Sotoniensis 2022

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Sotoniensis 2022

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Editorial From the Head From the Chair of Governors Chaplaincy Chat From the Head of School

Creative Arts Art at KES Dance at KES Drama at KES Music at KES The Arts Festival 2022

Clubs & Societies Astronomy Club Cactus Club Character Design Club Charities Commission Chess Club Christian Union Classics Society Coding Club Cookery Club Digital Aspirants Digital Leaders Diversity Society (Div Soc) E-Safety Team

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Alumni and Development Activities Staff Farewells The Allen Grant Trophy Sports Day

Economics Society Feminist Society (Fem Soc) Geography Society Greenpower Coundley Historical Society Interface Library Leaders Literature Society (Lit Soc) MedSoc Modelling & Miniatures Club Partnerships PDSA partnership Politics Society

Trips & VIsits Go Ape! Duke of Edinburgh Award Second Year Camp Fourth Year Activity Trip to Dartmoor Biology field trip to Leeson House Endeavour Geography Field Trip to Slapton

Geography field trip (Rivers & Coasts) Operation Wallacea to Honduras Water Sports Trip Literary trip to Cambridge Summer Camp PDSA Summer Activity Week

Sport The Elite Sports Performance Programme Girls’ Hockey Girls’ Netball Girls’ Cricket Boys’ Rugby Boys’ Hockey Boys’ Cricket Boys’ Football

Psychology Society Race Ski Club Rifle Shooting Club Sailing and Paddleboarding Club Sanskrit Society Scamp Club School Council Stage Crew STEM Club Summer skiing Sustainability Action Group Wargaming

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From the Head I am writing my introduction to this annual edition of Sotoniensis magazine sitting in my office at our Hill Lane site, still contemplating and ruminating on the sad news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died last Thursday. It is now a week later, and tomorrow the whole of King Edward’s will join with our Preparatory School, Stroud School, in a special Service of Commemoration. It is right and proper that we mark with respect the passing of a monarch who has been Sovereign for the entirety of the lives of every pupil and teacher at KES, especially given our historic association with the Royal Family, stretching all the way back to our foundation by Royal Charter in 1553.

For our pupils and staff a symbol of continuity and tradition has been lost. So, the new academic year must inevitably be marked by sadness and solemnity.

But this edition of Sotoniensis tells an equal tale of renewal and hope. After the disruption and pain of the COVID pandemic, the activities of last academic year speak of a reawakening of all that makes this School and its people special. Of course, COVID remained a feature of our School and country during the past year, and may still have an impact upon the upcoming year; but through determination, optimism and endless creativity, it is undoubtedly true that the last year saw KES at its finest. As you read this edition of Sotoniensis, I hope that those of you who attended performances, events or sporting fixtures are reminded of them, and that they bring back happy memories. For those reading from further afield, or who were unable to be at the School in person, I hope Sotoniensis gives you a flavour of the sights and sounds of a wonderful period of endeavour and opportunity. Enjoy!

If you do happen to pass by our Hill Lane site, you may immediately notice something different about the School. Last Autumn a beautiful avenue of mature acer trees was planted in front of the historic 1938 main school building, providing dappled shade under which pupils can now sit and enjoy their breaktimes at School. This tree planting scheme forms just a small part of a significant ‘greening’ project at the School, which has also seen hundreds of young ‘whip’ hedging planted around the perimeter of the site; which will grow over the years to create a greener and softer boundary for us all to enjoy. In turn, these visible external developments are just a part of our ongoing commitment to making the buildings of KES modern, welcoming and inspiring to the pupils. Over the past twelve months or so, we have completed a wonderful, calming Wellbeing Room; relocated our

Curriculum Support department into the heart of the School; opened a specialist exam centre; created a fantastic new gym space and most recently finished an inspirational new Sixth Form Centre. Another new project for the year was a complete overhaul of our website, to make it more interesting, accessible and useful to prospective parents, current members of our community and others with an interest in our School.

If you have not already seen it, I would urge you to visit via the website address: ‘kes.school’. I hope that you will enjoy the new site and use it to keep abreast of all that is happening at KES. Each of these projects has been designed to enhance our care for the pupils, as well as to strengthen their ability to fulfil and exceed their potential. We place the word ‘flourish’ at the heart of our ethos, and these additions to our estate will enable the young people at KES to flourish in a myriad of ways.

Of course, one of the fundamental ways in which we want our pupils to thrive is in their academic studies.

Children across the world have seen unprecedented disruption to their learning over the past few years, and the GCSE and A Level exam cohorts of last summer were facing, for the first time, a return of a full external examination season. Just to show how great that disruption in their lives was; our Upper Sixth taking their A Levels in the summer, had only once before faced an externally marked formal public examination, the short-course Religious Studies GCSE paper that they sat in Fourth Year! Whilst allowances had been made by the government to mitigate this disruption, nevertheless the return of public examinations brought into very sharp focus the challenges and legacy of the

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pandemic. It is to their eternal and immense credit that the pupils of King Edward’s rose magnificently to the occasion. In GCSE examinations this Summer, 76% of all exams taken were awarded an A*/A grade, with 69% of A Level exams achieving the same highest of benchmarks. As well as being a credit to the pupils, these outcomes speak volumes as to the dedication and talent of their teachers, and they too have my grateful thanks for all that they have done to sustain academic rigour and focus throughout the challenges of the pandemic.

But KES has always been, and will always be, about far more than examination success. Our goal is that pupils who attend the School learn not only about their subjects, but about their world, their community and themselves. It is for this reason that we place such great emphasis upon the co-curricular life of the School - artistic, intellectual and sporting - as well as a raft of social, environmental and charitable partnerships and causes.

The manifest qualities acquired by our pupils as a result of this approach to schooling were proven

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last year in the arts as much as anywhere. If there is one single symbol of our School’s handling of the pandemic, then it must be in the mighty performances of ‘Les Misérables’ which took place in the Autumn.

Under any circumstances, ‘Les Mis’ is a daunting undertaking: dealing with complex issues of life and death; scattered throughout with fiendish choral numbers and instantly recognisable barn-storming solos. Further, it is sung throughout – taking a huge amount of sheer stamina to perform - and contains some truly demanding dance routines to boot! It represents one of the great challenges of professional theatre, let alone student theatre. And then COVID had its say, with the Director and the Director of Music both going into isolation literally 24 hours before the first night performance. Disastrous! Until the cast and crew decided that they simply would not buckle, rallying around with determination and resilience and epitomising ‘the show must go on’… putting on a simply remarkable series of performances.

Remarkable performances, it should be said, by any measure – not ‘despite all’ or ‘given the situation’. Just remarkable performances. Full stop. It is at times like this that the sheer joy of working with these young, talented, fearless people truly hits home. They were brilliant, and rightly brought the crowd to their feet every single night.

This in itself would be deeply impressive, but ‘Les Mis’ was just one part of a year of creative arts triumphs, ranging from astonishing dance showcase events, through to beautifully curated art exhibitions, to musicals and theatrical performances, to wonderful concerts. It was a whirlwind year of artistic talent, and was exhilarating. The culmination of it all in the summer was the Arts Festival, when we were all given an opportunity to tap in to our creativity and ‘give it a go’.

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The sporting calendar was equally impressive, with a return to a full complement of sports seasons.

There were numerous weekly triumphs for girls’ and boys’ teams across the range of sports offered at the School, as well as some impressive regional and national performances. It was an immense pleasure, too, to be able once again to throw open our gates and welcome parents back to Sports Day, a day on which the sun shone and the competition was fierce but friendly. Sport provides such bonds of friendship, such memories and emotions, that when they had been absent during COVID we had felt their absence keenly. It was fantastic that the vast majority of KES pupils chose this year to represent their School in one sport or another, underlining just how important sport remains for the whole of our community.

We also saw an unbending of the restrictions on travel, and the return of School trips both local and international. These too have given the pupils memories to last a lifetime, alongside new challenges and experiences. Their return was equally welcomed, and equally joyous.

But we had sadness this year as well, as we bid farewell to beloved colleagues and staff members.

Most prominent among staff leaving this year were four retirees - Mrs Millar, Dr Dean, Mr Hall and Mr Herklots – who have collectively given far in excess of 100 years’ dedicated service to the School. They, and all of our colleagues who move on to exciting new opportunities and roles this year, will be much missed by staff and pupils alike. They all go with our profound thanks, and our very best wishes.

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We also said our farewells to our outgoing Upper Sixth, who have been phenomenal role-models to the School during the difficult COVID times. On a personal note, it has been a privilege to work alongside Ree and the student leadership team in trying to improve and develop our School, and to make their peers’ experiences better than ever. They have been honest, collegiate, determined and empathic as student leaders, and I look forward to seeing how they take these qualities forwards into their future lives. In something of a twist, Ree’s sister has taken on the mantle of Head of School from him, and I equally look forward to working with the new team in the coming terms.

I hope that you enjoy just a small slice of KES life as presented in this edition of Sotoniensis.

Mr Parker Head

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From the Chair of Governors the willingness of all the stakeholders in our schools to pull together as a team to meet the challenges head on. Clearly our pupils and teaching staff were in the front line, but they were ably supported by the Heads and Senior Leadership Teams at both schools who have worked tirelessly to manage our response from day to day, in ever changing circumstances. I would also like to recognise the contribution of our Governors throughout the last couple of years. We have been fortunate to be able to call on so many talented individuals with a wealth of experience who have been prepared to dedicate very significant amounts of time to support the Heads.

This is my fifth report as Chair and this year I am in a sombre mood, reflecting on the recent passing of our much-loved Queen after over 70 years of dedicated service to our country and as Head of the Commonwealth. Our School has a long association with the British Royal family, having been granted a royal charter by Edward VI upon our foundation in 1553, and it is entirely appropriate that we should mark the end of our Queen’s reign with a Memorial Service later this week. We will also offer a prayer that in the years ahead our new king, King Charles lll, will have the wisdom and strength to follow the great example that his mother has set for us all.

The Head in his report has described the outstanding academic success of our pupils in the recent external examinations in our first year after emerging from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This reflects the outstanding response, from our pupils and teaching staff, to the profound disruption to our teaching programme caused by the pandemic and I would like to place on record our appreciation for the immense effort of our academic team and pupils through this period. I would also like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution of the non-teaching staff who have dedicated huge amounts of time in keeping both schools running efficiently, despite all the challenges thrown at them.

As there are now clear grounds for optimism that the pandemic is behind us, I think it is an appropriate time to reflect on our schools’ response to the immensely difficult environment which was thrust upon us with very little notice or time for preparation. Over the last two years or so, I have been immensely encouraged by

And finally, on behalf of the schools, I would like to thank our parents for their very significant support throughout this difficult period, despite suffering their own pressures in their businesses and personal lives. We have never under-estimated the challenges of entire families working together at home during the various lockdowns, and the support and encouragement which our staff have enjoyed during this period have been hugely appreciated.

Of course, we must now look forward. The financial consequences to our schools caused by the pandemic have been significant, but I am pleased to confirm that we have weathered the storm and we remain in good shape financially. That said, we are clearly not out of the woods. The current cost of living crisis, together with inflation levels, the likes of which we have not seen for many years, are a real and ongoing concern both for our schools and our parents. The uncertainty which may be caused by a change of government in 2024 is also becoming relevant to our short-term

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planning. The Governors and Senior Leadership Teams will continue to have to make some really tough choices, balancing the very real pressures experienced by many of our parents, against our undoubted duty to protect the longer-term viability of our schools.

These decisions will be addressed diligently and sympathetically but the choices will not be easy.

One of the more concerning legacies of the pandemic has been the adverse impact on the mental health of many of our pupils at KES. As I noted last year, it was decided that we should move quickly to create a new Wellbeing Centre in the heart of the school, which is designed to be a safe haven for our pupils with easy access to our nurses, chaplain, counsellor, curriculum support and key pastoral staff. This was opened in September 2021 and it has become a very important addition to our provision which has been heavily used by our pupils. Adolescent mental health is a key area of concern for our pastoral team at KES and we will continue to invest in supporting our students wherever we see the need.

During this summer our Facilities Team has continued to be exceptionally busy. Alongside an impressive number of smaller projects at both schools, we have built and opened our new Sixth Form Centre at KES which is designed to reflect more clearly the study and working spaces which our pupils will experience at University and in the world of work. The study area is complemented by a range of leisure facilities, including a bespoke café for the Sixth Formers’ use and a completely refurbished gym. As I write, the students are still getting used to the new space, but it does seem to be exceptionally popular amongst the highest number of Sixth Formers in the School for many years. Once again, I would like to thank our Director of Operations, Mr Baker, and his team for their outstanding contribution to our schools in delivering

a remarkable number of projects on time, despite the environment for the procurement of building materials being one of the most challenging for many years.

The last year has seen the retirement of a number of Governors who have given exemplary service to the School, but I would like to pay special tribute to Mr Brian Gay, my predecessor as Chairman, who has retired after an amazing tenure of over 25 years on our board. His contribution to our schools has been transformative over that period and his legacy will live on for many years to come. The Board has expressed our profound gratitude for his service on behalf of our entire community.

The desire to support a greater number of bursaries so that able pupils can attend our schools regardless of their means, remains a key objective of the Governors.

The King Edward VI Foundation, under the expert guidance of Ms Hooper, has continued to grow, as old Edwardians of a variety of vintages have made donations or left legacies, and this will be an area of increased focus in the years to come.

To conclude, I am delighted to report that our schools continue to be financially robust, and we are very well placed to address the new challenges which will surely come our way in the years ahead. We will continue to manage our resources carefully, placing our pupils in the centre of everything we do, and we will always strive to deliver excellence in the broad educational experience which we deliver. I remain grateful for the support of every member of our community which is the foundation for our every success.

Mr Morgan

Chair of Governors

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Chaplaincy Chat the Carol Service, it became apparent that some restrictions would come into play and while we went ahead with the service in the beautiful and atmospheric Romsey Abbey, our congregation was online. It was wonderful and uplifting to hear the choirs, soloists and readers perform but greater joy is expected next year as the hope of a full abbey is anticipated. As the term drew to a close our thoughts turned to meeting the needs of ourselves, of others and the gift of Jesus Christ meeting our deepest needs.

Back in May, as I excitedly went to order some enamel paint for my next model kit I met with web pages blocking my attempts and explaining that, due to recent legislation, this product was now removed from sale and I was effectively attempting to purchase a banned substance!

It was a small thing but another instance of something I used to do but now cannot. Maybe that is just a factor of growing older? But maybe there really has been much loss over the last couple of years…and where will it end?

In the bible we read of many instances such as in the life of Job, Ruth or Paul where loss is a theme, but alongside this runs a certain hope that both looks forward and expects that in the end all will be restored - restored and bettered.

This year has seen the restart of many things and something approaching what we once considered normal. The chaplaincy reflected this and we began the year with a service that allowed gathering, singing and visitors.

As pupils participated in prayers, music and readings we considered the idea of being on a journey, and in a sense at the start of a new one.

As Christmas approached, and we planned for

The Spring Term began with a message of hope, working together for peace and unity in a diverse community. Shortly after, war broke out in Europe and we were holding prayer vigils in the Memorial Garden, recognising the fragility of life and of peace but hopeful in God and his purposes. Before the Easter break we welcomed Stefan Smart back to the school and were inspired by a section from the “I AM Mark” dramatic performance.

As we returned for the Summer Term and thoughts turned to exams and the future, I encouraged our community to consider what they want to be. Looking forward not just to a set of results, a job description or role, but being a person who is loved, cherished, valuable and of great worth. Lifelong qualities of kindness, honesty and integrity that contribute to our community and society. Concluding the year, we considered “rest” – the importance and value of a time set aside for our well-being.

It has been a privilege to get to know and work with the senior students over this year. A very hard working and capable team, led by Ree, has contributed hugely to our formal times

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together and this is much appreciated. Musical performances by the choirs and instrumentalists have also played a significant part in school services and it has been most pleasing to look back and see the variety and number of students involved.

Over the course of the year the chaplaincy has known, and been encouraged by, the support of the parent prayer group, meeting with staff at several points throughout the year for joyful and encouraging times. The termly staff prayer breakfasts have also been a great source of encouragement.

As we look forward to another academic year, I am hopeful that more events and opportunities will either restart or be conceived for the future.

As we continue to work together, demonstrate kindness and value all in our community and beyond, we reflect something of God. A God of love, a God of justice, a God of peace, a God of hope.

Mr Robinson School Chaplain

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From the Head of School Basketball Club - which I had the pleasure of coaching last year.

A large part of KES culture is the vast array of charitable events and activity that takes place. From “Mr & Mrs KES edition” to the infamous “Krispy Kreme Sale”, we organise fundraisers all year round to help raise money for local charities such as the Sholing Partnership, Summer Camp for Southampton’s Young Carers and Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association.

Not to mention the collection of donations for the Ukraine Refugee Crisis this year, where the compassion of our community was displayed through the offering of blankets, first aid kits and clothing when the war broke out.

I joined KES in First Year in 2015 and I am beyond saddened to say goodbye - I consider my peers and teachers to be part of my family. KES is not just a place to achieve academic excellence but also to make friendships and be a part of a community which allows you to develop into a greater person.

During my time at KES I have grown as an individual, in ways that will surely aid me further down the road. In addition to this, KES has a very supportive environment and does not look down on mistakes, provided you are able to learn and improve on them.

I take great pride in representing the School in the endless number of activities available. These opportunities allow you to involve yourself in the community and learn the value of participating in all kinds of events. These include representing the School in the various sports teams. Sports at KES is very student led and the team captains are someone to whom other members of the team look up to and seek guidance from. This is something I admire about sport here and is also evidenced by the sheer number of sports clubs started up by students themselves, for example the ever-growing Volleyball Club and the

Trips at KES have been a highlight of my time here. I will never forget my trip to Catalonia in my First Year, when I was able to sharpen my Spanish speaking skills and the joint Economics and History trip in Fourth Year to Berlin, Germany; where we received a tour of a Nazi concentration camp Sachsenhausen and the BMW motorbike factory in Berlin.

The class of 2022 is now departing and starting a new journey after, for many of us, 7 years at KES. I would like to express my appreciation for my class and all the people who have made it possible for us to make it to the finish line. It has been an absolute pleasure to grow up and share the best years of my life with my year group and this school. And to the teachers, thank you! Teaching the curriculum was not enough - they have truly gone above and beyond this and I consider all my teachers my best friends. It is thanks to this community that I have had such an unforgettable experience at school.

Mirire Head Of School 2021 - 2022

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Alumni and Development Activities This year has seen a return to in-house events for the school’s Development Office. After an 18 month hiatus, we were delighted to be able to welcome back alumni to King Edward’s this academic year, with a relative return to normal life.

In September, we held a very belated leavers’ event for the 2020 Sixth Form leavers who had not been able to celebrate the end of their time at KES in the usual manner. There was an excellent turn-out and it was good to find out what they had all been up to in the preceding 12 months. Many had experienced their first year of university under the cloud of COVID restrictions.

In the November, we combined two year groups for a 10 year reunion. There was an excellent turn-out with over 80 people in attendance. For most this was the first time back to KES during the last decade.

January saw the return of the Classes of 1996 and 1997 after 25 years. Again, there was a good turn-out for the event and the tour of the school - to see the changes that have taken place in the interim period impressed all those there.

In the Summer Term we were delighted to be able to host a dinner for our benefactors and donors who support our King Edward VI Foundation. The Foundation raises funds solely to provide bursarial support to applicants to the school from less

financially affluent families. We are extremely grateful to all those present for their generosity and support of the school’s aim to offer as much financial assistance as it can and thus enable as great a social mix as is possible within the school community. We were lucky enough to have one of our former bursary recipients in attendance at the dinner who spoke to guests about the transformational nature of receiving a bursary to attend KES. The Poole Veterans’ Reunion Lunch for those former pupils evacuated to Poole Grammar School during the war took place in June. A small but, nonetheless, convivial affair saw 10 guests enjoy lunch with the Head in the Commemoration Room.

To finish the 2022 schedule of social events, 20 members of the 1980 cohort attended a cream tea and catch up during this year’s Sports Day. Former Head of School, David Cox, was instrumental in organising the event (originally due to take place in 2020) and also kind enough to present the Sports Day prizes afterwards. He was particularly pleased to be able to present the cup for the overall winners of Sports Day to his former House; Lawrence.

We have also been fortunate to have had input from many of our alumni community at Careers events, during Open Forum, at working lunches and via virtual information sessions. Hearing from former pupils of all ages and at all stages of their career is invaluable to the current student body and we are extremely grateful to all those who have given up time to help.

We look forward to welcoming back many more of our alumni over the course of the 2022-2023 academic year.

Ms Hooper Development Officer

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Staff Farewells Lawrence Herklots

Lawrence Herklots joined KES in September 1987 having studied Physics at Queen Mary University, London. For over three decades Lawrence has taught Physics to KES students with his characteristic humour and enthusiasm, engaging students with bizarre stories, frequently about his own life, to bring the physics he was teaching to life.

Once I remember he somehow combined a true story of a brawl in Venice, a gold ring, colliding black holes and gravitational waves in one of his many memorable assemblies.

Having established himself as a popular classroom teacher Lawrence was made Head of Foundation Studies, further improving a new aspect of the curriculum for the Sixth Form at the time, and shortly after that was also appointed Deputy Director of Studies. Around 2002 Lawrence was made Head of Physics at KES and later also became the Chief Examiner for the OCR B A-level course taught at the School.

Ultimately, he became Head of the Science and Technology in 2011 leading the faculty successfully for

the decade to come. In this time, he introduced the very first Science and Technology Festival, and led Science and Technology through the challenging times that the pandemic presented. If this wasn’t enough, Lawrence also managed to squeeze in authoring of the A Level text book, PGCE tutoring at Southampton University, and lecturing on Physics education in Japan.

This huge contribution to Physics education over the years was recognised nationally in September 2021, when Lawrence received the Teacher of Physics Award from the Institute of Physics for 2021.

A richly deserved award.

Lawrence was also keen to contribute to the co-curricular aspect of school life including activities such as; cycle tours to the Lake District and writing and directing “The Passion” performed at Christchurch Priory and Lichfield Cathedral. He also accompanied Art trips to New York and Physics trips to CERN and, amongst others, ran the Astronomy Society and Ukulele Club for a number of years.

If Physics is Lawrence’s first passion, then music must surely be his second - a talented musician, he owns a bewildering array of various pipes and flutes and could often be heard of a lunchtime practising the bagpipes down the science corridor. The most bizarre of his collection was the nose flutes, which I recall on more than one occasion witnessing him playing for whole school assemblies and Science Festival lectures, a sight to be heard… and seen.

Everyone will remember how Lawrence combined these two passions to great educational and

entertainment effect with his four Physics musicals. Starting with Einstein the Musical, a collection of sketches about the life and theories of the great Physicist, at the time it seemed like you couldn’t get a job as a Physics teacher at KES without taking on the most embarrassing role in this particular play. He followed this with That Certain Uncertainty and Welcome to Gedanken, both of which were performed at the Theatre Royal in Winchester; then finally, the fourth most recent musical, No Time Like the Present. Everyone will have their own opinion, but I think Cuthberta would say (or maybe he wouldn’t) that That Certain Uncertainty was the pinnacle of Lawrence’s own sense of humour combined with music, physics, and a good story!

Lawrence will continue his exam board work as he leaves KES and has already begun an open university course reading English and Philosophy. He has inspired numerous students and teachers alike with his knowledge and tremendous passion for the subject, and his impact on Physics at KES will be felt for a long time following his departure.

Mr Simm

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Steve Hall

lessons, and he was subsequently asked to take on the role of Head of ICT/computing in 2004 and he introduced the first compulsory ICT lessons in the Lower School.

He put the Fifth Years through the Computer Literacy and Information Technology qualification and introduced A Level Computing in 2005.

Steve joined the School as a teacher of Biology in 1988 fresh from his house-mastering duties at Millfield.

He quickly established himself as a very knowledgeable and insightful teacher, and 34 years on he is still the ‘go-to’ member of department when teachers are stuck on the content of A Level Biology or need a way to explain a difficult concept, perhaps unsurprising given his many years’ experience as an A Level examiner in the subject.

In 1994, Steve became Head of Biology, managing a very experienced but extremely diverse team of staff. It was here that he honed his now legendary diplomacy skills. Steve is a real people person and he has always been one to seek staff out and have a conversation, rather than send an email. Biology became one of the most popular A Levels in School under his leadership and he has run many Biology field trips to enable pupils to practise their practical skills in the wild.

Steve was one of the first teachers in School to use a laptop in

In 2010 Steve was promoted to the role of Assistant Head (Staff Development) where he used his computing expertise to automate processes such as absence, cover and twilight training. He was the instigator of our teacher training programme, establishing links with the University of Southampton to award new colleagues to the profession with their qualified teacher status.

Outside of the classroom Steve used his experience from his time with Hull City FC to coach the 1st XI football team at KES. Although this was frustrating at times, given the strong sides put out by the large Sixth Form colleges, Steve never gave up and he learned to love his Wednesday afternoon games sessions, managing to referee whole games from inside the centre circle.

Steve has always enjoyed an adventure and he has given hundreds of students the opportunity to have memorable experiences in far-flung places across the world. Following successful biology field trips in Wales he expanded his horizons and he has been working with the Conservation Charity Operation Wallacea since the early 2000s.

As a result, our students have been to the Amazon and helped to collect data on species of insect that have never been

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recorded before, they have slept in hammocks on 30-degree slopes in Honduras and helped scientists measure the biodiversity of the cloud forest. Steve has also led expeditions to Indonesia, Mexico, Madagascar and the Galapagos, all focused on wildlife conservation. He has helped numerous children gain their PADI qualification and see the biodiversity on coral reefs that only conservation experts get to visit.

Steve has been a real champion of the staff on SLT. He is hugely supportive and most teachers at some point have sought him out for advice. He has always given measured support, a kind word and always knows what the best next steps are. He diligently sought people out if he knew they were having a tough time - not because he believes he should, but simply because he genuinely wants to help.

Steve leaves us to travel with his wife Sue, and to spend time with his son, daughters and grandson.

He leaves with our warmest best wishes for a very happy retirement!

Mr Parker

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Helen Dean

Helen Dean joined KES in September 1991 having completed her undergraduate studies at Southampton University and later also her PhD on the effect of magnetic fields on model membranes. Before embarking on a teaching career, as part of her research, Helen worked for the Upper Atmosphere group at Southampton undertaking observations in the Arctic Circle in Finland measuring airglow.

This time spent in post-graduate study no doubt assisted Helen in becoming a hugely knowledgeable teacher, in particular for her A Level students.

At the time Helen joined KES, it was not yet fully co-educational and only accepted girls into the Sixth Form so the Lower and Upper school was boys only, and Helen joined the small percentage of female members of the teaching staff at the time. Helen’s passion for Science in general and Physics in particular was, I have no doubt, evident from the outset of her teaching career here as she very quickly took on further

responsibilities as the Head of Junior Science and travelled to Slovenia to present an educational paper at the GIREP conference on “New Ways of Teaching Physics” in 1996. Helen followed this up soon after, taking on the role of Head of Physics in 1997. As the first female Head of the Department, she developed the department and its approach to teaching until 2002, also in that time becoming the principal moderator for A Level Physics for OCR. Knowing Helen for as long as I have, it is obvious that family is at the heart of everything she does, and, upon becoming a mother in 2002 she made the choice to step down as Head of Physics to enable her to concentrate on her newly formed family. As her family grew she also spent some time teaching part-time for a number of years until returning as a full-time member of staff and taking on the role of Head of PSHE; something which has grown under her leadership, and given thousands of children a vital aspect of their learning at KES from digital safety to sexual health, drugs and alcohol.

If I could think of the best way to describe Helen it would be that she is a huge Physics enthusiast, geek, and all-round lover of all things scientific, with a heart of gold. She has brought this enthusiasm to each and every one of her lessons over the years and the students have benefited hugely from it, and she brings this enthusiasm to everything else she does in the other aspects of her role here at KES. I have had the pleasure of accompanying Helen on a number of co-curricular trips including trips to CERN and an eclipse hunting trip

to the Faroe Islands. Helen cannot contain her geeky excitement on such trips and is always great company. I remember being especially grateful not only for her enthusiasm for Physics and eclipses on the Faroes trip, but her reassuring calm manner when I realised I hadn’t budgeted enough to feed the students and was descending into a mild panic.

Helen’s wide array of skills have been of benefit to KES students over the years in many areas of school life including; organising Lower Sixth trips to Southampton Uni and Mindfulness courses, Helen also helped out with various clubs such as Doodle, Chess, Bee, and Running Clubs, and Astronomy Society with Lawrence Herklots.

She has brought her dance knowledge and skills to bear, choreographing dance shows and various school productions such as Hamlet, Grease, Einstein the Musical, That Certain Uncertainty and Welcome to Gedanken.

I am so pleased that Helen will have more time to spend with her family as she leaves KES, but can’t help but grieve for the loss of the vast knowledge and experience we, in the Physics Department, will miss as Helen leaves. If ever I was in doubt about an aspect of Physics understanding, I could always trust that Helen would have an answer, or at least a reasonable guess! The Physics Department will be poorer without her.

Mr Simm

SOTONIENSIS

Hilary Smith

Hilary Smith joined King Edward’s in 2010 as Assistant Head (Cocurriculum), as well as being a teacher in the Biology and Psychology Departments. From the start, she epitomised a ‘go-getting’ spirit: leading and developing the co-curricular life of KES from the front – and getting involved herself whenever possible! Hilary frequently travelled on local and residential school trips, helping pupils and staff alike with her infinitely kind and boundlessly enthusiastic manner.

Indeed, this commitment to her professional responsibilities started before she even arrived at KES, with a residential trip to Romania in the summer before her

Alan Chandrachud

Alan Chandrachud joined the school in 2019 on the Teach First programme, and in the three years since, he has made a remarkable impact in a variety of ways. Primarily, Alan has been an inspirational teacher of English

first term being the first of many.

But residential trips were not the only arena in to which Hilary was happy to lend a hand. The arts, and especially theatre, are a passion for Hilary, and she was often able to bring her knowledge and love of the theatre to the benefit of the pupils. She was instrumental in bringing Children in Need to the Dobson Theatre in 2018, and even in her last term at KES stepped up to help with the arrangements for Les Misérables when we found ourselves suddenly without a Director or Musical Director due to COVID isolation. Surely this last triumph sums Hilary up – a seemingly impossible situation rescued by sheer force of will (as well as a great deal of hard work, skill and an inspiring belief in the whole team)!

Hilary was also an innovator.

Shortly after her arrival, she created the now well-established Endeavour programme, alongside a new Activities Week and the biennial Arts and Science and Technology Festivals.

These superb events stand as testimony to Hilary’s vision and

from the First Year up to the Sixth Form. He is truly passionate about the subject, and he has worked incredibly hard to transfer this passion to students of all ages.

He has guided younger students to produce work of exceptional quality, and encouraged older ones to take the subject at A Level. To this end, Alan started up Upper School LitSoc and ran it through Lockdown and beyond.

Whatever role he undertakes, Alan will always fully commit himself: as a First Year tutor he has been meticulous in his care for his tutees, and he has brought his endless enthusiasm to his role as Head of Lawrence, and as coach of the U13 cricket

2022 | 17

determination to broaden the scope of co-curricular activities for our pupils. If this was not enough to keep Hilary busy she also took a lead role in introducing the new KES sports kits, followed in her final year with the school uniform refresh.

Away from her senior leadership responsibilities, Hilary was also a member of the School’s child protection and safeguarding team, in which capacity she dealt with a range of complex issues with sensitivity and compassion. But, fundamentally, Hilary was happiest as a teacher. She thrived in the classroom, as did her students.

Hilary is a huge loss to our School, but goes with our grateful thanks for all that she achieved at KES. She moves on to a Senior Deputy Head role at Dumpton Preparatory School, where no doubt she will bring the same vigour and joy to the corridors as she did for us.

Our Senior Leadership Team, and KES as a whole, will be poorer (and certainly quieter) for her departure.

Mr Parker

team. Little seems to phase Alan, and this may be due in part to the fact that he continues to be a member of the RFU National Panel of Referees. Presumably, a fairly thick skin is required at times there. Alan has been very popular with the students (and he prides himself on knowing the names of every student here), and with the staff, who will miss his astonishing energy and good humour. We thank him for his wonderful contribution to the school, and wish him luck with his new appointment as Teacher of English at Radley College.

Dr Schofield

18 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

Lem Millar

Lem joined KES in 2007 from Emmanuel School in London, after a successful career in marketing and PR working in Hong Kong as well as the UK. She swapped the glamour of working with clients such as Veuve Cliquot and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Bill Gates and David Bowie for the infinitely more rewarding role of teaching both Biology and Chemistry to the Upper School and Sixth Form. She was able to put her marketing expertise to use at school though with an early role as Development Officer in the days before this became a full time responsibility.

Lem soon became involved in many aspects of school life, taking on a new role with responsibility for the integration and pastoral care of the new Third Year joiners, and becoming a sought after member of school

Laura Thorogood

trips because of her sense of humour, capacity to stay calm in a crisis and a general ability to muck in with whatever needed doing. Thus Lem became a valued colleague on skiing and watersports trips, the Battlefields and Morocco excursions, Bronze and Silver DofE expeditions, and for many years she organised the Dale Fort Sixth Form Biology Field trip.

Lem’s pastoral work encompassed all sections of the school, and her experience as a Sixth Form tutor, as well as wide knowledge of the employment market and university sector, led to her appointment as Director of Higher Education and Careers in 2016. In this latest role, Lem has given almost incalculable benefit to the Sixth Form year groups that have passed through and benefited from her expertise and wise counsel, and through Lem’s introduction and promotion of initiatives such as the annual HE and Careers Fairs, the ‘Meet the Expert’ sessions, the support for Degree Apprenticeships and the Careers Day. Whilst much of this focus was in the Sixth Form, Lem’s Careers brief encompassed the whole school with programmes and activities across all year groups. In one

Laura taught at KES in the Design and Technology Department for just over a year. In that time, she became an integral part of the team, teaching all year groups.

Laura was much liked by the pupils and was already making her mark in the department with her passion for design. Laura was a keen hockey player outside of the classroom and brought this passion and enjoyment to bear

career area Lem’s expertise has been especially beneficial with the highly successful leadership of the MedSoc programme and wider support for the highly competitive process of Medical School entry.

Whilst Lem started teaching both Chemistry and Biology, with her other responsibilities she soon specialised in Biology where she has been a great supporter of new staff, a friend and colleague to all, and a highly respected and admired teacher.

Lem has a strong close knit family and all three of her boys enjoyed very successful school days at KES and Stroud where they are fondly remembered.

Those who know Lem will know that she is unlikely to be putting her feet up in retirement. A round the world sailing trip beckons, as does a potential house project, and some professional freelance consultancy work. Lem doesn’t really do half speed, although she will doubtless enjoy the extra time with her family, as well as sailing, skiing, singing and watching cricket. We wish her all the very best with gratitude for all she has done at KES. Mr Culver

on the school hockey field. An independent young Scots woman, the pull of her home country proved too much for Laura and she returned to Caledonia this year.

Mr Barker

SOTONIENSIS

Roz Read

James Belassie

The Music Department will be losing a much cherished member of its team in James Belassie. He has devoted himself to excellence in piano teaching and, during his

Yasmin Paul

Yasmin joined King Edward’s as a member of the Reception Team in 2014. In 2016, she moved sideways to fulfil a post as

2022 | 19

Roz joined King Edward’s in January 2019 to work in the HR Department, after starting her career as a Recruitment Consultant. In her time at KES, Roz completed her HR Management Level 5 certificate in Human Resources Management and Personnel Administration, ably juggling her studies with her full-time role. Roz has been an integral member of the HR team; for many of our staff she has

been the first face they have seen either on their interview day or induction day and she is always ready with a welcoming smile.

Roz will be fondly remembered by her colleagues for her cheery and helpful nature and for being a really positive presence around the school. We wish Roz all the very best as she moves on to a new role to continue her career in HR.

time at KES, grew to take on the classroom as well. Mr Belassie has run the Swing Band with a kind and guiding hand, inspiring many young Jazz musicians over the years. He conducted the Swing Band live on South Today, as part of BBC Children in Need 2018, and has worked with great commitment with the ensemble in major concerts over the years.

musical community at KES. He understands so well how to bring out the best in a performance and help students feel a great sense of pride and confidence in their work.

He always finds the time to run through a piece one last time and elevate the performances of our soloists in Spring Concerts across the years. Whether he is singing in the Carol Service or accompanying Les Misérables, Mr Belassie has been part of the creative experience for all students at KES and we wish him the very best of luck in his continued career.

It is his work with students on a one-to-one basis that is perhaps the most affectionately regarded.

He has devoted endless hours to working on repertoire and solo performances with the

Co-curricular Administrator; an extraordinarily busy job.

In her day to day work, she has supported colleagues unfailingly, running and planning sports events and fixtures and organising all the paperwork associated with trips and visits. Every colleague has a kind word and a happy recollection of Yasmin’s contribution to making their working life that little bit easier. Whether she is delicately prompting that looming deadline or researching venues and transport, she is a consummate professional.

Mrs Sinclair

Miss Forsey

Yasmin has been the behind the scenes organiser of Sports Day, Endeavour trips and so much more. She has always been the first to help and, throughout the pandemic, helped to facilitate the COVID testing process for KES pupils. Yasmin has been at the heart of our community in her time here and will be sorely missed.

We wish her well as she moves on to take up a new challenge at the University of Southampton.

Miss Forsey

20 | SOTONIENSIS

2021 2

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca joined the Languages Faculty at King Edward’s in 2014 in her first teaching post. She quickly established a reputation for herself as a skilful teacher and supportive colleague. In the classroom her students have benefited hugely from her imaginative activities that are always diligently planned.

There is never any time wasted in one of Rebecca’s lessons and her students have flourished over the years with a number of students going on to study German at university.

Janis Kent

Janis joined the PE Department at KES on a part-time basis in September 2014. She very quickly made an impression and it was not long before she also took on part-time work at Stroud School.

She is always encouraging of the students, whatever their age and ability, and delights in seeing them make progress in the sporting arena. She has a real knack of pitching lessons at the right level

Rebecca has always worked with a quiet determination and singular focus upon ensuring that her students make excellent progress and the outcomes that she has helped her students achieve have been consistently superb. She was promoted to the post of Head of German in 2018 and this reflects the high esteem with which she is held within the Languages Faculty, not just due to the excellent results that were achieved in German but also as a result of her calm, supportive manner and keen eye for detail.

Furthermore, she has organised a

German has gone through a real purple patch under her leadership with increased numbers studying the subject across the school.

empathetic and kind nature.

In addition, Rebecca has made a profound contribution to the wider life of the school. In the first instance, she has led and supported a number of trips to Germany, France and Spain.

We are grateful to Rebecca for all

to provide the students with appropriate challenge and the students respond in a positive way.

She has managed to persuade even the most reluctant Fourth Years that being physically active is a good thing, whilst being able to push the A teams and senior students with whom she has worked.

In addition to this, Janis has helped out with many sports events - not least the October netball tours to Belfast and to Edinburgh.

Janis’s main area of expertise is in netball where she has made many significant contributions; particularly with the First Year clubs as they make the transition into senior school. However, she has also taken hockey games and really enjoyed the rapid growth in girls’ cricket where she has worked alongside Miss Cole with the senior squads.

number of in-school events such as the Sherborne House German taster afternoon that have become institutions in the annual calendar.

In sport Rebecca has made a great contribution to the Games programme during her time at the school and in particular she has coached a number of netball teams across the age ranges with significant success. Rebecca has also been a tutor during her time at the school and her students have gained immensely from her

Rebecca leaves us due to a family relocation to Norfolk and we will miss her greatly as a colleague. that she has done for German and for Languages during her time at the school.

Mr Sinclair

Janis leaves us to take up a full-time position at Stroud at an exciting time. There is a renewed ambition with the sport at Stroud with significant opportunity for development of the sports programme. This, in turn, will ensure that KES gets a steady flow of talented and well-trained athletes. We are very grateful for the many hours she has spent advising and cajoling our students and, as we are in a time of closer collaboration across 3-18, I am sure we will continue to work with Janis and be the beneficiaries of the excellent work she does there.

Mr Kent

SOTONIENSIS

Lana Mepham

Dr Cath Lewis

Keith Piggott

Keith joined King Edward’s in September 2020 after a career in engineering and working in several local secondary schools. He joined us as part of the teacher training programme with a large amount of knowledge of mathematics and its applications, and leaves us now

2022 | 21

Lana Mepham joined King Edward’s in September 2020 from working with advertising agencies in London. Over the last two years, Lana has been an invaluable member of the Marketing Team and proved herself to be a creative, hardworking team player. Lana’s organisation and creative skills contributed to being the best forward thinking marketing department we could be. It is down to the relationships within the

school that enabled the delivery of campaigns, social media and of course, the weekly Bulletin to be executed so seamlessly. Lana’s fun and kind personality will be sorely missed by the team and the School. We wish her all the best on her next adventure as Marketing Executive at Chilworth Science Park.

Cath joined the Biology Department following the completion of her PhD on Cytotoxic T cells at the University of Bristol. Cath has an infectious enthusiasm for Biology and a keen desire to share this with her students, with her veterinary background providing particular insight during dissections. As Cath leaves us to return to veterinary

practice, her friendly presence in the biology office, compassionate nature and desire for her students to achieve their very best, will be missed in the department.

fully qualified and ready to move on to the next stage of his career.

and his absolute commitment to getting the right results. I am sure that this was a part of his rugby coaching and refereeing as well.

It was perhaps this mixture of experience that held Keith in good stead as he began teaching with us and quickly adapted to the different type of classroom atmosphere he found here; in fact his adaptability proved to be a real bonus as COVID hit again and he was able to step in to a number of different situations and learn a new way to teach. His readiness to take on new challenges was much appreciated!

In the Maths Department, we have appreciated his dry sense of humour, his willingness to help out

Mrs Bushell

Dr Wortham

Keith now moves on to a new position at the Gregg School and he leaves with our gratitude and good wishes.

Mr Eyssens

22 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

Mia Ritchie

Mia joined KES from Monkton Coombe School in September 2021 on a one-year maternity cover contract and very quickly made an impression on the department and the School. As a former England netballer, it comes as no surprise that she had high expectations on the sports field and our students rose to this challenge. She coached the U14 girls’ hockey side and very quickly the girls started to understand what it meant to push yourself to be better, and expectations placed on them in training soon resulted in competitive performances and ultimately reaching the regional hockey finals.

Rebecca Taylor

Mia also coached the senior netball squad and they benefited massively from her experience.

She worked hard with this group of girls and pushed them to some outstanding performances, including reaching the regional hockey finals.

In the summer term Mia was back with the U14s as she led their cricket side making up a top coaching team with Mr Parker. By her own admission, her cricket knowledge is not as strong as the other sports but she showed that a competitive attitude can go a long way towards achieving success… none more so than against Lord Wandsworth when her team only scored 47 but still, thanks to her positive attitude, manged to win - bowling LWC out for just 6 runs!

She leaves us to take up a parttime post at St Swithun’s and to launch her own netball academy, fuelled by her love of netball and her desire to continue to find talented young athletes and help them develop towards achieving their potential. She goes with our best wishes and thanks for the inspiration she has given to our students this year.

Mr Kent

During her year at KES, Mia was successful in gaining her teaching qualification. She appreciated the need for producing a good folder but much preferred to be outside working with the students.

still smiling and supportive late

to the festival that made the

into the evening for concerts and

magic happen and I wouldn’t be

rehearsals. If you ever wonder

surprised if she was also entirely

how the faculty could run so many

to thank for the glorious sunshine

wonderful events - the answer is

too.

Rebecca! In addition to her work

Rebecca Taylor has been at the forefront of the Creative Arts Faculty this year in her role as

with the faculty, she manages the

Many may not know that since

many Visiting Music Teachers and

January, Rebecca has trained with

indeed, is one herself. Rebecca

KES to become the Deputy EVC

is so multi-talented she has

and worked with colleagues to

also been guest speaker as an

facilitate and support day trips.

examiner for the Associated Board

For any pupil who has enjoyed a

of the Royal School of Music for

day out between January and July,

the Music scholars and captains

you have Rebecca to thank. She

society. Rebecca’s crowning

will be much missed but we wish

achievement has to be the tireless

her ever success in her new role at

administrator. She is the friendly

behind the scenes work towards

face that music students see

facilitating the Arts Festival 2022.

first thing in the morning and is

It was her exhaustive dedication

the University of Southampton.

Miss Forsey

SOTONIENSIS

Ian Bassett

Ian joined KES in September 2016, quickly becoming an established member of the Sports Department, and his contribution since this time cannot be overstated. As a former KES student, Ian is passionate about sport at the School and his love of hockey, instilled in him during his years at KES, culminated in his appointment as Captain of Hockey in the Upper Sixth.

Ian is a hugely talented hockey player who places high expectations on himself, as well as those he works with. His sessions are well planned, engaging and challenging. Over the years he has encouraged our younger girls, working predominantly with the U14 and U15 age group, ensuring they have the basic skills, understanding and attitude that will enable them to be successful 1st XI players, as well as push themselves for representative honours outside of school.

With the boys’ hockey he has most recently worked with the senior squads, leading the 1st XI to various notable successes, not least of which has been a strong showing in the National Schools’ Tier 1 Cups when the KES team finished in the Top 10 nationwide under his tutelage.

It is fair to say that Ian gets most satisfaction working with those students who are willing to work to

push themselves and take on advice, thus maximising their potential. He found the most recent 1st XI season one of the most satisfying. Whilst the group did not have the same level of hockey ability as previous years, their attitude towards the sport was outstanding and they were incredibly receptive to his input and, as a result, not only did they achieve some good results they all developed as hockey players and many will continue to play the sport beyond their time at school. It is passing on this passion for hockey that in many ways will be Ian’s greatest legacy at KES. He is equally committed to indoor hockey and his level of expertise here will be sorely missed. It is no surprise that in his time at KES we have had four teams come through the very tough South Region rounds to reach National Finals and, with two of them, progress through to the National Semifinal. The attitude is the same; set high standards, provide fantastic technical and tactical input and work very hard. The students have responded to this and I am hopeful that the provision of indoor hockey at KES will be the other significant part of his legacy.

Ian is about much more than just hockey though as he is a talented sportsman in many other areas.

He is a more than capable cricketer who has the same approach to winning as witnessed when he turned out for the OE team this year and was seen diving and chasing in the field that put some of our more recent leavers to shame!!

Most recently, Ian has revitalised the 2nd XI cricket which culminated in a really enjoyable 2022 season with more boys wanting to

2022 | 23

play than for many years. As a low handicap golfer, he has been very happy to guide many of the department, and anyone else who wants to listen, on the complexities of a golf swing, enjoys hitting a tennis ball around but was a little less enthusiastic when it came to the staff netball!

Ian is always open to exploring other ways of enhancing our students’ hockey experience and education. He organised the recent OE games, engaging with former students whose respect for him is evident when they return. He has run trips to see former students play in national league games and the hockey tours that he led to Holland were a great success, although this should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows and has experienced his administrative excellence with such attention to detail.

There is much that we will miss about Ian and much to be grateful to him for but he leaves with our best wishes. He has a fantastic opportunity to push his own hockey coaching and take on more responsibility leading aspects of the hockey programme at Rugby School. I hope he will cope with moving away from the South Coast but I’m sure he will be back, not least when we need some consultancy on the pitch and floodlight provision for any new pitch developments!

Good Luck Ian and thanks.

Mr Kent

24 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

The Allen Grant Trophy

This autumn, we saw a welcome return to seminormality with the House System after a couple of years of severe disruption, although sadly many of our indoor events once again fell victim to COVID restrictions. We were able to hold rugby and hockey competitions and got the whole of each year group out to contest the cross country with Reynolds winning the First Second and Third Year events and Lawrence taking the Fourth Year competition. Although restrictions began to bite in December, Christmas wasn’t cancelled and the student Heads of House were admirably innovative in putting together entertaining music videos for the Christmas Song Competition when mass assemblies were forbidden.

The emphasis in the Spring Term was once again on the outdoors and on a series of hotly-contested football tournaments that attracted large crowds of supporters for each House. They ended with Reynolds taking the First Year, Lower School, Fourth Year and Sixth Form tournaments, but being denied a clean sweep by Lake’s able Fifth Year team. Elsewhere, Watts proved to have all the moves in the chess, while Capon took the inaugural, and very messy, Easter Egg decorating competition.

We bade a fond farewell to the Upper Sixth with their own special Sports Day at Wellington. Victory in the athletics competition went to a very talented Lawrence team but in the fun competitions that followed, which ranged from welly boot throwing to tug of war and

space hopper races to the egg and spoon, Sylvester emerged victorious.

The whole school Sports Day on 24th June saw a return to normality with guests and parents able to attend to spectate. The weather was kind and following an afternoon full of energy, effort and enthusiasm, Lawrence emerged the overall winners of Sports Day. In July, the Swimming Gala was held at the University of Southampton’s pool. An afternoon of mixed events, culminating in the relays, resulted in 1st place going to Reynolds House with 180 point, 2nd place to Lake with 154 points and 3rd place to Sylvester with 130 points. Lawrence came in 4th, Capon were 5th and Watts were 6th.

After the counting of the Merits and the totalling up of the points from all the House events this year, Mr Parker presented the Allen Grant Trophy to Reynolds who emerged as the winning House for 2022. In 2nd were Lawrence and Lake finished in 3rd. Well done to everyone who has taken part in House competitions and events this year, to the merit winners for contributing to the overall total, and thank you to our Sixth Form House captains for their unfailing support of the younger pupils within their House.

SOTONIENSIS

Sports Day Whole School Sports Day: Results and Prizes Individual Sports Day Winners:

Overall Winning House:

Mossman Cup (First Year Girls)

Grace

1st Place: Lawrence

Minns Cup (First Year Boys)

Faris and Oscar

OE Association Cup (Second Year Girls)

Elin Rees

Dykes Cup (Second Year Boys)

Hector and John

APA Rowthorn Cup (Third Year Girls)

Emily and Sophie

Brian Gay Cup (Third Year Boys)

John-Paul

KES Society Cup (Fourth Year Girls)

Elreza and Evie

J H Guilmants Cup (Fourth Year Boys)

Ashley, Ben and Oliver

Victrix Ludorum - lead female performer (Sixth Form Girls)

Charlotte and Claudia

Victor Ludorum - lead male performer (Sixth Form Boys)

Harry and Will

2nd Place: Reynolds 3rd Place: Sylvester 4th Place: Lake 5th Place: Capon 6th Place: Watts

2022 | 25

26 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

SOTONIENSIS

2022 | 27

Creative A r ts

Art at KES It has such a joy to have a year where we have been back in the studios without disruption from COVID. Our students have loved being able to make and create and work alongside each other.

The studios have been full of our GCSE students’ work as they made up ground and developed their portfolios of work to be submitted, this year without the exam component. It was fantastic to see their ambition and confidence grow and we soon started to see large canvases and drawings appearing all over the walls and on easels. The range of work this year from all the age groups is wonderful to note.

From clay ceramic sculptures based on coral and the seabed to enthralling wire sculptures based on insects hanging from the ceiling. Of course, there has also been fabulous print making, especially from our Third Year classes.

After school the studios have been busy with after school activities that culminated in many students making banners and graffiti art for the Arts Festival.

The Upper Sixth artists are a small select group this year with Florence choosing to record the quiet unseen bits of life in beautifully painted snippets of everyday life. It has been great to see this project come to fruition and view her work hung in the Atrium Gallery so the narrative can really be appreciated.

Emily chose to look at the female gaze and response both in paint but also as a philosophical challenge.

Her studies, informed by our regular life drawing classes, were absolutely lovely and very sophisticated in their execution. Her final triptych of large canvas showed her literally wrestling with herself and painted in gouache, pastel and charcoal.

In March, the department was delighted to be able

The Lower Sixth artists and photographers have all been busy pushing themselves creatively and intellectually to prepare their ideas and technical skills for next year’s portfolios of work and the accompanying art essay.

growth that the children in hospital wanted to convey

Trip wise the Third Years thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Harry Potter film studios to see how such iconic films are designed and created and the Sixth Form went to London’s Science Museum to see the 5* exhibition on the Amazon by the photographer Sebastião Salgaldo before visiting the National Gallery.

The Art Studios continue to be a place where

once again to host the annual Peter Folkes Prep School exhibition. This is a celebration of creativity from the region and commemorates the legacy of Peter Folkes who was a celebrated painter and previous Head of Art at KES. We had a range of work submitted from ten schools and over two hundred students, parents and guests were able to join us on the evening to enjoy the work on display.

Elsewhere, the Lower Sixth artists collaborated with Southampton Children’s Hospital and the Hares of Hampshire project to help design and paint a large model of a hare to convey the sense of love and using a tree as a metaphor. The project was overseen

by Miss Speck and Mrs Moxon and will now be displayed as part of the Hares of Hampshire art trail throughout Winchester and Southampton.

students thrive. It is a joy to see such creativity in action but also the sound of laughter as it takes place.

Mr Piggott Head of Art

28 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

Creative A r ts

Dance at KES It has been an absolute joy to return to business as usual in the Dance Department this academic year, and it is an even greater joy to see the “usual” continuing to build and build with even more exciting and enriching activities. With GCSE Dance becoming an embedded option for our dancers, this remains complemented by the various dance clubs on offer and these have ensured our Dance Studio remains a warm and welcoming hub for this expanding department. pupils even received a personalised message from the West End cast of ‘Matilda’ and we certainly felt like we had West End stars here on our Dobson stage.

Our pupils launched into the academic year with rehearsals for our exciting whole school production of ‘Les Misérables’. Though the show was not saturated with jazz hands and double pirouettes, our dancers were still at the forefront of the performance, bringing their passion and energy to huge ensemble numbers. There is so much depth to the movement of ‘Les Misérables’ that can often go undetected, yet our pupils ran with the challenge and their passion for theatre and stagecraft was once again able to take flight. It was a pleasure to see them back on stage again where they belong.

It wasn’t long after the curtain went down on ’Les Misérables’ that we dived into rehearsals for our production of ‘Matilda Jr’ with our Lower School pupils. We were blown away by how many pupils auditioned for the production. The cast worked so hard to bring this iconic production to life and they danced their hearts out from start to end.

From scootography (choreography on scooters!) to alphabet blocks, our pupils punched, stamped and twirled their way majestically through the show and we couldn’t be prouder of their performances. Our

Dance has continued to feature in various aspects of School life and this year, the Dance Department was once again invited to perform in the annual, traditional Carol Service. It was a magical occasion as we were once again able to return to Romsey Abbey and bring back our wonderful festive tradition. Fourth Year pupils Charlotte and Josie gave absolutely angelic performances to ‘Lully Lulla Lullay’ performed by the Senior Choir and their graceful elegance was an absolute joy to behold. They should be very proud of the poise and professionalism in the way in which they performed. Our dance clubs have continued to inspire our pupils and the Dance Studio is often alive with Tap Club, Ballet Club and our general Dance Club. Dance has also made a welcome return to our Upper Sixth Foundation Studies carousel, offering pupils a vibrant crash course in a variety of styles.

Trips have also rightly been resurrected, and our Upper School Creative Arts pupils had a fantastic few days in London at the end of the Spring Term

SOTONIENSIS

2022 | 29

Years are keen to follow in their footsteps and have been producing some wonderful imaginative choreography throughout the year. We were also very excited to welcome back Juka Dance to teach the Fourth Year pupils the set phrases that form part of their practical. The class worked hard and were determined to impress, and that they did.

GCSE Dance has been an absolute pleasure to see gather momentum and we look forward to future opportunities and further growth.

The Summer Term saw an exciting return of our vibrant Arts Festival, #KESCREATE after a two year hiatus. It was an exhilarating three days of creative workshops and performances, designed to challenge and inspire our pupils, and it was a joy to see the seeing musicals, plays, visiting museums, galleries and taking part in workshops. We’ve also enjoyed returning to The Mayflower to see the all singing all dancing production of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’.

As we twirled into February, it was with much anticipation that we were able to hang our beloved mirror ball back up in the Dobson, and take to the stage with our infamous Dance Gala. Performing to a sold-out audience, the 50-strong cast of dancers fearlessly took to the stage in a whistle-stop tour of the silver screen in our first themed Gala, “A Night at the Movies”. Pupils chose the most gloriously eclectic array of films to perform and they certainly did themselves proud. From the Indiana Jones Ballet Trio, to the Sixth Form boys performing Men in Black, our pupils shone so brightly in a diverse display of styles including ballet, tap, street, musical theatre and even juggling! It was an absolute pleasure to welcome an audience back to the Dobson to experience the evening after a challenging few years, and it was inspiring to see the pupils perform with such confidence and magic. The Dance Department prides itself on its welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, and the evening was no exception in showcasing all abilities and styles. It was a joy to watch the pupils perform with such freedom and enjoyment.

Congratulations to all who performed!

GCSE Dance has continued to thrive following its introduction in September 2020 and our pupils have continued to delve into the course with keen exploration of dance appreciation, choreography and performance. Our current Fifth Years spent the Spring Term preparing their choreographed solos, and we had a wonderful day in March filming their performances. Each pupil performed with such maturity and presence and should be extremely proud of what they were able to create. Our Fourth

hubbub of creativity bubble within the School. Our pupils took part in various workshops including a dramatic movement workshop with Luke Brown from the Luke Brown Dance Company, salsa, musical theatre with musical theatre star Brian Murray, and we were delighted to even welcome our partnership schools in for a collaborative musical theatre workshop based around ‘Step in Time’ from Mary Poppins. We also had an extremely exciting morning on location filming the promotional video for Singin’ in the Rain which we will be staging in November.

In essence, we are thrilled to have returned to a full year of dance and we are so excited for the new academic year to unravel fresh adventure for our passionate dancers. We cannot wait for the new academic year to bring more exciting opportunities for our dynamic dancers. We hope that dance will continue to be an integral part of school life with opportunities for our dancers to perform in assemblies, take part in workshops, work with partnership schools and of course, visit the theatre!

Dance truly brings so much enjoyment and freedom of expression to our pupils and we look forward to continuing to flourish as a department.

Miss Barnett Dance Co-ordinator

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Creative A r ts

Drama at KES Drama has had a whirlwind of a year, with a wonderful variety of theatre trips, professional workshops and, of course, amazing productions.

We started with a workshop for our Fourth Years and

• Anna Friend from the theatre company Quirky

Lower Sixth delivered by the ‘Lung Theatre Company’

Birds joined us to work with A Level students on

in connection with their verbatim production of

directing using their set exam texts.

‘Who Cares’. They worked with our students on how and why the production was researched, and

• Luke Brown from the Luke Brown Dance

the effect of the tour of the production which has

Company worked with our students on highly

helped raise the profile of the plight of young carers

innovative physical theatre techniques.

and even led to policy changes in parliament. It was great for our students to experience such powerful thought-provoking work that directly helps others and facilitates important dialogue. The students then went to see the production at the MAST Theatre and were visibly moved by the content.

In the Autumn Term, despite much adversity and challenges due to COVID, including losing both myself, the Director, and Miss Forsey, the Musical Director, on opening night, we still heard ‘the people sing’ and there wasn’t an ‘empty chair’ in the house as the spectacular ‘Les Misérables’ truly showcased the ‘Stars’ we have here at KES. Mr Parker stepped in at the eleventh hour to lead the musical charge and the whole cast and crew were fantastic. Special mention needs to be given to Toby who played Jean Valjean, Huw as Javert, Nell as Fantine, Sophie as Cosette, Tom as Marius and Phoebe as Madame Thenardier. We also had fantastic debut performances from Oliver as Enjolras and Sebastian as young Cosette. Special thanks and congratulations also go to the incredibly talented Lucy who stepped in to play Thenardier, with amazing results. The whole cast deserved their well-earned standing ovations.

The Drama Department has been pleased to

With the lifting of COVID restrictions, we were pleased to be able to get back in to the theatre to see live performances. Students were given the opportunity to see ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time’ at The Mayflower Theatre, ‘Great Women’ at Chichester Festival Theatre and ‘Normal Heart’ at The National Theatre.

We were also excited to host the wonderful performance of the science musical, ‘No Time Like

welcome professional workshops from:

the Present’, written and created by Mr Herklots.

• Edward Bennett who worked with both our GCSE

production and congratulations go to all involved.

It was a truly fantastic, informative and humorous

and A Level drama students giving them a master class on creating rhetoric and argument within a

Very successful auditions were held for the

production.

forthcoming production of ‘Singing in the Rain’ which

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promises to deliver another beautifully crafted production as once again we have sourced a stellar cast and team.

KES students were also given the opportunity to attend the much-anticipated Creative Arts trip, which had been postponed from before the pandemic. This was a wonderful trip to London to enjoy the delights of our cultural capital. Included were visits to the West End to watch the flamboyant musical ‘& Juliet’ and the dark thriller ‘Oceans at the end of the lane’ where students experienced suspenseful, innovative, contemporary theatre.

They were treated to a personal backstage tour of the National Theatre, which really highlighted the breadth of skills within the industry, particularly the design elements of theatre. There were also wonderful gallery visits and professional workshops from current West End performers.

The ever-popular Lower School Drama Club once again was full of enthusiastic performers. This year saw the arrival of the First Year Drama Club to cater for the amazing talents of our young students.

The Lower School students proved to be not so ‘Revolting’ as they magnificiently performed the magical, mesmerizing ‘Matilda’. Our young students delighted audiences with their high energy, carefully crafted choreography and their unforgettable, colourful characterisations. Special credit needs to be given to Isabelle who took the title role of Matilda, Ava as Miss Honey and Josh as the formidable Miss Trunchball, (although the show was nearly stolen by Jimmy Walker’s hips and Edward Bristow’s monosyllabic grunts). The whole cast should be very proud of their fantastic achievements, as should the crew who had the challenging task of tableography.

We also had the three day KES Arts Festival running this year, #KESCREATE, which included drama experiences in stage combat workshops, a musical theatre workshop and a Box Theatre production.

2022 has been a great year for the renaissance of theatre.

Mrs Gilmour

Head of Drama

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‘Les Misérables’ (student review) I’m so proud and honoured that I was a part of ‘Les Misérables’. The camaraderie of the cast that resulted in such a memorable event was really special. It wasn’t an easy journey, with both Mrs Gilmour and Miss Forsey testing positive for COVID the day before opening night, but the cast and crew really pulled together to make sure that the standard didn’t dip. It’s so gutting that they didn’t get to see the final performance after all the work they put into it, but I hope we made them proud.

Les Mis as a show is full of emotional highs and lows, which obviously has to be portrayed with passion to do the musical justice. Fulfilling the high expectations of the audience was always going to be a challenge, as we had to get across some quite tricky themes; from love to prostitution to suicide.

However, I think the cast dug deep and we all put our hearts and souls into the performance, really trying to communicate not only the sorrow and desolation but also the overwhelming hope, determination and sincere love of the musical.

Having never got a chance to perform a lead role before, playing the part of Cosette was a dream come true. It was a vocally demanding part that caused a good amount of nerves come show night, but the support of the cast and the feeling of elation stepping onto stage is something I’ll never forget.

Going into the role I’d thought that the hardest part acting wise would be portraying a passionate love, however in hindsight, the part I thought and deliberated most about was the Epilogue, conveying

a girl losing the man who had become her father, the first person to show her love, and the only stable person in the majority of her life. Thankfully I’ve never been in this position, and people have very set ideas of what grief should look like, so I had to consider for a while how to portray this strong, painful emotion.

However, I think having to do this has improved my ability to empathise with people who go through this struggle on a daily basis and I hope that in the future I might be better able to help them through the intense hurt they must feel.

I was very lucky in the fact that I got the chance not only to be onstage alone and with a few others, but also to sing as part of the full cast. ‘One Day More’ has to be the most memorable of these songs, and I think everyone underestimates the power and emotion that’s caused when you have 70 people singing their hearts out for a sole purpose. The feeling of unity and strength you feel in moments like this is truly magical.

The time from curtain up on Thursday evening to the encore on Saturday night was a cascade of nerves, support, exhilaration and joy. As it was the first time any of us had stepped onstage in front of a live audience in two years, emotions were high, but the pride we all feel in ourselves and each other now it’s actually happened is brilliant. We ended on a high, we went out with a bang, and it’s not an experience any of us will forget.

Sophie

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Creative A r ts

Music at KES I am sure you can imagine just how excited the KES musicians were to get back to performing after so many challenges last year. Having had to put our creative thinking skills to the test, we couldn’t wait to return to live audiences, concerts and masterclasses once again.

The Autumn Term did not disappoint as Creative Arts Prepositor, Adam, began the season with a stunning solo performance at this year’s Prizegiving event, with Sophie and Elias providing a string of duets to entertain friends and family for the happy occasion.

Musicians always take centre stage in term services, with Chamber Choir and soloists showcasing beautiful repertoire for these important whole school moments.

String players had been working rigorously to prepare for their side-by-side concert with the London Mozart Players in October. This was a celebration of the string orchestral repertoire and, as those in attendance attested, the performance was truly professional.

Principal violinist, Sophie, performed a solo alongside her LMP counterpart in the Bartok Rumanian Dances.

It was an absolute joy to witness such exemplary quality of playing from the dedicated players so soon after the pandemic which had made rehearsing nearly impossible. As the end of term loomed it was the turn of musicians and singers to tread the boards in the production of ‘Les Misérables’. The department always offers side-by-side playing opportunities for musicians, joining the professionals as part of an authentic ‘pit band’ as it’s known in the trade. This show was no exception and several musicians (and one alumni) made up our fantastic live band to accompany the

vocalists. The department also had a student Musical Director in Euan this year for the first time. Euan played for rehearsals and learnt the entire score to rehearse, and perfect, numbers with the cast throughout the process. The students and staff had to overcome the challenge of an absent Director and Musical Director for the show but it did not hold them back!

The vocal challenges of the repertoire were absolutely enormous. Nearly the entire production is performed in song with vast vocal ranges and extremely technical challenges. The soloists and chorus were put through their paces and the department is hugely indebted to the cast, crew and last minute conducting of Mr Parker to bring together a momentous event. The term finished with a beautiful Nine Lessons and Carols from Romsey Abbey, livestreamed to friends and family.

First Year scholar, Ben, performed the opening treble solo and from his first note the Christmas spirit was in full swing. The Carol Service is an opportunity to welcome our community to join with the Senior Choir and this year we were treated to GCSE dancers too, accompanying a moving performance of Lully, Lulla, Lullay by Stopford from the font of Romsey Abbey.

Spring is always a cherished opportunity for ensembles and soloists alike to showcase skills in our

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Junior and Senior Spring Concerts. Before these, however, we still had time for the Music Competition.

With 30 mesmerizing performances to enjoy, no one would have envied the job of adjudicator Julian Clarkson in his duty to select runners-up and winners from such brilliant performers. Julian was filled with praise for the musicians and gave everyone who participated one-to-one feedback after they showcased their repertoire, making the event feel even more special with the personalised attention only live performance can bring. Every performer was a delight and although winners Freya (Grade V-VII category) and Tom (Grade VIII+ category) were awarded the trophies, the competition also had four runners-up to celebrate too. Ozan and Ben (Grade V-VII category) alongside Sophie and Rosa (Grade VIII+ category) were named for their impressive technique and musicianship. Our second competition of the term made a welcome return too. This year’s Battle of the Bands was absolutely amazing.

The atmosphere was electric and performances absolutely brilliant. We were truly lucky to enjoy so much talent. Many of the performers are also songwriters and we were treated to original songs alongside some great classics. The judges were all delighted and impressed with the confidence, energy and commitment on show. Live music has never felt so good! Supporting Summer Camp was wonderful and it was a treat to enjoy the atmosphere for such an important cause. A glorious evening of musicianship and celebration of live music, the Junior Spring Concert set the standard for the concerts. It included performances from Sinfonia, First Year Choir and Swing Band, showcasing the community and team spirit of the young musicians.

Soloists also sparkled with captivating performances from a wide range of composers all beautifully introduced and professionally performed by the

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Lower School. Next was the turn of the Senior Spring Concert, always a highlight of the School calendar.

This event showcases the very best of musical talent amongst pupils at KES. Highlights included a piano concerto performance by Sixth Form Music Scholar, Adam, accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra.

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from Second Year up to Sixth Form, with woodwind, string, piano and vocal repertoire selected for the occasion. Members of the public were most complimentary about the professionalism and polish of our students who performed their pieces with great confidence and joy in sharing their talents.

Brass players too enjoyed a chance to take part in a masterclass with Helen Vollam, one of the UK’s leading trombonists. Taking time to work with a leading professional in your field is invigorating and challenging in equal measure. With so many excellent brass players at KES it was time for them to shine and have an opportunity to flourish with one to one coaching.

Adam demonstrated professional virtuosity at the keyboard which was spellbinding in his performance of the Saint-Saens Piano Concerto. Soloists treated us to their usual broad range of composers and repertoire, from Mozart arias to Broadway classics, and we must not forget the wonderful community that is Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Big Band delighting us with repertoire to get our feet tapping! The Spring Term concluded with opportunities to go out into the community, and perform at Romsey Abbey. This historic venue and beautiful centre of worship provided the perfect atmosphere, acoustics and platform for the talents of our students ranging

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As the Summer Term concluded the busy musical year, there was still time to fit in a staggering three day festival of creativity for #KESCREATE and an energy filled Lower School production of Matilda. Scooting around the Dobson Theatre was a cast of all singing, all dancing ‘naughty children’ relishing every moment and bringing joy to a packed house. The Arts Festival aimed to challenge KES students to think creatively in everything they did. With creativity and creative thinking so frequently being listed as a top skill sought in the world of work, Miss Forsey wanted KES students to take the chance to engage in being creative and putting creative thinking at the top of the list, regardless of whether creative subjects feature in their

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choice of examination courses. Workshops, lectures, activities, concerts, exhibitions and assemblies were packed with fun. The festival concluded with its legendary afternoon fair. Petting zoo, face painting, vertical trampolines, mini golf, pebble painting and juggling were on offer to all, but the highlight for many had to be the annual performance by the Staff Band and the tug of war competition. It has been such a fantastic year of musical highlights thanks to the hard work and talent of the wonderful musicians that bring KES to life.

Miss Forsey

Assistant Head (Co-curricular)

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The Arts Festival 2022 #KESCREATE The 2022 KES Arts Festival #KESCREATE spanned three full days in June and this year’s theme was creativity and its relationship to the wider world of work and our interaction with creative thinking.

Creativity is frequently listed as a skill sought by employers and for pupils who may not select Arts subjects academically, the festival aimed to raise awareness of creative thinking and engagement.

There was something for everyone over the course of the three days. There were workshops galore, concerts and performances at every turn, the annual art exhibition and a raft of visiting guests, artists and speakers. Stage combat, African drumming, KES Strictly Come Dancing, cake decorating, sustainable sculpture making, a poetry open mic, Salsa classes, film and script-writing and so much more all featured on the schedule. The event culminated in a lunchtime street festival on the school field attended by the entire school community and visiting partnership schools.

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Clubs & Societies Astronomy Club Astronomy Club has changed somewhat in that it is now the IGCSE Astronomy Club and is delivered over two years as an extra GCSE course for Fourth Year Pupils, who are keen and willing to gain an extra GCSE. However, amongst those students following the examination course, the club also welcomes other Fourth Years with an interest in the subject who either wish to attend just for their pleasure or are attending to fulfil the skill section of the DofE award.

The course allows pupils to learn about the major components of our galaxy, from the Earth, moon, and sun, to the surrounding planets, comets and stars and explore the forces which have shaped our planetary systems, causing day, night, and seasonal cycles.

Mrs Mahdavi

of his own story ‘The Christmas Cactus’, always popular and always a winner.

Cactus Club Rebecca has led the club admirably this season.

She has contributed an invaluable series of lectures to the large number of enterprising cactus owners each week during lunchtimes in the cactus clubroom of CL2. Focussing mainly, but not solely, on cactus care and the brilliance of Grand Canaria cacti, Rebecca forged new insights into the lives of our prickly friends, blending entertainment with a far-reaching informative style. She also brought in a number of magnificent guest speakers. Few will forget Freddie’s cactus-fuelled tube ride in his stirring ‘Cacti on the Underground’. Even fewer will fail to expel from the forefront of their minds the wonderfully illustrated ‘Cacti Regions of the World’ presented to us by Jack Costigan. Certainly, many will never be the same again after being in the presence of Xanthe and her ‘Build Your Own Cactus Garden’ presentation. Christmas approached, and former President, James Mitchell, joined us on video link from his university for a delightful rendition

In the new year we returned to a special viewing of Sir David Attenborough’s ‘Cacti and Me’ and this year’s annual competition took place on the last Monday of March. We are grateful to Ms Speck who came to judge the cacti which had made it through to the grand final. The category winners were as follows: Benedict Cumberbatch - Celebrity Cactus Arran - Presidential Award Mrs Mitchell - Succulent Mr Robinson - Cactus grown from Seed Chloe - Creative Cactus Painting Emily - Solo and Group Sections Edward - Best in Show We finish with a couple of quotations which we have taken to heart this year. The first is from Benedict Cumberbatch, who kindly donated his year’s celebrity cactus for the annual competition: “Take the rose—most people think it very beautiful. I don’t care for it at all. I prefer the cactus, for the simple reason that it has a more interesting personality. It has wonderfully adapted itself to its surroundings!

It is the best illustration of the theory of evolution in plant life.” The second is from our very own President: “Being negative only makes a difficult journey more difficult. You may be given a cactus, but you don’t have to sit on it.”

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Character Design Club Character Design Club has been extremely well attended by Lower School students this academic year. To such an extent the club had to be held after school over two days to ensure that all students who desired to be creative were able to attend.

At the beginning of the year students began with basic character design, focusing on sketching human anatomy and facial expressions but, by Christmas, they had created cover designs for their own graphic novels. In the Spring Term, First Year pupils focused on creating their own expressive watercolour and ink studies of endangered animals, inspired by Ralph Steadman’s book on ‘Extinct Boids’.

Second and Third Years created and decorated wonderful props for the school’s Spring Term Science Musical, ‘No Time Like the Present’.

Students demonstrated excellent teamwork skills as they worked through the prop list and there was a lovely productive atmosphere in the studios each Monday and Tuesday evening.

The final project the Lower School illustrators worked on was the colourful banners and spray-painted tiles exhibited during KESCREATE 2022 Art Festival.

Miss McGinn

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Charities Commission It has once again been an incredibly productive year for the KES Charities Commission.

The incredible Sixth Form team began the year with an excellent awareness assembly on recent topical events and decided to focus raising money for Show Racism the Red Card and Stonewall during the month of September. They were able to raise over £500 for each of these charities.

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the field. From Rubik’s cubes to minions, the First Year costumes were incredible and they raised an impressive £2700. This money goes towards buying Christmas presents for children in need in the local area, which are distributed via Southampton based charity, Scratch.

In the same month there were some smaller charity events held in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness with the Lower School Charities Commission managing to raise over £170. In November, the Commission raised over £350 for the Royal British Legion through poppy and RBL stationery sales. Additionally, for International Men’s Day, the Sixth Form hosted a gingerbread sale and raised over £200 for Prostate Cancer UK. In the lead up to Christmas, the Commission was hard at work selling advent calendars and delivering candy canes to their fellow students around the School.

Their persistence and hard work ensured they raised over £1000 for the Society of St. James. Additionally, the School raised £530 for Save the Children by wearing festive jumpers during the last week of term.

The Upper School and Sixth Form Commission were determined to ensure that these issues were not forgotten and created KES Awareness boards situated in the Crush Hall. These boards, created by members of the Upper School Charities Commission, were filled with articles, QR codes linking directly to charities and petitions and general information centring around current issues affecting not just pupils but also the wider world. It is essential that students at KES feel empowered to discuss difficult issues and have a platform to encourage others to do the same.

In October, the First Years took part in the annual Toy Appeal Fun Run. This was a colourful and fantastic event as many of the Lower Sixth students supported our youngest members of the school community by dressing up and running alongside them around

In the Spring Term the Commission focussed their efforts into raising money for Duchenne UK. Duchenne UK is the leading muscular dystrophy (DMD) charity in the UK and they aim to end Duchenne’s devastating impact. Overall, £760 was raised for this fantastic cause. As part of World Book Week, the Charities Commission collaborated with the library leaders to raise over £1130 for Southampton Children’s Hospital. This money went towards purchasing a Hampshire Hare to be

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Southampton who distributed our donations to local charities and soup kitchens who were extremely appreciative.

displayed in the reception area of the hospital. KES pupils joined with children currently undergoing treatment at the hospital to decorate the hare in a fantastic partnership project.

One of the highlights of this year would have to be the whole school collection for the Ukrainian refugee crisis. It was incredible watching all members of the school community working together to sort and fill over 300 boxes of donations ready to ship to those in need. The Commission managed to organise and take charge of the whole process by giving up lunchtimes and breaks to continue sorting through the enormous and ever-growing pile of donations.

Shortly afterwards the Sixth Form Commission wished to highlight and present awareness of period poverty in our local community. They decided to collect sanitary items for Homeless Period

Throughout the year the Sixth Form Charity Projects have been in full swing. Summer Camp have raised money through a series of bake sales preparing for their time away with the young carers from No Limits in the summer. PDSA have hosted a series of events for the children from Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association, a particular highlight was the barn-dance in March and the Sholing Partnerships Team have also raised a significant amount of money at the KES PTA Quiz night.

We were delighted in the Summer Term to make it through to the National Finals for The Goldsmiths’ Community Engagement Award – placing us amongst the top 8 schools nationally. We travelled to London on 28th June for the presentation and awards ceremony.

As Charities Co-ordinator I would like to say a huge thank you to all students and staff who have donated their time and/or donations for this year’s charity events. It is safe to say it has been a memorable one.

Miss McGinn

Head of Charities

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Chess Club Chess Club continues to meet on Friday lunchtimes and is popular across all the year groups. As well as the majority of students who attend for pleasure and the love of the game, there are also a number of Fourth Year students who are attending as part of the skills section of their Duke of Edinburgh award.

This year has seen the purchase of four new chess sets and the continuation of the online KES Chess Club, making the game accessible to the students via an app and enabling play throughout the week. The House Chess competition was a fiercely-fought battle but Watts emerged the eventual winners.

Ms Ridley

Christian Union

Classics Society

Christian Union has met regularly on a Tuesday lunchtime engaging in a variety of activities from hearing talks, praying and having meaningful discussions about the big questions of life – and also eating some cake and biscuits along the way!

Classics Society has been run once again by Sophia and her team with the slick organisation and vast variety of events we have come to expect. There has been a fair amount of play reading, namely the Odyssey, read with aplomb by the attendees. Of particular note were Jack’s multi-accented performances. Hannah gave an erudite talk on Ancient Japan, Beck looked at the idea of beauty and Sam gave talks on both birds in the Ancient World and the Sexual Demeanours of the Emperors. This has certainly been an eclectic group of students and subjects!

Upper School and Sixth Form have been represented as we have looked at materials such as the book of Daniel and followed studies from Open Doors, recognising and supporting those persecuted for their faith across the world. We have also considered the reasonableness of faith in our deliberations reading the Simon Edwards book, “The Sanity of Belief”.

We have enjoyed a few visiting speakers from within the School and without, opening up ideas and presenting opportunities for discussion.

As the group look ahead to the new academic year, new members and ideas are always welcome.

Mr Robinson

Sophia herself led several highly impressive discussions on Ovid’s Heroides and there was some interesting debate comparing Dido and Penelope. She also ran a session on Sappho which went down very well.

This has been an exceptional year for inspiring talks and I would like to thank Sophia and Hannah, in particular, for their hard work and commitment. We look forward to next year under the auspices of Sam and Beck.

Mrs Meredith

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Coding Club This year, members of the Lower School Coding club were able to dive into some coding using the Python programming language to expand upon their understanding of computational thinking and programming techniques. During the session they were able to create programs that responded to user input, use standard coding structures and make use of turtle graphics to produce a random race game.

Primarily run by one of our Sixth Form students, the Upper School Coding Club spent time learning some of the finer points of using the Python programming language, covering the basics for students not already enrolled on the GCSE Computer Science course and looking at some common coding patterns beyond the scope of the GCSE for students already possessing some proficiency. Towards the end of the year, the group looked at some programming problems similar to those used in their examinations, examining how to solve these problems, as expected by the exam board, and how these same problems would be approached in an unrestricted setting.

Mr Cutler

Cookery Club Cookery Club continued a very creative run of culinary delights for our Fourth Years. Pupils spent time honing their knife skills for seasonal minestrone as well as a variety of curries. Gingerbread and fruit crumbles were also created and the fiercely fought ‘Bake Off’ produced some high quality and experimental dishes.

Mrs Searles

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Digital Aspirants The Digital Aspirants is a new group this year and has proven to be very successful. Students who volunteer for the group have been shown extra skills for using many of the digital technologies covered in the first year of the course, including additional features in Microsoft Office and opportunities to develop more advanced programs for the Microbit computers. This has empowered the Digital Aspirants to assist their peers with the use of technology in all their subjects as well as Computer Science. Some of the Digital Aspirants will be able to graduate to Digital Leaders next year.

Mr Cutler

Digital Leaders Digital Leaders have looked at a range of extra uses of digital technology this year, most recently starting a 3D CAD project to design props ready for 3D printing using industrystandard software. They also represented the School taking part in the National Cipher Challenge learning about a range of encryption techniques.

Mr Cutler

Digital Leaders meet every Thursday at 1pm and this year we also attended the KES Open Evening to showcase the things that we learnt from previous lessons and display them to future pupils and parents.

Currently, we are creating lightsabers on SketchUp so that they can be printed using a 3D printer and we are creating a short film between the rebels and rogue, and the battles of Star Wars mini! We also took part in the National Cipher Challenge, a competition between schools to crack a story in code. Cryptography is a widely used skill and is even more important today as computers are more popular and powerful. It is a very interesting skill often used to protect confidential information. We learnt HTML, which is a widely used language and is a good base for future programming, and created our own websites. Being a Digital Leader is an honour and we really recommend getting involved.

Sesika and Angus (Second Years)

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Diversity Society (Div Soc) It was another busy year for the School’s Equality and Diversity Society, especially so in light of the powerful mandate for change provided by the Black Lives Matter and #metoo movements. In October, we celebrated Black History Month with a series of thought-provoking pieces in assemblies and some bespoke history lessons on colonialism. This was followed by International Men’s Day, where a number of staff and students spoke very movingly on the topic ‘The Last Time I Cried’ in order to highlight the importance of emotional honesty in men. In November, we marked Anti-Bullying Week with a number of discussion pieces and a plea for everyone in the community to consider how One Kind Word can often make a big difference.

In February, Children’s Mental Health Week saw every tutor group receive a care package stocked with wellbeing goodies such as colouring sheets, head massagers and lollies, but it was the bead kits that proved the most popular, with many students coming back for more. On 8th March we celebrated International Women’s Day alongside the rejuvenated FemSoc, with a number of students lending their voices to an impassioned assembly about inspirational women. Finally, in June we marked Pride with another assembly about LGBTQ+ artists and public figures, and members of DivSoc marched in the Southampton Pride event in August.

Mr Collinson

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E-Safety Team and Cyber Ambassadors The E-safety team has been running for a number of years at KES and is made up of a group of students from across the year groups. We meet regularly to discuss any potential problems we have within the school environment regarding online activities, as well as plan preventative training to help students stay safe as they continue to use digital platforms.

This year has been an exciting year for E-safety at KES, the team has provided education to other pupils about staying safe online through PSHE days with the First and Second Years on topics such as: who to trust online and the effect of a digital footprint.

We have delivered assemblies to the Lower School to resolve a recurring issue within their year groups and assist them with the challenges they face online.

However, this year, the largest undertaking was cyber ambassador training. This was run by the Hampshire Constabulary who sent a member of their cyber team to develop our knowledge and understanding of online safety. The day was incredibly informative and provided a platform from which we could deliver higher quality talks to the KES community.

As recognised cyber ambassadors, KES joins a large group of schools within the Hampshire area who are part of this programme. Due to this we will be hosting a Cyber Ambassador Conference on Safer Internet Day next year. There will be guest speakers and representatives from around 50 schools invited to attend and listen to how to keep everyone’s knowledge up-to-date.

Mrs Penn and The E-safety team

50 | SOTONIENSIS

2022

Economics Society This has been quite a quiet year for Economics Society, with the emphasis on quality rather than quantity in terms of the audience size and the events organised. That said, we have been treated to some excellent talks both in-house from students, and virtually, through the ongoing generosity of KES Birmingham’s Economics Society who have continued to open up their Zoom meetings to our students.

Encouragingly we seem to have had a good mix of students at society events with a good number who don’t study Economics A Level coming along.

My thanks to this year’s Society Presidents, Poppy,

James, Harry and Abbie who have enlivened the programme with a mixture of light-hearted but fiercely competitive quizzes combined with serious exploration of the key economic issues of our age, from modern monetary theory, to rising inequality, the application of game theory and the renewed threat of stagflation in the UK. There is little enough good economic news around at the moment, but the commitment of our best students to understand, analyse and think deeply about solutions is a cause for hope and optimism for the future. We wish all our outgoing Upper Sixth students the very best of luck in their future studies.

Mr Culver Economics Society President

Feminist Society (Fem Soc) Following a well-attended Feminism Workshop in Activities Week last July, we responded to the demand to explore this topic further by forming the KES Feminist Society for September 2021.

The purpose of this new society, for Upper School and Sixth Form students, is to host educational sessions with space for intellectual discussion on a diverse range of topics. In each session, we have been examining the world through a feminist lens, challenging assumptions and the structures of our society.

The programme commenced with two sessions run

by Miss Forsey and Mrs Whiting. Firstly, students discussed ‘Where and how am I represented in the Media’ by sharing their own experiences of seeing stereotypical female characters represented in TV series, films, news and of course social media before Mrs Whiting led everyone through ‘Feminism Explained’ looking historically at the women’s movements, discussing what feminism is, what people think it is and why we still need feminism today.

“To me feminism means that everyone is equal regardless of their gender, and my peers and I should receive equal opportunities in life.” - Phoebe.

In the new year, the group analysed Women in Literature, both the authors and characters in classics and modern fiction. Led by Miss Goodsell, the session opened up debates about why some authors have not had the coverage and recognition they deserve.

In the first student led session, Abi, Freya and Hannah presented their scholars’ project on abortion including its accessibility in the UK, Europe and across the globe, and why it can be a controversial topic. This was followed by Mrs Millington, who presented ‘Women in Science’ with a panel of female science students. They spoke on the gender gap in STEM at A Level, degree level and in the workplace.

To mark International Women’s Day, students delivered a whole school assembly with great impact, expressing the inspiration of role models. Miss Forsey also gave an assembly at the start of the term which gave voice to students who had experienced sexism. The assembly was accompanied by a campaign organised by FEMSOC to unite students in gender equality. The Society provided purple ribbons to anyone in the community who wanted to demonstrate, by wearing one, their commitment to gender equality.

The Feminist Society had an opportunity to lead an Open Forum for the Sixth Form in March covering ‘5 things you should know about Feminism’. The

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2022 | 51

Geography Society This year Geography Society has had a wide variety of fascinating talks given by teachers, students and also visiting speakers. The presentations have taken advantage of teachers and students travelling during their own gap years or from students who used to live in other countries. As well as travelling stories, Upper Sixth Form student, Evie, spoke passionately about Dinosaurs and the Jurassic Period and we also had a talk from Andy Ryan from the Ordnance Survey who spoke about maps and what it’s like working for Ordnance Survey. Mike Golding inspired us all talking about his sailing career and how it led him into sustainability.

However, the most thought-provoking talk was from Mr Brain who works for Christian Aid. He explained about conflict and development in Nigeria which was particularly relevant due to its close link to the A Level Geography course.

Geography Society has continued to be a popular way to spend Thursday lunchtimes with a mix of Uppers and Lowers as well as teachers. Approximately half the audience do not study Geography as an A Level subject but they come along to expand on their own self-knowledge.

Russell (Upper Sixth)

intention was to teach the basics of feminism

diversity within the industry and the many harmful

and equip students with information to challenge

and unrealistic behaviours that are presented to

the status quo before they advance to university

the audience, before Bruno rounded off the year by

and the workplace. Tom gave us the background

speaking about Toxic Masculinity, the characters

of how we became a patriarchal society and the

portrayed in TV and film, the expectations of young

limitations this puts on women whilst Adam showed

men in our society and the impact this can have on

the common misconceptions of feminism, vs what

their mental and physical health.

feminism actually is. Ese reviewed the disadvantages and stereotypes that women face in the media

This year the KES Feminist Society has grown from

and in daily life and Bruno, James and Will gave

an idea to a committed group of students wanting

examples of sexist comments and behaviour and

to explore these controversial and complex topics

implored students to call this out when they see it.

with their peers. Next year we will work to encourage

Lastly Phoebe walked us through the types of, and

engagement from Upper School Students, whilst

frequency of, abuse and the threat of harm to women.

equipping the outgoing Upper Sixth with tools they may need to challenge sexism in their universities

In the Summer Term, Miss Forsey presented on

and workplaces.

‘The impact of pornography on today’s teenagers.’

Students shared their views on the accessibility and

Mrs Whiting

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2022

Greenpower For two seasons the Greenpower racing calendar has been disrupted by lockdowns so it was with great excitement that the KES Racing Team received the news that there would be racing in the 2022 season.

For the first time in KES history, the school was ready to enter 2 teams into the qualifying heats to be held in April at the famous Goodwood race circuit. With almost 2 seasons off the track, the Greenpower team had a great deal of work to do to prepare the cars. A 20 strong team, consisting of students from First Year through to Lower Sixth, met regularly after school to make sure the 2 cars were tested and ready for the green flag. As the majority of the team was made up of new members, the veterans of the club, Robert and James, took on lead roles overseeing the rebuilds as well as designing the strategy for each car.

When the long-awaited race day arrived, the format consisted of two 90 minute races with the average position counting towards a qualifying spot at the national finals. Conditions at the circuit were perfect, with warm temperatures and very little wind. With a mass start of over 100 cars the racing promised to be challenging and exciting.

During race 1, both cars suffered mechanical and electrical issues which were swiftly diagnosed and fixed by the pit crew but the result left some room for improvement and both teams were keen to increase the average positions during the afternoon session.

Race 2 started strongly for both cars when, unfortunately, the newer car was hit from behind, buckling one wheel badly and effectively ending the team’s challenge. Local school rivalry was put aside when the St. Swithun’s team loaned the KES team a spare wheel and enabled us to get back out on the circuit finishing in a respectable 44th position.

The other KES car had a faultless race finishing in an excellent 20th position. Both teams are now awaiting the results from other heats around the country to see if they have done enough to earn places in the national finals scheduled for October.

Congratulations to both teams for their hard work and dedication during club sessions to get 2 cars prepared to race and for their efforts and commitment during a long but successful day at Goodwood. This season has been an excellent re-introduction to Greenpower racing and work has already begun to enhance the performance of the car of next season.

Mr Blow

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Coundley Historical Society This year in the Coundley Historical Society, we had an exciting line up of speakers, ranging from teachers, fellow students and external speakers.

To kick the year off, we had Mr Diver presenting a fascinating discussion on the Battle of Jutland which was the largest sea battle of the First World War. The story of this episode in naval history is not as wellknown as other battles such as Trafalgar but Mr Diver communicated its significance very effectively in a fascinating talk. We then had Upper Sixth student, Huw, giving a talk on Chernobyl and discussing the causes behind the devastating nuclear explosion and how this has since affected Ukraine and the rest of the world. This was a very popular talk attended by many Sixth Form students and teachers.

After the Christmas break, Mr Diver gave two popular talks focusing on Nixon, and his trip to China in 1972, and the Iran Hostage Crisis under President Carter.

These talks were particularly helpful for many A Level History students currently studying American History. The Society also heard Mrs Burt deliver a talk, entitled ‘America’s hidden racial shame’. This looked at the Japanese internment in the USA during World War Two and the story of Fred Korematsu who took his case to the Supreme Court. The Court upheld the imprisonment of American citizens even without accusation or trial during times of war and Mrs Burt explained that California now celebrates ‘Fred Korematsu Day’ to honour his fight against racism towards Japanese-Americans.

Later in the year we had our first external speaker: Dr John McAleer - a lecturer at the University of Southampton who gave a fascinating talk on the East Indian Company, describing it as the company that ‘changed the world’. All A Level History students learn about the British Empire, and this fascinating talk about how this company became hugely powerful, but ultimately failed, enlightened them about this aspect of Britain’s relationship with India. Finally, the Society concluded with Upper Sixth student, Kirsten, who presented her Extended Project.

This focused on China’s Cultural Revolution and how the youth had been manipulated to achieve Mao’s agenda.

In all, this year’s talks have been very varied and the meetings have been extremely well-attended as a consequence of interesting and relevant topics. The Coundley Historical Society is a popular and active society at KES and is always welcoming to new members from all years.

Kirsten (Upper Sixth)

Interface Interface is a weekly gathering of First, Second and Third Year students who consider significant subjects while playing games and tackling challenges. Often the big questions of life are touched upon and all viewpoints are welcome.

This year there were plenty of card and dice games as well as activities requiring dexterity along with artistic prowess. Cutting up Möbius strips produced some interesting results and this was related somehow (!) to divine sovereignty and human responsibility as in Acts 2:23. Massive holes where cut in tiny pieces of paper (Luke 1:37) and towers were built under strict conditions (Luke 14:28).

A look at the persecution of Christians around the world revealed that for the first time in many years North Korea was pushed off the top spot (by Afghanistan) and fundamental freedoms for believers of all persuasions were restricted in many different countries. Bob Dylan lyrics played a part so there was something for everyone.

Mr Singleton

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2022

Library Leaders Library Leaders has become an institution at KES which over 70 students are currently proud to be a part of. All of them are very keen readers, advocates of the Library and proud to be reading ambassadors for the School. The Library would not be the same without such wonderful student leadership. Our Library Leaders start to work on the library desks from First Year - all the way through their time at KES - and as a reward for their hard work get to have specific reading events and parties just for them.

Currently, we also have a fantastic group of Sixth Formers who choose to come into the Library in their own time to help with day-to-day responsibilities, design relevant and engaging displays and make the Library their own. Indeed, our new books are chosen and recommended by Sixth Formers, who keep us upto-date with the ever-changing publishing world.

We are very proud to have appointed Hannah as our Lead Literary Ambassador, a new role of responsibility within the Upper Sixth this year. Hannah will be coordinating key events next year such as World Book Week and reading for pleasure initiatives which support our whole school ethos that reading is the key to not just education, but for life in general!

This year saw the launch of our ‘16 before 16’ and ‘18 Before 18’ Reading Challenges which have been very successful in encouraging students to broaden their reading horizons and diversify their choices of literature. These are the 16 or 18 books KES students should have read by these ages, selected by the Library and the English Department. We had our first Second Year, Jonah, receive a commendation from the Head for being the first student in the history of KES to complete the ‘16 before 16’ challenge.

This year our Library Leaders really wanted to share their love of reading with staff at KES. All staff were invited to a Books and Biscuits afternoon where our Library Leaders baked a huge array of cakes for staff to enjoy whilst recommending their favourite reads. It was fantastic to see members of SLT receive big piles of books to read over half term!

Harry Potter Book Night was our main event specifically for Library Leaders, held during a packed World Book Week. It was our biggest event to date in the Library, with students dressing as Hogwarts characters, Harry Potter themed games and snacks.

Even Mr Parker wore his wizarding robes, with Miss Speck as Bellatrix and Mrs Whiting as Professor McGonagall.

We were also very proud to have launched a Readathon during World Book Week which raised money for Southampton Children’s Hospital School to purchase a Hare of Hampshire. Our students raised over £1000 from both the readathon and other charity events. Mrs Moxon’s Lower Sixth art students then travelled to the hospital school and painted the hare with a literary theme, joined by the children who are currently receiving treatment. Our Hare of Hampshire will be part of the Hares of Hampshire trail placed in a secret location around Southampton during the summer holidays.

We have so many more exciting events planned with our Library Leaders during the next academic year and so proud of their efforts and pride in being part of the Library.

Miss Speck and Mrs Whiting

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Literature Society (Lit Soc) It has been another successful and enjoyable year for the Literature Society at King Edward’s.

We began the year with the Booker Prize Challenge, a very challenging undertaking, not just in the volume of reading matter but also in the increasingly truncated window in which to get through it all. It is a reflection of the intellectual ethos of our school that numerous students read most of the shortlist, and a select few managed the whole shortlist – six usually hefty tomes - in just over a month. Congratulations to Emma, Alice, Celia, Tessa and Freya for this considerable achievement. The student favourites were ‘Bewilderment’ and ‘Great Circle’, though I gather that the eventual winner ‘The Promise’ did grow on some of them! Many thanks to those stalwart teachers of the KES English Department who each ran a discussion session on one of the novels from the shortlist. It is important to encourage students to think critically and evaluatively about those texts they read recreationally, as well as those on their list of study.

For the rest of the year, every Friday lunchtime of Week B, we have been treated to a talk, by members of both the student and the staff body. Each of these has been reflective of the speaker’s individual literary enthusiasm, which has provided an eclectic smorgasbord of topics. Some speakers do not study Literature for A Level, and it is great to hear the passionate knowledge of students from various other arenas across the school. Student talks have included Hope on ‘Sci-Fi and Fantasy (featuring strong female characters)’; Freya on ‘Madness in Victorian literature’; Ruben on ‘Lesbian Pulp Fiction’; Gabsy on ‘Emily Dickinson and Letter Poems’; Emma on ‘Fiction in Translation’; Tom on ‘Gilgamesh: the influence of the first Epic poem’; and Emma on ‘Jane Austen and

Christianity’. Teacher talks have included Mr Reekes on ‘Absent from Thee’, a poem by John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester; Miss Goodsell on Old and Middle English riddles; and Dr Schofield on ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. This list of titles and topics is proof in itself of the multifariousness of the literary passions in our Society; every week is an exciting, enlightening and enriching treat.

Just after the end of the summer term, Miss Goodsell and Mr Reekes took a group of Sixth Form literary enthusiasts to Cambridge, where they had the privilege of being able to see the original manuscripts of many classic texts in the University Library, and to retrace the footsteps of great literary figures such as Lord Byron and William Wordsworth. Staying in one of the university colleges also represented a fantastic taster of life at one of the great English universities.

Now that the constrictions of the pandemic are hopefully abating, two big aims of the Literature Society next year must be to organise more trips of this nature, as well as an illustrious speaker or two from outside the School. It would also be great to arrange more inter-departmental talks and activities, such as with the Classics and History societies: the more students can see the overlap and interconnecting of their skills, knowledge and interests, the better! English A Level numbers are strong for next year, so the Literature Society should be in rude health for years to come. I look forward to being illuminated by the next batch of budding bibliophiles!

Mr Reekes

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2022

MedSoc MedSoc at KES has once again successfully, and safely, welcomed a variety of speakers working within the medical field. Despite the difficulties of COVID, with the occasional help of Zoom and generous speakers, MedSoc has continued to inspire and motivate a new batch of aspiring medics. These past few years have highlighted the key role that healthcare professionals play and we are grateful to all of our speakers.

We started off the year with Dr Thomas Daniels, a consultant in respiratory and general medicine, with a subspecialty in cystic fibrosis. This talk allowed for great insight into a field of medicine that has been advancing rapidly over recent years, with new treatments being available to those with this disease.

Having a specialist view into new treatments, allowed for students to fathom how rapidly changing these new and advancing technologies are and how integral these are for a disease with such significant influence on people’s lives. This talk also aided those students taking A Level biology as cystic fibrosis is a key topic on the course.

We caught up with some familiar faces, hosting a Zoom Q&A session with some Old Edwardians who are currently studying medicine. It is well known that applying to medical school is a gruelling process, but the OEs gave some helpful top tips regarding preparation for the BMAT and UCAT, work experience, being interview savvy and how to write the dreaded personal statement. The Lower Sixth also had the opportunity to ask questions, as well as learn how medicine was taught in different schools, what life was really like as a medical student and the truth behind the transition from A Level student to undergraduate.

Dr Aiman Alzetani spoke engagingly about his career as a cardiothoracic surgeon and his experience studying medicine abroad and working within the NHS. He discussed medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath and provided an insightful introduction to the profession. As someone who frequently carries out medical research, he was able to speak about the importance of it and how doctors are the bridge between the scientists and the patients, emphasising the importance of scientific understanding and communicative abilities as a doctor.

Dr Wortham gave the next talk on his previous work with various universities in research topics including genetic diseases such as uterine leiomyoma, or the role of certain genes in the presentation of breast cancers and vanishing white matter in the brain.

Our next speaker was Dr Harnish Patel, a consultant in medicine for older people. Dr Patel spoke about his journey from school years to his current position, covering what a typical day as a consultant consists of and what medicine for older people entails.

Dr Patel emphasised resilience in the process of applying for medicine, highlighting that it is a student’s drive and determination that results in successful application and careers.

No matter the university, medical ethics is sure to come up in an interview. Experienced paediatric and neonatal surgeon, Dr Robert Wheeler gave an in-depth talk about not only medical ethics but also medical law. This gave members a great insight into a very important aspect of medicine and knowing about principles, such as Gillick competency and candour, will prove invaluable for medical school interviews. Dr Wheeler expertly used examples of cases he had come across whilst studying for his law degree and his experience as a doctor to demonstrate these medical ethical principles.

With COVID having such significant effects on mental health, it was essential to have speakers from different branches of psychiatry to highlight its importance. Dr Roberts, consultant in Adult Psychiatry and Dr Dhakras, consultant in Child Psychiatry, both provided insight into different mental disorders, and how these can have physical effects on health too. A key theme that was present throughout the talk was an emphasis on the importance and privilege of being able to help patients with issues that were very personal and often sensitive topics to discuss.

This year ended with a motivating talk from Dr Fraser Cummings, a consultant in gastroenterology. His specialities lay in inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, and he stressed the importance of awareness of these diseases as they are a lot more common than you may think.

The Summer Term is one of the busiest times for Lower Sixth applicants, with mock exams, university open days, work experience, personal statement brainstorming sessions, and UCAT and BMAT preparation. However, various sessions are run to safely see the Lower Sixth through their UCAS applications. For example, a number of essay workshops ran for students in preparation for Section 3 of the challenging BMAT. Another intimidating exam for aspiring medics is the UCAT. As with the BMAT, this exam evaluates a skill set outside the A Level curriculum but, through effective preparation, students can ensure they achieve high scores which will undoubtedly boost their application.

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Though it was initially quite difficult to invite and organise for speakers to come and talk to MedSoc, due to the pandemic, those who did, have given society members a greater knowledge of medicine as a career path, and how to succeed in this highly competitive environment. MedSoc will of course be back next year and with more inspiring talks to guarantee the members are well prepared for the world of medicine and its allied professions. We would like to express our immense gratitude to all of

Modelling & Miniatures Club The Club has had an adventurous year with support and membership from the Upper Sixth through to the First Year. The year began continuing the World War 2 project and the making of aircraft, vehicles and figures. A number of these, along with many other models, were displayed on the School Open Evening.

The Monday after-school club meetings are an informal gathering of students working on their own models or something for a school project. A range of experience and abilities are present from beginner through to very accomplished. This gave plenty of opportunity to learn and pick up new tips, improving our modelling skills.

Following the award of some funds, the Club invested in some materials and kits for painting Warhammer figures and began a project to assemble and paint a basic game set. As the end of the year approached it has been realised that this will not be complete this year – more time – and people are needed!

So, if you enjoy modelling – or think you might like to try your hand, whether Warhammer, aircraft, trains, figures or scenery, then you will be very welcome to join us.

Mr Robinson

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our presenters this year for taking time out of what we are sure are busy schedules and sharing their advice and experiences with us. Finally, we would like to say how grateful we are to Mrs Millar for ensuring the Society runs smoothly and for her constant support throughout the medical application process.

Anna and Amber

MedSoc Presidents 2021-22

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2022

Partnerships It has been wonderful to return to in-person Partnerships activities during this academic year.

We have welcomed many pupils from local primary schools to participate in subject workshops after school in Art, Science, Languages, and Maths.

Thanks go to Mrs Moxon, Miss Frost, Mr Lawson, and Mrs Thimbleby for leading these. The children and staff remarked on how lovely it was to return to KES and how much students enjoyed the activities.

Primary school students also came to watch a matinee performance of the Lower School production of Matilda and took part in a carousel of activities during the Arts Festival. Two primary schools were involved with our Endeavour programme. Fourth Year students ran subject workshops at KES on Coding, Drama and Dance, Science, and Art; and a Sports Day at Wellington. These events were much enjoyed and it has been wonderful to see things getting back to normal after the pandemic. Thank you to the Fourth Year and Sixth Form students involved, alongside Dr Dean, Mr Herklots, Dr Gamblin, Mrs Moxon, Miss McGinn, Miss Barnett, Mrs Hawker, Mr Cutler and Mr Willis, who facilitated. Ms Taylor’s help with organising transport for the primary schools as well as our own staff and students was much appreciated.

Other activities have taken place linking to Partnerships. Lower School pupils wrote Christmas cards to local care home residents and staff, which were well received. Looking ahead, the Sholing Partnership returns in the first week of the summer holidays and Ms Boyle and her team of Sixth Formers have been working hard at this.

In other areas, we are working hard to develop our Partnerships provision. The Sustainability Team, led by Mrs Penfold, is helping us to become a Sustainability Hub for the local area, with the hope of inviting primary pupils to plant at our allotment and take part in activities and competitions to promote care of the environment. We look forward to developing our connections in the new academic year and building on our current successes.

We were also privileged to attend the National Finals of the Goldsmiths’ Community Engagement Awards at the end of June at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London. This showcased the hard work done by our students in the areas of charities and partnerships. Five students presented various projects they are involved in, with Third Year, Arthur, (the only non-Sixth Form student in the team) giving a fantastic account of the Art Workshops offered in the Autumn Term. Students, including Arthur, led some of these sessions and his passion and enthusiasm were clear in his speech.

Partnerships is a valued part of life at King Edward’s and one that we are extremely proud of. We have been so pleased to see so many activities returning this year and look forward to the next. Thank you to all those who have been involved this year - teaching staff, non-teaching staff, and students of all ages.

Dr Woolstenhulme

Partnerships Co-ordinator

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PDSA partnership It has been an epic year for both KES and members of the Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association. Every term has been filled with fun activities organised

by Mr Miller with the team of Sixth Form students working alongside him.

We kicked off the year by heading to Southampton Sports Centre for a donutting session which was popular amongst many and exciting for those who have never been before. This was closely followed by an exciting trip to Romsey Rapids and the evening Barn Dance, hosted in the Dobson Theatre. This featured live traditional barn music and students were invited to dress the part. They did not disappoint, sporting a range of chequered shirts, cowboy hats and tall boots.

Numerous fundraisers have been held throughout the year to raise money for all of these activities. A couple of Sixth Form students, and myself, took on the role of Derek Batey and hosted the KES version of Mr and Mrs, inviting members of the Sixth Form and staff members to take part and watch the event (and drama) unfold. To raise general awareness amongst the school community about Down syndrome, and to raise money for the PDSA charity, we held our annual whole school odd socks day; to represent the extra chromosome people with Down syndrome have. It was, as always, a beautiful, bright and colourful day.

Similarly, KES answered the question of ‘What does inclusion mean to you?’ in a video that involved the whole school. Individuals shared their own personal stories, thoughts and feelings on what inclusion means.

Overall, this year we feel as though we have not only impacted the PDSA community by partaking in endless activities, forming new friendships along the way and spreading smiles, we have also been able to spread the key message of inclusion and overall kindness, whilst educating people about Down Syndrome.

Ese

Sixth Former

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2022

Politics Society As government restrictions have lifted, the Politics Society has taken full advantage of the opportunity to gather again, drawing in an array of pupils from across the Sixth Form and Upper School and a range of topics. These have included talks from students and external speakers, accompanied with copious amounts of biscuits. In November, we were visited

by Caroline Noakes, MP and Chair of the Women’s and Equality Committee, shortly after a high profile committee session with Boris Johnson. Other highlights have included Dr Christian Enemark leading a session on the Russia-Ukraine crisis within

2 weeks of fighting breaking out, and Chris Brannigan speaking on his time working in No.10 through COVID, giving a detailed insight into what it was really like inside those famous (redecorated) walls. Who needs a Dominic Cummings interview when you have this!

We have thoroughly enjoyed leading the Politics Society, and it has been a genuine pleasure to see so many engaging with politics, despite not studying it, and having access to some fantastic speakers.

Michael and Eric (Upper Sixth)

Psychology Society The Psychology Society this year has been very popular and encouraged students to think about many diverse topics in novel ways. We have been lucky enough to welcome numerous visiting speakers to discuss their field of expertise, including two speakers from The University of Southampton who led an interactive session exploring how to carry out mental health assessments in young children and non-verbal adults. The students have also benefited from a talk by an expert who discussed how to tackle mental health issues before they reach the level of a clinical diagnosis. In addition, an Educational Psychologist pre-recorded a session explaining what the job entails. The students themselves have also enjoyed researching and presenting topics that have interested them, including presentations on Neuralink, the MAOA-l gene and psychopathy, common mental health disorders in our world leaders and rare psychological disorders. The students have enjoyed exploring topics beyond the specification that interest them - as well as the range of cake on offer every week!

Mrs Brindley-Ewan

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Race Ski Club This year, Third and Fourth year students regularly visited the Southampton Alpine Centre to learn the fundamentals of ski racing. Each week they added to their skills and became more confident moving between the slalom poles with the course gradually gaining in difficulty. Coach, Liam (himself an OE) gave the students instruction on how to improve their runs and set them tasks to do as they came down the run to improve their skiing technique. The students improved greatly throughout the 5-6 week course, improving in style, time and growing in confidence.

Miss Bentley

Rifle Shooting Club This year has seen the Rifle Shooting Club go from strength to strength. Numbers have been up significantly over previous years, with two groups now each shooting on a monthly basis at the Southampton Small-Bore Rifle Club. Despite COVID restrictions limiting sessions for a while, and reducing the number of students allowed in any one group, nearly 20 students have participated in this activity over the course of the year.

This culminated in the inaugural inter-school shoot between KES and St Swithun’s at the start of the summer term. KES fielded a team of six shooters, across the three disciplines of prone, benchrest, and light-weight sporting. Over the course of 3½ half hours, the students shot “shoulder to shoulder” with their St Swithun’s counterparts, and the final scores were extremely close. Eventually KES lost 1071 points to 1092, but did manage to win the benchrest title. This was in large part down to Charles (Third Year) who shot an extremely impressive 199/200, securing a Gold medal in the individual competition.

Silver medals in the individual disciplines were also awarded to Pablo (Third Year) in the light-weight

sporting category, and Robin (Fourth Year) in the Prone category.

All in all it has been a fantastic year and has motivated many to look at the national junior training programs. Who knows, one of those who represented the School for the first time in this sport might one day be representing their country at a future Olympics!

Mr Rokison

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2022

Sailing and Paddleboarding Club The lifting of restrictions has seen pupils enjoying a return to the water with their friends in mostly glorious weather.

Sailing took place in the Autumn and Summer Terms this year and now that we are not limited to bubbles we have been much more flexible in what we can offer. I am delighted that so many children have joined the Sailing Club this year. We have put on extra instructors at weekends to give everybody who wants to go on the water the opportunity to do so.

We had some intensive courses running at SWAC over Easter for beginners, intermediates and advanced sailors. Beginner pupils made rapid progress through the RYA stages and can now launch and recover their own boats and sail a triangle. Many of our more advanced sailors went on to try seamanship skills and sailing with spinnakers.

At weekends, our more experienced sailors have kindly helped the beginners by sailing with them initially. Pupils are a mix of ages from across the School and they work together incredibly cooperatively to make good progress on the water.

Many Upper School pupils come sailing to work towards their Duke of Edinburgh Skill or Physical section.

Paddleboarding has also been incredibly popular again this year. The club ran on Tuesday evenings in the Autumn and Summer Terms. Pupils came along with big smiles every week and mastered the art of standing up and turning, even when the wind was doing its best to knock them over. They had some fun on the mega SUP too which really helps with communication and team building skills. Our older pupils were rather luckier at the end of the Summer Term with some beautiful sunny evenings paddling on the Itchen.

This is my last year running the school Sailing and Paddleboarding Club. I am very grateful to all the pupils for their commitment and enthusiasm over the years and to the fantastic team of staff who have turned up rain or shine; Dr Waymark, Mr Barker, Mr Blow, Mrs Leathem and Mrs Taylor.

Mrs Burrows

Sanskrit Society This year, Sanskrit Society has run on Wednesday lunchtimes with a small group of students who have been learning for the last couple of years. They have used a variety of worksheets and books, working at their own pace to improve their knowledge and language skills. Some impressive vocabulary quizzes have been made online and the sessions were punctuated with various video clips of Hindi mythology.

Mrs Meredith

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Scamp Club “It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” — Arthur Conan Doyle, A Scandal in Bohemia. One of the key aims of Scamp Club, so readily embraced by its Presidents and members, is to blend the key three Baker Street attributes of researching, thinking and delivering the results to an audience eager for understanding the world in which we live, for we know that to great minds nothing is little.

Throughout the whole year, with no Tuesday unturned, we have been blessed with hugely successful talks by talented students. Aryan and the ‘Summoner’ series by Taran Matharu was a revelation. Harry’s, ‘London’, was the follow-up – again rapturously received. Jamie, President and long-time hero of the club, stepped up to enthral us with the ‘Spirit of the Samurai’ and ‘MK Ultra’. His co-President, Max, was not outdone in his presentations of a set of Challenging Mysteries. Over the years, we have come to value and hold dear all that Max has put to us. Gareth Ditchley’s ‘Dr Syn and the Smugglers of Romney Marsh’ kicked off the new year. Inspired by this lecture, the LRC’s supply of Alex Preston and Russell Thorndike books was quickly transferred to the homes of avid Scamp Club readers. For the record, the books were borrowed according to the correct protocols and returned in good condition.

Others gave us much to think about: Caleb’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’, Sam’s ‘Cormoran Strike’, Oliver and his ‘Bletchley Park – the true story’, Adam, on his debut, telling us about the adventures of the

Pompeian bar-owner ‘Amarantus’, Daniel’s ‘Fermat and his Theorem’, Will’s ‘Codes of Shakespeare’ and the eminent Englishman Mr Reekes who extolled the beauties and anecdotes of ‘The Unit’- a very special group emanating from Cambridge. Mr Reekes cajoled us to hold a Scamp Club Bondathon in 2023 which would include watching all 25 ‘documentaries’, plus the David Niven original of ‘Casino Royale’, in the space of one term. Jamie and Max replied in unison, “With pleasure, M, with pleasure”. Application forms will be sent by owl post in due course.

Max and Jamie have guided the fortunes of Scamp Club over the last twelve months with great style and energy. Not only have members readily come forward at their call to pass on their passions in a series of glorious, illustrated lectures but a great many of them have made their debuts before an audience at the same time. Attendance each Tuesday fills the classroom. We thank all who come to support and to present talks on a magnificent range of topics.

Members of the Scamp Club

School Council This year’s School Council members brought to the table a combination of passion, practicality and innovation. With interesting and sensible ideas and suggestions, they discussed a variety of issues, they felt important to the school community and were consulted on several proposals currently being investigated. From lunches with the Governors, and with the Head, to sitting on interview panels and giving feedback on uniform, sports provision, the House system, food waste and choice, and proposing the possibility of incorporating a café to combat breaktime hunger into the structure of the School, the School Council members have been engaged and active. We look forward to seeing some of their great ideas come to fruition.

Mrs Rugge-Price

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Stage Crew In the last year Stage Crew has established itself as a thriving co-curricular club, attended by a dedicated and growing group of students. With a welcome return of live theatre and music in the Dobson Theatre this year, there were many chances for the students to work on a variety of types of performances. We met originally as a weekly club, focusing on learning basic stagecraft skills, and then moved into the practical roles required to support the school productions.

We began the year working on the fantastic production of ‘Les Misérables’ throughout the autumn term. Beginning with marking out the set placement, to scale, in the theatre for the director, choreographer and cast to work with in rehearsals, through to wrestling with large set pieces in performance; including the moving barricades that fought back against us. Les Mis was a fantastic success, and the Stage Crew members were celebrated for the calm and dedicated way they helped contribute to this achievement.

For the Lower School production of ‘Matilda’, the Stage Crew explored producing and performing shadow puppetry. They also performed as a physical theatre style ‘bathroom’ and were more than up for the challenge of getting nine very heavy desks on and off stage around the blackouts in lighting and charismatic dance numbers. All of the stage effects for Matilda’s magical powers, like the chalkboard writing and fallen glass of water, were actioned by unseen stage crew members.

For Battle of the Bands and ‘No Time Like the Present’ the Stage Crew team proved they could work with creativity and dedication, these events were technically run in part by the students themselves and they demonstrated they could be relied upon and had fun doing so.

Stage Crew, as a team, have proven themselves to be resourceful, hardworking and creative towards all the challenges the school productions have given them. They are eager to explore further in the realms of lighting, design and sound for theatre and we will be looking forward to creatively and collaboratively solving the new technical challenges that next year’s productions will bring.

Mrs Brewer

Creative Arts Lead Technician

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STEM Club

Summer skiing

Our brilliant team of Second Year engineering enthusiasts have been hard at work finalising an automated ping pong ball launcher this year. Guided

by Mr Walter, who spent his career with IBM, our students have designed 3D printed components, built electrical circuits and programmed a microprocessor to develop a working model.

A fearless group of beginner skiers completed a six-week course which taught them all the basics of skiing. From never having put on a ski boot to turning beautifully down the long slope at the Alpine Centre, these pupils made some admirable progress.

Although sometimes too hot, it was pleasant to be skiing in the daylight in this after-school activity, and although it did not make the landing any softer on the occasional crash, it was definitely less wet than in the rainy winter months. Now they are ready for real snow and Ski 2023!

Mr Cutler

Mrs Rugge-Price

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Sustainability Action Group The Sustainability Action Group has had great success this year, embracing the various topical discussions relating to our planet. The first theme was Slow Fashion and through a number of different assemblies we were able to spread awareness and advocate fashion that shows respect to people, environment and animals. As well as this, we were able to hold a Slow Fashion Week, where the whole school had the opportunity to bring in and buy each other’s preloved clothes, a ritual that is emerging and becoming more prevalent in society. In addition to this, we were able to make a clothing donation to a local charity, enabling us to support the local community.

The second theme we focused on this year was the movement to electric vehicles and hybrid cars.

To really immerse ourselves in this concept, we held an Electric Vehicle Show. This enabled us to really involve the KES community. Any parents of KES students with expertise in the themed areas were able to offer advice and bring in any exciting electric vehicles and advocate the use of these vehicles, and the switch. We made sure to look into old combustion engines and non-renewable energy resources that cars use, and to spread awareness we made information boards within the school with eye catching information to help try and increase awareness around these commonly talked about topics.

Our third main theme for the year was Food Waste and the extent of its impact. An estimated 17% of

total global food production is wasted. We targeted the different year groups via assemblies and held House competitions with voucher incentives to produce a mid-week meat-free meal. This encouraged the younger students in the School to participate and think about these global issues and their impact. Furthermore, the meetings held with Sodexo have allowed us to try and come up with ways to reduce food waste further. Working with such a large influential company is extremely advantageous and we hope we can continue to reduce food waste at KES. Other topical discussions have been medical waste due to COVID, and the COP-26 summit before our fourth main theme - period sustainability. This is a stigmatised topic but can have an extremely positive and influential impact on the environment. We were able to raise awareness of this issue and and got local shop ‘Lemon and Jinja’ who sell eco-friendly, reusable period products, to come into the School and set up stalls to display their products and talk about the issue of period sustainability in general.

As well as our main themes, we also were able to do smaller things within the KES community. We raised awareness on where to recycle Christmas trees, as well as ways to transform old Christmas cards into new cards, badges and postcards. On the KESPTA quiz night, the boxes that were used were sustainable and we raised awareness on recycling to all participants. We have also started up a new Gardening Club, “KES Spuds”, to enable the EcoGarden to be full of more vegetation that can be used for lunches, and to encourage students to plant more at home - an activity that can also help mental

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well-being. The Action Group was pleased to see the School plant trees to help sequester carbon and to provide shade to the classrooms on the side of the building where rooms can become particularly hot in warmer weather. The trees also absorb road noise and pollution and cool the air during the process of evapotranspiration. During the Arts Festival, we organised a Sustainability Art Attack to try and promote the re-use of resources and approach these large discursive topics in a more accessible way.

We would like to thank everyone for their participation and enthusiasm and willingness to embrace more sustainable practices. We hope that if KES continues to make micro changes we can have a long-lasting, significant impact.

Jaina

Wargaming Wargaming has gone from strength to strength this year with not one but two, and occasionally three, rooms occupied on Thursday evenings by eager gamers from all year groups. Old favourites such as Raiders of the North Sea, 7 Wonders and Bang! have been in high demand, particularly with large groups, but newer games such as Ride the Rails and Forbidden Island have also found some fans.

Also this year, one room has been dedicated to a seemingly never-ending Dungeons and Dragons campaign very ably mastered by Jamie. Many thanks to all who have played with such good spirit and special mention in dispatches to corporals Ryves, Stafford and Chowdury.

Dr Gamblin

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Trips and V isits

Go Ape! First Years all participated in the annual team building trip towards the beginning of the academic year. With the other students in their tutor groups, they travelled to Go Ape! where they all challenged themselves on the high ropes course. It was a chance to get to know their classmates, their tutors and their Sixth Form prefects, as well as learn valuable team building skills and push themselves outside of their comfort zone.

“On my first ever team building trip, I went to Go Ape with my tutor group where I made new friends and learned to work with them. This was an extremely fun experience yet it taught us how to work together as a team to accomplish various tasks. I learned my classmates’ weaknesses and strengths, as did they for me, and realised how as a team we are stronger than as individuals . It was one of the best school trips I have been on and I enjoyed it so much.”

Yanis 1/1

“Go Ape was a really enjoyable experience and there were many different and challenging levels that you needed to complete. Some of them were really difficult but we used teamwork to get across if someone was struggling. If someone couldn’t get past or was too scared, we helped them across to the next platform. The zip line was really fun to go down and we were able to go down with a friend and have a race. At the beginning there was a tester level where the team running Go Ape taught you how to be safe when going across so you weren’t as scared when doing the real thing. At the end of the course we had a teamwork challenge which really helped everyone make more friends within the class - it was the beginning of the year and I didn’t know people very well. There were different activities such as racing, building and creating which you had to do against another team. It was a really challenging and fun experience and one of my favourite days ever!”

Sasini 1/1

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Trips and V isits

Duke of Edinburgh Award

This has been an incredibly busy year for DofE with a return to expeditions and many KES students taking part in the programme.

On the INSET day and subsequent weekend, new KES staff volunteers took part in the in-house training required to supervise and lead students in the great outdoors supporting the Award. Over the 3 days, staff explored navigation, group management, water safety, emergency situations, group cooking and nutrition, tents and shelters, countryside code and water purification. They also completed the necessary DofE modular training courses and a National Governing Body (NGB) Training Course supported by a first aid qualification.

The expedition season kicked off at KES over the Easter break. In the first week, 7 expedition teams headed to Dartmoor for their Silver expeditions (6 qualifying and 1 practice), in the second week, two further expedition teams completed their Silver qualifying expeditions on Dartmoor and during week three Fourth Year participants take their first expedition steps in the New Forest with 6 teams enjoying the great outdoors. All teams performed well, and it was great to be back out on expeditions enjoying the wilderness, camping, bunk housing, navigating and spending time with friends.

In June the school received notification of the number of hours that KES students had clocked up in their volunteering capacities as part of their award.

Between them participants had completed over 1547 hours of volunteering in a wide variety of different roles.

The scheme remained active throughout the summer break with Gold Award participants completing their qualifying expeditions in The Lake District. Well done to all our students for the commitment and enthusiasm they have demonstrated whilst working towards awards of all levels.

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Trips and V isits

Second Year Camp

a solution to a tricky problem or surviving entirely on what they can carry on their backs – plus the odd ice cream.

The highlight of the trip is always the climbing day.

One of the joys of Dartmoor is the spectacular rock faces just waiting to be climbed, and every student who comes on Second Year Camp has an opportunity to slip on a harness, helmet and pair of climbing shoes and shimmy up the rocks higher than they ever thought they would go. It is a fabulous reminder to them all that even when they think they face an impossible task, or can go no further, they are always more capable than they think. After all that there is just a chance to grab a quick fish and chips before heading back - the mini buses tend to involve a lot more sleeping children on the way home!

It was fabulous to be back on Dartmoor once again this year, after a two year hiatus. Sixty KES students (over two trips) took the long bus ride down to Lovaton, and were instantly thrown into a world of pitching tents, map reading and cooking their own food – plus the washing up! This is a camp that deliberately challenges the students, asking them to be brave and go outside of their comfort zones, whether that is socialising with new people, finding

Mr Collinson

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Trips and V isits

Fourth Year Activity Trip to Dartmoor

A group of twelve Fourth Year students, along with three Upper Sixth volunteer helpers, headed off to Dartmoor during the October half-term for four days of outdoor and team work activities. The first challenge they encountered may not have been what they expected as they were deposited in the supermarket car park and sent shopping on a budget for the team of seventeen! Food bought, it was onto the moor for the outdoor part of the trip.

Based at Lovaton, the School’s Rural Studies Centre, the group used the site for bushcraft training, fire building, shelter construction and various teamwork scenarios.

Each day a team of students prepared breakfast, sorted the packed lunches and in the evening, the group dined on gastronomic delights including homemade macaroni cheese, homemade burgers and Eton mess. Washing up was also a team activity and, despite the varied experience the individual students arrived with, they became more proficient by the end of the trip.

During their stay, the group spent time on the moor walking, orienteering and even playing large games of poo sticks down swollen leats. There were two opportunities for rock climbing on the Dartmoor

granite with a damp day at the Dewerstone followed by a warm sunny morning up at Sheep’s Tor and all were able to challenge themselves on the range of routes that were set.

After a final fish and chip lunch at Princeton, the group headed back to Southampton with good memories and a large pile of washing.

Mrs Henderson

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Trips and V isits

Biology field trip to Leeson House

For the first time since 2019, the Biology field trip was able to take place as a residential. We spent a productive three days at Leeson House in Swanage, taking advantage of the wealth of interesting ecological sites in the area, as well as the expertise of our wonderful tutors, Mike and Anna, to allow the students to develop their ecology skills. The students enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the investigations, showing a growing appreciation of the practical nature of Biology.

Upon arrival, we were quickly in the minibuses to travel to our first site, Kimmeridge Bay, to investigate the shape of limpets and the distribution of different species of periwinkles. The highlight of this part of the trip was rockpooling, with the students gleefully exploring the different species found in the bay. In the evening, students were able to use their data to practise the statistical techniques they would need to carry out their independent research projects, as well as commencing design of their own projects before rounding off their day with the intellectual stimulation of ‘Love Island’.

The following day, we travelled to Studland Bay, serenaded loudly in the minibus by the students’ generally tuneful renditions of Taylor Swift songs, to study succession on the sand dunes. This was

followed by the obligatory ice cream, at least for the staff, and an afternoon in Wareham sampling the biodiversity in the River Piddle. In the evening, the students worked on their own independent research projects and, in some cases, started to collect their data.

On the final day, we were shown the variety of animals humanely captured overnight, including an impressive array of different moth species, before the students put their newly learned skills into practice in a variety of different projects. The grounds of Leeson House were buzzing with students busy collecting data and investigating a variety of research questions including: the effect of soil moisture on the ground coverage of white clover; and the effect of light levels on stem length of ivy.

The trip was a great success, and the students showed an impressive independence in their project work which will set them up for the rest of their A Level Dr Wortham

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Trips and V isits

Endeavour

The annual Endeavour programme saw the whole school come off of timetable at the end of June to participate in two fun-filled days of activity. Each of the year groups focused on a different area of their development, all based around the school’s ethos and values of flourishing; in achievement, emotionally, with engagement, in relationships and in meaning.

The First Years took part in the First Year camp based at Fairthorne Manor. They camped overnight, filling their days either side with activities aimed at building their independence and challenging themselves, had fun splashing around in kayaks, tackled a low ropes course, tried their hands at archery and pitted their wits on a Jacob’s Ladder; to name just a few.

The Second Years got the chance to improve their confidence in a number of ways; behind the lens - with a photography workshop; with heights – on a residential climbing trip to the Peak District; in water – on a watersports academy trip sampling paddleboarding, windsurfing, sailing and more in Poole; or in the kitchen – with a culinary skills session with a professional chef learning how to make simple hand-baked goods.

The Third Years embraced the theme of connection.

Some took part in an in-house Dragon’s Apprentice activity aimed at improving their team connection whilst others worked on their connection with the elements on a water activities excursion to SWAC. Some students chose to refine their connection with

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history as they participated in visits to Southampton Seacity Museum and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and a further group completed a Bushcraft training course, learning skills such as camouflage and concealment, shelter building, and foraging and allowing them to connect with nature.

Those Fourth Years not on the Geography Field Trip or on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions got involved with the local community running fun and academicbased activities for the primary aged pupils at our local partnership schools. This included helping with workshops in coding, art, drama, dance and science and organising and running a Sports Day at Wellington.

The Lower Sixth focused on self-improvement in a number of different ways. There was a residential surfing trip to Devon, the A Level biology students attended a residential field trip to Leeson House in Swanage, whilst those with a particular interest in Physics enjoyed a London trip visiting the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, attending a workshop on electromagnetism at the Royal Institution and a theatre outing to see the musical ‘Back to the Future’.

Others, interested in completing an EPQ or other student-led academic project next year, had the chance to prepare and plan for this, there was a BakeOff competition for those interested in developing their cooking competencies, some honed their leadership skills assisting with the KES partnership days and an inaugural KES Ryder Cup took place at two local golf courses.

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Trips and V isits

Geography Field Trip to Slapton As part of our A Level Geography course, we visited Slapton in South Devon to learn about data collection methods, data presentation techniques, and analysis for the Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) aspect of our course – which is worth 20% of our A Level. We had a lovely 3 day weekend in Devon with weather from all 4 seasons!

On the first day we visited Plymouth in glorious sunshine, which is an hour west of the Field Studies Centre at Slapton Ley. We visited three areas of the city: The Barbican, the recently regenerated Drake Circus Shopping Centre, and Frankfort Gate. At each location we learnt about, and conducted, a set of data collection methods and then inputted our results into an online ‘Survey123’ platform in order to let us see our results online when we got back to our lab at the study centre. We learnt how to collect footfall data, how to ‘mood map’, conduct bipolar surveys, and complete environmental quality surveys. These methods are key for when we gather the primary data for our NEA, and learning about each one helped us to understand which data we can and can’t collect, as well as what ethical considerations we need to make.

On Saturday, we focussed more on physical geography, and explored the dynamic coastline around Slapton. We took a coastal walk from Start Point and moved northwards to see many geographical features and their impacts, including Skerries Bank and the village of Hallsands which was lost to the sea in 1917. We were taught many methods of data collection including conducting a cost benefit analysis of sea defences and flood risk surveys.

After a quick lunch stop at the fish and chip shop, we began to learn about coastal fieldwork methods in the afternoon. We were taught about how to measure

beach profiles, sediment size, and how to effectively choose data collection locations. That evening, we evaluated whether the hypotheses we had made in the morning were correct and began to learn about different statistical techniques to prove our findings, including Spearman’s Rank and Mann Whitney U Tests; vital parts of our investigations.

On our final day, we revisited some of our knowledge from Friday as we learnt about rural geography. We conducted tests such as the indicator of tranquillity to understand alternative collection methods specifically for rural areas, as well as learning which methods are the most effective to use for our projects.

The trip really helped us to consolidate all of our ideas for our own independent projects and helped us to finalise our titles, ready for one-to-one meetings with an external moderator when we returned to school.

These meetings helped to round off the weekend nicely and bring all our ideas together.

Katie (A Level Geography student)

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Trips and V isits

Geography field trip (Rivers & Coasts)

During Endeavour all 97 Fourth Year geographers undertook two days of fieldwork in preparation for their GCSE examinations next summer. The students did a day of rivers fieldwork in the New Forest, journeying from the source to the mouth of the river and taking measurements along its course.

The students worked in teams to collect their data, measuring the width of the channel and the wetted perimeter, as well as using different methods to measure the river velocity. The students were all delighted to see the ice cream van in the car park part way through the day. In addition to learning about river data collection methods, they also learnt about the issues surrounding tourist honeypot sites and the ways in which these can be managed. The day finished in Lymington at the mouth of the river where it meets the Solent.

On the second day, the students completed coastal fieldwork. They started the day at Barton-on-Sea

looking at the strategies used to manage the coastline and the effectiveness of these strategies.

From there they travelled to Studland in Dorset via the chain ferry. Lunch was enjoyed on the National Trust beach and they investigated the conflicting uses of the area by different groups of people. After lunch, they headed into the sand dunes to undertake data collection methods such as beach profiling, sand dune vegetation identification and measuring wind speed and direction.

Everything covered over the two days has helped to prepare the students for their ‘Alternative to Coursework’ examination paper next summer.

Fieldwork and learning outside the classroom are both an essential part of the Geography curriculum and the fact we were very lucky with the weather made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

Mrs Gibbs

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Trips and V isits

Operation Wallacea to Honduras

In the summer of 2022, forty-one students and staff headed to Honduras for over 2 weeks with Operation Wallacea; the School’s first expedition since 2018.

The trip was divided into a week in the Honduran rainforest and a week diving in Utila, an island off the coast. In each location, students are able to work with, and hear from, scientists who are experts in the field. They described the trip as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’.

After a hot night in Houston and a very comfortable night in San Pedro Sula at the Hotel Mediterraneo, acclimatising to the local cuisine of tortillas and rice, we headed off to the jungle using local transport.

This was an experience for everyone and made us appreciate the comforts of the KETA buses.

Base camp in the Cusuco National Park is home to about 20 scientists from all over the world. They made us feel very welcome and also encouraged

us to live more sustainably with a largely vegan diet and rain water showers during our stay. We stayed in tents and were well looked after by local guides who were quick to chase away snakes and show us tarantulas from a safe distance. During this part of the expedition, some groups got up at dawn to catch birds in mist nets, while others stayed up late into the night helping to catch bats and extract parasites from them. The rain forest is home to many species of jewelled scarab beetle which are critically endangered and we were able to help scientists identify some species they hadn’t seen before.

Following a few relaxing nights in Base Camp getting acclimatised to life in the jungle - the Sixth formers and a few Fifth Years began the trek up to the remote camp Cantiles. We started at 900m and had to ascend 2200m into the cloud forest, before dropping down into an uninhabited valley for the next three nights. On our way up, we passed the group of

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wildlife and felt very privileged to spend this time in the rain forest.

Fifth Years, who were full of tales of snakes and camp fires. 70% of Honduras is inclined at over 30 degrees and so the walk was very challenging at times due to the gradient, temperature and deep mud. Parts of the walk were roped, but that didn’t stop a few of us sliding down a mud toboggan run, made even more challenging when some of the party had to deal with problems arising from the change in diet.

Facilities at Cantiles were very basic but completely charming, apart from perhaps the toilet facilities which consisted of a funnel (girls) and a spade.

Some pupils slept in hammocks, while others tried to share tents on the very slopy ground. There was no electricity or wifi anywhere in the jungle and we enjoyed living off grid for a week. We were able to watch hummingbirds collect nectar while we showered in a waterfall, and also learnt how to fight off leeches and enormous caterpillars. Evenings were spent round the campfire chatting to scientists, having lectures on the biodiversity of the ecosystems within the national park or playing cards and bananagrams.

Whilst in Cantiles, we helped the resident scientists collect data from various transects around the camp. We counted fungi, bats, insects, snakes, amphibians and birds in various different parts of Cusuco National Park. The data will be used to quantify the biodiversity in the region and identify the conservation targets. We saw a huge amount of

After a long transfer by 4x4, coach, boat and tuk tuk, we made it to the Coral Reef Resort on Utila where we were to spend the second week looking at and studying reef ecology. This is reputedly the island where the story of Robinson Crusoe was set. After a week in the jungle, we were delighted to find our accommodation had flushing toilets, hot showers and air conditioning! The week was spent scuba diving, snorkelling, learning about the ecology of the coral reef and helping the scientists collect data. Pupils were given the opportunity to gain their PADI Open Water diving qualification and some even managed to get to the advanced stage which included a deeper water dive and a night dive. Highlights of this week included seeing octopi at night and eagle rays, as well as the chance to spend time on a Caribbean island and visit the local town.

Our thanks go to Mr Hall for organising the trip as well as Mr Sheppard, Mrs Penfold, Mr Aellen and Dr Thomas for facilitating this once-in-a lifetime opportunity and to all the students who made the trip so enjoyable with their good humour and willingness to get involved Mrs Burrows

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Water Sports Trip

During the 5-day trip to beautiful Dorset, myself and my schoolmates at KES (from Second Year through to Fourth Year) enjoyed a memorable summer adventure and tried many thrilling water sports activities, such as canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and raft building. Our teachers also participated in the activities which made the sessions more exciting and enriched the relationships between teachers and students.

There were also lots of activities provided at the adventure playground. The “tower”, “climbing wall”, “high all aboard”, “crate stacking”, ”abseiling”, and “Leap of Faith” were all great fun. With safety measures in place, we did lots of competitions in these activity sessions, encouraging us to step outside our comfort zone. Everyone particularly enjoyed playing the “zip wire” with creative styles. The most exciting and challenging session was possibly “Jacobs Ladder”. As we climbed higher up the ladder,

the challenge increased, as the rungs got farther apart pushing us beyond our limits and improving our team work and confidence. Besides water sports and climbing activities, we also did orienteering around the field, fire lighting and other team building activities.

During this trip, we all stepped outside of our comfort zone, pushed beyond our limits and discovered and developed our hidden talents and skills. I would like to say thank you to all staff members of the Rockley Activity Centre and our teachers for dedicating their time and effort to giving us a water sports trip full of wonderful experiences.

Clement Fifth Year

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Trips and V isits

Literary trip to Cambridge

This July, students from the Upper Sixth were led by Miss Goodsell and Mr Reekes on a trip to Cambridge to explore the rich literary history of the town as a world famous university setting. Staying in Christ’s College was an eye-opening experience of what it would be like to study at Cambridge as a university student, with the mixture of stunning, historical buildings and more modern influence that combined to create a diverse and fascinating environment.

We were even given the unique opportunity to experience a tailored exhibition by the Senior Librarian at Christ’s College Old Library (usually closed to both the public and students). We received a guided tour of the Library: taken through fascinating literary artefacts, handling rare first editions, and even meeting the mummified rats! Following our library tour, we set off on the River Cam to partake in a punted tour of riverside Cambridge, which involved further trivia and information about the iconic

collegiate institution. Our second day in Cambridge, fuelled by Christ’s College Brunch, included exploring the streets of the town, a trip to Heffer’s bookshop, and wandering the halls of the Fitzwilliam Museum, where we could appreciate the world famous art.

We will remember this trip as being a precious one, with the company of a small yet compatible group and friendly staff and inspiring location acting as the perfect end to the school year.

Emma and Gabsy

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Trips and V isits

Summer Camp

KES Sixth Formers linked up with 16 young carers through the ‘No Limits’ charity for our annual Summer Camp in the second week of July. The team enjoyed the fantastic weather, although mercifully at times from the shade of our camp site at Avon Tyrell, and all forged strong relationships with the young people. Some of the noteworthy activities were trips to Moors Valley, the New Forest Wildlife Park and Christchurch beach with lots of ice creams and BBQ food consumed and good times had by all. The Summer Camp venture, fun and important in equal measure, goes from strength to strength with all of the young carers keen to immediately sign up for the 2023 instalment!

Mr Dormehl

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Trips and V isits

PDSA Summer Activity Week

What our friends from PDSA thought!

“I had lots of fun, I enjoyed Marwell Zoo, Paultons Park and my favourite bit was the sleepover.”

“Awesome! I have made lots of friends. I really liked the sleepover.”

PDSA Summer Activity Week We arrived at school early on Monday morning excited for the week ahead. When everyone had arrived and we had said ‘Hello’, we headed inside for a breakfast. To break the ice, we played a few fun group games including an extremely loud and competitive game of duck, duck, goose, before moving on to cupcake decorating. Although it got very messy, everyone loved it and ate way too many cakes.

Afterwards we all took part in Lego construction, face painting and a music session before stopping for a lunch break. In the afternoon, there was the choice of different creative activities, including producing large paintings, card making and rock decorating. Overall, it was a great first day and everyone was very much looking forward to the rest of the week.

On Tuesday we met at School to get buses to visit Marwell Zoo. On arrival, we split into groups with friends we had made the previous day and headed off to explore. We saw all kinds of animals from giraffes to snakes to meerkats and, after a lot of walking we finally saw what they had been looking forward to seeing all day - the cheeky monkeys. Another favourite was the penguins who were relaxing in

“I love spending time with my mates from KES, we do really cool stuff and have fun.”

the sun and we all made our way back to the buses sharing stories of all that we had seen that day.

On the third day, we met early at KES and travelled to Paultons Park where we went on a multitude of rides.

Everyone managed to overcome their nerves and join in rides of all levels and, very tired, we returned to school for a supper of fish and chips. A new addition to the summer activity week was the sleepover, which turned out to be a firm favourite! We all watched the Minions film and ate lots of sweets before settling down for bedtime. Waking up the next morning, we had breakfast before heading off to Wellington Sports Ground. We played games outside, danced and enjoyed ‘eating donuts off a piece of string’ fun.

Goodbyes were bittersweet, as we were all tired after a long and busy week, but reluctant to say goodbye.

We look forward to making more memories in the coming year.

Charlotte and Emily

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Spor t

The Elite Sports Performance Programme

This year we had 130 students on the Elite Performer Programme, from several team and individual sports.

The programme consists of talks from external sports professionals and current Sixth Form sports scholars.

The year started with a fantastic talk by Liam McGarry, GB para powerlifter and British record holder. Liam spoke to the whole EPP cohort about his sporting journey, dealing with setbacks and how to employ a mind over matter mentality.

The current Lower Sixth sport scholars spoke about several topics. First up was Harry D, who spoke to the Lower School EPP about training outside of their sport and the importance of strength and conditioning. Hamish H spoke about his experiences of sporting injuries and how to deal with them, he also gave some advice on the best ways to recover.

Dr Britton came in to run a workshop to the First Year EPP group. It was a great introduction to sports psychology and helped the athletes begin to build a toolbox of mental resilience.

One of the main parts of the programme is the Sixth Form mentorship of the First Years. This sees the First Years paired with Sixth Form sports scholars with whom they have a few meetings a year to

talk about sport and school life. Their mentor is somebody who they will see around School who can answer questions and give advice.

All the athletes on the EPP have designated strength and conditioning sessions. First Years focus on key movement skills, then in Second Year and up, they will work on strengthening these movements and the programme becomes more specific to their focus sports as they mature.

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Girls’ hockey overview

As another remarkably busy and successful season draws to a close, it gives me great pride to reflect on the healthy state of girls’ hockey at KES. The missed year of fixtures has not taken away any of the drive and ambition of the girls and a major highlight was a team qualifying for Nationals, having come so close so many times. Well done to the U16 Girls’ Indoor team - everyone should feel justifiably proud of their contributions this season.

Indoor hockey continues to be very popular amongst the students as the numbers at lunchtime training and Monday night league far exceed the space available. The demand for places in the teams was very encouraging and saw a wide range of girls pushing for places. The Indoor 1st team caused a few upset results at the South Central finals, drawing to the eventual winners. The U16 girls’ indoor team made the South Finals for the 6th time and were winners by the narrowest goal difference to qualify for nationals. With an extremely young team the future looks good for girls’ indoor hockey.

The U13 girls lost in the final of the South Central competition and narrowly missed their chance to attend National Finals. The quality of hockey by this team is a great sign of strength and depth for

the future. The U14 girls lost their South Central semi-final and improved in every performance at the finals day.

I would like to personally thank all of the coaches and girls because this success is not down to luck.

The staff and girls, not just the A teams but through to the D teams, work incredibly hard. The coaches have set a high standard throughout the season and the girls have always been able to rise to their coaches’ expectations and achieve some great results.

Thank you to the following coaches for all the work that has gone into putting teams together every week: Mrs Ferrand, Miss Cole, Mr Mixer, Miss Lister, Miss Bentley, Miss Richie, Mr Bassett and Mrs Kelly.

Mr Crichton Head of Hockey

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Girls’ U12A hockey report

Played: 8 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 3 The U12A team have been an absolute joy to work with this year. The experience within the team was varied at the start of the season but they immediately became a cohesive unit. Their work ethic and commitment to developing has been nothing but impressive ensuring their progress throughout the season.

The team enjoyed the challenge of playing some indoor hockey during their lessons which, again, accelerated their skill development and allowed them the opportunity to learn through the faster paced game. Camilla’s effortless distribution from the defensive unit allowed the forwards many opportunities to attack their opponent’s goal.

Grace’s hunger for goals meant not many circle entries went past without an attempt on the target, enabling the team to score in every game, securing 17 goals across the season. Sisters, Olivia and Imogen, proved to be a powerful force and their tenacity and grit throughout the season enabled us to turn over a significant number of balls, creating many opportunities. Olivia went from strength to strength throughout the season showing noticable improvements in every game.

Later on in the season, the squad had great success at the Hampshire Cup. After beating Lord Wandsworth College in the final, the KES U12A side qualified for the South Central Finals. The girls were nervous but excited to take on the challenge of this tournament and their hard work from the season paid off. The squad showed great tenacity and belief and came away as regional champions - a simply outstanding achievement that they should all be very proud of!

Coach: Mrs Ferrand and Mr Crichton Squad: Grace, Yasmin, Olivia, Chloe, Olivia, Imogen, Camilla, Anna, Amelia, Edith Turner, Jemima, Talia, Izzy and Annabelle.

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Girls’ U12B hockey report

Played: 6 Won: 1 Drew: 2 Lost: 3 The U12B team got off to an excellent start playing in their first game for KES against a very competitive side from Lord Wandsworth. The first game of the season saw lots of goals, lots of combinations and excellent teamwork both on and off the hockey pitch. The game was exciting from the very first whistle to the last seconds of the game, finishing with a 4-4 draw.

Having played their first game for the School, and learning a lot from this experience, the girls worked exceptionally hard in Games and training sessions after school to try and enhance their performances on the hockey pitch. They worked hard together to start to work out the best combinations, short corner routines and this was clear to see over the next few fixtures.

The third game of the season saw the U12 B side play a very well-drilled Farleigh School and, although the result didn’t go their way, the development and progress with excellent passing, spacing out and plenty of shots on target, was visible to all.

The other results throughout the season saw the girls in some very challenging games, either winning or losing by the smallest of margins. There were some excellent games towards the end of the season in which members of the squad were scoring 2 or 3 goals in a game.

In what has been the first season for these girls learning to play in a new team, with new team members, their development and ability to complete different skills has been admirable to watch. They have supported one another excellently and always applauded one another on individual performances throughout the hockey season. I have enjoyed every single training session and fixture with the team and I look forward to seeing their hockey progress throughout their time at KES. Coach: Miss Cole Squad: Imogen, Keira, Jemima, Alba, Annabelle, Talia, Mia, Jasmine, Izzy, Emily, Edith, Martha, Tunde, Saffron, Alice, Amelia, Jasmine, Aaliya, Farah, Florence, Sophia and Bea.

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Girls’ U12C hockey report Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The U12C team have shown excellent determination throughout their first season involved in sport at KES. The team had a very challenging start to their season playing a tough game against Lord Wandsworth but they all gave 100% and worked really hard on the targets given to them. They faced Lord Wandsworth again at the end of the season and came away with a win; this time showing just how hard they had worked over the term to make such progression in a fixture.

The girls also had outstanding wins against Twyford and Farleigh, with players scoring well worked goals in both fixtures. Players worked hard the whole term, always played with smiles on their faces and were so supportive of one another - it was great to see them develop as a squad.

Coach: Miss Cole Squad: Emily, Poppy, Sophia, Tamara, Alice, Faith, Lilianna, Jasmine, Tunde, Saffron, Rowan, Jasmine, Farah, Bea, Kitty, Mia, Aimee, India, Siobhan, Serena, Mia, Emily, Amelia, Jasmine and Charlotte.

Girls’ U12D hockey report Played: 2 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 Having faced a tough loss at the start of their season, the U12D team bounced back with a great win over Churcher’s with lots of different players in the squad scoring goals.

The season has seen the girls develop their speed and ability, whilst in control of the ball, which allowed them to work together and create the opportunities to score and challenge the opposition.

Many of the squad, having not played before, have shown huge progression both in individual skills and as a team and I look forward to seeing the girls grow in their hockey throughout their time at KES. Coach: Miss Cole Squad: Mia, Mia, Kitty, Rowan, Aimee, Serena, Martha, India, Faith, Jasmine, Lilianna, Jasmine,

Mia, Emily, Siobhan, Edith, Anna.

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Girls’ U13A hockey report

Played: 8 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 The U13 A side has had a very successful season which has seen the girls win all but one Saturday block fixture. It has been great to have fixtures back up and running and the girls have very much enjoyed competing in the weekly Saturday matches. They started the season off on a high with back-to-back wins against both Lord Wandsworth College and Twyford School. However, this successful run came to a halt as they came across an evenly matched Farleigh side. Finishing 3-1 down at half-time and after a stern team talk, the girls pulled it back to just a 5-4 defeat. Exceptional goals by Milly allowed the side back in the game. This loss was a wake-up call to the girls and the first taste of a real competitive game which highlighted areas they need to improve on.

The team spirit and hunger were always on show during hockey sessions and the girls were ready to bounce back to winning ways. Hitting the midpoint of the season they competed in the first round of the In2Hockey competition which saw them score 10 goals in their pool (conceding 0) and finishing 2nd in their group and qualifying for the quarter finals. A strong 3-1 win against St Neots saw them move into the semi-finals where they ended with a hard fought 0-0 v West Hill Park meaning it was all down to penalty strokes to reach the finals of the competition and qualify for the next round.

The invincible Elsa in goal (who by this point had

made some brilliant saves and only conceded 1 goal) stepped up once again and saved both the opposing team’s penalty strokes. KES players Milly and Mathie slotted their penalties nicely away into the back of the goal to see KES through to the Final. The victories throughout the day were built on key connections, and a strong team cohesion.

All 10 players stepped up and contributed to what was a triumphant result to see the girls through to compete in the regional round later on in the year.

Izzy has had a stand-out season and has shown incredible attitude, leadership and resilience throughout the term. Similarly, it has been great to see Annabel and Maya grow in confidence, putting in solid performances regardless of the defensive position into which they were placed. In addition, our goal scoring stars, Milly and Mathie, have had the pleasure of putting numerous goals into the back of the net and picking up several hattricks along the way.

In summary, the girls have had such a successful season and should be extremely pleased with their results. This group of girls are ones to watch out for in the future and I am excited to see them develop throughout their time at KES. Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Milly, Mathie, Izzy, Elsa, Maya, Annabel, Lotte, Isla, Iris, Millie, Ava, Megan, Tess and Sophie.

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Girls’ U13B hockey report

Played: 8 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

Coach: Mr Mixer

It was fantastic to be back playing hockey fixtures against other schools and the girls achieved a good set of results but, more importantly, played the game in the correct spirit throughout the season. They started off with an emphatic 9-0 win against Lord Wandsworth College. This started an impressive 5 game winning streak with the highlight being an excellent 4-0 win over a strong Farleigh School. These victories were built on a strong team spirit and an organised defence.

Squad: Sophie, Clara, Freya, Izzy, Roxanna, Martha, Ava, Tess, Delilah, Leonie, Ole, Megan, Sam, Roxanna, Sadie, Elin, Alice, Rosa, Freya and Elysia

I was particularly pleased with the way the girls were able to rotate as substitutes and not complain when taken off. They can improve for next year by adopting a more attacking mindset and looking to shoot early, rather than waiting for an easier goalscoring opportunity. I was pleased with the numbers that turned up to training in all weathers. The coldest game was played in Artic conditions against Dauntsey’s School which resulted in a 2-1 defeat, partly as the girls were struggling the move due to the wind factor being below zero. Encouragement to embrace the conditions and move more in order to warm up were met with icy stares at half-time!

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Girls’ U13C hockey report Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The C team were a lot of fun to coach this season.

They turned up in good numbers to training, never took the game too seriously, and played with smiles on their faces. In terms of performances, I noticed the way they progressed throughout the season.

In defence they worked hard at playing the ball out to the sides, rather than down the middle, and in attack they started to shoot more rather than always looking for a teammate in a better position. As a result, they registered an impressive goal difference of 15 in their favour over the season. Despite it being one of their only 2 losses of the season, the highlight was probably the 5-7 defeat to Churcher’s College which could have gone either way right until the last minute. The way the girls overcame their disappointment to congratulate their opponents, as well as supporting each other bodes well for next year.

Coach: Mr Mixer Squad: Summer, Alice, Priya, Jessica, Summer, Elin, Eliza, Avani, Chloe, Francesca, Ole, Hilda, Emily, Jessica and Delilah.

Girls’ U13D hockey report Played: 4 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost 0 The D team had a very successful season with a 100% win record. It was great to see the skill and confidence of the girls grow throughout the season, as well as see some girls move up to play in the C team. All members of the team made an impact within the matches and this allowed for a lot of versatility throughout the game and room for movement in positions. The team culture and ethos displayed by this group of girls was a pleasure to witness and they enjoyed each game of hockey that they played. A real highlight game was the first fixture of the season vs Farleigh, in which the girls dominated from the outset. They displayed clinical ball possession and worked as a strong defensive unit to secure a 3-0 victory.

It has been a pleasure to work with the girls’ U13 D team and I look forward to seeing their hockey skills continue to develop over the coming years.

Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Francesca, Eliza, Zunairah, Sophie, Priya, Emily, Sesika, Shreya, Xanthe, Summer, Avani, Phoebe, Isabelle and Annika

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Girls’ U14A hockey report

Played: 14 Won: 10 Drew: 2 Lost: 2

Isabelle captained the team with heart and led from

The girls’ U14 A hockey team have had a very successful season which has seen a number of girls having to compete for places. This has shown the strength in depth of the squad, and it has been a ‘good headache’ to have for the coaches! The campaign started with a bang, and a 10-0 win over local opposition meant the season was shaping up to be a good one! Yasmin managed to convert 7 goals in 3 matches, earning her many awards across the season. Elisabeth was soon catching Yasmin up with her goal scoring prowess and with a crisp, powerful strike she demonstrated her hitting ability from short corners and the team enjoyed much success because of this. The side would not have been as successful if Megan and Imogen (the ever-present rocks at the back) weren’t always alert, passionate and hardworking. They both contributed hugely all the way through the campaign. We had a great cup run, winning the local round, during which Sophie used her footballing ability to attack defenders and score match winning goals. The girls finished in 3rd place overall at the regional round at Wellington College. One game away from the Final was no mean feat in a pool of very strong schools.

giving evidence as to why she will be a good leader

the front in terms of leadership and determination, in any environment later on. Emily was a constant threat to other teams and showed fantastic versatility throughout the season, at times playing in both defence, and as a striker, in the same game. Her reading of the game was particularly impressive. One game that will remain with me is the 0-0 draw against Dauntsey’s. Although not a win, it was memorable due to the intensity and passion that the girls showed when they could have easily lost the game. The opposition was tough, but the girls dug deep and managed to defend for almost the whole of the second half! Holly made some brilliant saves to keep KES in the game and very nearly snatched the win right at the death but, thanks to some great saves from the Dauntsey’s goalkeeper it ended all square.

Having so many players play for clubs outside of school really benefited the side this season as the girls were training with each other more than twice a week, helping combinations and tactical play. It was a consistent team throughout the season and some of the girls didn’t miss a single fixture or training

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session. Every player has contributed a huge amount to this team, whether they have played every minute of every game or even if they played just one game for the U14 As. Winning 10 games, and losing only 2, is a huge achievement and I am excited to see the girls develop further next year.

Coach: Miss Ritchie Squad: Holly, Imogen, Megan, Amelie, Flora, Isabelle, Isabelle, Emily, Ava, Alice, Yasmin, Sophie, Elisabeth, Harriet, Sophie, Emily and Edie.

Girls’ U14B hockey report Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 1 The U14 B team worked hard this term to win 5 of their 7 games. As the first year of playing 11-a-side, the pitch size and positions were all new but the girls soon got to grips with their roles.

They worked hard and used the skills they learnt in Games and training. Specifically moving the ball around players, using the left to right and harder faster passing. There were some challenging games, especially against Ryde, but the game against Canford was well contested and both teams played very well. The final goal was text book with Liz passing up to Immy, who crossed the ball in to Sophie, who was unmarked on the penalty spot for a deflection in to the goal; clinching the win for KES. The girls built confidence throughout the term and enjoyed playing together, which led them to more victories and ending the season on a high with a win against PGS. During the Clayesmore match, Emilia scored a fantastic goal as she slapped the ball across the D winning the game. Edie scored a standout goal in the Churcher’s match when she hit the ball from top D and chipped it up over the keeper’s legs in to the back of the net. This was the goal that pushed KES in to the lead to eventually win the game.

Defensively the girls also showed determination with Becky, Anu, Hattie, Flora, Amelie and Bella working hard to stop the ball from entering their D.

Peggy was in goal and had some stimulating action during the season and made some impressive saves.

It was a very exciting season with close games each weekend and well-matched opponents allowing the girls to improve their skills. Particular mention must go to Edie, who led the girls as Captain for the season, alongside Sophie who was Vice-Captain.

Both were very good at organising and leading the squad in what was a successful season.

Coach: Miss Bentley Squad: Sophie, Sophie, Lana, Bella, Becky, Simran, Hattie, Flora, Amelie, Immy, Elisabeth, Heidi, Jemima, Peggy, Edie, Anu, Emilia, Izzy, Lily, Edie, Pheobe, Emily, Olivia and Rosie.

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Girls’ U15A hockey report

Played: 10 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost 4 The season started off positively with a hat-trick of victories against Ryde, Canford and Clayesmore.

The performance against Canford was particularly encouraging with the girls beginning to understand the defensive structures and their individual roles within the team. The girls’ ability to implement core principles into these structures would prove beneficial as the season proceeded.

Following the first few games of the season, a number of the U15 A squad were rewarded for their strong performances by moving up to play in the U18 1st XI side. This allowed more opportunity for the rest of the year group to experience playing A team hockey and to stretch themselves, whilst also opening up further spaces within the B team. As the size of the squad suggests, there was a large number of girls who stepped up to play in the A team.

The remaining games were balanced (3 wins and 4 losses) with many games only having a single goal between the teams. The girls made huge strides forwards as a squad, with players taking on more responsibility within the team to play in

more highly pressured positions. Laura and Cara marshalled the defence well, with Jess providing good outlet opportunities down the right hand side.

Emily dropped back into midfield to play alongside Jemima in central midfield, with Josie developing well overall during the season. Isobel and Emily were ever present and scored a number of crucial goals during the season.

The girls were a pleasure to coach throughout the season, and I hope they will continue to enjoy playing hockey as they move towards playing senior hockey next season.

Coach: Mr Bassett Squad: Milly, Lotte, Annabel, Maya, Mathie, Katie, Millie, Evie, Jessica, Emily, Charlotte, Madlen, Kiran, Sophie, Emily, Laura, Cara, Scarlett, Elreza, Sabine, Isobel, Josie, Aimy, Jemima, Rhyseren and Sofia.

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Girls’ U15B hockey report

Played: 7 Won: 1 Drew: 3 Lost: 3 The season started off with a tough away fixture against Canford. The girls put in a strong performance and were unfortunate to lose 2-1.

The following week saw a high point in the season with a comfortable 6-0 win against Clayesmore but this was followed by a heavy defeat to Seaford.

However, the girls learnt a number of important lessons regarding key skills and understanding their roles in the team. The team performed well against Churcher’s and PGS, playing in a well organised manner, with the team developing their understanding of how to press in the defensive structure. They then faced another tough test against Dauntsey’s but performed in a much improved manner following the improvements of the previous two weeks. The final game of the season was a re-match against PGS which again ended in a draw.

I was impressed by the team’s improvement during the season, particularly in the second half of term, when the girls developed a much better understanding of how to defend effectively, whilst improving their out-letting skills down the right hand side.

Coach: Mr Bassett Squad: Tamara, Roisin, Lauren, Allie, Millie, Jessica, Tamara, Olivia, Charlotte , Millie, Madlen, Emily, Chloe, Scarlett, Elreza, Defne, Lucia, Neve, Darcey, Josie Salter, Sasha, Aimy, Katie, Rhyseren, Bronty and Avantika.

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Girls’ U16B hockey report

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 This year’s U16B team were, quite frankly, wonderful. Dynamic, resilient, fun, hardworking and talented - it was a pleasure to coach them through the Saturday fixtures. The term started with a real buzz, and a well-deserved victory over Canford School. The Canford side was fit and strong and well-drilled, and it was a real boost to see the girls out-perform them. The following fixture was against Clayesmore U18C team. This was more of a mismatch, and the U16Bs immediately dominated achieving a 6-1 win, and with Matilde scoring a hat-trick. They then moved onto Pangbourne, where once more KES dominated over their U18C team, with an impressive 6-0 scoreline.

Things got a little tougher from thereon in, as the fixture list was amended to play more demanding opposition. Churcher’s College U16A team was the first tough fixture the girls had faced, but it was excellent experience to face skilful and athletic opposition who really put them through their paces, ending with a 4-0 defeat. Dauntsey’s, likewise, was

a tough fixture, ending in a 2-0 defeat, with most of the squad coming out to play whilst performing in Les Mis and being totally exhausted! The final fixture of the season was a close affair, and a 1-0 defeat against Portsmouth Grammar’s 2nd XI. Throughout the season, the girls really enjoyed their matches and training and it was wonderful to see their dedication. As a coach, I have never dealt with such reliable and honest pupils, who just turned up when they said they would, and let you know if they couldn’t. This is truly priceless! Thank you to you all, and especially Captain Isla, for all the sweat and smiles. You’ll love Senior Hockey, and you’ll all excel.

Coach: Miss Smith Squad: Ava, Georgina, Isla, Matilde, Daisy, Isabelle, Eleanor, Charlotte, Lucy, Sophie, Destiny, Sophie, Mahira, Annabel, Nell, Taya, Tessa and Elspeth.

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Girls’ 2nd XI hockey report

Played: 7 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

Coach: Mr Crichton

The 2nd XI girls’ hockey team had a tough season with many games being decided by one goal and, unfortunately, the KES team struggled to find the winning goal on a number of occasions. Many players gave their best performance to try to win the matches, with a few players earning a call up to the 1st team. Narrow losses to Canford, Clayesmore and Seaford were then followed by an excellent victory over local rivals PGS with a 6-0 win. Credit must be given to the team for their enthusiasm and drive to keep working hard and they finished the first half of the term with a solid 1-0 win over Pangbourne College.

Squad: Cara, Imogen, Anna, Megan, Charlotte, Charlotte, Katie, Susie, Annabel, Ruby, Ese, Rosalind, Katie, Alice, Hannah, Freya and Myah.

The season finished with matches against Churcher’s College and Lord Wandsworth College.

This was a tough end to a good season with both games ending in a loss, but credit must be given to the girls for their drive and focus in both games as the results could have gone either way. A massive thank you to Mrs Kelly for all the time and effort spent each week putting a team together.

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Girls’ 1st XI hockey report

Played: 11 Won: 7 Drew: 2 Lost: 2 Hockey players at KES never fail to amaze me and this season’s cohort were no exception. Resilient, determined and cohesive are just three words to describe the girls’ 1st XI squad. Losing out on so much match play and training due to the ongoing COVID pandemic was a real hurdle to overcome and the girls should be extremely proud of their efforts.

It was certainly tough at times, but the progress made over the course of the hockey season was truly remarkable. One of the proudest and most satisfying moments as coaches is to reflect on a season and discuss with the players how they found the experience. To hear the players discuss the sense of achievement and enjoyment they have had, whilst reflecting on the highs and lows of a season, help us build year on year.

This season was always going to be a development year for the side; playing catch-up from the pandemic and introducing lots of younger players to the squad after losing so many Upper Sixth students last year. Ida was an outstanding Captain, combining experience and leadership to ensure all players knew what they had to do. She also had natural ability in nurturing the younger players and

ensuring everyone became part of a cohesive unit.

Many girls made their debut to 1st team hockey this year. These players included a handful of Fourth Year students and a special mention must go to Sophie, Kiran, Katie and Jemima who each demonstrated exceptional talent. It is very unusual to include Fourth Year players at 1st team level and this really does pay tribute to their calibre.

The season started with a tough game against an exceptional Canford team who played with flair and athleticism. Whilst KES lost the game, the girls really used it to build upon and analyse their performance.

They demonstrated real determination to improve and this set the tone for the rest of the season.

A highlight was the game against Pangbourne College. The 1st XI had to work extremely hard to grind out a 4-4 draw against a strong and skilful Pangbourne side. This was made particularly difficult with so many players out due to injury or COVID. The game was end to end and demonstrated the character the KES side displayed week-in and week-out. Tessa was extremely busy in goal and the players really had to press and defend to get something from the game; whilst of course taking any attacking opportunities when possible.

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The squad also produced some outstanding wins against big oppositions: Dauntsey’s, Seaford College, Churcher’s, Clayesmore, Ryde, Lord Wandsworth College and Portsmouth Grammar School. As coaches, we have really enjoyed working with this squad who are so keen to learn and listen.

A special mention must be given to Emily who was nominated Player of the Season by Mrs Kelly and Mr Crichton. Emily started the season as a defender and finished the season as a goal-scoring machine.

She covered so much distance in any given game and this enabled the intensity of the game to increase.

The season was also an excellent opportunity for some of our Sixth Form players to participate in tournament hockey and they competed in the Hampshire Trophy and the Regional Tier 4 Competition. For some of our girls, this was the first time they had ever competed at tournament level. They enjoyed a draw with PSC and victory over

Portsmouth Grammar at the Hampshire Trophy, as well as experiencing some crucial games that went down to penalty flicks. The KES 1st XI were unfortunately knocked out of the Tier 4 Competition on flicks to Pangbourne College after drawing the pool game.

We are very excited to see what these players will achieve as they develop and grow as a squad. With hard work and determination they have an exciting future as KES hockey players. We now say goodbye to some of our more experienced Upper Sixth players and wish them well in their future hockey careers.

Coach: Mrs Kelly and Mr Crichton Squad: Ida, Anna, Isi, Charlotte, Elinor, Mel, Tessa, Sophie, Kiran, Emilia, Abbie, Emily, Tamsin, Ellie, Claudia, Katie, Celia, Charlotte, Alice, Susie, Cara, Katie, Hannah, Annabel, Ruby, Freya and Jemima.

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Netball overview

It was so great to see so many girls participating this year as we returned to our first full programme after COVID. There have been more girls both at after school practices and representing KES at Saturday fixtures consistently providing 4 teams at U12, U13 and U14, 3 teams at U15, an U16 team and 2 senior teams every weekend.

Due to entry in the Independent Schools’ Cup and National Schools’ Tournament, the U13s and U15s took part in pre-season training during the Autumn Term.

The U13s faced Churcher’s College in the first round of the cup. This was a tough game early on in the season, but the girls worked hard throughout and the progression from the first whistle to the last was a delight to see. Unfortunately, the result this time didn’t go their way and they did not progress.

Meanwhile, the U15s played St.Swithun’s in the first round of the same competition. The side were joined by a couple of U14 players who rose to the challenge competing well during this game. The girls dug deep throughout and were unfortunate to come away with a loss.

The U19, U16 & U14 ‘A’ teams all competed in the National Schools’ Tournaments organised by England Netball. The first round of this tournament is an area round in which the top 2 teams go through to compete in the regional round of the competition.

The U14s had a good tournament, consistently

showing improvement game on game, against some tough opponents, but unfortunately did not qualify for the regional round this time.

Both the U16 and U19 teams came away with excellent results from the area tournament with the U16s qualifying as runners-up and the U19s winning their age group to also qualify for the regional round.

This was a great milestone for the school as an U19 netball team has not qualified for the regional finals in over 10 years. At the Regional Tournament, the work shown by both teams was an honour to watch.

The showed great support for one another, making excellent interceptions and attacking plays to goal, but also when team mates’ heads were dropping.

The U16s faced some tough opposition throughout the day and unfortunately a couple of losses saw them finish 3rd in their group and 5th overall so they did not progress. The U19s had a slightly more successful day getting some good wins under their belts early on in their morning group stage and only suffering from 1 defeat. Following this loss, the final game of the group stages was taken out of their control, a loss for one team would mean we would qualify for the semi-finals. However, it wasn’t meant to be and the side narrowly missed out on a place in a semi-final by 1 point. This meant that the girls finished in 5th overall.

Touring this academic year was slightly different as, due to COVID, we weren’t sure whether we

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would be able to get away or not. Fortunately, a group of U13 girls managed to head to Scotland for 4 days alongside the U13 boys’ rugby team. The tour started in Glasgow with a coaching session from Scotland Thistles and Sirens GS Emma Barrie.

Emma took the girls through lots of fun netball games and then the girls focussed on passing techniques, had a go at competing against Emma and took part in a short Q & A session. The girls played 3 fixtures against other clubs and the netball was exceptional. Every single player worked hard for one another and the sportsmanship towards others was so pleasing to see.

I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been part of this year’s netball at KES. This includes parents who have driven players to different locations and their support from the sidelines and the staff who have given up their time to provide coaching sessions, alongside running teams and fixtures at weekends.

I am already really excited about the future of netball at KES and I cannot wait to see what the new year holds.

Miss Cole

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Girls’ U12A netball report

The U12 training sessions started in September with a regular high turn-out. During the Autumn Term the squad was entered into the Netball Cup and, after a good warm up match against Priestlands School, the U14 and U12 sides went on to perform outstandingly. They suffered a very close loss against a strong team from Farnborough Hill which, in this knock-out tournament, meant an end to their run. The squad knew what they needed to do to improve, prior to the start of the full netball season, and were keen to put in the time through November and December.

of the level of play but also a game where lots of the mid court play came together, with both Olivia and Imogen making their mark and some excellent shooting and defending from Poppy demonstrating what a versatile and talented contribution she makes to the team. During a fun tournament with Stroud School, the girls were split into different teams and had the opportunity to play with other players and against each other. A tense game followed against Dauntsey’s School, whose players were fast. The match was going Dauntsey’s way and, with a couple of players missing, the KES girls had to rethink their tactics. Despite losing the match the girls certainly learnt a lot from this encounter.

The first match was against Portsmouth High School. The players knew they needed to go out strong from the start and they did just that; turning over the ball whenever they had the chance and, with some great shooting from Bea and Lola, securing a good victory. The following week at St Swithun’s, on a cold and windy day, shooting was more taxing and Alba had to work hard throughout to keep the team spirits high. Kitty managed some amazing interceptions but St Swithun’s proved too strong on this occasion. A trip away to the Oratory School proved to be not only a good match in terms

The second half of the term included four matches and four wins. The team got off to an excellent start against Lord Wandsworth College with an easy win that provided an opportunity for a number of the girls to play in different positions and develop their all-round understanding of the game. The game against Churcher’s College saw some strong play from Olivia and a return to the A team for Yasmin.

The team were losing for most of the game but turned it around in a very exciting last quarter to win by one goal. Ryde School proved to be a fantastic opposition and the win does not represent how

Played: 11 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

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much the ball went from end to end during the match. To complete the season, the girls faced PGS. The KES girls played well and made the most of the fixture to develop their game play in preparation for next season.

Coach: Mrs Henderson Squad: Imogen, Olivia, Poppy, Olivia, Bea, Alba, Yasmin, Lola and Kitty.

It has been a pleasure working with this group of girls and seeing their skills develop. I am sure they are going to go on to be a cracking squad as they move up the school.

Girls’ U12B netball report Played: 9 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The U12B team have had a fantastic season, only losing two games and attacking every match with determination. The squad varied every week with players moving between the A, B C and D teams.

Chloe suffered an injury part way through the season and the team definitely missed her drive and commitment in the defensive end. Faith was the main stalwart in defence and a regular contributory factor in the team getting the much needed turnover to bring about a winning goal. Aaliyah played most games for the B team but her development in reading the game during the season was amazing and the games she played for the A team show that she has plenty of potential. Talia, Grace and Martha were the main stay of the centre court. The speed of ball and commitment that these three brought to the court meant that the opposition were often literally left standing. The shooting combination of Farah and Keira developed very well over the season and their ability to see a pass between themselves, or a movement to clear space to achieve a better angle was really noticeable. In other year groups these two would be easily knocking on the door of the A team.

Without their own coach at matches, the girls really had to bring the team together themselves and they should be very proud of their efforts. The quality of the whole team is demonstrated in the sheer size of some of their wins.

Well Done girls!

Coach: Mrs Henderson Squad: Aaliyah, Chloe, Keira, Faith, Farah, Grace, Talia and Martha

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Girls’ U12C netball report Played: 6 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The C team matches were a real pleasure to watch.

Some of the team had never set foot on a netball court before the start of the season and everyone who wanted to play was given the chance. Those with more experience would give guidance and encouragement and would often play out of position in order to give others the chance to play. The atmosphere was always positive and many of the matches were very close in terms of the scores.

Despite losing the games against Churcher’s the girls were positive throughout and the opposition umpires often referred to how lovely the girls were and what a credit they were to the School. At training sessions, the girls were always keen to work hard and their attendance at training was not only fantastic but was rewarded by a real development in their skills and tactical understanding of the game. I look forward to seeing them all in action again next year.

Coach: Mrs Peterson Squad: Anna, Mia, Siobhan, Maneek, Serena, Imogen, Camilla, Aimee, Izzy, Tunde, Mia Geyer, Emily, Amelia, Saffron, Roman, Jemima, Alice, Annabelle and Edith.

Girls’ U12D netball report Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The difference between the players I met at the start of the season, compared to the girls at the end of the season, is huge. Their knowledge of the game and understanding of the tactics has increased massively, aiding their performance which has shown in the wins they achieved against tough competition.

A notable mention goes to Tamara who gained interception after interception at the game at PGS, creating a great impact on the game and helping her team to victory. Throughout the season the girls have worked on their team work which has shown on the court where their fluidity of play was very noticeable and their timing for each ball, working off each other, really improved. The shooting in the U12D squad was amazing throughout the season and in other year groups shooting statistics of this quality would have seen the players in the C or even B team.

This netball season for the U12 D team has been lovely. I am so glad to see the girls commit to the fixtures each week allowing me to witness their smiles and improvements throughout the term.

Coach: Miss Crowley Squad: Mia, Izzy, Mia, Sasini, Tunde, Jasmin, Jemima, Mihaela, Tamara, Shana, Camilla, Enyu, Annabelle, Maneek, India, Letong, Siobhan, Serena, Jasmine, Rowan, Aimee, Angelie and Imogen.

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Girls’ U13A netball report

Played: 9 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 4 It was fantastic to be back playing netball fixtures against other schools this season and the U13A team took away some wonderful results. Things didn’t start off the way they wanted - with 3 losses on the bounce – but, after missing the netball term last year, due to COVID, the girls were able to represent KES for the first time and put out some whole team performances.

The first win of the season came against The Oratory in which the girls recorded an impressive 44-1 on the board. This was a fantastic win and boosted team morale moving forward to the rest of the season. I have been particularly impressed with how girls have come into the A team and adapted straight away allowing different connections and combinations to be built. Comfortable wins against Lord Wandsworth, Dauntsey’s and Ryde gave the girls the belief that, after a slow start, their hard work was paying off.

Real stand-out performances this season came from Ava and Millie who established a lovely partnership in the shooting circle and this was assisted by the centre court dynamic duo of Clara

and Izzy who hit the circle edge and fed the shooters beautifully. Down in the defensive end, stalwarts Rosa and Delihah made it extremely difficult for the opposition’s shooters to be free in the D and intercepted balls everywhere.

The season finished on a high with a win over PGS reflecting how the girls have grown throughout the season. The commitment and number of players at training each week has been outstanding and the girls have played with smiles on their faces all term.

In summary, it has been a fantastic season with the main focus on learning, and building towards next year. It is wonderful to see so many of the girls playing netball outside of school for their respective clubs and academies, and I look forward to moving up with these girls to U14 level and seeing how far we can progress in the National Schools’ Competition.

Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Millie E, Ava, Avani, Milly C, Clara, Izzy, Elin, Maya, Roxi, Rosa, Deliha and Ole.

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Girls’ U13B netball report Played: 6 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 The B team had a very successful netball season only losing 1 fixture – the first of the season against St Swithun’s. The side grew in confidence and determination and this enabled 5 back-to-back wins on the trot. All members of the team made a huge impact within their matches which provided opportunity for some of the girls to be moved up to the A team. A real highlight of the season was the game against Ryde in which the girls scored 33 goals and only conceded 4. Throughout all 4 quarters they pushed on and displayed some brilliant moments of netball, allowing plenty of opportunity for the shooters to put up shots, thanks to the tenacity shown in defence. It was great to see the girls back enjoying netball and this was reflected in their results.

Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Sophie, Elin, Ole, Elysia, Jess, Tess, Mathie, Isla, Annabel, Megan,Lotte, Maia, Iris, Avani, Milly, Alice, Martha, Shreya and Sadie.

Girls’ U13C netball report Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 1 The girls in the squad really grew in confidence this year and worked together brilliantly as a team to carve out 3 convincing wins. They worked hard on their communication on court which improved throughout the season. The penultimate match was a nail-biting 8-all draw against Churcher’s, with Sadie scoring a last minute equaliser. The players conducted themselves brilliantly and I was proud of their sportsmanship in some tricky games. When substituted, they were positive from the sidelines cheering each other on. Hilda, Jess and Sam were fantastic in defence throughout the season making some incredible interceptions. Megan and Freya were very versatile, often shooting and playing centre court within the same match. Izzy showed the most improvement throughout the season playing as a shooter and defender depending on the needs of the team. Xanthe regularly captained the team and was a calm and confident centre.

Coach: Dr Lewis Squad: Sadie, Xanthe, Megan, Elsa, Lotte, Freya, Alice, Hilda, Sam, Freya, Martha, Izzy, Priya, Jessica, Eliza, Mathie, Zunairah, Summer and Elsa.

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Girls’ U13D netball report Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The D team gave me a lot of enjoyment to coach this season. They turned up in good numbers to training and always played their fixtures in a positive manner. In terms of performances they had two standout wins vs Dauntseys (13-8) and PGS (10-4). The team’s positive ethos and culture was a pleasure to be around, as was witnessing the enjoyment the girls took from each game of netball.

The players within this side are so versatile that during matches they were able to take leadership and responsibility in rotating positions to allow everyone to have a go at shooting, defending and centre court. It has been wonderful to work with the D team and I look forward to seeing them grow throughout their time at KES.

Coach: Mrs Blow and Miss Lister Squad: Summer, Summer, Isabelle, Lexi, Sesika, Martha, Phoebe, Sophie, Zunairah, Eliza, Sam, Izzy, Priya, Francesca and Lyra.

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Girls’ U14A netball report

Played: 10 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

Coach: Mr Powell

What an outstanding term our U14A netball squad have experienced. Not only have we seen 28+ girls at every training session, but also the quality of players and their attitude has been exemplary.

Squad: Lily, Yasmin, Edie, Ava, Megan, Holly, Elisabeth, Harriet, Bella, Lana, Hennie, Flora, Amelie and Sophie.

The athleticism, fitness and team play were amongst the best I have ever seen in any of the netball teams I have coached. Extraordinarily consistent performances from players such as Yasmin, Megan and Lily gave the side such an advantage over any opposition, regardless of how big and strong they were.

Notable moments were the wins against Churcher’s, Lord Wandsworth and Dauntsey’s. I am so proud of the girls; they have been inspirational throughout the entire season and I will miss their energy and singing skills next year.

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Girls’ U14B netball report Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 5 The final Saturday of the season saw a triangular against Portsmouth Grammar School and Canford School. PGS were unable to field enough teams so the girls ended up playing their A team. It was a great experience and lots of lessons were learnt but, unfortunately, it was not the result the girls had been hoping for. The match against Canford was a tense one, finishing with a very close score line. As the girls were starting to edge towards a win the game was unfortunately cut short.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team over the last term. They have been committed and hard-working members of the B team and their enthusiasm for each game was unwavering. Well done!

Coach: Mrs Walls Squad: Rosie, Isabelle, Immi, Emily, Amelie, Flora, Emily, Elisabeth, Harriet, Anu, Isabelle, Lana, Sophie, Isabelle, Olivia and Ella.

Girls’ U14C netball report Played: 7 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 7 These group of girls were a joy to coach. They always came to matches and training with a smile on their faces and their commitment to Saturday fixtures was great to see. We were always able to field a team without any problems, compared to a lot of other schools who struggled.

Although it was a tough season, the girls fought hard in every single match and never gave up, even when their opponents were pulling away. Livvy’s incredible shooting week after week kept the U14C side in the games. Another key player who was able to open up the court through the middle as a midcourt player was Ella.

I look forward to hearing about the girls’ progression and games next year, with the potential within this team. I am sure that their play will improve even more than this year.

Coach: Miss Crowley Squad: Sophie, Alice, Jasmine, Ella, Evie, Simian, Livvy, Lara, Becky, Sophie, Sophie, Isabelle, Heidi and Olivia.

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Girls’ U15A netball report

Played: 10 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 This season has been outstanding for the U15A team.

The season started off with a tough first game against Portsmouth High School. Despite the early season loss, there was lots to take from the game and the girls never let it phase them working hard right until the final whistle.

The next fixture saw the U15As face a very strong team from St Swithun’s. Having previously lost to them in the first round of the County Cup, it was always going to be a tough game particularly with 4 of the team missing. The girls gave everything they could, with much visible improvement since their first game, but Swithun’s were too strong on this occasion.

Over the next few weeks the whole squad worked extremely hard. This hard work proved to have paid off when they faced The Oratory School in an away game. The girls started strong and this saw them take the lead 14-1 heading into quarter time. They

continued to develop this lead ensuring a convincing win and demonstrating an incredible display of sportsmanship throughout the game.

In the next few fixtures the girls continued to make further progress, with their linking play in attack at times being outstanding. Their constant defensive work to win the ball back and force an error from the opposition also improved.

Against Ryde School, the girls faced a match played in challenging windy conditions that required them to think about their passing and shooting styles.

They came away with the win.

The final game of the season was the real test for the U15A team as they faced Canford. Being the last game of the season the girls went out onto the court, determined to get a win. During the first quarter they played their best netball all season coming off with an 8 goal lead. The second and third quarter saw Canford come back with a strong fight but they remained focussed and went in to the final quarter with a 6 goal lead. The final quarter of the game was one of the most exciting but tense

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quarters I have seen at KES. It was goal for goal with Canford turning over the ball and scoring 5 goals in a row. The game continued to be end to end and with 12 seconds on the clock the game was tied.

KES won the ball back and managed to score with 5 seconds to go winning the game 25-24.

Coach: Miss Cole Squad: Katie, Kiran, Millie, Cara, Katie, Sophie, Rhyseren, Jemima, Emily, Isobel and Evie.

For me, this game was the highlight of the season, not only because the team came away with a win but also because it showed how much dedication the girls have put in to learning, developing and supporting one another. I look forward to seeing the girls take a step towards senior netball next year.

Girls’ U15B netball report Played: 8 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 6 This netball season has seen the U15B team make excellent progress across all positions. The players enjoyed eight matches and fell into playing their positions regularly, with Emily and Isobel shooting well and working together in the circle. Tamara was swift over the court and fed many useful balls into the circle as wing attack. The opposition often chose Aimy as their players’ player, who, in her centre position, shone with her speed and game awareness.

The match against Lord Wandsworth College was a real turning point for Elreza and she showed grit and determination as a key defender, helping the team win 30-8. Her ability to tip the ball and make successful interceptions really came on over the season, making her a frequent choice as players’ player. The centre court players, Nithusha and Sofia also helped the team make smooth transitions up the court. They persisted in their defence and were able to dodge effectively to drive onto the ball. With two good wins and many hard fought matches the girls are looking forward to next season.

Coach: Mrs Penfold Squad: Emily, Isobel, Tamara, Aimy, Sofia, Nithusha, Elreza and Charlotte.

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Girls’ U15C netball report

Played: 7 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The U15C team girls have shown excellent determination and teamwork throughout the whole season. There have been quite a few changes over the term but this has not phased the girls. They worked well together regardless of whether players were playing their first match or had played several.

They have been willing to try different positions and new combinations and have never been afraid to challenge one another with their skill sets on the court.

They began with a tough start to the season following a narrow defeat against St Swithun’s, losing the game by 1 goal. This was followed by another defeat to Dauntsey’s, despite the players demonstrating great companionship towards one another.

The U15 C team then recorded 2 convincing wins.

Against Lord Wandsworth they showed some excellent defending, only allowing the opponents to score 2 goals, and they put in an excellent performance against Churcher’s taking the win 19-10.

It has been a delight to watch the girls grow in confidence around one another as well as in their netball journeys over the season and I have no doubt that this will continue next year.

Coach: Miss Cole Squad: Laura, Josie, Lucia, Avantika, Scarlett, Jessica, Madlen, Charlotte, Gracie, Aimy, Nithusha, Chloe, Rosie, Sasha, Lauren, Millie and Tamara.

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Girls’ U16 netball report

Played: 6 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 Working with the U16 squad this year has been a joy. Not only are they a very talented bunch of girls but their work ethic and support for each other is remarkable. Their season started early due to the October County Tournament; the squad trained well in the lead up and were prepared for the challenges on the day. The side, captained by Sophie, did not disappoint and they stepped up to the mark to finish the tournament as runners up and qualify for the first time as a squad for the Regional Tournament.

The success from the County Tournament set the team up well for the season. Although rarely playing as a complete squad, due to players being pulled up to 1st team fixtures, the girls achieved some excellent results and showed the depth and strength of versatility amongst the players; particularly Daisy and Georgie who, between them, have played every position on the court! The squad won four out of their six fixtures, against Weston Park Blades, Churcher’s, LWC and Embley and narrowly missed out by one goal to Dauntsey’s 2nd VII. The positive attitude and commitment from the team during training sessions and fixtures has been

the key to their success story. Lucy, in particular, has made great improvements in her game this season and this is purely down to her work ethic and desire to improve. The leadership on and off the court from Sophie has been exceptional, her maturity and humble approach has made working alongside her a joy.

After finishing runners up in the County Tournament, the U16 side went on to represent Hampshire at the National Regional Tournament. Despite the girls’ best efforts, the results did not fall in our favour on the day, but they finished in a respectable 3rd place in their group, narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-final. The team should feel very proud of themselves for reaching this point in the tournament.

I very much look forward to working with the girls again next year as they become part of our senior squads.

Coach: Mrs Ferrand Squad: Isabelle, Daisy, Lucy, Elinor, Sophie (C), Ava, Melanie, Claudia, Erin and Georgie,

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Girls’ 1st VII netball report

Played: 7 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 • Qualified for Regional Schools in 2nd place.

• Finished 3rd at Regional Qualifiers.

The netball season can sometimes feel quite frustrating when it comes to an end as some teams are only just starting to find their feet. But this couldn’t be further from the truth for the KES 1st team as they started thriving right from the get-go.

The first test was at the Itchen College Tournament where the girls came up against a plethora of local schools and colleges who they knew they would face again at some point in the netball term. After winning the first few matches, the side then faced a strong St Swithun’s side. The match came down to the wire and the team ended up losing by just 2 goals. A 2nd place finish overall just showed the potential this team had moving into the season.

The next event came in October at the National Schools’ Competition. The girls had high hopes of progressing to the next round and, after sterling performances from all involved, managed to clinch a final spot, meaning they progressed through as runners-up to head to regionals! Portsmouth High School and The Oratory were the next two fixtures,

both ending in convincing wins before heading to the regional finals at the Sports Centre in January.

After some disrupted preparations throughout the month, the girls went to the tournament knowing they had to be at their best if they stood any chance of qualifying for the National Finals. They started slowly and got punished in the first two games which resulted in defeats and, more frustratingly, these were two games they could, and should, have won. This meant the only chance of progressing through to the next stage was to win every single remaining game. They secured three wins from the four games left before nerves started to take hold!

With two games remaining they had to win both.

The 1st VII gained confidence throughout the day and went into game 6 with hope. A close encounter resulted in a 2-goal loss dashing hopes although not ‘mathematically’ out just yet! The final game was outstanding, and a huge win meant the girls were waiting on other results to decide their place.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be and a 3rd place finish in the group meant they finished just 1 place off a final spot.

One thing I do know is that these girls will be pushing even harder next year to qualify as they know they have the potential and talent to do just

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that. Dauntsey’s, Lord Wandsworth, Churcher’s and Ryde faced our girls in the following weeks, but KES proved too strong each time and won these games convincingly. Canford were the final opposition of the term and, without key players, the side succumbed to their first, and only, defeat of the season.

Coach: Miss Ritchie Squad: Charlotte, Claudia, Diba, Evie, Lottie, Kate, Isis, Abbie, Orla and Annabelle

It has been an absolute pleasure to coach this group of girls. Not only incredible athletes on the court, but wonderful human beings off it too. I will certainly miss them a huge amount and cannot wait to hear about their triumphs in the years to come!

Girls’ 2nd VII netball report Played: 6 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 6 This season, the 2nd VII decided that they very much wanted to enjoy their netball and chose to have a large squad so that many pupils could compete for the School each week. With the squad being largely made up from U16 players, it was a brilliant opportunity to introduce some youngsters into the senior ranks.

Two of the most memorable games were against Canford and Portsmouth Grammar where the result was very close. A four and five goal defeat respectively were due to the hard work and persistence of the team during the final matches of the season.

Regular performances from Lucy and Freya contributed hugely to the team ethos and the desire to improve by all players was pleasing. Training with both the 1st VII and U16A squads throughout the term meant that nearly all pupils were able to see what they needed to improve upon and, at the same time, get expert guidance from top players. Many of the squad will be staying at KES next year so it will be exciting to see how many of them will push for senior places. An enjoyable season with lots to look forward to.

Coach: Miss Crowley Squad: Annabelle, Freya, Emi, Emily, Daisy, Ellie, Taya, Annabel, Hope, Myah, Ese, Xanthe, Olivia, Eleanor, Zofia, Charlotte, Lucy, Matilde and Georgie.

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Girls’ U12A cricket report

Played: 7 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 The first match of the season was against LWC. The girls batted first and Olivia got the side off to a cracking start - scoring 20 in the opening over which led to her getting ‘Batter of the Match’ from the opposition. All the girls batted well, coping with a very uneven bounce, to score runs in every over.

Against PGS, the girls played an 8-a-side soft ball pairs match on a sunny day at Hill Lane. The girls went into bat first and, thanks to some well-placed 4s from Olivia and Kitty, set a great target of 340 for the opposition. This was despite PGS having a good set of bowlers all of whom put some pressure on the team. However, the game was won by the fielding with 5 impressive catches being taken.

The visit to Churcher’s was the highlight of the season. Despite the eventual loss, this was the most competitive of the matches against a very similar team, and the result could have gone either way on the day.

The girls were on good form against St Swithun’s and whilst the game was close, there was no doubt in the KES girls’ minds that this was their game and

at no point were they going to let the opposition get the upper hand.

Against Embley, the side showed superior technical knowledge and ability and the final score reflected this. The girls batted well and found the short boundary on many occasions but the win came from the outstanding bowling and fielding.

The final game saw a trip to Gordon’s. The opening bowlers from Gordon’s showed precision and speed which Jemima and Florence dealt with calmly. From the fifth over onwards, KES got into the swing and were soon hitting regular boundaries with a number of sixes, one of which hit the Sports Hall roof. The final total of over 400 proved to be impossible to catch, particularly with Olivia taking two wickets in three balls. This meant the girls completed the season with a fantastic victory and are now looking forward to next season and a few more hard ball competitions. It has been a pleasure working with them and I look forward to seeing their future successes, of which I am sure there will be many.

Coach: Mrs Henderson Squad: Imogen, Olivia, Keira, Camilla, Izzy, Grace, Olivia, Martha, Yasmin, Kitty, Jemima and Florence.

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Girls’ U12B cricket report

Played: 5 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

Coach: Mrs Sheppard

The U12B team have had a super term of cricket and not just because of their very many successes.

It has been a delight to have so many girls attend cricket practice every week come rain or shine! They are enthusiastic, keen to learn and improve, hugely supportive and encouraging of each other, and they have all made great progress and improvements this term.

Squad: Mia, Aaliya, Anna, Poppy, Farah, Talia, Bea, Alba, Edith, Rowan, Annabelle, Lola, Florence, Camilla, Izzy, Martha, Jasmine, Alice, Sophia, Imogen (C), Olivia (C), Chloe, Saffron and Keira.

The season started well with an encouraging performance, though only a narrow victory, at Lord Wandsworth College where it became apparent that our general fielding and batting skills were strong but that we needed to work more on our bowling.

This was quickly followed by another close victory in an exciting game against PGS. The next game was a very competitively fought game away to Churcher’s College where we were unlucky to lose by only 10 runs. After the half-term break the girls won convincingly at Embley by 162 runs. The next game was at home to St Swithun’s for a very close game that came down to the last couple of overs with KES eventually winning by 21 runs.

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Girls’ U12C cricket team Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

Coach: Mrs Henderson

The depth of ability in the year group has meant that many of the girls have moved between the B, C and D team quite fluidly over the season particularly as sizes of squads have often changed on a weekly basis. Many of the girls have played cricket for the first time and have improved at an amazing pace over the term. I have been so impressed by all of their effort and commitment both to training and matches. The majority of the schools were not able to field full teams for events and, on a couple of occasions, the girls found themselves playing each other in an internal match, in a triangular with the other school and our D team lending players to the opposition. Whatever the case, the girls stepped up to the mark with a smile on their faces and enjoyed the event. Highlights for the C team were the close match against PGS and their final match of the season against Gordon’s School which led to a good win.

Squad: Anna, Maneek, Serena, Sophia, Sasini, Aimee, Faith, Poppy, Farr, Bea, Alba, Lola, Jasmine, Amelia, Saffron, Roman, Alice, Lilianna and Annabelle.

Girls’ U12D cricket team Played: 3 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

Coach: Mrs Henderson

It has been fantastic to see how these girls have progressed with their cricket this year and, as mentioned in the C team report, many of these girls also played in both C and D team matches. Their development over the season has been amazing to see. The majority of these players had not picked up a cricket bat prior to April and, by the final training session (when we played mixed games), they were facing bowling from A team players without a concern. Well done girls; it has been a pleasure working with you and I hope that you carry on enjoying your cricket.

Squad: Maneek, Serena, Sasini, Aimee, Tunde, Mia, Rose, Enyu, Angelie, Jasmine, India, Jasmine and Lilianna.

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Girls’ U13A cricket report

Played: 12 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 This season for the U13A girls has been an extremely successful one. Having won 9 and only losing 3 games, the girls have played some outstanding passages of cricket. The season started off with the Indoor County Cup Competition where the girls reached the finals at the Ageas Bowl.

This was a great pre-season competition which saw the girls build confidence throughout each round.

It was great to have three First Year girls (Grace, Olivia and Imogen) play alongside the U13s. Batting retirements from Milly and Iris, and wickets from Izzy and Grace placed the girls into the finals of the competition. However, on the day, the girls were outplayed by a strong St Swithun’s and West Hill Park which saw KES finish 3rd overall. This was a great competition that set us up nicely going into the cricket term.

Revenge was sweet during our first hard ball game of the season vs St Swithun’s in the first round of the (outdoor) County Cup. The girls put out a brilliant performance in all areas of the game, with straight bowling, firm batting and slick fielding. This was followed with a win against Farleigh B which put the

girls into the semi-finals. Taking on a strong Farleigh A in the semi-finals came as a shock to the girls and they headed into the second innings chasing 157. A brilliant opening partnership from Milly and Mathie was broken and unfortunately the U13s came up short. This was the girls first real competitive match and I cannot fault their grit and determination. The road to another County Final ended here but the cricket season was not over with Saturday block fixtures to play.

Winning four out of six block fixtures and finishing with a convincing win against Gordon’s rounded off the season nicely. The girls started off the cricket term playing soft ball and have finished with confidence and enjoyment in playing hard ball.

Standout performances throughout the term saw Izzy, Milly and Iris contribute to the team’s success with both the bat and ball. In addition, Ava and Elysia took some outstanding wickets with the ball. It was also great to see Maya, Iris and Milly be a part of KES Cricket Team of the Week for their outstanding individual performances on match days.

The girls have improved immensely since the start of the season and it has been great to watch what

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they have done in training sessions be put into practice in matches. The effort and enthusiasm during practices, especially during the fielding drills, has been of a real quality and this definitely contributes to the success during matches. The eagerness shown by all the girls to want to play proper hard ball matches has been fantastic and I hope this attitude continues. It has been a pleasure to coach this talented group of girls and I look forward to seeing them progress and develop through their time at KES.

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Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Milly, Mathie, Izzy, Elsa, Maya, Grace, Annabel, Iris, Millie, Ava, Megan, Elin and Elysia.

Girls’ U13B cricket report Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The U13B cricket team have had a very successful season which has seen a number of girls having to compete for places and this has shown the strength in depth of the squad. The first two games resulted in convincing back to back wins against Lord Wandsworth and PGS. These victories were built on strong team spirit and organised batting pairs.

However, individual star performances came from Megan with the bat and Ole with the ball. I have been particularly pleased with how the girls sorted out their batting pairs and bowling order as well as the atmosphere on the field.

The two wins were swiftly followed by two narrow losses but this did not reflect the girls’ efforts and enthusiasm. It has been wonderful to see the numbers turn out to training, week in and week out, and how players (when called upon) can move up to the A team and play in hard ball games. The final game of the season finished on a high vs Gordon’s where the girls successfully won by 13 runs.

It has been a pleasure to coach the U13 side this season and see them all grow as players. The

opportunity for the girls to bat, bowl and field each Saturday has been wonderful and I can definitely see improvements in everyone’s game. Special mention to Megan, Sophie and Roxi who have featured in Team of the Week.

Coach: Miss Lister Squad: Megan, Roxi, Sophie, Ole, Tess, Delihah, Rosa, Annabel, Elsa, Isla, Zunairah, Lotte, Summer, Jessica, Sadie, Lexi, Freya, Chloe, Clara, Maia and Alice.

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Girls’ U14A cricket report

Played: 6 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 The U14 A cricket team have had a very successful season on the field, playing some excellent cricket and wanting to be better with every game. They started well with wins against LWC and PGS who pushed them all the way and made the girls play some of their best cricket, especially with the bat.

Yasmin showed her huge batting ability and scored runs for fun early on, whilst Megan dominated with the ball, taking numerous amounts of wickets.

Churcher’s and Charterhouse were the next two opponents and comfortable wins allowed some freedom to explore bowlers. Immi found confidence and realised she can bowl, and Harriet displayed impressive skills with bat and ball. St Swithun’s were always going to be our most challenging opposition yet, and this proved true when the team was edged out by 34 runs. They were clever with the bat and the U14As didn’t adjust quick enough.

Some inconsistency in the field and not enough runs on the board in the first innings cost the girls the win. Having two fewer players in the field didn’t help either, although Elisabeth’s efforts with the bat did, at one point, keeping KES within touching

distance. She captained the team well all season and took the responsibility on with great pride. A trip to Gordon’s School was the last hurrah of the campaign and a small pitch allowed the side to hit the ball around for fun! There was the controversy of some sportsmanlike play as players were stumped out 3 times when running too soon from the crease, but everyone eventually learnt from it! Some crucial wickets at times from Ava, and a special mention for her 2 ‘bowled and caught’ wickets meant KES finished the season in style.

A season to be proud of for these girls with a lot of learning along the way. As they now progress onto the U15s next year, other schools should be wary of the fight this team will bring as they do not give up easily.

Coach: Miss Ritchie Squad: Elisabeth, Isabelle, Isabelle, Harriet, Megan, Ava, Yasmin, Immi, Amelie, Lily, Emily, Holly, Sophie, Hennie, Isabelle and Rosa.

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Girls’ U14B cricket report

Played: 5 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 This was a hugely successful season for the U14B girls’ team. In total, the team played 5 fixtures, losing only to our own U15B girls’ team. All external fixtures resulted in a victory. All players contributed over the season, but a few particular performances stand out. Sophie was twice the ‘star batter’, and Anu received the same accolade on several occasions both as batter and bowler. Most notably, in the final fixture she had a hat-trick of wickets – all bowled. Isabelle not only contributed well as bowler, but captained with authority and good humour, and her proactive field placings were critical in some matches. The improvement in bowling over the season was also impressive, and towards the end of the season a host of bowlers, including Rosa, Bella

and Lily, all bowled tidy spells – taking wickets as well as limiting runs scored. Most matches were ultimately won comfortably, but the game against St Swithun’s provided a real highlight. With two players missing on the day, and playing on the large 1st XI pitch at Wellington, the fielders worked tirelessly to defend the KES total, winning by the narrowest of margins… just a single run! It was a fantastic result against the odds, and summed up the great attitude and determination shown throughout the season by the girls in the team.

Coach: Mr Parker Squad: Isabelle (C), Alice, Anu, Ayushna, Bella, Emily, Emily, Evie, Flora, Hennie, Lily, Olivia, Rosa, Rosie, Sophie, Sophie and Sophie.

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Girls’ U15A cricket report

Played: 12 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

started the outdoor season very positively.

This season started in January when the girls’ attendance at weekly pre-season training was excellent. Regular training over such a long period, and numerous indoor and outdoor matches, has seen all the girls go from strength to strength which has been a pleasure to watch. I have been extremely impressed by their commitment over the past 6 months. As a year group they have been a pleasure to coach but, unfortunately, have not had as many games as hoped due to other schools being unable to fulfil fixtures.

Home to Bryanston, the girls found it hard to get consistency in their bowling but managed to bat positively, scoring runs quickly. They worked well as a team in the field to win by 61 runs. The following weekend the U15s played Churcher’s and it was great to see the bowling become more consistent due to hard work in training. The girls should be pleased with their win by 45 runs. Unfortunately, the rain affected the game against Portsmouth Grammar School and, due to such a busy term, we were unable to rearrange this match.

The county indoor season started in February with more schools than ever before entering teams, and it was truly a magnificent start winning against Toynbee School by 10 wickets and Kings’ School Winchester. A week later the girls had the indoor semi-finals achieving a comfortable win against Priestlands, and a narrow loss to Churcher’s. This meant the girls were successful in going through to the County Finals. Unfortunately, the team lacked consistency and a couple of ‘run outs’ cost them the Final and they finished in second place. Although they were all frustrated not to win, it meant the girls

After half term and some hard work on their speed of bowling, as well as the defensive push shot, the girls played exceptionally against Embley School.

This was played as an U16 team due to Embley needing to combine year groups. KES batted first and only lost 1 wicket which set the tone for the rest of the game which ended in a good 59 run win. The following match, against Gordon’s School, did not provide the level of competition hoped for. I was impressed with how the girls played, despite injuries and illnesses, to win convincingly. Every single girl bowled really well and kept Gordon’s runs total low.

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The final match was against St Swithun’s who had some strong batters. The girls kept positive and bowled very well but they proved too strong in the end for KES. I have been particularly impressed with this group of girls. Their ability to manage a number of different commitments and ensure they attend training has been exemplary. Their consistent hard work at training and ability to take on board feedback has meant that they have all progressed a great deal.

Evie and Sophie have captained the side throughout the season, always leading by example. The award

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for most improved player of the season goes to Ellie whose bowling accuracy and speed has gone from strength to strength. I wish all the girls good luck in the future and look forward to seeing them play next year.

Coach: Mrs Penn Squad: Sophie, Evie, Josie, Kiran, Ellie, Amelie, Millie, Emily, Jemima, Emily, Darcy, Cara, Elisabeth, Aimy and Charlotte.

Girls’ U15B cricket report Played: 4 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 0 We started the season discussing the objectives for the term and all the girls agreed that they would be happy if they won one game. However, due to their hardwork, commitment to training and athletic ability they went on to have a fantastic season.

The first match of the season was against Lord Wandsworth College, where the girls took their first victory, easily out-competing the opposition by bowling multiple wickets, and hitting superb shots to reach the target score in far fewer overs than needed. Darcey deserves a particular mention for getting 4 wickets and hitting 38 runs. The match the following weekend against Churcher’s was an excellent game that was very close and well fought.

The girls batted excellently and ran really well between the wickets to get their second win.

Unfortunately, Portsmouth Grammar School and St Swithun’s were unable to produce teams therefore these games were cancelled. Our final performance was against Gordon’s School where the girls bowled and batted extremely well to finish with an unbeaten season.

I would like to thank Laura for her outstanding captaincy. She has created a fantastic tight knit team that has been a pleasure to coach. The most

improved player of the season is Sabine who has not been able to play much due to her national sailing commitments but her hard work in training means she now plays the ball right underneath her eyes allowing her to strike the ball really cleanly as a result. I wish them all of the best of luck next year and look forward to seeing their progress.

Coach: Mrs Penn Squad: Laura, Jess, Sabine, Aimy, Sasha, Charlotte, Darcey, Gracie, Bronty, Tamara, Elreza, Nuthusha and Avantika.

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Girls’ 1st XI cricket report

Played: 5 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 The cricket season with the 1st XI girls’ team has been exceptional. The commitment, development and team work have been so enjoyable to watch; from when the girls first started training in their preseason nets session, right through to the final fixture of the cricket term.

The numbers at pre-season training were fantastic and continued to grow as we headed towards the start of the season’s fixtures. During the pre-season training session, the team refined their batting, bowling and fielding skills alongside the boys’ senior teams giving them the same exposure to the Hampshire Cricket coaches who ran the sessions.

The cricket season started with a fixture against Hursley Cricket Club. Having had so many attend pre-season training, there were 13 girls available to play and so the fielders were rotated every 5 overs with everyone playing an important role. It was a very competitive game throughout and saw KES miss out on a win by just 12 runs. Although it may not have been a win, it was an excellent result for the first weekend fixture.

The girls continued to improve, with their confidence in their batting abilities growing. This allowed a better understanding of match play and the need to score the extra single runs to keep the run rate up during overs. The next two fixtures saw the side suffer another two very narrow losses (against Lord Wandsworth and Bryanston) with the games being won by 3 runs & 6 runs respectively.

The girls’ hard work and the team cohesion saw KES field a team against Totton & Ealing in an evening game. This game was thrilling from the very first to the very last ball, with some excellent individual performances. The KES 1st XI set a score of 92-4 from their 20 overs, leaving Totton to score 93 to win. The girls headed out ready to defend their score and some excellent catches close in at cover, followed by some dives on the boundaries, meant that Totton were bowled out for 90 with 2 overs to spare.

The only away game of the season saw the team travel to Charterhouse School. This was one of the best performances that I have witnessed this season. With some excellent batting from everyone (with our opening batters scoring a partnership of 45), this was then followed up by Amelie scoring

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27 off 28 balls with some lovely shots and plenty of boundaries. The girls set Charterhouse a score of 125 to win but, with some exceptional bowling and very faultless fielding, the 1st XI manged to keep Charterhouse to just 110 runs taking the 2nd win of the season.

I have had a wonderful summer term working with this team and I cannot wait to see what we can build on next year both when batting and fielding. There are most definitely some very exciting times ahead.

The term ended with a celebration meal; a lovely way to finish the season. It provided an opportunity to share memories of the season and wish those leaving the best of luck. Those girls remaining are looking forward to getting in the nets during the next pre-season training event. The development of girls’ cricket at KES is ever-growing and the senior girls have done a fabulous job of setting an example to those in younger years, as well as being a credit to themselves.

Squad: Ellie (C), Daisy, Sanya, Amelie, Rhea, Georgina, Sophie, Matilde, Freya, Hannah, Charlotte, Alice, Charlotte, Annabel, Isla, Erin, Evie, Millie, Emily, Elinor, Isobel and Milly.

Coach: Miss Cole

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Rugby overview

The 2021 rugby season at KES has been hugely successful and extremely busy for all members of the coaching staff and students. After reflecting on the season, I am filled with immense pride for all who have participated this year. Fourteen boys’ teams across all the age ranges represented the School and it was a much-anticipated return to school rugby after a long two-year break.

Over the course of the season over 200 boys participated in 81 fixtures, across national and county cups, as well as block fixtures against local schools.

Special mention must go to the U14A team who had a fantastic year (winning 72% of their games) and the U12 B and C teams who won a combined 90% of their matches.

The 1st XV and the U14 A teams started their cup campaigns in winning ways. The U14s cruised through the early rounds of cup until they were, unfortunately, halted by PGS after a long half-term

break; coming off second best in a thrilling 30-35 game. However, they re-grouped and when meeting the same team in a block fixture at the end of the term, they came up winners with a score line of 50-0, showing the hard work put in, and improvements made, by the players and coaches.

We have seen record numbers of First Year boys competing in competitive fixtures this year. Well done to all those boys who played, and a huge thank you to the coaching team of Mr Kent, Mr Rosenburg and Mr Nichols, who have invested a lot of time in planning and developing a competitive U12 training programme. Mr Nichols organised a number of internal festivals for the U12s when they didn’t have fixtures and this was instrumental in keeping the boys engaged and continuously improving. Over 25 boys representing the team and they recorded a 100% winning record.

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There have been some great individual achievements throughout the year. At U14 level, a number of boys were selected for the London Irish DPP programme, which continued the long-standing relationship between the club and the School. A special mention goes to Hugo who was selected for the London Irish Gold Squad this year ensuring his place amongst the top players in the region.

Also, Upper Sixth Form student, Will, played for the Lambs in the President’s Cup; a great honour indeed to represent one of the longest-running schoolboy teams.

Thank you to all of the pupils who have taken part in the rugby programme this year, in particular those Upper Sixth and Fifth Year boys who are leaving the school and who have demonstrated such high levels of commitment and passion for the game during their time at King Edward’s and to all of the coaching staff without whom none of the amazing achievements and experiences had by the pupils would have happened. The standard of rugby coaching at KES is remarkable and this is thanks to Mr Penn, Mr Collinson, Mr Sinclair, Mr Laverty, Mr Aellen, Mr Powell, Mr Dormehl, Mr Piggott, Mr Kent, Mr Rosenburg and Mr Nichols.

Mr Richardson Head of Rugby

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Boys’ U12A rugby report

Played: 7 Won:3 Drew:1 Lost:3 This was a most enjoyable season, and I am optimistic for the future. This group of students worked well throughout the season and there were glimpses of excellent rugby understanding, direct running and a real willingness to play an open game.

It is important to look beyond results at what the boys are trying to do and, whilst the results are encouraging, it is the more in-depth view that will be fun to watch develop. There is a good combination of players; those who like to be very direct and challenge the opposition to make tackles, those who always look for an offload to keep the ball alive and those who understand how to use open space.

After a good pre-season training day and a couple of Saturdays to establish and work with squads, there was real excitement for the first game - an away trip to PGS. This game ebbed and flowed as KES first took the lead but the opposition came back and eventually the game ended in a draw. Lord Wandsworth provided a very physical challenge and our players did well to maintain their composure throughout the match. The final score was a 10-20 defeat, but this certainly does not tell the story of the game. The U12As played the better rugby and with a much more positive attitude.

This is certainly a game which the KES boys can look back on and, in the future, hope to reverse the result.

It is also a perfect example of why we need to look beyond the result.

The away match at Dauntsey’s is one from which the boys learned a lot about themselves and each other.

Dauntsey’s were a strong team and whilst the KES side did have opportunities, the opposition were the better side winning 10-0. The U12As learned about the need to compete more physically, how to handle very tricky weather conditions, and the need to be clinical when opportunities present themselves. I was pleased that they put these lessons into practice in the games that followed. In the final game before half-term, the team visited Bournemouth and gained an extremely comfortable victory.

There were 3 games after half-term, and these were all excellent matches. Against Churcher’s, both teams were very even, and the KES team were unlucky to lose in the final play of the game. However, it was clear that many parts of their game were coming together. Against MCS Oxford, we scored some excellent tries in a 30-20 victory. Unfortunately, the Ryde game was cancelled and so we finished our season with the return fixture against PGS. The boys really did show how much progress they had made, being defensively more solid and showing good use of the ball to score some excellent tries. It was a fitting conclusion to a positive first season at the School for this group.

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This is a group with a wide range of attributes.

Strength, power and decision making are all valuable qualities but perhaps their best attribute was their sheer enthusiasm. Even on the coldest, darkest November evenings there were still over 40 boys attending training. I very much hope this will continue and all the teams in this year group will go on to have successful rugby careers at KES.

the players thank you for your efforts and enthusiasm and to the parents many thanks indeed for your support, not only on the side-line but also in the message that we are trying to instil in the players.

Coach: Mr Kent Squad: Oscar (Capt.), Freddy, Josh, Josh, Callum, George, Will, Hugh, Angus, Ben, Zach, Kian, Will, Faris, Finley and Hugo

Thank you to Mr Rosenburg and Mr Nicholls whose relentless work with the B and C teams led to there being so much strength in depth in this year group. To

Boys’ U12B rugby report Played: 7 Won: 6 Drew: 1 Lost: 0 This season the U12B team played a full set of fixtures against a number of local schools. The squad have made a very promising start to rugby at KES and there is a lot of potential to build upon over the next couple of years. The most satisfying aspects of the season were the fact that the team’s performances improved each week and, whoever was available, the players’ commitment was always 100% as they continued to work at, and develop, their skills set.

Following a couple of after-school and Saturday morning training sessions, the team started their matches away to local rivals PGS. The game was played in an excellent spirit and the standard of play from both sides was very good considering it was so early in the season. KES took an early lead, only to be pegged back late in the second half. With a couple of minutes to go, the score stood at 6-6, but some final late pressure by KES saw them score two late tries to win 8-6. The next three weekends saw fixtures against Lord Wandsworth College, Dauntsey’s School and Bournemouth School. The first two are always very difficult fixtures, but the team played some excellent attacking rugby and defended their try line with tenacity, which enabled three victories to be achieved, 6-3, 4-0 and 6-3. The team entered the halfterm break undefeated.

The second half of the season is always more challenging with tough fixtures against Churcher’s College and Magdalen College Oxford, as well as a return fixture against PGS. Churcher’s College proved to be the most difficult match of the season. KES started very well and were the better team for the majority of the first half. However, strong tackling and some missed opportunities saw KES only score two tries and, with almost the last play of the first

half, Churcher’s broke away and scored a try against the run of play. KES scored early in the second half to lead 3-1 but, from then on, Churcher’s dominated large periods of the match and only some last-ditch tackling and missed passes stopped Churcher’s from scoring more than two tries. In the end a draw was probably a fair result. The last two matches of the season ended up with KES securing comfortable victories against Magdalen College, 10-3 and PGS, 12-3. The standard of play by the KES players in these final matches was very encouraging and certainly bodes well for the future. The players fully deserved to go through the season unbeaten.

I would like to thank all the boys who have represented the U12B team this season and their parents for the positive support that they have given the players and myself. It has been great working with them and I look forward to seeing and hearing about future successes.

Coach: Mr Rosenburg Squad: Freddy, Adam, Maks, Charlie, William, Joe, William, Hugh, Angus, Ben, Harry, Kian, Sebastian, Leo Spencer, Jake, William, Oscar, Isaac, Jamie, William, Finley and Hugo.

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Boys’ U12C rugby report Played: 6 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 0 Twenty-seven boys turned out for the U12C team over the season, playing 6 competitive games and scoring 43 tries between them.

The U12C team scored 13 tries in their first competitive outing against PGS. It was very rewarding to see them work hard as a team, putting into practice everything they have been working on in training.

Given how little work they had managed to do on tackling, everyone had a go and there was some very good tackling technique on show.

The second game was touch rugby against Lord Wandsworth College. The boys responded brilliantly to the change and worked really hard to move the ball quickly and find the gaps in defence. Their handling was much improved and they were able to recycle the ball at pace after each touch was called. They won the game by 5 tries to 2.

At a wet and windy Dauntsey’s, the team took a while to get going in a shortened game. After conceding an early try, they took control of the match and by the end were comfortable winners by 5 tries to 1.

Their success was built on some very good running into spaces, recycling the ball quickly in the ruck and excellent team communication.

The boys continued where they left off before halfterm with a storming 40-30 victory against a strong Churcher’s side. With the benefit of training on Monday and Wednesday, they were able to attack in straighter lines and, once again, the support play and off loads worked really well. In decent playing conditions, Churcher’s had the better of the first quarter, running in 2 tries, but KES got themselves back into contention and, after a half-time chat about moving the ball wide and making their tackles, the boys powered into the lead and never looked back.

The unbeaten run continued to the following week against Magdalen College School, Oxford where the U12Cs secured a comfortable victory for KES, racing out to a 7 try lead by midway through the second half.

The boys worked hard as a team and rarely gave the opposition any space when they had the ball, often pushing them way back into their half. A rally by MCS in the final quarter yielded 3 tries but it wasn’t enough with KES scoring their 8th try before the whistle blew for full-time.

With a record turnout of players for KES and only 8 for PGS in the final fixture, KES dominated play from the start and had soon built up an unassailable lead.

With the unbeaten record preserved, the boys settled down and played some outstanding attacking rugby whilst not giving an inch to PGS when they had the ball. PGS rarely got over the gain line and when they did, tackles were made, solid rucks were formed and the defensive line was quickly up to prevent them any kind of momentum.

Well done to all the boys this season. Winning all 6 games is quite the achievement but more importantly, more than 27 players represented the team over the season and built up a great team spirit during games sessions and after-school practice. We look forward to seeing you all in the U13s in 2022.

Coach: Mr Nichols Squad: Nik, Ossian, Maks, Will, Seb, Saul, Hugo, Isaac, Arran, Joe, Henry, Callum, Charlie, Finn, Harry, George, Thomas, Nathan, Will, Seb, Logan, Oscar, Isaac, Reuben, Ben, Sam and Lucas.

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Boys’ U13A rugby report

Played: 8 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 3 Having never coached a junior team at KES before, the overriding feeling I had as I started our preseason training in August was – fear! Would I be too loud, too bossy or too animated? The truth is, as soon as I was confronted by the hoards of U13 players I realised that I was dealing with some of the most talented, charismatic and determined athletes I had ever had the privilege to coach.

One solitary morning of organisation would never be enough to prepare ourselves with the first opponents of the season; Halliford. Despite some amazing points scored and tackles made, the side were beaten.

With numbers at training rarely falling below 40, the players muscled up and got to work against PGS and LWC in consecutive weeks with good wins, but even better performances. The battle with Dauntsey’s in horrendous weather proved a little too difficult, as was the match against Walhampton. The trip to Bournemouth was very successful but the games of the season were yet to be played.

In consecutive weeks, our amazing parents were entertained with some of the most scintillating rugby; a draw at home to Churcher’s and an incredible away win at Magdalen College School – these games were simply breath-taking in their intensity and skill

levels. Add in a phenomenal tour to Edinburgh during the October break and you may never see a more spellbinding season of rugby compacted within 13 weeks! I have been so lucky with the entire playing group. A mention must go to Tom who has emerged as one of the most talented leaders I have worked with, Athav who has scored tries from everywhere and Joshua who was our most improved player of the season. Lastly, Noah – a truly inspirational player who is as dangerous on the attack as he is in defence; he was our 2021-2022 U13 Player of the Season.

Thank you to the KES medical team for keeping the players safe and healthy, thank you to our parents for their patience and transport and thank you to the site team for making our playing surfaces so amazing at Wellington Sports Grounds.

I cannot wait for August 2022.

Coach: Mr Powell Squad: Benji, Jack, Jake, Atharv, John, Angus, Jonathan, Henry, Hector, Tom (C), Joe, Edward, Will, Josh, Jack, Noah, Daniel, William, Ewan, Sam, James, James, Bertie, Stan and Leo.

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Boys’ U13B rugby report

Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The squad should rightly look back with a good deal of pride upon what was a successful term on the field and a pleasingly developmental one off it. The season started well as the team were one of the few to gain a victory against Halliford School, running out 65-40 winners in a true game of two halves.

Impressive victories over PGS, Lord Wandsworth and Dauntsey’s followed, with the side making their superior offloading game tell on attack, and often out-competing the opposition at the breakdown on defence. The one lean patch of the season followed with the team suffering back-to-back close losses to strong Churcher’s and Magdalen College sides, 15-20 and 25-35 respectively. Difficult lessons were learned, namely the importance of pulling together as a team when the going gets tough rather than letting heads drop and blaming one another. It should be noted that during the narrow loss to Churcher’s, Captain, Will, put in perhaps the performance of the season, bagging a brace of tries and making a number of dominant and important tackles against stern opposition.

After the two losses, it was a delight to see the team respond with a final convincing win over PGS to round off the season. Every player in the squad can take credit for the overall success although, beyond the aforementioned captain, special mention must go to Eddie, Sam and Henry who played the majority

of the season in this side and turned in consistently match-winning performances. Many of the players are already splitting their time between the A and B sides and with the progress made this season, that is a trend I see set to continue. This is a group of players that are clearly benefiting from the ‘world class basics’ focus that is instilled in them at KES and those will serve as an excellent platform as they go on to play more senior rugby next year and beyond.

Coach: Mr Dormehl Squad: Will, Henry, Eddie, Edward, Matthew, Hugo, William, Jonathan, Josh, Leo, Joe, Daniel, Sam, Aryan, Bertie, George, Hector, Charlie, Tom, Jimmy, Stan, Olly, Jake and Henry.

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2022

Boys’ U14A rugby report

Played: 10 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 After a lengthy period of playing non-contact rugby, there was great anticipation ahead of this season. All coaching staff had been impressed with this group’s skill level and the potential for fast, attacking rugby was high. The squad had also been boosted by the addition of a handful of players who had joined the School at the beginning of the academic year.

The season kicked off on 4th September against Halliford School. It was a hot day and some of our players had clearly neglected their pre-season fitness.

However, in what turned out to be a comfortable afternoon, KES won. Ben impressed with his intelligent running from full back.

The next fixture, against a physical Oratory team, was a reminder of how tough rugby can be. KES rose to the challenge, matching the Oratory’s commitment to the tackle. Ethan’s performance was particularly significant during this match, as was Jonty’s tackling.

The core remained close throughout, with KES holding on to a 17-19 victory. Unfortunately, in the last few seconds of the match, after selling the most outrageous dummy of the season, Sam sustained a significant injury that would rule him out for the rest of the season.

There was to be no let up from the physical challenge.

The next match was an away fixture against Lord Wandsworth. This was another game where KES had to match a competitive, tough opposition whose aggressive approach crossed the line of acceptability on occasion. However, the majority of players on the pitch, and all of the KES team, maintained their discipline and this was key to a 21-31 win for us.

It was clear that the team was capable of high levels of commitment and we felt that with a greater degree of focus in attack, increased game management and a more organised defence, this could be an unbeaten team. The good news continued in the following home match against Dauntsey’s as KES maintained their unbeaten record with Ed again demonstrating a high level of skill in attack and defence.

The next three matches brought us down to earth!

First was a defeat away at Bournemouth. With seven regulars unavailable, this was always going to be a difficult match. This was not made any easier by the size of the Bournemouth pack. Second was a midweek trip to PGS for a cup match. This turned out to be a low point in terms of performance and the KES side lost away by 30-35. Thirdly was an away trip to Churcher’s. Unsurprisingly the opposition were well drilled and effective on their small sized pitch and the KES side recorded a 0-15 loss.

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Thankfully the team worked hard during training sessions and bounced back to a well-deserved victory at home to Magdelen College Oxford. This was a match that saw the return of Luke after injury.

His competitiveness and focus were a great example to other members of the team who responded accordingly. The good form continued for what turned out to be the coldest game of the season, at home against Ryde. The team showed grit and resilience to take the victory. Thanks, should also go to the parents who withstood the artic conditions to support us that day.

Throughout the season the team had been led by captain Harry who had impressed his coaches from the outset with his all-round ability, but even more so with his mature leadership on the field. This was

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particularly evident in the final match of the season where the team put in a well organised defensive performance, backed up with skilful and speedy attacking play, to beat PGS by 50-0.

The final game was a fitting end to a rugby season characterised by commitment in training and during the games. I would like to thank all of the boys who played.

Coach: Mr Laverty Squad: Alex, Harry, Edward, Ethan, Luke, Theo, Nicholas, Henry, Lucas, George, Jonty, Max, Oscar, Ben, Xander, Fin, Ioan, James, John-Paul, Harry, Seth, Ayinen, Sam, James, Ollie, Jasper, Dan and Sam.

Boys’ U14B rugby report Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 It was great to be back on the rugby field for KES and this season 33 boys have represented the school for the B team in a fixture. Regularly, many more than this were present at the combined A and B team training. The team didn’t go in for close games; with both big wins and losses along the way, and the closest game a 15-0 loss.

The boys played open, running rugby and, over the season, the forwards became more dominant and were able to turnover the ball at the breakdown, and score on the counter-attack. Collectively, the side scored 41 tries and it is a mark of the depth of talent that 16 different players crossed the try line. Of those who turned out for the B team, 15 players went on to represent the A team at some point throughout the season, and several have inked themselves into the As for next year. Equally as pleasing are those boys who have not represented the School, or who played in the two C team games, but are now enjoying their rugby at a higher level.

It is always a pleasure to finish with a win over PGS and this year, this was the biggest win of the season. The first breakdown set the tone of the game, with Max and Charles securing the ball from a good tackle, for James to release and cross the line

untouched. All season, Will glued the team together from scrum-half with Nick and Theo the other two players who played every match. Other notable performances abound but Ayinen deserves a mention for his tackling from full-back, in some of our tougher games, that saved a number of scores.

Thanks to those parents who supported home and away matches through the season.

Coach: Mr Aellen Squad: Theo, Nick, Will, Ollie, Charles, Josh, Ayinen, Alfie, Harry, Sam, Felix, Fred, Seth, Arjun, Monty, Darren, James, Henry, Dan, Rufus, Max, Euan, Oscar, John-Paul, Theo, Alex, Fin, Ioan, Angus, Joseph, Kenneth, Lucas and Sam.

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2022

Boys’ U15A rugby report

Played: 10 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 8 A look at this season’s results is not indicative of the amount of progress made this term by the U15A rugby team. Whilst it is true that this team often faced opposition who were much larger and more experienced rugby players, it should be noted that at no stage did they ever back down from the challenge, and it was heartening to see full training sessions on Thursdays throughout the term and also the boundless enthusiasm of the boys on Saturdays.

Some of the results bear closer scrutiny too: a first round defeat in the National Cup by Ringwood was disappointing, but the sheer size of the Ringwood team (the largest U15 side I have ever seen) meant that only a two-point defeat was something of a victory. Equally, although the margin of defeat against MCS was quite large, it was a much closer encounter than the score line suggests, with Joe’s try in the final minute a just reward for everyone’s hard work.

The two victories came in excellent matches against Bournemouth and Ryde, with plenty of running rugby from both sides.

The U15As were ably captained throughout the season by Nathan, who was a formidable presence in all areas of the field, and vice-captained by Rory, whose control of the backline was consistently excellent. Player of the season has to go to Munashe, however, whose incredibly quick feet and lightning pace brought some spectacular tries out of nowhere and who was always one to watch.

Coach: Mr Collinson Squad: Cassian, Tom, Tom, Charlie, Efe, Caspar, Ben, Joe, Joe, Charlie, Freddie, Angus, Nathan (C), Dan, Enzo, Matt, Alex, Archie, Henry, Rory, Ollie, Ollie, Ben, Munashe and Eddie.

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Boys’ U15B rugby report

Played: 5 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The results summary clearly indicates that for the U15B team this was very much a season of transition, where a combination of rustiness, due to the pandemic, and issues with player availability made for a challenging set of fixtures. Nevertheless, there were some outstanding individual performances during the season, and I am confident that a number of players in the squad will go on to play 1st XV rugby in the future.

The season began against a very well-resourced and practised Oratory side who ran out comfortable winners. That being said, Joe scored two excellent tries and he proved to be our most potent weapon in attack throughout the season. The games against Lord Wandsworth and Dauntsey’s proved equally challenging, however, it was clear that the defensive level of the team was improving and Charlie brought a bruising physicality to these matches that quickly saw him elevated into the A team.

The game against Churcher’s was finely balanced with the U15Bs leading for much of the first half, following another fine try by Joe. Regrettably, a combination of superior rugby know-how and dominance at the breakdown, saw Churcher’s score three tries to take the game. The final game against Magdalen was a very open and enjoyable affair with

excellent tries scored by both sides. Tom was a constant threat in a new position at fly half and both Sam and Ben scored excellent tries. Credit must also go to Daniel who has developed into a fearsome tackler and ball carrier. Sadly, Magdalen took advantage of some poor defending and were able to claim the victory.

My thanks go to Matthew who was an outstanding Captain and led his team by example in every match and training session. In spite of the disappointing results, this group were a pleasure to work with and I look forward to seeing the development in their rugby as they move through the School.

Coach: Mr Sinclair Squad: Paddy, Sam, Oliver, Henry, Charlie, Tom, Tom, Harry, Daniel, Ben, Joe, Angus, Jamie, Joe, Max, Raaghav, Matthew, Hamish, Ben, Caspar, Nicholas, Harman, Jamie, Freddy and Oscar

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2022

Boys’ U16 rugby report

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 5 The U16s have been an enjoyable group of boys to work with throughout the season. Individually, they have an enormous amount of potential and some of the performances this season have been magnificent.

They started the season well, against a well matched Halliford side (22-17 loss). Some excellent tries were scored by both teams but unfortunately the Halliford pack’s size allowed them to get their noses in front with 5 minutes to go.

Next up for the team were The Oratory and Lord Wandsworth College. The boys played well, but both opposition sides were very effective in defence and the players could not get enough possession or territory to mount any substantial attacking chances.

They worked on their defensive mindset in games and it was the first time in the season that I had seen the boys develop a tough, hard edge to their game.

No-one shirked a tackle, missed a ruck or let their team-mates down and this would be the corner stone of their game moving towards the half-term break.

Unfortunately, the Oratory and LWC games ended in 14-30 and 0-29 losses.

The two games prior to half-term were outstanding and showed what this team were capable of when

they all fired up at the same time. Their running game was sharp, passing was crisp and slick, defence was brutal and organised and every member of the team was playing for the man on his inside and outside.

Bournemouth and Dauntsey’s had no answers with both schools losing by a crushing margin of 31-7!!

The boys had a real buzz about them going into the half-term break and I hoped that the boys could carry this momentum through the long break into the latter half of the season.

The first game back was against a strong Churcher’s side. The team started well keeping their opponents to 0-0 after 10 minutes. Then the KES boys stopped playing and allowed Churcher’s to dictate the flow and pace of the game. They battled on, defending with aggression, but Churcher’s were dominating every area of the game. Half-time could not come soon enough for the KES team. When the whistle went (with the score at 27-0 to the Churcher’s side), Mr Penn cracked out his Sir Alec Ferguson team talk hoping that it would have the desired effect. The second half was a complete reversal of the first. The KES U16 boys dominated every area of the game.

Andre, Harry and Hugo ran in almost unopposed tries to get the score to 27-21 with 5 minutes to go. The team was exceptional in that second half and showed what character they all possess when their backs are against the wall. For me, that second half was up

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there with the performance of the season.

A very forgettable performance against a weak Magdalen College side was disappointing. However, the boys trained amazingly well the following week and travelled to Ryde where they put in a superb display of attacking rugby blowing Ryde away 29-12.

This set up the season finale against PGS!! Both sides were out to win the local derby and both sides did not give an inch throughout. The wind was gusting from end to end and played a pivotal role in the game. Playing into the wind during the first half was hard going but the boys defended impeccably, chopping everything that moved. An interception from Harry gave KES a slim advantage at the break, in the knowledge that they would be playing against the wind in the second half. Andre scored the try of the season, with a superb piece of strength, pace and individual skill and, 5 minutes later, after some excellent hands, Luca went over in the corner. This meant that game management needed to be good for the remaining 10 minutes - a ‘kick long’ and ‘chase as one’ strategy. But, as the team has shown all season, you cannot contain flare and enthusiasm in 16-year-old boys and the players were keen to play from anywhere. A couple of dropped passes meant that the side gave PGS field position and they went over for a score with the final play of the game, and subsequently getting the conversion to make it a 2424 draw. A fair result, as it turned out, but a cracking game of rugby for the neutral spectators.

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I would like to thank every single member of the U16s.

I have had a very enjoyable season and you should all be very proud of what you have achieved, both on and off the field, and as a group. Your energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn has been inspiring and I will be following each one of your rugby journeys over the coming years with great interest. Thank you to all the parents who have made the trips to watch your sons play each weekend. I really appreciate your support and I know that they always get a lift from having you all there.

Lastly, I would like to thank our U16 Captain, Hugo.

He has led from the front at training, and in matches, with his commitment, exceptional game awareness, carrying, passing, kicking and defensive displays each week. His maturity, leadership and team motivation have been a major part of this team’s development over the course of this season. Thank you Hugo for all your efforts this season.

Coach: Mr Penn Squad: Andre, Freddie E, Hugo (C), Luca, Ollie, Frazer, Jamie, Harry, Archie, Tom, Ethan, Rory, Joe, Freddie F, Santiago, Archie L, Max, Oli, Ryan, Oli, Kobe, Nic and Sam.

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2022

1st XV Rugby report

Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The 1st XV enjoyed an extremely positive return to school rugby. With only one game cancelled, due to the opposition not being able to raise a side. The team enjoyed a wealth of training, games and their first annual pre-season tour.

The season started at the end of August with the squad getting together for the first time and travelling to Lovaton for three days of training, team building and matches. The group arrived at Ivybridge Rugby Club on the Monday afternoon for a training session before heading back to Lovaton. Mr Powell and Mr Dormehl helped lead the trip and were instrumental in running training sessions and social activities Adrenaline Quarry followed by Devon Fish and Chips were a favourite. The group was hosted by Plymouth college and played a match against Devonport Services. It was a great game played on the Navy 4G pitch which ended with KES emerging the victors.

With a pre-season tour and a few days of training back at Wellington under their belts, the boys were ready to take on the annual South Coast Kings Tournament. The first game against Dauntsey’s was an aggressive encounter with both sides trying to put their mark on the tournament, and ended with neither team giving an inch and a 0-0 score line. With a victory over Churcher’s 2nd XV, the 1st XV did not go

through on points difference but gave a great account of ourselves.

The first game of the season was the opener of the NatWest Schools’ Plate campaign with a ferry ride across the Solent. There were standout performances from Will and Harry, meaning the team came out the outstanding winners with a score of 47-0.

Up next was the first home game of the season against The Oratory School who are always a strong opponent. On a boiling hot day on a hard deck, they hit hard in the first half racking up 4 quick tries.

The half-time whistle was welcome but under Will’s leadership, the boys rallied and, through the speed and determination of Huw, who recorded 3 tries on the day, the team ended up winning the second half but, unfortunately, still finishing second best after the final whistle.

Having not been able to play on the 1st XV pitch the week before, the LWC match was much anticipated.

The team ran out to applause from parents, friends and a team of trusty First Year players who had stayed on after their game. This game had all the set-up to be a classic, and it didn’t disappoint. It was an extremely physical encounter with both sides not giving an inch. Both teams traded blows throughout the game and victory for either hung in the balance

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until the final whistle. KES were trailing with 5 minutes to go and, with a scrum in their half, still had it all to do. Harry took the ball to the gain, Will hit a perfect line, and the ball straight through the LWC centre players practically untouched. With still half the pitch to go and two players to beat, he tucked his ears back and headed straight for the corner flag - Try! Some solid KES plays saw the game out and the first home win of the season recorded 30-27!

Dauntsey’s and Churcher’s always provide tough challenges for the team. Whilst playing some really positive rugby, the size of the squads and, at times, players provided a physical battle in which KES finished in second place. The away game at Magdalen College was a spectacular game of rugby with KES putting together their best performance of the year against a very good MCS side. Unfortunately, the home side ended up victorious 21-38.

The team finished the season extremely strong, which is a testament to this group of players.

Another resounding win against Ryde School at home, and one of the most nervous wins I’ve ever been a part of, at PGS rounded off the season in style 31-29.

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I would like to thank all of the boys involved in the 1st XV this year. For my first season as Head of Rugby, I couldn’t have asked for a better group. They worked immensely hard, played the game with respect and integrity whilst still being utterly hilarious and a pleasure to be around. Thanks to Captain, Will, who led by example all year, and to all the boys for their hard work and commitment. I hope that all of the leavers can look back on this season with immense pride and great memories - you will be sorely missed.

Coach: Mr Richardson Squad: Charlie, Kym, Kerem, Oscar, Ben, Ben, Daniel, Bruno, Monty, Joe, Huw, Harry (VC), William (C), Sam, Alexander, Eric, Thomas, Jack, Aaron, Andrew, Cameron, Matt , Harry, Will, Charlie and Tom.

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2022

Boys’ Hockey overview

Once again, the hockey at King Edward’s took many steps forward during the 2022 season. Having missed the 2021 season, the boys have bounced back to a full hockey term with great enthusiasm. There was notable success at all levels and we became a regular in the newly structured South Central area, with many teams narrowly missing out on a place at nationals. The numbers at training every week was incredible with U12, U13 and U14 age groups having over 45 boys at every training, regardless of the weather.

The depth in boys’ hockey was shown in the ability to be competitive across a number of different age groups in national qualifying tournaments. The U14 team had a great run, winning the Hampshire Cup and their group and semi-final at the South Central final. They were unlucky not to have qualified for the National finals after a 1-0 loss in the final game.

The U16 boys had a good run in the U16 Tier 2 competition, having had some great wins early on in the competition before being knocked out at the quarter-final stage. The U13 boys won the Hampshire Cup but lost in the regional semi-final despite putting in a class performance. The U15s lost in the U16 Tier 3 semi-final but learnt a huge amount during the day.

The boys continued to be challenged during Games sessions and after school training. The high numbers of boys attending sessions was a great advert for the popularity of boys’ hockey at KES and the range of levels offered; from the high performance players to the players in the lower teams.

Indoor hockey proved, again, to be very popular amongst the boys. The U16 boys’ team won the South Central round and qualified for the nationals finishing in a respectable 3rd place; a great result for such a young team and we look forward to seeing how they develop over the next few years.

I would like to thank the coaching staff for helping put teams out each week, as the term is short and intense which requires many teams per week. The large number of boys playing is a credit to the coaches who have been positive and created a culture of hockey amongst the boys.

Thank you to Mr Gilbert, Mr Jackson, Mr Cross, Mr Richardson, Mrs Kelly, Dr Fewtrell, Mr Kent, Mr Penn, Mr Sheppard, Mr Bassett, and Mr Barley.

Mr Crichton

Head of Hockey

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Boys’ U12A hockey report

Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 Despite a turbulent start to the season due to poor weather, frozen pitches and COVID outbreaks in our opposition, the U12A side had a successful and developmental season demonstrating resilience and a real determination to learn and to train hard. The boys were enthusiastic, hardworking, dedicated to their commitments on a Saturday and demonstrated some real skill on the hockey pitch. We had a very competitive fixture list and, although the season started slowly due to cancelled fixtures, the additional training time and internal festivals really allowed the boys to develop; and what fun they had! It was just so lovely to be able to play and train together after such a long gap due to the pandemic. The fixture list really tested the boys and it has been incredible to see their progress as the season progressed; a particular highlight being the In2Hockey involvement for our boys.

The boys started the season with an internal training festival with Embley with 58 KES First Year boys playing. Many of the A team boys captained the teams for this festival and their encouragement, advice and support of all of the players was first rate.

They should be very proud of themselves; particularly as some of the KES boys were experiencing their first ever hockey festival being new to the sport. The boys really did rise to the challenge with KES fielding 6

teams. It was a fabulous morning of hockey and was a great way to start the season.

The boys enjoyed excellent wins against Lord Wandsworth College (2-1) and Warminster School (6-3) and really demonstrated what type of team they wanted to be. They got stuck in and defended extremely well after learning how to press successfully. Their attitude was impressive and Captain, Oscar, demonstrated early on that he was prepared to lead his team to achieve some excellent performances and consequently some fabulous results. The toughest fixture of the season was against RGS Guildford; where the boys travelled to Guildford and lost 7-1 to a very drilled, skilful, athletic and talented team. Although they lost the fixture, the boys took much away from the game and the experience gave them much to work on.

There were also competitive fixtures against Churcher’s College and St George’s, Weybridge.

Although the KES team lost these matches, they really did take much from the opportunity.

Well done boys on an excellent season!! We can’t wait for next season!

Coach: Mrs Kelly and Mr Cross

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2022

Fun! Competitive! Talented! Inclusive! Just a few words to describe the Under 12 boys’ hockey squads this season. As one of the coaches responsible for the U12 teams this season, alongside Mr Cross, I can wholeheartedly say how proud I am of every one of the players in this year group. They have all progressed so much and for many of the boys, this was a new game for them: they really did throw themselves into every festival, inter-school match and internal match that was on offer.

The dedication, sense of fun and commitment to improve has simply been outstanding and every player involved relished the plethora of opportunities on offer to them. It has been amazing to note that 64 boys out of the 77 boys in the year have participated in hockey this season for the School or in training festivals. This is such a high level of participation and I am very excited to see how this talented, dedicated and enthusiastic group of boys develop as they progress through their School hockey career.

Squad: Freddy, Nikolas, Ossian, Patrick, Josh, Adam, Zac, Zach, Rik, Maks, William, Oscar, Sebastian, Joshua, Callum, Saul, Hugo, Isaac, Charlie, Arran, George, Nicholas, William, Alec, Liam, Joe, Adam, Thomas, William, Henry, Hugh, Angus, Luka, Raihan, Benjamin, Charlie, Zach, Finn, Harry, George, Robert, Thomas, William, Nathan, Yusef, Kian, Seb, Leo, Jake, Will, Logan, Usman, Oscar, Isaac, Jamie, Faris, Will, Finley, Reuben, Hugo, Ben, Sam, Lucas and Zhengjie.

Boys’ U12B hockey report Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The season started well with a highly entertaining tournament involving Embley, and a very comfortable 2-0 home win against Lord Wandsworth College.

Frosty mornings then disrupted the rest of January’s fixtures but there was, just before half-term, another chance for the boys to gain some more experience when Trojans were invited to a mini tournament.

Immediately after half-term the boys faced two of the toughest opponents on the school circuit but, in both fixtures, they only lost narrowly and showed great spirit right up until the final whistle. The final games of the season saw the boys win both and in some style. It was a pleasure for me to see how much progress the boys had made in so many aspects of their game and I look forward to watching their hockey flourish in the years to come.

Coach: Mr Cross

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Boys’ U12C hockey report Played: 4 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 The U12C team were truly the spirit of everything that, as coaches, we try to achieve. Development was key with these players and the progress from the start to the end of the season was unrecognisable. The squad was quite fluid at times - due to players moving up to the B team - but every single player that stepped in really did step up and they held their own.

The boys had a very solid season and, although they faced some tough opposition at times and had a disrupted start to the season, they produced some outstanding performances and the progress they made was fabulous. There were a number of C team players who had never played hockey prior to starting at KES and to see how well they took to the game was a joy to observe. The captaincy of the C team was shared throughout the season and it demonstrated that there were some very fine leaders emerging. The hockey festivals provided an excellent opportunity for the boys to develop their match play and to refine techniques and tactics.

A notable performance was against RGS, Guildford.

The U12C side recorded the only victory of the day for this age group and they really had to work hard against an athletic Guildford Team to secure a win of 4-1.

Well done boys – a fantastic season. You really should be proud of your progress. We really have enjoyed working with you.

Coach: Mrs Kelly and Mr Cross

The U12C team put in some fantastic performances and convincing wins against Churcher’s College (3-0), Lord Wandsworth College (3-0) and RGS, Guildford (4-1).

Boys’ U12D hockey report Played: 3 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 Frosty January mornings caused some of the early games to be cancelled but we did manage to have some entertaining triangular fixtures with Embley, Trojans and Warminster School that allowed the boys to gain some experience about playing as a team.

Unfortunately, the fixture list straight after halfterm was brutal with back-to-back matches against schools whose boys were far more experienced in all departments. However, the season ended on a bright note with two close encounters against Churcher’s and PGS. I hope the boys enjoyed their first term of school hockey and will look forward to representing the School next year.

Coach: Mr Cross

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Boys’ U13A hockey report Played: 14 Won: 11 Drew: 1 Lost: 2 This team has shown great potential and growth throughout the season and has taken some tough losses and turned them into positives.

The boys had not played together as a team in First Year due to lockdown and, with many boys in the A team having not played hockey before, the first game of the season against Kingston Grammar was always going to be a tough task. Kingston had a fantastic team and KES suffered a heavy loss, but this created a hunger in the boys to play as well as their opponents by the end of the term. They reflected on the match and were able to see the strengths and style of play that would help them be a force on the South Central and Hampshire circuit.

The boys bounced back to record good wins over LWC and MCS, scoring a handful of goals and setting themselves up for the Hampshire Cup mid-week tournament. The boys played well throughout the pool games and finished top of the pool with a draw against Walhampton in the final match. Winning the pool saw KES play Kings in a semi-final and, after a tough start to the match, the U13As pulled away to create a comfortable lead and run out winners. This semi-final victory saw KES face Walhampton again to decide the championship. Their opponents scored first and looked comfortable for the win but, with 2 minutes left, William made a great deflection past their goal keeper, levelling the score with one minute remaining. William then, again, made a great tackle outside the circle to set up the winning goal ensuring KES would be crowned Hampshire Champions. This was a fantastic result and boys all played a great part in the team’s success.

Against Warminster, with the opposition taking an early lead, the team fresh from their Hampshire cup win, slowly played themselves back into the match and finishing 7-2 winners. This was followed by a good win against Westhill Park and RGS Guildford; both very good hockey schools. The team played St George’s in another fantastic fixture and the boys did well to hold on to half-time. Unfortunately, St George’s secured a comfortable win but lots of lessons were learnt in preparation for the South Central finals.

The South Central finals were played at Reading Hockey Club and started well for the KES team who won their two opening matches guaranteeing a semi-final. However, the boys lost focus against a strong Sir William Borlase side and struggled against a very motivated team. SWBGS finished top of the group with KES having to play Walhampton again in the other pool. This third match against Walhampton was for a place in the South Central Final. KES started the stronger team and a quick long corner resulted in a deflection past the goalkeeper to give the boys the lead but the umpire disallowed the goal as the ball had not travelled 5 metres. The game was eventually won by Walhampton by a single goal and although the squad pushed hard for an equaliser, they were knocked out at the semi-final stage.

The team bounced back from their semi-final loss to finish the season with a good win against PGS and a hard fought draw against Churcher’s. This was a very talented team to work with and a side that has shown they have the potential to achieve great things as they go through the school. Well done to all boys for a fantastic season.

Coach: Mr Crichton Squad: Benji, James, Jake, Noah, James, Bertie (C), Josh, Sam, Angus and William

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Boys’ U13B hockey report Played: 8 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 4 Whilst not all the results went the way of this team, the season can be viewed as a successful one. A large number of boys gained experience of B team hockey, many of whom moved on to get a game in the A team, and they will have learned much that they can take into next season when they move to 11-a-side.

The team had a baptism of fire against a very strong Kingston Grammar School side which finished in a 6-0 defeat that could, in all honesty, have been even heavier. Lord Wandsworth College provided the next challenge and the boys came through well, winning 5-4. Against Magdalen College School, Oxford the boys started well, taking the lead, but the opposition found their feet in the second half and KES lost 3-5. A theme was becoming apparent and the boys started to realise that when they dribbled too much they lost and when they passed they gained success. It was very pleasing, therefore, to put a good passing game together to finish the first half of term with a good 5-2 win over West Hill Park.

managed to gain a comfortable victory to conclude the season.

I very much enjoyed working with the whole U13 squad and the B team, in particular, showed a lot of progress. Their first touch improved and they became more comfortable on the ball which resulted in them making better decisions as the season progressed. They also developed a good understanding of the structures involved in

The U13Bs had mixed fortunes in the second half of term but, throughout, they worked hard and the progress was evident. They had a good game against RGS Guildford, which ended in a 3-2 defeat, and an impressive St George’s Weybridge proved to be too strong, winning 1-5. The final two games of the season both ended in a KES victory and was a fair reward for the effort that the boys put in. Against Churcher’s, KES was the stronger team but let them into the game. Eventually, however, the side took their chances to finish with a 4-3 win. The season finished

successful hockey which they will be able to transfer

against PGS and things clicked really well as the boys

Matthew, Eddie, Will, Leo, Ewan, Stan, Leo and Olly.

to the full pitch game next year.

Thanks to Mr Crichton for leading the work with this age group and to the many staff who helped take the teams at various times over the course of the term.

Coach: Mr Kent Squad: The following students played at least 3 matches for this team: Atharv, Henry, Hector, Tom,

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Boys’ U13C hockey report Played: 8 Won: 4 Drew: 2 Lost: 2 The U13C team had a successful season and showed great character in their wins and fought hard in their losses. They recorded wins against LWC, MCS, Warminster and Churcher’s. The two losses were against two of the strongest hockey playing schools on the circuit, Kingston Grammar and St George’s.

The team did well to secure a 1-1 draw against Embley’s U13A side and a 1-1 draw against RGS Guildford.

This was a highly motivated team and this could be seen at their training and Games sessions. The improvement throughout the season was noticeable, with many boys being promoted. Well done on a fantastic season.

Coach: Mr Crichton Squad: Eddie, Jonathan (C), Jimmy, Rivinu, Jack, Andrew, Tom, Alex, Olly, Stan, Hugo, Charlie, Edward, Daniel, Navashen, George, Harry, Lucas, Jack and Will.

Boys’ U13D hockey report Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 The U13D team started the season with good wins against Embley’s U13B side (4-2), Kingston Grammar (4-2) and MCS 2-0. The depth of hockey players at this age group has shown in the strength of the U13D team against some bigger hockey schools. After their initial win the boys lost to Warminster U13B but played well in the match. The team then bounced back to record an excellent 3-0 win against a strong RGS Guildford team - a fantastic result.

The side suffered two losses at the end of the season to St George’s and Churcher’s and, unfortunately. the final match against PGS was cancelled. Well done to all the boys who played for the U13D team. The boys showed improvement and dedication throughout the season and this showed in their technical and tactical understanding. I am sure a few boys will be pushing for places in the U14B team next season.

Coach: Mr Crichton Squad: Jimmy, Lucas, Darsh, Aarav, Oliver, Daniel, Parrv, Rayan, Alessio, Will, Charlie, George, Henry, Charlie, Alex, Jonathan, Tom, Andrew, Edward, Navashen and Edward.

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Boys’ U14A hockey report

Played: 19 Won: 18 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 This year, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to coach one of the most talented junior groups of hockey players that I have ever come across.

Whereas most teams will have a solid 6 players, with maybe one or two who are notably good, this team is very strong throughout, with one or two who are exceptional. On top of this the boys have a fabulous team spirit and a great work ethic.

The season has been marked by outstanding performances and great team play. There has been tough competition for places in the A team and it was heartening that all players fought hard for their wellearned places and graciously accepted when a move was required.

In terms of the block fixtures they have had 100% success winning all their games; most of them comfortably. A particular highlight for me was the game against a strong Magdalen College Oxford.

They strolled into the game thinking it would be another walkover and the KES side shocked them into submission from the get-go. Great performances across the pitch, good tracking back, smooth passing and effective attacking led the U14As to a wellearned 3-0 victory.

Tournament performances were invariably very strong but everyone was disappointed by the bitter defeat that occurred in the regional finals. It was the one game where the boys just didn’t do enough in the short time they had, and I rue the fact that, undoubtedly, this team would have done well at the national finals. In short, they were thoroughly

deserving of a place, given the commitment and skill they displayed throughout the season. I do take some solace in that they will have more opportunities in the years to come and I fully expect them to achieve this goal in the future.

If I could mention every member of the team I would but, suffice to say, everyone who has represented the A team has made a superb contribution this season.

Notable contributions have been made by all, but Ramanan’s tackling with Stead’s cool head, Roe’s exceptional distribution and work rate, Bulstrode’s skills on the ball and Pickering’s sometimes divine finishing have formed the backbone of the squad.

However, it would be extremely remiss not to single out Mayes as a truly gifted allrounder. One last mention goes to Osman - a self-confessed rugby player - who frequently questioned his own selection in the A team. I love his slightly self-deprecating attitude which often led to shock when he finished off some fantastic moves with a well struck shot or deft final touch. The opposition frequently underestimated him, and this was always to their detriment. By my count he was the top scorer in the team and rightly so!

The team was nearly always cohesive and incredibly positive and supportive and this was the true strength this year. I hope that this never changes as it is their defining quality.

Coach: Mr Jackson Squad: Rufus, Alex, Edward, Luke, George, William, Oscar, Ben, Ioan, Monty, Harry, Seth, Ayinen, Sam, James, Ollie, Lucca, Luke, Nemanja, Sam and James.

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Boys’ U14B hockey report Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 4 Lost: 1 The U14B hockey team had a brilliant season this year. Playing some high-quality hockey throughout the whole season.

The season started with a trip to Embley. With a number of new faces, and a new coach, there were a lot of unknowns. However, from the outset, the boys played fast paced high level hockey. Oscar ran the show from the middle, with some individual brilliance that led to a contender for ‘goal of the season’. A 3-0 win and a great start to the season.

After a few cancelled fixtures due to the weather, the team travelled to Lord Wandsworth College.

This was sure to be the first test of the season. The boys started strong, scoring a great team goal, but LWC came back to level the game. Through sheer determination - a clear theme throughout the season – KES scored a late goal to win the game 2-1.

The team continued on a great run through the middle part of the season, scoring goals, winning games and holding good teams to a draw. The

boys then travelled to Churcher’s College in the penultimate game of the season. The boys showed great character and played some nice hockey but unfortunately the dream of an undefeated season came to an end.

Coach: Mr Richardson Squad: Rufus, William, Darren, Alex, Theo, Edward, Lucas, Jonty, Edward, Josh, Oscar, Luke, Theodore, Monty, Angus, Arthur, Ethan, Dan and James.

Boys’ U14C hockey report Played: 4 Won: 1 Drew: 1 Lost: 2 This has been a special group of boys to work with this season. The boys love for hockey was evident in their attendance at after school training with over 18 boys available for the team on Saturdays.

There was a good mix of players new to hockey and experienced players. The team had a few games cancelled but were able to play 4 matches.

They started the season with a 1-1 draw against a strong LWC. The side learnt from their first match and put together a great period of play to win against Canford, 5-1, and delivered some great hockey. The boys, unfortunately, lost to a strong Churcher’s College team on a hot day 5-0 but James made some good saves. This was then followed by another loss to a good Seaford College. The team did have an excellent match against MCS and enjoyed the competition from a strong hockey school.

Well done to the squad for such a good season and for demonstrating such commitment to hockey over the term. I do expect a few of the boys in the U14C team to play for the 1st team one day as there are so many talented players to watch out for.

Coach: Mr Crichton Squad: Euan, James, Euan, Arun, Arthur, Sam, Alfie, Lucas, Tanush, John Paul, Dan, Nicholas, John, Samuel, Jasper, Harry, William, Dash, Ben and Felix.

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Boys’ U15A hockey report

Played: 12 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 7 The U15 A team have made exceptional progress this season. A heavy defeat against a strong Guildford side early in the year galvanised the players. The team was committed, focused and took on board feedback in a really positive way. A series of tight fixtures against Lord Wandsworth College, Sherbourne School, Magdalen College and Warminster School resulted in a win, a draw and two losses. In each of these matches, the team played with fluency and structure; however, they often lacked the ruthless instinct to score from the good chances they created.

Notably, Archie showed his quality in goal, making some fantastic saves for the team.

A hotly contested game against Canford School saw the team find the goals that had been lacking, and with it came some confidence in their ability to break teams down. The attacking unit of Harry, Tom, Nathan and Freddie showed purpose and precision in their passing and movement.

The South Central Hockey Finals was a fantastic day for the team. With good performances throughout, and excellent wins against Abingdon and Lord Wandsworth College, the KES U15s went on to finish in third place - a great achievement for the whole squad. Special mentions must go to Ben, Freddie, Charlie, Ashish and Ollie who were rock solid defensively.

In the latter half of the season, the team came up against some more strong opposition: Seaford College and St George’s. Whilst the results went against the King Edward’s side, the performances showed that they are able to compete against the highest level of opposition. Two wins out of two in the final games of the season was a perfect reward for the hard work and commitment that the team demonstrated throughout the season. Goals from Rory and Nathan showed the cutting edge that the team had, on occasion, been lacking, and mature performances from Tom, Alex and Charlie provided some excellent passages of play.

Credit must go to Rory who captained the side this year. He led by example and performed to a very high level. However, the successes of this season were not down to the sparks of individual brilliance (although there were undoubtedly highlights), but instead due to the progression and development of the entire squad.

Coach: Dr Fewtrell Squad: Archie, Joe, Ben, Freddie, Charlie, Cassian, Ashish, Rory, Alex, Tom, Freddie, Harry, Tom, Ollie and Nathan.

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Boys’ U15B hockey report Played: 10 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The first few training sessions and matches were spent developing core skills and improving positional play as the boys adjusted to playing full pitch 11-a-side hockey for the first time. Against Sherborne, the side played with great enthusiasm, drive and energy. Oli impressed and Joe showed his ability in goal but, unfortunately, the boys succumbed to a solitary goal. An improved display against St John’s, Leatherhead, earned a first victory but a poor first-half showing against Winchester College A team resulted in defeat. the pressure after half time. Harry was unfortunate A tricky game followed against a physical Lord Wandsworth College team who frustrated the U15Bs for much of the game. Despite KES displaying greater technical proficiency, LWC put the side under pressure and prevented any attacks through the middle. Max and Paddy were strong in defence whilst Eddie worked relentlessly in midfield. Ben opened the scoring from a well-worked team goal but KES went in level at half time. In the second half, the boys worked hard to use the flanks and add height to our attacks, showing impressive maturity and discipline throughout. The boys finally gained their reward through a precise Henry finish that completed a wellearned 2-1 victory.

not to increase the lead as the players created

Against Magdalen College School, the U15Bs went ahead through an excellent strike from Charlie before falling to a narrow defeat despite strong performances from Oliver and Zayd. One of the best games of the season followed as we travelled to Pangbourne College and successfully overcame their A team. KES dominated the game, attacking with much greater purpose and width than in previous matches. Henry struck from the centre of the D to give us a deserved half time lead and they maintained

group improved over the season.

numerous goal-scoring opportunities and restricted the opponents to only the occasional counter attack.

Finally, with just moments of the game remaining, Henry scored his second with a first-time finish that completed a fantastic 2-0 victory.

In a tight game against Canford, Junhao proved to be our super-sub as he scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half. The final victory came against Churcher’s College, with Caspar excelling in defence and Ben hitting top form as he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory. It was a great way to round off the season and showed how much this

Coach: Mr Barley Squad: The following boys represented the School at U15B team level in at least 2 fixtures: Ben, Oli, Zayd, Oliver, Paddy, Max, Henry, Ben, Joe, Charlie, Eddie, Harry, Caspar, Junhao, Tom, William, Dan and Raaghav.

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Boys’ U16A hockey report

Played: 10 Won: 3 Drew: 3 Lost: 4 The team started the season with an enthusiastic and hard-working performance to record a 3-1 away win against Sherborne. The boys competed with a strong Bradfield College outfit for long periods but were eventually well beaten by a stronger opponent in the first round of the National Cup. Tightening up the defensive ‘shape’ and releasing wide defenders down the flanks, the side proved more competitive in the next month with wins against Lord Wandsworth College and Bloxham as well as hard fought draws against Winchester College, MCS Oxford and Canford. With Captain, Tim, setting a fine example, the boys applied themselves well and can take pride in some good results. The game against Canford witnessed some heroic team defending, some fine goalkeeping and some last-ditch tackling which frustrated the opponents. When the U16As moved the ball better they were able to retain possession and then attack space. In defence the team was very disciplined and was pleasingly calm when playing the ball out. In midfield the players fought hard to gain possession but all too often gave the ball away too soon. In attack the boys ran well with the ball but could have run better off the ball to open up incisive passes for others.

For various reasons the team suffered from an inconsistent training regime. Rarely was everyone at training and working at match pace. Despite attempts to improve the training culture of the group, the intensity of play required to make training productive, and the desire to improve individual skills and teamwork, was lacking. This caught up with the group in the final part of the season suffering backto-back defeats against Clayesmore, St George’s College and Churcher’s College.

It was great to work with such a pleasant bunch of players. There is plenty of ability and enthusiasm within the group which will contribute well to 1st and 2nd XI hockey next year.

Coach: Mr Gilbert Squad: Sam, Sam, Ethan, Oliver, Oliver, Nick, Rory, Matt, Tim (C), Callum, Karam, Harry, James, Sam, Tom, Sam, Oliver and Mike.

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Boys’ U16B hockey report Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The playing summary represents a fine return for fixtures outside of the tournament, in what is inevitably a short season with other pursuits getting in the way of weekend matches. Initial matches proved challenging for a number of reasons; robust attendance at training and getting 11 players, including a goalkeeper, being the main administrative hindrance. Curiously, this seemed to foster a spirit of defiance amongst the remaining players and was rarely a problem in terms of the eventual result.

Ably led, both on and off the pitch by Jamie, the season started well with four home victories prior to half-term, with Lord Wandsworth, Magdalen College, Warminster School and Canford all on the receiving end of some surprisingly convincing teamwork and rapid attacking play. The boys proved to be a team with pace on their side and a fair degree of technical play, which ultimately created difficulty for opponents. It became increasingly clear to the team that regaining possession of the ball and feeding it out to the right would almost inevitably result in opportunities at the penalty spot or far post - the challenge was to get into position before Harry fired the ball across! Also, in the busy first half of term the team entered the Hampshire Tournament and competed well against A teams from other schools.

They won the group before ultimately finishing in 4th place out of 12 with narrow defeats to PGS A team in the semi-final and KES Witley in the play-off for 3rd. This was a great opportunity for the boys to pitch themselves against the 1st teams from around Hampshire and enjoy some competitive hockey.

The second half of the season was truncated by a lack of opposition but still featured a memorable scalp away at St George’s College. Depleted reserves for our final match at Churcher’s College proved untimely against an organised opposition and even a ‘man of the match’ performance from a notable younger brother could not save the day!

Over the course of the season, a number of players received nominations including Marcus, Harry, Jamie, Callum and Jake, which is not to belittle the numerous fine moments from others. In the regular season, the boys finished with a positive goal difference of 10 and contributions in this regard came from ten players in total, but it is Marcus that leads the way with four goals and so claims the golden stick for the season. The squad list below is in order of appearances, but grateful thanks to all who rose to the challenge of playing for the U16B side.

Coach: Mr Sheppard Squad: Freddie, Luka, Ini, Marcus, Karam, Peter, Jamie, Harry, Freddie, Savinu, Dylan, Oliver, George, Zak, Callum, Euan, Venura, Sam, Ollie, Sam, Jake, Isaac, Hugo, Nemanja and Harry.

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Boys’ 1st XI hockey report

Played: 16 Won: 10 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

against higher quality opposition. The next tests for

The boys’ 1st team had a very good start to the season with wins against Sherborne School (3-1), St John’s Leatherhead (8-0) and Lord Wandsworth (4-3) in the Saturday fixtures. The fourth week of term was a busy one with the side taking part in the U18 Hampshire Cup at Southampton Sports Centre and an away trip to Bradfield College in the first round of the National Cup. The 1st XI had a successful day at the Hampshire Cup, ending undefeated in second place after wins against Embley and Barton Peveril, with draws against Lord Wandsworth and a strong PSC side. Kam scored a goal of the season contender, to equalise against Peter Symonds, with a half volley into the roof of the net past a helpless goalkeeper.

The following day KES came up against Bradfield College hoping to put into practice the positives from the day before. Unfortunately, KES started off slowly and the result was three quick goals for Bradfield in the first 10 minutes. KES competed much better for the remainder of the game, but were well beaten 5-0.

Plate and Canford in the Saturday block. The 1st XI

Eager to make improvements from the Bradfield game, KES next faced a stern test from MCS. The boys performed better but were again too passive defensively across the pitch, enabling MCS too much time on the ball which led to a fair score line of 6-0 to MCS. The boys learnt massively from these two games, improving the defensive structure and learning the importance of key defensive principles

captain Aaron and his defence, the game ended 3-1 to

KES came against Churcher’s College in the National played the best half of their year against Churcher’s to lead at half-time. They were well organised defensively and were able to work the ball out of the back well by going to a back 3 against Churcher’s half court press, with Freddie getting plenty of success down the right hand side. Unfortunately, following an injury to Matt, who turned his ankle, and a tired remaining midfield of Josh and Charlie, Churcher’s began to find more space as the game progressed with Churcher’s equalising and then scoring a winner to cruelly defeat the KES side. Following injuries sustained in the Churcher’s game, KES were depleted for their game against Canford on the following Saturday. Despite a loss against Canford the work rate and application of all the players was superb.

The pressing of forwards Kym, Kam, Alex and Ollie was never ending. Josh scored a goal at 2-1 to put some pressure on Canford from a well worked corner.

Despite stoic goalkeeping by Alex and defending from Canford.

KES had a successful end to the season with further victories against PGS (3-1), Ryde (5-1) and a superb victory against Churcher’s (5-1).

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Mr Crichton took the team to the St George’s sixes tournament, The team started the tournament with a loss to Reeds, who looked like they had the team of the tournament. The boys then beat St George’s 2nd XI, Framlingham, Kent College and Dulwich College. The match vs Abingdon was a frustrating one, with Abingdon gifted a goal, from a pass across the face of goal, for an easy tap in. KES pushed for an equaliser, with many easy chances wasted.

The boys did find the equaliser with 2 minutes left and pushed for the win and, although there were a few good chances, the boys could not get past the keeper who made same great saves, thus 1-1 draw.

This would prove to be costly as KES missed out on winning the group by 1 point. The boys then played in the Plate competition, winning the quarter-final and semi-final to play Reeds in the Final. Special mention must be made of Alex and Aaron for playing every minute of the tournament and being the two standout performers in every match; they were incredible throughout. The Final was a tight match and the

teams could not be separated even after extra time.

KES lost the shuffles after some great saves from Alex again. Well done to all boys on the day, a great team effort.

Despite the disappointment of not having a long run in the National Cup following an agonising defeat to Churcher’s College, the boys performed well throughout the season, with a number of highlights including the success at the St George’s sixes tournament. A particular thanks to Aaron for his professionalism as captain and to all departing Upper Sixth players for their efforts during the time at KES and contribution towards hockey at the school: Freddie, Alex, Sam, Matt, Alex (GK) and Aaron (C).

Coach: Mr Bassett Squad: Alex, William, Aaron, Freddie, Matthew, Matthew, Josh, Charlie, Alexander, Kamran, Kym, Rory, Rory, Harry, Sam, Bruno, Oliver and Sam.

Boys’ 2nd XI hockey report Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The 2nd XI have had a mixed season this year. The endeavour and commitment shown by the players has been great but they have come up against some tough opposition along the way.

The wins against Lord Wandsworth, Canford, Seaford College and PGS were particular highlights for me this year. The team played with pace, aggression and a huge amount of skill. Some of the match play was superb and the goals scored were right out of the top drawer. Even during the games resulting in defeat, the team played some excellent hockey and pushed the opposition right until the end. This has really been a whole squad effort this season with the U16s helping out when they did not have a match and that really added some quality to the line-up. The U16s have been very fortunate to be blessed with three exceptional goal keepers this season which has been central to success.

A huge thank you and well done must go from the

Finally, I would like to thank Charlie. He has been an excellent captain this season and his hockey skill at right midfield will leave big shoes to fill next season.

To the Upper Sixth leaving us this year - Charlie, Oscar, Duncan and Huw – thank you for all you have done for hockey throughout your time at the school and I feel very lucky to have played a small role in your hockey journey this season Coach: Mr Penn

team and to Ethan, Nick and Venura for playing such

Squad: Tom, Tom, Jack, Hamish, Duncan, Charlie

a vital role in the 2nd XI’s success this season. I am

(C), Frank, Oliver, Ethan, Issac, Huw, Tim, Nick, Hugo,

already excited about the team I will have to work with

Oliver, Barnaby, Bruno, Kym, Sam, Michael, Matthew,

next season and being able to draw from the best of

Venura, James, Emily, Oscar, Oliver, Max, Tom and

three year groups will create a very exciting 2nd XI.

Charlie

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Cricket Overview

Successes • E CB Lady Taveners Indoor Cricket County finalists @ U13 & U15 • Girls’ County Hardball semi-finalists @ U13 • Altham Trophy winners 2022 – Boys’ 1st XI • Boys’ County finalists @ U12, U13, U14, U15 • Q ualified for Regional Cricket in 2023 – Boys’ U12 & U14 • Boys’ Regional semi-finalists @ U15 Another incredibly busy, competitive and successful cricket season draws to a close. Looking back over this academic year, I am filled with a huge amount of pride at where cricket at KES has finished again this season.

Over the course of this season, we have had over 337 students play cricket for the School, across 163 fixtures, winning 66% of those fixtures across both the girls’ and boys’ programmes. Particular highlights are the U15B girls’ side winning 100% of their matches and the U14A boys’ and girls’ teams with an 81% and 83% success rate respectively. These figures are outstanding and for this number of students to have the chance to get out and enjoy their cricket is what it is all about. It makes me a very proud Head of Cricket.

We have had a number of Cup successes this season.

The boys’ U15A side reached the regional semi-final to be played on the last day of the Summer Term against Abingdon and the U13A boys’ team reached the County Final finishing runners up. The fantastic U12A and U14A boys’ teams both won their respective County Final matches beating PGS and Winchester College, respectively, and meaning that both these teams will be representing the region in the U13 & U15 National Cups next season; a remarkable achievement. Not only this, the U13 and U15 girls’ teams both reached the Finals of the Lady Taverners Indoor Cricket Cup. The U13s finished 3rd and the U15s finished 2nd in the county. The U13A girls’ team went one step further and reached the semi-finals of the County Hardball Cup. This is an outstanding achievement for our girls’ programme here at KES in only the third proper season of cricket being the main summer sport.

It is always nice to play well against local rivals and this summer has been a bumper year for this success. We played PGS before half-term and won an impressive 12 matches from 14. We then played Embley and again every team performed well, with KES winning 10 of the 11 matches played and reenforcing our position as one of the leading Cricket schools in Hampshire.

Cricket 2022 has also seen several firsts. We have introduced a Girls’ 1st XI for the first time, training alongside their male counterparts throughout the

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winter and culminating in their first competitive summer season playing a mixture of schools and clubs including the likes of Canford, Bryanston, Charterhouse and Hursley Cricket Club. The participation from the Girls’ 1st XI has been exceptional and we, as a school, are really excited to see the numbers swell in the coming years and we are looking forward to introducing a 2nd XI for the senior girls next summer.

Miss Lister, Miss Ritchie, Mrs Kent, Mrs Henderson and Mrs Sheppard, and the boys’ cricket staff; Mr Kent, Mr Bassett, Mr Mixer, Mr Eyssens, Mr Diver, Mr Smith, Mr Richardson, Mr Crichton, Mr McKenzie and Mr Hodgson. A special mention must go to Mr Powell, Mr Dellar, Mr Dudson and Mrs Kent, and Mr Duncombe from Stroud, for supporting the KES cricket programme, highlighting that the relationship between the two schools is strong and flourishing.

At the end of term assembly, Mr Parker presented trophies to students who have scored 100+ runs (boys), taken 5 wickets or more, hat-tricks and 50+ runs (girls). This season has been a bumper one with 13 trophies to present. We have also been fortunate that our Education Partnership with Hampshire CC has supported us this year rewarding the Team of the Week students. Those who featured within the Team of the Season received a ticket for a Royal London match against Essex in August. A huge thank you to Hampshire CC for their support this season.

A final special thank you to Mr Chandrachud and Mr Bassett who have been real assets to the cricket programme here at KES. The tenacity, passion and support given to the students in their care has been outstanding and they will leave some big shoes to fill next academic year. Mr Bassett has done an exceptional job with the 2nd XI and has managed to get at least 13 players out each and every week, even throughout examination periods which is not an easy task at all. Mr Chandrachud should be incredibly proud of his statistics during his time here at KES; Played: 25 Won: 23 Lost: 2!! I would like to wish him well in his next role at Radley next year. They will both be sorely missed by staff and students alike.

Finally, I would like to thank the coaching staff and players. This season has seen unprecedented successes and this would not be possible without the support of an outstanding team of coaches leading their teams with professionalism, passion and care each and every week. Thank you to the girls’ cricket coaches; Mr Parker, Mrs Penn, Miss Cole,

Mr Penn

Head of Cricket

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Boys’ U12A cricket report

Played: 11 Won: 8 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

and were able to see out a hostile bowling attack in

Honours: Hampshire Cup winners 2022

earn a place in the semi-final. This semi-final against

The U12 A team have been a fantastic group of boys to work with this season. They have shown great improvement and commitment to developing their cricket skills. Attendance at after school training was excellent, which transferred to the matches they played. It was great to see so many boys given a chance to bat and bowl in every match with all being very able. The first match was against LWC, which they won comfortably with all boys getting a chance to bowl. The next match was played on a difficult wicket for both teams at Wellington and, unfortunately, KES lost this one to PGS by 25 runs. A very important lesson was learnt from this match that would add to the boys’ development throughout the season. The team then had an excellent 22 run win against Bishop Wordsworth’s School and an 83 run win against Churcher’s at home.

The first round of the Hampshire Cup saw KES play King’s School on a very wet afternoon. A solid bowling display against some very good batsmen from King’s, helped keep the score to 88 on what were very difficult conditions to bowl. KES started well

very wet conditions to win the match by 6 wickets and Salesian College was a tough encounter and some good bowling and fielding limited them to 68 runs.

All boys had to bowl and show their depth in bowling.

Special mention goes to Will who bowled leg spin. He bowled the absolute ‘ball of the century’ in his first ball to dismiss their frontline batsman, a truly great ball to have watched being bowled. The fielding and field placings by Captain, Adam, were excellent and no easy runs were given away. The Salesian bowling attack was quick and KES struggled up front with Abbas and Will seeing off their openers. Ossian and Adam saw us home for an excellent 8 wicket win.

The team then played a mid-week match against Twyford but struggled on the small field, and a few critical drop catches cost the boys the match as their opponents won by 7 wickets. Then came 2 comfortable wins; against Embley by 68 runs and against Ryde by 46 runs. There was some excellent batting and bowling from the team and many compliments about the boys’ manners on the field. A loss to Dauntsey’s was a good lesson for the team as they had not scored enough runs.

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The final match of the season would be the final of the Hampshire Cup versus PGS. PGS batted first and looked to have built a strong foundation of innings but struggled to score regularly against some excellent bowling and fielding from KES. The field placements this season have been outstanding; Adam has a great cricket brain and thinks about the game and his management of the bowlers and field showed he has the ability to go far as a cricketer. The boys respected his decisions and worked tirelessly for him in the field.

PGS eventually scored 147 runs all out - a decent total on a good wicket. KES started the chase strong and looked comfortable, with the running between the wickets being excellent and many easy runs picked up off missed fields. The School quickly got a lead with Will and Abbas making an excellent first wicket partnership to set up the win – the team eventually securing the game by 7 wickets with the captain finishing off the match with another great innings.

The KES team finished winners of the Hampshire Cup and can be very proud of their improvement and effort throughout the season. Many lessons have been learnt and there is a huge amount of potential in this group of players. They have been a fantastic team and a good example of what cricket is all about.

So many individual moments throughout the season have made this a great team and a special group of boys to work with.

Coach: Mr Crichton Squad: Ossian, Abbas, Logan (WK), Zach, Usman, Hugh, Will, Adam (C), Joshua, William, Will, Faris, Freddy and Oscar.

Boys’ U12B cricket report Played: 5 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 The boys’ U12B cricket team started off the season with a strong game against Lords Wandsworth College. As a team, they demonstrated welldeveloped batting skills and bowled good line and length. The season progressed and the team played games against Portsmouth Grammar School, Churcher’s and Twyford School. In each of these matches they showed great effort and team spirit.

During the game against Churcher’s, Charlie was a very strong player for the team, taking 5 wickets and earning himself a well-deserved match ball. Against Twyford, KES opened in bat and started off positively.

However, they then lost a few wickets after the break before Callum came in and hit 41- 33 balls. This twisted the result to enable KES to win the game.

With help from clinical fielding and bowling, the overall progress of the team has been fantastic and I wish them well as they progress throughout the School.

Coach: Mr Duncombe Squad: Josh, Jake, Jamie, Callum, Soul, Freddie, Will, Ben, Joe, Oscar, Charlie, Rick and Farris

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Boys’ U13A cricket report

Played: 12 Won: 8 Drew: 0 Lost: 4 It has been a largely successful season for the U13A boys’ cricket side. After a positive winter in the nets, when it was clear boys had made significant progress with their batting, they started the season with a comprehensive win against Lord Wandsworth College. This victory led to a good phase of momentum moving forward into the first Hampshire County Cup match against Bishop’s Wordsworth. A sharp fielding display and some good fielding led the team to restrict them to a low total, before Nav and Darsh knocked off the runs with 9 wickets to spare.

Improving efficiency in the field became a major focus point throughout the season, especially in the inner ring. This was perhaps an area that let the team down in their defeat to a strong Hampshire state side whose quick singles proved too much for our boys to handle. With that said, this defeat proved the catalyst to a fantastic 5 match winning streak that included wins again Portsmouth Grammar School, King’s Winchester, Embley, and Churcher’s College.

Particular highlights were Rivinu’s match-winning knock away in Portsmouth after a top order collapse was defused in order for the boys to win. Jake had a tremendous season with the ball, with his 7 wickets against Embley being his highlight in an impressive bowling display that saw the team bowl Embley out for 26 runs. In terms of batting, the team’s most

assured display came away on the Isle of Wight, with Sam and Rivinu batting superbly on a flat pitch to score half-centuries, helping the team to a large 200+ score from 25 overs. Superb bowling from Parrv and debutants Henry and Will saw the team win by over 100 runs in what was a highlight of the season, especially playing on a county pitch. Defeats to Twyford and Churcher’s College in the final of the Hampshire County Cup were disappointing for the boys. There were certainly good aspects in these performances that show they can compete with the big schools in the region, however a few too many extras and misfields let both teams amount a score that was beyond the KES boys to defend.

With that said, all members of the extended playing squad have shown great commitment throughout the season. The energy at training has continually improved, as has their focus and came understanding. I am confident that this group of boys will become a strong cricketing year group as they move up the School, and I – on a personal level – look forward to hearing about their progress.

Coach: Mr Chandrachud Squad: Sam, Nav, Darsh, James, James, Jake, Rivinu, Bertie, Will, Henry, Benji, Jai, Parrv, Atharv, Adam and Jonathan.

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Boys’ U13B cricket report

Played: 6 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 0 The U13B cricket team has gone undefeated this season. I would like to congratulate all the boys involved on a great season which saw them play some great cricket, but the behaviour and nature of the team has been even more impressive than the results on the pitch - they have been a pleasure to coach.

The season started with a trip to LWC on the first Saturday of the season. A brilliant batting display helped the U13B boys off to a flying start and, following a very solid fielding performance, they ended the game early taking the win by 86 runs. This run of form continued for the next 3 games, with the boys winning by huge margins. Jack, Mathew and Will all batted brilliantly. All the players bowled in most of the games this season and the standard across the group is fantastic. A number of opposition coaches commented on the level of the boys’ bowling.

The last game of the season saw the boys travel to Dauntsey’s. This was sure to be the biggest test of the season and turned out to be a game that was constantly in the balance. Henry, who captained the side throughout the season, was a standout in this game, scoring important runs with the bat and

leading from the front in the field. After 20 overs the teams were tied. Umpire Powell called for a super over, but unfortunately there was not enough time in the day.

A great season with several boys getting opportunities to play A team cricket, I look forward to them pushing on next year.

Coach: Mr Richardson Squad: Jack, Krishiv, George, Henry, Hugo, Ewan, Charlie, Olly, Will, Rayan, Eddie, Jack, Tom, Edward, Bertie, Aarav, Jonathan, Hugo and Mathew.

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Boys’ U14A cricket report

Played: 11 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 The boys’ U14 A team enjoyed an outstanding season of cricket. One of the School’s most talented cricketing year groups put in some sensational performances, with notable victories against Winchester College (twice), Charterhouse, PGS, Churcher’s, Embley and Dauntsey’s. The season culminated in being crowned U14 County Champions, following a thrilling final-over victory over Winchester.

of Luke (3-12) and Seth (3-14), they earned a solid victory. This improved further against PGS, where another half-century from Alex (77) and 60 from Arthur set them up for a commanding total of 179 from 30 overs. The wickets were shared out, Viraj, Ioan and Josh all bagging two each, and a good PGS side were squeezed into submission by constant bowling pressure and regular wickets.

The season started in April with the visit of Lord Wandsworth College and the side, devoid of outdoor practice and competitive action, were tentative in setting a total on a challenging top wicket at Wellington. The result was a first ever loss for the side at KES but they followed it up just a couple of days later with a tight low-scoring victory over Winchester College, this time able to defend a below-par total on the same tricky track.

The final Saturday before half-term saw the return of competitive action at Hill Lane in an early-morning encounter with Churcher’s. To add an extra edge, this match was converted into a County Cup semi-final and the prospect of battling for a place in next year’s National Cup. With Ben and captain Ayinen returning from 1st XI action, the side comfortably knockedoff their total of 133 with 7 overs to spare. Ben’s merciless 65* from 40 balls saw the ball flayed to all parts of the field, backing up the sterling bowling performance of Viraj (5-2-7-2).

Both opening matches served as a learning curve in how to set a total; keep wickets in hand and build partnerships. The following week against Charterhouse, batting first again, Alex (57) and Sam (47) helped the side to a good total on another earlyseason fizzer of a pitch. Backed up by the bowling

After half-term, the team warmed-up for a crunch encounter with Canford with a 145-run demolition of Embley. The one-sided match saw KES amass 209-3 from their 20 overs, Seth, Ayinen, Alex and Arthur in the runs before Oscar (2-11) and Josh (3-5) took the wickets that sealed victory. The Canford match saw

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the team shorn of further players to the 1st XI and others down with injuries. Asked to bowl first on a good wicket, Canford managed 193/2 from their 30 overs, with bowlers unable to make breakthroughs.

Despite a spirited 59 from captain Ayinen, KES were well beaten by 31 runs.

The final Saturday fixture of the season was a nailbiting 2 wicket victory over Dauntsey’s. Luke, Viraj and Aleks bowled well to keep the home side to a reachable 171. Alex (50*) and Ayinen (41) and Luke (19) then batted well before Josh struck the winning runs with 3 balls to spare.

The climax of the season came in the County Cup Final played at Hill Lane against old foes Winchester College. In stellar batting conditions, Winchester won an important toss, forcing KES into the field.

However, an early breakthrough by Viraj started a flow of regular wickets, as new batsmen came and swiftly departed. However, Winchester opener James kept the runs flowing before the pressure of wickets at the other end told and he holed-out to Ben in the deep off the bowling of Ioan. At 109-8 the game seemed

under control but a strong ninth-wicket partnership and sloppy fielding allowed Winchester to bat out their 30 overs and sneak to 149. The chase appeared in a good position at 63-1 but when Arthur and Ben both lost their wickets in close succession, no partnership could settle. At 93-6, the match seemed to be spilling away but a strong partnership between Harry (30) and Ioan took the game to the final overs.

With 16 needed off the final two and only two wickets in hand, Luke and Viraj saw the team over the line in dramatic fashion with three balls to spare. The team were deservedly crowned County Champions and are rewarded with a place in next year’s U15 National Cup for 2023.

Most Runs: Alex (353 runs at 58.83) Most Wickets: Viraj (12 wickets at 11.83) Coach: Mr Smith Squad: Ayinen (C), Sam (VC), Seth (VC), Ben (VC), Alex (WK), Aleks, Eddie, Luke, Josh, Oscar, Ioan, Arthur, Harry, Viraj, James, Joe, Adam (U12) and Navashen (U13).

Boys’ U14B cricket report Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 This year’s U14B cricket team boasted a large number of talented and enthusiastic cricketers and this mixture of ability and dynamism resulted in a very successful season indeed. The opening fixture, against Lord Wandsworth, came rather too early and saw a team with only one net session behind it caught cold in a match that should have been won.

Following this, the team played a further six fixtures, winning five and only being defeated by a strong Canford side. The boys enjoyed pleasing victories against Winchester, Charterhouse, PGS, Churcher’s and Dauntsey’s, playing some excellent cricket and improving throughout. I hope very much indeed that the boys enjoyed their performances during this term - they are a talented and thoroughly pleasant group - and I would like to thank in particular the Captain, Rufus, both for his tactical skills and his ability to

recruit players.

Coach: Mr Diver Squad: Rufus, William, Aleksander, Walter, Ethan, Theo, Lucas, George, Tanush, Monty, James, Oliver, Joseph and Daniel.

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Boys’ U15A cricket report

Played: 15 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 7 The season started with very high hopes and a trip to Malborough College in the National Cup (having won the County Cup last year to qualify). However, the side sadly fell short. Life was always going to be tougher this year with Charlie, Rory, Aashish, Ben and Jeevan all representing the 1st XI at stages throughout the season.

The first Saturday fixture saw an excellent win against Lord Wandsworth (Olly 42) with the match going down to LWC needing a six off the last ball of Ben’s over (2-15 off 4 overs). Throughout the season the boys experienced some disappointing losses, including the 9 wicket loss to Winchester College and being all out for 66 against Canford. These demonstrated the fragility of the KES batting, if the top order did not perform.

There were also, however, emphatic wins against Embley (Rahaan 4-10), PGS (all out 81, won by 10 wickets), Bishop Wordsworth (Singh 106 not out) and Churcher’s (Charlie 57, Rory 103). A close 3 wicket loss against Charterhouse (Marsh 38) was a good test, but the boys lacked the game awareness to do the basics when defending a low score on a variable wicket. The last Saturday was a tremendous game against Dauntsey’s, with Ben

batting with 12 to win the match off the last 2 balls, with 2 wickets to spare. He valiantly hit the first for 6 but missed the second in a nail-biting finish.

In the County Cup and Regional Cups, in combination with some strong players from the year below, the U15 A side thrashed Churcher’s and then Canford by 139 runs due to a devastating spell

by Jeevan and Ben. This set up the boys’ shot at reaching the National finals day for the first time ever as a school. Batting first, against Abbington, they reached a competitive 133-7 off 20 before the game was abandoned. In the rearranged match, the team battled well to restrict Abbington to under 150 but sadly KES were unable to cope with a quality spin bowling attack on a searing hot day.

This group of boys, especially the Saturday team, were a pleasure to coach, always enthusiastic and demonstrating a great love for the game. I look forward to seeing them progress in senior cricket over the next few years.

Coach: Mr Mixer Squad: Rayhaan, Charlie, Charlie, Jeevan, Rory, Ben, Olly, Aashish, Cass, Tom, Thomas, Raaghav, Nathan, Eddie, Oscar, Alex, Ben, Arthur, Seth, Ayinen, Sam and Harry.

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Boys’ U15B cricket report

Played: 7 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 This season may well be a high water mark for U15B boys’ cricket as this team played at a very high level and were a pleasure to work with – their excellent results were well deserved.

The season started poorly, with a makeshift batting line-up falling for 77 chasing Lord Wandsworth’s 114, but this was not indicative of what was to come.

The season really got rolling when great bowling from Oscar and Charlie kept Winchester College to a total of 98, with Charlie also making 56 with the bat in a simple chase. There was a similar story a few days later when the boys bowled Charterhouse out for 87. Oscar again was excellent with the ball and took 6 wickets for 6 runs over these two matches.

An even batting performance saw KES win by 7 wickets. Next up was Churcher’s and KES posted an impressive 203 from 25 overs with Cass, Max and Freddie batting well in support of Oscar’s 71, the highest score of the season. Churcher’s chased well and were on track for an unlikely win, but the KES total proved too big in the end; the bowling highlight being Freddie bowling one of the opposition around his legs with a big Shane Warne-esque leg-break.

Against PGS, a strong team again restricted the

opposition to a lowish 101, with Max, Freddie and Charlie S picking up wickets. The chase went a little off the rails but Henry and Cass steadied the ship to get us home. The fifth win in succession came against Canford where KES accumulated a strong 176 off 25 overs. Hamish’s 52 was the anchor that was needed while others came and went. The bowling depth was evident in this game, with Zayd, Ben and Ollie taking wickets and bowling them out for 100. A glorious end to the season was not to be, though, and Dauntsey’s score of 166 was always going to be difficult to chase. A big thanks to Charlie for regularly taking the gloves, to Harry for his accuracy with ball and to Oli for his improving left arm bowling and general entertainment on the field.

I hope to see many of these boys out on the field next summer playing for KES – they have been a breeze to manage and a pleasure to watch. Well done lads!

Coach: Mr Eyssens Squad: Charlie, Oscar, Henry, Hamish, Cass, Charlie, Oli, Ben, Freddie, Max, Ollie, Zayd, Harry, Eddie, Devansh, Freddie, Paddy and Ben.

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Boys’ 2nd XI cricket

Played: 7 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 5 The season started off with a well-contested match against Lord Wandsworth College, with KES restricting their opponents to 148/4 off their 20 overs, Prem being the pick of the bowlers with 1/12.

KES got off to a steady start with Tim and Alex, before Sam put in a Glen Maxwell-esque display of fireworks to score a blistering 63* from just 33 balls.

Unfortunately, KES finished 14 runs shy of their target. Next up KES faced Ryde following an early morning meet at the Red Jet terminal. Ryde reached a total of 209/5, with Dillon taking two wickets. KES batted well in response, but the Ryde total was never in threat with KES reaching 135/4 with Euan ending the innings well with 31* and Oscar scoring 25. KES had a fantastic game against Churcher’s College which went to the final over, with the 2nd XI unable to defend their total of 106 all out. Sam continued his form, scoring 30, with Will (2/13) and Dillon (1/11) proving very economical. KES managed to defeat Embley, scoring 199/9 in their 20 overs (Sam 77) before Hamish removed most of the Embley top order in the first over taking 3 wickets for 1 run.

Charlie and Dillon also chipped in with a couple of wickets each, bowling Embley out for 60 runs.

KES were well beaten by Canford, despite a valiant 38 by Will, who was well supported in time by Sam. KES made a meagre 98, which was chased down inside 13 overs by Canford despite the loss of 5 wickets. The final game of the season saw KES play Dauntsey’s away with Oscar, Will, Ben and Alex making their final appearances for the School. Dauntsey’s batted first, making 161/6 with Ben taking 3/32 in a quick spell. The 2nd XI looked on course for victory, until a middle order collapse ended the KES hopes. Alex made a superb 63 in his final game with Oscar, Sam and Will adding useful runs.

Thanks go to the team for an enjoyable season, with particular thanks going to Dillon and Alex who captained the side at various points throughout the season.

Coach: Mr Bassett Squad: Ben, Sam, Peter, Sam, Rory, Tim, Oscar, Shaeel, Prem, Venura, Rajeev, Aryan, Sam, William, Nirujan, Findlay, Harry, Hamish, Mayan, Charlie, Robert, Bruno, Josh, Sanya, Dillon, Euan, James, Joe, Alexander, William, Ben and Oscar.

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Boys’ 1st XI cricket

Played: 11 Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 4 It has been a very enjoyable cricket season this year.

There has been an excellent cohesion within the group, led by a brilliant group of Lower Sixth, who have been outstanding. In the first game against Lord Wandsworth College, the side batted well on a difficult surface scoring 160 thanks, in part, to a lively 28 from Josh at the end of the innings.

Peter and George then bowled with control until the first drinks break, restricting the hosts to 93 for 7.

They kept the pressure on eventually bowling their opponents out for 143, to win by 17 with Peter taking 5 wickets.

The following two matches ended in defeats to Winchester College and Charterhouse. The Charterhouse match showed what the boys are capable of with the bat. They batted first, scoring 252-4 from our 50 overs, with Ben top scoring with 135* in what was one of the best individual performances Mr Kent and I have seen from a schoolboy cricketer throughout our careers to date.

Unfortunately, the bowlers could not back up the batters and Charterhouse eventually won the match by 5 wickets – a real shame after an excellent start.

The boys then put in two excellent performances against local rivals PGS and Churcher’s College.

This was the turning point of the season for the boys with the ball in hand. They bowled with control, set great fields and this allowed them to restrict the runs being scored. They were also taking wickets at regular intervals through the innings with Pete, Josh, Monty and Ben bowling with accuracy and being backed up in the field by the buzz created by Harry.

The 1st XI went on to win the PGS match by 21 runs and the T20 against Churcher’s by 6 wickets.

The second half of term fixtures came thick and fast and the side welcomed back Hamish from his injury break. This was good news for the bowling department as they finally got back to full strength.

The boys also played an OE alumni side on the first Friday evening back from the break. This was a thriller with the match ending in a hotly contested draw leading to a Super Over. The OEs bowled first with Captain, Kamran, smashing 27 from the 6 balls.

The OE side came close, scoring 22 from their 6 balls, but ultimately Pete held his nerve and won the game for the School. The boys then had a very complete performance against the MCC. The MCC batted first scoring 196 with Hamish, Peter, Aashish and Monty (5-35) bowling well. The batting chase

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started well with Kamran (33), OE Greg (38) and OE Jameel (58) steering us to the target with 9 overs to spare in the game.

runs were shared across three batters leading us home with plenty of time left in the game, winning by 8 wickets.

Canford saw the first difficult and frustrating game this season. KES won the toss and decided to bat first. The boys lost wickets at regular intervals during the innings meaning that Kamran had to play a superb Captain’s innings of 92 to ensure that the boys reached a defendable total (171). The 1st XI then came to bowl and the boys were superb both with ball in hand and in the field. At the break, they had Canford 89-6 from 25 overs and felt that they were in the box seat to go on and win the game.

Unfortunately, that was not to be, the boys dropped 4 catches which allowed Canford’s Captain to steer them home winning the game by 3 wickets.

I would like to thank all the players who have represented the 1st XI this summer. We have had 15 debutants, given out 15 debutants and seen some exceptional cricket being played. A special thank you needs to go to Mr Kent and Mr McKenzie for all their help with the 1st XI this summer. The boys are very fortunate to have access to exceptional coaches here at KES and the individual development and passion our students have for the game is down to this high quality of experience.

The final two games of the season were outstanding. First, the side regained the Altham Trophy, beating Peter Symonds and Barton Peveril College convincingly. Kamran (68 from 25) led the way again with the bat, and he was backed up well

by Josh and Hamish with the ball. Dauntsey’s was an excellent team performance and bowling first the team managed to restrict them to a score of 91 on a good pitch. The boys once again showed that with a little application, and time to get in, they can chase down any total, no matter how big or small.

This weekend, the batters came to the party and the

Finally, I would like to thank Kamran for all he has done for the team (he is growing into an exceptional leader and he has been incredibly well supported by his Lower Sixth peers) and Vice-Captain, Monty. 1st XI cricket at KES is in a very exciting phase as all of this team will be playing again next summer!!

Coach: Mr Penn Squad: Kamran (C), Monty, Hamish, Josh, George, Harry, Sanya, Dillon, Charlie, Joe, James, Peter, Oscar, Aryan, Ben, Oscar, Sam, Aashish, Ben, Jeevan, Rory, Charlie, Ben, Ayinen and Seth.

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1st XI Football report

Played: 12 Won: 8 Drew: 0 Lost: 4 The KES football team have had a successful season this year and have been a great group to manage. Finishing 4th in the league, and having the best goal difference, has been down to the tenacious attitude of the squad.

The first game of the season was away to local rivals Richard Taunton’s College to which the side narrowly missed out on a point and lost 2-1.

Following this first defeat they went on to win 6 games on the bounce with goals coming in regularly from Will and Ayo. The team faced Itchen College for 3 weeks in a row, due to the home and away fixture being one after another and drawing them in the cup tie. After losing the first game away (7-2) the boys came back fighting and triumphed in a 4-2 win in the home match at Wellington. Unfortunately, the team then lost 2-0 in the cup game. The biggest win of the season came against Portsmouth College; winning 9-1; a terrific game was played by every player in all areas of defence and attack.

The team this season has comprised half Lower Sixth and half Upper Sixth boys. The Upper Sixth who are leaving us will leave a huge void in the team, but I am hopeful that there will be some new keen footballers who will be joining the Sixth Form in September.

Key mentions this season go to Will for scoring some worldly goals, Alex for doing a sterling job as captain, Dan for some superb defending from the back, Matt for consistent class in midfield, Michael for pulling off some world class saves and Tom for pure determination and always with a smile.

Coach: Mrs Ramshaw Squad: Michael, Dan, Alex, Sam, George, Adam, Bruno, Tom, Charlie, Ben, Matt, Will, Will, Ayo, Jacob, Isaac, James and Ollie.

Cover designed by Mr G Piggott.

King Edward VI School . Wilton Road . Southampton . Hampshire SO15 5UQ

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