February Newsletter 2017

VISUAL ARTS

Our fifth Kingston Revue was the most dramatic yet! Read all about the acting, singing, comedy routines, dancing and musical interludes.

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Our immersive Visual Arts experience was a feast for the eyes and the mind and featured many KGS alumni.

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WWW.KGS.ORG.UK

FEBRUARY 2017

NEWSLETTER

KINGSTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL 1

KINGSTON REVUE

CHILLING IN COLORADO On Saturday 11th February, 40 KGS pupils and 6 intrepid staff set out for Denver, Colorado on the annual KGS Ski Trip The (mercifully) direct 10-hour flight to Denver was delayed by two hours leaving Heathrow – not the best of starts – but we still arrived at the Best Western Hotel in Winter Park in time for dinner following the two-hour coach journey into the Rocky Mountains.

American breakfast, the main draw being the “make-yourown” waffles. Following a short shuttle bus ride, we turned up at Winter Park resort, ready and raring to go for a full six days of skiing. Pupils skied in groups ranging in size from 3 to 12, receiving instruction from home-grown American ski instructors. Having not skied much before, Mr Turner and Miss Carlstedt-Duke also took advantage of the tuition to hone

The skiing began in earnest on the Sunday morning. The jet lag helped the pupils be up early for the 7am buffet-style

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trips

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competitions

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their skiing skills, and quickly graduated from the beginner to the intermediate group. By Colorado standards, the snow was not especially plentiful – it hadn’t snowed since the middle of January – but it was very similar to conditions normally experienced in the Alps at this time of year.

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sport

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events

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alumni

WELCOME

“If nothing else, the mobile is a great gizmo – a toy, a tool to be used as much or as little as everyone desires or needs”

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FEBRUARY 2017

I suffered a moment of almost incomprehensible melancholic nostalgia when I read this week that the everpopular Nokia 3310 mobile phone was being relaunched. This was to my mind the first acceptable ‘mobile’, though many children and quite a few adults might still refer to it as a brick. I had previously shunned and even sniggered at mobile phone users, many of whom in the early days were made slightly less mobile by the size of the handset let alone the enormous battery they had to lug around. The in-car telephone that spawned the Carphone Warehouse and similar stores may have claimed to be hands free but they were also signal free, memory free, battery free and, therefore, unusable to a large extent. Even in the early days of flip phones, sliders and keypads nothing persuaded me that a mobile phone was a necessary part of my life and I already began to have murderous thoughts towards those who dropped out of conversation and interest whilst they took calls, wrote texts or, worse still, played Worms!

This didn’t change overnight with the 3310. I finally took the plunge to invest as a gesture of goodwill whilst on a city break, as a way of staying in touch. I confess to purchasing a refurbished, ubiquitous turquoise model, pre-loaded with credit that the assistant told me would see me through my first month but actually lasted six. It was the same phone all my friends had but they used theirs regularly whereas mine lived in a drawer and only came out when I remembered I owned it. In those early mobile phone days I rarely went out with anything more in my pockets than a slim wallet and a front door key – and often I would forget one of those! Over the

years this has changed and I rarely if ever leave the house now without a backpack of extra clothing, newspapers, a novel, work and home keys, wallet(s) and some snacks. This is generally a sign of getting old, or at least older, I guess but what never goes in the backpack is the phone which is always fully charged ready to go in my pocket. That’s not just when I go out, it’s also moving around the house that I find myself taking my phone with me. Even though it has actually become larger as we move to ‘plus’ models it is now truly mobile and, apparently, essential. I often think that if we hadn’t adopted the shorthand of ‘mobile’ in the UK we may well have very easily adopted the German vernacular ‘handy’ because it is just that.

My mobile phone has actually, to me and to many others, become more important than a wallet. If you asked 100 people which they could afford to lose whilst out, their phone or their wallet, I am sure that well over 80% would say their wallet. These days we carry very little cash and if our cards are lost we need our phone to instantly report that and order new ones. Our phones don’t just have our diaries, address books, maps, games, books, news and emails but in many cases are our payment systems, dictionaries, research tools, window on the world and link to people we know, many others we want to and even more we probably don’t. Mistakenly to some they are a pulse; they don’t just suffer from FOMO but also from tactile hallucinations of their phone vibrating with an alert, call or text. Arguably, the mobile has become dangerously essential to daily life on a minute-by-minute basis and to save our students (and often ourselves) from the unrelenting anxiety and compulsion generated by phones, we promote the removal of mobiles and similar devices at crucial times of interaction and rest – meal times, whilst working, nighttime.

And yet the mobile is a great device for work and play. We can find out things quicker than ever before, engage with more people, go more places, learn more and have more fun. I confess that I walk more often around cities now that I can plan a walking route on the move rather than jumping on a bus or train

and there are numerous positive reports of devices using social media helping to instill confidence and knowledge in those who suffer from shyness and withdrawal.

The analogy one might use is that of crossing the road. It is fraught with danger if not done thoughtfully, carefully and appropriately but often necessary or simply desirous for a change of scene, a closer look, a chance encounter, a chat or even (dare I say) to avoid. The major difference in this analogy is that we train children to cross the road. We talk about it from an early age at home and at school, do it with them, talk them through it, watch them do it close up and from afar before trusting that they know how to do it properly. When and why they do it becomes up to them. We talk a lot about mobile phones as well all other electronic devices, e-safety in general, positive social media and online protection but I am not sure we actually train them as well as we might. Actually they are often using devices and are becoming attached to them before we intervene. That’s a bit like allowing them to cross the road for a few years in the hope they won’t get knocked down and then trying to train them once they’re too used to doing it their own way.

I yearn for the days of the Nokia 3310, my first mobile, rarely used and, when it was, talk, text and Worms was all it did. But, despite the phone’s relaunch, those days aren’t coming back and maybe that’s all to the good; we must, however, train our students to use their mobiles safely and sparingly. We don’t ban children from crossing the road or similar dangers but neither do we let them do it willy-nilly. The same rules and theory should apply.

I may purchase a simpler phone, but I won’t dispense with my all-singing, all-dancing smartphone just yet. But we might be introducing some new ways of making sure that our students are using their mobiles safely and not to the exclusion of other positive forms of interaction. Look out for initiatives coming your way. • Stephen Lehec Head Master

@KGSHEADMASTER

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“The day was unforgettable and I can’t wait to do it all again!”

Anna Gray

CCF TAKE TO THE SKIES On Friday 3rd February, six cadets from the CCF travelled to RAF Benson, near Oxford, to fly with RAF pilots This was my first time flying in this manner, so I was exceptionally excited, but also a little nervous, as I had no idea what the day, and indeed the session actually in the air, would entail. When we arrived at the base we had a little time to pass so, naturally, we all took part in an incredibly competitive game of table tennis whilst we waited. After a few games, we were ushered into a nearby room to watch a short video explaining some of the basic protocol and instructions.

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We were then taken into a room filled with helmets, gloves and jumpsuits.

We were given most of our kit and, after having our first encounter with the famously strange and confusing RAF humour, we were sent into yet another room. In here we were given non-functioning parachutes and taught how to fasten it, as well as activate it, and how to ease yourself into the cockpit whilst causing minimal damage to yourself or your instructor. We also had to practise quickly getting out of the slightly barren ‘cockpit’, and the theory of how to do a parachute jump. We were then ready.

After being fitted with helmets, interrogated about our contingent by

the man working in the room, (who evidently greatly enjoyed watching us squirm under his gaze and questioning), and handed a functioning parachute, we were told to wait to be picked up by our instructor. One by one, cadets were picked up and directed to their plane by the tutor.

Eventually, it was my turn. I was taken to my plane and helped into the seat. The cockpit was closed and my first flying lesson began. My instructor introduced himself, and explained what the plan was for the next hour. We took off and soon the buildings I had come from were but small Lego blocks amongst the patchwork of fields and roads. We flew over the surrounding area for a few minutes, whilst my instructor answered any questions that I had, and pointed out the local sights. And then, quite suddenly, my instructor declared that I had control. All at once, I was flying the plane. After I tentatively turned the plane and pulled it up and down, he took back the control.

The barrel roll was one of the strangest moments of my life, but also one of the best. My instructor flipped the plane and because of the almost 360° view

from the transparent cockpit, there was a confusing instance when upon looking up, you were confronted with the ground. The G force itself was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, but it was absolutely incredible. He then turned the nose of the plane upwards and we serenely hung, suspended in the air. It was the sensation of falling, when it feels as if your stomach has been thrust into your throat, but we weren’t actually falling, and there was no immediate landing in sight. When we finally twisted back into the slightly more natural, horizontal position, I found myself shaking from the sheer exhilaration of it.

We flew (horizontally) over the gently swelling and falling fields, and after being given the chance to take a few photos of the spectacular view, we came in to land. The day was unforgettable and I can’t wait to do it all again! • Anna Gray 4AEB

SCHOOL LIFE

U13 ISB HOCKEY CUP The U13 A boys have recently entered the Independent School Hockey Cup. Starting with over 30 teams in the tournament we knew It was going to be tough.

The first match we played in was against Reigate Grammar School. We had a great team performance and good chemistry between all players including 2 First Years who have only recently been playing with us. We came back with a comprehensive 5-1 win over them, which would progress us to the next round of the tournament.

Our next opponent was an extremely talented St George’s College side. A win was key to keep us in the tournament.

Having gone 3-1 down at half time we needed to come back stronger. A hardfought second half went down to the wire. A great combined effort put us with a 5-4 win and with goals coming from Adam Sloan, Max Mayhew, Theo PawseyPersaud and me it was great teamwork to win against a well-drilled side.

In the last 16 of the competition we played Haileysbury. A 12-0 resounding win was the result of us playing as a team and moving the ball. This will hopefully give us a good boost towards the final 8 of the tournament and we have good confidence going into it. • Harry Pink 2MEB

HARVARD SUMMER SCHOOL We are delighted that Lower Sixth student Caitlin Arnold has been accepted onto a Harvard Summer School course. Here, Caitlin tells us about her interest in studying in the US and how she is progressing towards her goal In the Autumn term, I attended numerous talks hosted by representatives from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and other American universities. I also attended the Fulbright USA University Convention.

Studying abroad would be an incredible opportunity to experience different cultures and embark on a very different educational journey.

After hearing what American universities had to offer, namely a breadth and depth across many different subjects, I was interested in finding out how I could taste their very different way of teaching and learning.

At this point I looked at Summer Schools, and applied to a two-week residential programme at Harvard.

The programme is open to students from across the world, and offers

many different short courses for students aged 16 and 17. Having written my application and sought a reference from School I filled in a number of lengthy forms. I found out on Thursday that I had been accepted onto the programme.

In order to study at an American university, students have to take SATs in English and Maths and possibly other subjects depending upon the individual university. SATs can be taken at UK test centres on a regular basis throughout the year. I am currently studying for this exam, in the hope of applying to American universities next Autumn. I’ll probably apply to five or six as well as applying to ones in the UK. • Caitlin Arnold L6JJT

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COLORADO CONTINUED The base layer of snow of well over 1 metre allowed a good week of skiing to be had by all and it is fair to say that everyone had significantly improved their level of skiing by the end of the week, whether they were absolute beginners or advanced level.

choice of burgers and British pub favourites to select from and the snow tubing experience, where pupils hurled themselves down banked racing lanes of snow, will live long in the memory of all as being a fantastic way to round off a day of skiing.

The trip was not just all about skiing.

Each evening was packed with exciting events and a hearty American-style meal in a local restaurant. The dining highlight was surely the trip to Randi’s Bar and Grill, where pupils had an extensive

The weather conditions were fantastic all week, with blue skis and (relatively) warm temperatures throughout. The ski instructors frequently commented about the courtesy, attentiveness and enjoyment they received from instructing

the KGS pupils and there were no significant injuries to speak of, which was a relief.

We arrived home on Sunday 19th February, tired but happy, having enjoyed a memorable week away. Thanks must go the “ski team” for their unwavering support – Mr Farr, Miss Knight, Miss Carlstedt-Duke, Mr Hardy and Mr Turner.• Mr M Rodgers Biology, Ski Trip Leader

HANS WOYDA PLATINUM ROUND: KNOCKOUT STAGE 1 Well done, team for a very impressive win against Alleyn’s School. After a long journey to Dulwich for the first knockout round of the Platinum stage of the Hans Woyda competition we returned to Kingston with a fantastic 37-32 win. • Mrs A Whitby-Smith Mathematics

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TITLE

BRAIN DAY A half-day introductory tutorial in Neuroscience As a student who is hoping to study Neuroscience at university this coming September, it seemed by some stroke of luck that a professor of said degree would come in for an entire day to give a series of lectures on his speciality.

I was lucky enough to attend the whole day, and despite the incredible amount of knowledge thrown at me in a short amount of time, it was easily the best series of lectures I’ve attended, made more fascinating by an extremely passionate lecturer. Dr Guy Sutton, a professor at the University of Nottingham Medical School, gave information-packed lectures throughout the day.

He covered topics from the quite simple neuroanatomy which each brain uniquely expresses, to how the neuroplasticity of the brain allows us to reinforce pathways in our brain, making particular emotions or thought processes stronger in the development. All of this, while interesting,

could be researched in a book, or found on the internet; what made the lectures what they were was the sincerity of Dr Sutton.

Having experienced what it was like to suffer from brain trauma , and have to relearn basic movements and speech patterns, brought the aspect of neuroscience home, even for those who may have not been previously interested in the field. The real star of the show, however, was the sheep brain at the end of the day, which was intricately explained and dissected by Dr Sutton, and then passed around the class. • Zoe Howell U6JOH

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DEBATING EN FRANÇAIS On Tuesday afternoon two of our Lower Sixth Francophiles – Hettie Cloud and Jemima Baker – trekked over to the Old Palace of John Whitgift School, Croydon, to compete in the South London heat of the regional French debating competition. A special mention to Jemima who stepped up from the support team to participating in the debate itself at the last minute.

Jessie Howard and Michael Moran also made noteworthy contributions to the preparation stages.

The girls had had to prepare three topics in advance, exploring both sides of each motion and carrying out research so that they were fully armed for the afternoon of debating. These ranged from having to welcome refugees escaping warzones, redefining secularism and reintroducing the death penalty in certain democratic countries.

Hettie and Jemima were outstanding!

Mme. Hempstead and Miss Sharp were blown away by their passionate and persuasive debating skills and it was no wonder that they convincingly won their first two rounds. They received some useful feedback after round

CAREERS

two: to not be afraid to undermine the arguments given by the other team.

So it was semi-final time and the girls were given 20 minutes to prepare an unseen motion. They put in great efforts to prepare their arguments, on a topic that they were less familiar with, and took on board the advice given at the end of their second debate. They debated with great confidence, but unfortunately were defeated by a more experienced team of Upper Sixth pupils.

I am sure that Hettie and Jemima will have benefited from the experience on many levels, and it will contribute to excellent training for their future oral exams.

Congratulations and thank you for being such wonderful ambassadors for KGS’s MFL Department! • Miss RJ Sharp Assistant Head of Modern Languages

Once again, the KGS Careers Evening was a huge success We had over 400 students and parents attending the event and more than 40 different careers represented, ranging from Accountancy, Acting, Advertising and Architecture to Scientific Research, Social Work, Teaching and Veterinary Medicine, taking in everything inbetween!

This year the evening kicked off with the Careers Fair which packed out the Hall, Dining Hall and Hattersley Room, providing an engaging environment for students and parents to move from stall to stall and talk to speakers individually, get an informal and in-depth look into that career area, as well as ask about the opportunity for work experience.

The Careers Fair was followed by the group presentations where fascinating and informative talks gave students an excellent insight into career opportunities and a broader careers education.

Particular thanks must go to those who helped make the evening such a success. Old Kingstonians continue to

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community

EVENING

SIXTH FORMERS IN THE COMMUNITY Last month a new cohort of KGS Sixth Formers joined ECL’s members to help prepare for their 2017 Christmas concert

be a central part of the evening, many of whom contribute regularly to not only our Careers events but also to other aspects of School life. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to welcome them back to KGS for the evening and appreciate their time and effort. The event couldn’t provide such a range of interesting careers talks without the support of KGS parents, who represented 25 different careers this year. Thank you very much for the help you offered.

Finally, a thank you to the staff who were involved, whether for finding speakers to talk on some areas or volunteering themselves in others. The whole evening requires such a large number of people to give of their time and expertise and this has been greatly appreciated by all those involved, the students in particular.• Mr S Morris Deputy Head of Careers & Universities

Tony Wang, Johan Smith (both new to KGS this year) and Anya Aziz were warmly welcomed to the group and helped members to play a variety of percussion instruments and encouraged them to get involved in the singing and dancing.

Elmbridge Community Link (ECL) is a charity aiming to enrich the lives of people living with a learning disability, providing services, activities and support to young people and their families. Jess Murray, currently in the Upper Sixth, is a long-standing volunteer at ECL and recently appeared in a short film promoting the work of the Elmbridge Community Fund, which provides some of the funding for ECL’s activities. Take a look at the video here (https://vimeo. com/181602608) - the section about ECL starts at 2.20.

Like all of our partner organisations and charities, ECL is very appreciative of our students’ willingness to give up their time to volunteer. We, in turn, are extremely grateful for the opportunities our students are given to learn new skills while they volunteer in environments which are often completely new to them. The support provided by those who supervise our volunteers, such as Pier Markham and Llinos John at ECL, is absolutely invaluable! • or sit, natoque Mrs K Pinnock Head of Community Service

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THE KINGSTON REVUE The fifth annual Kingston Revue was as exciting and dynamic as ever and was hailed by some audience members as “the best Revue yet!”

Showcasing our talented students from First Year to Upper Sixth, Mr Crohill organised not one but two evenings of performances. The event included acting, singing, comedy routines, dancing and musical interludes, the technical elements of which were also managed by the skilled students that make up our crew.

Jamie Bisping (U6RJS) and Miranda Worth (U6MJR) hosted the event for the fifth year running, providing their charming and humorous commentary for the final time. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Jamie and Miranda for their dedication to this event since it started when they were in Third Year. The event opened with Nonny Jones (4AEB) on vocals accompanied

by Maddie Hayes (4HMN) who were followed by ‘Revells’, a group of First Year girls performing, the obviously inappropriately named, ‘Revolting Children’ from Matilda. Other dance highlights include a performance by Junior Dance Club, choreographed by Lydia Underwood (4AEB) and Lily Abbott (4KEC), and Amari Dahlhaus (3NHR) who performed a contemporary solo to ‘Youth’ by Daughter.

Also taking to the stage were our actors, who rehearsed and directed their own scenes, ranging from the famous Monty Python ‘Parrot sketch’

by Matthew Burrell (2CES) and James Don-Wauchope (2NAR) to an adapted version of ‘Like a Virgin’ performed by Lydia Fisher-Norton (5LJS) and Lucy McNeil (5MDS ). Amelie Scott (1W) took the opportunity to show the piece she will be performing for her LAMDA exam next month and Clara John (3NHR)

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and Rosie Callen (3RJW) starred in a duologue written by Rosie herself about friendship and betrayal.

Musical highlights included Sophia Snow (2CES)’s song she had composed and recorded herself alongside a visual lights display she had also made, Sam Shapley (L6SRM) with his own song on guitar and Gaia Aherne (4KEB), Lucy Pearce (4DGB) and Jessica Cropley (4MPW) who sang an emotional group number.

In another Kingston Revue first, we saw Theo Cons (U6JOH) in his stand-up comedy debut in which he showcased his accents and astute observations of school life. Also bringing some humour to the evening was a take on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke. Camera-man Crohill filmed the MFL and English departments as well as Mr Scott and Mr Campbell singing (or miming…) their hearts out as they journeyed around the Surrey countryside in a school mini-bus. This amusing prelude to the interval of the Revue showcased our staff at their finest.

As well as congratulating those involved in performing, KGS Drama would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the technical students involved in the behind-the-scenes elements of this year’s Kingston Revue. Megan Nicholls (U6JAD), Alice Metcalf (U6SSC), Joe Underwood (U6DEF), Zoe Sim (L6SRC), Anand Aggarwal (4DGB), Isabelle Whitehil (4AEB), James Sadler (2DAS) and Sebastian Rugina (2DAS) were invaluable in their involvement lighting, stage managing and crewing the two evenings. • Miss L Robinson Drama

ARTS

“The event included acting, singing, comedy routines, dancing and musical interludes, the technical elements of which were also managed by the skilled students that make up our crew�

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QUINTIN HEAD Saturday 28th January saw the KGS Boat Club head to the tideway for the Quintin Head of the River This event has grown in both size and quality of entrants in recent years so all KGS crews came up against stiff opposition.

The race is run as a time trail from Hammersmith Bridge through Chiswick Bridge and finishes approximately 650m past Chiswick.

Unlike the Schools’ Head in March, the Quintin Head is rowed in the same direction as the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races.

This year KGS entered five crews, totalling some 45 students on the river from the J15 and senior squads. With the standard of competition so high, wins were always unlikely but we saw a number of good performances; the J15 squads in particular showed a better approach this weekend to seven days before, proving to themselves they can learn lessons and implement changes, even in a short space of time!

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The two senior crews both suffered damage whilst marshalling for the start and thanks must go to St Paul’s School

and the boatman from Radley College who helped the girls repair their boat so they could race. The boys were unable to undertake repairs and Aryan Bhashin deserves credit for steering his crew down the course despite damage to the steering system.

The evening saw the KGSBC Annual Dinner with our guest speaker, Paralympic Champion and bronze medallist Tom Aggar. Tom and his wife Vicki, also a Paralympic medallist, came for the evening and shared their experiences of the challenges they have faced both in and away from sport. Tom spoke about the challenge of coming back from a disappointing fourth place finish in London 2012 to win bronze in Rio last summer, which he achieved after having won gold at the inaugural Paralympic Games regatta in Beijing 2008.

Boat Club Captains Bea Stokman and Sam Helm both gave excellent speeches looking back over the last twelve months. They touched on the highs and lows of rowing and the

strong bonds they have formed with crew mates over their time at KGS. I think we all agree with Bea that rowing is the best sport you can do! • Mr P Simmons Head of Rowing

SPORT

SHOOTING TO SUCCESS On the 22nd February, the Senior Netball First Team headed to Tiffin Girls’ School to compete in the Kingston Borough Tournament. We played against Coombe Girls and Tiffin, twice each. All of the matches were extremely competitive and we faced very tough opposition.

However, we stayed focused and became stronger with every game, resulting in us winning all of our matches. We are overjoyed to be the Borough Champions this year, as it is the last year of Netball at KGS for many of us, and we are now working towards the same result at the Surrey Tournament!

Thank you to Mrs Stapleton and Miss Carlstedt-Duke for the preparation and training! • Nicole George U6SSC

‘PROJECT PAIR’ PAYS OFF Cameron Spurling exceeded expectations and took a good step towards Great Britain selection when he took part in the GB Rowing Team junior long distance trials in Boston, Lincolnshire at the end of the half-term break Cameron and his partner Freddie Allinson from The King’s School, Canterbury finished 11th in the Saturday 5km time trial and sixth the following day.

The top 16 pairs are likely to be invited to the next stage of the selection process – Spring Trials in Nottingham during the Easter holiday - where crews will be decided for the Munich International Regatta in May. Cameron set what is believed to be a KGS record on the rowing machine in January – 5km in 16 minutes 45.9 seconds – but, rowing the pair had not previously been one of his strengths.

Without a suitable partner within the KGS squad, Cameron has been training in a boat with Mr Ellison and found an ideal racing partner in Freddie, who has travelled from Kent to Thames Ditton regularly over the last few weeks.

Cameron was unable to visit Freddie’s home water until recently because Westbere Lake was frozen, but the duo did manage a useful session in Maidstone and finally took to the lake for some fine-tuning during half term.

The duo were fourth fastest at Hampton Head at the beginning of February but moved on a further step in Boston, beating crews from the likes of Hampton School and Molesey Boat Club who they had lost to earlier in the month.

Following Spring Trials, further testing takes place at either end of the summer term before athletes are selected for the World Rowing Junior Championships in Trakai, Lithuania at the beginning of August. • Mr MW Gough Rowing Coach

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¡VAMOS A VALENCIA! Day 1 - Welcome to Valencia! Early start, training, goals and paella After a very early start, the KGS tour got underway on a cold February morning at Gatwick for a 5:05am check-in, with all 29 students and 4 staff safely arriving in Valencia just before 11amLunch was a trip to the supermarket as the groups worked together with the shopping budget task to create a fine spread of food. After lunch it was time to get changed and make the short walk to Valencia’s training ground where we were met by two Valencia coaches who put us through our paces on the excellent pitches. With training over, it was time to get warm clothes on for the second division match between Valencia B and Villarreal B. In a close first half there was nothing between the teams except a breakaway goal for the home team. The second half proved to be a livelier affair, with two substitutes scoring two goals each, a red card and plenty of action. The match finished 3-2 to Valencia and we headed back to the hotel for a lovely meal and an early night after a long but exciting day.

Day 2 – Match Day! Valencia and Levante Futsal

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The day started off with a pre-match breakfast and short walk to our first match. The U13/14 combined team faced a local league side in what turned out to be a very close game. Despite the 1-1 score line there were plenty of opportunities for both sides as we rotated our players and positions. A great finish by Zac ensured we went into the half time break 1-0 up. In the second half our opposition came back into the match and equalised, despite plenty of pressure and chances going forward and some great saves by Sidney. The match finished 1-1. After a quick break the U15s took to another pitch in the now sun-drenched Valencia FC complex and came across a strong opposition but were 1-0 up at half time. The second half was a lot more exciting and a few defensive errors gave the team some easy goals. Rob scored his second and

nearly secured a hat-trick but it wasn’t enough and KGS U15s lost.

After a quick lunch we went to watch Levante futsal players train. Levante play in the top league in Spain and boast a new Brazilian World Cup winner. The boys all met the players with a few speaking in Spanish!

Afterwards the boys had a stroll round Valencia before returning home for the evening meal.

Day 3 - Photo shoots, Mestalla and a night out at Heron City Another action-packed day on the tour as the boys had their training session with the Valencia coaches in the morning followed by a trip to Valencia city centre and the legendary Mestalla stadium!

The home of Valencia FC was an opportunity for the boys to see behind the scenes, and they even had a quick press conference although I suspect they enjoyed the club shop more! The evening entertainment was at Heron City where we had a lovely meal followed by a game of bowling. It would appear that bowling was a new experience for many of the boys as Nacho the tour rep and Birthday Boy Mr Hall easily outscored the rest. A special mention to Ahmed and Andrei for scoring over 100!

Day 4 – European Night Game!

A lighter session with the Valencia coaches complimented the match being played later in the day. After lunch the boys all worked on their communication and team work skills in a variety of challenges with Mr Hall and Mr Mettioui. The evening matches were a very good experience for all. The U14s had a really tough match against a very good local academy side but hopefully the boys learned a few points from them. The U15s played really well and won 5-1 with Rob scoring a hat trick!

Day 5 – Homecoming After a final morning’s training session with Valencia coaches, we had a presentation for the students and as a school we were presented with two team photos and a signed Valencia shirt (which will hopefully be displayed at Ditton Field). The afternoon was a time for reflection as the group worked together on positives and negatives of the tour, whilst Mr Scott kept the troops entertained with a few games before it was time leave for the airport and return home.

A big thank you to all the people at Inspire Sports tours for looking after us, the KGS staff (Mr Scott, Mr Connor and Mr Mettioui) who gave up their free time to support this amazing experience and to the KGS students who were a credit to the School throughout. • Mr M Hall Head of Football

SPORT

Tour in numbers 29 students 5 days 4 tour matches 4 training sessions 2 squads 1 stadium tour 1 Valencia B match

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SEX & RELATIONSHIP TALK

CCF RANGE CAMP During the half-term break, the CCF embarked on a two-day trip to practise their shooting skills

On the 6th February, Esther Hardy came to talk to Third Year students about healthy relationships. Our guest has children of her own, who also attend Kingston Grammar School, and is currently working with ‘All About SRE’, a well-established sex and relationship advice company, making her a professional at explaining and delivering key information to teenagers.

Esther explained that having an open conversation leads to responsible, mature, well-thought-out decisions and trust gains strength as it becomes easier to talk about almost anything with your partner.

As well as this, Esther talked about online texting and consent using a good PowerPoint presentation and making it as interactive as possible.

The top things we learned are that you should always get consent, which is permission, before taking your relationship to the next level.

Also, being polite and waiting for each other to be ready for certain things is important. Lastly, a key point that Esther gave us is that there will be ups and downs and that making a relationship can sometimes be overwhelming, but we are all very young and don’t know what is going to happen so we just have to wait and respect each other.

Overall, I found the talk fascinating we are all looking forward to seeing Esther again next year. • Eva Preskey

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I was amongst the people aiming to pass their classification shoot. One of our first lessons was on grouping and the marksmanship principles. A group is the combination of multiple shots in a close proximity. The closer they are, the more points you score. We also got to go on a state-of-the-art electronic range named the DCCT (Dismounted Close Combat Training), which analysed our shots and gave us targets to keep in mind whilst on the range.

We were given scenarios of hostage situations and clearing houses. It was a lot of fun since we all got a chance to be in command of our firing squad.

The next day was spent on the range and had three stages: the first was to ‘zero’ our weapons, or ensure our sights were properly lined up.

The second was the first half of the classification shoot, which looked at how small we could get our grouping.

The last was the final part of the shoot, which consisted of shooting targets that moved up and down with fivesecond intervals. Each section had points available, and the number of points you had at the end dictated what badge you earned. Since this is only the second time I have shot, I managed to earn a pass, but next time I

will aim for a First Class shot, or maybe marksman. There are three ranks in shooting: pass, first class shot and marksman.

This camp, one of the new recruits discovered a hidden talent in shooting and managed to earn the highest rank of marksman. The end of the shoot also marked the end of the range camp. I can’t wait for the next camp at Easter which will be held from 9th - 12th April 2017, at Sennybridge, in South Wales and is open to all KGS cadets. • Lance Corporal Kian Das 4KAB

LIT QUIZ SUCCESS CONTINUES The KGS junior lit quiz team has triumphed again, this time in the major local competition, the Kingston Literary Quiz, organised by Kingston Library Service’s youth team where they beat nine other teams. The team of five First and Second Year students (James DonWauchope, Sophie Farrell, Jasmine Levell, Katie Monaghan and Katie Mullally), which includes two of the national Kids Lit Quiz UK champions, were neck and neck throughout with Southborough High and managed to edge two points ahead to come out on top. A literary quiz with a difference, in addition to preparing for the picture round and the fiendish general knowledge round on the buzzer, the team is required to read five set texts.

This selection of the best new books for young teenagers is always a great precursor to the Carnegie shadowing programme as usually at least one of the titles appears on the medal’s longlist revealed last week. This year’s Carnegie pick was Ross Welford’s Time Travelling with a Hamster. Other titles were: The Inventory: Iron Fist by Andy Briggs, These Dark Wings by John Owen, Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit and the Boy who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair

by Lara Williamson. All are available in the library. In addition to the cup for the school, each team member won a £10 book token and James scooped one of the individual prizes, a Batman t-shirt.

The competition concludes with the inter-borough Final in March. Fingers crossed…• Mrs H Cleaves Librarian

TRINITY READING INSPIRES CREATIVITY This year’s Trinity Book Award (TSBA) shortlist on the theme of ‘sense-sational’ reads has inspired a fantastic variety of entries for the student creative response competition. These include a cake, a dance film, a Scratch project and a Garage Band composition. After much deliberation Jasmine Levell’s pop song inspired by She Is Not Invisible and Sophie Farrell’s fan fiction – a prologue to There Will Be Lies – were selected to represent KGS in the competition against the best contenders from fourteen other schools. There were also some excellent submissions for the book review category. The reviews written

by Third Years Benedict Little (Knife of Never Letting Go) and Benedict Short

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(The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time) were chosen to represent KGS. The winners and runners-up of the student competitions will be announced at the awards ceremony on March 7th at Dulwich College, as well as the winner of this year’s TSBA. The KGS vote went to Stewart Foster’s Bubble Boy but will the other schools agree? Watch this space! • Mrs H Cleaves Librarian

NT LIVE COMES TO KGS

We’re delighted to be a host venue for NT Live performances. Tickets can be booked through the links below.

HEDDA GABLER Thursday 9th March 2017 7.00pm Rated 12A due to adult themes Just married. Bored already. Hedda longs to be free...

Hedda and Tesman have just returned from their honeymoon and the relationship is already in trouble. Trapped but determined, Hedda tries to control those around her, only to see her own world unravel.

TWELFTH NIGHT Thursday 6th April 2017 7.00pm Tamsin Greig is Malvolia in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity.

A ship is wrecked on the rocks. Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother Sebastian is lost. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land. So begins a whirlwind of mistaken identity and unrequited love.

Also coming up...

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ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD Thursday 20th April 2017 7.00pm David Leveaux’s new production marks the 50th anniversary of the play that made a young Tom Stoppard’s name overnight.

Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, The Woman in Black), Joshua McGuire (The Hour) and David Haig (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Witness for the Prosecution) star in Tom Stoppard’s brilliantly funny situation comedy, broadcast live from The Old Vic theatre in London.

Against the backdrop of Hamlet, two hapless minor characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, take centre stage. As the young double act stumble their way in and out of the action of Shakespeare’s iconic drama, they become increasingly out of their depth as their version of the story unfolds.

OBSESSION Thursday 11th May 2017 7.00pm Rated 15 due to adult themes Jude Law (The Young Pope, Closer, The Talented Mr Ripley) stars in the stage production of Obsession, broadcast live from the Barbican Theatre in London.

Ivo van Hove (NT Live: A View from the Bridge, Hedda Gabler) directs this new stage adaptation of Luchino Visconti’s 1943 film.

Gino is a drifter, down-at-heel and magnetically handsome. At a road side restaurant he encounters husband and wife, Giuseppe and Giovanna. Irresistibly attracted to each other, Gino and Giovanna begin a fiery affair and plot to murder her husband. But, in this chilling tale of passion and destruction, the crime only serves to tear them apart.

Visit www. michaelfrayntheatre.com for more details

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A FEAST FOR THE SENSES The latest in a long line of successful careers-related events saw KGS Friends holding a Visual Arts Evening on 23rd February It was a veritable feast for the eyes and the mind, a sensual, immersive experience coupled with in-depth contact with a number of experienced practitioners, as students from KGS and other schools enjoyed exploring the work of a range of professionals working in the visual arts.

Prominent among the exhibitors was award-winning sculptor Jonathan Kenworthy (OK 1959), one of the titans of modern British art, and there was more fine art from local artist Lee Campbell, who had an exhibition running in the Baxter Gallery, and OK and current Art teacher Sophia Christie (OK 2005).

Architecture was well represented, with Tuomas Pirinen (OK 1999) from Ron Arad Architects, Myles Taylor (OK 1993) from Squire and Partners and Kay LungKendall (OK 1999), a landscape architect with Fabrik. Forbes Low (OK 1984), of Forbes Design Associates, represented graphic design and Hayley Bray (OK 1995) photography. Moving image also had its place, courtesy of Sam Ainsworth (OK 2010), a freelance writer and director with his own company, La Paz Films, making commercials and short films. Fashion figured largely, too, with Sophie Dunster (OK 2010), whose company Gung Ho focuses on ethical and sustainable design inspired by important issues, and Anya

Wheatley (OK 1991), who describes herself as a fashion buyer and importer, but whose activities and interests cover a wide range of fields. Tudor Morris (OK 2010), meanwhile, describes himself as a freelance concept artist, working for indie gaming companies, kickstarter projects, charities and much more. Also exhibiting, but sadly unable to attend in person, were set designer Alistair Turner (OK 2000) and current parent Alister Thorpe , a photographer who specialises in automotive photography.

We are very grateful to all the exhibitors who gave up their time to attend and share their experience and expertise so freely, and to the number of staff who came along to help and support. It was a pleasure to welcome guests from Tiffin and Surbiton High, making this a wider, more important and less parochial event, and to the pupils and their parents who attended so enthusiastically.

Please watch this space for news of the next event in the series; all offers and suggestions welcome. • Mr N Bond KGS Friends

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Junior Play opening in May