Kingstonian 2024/25

2024/25

KINGSTONIAN

HEAD MASTER’S WELCOME

As the first half of the Autumn term draws to a close, it feels an appropriate moment to look back and reflect on the academic year 2024/25. This issue of Kingstonian, our annual magazine which has been published since 1907, gives a flavour of life here at KGS over the past 12 months.

From sporting honours and our best ever A Level results to the establishment of a sixth House and the first phase of the creation of the Bridgen Science Centre, there is, as always, much to celebrate.

As Head Master of such a successful and thriving school, it gives me great pleasure to thank you all – the school community of students, parents, staff, governors and alumni – for your role in making KGS such a happy place to be. Bene Agere ac Laetari: Work Well and Be Happy.

Mr SR Lehec, Head Master

Kingstonian 2024/25

Editor: Emma Dawson

Kingston Grammar School

A leading independent 11–18 co-educational London day school.

London Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6PY www.kgs.org.uk

FRONT COVER: Afterlife, Sixth Form Play

SEPTEMBER

The corridors and classrooms came alive as we welcomed new and returning students alike for the start of the academic year. Our new Sixth Form building opened and quickly became a fantastic place to study and socialise. At the end of the month, our annual Open Day saw almost 2,000 visitors meeting students and staff, enjoying tours and taking part in activities around school. In-between, our CCF Cadets were proud to take part in the Crown Court Service in Kingston, marching between All Saints Church and the Guildhall.

OCTOBER

The KGS community came together to raise money at the Macmillan Coffee Morning, whilst Sixth Form Politics students spent the day at the Houses of Parliament Third Year hockey players toured the Netherlands, competing against teams from the world’s leading hockey nation, and our senior rowers enjoyed the autumnal sunshine at their training camp in Spain. Lovekyn boogied their way to victory as House Dance Champions!

NOVEMBER

Remembrance Day was marked with a poignant assembly in the Hall, led by Captain Beggs and the CCF. As part of our Wellbeing and Respect monthly focus, we enjoyed a visit from Winnie, a therapy spaniel, who toured the school and patiently accepted cuddles. At the Model United Nations, Upper Sixth Politics students represented their assigned countries with passion and diplomacy as they tackled global issues. Our newest House, Hosking, celebrated their first win, in First Year Boys’ Football.

DECEMBER

The Sunday Times Parent Power guide ranked KGS as the fifth best co-educational day school in London, and the 12th in the UK. We continued to collect for Kingston Food Bank and Brite Box as part of our whole school Community Action and Service programme. Our Cadets represented KGS with pride at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Carol Service in central London.

JANUARY

Representatives from six religions took part in a panel discussion for our Multi-Faith Forum, and Holocaust Memorial Day was marked by hearing talks from speakers, including Peter Kammerling who shared the moving story of his parents, refugees who came to the UK from Austria. 250 primary pupils visited KGS to witness science and energy in action at a fantastic Royal Institution workshop.

FEBRUARY

House Drama marked 50 years since the death of Kingstonian RC Sherriff with a homage to the celebrated playwright and novelist. Each House created a piece of theatre inspired by one of his novels, featuring dialogue from the original work. Queen’s were the worthy winners with The White Carnation, a story of a young girl evacuated from the city in the Second World War.

A year in review...

MARCH

Budding entrepreneurs showcased their plantgrowing product, designed for children, at Spitalfields Market as part of the fantastic Young Enterprise programme, the KGS Arts Evening celebrated all things musical, artistic, dance and dramatic, and Dr Guy Sutton, a leading neuroscientist, delivered another fabulously engaging Brain Day to A Level Psychology students. The U16 girls’ hockey team won the National Plate Final 8-1!

APRIL

Not to be outdone, the U13 boys followed this by winning the Boys’ Independent Schools Hockey Plate 3-1. Queen’s took the crown in House Music, and our Senior Prefects and School Captains enjoyed dinner with the Head Master. In a thought-provoking Sixth Form lecture, students heard from Marie-Rose Rurangirwa, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, who spoke about the Ishami Foundation’s groundbreaking work.

MAY

In a record-breaking month for KGS, school records were smashed as the U15 girls’ cricket team won the National Indoor Cricket Championships at Lord’s, and the U12 girls’ football team became Surrey School Champions!

JUNE

A sunny Sandown was once again the backdrop for the celebratory Upper Sixth Graduation. First Years ran, walked, cycled and swam to raise money for one of our school charities, Brite Box. There was little rest for them, as they followed this up later in the month by hiking, swimming, climbing and rowing in the Highlands as part of their Outward Bound adventure. KGS Cadets represented the School at the Armed Forces Flag-Raising Ceremony in Kingston. The U15 girls’ cricket team followed their indoor title by winning the County Finals to become Surrey Champions.

JULY

Stanley reigned supreme at Sports Day, but soaring into the top spot of the House Championship were the Lovekyn Eagles Pupils from local primary schools enjoyed a day of engineering, designing and creating as part of the Faraday Challenge

The Henley Royal Regatta saw the KGS rowing community say thank you and farewell to Ed Green, and welcome James Cracknell, our new Director of Rowing.

The KGS Boat Club followed that with a tremendous weekend on the water at the Molesey Amateur Regatta, where they won multiple categories and the Victor Ludorum, presented to the most successful club on the day, and the Molesey Junior Regatta, where the younger rowers were equally successful, winning six events along with the Victor Ludorum.

AUGUST

GCSE and A Level students celebrated superb examination results, with the latter now going off to study at leading universities in the UK and overseas. We wish them all a very fond farewell and look forward to welcoming them back to KGS as Kingstonians!

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Sandown Park, Surrey

Bene Agere ac Laetari

FAREWELL TO THE CLASS OF 2025

It has been a privilege to welcome them into our brand new Sixth Form building at 100 London Road –a space designed to reflect the ambition and independence of our senior students.

As we say goodbye to the Class of 2025, we reflect on a truly memorable year in Upper Sixth. This final chapter of their KGS journey has been marked by resilience, leadership and a deep sense of community.

During their time at KGS, they have left a lasting impression. Whether leading co-curricular clubs, mentoring younger students, performing on stage or representing the School in sports and events, they have shown what it means to be role models, balancing academic rigour with creativity, compassion and commitment.

It was been a privilege to welcome them into our brand new Sixth Form building at 100 London Road – a space designed to reflect the ambition and independence of our senior students. And with the creation of our sixth House, Hosking, they have helped to shape a new chapter in our school’s story. Their presence and spirit have helped define what these new spaces and structures will mean for future generations. They embodied our school values – Aspiration, Integrity, Respect and Engagement – in everything they did, showing what it means to be part of the KGS community.

To the Class of 2025 I say this: as you move on to new adventures, take pride in all you’ve achieved. Carry the lessons, friendships and memories of this year with you. Pursue your passions boldly, stay grounded in your values, and remember: Work Well and Be Happy!

Ms A Williams Head of Sixth Form

We were delighted to open our newly renovated Sixth Form building last September. Four floors of teaching rooms, seminar spaces, collaborative and quiet study areas, along with Cafe 100, are now in full use.

William Adams

Durham University

General Engineering

Thomas Ahearn

University of Leeds Accounting & Finance

Hana Ali University of Manchester

English Literature & American Studies

Joe Ashton University of Exeter Medicine

Naz Aydin University of Sheffield Chemical Engineering

Joe Aymat

University of Manchester Management (International Business Economics)

Ollie Barnett University of Bristol Economics

Anushka Bate

University of Sheffield Architecture

Freya Bates University of Bath Education with Psychology

Nesta Bowen University of Leeds Business Management with Marketing

Judah Brackin

Duke University, North Carolina

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Jack Brady University of Nottingham Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Leon Brierly

University of Exeter Business & Management

Maya Buchanan University of Edinburgh

Ecological & Environmental Sciences

Daniela Burger Loughborough University Foundation Art

Hattie Byatt University of Bath Psychology

Sonny Carlisle University of Manchester Politics & Modern History

Joshua Cassidy University of Cambridge Engineering

Indy Catford King’s College London Classical Studies with English

Luke Chang University of Cambridge Land Economy

Aria Chaukar University of York Psychology

Sebastian Cockerell

Durham University Mathematics & Statistics

Charlotte Comard University of Bath Architecture

Scarlett Cook University of Bristol English

Alice Cowin University of Bristol Business & Management

Daniela Cuervo

University of Bath International Management & Modern Languages (Spanish)

Tomoki Delucia

University of Bristol Economics with Innovation

Tarun Desai

Durham University

Combined Honours in Social Sciences with Foundation

Grace Dormer

Kingston University Foundation Art

Jonathan Duguid Durham University History

Noah Dyson

Imperial College London Mathematics & Computer Science

Maxim Dythtchenko Imperial College London Chemistry

Cara Ehrenreich

Queen Mary University Law

Despina Estrada Queen’s University Belfast Law

Bodhi Fennell University of Bath Economics

Ben Fine

University of Bath Natural Sciences

Pietro Forlin University of Bath Aerospace Engineering

Will Fox University of Manchester Philosophy & Politics

Amy Fraser University of Edinburgh Mechanical Engineering

Elena Gallego Rodriguez University of Nottingham Chemical Engineering

Mattia Galvani

University of Bath Chemical Engineering

Chen Gao University of York Chemistry

Dylan Gillmore University of Manchester Chemical Engineering

Alumni can stay in touch with school news and our Kingstonians network by signing up at www.alumni.kgs.org.uk

Thomas Giraudo University of Exeter Mathematics with Economics

Trixie Glynn University of Birmingham Politics, Philosophy & Economics

Sofia Graham University of Exeter Psychology

Kameron Green

University of East Anglia Biomedical Science

Mishka Grewal University of Edinburgh Law

Skye Harris

McGill University, Montreal

English

Isabel Harris

University of Nottingham Architecture & Environmental Design

Ralph Hassan University of Manchester Mechanical Engineering

Marcus Hawkins University of Exeter Economics

Tess Helbing University of Bath International Development with Economics

Tomi Hietanen

Lancaster University Physics

Freya Himes

University of Southampton Geography

Lucy Holland-Barden University of Leeds Law

Imogen Ioannilli University of Leeds Economics

Natalie Ivory University of Edinburgh History & Economics

Finian Jeffrey Durham University

Combined Honours in Social Sciences

Jasmine Jones

Oxford School of Drama Foundation Year

Katy Jones University of Leeds Business Management

Oliver Kemp University of Bristol History with Innovation

Arjun Khosla

University of Birmingham International Business

Asher Kim University of York Economics & Finance

Nelson Kinzler

Imperial College London Chemical Engineering

Plum Knowles University of Leeds Geography

Oliver Kundrak

Durham University Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Hugo Land

Durham University

Combined Honours in Social Sciences

Amelie Lear

University of Liverpool Business Management

Freddie Lett

University of Nottingham Economics

Thomas Low

Durham University

General Engineering

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Zain Mannan University of Bath Accounting & Finance

Amelia Marinko

Cardiff University Architectural Studies

Henry May University of Oxford Classics

Fergus McGuiggan University of Bath Economics with Politics

Kamini Meech-Menon University of Warwick Global Sustainable Development

Zara Mirza

University College London International Management

Iris Mitchell University of Liverpool Psychology

Josh Moore University of Bath Mathematics & Physics

Remy Moss Cardiff Metropolitan University Sport Management

Sophia Mui Imperial College London Medicine

Charlie Neale University of Toronto, Canada

Industrial Engineering

Luca Nicol

University of Bath French & Mandarin

Max Norman Loughborough University Economics & Management

Ema Ogowewo London School of Economics Economic History

Liam O’Neill University of Southampton Politics & International Relations

Joseph Oxborrow University of Cambridge Modern & Medieval Languages

Priyam Patel King’s College London Dentistry

Jim Patterson University of Bristol Civil Engineering

Maya Peun King’s College London Physics with Astrophysics & Cosmology

Henry Pollock University of Manchester Law with Politics

Dexter Porter University of Southampton Maritime Engineeirng

Bella Pritchard Newcastle University Geography

Hetti Rapley University of Sheffield Architecture

Izzy Reilly University College London Classical Archaeology & Classical Civilisation

Angelina Remisio University of Southampton Computing Engineering

Dilly Roberts University of Liverpool Veterinary Science

Lois Robinson University of Manchester Geography with International Study

Jonatan Ronberg University of Bath Economics

Josie Roux

Loughborough University Geography

Jaime Sanchez Ruiz Gap Year

Lydia Schraa Gap Year

Holly Seabrook University of Leeds Economics & History

Aidan Seymour University College London Psychology & Language Sciences

Matthew Shinn University of Southampton Physiotherapy

Edward Simpson University of Southampton Maritime Engineering

Sam Sloan University of Bristol Physics

Maddie Sloan University of Oxford Biochemistry (Molecular & Cellular)

Emily Smith University of York Psychology

Roshaan Sornalingam University of Bristol Economics & Management

Drew Souter University of Bath Economics

Lucas Starling University of Southampton Economics & Finance

Freddie Steel

University of Nottingham

Aerospace Engineering Ollie Stone

University of Nottingham Architecture

Jemima Stuart University of St Andrews Social Anthropology

Shalini Thayaparan University College London Economics & Statistics

Anne Thevenon University of Washington, Seattle International Studies

Harrison Tincknell

Kingston University Foundation Art

Adrian Tonge Gap Year

Hannah Topen University of Dundee Medicine

Jonah Tsang

University of Exeter Mathematics

Oscar Waddington UWE, Bristol Cyber Security & Digital Forensics

George Wakeling Gap Year

Tom Watts University of York Computer Science

Charlotte Wellman University of Nottingham Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience

Charlotte Wigmore

Durham University Natural Sciences

Sophie Williams University of Birmingham Economics

Hannah Wood University of Bristol Physiological Science

Ryan Yan University College London Linguistics

Florian Young University College London Law with German Law

Angelina Zadora University of York Business & Society

From Medicine to Maritime Engineering, Law to Linguistics – our students are heading to universities across the UK and beyond, reflecting both the breadth of their talents and the courage to follow their passions.

I AM HUGELY PROUD OF THIS GROUP OF WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ONLY SHOWN IMMENSE DEDICATION TO THEIR ACADEMIC STUDIES BUT HAVE ALSO ADDED SO MUCH TO THE WIDER LIFE OF THE SCHOOL.

Mr SR Lehec I Head Master

Bene Agere ac Laetari

COLOURS AND HONOURS

24 25 AWARDS

SPORT

FULL COLOURS:

William Adams Rowing

Joe Aymat Football

Anushka Bate Football

Judah Brackin Rowing

Jack Brady Football

Joshua Cassidy Rowing

India Catford Rowing

Sebastian Cockerell Athletics

Noah Dyson Hockey

Maxim Dythchenko Tennis

Cara Ehrenreich Rowing

Pietro Forlin Rowing

William Fox Hockey

Amy Fraser Rowing

Mattia Galvini Hockey

Trixie Glynn Football

Ralph Hassan Rowing

Natalie Ivory Cricket, Tennis, Golf

Finian Jeffrey Football

Freddie Lett Hockey

Thomas Low Rowing

Joshua Moore Tennis

Remy Moss Football

Jonatan Ronberg Hockey, Golf Josie Roux Hockey, Tennis

Holly Seabrook Football

Matthew Shinn Hockey

Sam Sloan Hockey

Emily Smith Netball

Freddie Steel Rowing

Oliver Stone Hockey

Anne Thevenon Rowing

Hannah Wood Hockey, Tennis

HALF COLOURS:

Oliver Barnett Rowing

Freya Bates Netball

Maya Buchanan Hockey, Football

Hattie Byatt Rowing

Luke Chang Football

Alice Cowin Netball

Ben Fine Rowing

Elena Gallego Rodriguez Netball

Dylan Gillmore Football

Lucy Holland-Barden Hockey, Football

Kathryn Jones Netball

Oliver Kemp Rowing

Plum Knowles Netball

Hugo Land Cricket

Amelie Lear Netball

Freddie Lett Golf

Zain Mannan Cricket

Amelia Marinko Hockey

Remy Moss Cricket

Liam O’Neill Cricket, Golf

SCHOOL COLOURS AND HONOURS ARE AWARDED TO RECOGNISE EXCELLENCE AND COMMITMENT TO SPORT AND OTHER CO-CURRICULAR AREAS OF SCHOOL LIFE RESPECTIVELY.

Emamoke Ogowewo Netball

Priyam Patel Cricket

Dexter Porter Rowing

Lois Robinson Netball

Jonatan Ronberg Cricket

Lydia Schraa Tennis

Holly Seabrook Hockey, Golf

Sam Sloan Cricket

Roshan Sornalingam Cricket

Lucas Starling Football

George Wakeling Football

Thomas Watts Rowing

Charlotte Wigmore Rowing

Charlotte Wellman Rowing

Florian Young Rowing

ART

FULL HONOURS:

Grace Dormer

Amelia Marinko

Harrison Tincknell

HALF HONOURS:

Hana Ali

Anushka Bate

Leon Brierly

Daniela Burger

Tess Helbing

CCF

FULL HONOURS:

Charlotte Comard

Jonathan Duguid

Chen Gao

Edward Simpson

Hannah Topen

Oscar Waddington

DEBATING

FULL HONOURS:

Cara Ehrenreich

Emamoke Ogowewo

Lois Robinson

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

HALF HONOURS:

Charlotte Comard

Harrison Tincknell

DRAMA

FULL HONOURS:

Freya Bates

Grace Dormer

Jasmine Jones

Oliver Kemp

Plum Knowles

Hetti Rapley

Isabella Reilly

Emily Smith

Jemima Stuart

Hannah Topen

HALF HONOURS:

Ben Fine

Chen Gao

Iris Mitchell

Charlie Neale

Bene Agere ac Laetari

MUSIC

FULL HONOURS:

Tarun Desai

Maxim Dythtchenko

Chen Gao

Ralph Hassan

Amelia Marinko

Iris Mitchell

Charlie Neale

Joseph Oxborrow

Hannah Topen

Sophie Williams

Ryan Yan

HALF HONOURS:

Judah Brackin

Hattie Byatt

Sophia Mui

Dilly Roberts

Lydia Schraa

Emily Smith

YOUNG ENTERPRISE

FULL HONOURS:

Trixie Glynn

Lucy Holland-Barden

Imogen Ioannilli

Oliver Kemp

Max Norman

Holly Seabrook

A LEVEL

‘25 RESULTS

I am hugely proud of this group of wonderful young people who have not only shown immense dedication to their academic studies but have also added so much to the wider life of the School.

SIXTY-FIVE STUDENTS – HALF OF THE ENTIRE COHORT – ACHIEVED A CLEAN SWEEP OF A*/A GRADES

A LEVEL: OVER 80% WILL BE TAKING UP PLACES AT RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES

A LEVEL: STUDENTS ARE TAKING UP PLACES AT PRESTIGIOUS OVERSEAS UNIVERSITIES

A

ENGLISH AT MCGILL UNIVERSITY, MONTREAL

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE

CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AT DUKE UNIVERSITY, NORTH CAROLINA

Mr SR Lehec, Head Master

These students should be incredibly proud of their achievements, and I look forward to seeing them continue to thrive and become valued senior members of our school community.

Mr SR Lehec, Head Master

GCSE: 90% OF ALL GRADES WERE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, 7 TO 9 (A*/A)

GCSE: 75% OF STUDENTS ACHIEVED THE TOP GRADES 9 AND 8 (A*)

MORE THAN HALF OF ALL STUDENTS ACHIEVED A CLEAN SWEEP OF THESE TOP GRADES ACROSS ALL THEIR SUBJECTS

Bene Agere ac Laetari

SCHOOL CAPTAINS (NOW AND THEN)

VICE CAPTAIN Sophie Kelly

STUDYING: Biology, Physical Education, Psychology

PLANNING TO READ: Psychology

You get out what you put in. Take all the opportunities you can to get involved in school life.

SCHOOL CAPTAIN Tilly Bardell

STUDYING: Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Religion & Philosophy

PLANNING TO READ: Natural Sciences

Take part in House events. They allow you to meet students throughout the school... and I would encourage Sixth Formers to apply to be a Prefect (and not just because of the tea and cake each Friday!).

SCHOOL CAPTAIN Jasper Simmons

STUDYING: English, French, Drama, Latin

PLANNING TO READ: English

Read voraciously. You never know what you might learn. From Shakespeare to science, Chaucer to criminology, reading will take you to a myriad of destinations.

My sincere thanks and good luck to the 2024/25 School Captains, Charlie Neale and Emily Smith, and Vice-Captains Maya Buchanan and Oli Kemp. We warmly welcome their successors, appointed in the Summer term after rigorous interviews with senior members of staff.

Mr SR Lehec I Head Master

VICE CAPTAIN Hanna Wren

STUDYING: Chemistry, Biology, Maths

PLANNING TO READ: Medicine

Life at school goes so quickly, so make the most of your time here, participating in things you may not even be good at. Join in and have fun!

Bene Agere ac Laetari

A CULTURE OF SERVICE IS CENTRAL

The Royal Military Chapel, Wellington Barracks

We are incredibly proud of the contributions of all our young people – whether baking and selling cakes, getting sponsored for a fun run, mentoring a fellow student, serving the community as part of the CCF, or volunteering at a school or a local charity. We are certain that these experiences will help to shape the decisions they make as they consider their place in society, and how they can continue to play their part in making the world a better place.

Mrs K Pinnock I Head of Community Action and Service

Bene Agere ac Laetari

COMMUNITY SERVICE & PARTNERSHIPS

1,500

OVER 1,500 HOURS OF VOLUNTEERING UNDERTAKEN BY LOWER SIXTH STUDENTS

25 STUDENTS FROM LOCAL STATE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN INTERVIEW PRACTICE SESSIONS AND OXBRIDGE AND MEDICINE INTERVIEW PREPARATION

“A huge thank you for your mock interview support for our student. He has been offered a place to read History at Oxford. We are thrilled for him!”

SPORTS COACHING IN LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS: OUR COACHES PROVIDED COACHING IN TAG RUGBY, HOCKEY, BALL SKILLS, BASKETBALL, CRICKET AND ATHLETICS TO 484 PUPILS

OUR SIXTH FORM VOLUNTEERING PROJECTS BENEFITTED 784 LOCAL CHILDREN

STUDENTS WORKING TOWARDS THEIR DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S BRONZE AWARD UNDERTOOK 1664 HOURS OF VOLUNTEERING

315

315 HOURS OF MATHS TUITION WAS PROVIDED BY LOWER SIXTH STUDENTS

15 STUDENTS VOLUNTEERING AT KINGSTON CHURCHES ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS COOKED FOR SOME OF THE 101 GUESTS OF THE WINTER NIGHT SHELTER

“We’re delighted about our son’s achievement. This wouldn’t have been possible without your help and support!”

Parent of Primary Maths Challenge participant

THE CYBERFIRST GIRLS’ COMPETITION SAW 25 GIRLS FROM SIX LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS COMING TO KGS TO MARK THE START OF THIS NATIONAL GCHQ EVENT

“The girls really got into the challenges. It sparked some real excitement in problem solving as part of Computer Science.”

Bene Agere ac Laetari

£15,000 RAISED FOR CHARITY

75 CARE PACKAGES WERE PUT TOGETHER AND DONATED TO KCAH AND KINGSTON WOMEN’S HUB

2024/25 CHARITIES: BRITE BOX

KINGSTON CHURCHES ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS (KCAH)

YOUNG MINDS

COMIC RELIEF

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT SAVE THE CHILDREN

500KG

AS A SCHOOL COMMUNITY WE COLLECTED OVER HALF A TONNE OF FOOD AND HYGIENE PRODUCTS FOR KINGSTON FOOD BANK, KINGSTON CHURCHES ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS AND KINGSTON WOMEN’S HUB

SCHOOL CHARITIES

6,000

OUR VOLUNTEERS PACKED OVER 6,000 MEAL BOXES BENEFITTING 275 FAMILIES

96

96 STUDENTS FROM THE KINGSTON ACADEMY TOOK PART IN KGS-LED CAREERS COACHING SESSIONS

REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR COLLECTIONS – WHERE STUDENTS GAVE ITEMS RATHER THAN RECEIVED THEM – WERE DONATED TO KINGSTON FOOD BANK AND KINGSTON CHURCHES ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS

THROUGH THE POPPY APPEAL IN NOVEMBER WE SUPPORTED THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

£2,669

THE KGS CHARITY CUP WAS WON BY LOVEKYN FOR RAISING THE MOST MONEY THIS YEAR

Bene Agere ac Laetari

FROM GLACIER WALKING AND WATERFALL CLIMBING TO BEACH STROLLS AND SWIMMING IN GEOTHERMALLY HEATED POOLS...

GEOGRAPHY THIRD YEAR FIELD TRIP / APRIL 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland

THE GLACIER WE HAVE CLIMBED UPON FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS HAS RECEDED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE GUIDES EXPLAINED TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT THE REAL IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

OUR FIRST STOP WAS THE HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS AND THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

THERE WAS ALSO PLENTY OF TIME TO SAMPLE ICELANDIC CUISINE, ESPECIALLY AT THE SELFOSS FOODHALL.

ICELAND

A bumper group of over 40 Third Year students and five teachers were eager to spend time in the Land of Fire and Ice.

It had been an interesting build up to the trip as the newly formed volcano outside the settlement of Grindavik had begun to erupt.

Mrs S Humphrey Deputy Head; Director of Development

INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPES AND FANTASTIC GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES ARE EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. WE LEARNED ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH ICELAND IS ADAPTING TO BOTH INCREASING TOURISM NUMBERS AND THE CHANGING CLIMATE.

THE NEXT THREE DAYS WERE A MIXTURE OF ACTIVITIES RANGING FROM GLACIER WALKING AND WATERFALL CLIMBING TO BEACH WALKING AND SWIMMING IN GEOTHERMALLY HEATED POOLS.

WE ARE ALWAYS HOPEFUL OF SEEING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS BUT THEY WERE ELUSIVE THIS TIME.

THE REYKJAVÍK SUMMIT BETWEEN RONALD REAGAN AND MIKHAIL GORBACHEV WAS HELD HERE IN OCTOBER 1986.

CAMPFIRES AND CAPSIZING... A WEEK IN LOCH EIL

Lyra Ross, Katie Skrypa and Otis Dowgierd pick some of their highlights of the First Year trip.

OUTWARD BOUND FIRST YEAR TRIP / JUNE 2025

THE NATURAL WATERSLIDES WERE SO MUCH FUN. THESE ARE PLACES IN THE GORGE WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO SLIDE DOWN THE ROCKS VIA A SMALL WATERFALL INTO A MINI POOL. IT CAN BE A BUMPY RIDE AND YOU CAN GET STUCK (WHICH HAPPENED QUITE A BIT...), BUT WE LOVED IT AND WOULD DO IT AGAIN!

THE SCENERY WAS LIKE NOTHING I HAD EVER SEEN BEFORE AND IT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE SPENDING LOTS OF TIME WITH FRIENDS.

WE LOVED WILD CAMPING ON THE BEACH. WE LEARNED THAT THE INSIDE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF GRASS IS EDIBLE AND THAT IT DOESN’T ALWAYS GET COMPLETELY DARK IN SCOTLAND IN THE SUMMER.

GORGE SCRAMBLING AND THE LEAP OF FAITH TESTED MY CONFIDENCE AND WERE EXHILARATING.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Loch Eil, Scotland

ON THE BEACH WHERE OUR GROUP CAMPED, THERE WERE SHEEP THAT BRUSHED PAST OUR TENTS DURING THE NIGHT, AS WELL AS TRANSLUCENT MOON JELLYFISH IN THE SEA. WE LATER LEARNED THEY HAVE STINGS THAT CAN’T PENETRATE HUMAN SKIN.

SCOTLAND

WE WISH THE SAME COULD BE SAID OF THE SCOTTISH MIDGES!

JUMPING INTO A SCOTTISH LOCH IN OUR ‘CLANS’ WAS COLD BUT EXHILARATING. WE EDGED INTO THE WATER UP TO OUR THIGHS, AND THOSE WHO FELT COMFORTABLE WENT DOWN TO THEIR SHOULDERS AND THEN COMPLETELY SUBMERGED THEMSELVES. AFTER SWIMMING BACK TO SHORE, THE HOT SHOWER WAS VERY WELCOME!

Outward Bound 2025 was brought to you by: Mr Simmons, Ms Cope, Mr Emmerton, Mr Winter, Mrs Phoenix, Mrs Mayor, Mrs Wakely, Mr Deepchand, Mr Beard, Mr Hall, Mr Forsyth, Mr Hazel, Mrs Humphrey, Mr Humphrey, Mr O’Collins, Miss Durcan, Miss Maclean, Mrs Maclay and Miss Wright.

STRENGTHENING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

Kingston Grammar School continues to enjoy a strong, collaborative partnership with the Mountain Kingston Bilingual School (MKBS) in Suzhou, near Shanghai. This relationship, built on a shared commitment to excellence in education, has created a vibrant exchange of ideas, culture and practice between our schools.

Mrs D Sherwood I Director of International

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Suzhou, China

MKBS VISIT

In November, members of the KGS Leadership Team travelled to Suzhou to carry out a quality assurance visit, embracing the opportunity to see first hand the excellent work taking place within MKBS.

In turn, we were delighted to welcome Senior Leaders from both MKBS and the Pinghe Bilingual School in Shanghai to KGS.

Their visit focused on exploring practical and investigative approaches to teaching and learning, methods that lie at the heart of the KGS ethos.

In June, we hosted a group of MKBS students as part of a UK Study Tour. Having recently completed their iGCSEs, and preparing to embark upon their A Level courses, the students got a taste of life at KGS, taking

part in interactive lessons, hands-on projects and inspiring discussions, before visiting some of the country’s leading universities as they explored future higher education opportunities.

As always, these visits serve as a reminder of the power of international collaboration. They enable students and staff alike to learn from one another, broaden horizons, and celebrate the exciting possibilities that arise when schools around the globe work together.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

CREATIVE EDUCATION REMAINS CENTRAL TO WHAT WE DO...

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Leon Brierly, A Level coursework

Bene Agere ac Laetari

STUDENTS USED THEIR SKILLS TO DESIGN AND CARRY OUT THEIR OWN ECOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Studland Beach, Dorset

KGS ACADEMIA

Mr J Dyson Head of Art

ART

Creative education continues to play a vital role in the development of our students. It helps build problemsolving skills, emotional awareness and confidence. It also contributes to wider society. The UK’s creative industries are a major part of the economy, generating over £100 billion each year and employing millions. By supporting creative education, we are helping prepare students for a wide range of careers and giving them tools to express themselves and engage with the world.

This year has been another successful and productive one for the Art Department. Students across all year groups have shown creative flair and it has been a joy to work with them. One of the most visible achievements was the installation of two large murals in the new Sixth Form building at 100 London Road. Designed by Ieuan Thomas and Sophie Kelly, these artworks have transformed the space and added a strong visual identity to the building. Their work is a great example of how student creativity can enhance the school environment.

The Head Master’s Christmas Card Competition was once again a popular event, with many excellent entries from our Art Scholars. This year’s winners were Mavi Turan, Amelia Marinko, Daniela Burger, and Freya FordRobertson. In addition, Tess Joice of 1S received a special Commendation for her mural design on climate change, submitted to a national competition run by the Grantham Institute. Her work was selected from hundreds of entries and was praised for its clarity and message.

House Art was another highlight, based on the theme of ‘Wellbeing and Respect’. Students responded with a wide range of ideas and styles, and Walworth House was named the winner for their thoughtful and creative submission. Students also had the chance to explore art beyond the classroom. A trip to the Van Gogh exhibition at the National Gallery gave students a deeper understanding of the artist’s work and techniques.

Sixth Form life-drawing classes were held again this year, helping students improve their observational skills and build confidence. These sessions continue to be a valuable part of the curriculum.

We were also pleased to welcome visiting students from Mountain Kingston Bilingual School in Suzhou, China. During their time here, they took part in a digital self-portrait workshop and produced framed artworks to take home. It was a positive experience for everyone involved and a great opportunity for cultural exchange.

The year ended with the GCSE and A Level Art Exhibition, which was well attended by students, parents and staff. The GCSE work, displayed in the Theatre, showed a wide range of approaches and techniques, with many pieces demonstrating strong personal ideas and technical skill. The A Level work, exhibited in the Baxter Gallery, was particularly impressive. Graphic design pieces by Hana Ali and Tess Helbing were bold and professional. Paintings by Anushka Bate, Amelia Marinko and Grace Dormer showed great control and creativity. Harrison Tincknell’s 3D work was detailed, ambitious and exceptionally wellcrafted, whilst drawings by Leon Brierly and Daniela Burger showed excellent precision and observation. The exhibition was a clear reflection of the hard work and talent of the students and reinforced the School’s reputation for both academic and creative excellence.

We are proud of what our students have achieved this year and look forward to another exciting year ahead.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Anushka Bate

University of Sheffield Architecture

Daniela Burger

Loughborough University Foundation Art

Grace Dormer

Kingston University Foundation Art

Amelia Marinko

Cardiff University Architectural Studies

Harrison Tincknell

Kingston University Foundation Art

Mr M Rodgers Head of Biology

BIOLOGY

The entire Lower Sixth Biology cohort were entered into the UKBC Biology Olympiad at the end of January, with many of the students achieving impressive results. Harry Atherton, Debika Pradhan, Gavin Li, Sophie Kelly, Ayden Carter and Nelly Malykhanova all achieved Highly Commended awards, whilst Jack Rees, Peter Tokajuk and Lauren Proddow achieved Bronze. Most impressive of all were Ben Ariel and Nathaniel Butcher who achieved Silver.

The A Level Biology field trip to Leeson House in June was a great success. While London was experiencing a heatwave, students and staff enjoyed pleasantly cooler temperatures on the Dorset coast. The trip to Kimmeridge Bay to examine periwinkle zonation and compare limpet shell sizes was certainly the academic highlight although it may have been the rock pooling that took place after the data collection that everyone enjoyed the most. The visit to the River Piddle was a nice introduction to freshwater invertebrate sampling in which students donned chest waders and did a little dance in the river to carefully disturb the habitats of the animals.

The identification and counting allowed biodiversity indices to be calculated and the water quality to be assessed, a key aspect of work carried out by organisations such as The Environment Agency.

A visit to Studland Beach enabled us to investigate succession by sampling the sand dune vegetation on one of the UK’s prettiest beaches. Lunch followed, and we discovered that the Studland sausage rolls are some of the tastiest you will find at any National Trust outpost! Before leaving Dorset, students used the skills they had developed over the first two days of the trip to design and carry out their own ecological investigation as part of their A Level practical competency award.

The popular First Year Science Club was run by Ms Thomas, Mrs Mayor and Ms Airbright this year. One of the standout experiences they had was the modelling

of evolutionary processes using sweets during British Science Week. Stepping into the shoes of Charles Darwin, they explored how finch beak shapes evolved to suit different food sources on the Galapagos Islands. Students also dissected a frog, learned how to carry out fingerprint analysis, modelled lung function using plastic bottles and balloons, and examined the effect of caffeine on the heart rate of Daphnia, a transparent freshwater flea. Old favourites such as learning about how the different colours in fireworks are produced and the everpopular salt crystal Christmas trees remained, as did the locust dissection.

The Biomedical Extension Class was surely the best attended extension class in the entire school this year, with around 25 students taking part each week. They enjoyed lectures on topics as wide-ranging as the ethics of animal testing, epigenetics, the science of smell, and performance-enhancing psychoactive drugs. What was most impressive was the number of students volunteering to present to their peers; we heard talks about resurrecting extinct species, brain-eating amoeba and prion disease to name but a few.

We bid farewell to our enthusiastic and talented Upper Sixth cohort of biologists, who have all gone on to study a Biology-related subject, including Medicine and Dentistry, at university. We wish them all well.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Joe Ashton University of Exeter Medicine

Ben Fine

University of Bath Natural Sciences

Kameron Green University of East Anglia Biomedical Science

Sophia Mui Imperial College London Medicine

Priyam Patel King’s College London Dentistry

Dilly Roberts University of Liverpool Veterinary Science

Matthew Shinn

University of Southampton Physiotherapy

Maddie Sloan University of Oxford Biochemistry (Molecular and Cellular)

Hannah Topen University of Dundee Medicine

Charlotte Wigmore Durham University Natural Sciences

Hannah Wood

University of Bristol Physiological Science

Mr C Wenham

Second in Chemistry

CHEMISTRY

CLASS

OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Naz Aydin University of Sheffield Chemical Engineering

Maya Buchanan University of Edinburgh Ecological & Environmental Sciences

Maxim Dythtchenko Imperial College London Chemistry

Elena Gallego Rodriguez University of Nottingham Chemical Engineering

Mattia Galvani

University of Bath Chemical Engineering

Chen Gao University of York Chemistry

Dylan Gillmore

University of Manchester Chemical Engineering

Nelson Kinzler

Imperial College London Chemical Engineering

Following our most successful A Level results ever in 2024, the Chemistry Department has continued to build on that momentum. The year has been marked by a range of exciting new initiatives designed to enrich student learning and deepen engagement with the subject. From tailored extension programmes to inclusive support systems, we have worked tirelessly to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive.

One of the most notable developments was the launch of the Helium Programme, designed specifically for Sixth Form students with a passion for Chemistry and aspirations to pursue it at a higher level. This initiative offers a curated selection of extension reading and advanced tasks that challenge students to think beyond the curriculum. Whether exploring cuttingedge research or tackling complex chemical problems, participants have embraced the opportunity to deepen their understanding and prepare for competitive university applications.

In addition, we introduced weekly personal study tasks for Lower Sixth students, aimed at consolidating their knowledge across all areas of the curriculum. These tasks encourage independent learning and reinforce key concepts, helping students to build confidence and mastery in the subject. The structured nature of the programme ensures that students remain engaged and reflective in their studies, while also developing valuable skills in time management and selfassessment.

Recognising the importance of accessible support, a  twice-weekly Chemistry drop-in clinic was established for students from all year groups from Third Year upwards. This initiative has been a resounding success, providing a welcoming space where students can seek help on any topic, from homework queries to exam preparation. It has fostered a culture of openness and collaboration, allowing students to take ownership of their learning and benefit from personalised guidance.

British Science Week saw students having the opportunity to learn about how the purity of medicines can be checked by spectroscopy and being introduced to the importance of identifying counterfeit drugs. The experiment involved making a series of solutions of a dye, with known concentrations, and measuring the amount of light transmitted through a standard volume of each.

A digitally-plotted graph enabled the concentration of a sample solution of unknown concentration to be determined.

Together, these initiatives reflect the Department’s commitment to academic excellence and student wellbeing. By offering both challenge and support, the Chemistry team seeks to create a dynamic learning environment where curiosity is encouraged, and achievement is celebrated.

As we highlight the achievements of the past year, we also take this opportunity to wish our Upper Sixth leavers every success as they embark on the next stage of their journeys. Their hard work, curiosity and enthusiasm have left a lasting impression on the Department, and we look forward to hearing about their future accomplishments.

We are also delighted to welcome two new members to the Chemistry team, Miss Minorczyk and Miss Thevananth, who bring with them a wealth of fresh perspectives and insights.

Mr W Nolan

Head of Classics

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Indy Catford King’s College London Classical Studies with English Henry May University of Oxford Classics

Izzy Reilly University College London Classical Archaeology & Classical Civilisation

CLASSICS

It was a year of change for the Classics Department. We said farewell to Louise Andrew and Brenda McDonald and welcomed Anna Sayles and Lottie Mortimer. This is an exciting time for the Department and with new colleagues comes new energy, experience and ideas. Classics continues to offer a range of clubs and societies. Henry May’s Classics Club supported Fourth Year students with their Latin vocabulary. Greek Reading Club enabled students taking the Gratin course in Fourth and Fifth Year to read a wide range of texts in Classical Greek and supported their progress through the challenge of the combined Greek and Latin course. The students have read a variety of texts, mainly about Greek myths and philosophy. This year also saw the introduction of Mythology Club, led by Ms Sayles, where First and Second Years engaged with, and creatively responded to, the myths of Daedalus and Icarus and Theseus and the Minotaur.

The fruits of this increased interest in mythology from students in the Lower School has seen an outpouring of creativity. Students have produced models of ancient sites, both digital and physical, have written stories and poems and even made a pair or functioning flapping Icarus wings. The following excerpt is from a Second Year’s creative response to katabasis myths, such as Orpheus and Euridice:

“He stood at the mouth of the cavern, heart pounding in his chest. The air smelled of cold stone and lost souls. At his side hung the scrolls that held countless languages, but it was the weight of what lay ahead that pressed upon him. He was no warrior. Yet here he was, the one sent to plead with death.”

On the theme of creative writing, this year also saw the introduction of the Classics Library. Many students come to Classics with a love of storytelling and mythmaking, and this initiative encourages them to follow this passion and read books set in the ancient world or based on ancient mythology. This year, students have read and reviewed books such as Cloud Cuckoo Land, Circe, Stone Blind and Agrippina.

This year has seen the development of the Sixth Form Seminar Society, with weekly sessions run by teachers on topics such as Roman Coins, Mycenaean Greece, the works of Martial, Ovid’s use of female personae and an excellent session on the appropriation of Classical imagery and ideas by the Nazis and Italian Fascists.

These sessions allow students to see the range of areas covered by Classics and we are excited to see the students deliver sessions on areas that interest them in the new academic year.

Students in the Sixth Form were inspired by the academic challenge of these sessions to enter Omnibus Magazine’s Gladstone Essay Competition. They produced impressive pieces on the

back of careful research. Claudia Lynn argued that the archaeology of the site of Eleusis provided evidence of general dissatisfaction towards traditional Greek religious worship and gives us clues that Greeks sought a more optimistic version of the afterlife than what was presented in the works of Homer. Theo Grant used the Linear B tablets from Pylos to explore the social and cultural framework of Bronze Age states in Greece, concluding that these systems were more similar to Norman Feudalism than the urban systems of Classical Greece. Olu Koevoets argued that the difficulty and style of Homeric Greek means that the Iliad and the Odyssey, despite their enormous cultural impact, should not be taught as a starting point for the study of the Greeks. Finally, Alex Carrodus explored what we can learn about the Athenian view of the human condition from tragedy, finding some rays of hope amidst despair.

Alongside the essay competitions, Lower Sixth students have also entered translations for the Omnibus Translation Prize Jasper Simmons translated a love poem by Propertius, whilst Sophie Skeates and Clementine Holloway each tackled a section of Ovid’s Metamorphoses III. We wish them the best of luck in the competition.

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

Charlotte Comard

storage seat

Experimenting with bending pieces of pine to make the curved corners, I settled on glueing together angled pieces that were then sanded for structural integrity and comfort.

Using SketchUp, I checked my measurements before presenting this initial design to the client, who liked the bench-type design.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Charlotte Comard

University of Bath

Architecture

Isabel Harris

University of Nottingham

Architecture & Environmental Design

Ollie Stone

University of Nottingham

Architecture

Mr D Farr I Head of DT

Shoe

A level projects

Max Norman Folding table

The top of the table was designed to be made from plywood for strength, with a built-in chess board created by laser cutting to ensure accurate sizing and straight edges.

The edges of the cupboard would be made from oak, and the mitre joints to connect pieceswould give strength.

The side of the table has hidden compartments with storage for each chess piece.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Mr R Gee Director of Drama

DRAMA

Hundreds of students took to the stage – both on it and behind it – in one of the major school productions, House Drama or the LAMDA Presentation evening. This year we entered our school productions for the National School Theatre Awards and were delighted that many of our talented performers received nominations for the top acting awards. I truly believe that the standard of work we produce is akin to the West End.

The Sixth Form Play, After Life, was a challenging piece dealing with themes of grief, loss and memory. Our Sixth Form students sensitively rose to the challenge and delivered a beautifully haunting performance with subtlety and maturity. Antigone was a bold choice as our Upper School Play Miss Christmas’ assured, scaled-back direction allowed the language and acting to dominate. We staged a musical for the first time in ten years, with the Lower School excelling in a fun, cheeky production of The Little Shop of Horrors which had audiences buzzing. It is fantastic to see so many students taking active roles backstage, taking on key roles in stage management, lighting design, set construction

and prop-making. Many thanks to our wonderful Theatre Manager, Mrs Starmer, who invests so much time and energy nurturing our young students.

One of the highlights of the year was the Sixth Form Scholars’ Evening. Our actor in residence, Stephen Kennedy, worked tirelessly with the Drama Scholars to put together a spectacular evening of monologues, short scenes and musical numbers. Mr Gee began the evening explaining that much of the work Mr Kennedy and the Drama teachers do is teaching our students “not to act”: this may seem strange but great acting is when you don’t see the acting cogs but just believe the character. Jasper Simmons delivered a spell-binding Hamlet, Grace Dormer was effortless as Medea and Ava Dent raised the roof with a star turn as Sally Bowles from Cabaret

The academic year was rounded off with all First Year students performing on stage in the First Year Showcase which featured songs and excerpts from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals. It was wonderful to see the potential of our future scholars having their first taste of being under the stage lights!

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Jasmine Jones

Oxford School of Drama Foundation Year

HOUSE DRAMA

To commemorate 50 years since the death of renowned playwright and Kingstonian RC Sherriff, House Drama looked to celebrate some of his best-loved works. Each House was given one of his plays, with the task of creating a piece of theatre inspired by the title, and featuring at least two minutes’ worth of dialogue from the original work.

Lovekyn created a beautiful piece of theatre from Home at Seven that looked at the lives of those left behind when people go missing. Thoughtful and considered, it featured touching moments of genuine emotion. Lily Large and Jude Virik gave notable performances of an older couple struggling with the impact of dementia.

Walworth created a poignant piece based on The Long Sunset which dealt with grief and loss during the Second World War. Ably directed by Jasper Simmons and Alex Carrodus, there were many standout performances, notably Eden Taylor and Rosie Campbell

Taverner’s piece was inspired by Miss Mabel and featured a young woman seeking advice from a woman she’d been told would always be able to help: the eponymous Miss Mabel. Well-crafted and layered, it took the audience on a journey along with the protagonist. A special mention to Joe Finn who created a stunning lighting design which effectively placed the narrative in various locations without the need for constant scene changes.

Queen’s took to the stage with a performance named The White Carnation, interpreting this title with a story of a young girl evacuated from the city in the Second World War, told by her to her grandson when she is an old woman. This piece featured standout performances from Joe Barrett and Ayesha Husain, and was ably written and directed by Freya Bates. It was especially strong in its use of ensemble, featuring beautiful moments with the cast creating the grandmother’s memories and dreams and, as such, won the award for ‘Best Ensemble’.

Stanley portrayed their rendition of Badger’s Green This was a delicate piece of theatre that touched on grief and bereavement, with wonderful moments of performance, most notably from Arlo Avens, who was awarded the prize for ‘Best Actor in a Lead Role’. Allegra Kelly and Angela Harris also delivered emotional eulogies, and directors Lauren Proddow, Iarina Nacu, Abigail Sturge and Orson Griffith helped this piece come together beautifully.

Hosking performed an interpretation of perhaps Sherriff’s most famous play, Journey’s End. Already facing the challenge of only having a cast of First Years and Lower Sixth, they created a genuinely touching piece of theatre about young men in the trenches. Safia Ramlakhan performed her role as the Captain with genuine emotion, while Emme Gaughan created moments of comic relief as the army chef. Alice Davidson was awarded the prize for ‘Best Writing’, and deservedly so – this piece was engaging, emotional and thought-provoking.

HOUSE DANCE

Our comperes this year were the talented Ava Dent and Jasper Simmons, and our guest adjudicators were Eliza James and Oliver Lea.

We began with the duet category, which featured six fantastic performances. Freya Bates and Freya Himes did a wonderful dance to Rihanna’s Umbrella, while Zoe Goldwyn-Pagett and Anya Taylor created a piece that featured elements of circus skills set to music – what a treat! Ultimately, Lovekyn took the prize for Duets with a moving ballet piece, performed and choreographed by Eva Rouse and Elizabeth Irvine, that demonstrated both technical skill and ability to portray genuine emotion on stage.

The ‘Original Choreography’ category was another delight and again demonstrated the range of ages of students who throw themselves into House Dance. It would be easy to think that Hosking would be disadvantaged by only having members in First Year and Lower Sixth, but their dance to Raise Your Glass was truly wonderful, holding its own against pieces with older members of the school. Stanley’s piece, choreographed by Jasmine Jones to Burn In Your Name was meticulously crafted and well-rehearsed, while Taverner’s Spice Girls-inspired piece, choreographed by Indy Catford, Charlotte Wellman and Ava Dent, was an upbeat delight. Ultimately Queen’s took the win, in an excited and energetic piece performed to Hey Mickey, ably choreographed by

Charlotte Edwards, Daisy Mack and Shanti Raj

The ‘Musical Theatre’ section is perhaps the most popular of the dances, and this year each House was given a decade from which to pick a musical to choreograph a dance to. The First and Second Year students came together to create six fantastic dances, with Walworth’s Stick it to the Man from School of Rock, and Queen’s Step in Time from Mary Poppins being just two examples of the variety of musicals represented. Ultimately, it was Lovekyn’s victory once again, with an exceptional performance of From Now On from The Greatest Showman, choreographed by Joe Aymat, Trixie Glynn and Nesta Bowen. A special shoutout is deserved for Lily Large, who took centre stage during this performance, and helped bring the entire piece to life masterfully.

Winners

1st Lovekyn

2nd Queen’s

3rd Stanley

4th Taverner

5th Walworth

6th Hosking

Duet

Lovekyn

Eva Rouse and Elizabeth Irvine

Original Choreography

Queen’s

Charlotte Edwards, Daisy Mack & Shanti Raj

Musical Theatre

Lovekyn

ALUMNI ON THE STAGE

Louisa Marshall (Kingstonian 2021)

Received 5* reviews for her one-woman show, A Clean Slate, at The Edinburgh Fringe.

Daisy Bainbridge (Kingstonian 2021)

After completing a three-year course at Oxford School of Drama, Daisy has been signed to one of the country’s top film, TV & theatrical agents, Independent Talent.

Joshua Stainer (Kingstonian 2021)

Joshua is writing and directing his own plays, which have been performed in London.

Jamie Bisping (Kingstonian 2016)

Recent TV credits include Things I Should Have Done, Rivals and Dreamland.

AFTERLIFE

Bene Agere ac Laetari

AFTERLIFE CAST:

Grace Dormer I Jasper Simmons I Plum Knowles I Isabelle Hammond I Emily Smith I Izzy Reilly I Abigail Sturge I Jemima Stuart I Freya Bates I Hannah Topen I Ava Dent I Oliver Kemp I Iarina Nacu I Ben Fine I Jasmine Jones I Joshua Clayton I Theo Grant I Elizabeth Irvine I Hugo Land I Alice Davidson I Orson Griffith I Olu Koevoets I

AFTERLIFE CREATIVES:

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Joe Finn I Chen Gao I Alex Carrodus I Julian Tank I Nicholas Tank I Edward Haynes I Iris Mitchell I Sophia Mui I Hetti Rapley

A FUN, CHEEKY PRODUCTION... WHICH HAD AUDIENCES BUZZING!

DRAMA LOWER SCHOOL MUSICAL / MAY 2025

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Bene Agere ac Laetari

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS CAST:

Sammy Ridley I Mia Vilasoa Allegue I Frederik Merlo I Jamie Sexton I Lily Large I Iwon Min I Elif Yuksel I Bella Herring I Milly Hutton I George Whyte I Eleonora Brunati I Lola Curtis I Daisy du Cann I Kiara Duffy I Roma Aggarwal I Holly Jones I Yasmin Kloihofer I Matilda Applegate I Millie McKillop I Sophia Braine I Flora Mitchell I Emily Vincent I Ayesha Husain I Christian Kelly I Jude Virik I Teddy Christie I Oscar Curtis I

Bene Agere ac Laetari

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS CREATIVES:

Joe Finn I Georgia Shepherd I Oscar Allibone I Poppy Newman I Ted Shiers I Jessica Todd I Abigail Sturge I Annabelle Soulier I Xanthe Olding I Annabel Swan I Lyra Ross I Katie Skrypka I Sara Redman I Ela Tekin I Amy Davies I Hugo Whyte I

SCALED-BACK DIRECTION ALLOWED THE LANGUAGE AND ACTING TO DOMINATE...

ANTIGONE

Bene Agere ac Laetari

ANTIGONE CAST:

Ava Kasolowsky I Lily Buchanan I Greg Cameron I Alexander Christie I Rosie Campbell I Allegra Kelly I Anfisa Betts I Bella Brown I Arlo Avens I Eva Rouse I Barney Harcourt I Miller Fearn I Julia Stewart I Angela Harris I Melody Moppett I Oliver Mrkusic I Matilda Pain I Bella Brunati I Anna Jackson I Maiya Kolev I Agatha Lehec I Yulia Novak I Catherine O’Shea I Anya Taylor I Alex Young I

ANTIGONE CREATIVES:

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Edward Haynes I Abigail Sturge I Joe Finn I Amy Davies I Oscar Allibone

Mr W Bohanna Head of Economics & Business

ECONOMICS & BUSINESS

Economics and Business Studies are dynamic social sciences. This year, in response to the rapidly evolving landscape of international economics, our Upper Sixth Economics course has undergone significant modernisation to reflect contemporary global trade realities. As a result of what we have called ‘Trumponomics’, we have incorporated real-time case studies of recent trade policies, particularly focusing on the unprecedented use of tariffs and their impact on global markets. Our Upper Sixth students engage with present economic scenarios, analysing how traditional free trade theories intersect with modern protectionist policies. As a result of the changing economic landscape this year, students have explored the immediate effects of trade barriers on global supply chains, consumer prices and international relations. Through interactive simulations and data analysis, they have evaluated the economic implications of various trade strategies employed by major economies.

Studying A Level Economics has helped develop an excellent understanding of the economy, how markets function and how the government influences these markets. I have enjoyed learning demand-side policies, such as fiscal policy, and how government intervention affects aggregate demand.

Cameron Ross, Lower Sixth

Our updated approach included examining the shifting dynamics between the United States and China, the renegotiation of major trade agreements, and the emergence of new economic alliances. As a result, students develop critical thinking skills by assessing how these changes affect both developed and developing economies. By maintaining a contemporary focus, the A Level Economics course ensures students develop a thorough understanding of both traditional economic principles and current international trade dynamics, making them well-equipped for university studies and future careers in economics, business or international relations.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Thomas Ahearn

University of Leeds Accounting & Finance

Joe Aymat

University of Manchester

Management (International Business Economics)

Ollie Barnett

University of Bristol Economics

Nesta Bowen

University of Leeds Business Management with Marketing

Jack Brady

University of Nottingham Philosophy, Politics & Economics

The Economics and Business Studies Department continues to flourish, marked by increasing student numbers and impressive university placements in economics and business-related degrees. Our move to the new Sixth Form building represents a significant upgrade, featuring state-of-the-art classrooms with compelling educational displays that enhance the learning environment. Along with our new learning environment, we were delighted to welcome Mr Hallam to the teaching team.

In response to the rapidly evolving business landscape, our Upper Sixth Business delivery has undergone a significant transformation to ensure students are equipped with the skills demanded by modern employers.

This innovative approach reflects our commitment to delivering education that bridges the gap between traditional business theory and contemporary digital practices.

The reimagined approach now incorporates hands-on experience with e-commerce platforms, social media marketing strategies, and digital analytics tools. This year we have engaged in real-world projects, such as studying businesses in live music events and festivals, that mirror the challenges faced by today’s digital entrepreneurs, from creating compelling online content to analysing market trends through data-driven insights.

Leon Brierly

University of Exeter Business & Management

Luke Chang

University of Cambridge Land Economy

Alice Cowin

University of Bristol Business & Management

Daniela Cuervo

University of Bath

International Management & Modern Languages (Spanish)

Tomoki Delucia

University of Bristol Economics with Innovation

Trixie Glynn

University of Birmingham Politics, Philosophy & Economics

Marcus Hawkins

University of Exeter

Economics

Imogen Ioannilli

University of Leeds

Economics

Finian Jeffrey

Durham University

Combined Honours in Social Sciences

Katy Jones

University of Leeds Business Management

Arjun Khosla

University of Birmingham

International Business

Asher Kim

University of York Economics & Finance

Oliver Kundrak

Durham University Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Amelie Lear

University of Liverpool Business Management

Freddie Lett

University of Nottingham Economics

Zain Mannan

University of Bath Accounting & Finance

Fergus McGuiggan

University of Bath Economics with Politics

Zara Mirza

University College London International Management

Max Norman

Loughborough University Economics & Management

Jonatan Ronberg

University of Bath Economics

Roshaan Sornalingam

University of Bristol Economics & Management

Drew Souter

University of Bath

Economics

Lucas Starling

University of Southampton Economics & Finance

Shalini Thayaparan

University College London Economics & Statistics

Sophie Williams

University of Birmingham Economics

Angelina Zadora

University of York Business & Society

Mrs S Garside Head of English

ENGLISH

With five new teachers joining the Department in September 2024, it’s been a busy year for English. We welcomed Dr Kandemir, Mr Healy, Mrs Burdett, Ms Tucker and Ms Pearce and thank them for the enthusiasm and energy they have brought to their classrooms.

In addition, Ms Jackson was promoted to Second in Charge of English, a role she has embraced with vigour – as demonstrated by her reorganisation of Lower School curriculums to include a wider range of texts and tasks – and the expertise she continues to share via her experience as a GCSE English Literature examiner. Particularly impressive is the fact that all the above has been achieved whilst juggling the organisation of her wedding this summer; we wish her every happiness!

Co-curricular opportunities have also increased for all age groups. For the Sixth Form, Mr Healy’s leading of LitSoc has offered students across the Sixth Form and Fifth Year the opportunity to listen to and deliver bi-weekly lectures on a range of texts, authors and genres, including a fascinating talk from visiting speaker Eamon Byers (Tiffin Boys) on Irish literature.

In the Lower and Upper School, Dr Kandemir’s ‘Inklings’ have embraced the opportunity to master poetic techniques and how to write creatively and we have been heartened by the continued popularity of our Lower and Upper School Book Clubs, despite a reported national fall in interest in literature – KGS seems to bucking the trend! We have been also been delighted by the determination of Lower Sixth English Literature students Jasper Simmons, Iarina Nacu, Orson Griffith and Yasmin King in their creation and leading of ShakeSoc, where they have explored a variety of Shakespeare’s plays and led discussions on their meanings and portrayals through the ages.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Hana Ali

University of Manchester

English Literature & American Studies

Indy Catford

King’s College London

Classical Studies with English

Scarlett Cook

University of Bristol English

Skye Harris

McGill University, Montreal English

CREATIVE WRITING SHORT STORY COMPETITION

SECOND YEAR

A TIME

I BROKE THE RULES

Zak Khan

Dappled sunlight shone onto my new football net like a spotlight; next to it was my new football that I had got that the morning. They were magnificent, the pair of them. The net stood tall in my garden ready for me to take my shots at it. However, this time the ball was not destined for the top corner but somewhere I was told never to go, over the fence at the back of our garden.

Behind the twisted fence, through the dagger-like brambles was the chalky, grey gravel with inconveniently placed tracks sitting on top of them.

So, there I was, lining up my shot just like my favourite footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, feet shoulder width apart, a long, deep breath and with a mighty swing of my leg. The new ball with a slight curve crashed onto the roof of our garden room and with a tremendous clatter bounced right over the rusty fence over the brambles and onto the gravel just a few feet away from the tracks.

As if I was on a watch tower looking over uncharted territory, I peered behind the fence only to be met with a forest full of brambles. There was no turning back now, so I tumbled into the tangled mess, sanding on my arms in a slight roll to break my fall.

Dappled sunlight shone onto my new football .... the net stood tall in my garden ready for me to take my shots at it. However, this time the ball was not destined for the top corner but somewhere I was told never to go...

My parents would say countless things about what was over the fence when I kicked my ball over things, such as ‘the brambles are too thick to get it’ or ‘the wire will cut your skin’ but the main argument against getting my balls was the train track that ran behind our house.

My face turned pale as if a vampire had sucked the life out of me. With heaviness in my limbs, I flung my head into my hands. What had I just done? The ball had gone so horribly over. I was starting to think if I would never see it again just like all the previous balls. That is when I had that golden yet hazardous thought: why don’t I just get it? I would rather be pricked by a few brambles than feel the petrifying wrath of my parents. I had to do it.

The first problem was getting on top of my garden room. I scouted my surroundings, my garden looking like a battlefield after assembling my football net. In the corner of my garden, with light radiating off it as if it were a treasure of some sort, was a ladder. I marched towards it and dragged it towards the garden room, ripping up grass as I went. I unfolded the ladder and leant it up onto the wooden building. It was a perfect height. With caution, I ascended until I reached the metal roofing of the building.

The second I landed I was pierced from all sides as if I had been ambushed by a dozen people all armed with rusty nails. It was inevitable that I was going to get hurt. I observed my environment, trying to find a slightly less dense direction to go, but there was nothing. The bushes were like impenetrable, towering walls. It was a dead end. I was going to have to go through hard and fast.

Without another thought holding me back, I trudged through the thorny vegetation protecting my head as I went. My arms, however, were being torn apart like they were meat in a lion’s den. Through the dark abyss, an old football, one of my own, caught the corner of my eye. I could only see it because of its faded orange colour. Sadly, it was battered as if the razor-sharp brambles had assaulted it. This gave me even more reason to get my new football back.

Eventually, after excruciating pain, I saw a beacon of light through a small gap in the shrubbery. Within an instant, I plunged onto all fours and crawled as if I was in the trenches surrounded by barbed wire. I had no time to check my injuries as I got up; the ball was the only thing that mattered. I lightly dusted myself off and struggled on towards the dusty path.

I scanned around the area knowing the ball was close and that is where I saw it about ten feet away from the dreaded tracks. With haste, I scampered towards it besides the arising gravel where the tracks were placed. At once I seized the mischievous ball and lifted it high over my head as if I had won the World Cup.

Before I could get my hopes up, I felt an uncanny rattling through the ground into every bone in my body. Then, as if on cue, I heard a rhythmic clack that seemed to get louder and louder until I realised what it was. From there I made out the streamlined shape of the train coming my way at full speed. At that moment I nosedived far away from the tracks and curled up around my ball as if a bomb were about to go off. As the enormous beast neared closer, a deafening horn blared out sending hefty vibrations. As it came past me it scattered the small gravel stones all over me like a barrage of bullets. Finally, it passed with a trail of dust behind it but the sound of the horn lingered in the air.

A moment was needed for me to collect my thoughts that the train had blown away. I hopped back on my feet with clear shock written all over my alarmed face. As I weaved my way back through the undergrowth, I thought I would rather have had been told off by my parents instead. I hauled myself up the garden house, descended the ladder and tucked it back into its corner. It was as if I had never left. Finally, I headed indoors, football in hand. That’s enough football for one day, I thought, and shut the garden door.

THIRD YEAR

MY JOURNEY

Irene Hong

It was a warm, cloudless night in South Korea. It had been a perfectly normal day, and I walked home after another long day in lessons. I expected to be greeted by no one, as my parents were working and my siblings all had lessons that ended later than mine.

However, I was surprised to see my parents smiling brightly at me from the dinner table. They looked like they had been discussing something with each other, and seemed excited for me to join in.

“What’s going on?” I asked, as there was always something unusual going on when they were both home early. “Sit down first,” they said. I sat down and looked at them expectantly. “So, what’s going on?” I asked again.

“Well, we were wondering if you would like to move to the UK.” I blinked. “The UK?” I asked, unsure if I had heard it right. “Yes, the UK,” my parents replied calmly. “Your mother got an offer to work there, and we thought it would be beneficial for you to study in a different country for a while.”

My brain stopped. The United Kingdom? The place halfway across the world where they drank tea and ate scones? I would have to use English all day there, and it was scary imagining talking to the people there when I was already failing my English classes here.

THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR STUDENTS WHO ENTERED THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT’S CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO ZAK AND IRENE FOR THEIR WINNING ENTRIES.

The United Kingdom?

The place halfway across the world where they drank tea and ate scones? I would have to use English all day there...

However, it would mean escape from the boring and mechanical life here, where every day was a repetition of the last, going to school and lessons and having no fun whatsoever.

“Yeah, I want to go to the UK!” I said, without any idea how much this decision would impact my future.

Unlike the ease with how I had answered my parents’ question, the next few weeks were a chaotic mess of packing and sorting papers and saying goodbyes. The hardest part was saying goodbye to my best friend, as I felt bad leaving her behind but also worried that she might forget me and make new friends.

Before I even knew it, I was at the airport with a huge pile of bags and a teary family. I had to leave my dad and older sister behind, and although I tried to be brave for my already crying mum and younger sister, I couldn’t keep my own tears back when we had to say goodbye and get onto the plane.

I had packed a lot of different entertainment sources so I would not get bored during the 14-hour flight, but I ended up not using even half of the things I prepared because I fell asleep as soon as I finished a movie and ate a meal. I woke up several

times, and once I read a letter from my best friend, who had made me promise not to read it until I got on the plane.

‘To my best friend forever and ever,’ started the letter. Tears sprang to my eyes immediately as I read through the paper. I was thankful that the rest of my family was asleep, so they didn’t see me crying hysterically into my pillow. Suddenly, I missed my family and friends so much, and I wanted to go back.

And that’s when it hit me, too late. I had no idea about what the people did in the UK, what kind of slang they used, what kind of clothes they wore, nothing. I was not ready to magically fit perfectly into a whole new atmosphere, and I was also not ready to leave my comfortable home language and friends behind.

I shouldn’t have come here. But it was too late. I was already halfway across the world to start a new life, and I couldn’t just go back home. It was my choice, my mistake, and I would have to deal with it.

14 hours went by on the plane, and I got off with a big stretch of my limbs that had been sitting down for too long. My family gathered our heap of bags and got on the cab that we had reserved earlier.

I looked outside, and the sky was a dull shade of grey. I shivered, unaccustomed to the chill of the UK weather that I had only heard of and never experienced. I already missed the sunshine and warmth of South Korea, and the gloomy sky did nothing to lighten my mood.

I averted my eyes to my sleeping younger sister. Did she have any idea what we were about to go through? Did she even realise that we had just entered a world where we were supposed to consider our new home but were also seen as foreigners? I averted my eyes to my sleeping younger sister. Did she have any idea what we were about to go through? Did she even realise that we had just entered a world where we were supposed to consider our new home but were also seen as foreigners?.

My mum must have seen the dread and fear in my eyes, as she held my clasped hands and said, “It will be alright. We’ll work out a way together here.” I felt my heart unclench a tiny bit, and I tried to see the dark roads outside as my new home. I hoped that one day, the sun would come out and I would finally be able to call this place home.

Mrs R McCulloch Head of Geography

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Tess Helbing University of Bath International Development with Economics

Freya Himes University of Southampton Geography

Plum Knowles University of Leeds Geography

Kamini Meech-Menon University of Warwick Global Sustainable Development

Bella Pritchard Newcastle University Geography

Lois Robinson

University of Manchester Geography with International Study

Josie Roux

Loughborough University Geography

GEOGRAPHY

From Kingston to Iceland, we have endeavoured to enhance students’ geography education by exploring beyond the classroom and enriching the rigorous academic curriculum.

September saw the Upper Sixth collecting primary data in Kingston town centre as part of the ‘Changing Places’ topic of the Human Geography element of the A Level. In October and November, Fourth and Fifth Years visited Seaford, East Sussex, examining coastal defences such as the terminal groynes and sea walls, and seeing the beach nourishment project in progress. They assessed the effectiveness of these measures in protecting the coastline from erosion and coastal flooding.

First Years undertook their first fieldwork experience in January to explore Kingston as part of their investigation into whether it is a local or a global place. They conducted questionnaires along with land use and clone town surveys before analysing their data. This introductory fieldwork helped them to develop essential skills in data collection and analysis.

Second Years led a microclimate investigation with the aim of finding the best location for a new bench for the Head Master’s morning tea break, using digital anemometers, infrared thermometers and light meters. (The somewhat risky answer was the Cage. Watch your head, Mr Lehec!)

A trip to the Science Museum to watch Benedict Cumberbatch’s film Antarctica 3D complemented our work on Fragile Environments. Whilst there, we explored the Technicians’ Gallery – an interactive exhibition which showcases the vital roles of technicians across various industries, offering handson experiences and insights into behind-the-scenes careers – and the Medicine Gallery, which features over 3,000 medical artifacts and artworks and explores the history and impact of medicine.

Third Years travelled to Iceland over the Easter break where their studies of tectonic hazards were truly brought to life.

Bristol was our second destination for Fourth Year coursework. Students investigated the regeneration of the

area and conducted a range of investigations in various locations, including Temple Meads Quarter, Cabot Circus and former industrialised areas surrounding the harbourside. This included questionnaires, field sketches and environmental quality surveys.

The Lower Sixth enjoyed a five-day excursion to the Lake District where they studied glaciation in the Easedale Valley and the theme of how places change in Keswick town centre. Notwithstanding the rain, they had a wonderful time unpicking the relict glaciated landscape and viewing landforms such as corries, roche moutonnées, striations and glacial troughs.

Mrs J Butcher Head of Politics

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Sonny Carlisle University of Manchester Politics & Modern History

Cara Ehrenreich

Queen Mary University Law

Despina Estrada

Queen’s University Belfast Law

Fergus McGuiggan University of Bath Economics with Politics

Mishka Grewal University of Edinburgh Law

Lucy Holland-Barden University of Leeds Law

Liam O’Neill

University of Southampton Politics & International Relations

Henry Pollock

University of Manchester Law with Politics

Anne Thevenon

University of Washington, Seattle International Studies

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Whilst British politics saw a new government in office, the KGS Politics Department also experienced a transition of power with the retirement of Mr Sorley (who would like it to be known that he left of his own accord and was not unceremoniously unseated by the electorate!). In my first year in charge, I have been ably assisted by Mr Beard and Mr Grant. There were some changes in policy, such as teaching UK politics in the Lower Sixth and American politics the following year, but the core priorities of a high level of knowledge, teaching, engagement and fun remained.

In the classroom, students worked hard to stay abreast of the change of governments and strategies within both the UK and the US. There is nothing like a US election to stimulate debate and discussion, which was particularly prevalent with Trump’s return to the White House and his rapidly evolving and changing policies. We kept ourselves up to date with current politics and the Upper Sixth were keen participants in an inter-school quiz league which had over 500 schools involved. We were gratified to consistently hold our own in the league tables and finished with a commendable place in the top 20%. We also were pleased to welcome some guest speakers, in particular Mr Sorley, who returned to lead a session on Anarchism (if anarchism needs leading?!) and Simon Lemieux, one of the authors of a key textbook, gave a lecture on the legacy of Biden’s Presidency.

Outside the classroom we visited the Houses of Parliament for a tour and the Department for Education for an activity where students created their own parties and policies and presented manifestos. The Sixth Form students were excited to meet Sir Ed Davey (the School’s MP and Leader of the Liberal Democrats) who stopped to speak to us in the lobby. In March, the Lower Sixth went to Westminster Central Hall to hear speakers from across the political spectrum, which is always stimulating and thought provoking. Contributors included Lord Dobbs, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Emily Thornberry, Sian Berry and Alistair Campbell. We have also been involved in Model United Nations conferences. Our Senior team represented China at RGS Guildford and were somewhat surprised to find themselves at the centre of the international crisis which hit in the afternoon session. They handled themselves well and were selected for a Highly Commended Delegation award. We took a group of junior students to the Reigate Grammar School conference later in the year and they did a sterling job representing another influential power, the US, navigating the difficult task of trying to build trust and alliances only a couple of weeks after the announcement of high import tariffs by President Trump. Well done to Ayesha Husain, who won the Best Delegate Award for her work on the Environment Committee.

At the end of term, I was privileged to be included in a group of 50 teachers ranging across primary, secondary and post-16 institutions who were selected to spend three days in Westminster to train to be Parliamentary Ambassadors. We were granted behind-the-scenes access to the building and, most importantly, the people who work there, meeting both the Speaker and Lord Speaker, several MPs and Lords, as well as Parliamentary staff. During a tour of the broadcasting unit, we found out that in the early days of experimenting with televising sessions in the House of Lords, spotlights were needed to ensure that there was enough light for the cameras. However, they were so bright that the Lords wore sunglasses or visors to shield their eyes! I am now working towards my gold accreditation so am looking forward to implementing some of the ideas and knowledge that I learnt in what we offer to students.

STUDIES OF TECTONIC HAZARDS WERE TRULY BROUGHT TO LIFE...

GEOGRAPHY THIRD YEAR FIELD TRIP / APRIL 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Vik, Iceland

GROWING UP AND FINDING YOUR PEOPLE –AND YOUR VOICE.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Ms M Cope Head of History

HISTORY

This academic year has powerfully underscored the importance of studying History. From the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January 2025, to the ongoing war in Ukraine and growing tensions in the Middle East, the world continues to face complex and often polarising geopolitical developments. These events remind us that ‘history’ is not confined to the past – it shapes our present and future. Understanding the roots of conflict, diplomacy and power dynamics is essential for young people navigating today’s world.

At the heart of our teaching is the belief that students must be equipped to engage thoughtfully with complex and sensitive issues. This means not only learning about the past but also developing the skills to debate, discuss and reflect critically. In response, the History Department has made developing oracy skills a central focus across Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level this year. Through structured debates, seminars, and discussion-based lessons, students have built confidence in articulating ideas and challenging perspectives.

We are proud of the maturity and insight our students have shown and will continue to champion these skills as essential tools for our historians.

The History Department was excited to pioneer seminar-style lessons in the Lower Sixth this year. This sophisticated approach encourages students to read widely and deeply around a topic in preparation for class, where they then engage in rigorous, studentled discussions around key historical questions. It’s a challenging model, and we have been thoroughly impressed by how our students have risen to meet it. They have taken real ownership of their learning and demonstrated thoughtful, scholarly debate throughout. This format not only builds academic rigour but also nurtures confidence and independence – skills essential for success in the Sixth Form and beyond. We are excited to see how this approach continues to evolve and enrich our historians’ experiences in the coming year.

We were delighted to see such enthusiastic participation in the Senior History Society. It offers students a valuable opportunity to explore areas of personal interest, deepen their historical understanding, and engage in lively debates on both current affairs and historiographical issues. The standard of studentled presentations has been exceptional, showcasing impressive research and critical thinking.

We would especially like to thank the following students for their outstanding contributions:

Ava Dent – Commodus: The Tyrant Behind Gladiator; Tessa Stanier – Crime in Authoritarian Regimes; Elizabeth Irvine –The Medici; Zoe Donovan –Eleanor Roosevelt; Will Adams – The Space Race; and Judah Brackin –The California Gold Rush We look forward to another year of inspiring historical enquiry!

Studying primary evidence is a challenging but essential part of the historian’s craft, and this year Sixth Form students had the opportunity to engage with it first hand. A visit to the National Archives at Kew Gardens allowed them to attend specialist sessions on Churchill and the Cold War, as well as Tudor Rebellions. Working directly with original documents was an invaluable experience, not only deepening their understanding of these topics, but also sharpening the skills they will apply in their own coursework essays. Meanwhile, our Lower Sixth historians returned to the Chalke History Festival, where they attended a range of thought-provoking talks. Highlights included Alice Loxton discussing her latest book, Eighteen, Shalina Patel uncovering hidden stories of the British Empire, and Phillips Payson O’Brien exploring how the personal histories of Churchill, Roosevelt, Mussolini, and Stalin shaped twentiethcentury military history. These enriching experiences continue to inspire our students and bring the discipline of History vividly to life beyond the classroom.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Jonathan Duguid Durham University History

Natalie Ivory University of Edinburgh History & Economics

Oliver Kemp University of Bristol History with Innovation

Ema Ogowewo London School of Economics Economic History

Holly Seabrook University of Leeds Economics & History

Ms F McBride Librarian

LIBRARY

For the second consecutive year, we allowed the First Year students to apply to be Student Librarians due to their irrepressible enthusiasm. We were not disappointed: they have all have been incredibly helpful and dedicated throughout the year, approaching their duties with a positive attitude and a willingness to support others. Whether shelving books, helping other students find what they need, or assisting with events and reading initiatives, their dedication has made a real difference. Their energy and commitment have helped create a welcoming and wellorganised library space for all.

February saw KGS focusing on wellbeing to mark Children’s Mental Health Week. In the Library, we organised several calming and creative activities, including mindful colouring and quiet reading sessions. These moments offered a peaceful break from the busy school day and encouraged students to reflect on the importance of looking after their mental wellbeing. Mindful colouring was such a hit that we introduced a permanent colouring ‘station’ for students to visit whenever they feel the need for some calm focus.

The Library became a hub of quiet conversation, creativity and connection, as students supported each other and embraced the theme of the month with kindness and care.

In March, to mark Equality Month, International Women’s Day and World Book Day, the Library hosted a book swap between students, focusing on books written by female authors. Students were encouraged to bring a book they enjoyed that they felt deserved to be shared with others. We asked participants to wrap their book, write a very short description and attach it to the front. Students were then invited to drop in to pick a mystery book. It was a resounding success! The Head Master even dropped by to see what was on offer and chat to some of the students about their choices. It was the perfect way to discover new stories and celebrate the contributions of female authors to literature.

The First Years created a wonderful array of Library Projects this year. Topics covered included women’s football, Elton John, Jane Austen, Lewis Hamilton –and many more. Working on the project allows the students to develop their research and presentation skills. The winner, Joe Barrett, delivered an outstanding project that showcased his thorough research on Alan Turing. His presentation skills were exceptional, blending humour and audience participation; his ability to explain things in an accessible and entertaining manner made his presentation both informative and enjoyable.

His witty anecdotes and lively delivery ensured that everyone left with a greater appreciation for Turing’s achievements – and a smile on their face! Well done, Joe!

This year’s Read up! Kingston book was Steady for This by Nathaneal Lessore, a hilarious and heartwarming story about growing up and finding your people – and your voice. First Years took photos of themselves reading Steady for This in the most extreme places that they could think of for our everpopular Extreme Reading Competition

WINNER: ANNABEL SWAN

Annabel’s entry made us stop in our tracks! Using a clever mirror trick she discovered at an exhibition she visited over the summer, she created the illusion of a head on a plate reading the book.

SECOND PLACE: ETHAN KIRWAN

Ethan’s entry, which sees him sitting on the edge of some rocks, perfectly embodied the spirit of extreme reading.

THIRD PLACE: POPPY NEWMAN

Poppy read her copy of the book perched on top of a camel. I wonder what it thought of the story!

TRINITY SCHOOLS

BOOK AWARD & OTHER AWARDWINNING TITLES FOR 2025

TSBA Winner: Bite Risk

S. J. Willis

British Book Awards Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Wilding Isabella Tree

British Book Awards Children’s Fiction Book of the Year:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess Jeff Kinney

Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers: King of Nothing Nathaneal Lessore

Mr K Connor

Head of Maths

MATHS

Maths at KGS continues to flourish. A Level Maths continues to be incredibly popular, with 102 students having opted for one of our courses, including 45 students taking either AS or A Level Further Maths. We welcomed new teachers Mr Hazel and Ms Lima to the Department, and they quickly proved to be valuable additions with their depth of knowledge and passion for teaching.

We have enjoyed keeping students throughout the school fully engaged in the subject and are proud of the comprehensive and varied learning experiences on offer. Each week students were able to attend numerous cocurricular sessions including Maths Competition Club and Oxbridge ProblemSolving Club

We have also made extension classes a high priority in every year group. Maths Clinics have continued to offer targeted support, and students have found these to be effective whatever their current level of attainment. We are particularly pleased with the success of our Maths Mentoring Scheme in which Lower Sixth students are matched with younger students to provide additional one-on-one help and support.

In December we took 60 Lower Sixth students to the Emmanuel Centre in central London for the A Level Maths in Action Conference

At the GCSE Maths in Action Conference later in the year, Fourth Year students enjoyed exploring shapes and their curious properties, touching on spherical geometry, topology and finishing with a display of smoke rings across the auditorium. They also looked at the ‘Maths of Luck, ‘Can we believe everything we read in the papers?’ and ‘The (little) Big Maths Gameshow’ which concluded the day with stacks of crowd participation.

We were delighted that KGS won the Hans Woyda Southern Plate Competition, our first trophy since 1980. The final was at home to Whitgift, known within the team as our nemesis. With the audience watching in the KGS Theatre, we went into the lead from the start and never looked back. Miguel OlallaManji secured our victory before the end of the match and it was mathematically impossible for Whitgift to catch us. The final score was 51–33 to KGS. Well done to the squad: Miguel OlallaManji, Sebastian Cockerell, Fraser de Rivaz, Moses Fung, Pranshu Kashyap, Marcus Leung and Irene Hong

The Plate sits proudly in the display cabinet until next year.

In September, 16 girls from the Fifth Year and Sixth Form took part in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls, which consists of five challenging problems. Tessa Stanier achieved a Distinction, while Ava Cooper, Alice Davidson, Amy Fraser, Yasmin King, Kathy Le and Debika Pradhan all achieved a Merit.

In October, 119 students took part in the Senior Maths Challenge. 25 multiplechoice challenges were designed to stimulating both beginners and experienced problem-solvers. The students achieved 36 Bronze, 37 Silver and 27 Gold certificates. Fraser De Rivaz, Marcus Leung, Sebastian Cockerell and Zurina Yiu achieved ‘Best in Year’ certificates.

27 students qualified for the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo paper, while Fraser De Rivaz qualified for the British Maths Olympiad paper, achieving a Merit.

January saw 154 students take part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. This challenge encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency. The students achieved 43 Bronze, 57 Silver and 37 Gold certificates. Moses Fung, Toby SwinsonHowell, Conor Barr and Ethan Bryant achieved Best in Year certificates. Moses Fung, Marcus Leung and Conor Barr all qualified for the Olympiad round which is a great achievement, with Marcus achieving a Distinction!

The start of the Summer term brought the Junior Maths Challenge, with 159 students participating. Alexander Lim and Toby Swinson-Howell achieved Best in Year certificates, and 21 students qualified for the Junior Kangaroo paper. At our discretion, well-founded in this case, we entered both Toby and Alexander for the Junior Maths Olympiad, where they achieved a Distinction and Merit respectively.

After weeks of practice our team of Miguel OlallaManji, Ela Akdogan, Hugo Whyte and Hugo Johansson competed in the UKMT Team Maths Challenge hosted at Wilson’s and involving 23 schools. They performed well against some stiff opposition, scoring highly in 3 out of the 4 rounds, ending just a few marks off the medal spots. Congratulations to all those involved in representing the School so admirably.

This year we have had 15 pupils from local primary schools attend our weekly afterschool Primary Maths Challenge sessions. Pupils are nominated by their school as being those who would benefit most from being extended with their maths. They are mentored by a number of our Lower Sixth students to prepare them for the national Primary Maths Challenge competition. Many thanks to our Sixth Form volunteers, Jasper Simmons, Ava Dent, Hiro To, Ava Cooper, Hal Rogers, Felix Lawless, Joshua BerryThornton and Sophie Kelly for their excellent support over the course of the year.

We said a fond farewell to Ms Clifford at the end of this year and thank her for her 11 years of dedication and service to KGS. We will greatly miss her and wish her every happiness in the future.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Thomas Ahearn University of Leeds Accounting & Finance

Sebastian Cockerell

Durham University Mathematics & Statistics

Noah Dyson

Imperial College London Mathematics & Computer Science

Bodhi Fennell University of Bath Economics

Thomas Giraudo University of Exeter Mathematics with Economics

Zain Mannan University of Bath Accounting & Finance

Josh Moore University of Bath Mathematics & Physics

Charlie Neale University of Toronto, Canada Industrial Engineering

Jonah Tsang University of Exeter Mathematics

Mrs T Russell Head of MFL

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

We were delighted to host a ‘Scoop!’ languages and journalism challenge in March. 94 Lower Sixth linguists from 11 schools worked in teams to produce a front page for a foreign language newspaper. They had to work under pressure, stopping for press conferences and bargaining on advertising space, as well as presenting their final piece to the judges.

There were lots of standout students on the day including our very own Jasper Simmons – who won a prize for enthusiasm – and Ava Dent – who won a prize for teamwork and leadership –and overall it was a team of French students who won, including Charlotte Gillet, Iarina Nacu and Jasper, with the Spanish team that included Yasmin King and Alec Holden coming in third place.

PARIS

Fifteen fabulous French students embarked on an adventure to Paris at the start of the Easter holidays, filled with excitement and anticipation.

Our itinerary was packed with visits to some of the most iconic sights in Paris. We marvelled at the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower, explored

A day at Disneyland Paris was one of the highlights, with thrilling rides and magical encounters with Minnie and Mickey!

The historians amongst our linguists were awestruck by the opulent architecture and beautiful gardens at the Palace of Versailles. We also enjoyed a unique cinematic experience at the Grand Rex, one of the city’s most famous movie theatres.

We were so impressed with the many interactions students had in French with locals. The weather was perfect, with sunny skies and mild temperatures, which added to the overall delight of our journey.

This trip not only broadened horizons but also created lasting memories and strengthened the bonds between students. Paris truly lived up to its reputation as the City of Light and left everyone eager to return.

MADRID

Report by Lucas Pardal, Owen Townsend and Krish Praveen, Third Year

“In the Reina Sofía museum, we discovered the horrors of Franco’s regime in the painting Guernica, one of the most well-known pieces of Picasso’s art.”

“To develop our understanding of Spanish cuisine, we took part in a cooking experience where we learnt to make paella, a selection of tapas and crema catalana.”

“To test our listening skills as we went to see The Lion King on stage. Although sometimes difficult to understand, it was an enriching experience and was quite funny to listen to and sing the songs in a different language.”

COMPETITIONS

12 linguists competed in the Ibstock Languages Debating Competition, grappling with challenging topics and spending lots of time preparing their arguments in the weeks leading up to the event. Their hard work paid off, and we won several debates against Ibstock Place, Tiffin Boys and Hampton School. A particular well done to Joseph Oxborrow and Olu Koevoets who won the overall German A Level prize.

The prestigious Anthea Bell Translation Prize run by Queen’s College, Oxford, sets a challenge for young language learners to translate a passage from a foreign literary work into English. This year, over 22,000 students across the country

IT WAS A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE OF SPANISH CULTURE WHERE WE PRACTISED THE LANGUAGE, ENJOYED DELICIOUS FOOD, APPRECIATED PICASSO’S ARTISTRY AND LEARNED THE SPIRIT OF FLAMENCO.

took part and we are delighted that two of our Fourth Year German students were commended by the judges: an outstanding achievement. Congratulations to Iris Ottink and Lilia van Herwaarden!

In the Spring term, two Sixth Formers prepared for the UK Linguistics Olympiad advanced competition.  They took part in weekly sessions to learn how to analyse unfamiliar languages and apply the rules they spotted to a series of challenges. We are delighted that both Ryan Yan and Olu were awarded a Bronze certificate.

“As someone with a strong passion for Linguistics and Mathematics, I enjoyed the task of deciphering patterns and meanings in these unknown languages, solving them much like one would a maths problem.”

Olu Koevoets, Lower Sixth

A number of our Sixth Form German students entered the Stephen Spender Poetry Translation Schools Laureate Prize, which celebrates the translation of poetry or song from any foreign language into English. They first spent time considering the particular challenges that might be faced when undertaking creative translation, such as cultural references, rhyme, metre and style, before translating a German poem of their choice. In addition, they were required to submit an accompanying explanation of three creative decisions made during translation.   The students tackled the task with linguistic rigour, imagination and creative flair, producing translations and commentaries of a high standard. We were delighted that Ralph Hassan was awarded a Commendation by the judges for his translation of the Goethe poem Der Erlkönig.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Daniela Cuervo

University of Bath

International Management & Modern Languages (Spanish)

Luca Nicol

University of Bath French & Mandarin

Joseph Oxborrow

University of Cambridge Modern & Medieval Languages

Ryan Yan

University College London Linguistics

Florian Young University College London Law with German Law

Bene

Agere ac Laetari

SPARKLING WITH THEIR COMMITTED AND ENTHUSIASTIC SINGING...

Bene Agere ac Laetari

School Hall, Kingston Grammar School

JAZZ AND POP ARE INTEGRAL TO THE LIFE OF THE DEPARTMENT

School Hall, Kingston Grammar School

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Mr M Laflin Director of Music

MUSIC

It has been another excellent year of music making with some stylish performances across the board, be that in large ensembles, chamber groups or solos. As ever, our Autumn and Spring concerts showcased the larger groups at KGS and, aided by enhanced sound and lighting, we were treated to performances as wide-ranging as Warlock’s Capriol Suite from the String Orchestra to the James Bond theme from the Guitar Ensemble. A highlight of these concerts is always the Junior Choir who sparkled with their committed and enthusiastic singing. Our Chamber Choir were able to join up with the KGS Choral Society in March for a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb The unusual words from the pen of Christopher Smart certainly captured their imagination; who could forget the cat, Jeoffry!

It has been hugely encouraging to see how chamber music continues to thrive and grow under the leadership of Mrs le Huray. This year we entered five different groups into the Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival and a crisp January afternoon saw us head off to Epsom College for the preliminary rounds. Two of our groups then made it though to the semi-finals and gave a fabulous account of themselves.

Jazz and Pop are integral to the life of the Department and April 2025 marked a significant first in the KGS musical calendar.

The Pheasantry ‘Pizza Express’ Jazz Club in Chelsea has played host to many famous names in the world of jazz over the years and this year, KGS singers were able to add their names to this list. Accompanied by Mr Canniere and the house band, there were memorable performances from 15 students across different year groups, and this highlight is sure to become a permanent fixture in the musical calendar.

In tandem with the ensemble performances, we had a range of excellent Loveykn Chapel Recitals which allow soloists to showcase their talents as performers in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This also allows those entering for ABRSM exams to gain performance practice ahead of the day. Many congratulations to the large number of students who achieved grade success this academic year.

House Music was as hotly contested as ever and, on this occasion, Queen’s swept the board. We were delighted to welcome back Simon May to be the judge on the evening. Simon is known to many at KGS for the musical Smike and known to millions as the composer of the Eastenders theme tune. Fresh from recent celebrations marking 40 years of the soap, Simon gave inciteful and constructive comments to all our performers.

Mr I Deepchand Head of Physics

PHYSICS

We welcomed record numbers of students at A Level this year, saw fantastic results from our outgoing Upper Sixth,enjoyed another highly engaging CERN visit, and welcomed a Radiation Protection Officer for a monitor visit.

Four students made it through the A2 Challenge round of the British Physics Olympiad. Congratulations go to William Adams, Judah Brackin, Joshua Cassidy and Ollie Stone. In Round 1 Joshua and William gained Gold (putting them in the top 17% nationally) whilst Ollie and Judah achieved Silver medals.

Our CERN visit coincided with Remembrance events and we were fortunate enough to combine a trip to the world’s pre-eminent particle physics laboratory with time at the United Nations, where there was a commemoration of the sacrifices made during World War I and II, replete with a ceremonial cannon firing over Lake Geneva.

British Science Week, a 10-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, was marked at KGS with a range of activities that celebrated the beauty and importance of science.

TEAMS WERE GIVEN THE TASK OF BUILDING A TALL STRUCTURE USING A VERY LIMITED SELECTION OF STRAWS, TOOTHPICKS, BARBECUE SKEWERS, MARSHMALLOWS AND THE EVER-POPULAR JELLY BABIES!

The Physics Department kicked things off with a session on how to build high but safely. The KGS theme was ‘Tall Structures’. A structure is any system that resists vertical or horizontal loads, including large items such as skyscrapers, bridges and dams, as well as small items such as bookshelves, chairs and windows.

Teams were given the task of building a tall structure using a very limited selection of straws, toothpicks, barbecue skewers, marshmallows and the ever-popular Jelly Babies! They analysed the various types of structures and considered ways of strengthening their design so that it could be both tall and sturdy using the materials.

We hope that the British Science Week events helped illuminate what a varied and rewarding set of career opportunities are available within science. One can think globally when contemplating pathways in science. 2025 is the United Nations International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, and marks 100 years since the emergence of modern quantum mechanics.

As the academic year came to a close, the Physics Department began packing up in advance of our move to a new location for September. This is phase 1 of the development of The Fairfield Building into the Bridgen Science Centre, funding for which comes from the generosity of Kingstonian John Bridgen and his wife Leslie. John benefited greatly from his science education here at KGS and we are excited to create a specialist facility for the years ahead.

CLASS OF 2025 RELATED DEGREE COURSES

William Adams Durham University General Engineering

Judah Brackin

Duke University, North Carolina Civil & Environmental Engineering

Joshua Cassidy University of Cambridge Engineering

Pietro Forlin University of Bath Aerospace Engineering

Amy Fraser University of Edinburgh Mechanical Engineering

Ralph Hassan University of Manchester Mechanical Engineering

Tomi Hietanen

Lancaster University Physics

Thomas Low Durham University General Engineering

Josh Moore University of Bath Mathematics & Physics

Jim Patterson University of Bristol Civil Engineering

Maya Peun King’s College London Physics with Astrophysics & Cosmology

Dexter Porter University of Southampton Maritime Engineeirng

Edward Simpson University of Southampton Maritime Engineering

Sam Sloan University of Bristol Physics

Freddie Steel University of Nottingham Aerospace Engineering

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Mrs A Edwards Head of Psychology

PSYCHOLOGY

At the heart of our A Level Psychology programme is a commitment to nurturing curiosity, critical thinking and independent inquiry. This year, I am proud to showcase the work of two Lower Sixth students, Annie Hatwell and Miila England who have each undertaken research projects exploring complex psychological themes. These projects exemplify the breadth and depth that Psychology offers as a subject, providing students with the opportunity to investigate a wide range of human behaviours, from neurological processes and mental health to social dynamics and identity. Whether examining how we think, feel or interact with the world around us, Psychology empowers students to ask meaningful questions and seek evidence-based answers.

WHY DO GIRLS WITH ASD GO UNDER-DIAGNOSED?

I set out to explore why girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are so often under-diagnosed. I focused on three key areas: diagnostic tools, gender bias and symptomatic presentation. What I discovered was that all three factors contribute to the issue, but masking stood out in particular.

I found that masking (the ability to hide or suppress symptoms) plays a huge role in the under-diagnosis of girls. Many girls with ASD, including those who are struggling internally, appear to be coping well. This makes it much harder to recognise their difficulties. I also looked at how gender bias affects our understanding of autism. Society tends to have a fixed idea of what autism “looks like”, often based on male behaviours, which means girls who don’t fit that stereotype can be overlooked.

Many diagnostic tools were developed using maledominated samples, and the language used can be confusing or irrelevant to girls’ experiences. This makes them less effective at identifying ASD in females.

While gender bias and flawed diagnostic tools are significant, I believe the most crucial factor is the way symptoms present in girls, especially because of masking. It’s clear that we need more inclusive diagnostic methods and a broader understanding of how autism can manifest differently across genders.

Annie Hatwell

MINDSET IN SPORT

To explore how mindset affects performance and mental health in sport, I looked at the brain’s emotional systems, coaching strategies and the differences between team and individual sports, all through a psychological lens.

I started by learning about the limbic system, especially the amygdala, which plays a key role in how we manage emotions. This is crucial in sport, where staying calm and focused can make a big difference. I also explored how coaches can help athletes build confidence and resilience. When athletes are supported to see challenges as opportunities, they’re more likely to stay motivated and bounce back from setbacks.

The contrast between team and individual sports was notable. Athletes often face more pressure and isolation, which can lead to higher rates of anxiety and depression. In contrast, team sports offer more social support, which helps protect mental health.

Finally, I looked at the idea of mental toughness and the importance of having a growth mindset. Inspired by Carol Dweck’s TED Talk, I realised how powerful it is to believe that you can improve. That belief can help athletes push through injuries, failures and tough training sessions.

My research showed me that mindset is a vital part of success and wellbeing in sport.

Miila England

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Hattie Byatt University of Bath Psychology

Aria Chaukar University of York Psychology

Sofia Graham University of Exeter Psychology

Iris Mitchell University of Liverpool Psychology

Aidan Seymour University College London Psychology & Language Sciences

Emily Smith University of York Psychology

Jemima Stuart University of St Andrews Social Anthropology

Charlotte Wellman University of Nottingham Psychology & Cognitive Neuroscience

Mrs C Williams Head of Religion & Philosophy

RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY

It’s been another vibrant and thought-provoking year for the RP Department at KGS! From lively debates to deeply reflective discussions, our students have led the way in exploring some of the most pressing ethical, philosophical and global issues of our time. Whether tackling the serious or the surreal, our clubs and events have been buzzing with energy, curiosity and student leadership.

Have I Got Ethical News For You, our Lower School club, has been great fun this year, with passionate debates and some very serious student-led sessions on topics of global and national importance. We have aligned with the School’s Monthly Themes, marking Racial Equality and Religious Freedom months with thoughtful discussions. Unsurprisingly, many conversations have centred around war, and our weekly Ethics in the News sessions have often evolved into a ‘Trump Watch’ meeting. We have also enjoyed the lighter side of current affairs, from the Neal’s Yard cheese heist and the duct-taped banana art

ENTIRELY STUDENT-PLANNED AND STUDENT-LED ...PHILOSOPHISE IS...A SHINING EXAMPLE OF INDEPENDENT LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP AT KGS. WE COULDN’T BE PROUDER.

controversy to the antics of ‘Florida Man’ and the livestreamed Papal Conclave.

Some of the most memorable sessions have been led by students themselves. Harry Beard delivered a powerful session during the assisted dying debate, and Thomas Grant consistently impressed with his fascinating insights into the UkraineRussia and Israel-Palestine conflicts. Other regular and enthusiastic leaders in the Second Year include Hugo Johansson, James Dobbyn, Lukas Lukopoulos, Rawdon Frame, Gunes Kosar, Tilly Byatt, Isla Clark, Alexander Vasilenko, Pratyush Vyas and George Whyte. We’ve also seen fantastic contributions from the First Year, with emerging leaders such as Emily Geer, Ben Thompson, Jasper Elsam-Handcock and Alexander Sturrock

Philosophise, our studentled Senior Philosophy Club, continues to thrive. It’s been a joy to see students from the Third Year to the Sixth Form leading sessions on everything from political freedom and eternal life to the ethics of the Olympics, child stardom, and even whether torture can ever be justified. Entirely studentplanned and student-led, it’s a shining example of independent learning and leadership at KGS. We couldn’t be prouder. Holocaust Memorial Day remains a deeply important part of our school calendar. This year, it carried even greater poignancy following the very sad news of the deaths of Bob and Ann Kirk. This remarkable couple, who played a vital role in Holocaust education, visited KGS for over a decade

to share their story. They will be greatly missed by the many students and staff whose lives they touched.

In addition to student-led events, HMD was marked by several powerful speaker sessions. Peter Kammerling shared the moving story of his parents, both refugees from Austria, with our Lower School. We also welcomed Marie-Rose Rurangirwa, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, to speak to our Sixth Form. Her visit was especially significant, taking place just weeks before the international commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

In February, Mr Lawrence hosted another brilliant  Multi-Faith Forum, featuring guests from Kingston Liberal Synagogue, Kingston Quaker Centre, Kingston Mosque, the Shinnyo Buddhist Centre and St Peter’s, Norbiton.

As always, students asked vibrant and challenging questions – on the problem of evil, the Middle East conflict, how to be good, and the value of interfaith dialogue. This event remains a highlight of the RP calendar and a wonderful opportunity for students to witness rigorous yet respectful debate.

Our Fourth and Fifth Years also received a warm welcome at the Kingston Quaker Centre, where, once fortified with cake, they heard from members of the community about Quaker worship, attitudes to war, politics and protest. Many students were surprised to learn how difficult it is to pin down a single set of Quaker beliefs: generalisations simply don’t apply!

Our A Level students attended an Academy Learning Conference, where they experienced universitystyle lectures. Julie Arliss explored the politics and philosophy of the embryo, Professor Tom Greggs delved into the mysteries of death and the afterlife, and Professor Daphne Hampson delivered a provocative and timely talk titled ‘Woman: Absent, Present, Displaced’, examining the role of women in the Church.

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Tarun Desai Durham University Combined Honours in Social Sciences with Foundation

Will Fox University of Manchester Philosophy & Politics

Mr T Benson Head of STEAM

STEAM

KGS has a strong tradition of participating in the excellent CyberFirst Girls’ Competition, run by the National Centre for Cyber Security (NCCS). This year, we took things a step further by hosting five local schools to participate in the event. Alongside practice exercises and the main competition, teams had the fantastic opportunity to hear from two inspiring women in the cyber industry.

Heather Bates from Amiosec joined us via video link all the way from Japan, where she was participating in the

Kunoichi Games, a global cybersecurity competition, as part of the GB team. We also heard from Rebecca Taylor of Secure Works, who shared great insights into her daily experiences in the sector and what she loves about her work.

Our KGS teams – the NightBots, Quad Squad and Coding Cookies –battled it out against the NCCS’s fiendish puzzles.

Our KGS teams – the NightBots, Quad Squad and Coding Cookies – battled it out against the NCCS’s fiendish puzzles. While KGS didn’t progress to the next stage, it was brilliant to see Teddington School, one of the teams that joined us on the day, secure an impressive 10th place in the London region!

A huge well done to all our Second Year competitors for their fantastic participation in this inaugural event: Stacey Audzei, Iris Young, Lucinda Franklin, Sara Wilheim, Amy Davies, Elif Yuksel, Alba Isalan, Xanthe Olding, Katy Russell, Isla Clark and Tilly Byatt.

This year, the UK Bebras competition, designed to test students’ computational thinking, saw recordbreaking participation at KGS, with 170 students taking part across the school! Our students were absolutely fantastic, with 60 achieving a Gold award for placing in the top 10% nationally.

Special congratulations go to Toby Swinson-Howell, Conor Barr and Hugo Whyte, who all achieved the coveted ‘Best in School’ award, scoring an astonishing 220 out of 220!

Well done also to Fraser de Rivaz for earning the ‘Best in School’ award in the Elite category and placing an incredible 373rd out of 15,000 participants!

This year’s Bebras was followed by a new competition, led by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which focused more on coding skills using text-based languages such as Python. It was brilliant to see so many students – 67 in total – tackle this tougher challenge and perform exceptionally well.

In the Novice category, First Year Gigi Chan achieved an excellent score of 40/48, earning her the ‘Best in School’ award. In the Navigators category, Third Year Matthies van Herwaarden received the ‘Best in School’ with a brilliant 47/48.

This year, the challenge was to use the Astro Pi’s sensors and camera to calculate the speed of the ISS.

A special mention must go again to Toby SwinsonHowell, who took on the fiendishly challenging Trailblazers category and scored an outstanding 50/60 – an extraordinary achievement that placed him 123rd in the country (out of 3,633) in a competition mostly undertaken by Fifth Year and Sixth Form students! Beyond these top performers, huge credit goes to everyone who took part, as these challenges require considerable additional knowledge, and I was so impressed by the preparation put in by all involved.

In January, our Sixth Form students once again participated in the challenging Informatics Olympiad, with Joshua Berry-Thornton producing our best performance.

So, what was in that exciting email? A zip file containing all the sensor data produced by running Nicholas’ code on the Astro Pi in space.

At the beginning of June, I was thrilled to receive a very special message concerning one of our students, Nicholas Tank, who had entered the AstroPi: Mission Space Lab competition. This incredible challenge asks students to write code to be run on a specially designed Raspberry Pi set-up, called the Astro Pi, aboard the International Space Station (ISS)!

This year, the challenge was to use the Astro Pi’s sensors and camera to calculate the speed of the ISS. Nicholas had already done a fantastic job getting his code approved to be run in space! So, what was in that exciting email? A zip file containing all the sensor data produced by running Nicholas’ code on the Astro Pi in space – exciting enough, perhaps!

However, despite the visual data not being crucial to his calculations, Nicholas had wanted to use the Astro Pi’s camera. Among all the numerical data was a single photograph taken from space, directed by his code! Though perhaps not the most detailed image, it is still a beautiful shot of the ocean, and based on the coordinates it was taken, it could even include a remote island such as Cat Hill. Well done, Nicholas!

CLASS OF 2025

RELATED DEGREE COURSES

Angelina Remisio

University of Southampton Computing Engineering

Oscar Waddington UWE, Bristol Cyber Security & Digital Forensics

Tom Watts

University of York Computer Science

A SNAPSHOT OF SCHOOL LIFE 2024/25

CHRISTIAN UNION

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Isle of Wight

2024/25 WAS A LANDMARK YEAR FOR THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD AT KGS

CO–CURRICULAR DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD / JULY 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Honister Pass, The Lake District

CO-CURRICULAR: CHRISTIAN UNION

Mr C Wenham I Head of CU

This year’s CU Summer Camp was held on the Isle of Wight, where 84 students from across the year groups joined us for a fantastic week of sunshine, activities and fun.

Each year, the trip is made possible thanks to a dedicated group of Kingstonian volunteers — former students who once attended the camp themselves. From running activities and helping in the kitchen, to pitching tents and leading discussion groups with current students, their contribution is essential to the smooth running of the week. This year, I thought it would be lovely to hear from them directly and discover what keeps them coming back, year after year.

Camp has always had a special place in my heart. From my first one in 1987 to this year’s on the Isle of Wight, thousands of KGS students have happy memories of camping together in a field and playing silly games in a spirit of good humour. The ingredients never change — lots of fun and the chance to hear the good news about Jesus.

Paul Fludder (Kingstonian 1989)

CU Camp was where I really learnt who I was, and what I was capable of, as well as being so much fun. I’ve probably talked more about KGSCU in every job interview I’ve ever had than my degree! To be away with other students across year groups has helped forge friendships that are still strong 20 years later, and CU Camp is still as much fun for me in 2025 as it was in 2005.

Rev Patrick Craig (Kingstonian 2012)

My first KGSCU Camp was in 2011, and it’s still to this day my favourite week of the year! There’s no place better than being packed into a tent with your best friends for a whole week in both rain and shine. I keep coming back because of how it made an impact on me when I was a student at school, and I hope that the current students coming through will have the same fond memories that I do of things like Camp’s Got Talent and Hunt the Officer, but also of getting to look deeper into the Bible for themselves.

Ella Robinson (Kingstonian 2015)

For me, my favourite bits of camp are definitely the evening activities. I have very fond memories of the competitiveness of ‘challenge’ (ask Mr Wenham for more details!), and any form of camp karaoke is always great fun. The Big Day Out – whether that was to a water park or to Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight this year – is also something to look forward to. And for me, camp means so much more than just the activities, as it really feels like its own special community and the only school trip where you will get to form friendships with alumni. It is also a place where we can explore faith and life’s big questions together in a way you don’t tend to be able to do in school.

James Don-Wauchope (Kingstonian 2022)

I left KGS in 2019, and the CU Summer Camp to me is an opportunity to be a big kid again for a few days. It’s also facilitated some of the most meaningful friendships of my life – and where I discovered a love of alpaca walking!

Amelia Petersen (Kingstonian 2019)

CO-CURRICULAR: DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Mr A Beard I Assistant Head (Co-Curricular & Character Education)

2024/25 was a landmark year for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at KGS, with more students than ever before taking part. From Bronze Awards in the Third and Fourth Years to the Gold Award in the Lower Sixth, our students have embraced the challenge, developed new skills and pushed themselves in remarkable ways.

Third Year students kicked off the expedition season in late April with their Bronze Award Expedition in the New Forest. Over three days, they trekked across woodland and heathland, learning to navigate using a map and compass, pitch tents and cook meals on Trangia stoves.

The conditions were tougher than expected – unseasonably warm weather tested both stamina and spirits. Yet, despite the heat, every group rose to the occasion. With determination and great teamwork, they completed their routes and left their instructors and assessors genuinely impressed. It was a fantastic start to the DofE year.

June saw our Fourth Year participants take to the outdoors once again, this time split between two exciting options: the traditional hiking expedition in the New Forest and a sailing adventure in Chichester Harbour.

The majority of Fourth Year students followed the hiking route, returning to the New Forest trails. Day two brought a dramatic downpour, but spirits stayed high as students supported one another through wet and muddy conditions. Their perseverance paid off: they completed the course with real confidence and strengthened friendships.

Meanwhile, a smaller group embarked on a three-day sailing expedition based at Cobnor Sailing Centre, exploring the beautiful waters of Chichester Harbour. Under the guidance of expert instructors, they developed sailing skills, learned to navigate tidal waters and worked as a crew. Mr Forsyth, who accompanied the trip, was hugely impressed with their progress and teamwork throughout.

Our most experienced DofE participants, the Lower Sixth, undertook both their Practice and Qualifying Gold Award Expeditions this year – and were truly tested by the elements. In May, students headed to the Peak District for their Practice Expedition. Over five days, they endured persistent rain but showed impressive resilience, navigating difficult routes and completing challenging hikes, including an ascent of the iconic Mam Tor. Despite the weather, the team pulled together brilliantly and grew in confidence and capability.

In July, it was time for the real test: the Gold Qualifying Expedition in the Lake District. With breathtaking but demanding terrain and long distances to cover, this was the most ambitious DofE challenge. Under the watchful eyes of Activ Adventure instructors and Mr Emmerton, the students displayed excellent navigation skills, leadership and determination. Their achievement was made all the more impressive by the physical and mental challenges of the mountainous landscape.

BEYOND THE EXPEDITIONS

Of course, the DofE Award is about more than just outdoor adventure. Across all year groups, students gave their time to volunteering, physical activities and skills development. Whether helping in charity shops, visiting care home residents, learning to cook, sign or touch type – or exploring talents in sport, music, and the arts – our students demonstrated creativity, compassion and commitment throughout their DofE journey.

My thanks as always go to all of the colleagues who have supported DofE this year, including: Mrs Fraser, Miss Wright, Mr Emmerton, Mr Forsyth, Miss Dion-Jones, Miss Maclean, Mr Grant, Mrs Evans, Mr Farr, Mr Beaumont, Mr Deveson and Mr Hazel, without whom it would not be possible to run these expeditions.

My congratulations to all of the students who have completed their Awards in 2024/25.

CO-CURRICULAR ‘24 / 25

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Spitalfields Market, London

RAF Halton, Aylesbury

CO-CURRICULAR: YOUNG ENTERPRISE

Miss B Beeharry I Head of Young Enterprise

Following in the footsteps of last year’s successful venture, InTent, which transformed festival waste into fashion, KGS students decided to dig deeper this year – literally. Their company, BUDS by Laetari, was born from a desire to reconnect children with the food on their plates and to encourage healthier habits from the ground up.

In a world where childhood nutrition and food waste are growing concerns, a passionate team led by joint Managing Directors Sophie Stanford and Jack Rees designed and sold children’s plant-growing kits retailing at £7.99. Each kit was fully sustainable and locally sourced and featured a unique ‘buddy’ character – a personalised plant pal that children could grow, care for and harvest. These characters, such as Tommy the Tomato, made learning about food fun and engaging, and helped children value what they eat.

After identifying a gap in the market for eco-conscious and meaningful growing kits, the team set out to create something different. BUDS combined sustainability, education and fun, while also encouraging children to think about food waste from an early age. The journey was not without challenges but working in a large and diverse team allowed every member to grow in confidence and develop valuable new skills.

At the Kingston Company of the Year Finals in April, BUDS by Laetari won the prestigious Marketing Award, with judges also praising the company’s clear focus on sustainability and impact on its young target market. Their achievement stands as a testament to the power of young entrepreneurship and the bright future of sustainable business practices. Through initiatives like BUDS, we’re not just growing plants – we’re growing the next generation of conscious entrepreneurs.

After another successful year of Young Enterprise at KGS, it’s clear that these initiatives are more than just school projects. They’re incubators for future business leaders who understand the importance of combining profit with purpose. The BUDS team has shown that when young minds focus on sustainability and education, the results can be both commercially viable and socially impactful.

The Laetari team were: Sophie Stanford, Jack Rees, Hiro To, Toby Chohan, Mia Memaripour, Debika Pradhan, Darika Torobaeva, Alice Davidson, Charlotte Edwards, Nathan Lam, Amisha Korpal, Ellie Fox-Robinson, Maia Hendrickx, and Gavin Li.

AT THE KINGSTON COMPANY OF THE YEAR FINALS IN APRIL, BUDS BY LAETARI WON THE PRESTIGIOUS MARKETING AWARD.

EACH BESPOKE KIT COMPRISED:

‘Birth/adoption certificate’ for the plant who is the ‘buddy’ – such as Tommy the Tomato

Fascinating facts about the Plant Buddy

A calendar to track the growth and key milestones

A recipe to make something with ‘their buddy’, such as strawberry and mint sorbet

THE TEAM TACKLED EVERY ELEMENT OF A REAL-WORLD START-UP:

Conducted market research and refined product design

Built a strong brand and marketing strategy

Promoted the product through events and social media

Managed budgets, pricing and tracked net profit

CO-CURRICULAR: CCF

Mr A Beggs I Contingent Commander

The year was a great success for the Contingent. With a recruit company of an impressive 42 new joiners, the year got off to a great start with training beginning immediately, led by the senior cadets.

We held our Recruit Camp, the first of the year, at Longmoor Camp in Hampshire. Our recruits developed their skill-at-arms training with blank firing exercises and an introduction to fieldcraft during a 24-hour exercise. The three days away was an invaluable experience for the newest members of the Contingent, and involved a new component, comprising a demonstration of night movement and attack techniques by the Upper Sixth cadets.

2024 came to a close with House CCF, in which Taverner took home the victory for the first time in five years and the entire recruit company being promoted to the rank of cadet, after impressive performances in their recruit exam. The final act of the year saw cadets from the Sixth Form attend the Commonwealth War Graves Carol Service in late December as the honour guard. The event was held at the Guards’ Chapel in central London.

Two range days – a short-range introductory shoot at 25m and a longer range day at 100 and 200m – were held in the second half of the year. Admirable scores and groupings were achieved. Easter came and the contingent spent a few days in the Brecon Beacons conducting an Adventure Training Course. From kayaking to caving, an enjoyable time was had by all in our usual destination of Hay on Wye.

The academic year concluded with an eight-day Summer Camp at Otterburn Camp, Northumberland. Whilst the weather was trying at times, the experience was excellent. The week involved several days of camp-based activities, a range day, two days at a waterpark and a 24-hour exercise. There was also a field gun run, where KGS CCF set a new record for the year of 2 minutes, 4 seconds. All round, it was an impressive year with an enjoyable end for the Contingent.

Sgt Joe Finn, Lower Sixth

OCTOBER CAMP

Day 1 was full of activities around the base itself, including the obstacle course, which tested the cadets’ athleticism and their ability to banish fear. We attempted command tasks where we had to work as a team to solve problems within a time limit. This also allowed cadets of lower ranks to take leadership roles. The afternoon saw us completing weapon-handling tests and packing rations ready for our exercise the following day.

Our mission was simple: there had been reports of enemy activity in the area and we were sent to find their position and disband their forces before returning to base. We applied camouflage cream and the recruits received lessons on tactical travel without alerting the enemy. We moved quickly to each rendezvous point, stopping for an ambush and lying in wait for the appearance of the enemy. After several such formations we reached the harbour, setting up our bashas and preparing lunch. Each section then performed an attack on the enemy before throwing a smoke grenade and eliminating the hostile force. Many recruits fired rifles for the first time –using blanks, obviously – and learned how to make ready to complete the drill.

OCTOBER CAMP

An introductory camp for new cadets but also forms part of the training of corporals

EASTER CAMP

Outdoor education-based and open to all cadets. Activities include climbing, hiking, canoeing and caving

SUMMER CAMP

As night fell, we used tactical glow sticks used to locate significant features and were given a lesson on how to use our night vision equipment. The seniors acted as the enemy, and we observed their movements from across the path, pointing out their areas of disorganisation and blatant disregard for tactical strategy. Finally, we surveyed how flares can disrupt night vision and what one must do when their position is revealed if the enemy does use one.

Cadet Heidi Chambers, Fourth Year

Accumulation of the cadet syllabus including fieldcraft, adventure training, ranges and command tasks

CO-CURRICULAR

24 / 25

Bene Agere ac Laetari

THIS ACADEMIC YEAR HAS BEEN EXTRAORDINARY FOR SPORT AT KGS...

HOCKEY

SOUTH AFRICA HOCKEY TOUR / SUMMER 2025

KGS SPORT

Bene Agere ac Laetari

CAPE TOWN & JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

KGS SPORT

Mr B Edwards I Director of Sport

A YEAR TO REMEMBER

ROWING SAW UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS, WITH THREE NATIONAL TITLES AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA AND A DOMINANT SEASON FOR THE JW16 COXED FOUR.

FOOTBALL CELEBRATED A HISTORIC WIN FOR THE U12 GIRLS IN THE SURREY COUNTY CUP AND PROMISING PERFORMANCES FROM THE BOYS’ SIDES.

HOCKEY TEAMS SHONE, WITH THE U16 GIRLS WINNING THE TIER 1 PLATE AND THE BOYS’ TEAMS EXCELLING ACROSS AGE GROUPS.

TENNIS CONTINUED ITS UPWARD TRAJECTORY, WITH STRONG TEAM SHOWINGS AND INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS FOR WILL MACKAY ON THE INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT.

NETBALL SAW 24 TEAMS PLAY 144 FIXTURES, WITH THE U16s REACHING THE SURREY FINALS AND BOROUGH PODIUM FINISHES ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS.

GOLF HAD A LANDMARK YEAR, WITH NATALIE IVORY QUALIFYING FOR THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE TEAM REACHING THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS PLATE FINAL.

KGS SPORT

THIS ACADEMIC YEAR HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY FOR FOR SPORT AT KGS. FROM RECORD-BREAKING PARTICIPATION TO NATIONAL TITLES AND HISTORIC FIRSTS, OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATED WHAT PASSION, PERSEVERANCE AND TEAMWORK CAN ACHIEVE.

PERFORMANCE AND PARTICIPATION GO HAND IN HAND, AND EVERY STUDENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE.

In a sensational final week of term, our U15 girls’ cricket team etched their names into the School’s history books by winning our first ever outdoor national cricket title. Their triumph in the National Schools 20/20 Cup was the crowning moment of a season already filled with accolades.

After a tense semi-final where they chased down a formidable Repton total, thanks to stellar batting from Ellie Fairbanks and Olivia Klein, the team delivered a commanding performance in the final. Posting a daunting total against Ipswich, they bowled and fielded with precision and heart to secure victory by over 30 runs. This win capped a remarkable season in which the team also claimed the National Indoor title at Lord’s, retained the Surrey U15 Cup, and reached the National Hundred Final.

Their journey has been inspirational, setting a new benchmark for girls’ cricket at KGS. Much of this success is owed to the leadership of Mr Dixon, the coaching expertise of Mr Townsend, and the unwavering support of staff across the school.

The year concluded with a spectacular  where multiple school records were broken and the energy was electric. The event perfectly encapsulated the spirit of KGS Sport, where performance and participation go hand in hand, and every student has the opportunity to shine.

As we reflect on a year of exceptional achievement, we also look forward with excitement. With a strong foundation, a passionate staff team, and students who continue to inspire, the future of KGS Sport is brighter than ever.

On a personal level, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have been at KGS. I hand over a great programme to a fantastic team of staff, and I look forward to watching the next chapters of sport at KGS unfold

THE SPORTING YEAR

Mr B Dixon Head of Cricket

CRICKET

This season will go down in history as one of the most successful and inspiring chapters in our school’s cricketing journey.

The season officially started with an incredible trip to Dubai for 58 students: two boys’ teams and two girls’ teams played 16 matches, most being under lights which was a new experience. Over the weeks that followed, with dedication, discipline and hard work, our boys and girls delivered performances that not only brought home silverware but also united the entire school community in pride and celebration. We played over 230 matches, from our First Years who mainly experienced hard ball cricket for the first time, all the way to our First XI, and many great memories were created.

There were some special moments, with two girls’ teams – the First XI and the U15As – making it to National Finals. There were many standout individual performances with a record number of runs being scored and wickets being taken. An extraordinary four hat tricks each were taken by Sonali Garcha, Jemima Mack, Aimee Redman and Holly Turley. A very special mention, too, to Natalie Ivory for scoring 132 off 71 balls, a new record for the girls.

Our U15 girls have made us extremely proud over the season. With a huge amount of hard work and dedication they achieved a KGS first: two national titles - the National Indoor Title that took place at Lord’s and the National T20 Competition. They also won the Surrey County title beating Charterhouse by 8 wickets, making it three years in a row winning the County Cup. They finished runnersup in the National 100 Ball competition, losing in a super-over to Rugby School. This group of girls have shown an unmatched team spirit that over a long season of more than 30 matches in seven weeks has led to absolutely incredible achievements.

In many ways, this season was more than just a string of victories: to all the staff involved it was a reminder of what young people can achieve with the right guidance, passion and perseverance.

As the sun sets on this remarkable campaign, we look back with pride and forward with anticipation. Here’s to many more seasons of cricketing excellence.

Mr J Humphrey Head of Boys’ Football

FOOTBALL

BOYS’ FOOTBALL

A strong turnout for preseason training in August was a clear indication of the growing popularity of football at KGS.

The 1st XI had a very busy year, with over 26 matches played. With the newly formed Small Schools League due to start this autumn, their 2025/26 programme looks dynamic and competitive.

The 2nd and 3rd XI enjoyed notable wins at Dulwich, St George’s and Box Hill.

The U14s and U15s found the going tough in the ISFA Cup and Surrey Cup but a strong team spirit saw them gain victories at Box Hill and ACS Cobham. The U13s went out early in the ISFA, narrowly losing on penalties to Rokeby and going down 6-5 after extra time to The Pilgrims’ School in the ISFA Shield.

The U12As had a strong start to the year and can count themselves unfortunate to lose 3-2 against Hampton. We look forward to the coming season, with extra sessions at Goals in New Malden giving us the flexibility to train in all weathers.

Mr M Hall Head of Girls’ Football

FOOTBALL

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL

The girls’ football programme continues to go from strength to strength with a record number of girls attending training and playing in matches.

We took two teams to FC Porto, Portugal for a football tour, where the girls had a great time playing against local Portuguese teams as well as being taught by the FC Porto coaches.

The U12s made a huge impact: after losing their first two matches of the season they went on an incredible unbeaten run which saw them winning the Surrey Schools Cup. The final was a rematch of our opening game of the season against Surbiton. In the final, held at Dorking Wanderers Stadium, the girls were fantastic in the hot conditions. It was a real team effort from the girls who made us all very proud as they won KGS’s first county championship.

Squad: Emma Moullin, Kitty Martindale, Holly Turley, Matilda Cahalan (Capt), Evie Brimble, Olive McCarthy, Martha Lloyd, Jessica Dodsworth, Lucia Duggan, Leonor Firth, Maggie Merry, Georgie Roberts, Poppy Martindale, Zahraa Miah, Sadie Clark.

The U13s also had a great season and continued to develop, reaching the English Schools FA QuarterFinals against Dunottar. The girls put everything into the match and were unlucky to lose 2-1 after extra time.

Squad: Alba Isalan, Louisa Maltby, Beatrice Turner, Georgia Shepherd, Lara Fawdry, Esther Shaw, Lila Randall, Flora Mitchell, Jessica Gillbe, Eveline McClatchie, Esther Man, Roxy Stratos, Stacey Audzei.

The 1st XI had an excellent season reaching the Surrey Schools Quarter-Finals and ISFA Trophy Semi Finals

The girls who leave us this year were part of our original ‘history makers’ in 2018 who in their first season reached a national quarter-final for the first time. Since then, we have reached three national semi-finals. These girls really have left a legacy with the girls’ football programme and hopefully they will continue to enjoy the game for years to come. Perhaps they will be pioneers and set up an alumni team and return to Ditton Field as the Old Boys’ team does.

Old Kingstonians FC had a fabulous season, winning the Division 5 trophy and being promoted to the 4th Division of the Arthurian League. This is the first trophy in their history after being formed in 2018.

Mr M Rodgers Head of Golf

GOLF

The 2024/25 golf season ended in style with victory over Westminster School in the regional final at Malden Golf Club. A hole-in-one from Max Wright meant KGS won by 21 Stableford points. We now qualify for the ISGA national plate final

September and October saw the majority of matches being played, with four games in the SWIFTS Foursomes KGS faced some tough opponents and lost three but we did unearth a spectacular partnership in Natalie Ivory and Holly Seabrook who won all three of the matches where they were paired. What made this achievement all the more impressive was that the matches were played off scratch and they were often playing opposition pairs whose handicaps indicated they would be much better on paper.

KGS narrowly lost in the first round of the ISGA Matchplay Tournament to Hampton, played without Natalie, our star player. This first round loss meant entry into the plate competition which resulted in the regional final win against Westminster and qualification for the national final. Sadly, due to clashes with other golf events, injuries and Upper Sixth postexam holidays, we were unable to participate.

The first victory of the year came in late October against a good Epsom College team at Walton Heath. A crushing 7&6 victory from Natalie and Holly along with halved matches for Jonatan Ronberg and Sam Sloan in the second match and Liam O’Neill and Freddie Lett in the third secured the win.

Summer term fixtures started with the Past vs Present match at Malden GC. Still reeling from a surprise loss to the Past last year, the Present came out all guns blazing this year and secured victory with 4.5 points to 3.5. In a battle of the teachers in the top match, Mr Rodgers, playing for the Present, convincingly took down Mr Hall and Mr Mobley, playing for the Past, thanks to a season’s best round of 68. Another undefeated outing from Natalie and Holly ensured the John Makin Cup was returned to its rightful owners.

The penultimate match of the season was a friendly against local rivals KCS Wimbledon. Due to the proximity of the A Level and GCSE exams, a number of students made their golfing debut for KGS. Max Wright took Isaac Shalgosky under his wing and they formed quite a partnership, winning 5&4 in the top match. Deven Wadhwani accompanied another debutant, Ludo Brown, to a 3&2 win in the second match. With the match already won there was still time for some fireworks in the final match. Playing against a couple of Sixth Formers, the First Year pairing of Ferguson Maclean and Hector Coladangelo came to the last all square. The KCS pair were a few feet away with a guaranteed 4 for the hole. Up stepped Ferguson,

who was just off the edge of the green about 30 feet away, and rolled in his putt for a 4 to secure the half in the match.

The school season ended with another trip to Walton Heath to play Epsom College in a singles match. Against a strong team only Deven Wadhwani managed to win his match in a 2-1 defeat.

Adding to her long string of achievements as arguably Kingston Grammar School’s most successful golfer to date, Natalie Ivory qualified for the U18 English Amateur Championship, the highest individual achievement possible at a national level in her age group. Played over three days at Farnham GC at the end of June, Natalie acquitted herself well against a very strong field.

Thanks to all the golfers who have played for KGS this season and particular thanks go to Natalie Ivory, Jonatan Ronberg, Liam O’Neill, Freddie Lett, Holly Seabrook and Ollie Stone, all of whom left school this year, for their continued commitment to golf at KGS over many years.

SETTING A NEW BENCHMARK FOR GIRLS’ CRICKET AT KGS...

CRICKET

KGS SPORT

U15 Girls’ National Indoor title / SUMMER 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

FOOTBALL  CELEBRATED A HISTORIC WIN FOR THE U12 GIRLS...

SURREY COUNTY CUP / MAY 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Dorking Wanderers FC

Mr B Winter Head of Boys’ Hockey

HOCKEY

BOYS’ HOCKEY

The boys’ hockey teams have had an outstanding season, showcasing their talent and dedication across various competitions.

With 315 matches played by 19 teams, the School has demonstrated its depth and commitment to the sport, alongside plenty of success to celebrate.

The U12AS achieved a commendable third place in the Regional Tier 1 competition, while the U13As celebrated a significant victory by winning the ISHC National Plate. The U14B team also had a remarkable season, winning the Regional Tier 2A Final after defeating strong opponents including Trinity and Whitgift Bs.

The U15As made it to the ISHC National QuarterFinals, and the U16As finished as National Tier 1 Plate Finalists, highlighting the strength of the School’s hockey programme. The 1st XI victory in the St George’s 6s Plate further underscores the high level of performance across all age groups.

Internationally, the School is proud of Wilf Fox-Robinson (U16), Freddie Lett (U18) and Ollie Stone (U18) for their achievements in representing England, with Ollie Stone having the honour of being named Captain.

Sam Sloan stood out as the top scorer for the 1st XI with 16 goals, while James Ho was the top goal scorer for the whole school, scoring an impressive 36 goals for the U13As. Matthew Shinn kept the highest number of clean sheets in 11-a-side for the 1st XI with five, and Ryan Francis Riley matched this achievement in 7-a-side for the U12As.

As the new Head of Boys’ Hockey, I am incredibly proud of the success we have achieved in my first year. The dedication and hard work of all players and coaching staff has been truly inspiring. I am excited about our future potential and look forward to building on this year’s success.

Mr C Mackenzie Head of Girls’ Hockey

HOCKEY

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

The 1st XI were dealt a difficult hand with their Tier 1 Group but demonstrated excellent resilience and character throughout the season. They worked hard, competing in three different competitions and continuing to improve. A highlight for them was beating local rivals Reed’s in both the Independent Schools Cup and the Tier 1 Cup, with excellent performances from Josie Roux and Maia Hendrickx

The U16As have shown a lot of potential. After a long journey to Sedbergh School for the Tier 1 National Plate Semi-Final, Jo Tasker’s penalty corner strike and an outstanding performance from Iris Ottink proved the difference between the two teams. At the National Plate Final at Lee Valley Hockey Centre, a nail-biting start saw us concede a goal, but the nerves settled quickly and we went on to win 8-1 against Solihull School.

The U16Bs improved week by week, demonstrating good commitment to training during the season. They competed in the Tier 2 Cup, facing both Lord Wandsworth College and Forest School,

narrowly missing out on progressing further. Over the season, they consistently competed against other schools’ 2nd XI & A team sides.

The U15As were knocked out of the Independent Schools Cup in a close game against Surbiton High School, whilst the U14s continued to develop throughout the season, competing against and beating older age groups from different schools. They are a talented group with a bright future.

The U13s had a strong year, with significant progress on the hockey pitch. This culminated in both A&B teams reaching the London Finals. The A team also progressed through to the third round of the Independent Schools’ Cup This year, the U12s presented a new challenge due to the increased numbers. We were particularly pleased to have multiple A-H team fixtures throughout the season. They all made excellent progress throughout the year, with the As and Bs making it to the London Finals. The U12A finished the season at the Nottingham Independent Schools’ Cup, demonstrating the improvements they had made.

In indoor hockey, the 1st VI missed out on progressing through the regional qualifiers whilst the U16As showed great promise for the upcoming season by almost making the Nationals.

Alongside the team successes this season, we also celebrated numerous individual achievements. Josie Roux, Miila England and Hannah Wood all represented their clubs in the England Hockey National League Division 1

We would also like to congratulate Connie le Huray, Izzy Tasker, Jo Tasker, Lauren Kirk, Olivia Klein and Emily Parmenter on their selection for the England Hockey Talent Academy Festival

Finally, the season was capped off with the Buttanshaw Cup, which saw alumni back at Ditton Field to play against the current 1st XI. It was an enjoyable evening that saw current senior internationals and national league players don the KGS kit once again.

Mrs J Stapleton Head of Netball

NETBALL

More than 20 teams played in fixtures and tournaments throughout the year.

With the ever-growing numbers in our First and Second Year squads, we can now field A-E Lower School teams along with A–D squads further up the school. Results across the age groups were mixed, with the A teams winning many of their matches and doing extremely well at County and Borough tournaments. Our B/C/D teams continue to develop, with players attending lunchtime training each week to develop their ball skills, passing and shooting, a true reflection of their desire to play better.

The U12s, U13s, U14s and U18s were all ranked in the top three at the Borough tournaments, with the U15s and U16s winning their age groups. At County level, all A teams played in their respective tournaments, with the U16s qualifying for the Surrey Finals. It’s a very strong competition but it acts as a good platform for girls to step up their game.

For the first time we have entered the U15s and U18s into Sisters in Sport to see how far they can go in a National Cup and Plate

competition. We are excited to see what the teams could achieve next year. I am moving on from being Head of Netball at KGS but leave feeling very proud of how far both the sport and players have come in the past 11 years. that I have been here. I am grateful to all the netball staff who have played a huge part in the netball journey.

Wishing all the players and staff all the best for next season and thank you all for your passion, commitment and support over the years.

Mr J Dyson Head of Real Tennis

REAL TENNIS

Games afternoons saw a group of enthusiastic students enjoying the rare privilege of playing Real Tennis at Hampton Court Palace.

Under the expert guidance of our coach, Jack Josephs, we’ve not only learned the intricacies of this fascinating sport but also developed a deep appreciation for its rich heritage and unique challenges. Real Tennis, often referred to as the ‘sport of kings’, is the original racquet sport from which modern lawn tennis evolved. Played indoors on an asymmetrical court with sloping roofs (penthouses), galleries and a variety of quirky rules, it dates back to the Middle Ages and was a favourite pastime of monarchs such as Henry VIII who had a court built at Hampton Court Palace in the 16th century.

To play in such a historic setting is a rare honour, and one that has not been lost on our students. Our group, Pranshu Kashyap, Josh Berry-Thornton, James Gill, Zac Adigun, Ayden Carter, Nathaniel Butcher, Ben Ariel, Zara Mirza, Elizabeth Swan, Holly Biggs, Hiro To, Nathan Lam, Dilly Roberts and Iris Mitchell, have embraced the game with energy, curiosity and determination.

Each week, they’ve arrived with enthusiasm, ready to improve their ball control, footwork and tactical awareness. Jack’s coaching has been instrumental in helping them understand the game’s subtleties, from the importance of positioning to the clever use of spin and angles.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Real Tennis is the equipment. Players use solid wooden rackets with asymmetric heads, designed to handle the unpredictable bounces off the court’s walls and features. The balls are handmade, tightly wound and covered in cloth, making them heavier and less bouncy than modern tennis balls. This adds a layer of complexity to the game, requiring players to develop a keen sense of timing and precision. Over the course of the year, it’s been a joy to watch the students grow in confidence and skill. From tentative first rallies to competitive matches filled with strategy and flair, their progress has been incredible.

The camaraderie among the group has also been a highlight, with players encouraging one another and celebrating each other’s successes. We are incredibly fortunate to have access to such a historic venue and to be able to play a sport that so few people get the chance to experience. It’s a reminder of the unique opportunities our school provides, and the value of stepping outside the ordinary to try something truly special.

Mr E Green Director of Rowing

ROWING

2025 was a good year for girls’ rowing in particular at the KGS Boat Club.

The J16 coxed four of Sofia Lykopoulos, Zoe Casati, Jioni Biant/Philippa Ivory, Eden Taylor and cox Georgia Land went undefeated during the domestic season and represented Great Britain against the French in the J16 match. At the National Schools Regatta, the girls won all three coxed four events. Sadly, the Sunday at National Schools was cancelled due to high wind, preventing the boys from defending their coxless four title.

The year started with one of the largest senior squads in recent times. Over 60 Fifth Year and Sixth Form rowers signed up for the first main marker for the season, our biggest ever Senior Camp to Banyoles for nine days.

The second half of the Autumn term saw our first races of the season with wins coming in the WJ16 coxed fours and the women’s open coxless fours at Kingston Small Boats Head. These wins were followed by wins for the boys’ coxed four and double at Teddington Head one week later.

The Spring term saw the usual rain and event cancellations but thankfully not on the scale of 2023/4. We raced at Quintin and took a very encouraging win in the WJ16 eight. The Head season finished on a high with a win in the School Girls’ 1st VIII and a second in the School Boys’ J15 VIII, losing out to a fast Italian crew. We ended the term by hosting our largest annual dinner in several years with over 180 guests attending a memorable night on Ravens Ait.

The Easter Camp saw 40 seniors and J15s attending a week of training on the Thames at Pangbourne, a superb stretch of river that provides both mileage and enough broad straight to allow excellent side-by-side work prior to the regatta season. The training showed we had some good speed going into the early regattas.

The Junior Interregional Regatta in Nottingham saw KGSBC selected for Thames London West in the J16 boys’ and girls’ coxed fours. The boys earned a place in the A final but, having led out of the blocks, couldn’t hold their speed and came fifth. The girls took their final by the scruff of the neck and won by clear water.

The following weekend the same JW16 coxed four won again at Wallingford Regatta, a strong indicator of potential.

KGS attends Thames Ditton Regatta with J15 and nonNational Schools Regatta crews. We came away with a first win for our JW15 coxed four. The following day saw our older NSR crews

competing at Poplar over 2000m. The girls’ squad recorded three wins in Open, J18 and J16 coxed fours.

The girls’ squad had an incredible twenty-four hours at National Schools winning all three coxed four trophies. This began with the J15 girls on Friday afternoon who won the Katerina Jacks Trophy by several lengths. On Saturday, the J16 girls completed an undefeated domestic season in the coxed four by winning the Anna Fangen Trophy and the day was topped off by the J18 girls finding something special in brutal conditions to win the Jim Mason Plate. The boys didn’t get a chance to defend their coxless four win as all racing was cancelled due to high wind.

The girls’ winning National Schools crews were:

Katarina Jacks Trophy for J15 girls coxed fours: Bella Brunati, Bella Marson, Izzy Fine, Maddie Robinson, and cox Sofia Gupta

Anna Fangen Trophy for J16 girls coxed fours: Sofia Lykopoulos, Zoe Casati, Jioni Biant, Eden Taylor, and cox Tessa Holz

Jim Mason plate for J18 girls coxed fours: Philippa Ivory, Amy Fraser, Anne Thevenon, Sophie Kelly, and cox Georgia Land

At Henley it proved hard to repeat the highs of National Schools. At Henley Women’s, the girls’ NSR-winning coxed four lost out to a revengeseeking Marlow in the Groton Cup. At Henley Royal, the girls’ eight went out on day one to Godolphin and Latymer.

The only KGS international representation of the season came from a deserved win by the J16 girls at the GB trial

The girls then lost a great race to a strong French crew. This was the J16 girls’ only loss in this boat all season. Some consolation must come from learning that the French crew was a composite, taking selection from the whole of France to beat our girls.

The end of the season shows there is a promising future for KGSBC, with the J15 squad picking up a trio of wins at Kingston Regatta in the J15 single, and both the girls’ and boys’ J15 double.

Towards the end of July, KGSBC competed at Molesey Amateur Regatta and Molesey Junior Regatta

The former saw KGSBC undefeated, winning six events, along with the Victor Ludorum which is presented to the most successful club on the day. The younger rowers were equally successful, also winning six events and the Victor Ludorum. It was a wonderful way to celebrate my eight years as KGS Director of Rowing, and Miss Thomas’ six years leading the Senior girls.

Mr S Morris Head of Tennis

TENNIS

Summer 2025 proved to be another successful season for KGS Tennis, with superb performances from both our boys’ and girls’ teams. Teams competed in the Surrey Schools League, the LTA Youth Schools competition, the Surrey Schools Festival and the ISTA Championships

In addition, we hosted the annual Kingston Challenge Cup (v Tiffin), and ran the KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon and House Tennis tournaments.

Our teams enjoyed great success across all age groups. Highlights included:

William MacKay and Arjan Cheema – Semi-Finalists in the Tier 1 U16 Boys’ Surrey Schools Festival; QuarterFinalists in the U15 Boys’ ISTA Championships

Ellie Phillips and Aimee Redman – Runners-up in the Tier 2 U16 Girls’ Surrey Schools Festival; last 16 of the U15 Girls ISTA Championships

U12 Girls – Surrey Schools League Semi-Finals

U14 Boys – Surrey Schools League Semi-Finals

U12 Girls – Year 7&8 Girls’ LTA Youth Schools Division 2 County Final (to be played in September)

U14 Girls – Year 9&10 Girls’ LTA Youth Schools Division 2 County Semi-Finals

KGS successfully defended the Kingston Cup v Tiffin

William MacKay –unbeaten at No.1 singles in the Year 9&10 Boys’ LTA Youth Schools Division 1 competition

Holly Turley and Sara Redman – qualified for the main draw of U13 Girls’ ISTA Championships

Stacey Audzei and Millie McKillop – U13 Girls’ Plate ISTA Championships Semi-Finals

We also held our annual U14 KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon tournament in May which saw 31 of our First, Second and Third Year players competing. There were so many incredible matches, with some amazing comebacks and at the end of the day it was our two champions from last year, Aimee Redman and Miguel Olalla-Manji, who successfully defended their titles. Huge congratulations to both players.

Lastly, there was the KGS Tennis Trip to Day 3 of the Wimbledon Championships at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club. We were very fortunate to secure ten No.3 Court tickets in the LTA Schools Ballot and saw lots of amazing tennis involving Jasmine Paolini, Andrey Rublev and Sonay Kartal. Everyone had a fantastic time, and even got to see Carlos Alcaraz up close as he practised on Court 6, with a couple of lucky students managing to get his autograph!

Once again, it has been great to see so many KGS students playing and enjoying their tennis and to see their hard work rewarded with such strong results. We look forward to continued success next year.

ROWING SAW UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS, WITH THREE NATIONAL TITLES...

ROWING

Rowing Practice / SUMMER 2025

KGS SPORT

Bene Agere ac Laetari

River Thames, Thames Ditton

ATHLETE PROFILE: TOBY METZGEN

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO TOBY METZGEN, WHO WON THE MINI MARATHON U14 T33/34 RACE IN APRIL.

WINNER

I would say wheelchair racing is my ‘thing’. I choose to go to training not because of who’s there (that’s just an added bonus), but because I want to do well at the things I enjoy.

To me, that means training hard, no matter the conditions or distance, and respecting my coaches. Even though wheelchair racing is technically an ‘individual’ sport, I would not have been able to win the Mini Marathon by myself.

I wouldn’t have achieved the things I have today if it weren’t for my friends, who support me through hard times, and come to watch me race when they can. My teachers also play a major role in this victory, since my training at school, which is instrumental to me, would not be possible without them –so this victory is more for them than it is for me.

I train for about six hours every week and also have rest days. These are as important as training days because they give my body the time it needs to reset, so that I can go into the next training session with as much, if not more, intensity than before. I also think that if I wanted to achieve something, I have to work hard for it, and that means training in the wet or in the cold, even by myself sometimes.

And, yes, I have more of a disability in my arms compared to some of the other competitors, but I’m not going to let that stop me. Even if on paper they should be faster, it doesn’t mean they will be. I’m also not saying I’m the fastest wheelchair racer ever, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t strive to be so –because anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it.

Winning the Mini Marathon was an experience that I’ll never forget. Huge congratulations, too, to all my fellow competitors who fought hard to finish where they did.

MINI MARATHON U14 T33/34 TOBY COMPLETED THE RACE IN 8 MINS 5 SECONDS!

The race began at Horse Guards Parade, went around St James’s Park, past Buckingham Palace, up – and then down - Constitution Hill (with a hairpin bend at the top!), and finished on The Mall.

The 2025 season has just finished so I’m embarking on a block of endurance training and making small changes to my race chair to ensure I get every last bit of speed possible from my push.

I’M

NOT SAYING I’M THE FASTEST WHEELCHAIR RACER EVER, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT I CAN’T STRIVE TO BE SO... ANYONE CAN DO ANYTHING IF THEY PUT THEIR MIND TO IT.

Toby Metzgen I Third Year KGS SPORT

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Bene Agere ac Laetari

ALUMNI EVENTS

Bene Agere ac Laetari

ALUMNI PROFILES

GOPAL SRINIVASAN

KINGSTONIAN 1961

Throughout the rich history of Kingston Grammar School, many students have worn the uniform with pride and gone on to achieve remarkable success. One such example is Gopal Srinivasan, who joined KGS in 1953, a time when the School had around 500 boys and the Fairfield Building was newly introduced as a teaching space.

moments of his time at KGS. Mr Rundle was known for entrusting Prefects with real responsibility, including overseeing discipline during lunch breaks.

A KGS schoolboy wearing the red blazer is very prominent, hence the necessity of good behaviour.

G Srinivasan, Editor, The 4a Gazette, Vol 2, 1957

Gopal recalls his time at KGS with great fondness. His academic focus was clear; in his O Levels he gained 90% in History and Latin. In the Sixth Form he studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Pure Mathematics.

Although he admits he wasn’t particularly sporty, the 1961 edition of The Kingstonian reveals just how fully he embraced the wide range of opportunities available at KGS, including those in sport.

When Head Master Percy Rundle appointed him a Full Prefect, Gopal recalls it as one of the proudest

As a House Captain of Taverner, Gopal thrived organising his peers, and he credits the management skills he developed at KGS with helping him throughout his professional life. He also enjoyed writing and directing pieces for the annual House Drama competition and learned much about public speaking and voice projection through plays and as a leading member of the debatingfocussed Gibbon Society.

One of Gopal’s lasting memories was Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit to the School in 1961. As a Full Prefect, he had a prominent role throughout her visit and recalls speaking with her when she came through the library. The write up of her visit records:

‘The School Prefects, P. R. Allen, M. Anderson, C. F. Hayward, M. L. Hepher, A. C. Milway and G. Srinivasan, were the last to be honoured. As luck would have it, they were divided equally between the Language and Science sides of the VI, and as the Headmaster presented them he named the specialist subjects and future career of each boy. The Queen showed a lively interest in them all ; if she gave more of her time to one than to another, it was perhaps to Srinivasan.

With her experience of India fresh in her mind the Queen questioned him intently about his plans for the future and spoke of the place of the trained scientist in the vital development of that huge country.’

One of Gopal’s lasting memories was Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit to the School in 1961. As a Full Prefect, he had a prominent role throughout her visit and recalls speaking with her when she came through the library.

One particularly influential moment came during a lesson when Maths teacher Mr Hans Woyda entered the room and said, “I’m worried none of you know what you want to do.” He was referring to life after KGS — future careers. In that moment, he recommended Chemical Engineering, a “real subject”. That suggestion resonated with Gopal, who went on to study at Imperial College London to study Chemical Engineering, supported by a scholarship from ICI.

Gopal openly admits that life after KGS wasn’t easy, and he faced challenges during his university years.

However, a job opportunity at WS Atkins Engineering in Epsom marked the beginning of a global journey. His career took him to Estonia, Slovenia and Siberia, where he worked with countries formerly part of the Soviet Union and helped organise study trips for workers. A central focus of his work was climate change, particularly consulting on energy efficiency and sustainable solutions.

We are incredibly fortunate that throughout his career, Gopal has remained closely connected to KGS in many meaningful ways. He has organised reunions, delivered engineering talks, supported Sixth Form students with CV writing, and even helped to host the Tony Pritchard Memorial Debate in 2016, an event held in honour of a teacher who had a profound impact on his time at KGS. Many alumni may also remember receiving one of the numerous prizes Gopal has generously sponsored over the years. He credits his confidence in public speaking to both his involvement with the Gibbon Society and the encouragement he received from his teachers at KGS, a gift that has served him well throughout his life.

Gopal continues to support the development of many young people at KGS through his annual prizes for public speaking and endeavour.

SOPHIE BAILEY KINGSTONIAN 2005

Teachers feature heavily in my memories of my time at KGS. My A Levels were in English, Geography, Latin and Art, and my teachers were true KGS icons. They all made a lasting impression on me, and I don’t think that it’s any coincidence that I came full circle and became a teacher.

the river under the excellent eye of Eira Parry. Under her coaching, we won the Women’s Head twice, along with the National Schools’ Regatta. Being part of a strong, motivated and united team gave me a huge sense of belonging.

I was also commissioned to paint two artworks for KGS: I’m delighted to say that they still hang in the school today.

I have KGS to thank for igniting my passion not only for rowing but for art too.

They always set high standards for us as students, but not in a way that felt pressured; they empowered us to want to do well for ourselves. It was great to catch up with many of them at the recent 20-year reunion. I am now very lucky that I call many of them my colleagues.

Being part of the senior rowing squad was a large part of my identity. I would love to know how many hours I spent rowing on the Thames at Hampton Court and how much I enjoyed that time. Studying for four A Levels meant that any free time I did have was spent down on

I studied Law at Bristol University and continued to row both there and at Molesey Boat Club. I was also commissioned to paint two artworks for KGS: I’m delighted to say that they still hang in the school today.

I have KGS to thank for igniting my passion not only for rowing but for art too. I went on to do my teacher training at Roehampton University and returned to KGS, first as a rowing coach and then as a maternity cover art teacher. Somehow, I am still here 15 years later! Ten years ago, the School supported my decision to teach part time in order to do a Master’s in Fine Art. I immersed myself in making paintings and sculptures which explored what memories look like once they are forgotten.

I was awarded a prize for my final installation, which was presented to me by the legend that is Grayson Perry. Pursue your passions. It is often the co-curricular activities that you do outside the classroom which are the most fulfilling, provide a sense of belonging and build lifelong friendships. They certainly have for me. When under academic pressure it can feel like something has got to give and there were times where I could have spent less time on the river or in the art studio (I was in there pretty much every lunch time). But these are the things which have stayed with me long after I left school. They have opened doors for me and have led me to a career in which I feel I can make a difference. When a student tells me that they have a passion or an interest I always encourage them to keep going – just as my teachers did for me.

In memoriam

VICTOR FLICK KINGSTONIAN 1953

Victor, known as Vic, joined KGS in 1948, following in the footsteps of his brother, Alan.

An exceptional athlete in track and field along with boxing and shooting, he broke the long jump record at Borough Athletics with a 17ft 7in jump. He was also an active member of the CCF Army Section and was promoted to Acting Sargeant in 1953.

When a student tells me that they have a passion or an interest I always encourage them to keep going – just as my teachers did for me.

A career as a studio guitarist followed, and he went on to play the iconic guitar motif on the James Bond theme song. He performed on later versions of the James Bond Theme, as well as on Shirley Bassey’s theme for Goldfinger. Vic also played on Tom Jones’ It’s Not Unusual and in The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night movie. Having performed alongside Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and the Bee Gees, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Guitar Museum for his “contribution to the history of the guitar” in 2013.

Vic died in Los Angeles in November 2024 at the age of 87.

Mrs S Humphrey I Deputy Head; Director of Development

Bene

Agere ac Laetari

A LANDMARK YEAR OF SPIRIT & COMPETITION

CHAMPIONSHIP

Sports Day / JULY 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Ditton Field

HOUSE CHAMPIONSHIP THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Mr A Beard

Assistant Head (Co-Curricular and Character Education)

This year’s HOUSE CHAMPIONSHIP was truly historic.

For the first time, the competition featured six Houses, with the addition of the newly-formed Hosking House, expanding the scale and energy of this beloved school tradition. Over the course of the year, 49 events took place, involving students from all year groups and showcasing talents across an extraordinary range of activities, from Hockey and Football to Public Speaking, Chess, Drama, Art, Dance, CCF and, for the first time, Dodgeball!

Every House claimed at least one outright win, a testament to the breadth of participation and the fierce but friendly rivalry between them. Most importantly, the competition reflected the very best of the House ethos: participation, teamwork and pride. While only one House can lift the overall trophy, the real victory lies in the spirit, commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by every student involved.

RESULTS 2024/25

LOVEKYN

598.5 POINTS

1ST

2ND TAVERNER

574 POINTS

3RD STANLEY

558 POINTS

4TH QUEEN’S

542 POINTS

5TH WALWORTH

532.5 POINTS

6TH HOSKING

494 POINTS

The Championship opened in style with First Year Table Tennis Doubles, claimed by Stanley, last year’s overall champions. Walworth, newly under the guidance of Mrs Reilly, made an early statement by taking Sixth Form Public Speaking, while Taverner triumphed in First Year Chess.

Momentum shifted rapidly as the term progressed. Walworth secured victory in Second Year Table Tennis Doubles, while Lovekyn delivered a show-stopping performance to take top honours, and a vital 40 points, in the dazzling House Dance competition.

After half-term, the pace only quickened: Walworth shone in House Art, Taverner showed strength in Design and Technology, First Year Hockey and House CCF, and Hosking celebrated their first-ever win in First Year Boys’ Football.

Stanley dominated the girls’ football events across the Lower School, while Queen’s took the equivalent boys’ titles. Chess success came thick and fast, with Stanley sweeping both Second and Third Year Chess, propelling them into a neck-and-neck battle with Taverner as the term concluded, with just 1.5 points separating the top two.

The new term began with Senior Chess, won by Taverner, and Third Year Table Tennis Doubles, taken by Stanley. The Stags built on this with wins in Second and Third Year Public Speaking.

At the end of January, Queen’s House took centre stage in the House Drama competition, impressing with

HOSKING HOUSE IS NAMED AFTER AN ALUMNAE OF KGS, OLYMPIC ROWER SOPHIE HOSKING MBE, WHO WON GOLD AT LONDON 2012

original student-written plays inspired by the works of KGS alumnus RC Sherriff, part of our Sherriff 50 celebrations.

Physical and creative excellence were on full display: Walworth took Senior Rowing, Lovekyn triumphed in J15 and J16 Ergo, and Stanley blazed through the First Year Cross Country.

Netball victories were spread across Houses: Lovekyn in the Senior division, Queen’s in Third and Fourth Years, and Taverner in Second Year. Hosking scored their first comedy victory with House Jokes, timed to coincide with Red Nose Day.

As Spring drew to a close, Queen’s captured major points with wins in Fourth and Fifth Year Boys’ Football and House Music, impressing guest adjudicator Simon May with their depth and polish. Meanwhile, Taverner edged both Senior Football and Senior Hockey, keeping them firmly in contention. With additional wins in Cross Country, Netball and Public Speaking, Lovekyn had quietly climbed to the top of the leaderboard, closely pursued by Taverner.

The sunlit Summer term began with one of the most anticipated events of all: Tug of War. Crowds gathered around the Cage to witness displays of sheer strength and House pride. Stanley conquered in Fourth and Fifth Year, while Lovekyn flexed their muscles in both the Sixth Form and Second and Third Year categories. Queen’s captured victory in the First Year event, then swiftly followed up with wins in Public Speaking and the General Knowledge Quiz.

A highlight of the term was the Sustainability Video Challenge, won by Taverner, showcasing creativity and ecological awareness. After a short pause for exams, the race resumed in earnest with House Tennis. Lovekyn ruled in the Third and Fourth Year competitions, while Stanley shone in the First and Second Year brackets, leaving the standings delicately poised with only two events to go.

Brand new this year was the student-requested House Dodgeball, with Third Year students battling it out in an exhilarating debut event with Stanley and Taverner taking three wins each, but Taverner defeating Stanley on the count back and therefore taking the win. That left only one final contest: Sports Day at Ditton Field.

Despite sweltering heat and heavy traffic, the day ran smoothly, thanks to the flawless organisation of Mrs Phoenix. Records tumbled and spirits soared. When the dust settled, Stanley emerged victorious in the Athletics Trophy, delighting Mr Lawrence.

And so to the winners of the 2024/25 House Championship, with a commanding 598.5 points... the Lovekyn Eagles! Their remarkable year saw them triumph across disciplines and year groups, blending performance, participation and passion. Congratulations to Lovekyn House and Mr Beggs, and thank you to every student, staff member and House leader who made this year’s competition one to remember.

1st place

Mr A Beggs Head of House

The 2024/25 House Championship was nothing short of exhilarating...

With the introduction of the sixth House, Hosking, the competition was fiercer than ever. The Lovekynites, known for their indomitable spirit, were ready to soar and claim the coveted title of House Champions.

The Autumn term set the stage for Lovekyn’s success with a significant victory in House Drama, and this early win boosted morale and participation. The House Captains quickly found their footing, excelling in their roles and inspiring their peers. By Christmas, Lovekyn were knocking on the door of the top spot, driven by a renewed enthusiasm.

As the Easter holidays approached, our determination paid off. Impressive wins in Senior Ergos, Cross Country and Tug of War, along with commendable second-place finishes in Drama, Music and Senior Football, propelled Lovekyn to the top of the Championship standings. Returning from the Easter break, we were more determined than ever to maintain our lead.

Huge thanks to our fabulous House Captain team of Hugo Land and Amy Fraser (Captains) and Vice Captains Sam Sloan, Hattie Byatt and Anne Thevenon who led Lovekyn to victory.

Despite fierce competition from Taverner and a strong final push from Stanley, Lovekyn’s members rallied, their collective effort ensuring they remained in the top three on Sports Day. The highlight was their remarkable comeback from fifth place at lunchtime to secure a second-place finish by the end of the day.

The spirit of Lovekyn House shone brightly this year as we proudly won the inaugural House Charity Cup. One of the standout moments of our charity efforts was achieving a KGS record for the most funds raised in a single cake sale. This incredible achievement is a true testament to the character and generosity of each and every Lovekynite.

Throughout the year, Lovekynites participated in various fundraising activities, demonstrating their commitment to making a positive impact. From bake sales to sponsored events, every effort was made with the goal of supporting those in need and fostering a strong sense of community.

Lovekyn’s grit, determination and unity was evident in every event. Leading Lovekyn to yet another House Championship, my fifth since becoming Head of House, has been a remarkable experience, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together.

Well Lovekyn!done,

TAVERNER

2nd place

Mr N Casasanto Head of House

After seeing a strong start last year dwindle to a fourth-place finish, Taverner’s motto this year was “participation leads to domination”.

First Years took this message on board straightaway, getting the Bears’ first victory of the year with First Year House Chess thanks to the skills of Hector Coladangelo, Evie Gladstone, Ferguson Maclean and Andrew McGrath. The biggest event of the Autumn term, House Dance, was extremely well represented by Taverner: with strong choreography from Indy Catford, Charlotte Wellman and Ava Dent and mass participation from 1T and 2T, Taverner were looking good. Despite incredible performances to Who Do You Think You Are by the Spice Girls, Friend Like Me from Aladdin, and from 4T’s Woody Griffith and Anfisa Betts in their duet to Michael Jackson’s Bad, Taverner placed fourth. However, another big event, House Art, was around the corner, and Anushka Bate, Tess Helbing,

Indy and Lottie led hordes of Taverner artists to create a beautiful piece – part photo collage, part written word, and part paint – on the theme of Wellbeing and Respect to achieve second place!

The positive momentum continued with first place in the Junior DT competition in which students had to construct a marble run out of cardboard that took exactly 10 seconds for the marble to complete its run. Taverner had strong entries from Hector Coladangelo and Martha Lloyd, Isla Clark, Katy Russell and Lucinda Franklin, but it was Lucinda’s run that won it for the Bears with an incredible time of 10.02 seconds! A wave of first-place finishes continued to roll in, including in the First Year Hockey, House CCF, and First Year Girls’ Football, the latter of which was complemented by a secondplace finish in the Second/ Third Year Girls’ Football (thanks to House Captain Hannah Topen for managing the girls and Heath Terlouw and Jai Sian Davis the boys).

Taverner ignited into an incredible hot streak after the February break, placing in the top three in 14 of the 16 events that led up to Easter, including: first place in the Second Year Netball, Sixth Form Football, and Senior Hockey.

It was a very happy Christmas indeed as Taverner finished the term in the lead with 149.5 points, 1.5 points ahead of last year’s winners, Stanley.

The Spring term started with a win in Senior House Chess thanks to Euwan Tan, Marcus Leung, Arjan Cheema, Aisha Kalaiyalahan and Ewan Smith – and an unfortunate sixth place in the big event of the term, House Drama

The latter was not without brilliant work by directors Hannah Topen, Ava Dent, Joe Finn and lead actor Catherine O’Shea. However, with this and similar results in the House Ergos, we had fallen to fourth. Seeing history repeat itself, Taverner ignited into an incredible hot streak after the February break, placing in the top three in 14 of the 16 events that led up to Easter, including: first place in Second Year Netball, Sixth Form Football, and Senior Hockey; second place in First Year Cross Country, Third/Fourth Year Netball, both Fourth/Fifth Year Boys’ and Girls’ Football, Third Year Cross Country, Fourth/ Fifth Year Debating

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Q.What do you call two monkeys who share an Amazon account?

(led brilliantly by Anfisa Betts, Miller Fearn, Sophia Raza and Antonia Ridley opposing the motion “This House would build homes on the green belt”), and both Third and Fourth/Fifth Year Hockey; and third place in the House Joke competition (thanks to Allegra Humphreys with her entry, “What do you call two monkeys who share an Amazon account? Prime-mates!”), First Year Netball, and House Music The latter was buoyed by an incredible opera solo from Hannah Topen, a small ensemble performance of Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac, and a truly large ensemble performance of Reach by S Club 7. Taverner were back in second place overall by Easter with 451 points, just 15 points away from the leaders, Lovekyn.

A. Prime-mates!

Despite first-place results in the Third Year Dodgeball and the Sustainability Video competition (thanks to entries from Emily Booth, Gigi Chan, Florence Hale, Aletheia Lee, Lucinda Franklin, Andrew McGrath

and Alex Rochester) and second-place results in Second/Third Year Tug of War, First Year General Knowledge, both First and Third Year Tennis, and First Year Debating (with brilliant arguments from Sadie Clark, Katia Zhecheva, Ferguson Maclean and Nicola Nelson opposing the motion “This House believes all school meals should be vegetarian”), Taverner still hadn’t overtaken Lovekyn by Sports Day.

The Bears were still capable of snatching the House Cup, though, if they finished four places above Lovekyn on Sports Day – and with Taverner in second place and Lovekyn in fifth most of the day, it was looking possible. The final results were quite close, but the placing dramatically changed with the final update, and Lovekyn ended Sports Day in second place with Taverner in fourth, sealing the Bears’ overall second-place House Cup fate.

Though disappointing on the day, it was still a huge win for Taverner to end the year in second place after placing fourth for the last two years. Such an incredible transformation would not have been possible without the many equally incredible contributions of so many Taverner Bears this year, but especially not without our devoted House Captains and Vice Captains – my sincere thanks to Hannah Topen, Charlotte Wellman, Indy Catford, Tess Helbing, Anushka Bate and Jemima Stuart for everything they have done in their leadership of Taverner this year and for their many individual contributions in years past. Thanks to their hard work, next year’s motto is “first place or bust!”

STANLEY

3rd place

Mr H Lawrence Head of House

It was another excellent year for Stanley, with some notable wins and lots of fun in the process.

In truth, it has been a bit of a lap of honour following last year’s historic victory. We were thoroughly enjoying the moment and one by the one the other Houses edged past us! You do lose a little bit of momentum and favour holding the trophy and we certainly found it hard to catch the judges’ eye this year as the other Houses grasped hold of the opportunity.

Retaining a title is notoriously difficult (credit to those who have) and despite the best efforts of the House Captains, Izzy Reilly, Jasmine Jones, Noah Dyson and Judah Brackin, we just couldn’t get the traction and momentum required. I want to thank them and the rest of the House for their great effort over the year and to all the other Houses and Mr Beard for providing such an enriching and competitive experience for the students.

Retaining a title is notoriously difficult (credit to those who have) and despite the best efforts of the House Captains we just couldn’t get the traction and momentum required.

In the Autumn term, we were treated to a real showstopping performance in House Dance with a fantastic performance from Bugsy Malone, choreographed by Izzy Reilly, introducing the huge talent of 1S who were well supported by the more experienced performers. The Original Choreography piece led by Jasmine Jones, Burn in Your Name, was smokin’ hot, and Melody Moppett and Xan CairneyLeeming moved the audience to tears with their touching duet. We got some great feedback from the judges and have some good pointers for next year so watch this space!

Other Autumn term highlights were wins in Second/Third Year Chess and Second/Third Year Girls’ Football, First Year Table Tennis and First Year Girls’ Football. Well done to everyone involved and thanks for your commitment to the cause. A special mention goes to the 1S footballers who managed first and second places with no substitutes. What heroes!

The Spring term brought more heartache in the Theatre as the high emotion of Badgers Green moved the audience and stunned the judges with superb acting from Arlo Avens, Allegra Kelly, Angela Harris, Angela Oliva-Velez Segura and Julia Stewart. Despite the Director’s best efforts, Lauren Proddow, Iarina Nacu, Orson Griffith and Abigail Sturge couldn’t quite convince the judges of the piece as a whole, although we did get some excellent feedback.

Other Spring term highlights included excellent wins in Public Speaking by Second to Fifth Year! Well done to Gregor More, Roma Aggarwal, Yasmin Kloihofer, Hugo Johansson, Angela Harris, Arlo Avens and Elspeth Hill who ably demonstrated that Stanley students are well informed and very funny. The Fourth and Fifth Year Girls, captained by Chloe Verdult, shone again in Football, winning the tournament as well as the First Year girls who won the Netball followed by 2S who won the Cross Country, with Joshua Ho breaking all known records.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

The Summer term saw some great efforts in the cage with Tug of War season. I was particularly impressed by the teamwork and organisation of 1S and the coaching and encouragement they received from Lower Sixth leaders Sam Hayes and Ivan Devine 1S also came through with an impressive performance in Public Speaking which bodes very well for the future. Thanks to Jasper Elsam-Handcock, Emily Geer, Ella Concannon and Ben Thompson for their brave and impressive performance. The Third Year really enjoyed Mr Beard’s new addition to the competition, Dodgeball, and aced the tournament.

The House Captains had come up with a genius strategy and it paid off as our Victor and Victrix Ludorum winners – Esther Shaw, James Ho, Olivia Klein, James Croston and Hana Wood – all brought it home for Stanley, ably supported by the other star performers, Isla Bradley, Tom Dradne, Sebastian Wheeler, Chloe Parker and Gui Medeiros Valido.

Sports Day is always a favourite for Stanley as we have some very fast athletes. This year was no exception: we took the lead early and the wins kept coming.

Well done to all the athletes involved: you really gave it your all and stepped up where we needed you most.

Sadly, there were yet more tears in the Theatre with House Music. The Stanley Stags had put a really great show together, opened by soloist Ryan Yan who played Ravel’s Sonatine beautifully. The audience also loved our Jazz piece, Take 5, directed by Lydia Schraa and they went wild for the Spice Girls Stop as the girls nailed the performance which was directed by Abigail Sturge and Chen Gao accompanied by Sebastian Williams on the piano. I was so proud of the performers, particularly Tess Joice (Baby), Charlotte Spencer (Ginger), Ella Concannon (Posh), Georgie Roberts (Sporty) and Clara Natoli (Scary) for putting it all out there and the resilience they showed in taking the defeat and fairly direct and technical feedback. We are Stanley; we go again!

Sports Day is always a favourite for Stanley as we have some very fast athletes. This year was no exception: we took the lead early and the wins kept coming. Our victory and defence of our title never looked in doubt and was nailed on with the final event, the Squadron Relay

It was a fitting end to our ‘Lap of Honour’ year being able to celebrate the Sports Day win with an ‘open top bus tour’ of the Stanley form groups, each student being able to touch the hallowed silverware. We now hand over to the new leadership team and introduce the Stanley House Captains for 25/26: Lauren Proddow, Iarina Nacu, Abigail Sturge and Orson Griffith who already have the House whipped up into a fervour ready for a serious assault on the House Championship 25/26.

QUEEN’S

4th place

Miss M Christmas Head of House

It has been another fantastic year for Queen’s, with a new cohort of enthusiastic First Years and dedicated Captains.

Plum Knowles, Joshua Cassidy and Ben Fine supported the House at every turn, and Freya Bates and Aria Chaukar were superb Vice-Captains through and through. As difficult as it would be to recognise here everyone who contributed to the House this year, I shall do my best to celebrate some of the highlights of the last three terms.

Queen’s began the year steadily, coming second in House Dance, and nabbing the victory in the ‘Original Choreography’ category, in a fabulous cheerleader-inspired dance choreographed by Charlotte Edwards, Daisy Mack and Shanti Raj. We then saw our first proper victory in the Boys’ Second and Third Year Football tournament during the end of term football extravaganza – Seb Merrison, Roman Gorczak and Taysir Sharaf very much

gave their all for this, coached well by Sixth Formers Will Orr and Luke Chang

House Drama in January represented a real highlight for the year – students from every year group came together in a beautiful piece of theatre inspired by RC Sherriff’s The White Carnation, written and directed by Freya Bates, with help from Plum Knowles and Aria Chaukar. Not only did Queen’s win the ‘Best Ensemble’ award, but they were winners of the entire evening, and this was richly deserved. Joe Barrett, Ayesha Husain and Emmy Ball led the piece with some outstanding performances and, as a group, everyone worked together beautifully. This winning momentum continued into various Netball competitions, with the Third and Fourth Years securing a confident victory – Alexia Lacey and Kiara Duffy were top point scorers, and Lauren Kirk helped captain the team to this great success.

House Music was another great victory for Queen’s – not only did we win the entire night, but in fact won in every category – an almost unprecedented success! Congratulations to Hanna Wren and Zoe Crooks for leading both group pieces beautifully, as well as to Tom Price for his fantastic solo mash-up of songs by Queen. What a fantastic evening. This was swiftly followed by a victory in Third Year Hockey, where Seb Merrison, Jamie Sexton and Esi Ogowewo all excelled.

It would be easy to think that the Third Years were leading the charge in success for Queen’s but, soon after, we won the Fourth and Fifth Year Boys’ Football, and the First Years began piling on their own victories: Joe Barrett, Alice Pain and Evie Brimble won House Public Speaking, George Mann, James Rhodes, Immie Vowden and Emily Whymark won House General Knowledge, and all the First Years came together to win every round of House Tug of War – a special well done to Aiden Chan, who took part in every match.

While we did not win Sports Day, individually there were some terrific results – Kiara Duffy continued to break records at every turn (many being her own from last year) and Joseph Stanier and Tessa Stanier, as well as Daisy Mack and Jemima Mack, demonstrated that sometimes talent runs (literally!) in the family. Some other standouts were Charlotte Edwards, Agatha Lehec, Izzy Fine, Rosie Sibley and Alice Tian, all of whom stepped up to cover for absences.

Bene Agere ac Laetari

House Music was another great victory for Queen’s – not only did we win the entire night, but in fact won in every category – an almost unprecedented success!

I have been so proud of the entire House this year, and am delighted at how many members of Queen’s have got involved in at least one event. Queen’s is a House that thrives when working together, and this year has been a testament to that. We welcome our new Captains, Charlotte Edwards, Tessa Stanier, Tom Price and Will Orr, as well as Vice-Captain Daisy Mack, for a year of even greater success and participation from September 2025!

WALWORTH

5th place

Mrs N Reilly Head of House

Throughout all the events this year, whether we were in the top spot or last place, the enthusiasm and participation from Walworth students has been incredible. It has been a joy to witness such energy and spirit, which has made for such a vibrant and united community, and has made my first year so much easier than it could have been!

As this is my first year serving as Head of House for Walworth, I want to start by extending a heartfelt thank you to everyone for their incredible support throughout the year. It has been a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of students and staff. A special thanks goes to our outstanding House Captains — Amelia Marinko, Cara Ehrenreich and Holly Seabrook. Their leadership, commitment, and passion have been the driving force behind our successes. Watching their enthusiasm inspire others has been one of the highlights of my year.

The year started with a victory in the Sixth Form Public Speaking competition where the team of Cara Ehrenreich, Jasper Simmons, Olu Koevoets and Thomas Low spoke eloquently to oppose the legalising of cannabis in the UK – a testament to their skill and confidence in public speaking. Cara has

been a stalwart supporter of all the Public Speaking competitions, making sure all the teams were fully prepared with convincing arguments and clear speeches. In November, two creative events took centre stage. Walworth celebrated a wonderful win in the House Art competition, which focused on the important theme of Wellbeing. A huge thank you to Amelia Marinko for being such an organisational tour de force – it was great to see such creativity and thoughtfulness displayed across the design. We also had some excellent entries in House DT, with our First Year team of Olive McCarthy, Felicia Chung and Kitty Martindale being pipped at the post with their innovative marble run design.

Moving into December, we had a very cold morning of House Football, and whilst there was no victory for the teams, I would like to give a big shout out to our Second Year girls’ football team who demonstrated fantastic spirit and determination by competing with just five players in the 8-a-side tournament, showing true resilience and teamwork.

House Dance saw an inexperienced group take on Stick It To The Man from School of Rock, and there were standout performances in House Music from Anya Taylor with a solo rendition of Pink Pony Club on the trumpet and the Sixth Form Band with Abba’s SOS Another standout moment this year was the House Drama production of The Long Sunset, written and directed by Jasper Simmons. The performance was truly impressive, drawing inspiration and parts of the script from the RC Sherriff

play of the same name. It was a wonderful example of creativity and collaboration within the Walworth community.

March brought excellent performances in the House Ergos event, where many students showcased their strength and endurance. In the last event of the year, I was delighted by the fabulous attitude from all our Walworth students. Despite the heat, they threw themselves into all the events with enthusiasm, regardless of whether they came first, last or somewhere in-between. I was so proud of them and hopefully we can improve our position next year!

Throughout all the events this year, whether we were in the top spot or last place, the enthusiasm and participation from Walworth students has been incredible. It has been a joy to witness such energy and spirit, which has made for such a vibrant and united community, and has made my first year so much easier than it could have been!

Looking ahead, I am excited about the opportunities next year will bring. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and aim even higher. Here’s to moving onwards and upwards with Walworth!

HOSKING

6th place

Mr C O’Collins Head of House

It has been an honour to lead the inaugural year of Hosking House in what has turned out to be an actionpacked debut!

The amazing First Year and Sixth Form pioneers joined what was known simply as ‘New House’ back in September 2024. My first decision in charge proved to be an excellent one, appointing the Sixth Form leadership team of House Captains. Joe Ashton and Seb Cockerell were appointed Captains, with Charlotte Comard, Jonathan Duguid, Iris Mitchell and Florian Young as Vice Captains. Their passion and dedication set the tone for the rest of the House, acting as role models for their small but mighty cohort, for which I am incredibly grateful.

The identity of ‘New House’ was put to a vote for the students to decide. The result was heavily in favour of honouring Sophie Hosking, one of our most decorated KGS alumni. Given her achievement at London 2012, the motif and colour near enough picked themselves – a gold laurel wreath to represent Sophie’s Olympic Gold medal in rowing. That is the standard we aspire to in Hosking House!

The House Competition kicked off with a silver in the Sixth Form Debating, thanks to Jonathan Duguid, Joe Ashton, Ava Cooper and Josie Hill arguing to abolish the monarchy with skill and conviction. Our first sight of gold came with Clara Bormann finishing top in the First Year House Poetry A brilliant achievement, with Sophia Akhter also being placed in the top six of the year group.

The first ‘major’ competition was House Dance in October – a monumental effort in which our students stepped up despite their lack of numbers and prior experience. Lena Tokajuk and Sofia Stevenson were the superstars of the incredible First Year troupe. The Sixth Form team of Charlotte Comard, Daniela Cuervo, Naz Aydin, Sophie Williams, Josie Hill and Ava Cooper were instrumental in choreographing some brilliant routines. Next, the same Sixth Form team led House Art, creating a sustainability-focused papier-mâché globe and painted polaroids alongside the First Years.

House DT was led by Zahraa Miah whose marvellous homemade marble run was just a few milliseconds off the 10-second target. The last event before the Christmas holidays delivered a real present. First Year House Football will go down in the history books as Hosking’s first ever team victory, as the boys won all their games to take the title away from Stanley, who were also unbeaten going into our deciding match. An incredible effort, with Alvaro Izquierdo Gayoso, Demir Sengul, Lorcan Osborne and Oliver Hamilton all standouts in their contributions. The girls also played magnificently well, with Emme Gaughan and Zahraa Miah highlighted as our MVPs. Sofia Stevenson stepped up as goalkeeper, despite her lack of experience in goal, which truly embodies the Hosking spirit.

The identity of ‘New House’ was put to a vote for the students to decide. The result was heavily in favour of honouring Sophie Hosking, one of our most decorated KGS alumni.

The Spring term brought House Drama, which Sophie Hosking herself attended! Ava Cooper, Josie Hill, Lily Dempster, Annie Hatwell and Alice Davidson worked tirelessly with the First Year cast to produce a touching retelling of Journey’s End On the night, Alice won Best Original Script, a well-deserved accolade. On stage, the stars of the show were Olive Moore, Safia Ramlakhan, Emme Gaughan, Sophia Akhter and Sofia Stevenson. The talent showcased gave me great confidence for future years!

House Music followed, providing our Upper Sixth with a chance to sign off on a high before their exams. It was a real team effort, with all three of our year groups stepping up to perform across the three disciplines. Special credit goes to First Year Toby Swinson-Howell for his marvellous drumming with the Sixth Form band.

Sports Day was a fabulous way to cap off our debut year and thanks to the performances and dedication of this inaugural Hosking cohort, we finished in third place. That podium placing shows that Hosking House truly means business! Huge thanks again to all in Hosking – especially our Sixth Form leaders who have paved the way this year for subsequent generations to build upon. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for Hosking House!

AS WE CONCLUDE KINGSTONIAN 2024/25, WE WELCOME OUR NEW FIRST YEARS... CLASS OF 2032

BONDING DAY / SEPTEMBER 2025

Bene Agere ac Laetari

Ditton Field

FAREWELL & WELCOME KGS STAFF

FAREWELL

Farewell and thank you to...

Susana Warne PA to the Head Master

Jules Day Deputy Registrar

Nicola Gordon Rowing Coach

Abdullah Ibrahim IT Support Apprentice

Johanna Pursey Administrator

Genny Gohlan HR Administrator

Rachel Grainger Rowing Coach

Jacqueline King Learning Support

Callum Green Sports Coach

Charlotte Sandford Events Manager

Alice Lehec Admissions Assistant

Oliver Balls Hockey Coach

Kirsty Chaplin Visiting Music Teacher

Jemma Woods Hockey Coach

Samantha Syder Netball Coach

Marcelo Graca Football Coach

Jas Sidhu Admissions Data Administrator

Kate Walker Admissions Assistant

Isabella Robson Marketing Assistant

Damir Jovic Teacher of Economics

Shaunak Desai PGCE Student

Benedetta D’Aurelio Language Assistant

Luke Mobley Hockey Coach

Max Anderson Hockey Coach

Nick Attenborough Sports Coach

Chloe Rowland Safeguarding and Lower School Administrator

Helena Baglin Receptionist

Alessandra Lenzi Learning Support

Ben Edwards Director of Sport

Louise Andrew Head of Classics

Susan Clifford Teacher of Mathematics

Jane Stapleton Head of Netball

Pedro Borrero Media Technician

Ed Green Director of Rowing

Bethan Thomas Senior Rowing Coach

Holly Airbright Teacher of Biology

Fiona Fraser Trips Administrator

WELCOME

As ever, we were pleased to welcome many new members of staff for the 2024/25 academic year...

Rebecca Manton Hockey Coach

Timothy Hazel Teacher of Mathematics

Vanessa Martins de Lima Teacher of Mathematics

Morgan Pearce Teacher of English

Sean Healy Teacher of English

Elizabeth Burdett Teacher of English

William Nolan Head of Classics

Anna Sayles Teacher of Classics

Francesca Goodall Teacher of Biology

Beth Kandemir Teacher of English

Lily Tucker Teacher of English

Benjamin Cordier Learning Support Assistant

Lisa Widowitsch Teacher of Computing

Leire Roman Vara Language Assistant

Rachel Gooding Hurst Trainee Teacher - Music

John Humphrey Head of Boys’ Football

Sugija Puthiya Purayil Science Technician

Holly Blake Rowing Coach

Lori Parkes Administrator

Charlotte Mortimer Teacher of Classics

Brian Stuart Grounds Staff

Sami Shori Graduate Finance Apprentice

Amy Smith Sixth Form & Careers Administrator

Mike Dowd Head of Learning Support

Lucy Holder Sports Coach

James Cracknell Director of Rowing

Joe Hallam Teacher of Economics

George O’Connor Cricket Coach

Zijie Leon Liu Visiting Music Teacher

Isabelle Woodward Marketing Assistant

Joanna Land Admissions Assistant

Belinda Osei-Fosu Media Technician

Pearlyn Patrick Safeguarding and Lower School Administrator

Amy Tucker Registrar

William Page Events Manager

Georgia Minorczyk Science Technician

Taryn Birkett Rowing Coach

CONGRATULATIONS!

Throughout the year, a number of staff welcomed babies to their families: Lucy Macfarlane, Irem Albayrak, Federica Casole, Harriet Naismith, Guilia Pepe and Lauren Cooper.

Congratulations, too, to Tom Beaumont, Anna Lewis Monsma and Vanessa Lima who all got married over the course of the year.

IN MEMORIAM

Cottee, who had been a member of the KGS Facilities Team for almost 20 years, passed away in February. Since his death, Cameron’s family have expressed how much KGS meant to him and how he loved working here.  He will be missed.

Cameron

2024/25