KGS Newsletter October 2015

Ypres Trip Page 3

Silver Snake page 14

Tash Burrell tells us all about the Belgian day trip.

First Year raise over £600 for good causes whilst having fun.

NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2015 ∙ www.kgs.org.uk

DRAGON BOAT RACING ON FAILURE DAY

Learning to Fail

On Wednesday 29th September the First Year pupils learnt that failing is the first step in succeeding and that you should try, try, try again.

W

e started Failure Day with an assembly to introduce the topic and talk about what we would be doing that day.

Then we all travelled to Ditton Field to begin the fun activities: dragon boating, slack lining and puzzle solving.

Slack lining was by far my biggest failure.

Walking two metres on a tightrope with no support was a lot harder than I anticipated.

KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

Despite getting soaked from head to toe, my favourite activity was dragon boating; a competitive race between two classes, as they paddled for the finish line. However, my group had a dead tie.

Puzzle solving wasn’t any easier than the other activities. Having never thought to do a Sudoku or pick up a Rubik’s Cube I can say I definitely failed!

I am happy to say that I learnt a very valuable lesson on Failure Day: failing doesn’t matter as long as you tried your hardest. That really is all anyone can ask of you. Trying to attempt a tricky obstacle, like the slack line, can show you that the first time you fail doesn’t mean you will fail the second time.

Juliet Gray and Isabel Morton ILSK continued on page 6

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welcome

WELCOME T

here’s been an awful lot going on at KGS over the last week let alone the last month, all of which is covered by this latest edition of our Newsletter. I know that we are all looking forward to half term as an opportunity both to explore and compete further afield, as well as to recharge our mental batteries. In the last week alone we’ve celebrated House Drama success (well done, Walworth!), witnessed newly born stars of screen as well as the stage and enjoyed regional and national hockey success for individuals and teams, with no fewer than ten KGS students on the verge of international selection, the senior girls comfortably qualifying for the South Finals (hopefully leading to another year of national glory) and the senior boys enjoying one of their best recent results against a keen rival.

"Well done, Walworth!"

House Drama Champions 2015

I, however, missed much of this as I spent last week catching up with my fellow Heads and the latest trends, news and directions in education at the HMC conference. I learnt much, such as that the future lives and careers of our students will be unrecognisable from what we know and experience today – they will work to 100 and live to 120! I learnt that everyone will face what is described by explorer Monty Halls as a ‘Red Star Moment’ at some point in their lives and the key is how one reacts to this moment.

I feel an assembly coming on! From Matthew Syed we achieved a greater understanding of the essential difference between growth and fixed mindsets. This was all aside from the regular business of discussing and debating issues such as well-being in schools for staff and students and educational reform both imposed from above and demanded from below, especially in the case of exam boards where the inconsistency and unpredictability of marking is still unacceptable.

The two most important things I learnt were these: firstly, that a simple run on a beach by around 100 Heads, including me, recapturing a famous moment in film, when generously supported by the staff, students and parents of KGS and other schools, can raise enough money to save 685,438 lives and counting; secondly, that despite the fact that one does learn a lot at these conferences, I do miss being at KGS. Happy half term, everyone!

Stephen Lehec Head Master Follow Mr Lehec on Twitter @KGSHEADMASTER 2

HMC HEADS RAISING MONEY FOR UNICEF october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

trips

Ypres Trip for Third Form A

t 5:30 in the morning we all arrived at Ditton Field and waited for the coaches to arrive. It was unbelievably dark and everyone was very tired but excited for the long day ahead. Once we were all on board we set off on our way to Dover, where we would be getting the ferry.

Once off the ferry we drove to our first stop, an old gateway which had had the gate removed a long time ago. This was the Menin Gate. It is now the principal memorial for soldiers with no known grave. All of the soldiers here were part of the British Empire. The spot was chosen because at some point or another, all of these soldiers would have passed through the gate at least once due to its close distance to the battlefields. The names of all the missing men are engraved on it and every evening there is a memorial service for all the soldiers who lost their lives. This is the Last Post ceremony. Being here really made me realize the scale of the destruction of this war. These weren’t even all the dead in the British Empire; these were only those whose bodies were not recovered.

After we’d stopped here for a bit we then went to look around Ypres. I ended up buying quite a lot of Belgian chocolate to see if it lived up to its name. It definitely did! After we had our lunch in the park,

KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

we got back onto the coach on our way to our next destination, the German graveyard.

Unfortunately, the graveyard itself was closed for refurbishment, but we could still look over the edge. We learned that the cemetery has four bronze statues designed to represent each branch of the German army. Being here made me realize that the war was not totally one-sided. When I had learned anything about the World Wars, it was always implied that ‘England was the best, the Germans were evil then’ but, in fact, they had casualties and suffered losses too. The war was really dreadful. We also learned that this cemetery was very important to the Nazis during the Second World War as this was one of the two places Hitler was filmed in when trying to seize it – the other was the Eiffel Towel. The German cemeteries are also very different to the English ones; they are full of oak trees and the graves do not have registers.

After the German cemetery, we then went to an English ones in Ypres called Tyne Cot. Out of all the places we went to, this one hit me the hardest. The masses and masses of white gravestones were truly beautiful and devastating at the same time. The cemetery was laid out like a church, with the memorial being the altar, a ‘choir’ on both sides and the congregation stretching out as far as I could see. On top of the altar there was a big cross with a sword pointing down on it. This

was because at military funerals they point the dead person’s weapon to the ground.

On each gravestone there was a religious symbol, their regimental cap badge and a personal message. All were buried equally and together, no matter the rank. In one case a prince was buried next to a regular soldier. One family chose to put this message on the grave of their son, Arthur Conway Young. ‘Sacrificed for the fallacy that war ends war’. They said that their son died for nothing. At Tyne Cot, there are also three German bunkers from the war itself and four German graves. Three wounded soldiers and a medic were captured by the British as prisoners of war; a German shell later killed them.

I thought that coming on this trip was a fantastic thing to do, and an enormous eyeopener to the level of devastation in Ypres alone during the First World War. I don’t think that I will ever think of it in the same way again.

Tash Burrell 3HN

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Sport

Netball Report Netball has had a positive start this term, with the girls' teamwork and shooting skills being noted

N

etball has started well this season with after-school practices well attended.

The early Ibstock Place tournaments are always the focus for teams but poor weather meant that 2 out of the 3 were cancelled. The U13s, however played in glorious sunshine and came 7th overall. The are working on their combinational play and shooting.

Matches started with the Seniors playing Surbiton, Tiffin and Claremont with a mixture of results, although a 32 - 21 win against Tiffin for the As and a 42 – 7 win for the Bs were great results. Great teamwork in both squads and great shooting!

The U14 A & B teams both beat Claremont whilst the U15s need to work on their game plan.

Our U12 A & B teams have started the season well, winning their first match for KGS! The As beat Claremont 18 – 5 and the Bs won 10 – 1. A fantastic result so early in the season.

Both the U14 and U19 squad have County tournaments coming up. We wish them luck.

THE U13 NETBALL TEAM

We are also looking forward to taking 31 girls to Gibraltar on Saturday 17th October to play Spanish club sides. Some Spanish sunshine will be a treat to play in!

"Well done to all the girls for their hard work"

Well done to all girls for their commitments and hard work at training.

Mrs Stapleton

Hockey London Heats O

n the 7th October we arrived at Ditton Field ready to play in the London heats. Our first match was against Wimbledon High in which we started off attacking very hard to win us a few early goals; with some good movement across the middle of the pitch to the forwards the halftime score was 5-0. We defended well, not conceding any goals and, having the majority of the possession, the final score was 10-0 to us. Our next game was against St John's.

Having just watched them win against Wimbledon High, we knew this game was 4

going to be more challenging. We defended well for the first few minutes, keeping them out of our circle. Then an attacking break allowed us to win a short corner and be 1-0 up. We carried on pressing high and confidence was building through the team, allowing us to come away with a 6-0 win. It was a great way to start the tournament!

Katie Headley L6

october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

sport

Rowing Dan Kenn Update Memorial On Sunday the Fourth Year rowers travelled to Maidstone to race against a number of clubs and schools on the narrow River Medway. The girls' J15 coxed quad (Ellena Eley, Isadora Jones, Frances Hedley, Lauren Betts, and Emilia Munns) won their category. The boys' quad would have done the same, but had a major steering issue.

The boy's J15 double of Aadam Qureshi and James Beynon also did very well, being only a few seconds off winning. The rest of the squad raced in singles, learning a lot about racing and steering.

Match

The annual memorial hockey match for OK Dan Kenn between alumnae and 1st XI took place 9th September 2015.

It was a tough match with the final score 2-2.

Mr Simmons

Golf Win O

n Wednesday 30th September James Hall and Sam Reid in Fifth Year became the U16 Kingston Schools golf champions with victory at Chessington Golf Centre. They won with a score of two over par over 5 holes in a greensomes competition. This is the second year in a row they have won their age group.

They’ll be going for a “three-peat” next year.

Mr Rodgers KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

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school life

Failure Day 2015 T

his year, Kingston Grammar School’s Failure Day took place on the 30th September. Pupils had to take hard on challenges and try to succeed. The activities were Dragon Boat Racing, The Tightrope Walk, Rubik’s Cube, Nail Balancing and Sudoku.

In Dragon Boat Racing, each form room had to get in a Dragon Boat and row with a paddle. On the River Thames, we all ended up being splashed by form mates. We then had a few races, where my form won (GO, 1LSK!) and then we went back.

In the Tightrope Walk, we walked across a barrier (of some sort) tied between 2 trees. With 2 people supporting you, it was super easy. With 1 supporter, you could fall to the other side with no support. With no supporters, I only made it 50cm to 1m across! The wind was roaring, so the rope was constantly vibrating. Some of us (including me) did it with our eyes closed!

The puzzles were quite tough. First of all: Sudoku. I had a tough time figuring out where each number had to be filled in. Next: the Rubik’s Cube. Nobody managed to complete it, but I nearly got a side three times. I didn’t have time to have a go at the Nail Balancing but I’m sure the techniques were pretty tough to figure out and use.

We learned that success always comes with bags of failure. People like Elvis Presley, Beethoven, Thomas Edison and more all had giant failures before becoming extremely famous. We were told to be wary of using the word ‘talent’ because this is something we are not born with. For example, a person is not born a great violin player; we couldn’t do a Grade 8 violin exam right away, could we?

We work hard, fail and then we become a successful Grade 8 violin player. Finally, we received secret letters from our parents about their failures and how they moved on to succeed in their lives.

The First Years will always remember this day and from now on will remember a fail as being the ‘First Attempt In Learning’.

CAPTION XXXX XXXX XXXX XXX

Matthew Burrell 1LSK

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october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

school life

"Remember a fail as being the 'First Attempt In Learning"

TEAM BONDING

KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

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school life

R C SHERRIFF WAS HIMSELF AN OK WHO SERVED IN WWI

How Like It All Is The world premiere of a play based on the work of the illustrious OK

O

n Friday 25th September Roland Wales’ play ‘How Like It All Is: Beyond Journey’s End’ had its second world premiere. Second premiere? Well, yes, because this play about the life of R C Sherriff during and following WW1 was first performed at the Rose Theatre Studio last year (my review of it appears in Kingstonian 2014) but it has since been rewritten and the new version was performed in our own Studio to a select but highly appreciative audience.

The rewriting involved structural changes that sharpened the emotional impact of individual scenes. A key feature of the new version was the positioning of two photographs: the first, a wartime shot of Sherriff and his comrades brings the first half to a close; the second, following the interval, shows the survivors at a reunion party to watch a performance of ‘Journey’s End’. (Both are genuine extant photographs featured in the programme). The juxtaposition of these tableaux scenes in which the two photographs are taken marks the passage of time, and the wartime fatalities, poignantly.

However, the main focus of the play is the debilitating effects of war on those who survive it. The play charts the fate of Sherriff and his companions, but also integrates three scenes 8

from Sherriff’s unfinished sequel to ‘Journey’s End’ in which we see Stanhope struggling to come to terms with the pressures of civilian life whilst haunted by the past. Thus the playwright is seen to have some affinities with the fate of his fictional hero. Sherriff himself is a forlorn figure, grieving lost comrades and burdened by guilt for not having returned to the front line after his wounds healed. Jamie Bisping, who played Young Sherriff in the previous production, here stepped up to play the older man. His astonishingly compelling performance captured Sherriff’s vulnerability and diffidence. Jamie conveyed the demeanour of a broken man, an impression deepened by comparison with the more robust looking Young Sherriff (Tomas Morgan-Young). In a performance of exceptional maturity, Tomas displayed the playwright’s sensitivity and the depth of his wartime attachments.

The whole cast are to be commended for their engaging performances: Ben Cave (from last year’s Upper Sixth) returned to play Capt Warre-Dymond, George Parrott as Major Clark and James Gawn as Lt-Col Thomas were the surviving companions whilst Jamie Thomson (Lt Kiver), Will Freeman (Lt Douglass/Father) and Dennis Rigby (Captain Tetley) played those who perished. Jess Murray suggested the resolute

love of Sherriff’s mother. Teddy Coward was impressive once again in the role of Stanhope, whilst Josie Palmer and Luca Kamleh-Chapman played strong supporting roles.

Writer Roland Wales and Nick Bond (for his inspired direction) are to be congratulated on their triumphant collaboration. It was a hugely impressive piece of theatre.

Mr Smith

october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

school life

Take Your Child to Work Day On INSET Day last Friday I went to my mum’s work at the Western Eye Hospital for 'Take Your Child to Work Day.' She is an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon). First thing in the morning my mum, Melanie, presented a three-hour session (!) to the trainers about how to teach their trainees.

She taught every one how to help their trainees spot infections in the eye. I understood some of the things she taught but some were a level too high. I saw that my mum was an extremely good teacher.

I then had a visual field test which measures the scope of each eye's vision.

Having this test allowed me to see what it was like from the patient’s perspective.

Fortunately my test was a success. After lunch I learnt how to use a laser on tissue paper. It is used for blasting unwanted retinal blood vessels and lens capsules.

The laser is so much fun to play with on tissue paper but seems very powerful for our delicate eyes.

Pre-1970s OK Reunion Old Kingstonians who attended the School prior to 1970 were welcomed back for a reunion lunch on Saturday 10th October. Around 100 alumni and friends took the opportunity to visit KGS, catch up with their classmates and find out what’s changed over the intervening years.

Head Master Stephen Lehec and Chair of KGS Friends, John Cook, welcomed alumni before everyone sat down to enjoy lunch in the Hall.

Then, suitably nourished, it was time for a tour of the site to see all the recent developments and revive classroom memories before returning to the Hall for a well-earned cuppa and the customary group photo.

For Neil Carr-Jones (OK 1965) it was his first time back to the School in 50 years and he was pleased to be able to reconnect with his classmates: “I was so impressed by how the School has grown and expanded its facilities whilst retaining its unique personality.

Everyone I met at the reunion expressed such happy memories of their time at the School and the anecdotes, as you would imagine, just flowed! Many thanks to KGS Friends for my invitation.”

KGS Friends regularly organise reunions and events for Old Kingstonians. Some highlights in the coming months include a City networking event (Tuesday 3rd November), the KGS Friends Quiz (Saturday 14th November) and the everpopular One Term On Reunion (Monday 21st December) – visit http://www.kgs.org.uk/ community/alumni or follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KGS_Friends Mr Conneely

In the afternoon, we went to a clinic of thirty patients. My mum taught some trainees at the same time as managing the patients. I had a look down the microscope at some people’s eyes. It was surprising how bumpy the cornea can be after an infection. One patient had had a corneal transplant combined with a cataract operation two days beforehand.

It was amazing to see such fine sutures holding the new cornea in place.

It was fascinating to see my mum at work.

It was very interesting to see how the whole team worked together to look after patients. They needed to be so efficient and knowledgeable to treat everyone.

Matthew Wood 3KAB

Mental Health T

he mental health of children and adolescents has been much in the news recently and rightly so. How on earth have we got to a situation where one in ten of our children has a diagnosable mental health disorder and where our schools now routinely hire counsellors and other therapists to help with problems such as self-harm, eating disorders and depression?

On 16th September, KGS welcomed over 150 delegates to our first conference, “Improving mental health in children and young people”. Delegates from all over the country heard from a number of high-profile speakers including Sarah Brennan, CEO of the charity YoungMinds, and Dr Aric Sigman who spoke

KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

about the effects of the internet and screen time on children’s mental health. We were also delighted to welcome Norman Lamb MP who spoke about current mental health legislation. During the afternoon, delegates could choose from specialist sessions on subjects such as depression, eating disorders and, most importantly, what schools should be doing to tackle the problem.

The conference was a great opportunity for schools to share best practice and to discuss and develop ideas and current research.

Here at KGS, the happiness and well-being of our students is paramount and we will continue to do everything we can to support our students through difficult times.

Mr Forsyth 9

library

New Book Awards at KGS

B

etween now and March students can get stuck in to some fantastic literature on the theme of ‘voyages and journeys’ as part of the Trinity Schools Book Award (TSBA). There is a Junior shortlist for Years 1 and 2 which includes titles such as Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines and The Hobbit, and a Senior shortlist for older students which includes the likes of Khaled Hosseini’s When the Mountains Echoed and Bill Bryson’s new book which came out earlier this month. Each title has teacher champions who will be encouraging students to give ‘their’ book a try and supporting special TSBA activities.

Students will meet regularly after Half Term to discuss the books and undertake fun activities. The programme culminates in a VIP awards ceremony on March 9 where students will have the opportunity to meet some of the authors and find out which books will be crowned the winners.

There are competitions for the best student responses to the books. Students are able to purchase any of the shortlisted titles for 20% discount.See Mrs Cleaves in the library for a letter and to sign up.

We’re delighted that Matt Dickinson, one of the short-listed authors, will be here on November 5th. In addition to writing the gripping teen thriller The Everest Files, in 1996 Matt was the first British film-maker to film on Everest’s summit and return alive. Students will be able to purchase a signed copy of The Everest Files at 35% discount. More info to follow.

Mrs Cleaves

Hitchhikers guide This is no normal science fiction novel. The premise is centred on two humans who survive Earth’s senseless destruction and travel around space attempting to find the meaning of life, with a copy of ‘The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’ (which might have seemed revolutionary in 1970 but is essentially a primitive version of Wikipedia on a Kindle Paperwhite, with the reassuring words ‘Don’t Panic’ emblazoned on the front). So do not read if you are expecting heroic protagonists and malevolent villains, or if you want to be astounded with scientific descriptions of unimaginable, futuristic technology. But read this book if you want your mind to be enlightened, if you want to be primed in scientific and philosophical thinking, if you want to learn how the English language can be made to do amazing things and defy all rules whilst still making hilarious sense, if you want to be entertained beyond imagining, and if you want to become so hooked that you are forced to read the whole series before Christmas.

MISS POSTGATE IN ACTION

Miss Postgate

The Hobbit

I

love this book because it’s the scene setter for not only one of the best literary trilogies of all time but for the best movie trilogy of all time.

The Hobbit is the original fantasy adventure book; it takes you out of the library and drops you into the midst of a elven feast, the heart of a treasurefilled mountain and the middle of battle all the while reminding you of the importance of friendship, never to underestimate someone or something by its size and that the point of a journey isn’t the end point but what you learn in-between. So why don’t you join me on this literary journey across the shire into the unknown? Who knows what you’ll learn?

Mr Scott

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner With over fifty entries it was very difficult, but we did eventually choose three winners for their original responses to the tiebreaker: ‘Which literary character would you invite to dinner and why?’

Elizabeth Sweeney ‘Jane Eyre – because she has such a strongwilled and amazing personality and it would be very interesting to hear her opinions’

Holly Harrison ‘Daisy Wells from Murder Most Unladylike – because in the books she is always so full of enthusiasm and I know that with her I would undoubtedly have a fun and engaging meal’ Theo Piche-Hainsworth ‘Eragon and Saphira from the Inheritance series – as I have a long-lasting wish to see/ touch a mythical creature and Saphira can cook the food’ Mrs Cleaves

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october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

school life Jemma Rubens (1SAB) – The play was really enjoyable and the man running it kept us engaged the whole time as it was interesting and had a lot of audience participation. I think everyone in there learnt something new, whether it was the story or a phrase in Spanish.

He told the story really well and I had a fun hour!

Harry Pink (1MJD) – I thought the play was really fun, but interesting as well. The Spanish was easier to understand than I expected and it really helped that he would translate every sentence into English after he had spoken it in Spanish. Getting the audience involved was also a really good idea as we were able to stay engaged and interested throughout the entire play.

Tianna Sinclair (1SAB) – It was fun because he had people in the audience acting too. I was a queen and he ‘kissed my hand’ when he was actually kissing his own and he was a really good actor. He explained things to us in English as well as acting in Spanish. It was also fun because at the end we decided whether the main character was a fool or a hero. He changed things like his voice and the people acting parts so that we stayed interested.

EL REY Y LA REINA CON DON QUIXOTE

Don Quixote de la Mancha Pupils from the First and Second years enjoyed the interactive retelling of the classic tale.

Molly Verow (2CLB) - What I loved about the play was that it got us so involved and even though the actor was still telling us the story, he gave us parts to play so that we were interacting and understanding everything in a more creative way. I thought it was a very fun, entertaining and enjoyable way to learn the story.

Zac Sampson-Regal (2RSS) - I thought the Spanish activity/play was brilliant. I am sure almost everybody thinks the same. I think the best bit about it was that we all got to interact. We all acted and had so much fun while we also learned about Don Quixote’s adventures. We were left to decide whether he was a fool or a hero.

Miss Sharp and 1st & 2nd Form Pupils

F

irst and Second Form pupils learning Spanish, as well as the Third Form ab initio group, were lucky enough to experience the Freshwater Theatre Company’s interactive performance of Miguel de Cervantes ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’ on Tuesday 6th October. The novel is considered to be one of the most influential works of Spanish literature and was made accessible by some pre-session language and story investigation, as well as viewing some animated clips to aid the understanding of the plot.

“Meet the famous Don Quixote de la Mancha, self-pronounced knight errant and defender of chivalry, as he sallies forth to battle giants, vanquish enchanters and save damsels in distress. Or so he believes! At his side, the ever-faithful Sancho Panza tries to keep his master tethered to reality and out of danger, but Don Quixote’s so-called ‘chivalry’ leads to misadventure at every step.

KGS Newsletter ∙ OCTOBER 2015

By turns comically farcical and touchingly tragic, the story of this hapless pair draws us in to share in their daring escapades.” (www. freshwatertheatre.co.uk) Here’s what some of our pupils had to say about the production: Lucas Griffin (1LMJ) – I thought this was very amusing and interesting. I personally understand a thing he said but when he made us repeat the words the whole story made sense. Some of us participated as volunteers which made everyone laugh and learn new vocabulary.

Holly Harrison (1SAB) – I thought that this play was extremely entertaining as everyone in the audience got to participate at some point, and I loved the way the man told the story in such a fun way. Also, everyone was laughing a lot because it was silly at the same time!

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school life

"Live leeches kept safely in a jar"

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

BODIAM CASTLE

On the 6th October the First Year went on a History trip to Bodiam Castle.

W

e got a coach to Bodiam Castle, which took about an hour and a half, but it was worth the wait when we got there. It was huge!

My group's first activity was a re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings. Our homework was to make a shield, which we used in our re-enactment. The array of shields was amazing: big, small, tall and short with some very interesting designs on the front to reflect our family names and personalities. Only one side could win the battle and we all knew who that would be!

We then went to a set of tents to learn about the diet of a Lord and Lady and their clothes.

Members of the class got to dress up as the Lord and Lady and someone else had to be their peasant! The groups were then split up and we could either learn about medieval medicines and health or medieval armour.

I chose the medieval armour and we had a little talk about all the names of the various pieces. Then we were allowed to try it on and feel the different pieces of kit. I tried on a 12

full helmet with a chainmail neck guard and it was so heavy it just weighed my neck down. I could not imagine how hard fighting in it would be! The medieval medicine group got to learn about how they treated battle wounds, tooth ache and what they thought caused and cured illnesses. It was not for the faint hearted and everyone was fascinated by the live leeches kept safely in a jar!

After the medieval workshop we went into the castle and did a tour all around it. I hadn’t realised how gigantic it was! The castle had many defensive features but had also been made comfortable to live in with a well, various ovens, fire and very steep stairs. We climbed up to the towers which were extremely high up and you could look down and just see an array of ants (people) on the ground. You could even see the huge fish that were swimming around in the moat that surrounded the castle.

Overall the trip was really fun and enjoyed by everyone. We did learn lots as well!

Harry Pink 1MJD october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

school life

Joel Community Project J

oel Community Project is an initiative, started up by Dan Wheeler which aims to bring a sense of community to those who may not feel like they are part of one. Once a week, four pupils from our school travel down to St Peter’s Church where a halfway house has been set up. Whilst we are there, we socialise with the residents and sit down together and enjoy the dinner we have helped to prepare.

Last term, our school held a mufti day in aid of the project and we managed to raise £699.36! Joel has used this to promote its own fundraising on their website – see www.joelcommunitytrust.org.uk/fabulousfundraisers where you can find our fundraising video! We started this year’s volunteering at the shelter on Thursday 8th October and it continues to be a hugely enjoyable and rewarding project to be a part of.

Joanne Sivanathan & Jess Taylor U6

CCF Update

S

o far this year, a grand total of 32 cadets, a quarter of the current Third Year, has joined the CCF. Everyone is progressing well, with all cadets having learned basic drill, weapon handling and weapon stripping and reassembling. In addition, the contingent, including the Third Year recruits, perform admirably on the Crown Court Service, an annual event in Kingston, which KGS CCF has provided parade support to for over 70 years. The drive and natural talents of the cadets ensured that the service was a success, with everyone executing their drill flawlessly and receiving a generous reward in the form of food from the Mayor of Kingston. Overall, the new cadets are progressing well, and this trend will hopefully continue throughout the year.

Sgt Tim Wilcox L6

TWO OF OUR VOLUNTEERS

The contingent is always on the lookout for pupils, staff and parents alike who would like to get involved in the CCF. If this applies to you, then please get in touch with either Captain Beggs, Contingent Commander or WO2 Gardner, School Staff Instructor, for further details.

Fifth Year Classics Trip O

n Thursday 1st October, Fifth Year Latin and Greek pupils went to Central London on a Classics trip. We visited the British Museum and looked at galleries filled with ancient red-figure and black-figure pottery, learning the history of how people used to paint ceramics and decorate their possessions. We also saw the Elgin Marbles and considered the issue of repatriation of artefacts. Miss Snook was able to tell us a lot of interesting facts about the marbles themselves. We also got to explore some of the other rooms where there was more pottery and ancient art. After dinner in Trafalgar Square, we visited the National Portrait Gallery, and for the next hour patrolled the floors and posed next to famous pictures. Simon Schama’s ‘Face of Britain’ exhibition rooms were particularly KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

good. Unfortunately this was when our journey ended but we had a lot of fun, learned many new things (like Pliny) and also got to pose with Oscar Wilde on the way home!

Joe Rona 5SSC 13

school life

First Year Silver Snake T

he moment that the whole of First Year was waiting for came when, on Thursday 22nd of September, the words “and...

GO!” were uttered and five forms' worth of pure determination spilled out onto the floor of the hall. We were, at that moment, entranced by organising thousands of silver coins (hence the name: Silversnake!) into neat rows snaking (also hence the name!) from one end of the hall to another. At least, we tried to make them neat. For the most part, they were. Some of them.

The Silver Snake event was an idea designed to raise money for charity while at the same time being immensely enjoyable and improving our motor skills. For weeks in advance, we had been painstakingly looting our piggy banks and parents' wallets (definitely not - we asked them first) in search of 5, 10, 20 and 50p coins, which were held hostage in PE bags, cardboard boxes and pickle jars until the Grand Event.

And, on the 22nd September, we staggered - laden with merchandise - towards the hall, where we talked tactics (spread out along our form lines, distribute the coins between us, and get busy winning the prizes!) and waited impatiently for the starting signal.

Finally, we got started and could only think of

"The First Year raised £655.27"

SILVER SNAKE ACTION two things: length and neatness. There were prizes to think of - and only two of them! After all, the winners would win: a) Celebrations chocolates and b) the chance to choose which charities the money would go to.

In the end, the First Years raised £655.27 and we managed, in total, to snake silverly up the hall at least 10 times, and, even if we didn’t win anything, leave the hall feeling that we had done a great thing for charity. And we had.

Carmen Gessel 1LMJ

1LSK achieved the ‘longest’ snake and 1ROP won the ‘straightest’ snake. These tutor groups have chosen the ‘National Autistic Society’ and the ‘Children of the Andes’ to receive our donation.

Electric Car C

ongratulations to the Electric Car race teams for competing at the Dunsfold Heat of the Greenpower Electric Car race series. A bright and sunny day greeted the teams as we arrived early on a Sunday morning at the iconic Top Gear track. Electrical problems with the faster aluminium car were solved during practice and both cars were ready for the first of two races. The cars and the drivers performed extremely well and Team KGS completed the one and a half hour race with no incidents or breakdowns. This success was improved upon during the second 14

race and quick driver changes and fast lap times allowed both teams to finish well up the field. Team KGS drivers took it in turns to burn up the Top Gear track and learnt new and valued driving experience. A very rewarding and enjoyable day was had by all. Thank you to Mr Skeates for helping and congratulations to the team.

Mr Farr

october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter

school life

Spelling Bee

T

he Modern Languages Department organised a Spelling Bee as part of the celebration of The European Day of Languages. First Year pupils were asked to learn twenty-four words in six different European languages. Heats took place in lessons and the Final was held in the Hall, with teams from the four Houses competing for House points. The team from Queens House (Matthew Burrell, Alex Middleton, Reza Omar) is to be congratulated on winning the competition.

Well done to everyone who took part in the event.

Miss Crothers

KGS PUPILS WITH THEIR EXCHANGES

French Exchange O

n Friday 2nd October, KGS welcomed exchange students from Collège Notre-Dame Perrier. After brief introductions and a couple of quick photos the French exchange students set off to spend the week with their host families. Ahead of them lay six days of trips and one evening of watching England being thrashed by Australia in the Rugby World Cup. During the week the students visited Windsor Castle, went on two trips to central London and spent half a day at Wimbledon. This was topped off with two school lessons (including a fantastic French lesson - the exchange students excelled in this slightly more than the British), followed by a taste of KGS canteen’s finest culinary offerings. I’m hoping that the collège in France has something a little more Cordon Bleu!

The KGS Fourth Year French students are all looking forward to the return visit to Châlons. À bientôt!

"Looking forward to the return visit to Châlons"

Joe Schomberg 4LJS

Pupil Librarian of the Month

K

ris-Rajah Thirunamachandran: the newest member of the team, Kris has rapidly become indispensable.

A stalwart throughout the open events, Kris always reports for duty with a ‘can do’ attitude, a willingness to learn the basics and numerous recommendations for books to purchase for the library. In addition to helping to run the library, Kris is responsible for the non-fiction books on sport.

Mrs Cleaves

KGS Newsletter ∙ october 2015

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school life

Coming soon.....

...Remember to book your tickets www.kgs.org.uk/events/kingston-revue 16

october 2015 ∙ KGS Newsletter