton Abbey. Junior Aspirations expanded to eight schools, increasing engagement and confidence among primary pupils. One pupil said that the best thing about the programme was, ‘learning in a collaborative and calm environment with people and teachers there to help you’.

During Spring, King’s pupils collaborated with year 6 pupils from Merton Abbey Primary and Merton Music Foundation on Blues music, teaching rhythm, improvisation, and the blues scale. The project culminated in a concert showcasing their musicality and teamwork, attended by parents and the Mayor of Merton. We were all delighted when the Mayor requested that the King’s band play ‘a slow blues in G’ to accompany her singing, it transpired that she had been a professional jazz singer before becoming a councillor.

On the last day of the spring term, a total of over 150 King’s pupils and pupils from eight different partnership schools took part in the community production, The Time Machine, in the Collyer Hall Theatre. This was the culmination of an ambitious two-term collaboration between King’s and Bond Primary School, Coombe Girls’ School, Cricket Green School, Harris Academy Wimbledon, Perseid School, Raynes Park High School, RR6 (the combined Sixth Form of Ricards Lodge High School and Rutlish School)and Wimbledon College. Pupils from these schools formed a company of over 150 actors, singers, musicians, composers and backstage technicians. They were supported by fabulous props, also made by artists and engineers from King’s and Bond Primary School. It was an incredibly ambitious undertaking, but the results were

amazing. It was obvious that all involved adored taking part and that they had learnt a huge amount during the rehearsal process. The final song featuring the full cast on stage was tremendous.

Towards the end of the summer term, the second King’s Arts festival brought together pupils from Cricket Green School, as well as Bishop Gilpin, St Mark’s and Merton Abbey Primary Schools to combine with King’s pupils and alumni to take part in a massed performance of Zimbe! by Alexander L’Estrange in the King’s concert hall. Rehearsing for three months, singers aged 8 to18 were accompanied by an ensemble blending jazz and African music. Pupils from HAWI, Wimbledon College, and Ursuline High School worked as Arts Ambassadors and Ushers, wearing specially commissioned King’s Arts T-shirts. A strings showcase concert included 90 pupils from six partnership schools as well as King’s performing with members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Wimbledon College, King’s and HAWI joined forces to present a special bands showcase in the Festival Marquee.

The Open Doors Project concluded the year. This involved 120 pupils from four primary schools taking part in sports and 60 from two primary schools devising a theatrical show ‘Journey through time’. The project was led by student leaders from King’s and two partner secondary schools with the final performance and tournament attended by parents and teachers, as well as the Mayor of Merton.

We are very grateful to the Friends of King’s for their generous sponsorship of many aspects of the partnerships programme. Without their support many of the opportunities we have been able to organise, and the growth in the number of pupils involved, simply wouldn’t have been possible.

Our thanks also to Chloe Lindsay for her outstanding contribution to the department this year covering the role of Hannah Cocksworth who will be returning as Deputy Director next year. We were also grateful to have Josh Short join our team, taking over from Dean Starrett last January as Assistant Director.

Much thanks is owed to our colleague, Hugh Trimble, for the dedication he has shown in overseeing our support to partnership school students applying to competitive universities over many years; he frequently exceeded expectations in the bespoke levels of support that he offered. Partner school pupils will be assisted with medical and Oxbridge UCAS applications by a new member of the Higher Education team next year. We look forward to welcoming them and Caoimh Smith, has been appointed as part time Partnerships Administrator, to our team next year.

“We are very grateful to the Friends of King’s for their generous sponsorship”

Harris sixth form partnership

Spanish at Harris Academy

Inspiring children through science

ART & DESIGN

EAL AT ST MARK’S

Miss E Mcllroy Anonymous

Upper fifth, lower sixth and upper sixth pupils have experimented with many art skills and processes this year at the Friday Art and Design CCA. Throughout the year, they have learnt many skills including the craft of crochet, making scarves, beanies, bags, and bucket hats; and made collagraph prints too, exploring landscapes.They have created pots, inspired by underwater textures and creatures of the sea, using the coiling method. They also tried monoprinting and helped make 54 animal headbands for the Rushmere Fantastic Mr Fox production. Finally, they played with marbling, to create distinct ethereal patterns, delving into the traditional Japanese style process of Suminagashi and bamboo ink painting. We are experimenting with gelli printing and collage, using natural forms to create wonderful textures.’

This year, for my first CCA at King’s, I taught English as a foreign language to pupils at St Mark’s Academy with other pupils from King’s. We spent around half an hour playing games, and just having conversations to help the pupils feel more confident speaking English. I couldn’t have asked for a better CCA, it was such an amazing experience! It really helped with my organisational skills in terms of having to plan out different activities for each session, and learning which ones worked best for each student. Similarly, my confidence in teaching improved and seeing their confidence grow as time passed felt so rewarding. At first, many were too shy to say a word, but by the end they could hold a full conversation with ease; reading fairytales and playing games like Dobble, hangman and wordle were such fun ways to help with this. For a few weeks, we were restricted to meeting on teams rather than in person, which forced me to explore online resources. I will definitely miss this CCA, and the pupils I met with whom I built such an amazing relationship over the weeks.

FRENCH WITH BISHOP GILPIN

Tom Winter - lower fifth

Throughout this past year, we have made significant progress in teaching French to year 6 pupils at the Bishop Gilpin primary school. Around ten of us (a mix of lower fifths up to upper sixths) convene every Friday in Q3 before heading off to teach a variety of topics.The children have studied an abundance of key and diverse themes: from sports, animals and numbers, to various role-plays, interactive games and activities, to even sophisticated skills in phonetics and pronunciation.

We try our very best to make each Friday session a fun and engaging experience which the pupils will hopefully look forward to before and cherish after. In fact, what makes French with Bishop Gilpin so special is the fact that in each lesson the children never fail to match our enthusiasm, while working incredibly hard and providing insightful thoughts along the way. If you love languages, or are simply looking for a convivial, interactive Friday CCA which will no doubt benefit others, French with Bishop Gilpin is for you.

CHINESE WITH THE URSULINE HIGH SCHOOL

Mr Simon Kent

This Friday language club has been running for fourteen years, and we have never had a better atmosphere of friendly cultural investigation! The Ursuline High School pupils were absolutely fantastic, and the terrific King’s lower sixth pupils matched their energy, dedication and flair. We learned conversational Chinese (both spoken and written), looked at issues in China such as the

environment and social media such as WeChat, and we somehow managed to segue into K-pop from time to time! The pupils produced some lovely calligraphy which now hangs proudly in Q4. We were sad to say our farewells at the end of March, but we hope that both the partnership with the Ursuline High School and our joint study of East Asian culture will continue to flourish.

THE IMAGINEERING CLASS

Ethan Peck - lower fifth

Imagineering is all about storytelling: coming up with a story where, instead of a linear storyline, an entire world might be created, allowing for enhanced character development as well as vivid and detailed setting. Helped by King’s pupils as well as year12s from Ursuline High school, this year’s year 5 cohort from Robin Hood Primary School were able to create some remarkable narratives, some about vanishing birds, others where an unlikely alliance between a cat and a dragon was the key to success. And by discovering new and curious objects each session, stories blossomed from a few key words to complex, nuanced universes into which a visitor could walk and experience the world. Culminating in an exhibition, where all six groups shared their work, the Imagineering project was an opportunity to improve communication skills for King’s and Ursuline pupils, and to lead the year 5 pupils on (sometimes their first) long creative project.

LINDEN LODGE

Aditya Sanyal - lower sixth

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Linden Lodge and am grateful for the opportunity to go every Friday as part of the CCA programme. Each week I look forward to meeting the lovely people I’ve met there, where I get to chat about all sorts of things: for example, I get to chat about the latest football news with Ryan and discuss Albanian rap with Ahyan. Over the course of the year, I have given presentations on a variety of topics, such as mental health and Diwali, but my personal highlight has to be the Christmas karaoke with the pupils in preparation for their Christmas concert! I would definitely recommend this CCA to anyone who is considering taking it next year!

Nishant Pattnaik - lower sixth

I found Linden Lodge to be a thoroughly enriching and enjoyable experience. It was an extremely relaxing way to finish off the school week and an amazing opportunity to better understand how to appropriately interact with people with disabilities. My favourite moments from Linden Lodge were probably making the Diwali presentation with Adi and Nikhil as well as Nikhil’s rendition of the Star Wars theme tune on the violin.

JAZZ IN THE COMMUNITY

Isaac Epstein - lower sixth

This year the Friday afternoon blues CCA has run a weekly project in partnership with Merton Abbey Primary. We worked with the year 6 class in small groups, with children learning about jazz and improvisation. This culminated in a concert at King’s in February where each group performed their own version of our “The Friday Afternoon Blues.”

Aneesh Rao - lower fifth

Our CCA band also took part in several performances and workshops across the academic year. In March, we performed at the Jazz Club in front of a packed crowd. Another notable performance was at a local care home, where we played some uplifting tunes like Oh when the saints go marching in, and Maraba Blue for the residents. It was great to see our audience participating with singing, dancing and clapping.

Reis Fernandes - lower sixth

Finally, this term we were fortunate enough to invite jazz band Blues and Roots to collaborate with us on a workshop with year 4 pupils from three local primary schools. It was fantastic fun working with such experienced musicians, and learning valuable skills from them, while also sharing the brilliance of jazz with young people, hopefully inspiring them to explore it some more.

Mrs Sthen Wiseman

I am very proud of the tremendous team work and musicianship on display this year. I would also like to send our very best wishes to our resident musician Tommy Andrews who is leaving us at the end of the year.

INSPIRING

CHILDREN THROUGH SCIENCE

Krush Patel, Zach Hartill, Ethan Patel and Nicholas Roets - lower sixth

This year, we have teamed up with three of our partnership schools: Ricards Lodge, Raynes Park High School and Harris Academy Wimbledon to offer exciting weekly workshops in science. Every week, eager year 7 and 8 pupils join us for hands-on sessions designed to spark their curiosity and love for science. These workshops introduce a new concept each week, challenging and engaging young, aspiring scientists.The workshops feature a variety of activities, including making speakers, exploring acids and bases, fire writing with solvents, an egg drop challenge, and launching bottle rockets. This initiative not only makes science fun and approachable for the students but also provides a wonderful opportunity for them to explore, experiment, and discover the joys of Chemistry and Physics. As senior students, we take pride in planning each session, considering safety risks, and enhancing our public speaking and interaction skills. Conducting these workshops allows us to share our passion for science beyond the standard curriculum and gives us insight into the hard work our teachers put into preparing experiments and lessons for us. It’s a rewarding experience that benefits both the young learners and us as mentors.

ROBOTICS WITH PELHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Blythe Langdon - upper sixth

Twelve of us take it in turns to plan and deliver lessons on robotics to year 5 and 6 pupils from Pelham Primary each week.

“Robotics has been fun, interactive and innovative”

Joohun Kim - lower sixth

We are teaching them VEX code, which is a type of block-based coding, very similar to Scratch coding, and then they apply this knowledge to coding real-live robots. Although we get only 4 or 5 sessions with each group, it is really rewarding to see their progress; from knowing next to nothing about code, to being able to code a robot that makes full use of distance sensors, colour sensors and touch sensors. As a group, the children code small robots that react to their environments, and I love seeing the creative ways they apply this, for example making the robots have a dance battle, or navigating the robot through a maze using its various sensors.

This is not only a great experience for the children, but also a fantastic creative outlet and brilliant teaching experience for me and the other pupils who help run the sessions.

“Working with the pupils it has helped me to develop my practical and leadership skills”

Emma Owen - lower sixth

JUNIOR

ASPIRATIONSSCIENCE

Niamh Holder - lower sixth

This year, we have delivered weekly science lessons to year 5 pupils from local primary schools. We covered a range of topics across Biology, Chemistry and Physics including microscopy, chromatography and air resistance.

Pupils engaged in hands-on practicals, demonstrations and interactive discussions which helped them to think critically. These lessons served as gateways into the fascinating world of scientific exploration, and we encouraged the children to view their surroundings through a scientific lens. As King’s pupils, we benefited from preparing enriching lessons, whilst keeping them engaging and stretching for all abilities.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was witnessing the transformation in our pupils’ attitudes towards science. Whilst some were initially timid and unsure, we watched them blossom into confident young scientists, eager to share their newfound knowledge with others. It was a real highlight of the year to see them present what they had gained from their experience in their end of year “graduation” with their parents, siblings and head teachers in attendance.

JUNIOR ASPIRATIONSMATHS AND ENGLISH

Jack

Risley - lower sixth

Due to the success of last year, there was a greater number of pupils involved in Junior Aspirations this year. We focused on Maths and English and took responsibility in planning and delivering lessons to the children.

In English, we noticed improvements in their writing and confidence in expressing ideas. This was most recognisable when writing diary entries; the children were asked to write from the point of view of someone on the Titanic.The most popular lesson was debating, where the question was, ‘Should the weekend be extended to 3 days?’. They showcased a multitude of literary devices and persuasive techniques such as similes and metaphors.

In Maths, the children improved their problem-solving skills. From making 3D nets to calculating compound area they performed very well, which will be crucial in paving the way for further education. I was most impressed with the level of maturity the children showed faced with challenging problems, and how they helped one another in times of difficulty.

“By making science accessible and enjoyable, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and foster a love for learning”

ST GEORGE’S PATHOLOGY

Johnny Slimmon - upper sixth

Our co-curricular project this year aimed to introduce year 7 and 8 pupils to exciting scientific concepts through interactive workshops. We developed workshops on Evolution and Sports Sciences and took them on Friday afternoons to partnership schools. During these sessions, pupils engaged in hands-on activities, discussions, and experiments, allowing them to explore these fascinating scientific fields in a fun and accessible way. Our activities ranged from designing the perfect animal and testing it out against unknown ‘challenge’ environments, to demonstrating the different types of concussion via modelling the brain in its skull case.

These workshops have significantly impacted us, deepening our understanding of scientific principles and building critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. We’ve learned to prioritize combining ideas into cohesive, successful presentations. Partnership students also showed increased enthusiasm for science and a greater appreciation for the scientific method through active participation.

Beyond our school walls, the project has had a positive impact on the wider community. By reaching out to schools across Merton, we’ve been able to engage a large number of pupils in scientific learning outside of the traditional teaching structure. By making science accessible and enjoyable, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and foster a love for learning that extends far beyond the boundaries of our school.

“You start with nothing and can make a full workshop on literally anything from natural sciences; having lots of creative freedom is the best bit about this CCA”

James Haycock - lower sixth

GAMES WITH BOND PRIMARY

The Team

The primary aim of Games at Bond Primary School is to organise games sessions including football, basketball. 14 pupils from lower fifth to upper sixth lead the activity, planning and orchestrating sessions for year 4 pupils. While sport skills is the headline aim of the CCA, a crucial part of the project is fostering friendships with the students and acting as role models. This project has yielded a wealth of positive impacts on King’s pupils. Interacting with kids from diverse backgrounds has increased our awareness of different cultures. Furthermore, interacting with pupils much younger than us has improved our communication and leadership skills. The friendships formed has made going back every week something to look forward to.

GAMES WITH RONALD ROSS

Liza Ivanova and Bridget Gilligan - lower sixth

CCA has been such an incredible opportunity to work with other schools in Wimbledon, especially young children who look to us to be their role models. Games with Ronald Ross has been extremely engaging, fun, and challenging, pushing us to think collectively as a group to create the most beneficial, enjoyable session for the children. It has been so great to watch how they learn and grow over the course of the year, going from not being able to catch a ball to easily catching and throwing with one hand. They have also improved on their fitness, agility, cricket skills and working with others and it makes the hard work of planning these sessions all worth it!

RONALD ROSS TENNIS COACHING PROGRAMME

“I found the experience very enriching as I got to work with children who share the same interest in tennis as me. I have hopefully installed a new passion in a few of them.”

Adrien Donin de Rosiere – upper sixth

“The kids have been fun to work with and I have loved helping them improve.”

“This year marked my second year in the Ronald Ross Tennis Coaching Program, and I have found it extremely rewarding. The 12 kids I taught over the year were able to play tennis properly with orange balls which made me extremely proud.”

Hari Stewart – lower sixth

Cassius Collett – lower sixth

TECHNICAL THEATRE

Miss Jo Howcroft

This session on set design was designed to be an introduction to set design. Pupils were asked to devise an environment for a character of their choosing.There are very different environments on display, with great consideration for material choices, entrances/ exits, and how their chosen character would interact with their environment.

SEBASTIAN NICHOLSON - LOWER FIFTH

We were tasked with designing a set using just items and props we could find around the theatre, to see what we could come up with. My team decided to go for a scene on another planet, and we used platforms as rocky terrain, these small orange caps as rocks, and various other elements. It was a really interesting, and quite challenging session, as we didn’t have much time to come up with an idea and build it, plus, because we were limited to what we could find lying around, we were forced to be extra creative.

CATHERINE CHANG - UPPER SIXTH

Theatre Tech provided us with great opportunities to be creative, crafty and indulge in the world of the backstage. The session we did focusing on set design was one of my favourites as we were given full creative freedom to design and draw out a plan for a set, putting together a wide variety of designs and putting careful consideration into how we would execute them.

COMMUNITY PRODUCTION: DRAMA WITH WIMBLEDON COLLEGE

Sebastian Clarke and Jack Thomas - lower sixth

This session on set design was designed to be an introduction. We worked with twenty pupils from year groups 7-11 from Wimbledon College to devise a section of The Time Machine by H.G Wells. Our section involved the Time Traveller going underground and encountering the fearsome Morlocks. We adopted a stylised storytelling approach, creating the industrial world of the Morlocks with eerie vocal soundscapes and physical theatre sequences. The pupils were incredibly enthusiastic and engaged throughout every stage of the production and we all particularly enjoyed our addition of the Morlock musical theatre number of Do you hear the people sing? from Les Misérables! As well as developing our scriptwriting and creativity, we gained valuable experience planning and organising sessions either as individual leaders or as a team, and improved our communication and leadership skills through working with so many younger pupils. As responsible leaders, we also had to teach weekly newcomers about inclusivity and care for other performers during physical work. We were incredibly proud to see how far the younger pupils developed in confidence and performance skills throughout the process. It was really rewarding to see them contributing ideas and taking ownership over the scene. Watching our scene come together so seamlessly with the rest of the production on performance day was an amazing end to the project.

THE TIME MACHINE

Saahan Kapoor - lower sixth

COMMUNITY PRODUCTION WITH RICARDS LODGE, HARRIS ACADEMY AND PERSEID

Over the last two terms we had the incredible opportunity to work with a fantastic group of people from a number of different schools to create what was described as a spectacular Community Production by many audience members. We worked closely with a small group of pupils from Harris Academy sixth form, improving our collaborative and communication skills in order to come up with new and innovative ideas to write, direct and act various scenes for the production. We also had the pleasure of working with year 8 pupils from Ricards Lodge, who were extremely engaging and came up with so many great ideas to put into our scenes. An exciting challenge for us was working with two pupils from Perseid, and seeing their progress over the course of two terms was truly inspiring. Overall, the process was not only enjoyable, but allowed us to work closely with others, developing our transferable skills and giving back to the local community by providing them with exciting challenges weekly to form a part of a big production.The performance night where all the different areas of art, music and drama joined together was so wonderful to see and this was truly an opportunity which we and they will never forget.

Aaron Juma - lower sixth

COMMUNITY PRODUCTION WITH BOND PRIMARY

I was with year 4 of Bond primary school for my CCA and we had to devise a scene with them for the community production where the time traveller travelled to a post-apocalyptic earth where humans had mutated into giant crabs and butterflies. I had a lovely time, with the children being incredibly enthusiastic from the first day to perform. Bit by bit every day we organised the scene, getting some children to play butterflies and others to play crabs and then designing with them how they were going to show the audience they were crabs and butterflies. We played lots of drama games such as splat and the compass game to keep them engaged and reward them after a hard day’s work. It was lovely to see the production and all their hard work become a fun and exciting scene for the huge audience, and put a smile on their parents’ faces.

ART WITH PHYSICAL THEATRE

THE TIME MACHINE

Miss H Williamson

The primary aim for Art with Physical Theatre was to create the props for The Time Machine production with the children from Bond Primary school. We worked closely with the Design and Engineering team to design, craft and create a range of handheld and stage set props.

As we reflect on our adventure crafting props for the community production of The Time Machine with the year 4 Bond Primary pupils, we look back fondly. The boundless enthusiasm of the students infused our workspace with an infectious energy, as they eagerly brought their own fantastical visions to life. Together, we embarked on a quest to transform ordinary cardboard and paint into extraordinary artifacts from different

epochs. In the end, we sculpted a menagerie of wonders: massive butterflies with wings that shone with unsettling hues, ominous crabs, and a colossal sphinx rising majestically from humble MDF. We adorned our creations with flowers as vibrant as the colours of a rainbow and masks crafted from delicate tissue paper, brimming with the individual creativity of the students, as they embodied the colourful Eloi. Finally, at the heart of it all stood our crowning achievement: the Time Machine itself, its gears and levers whispering secrets of journeys yet to come. In the end, the most fulfilling aspect was not seeing the props on stage even. It was the pride held by the pupils at their own creativity as they moved around the stage that would endure long after the final curtain had fallen. The creativity and energy of the group were unmatched, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time!

PEOPLE OF KING’S

SALVETE

2023-2024

Dr Robert Atkinson joins us as Deputy Head and Teacher of Chemistry

Mr Stuart Burditt joins us as Teacher of Physics

Mr Philip Barnes joins us as Teacher of Art

Mr Christopher Beck joins us as Teacher of PE & Games

Mr Hamish Chandler joins us as Teacher of Design and Engineering

Mrs Rachel Lawrence joins us as Teacher of Psychology

Miss Jaclyn Leach joins us as Deputy Director of Sport & Head of Girls’ Games

Miss Tamara Evans joins us as Teacher of Geography

Mrs Sarah Maurice joins us as Teacher of History and Politics

Mr Thomas Bithell joins us as Teacher of Chemistry

Mr Ho Man Lam joins us as Director of Higher Education

Ms Emily McIlroy Joins us as Teacher of Art.

2023-2024

Miss

joins us as Teacher of Art and Acting Head of Art

Mr Alexander Rothman joins us as Teacher of Physics

Hannah Williamson

Dr Anna Schmidtmann joins us as Teacher of Maths

Mrs Purvis joins us as Teacher of Chemistry

Dr Robert Metrebian joins us as Teacher of Maths

Ms Helen Stevens joins us as Head of Academic (King’s International)

Mr Samuel Newton joins us as Teacher of Physics

Dr Andrea Ruddick joins us as Deputy Head of History and Politics

Ms Mollie Murphy joins us as Teacher of Learning Enrichment

Mr Joshua Short joins us as Teacher of Physics

Mr Andrew Stockley joins us as Teacher of Biology

Mr Patrick Ost joins us as Deputy Head of English

A FOND FAREWELL

LEAVERS’ DINNER

PREFECT FAREWELL DINNER

Aniket Garg and Ximena Harrington To - vice captains of school

On 14th March 2024, the 22 senior prefects, aka blue ties, gathered with staff to celebrate the annual senior prefects’ dinner. Attendees included the sixth form team, heads and deputy heads of houses, and senior management. We were grateful for the company of our guests of honour: Mr Simpson and Dr Cannon, who have had a profound impact on our time here through their humour and learned experiences.

It was impressive to see everyone gilded in black tie, especially the ‘breakfast bunch’. These ‘top team’ prefects dine every week with Miss Ramgoolam and Mr Starrett (with occasional guest appearances from Mr Sandels and Mr Young). Stylish as ever Nasser Baccouche misheard “black tie” as “black disguise”, rocking up in spy-esque shades.

After dinner, we reflected on our tenure at King’s. Keira Au (captain of school) and Ben Clarke spoke eloquently, with grace and intellect, and we were honoured to hear such a heartfelt speech from the one and only Mr Amlot – he genuinely moved us all.

Of course, we cannot forget to thank Jack Maguire for volunteering to be the paparazzi of the evening, taking many extremely professional and sometimes choreographed photos.

With our time at King’s coming to a close, we greatly appreciate everything we have learnt and have enjoyed every moment –even being swarmed at tuck shop duty. Our hearts truly go out to all of the staff members who have afforded us the opportunity to thrive in our roles: to all of you, thank you. Going forward, we will strive to embody the blue tie spirit in and out, and wish our successors the very best.

BOB MITCHELL

Miss C Ramgoolam and Miss J Brown

Taken from the goodbye reception celebrating his 40 years of service to the school.

Good evening, and thank you all for joining us to celebrate Bob’s time at King’s. After several iterations of “stepping back,” this summer marks the end of Bob’s formal tenure after over 40 years of service. It was only appropriate to bring us all together to say goodbye. Bob will be missed terribly, but this evening is not to be a sad event —it’s a celebration of his time here and the remarkable impact on us, past and present.

Everyone here knows Mr Bob Mitchell in different ways, and we have all known him for different periods of time. We are especially grateful to those who have travelled from far to join us, as well as those who, despite time away from his booming voice, wanted to wish him well on his next chapter.

Despite varied encounters, we have all shared in his positivity, flamboyance, say-it-how-it is tendencies and incredibly caring nature. He has made us laugh and smile, his unwavering ability to remind us all that this is just a job and we are all a team together. However, how much do we really know about him and what led him to King’s way back in 1983?

Bob was born in Germany as an only child and he quickly became wise beyond his years. He was brought up in Coventry, was a diligent pupil at school, and soared through education to study Chemistry at Oxford University. Most of you probably have an image of a model pupil with a pristine disciplinary record… you would be wrong. Indulge us for a moment as we ask you to put yourself in the shoes of a young, newly qualified teacher walking into a rowdy year 7 form room and asking them to settle down. You’re quickly startled by the audacity of a jumped-up 11-year-old telling you not to speak to the class in such a manner, and even more startled when a young Robert Mitchell put a fist to your nose with a mean right hook. His defence? “I thought he was a prefect and they can’t talk to us like that.”Thankfully his rebellious days were limited and to hear this now seems so strange for a man with the utmost respect for hierarchy, rank, and seniority. Bob can only be described as a consummate professional and only matches his sense of duty to the institution, its leaders, and its pupils with his sense of responsibility to every colleague to offer support and a cheery face.

So how did a promising young Chemist from Coventry land himself a job teaching at King’s? Like so many of us this was not the plan. After university Bob began a job at an accountancy firm, intent on using his skills of analysis. After mere hours, however, he realised he was not destined for a desk job and their loss was our gain. He brought with him a craving for diversity of work, a fast pace, and the highest standards from all around him –the

perfect fit for King’s. That brief experience did, however, sharpen his keen (perhaps obsessive) eye for detail in any account records.

When Bob started as a Chemistry teacher he was in heaven: no computers, no interactive whiteboards, no risk assessments, and the absence of a laser focus on exams. Whilst much has changed, his enthusiasm for his subject and relentless determination for his pupils to succeed has never faltered. He is a whizz at an off-thecuff lesson, a firm advocate of an experiment and a master in a long-winded analogy that results in word perfect understanding from every pupil. His patience, care and passion are endless.Two former pupils said it best in these extracts:

1) “Your empathy was unmistakable – you wanted us to succeed academically, yet behind the eyes of the scary (eccentric) Commander in Chemistry is a man who wants to see real success in those he teaches: flourishing; finding oneself; being happy. Even though I was a brat in class, I did always see that kindness and your legend lives on in my mind!”

2) “I went on to choose medicine.You turned the subject from one of my least liked to one of my favourites and something to look forward to every week. You showed me that it was OK to be unapologetically passionate about academic subjects and more specifically science.”

Early in his tenure, the then headteacher, Robin Reeve, assigned Bob to the CCF where he quickly commissioned into the Navy. Never has an appointment been quite such a good fit. It was so perfect that the later head, Tony Evans, appointed him as Contingent Commander. From a military background himself, his father an RAF technician, Bob took to the role like a duck to water. If the contingent were to be considered a ship it would be the HMS Victory because it has had the greatest Commander, our very own Admiral Nelson. It is Bob’s dignified, firm and passionate leadership that has made the CCF such a fun and rewarding experience for pupils and staff alike. A CCF trip without Bob simply doesn’t happen! Whether it be his desire for a guilt free coffee and cake stop or his love of driving a minibus up and down the country, he is always full of excitement to help our pupils. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing; you can imagine Bob’s reaction when on arrival to a Duke of Edinburgh gold expedition he realised they had forgotten all the tents. Or his response when they convinced him, half way home, that they had left Chan in Shropshire. Or, upon arriving to find no instructors for adventure training, he filled time with a reenactment of the Battle of Trafalgar using cadets as ships. Bob’s presence in the CCF will for many years be considered legendary. The impact of this is easily overlooked because so many of us do not have contact with pupils after they leave the school, but Bob’s influence and his embodiment of integrity, commitment and loyalty has certainly contributed to many successful careers, in and out of the forces, both home and overseas.

There are many other aspects of Bob’s impact on King’s but not one came up in staff memories more than his legendary, or

“I went on to choose medicine. You turned the subject from one of my least liked to one of my favourites and something to look forward to every week”

should we say scarring, fire safety talks. It is so easy to think of Bob as a Chemist and CCF Contingent Commander but he has been an outstanding house master, an endlessly patient director of public occasions and an enormously committed tutor. None of this he has done because he has had to but rather because he REALLY cares.

The decision to leave King’s has been one that has taken time and a considerable amount of heart ache for Bob and only in the last few weeks has he expressed a contentment that he can finally hand over the keys to the last to his most cherished vault—the CCF. He has given heart and soul to King’s and now we must let him return wholly to his first love – his family.

We will all miss his warm smile in the common room, and his ability to maintain the highest standards of himself and his pupils while retaining a wonderful sense of humour.

Bob, thank you, from all of us here and those whom you have been involved with, for all you have done and given to King’s. True leadership is difficult to define and rare to see, but with you we have. Thank you for leaving us better than you found us.

Tonight is a celebration, so let us share some moments that have made us chuckle:

• Imagine being new to the HR department and a man in full naval uniform bursts into your office shouting rather loudly that KIM had starting to send him emails. He calmed down rather rapidly when he discovered Kim’s surname was Pearson, the latest HR recruit.

• As a new perspective staff member, a school tour is standard practice. But when it is with Bob, well, that’s different. In 20 minutes, Bob regaled hilarious story after hilarious story, interspersed with somehow acceptable insults to passing scruffy students, and a few staff. It worked, I accepted a job offer a few hours later.

• From a Chemistry colleague: He is always a joy to work with, and I will miss trying to help him solve his technical dilemmas. I recently found him in the common room trying to take a photocopy of a receipt on his iPhone, only to see his rage mounting as each copy would come out as a black rectangle on a white background. I realised I needed to explain how to take a screenshot!

And finally, some of the phrases we will all miss so much.

Life is a joy. Tell me you are a worthless human being. To any piece of technology going wrong: “And you call this progress?”

Bob, it has been a privilege to be your colleagues and friends. We will miss you.

“Life is a joy.”

PATRICK DUGGAN

Mr R Winchester

Patrick Duggan joined the boat club in 2010 as the boatman and senior boys squad coach and it didn’t take long for his presence to be felt with a senior boys coxed four winning a silver medal at the National School’s Regatta in his very first year. In 2012 Patrick found himself in charge of the entire club when the then Master in Charge of rowing Chris Grimble resigned. Over the next twelve years, Patrick led the club to a multitude of success and a rapid growth in popularity. From the combined 16 members at J16 and Senior Boys level in 2010, the boat club currently sits at 50 in these groups, which is a testament to the enthusiasm and charisma that he bought to work every day over the past 14 years.

Highlights of the boat club’s many successes during Patrick’s reign include winning the Child Beale Cup in 2012, coming sixth place at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2019, and winning silver and bronze medals at the nationals in the blue ribband event, Championship VIIIs in 2021 and 2022 respectively. He has also played a key role in the success of many King’s rowers internationally, including mentoring 4 rowers to medals at the

pinnacle of junior rowing, the Junior World Championships. British Rowing recognised his achievements with international level junior rowers by awarding him the Daniel Topolski trophy for being the “Pathway development coach of the year” of the year in 2023.

Throughout all this success, Patrick has been huge character at King’s, and has inspired countless young rowers and coaches to achieve things they didn’t know they could and we wish him the best at his new role.

RUSSELL MCCLUSKEY

Mr J Gibson

Russell arrived as head of junior school PE and games, immediately raising the profile of King’s sport by driving standards. Throughout his tenure, he emphasized stretching our best sportspeople whilst never making compromises for pupils of all levels and maintaining the highest levels of participation. Russell navigated year 7, 8, lower and upper remove sport with great skill. He managed a young, dynamic department, mentoring graduates and coaches, and helping several through their teaching qualifications and them into taking on significant roles. He left a lasting impression on the junior school, from his infamous weekly podcast to a successful cricket tour in South Africa.

From the outset Russell was keen to have an impact on senior school sports, going above and beyond with any team he took whilst juggling the junior school role. When the opportunity of becoming the Director of Sport arose, Russell grasped it with two hands. He provided a clear vision for the department; one that placed the pupils at the heart of decision making with him very much leading from the front, no matter what the task. Faced with the global pandemic, Russell worked tirelessly to ensure King’s returned to sport quickly and with the best opportunity to thrive on the full-return. He was instrumental in linking up with Director of Sports across the country as schools mapped out how to navigate this incredibly challenging period.

Russell’s passion for rugby meant that an opportunity to work with the 1st XV rugby was one he couldn’t let slip. Amongst the many successes, he helped coach them to the 2022 Vase Final at StoneX stadium where he went face-to-face… literally, with a young future British and Irish Lion. Hunting more giant killing, the following year Russell then helped the Under 15s reach the final at Twickenham in 2023. RPM was known for his ability to draw the very best out of our pupils and build the tightest of teams.

He wore the King’s lion with pride. He will be missed by pupils, staff in and out of the department and parents alike and we wish him the best of luck!

ALICE LIVESEY

Ms J Leach

Alice has been a Graduate in the sports department for two years and she has had an incredible impact there. On meeting Alice, I was so impressed by not only her knowledge of all things King’s, but also her extremely calm demeanour. Nothing fazes her: it is like she has been doing this for twenty years instead of just two.

Alice has contributed in so many ways within the sports department: teaching, coaching, organising, motivating and inspiring all of our students on a daily basis. In sport, we of course all love to win. A couple of highlights for Alice including leading the U12 XI boys to win the London Cup and, this summer, our tennis girls became Surrey Champions thanks to their talent and also Alice’s coaching. What she did when plotting the girls’ partnerships on that day was nothing short of genius.

However, sport, and Alice, are about much more than winning. Her initial instincts in both teaching and coaching are first and foremost about nurturing, caring and supporting all of the students that she comes into contact with. Anyone who watches her teach gymnastics to a class of twenty eight year olds would be nothing short of amazed at how calm she remains and how she keeps the students on task, with her firm yet friendly and encouraging style of teaching.

The series of primary schools sports days which Alice organised for activities week was one of the best things I have ever seen. Thanks to Alice’s incredible planning, over one hundred young children had an opportunity to take part in six different events each day and try things they had never had a go at before. The best thing about each day was seeing how Alice had brilliantly empowered our fourth form students to deliver the events with huge success –anyone walking past would have wondered what the point in any of the King’s staff was, such was the leadership on show from our students, all thanks to Alice.

Whilst we are incredibly sad to see Alice leave, we know that she is going to be a brilliant success at her next school and she is really on her way to even bigger and better things. I am sure they realise how lucky they are to be getting her. Thank you so much, Alice for everything that you have done, and good luck!

ANA RODRÍGUEZ

Mrs H Mulcahy

Ana joined us in November 2022. Hugely personable, confident and caring with the pupils, she was a hit amongst our learners of Spanish and we were delighted to keep her for a second year. She worked with a variety of age groups, from the lower school language carousel, through middle school breakout groups, to individually timetabled lessons with A level and IB pupils. Ana has an incredibly unflappable manner and deals with any situation in a calm and positive way and became an integral member of the King’s MFL department. A highlight for me was when she accompanied the fourth and lower fifth trip to Valencia during activities’ week, where she helped with all sorts of practical details and navigated the pupils through the tapas menu! She was also central to our pupil extra-curricular activities: the annual sixth form Spanish debates (internal and inter-school) and the lower fifth poetry competition. Ana worked incredibly hard on the creation of resources and left a fantastic legacy of playlists for every IB and A level topic under the sun. We were sad to say goodbye to her.

ASTRID MARISSAL

Mr J Ross

Astrid’s calm and positive demeanour meant that she was a real hit with the pupils; she planned interesting lessons on francophone culture using up-to-date videos and texts, ensuring that pupils’ progress was substantial. She was always willing to contribute fully to the languages enrichment programme, helping with the poetry competitions, our annual national debating competition and the French play. She was also responsible for the delightful menu for the Fête Gastronomique, Spotify playlists for our senior school pupils and cultural resources for year 7. We are very grateful for all her hard work and positivity during her year with us and the huge part she played in enabling the pupils to gain strong results in their speaking exams.

AODAN DE HAVILLAND

Mr J Barrington

Aodan joined King’s in autumn 2022 as a Graduate Sports Assistant, bringing a wealth of football knowledge. His can-do attitude saw him become Head of Basketball by November 2023, a role demanding early mornings, late nights, and the management of five teams. Under his leadership, the U14 team became LISBA League runner-up, with practice attendance rising. Football remained his greatest passion, and his energetic coaching of the U14A and U13 ISFA teams was instrumental in their success, most notably leading the U13 team to win the ISFA Shield for the first time in the school’s history. We wish Aodan all the best and look forward to seeing him on the touchline again soon.

GALA DURIEU

Miss M Kidwell

Gala established herself as an exceptional French language assistant, earning immense respect from teachers and pupils through her enthusiasm for teaching and languages enrichment. She excelled at excelling, evident in her commitment to directing French playlets for the Theatre Festival at St. Alfred’s School, offering sixth formers a creative way to use their French. She also organised ‘La Grande Dictée,’ competition for the Day of Languages to raise funds for charity. Her administrative skills proved invaluable as she managed timetables, rooming, and updated authentic materials. She left a lasting legacy, including meticulously crafted playlists for IB and A-level topics, for the library and SharePoint, inspiring peers to follow suit. She also created the fourth form poetry anthology and year 8 resources. Gala’s lessons were engaging and perfectly tailored to her groups. The French department is deeply grateful for her impact. She will be greatly missed. We wish her every success in this next chapter of her career.

BÁRBARA CERDA DRAGO

Mrs H Mulcahy

Bárbara joined the MFL department as a teacher of Spanish, going on to become deputy head of languages and head of Spanish. Bárbara has been an incredible support to me over these past years; she has an incredible unflappability and a quality that I believe is perhaps part of her Hispanic identity: a belief that even when things look bleak, they will generally turn out OK in the end. This is combined with a quiet determination: she is no pushover! In particular she took responsibility for nurturing our language assistants, and also took on everyone’s favourite, the native speakers. Suffice it to say that this is no walk in the park, but she remained cheerful in all the madness. One of the things I have really valued in her is her great problem solving: if there is a problem, Bárbara will look for a way of solving it, and always come up with a potential solution.

Bárbara brings her wonderful Hispanic identity, along with her fabulous Latin American Spanish, to the classroom and the pupils love her open character and care of them, thanking her frequently. Her sixth form classes in particular have held her in enormous affection and really appreciated her support of them.

We will miss her in the MFL department and the wider school here in Wimbledon and wish her a wonderful adventure. We bid her not farewell but au revoir, or perhaps more accurately, hasta luego!

DAVID ILES

Mr S Nye

David joined the King’s Maths department in September 2022. He quickly established himself in the classroom, teaching across the range of Maths from middle school Maths to sixth form Further Statistics. When David introduces new topics to his classes, he makes them accessible through his trademark humorous Powerpoint slides. This has made him a popular teacher with classes faced with demanding topics such as Hypothesis Testing.

Outside the classroom, David has been a fantastic year 8 tutor, guiding his form group academically and accompanying them on two PGL trips. On the sporting front, David’s commitment to football has been appreciated by staff and pupils alike, bringing his positive spirit to the U16Cs and U15Bs. David’s involvement with football also extended to Friday afternoons, when David would take a team of sixth formers to organise football training for pupils at Harris Academy.

We wish David all the best as in his new post.

Fran Ring joined King’s in 2017. In her seven years with us she has led the History department with a mixture of expertise, foresight, ruthless efficiency, kindness, compassion and a wickedly dry sense of humour. Pupils and colleagues alike have benefitted from clear, pointed, no-nonsense guidance and an uplifting warmth on even the dreariest of days.

Fran’s legacy is multi-faceted: she has been a fine, caring teacher, mentor and friend, has overhauled our A-level provision to most telling effect - not least via her mastery of the dark arts of examination assessment - and she

JOHN TALBOT

Mr K Tipping

John Talbot arrived in January. Having been interviewed by Mr Christou as head of department, he took the new management structure on his arrival remarkably in his stride, learning that he had not just one HoD to report to but four! Despite years of teaching, leading a department, and examining, he willingly took direction, and we benefited greatly from his measured approach, knowledge, and experience.

Despite his short time here, he has embraced every aspect of King’s life, impacting students beyond the campus, running online revision sessions for KCI students in Monaco and volunteering to run a fieldwork skills revision session single handedly for the entire upper fifth cohort prior to their final Geography exam.

He embraced Activities Week, proving with his cycling that youth isn’t everything! Still aching, he hopped on a coach to Brighton, where his classroom management kept Year 7s in check as he imparted fieldwork knowledge and directed them to the best ice cream and fish and chip shops. Finally, this ‘Swifty’ (as in Taylor, not his cycling speed!) joined Miss Smart for a songwriting workshop, followed by his renowned ‘Bible verse or Taylor Swift lyric’ quiz—John’s talents and interests truly have no limit!

FRAN RING

Mr M Stevenson

has brought a previously unknown familiarity with computer spreadsheets to the department. Progress on this last front has been made even with the Luddites, although it has recently come to light that she has always run a series of back-up copies of the nuclear secrets embedded within the department’s “critical data”, lest the militants indulge in a spot of sabotage or lest the moderates press all the wrong buttons and thus bring down the State.This is a lady who really does cover every base.

We say farewell but not goodbye. God speed.

EMMA WITNEY SMITH

Dr J E Blythe

Emma joined King’s in 2022 and straight away settled into the department. She more than held her own, becoming a valuable member of the team. She brought her own sense of fun to teaching biology, particularly when considering the teaching of genetics and the wide variety of coat colours. She has worked with a wide range of students across the school as she is equally adept at inspiring and training the young minds of the lower school as she is at stretching the next scientific academics as they traverse the

challenges of the A level course. Her work crafting the lower school skills focused biology course is exceptional and leaves a legacy designed to train the brightest minds in the process and power of scientific thought. Throughout her time, she has also proven to be a superb entrepreneur and it now appears that she is actually a businesswoman moonlighting as a teacher, rather than the other way round. We have lost a wonderful colleague and wish her well.

IAIN JONES JODY LAWTON-COOK

Miss D Barron Mr M Christou

We have been extremely lucky to have Iain Jones join us as Director in Residence for the Spring and Summer terms. Students and colleagues alike have thoroughly enjoyed working with Iain as he has brought his formidable arsenal of dramatic knowledge, experience and talent to a host of projects.

He directed the lower school production Treasure Island, a thrilling adventure with a cast of 38 and a team of 8 technical students, delivering a slick, extravagant, and engaging show. He led the Community Projects Open Doors project, inspiring King’s students to hone their creative, collaborative, and leadership skills with local primary school children, building a large interdisciplinary production of drama, music, art, and dance in just one week. He assistant directed the middle school production of Hamlet, bringing depth to characters and relationships in its complex tapestry. He supported the House Plays Festival, encouraging new students through direction, production, and design to stage six twenty-minute productions—an incredible feat. He ran exciting workshops in Activities Week, inspiring a new generation of dramatists, and supported the KCS Theatre Co. New Writing club to write and shape the script for their Edinburgh Fringe 2024 production, Dracula

He has wonderfully supported the exam academic classes on their various performance assessments, including the GCSE and A Level devising and scenes and the IB Shakespeare scenes.The students have benefitted richly from his expertise, and wonderful generosity of spirit in the rehearsal room. He has been a true inspiration to all, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Jody joined King’s in January 2015 as a Geography teacher, swiftly emerging as an exceptional classroom practitioner. Her journey continued to ascend as she became assistant head of Maclear, then head of Maclear and head of sixth form.

In the realm of educational excellence, Jody’s brilliance became a beacon for all who had the privilege of witnessing it firsthand. As head of house and sixth form, she led with integrity, a sprinkle of humour, and exceptional leadership. Whether she was on the netball court, imparting her wisdom to the CCF’s naval section, or enriching pupils through Geography trips both near and far, Jody consistently demonstrated an innate ability to forge profound connections with her pupils.

Navigating challenges with grace and resilience, she became a guiding light during turbulent times, particularly steering the sixth form through the pandemic with seamless effort. Beyond official duties, Jody generously shared her time, offering pearls of wisdom and sound advice that have been deeply cherished by many.

A true role model, Jody embodies the vibrant energy and boundless optimism that define King’s. Her departure leaves a void not only in Geography but across the school. As we bid her farewell, we wish her every success—may her journey ahead be as bright as the indelible mark she leaves behind.

HELEN MARION

Mrs A Troy

Helen Marion joined King’s in September 2018 and has since become an invaluable member of our Economics Department, working part-time on Mondays and Thursdays, and teaching across both A Level and IB curricula.

Helen’s passion for the subject is palpable. Her innovative teaching methods, particularly her “News Flash” starters focusing on current economic events, have consistently engaged and inspired her students. Helen’s dedication to academic excellence and her ability to make complex theories accessible have earned her the admiration and respect of her pupils.

Helen’s contributions extend beyond the classroom. She has been instrumental in preparing students for competitive university applications, particularly for top Russell Group institutions. Her leadership in Oxbridge preparation sessions, including advanced mathematics for economics degrees, and her support with personal statements and mock interviews, have significantly enhanced our students’ prospects.

Despite her part-time role, Helen’s commitment to the department has been unwavering. She has supported the department in numerous ways and her willingness to go above and beyond her scheduled responsibilities exemplifies her dedication and team spirit.

Helen is highly regarded by both her colleagues and her students. Her enthusiasm for Economics, coupled with her supportive and meticulous approach to teaching, has left a lasting impact. The appreciation and affection expressed by her students, many of whom have reached out to convey their sadness at her departure, underscore the profound influence she has had on their academic and personal development.

As Helen moves on to new endeavours, we extend our heartfelt thanks for her substantial contributions to King’s. Her commitment to educational excellence, her innovative teaching, and her unwavering support for her students and colleagues will be deeply missed. We wish her every success in her future and thank her for the indelible legacy she leaves behind.

SAMY ETIENNE

Mrs H Mulcahy

Samy Etienne joined King’s in September 2018 as inaugural deputy head of French.These were exciting times in the MFL department, with new head of language posts, and Samy made an immediate and lasting impression, taking French by the scruff of its neck and focusing on resources. From the start, he was fully committed to pupil experience and outcomes, and the level of his ambition was clear in his desire to put King’s French results at the very top.

His energetic classroom presence quickly made him popular, not just for the merits he showered on pupils but because they saw him as both a fun, brilliant and committed teacher.

It soon became clear that Samy would not be a deputy head of French for long; indeed, only a few short months later he became Head of French, and continued in his mission of making our approach to the teaching of his much-loved langue maternelle more systematic and supported.

In September 2021, Samy moved across to King’s International as Deputy head of Education spending a great deal of his time with ISM Monaco, but we were very fortunate to still keep him in a teaching role in the department, where he has been an incredibly reliable IGCSE, A level and IB teacher. However, it was clearly only a matter of time before Samy left us for pastures new!

During his time here, while setting up and organising the French department, Samy also ran a sixth form language and cultural trip to Monaco, alongside interschool French debates and broader work with our international schools. We will all miss his inspirational teaching, educational expertise, encyclopaedic knowledge of the IGCSE, and his laughter and designer suits. Local Deliveroo drivers will also miss his regular custom! We wish him well in his new role as deputy head academic, where he will doubtless have a positive impact as he has here.

KIERAN TUCK

Mr T Gwynne

Since Kieran joined the school back in 2019 as Head of Strength & Conditioning, he has made an enormous impact on both the pupils and staff that have worked with him. Coming from a background working in both schools and in professional sport, his ability to strike an astute balance between stretching and challenging our top athletes, whilst also understanding the importance of developing the athletic capability of all pupils in the school, was second to none.

The sports centre is bustling with pupil activity at 7:15am each morning and this is largely down to the strength and conditioning programme that Kieran has developed. However, his role at the school stretches much further than this.

In the autumn term, he began his time leading the 2nd XV rugby team with Mr Grabowski which highlighted his knowledge of the sport, before more recently doing a fantastic job with the U14A team who had a hugely impressive season, which was a credit to him.

Mr Barrington has been incredibly grateful for his support in the spring term where he has helped run the 1st XI and has been a constant source of guidance and support for the pupils who all speak so fondly of him and his contribution to their time in senior football.

The same can be said of the 1st XI cricketers after 5 years of working with this team in the summer term alongside Mr Gwynne. The time commitment of 1st XI cricket is substantial, but Kieran has embraced this and brought humour, good company and enjoyment to the group during this time, along with his sharp cricket brain that has helped each player develop individually.

His willingness to do all he can for the physical education department has shone through recently as he has unofficially become the ‘head of technology’ upskilling the department and taking a lead on implementing our ‘Veo’ and ‘Frogbox’ filming platforms which has been enjoyed immensely by pupils, parents and staff.

Kieran has deservedly completed his teacher training this year with flying colours giving him ‘qualified teacher status’ after showing tremendous endeavour and application throughout which has undoubtedly enhanced his PE teaching even further. He will leave a big hole in the King’s PE department, and we all wish him well.

JAMES ODLING

Mr M Christou

James has been a valued member of the Geography department and the lower school team since he joined KCS in September 2020. He quickly took on the roles of Head of lower school Layton and Head of lower school PSHE, demonstrating his leadership skills and his commitment to the welfare of the pupils.

In the classroom, James has impressed his colleagues and students with his excellent subject knowledge and his ability to make Geography engaging and relevant. He has also been caring and nurturing of his tutees, affording them excellent pastoral care and guidance throughout their time in the lower school.

Outside the classroom, James has shown great enthusiasm and dedication in coaching the U12B football team and the U12D rugby team. He has always been supportive and encouraging of his players, regardless of the weather or the score. Having learned how to coach Rugby, his leadership of the U12D rugby team is something he has particularly looked forward to every week!

James has also developed a rigorous and stimulating PSHE course for pupils in the lower school, covering a range of topics that are essential for their personal and social development. He has developed a wide array of resources to support the PSHE curriculum, collaborating with colleagues from across the senior school and junior school. He has also helped to grow and oversee the lower school programme of house events, leading by example by cheering on his charges from the sidelines.

We are very grateful for James’s contribution to the life and ethos of King’s and the Geography department. We wish him all the best for his future endeavours as he leaves to take on a head of department role, and hope he will stay connected with us.

PETER DYER

We have been absolutely delighted to welcome Peter Dyer to King’s Drama this term to share his incredible wealth of knowledge and experience to excite and inspire a new generation of students.

Selecting Danton’s Death by Georg Buchner for the sixth form Studio production in October was a challenge that, under Peter’s direction, the entire company rose to superbly: performing in the round, dressed in modern suits, and seated amongst

PETER MOREN

Mrs H Mulcahy

Peter joined us from Newstead Woods in January 2023 to cover for Bárbara Cerda Drago’s maternity leave. He fitted into the MFL department straight away, communicating his love of the Spanish language and all aspects of Hispanic culture to his pupils with relish and a sense of fun. Over the 15 months he has been with us at King’s, Peter has joined in all aspects of school life with great enthusiasm. These have included working with the sports department on lower fifth games afternoon, taking over the Spanish community project on Friday afternoons, supporting Oxbridge candidates, offering spring term support sessions to exam candidates, attending Spanish plays, offering EAL support to Ukrainian pupils, and accompanying the Spanish exchange. Collaborative and collegiate, Peter has been a popular teacher and colleague and will be much missed. We are immensely grateful to him and wish him well!

the audience, the close-knit company of fourteen actors pulled off an extraordinary evening of passionate theatrical debate, arguing the pros and cons of the Revolution’s Terror.

He has offered weekly support and direction to the Perseid group as part of the Community Production work, and we are very much looking forward to their final performance in March in The Time Machine . He has also supported the senior school production of Billy Elliot as an assistant director, honing dialogue scenes and working with our young actors to bring real truth and grit to their performances.

Peter has also provided invaluable support for academic Drama. He has delivered key skill workshops for the lower school and fourth form, and team-taught set text sessions for the fifth and sixth forms. On top of this he has accompanied school theatre trips and judged a drama competition. King’s Drama has been much the richer for his expertise and company, and he will be much missed. We shall have to console ourselves by watching him on screen in the Wolf Hall sequel next year!

PHIL CHEVASSUT

Mr D Phillips

Phil joined us as Music Graduate Assistant in September 2022. He has fully immersed himself in the life of the department, assisting with big band, running jazz and rock ensembles and singing with choral society, chamber choir and Coro. He has been involved with numerous concerts and music events, such as band

showcases, jazz clubs, battle of the bands and Evensongs; has adjudicated at competitions and been the nominated first-aider on school trips, including the chamber choir tour to Suffolk in 2023. Phil is the first post holder to stay for a second year at King’s and, as such, he has made a very significant impact on the department’s activities. We are delighted not to be losing touch completely, as he will be joining the visiting music teacher team in September as a jazz band tutor.

Miss D Barron

SIMON KENT

Mrs H Mulcahy

Simon joined us in 2010. He was appointed to teach Chinese – there were no language heads back then – but also took on some fourth form French teaching for several years.

Simon is a born teacher, combining a no-nonsense approach with an intuitive sense of fun in the classroom, probably because he loves fun himself. His early, enthusiastic adoption of IT platforms has brought exciting activities to his lessons, sometimes leaving colleagues scrambling to keep up, and ensuring his pupils have fun learning.

Simon is also a deeply compassionate teacher, invested in his pupils’ progress and wellbeing. His efficiency and appetite for hard work ensure things get done. In 2018, when the MFL department was restructured, he was appointed inaugural head of Chinese. He has led with confidence and organisation, never waiting around when a task needs completing. Simon’s response has always been immediate. Simon is also immensely and instinctively wise and he has been a tremendous support to me in my years as head of MFL: he is incredibly human and is a great grounding influence.

We know that Simon has a great sense of humour: he and Ben Andrews were the dream joke team in T18 back in the day. He and Ben also shared a love of one of the most important things in Simon’s life: cricket. The summer is absolutely Simon’s season when he can don whites, coach schoolboys in his favourite sport and follow the fortunes of the England cricket team.

Simon is a very cultured fellow with a great love of cinema, and I shall miss his film recommendations. He is also a terrific wordsmith, so witty and articulate, and I shall miss the biannual proofing of his brilliant reports: he is a really gifted writer!

As an incredibly empathetic and thoughtful colleague and much loved by his peers in the MFL department, his care of those working under his leadership has been amazing. I have also learned that part of Simon’s charm is his self-deprecation and fear of people making too much of a big deal of his virtues, which he doesn’t recognise anyway. Simon asked us not to make too much of a fuss of him when we said farewell in the department and I acceded to this request.

Simon took over leadership of the HE department and was immediately a warm, wise, perceptive, reassuring and knowledgeable presence to pupils and parents, ever available to help and support, and a reassuring presence and advisor to all colleagues.

All best wishes for your adventures ahead, but please stay in touch! Lingua Franca will be in touch!

SAMUEL LYLE

Mr R McCluskey

Sam joined King’s in the Autumn of 2022 as a Graduate Sports Assistant. He had a wealth of badminton experience, but also a love of football. Before long, it was clear that Sam was the ideal candidate to run racquets at the school. No small undertaking to look after badminton, squash, and table tennis at a school where numbers have grown enormously in terms of popularity. What Sam has created and achieved in these two years has been quite remarkable as he has quietly gone about managing the logistics of the three sports, as well as building a programme full

of competitive opportunites for our pupils. Lots of late night fixtures, extra practices, and time spent contacting schools, Sam always put the pupils first. As mentioned earlier, Sam loves football and this was abundantly clear in his stewardship of the U16As in his second full year with us. He also took multiple rugby teams, and most recently has loved taking cricket sides across both the junior and senior school. We wish Sam well in becoming qualified as a PE teacher over the coming years, and hope to see him courtside, or pitch side, soon.

STEPHANIE DOWLING

Dr A Cotton

Stephanie joined Kings in November 2003.

Originally recruited as the Music Department’s Administrator she quickly became an invaluable and most treasured part of the team.

In 2010 however, she was recruited by the head to join the Admissions team as the Registrar and for the past 14 years she has been advising tens of thousands of parents – and staff members - guiding them through 11+, 13+ and 16+ process. During this time she has been at the very centre of key moments of change for the school - playing a key role in the successful transition to a lower school and the introduction of girls a decade ago. She has helped to steer the ship through covid, and many other challenges besides.

We will miss her incredible kindness, her professionalism, her wisdom and her sense of humour. Her legacy is an incredibly well-trained team, robust systems and a school full of incredibly bright, talented children.

TAMARA EVANS

Miss F Smart

When Tamara came for her new staff day in June, it was clear that she was going to be an excellent member of the geography department. She threw herself into teaching and hockey and has been a brilliant addition in the lower school team. She ran geography club, even leading a Minecraft competition which was loved by pupils. We wish her all the best at her new school.

TOM BITHELL

Dr A M Hayes

Tom joined us in September, as one of our newest members of the department and also our youngest. Whilst Tom is indeed quite young, he is not as young as a parent thought when, after Tom had guided said parent to where they needed to get to, thanked him and asked him what year he was in!

Tom has certainly thrown himself into various facets of school life at King’s thanks to his dedication coupled with his willingness to take on board feedback from others. He has certainly delighted pupils with his Chemistry knowledge and engaging lessons, as well as amusing them with a bit of banter about their chosen football clubs.

Mr McCluskey describes Tom as brilliant on the under 16Bs (and ultimate frisbee too!) and generally a great colleague on sport who is happy to get stuck in. Much the same could be said about Tom’s willing participation in the CCF, including his involvement on trips, despite not having had any experience of this prior to coming to King’s.

Tom has contributed a lot to the department, including delivering a Rossetti talk based around his Master’s project, delivering an extension talk to the lower sixth where he got them to tackle first year undergraduate organic reaction mechanisms, helping to write the lower sixth AL summer exam and coordinating lower fifth science essays.

Within the department,Tom has quicky integrated himself and has proven himself to be a much valued colleague whom we will all miss next year, and certainly won’t forget due to the burn marks left in L0 after one of his demonstrations! Whilst Tom is moving into a non-teaching job next year, it is clear to see that Tom would have a very bright future in teaching should he decide to return to the profession in future. All the best for the future, Tom, in your new career, but do keep in touch: we would be delighted to see you back in some capacity in the future.

TIM DAVIES

Mr B Baulf

It is a real challenge to pay tribute to Tim. Not, I hasten to add, through a lack of nice things to say. No, it is a challenge because he has been at the heart of so many different areas of King’s life: as an outstanding teacher, an inspirational head of department, a forward-thinking digital leader, a committed hockey coach, and as a deeply caring and passionate head of house. Even talking about each of these areas in turn does not do the man justice, as it is his all-round approach to school life that most distinguishes him. We all believe in the value of a holistic education for our pupils. Tim is the embodiment of that all-round philosophy. He has made a genuine difference in so many ways to the lives of countless pupils during his time at the school.

Tim arrived at King’s in September 2016 as an almost impossibly fresh-faced head of Theology and Philosophy. His leadership of the department was immediately marked by a real focus on supporting his team effectively and knowing them deeply as individuals. Anyone who has spent any time with Tim will have been struck by what I would call his interpersonal superpowers: he will always remember the minutiae of past conversations and will ask about partners, family members, and interests that you may have mentioned just once in passing. Tim’s reign as HoD was also marked by an unrivalled enthusiasm for 7am.This early morning vim and vigour was, on the most part, appreciated by his slightly blearier eyed departmental colleagues. Those same colleagues talk of his ability to lift spirits and lighten the mood, as well as his understanding of the value of a spot of satisfying procrastination in the departmental office. He also led the way with his teaching, so much so that he is described by his pupils as a “philosophical legend” and by his team as a genuine subject expert. I have observed Tim a few times and his lessons are invariably characterised by two things: 1) a wonderful rapport with his pupils and 2) very thoughtful planning as to how to provoke deep engagement with the theological or philosophical content. He is a fantastic teacher.

Tim’s greatest impact at a whole school level has been through his trailblazing work as a digital leader. Many teachers are grateful for the way that he has supported them patiently in developing their digital acumen. It is not hyperbole to say that, without Tim, digital teaching across the school would be considerably less effective in supporting pupil learning. In particular, Tim’s pioneering work with Teams and OneNote ensured that we were much better prepared for the pandemic when it struck. I still have a vivid memory of a meeting with Tim, Jude, and Melissa, where we tried to work out how, as a school, we would teach online. There was nothing to read on the subject, no-one we could ask who had been through a similar challenge, and time was ticking towards an inevitable school closure. It was pretty stressful.Tim’s considerable Teams expertise and, more importantly, his constant insistence on keeping things as straightforward as possible for teachers, were crucial factors in our successful overnight transition to an online school. Indeed, the weekend before the school closed, Tim single-handedly created a Team for every teaching set in the school – in excess of 1000, I believe. Tim’s work as head of digital innovation has always been thoughtful and grounded in the realities of the experiences of teachers and pupils; as a result we have avoided fads and steadily progressed to a place that is unrecognisable from when Tim started his job.

It has been in his leadership of Glenesk that Tim has made use of those considerable interpersonal skills I mentioned earlier. He placed the pupil experience at the heart of everything he did as a head of house, with the memorable Glenesk motto of ‘#getinvolved’. The relationships that he built both with pupils and their parents were phenomenal. Having shared an office with Tim, it certainly seemed like he was on first name terms with every single parent of the 160 or so pupils in the house. I also witnessed on many occasions Tim’s thoughtful and empathetic mentoring of his tutor team: he always had time to help and support them.Those tutors talk of the astonishing dynamism and optimism that he put into his leadership, and astonishing is also the right word for some of the dance moves that he has unleashed on the Glenesk lower school disco.There was something of a period of mourning among the pupils and tutors when it was announced, “out of the blue”, that Tim would be moving on from this role, such is the respect and affection he held. His care for each member of his house was thoughtful, unstinting, and genuine.

And thoughtfulness has really been the hallmark of Tim’s time at King’s. He is a deep thinker about all things in education and it is that deep thinking that has made his seven years here such a success. Tim, you will be greatly missed both by pupils and colleagues and we wish you the very best with your move.

TOM DAVIES

Miss J L Duncombe

Tom joined King’s in September 2020, during what was undeniably a challenging time due to the pandemic. From the outset, he made an immediate and lasting impression. His initial introduction to the department may have been through remote Teams meetings, but it didn’t take long for him to demonstrate his creativity and adaptability. He introduced innovative methods for remote teaching, finding ways for students to conduct experiments at home using phone apps and other tools, keeping his classes both engaged and intellectually challenged in the virtual setting.

Over the past four years,Tom has firmly established himself as an indispensable member of the Physics department. He has excelled in teaching both A-Level and IB courses, and his development of the skills-based scheme of work for year 8 will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy for years to come. His commitment to student learning and his passion for developing innovative curriculum resources have set a high standard within the department.

Beyond his classroom contributions,Tom has taken on numerous additional roles within the school. He has been a valued member of both the Exams Team and the Higher Education Team, two critical areas that experience high-pressure periods throughout the academic year. Tom managed these responsibilities with an impressive sense of calm, always maintaining his professionalism and composure even in the busiest times. He has also served as a Maclear tutor, supporting and guiding his tutees with great care and dedication.

On a personal note, I am deeply grateful to Tom for his consistent support and contributions to the department. He has taken on responsibilities without hesitation and has always been willing to step in wherever needed. His professionalism, dedication, and positive attitude have made him a pleasure to work with, and he will be greatly missed by all of us.

As Tom moves on to take up the role of head of Physics at another school, we are of course saddened to see him go. However, we are also incredibly proud of his achievement and confident that he will excel in this new challenge. We wish him every success in the future and know that his contributions will be remembered for many years to come.

VIRGINIE SALIN

Dr F Cheung

Virginie Salin joined us in January 2023 upon the departure of Samy Etienne. Whilst starting with new students – and in particular with exam classes - halfway through a school year might have been a daunting task for some,Virginie was exemplary in her dedication to the students in lower fifth, lower sixth, and upper sixth. Her wealth of experience shone through, and the students were immediately reassured by her knowledge, her organisation, and the quality of her lessons. As an extremely experienced teacher of A level and GCSE French, she was an excellent addition to the French department.

We wish her all the best with her new position at another school and hope that she will keep in touch.

CHRIS WILLOW

Music Technology Manager at King’s College School

IN MEMORIAM

MAGAZINE DESIGN

Suzie Fay

HOLDING THE WORLD

Noah Sayed, Year 8

As you may know this trophy has several similarities to the world cup trophy. The person holding up the trophy is the people at school; pupils and teachers alike supporting Kings. This is why I think that kings represents unity, trust and respect to each other. That is what makes king

King’s

kcs.org.uk