Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
INSIDE THIS ISSUE :
Sport
Trips
And we’re back Page 01
Return to Boppard Page 04
Sports Day 2022 Page 01
Community Community Service Page 06
Alumni KGS Sponsored Row Page 12
SPORT
Sports Day 2022 Ditton Field
Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
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SPORT
Third Year
And we’re back...
Victrix Ludorum
Victor Ludorum
Emma Pope
Nico Clarke
Winner: 800m Relay High Jump
Winner: 100m 200m Shot Put Long Jump
Special mentions:
This year saw a return to our traditional whole-school Sports Day and what a fantastic afternoon it was. Students participated in fantastic spirit and to a high standard, with superb individual performances and several school records broken. Ditton Field was a picture of activity and it was a lovely way to wrap up the sporting term. Thank you to all the staff who helped organise the event – with particular mention to Mr Bartram – and to the parents who came and supported.
First Year
Oliver Bearman-Gray Vortex Charlotte Edwards 200m Ted Tindall 300m Clementine Holloway Shot Put
Victrix Ludorum
Victor Ludorum
Olivia Klein
Wilf Fox-Robinson
Winner: 100m 200m 300m High Jump Relay
Winner: 100m 200m 800m Relay
Fourth Year
Victrix Ludorum
Victor Ludorum
Special mentions:
Sophie Bailey
Sebastian Cockerell
Dallas Nourse Shot Put
Winner: 100m 300m Relay Long Jump
Winner: 800m 1500m
Antonia Ridley Long Jump
Mr A Watts I Director of Sport
Second Year Special mentions: Dylan Gillmore 300m Hanna Garghouti Vortex
Victrix Ludorum
Victor Ludorum
Ada Akyol
Ryder Ebanks
Winner: 1500m Relay Long Jump
Winner: 100m 300m Shot Put
Special mentions: Imogen Cockerell 300m 02
Denotes new school record
Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
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TRIPS
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Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
Return to Boppard At the somewhat uncivilised hour of 3.30am, 33 students and five teachers gathered at Ditton Field to set off on our adventure to Boppard, a small town on the Rhine in Germany. We were all looking forward to a great trip – the first MFL trip abroad since Covid.
The trip was packed with a variety of activities, with plenty of opportunities to practise their German and discover more about life and culture in the country. We visited beautiful spots on the Rhine and Mosel rivers, such as the charming town and castle of Cochem; we tried our hand at virtual motor racing and changing the tyres of an F1 car at the Nürburgring;
and we spent a day of two halves in Cologne, visiting the Lindt chocolate museum and then the NSDOK, a museum located in the former Gestapo headquarters, where we learnt about the history of the site and the prisoners who were interned there by the Gestapo during the war.
We also found time to visit the Phantasialand theme park, try out new foods, buy souvenirs, have a ride on a chairlift to view the Rhine from above and play crazy golf! We all returned home exhausted but happy, having learnt a lot and made many unforgettable memories. Our students were excellent ambassadors for KGS, approaching the whole trip with great positivity and engagement. We can’t wait for the next time!
Mrs A Evans I MFL 05
COMMUNITY
Community Service Huge thanks to the 19 Third Years who volunteered to help at St Joseph’s Sports Day. Throughout the day our students were stationed at various points along the carousel of activities, explaining, demonstrating, encouraging, counting and measuring – and tallying up the all-important house points!
“We really enjoyed helping. We had fun running the hurdle station, cheering them on and motivating all the children. It was a very fulfilling experience, and we were glad we were able to help put smiles on their faces!” Iarina, Ava and Lauren Thank you and well done to Narin Aliyeva, Tilly Bardell, Oli BearmanGray, Issie Botha, Nico Clarke, Joshua Clayton, Ava Cooper, Fraser De Rivaz, Harry Fisher, Ellie Fox-Robinson, Olivia Gent, Anna Gleeson, Anna Goodsman, Grace Goold, Orson Griffith, Josie Hill, Henry Howells, Noah Huwendiek, Elizabeth Irvine, Chloe Jackson, Yasmin King, Felix Lawless, Alex Loader, Ethan Longega, Nelly Malykhanova, Iarina Nacu, Jin-Soo Pak, Gabriela Philpott, Lauren Proddow, Shanti Raj, Hal Rogers, Cameron Ross, Audrey Shepherd, Jasper Simmons, Darika Torobaeva, Tessa Stanier, Tom Steiner, Bethany Webber and Olivia Whitehead Thanks also to St Joseph’s for their warm welcome and to the other KGS teachers who helped to supervise.
Mrs K Pinnock I Community Service
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Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
The latest series of The KGS Podcast is out now. Featuring Jon Alexander (OK 1999), Jo Blackshaw (OK 1991), Millie Giglio (OK 2019), Jack Waller (OK 2015) and Zach Wallace (OK 2018), Visit www.kgs.org.uk/podcast for links and further information.
Listen now Find it on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
07 7
STUDENT SUCCESS
TSBA Award
Congratulations to Second Year student Alexandria Coen who was Highly Commended for her review of The Arrival by Shaun Tan as part of this year’s TSBA Award. “The book explores the darker side to immigration...where people are surrounded by an endless labyrinth of darkness and loneliness.” We are very proud of her submission, which included this piece of artwork that reflects the storyline. “This book is very good at getting across the story and emotions of the immigrant. I was able to relate to it in a small way as my grandfather had to leave his country of birth and start a new life in England.”
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Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
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CCF
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
Down at the range A small group of cadets visited the Longmoor ranges alongside the King’s College Contingent last week. We fired small groupings of rounds and were scored on how close together they were. The whole experience was very exciting as we met new people and shot live rounds. Our instructor, Sergeant Major Gardener, was very helpful on the range, providing encouragement and advice on how to improve. Overall, I enjoyed the day out and I look forward to future visits to the range.
Cadet Isabelle Street I Third Year
Armed Forces Day On Monday 20th June, Cadet Sgt Keywood and I were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to represent the School and the CCF at the raising of the Armed Forces Flag in Kingston to mark he upcoming Armed Forces Day.
At 10 o’clock, we headed to the Guildhall in the town centre, and heard the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames – Councillor Yogan Yoganathan – speak, alongside a number of other important figures including British service men and women and Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Kingston (HM The Queen’s representative). Following their speeches, we stood to attention and watched the flag being raised atop the Guildhall. Afterwards, we were invited inside the Guildhall for tea, biscuits and photographs. We had the honour of speaking with the Mayor himself and had the chance to talk with numerous other politicians and service people, all of whom had interesting stories to tell, and who all appeared pleased at the cadets’ presence at such an event.
Cadet Sgt Hepburn I Lower Sixth
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Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
“It has been a very successful year for the CCF and one the cadets have relished after a long period of disruption.”
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ALUMNI
16 locks | 70 km | 44 miles
This year will see an age range of nearly 70 years taking part, from the youngest participants at 14 years old to KGSVBC oarsman Roger Grubb. At 83 years of age, Roger is a veteran of the sponsored row, having completed it at least eight times!
“There is much joy, some pain, and a splendid sense of achievement to be had in taking part and completing the KGSBC Sponsored Row. It is wonderful to experience the sense of camaraderie between the rowers of all ages, the supporters and other river users during the row – most especially in the locks. Something never to be forgotten!”
On Saturday 10th September, about 100 rowers from KGSBC, alumni and veterans will take to the water to raise money for an excellent cause. The challenge is to row 70km in a day, from Henley back to the KGS boathouse. The row takes place every four years and lives long in the memory of all those who take part. This year, for the first time, all the fundraising will go to charity. We are pledging to raise £20,000 for RALPHH. RALPHH was founded in memory of Rob Allen. Rob was a KGS alumnus, National Schools 2003 champion, Henley participant and KGSBC coach. He sadly died of an undiagnosed heart condition in 2018. RALPHH aims to commemorate his life by increasing public access to defibrillators nationwide and working to part-fund ECG screening for young people. Rob’s father and brother, Richard and Laurence are also alumni. RALPHH recently installed a defibrillator on the Fairfield building for public and school use.
Roger Grubb
“RALPHH is delighted to receive any funds to progress our work in the safeguarding of young people involved in strenuous exercise. Our grants are helping to make defibrillation equipment more widely available. We will ensure that money raised by the KGS rowers is put to good use, including a programme of ECG testing for young rowers next March, which is to be hosted at the school.” Richard Allen
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You can help by sponsoring the crews here www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ kgsrow22 and by sharing the link as widely as possible. Come and cheer on the crews from the towpath! Thank you for your support.
www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/kgsrow22
Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
PHOTO CAPTIONS: Ut la conse ilitiscit optaernam derfus rem corum rae volest, omnihilignim ilitatur am iur, Occullor sita verchic aborum quiamus, ommolore volestet omnimus rem
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SECTION TITLE
Snails, lice and all things nice... Last month the Biology Department took the students on their annual A Level field trip to Dorset.
We were once again blessed with excellent weather – not too hot, not too cold – as well as a hard-working cohort of students!
Following our arrival on Sunday evening we modelled the capture-mark-recapture technique of estimating animal population size using woodlice, animals that are not easy to find and catch. Monday involved collecting data to demonstrate sand dune succession on Studland Beach (and the obligatory ice cream on the beach) followed by pulling on the waders and getting into the River Piddle to investigate the invertebrate biodiversity.
Tuesday saw the students visit Kimmeridge Bay, the site of some of the UK’s most significant fossil discoveries. We say a few ammonites embedded in the rocks as we searched for periwinkles (sea snails) amongst the seaweed to investigate rocky shore zonation. The trip finished with students designing and carrying out their own ecological investigations as part of their Biology A Level. It was another great trip, enjoyed by students and staff alike.
Mr M Rodgers I Head of Biology 14
Summer 2022
Language Leaders
We are very happy to have more than 20 Third and Fourth Year linguists participating in the Language Leaders Programme, an award that prepares students how to teach a language. Gina Saltykova in Fourth Year tells us more. “We visited St John’s to develop our teaching skills. We participated in their Language Day by teaching lessons in a variety of languages. The children learnt how to say the animals in German and Italian, they described the weather in French and were able to identify many parts of the body in Spanish.
It was a thrilling experience due to their enthusiasm and engagement. We put into practice what we have learned throughout the year. It was a similar experience to being a teaching because we had to control their behaviour, manage the timings and adapt the lesson plan to suit the different year groups. We are very grateful to have been able to be a part of this journey.”
Miss A Arcos Villanueva I MFL
Kingston Grammar School
ISMLA Original Writing Competition 2022 We are incredibly proud of Fourth Year linguist Sophie Bailey, who won the Independent Schools’ Modern Languages Association’s prestigious essay competition in Italian for the GCSE category and came runner-up for German. The ISMLA runs the creative writing competition every year, with entries for French, Spanish, German, Italian and Chinese at GCSE and A Level, and we always encourage our students to enter.
Students had to write a 300-word entry showing creativity and imagination, engagement with the target language culture, linguistic ability appropriate to the entrant’s year group, and successful editing in order to successfully answer the brief within the word limit imposed. According to ISMLA the standard was fantastic and they received a high number of entries this year, ‘a great testament to the wonderful linguistic talent as well as the excellent language teaching all over the country.’ Congratulations to Sophie on her achievement. She receives a £50 iTunes voucher
Mrs T Russell I Head of MFL 15
NOTICEBOARD
Maths As part of Further Mathematics enrichment in the Lower Sixth, students have been researching, preparing and presenting their own mathsrelated talks on a topic of their choosing.
Recent topics have included The Collatz Conjecture, Perlin Noise & Procedural Generation, Game Theory & Nash Equilibria, Pascal’s Triangle, Ancient Number Systems, Sizes of Infinity, The Three Body Problem, Teleportation, Time Travel and the Multiverse, Maths isn’t Real, Manipulation Tactics of Casinos, The Maths behind Bottle Flipping and Killer Rollercoasters.
Jo Blackshaw (OK 1991) Having rowed competitively during her time at KGS, Jo went on to row for Great Britain in the Junior World Championships in 1991 followed by rowing for Oxford in the 1992 Women’s Boat Race.
Well done to Dan Hepburn, James Keywood, Dan Wilding, Chloris Wong, Leon Feltham, Kyle Park, Katie Monaghan, Henry Hill, Frank Pye, Jo Kim, Alexi Cross and Johnny Higham for all the hard work that went into researching these fascinating topics.
More recently, she was part of an all-female team of four who took part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, racing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. Listen to her inspiring story on the KGS Podcast, out now.
Mr C Hill I Mathematics
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Visit www.kgs.org.uk/podcast
Summer 2022
Kingston Grammar School
Baseball
Sam Sporloder has been in action on the baseball pitch again, this time in Prague where his team were crowned European Champions at the Pony 14U Euro Qualifiers. After an opening ceremony with the Mayor of Prague, an U16 Ukrainian team beat the odds by making it the tournament, with three players and the coach driving overland from Kyiv and the rest of the team returning from seven countries where they had taken refuge with their families. Sam and the team are off to the Pony World Series, representing the European Zone, in the US in August. We wish him the best of luck. 17
#workwellandbehappy