164032 kes sotoniensis 2016 lr

Cover designed by Mr G Piggott.

Our grateful thanks to him for this and many of the wonderful photographs contained in this publication.

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Sotoniensis 2016

CONTENTS

04

Editorial

20

Creative Arts

From the Headmaster Staff Farewells Chaplaincy Report The Allen Grant Trophy 2016 Science and Technology Festival 2016

The Art Department The Dance Department The Drama Department The Music Department

32

Clubs & Societies

58

Trips & Visits

88

Sport

Astronomy Society Badminton Club Byron Society Beekeeping Club Cactus Club Charities Commission Chess Club Christian Union Classics Society Cookery Club Debating and Public Speaking Digital Leaders

Biology Trip to Swanage Charlotte Exchange Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Endeavour French trip to Montpellier French trip to Paris Geography Field Trip to Malham Geography Trip to Osmington Bay

Athletics Boys’ Basketball Boys’ Football Boys’ Rugby

Drone Club Economics Society Feminism and Gender Equality First Aid Club Geography Society German Magazine Club Greenpower Green Team Historical Society Hospital Visiting Interface Japanese Club

Kayak and Canoe Club Lego Club MedSoc Partnerships Photography Club Sailing Club Sanskrit Society Scamp Club Table Tennis Club Wargaming Club Young Enterprise

German Exchange to Mutterstadt German Exchange to Schifferstadt History and German Trip to Berlin Hockey Tour to The Hague Operation Wallacea Ecuador and The Galápagos Operation Wallacea Indonesia Second Year Camp Dartmoor

Ski Trip to Claviere Italy South Africa Trip Spanish Trip to Córdoba Spanish Trip to Salamanca Spanish Trip to Catalonia Summer Camp Tile Barn - First Year trips Watersports Trip Woodmill Activity Centre

Boys’ Hockey Boys’ Cricket Boys’ Tennis Girls’ Hockey

Girls’ Netball Girls’ Rounders Girls’ Tennis

4 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

From the Head The academic year 2015/16 has seen a number of significant developments.

We began the year with 972 students on the roll and the School continues to be full at every level.

We have continued to invest in the School’s fabric with the refurbishment of the new reception area and the nurses’ facilities, maintenance on the main school roof, a new entrance area at Wellington, changes to car parking and, of course, a huge amount of work on the Drama, Art and Concourse project. There has also been a lot of work at Stroud, particularly to improve car parking and the teaching facilities. Further detail is provided in the Chairman’s report.

The netballers had a frustrating season with poor weather affecting the number of matches that could be played. The 1st team was a young side and did well against older and more experienced opposition. The U14 side reached the regional round of the national cup but the U12 and U13 were most impressive as they reached the last eight and final sixteen of the national cup respectively. It was also good to see C teams become established at all age groups.

Our students have enjoyed another very good set of academic results with 85% of A2 grades at A*, A and B and 78% of all grades at IGCSE at A* and A. We were pleased with our university admissions - over threequarters of our students will proceed to universities in the Russell Group with nine students receiving offers from Oxford and Cambridge continuing the School’s five year average of 10% of the year group going to these two universities.

In cricket our teams competed well against local schools and it was good to see some new schools on the circuit such as Lancing College. There were some close games over the course of the year with the 1st XI game against Bryanston being the most notable. There was also a full set of 2nd XI fixtures. KES teams, for the first time in a number of years, reached the finals of all four county competitions that were entered, with success for the U13 team. The U15 side also competed well in the Taverners’ Cup reaching the regional semi-final of the National Cup.

It has once again been a good year for sport at KES. Over two-thirds of the student community have been involved in one form or another and, at the elite level, we continue to see a number of our students having success at regional, national and indeed international level across a range of sports.

The boys’ and girls’ hockey teams have had great success, both in the regular school fixtures and the national cups. The girls’ teams all won over half of their matches and in the cups, the U13 and U16 reached the regional heats, the U14 team reached the county quarter-final and the 1st XI reached the regional finals. On the boys’ fixture card there were impressive performances, with the U15 side in particular winning over 90% of their matches whilst all the other sides won over two-thirds of their games. In the cups, the U16, U14 and U13 all won the county rounds and the U14 and U16 went on to reach the regional quarterfinals. The U13 team were the team that really shone this year as they went through from the regional heat to the national finals to finish 7th in the country. This is an outstanding achievement.

Our teams also did well in other sports. The rugby sides competed well against some tough opposition on a weekly basis and most teams finished having won over half of their matches. The U14 side did well to win the county 10-a-side competition and the 1st XV were very pleased to finish their season with a victory over PGS in front of a very enthusiastic crowd at Wellington.

Rounders forms an important part of the summer programme and it was the U12, U13 and U14 teams who showed real enthusiasm for the sport. They produced some good results over the course of the term winning a number of close games.

The athletics programme continues to grow. Once again KES teams performed well in the Southampton Championships, winning all the boys’ and girls’ age group competitions up to U16 with many students representing the city and success in the county track knock-out.

In addition to all this activity, a number of our athletes are involved in individual pursuits at a high level in sailing, benefiting from our new relationship with the Southampton Water Activity Centre, rowing, swimming, Tae Kwon Do, sky-diving, rhythmic gymnastics, diving, cross country skiing, fencing and equestrianism; to name but a few.

The number of visits the School organises each year continues to grow and is a major part of our educational provision. This year KES students have enjoyed visits to the USA, South Africa, Ecuador, Indonesia, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy and Germany. These have ranged from diving in the Galapagos and skiing in Italy to playing cricket in Sri Lanka and hockey in Holland. Closer to home students have participated in

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 5

language exchanges and study visits to Berlin, Cordoba, Catalonia, Salamanca, Paris, Montpellier, Mutterstadt and Schifferstadt. Trips across the UK have included regular theatre, music and art visits to London and geography and biology field trips across the country.

Hundreds of our students make excellent use of the New Forest and our facility at Lovaton on Dartmoor for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The arts have had a high profile with regular occasions such as the Carol Service at Romsey Abbey and the Service of Thanksgiving in Winchester Cathedral interspersed with a wide range of concerts including two evening events at the Turner Sims Concert Hall. Drama has been busy with a number of productions including ‘Hiawatha’, ‘Twelve Angry Men’, ‘Heritage’, ‘The Golden Mask of Agamemnon’, ‘Confusions’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ as well as some Junior Drama Club and specialist Drama department events. The Science Festival, our first at the School, provided an extensive variety of lectures, events and activities to stimulate the imaginations of our students.

Charitable and community work has long had considerable prominence at King Edward’s. In the past year over £30,000 has been raised by the students themselves for a range of different organisations including our Summer Camp in the New Forest for young carers and the South Africa venture supporting the Goedgedacht Trust near Cape Town.

Dozens of volunteers have helped with cake sales, sponsored events, discos and talent shows. Likewise, our primary school partnerships have prospered involving a range of art, literacy, mathematics, languages and science clubs as well as special events such as the July partnership day for local primary schools as a part of the Endeavour programme.

We have been very well served by Rory Saunders, as Head of School over the last year, ably supported by his deputies, James Ellis, Yvie Lock and Luke Roberts.

Our Prepositors and Heads of House, together with the Lower School Prefects, provide excellent leadership across the School. They have all worked very effectively with a varied range of responsibilities and opportunities to develop their teamwork and communication skills.

This year we have had a number of staff leaving King Edward’s with some notable retirements after long service. A number of staff on short term contracts have supported the School through the year and we thank Mr Jessep, Mr Roden, Mrs Disley and Miss Porter for their support. Mr Attenberger and Mr Twum-Barima served as our IT Assistants for the year. Miss Barnett was the Bursar’s PA for eighteen months, Mrs Rademaker worked as our management accountant for three years, Mrs Petry worked as our first Human Resources Officer from 2009 to 2015 and Mrs Ravenscroft has been our Reprographics Technician for seven years.

Mr Hall served as the Design Technology Technician for eleven years and Mrs Owen worked at the School for over thirty years in various capacities concluding with an extended period in the Examinations Office. Dr Prowse joined King Edward’s three years ago to teach Geography on a part-time basis. Mr Tesseyman joined the School five years ago to set up the Psychology Department and Dr Paver left the Chemistry Department after over 5 years of service as a distinguished academic. Miss Lindebringhs was a key member of the Spanish Department for eight years and was Head of Reynolds for five. Dr Wikeley taught English for a decade and also served as number two in the English Faculty for a year. Four of our long serving members of staff (Mr Patten, Mr Walter, Mr Long and Mr Fitzpatrick) have together served 143 years at the School. Mr Patten began his career at KES in 1984. He is a truly gifted mathematician and held various positions of responsibility most notably as Deputy Director of Studies from 2004 in charge of writing the timetable. Mr Walter joined King Edward’s in September 1979 and became Head of Economics in 1985 which he combined with being Head of Humanities for over twenty years as well as Head of Capon for seventeen years and Chairman of the Common Room for six. Mr Long joined King Edward’s in 1978, having taught briefly at Stroud School.

In 1986 he became Head of Art, a role he fulfilled with great enthusiasm for twenty-five years. Amongst many other things his legacy will be a specially commissioned bronze sculpture to commemorate the end of the First World War. Mr Fitzpatrick is leaving the School after 45 years both as a student and a teacher. He joined the PE department in 1978 and in 1985 became Head of PE and Games and then Senior Master in 2012. We wish all of these staff well as they retire, or move to new posts elsewhere, and thank them for all that they have done for the School over so many years.

KESPTA has prospered under the direction of Mrs Leask. We are very grateful for their support for a range of activities from Lego and Cookery Club to providing a new clock for the Wellington Pavilion. Our alumni have enjoyed numerous reunions organised by our Development Officer, Ms Hooper, with continued support for the King Edward VI Foundation to raise funds to help students applying to the School from disadvantaged backgrounds.

King Edward’s has continued to be a very successful school offering its students a wide range of activities, visits, sport and cultural opportunities so that they emerge at the end of their time here with enviable teamwork and leadership skills to take into adult life, together with a strong social conscience and commitment to the community at large.

AJ Thould / Head

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Staff Farewells Kevin Fitzpatrick When a young, fresh-faced, blond haired boy by the name of Kevin Fitzpatrick walked through the gates of King Edward VI School, Southampton on 13th September 1967 to start his secondary schooling neither he, nor anyone else, could possibly have imagined how much a part of his life the School would become. More importantly, no one could have imagined the part that he was to play in the life of the School over the years to come.

It soon became clear that Kevin had natural inclination towards sport and his first PE report starts with “Excellent…”. As a talented sportsman, sport played a major part throughout his school life. He represented school and county sides in cricket, Southampton city in athletics, held several javelin records and the Sixth Form shot record for a number of years, and was a member of the rugby team every year right up to the 1st XV. However, it was in hockey that he truly shone as he was involved in school, county and divisional sides before ultimately representing England at U21 level.

It was no surprise that on leaving school he chose a practical route of study and trained to be a teacher at St. Luke’s College of Education, part of the University of Exeter.

Upon completion of the course Kevin taught in Downham Market, Norfolk for one year before being invited to attend an interview at KES. The rest is, most appropriately, history. Kevin, or ‘Fitz’, as he was more commonly known, soon showed himself to be a teacher of real skill and his strong personality enabled him to quickly strike up a good rapport with students of all abilities. In addition to his PE and sport teaching he was a history master teaching mainly to Lower School classes. Fitz was known to bring his lessons literally to life by borrowing various weaponry from the Drama Department and was also an excellent group tutor taking a very real interest in his tutees’ progress.

However, his greatest contribution to the School is, without doubt, in the various roles he has carried out in terms of sport at KES. Kevin has gained a lot of enjoyment from sport and he rightly believes that sport is first and foremost to be enjoyed and has always strived to have this at the heart of the School’s sports provision. Coaching and teaching came naturally to him and, as well as being able to pick up small areas of improvement to challenge the more talented, he always had time for those not blessed with the same level of sporting talent.

His ability to simplify the most complicated of sporting skills has enabled thousands of students to gain

reward, satisfaction and enjoyment from sport.

During his time on the teaching staff sport has grown considerably from a department of just two, when he first became Head of PE, to a department of eleven as it now is. The most challenging development was the introduction of girls into the Sixth Form and then throughout the School, but it is testament to his leadership that girls’ sport thrives at KES today. In 1985 when girls first came into the Sixth Form there were nine girls to select a netball team from. They all played and they lost 100-6! Undeterred, and buoyed along by his determination and enthusiasm, girls’ sport grew to a point where, along with the new female staff appointments, the girls started to achieve success and ultimately managed to reach national finals. Kevin was no stranger to national finals himself having reached that stage with U16 boys’ hockey teams in 1988 and 1989 and again more recently in 2006 where the final was lost agonisingly on sudden death strokes.

He was appointed as Head of the Creative Arts until that role also grew under his guidance and eventually was appointed as Director of Sport. In addition to the introduction of girls he also oversaw the development of the Hill Lane site with the creation of the Astroturf pitch and the building of the Sports Hall, he was involved in the purchase of Wellington Sports Ground, and it was also under his watch that PE and Sports Science examinations were introduced. However throughout this he was always a people person.

He looked after his department; their welfare and happiness came first and he was a trusted friend and colleague.

Away from his teaching, Fitz threw himself fully into the life of a school master and his energetic contribution to the 450th anniversary ‘It’s A Knockout’ will live long in the memory of those who were present. He turned out regularly for the Vikings (the staff cricket team) and it was during one of these matches that his natural sporting ability once more came to the fore.

One evening he hit a six from the Wilton Road end of the square which struck the clock tower midway between the top of the window and the clock. The ball which was still rising as it hit the brickwork, rebounded, landed on the field and rolled back to the bowler’s feet!

Many have tried to do this since but few have been successful!

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He has accompanied twenty-four ski trips, hockey tours throughout Europe, a rugby tour to Canada as well as being a leading player in staff cricket and golf tours. He was always able to make the best of any situation as those who were on the ski trip to Valmorel will testify.

We all wish him well for his retirement in the knowledge that he will continue to make the most of opportunities that will come his way as he splits his time between the South of England and the Austrian Alps.

Mr Kent

KES without Fitz will be a very different place and those that have been taught by him, and have worked with him, should count themselves very fortunate to have benefited from his expertise, his skill, his compassion, and his humour, to list but four of his many qualities.

Malcolm Walter Malcolm Walter joined King Edward’s in September 1979 on a starting salary equivalent to £11 per day, following the completion of his degree in Economics and Economic History at Southampton University and subsequent PGCE at Worcester College. His retirement this summer follows thirty-seven years of full and varied contribution to both the Economics Department and the wider life of the School.

Early in his career, Malcolm’s teaching extended to A Level Mathematics and O Level History, but the mainstay of his classroom work has been in the enthusiastic delivery of Economics to all levels. He took up the role of Head of Economics in September 1985 and for more than twenty-four of his thirty-one years in this role, combined it with Head of Humanities.

Over both his teaching and management career more than 3,000 students have taken formal examinations under his tutelage. In addition to an obvious passion for Economics, the experience of students has been enhanced by the adoption of visiting speakers, educational trips and external competitions, including essay competitions, the National Student Investor Challenge (second place in 2012), Young Enterprise and the Target 2.0 competition. The King Edward’s team narrowly missed out on winning this prestigious Bank of England competition in 2013.

Malcolm’s focus has always been on the student experience, whether this is at a departmental level, extra tuition for those students who require it, or pushing the ambitious towards preparation for Oxbridge interviews. Nothing has ever stopped Malcolm giving freely of his time for his charges and he is rightly proud of their achievements and touched with their notes of thanks. In recent years, he has overseen the successful introduction of A Level Business as another string to his bow, again in response to a need from students and this is now firmly embedded in the Sixth Form curriculum. On the academic side, Malcolm has also done twenty-nine years of examination work

for two examination boards, OCR & CIE. This often necessitates work at unhelpful times, but it is the interests of his students that drives his contribution, not just his love of the drive to Cambridge. Malcolm takes meticulous care over the preparation of departmental material and has a caring side to his management style that is not overlooked by his colleagues; consequently the running of the department is smooth for all concerned. His office and the Humanities corridor provide reminders of past student success, be that the role of honour for national essay competitions (three national finalists in the Royal Economics Society Young Economist of the Year along with three highly commended in the last seven years and a winner in the Adam Smith Institute competition in 2009), a Certificate of Excellence for A Level Economics from UCLES in 1998 for the outstanding performance of one student in his examinations and recognition from The Good Schools Guide for the best results for GCSE Economics at an English Independent School for both girls and boys in 2011.

As a pastoral tutor, Malcolm prides himself on a thorough knowledge of his tutees, but beyond this he strikes a rapport with all students and will often be found discussing the most recent Saints game before a lesson starts. He has thirteen years of experience in the Sixth Form and twenty-two years in the Upper School upon which to draw. By his standards, a mere eight years of work in the Careers Department in the 1980s, is a short but valuable contribution to proceedings.

Throughout his time at King Edward’s, Malcolm has embraced the changes that the School has adopted and none more so than during his seventeen year stint as Head of Capon, where the complexities of

8 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

the House competition increased at the turn of the millennium. Lifting the Allan Grant trophy is one of the many satisfying moments that litter Malcolm’s career, along with the Humanities squad winning the interfaculty tug of war competition and the Economics Department defeating the Mathematics Department at chess. Typifying his interest in the holistic process of education, Malcolm completed his M Phil on student retention in independent schools in 1998, having started this process in a sabbatical term in 1995. This research has provided interesting reading for some of the pastoral team.

Malcolm’s love of sport and of student involvement outside of the classroom has been demonstrated in the enormous contribution he has made to school teams and overseas trips. Twenty-five years as a devoted and enthusiastic rugby coach, eleven years with junior sides and fourteen years with the 2nd and 1st XV, sandwiched amongst this was an eight year stint helping to run the 2nd XI cricket team. His commitment to residential trips is also impressive, clocking up the equivalent of five months away over his thirty-seven years, including five rugby tours with Canada and Australia being highlights, a cricket tour to Malta, several testing ski trips, a trip to the battlefields and seven Geography field trips. Badminton Club has also been graced by Malcolm’s presence for the last nineteen years. It is no wonder that Lovaton has

slipped through the net!

Beyond the classroom and sports field Malcolm has been a tireless contributor to the Common Room, serving on the committee for thirty-three years, twentyfour of which as Treasurer and the last six as Chairman.

This latter role required a balance of diplomacy and understanding, which Malcolm was able to deliver whilst maintaining his dry sense of humour. He was also an ever-present member of the Vikings cricket team, acting as Secretary for thirty-five years and accompanying many voyages of the longboat in forays to far flung parts of the UK. Outside of school, he has devoted his time as a trustee to the Michael May Young Cricketers’ Foundation for twenty-two years, a charity close to his heart.

Evidence from Malcolm’s career is that once he has a job, he likes to see it through and longevity is a consistent feature of his service to King Edward’s. He leaves the Economics Department with healthy student numbers and plenty of breadth in provision and we wish Malcolm and Elaine a long and healthy retirement, one in which we know his passions for sport, travel and family time will come to the fore.

Mr Sheppard

Mike Long Mike Long is without a doubt a ‘character’ and in the new bold world of teaching it is easy to forget that character is hard to define but easily recognised.

For some thirty-nine years, Mike has been the Art Department; sometimes sharing it with others along the way, but he has been a creative continuum for two generations and nobody would forget if they have been taught by him.

Mike studied sculpture at Goldsmiths and his love of working in three dimensions is with him every day both in his own work and as a school teacher. He was schooled at King’s School, Bruton in Somerset and a recent art conference held at the school, gave him to reflect on what sounded like a St Trinian’s type upbringing and to play a game of squash on the old courts one last time.

Mike started his teaching at Stroud School. He then joined King Edward’s, and what was then a boys-only grammar school under the then Head of Department Vance Broad. The department was originally where IT4 is now. The current DAC project comes some twenty

years after Mike first designed the Art Studios’ new home in the East Wing. A recent resurrection of our departmental pottery wheels also showed that Mike is a ridiculously talented ceramicist even though for him it clearly represents more craft than art!

Mike initiated the school art trips to New York and in years gone by, took staff and their partners to accompany up to sixty students. His enthusiasm for ‘The Big Apple’ was infectious as students were frog marched from the Guggenheim to MoMa via Jazz bars and cool diners with singing waitresses. It is no mean feat to organise such big international trips but the hard work and organisation made these trips run smoothly with everyone having an unforgettable time.

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Outside the classroom, Mike’s passion for sport has seen him take numerous rugby squads as well as the school squash team. A natural sportsman and keen cricketer, few can forget Mike taking to the crease with his signature bat complete with a revealing painting of a former art teacher to greet the bowler. He must also surely be the only member of staff to have ridden a motorcycle around the School corridors in the days before fire doors.

Mike has an infectious sense of humour and each day in the department there will be some kind of witticism in play, and lots of laughter. The recent introduction of more formal name badges for staff has seen Mike quietly photocopy his so that each time it has got slightly bigger - silly maybe but hilarious anyway!

In the Art studios Mike has the high standards and brilliant organisation one might expect of an old fashioned school master. His teaching is characterised

by honesty and experience with the same rigour applied from the Lower School learning perspective to the Sixth Formers being intellectually challenged. Art is such a hugely personal subject, it is hard to teach without both a love and passion that is constantly being informed by your own work and through the work of others and Mike personifies this. He is a wonderful and loyal colleague and the definitive ‘Bon Viveur!’

Mike has always had a love of all things French and it is no surprise that he will retire to his house in south-west France to continue to sculpt and use it as a base to explore the rest of Europe. King Edward’s will certainly not be the same without him and will become a rather less colourful place to work!

Mr Piggott

Richard Patten Richard Patten has spent the vast majority of his teaching career at King Edward’s, arriving in 1984 from Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury. He quickly got involved in KES life, taking charge of a cricket team and regularly scoring for the staff team. In his early days, he spent many hours organising the lighting for School dramatic productions as well as becoming increasingly involved with the Chess Club. I believe he is the reigning staff snooker champion, though no one can remember the last time that competition was held!

In 1991 he became “Master in charge of school lunches”, a headache inducing and little appreciated role! No doubt his skills at planning ahead and organising data were being recognised but he really found his niche in 2004 when he was appointed Deputy Director of Studies with particular responsibility for producing the timetable each year.

This was a role well suited to his calm, measured approach to problem solving and his logical skills developed as a chess player.

Anyone who has spent time with Richard will appreciate his immense general knowledge; as far as cricket is concerned (and Somerset County Cricket in particular) it borders on the encyclopaedic. Perhaps it was no coincidence that this year, when he was unable to compete as usual for the Hotel California staff quiz team, they failed for once to match their usual extremely high standards.

Above all else Richard is a mathematician who not

only has a full mastery of the material but who takes pains to create in his students a love for the subject that has so inspired him. The hundreds of solutions he has produced to maths exam papers have not only been of benefit to countless students (as well as the odd member of staff!) but are examples of clear reasoning, combined with brevity and, at times, ingenuity as well as the occasional witticism. He turns dry logic into what maths really is – a thing of great beauty!

Richard has always been prepared to express his opinion and would enter wholeheartedly into departmental discussions. He has rarely been rattled and he generally takes a positive approach to life’s demands. On one INSET day he was overcome with such enthusiasm that he couldn’t help bounding acrobatically high into the air. Unfortunately his head met an immovable object and he had to spend the rest of the day in casualty!

Richard will certainly be missed; he has been a helpful, kind and thoughtful colleague and we wish him well in his retirement.

Mr Singleton

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Michelle Lindebringhs Michelle Lindebringhs joined King Edward’s in September 2008 to provide maternity cover and complete her NQT training, so she was a natural choice when a permanent vacancy arose in the Spanish Department from September 2009.

her infectious sense of linguistic ambition, achieved results on a par with many Sixth Formers in this highly competitive annual event.

As a first class linguist with an impressive command of Spanish and a wide knowledge of all things Spanish, especially South American, Miss Lindebringhs was a real asset to the Spanish Department and a great role model for her students. She quickly showed herself to be a hugely committed teacher with a passion for excellence in education and a desire to engage her students creatively and innovatively. With her nononsense approach, she demanded much of herself and her students, setting high standards of behaviour and encouraging genuine scholarship, for which she duly earned respect. Her students appreciated her enthusiasm, dedication and commitment, and her tutees in the Upper School gained enormously from her caring attitude and obvious interest in them.

Outside the Languages Department, Miss Lindebringhs’s contribution to King Edward’s took many forms. She gave cookery classes as part of the Foundation Studies programme to prepare the Sixth Form for life at university, and she taught in the Curriculum Support Department for some years, later giving freely of her time to support Lower and Upper School students in study skills sessions. As Head of Reynolds she staunchly supported her students in their competitive endeavours, whilst her contribution to countless Duke of Edinburgh expeditions was outstanding, with her experience, her skills and her sense of fun making her a valuable member of the DofE team.

In the Languages Department, Miss Lindebringhs’s colleagues knew her as a warm-hearted, supportive team-player who was always ready to engage in educational debate and to further the cause of languages both in and outside the classroom. She demonstrated her passion for languages and travel throughout her years at KES by running regular trips to Catalonia, Andalucia and Salamanca during the holidays, giving generously of her time and ensuring the students all had a positive, memorable experience.

She also ran a very successful Linguistics Olympiad Club for the Upper School in recent years. Under her careful guidance her Upper School students, fired by

Miss Lindebringhs was very passionate about everything she embarked on and her spirit of adventure was never far below the surface. For some time she yearned to broaden her horizons, so having set her heart on a move to Spain to start a new life outside teaching she leaves us to follow these dreams and explore more of life beyond the confines of King Edward’s. We will miss her honest, hearty approach but we wish her every success as she pursues her ambitions. Buena suerte, Miss Lindebringhs!

Mrs Lupton

Clare Wikeley Clare Wikeley joined the school in 2006 as maternity cover, although she had helped out before this time.

She was extremely well-qualified, having an English degree from Cambridge, and two other Masters degrees, one from the Shakespeare Institute and during her time here, she has added to this collection by completing her Doctorate on John Taylor, The Water Poet, at Southampton University. Dr Wikeley has taught every English class possible, from the First Year to Upper Sixth, both Literature and Language. She is always meticulously prepared and expects a great deal from her students. This year she has been filling in as Second in Department in charge of English Language, and we have benefited from her vast experience as an examiner for various different boards.

Dr Wikeley has also taken the Lower School and Upper School Creative Writing clubs, and has been on a variety of educational trips. She intends to keep very busy in retirement: she will be continuing with her examining work, and intends to turn her PhD thesis into a book. She also wants to spend more time with her family, her three children all having previously studied at King Edward’s.

Dr Schofield

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Colin Prowse Dr Colin Prowse joined King Edward’s three years ago to teach Geography on a part-time basis. We are extremely grateful to Colin for the huge level of experience he has been able to offer the Geography Department, having been the Head of Geography at Bedales for many years.

He has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise, always encouraging students to stretch and challenge themselves in order to achieve their full potential. Further to Colin’s teaching in the Geography Department, over the last year he has also assisted with teaching within the Mathematics Department.

Over his three years at King Edward’s, Colin has attended a number of both residential and day

Geography field trips, including Osmington Bay with the Fourth Years and Calshot with the Upper Sixth.

His sense of humour and willingness to help and assist has made him a real asset on these trips.

Colin has now decided to retire and he is intending to continue his Geography in the form of travelling, including trips to France and America in the near future.

Miss Grant

Jack Tesseyman Jack Tesseyman joined the School from St Peter’s in Bournemouth to set up the Psychology Department at King Edward’s. The introduction of Psychology into our Sixth Form curriculum has been a great success, with around thirty pupils taking the subject in each year group. Jack has been instrumental in this success; his passion for the subject and his enthusiastic and inclusive approach to teaching has helped establish the popularity of the subject. Examination results have been impressive, encouraging more students to take up the subject at A Level and, indeed, go on to study it at university.

Jack has also been a popular and effective Lower School teacher and has coached rugby at U12 through to U15 level. He has led his faculty colleagues

in consideration of how insights from psychology and brain science can inform teaching practice – giving clear, down-to-earth advice that has prompted much discussion. He has been a source of support and good humour to many colleagues and students and will be greatly missed.

He leaves to take up a teaching post in Camborne Science and International Academy in his native Cornwall. We wish Jack and his young family all the best for the future.

Mr Herklots

Rob Jessep Rob Jessep joined King Edward’s in September 2015 to provide maternity cover within the Mathematics Department. During this time, he has been an active and supportive member of the department providing extra maths support lessons at lunchtimes and also running the Mathematics Partnership Programme for local primary schools. He is a keen musician playing the acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass and bodran. He provided percussion backing for the school production of Hiawatha and also set up a folk group for students.

Mr Jessep leaves us for a permanent job teaching Mathematics at Corsham Academy in Wiltshire and we wish him all the best in this new position.

Mrs Platten

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Dr Michael Paver Dr Paver joined the School in September 2010. He taught Chemistry throughout the age range of 13-18 and also offered his services to the Junior Science teaching. He became a Sixth Form tutor in September 2011 and then an Upper School tutor in September 2013. Dr Paver was U12B rugby coach for one year and earned himself the qualification of D of E Silver Supervisor in March 2015.

He has now decided to leave education; we wish him all the very best for the future.

Mr Cross

Christine Owen Christine Owen joined KES in 1988, amounting to twenty-seven years of dedicated loyalty and reliability.

She has seen the School develop from the early years of independence, under Colin Dobson, through its time with Tommy Cookson and Peter Hamilton and then as it is today.

We will all miss her and wish her a happy, healthy and enjoyable retirement.

Mrs S Owen

She has been involved with a variety of different administrative roles, in addition to her work as an Examinations Secretary. Christine’s professional support and contribution to the ever-changing examinations processes and demands, has, over time, consistently ensured smooth and successful results days for thousands of pupils. Her calm demeanour and methodical and focussed approach has been the underpinning of a successfully run examinations function for the School. Her gentle humour and quiet dignity in all situations have been exemplary.

Heather Petry Heather joined the school in March 2009 and quickly set about reviewing and improving our HR processes and systems. Her wealth of experience was invaluable in managing many of the complexities inherent in a school environment. In devising and implementing an improved framework for non-teaching staff performance development reviews, she was an advocate for training and development of all staff whatever their role or aspirations.

Heather leaves the School with our very best wishes.

Mr Maher

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 13

Marsha Barnett Marsha joined the School last year looking to move into the education sector having reached a senior position within police administration. Her personable and dedicated approach were appreciated by her colleagues and she leaves the School with our very best wishes.

Mr Maher

Lynette Rademaker Lynette joined King Edward’s in August 2013 bringing with her a wealth of experience which helped her settle in quickly and greatly eased the burden within the busy Finance Team. Lynette was critical in helping to restructure several key areas of work within accounts, both at King Edward’s and at Stroud, including merging many of the processes between the two schools. Lynette’s fantastic sense of humour and larger than life personality brought many a hilarious anecdote, particularly in her last few months here, after short trips to Italy in search of her next project.

Mr Kraig Twum-Barima and Mr George Attenberger Mr Twum-Barima and Mr Attenberger joined the IT Support Team for the 2015-2016 academic year for the sandwich work-placement components of their university studies, and have ably managed to achieve the tasks that have been set for them. Within their roles as Web Development and IT Classroom Support they have both experienced a variety of situations and worked with many different people, allowing them to gain numerous valuable new skills. George was based at Hill Lane but has worked at Stroud on many occasions throughout his time here. Kraig even managed to find time to assist Mr Smart coaching and refereeing basketball. We thank them both for their hard work throughout the year and wish George well in his final year at Bournemouth University studying Software Engineering (Computer Science) and Kraig in his final year at Portsmouth University studying Computing.

Mr Rigg

We were very sad to see Lynette go but I have no doubt that she will find plenty to keep her busy and it will allow her more time to enjoy with her children before they have flown the nest.

Mrs Peebles

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Mrs Ravenscroft Mrs Ravenscroft joined King Edward’s from Cantell School in 2009 as the Reprographics Technician. Over the past seven years she has worked behind the scenes supporting teaching and non-teaching staff alike and her role is invaluable in ensuring all the necessary documentation is copied and produced for lessons, events and the daily administration of the School.

She will be sadly missed but we wish her well in her new challenge working in the library at Peter Symond’s College.

Mrs Canty

Jim Hall In November 2016, Jim Hall retired after some ten years of sterling service as Technician to the Design and Technology Department. Jim had great problem solving skills and, whether it was faulty machine, an A level Physics student having problems with their coursework project, or a pair of glasses that needed repairing, he was always able and willing to help out.

Mr Lloyd Kelsey It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Lloyd Kelsey in May. Mr Kelsey had been a much loved and admired member of staff for over a decade before having to take early retirement through ill health in 2014. He was an extremely erudite and humble man whose entertaining and informed conversation characterised his time at the School. He was a superb Classicist who always brought great learning and knowledge to his lessons and engendered a love of the subject in his students.

Wonderful tributes have been paid to him by pupils both past and present. One ex-student writes “I’m very sad to have discovered today the death of an old friend and mentor, my Greek teacher Mr Kelsey. To him I owe much of my approach to research and academia which shaped the way I worked at university. To him I owe also my passion for epic poetry: I can scarcely imagine a better introduction to Homer than the one he provided, regularly littered with anecdotes, stories and facts, after the poet himself, all tied to the point he was trying to teach. What he passed on to me, as to his other students, had value and effect far beyond what it at first seemed to be.” Mr Kelsey will be missed greatly by staff and students alike.

Mrs Meredith

Over the ten years that he was in post, Jim saw the introduction of CAD CAM, right through to 3D printers.

He will be sorely missed by the department and the School and we can only wish him a long and enjoyable retirement in his garden and workshop.

Mr Barker

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 15

Chaplaincy Chat I start and end each year with prayer and worship. I hold a service of Holy Communion as an opportunity to reflect on what we are trying to achieve as a school community grounded in the Christian faith. I take time to pray on the last day of term, thanking God for so much that has happened in the preceding months, lamenting loss, struggle and sadness, but also rejoicing in the life we are able to share, the moments of joy and elation, the love and support so evident in staff and students alike.

The assembly programme and annual services afford good opportunity to reflect on so-called British values, as well as those that one might suppose are universal.

I was delighted that Freddie Knoller, Holocaust survivor and sometime prisoner at five concentration camps was able to speak to the Sixth Form once again as part of the excellent programme Dr Gamblin continues to devise. Despite Freddie’s advanced years he remains a powerful communicator of the horrors and cruelty, alongside hope and altruism he experienced.

This academic year for me has been framed by the unexpected reappearance at King Edward’s in the autumn of the much-loved Lloyd Kelsey, returned from his sojourn with family in Canada. Having welcomed him back with great joy, it was a very great sadness and shock when he died suddenly at the start of the summer term. I am pleased we were able to support his son and widow at his funeral and there have been many messages from former students speaking of how very much he meant to them. Lloyd was a man of great knowledge, spiritual insight and, above all, a love and kindness for those he met along the way. He was the least judgemental person I think one could encounter and I am grateful for the insights and encouragement he offered me as we journeyed in faith together; a great teacher, scholar, conversationalist, raconteur and human being.

The January Service focussed on Epiphany and the idea of seeing the reality of the world and ourselves with honesty and candour, celebrating the good and lamenting the bad, committing ourselves to banish ignorance, bigotry and sectarianism by sound learning and good values. With the continuing rise of religious violence and racial abuse here in the UK post Brexit, this is surely a message we should espouse.

This year’s Assembly programme has included our annual sequence of reporting of charitable activities, looking beyond our own horizons and encouraging us to think differently. It has been good to welcome some external speakers, often visiting the school to speak in other forums as well. David Edwards spoke about geographical adventures, Mrs Potter brought in a representative of the charity Hope, and to mark Wellbeing Week, Mindfulness expert James Gibbs gave a powerful address to the School. Numerous exchange visits and expeditions have also been celebrated, Dr Dean detailed her experiences in Mexico and Mr Herklots explored some of the wonders of Physics.

The summer assembly programme is reduced but the Debating Society was able to explore the EU referendum with considerable style and energy. We continue to be blessed by fine musical contributions from the students and Mr Diver delivered several wonderfully moving and challenging talks, has continued to speak powerfully around the experiences of war as we remember the Great War’s seminal battles and, with an insight on the destruction and loss wrought in Southampton in the Second War, helped the School prepare for Remembrance. He also helped us mark Holocaust Memorial Day in January.

There are some formal moments I really enjoy and think make some statements about our values and priorities as an establishment shaped by the Christian message. To this end, we always start and end term with a service, and new students attend the Ceremony of Admissions. The Act of Remembrance at KES was marked on the 11th November and Mhairi Carson played ‘The Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ beautifully. I have enjoyed working with Mike Long on his war memorial piece for the quad and look forward to its completion and commissioning as we continue to commemorate the extraordinary sacrifice of former pupils in the Great War and since.

The end of the Christmas term saw us embark on a new venture by translating the Carol service to Romsey Abbey, which was able to afford us more space for the many children and adults wishing to be involved either as members of the choirs, orchestra or very large congregation. It was a great occasion and my thanks to all who contributed, not least in the extensive planning and in the musical preparations. The collection raised some £1544.55 to be donated to New Forest Nightstop reflecting our concern for those young people facing homelessness in the vicinity and also Make-a-Wish for seriously ill children.

The annual Service of Thanksgiving was held in March at Winchester Cathedral. It was a great pleasure to welcome the The Right Revd. David Stancliffe, retired Bishop of Salisbury as our preacher. The service went very well, following our usual pattern with the Chamber Choir and augmented School Choir bringing uplifting music, dancers, the School Council, Prepositors and Heads of House all playing their parts admirably. It

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was a memorable occasion, ably supported by the administrative and staff team, not least in ensuring the safe transportation of the School without issues.

Jeremy Hill of the Second Year, once again volunteered to take part in the Cranmer Awards run by the Prayer Book Society. He read from the BCP to an audience in the Bishop’s Chapel in Wolvesey Palace. Stefan Smart gave us a powerful rendition of the Passion story in our end of term service on Maundy Thursday; a foretaste of a demanding and exciting initiative to perform the entire gospel of Mark in a dramatic form in public places over the summer months, including Speakers’ Corner, London.

I learnt a lot by being part of the Extended Studies First Year programme once again. I have worked with Tim Tofts in his excellent unit on Reality and Representation and we have been welcomed by the Central Southampton Mosque and also visited Winchester Cathedral. Mr Tofts also organised the Oxford trips for the Second Year, visiting the Oxford Jewish Centre, St Barnabas’ Church and The Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museums. It was very good to meet representatives of those faith communities and to see the myriad exhibits at the museum, opening our eyes to religious practice and different paradigms.

At Stroud, I have been taking Sixth Form students to support Forest School on a Tuesday and I have enjoyed taking Sixth Form students up to the hospital to visit on Thursday evening. I look forward to my annual time supporting the Summer Camp charity project and an increased role in it for coming year. It was a joy to lead the Charlotte exchange once again, alongside Mrs Rugge-Price. Along with our preparation weekend in Lovaton, the trip proved very successful with the children being fine ambassadors for both the School and the UK. The summer term, of course, brings the pressure of exams. Anxiety is a feature of a number of children’s lives, with understandably high expectations and an awareness of the expensive and uncertain future post 18. The Mindfulness initiatives from the school counsellor continue to be of great service to those who pursue the courses.

I was pleased to be able to lead the dedication of a tree at Stroud in memory of Jan Preston at the invitation of Bill her husband and the Headmaster, and May saw the death, aged 94, of former pupil The Reverend Professor Dennis Nineham. He was one of the Church of England’s most distinguished scholars and teachers, occupying chairs at London, Cambridge and Bristol

universities, and from 1969 to 1979 was Warden of Keble College, Oxford. It is always wonderful to welcome new life into the world with Emma Ridley, Jess Ferrand, and Rachel Kairis all being safely delivered of new babies.

The Christian Union continues to be run with great dedication by Paul Robinson. Toby Saer set up and hosted an impressive evening in the Dobson and Concourse for Christian Unions from a number of colleges and schools. A panel of external evangelical speakers led workshops, worship and discussion.

John Singleton works with undimmed enthusiasm with the younger pupils in Interface, enriching and nurturing their exploration of Christian faith, meeting to explore the faith through games, activities, quizzes and discussions.

The staff and parent prayer group have continued to gather periodically at lunchtimes in the School.

The Reverend Erica Roberts comes to the end of her leading role as her son leaves. She has been a faithful and generous supporter of staff, pupils and parents.

The group has organised to purchase a copy for each pupil and staff at both schools of The Servant Queen, a book celebrating the Queen’s ninetieth birthday and long reign, focussing especially on the importance of her Christian faith in her life. This has been possible through the considerable financial generosity of individuals.

In the face of a troubled world, I hope to offer some vision of the hope and good that we can experience amongst the turmoil. Our school hymn speaks of the constancy of God as our strength in the transitory experiences of stormy life. With the real dangers for our pupils of information and influence from unsavoury or hate-filled ideologies, it is all the more important to offer a different paradigm proclaiming the unswerving and inalienable value of all humanity, from our Christian heritage, as children of a loving God.

Revd Poppleton

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The Allen Grant Trophy 2016 The Allen Grant trophy is a wonderful part of what happens in School. With thirty-three separate competitions that are sporting, creative, game and team based, and the merits that can be gained in the Lower School, there is something in which everyone can get involved and represent their House.

With Mr Miller’s Lake House having been victorious for the last two years, the other Houses certainly didn’t want to see them get three in a row. From the outset, Watts were strong, and by February half-term, they led the pack, with Lake close on their tail only four points behind. The other houses had some catching up to do with joint third of Lawrence and Sylvester eighteen points in their wake.

A superb Sports Day and Swimming Gala, along with the calculation of merits, meant that final scores could be calculated. Congratulations to Lake; the eventual winners! Well done to all of the pupils who took part in events and played and competed hard, to the supporters who gave energy from the sidelines, and to the teachers who led the Houses. Trying to sort out team after team can be a thankless task, but with all of the help from a great team of Heads of House, it has been a brilliantly successful year.

Miss Smith

The beauty of this competition is how easily it can change, and coming into the large summer events, and before Sports Day and the Swimming Gala, Lake were back in front with 161 points, thirteen points ahead of Watts and fifty-four points from 6th place. However Reynolds, Sylvester and Capon were yet to play their joker and so it was still all to play for.

The runner up in Lower School Cup, with 104 points, was WATTS, the winner, with 138 points, was LAKE The runner up in the Upper School Cup, with 33 points, was LAKE and the winner, with 36 points, was LAWRENCE The overall results were therefore as follows: In third place with 170 points: SYLVESTER In second place with 173 points: WATTS In first place was LAKE, for the third year in succession, with 207 points.

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The Allen Grant Trophy 2016

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KES Science and Technology Festival 2016 The KES inaugural Science and Technology Festival 2016 opened with a day and evening of varied talks and activities with something for everyone.

The Hampshire Air Ambulance landed safely on the field and many pupils took the chance of having a look at the craft and talking to Professor Deakin and his colleagues. Meanwhile, in the driveway alongside the science labs, the Fourth Year Design students were testing their rocket-powered cars which they had designed with the help of a wind tunnel from Southampton University. The Third Year and Lower Sixth heard a fascinating, if sometimes harrowing, talk from Hilary Moulsdale who worked in a field laboratory in Sierra Leone during the recent Ebola outbreak whilst the First Year classes were treated to some science busking from a group of talented Sixth Formers, ably led by Mr Miller. Lunchtime saw a fancy dress competition on the School Field and a keenly contested iPad quiz for Third and Fourth Year pupils in the Dobson Theatre whilst, in the afternoon, the School hall was blacked out and filled with smoke for a talk on photonics from Southampton University with an extremely impressive laser show. The day was rounded off with two evening lectures, the first on ‘Science and Religion’ from Professor Keith Fox, followed by ‘Mapping the Universe’ from Professor Will Percival.

These talks prompted very interesting questions from the audience of pupils and parents and certainly focused our thoughts on the theme of the festival, ‘Our place in the Universe’.

Tuesday was another full-on day with different talks and events running throughout the day. All the First Years saw the mobile planetarium – giving them the opportunity to lie down and look at the ceiling of the dome as it showed the sky above Southampton that evening. Meanwhile, the Third Year and the Lower Sixth heard Professor Holt give a fascinating and thoughtprovoking talk on ‘Doping in Sport’. At the same time, the Second Year were enjoying a talk on how humans can explore the solar system from ‘adventure scientist’ Huw James. Lunchtime found First and Second Years battling it out in the Dobson Theatre in the second iPad quiz while the Biology Department ran a forensics workshop on the School field. In the afternoon, sixty pupils from Wordsworth School came to build and test water powered rockets whilst pupils from local prep schools presented their science investigations in ‘The Big Question’. The Fourth Year enjoyed a clear and engaging talk on biofuels whilst the Lower Sixth physicists grappled with the twin paradox and waveparticle duality! The day closed with our evening talks for parents and pupils. After a talk exploring Einstein’s contribution to Physics and beyond, Huw James ended the day in grand style talking about the science of survival and giving pupils, parents and teachers the opportunity to feast on mealworms and other even less savoury bugs!

The final day ended with a giant solar system rolling around the school field, incredible psychology, ‘Magic Science’ and astronaut shows and, on the final evening, ‘Dr Dance’ discussing the psychology of dance moves. This rounded off an eclectic, educational and entertaining festival.

Mr Herklots

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CREATIVE ARTS

Art at KES The Art Department has had another busy and creative year with an impressive range of original work filling sketchbooks and gracing the walls of the School.

The most significant event to record though is the retirement of Mr Mike Long. After 39 years in the Art Department, he is in that rare position of having taught two generations of KES pupils and he has done so with his characteristic flair and humour. His time at Goldsmith Art School studying under Bill Pye inspired his passion for sculpture and working in three dimensions, which is at the forefront of his teaching. In the days of more abandon, students were encouraged to weld, glue and plaster to create huge ambitious pieces of sculpture but Mike has always adopted the hands on approach to everything he does and, over the years, has designed and built some spectacular stage sets in the original School Hall and the Dobson Theatre as well as encouraging students to be ambitious in their work. The first year ‘stick’ project is surely now iconic and there must be many hundred gardens with large clay heads poking out of the rhododendrons. His legacy will be a specially commissioned WWI memorial that will be a permanent piece of sculpture in one of the school courtyards. Two things always underpin Mike’s teaching; high standards and fun. At times, things might not have always been strictly ‘PC’ but creative minds have always wanted to stir it up a bit! He will be very much missed but will, no doubt, still be working on a wonderful sculpture whilst enjoying his house in southern France or discovering new galleries from the luxury of his motor home.

In the art studios the department has been in the strange situation of preparing for the DAC project; which means the 4,000 books and twenty years of work have been carefully sorted and moved to our temporary classrooms ready for a seamless start to the new academic year.

The Sixth Form artists have created some lovely pieces of work this year. George Goodhand’s meticulous paintings and drawings have been ambitious and he has cultivated a very distinctive style of working. Ben Maher has been our sole photographer but has shown that he has an eye for composition and his exam work is particularly worthy of mention. His short film on the theme of commuting was extremely good; perceptive and poignant and instinctively cinematic.

The Lower Sixth have had the challenge of a ‘new’ AS Level and each student has worked hard to find their style beyond GCSE. Duncan Urquhart-Hawkins has thrown himself into the lino cut process and both his coursework and exam pieces have featured complex prints that draw on a wealth of meticulous preparatory studies. Katya Sheath has found great success painting portraits from life in oils in order to push her own technical skills. Ellie MacLeod has developed a gentle illustrative style of painting in watercolour that has especially suited her way of seeing the world.

Alice McNicholas’s love of dance is clearly evident in her coursework; hundreds of photographs from her ballet classes have been interpreted into a huge variety of drawings and fluid passionate sketches and paintings. Imogen Haisman has really enjoyed the opportunity to paint big, and her oil canvases of faces are bold, fresh and exciting and give a hint of what might come next year.

The sketchbooks of our AS photographers are exciting and contain a vibrant mix of digital image manipulation and narrative sequences. Iona Rhodes’s examination blog has cleverly used the Barbie doll to look at body imagery whilst Amy Balint’s exam work put together a series of images as metaphors for the passing of time.

All of this year’s GCSE and A Level work can be viewed on the Department’s Flickr site accessed via the Art Department’s School webpages. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingedwards/

Mr Piggott

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Dance at KES It has been an exciting year for dance at KES and its provision has continued to expand to offer more opportunities to the budding dancers within the School. With a dynamic offering of various clubs and workshops, pupils have enjoyed their time in our state of the art Dance Studio at various lunchtimes and after school. Pupils take part in ballet, street dance and Zumba, to name a few, and have consequently broadened their skills and expertise of these disciplines.

We are proud of the clubs we have to offer at KES and hope to continue to expand the offering of co-curricular dance within the School.

The year kicked off with the drama production of ‘Hiawatha’ directed by Jeremy James Taylor OBE in the autumn term. This was a visual delight and featured many of our pupils dancing with a tribal flair, allowing them the opportunity to flourish with movement in performance.

In January, KES played host to Birmingham Royal Ballet who provided a fabulous workshop based on their production of Swan Lake. The day began with a workshop for some of our feeder primary schools, and we welcomed Durlston Court, Princes Mead, Twyford and Springhill. These pupils enjoyed a fun warm up at the barre, an opportunity to choreograph their own version of the famous Cygnet Dance and a short introduction to mime in ballet. It was lovely to see such creative ideas flowing from such passionate young dancers! Afterwards, it was the turn of KES Lower School pupils and they enjoyed learning the choreography for the Spanish Dance from the first act of Swan Lake. The girls picked it up impressively quickly and really showed off a Spanish flourish and flair in their final performance.

This year, dance continued to feature in our musical events with Sixth Formers Charlie Callaghan and Rhianna Jones flourishing in a duet to ‘Sway’ at the Spring Concert. Regular Ballet Club dancers also performed alongside a mass Chamber, School and Adult Choir at this year’s Thanksgiving Service at Winchester Cathedral. Dancing to Parry’s ‘I Was Glad’, the girls danced with their flower garlands in front of a full cathedral with an air of poise, elegance and professionalism and the department was grateful to Zeenia Amjad, Charlotte Farrell-Poulton, Matilda Gazzard and Harriet Lloyd for this wonderful performance.

Dance is continuing to grow at King Edward’s and we are looking forward to the completion of the DAC project which will provide our dancers with even more performance opportunities.

Miss Barnett

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Drama at KES The Drama Department has once again had an exciting yet challenging year, with a number of memorable performances on display, from the whole school production of ‘Hiawatha’, directed by Director in Residence Jeremy James Taylor, to the politically charged Sixth Form Play ‘Heritage’ and finally the bizarre and thrilling Lower School production of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’.

In the autumn term, an ensemble group of twentyfive, consisting of pupils and staff as performers and musicians, were privileged to be directed by the National Youth Musical Theatre co-founder and artistic director, Jeremy James Taylor in a dramatic version of the well-known ‘Hiawatha’ poem. The cast were committed and motivated during the intensive four hour rehearsal each week and enthusiastically collaborated as a choral group. This resulted in a performance that captured the spiritual and epic nature of a Native American storytelling piece with the stone circle at the centre of the performance space. The choral group took the audience on a thrilling and moving journey, telling the story of Hiawatha’s legendary life from his birth to his eventual departure from his native land;

incorporating live music, movement, singing, puppetry, mask work and physical theatre spectacularly. The movement was choreographed by Miss Barnett and was a real highlight of the whole production, complimenting Jeremy James Taylor’s creative vision wonderfully.

In the spring term, Ollie Uglow took on the challenge of directing the traditional Sixth Form Play. He was drawn to the topical and very current play series National Connections, which showcases brand new plays written by well-known playwrights specifically for young adults. Ollie eventually settled on the play ‘Heritage’ by Dafydd James, which showed a group of misfit teenagers, in a nationalist state, rehearsing for the May Day festivities. The performers managed to effectively portray the black comedy of the piece, providing moments of laughter and genuine concern for the characters, due to the excellent direction from Ollie.

In the summer term, the Lower School production was of Simon Reade’s adaptation of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, which was not only the final performance of the year but the final show in the current Dobson Theatre. With direction by Mrs Hawker and movement direction by Miss Barnett, the whole cast created an entertaining piece for the audience, taking them through the bizarre and strange world of Wonderland with Alice by their side. It was certainly a fitting way to bid a fond farewell to the current Dobson Theatre, which has provided so many memorable performances for decades.

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The department has also continued to offer its Third Year, GCSE and A Level pupils a wide variety of productions to see throughout the year, including visits to London for a Sixth Form Education Day and performance of ‘Our Country’s Good’ at the National Theatre, to Oxford Playhouse for Kneehigh’s appraised adaption of ‘Rebecca’ and the comedy of ‘Confusions’; as well as more local performances of ‘The Glass Menagerie’, ‘The 39 Steps’, ‘Brideshead Revisited’ and Kneehigh’s ‘The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk’ at the Nuffield Theatre, ‘Lord of the Flies’ at The Mayflower Southampton and ‘An Enemy of the People’ at Chichester Festival Theatre.

A Level pupils who attended the National Theatre Sixth Form Education Day were lucky to hear the director, actors, creative team and the playwright herself discuss the historical, political and stylistic production of ‘Our Country’s Good’, before watching the performance, allowing them to gain a valuable insight into the A Level set text. The GCSE and A Level pupils also took part in a practical workshop run by the Nuffield Theatre, giving them first-hand experience in exploring the theories of a significant practitioner and his own genre of theatre.

The pupils were certainly pushed to their limits, with extensive physical tasks and vocally demanding challenges that completely engaged and absorbed them; leading to a devised project in creating their own pieces of Theatre of Cruelty.

The co-curricular clubs of Junior Drama Club and Improvisation Club have continued this year with great success and popularity for the Lower School. In addition to this, Lamda lessons have been attended by a large number of pupils across three days with Miss Reilly teaching private and shared lessons. Most of these pupils also took part in Lamda examinations with good results.

The examination performances were centre stage during the spring term, with the A Level pupils Joseph Trayhurn and Collette Lane creating and devising their own Theatre of Cruelty piece surrounding the challenging topic of domestic violence. ‘I Love Her and Everything is Beautiful’ was a disturbing and shocking piece for the audience to watch, as it exposed the often taboo subject of a male being physically and mentally abused by a female, in the ceremony of a wedding. The AS Level pupils Ella Moody, Ali Shanker and Katherine Smith performed a poignant and comic extract from Shelagh Stephenson’s ‘The Memory of Water’, which was warmly received by the audience. It was an entertaining piece with three very strong female characters, demonstrating the arguments, rivalries and yet deep bonds that develop when siblings are reunited after a parent bereavement.

The GCSE groups showcased an excellent array of performances from their own devised work in the styles of Frantic Assembly, Epic Theatre and Naturalism in the autumn term. They also performed extracts from a diverse range of plays in the spring term, with some highly engaging pieces taken from ‘East’, ‘Equus’, ‘Antigone’ and ‘Private Lives’, demonstrating their high quality, acting abilities.

Mrs Hawker

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12 Angry Men

Twelve Angry Men ‘Twelve Angry Men’ concerns the trial of a teenager accused of stabbing his father to death in New York in the 1950s, and was performed by members of the Sixth Form in the Twigg Theatre in December. It is very much an ensemble piece and I had my doubts that they would be able to pull it off. It is unusual in that it requires all the twelve actors to be on the stage throughout, and line learning is made even trickier as characters make fairly regular non sequiturs, and there are repeated patterns of dialogue (in particular the five jury votes). Add on to this problems with a New York accent, and it seemed like an overly ambitious choice for a school play.

However, the students did a brilliant job, and their commitment to the success of the play was really very impressive. The opening night did cause a few palpitations, admittedly, and there was one long pause filled occasionally by a desperate attempt to ad lib (‘Well, I think he’s guilty’ et cetera), but given the demands of the play this was understandable, and there was some stunning acting on display: every member of the cast played their part with aplomb.

The Henry Fonda part was played by Oscar Herbert Williams, and he really grew into the role, playing it with subtlety and quiet authority. Ollie Uglow can always be relied upon to add dynamism and energy to any role, and his performance as one of the angrier of the angry men was terrific. Holly Smart and Niamh Phelan were similarly impressive, Holly creating a distance between her and the others that befitted the arrogance of the wealthy character and owning the stage at times, and Niamh managing to nail her characterisation with far fewer lines (her use of spectacles was particularly interesting!). I had never seen Joe Winter act, and he had to persuade me to give him the other very angry role, as I thought he seemed too nice to play the part!

He proved me wrong with a charismatic and powerful performance that showed that he has a dark side as well!

A particular pleasure in directing plays is to find students who haven’t done a great deal of acting and to witness their development. James Maunder seemed to find his role as the bureaucratic, slightly pompous foreman (not an easy part to play) very early on, incorporating of a slight speech impediment to excellent effect, and he was another one who really

8-10 December

7.30pm Twigg Theatre King Edward VI, Southampton Tickets available on KESpay / in the Crush Hall

nailed the part. Ananth Sathyanath, well known as a debater, played the part of the dignified immigrant with sensitivity and style. Toby Hill and Ben Sharpley had fewer lines, and some students might have made a fuss about having to be present at rehearsals when they said so little. However, Toby and Ben found their accents early on and both created believable and interesting characterisations.

One of the most difficult tasks is to create an older character on the stage: it really is not easy for a teenager to play old convincingly for obvious reasons.

However, Jacob Baxendale managed to find his inner pensioner, and the result was another dignified and interesting performance. Looking increasingly like Kiefer Sutherland, and with possibly the most convincing New York accent, seasoned professional Charlie Callaghan was, as always, excellent as the brooding movie fan who just wants the whole thing to finish so he can go to the cinema. Matt Livington, who is usually to be found on the other end of the camera, managed to turn a possibly uninteresting part into a character from a Coen brothers’ film! He really should do more acting.

His trailer for the film, on which he spent a huge amount of time, was simply superb. The last word should go to Tom Stanley, who stepped in last minute to play the guard. He only had about half a dozen lines, but Tom insisted that his character had a back story of heartache and pain, such was his commitment to the part!

It was a pleasure to work on this production with such a talented and enthusiastic cast. I hope that they all continue to perform in the future.

Dr Schofield

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Music at KES Another exciting year of music-making began in September when a group of KES brass and wind players visited the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth, to participate in a day of music-making with the professional musicians of the Royal Marines Band. It was an inspirational day of learning and playing culminating in a hugely impressive afternoon performance with the world-renowned band. In October the advanced musicians of the Chamber Orchestra joined forces with our professional partnership orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, for an inspiring day of side-by-side playing. The event, which also saw seventy musicians from our feeder junior and prep schools performing with the KES Chamber and Adult Choir, culminated in an outstanding concert at Turner Sims. The Chamber Choir gave an excellent performance at the opening of the Christmas Tree Festival on Friday 4th December, at St James Road Methodist Church. Members of the audience were full of praise for the quality of the singing and all proceeds from the event went to charity. The term was rounded off when 184 singers in the combined choirs led the singing in the Carol Service at Romsey Abbey. The choirs also sang a varied programme of carols ranging from the traditional ‘Bethlehem Down’ by Peter Warlock to John Tavener’s ‘Christmas Round’ and also included a UK premiere of Arvo Pärt’s delightful ‘Lullaby’. The Chamber Orchestra accompanied the carols and the large congregation sang parts with great gusto donating over £1,500 in the retiring collection for local charities.

February was a particularly busy month for the Music Department. Five of the Lower School musicians visited Stroud to play at morning assembly, ahead of this year’s Dobson Theatre concert. As well as giving inspirational performances of some challenging pieces, they also demonstrated their instruments to the children from years 3, 4 and 5 and spoke about the importance of music in their lives. The Chamber Choir travelled to Oxford to sing evensong at Worcester College alongside their College Choir. The Chamber Choir rose to the challenge of singing some advanced choral repertoire; a particular highlight being the singing of Stanford’s ‘For Lo, I Raise Up’, a performance where the Choir’s enjoyment of the music was clear to all. Our students also had the opportunity to have a tour of the College, as well as have tea with the choral and organ scholars who were very willing to answer questions and share their experiences.

Also in February, Sixth Form musicians presented a high quality performance for visitors to Southampton’s Art Gallery. Musical items included Mozart, Brahms and Vaughan Williams and the Sixth Formers performed with great poise and were excellent ambassadors for the School. Over eighty Lower School pupils filled the Dobson Theatre with a wonderful array of musical items in an excellent concert on 10th February. The Sinfonia opened the evening with highly polished and musical renditions of ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and ‘Take Five’ and the Symphonic Winds closed the evening with a high energy, foot-tapping jazz performance of ‘Blue Dinosaurs’. The First Year Choir was on top form and there were a number of outstanding soloists and chamber groups. After the concert members of the audience remarked on the high quality of the performances and also the poise with which the performers presented themselves.

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At the end of the month, the Chamber Choir sang evensong at Winchester Cathedral. This was an exciting opportunity for them to sing in an amazing venue accompanied by one of the cathedral’s organists.

Students learned about the traditional elements of an evensong service and were able to develop their skills singing Psalms and Responses; a new experience for many. Special commendation should go to Phil Normand, Rhianna Jones, Holly Smart and Angus Armstrong for their solo contributions.

The spring term saw over 100 of the School’s senior musicians on top form at the Turner Sims Concert on 9th March. The concert featured the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Big Band and a number of excellent chamber and solo items. There were orchestral works by Vaughan Williams and Shostakovich, solo pieces by Purcell, Berlioz, Brahms and Fauré. On 16th March, the Senior School Choir and Chamber Choir offered wonderful dramatic and moving music for the annual Thanksgiving Service held in the magnificent setting of Winchester Cathedral. It was also lovely to see parents and former pupils joining the Choir for this whole School event.

In May the Music Department celebrated the ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians) Gold certificate in Music in 2016. This was awarded for the excellent results in GCSE Music examinations last year. More than 20% of the Fifth Year cohort at KES achieved an A*- C in GCSE music, which placed the School 37th in 5,000 Schools across England. The data highlights the reach of music within the School and whilst the ISM award was for schools with A*- C grades the whole KES Music cohort produced 100% A*/A grades. Well done to all students for this outstanding achievement.

‘Listen While you Lunch’ continues to be a very popular regular event and we have seen a number of excellent performances throughout the year, and the academic year was rounded off with the annual Music Competition which was adjudicated by professional violinist and former pupil Avril Freemantle.

Mrs Freemantle (Director of Music)

Music Competition Results Grade I - III Winner: Anoushka Umranikar Runner-up: Huw Dunlop Grade IV-VI Winner: Linus Etchingham Runners-up: Erik Hillman Alexandra Hopkins-Manceri Grade VII+ Winner: Eleanor Dunlop Runners-up: Chris Lotery Aelfred Hillman

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Chamber Orchestra Once again it has been an absolute privilege to conduct the forty players in the advanced Chamber Orchestra.

They bring commitment, enthusiasm and fun to every rehearsal and continue to rise to the challenges of advanced repertoire. In October they performed alongside the young professionals of the Southbank Sinfonia in a concert at Turner Sims playing the first movement of ‘Dvo ák’s 9th symphony’ and Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville Overture’ with outstanding precision and musicianship. They accompanied the choir at the Carol Service in Romsey Abbey, and performed at the Turner Sims Spring Concert showing great musicianship and versatility.

This year we say goodbye to orchestra leader Emmy Huang, principal cello Mike Huang, principal clarinet Nick Francis, principal oboe Luke Roberts, pianist Phil Normand, trumpet player Toby Saer and flautist Rhianna Jones. I would like to thank them for contributing so much to the orchestra during their time at KES. Following on the tradition of many alumni, maybe we will see them again as guest players at some point in the future.

Mrs Freemantle (Director of Chamber Orchestra)

Senior Choir The Senior Choir continues to be a popular activity in the run up to the Carol Service with large mixed choir enjoying the challenge of singing in four part harmony with the Parent and Staff Choir at the service. This year’s programme at Romsey Abbey contained many highlights such as Arvo Pärt’s ‘Lullaby for choir and strings’ and John Tavener’s ‘Christmas Round’ which was great fun to sing and conduct in candlelight.

The Choir also gave an outstanding performance of Parry’s ‘I was Glad’ and Walton’s ‘Jubilate Deo’ at the Thanksgiving Service at Winchester Cathedral in March.

Special thanks go to soloists Phil Normand, Rhianna Jones, Emma Blackman, Luke Roberts and Rosa Sparks. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents and friends of KES who sing with the choir bringing an exciting extra dimension to the proceedings.

Mrs Freemantle (Director of Senior Choir)

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Chamber Choir The Chamber Choir has continued to grow in strength this year, performing in several high profile events and further expanding their repertoire. The year began with an outstanding performance of three movements from Poulenc’s ‘Gloria’ alongside the Southbank Sinfonia and members of the KES Adult Choir in October with Rosa Sparks as an excellent soprano soloist. The choir were also invited to perform a selection of carols at St John’s Road Methodist Church. This was then followed by performances of Warlock’s ‘Bethlehem Down’ and Howells’ ‘A Spotless Rose’ with a heart-warming solo from Philip Normand.

O God’ and Finzi’s ‘My Spirit Sang All Day’ at the Thanksgiving Service, alongside an enjoyable foray into Jazz with a performance of Blue Skies accompanied by piano, bass guitar and drum kit.

The spring term was also busy with two evensongs, one at Worcester College, Oxford and the other at Winchester Cathedral. The choir really enjoyed performing the dramatic ‘For Lo I Raise Up’ by Stanford, learning a lot from singing it first alongside the Worcester College Chapel Choir, and then on their own.

These evensongs were also an opportunity for many of the choir to be introduced to psalm and response singing for the first time. Other notable events included performing McKie’s ‘We Wait for Thy Loving Kindness

This year we say goodbye to Emily Besley, Emma Blackman, Emer Healy, Rhianna Jones, Colette Lane, Katy Billington, Philip Normand, Luke Roberts, Benjamin Routledge and Rosa Sparks who have all contributed significantly to the choir while at KES. We thank them all for their dedicated work and hope to see them returning as guest performers in the future.

Miss Anderson (Director of Chamber Choir)

Symphony Orchestra

The Symphony Orchestra has had an excellent year, performing challenging repertoire and continuing to grow in numbers. The year culminated in a performance of the Vaughan Williams’ ‘English Folk Song Suite’.

This work was based on traditional folk songs and was originally written for concert band. The energetic outer movements contrasted with the slower, more melancholic inner movement, featuring an oboe solo.

The work was exciting to perform, requiring some quite virtuosic woodwind playing and with tricky off-beat

string rhythms and was well received by performers and audience alike.

This year we say goodbye to Emily Besley, Charlotte Percival and Benjamin Routledge, thanking them for their commitment to the orchestra. It has been a pleasure to work with the orchestra this year.​

Miss Anderson (Director of Symphony Orchestra)

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Rock Academy

Jazz Band

Another exciting year of rehearsals, performances, studio recording and photo shoots at Rock Academy draws to an end. Highlights include; the outstanding performances in Battle of the Bands with Rock Academy bands winning numerous accolades yet again; students’ first experiences of recording as a band in the studio; the numerous pouts and poses at the photoshoot and the amazing ability to create great performances and big sounds.

Once again, it has been my pleasure working with the Big Band this year. They played some nice music that spanned nearly the entirety of the Big Band Genre.

This included a modern composition by trumpeter Roy Hargrove, a Quincy Jones classic from the 1950s and a Woody Herman Big Band standard from the 1930s. The students adapted very well to the different styles, textures and demands of each piece producing an excellent performance in the Turner Sims Spring Concert. I applaud the commitment and work ethic of the players in the band and can’t wait to get started with our next programme in September!

Mr Kotch (Director of Rock Academy)

Mr Carrasco (Director of Jazz Band)

Flute Choir The Flute Choir has been busy rehearsing regularly on Monday lunchtimes developing their instrumental and ensemble skills. The players have worked together to produce performances in a number of different musical styles, developing important skills including listening to each other, matching and blending their articulations and sounds alongside the challenge of playing in tune with each other. They are developing their sight reading and aural skills regularly in rehearsals alongside enjoying the fulfilment of performing together as a team.

The flautists worked hard to prepare for the Lower School Music Concert in February during which they performed a piece incorporating a number of different musical styles including swing. They played to a capacity audience in the Dobson Theatre and produced a polished performance showing their versatility and determination to master the challenging repertoire. We look forward to developing the ensemble and welcome aspiring flute players keen to develop their flute playing and team work skills in September.

Ms Stocker (Director of Flute Choir)

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Symphonic Winds First Year Choir This has been an exciting year for Symphonic Winds, who have tackled some challenging repertoire with great flair and enthusiasm. The group has shown admirable commitment in rehearsals even throughout the busy examination period and are working more and more sympathetically together as an ensemble, with a musical maturity that continues to grow.

A successful performance in the Dobson Theatre concert was followed by a rendition of ‘St Louis Blues’ in the inaugural ‘Prom in the Park’ at the end of the summer term.

Mr Belassie (Director of Symphonic Winds)

This year First Year Choir have given a number of performances and worked on lots of different repertoire.

The year started with singing some rounds to get used to singing in parts and in harmony before practising classical Christmas pieces, building up to the Christmas concert in Romsey Abbey. During the spring term the choir started to look at some folk songs and musical theatre pieces, which culminated in the Dobson Junior Concert in February including an arrangement of ‘Down by the Salley Gardens’, and pieces from Joseph and Oliver, including ‘I’d Do Anything’ in which lots of the students sang really convincing solos. The group spent the summer term having fun doing some pop song arrangements such as ‘Fight Song’, and learning some African Spirituals with dance moves!

Mrs Tribe (Director of First Year Choir)

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CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

Astronomy Society This year saw another group of astronomers completing their studies for the Astronomy GCSE, making many solo observations at home and at visits to the local Toothill Observatory. This year was the year of another rare astronomical event, a transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun. Given that this took place in May we were ever hopeful for good clear weather to observe the event. Sadly, the whole day was nearly completely overcast. However, myself and a few students managed a glimpse of Mercury’s silhouette through the School’s solar telescope during a brief gap in the cloud cover, making the whole effort worthwhile.

Special mention should be given to James Mitchell who was a great help in setting up for the event and also persevered into the late afternoon to get another slightly longer glimpse.

Next year will see the next intake of astronomers interested in undertaking the GCSE course, so look out for notices if you are interested, or see Mr Simm directly.

Mr Simm

Badminton Club As with last year, attendance at Badminton Club has been down with the result that there has seldom been a time when players have not been able to spend the full hour on court. This clearly is an advantage because it helps to develop their technique and all-round play in terms of court positioning and tactics. It has also meant that we have not encountered any difficulties arising from the loss of the remaining squash court, which occasionally had to be commandeered as an overflow space.

The players this year have come mainly from the Third and Fourth Years.

I am sure that I will forget to name some of them, but regular attendees include Henry Tsang, Ollie Gough, Ollie Miles, Henry Southern, Alex Chandler, Saniya Belgi, Yuqing Chen, Xyla Taufaniska and Katie Young.

There have also been occasional appearances from star players, Jamie He and Alex Liu, both of whom are capable of giving anybody a run for their money. As usual, my apologies go to anybody that I have missed.

As I am retiring this year, this is my last report for Badminton Club. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Sheppard and Dr Gamblin for their help and support in running the activity over the last nineteen years.

I would also like to thank all of the students who have attended the club during my tenure. In the early years when I used to spend a lot of time on court they helped me to hone my skills as a player and to keep fit. Matches were played in the right spirit with a competitive edge, but with an emphasis on having fun rather than winning at all cost. In recent years when my involvement has been largely off court it has been good to see students maintaining this approach. I hope that they continue to do so and enjoy playing the game for many years to come.

Mr Walter

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Byron Society During the autumn of 1809 Lord Byron and John Cam Hobhouse travelled through Albania. One of the literary fruits of that journey was the following poem, which provided the starting point for the first lecture of the Society for the 2016 season, building on one given three years ago to great effect. Mr Smart and Mr Giles yet again provided an illuminating and enhanced insight into the three-month journey through bandit country culminating in a race on horseback through the northern gate of the city of Athens just before midnight on Christmas Eve of that year.

From the Notes of the President: “John Cam Hobhouse (1786-1869), later Lord Broughton, travelled to the East accompanying his friend and fellow student at Cambridge, Lord Byron, who funded the venture.

Having in mind that he would write an account of the voyage, Hobhouse took with him a supply of one hundred pens, two gallons of Japanese ink and a large amount of the best paper available.

The party arrived at Patras in 1809 and then visited Preveza, Nicopolis, Giannena and Tepeleni, where they met with Ali Pasha, returning to Giannena, then a major city of the Ottoman Empire. Hobhouse and Lord Byron journeyed via Acarnania to Delphi and ended up in Athens, where they stayed for ten weeks. During that time, Hobhouse visited Megaris, Attica and Chalcis.

The companions then went on to Smyrna (from where Hobhouse visited Clazomenae, Ephesus, and Troy) and to Constantinople. In 1810 they parted ways: Lord Byron went back to Athens and Hobhouse returned to England, where he went into politics. He was a member of the House of Commons, an active member of the Philellenic Committee and a friend of Adamantios Corais (Coray). In later life Hobhouse abandoned his liberal (Whig) sympathies and became conservative (Tory). He died at the age of eighty-three.”

Highlights of the Year President Louise Chamberlain Clay, our very own Josephine Bonaparte, spoke candidly about the finding of the Scrope Berdmore Davies trunk full with important papers in November 1976 in a vault belonging to Barclays Bank. It had remained untouched since 1820 when the original Scrope hastily decamped to the continent to escape his creditors. At the time, the Times described it as the literary find of the century. Louise’s talk succeeded truimphantly on three counts. Firstly,

she showed Scrope as the friend - the blood-brother, almost - of Byron. Secondly, she brought out in full Scrope’s characteristic role as a go-between: he took on the thankless task of interceding between Byron and his wife and, finally, she gave us the Age of Scrope. Not every Regency male was a buck, rake or dandy, but these men, with a pleasure-loving prince at their head, set the tone.

The Reading Competition was won this year by Madeleine Collins with a first class rendering of Byron’s Giaour. Aelfred Hillman, John Joyce, Michael Armitage and Louise Chamberlain-Clay delivered excellent renderings too. December’s Gothic Soirée in the Hospitality Suite was a ‘tour de force’ by Eben Neale, who sported his Society character of Sir Walter Rayleigh with great wit and poise. Lord Byron’s rendition at this event of the story of how he found molasses in the caves above Lisbon changed many lives of his listeners forever. Even this was outshone by the marvellous regency dancing which took the event to the witching hour of 1030 (a late night for Lord Byron).

Recollections of our Winter Ball from the notebook of Lord Byron: “Our teachers were Dr Garth Notley of RegencyDances.org and his wonderful partner,

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Anne. The students were responsive to Dr Notley’s instructions but clearly also delightfully very excited and giggly. They managed to control themselves enough to learn a couple of quite complicated routines and were justifiably proud of their achievements. Other activities included letter writing and card playing which were both hugely enjoyed. There was no duel this year, sadly, but Lady Caroline Lamb made a surprise guest appearance and, as is her wont, plotted mayhem and embarrassment but to no avail.”

Mrs Wood, Lady Anne Louise Emily Hardy, orchestrated wonderfully our outing to London which took place in October. We visited some of the key sites associated with Lord Byron. They included the Drury Lane Theatre, where Byron was a director during his years of fame, Albany in Piccadilly where the poet lived for a time, and Holles Street, site of the poet’s birthplace. Our tour took us out to Harrow to visit the poet’s old school. Back in town, poetry under the tree surrounded by nature in St James’ Park was a wonderful and moving experience.

We were delighted to be joined at Fortnum and Mason’s by our sponsor from Hampton Court, the delightful Lady Jane de Richard who treated us to an entertaining range of tales of Byronic folklore over scones and tea at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden.

The year was rounded off by a rather special regency picnic at Netley Abbey, complete with a further run out for the hampers and croquet hoops making their annual appearance. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (Michael Armitage), suitably attired, conducted proceedings during a sunny May afternoon amongst the Newsteadesque ruins of the abbey by the sea. The rendition ensemble of Byron’s ‘Parisina’ will long linger.

The Society continues to move forward. This year has seen an increase in Upper School membership with eight Fourth Years joining the Society. This augurs well for the future, with several of these students having already been asked to join the Executive. Michael Armitage takes hold of the reins of the carriage for the next academic year. We anticipate that 2017 will be as profound as 1812 was for the poet who gives our gatherings its purpose and meaning!

Michael Armitage and The Byron Society team

Beekeeping Club This year saw our largest honey crop with over 12kg taken off in September and distributed among students and staff, with proceeds from sales going to the Charities Commission. This year KES honey was also found making an appearance in the Southampton and District Show; these unique jars of honey being auctioned to raise funds for the Goedgedacht Project.

The season ended with a strong colony, free from disease and with plenty of stores. When we held our annual Honey Tasting event in March the colony had survived the winter. Unfortunately, over the following few weeks the colony declined and by the middle of April no bees remained. It seems that the queen was not laying and the colony collapsed.

As we have building work starting close to the hive site, it was decided to move an empty hive off site for stocking with a swarm, ready for return in the autumn. Dave Norris, our visiting apiarist, who has been, once again, a fantastic support is organising this for us. Sadly this meant no on site opportunities to visit the bees during the summer.

If you think you may be interested in learning about being a beekeeper, or just think you might like to put your head into a hive of bees just once, then get yourself involved.

Mr Robinson

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Cactus Club “A giant cactus fell from the sky, landing at my feet with a thud.”

With special thanks to Gary Corby, whose first, and excellent, novel ‘The Pericles Commission’ opens with the original version of this line. There could be few more fitting ways to begin this year’s report – so full of surprises and wonderful events it was!

The highlight of the early part of the summer term was the glorious weekend at the Eden Project. The weather for that last weekend in April was made for the occasion and was, without doubt, ideal for cactus growing. Our Cactus HQ was the field study centre at Lovaton and after breakfast on the Saturday we headed for the Eden Project in Cornwall where, on arrival, we were given an introductory talk by the Schools’ Team. This complex is dominated by two huge enclosures consisting of adjoining domes that house thousands of plant species and was conceived by Tim Smit and designed by architect Nicholas Grimshaw. The rainforest dome was superb – with great views from the gantry high up in the air, but it was in the temperate dome that we found the cacti. Superb clusters of them in the California garden and even more in the area below the bridge. And TS Eliot was in on the act. On a stone was inscribed these lines from ‘The Hollow Men’:

‘This is the dead land This is cactus land Here the stone images Are raised, here they receive The supplication of a dead man’s hand Under the twinkle of a fading star.’

On the Sunday we visited the cactus shop at Winkleigh in Devon, a major centre for the understanding and the distribution of the plants. Ralph and Anita Northcott are owners of this establishment and on our next visit they will give us a talk on the propagation of cacti. However, on this occasion time was too short, too much time was spent mulling over what to buy, such was the splendour and extent of the cacti stretching away into the distance. Never before had we seen so many cacti under one roof.

One month earlier our annual competition took place.

Under the guidance of our former deputy head Mr Courtney and with the generous help of chief judge, Mrs Wood, the cacti were assembled in CL3 for the flora equivalent of a bake-off. The 2016 winners were: Fox Mulder (Grown from Seed), the Pale King (Succulent), Fluffy (Small Solo), Slinky (Group) and Arnold (Large Solo). Buddha Garden won the Terrarium category under the tutelage of the Mitchell brothers, James and Tom. Indeed, our major project this year was the terrarium project. Besides the Buddha Garden, four other terraria were filled and were placed around the School, emanating well-being and strong surges of mindfulness.

Meetings took place over the year and presentations included; ‘The David Attenborough’s 90th Birthday Lecture on lithop care’ given engagingly by our President, James Mitchell, whilst Seb Sheath breezed in with his memorable demonstration of aloe vera. James Mitchell returned with ‘Getting Ready for Winter’ as the club’s Christmas special. All the activities of the club were on show at Open Evening in November which was a time of celebration of the passion of the students and their ability to produce a spectacular stand based on the inflatable cactus very much in the manner of the Chelsea Flower Show.

We finish the year brimming with good health with the arrival of the greenhouse, the harbinger of our future ‘growth’. It marks a new phase and will allow us to train students to be excellent cacti growers. Due to the generosity of KES PTA, the club has invested in a stylish wooden greenhouse and two heated propagators. Its location will be on the roof near the school hives and will become, along with CL3, a second Cactus Club HQ.

Members of the Cactus Club

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Charities Commission It has been a busy year for the Charities Commission who have organised a whole host of events, large and small, local, national and international. We have seen great attendance from a large, enthusiastic core group, and have welcomed many more who volunteered to support one-off events.

The autumn term was kicked off by the First Year with the ever popular annual Toy Appeal. This is a fun run in fancy dress which raises money to buy 100 presents for children in Southampton. This event was shortly followed by a dodgeball tournament. Both the Upper and Lower School Charities Commission teams also organised smaller events throughout the term. These included a Macmillan coffee morning, several doughnut sales, a school collection of goods for the refugee crisis and a cancer awareness day. They kept the Charities Commission busy in the lead up to our larger events.

The first half of the autumn term saw the collection of 142 ‘Link to Hope’ shoeboxes, donated by students, teachers and group bases. These were then checked by a group of students over several lunchtimes to the sound of classic Christmas anthems, despite it being October!

After half-term, the School got enthusiastically involved with fundraising for Children in Need, with various competitions including ‘Guess the name of the bear’, biscuit and cake decorating and a lucky dip. The final week of term, as always, was full of Christmas spirit and this year we had gingerbread decorating and a ‘Make Your Own Stocking’ stall, various competitions and the sale of advent calendars. The big event of the week was ‘KES Has Got Talent’ which filled the Dobson Theatre one lunchtime with music, dance and talent.

Both Charities teams were eased gently back into the New Year with a fairly quiet month allowing us enough time to plan several events that were taking place in February. The Upper School team held a ‘Doodle Day’ and an awareness day in aid of Epilepsy Action, while the Lower School team set up pancake themed stalls on Shrove Tuesday. Valentine’s Day was also on the horizon; this year we sold roses and heart lollies which could be sent to group bases, and began planning for an appropriately themed show: ‘Mr & Mrs’. The show was a huge success and was won by Matt and Charlie.

Another show held in this term was ‘Curtain Call’, an evening of music and dance organised by Niamh Phelan in aid of the South African Goedgedacht Trust.

Sporting events are usually limited to weekends and are without a fundraising purpose, but the Charities team decided to bring some magic into sport and held a Quidditch tournament. The teams comprised of five wizards and witches (no muggles) in optional fancy dress and it was the Scamp Club team who soared to victory. The final awareness day of the term supported Water Aid, an international charity aiming to transform lives across the globe. In continuing our worldwide support, the School dressed to the theme of countries for our non-uniform day; there were Sumo wrestlers, kangaroos and many more very interestingly and colourfully dressed individuals walking around the School for the day. Before the term could come to an end, the last week was filled with lunchtime Easter stalls with cookie decorating, a ‘Name the Bunny’ competition and an Easter egg hunt.

During the summer term a whole school charity fun run in aid of ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ took place out on the field. Over two years we are hoping to be able to raise the money necessary to sponsor a puppy through its training. Thanks to the huge generosity of the school community we are well on the way to achieving this goal.

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This year has seen many individuals within the KES body take on personal challenges to raise money for charity. Stella Bendoni in the Third Year had her hair cut in the Crush Hall and in doing so managed to raise £400 for the charity ‘The Little Princess Trust’. Her hair was also donated to support their work of making wigs for children. An impressive number of Sixth Form students have carried out individual fundraising this year, for example Hannah Smith ran in the London marathon with her dad in support of ‘Children with Cancer’; George Skinner took on his Everest challenge, cycling the height of Mount Everest, for Help for Heroes and Samara Jones completed her Diamond Duke of Edinburgh Challenge by abseiling out of the Main Hall ceiling with Mr Thould.

Staff members have also been busy; Mr Miller took on a Double Iron Man Triathlon in aid of Naomi house; Mrs Burt cycled from London to Paris for Macmillan and Miss Enfield competed in the London marathon in aid of Southampton young carers. Keep an eye out next year for Joe Winter’s adventures in the autumn. He is in the final planning stages of an ambitious project to peddle around the Isle of Wight in a pedalo that he has designed and built.

This year’s Charities Commission has been a solid unit, working hard and putting on some amazing events. It has been a pleasure to lead this year’s team to what is shaping up to be our greatest total yet. There is always something you can get involved with so come along to H8 at 1pm on Tuesdays. I wish next year’s team the best of luck in all of their fundraising activities.

Samara Jones

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Chess Club My final year running the Chess Club has been as enjoyable as all the others. When I arrived in 1984, Mr Sergeant was in charge of chess and, for several years, I ran a separate Junior Chess Club for Years 1-3. In those days, we could field a whole team of six county players, and achieved regular successes in national tournaments. For whatever reason, the influx of these star players to the School has been far rarer for twenty years or more, but I can look back fondly on my encounters with the expertise of such Edwardians as James Arney, Eddie Godber, Chris Blake, Stephen Deall, Andy Weston and Beth Hardwick, as well as numerous others not far below them in stature within the echelons of British Junior Chess. I wonder how many of these are still involved with the game in any context now.

After Mr Sergeant’s retirement, it became appropriate to combine the two clubs and I have been very pleased by how well this has brought the different age groups together. Chess, even at the international level, has always been a contest in which the very young can sometimes thrive against those of greater experience (as I know to my cost!), so the mixture of age groups across the School has been a healthy one. Throughout all these years (and those prior to my arrival), I believe we have been the only KES club open every lunchtime.

Contrary to my exaggerated anorak reputation in some people’s imagination, I do not actually know how many games I played myself during that time, but 5000 would be a very conservative estimate. Add to that the good numbers in attendance on most days, whether I have been involved or not, and I am confident that the total number of games of chess, and its variants, played by all those in this club during my 32 years, would surely be in the hundreds of thousands.

This year, as has been the case for the previous ten years, the UK Schools’ Chess Challenge in the spring term was the main event on the calendar. Once again there were several highly realistic contenders for the title, but I thought last year’s champion Mike Huang was by far the likeliest to claim the crown. Yet in a scenario known colloquially as the ‘Swiss Gambit’, Mike lost his first-round game against new member Peter Borodzicz, and was playing catch-up from that point on. This left the field open to anyone able to win every round, and James Lesniak of the Fourth Year emphasised the extent of his improvement from last year by doing precisely that, to become the new KES Champion!

His wins against John Lyons and Toby Saer, both of which I witnessed, were very calm performances in sharp tactical positions; his final victory over Joshua Lam seemed to be plucked out of thin air in a very difficult position. Mike finished second, with Josh, John and Kelvin Xie close behind. It was arguably unfortunate that the draw never brought James and Mike into direct contention, as this would have been a fitting showdown. Had a round eight been provided in the format, they would definitely have met there, but the rules are the rules, and they thus spared James from the only potential threat to his title.

No fewer than twenty players qualified from this school phase to enter the Hampshire Megafinal in Basingstoke in May, although of course by no means all were able to take up the opportunity. Of those who went, only one succeeded in qualifying for the Southern Gigafinal this summer. That was Chris Lotery, who overcame the setback of finishing =8th in the School Tournament to secure the Hampshire Championship at Under 15 level.

The House competition in the summer term was the most clear-cut it has ever been since the adoption of the new format in 2010. There were no drawn games at all, with each House winning all its games against Houses finishing lower, but always losing against Houses finishing higher. Thus a straightforward hierarchy emerged, with Watts at the top on 100%.

One feature of this was that James Lesniak of Watts overcame the recent trend for School Champions by winning his own board in House Chess also. Once again I am grateful to all the Heads of House for their support in supervising this tournament and organising their teams so well.

Finally my gratitude is expressed as always to Mr Hardwick, whose skill, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm have injected a significant shot in the arm to KES chess over the last few years.

Mr Patten

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 39

Christian Union We have had a great year at the KES Christian Union, with many series covered and many events planned.

We kicked off with a couple of ‘Big Questions’ and a ‘Grill a Christian’ session before moving into a series examining the ‘Two Ways to Live’. In the spring term we covered the whole book of Colossians in six sessions, with different members of the CU running each study, and we also sent a group to St Swithun’s for a Christian Union event with their CU, as well as that of Winchester College. We continued through the summer term exam season and looked at key issues which the CU stands for, like the Bible and prayer, as well as going through some of the Psalms.

Perhaps the highlight of the year was ‘Rooted’, the event run by the KES CU at the very beginning of the summer term, gathering together many different Christian Unions from around Hampshire to spend an evening looking at what it means to be a Christian teenager. We were very pleased to welcome some excellent outside speakers to talk on subjects such as ‘How to be a Christian at University’ and ‘The Search for Satisfaction’. We had a good number of people, who all seemed to have a great time.

Many thanks go to Toby Saer who has led the Christian Union and Mr Robinson, who has supported and helped to run the group throughout this year. We hope to continue in September, bigger and better than ever.

We’d love to see you there!

Mr Robinson

40 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

Classics Society Over the year a dedicated group of Lower School students have regularly attended Classical Society, encouraged by the presidents, Hamish Traill and Ed Grinsted.

A variety of presentations have been made including, Piers Rochford’s talk on Roman food and Katherine Roberts unforgettable talk on Roman dining, accompanied by home-made Roman apple cake.

Elizabeth Field and Marianne Brabazon put the group to the test on the gods and Hamish and Ed organised a variety of role play sessions. One very enjoyable lunchtime was spent painting masks.

Susannah Hill will take over the presidency for next year and she already has some exciting plans for presentations.

Mrs Meredith

Cookery Club Cookery Club enjoyed a very creative year, with First Years attending the weekly sessions to cook up a storm of spaghetti bolognaise, chicken curry, vegetarian curry, gingerbread and fruit crumble. Thank you to Isobel Searles who volunteered as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Silver award to support this group.

We entered the Fit2Cook ‘Create and Cook 2016 Competition’ with our Third Years and the standard was so high that we had to hold a ‘KES Cook Off’. Mr Collinson, Mrs Quinn and Mrs Kelly helped judge the entrants and they agreed that the inventiveness and creativity was very strong. Special mention must go to the memorable trout caught and cooked by Behrang Mansourian. We put three teams forward with some very delicious dishes on offer, highlighting the local produce available in Hampshire. We did not make it through to the finals but Emily Boxer and Stella Bendoni’s entry was highly commended. We will return next year.

Mrs Searles and Mrs Barnes-Wardlaw

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Debating and Public Speaking Society The Debating Society has had an eventful year at King Edward’s. The group was fortunate enough to participate, for the first time, in a Model United Nation’s Conference at Haileybury School. The trip took place in March 2016 and all students were given a country to represent at the conference. As usual, KES students gave it their all and spoke with confidence and clarity during the visit. The trip itself was highly successful and seemed appropriate considering the current political climate during the EU referendum.

In addition, KES students organised the first ‘Mock Trial’ at school. This was based on fictitious events but followed the correct UK legal procedures. Students were assigned defending and prosecuting lawyer roles, as well as witnesses, jurors, judge and audience. All students participated to a high standard and we have no doubt that this will become an annual event for the society.

Furthermore, the Debating Society invited the Oasis Mayfield School for a friendly tournament in May 2016. Both establishments enjoyed the nature of the competition and there are plans to organise further events against other schools in the coming year.

Next academic year, the Debating Society is hoping to attend the ESU Schools’ Mace and the Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition. With a new Debating Society President in place, we should be in a position to take our knowledge and preparation further and compete at the next level.

Sadly, we have had to say goodbye to two fantastic members of the society: Henry Marden and Georgia Everest. Both students have provided fantastic contributions with Georgia as President. Her organisation and dedication to the society has been priceless. They both leave some very big shoes to fill.

Miss Champion

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Digital Leaders So what is a KES digital leader? A KES digital leader is a student who knows their way around technology, who helps teachers and students alike. This has become increasingly important since the School has started using the iPad as a learning resource because not everyone knows how to operate the apps that make learning at KES such a fun and unique experience.

The group has had a busy year. We again hosted the National Digital Leaders’ conference in November, which was attended by nine schools and 110 children from across the country. There were workshops on green screening, video blogging as well as making music using computer coding and bananas!

Following this in January, two of the Third Year digital leaders, Ben Gavin and Sava Heron were invited to speak on the main arena stage of the BETT show; the major forum and event for digital pedagogy in the country. They spoke about how we have been using iPads at KES to improve learning and were a credit to the School. As well as these exciting events, the digital leaders have been busy providing peer pupil training, and even helping staff with their technology problems.

They have organised Safer Internet Day, held whole school and class assemblies and worked with local primary schools.

We also plan to run our own lessons for younger students from other schools to teach them how to code. This will be first using Scratch (in which code comes in pre-made blocks) then with Kodu (a more advanced coding platform for making games) and finally Python, the real deal! I would fully recommend joining the digital leaders either to improve your skills, or to discover them.

Miss Jones

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 43

Drone Club Drone Club was born from the enthusiasm of a group of pupils wanting the opportunity to build and learn to fly a drone.

The group set to work in September and learnt step by step how to put the drone together. We decided against buying one that was already built, instead opting for a kit which gave the club a more hands-on experience.

Certainly much of the engineering was new to us but, after setbacks in the control mechanism and nearly setting off the fire alarm (a few times!), the drone has now completed her first maiden flight. We have so far only undertaken low level flights as we need to become more experienced in the control of the machine, but we hope to soon be using it to take arial photographs of school events – giving us the opportunity to see life at KES from a whole new angle!

Miss Jones

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Economics Society Economics Society has once again hosted a variety of engaging and thought-provoking topics this year, taking advantage of the febrile world economy and far reaching nature of the subject to challenge and inform students beyond the scope of the syllabus. We were pleased to welcome back a number of former pupils and external speakers to provide insight into areas such as the 2007-08 financial crisis, the world of corporate finance, and the pricing of football clubs.

To kick off the season, we shut the three Society Presidents in a room to bargain on who would do the first talk.

From this prisoners’ dilemma it emerged that Cameron Brown was game enough to present a complex but clear exposition of game theory and its uses. Harry Field’s presentation on the economics of theme parks was a veritable merry go round of entertainment, with students buying fast track tickets to jump the queue to hear the highs and lows and twists and turns of Harry’s talk on rollercoasters. Whether such behaviour was truly rational was a topic picked up by Rory Creedon with his discussion on ‘The Death of Rationality’.

Another real high point of the society’s talks was Hugo Marshall and Callum Loader’s presentation on the economics of illegal drugs; this proved sufficiently addictive to have the audience craving more. For a more reputable antidote, Will Ward was on hand to round things off with a talk based on his Extended Project on the market structure, ethics and pricing of the pharmaceutical industry. Overall it has been a fantastic year and we wish the KES Economics Society all the best for the future.

Rory Creedon, Cameron Brown and Harry Field.

Mr Culver adds: My thanks once again to the society’s student leaders; Rory, Cameron and Harry, and of course to all those students who presented or just came along to watch and listen. The society also raises three cheers, heartfelt thanks, and best wishes for a long and happy retirement to Mr Walter who has led the Economics Department with such verve and professionalism for many years. It is notable that the former pupils who come back to speak to the society are invariably keen to acknowledge the debt they owe to Mr Walter in sparking and encouraging their enjoyment of the subject. Most importantly, he has always ensured there is provision in the budget for tea and biscuits at society meetings.

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 45

Feminism and Gender Equality Society This year at Gender Equality and Feminism Society we have discussed topics ranging from the representation of women in Superhero franchises to women in sport and FGM. We also watched video talks from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian writer and inspirational feminist, and Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism project. Highlights include a guest talk from Anthea Simmons on the work of Board Apprentice in breaking the glass ceiling, as well as Patricia Kenyon who spoke on domestic violence and her charity Waterfall. Amongst others, the discussions on the unequal pricing of products geared towards women were constructive in a practical sense, while more theoretical discussions on intersectional feminism, positive discrimination and the impact of a patriarchal society on men gave a more in depth understanding of the intentions and ideologies of feminism.

We attracted a wide range of attendees, both boys and girls, who agreed that we covered a diverse range of topics and aimed to be as inclusive as possible! Most students who came to the society have said they left knowing more about feminism than they did when they arrived. One of the more positive and enjoyed aspects

of the society was the discussions and debates which happened almost every week, and the diversity of ideas and passion seen, is something to be celebrated. We would like to thank everyone who came this year and especially everyone who spoke, whether in leading a talk or just offering an opinion in discussion. Hopefully the society will continue next year and we wish them the best of luck!

Beth Doel and Louise Chamberlain Over the past year, Junior Feminist Society has continued to hold regular meetings to hold talks and discussions about feminist issues. Recent talks have explored race and feminism, beauty, intelligence, FGM, and feminist pornography. This year also brought a workshop on gender and identity held by Livi Dunlop, a young playwright and actor. This was a thoughtprovoking experience for all who attended. Junior Feminist Society continues to invite anyone interested in feminism or gender issues to come and listen to (or even give) a talk or presentation.

Lucy Allinson

First Aid Club I have run two First Aid Clubs this school year and we now have eighteen more newly qualified First Aiders with certificates from the Red Cross ‘Life Live It’ schools’ programme.

This programme includes basic first aid techniques such as the recovery position, CPR, keeping yourself safe in emergency situations, bleeding, burns and choking but we also cover a range of medical conditions that the pupils are encouraged to research and then present their findings. Some do this with detailed Powerpoint presentations, some by role playing and others in poster form. Additionally we cover topics such as bites and stings, hypo/hyperthermia, sunburn and sunstroke; all things that are relevant to anyone wanting to do a Duke of Edinburgh award.

We have a range of equipment with which we can teach a range of first aid skills. These include resuscitation, choking Charlie and baby mannequins and we have also purchased a training defibrillator so that we can equip the pupils with the skills to use these potentially life-saving machines.

The group meets on Mondays after school and pupils are encouraged to come to the medical room to enquire about enrolling on a course. The course lasts ten weeks and, upon completion, the pupils get a certificate issued in conjunction with the Red Cross and their qualification lasts three years.

Mrs Duke

46 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

Geography Society Throughout the year, students have listened to a wide array of presentations by teachers and students during meetings of the Geography Society. These have ranged from talks about life in Canada, the role of geography in the Paris Attacks and discussion about the ongoing migration crisis. The highlight of the year though was undoubtedly a talk by the world renowned Oceanographer, Simon Boxall, who discussed tsunamis, ocean waste and even the disappearance of MH370.

Miss Grant

German Magazine Club We have had a very productive year at German Magazine Club, and the final magazine was published in the summer term. A number of First Year students have been heavily involved, joining some established Second Year students, and they have helped to produce articles on all aspects of German life, culture, history, language and traditions. Highlights included articles on food and fashion as well as a number of interesting articles on Switzerland.

GMC lets members research any aspect of German, Swiss or Austrian life that they find interesting and write and design articles which are published on the school website. It is a great way for students to widen their knowledge of the subject and allows them to investigate topics in which they are interested and gain experience of compiling magazine style pages designed to appeal to a wider audience.

I hope that many new members will join and that the existing club members continue to meet to produce excellent magazines.

Mr Kukla

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 47

Greenpower The last academic year has spanned two seasons for the Greenpower racing team. After successfully qualifying for the ‘International Kit Car Finals’ before the summer holidays, the team was back to school in September and quickly making preparations for the event. Competing at Rockingham Speedway against the best kit car teams was a great experience for the students and achieving 26th place was an excellent result and gave lots to think about and improve on in the season ahead.

Aside from bodywork and aerodynamic improvement, the team used Wednesday evening sessions to check that the car complied with the changes to the regulations for 2016 and a great deal of focus was on the production of an electronic speed controller and data logging system. A special mention should go to Alex Everest who saved the team some considerable expense by designing and manufacturing a speed controller rather than simply buying an ‘off the shelf’ product.

Sunday 17th April saw the end of the Easter holidays and the start of the KES Greenpower team’s 2016 campaign. A record thirteen students travelled to Goodwood for the season opening test session and within their number were several new First Year students who represented the new generation of budding racing drivers and pit crew. The weather was ideal for a good day of testing with light winds blowing up the start/finish straight and blue skies. The team got off to a wobbly start with a battery problem on the very first lap, causing the car to return to the pit area where the more experienced members of the team carried out

a thorough inspection before swapping out the batteries and sending the car back out onto the circuit. The rest of the test sessions passed without incident allowing every member of the team to drive, as well as practise multiple pit stops which proved key to the success of the team last season.

The next important event took place on 19th June with the regional heats being held again at Goodwood.

A record ninety-six teams showed up at the circuit representing both the F24 and F24+ categories.

Confidence was high and the team did not disappoint finishing in 6th position in the first 90 minute race of the day and an amazing 4th place in the second. A reliable car and smooth pit stops meant that although the car was slowing towards the end of both races, it completed the distance under its own battery power leaving the recovery vehicles to deal with rival cars on the circuit. Some of the older members of the team stepped back from their usual driving roles to oversee the team’s pitstops and strategies. Throughout the long day they worked in a mentoring role, lending their experience to bring on the new generation of First Years who did a flawless job at the wheel.

The combined 5th position of the kit car in the heat, means that the team is extremely likely to earn a place in the International Kit Car Finals due to take place at Rockingham Speedway again in October.

Mr Blow

48 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

Green Team Green Team started this year by electing a new President – Sam Tan was the successor and has led the Green Team in several pursuits these past few months.

Firstly we carried out an audit of the school grounds and checked that our signage and recycling bins are up-to-date and accessible. Then the team came up with the idea of ReCyCle Your ‘Cs’ for the non-uniform day in the autumn term. This involved the collection of caps, cans, clothes, cartridges and cartons. Sorting through this all wasn’t the most desirable activity but we managed to recycle over ten large bags worth of material.

Earlier this year the results from the Paris Climate Change Conference provided us with important and interesting ideas to debate and we produced a summary poster of our findings.

Mrs Burnett

Historical Society This year’s KES Historical Society has been fortunate enough to host a number of talks, encompassing a vast range of topics. We feel very privileged to have welcomed lecturers from Southampton University, who have given talks which were both highly entertaining and informative, ranging from ‘The life of a gladiator in ancient Rome’ to the far more recent ‘Partition of India’.

However, the bulk of our talks have been given by our own Sixth Form pupils, who are always keen to talk about their favourite historical periods or bring a more personal story to the meetings. From a whirlwind tour of ‘The Vikings and their culture in Europe’ to ‘The empire of the Khans in the east’, and even the remarkable story of ‘General Adrian Carton de Wiart, Britain’s indestructible soldier’, KES pupils never fail to transfer their love of history from the classroom to our sessions.

The highlight of the year, as always, was the society’s Christmas Quiz, where teams battled it out for the coveted Brown-Isbister Trophy, and even the most knowledgeable historians were tested to their limits.

Last year’s winning pupil team returned to claim victory, though, in a stunning turn of events, a Fifth Year team rose to the occasion and defeated three Sixth Form ones to come third! As one of the School’s largest societies, we take great pleasure in providing both educational and interesting talks and, with the support of our attendees and excellent speakers, we have continued to maintain that standard and, crucially, had great fun whilst doing so.

Toby Saer and Hamish Traill

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 49

Hospital Visiting With support and guidance from Reverend Poppleton, a dedicated group of Sixth Formers conducted patient surveys on behalf of the University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust on a Thursday after school this year.

This involved visiting patients on wards of our choice to elicit responses to the hospital’s patient questionnaire using the Trust’s tablets. The survey asks questions about the individual’s experiences including care,

facilities, food and this often provides the patient with an opportunity for social interaction with a person who is neither staff nor family.

The students benefit from developing their communication skills with people of all ages from a wide variety of backgrounds. It is both a rewarding and valuable experience whether one wants to go on to study medicine or not.

Meg Dunlop

Interface This club (for First, Second and Third Years) has been meeting every Friday to explore the Christian faith through games, activities, quizzes and discussions.

The card game, ‘Uno’, led to a consideration of monomania in Moby Dick and the Bible; animal art produced some great drawings of giraffes and woodpeckers (creatures with extraordinary features) and the construction of towers required planning and care and brought to mind George Herbert’s ‘sinner’s tower’.

Similarly, the memory game revealed some first rate minds and concluded with John Newton’s final two things he could remember when dying; the game ‘Cheat’ was linked to Zacchaeus and the ‘Drawing on your Head’ challenge somehow turned to idol worship and Gloria Grahame being disfigured by boiling coffee!

Students with a viewpoint to express, or those who like pondering new ideas, are very welcome to attend.

Mr Singleton

Japanese Club Japan is a relatively small, but fascinating country which, a bit like the United Kingdom, has had an impact on the world disproportionate to its size. In fact as a group of islands off the coast of the continental mainland with a strong sense of individuality, we have a lot in common!

Students’ interest in learning Japanese comes from their love of Japanese manga, anime, computer games and food.

Japanese Club was held on a Wednesday lunchtime this year, week A for those advanced students who had come along the previous year, and week B for beginners or those students who wanted to refresh what they had learnt before.

Learning such a different language in just half an hour, every other week, is quite a challenge, but once again KES students, of all ages, impressed me with how much they picked up.

Mr Lawson

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Kayak and Canoe Club During the last week of the autumn term 2015 KES kayakers were visited by two members of the Hamble lifeboat crew; James Godwin (OE and Head of School between 1998-99) and Grenville Houser. The two speakers gave our kayakers some extremely useful safety advice on how to avoid getting into trouble when out in the Solent and also on how to help the lifeboat crew if they were ever unlucky enough to be in a situation that required a rescue.

The re-opening of Oaklands swimming pool has given the KES Kayaking and Canoe Club members the opportunity to resume their regular Sixth Form winter pool sessions this year and the discovery of a new slip way on the river Itchen has given us the opportunity to explore new water. We even caught a glimpse of the cruise ship ‘Harmony of the Sea’ during one of our paddles; an impressive sight from water level.

The Club has formed new links with the Beaulieubased outdoor water sports company Liquid Logistics and we are looking forward to a sea kayaking session, paddling the beautiful river Beaulieu and the Solent in early September.

At the end of the year, we were sad to see a longstanding member of the club, Ben Maher, leaving after nine consecutive terms of attendance; a record that will be hard to beat.

Mr Blow

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Lego Club Lego club was new to KES this year and has attracted a loyal following of pupils who come and build every week. We were lucky to receive funds from KES PTA and so have now got a stash of bricks for our creative building as well as one for our grand project.

Much of the year has been spent exercising our mathematical brains to work out the exact number of bricks we would need to build the school. This turned out to be more difficult than we thought in order to get an exact scale model.

We were also lucky to receive more funds so that we could buy Lego WeDo 2.0 STEM kits.

These allow us to build and programme science based models using block programming on an app that also makes links to real world science and engineering projects.

We hope next year to finish the model of the School, and for it to be on display for everyone at KES to see – beehives included!

Miss Jones

MedSoc Once again MedSoc has, this year, hosted a variety of talks on medicine and related careers on Tuesdays after school. Our guest speakers included professors from the University of Southampton, consultants from Southampton General Hospital, GPs and former pupils. Between them, they spoke on a wide range of subjects from ‘Applying to Medical School’, to ‘The Junior Doctors’ Strike’ to ‘A Day in the Life of a Cardiac Surgeon’.

At the beginning of the year, former pupil Hannah Thould, now in her fourth year of medicine at Oxford, came back to speak to MedSoc members about choosing the right medical school and what life was really like as a student. Tom Durham, a medic in his second year at UCL focused more on how to get into medical school; preparing for BMAT and UKCAT, being interview savvy and how to write the dreaded personal statement. The remaining speakers came from a very diverse list of jobs in (and related to) the medical profession. From Michelle Cerrato, the Head Cardiac Pharmacist at UHS, who gave a very informative talk about pharmacy as a career option to Dr Joanna Fairhurst, Consultant Paediatric Radiologist, who ran a thought-provoking session into child injury cases and her role in analysing x-rays to aid court rulings.

Professor Curzen, Head of Cardiology at Southampton General Hospital, discussed what it was really like to

be a cardiac surgeon, the effects of cardiovascular disease and the new and exciting treatment options now available to patients. Dr Diana Hulbert, Consultant of Emergency Medicine, spoke to the society about head trauma; its implications and complications and also ran a practical workshop involving CPR and the intubation of patients. Other visitors spoke on a wide range of specialities including psychiatry, oncology and orthopaedics. Lastly we hosted a fascinating talk from Professor Deakin which included details about his role as a flying doctor with the Air Ambulance.

MedSoc would like to thank our Society President, Phoebe Hine, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the year, and all the speakers who gave up their valuable time to talk to our prospective medics.

It has been a particularly interesting year for those applying to medical school, with working conditions and pay very much at the forefront of the news. We hope that the talks have provided students with insight into, and greater knowledge of, the world of medicine and how best to succeed in this very competitive environment. MedSoc will continue next school year with a busy calendar of talks and practical sessions for those at KES who would like to pursue a career in medicine, medical research or related healthcare professions.

Mrs Millar

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Partnerships Partnership work continues to go from strength to strength across the School, with around 160 KES students involved this year. A wide variety of clubs and events have been run across a number of subject areas, including French, Philosophy, Literacy, ICT, Art, Fencing, Music, Science, Mathematics, Drama and Dance. A number of new links have been made, including the attendance by students from Richard Taunton’s Sixth Form College at the ‘Ask the Expert’ talks, students from Oasis Academy Mayfield participating in a debate with KES students, alongside an ICT club for students at Hollybrook Junior School.

Clubs have been very well received by the schools involved and our students have developed their leadership, communication skills and creativity.

A number of large-scale projects have been run this year involving multiple schools. These include students attending lectures and events during the Science Festival, a Singing Day workshop alongside the KES Chamber Choir back in October, a Dance workshop with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and participation in the Endeavour Communities Project. The Communities Project has continued to be very popular, fully booked this year immediately following the last event. Fifty-six Fourth Year students were responsible for planning and delivering workshops to about 300 pupils in Year 4 and 5. A range of subjects were on offer, including Art, Drama, Mathematics, Science, English, Classics and Sport. This was an excellent culmination to a successful year of partnerships work.

Around 830 students from seven different local state schools have been involved in the projects this year.

Forty-five students from three different primary schools were involved in Art projects led by Mrs Moxon. The work they completed was themed to tie in with the termly project for that year group, and a range of media were covered. Students at Wordsworth Primary School produced Aboriginal-inspired artwork and made Japanese Koinobori wind socks to mark Children’s Day. Springhill students studied the work of Thiebaud and sweets and produced their own version in lino. The Reading Group at Wordsworth, led by Miss Champion, has also been highly successful, running for an extra term this year, and being extended at the request of their Headmaster to include a productive games session with the Year 5 students as he felt our Fourth Year students were such positive role models for them.

Miss Anderson

Students at Highfield were once again involved in the Philosophy Shop project, led by Mr Tofts. This has been very successful with one Highfield student commenting: ‘I really enjoyed the stories and all the challenge. It made me think extremely hard and I would love to go a third time.’

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 53

Photography Club The KES Photography Group has continued to develop over this year. We received a very generous award from KES PTA early in the year allowing the purchase of studio lighting and equipment. Weekly meetings have usually required a camera to try out something new such as light painting, plasma balls or polarising light. A full list of activities and a gallery of photos can now be seen on the group’s web page in the clubs and societies section of the School’s website.

The group welcomes beginners (with just a camera phone) through to the most dedicated and experienced photographer. Pictures are increasingly printed out using different media and may be viewed in the display board in the maths corridor.

Looking ahead we hope to welcome more people into the group and have some speakers give presentations next year.

Mr Robinson

54 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

Sailing Club The KES Sailing Club moved to Southampton Water Activities Centre, near Ocean village, earlier this year.

We now sail on the River Itchen and occasionally venture out into Southampton Water when the tide and wind are on our side.

The move has meant the we have been able to run more sessions as sailing at SWAC is not tide dependent and we are, therefore, able to sail every week. It is also much more sheltered than Weston so even when the wind really blows, we are able to sail safely. We can also take advantage of the ever cheerful and enthusiastic SWAC instructors to occasionally run our sessions.

There are forty members of the school sailing club.

Pupils are a broad mix of ages with a variety of abilities. Our very able sailors are benefiting from a more challenging selection of boats and the occasional masterclass in racing from the SWAC instructors. Over the Easter holidays, thirty pupils from KES and Stroud completed their RYA stage 1+2 and many have since enjoyed sailing with the School at weekends.

Powerboating as a Foundation Studies option has remained popular and we have put sixteen Sixth Formers through their RYA Power Boat level 1 this term. Being at SWAC has enabled them to have twice as much time on the water and a more challenging driving environment.

The club is used by Sixth Formers on Tuesday afternoons for power boating and on Wednesdays for sailing. Sailing for the rest of the School happens at weekends, when you will find Mr Havers, Mr Allen, Mrs Sheriden, Mrs Burrows, Mr Barker, Dr Waymark and Dr Schofield eager to take you afloat.

Mrs Burrows

SOTONIENSIS 2016 | 55

Sanskrit Society Sanskrit continued this year with a small core of very enthusiastic students from the Upper School and the Sixth Form. The group was able to take advantage of a new introductory book on the language and weekly progress on learning characters and grammar has been made a lot easier. What is particularly exciting is the similarity between Sanskrit and Hindi: the group is now able to read some Hindi even if we don’t know what it means! We have been very lucky to have Fifth Year pupil, Akash Mattupalli, join us: he is a Hindi speaker and has not only been able to guide us through pronunciation and vocabulary understanding, but has also introduced us to more mythology. We have all enjoyed watching cartoon versions on YouTube.

Akash gave a wonderful talk on the Science of Hinduism which promoted an erudite discussion on the nature of language and culture. Hamish Traill and Iona Todd also gave a presentation on Sanskrit to the Polyglots Society.

In November Mrs Meredith attended a conference on teaching Sanskrit in schools at which she gave a talk on the success of the club at KES. We also had an article, written by the students, published in the Sanskrit St James’ journal. KES is certainly making a name for itself in introducing the language even if only as a club.

Mrs Meredith

Scamp Club The shout of ‘Holmes’ echoed from the tors when twelve members of Scamp Club, assisted by Molly Hooper and Bill Wiggins, took to the moor in search of the greatest adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Our third Sherlock Holmes weekend was our greatest adventure yet because of its scope. We were inspired, as ever by the great man himself.

“I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it.

Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that this little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent.

Depend upon it, there comes a time when for any addition of knowledge, you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.” SHERLOCK HOLMES, a Study in Scarlet 1887.

Each one of us took on the character of a Holmes’ story participant; Irene Adler, Maria Gibson, Mycroft Holmes, Molly Hooper, Inspector Greg Lestrade, Colonel Sebastian Moran, Professor James Moriarty, Mary Morstan, Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Toby Sherman, Jonathan Small and Bill Wiggins. Oliver Rose took on the mantle of Sherlock and Georgia Everest was Watson. On the Saturday evening we ordered our fish and chip supper in character, to the amusement of staff from TJ’s in Tavistock, who happily wrote our name on the relevant packet.

Back at base – Room CL3 – we gathered regularly at 13:36 precisely (to please Alan Turing) for a series of captivating and wide-ranging talks throughout the year. ‘Trans-dimensional Lizard People’ was the concept of Henry Marden, ‘Thinking outside the Box’ was delivered by Lucy Giles, our President, Iona Todd, chipped In with ‘Batpeople’ and, in preparation for our Lovaton weekend, ‘The World’s Greatest Detective’.

Vaughan Clements and Seb Sheath brought us up to date on ‘Star Wars’, Hamish Traill was his magnificent self with his delivery of ‘X Files’ and, closely related, Edward Sheppard had us believing that he had been there with his dramatic depiction of ‘Area 51’. Lucy Giles was back to present ‘Mystery Mine’, a drama script in which Harry Radford was superb as the

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surprised professor, Radford was on form again when he teamed up with Harry Stembridge to talk about ‘Space’ and Cam Jesney capped a sparkling year for the club with ‘Time Travel’.

The team, led by John Lyons and including Mike Huang, Oliver Rose, Toby Saer, Sebastian Sheath, Iona Todd and Eleanor Turner, travelled to Bletchley Park to compete against seven other teams from across the country. The team finished in a most creditable third place and John Lyons received a leadership award.

For this year’s competition we entered junior and senior teams and the competition ran on four Sunday afternoons in Room CL3 at School. This year our senior team finished fifteenth, just outside the necessary top ten finish. The competition was fiercer, but valuable experience was gained by each of our three teams. We sign off for 2016. We thank Iona Todd for her wonderful leadership and wish her well with founding the Oxford branch of the club during the next academic year.

From small, Classical Greek Club beginnings, named after the dog of our first President, we have come a long way.

The Scamp Club team In November, there was be a trip to see the exciting Daniel Craig film, SPECTRE and in April the KES Scamp Club team took part in the prestigious Cyber Centurion UK Grand Final.

Table Tennis Club This was an encouraging season with a number of players significantly improving their skill levels and two strong teams producing fine performances in the local leagues. Once again Adam Proszko, our external coach, worked enthusiastically with the squad players to develop all aspects of their play.

In the U13 Southampton Schools’ league, Sacha Groom, Dominic Goddard, Alex Miles and Oscar Groves did very well, winning most matches comprehensively. Unfortunately, once again they weren’t quite able to take the title. Dominic was selected to play in the Hampshire Schools’ U13 individual competition and performed strongly to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.

At U16 level the team welcomed some new faces and performed well to finish third behind two very strong teams. Toby Dudson, Angus Armstrong, Ben Carter and Callum Price played with commitment and considerable skill. Angus received an invitation to compete in the U16 Hampshire individual

championships and did well to get beyond the group stage in a strong field.

In the annual inter-Form competition 1/1 (Oscar Groves, Flynn Denman and Charlie Massey) were the winners. This helped to make amends for last year’s disqualification of 1/1 after their victory in the final! Oscar was also the First Year boys’ champion and the Lower School champion (beating Beau Darrer (1/2) in the final). Callum Price was a worthy Upper School champion while Emily Smith took the First Year girls’ title.

Next season we look forward to even more success.

Mr Singleton

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Wargaming Club Wargaming saw something of a renaissance this year with the number of regular warriors reaching double figures for the first time in a while. This enabled a number of games to be played at once and the atmosphere in J2 has once more become a lively and competitive fog-of-war. Club classics such as BattleCry and Wings of War were joined by less warlike, but

equally enjoyable, games such as Talisman and Ticket to Ride. This year’s band of brothers has regularly included Alfie Wright, Abdullah Quraishe, Tom Mitchell, Robert Evans, Erik Hillman, Tom McCarthy and James Lesniak with special mention in despatches of veteran Jamie He.

Dr Gamblin

Young Enterprise Young Enterprise was a very popular activity for the Lower Sixth again this year, with the full complement of twenty-five pupils signing up. Students are required to set up and run a small business, with a view to developing skills such as teamwork, negotiation and basic marketing.

After a helpful presentation by Mr Blow, the team decided to produce and sell wooden Christmas decorations, manufactured using the School’s laser cutter. It was decided that they would market the products both in School and at fairs and markets around the area. After spending some time making sure that the machinery was set up correctly, production started. The resultant designs were impressive and orders were pouring in. Then… disaster! A fire in the D&T Department meant that the laser cutter was out of action. The team searched valiantly for alternative production facilities but eventually had to admit defeat.

However, this was not before they had impressed the judges at a competition held at Winchester Business School.

Young Enterprise was a learning experience for all concerned this year, especially with regards to how events can derail a business.

Mrs Quinn

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TRIPS AND VISITS

Biology Field trip to Swanage Avid readers of the annual A level Biology Field Trip report will notice we have changed location this year; after many years of travelling to Pembrokeshire we have moved closer to home with a field centre just outside Swanage.

This year we studied biodiversity in different aquatic ecosystems, including all the newt species native to the UK. We produced interrupted belt transects of sand dune succession, trapped small mammals, studied zonation on a rocky shore and practised statistics use in ecology.

Mr Aellen Students said the following about the trip:

“ The food has been much better than I was expecting.”

“It is nice that the sun is shining.”

“Can I photograph your great crested newt?” “ Should that error bar be standard deviation or double the standard error?”

“I have actually really enjoyed myself.”

“Roll on U6 Biology, I am ready.”

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Charlotte Exchange In the October half-term, after many letters and impressive interviews, eight students were chosen to represent their school by going to Charlotte Country Day school in North Carolina, USA, for a cultural exchange programme. There has been a wellestablished link between the two schools for over a decade.

When we arrived in Charlotte, having spent most of the day travelling, we were very tired and were met with a warm welcome at the airport by our host families.

The next day we went to the school and celebrated Halloween. It was great fun and was interesting to see how it was celebrated over in America compared to the UK. The school was similar but different in lots of ways.

It was odd they had the same lessons everyday but in a different order!

Over the next week and a half we took part in many trips including a trip to the Levine Museum of the New South, visiting the Black Mountains and an animal rescue centre. Here we saw many of North Carolina’s native animals including pumas and red wolves. We also had a scavenger hunt around downtown Charlotte where we followed a trail and had many quizzes.

The last trip was to the Blumenthal Centre for the Performing Arts where we had a tour around the theatre and the current production and went backstage. We also spent time in school working on our projects.

Whilst away everyone learnt so many vital skills, including independence from home and maturity, amongst others. Overall it was an amazing experience and one I would recommend to everyone. We really enjoyed reciprocating the hospitality when our partners came over in the Spring Term.

Sophie Roe

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Cricket tour to Sri Lanka The squad assembled with great excitement on the Sunday after term finished to depart for the senior cricket tour to Sri Lanka. Over the course of the next thirteen days the group were to experience the highs and lows of playing cricket on the Indian sub-continent as well as having the opportunity to appreciate all that Sri Lanka has to offer.

held his nerve to bowl a final over for only 2 runs as we won by 5 runs. An excellent game but an even better experience to have played at this ground.

The tour was a three centre trip. The first stop was Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka, before continuing to Hikkaduwa on the southern shores (an area destroyed in the tsunami of 2004) and finishing in the hustle and bustle of the capital Colombo. It was the humidity that first hit us as we left Colombo airport and the boys started to appreciate how different the cricket would be.

Kandy is a city with a lot of history and a strong connection to Buddhism. We drove past the large man-made lake in the centre and spent an evening looking around the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist shrine. We were also treated to a show of local dances, fire eating and fire walking.

Our coach trips here also gave us the first of many close encounters with the ‘Tuk-Tuk’, the local mode of transport whose movement was likened to that of cockroaches by our guide.

On the cricket front we had to travel for three hours to get to our venues on both days but each was worth it. First we played in the Welagedera Stadium, sitting at the foot of Elephant rock, which played host to Pakistan in 1985 and has since hosted England teams. We batted well in the game with captain Dan Damley-Jones scoring 77 as we set 202 to win. After a solid start we took wickets at regular intervals to win the opening game. If we thought the first venue was impressive the second surpassed it. We drove into the Dambulla International Ground to a great welcome and were ushered into the changing rooms where the boys enjoyed their own individual changing areas. The setting was outstanding both inside the ground and in the surrounding areas and it was playing here that many of the boys said was their highlight. We played two T20 matches; the first was a comfortable victory for KES and in the afternoon a few locals were called up to try to give the English visitors a tougher contest. Again batting first, we scored well to reach 184 but the local side were very positive in their approach. The match reached a nervous conclusion but Alec Damley-Jones

The journey down to the south west coast featured a stop off at the Pinawala Elephant Orphanage. The players saw the elephants during their bathing time in the river and were able to get very close up as the elephants walked through the streets back for feeding.

Our Hikkaduwa hotel was, as promised, right on the coast with the pool looking directly over the Indian Ocean. This four day stop included a visit to the ‘Foundation of Goodness’ – a highlight for some. This is a charity that has been set up to support the local community and which provides education, welfare, and medical expertise as well as running a sports academy.

This was a very thought-provoking visit as the tide mark from the tsunami can still be seen, and the scale of the disaster is very apparent. We played cricket against the academy who proved to be too strong as they demonstrated some excellent uninhibited free hitting.

The fourth game of the trip was a journey down the coast to the southernmost point of Matare. Fatigue was starting to become evident in the tour group and this performance was not our best. That said, a rampage from Gregor towards the end, scoring 31 of just 12 balls nearly rescued a win.

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All the group needed the day off that followed and we spent some time in the fort town of Galle taking in the views of the ocean, seeing the locals ‘crazy dive’ and looked out over the test ground that will host Australia this summer. We returned to the hotel for an afternoon of beach cricket, swimming pool and, for some, the new craze of ‘Pokemon Go’!

It was with great reluctance that we packed to move away from the coast and make the trip to Colombo for the final stop. However, the hotel here was even better than the last and from its vantage point there was a fantastic view up the coast to the skyline of the capital to our north. Dinner was once again exceptional with the ‘action stations’ adding to the curry buffets. There was so much choice and many of the players failed to make a decision… and had it all!!

Two final games followed and, after a good team meeting, our performances were back on track. There was a good buzz about the group in their fifth game and following a great warm up, led by the players, an excellent bowling performance reduced the opposition to 19-6. Eventually we were set 99 to win and we achieved this comfortably for the loss of just 2 wickets.

The final game was at yet another excellent premier league pitch and again bowling first we had a good start.

The opposition battled hard to set us 178 to win. We were never far behind the rate but wickets were lost too frequently and eventually we finished up short.

We finished having won 3 and lost 3 which was a fair return on the performance of our group and the strength of the teams we played. The boys will, I hope, have learned about the disciplines needed to bowl for a long time in the tough conditions and realise the importance of control. From a batting perspective they learned the need to work hard and accumulate runs and that it is hard to accelerate if you do not have wickets in hand.

However, it is most important from tours such as these to have had the opportunity to experience all that the country has to offer. The players certainly got that from the religion and culture of inland Kandy, the elephants of Pinawala, the coastal area that is still recovering from the tsunami in Hikkaduwa and Galle, to the bustle of the more affluent Colombo. We played on some excellent pitches, stayed in some outstanding hotels and met some fantastic people. It will have given the players and staff memories that will last a lifetime.

Mr Kent

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Duke of Edinburgh 2016 It has been a busy year for DofE. The usual amazing numbers taking part in the Award continues, and we have seen great performances at all levels on Bronze, Silver and Gold expeditions.

This summer saw a renewal of our three year licence as a ‘Directly Licensed Centre’ (DLC) following a successful review conducted by the South East Region DofE team in Windsor.

2016 is the Diamond Anniversary of the DofE Award; celebrating the DofE Award making a difference to people’s lives for 60 years, and has been an ideal opportunity for participants and parents (current, former and future) to give something back and raise money to ensure the Award can continue to offer opportunities.

As part of the celebrations the Head Master and DofE Manager attended a Gold Award Presentation at a garden party at Buckingham Palace where two KES

students (Samara Jones and Ali Diaper) were presented with their Gold Awards by the Countess of Wessex.

The DofE store has been expanded to cope with the ongoing numbers taking part, and in the near future the addition of a dedicated classroom, to enable participant training and preparation for outdoor adventures, will aid in the delivery of the Award.

Mr Barnes

Sixty years of DofE Prince Philip set up the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the UK sixty years ago, and since then it has expanded into 140 other countries. Each year many students at KES sign up to the Bronze DofE award and the majority complete it. Some then go on to attempt their Silver and a few to Gold. This year, however, is not an ordinary year for DofE – it is the Diamond Anniversary.

To celebrate their anniversary, DofE set up the Diamond Challenge award. Anyone, anywhere, any age, can sign up and pick a personal challenge, adventure or skill, to complete during 2016. The Countess of Wessex will be cycling 445 miles, from Holyrood in Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace for her personal challenge.

I also chose to take on a personal challenge and tackle my fear of heights. On 24th May, during lunchtime, Mr Thould and I abseiled out of the ceiling, followed by twelve students and two teachers, all helping me with my fundraising and making it a great afternoon.

I couldn’t have done it without all the support from those who took part and helped me organise it.

DofE has really showed me that pretty much anything is possible if you set your mind to it, and surround yourself with a great team.

Samara Jones

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Endeavour Endeavour is a well-established part of the summer term, now in its third year. The whole school came off timetable at the end of June, with year groups all focussing on a different part of their development.

The First Year worked on their independence at Ferny Crofts campsite for two nights. With about 150 pupils, Sixth Form helpers and staff, it was a busy and bustling community. They were able to engage in all that the Scout campsite had to offer. With teambuilding, camp craft, climbing, arts and crafts, high ropes, capture the flag, volleyball and time out to have fun with their friends, the First Year showed what a wonderful cohesive group of pupils they have become. Working in their House groups that they will be with in Second Year tutor groups, they forged new friendships and enjoyed old ones.

The Second Year had the opportunity to improve their confidence in a variety of ways. A large group of them went on the long-established French trip to Normandy, improving their confidence abroad, and had a superb time. Others worked on their confidence on water, with a two-day course with the Watersports Academy at Sandbanks, trying their hand at wakeboarding, water-skiing, power boating, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing. Some improved their confidence with heights on a two-day climbing trip to the Peak District and engaged in climbing and abseiling. And to gain confidence behind the lens, there was a photography workshop looking at taking photographs and using Photoshop, with some stunning results.

The Third Year collaborated. A large group went to learn about collaboration in the trenches on the Battlefields trip, and those who stayed behind worked in teams in a Dragons’ Den simulation. They made an original app, designed it, branded it and worked out how to present it to dragons. It was brilliant fun and the pupils amazed the dragons with their creativity and business acumen.

The Fourth Year either went to Osmington Bay to do Geography field work, completed a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, or threw themselves into a number of community projects with partnership schools. Over 150 pupils from six primary and prep schools came to Wellington Sports Ground and had a fantastic day playing a range of sports. At Hill Lane, there were workshops in art, classics, creative writing, mathematics, science and drama, which saw us invite four further groups of primary school children. There was a huge buzz about school and we were delighted to see so many smiles on everyone’s faces.

The Lower Sixth were involved in a range of activities in pursuit of self-improvement. All of the biologists went to Swanage to complete essential field work, a party of physicists went to CERN and some stayed closer to home and began their Extended Project work in Southampton University library. Several pupils joined the First Year Camp in leadership roles and there were Open Day trips and opportunity aplenty with Dragons’ Den and partnerships.

Miss Smith

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French trip to Montpellier Montpellier was an excellent opportunity to build confidence before my oral exam which took place ten days after the trip. Whilst having a lot of fun with my friends and relaxing on the French café scene, I was able to massively improve my speaking ability and also engage in a wide variety of conversations about politics, life in France and general small talk at a language school and with my host. It was daunting at first but getting thrown in the deep end (by being on your own with a host family) is truly the best way to learn a language.

The trip consisted of a variety of French historical and cultural visits but the highlight was definitely going to the beach at the end of the trip to have a day of enjoying the good weather and the lovely beaches in southern France. Anyone studying AS or A2 French should definitely go to Montpellier and immerse themselves in the French culture. It is also a great way to get a break from other subject revision, focus your attention to French and relax a bit during the Easter break.

Cameron Thomas

During the Easter holidays, as one of the Lower Sixth linguists, I visited Montpellier to improve my French whilst staying with a host family. Over dinner we discussed a range of topics in French from contemporary art to their new labour laws whilst in the mornings, we had lessons from young French students in the language school. This helped prepare us for our AS exam, as well as introducing us to new ideas and vocabulary beyond the syllabus. The school was also a place of refuge during the protests in the town square which provided an interesting talking point with our host families.

We benefited from spending long afternoons in the sun, discovering the town’s ‘cafe culture’, eating crêpes and learning more about the history of the area on a stormy trip to the ancient town, Nîmes.

It was a really fun and worthwhile trip and I can’t wait to go again next year.

Sophie Ridley

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French trip to Paris The trip to Paris during half-term was a great way to spend the holidays. The architecture was amazing and the historic buildings were so intricate and elegant, yet the newer buildings are almost futuristic. Round virtually every corner were street artists trying to persuade us to have our portraits drawn, and all the tourists, including us, were spitting out every word of French that we knew, just to get a baguette. All of this, mixed with the smell of Nutella and banana crêpes, made the trip exciting and different every day. I estimate that at least 250 crepes were eaten in the four days! In the mornings we had lessons at a language school; the whole lesson was spoken in French. Surprisingly I think we all understood the vast majority of what the teacher was saying.

The teacher managed to keep all of us inquisitive and excited for every minute of the three hours each morning. But one of the most important questions (at least for our parents) was whether the trip had improved our French. Well, it must have improved mine as when my mum asked how it had been, I instinctively replied with “Oui! C’était très bien.”

Angus Armstrong One of the most educational aspects of the trip was the two mornings we spent at the Language School.

We all started off a little dismayed about the thought of going to school in half-term but were soon enthralled in our lessons with the very engaging French-speaking teachers. We learned the vocabulary of clothes through to physical features and how adjectives worked with the noun. The French-speaking teachers made us work hard to understand instructions. I think all of us thoroughly enjoyed our time at the language school.

My favourite moment of the trip was the Wednesday evening meal. It was made extra special because it was my birthday and, after many rounds of happy birthday in French, the manager of the restaurant came out and offered me free ice-cream.

Harry Cowell

My favourite part of the trip was the last day. After our morning lessons we were allowed to wander around Paris and most people (including myself) went to the famous Champs Elysées. It was nice to have some time to do whatever we wanted, which included eating crêpes and drifting from shop to shop. In the evening we went to Montmartre (the highest point in Paris) which was very beautiful at sunset; however to get there we had to climb A LOT of stairs, which was embarrassingly more difficult than you would think. After some more free time we went to a French restaurant. Here many people tried a well-known French tradition: snails. I wasn’t brave enough but I heard they taste like chicken. The atmosphere was very cheerful and cosy and overall I enjoyed the trip very much.

Miffy Allen During the first day we spent a lot of our time visiting all the key attractions in Paris, for example the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Pompidou. On the second day (after our French lessons), we got to see the main attraction… la Tour Eiffel! It was only a brief visit because we had a boat to catch! On the Bateaux Mouches (river boats), we had a relaxing journey down the river Seine, where we were able to see a lot of Paris and take A LOT of pictures! In both evenings, we headed back to the restaurant beside our hotel where we had dinner before heading to bed. The last day was my favourite day; after another French lesson we finally got some temps libre (free time)! During the free time, my friends and I decided to go to the notoriously expensive Champs Elysées!

After spending a bit more money that we probably should have, we headed towards the coach which took us to a lovely restaurant near the beautiful Montmartre.

We had a delicious meal there, which was accompanied by some relaxing music, played by a French musician called Max. All in all, I had a great time in Paris and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone who has an opportunity to go.

Anna Pang

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Geography field trip to Malham The excitement about the trip to Malham had been building up ever since we started the wonderful Sixth Form Geography course. After a seven hour journey we arrived in Malham and embarked on a leisurely stroll up Malham Cove, across the limestone pavement and up to the Malham Tarn Field Studies Centre.

The passion was clear to see on the second day after an early breakfast. We took off to the local town of Skipton with our tutor for the week, Mel. Skipton is a local market town where we looked at flood defence systems, and this knowledge will be useful for our exams. The inquisitive geographical suggestions soon came flooding in (if you’ll pardon the pun) and we learnt a lot about the local area.

The next day we went to visit Tom’s farm to learn a bit more about the rural land use and life as a farmer in the Yorkshire Dales. We had a warm welcome from Beth the dog and Tom himself. We learnt about economic, social and physical factors affecting Tom’s lifestyle and, despite the fresh weather conditions, we all managed to maintain a positive attitude, especially after encountering some abnormally fluffy highland cows.

It’s safe to say we felt transformed by the end of the morning and look forward to volunteering to help on Tom’s Hay Day in the near future! After eating our lunch on hay stacks at Tom’s Farm, we then split into two groups to explore rural settlements further, half visiting Kirkby Malham and Hellifield whilst the other half visiting Rathmell and Malham which will be used as our rural settlement case studies. After a long day of hard work we enjoyed an evening of relaxation.

After a brief introduction to our cold environments topic the night before, we began investigating how cold environments have affected the Yorkshire Dales on day four of our trip. We took a road trip around the Dales and saw a variety of glacial features from U-shaped valleys to Drumlins. We felt like we learnt a lot from being able to physically see the landforms created by glaciers millions of years ago.

Day five of the trip was unfortunately the final day.

Before our journey back to school we took a visit to Ingleborough caves to view some incredible limestone features such as stalactites and stalagmites, kindly shown round by John who seemed to have the passion for geology.

Overall we had great fun on our trip to Malham and we learnt a lot of useful information and techniques to use in our A level Geography. Thank you to Miss Grant, Mr Brown, Mr Havers, Mrs Henderson and Mel for a fab trip!

Amy Balint and Hugo Wilkinson

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Geography field trip to Osmington Bay The Fourth Year geographers headed to Osmington Bay during Endeavour in order to learn fieldwork techniques and participate in a variety of activities.

The coach drivers filled us with confidence when they revealed they had no idea how to get to our various stops along our journey - it was left in the hands of the Geography teachers to use a good old fashioned map to guide us. Our first stop was at Barton-on-Sea where we investigated the evidence of coastal erosion and methods which have been used to try and manage the problems in this area. We were joined on the trip by two OEs - Gus Woolley and Hannah Kaye. Gus, a local resident to Barton-on-Sea got a little bit muddled with his sense of direction when locating Naish Farm down the road!! From Barton we headed to Durdle Door where we stopped for lunch. Disappointingly we were sat having lunch amongst the clouds and could not see the impressive coastal feature of Durdle Door.

Nevertheless by the time we needed to do our fieldwork the clouds had lifted and we had a lovely view. From here we strolled across to Lulworth Cove where we undertook three different pieces of fieldwork before indulging in some delicious Purbeck ice cream. Late afternoon we finally arrived at Osmington Bay, and driving down to the entrance we were able to admire the spectacular and sunny views overlooking the World Heritage Jurassic coastline.

The following three days were filled with fieldwork and activities. Rivers fieldwork provided much entertainment with Sam Hill-Cousins rescuing many damsels in distress who did not want to get wet feet in the river!

The second rivers group were also happily collecting data when suddenly there were some suspicious looking ‘pebbles’ in the river which turned out to be from the horses who had walked past them in the river earlier on!! We also had a day in Weymouth and Portland looking at the urban geography and impacts of tourism.

Our afternoon activities of Aeroball and Giant Swing provided many laughs and screams. Football matches in the evenings were also very amusing with both boys and girls getting fully involved and competitive.

On our final day we travelled to Studland Bay to measure sand dune transects. Despite being somewhat jaded from the previous three days, we worked well together as a team to ensure we collected some good fieldwork data.

A good four days were had by all and some excellent fieldwork data collected to help us with our examination!

Fourth Year Geographers

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German exchange to Mutterstadt

A group of Third Year KES German students met on Hill Lane in April before embarking on the German leg of the annual exchange trip to the IGS Mutterstadt.

After a smooth trip involving coach, plane and train we arrived at Limburgerhof station for the first meeting with the exchange partners for the week. The next day was spent in lessons at school before students left under glorious sunshine for an afternoon spent with their host families – school having finished at 1 o’clock!

The rest of the week was spent in various activities either as a group or with partners. Visits to Heidelberg, Football Golf, the Science and Technology Museum, and the Kletterwald in Speyer were all accompanied by some beautiful weather (apart from one day of spectacular storms) and a happy group made their way back to Southampton to await the return visit in May. On the home leg, a day in school, visits to the Isle of Wight, Winchester and Portsmouth were all rounded off with a farewell party on the last evening before a tearful farewell was said and the exchange was over for one more year.

Mr Kukla

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German exchange to Schifferstadt This year an exchange was set up for the German Lower and Upper Sixth classes across two academic school years – we visited Schifferstadt in April and the return leg will happen in October. This allowed all the German students who wanted to visit to be accommodated, and offered a trip opportunity to all our students too, though it was complicated our end because some wanted to go and not host, some wanted to host and not go and some wanted to do both legs.

Our partner school in Schifferstadt is a mixed grammar school set in a relatively small rural town not far from Heidelberg. Our week’s visit involved a full programme of activities, some jointly with our partners and some where we explored on our own. Here are some impressions from Scott Palmer and Matt Barber: The long first day of travel over, we were relieved but anxious to finally be greeted by our exchange families at the station. We then spent the evening enjoying the German cuisine and getting to know our partners better before heading off early in the morning to the school.

Our first impressions were that the school resources were old fashioned (they still use blackboards). The German students had to be more independent in the classroom with the teacher very much hanging in the background. We were astonished to find out that some of our exchange partners had ten fifty minute long lessons on some days!

The second day saw us travel to Frankfurt along with Mrs Allen and Frau Rudolph, the English teacher at the Paul von Denis Gymnasium. We spent the morning in the ‘Deutsches Filmmuseum’ and in the afternoon we visited the ‘Paulskirche’, where the first German Parliament was founded. Whilst the glorious German sunlight beamed down, we had the opportunity to go shopping in the afternoon.

On the rather wet Wednesday, we visited Speyer’s 11th century cathedral, had a guided tour by a very talkative Canadian teacher from the school (her husband is the Mayor of Speyer) and then went to an interactive ‘Spies and Secret Agents’ exhibition followed by a local ice cream parlour. Then on Thursday, the better weather prompted a day’s climbing at the Go-Ape type Kletterwald, followed by an evening at the cinema watching ‘The Jungle Book’ in German.

On Friday, we went on a day trip with our exchanges to the ancient university city of Heidelberg. After some initial train difficulties, we eventually arrived in the ‘not so glorious’ rain and cloud that covered the mountains surrounding the town. However, this did little to take away the beauty of it. We travelled up through the mountain to the castle which houses the world’s largest beer barrel and has views over the entire town and lower valley. After the castle we walked down the high street into the new area of the town, the contrast between new and old not dissimilar from what we see in many historic towns in the UK, before returning to Schifferstadt after a shopping trip. We then spent the Saturday with our host families before returning to the UK on Sunday, having said final farewells in some cases but ‘goodbye for now’ to those who will be visiting us in October.

Scott Palmer, Matt Barber and Mrs Allen

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History and German trip to Berlin During February half-term, a group of Fifth Year German and History students travelled to Berlin to learn more about its history and culture, in preparation for their summer GCSE exams.

After an early start on Monday morning, we arrived in Berlin in good time for our visit to the German parliament building, the Reichstag, and its famous glass dome.

The view of Berlin from the top of the dome was well worth the (very cold) wait. On the second day, both groups were taken on a walking tour of the city, with the German students experiencing the German language version. It was a chance to visit some of Berlin’s most famous sites, including the iconic Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial, which was a particularly sobering experience. After our tour, the history students walked to the Topography of Terror Museum to hear about the work of the Gestapo and the SS, whilst the German students had the first of two German language lessons and a visit to the East Side Gallery – the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall which has now been decorated by well-known artists. On Wednesday the history students made a trip to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in the town of Oranienburg, in which 30,000 people died under the Nazi regime and followed that with a guided tour of the Wannsee Conference House, the site at which Nazi officials proposed the genocide of European Jews. The language students spent the morning practising their spoken German at the language school before visiting other symbols of Berlin including the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche and the TV tower built under the old German Democratic Republic regime. On our final day both groups joined together to visit Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, which was used in the 1936 Olympics and is now a football stadium.

Our last site was the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, which was a chance to learn a little more about the reality of living in Cold War era Berlin. The trip was a great way to experience history and the German language and further our knowledge outside of the classroom.

Lucy Allinson and Charlotte Bassett

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Hockey tour to The Hague After a hockey season that consisted of disappointing results we were very eager to make up for this and get on the right side of the score sheet more often on our hockey tour. The tournament we were playing at was in The Hague, Holland and was the 20th JIPHT Easter tournament at the hockey club HDM. It was a huge event, which included over thirty boys’ and girls’ 11-a-side hockey teams.

We played with confidence and took our chances, winning 5-0. Our next match was against Clifton School from South Africa. This was a game where if you closed your eyes for a second you missed something. There were six goals, controversial yellow cards and penalty flicks. James Thomson made a brilliant penalty flick save to give us a 3-3 draw but James Harper was the one to shine in this game; he was impassable at centre-back.

Our first game was against a Dutch school and despite a penalty flick goal from Will Meacher, we sadly lost 2-1 against the run of play. In between each match there were activities to keep everyone entertained during the long waits including a speed-o-meter, so people could see how hard they can hit a ball. There was also bubble football, probably not the best way to rest and prepare for a hockey match, but good fun.

The next day we were on a high after our performances the previous day but nevertheless we still needed a win against another South African school to go into the 3rd and 4th play-off. In a nervy game on a very hard to play AstroTurf, we managed to win 2-0. In the 3rd and 4th play-off we faced the Dutch side again and we all wanted revenge for the first encounter with them.

Thanks to some inspirational screaming from the bench, a number of brilliant saves by James Thomson, and Louis Kolliari who pulled out the goods when it mattered most, scoring two goals and winning the game for us by the odd goal in 5 (3-2). This gave us a very respectable 3rd place in a very tough tournament.

After a frustrating first game we then had the Polish national side to look forward to. They started very strongly and were 2-0 up by half-time. An inspirational team talk from Mr Crichton and Mr Dodds got the team fired up and thanks to a couple of goals from Ben Trotter (one of which was goal of the season), we were drawing with the Polish U19 national side. Sadly, however, they were too good for us and ended up winning 4-2.

Despite our bad luck on the first day we knew there was still a chance for us to progress to the final and our next game was against a school from Aberdeen.

We also got the fair play prize for the entire tournament (one of my proudest achievements at KES).

All in all it was a hugely enjoyable weekend and the best way to end the hockey season and KES hockey as a whole for some of us leaving the School.

Hamilton Kavanagh

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Operation Wallacea 2016 Ecuador and The Galรกpagos At the end of July, seventeen students and three staff spent a week in the rainforest of Ecuador followed by a week on the island of Floreana in the Galรกpagos.

there is pressure to exploit oil reserves on the Napo River. Students surveyed the forest, measuring and identifying trees in quadrats and the data will be used to work out the carbon storage capacity of the rainforest.

In both locations we had lectures about the ecology and conservation of the rainforest and the Galรกpagos.

Data collection with scientists in the field is what makes the OpWall expeditions different. Students learn from experts, in habitats, and with animals they otherwise could only see in a zoo. However, it is not easy living and thirty minutes of electricity a day and no wi-fi was a challenge for some. At the end of our forest week, we spent a day as tourists at a local village, sampling local food and buying chocolate.

During the first week we were camping in Sani reserve, 40 thousand hectares of pristine rainforest on the Napo River feeding the majestic Amazon. Students accompanied scientists from the camp on their data collection twice a day. This included using mist nets to catch birds, and then identifying the species and their condition before release. We recorded hummingbirds and tree creepers among others, the hummingbird weighing in at just 2g. Other students recorded mammal tracks of tapir and jaguar. Seeing giant river otters was a real highlight and prior to our visit they had not been identified in this area. Other surveys included bats, herpatology (reptiles and amphibians) and fishing.

This was the first year that OpWall have worked at this site, so the species identification data will be used to support the conservation status of the reserve and allow more specific projects to run in future years.

The reserve is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet and each hectare contains more tree species than the North American continent. At the same time,

The second week of the trip was spent on the beautiful island of Floreana, one of the smallest of the Galรกpagos Islands with a population of just 120. We ate in turn at each of the four restaurants on the island. During the week we observed giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, penguins, sea-lions, marine iguanas, finches, hammerhead sharks and many more interesting and endangered species. Almost everything you see on the Galรกpagos Islands is endemic, it only occurs here. For a biology teacher this really is as good as it gets! Students also spent time laying paths to allow new areas of the island to be open to tourists without risking erosion.

Much of the week was in the marine environment, either snorkelling or diving in the cool waters and for many on the trip, this was the last thing they did as a KES student - quite a way to finish. Students, as well as staff, really did feel this was the trip of life-time!

Mr Aellen

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Operation Wallacea 2016 Indonesia Indonesia is a sprawling archipelago of thirteen thousand islands scattered on both sides of the equator with dense jungles, towering mountains, volcanoes and coral reefs. The remote isolation of the islands, coupled with a tropical climate, has nurtured one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. In July and August twenty-six students and six teachers travelled to this Wallacea region to study and survey rainforest and coral reef communities.

Our first destination was a jungle camp on the island of Buton in Indonesia’s Sulawesi province. Because of the nature of a remote jungle camp, it took us a number of days to reach it. Flying from Heathrow we arrived in the capital city of Jakarta the following day, boarded another plane bound for the city of Makassar in the Sulawesi region, took a smaller aircraft to Bau Bau on the island of Buton before climbing into a convoy of cars and beginning a drive along rough roads and tracks, crossing rickety wooden bridges and dodging significant potholes. The deteriorating terrain forced us into pickup trucks, which carried us as far as the tracks penetrated the jungle, after which point only our hiking boots could deliver us to the camp. Strapping our rucksacks to our backs we set off into the forest, trekking for two hours and wading through seven river crossings before arriving over three days after our departure.

The camp was built in a small clearing and was a collection of temporary wooden buildings and tents surrounded by dense jungle. Living with us were a similar number of scientists and local Indonesian guides working for the organisation Operation Wallacea, established to run biological and conservation research programmes at sites of natural interest and importance across the globe. The scientists in the North Buton camp were engaged in monitoring the surrounding wildlife in order to apply for conservation grants to protect the unique ecosystem, with us supporting the project financially and assisting in the formidable task of gathering data to build a picture of the jungle’s fauna. Split into small groups, each day we would be tasked with heading out in search of a different category of wildlife; megafauna (large animals), butterflies, herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles), birds and bats. Finding megafauna was a task requiring stealth, moving along trails scanning for animal tracks and dung, whilst we were noticeably less discreet on the butterfly surveys, flailing in the undergrowth as our fluttering foes nimbly evaded the swoops of our giant nets. At night we waded along the nearby river trying to catch frogs, snakes and lizards or checking the netted traps set up around camp for bats. We recorded the mass, species, age and sex of anything we caught before releasing them again into the darkness. A more gruelling but necessary survey was the ‘habitat survey’, an assessment of the jungle in various 50m square plots in the forest surrounding the camp. Using ropes, we split each plot into twenty-five sub-plots, and in each we recorded the species of trees, density of the undergrowth and nature of the terrain, with our movements through the foliage constantly being harassed by the thorny climbing palm called rattan.

This was gruelling work and despite the simplicity of our camp it became the oasis that we returned to each day, where the nearby river provided refreshing relief from the heat and humidity after a tough day in the jungle. Our camp beds with mosquito nets gave us a comfortable refuge to rest, and the local Indonesian staff fed us with a plentiful supply of rice and noodles throughout the day.

The staff we lived alongside quickly became our friends, sharing our meals and playing against us at the local game of sepak takraw, essentially volleyball with feet, using a ball made from the ever-present rattan.

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Having spent a week walking amongst the base of the trees, towards the end of our time in North Buton we were treated with the opportunity to escape the forest floor and ascend fifty metres into the canopy. Climbing up ropes hanging from the uppermost branches of one of the tallest trees we were able to look upon our surroundings from above for the first time, seeing across the treetops to the distant coast where we would soon travel for the next stage of our expedition.

On the eve of our departure the rainforest lived up to its name and we were subject to a torrential downpour.

There being only one way out we had to keep a tight hold to the ropes linking the banks of our previously friendly river as we trekked to the coast in order to board two small skiffs that would take us along the river to the nearest port, from which we travelled by two ferries to reach the idyllic coral island of Hoga. This was the start of the next stage of our expedition, with our focus changing to the ecosystem below the waves instead of that of the forest.

Hoga supports around a hundred scientists and diving staff studying the cacophony of life that the surrounding coral reef supports. Many undergraduate or doctorate students use the island as a base to collect data for their dissertations or theses, making use of the camp’s wet and dry labs to conduct research that provides an important insight into how the ecosystem works and the impact of phenomena such as overfishing.

We were able to hear lectures from these scientists on their respective fields and also to complete the PADI Open Water Diver course, certifying all those who took part to dive to a depth of 18m. We were then treated to close up views of clown fish, damsel fish, moray eels, barracuda, starfish, puffer fish, sea snakes, lion fish and many other species. Those who were certified then progressed to a reef ecology and survey techniques course, allowing them to replicate the methods used by the resident scientists in their studies.

On our final day in Hoga we were fortunate to visit the nearby unique village of Sampela, home to fifteen hundred of the Bajau people. The Bajau are one of only three seafaring nomadic peoples in the world, and the village of Sampela is built completely at sea on stilts. After a short boat ride from Hoga we followed a tour around the village, stepping on narrow wooden walkways between homes under which large shoals of fish swam.

Before too long our visit to Sampela had to be cut short due to the stubborn insistence of the tides, and not long after our return to Hoga our departure from the island, from the region of Wakatobi and from Indonesia itself had begun. We had learned a great deal not only about the biodiversity of the Wallacea region and the conservation efforts that were taking place to protect it, but also the reliance of people such as the Bajau upon it for their livelihoods and futures.

Mr Shadbolt

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Second Year Camp to Dartmoor Second year camp is a fun-filled trip to Lovaton in Dartmoor during which students camp and learn outdoor skills and develop friendships and teamwork by fun activities. These activities included mini-raft racing, orienteering, catapult building, rock climbing and much more. Students have much more freedom and also learn how to be independent by completing activities such as preparing their own meals each night.

Over the weekend many students conquered a fear of heights by rock climbing. This was one of the favourite activities because it was on a real rock face and we got to sort out the equipment ourselves. We also had a beautiful view of the forest from the top.

On another day we went on a walk by a river to race the small rafts, that we had built, down different stages of the stream. This was really fun and quite competitive.

Lots of the rafts fell apart near the end of the last races due to the fast flowing currents, but most managed to stay intact.

Second Year camp is a great weekend where you can learn hard and soft skills and build your self-confidence.

Overall it was very enjoyable and we recommend taking part in this trip in the future.

Annabel Panaech and Penelope Carr

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Ski Trip to Claviere Italy This year’s ski trip took place during the Easter break and over forty students travelled to Italy to the picturesque village of Claviere for a week of skiing.

For the first time in a long time there were no injuries or hospital visits during the trip and I think the later times for ski lessons may have helped with this, although skiing down from the mountain at the end of the day was not easy in the wet and slushy snow. The party enjoyed six excellent days skiing even though the last two days were hampered by low cloud, rain, snow and poor visibility.

The resort provided enough evening entertainment for the students which included the ski instructors’ end of season ski show, a karaoke evening, a quiz evening and a skidoo ride up to a mountain restaurant for a crêpe and hot chocolate whilst the Hotel Clari provided excellent accommodation, with friendly helpful staff and great food. Our Equity ski rep was always on hand to sort out any problems, book evening entertainment and started the quiz night and karaoke off with some very entertaining “ice breaker” games.

Once into a daily routine we were able to offer students some extra skiing before their lesson with their instructor and during their lessons in the latter part of the week, each group skied into the neighbouring resort of Montgenèvre in France. The whole party improved their skiing during the trip whilst also having a fun time away from home with their friends.

Mr Wood

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South Africa 2016

Our team arrived in Cape Town full of excitement and anticipation, marvelling as we caught our first glimpse of the city basking in sunlight. Having met with our guide and good friend, Heath, we embarked on the first of numerous eye-opening visits, exploring the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and seeing the African penguins.

Highlights of our visit to Cape Town included trips to the District Six Museum and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. We were left in admiration at the courage and kindhearted, forgiving natures of those who had suffered at the hands of the Apartheid regime and the warmth of the South African people.

Robbie Stelling

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Upon arriving at Goedgedacht Farm, our team was warmly welcomed into the ‘Path Out of Poverty’ community which would later make goodbyes so difficult at the end of our stay. We were thrown immediately into the deep end, waving off any inhibitions and giving ourselves entirely to the endless fun, laughter and love which prevailed at Goedgedacht.

Each morning we rose at 6.30am and began work on the farm or alternatively played with children at the preschool after breakfast. It was highly motivating to see the contribution we made as a team during our time there; gardening, cleaning/refurnishing the house for gap students and organising containers for the bicycle project. After lunch we visited children, from babies to young teenagers, at the local POP centres.

Each visit typically lasted for an hour and entailed face paints, dance, song, rugby and lots of glitter! Our later afternoon visits also gave us the opportunity to help the older children with their homework, momentarily taking the pressure off of the centre volunteers.

After dinner, we would meet with the ‘youth in construction’ to talk, play games and, of course, dance.

Learning about the backgrounds of the youth was, at times, overwhelming and undoubtedly added to our huge respect for everyone out there. For a lot of our team, our friendships made with the youth in that single week were some of the strongest we’ve ever had, making our partings on the final night very emotional.

Holly Smart We arrived at the Garden Route Game Lodge with our eyes still tearful from emotional farewells. Nevertheless, the experience was a welcome opportunity to relax, recuperate and reflect upon the past week. We were fortunate to see four members of the renowned Big Five, as well as cheetahs. It was only the elusive, nocturnal leopard that evaded us.

While we had left the farm behind, we sadly couldn’t take away the challenges that faced the people we had met there. We reminisced on the unparalleled joy exhibited by the members of the POP centers, despite the fact that they were often faced with adversity and we discussed how we would grow as individuals, having met and been profoundly influenced by these people. On our last night, we watched one final, stunning African sunset on the horizon. We had fallen in love with the country as a whole, but especially the people and we returned home with memories and friendships for life.

Robbie Stelling

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Spanish Trip to Córdoba Twenty-nine members of the Third and Fourth Year, and three members of staff, spent five days during the Easter holidays in the Andalusian region of Southern Spain. Travelling the day after the attacks on Brussels Airport, we experienced increased security but fortunately arrived without incident in Córdoba.

We spent the afternoon getting our bearings in the city centre and enjoying a typical Spanish delicacy ‘chocolate con churros’ in the park, before we met the host families in the evening.

The first day’s excursion took us to Granada, for an amazing visit to the Alhambra fortress which contains many palaces and gardens within its spectacular walls.

We were lucky to have been given free entry as a school group to the Nasrid Palaces, where we could marvel at the intricacy and splendour of the mosaic designs and carving. We also visited the beautiful palace of Carlos V which is now an art museum. The visit was ended with a pleasant stroll through the Generalife gardens where we could appreciate the view down to Granada city.

The following day we remained in Córdoba and spent the day visiting the city’s main sites. We meandered through the maze of medieval streets in the Judería the Jewish part of the town - down to the ancient Royal Palace and Fortress, which was once used by the Inquisition and is still a residence of the Spanish royal

family today. We also visited the cathedral in Córdoba which makes for a truly remarkable sight, to see statues of angels adorning Arabic arches. We also wandered through the cobbled streets taking in the Roman bridge, the Arch of Triumph and other spectacular buildings. Later in the afternoon we witnessed an Easter procession as it wound its way through the narrow streets. The day was rounded off with ice-creams in the park.

On the final day we visited Seville where we enjoyed the Royal Palace, a walk through the centre to take in the major sites like the cathedral, the Giralda tower, the bullring and the Tower for Gold where Colombus stored the gold he took from America.

The trip provided students with a chance to experience Spanish local life and practise their Spanish staying with their host families. The families were all impressed with the level of our students’ Spanish and they enjoyed conversing with them about life in Spain.

Despite strong winds we managed to land at Gatwick (later planes were re-directed to Birmingham) and we arrived back at KES at about 9.30 pm for happy reunions with parents, having had a lot of fun, as well as a culturally educational and enriching experience.

Miss Lindebringhs

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Spanish trip to Salamanca

On 11th February 2016, a group of A Level Spanish students, a Fifth Year student, Mr Lawson and Mrs Ladislao left for the annual trip to Salamanca, a famous, historic university town in the North West of Spain.

We arrived in Salamanca and were introduced to the families with whom we were going to be staying. Tired after a long day of travelling we called it a night and went to our various host houses.

In the afternoons and evenings the group would meet up in the Plaza Mayor to do different activities organised by the teachers and to immerse ourselves in the Spanish Culture. The activities ranged from learning to cook paella and Spanish tortillas to marvellling at the beautiful architecture of many buildings such as the university and the cathedral. We ate tapas and churros, which quickly became a group favourite, and went to the cinema to watch La Novia (The Bride). We were also allowed to go and explore the city for ourselves, in smaller groups, after the activities. On the final night we all met up to eat at a typically Spanish restaurant.

On the last day we had an evening ticket to go back home, allowing us the opportunity to go sightseeing in Madrid beforehand. We saw some of the most famous sites in Madrid such as the Plaza Mayor, Las Cortes, Mercado de San Miguel and the Royal Palace. We also visited the Botanical Garden where we were allowed to have a wander. Some of us decided to play a game of catch and Mrs Ladislao joined in as well!

We woke up early to meet at Abaco Instituto Hispanco for grammar and conversation classes for four hours every day. We were separated into two groups, according to year groups, and were taught by highly experienced and friendly teachers before going back to our homes to have lunch.

The trip back home was uneventful and we all returned exhausted but happy having improved our language skills and having had a memorable experience in a beautiful city.

Saima Ahmed

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Spanish Trip to Catalonia Thirty-seven First Years and seven Second Years took part in the annual trip to Catalonia in May this year.

On the first day we dropped off our bags and explored Tossa de Mar. When we got back, we had time in the pool until dinner when we had very nice food including, churros con chocolate and croquetas. On the second day we went to the beach and had lots of fun before going in the pool again. The hotel staff were very nice and they could speak English if you got a bit stuck speaking in Spanish. On the third night we had a big disco with a DJ and we danced and had fun until bed time. The following day we went on a boat trip along the coast in a glass-bottomed boat and we saw the coral and the fish swimming about underneath.

Blake Margason and Bella Roe On the Sunday we went to Figueres and Roses. In Figueres we visited the Dalí theatre-museum. The artist based his pictures and sculptures on his dreams. There was one painting which when you stood close to it, it was his lover, Gala, but when you looked at it through a camera it was the face of Abraham Lincoln. In a different room we saw a face made out of furniture, it was the face of Mae West, a famous actress from his time. Then the coach driver took us to Roses with its lovely sandy beach.

Alistair Howard and Iona Morley

Barcelona was a busy city, full of the hustle and bustle of modern life. Our task, upon arriving at the Boquería market, was to find the most exotic fruit we could.

There were many stalls selling many different items and food that we had not heard of before. When we finally found a suitable stall in the maze, we decided to buy some rambutan. When we returned to our group leaders we all tried the fruits we had purchased.

Brinley Myles and Harry Stembridge Camp Nou is the Barcelona football ground and it was a great place to visit and experience. Inside the stadium there is a museum, displaying Barcelona’s many trophies. The stadium was huge and we had great fun exploring it. We also went to the pitch, press room, changing rooms, commentary boxes and the shop.

George McGinn and Isabella Tam On the Monday we travelled to the ancient town of Girona. The group looked round the Arab baths, and climbed up to the city walls, and then back down through the medieval streets of Girona. It was a very relaxing day.

Isaac Chapman-Sheath and Emily Bull

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Summer Camp 2016 Summer Camp allows members of the Sixth Form the opportunity to provide respite care for young carers in Southampton aged between eight and twelve. The experience offers the young carers a chance to take a break from caring for a parent, sibling or relative who may have a physical or learning disability, mental health difficulty or problems with drug and alcohol abuse.

This year Summer Camp took place in the heart of the New Forest where we ran an action-packed week of adventure and fun for the children.

Throughout the year the Sixth Form team have arranged and run a variety of out-of-the-box fundraising activities. We held our annual events such as the First Year disco and ‘Battle of the Bands’ but we also launched ‘The KES Singathon’ that saw many members of staff and pupils karaoke their way through the week.

Although at first people were reluctant to show off their singing talent, throughout the week pupils and staff entered into the singing spirit. A personal favourite of mine was the duo by Miss Smith and Mr Waymark singing ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’. Fundraising is a key part of the Summer Camp experience as it allows the team to grow closer together and learn how to work as a unit which is essential in order for the week in the summer to run smoothly. As well as group fundraising activities, individual members also raised money. Miss Enfield ran the London marathon, Lizzie Umbers did the ‘mud run’ and Cameron Thomas, Katy Billington, Lucy Porter, Will Scullard and I completed the Southampton 10K.

In July, the Sixth Form team, Mrs Hawker, Miss Enfield, Mr Jones, Miss Anderson and Mr Shadbolt travelled to Ferny Crofts in the New Forest with the excited bunch of young carers. On the first day we headed off to Highcliffe beach where all the young carers, Sixth Formers and even a couple teachers enjoyed swimming in the sea and playing games on the beach; something which some of the kids had never done before! When we got back to the campsite, tents were chosen and we all enjoyed a good BBQ dinner as our first camp meal.

The good weather continued into the second day and we all piled onto the minibuses to head to Moors Valley.

This was a great day out and everyone loved doing the Play Trail and the Go Ape high ropes course. This was another great opportunity for the young carers to experience something they had never done before and to overcome personal fears such as heights and zip wires.

Summer camp has been a great experience for me over the past two years, the teams have had such fun and I hope that the memories we made with the children will stay with them forever.

Beth Gaunt The third day began with a big game of rounders and ‘stuck in the mud’. After lunch, the afternoon consisted of going to the Lymington Sea Water Baths which had a huge inflatable obstacle course. It was freezing cold but the sun was out and the kids surprised us by how long they stayed playing in the water. We ate fish and chips by the sea in the sun at teatime and played more games once we got back to camp.

Our penultimate day saw our annual trip to Monkey World. We had to dodge some rain showers but after a good talk from one of the Monkey World staff, and making some food for the orangutans, we each set off with our young carer buddy to explore the park.

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On our last night, we held our traditional ‘Summer Camp Talent Show’. Each young carer was involved either in the performing or the judging; showcasing a range of talents from singing, magic tricks, stand-up comedy to staring competitions. After the Talent Show we had a Summer Camp first when Mr Jones made a fire and we roasted marshmallows, made s’mores and drank hot chocolate singing some campfire songs including the KES hymn.

The final day consisted of taking down camp, playing ultimate frisbee and playing games in the forest again before having to leave slightly early because of the rain.

The young carers and Sixth Formers had bonded a lot during the week and so there were sad farewells as the time came to say goodbye. The young carers take away amazing memories but so do the Sixth Formers and staff. It is an incredible and humbling experience which I will carry with me forever.

Circle time (a Summer Camp tradition) followed the camp fire. In this everyone has the opportunity to reflect upon the week and to share favourite memories. It was humbling to hear how much the Summer Camp experience meant to the young carers as well as the Sixth Formers, especially for those who were there for the first time. It was a fitting end to a very long day and to an extremely enjoyable and rewarding week.

On behalf of the whole Summer Camp team, we would like to thank Mrs Hawker and Miss Enfield for all their hard work this year and to Mr Jones for his help during camp. Thank you also to Rev. Poppleton and Mr Evans for helping out across the week on various days, it was great having you there!

Emily Besley

Tile Barn - First Year trips

By Poppy Culver

By Sophie Braakenburg

By Richard Haines

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Watersports trip This summer’s watersports holiday followed the same well-established pattern. After a long overnight coach journey from Hill Lane to the La Rive campsite near Biscarrosse, on the French coast south of Bordeaux, forty-five pupils were pushed quickly through breakfast and were out on the water within an hour or two of arrival. With long morning and afternoon sessions, followed by dinner and evening activities, there was no let-up in the week’s schedule and the pupils did well to keep up the pace in what was initially scorching weather.

Over the course of the week students were able to try their hand at dinghy and catamaran sailing, windsurfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, raft building and trail cycling under the watchful eye of some excellent Rockley instructors. A midweek day out at the Aqualand water-park and the magnificent dune D’Pyla (the largest pile of sand in Europe and guaranteed crowd pleaser) completed a packed week and it was no surprise that the coach home was a lot quieter than on the outward journey.

Very unusually the trip was almost exclusively populated with Fourth Years and special mention must go to the plucky group of four Second Year girls; they held their own with the older pupils and were regularly among the tidiest, promptest and most trouble-free tent in camp.

Dr Gamblin

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Woodmill Activity Centre A few weeks into the autumn term, the new Third Years, Mrs Burrows and Mrs Rugge-Price spent the morning at Woodmill Activity Centre taking part in a number of team building exercises. We experienced sun, warmth and torrential rain but this was all part of the fun and the students braved the elements, and the challenges facing them, with determination.

We rotated around different areas of the site, taking part in crate building, abseiling and climbing. Those afraid of heights did their best to face their fears, and many were happy dangling upside down off the abseiling wall.

The climbing very much brought everyone together as they helped each other reach the top. Likewise, the crate building activity encouraged everyone to work as a team.

Good fun was had by all, and it was nice to spend some time together away from the hectic atmosphere of the first few weeks of term. Although everyone was already settling well into the year group and making new friends at KES, it was good for the new intake to be able to meet each other properly and share experiences and questions. The staff also enjoyed being able to spend some time getting to know our new students a little better.

Mrs Rugge-Price

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Athletics report The 2016 Athletics season saw the KES U13 and U15 teams enter the Hampshire Track knock-out competition. The U15 team also signed up for the Trinity Schools meet. As the spring dates meant that we returned relatively late from our Easter break, this meant that the KES teams would have very little preparation time before the round one meets.

The U13 teams were blighted by the inclement weather and subsequently, after several attempts to run the round 1 meet, had to be placed into the second round of the competition. The girls’ team narrowly missed out on a place in the final during their meet at St Swithun’s School whilst the boys beat all other competitors to finish first in their second round meet at Southampton Sports Centre.

The KES U15 squad boasted a glittering array of talent; Izzy Richardson, Phoebe Moriarty-Palios and Zoe Henderson were outstanding for the girls and Toby Reid, Luke Collins, Henry Gwilliam and Daniel Leake were at their inimitable best in the first two rounds of the competition. Unfortunately, due to other commitments and a strong second round field, the U15 girls’ team narrowly missed out on a place at the TKO finals. However, the U15 boys’ team progressed to compete against the best runners in the county at the end of June.

Due to other end of term commitments, the U15 boys were unable to field a full team but those that competed gave it their all.

The Trinity Schools Meet was also cancelled this year due to poor weather but, as a School, we will be entering this additional event every year from now on. Athletics at KES has grown over the last twelve months with numbers at our Athletics Club training regularly reaching 50+ and, with the outstanding coaching of Mr Shadbolt, we seem to be in very good shape as we move forward.

Mr Powell Squad members: Harry Croft-Baker, Toby Reid (U15 Captain), Rory Holm, Cameron Aitkin, Alex Miles, Tom Sutton, Dan Leake, Harry Webster, Phoebe Moriarty-Palios, Zoe Henderson (U15 Captain), Sarah Macleod, Harriet Wheeler, Issie Richardson, Charlotte Young, Aaron Henderson, Billy Smith, Ben Harding, Jack Wells, Will Chambers, Rory Urquhart-Hawkins, Charlie Massey, Hal Armstrong, Daniel Houston-Robb, Jack Wells, Matt Dyer (U13 Captain), Ed Bence, Charlotte Dunkley (U13 Captain), Abby McCarthy, Abbie Morton, Rachael Howarth and Ida Goodridge.

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BOYS’ SPORT AT KES 2015-2016

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Basketball report The season began optimistically, as new arrivals to the roster, such as James Diaper, Daniel Atchley, Max Pumphrey and Ben Wetmore, all looked like promising basketball players. The team was also introduced to a new coach, Mr Kevin Cleary. Coach Cleary introduced a different but effective training style, focusing mainly on basketball fundamentals and teamwork. The team’s prospects were enhanced by the inclusion of a talented point guard and ball handler in Jasper Ladd, an equally talented shooting guard in Loryn Perkins and the courageous forward play of team captain, Zac Berry.

While not necessarily aiming to win the league, there was at least an opportunity here to develop the skills of every player individually.

Upper Shirley High but, unfortunately, despite two late 3 pointers from Jasper Ladd, Upper Shirley High won by one point.

The following week, KES went up against an older and stronger Noadswood side, away from home.

Although the game resulted in a 41-26 loss, there were some impressive individual performances. Jasper Ladd penetrated the Noadswood press on multiple occasions, and Loryn Perkins’ accurate shooting resulted in several mid-range baskets.

After a solid week of training, and going over some set plays, the KES side then hosted Mountbatten. The game resulted in a narrow 38-45 loss, despite great efforts from all the KES squad.

By now, a win was essential if the team were to secure their position in Division A. Fortunately, the team achieved the desired result in its next game against Romsey with a 51-28 victory. The highlight of this match was undoubtedly Zak Berry’s season high of 39 points. With newfound confidence, the KES side faced Swanmore the following week but heavy traffic dramatically shortened the game to two quarters, and the KES team put up a disappointing effort against some strong opponents, to lose 23-12.

The season began with a home game against Thornden, who had many strong and experienced players, which promised a tough match. Unfortunately the KES team, having not yet played properly in a game, were no match for the better drilled Thornden side. Our defence found it difficult to repel their efficient fast breaks and set plays. Although the final result was a 29-76 loss, the KES side remained enthusiastic, while acknowledging the need for a lot of hard work if results were to improve.

Having refreshed our knowledge of some of the basics, we travelled to Westgate in buoyant mood. The match proved difficult for us; our opponents possessed great team chemistry and this resulted in them scoring multiple baskets in the second half. However, the losing margin was slightly less than was initially feared (52-29), thanks to an encouraging 18 point effort from Zak Berry, a great half court buzzer beater from Jasper Ladd, and some confident shooting from Loryn Perkins and the rest of the team. Real improvement was shown in the following game, and it was obvious that everyone’s skills were developing through practice. In the captain’s absence, the team put up an impressive fight against

After a revitalising Christmas break, KES then hosted one of the strongest sides in the league, Cantell.

Despite losing 21-63, the game contained memorable individual performances from both Jasper Ladd and Zak Berry, along with some exciting drives from James Diaper, and Ben Smith’s first two points of the season.

With the new arrival of Joe Arthur the following week, the KES side visited St George’s. Despite some great rebounding from Daniel Atchley and Johnny Tait, a first basket from beginner, Joe Arthur, a great 12 point effort for Max Pumphrey and a final 3 point buzzer beater for Ben Whetmore, the KES team lost to a much more experienced opponent 71-28.

The season was concluded with a game that would result in us staying in the league if we won. The late inclusion of Ollie Miles, a player with some past experience, and a newcomer, Hugo Wybourne, promised for an exciting end to the season. Despite losing this match 39-45, the KES team put up an excellent second half performance, with some great defence from Jake Reilly and the rest of the team, and some exciting driving and shooting from Jasper Ladd, along with an impressive brace of baskets for Ollie Miles.

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To conclude, the KES side was unlucky to lose as many games as it did, yet we did achieve our goal of improving over the course of the season. The more experienced players were enabled to refine their skills, while the newcomers quickly grew in confidence and ability through gaining a good grasp of basketball fundamentals.

Hannah Elton-Dobbin, along with our referee and manager Mr Smart, not to mention Coach Cleary, whose training methods saw a demonstrable development in everyone’s skills. Hopefully the experience gained this year can result in a more successful 2016-17 season. Thanks to all the players for all their hard work this season.

A massive vote of thanks must go to the team’s scorers: Millie Downes, Harmeena Sekhon and

Zak Berry

Football Report And so another season began with a match in the sun against a star-studded team of recent leavers.

It is always a slightly uneasy time as new and untried players come in to face a team of gnarled old veterans, intent on teaching the young upstarts a lesson in footballing knowledge, skill and the disappearing art of fierce tackling. This first game was no exception as a hotly contested game ended in a 3-3 draw, the visiting team perhaps being hampered towards the end by a summer of high living and a lack of physical exercise.

With a solid nucleus of Upper Sixth players (a number of whom who also played club football) it looked as if the 2015-16 would be one of solid achievement.

Nic Cooper, full of enthusiasm and nothing if not combative on the pitch was to be captain for the year.

He led the team in his own inimitably aggressive style; expecting, cajoling and demanding performances from the players around him. He was part of a group of senior players who formed the backbone of the team. When Will Scullard, Ryan Seed and Luke Green were all fit and available at the same time the class of 2015 formed a formidable unit. Ryan’s pace, Will’s all-round awareness and Luke’s power and drive all combined well to help overwhelm a number of the teams in the re-organised league in which we found ourselves. Sam Woodcock especially benefited from the platform they provided for him exploiting his skill, speed and eye for goal to end up as leading scorer with 13 goals (followed closely by Ryan Seed on 12). He was ably supported by Sam Gibson with his surprisingly good touch for a big man and knack of coming up with a goal at the right moment.

Will Hawthorne chipped in with several typically pugnacious performances at right back.

From an absolute beginner as a footballer and right back he developed into an excellent player

with a useful sense of defensive responsibility and willingness to learn.

Several teams were put to the sword in the sunny days of September, including a hapless HCS team beaten 11-0 with cameo appearances from Reece Wiggins and Horatio Nelson. The Totton College team managed by former Saints legend Klaus Lundekvam were similarly dispatched 8-2. Both Louis Kolliari and Hammy Kavanagh made huge contributions during this first term before switching sports at Christmas to join the slightly more up-market hockey set. A transfer coming the other way from rugby in the form of Tom Smart compensated for their loss, however, and he showed tremendous attacking potential with his marauding raids down both wings. Another Easter term import was Ed Connolly who showed perhaps less finesse but could be equally devastating given the right service. The Easter term drifted away a little disappointingly with numerous postponements and cancellations. Nevertheless Ed Gault and Lawrence Holmes, a pair of solid, dependable and aggressive centre backs, still continued to keep the centre of the defence safe whenever they played together. Lawrence Mancey played in almost every game to form the last link in this chain of defensive implacability.

As we look forward to next season there is still much to be optimistic about. Several Upper Sixth team members have left but there are promising Lower Sixth players ready to take up the challenge.

Ryan Cousins and Matt Pimley made excellent contributions during the 2015-16 season and scouting reports suggest that there is yet more talent becoming available for 2016-17.

Mr Kukla

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Rugby overview Rugby continues to grow at King Edward’s with more boys playing the sport; indeed, we even managed to field an U12C team this season. With A and B teams in the majority of year groups, all boys are having the opportunity to play the game and represent the School.

The season started for the 1st XV with a tour of South Africa. This was an outstanding experience for all our senior players with three year groups getting to know each other and honing their skills. With three wins out of five, the tour would give us momentum as we started the autumn term. The pre-season kicked off in August during which a series of camps were run for all year groups in preparation for their first competitive games of the campaign. In early September, the School hosted the annual South Coast Kings Tournament in which teams from England and Wales played in U15 and U18 tournaments. Both the U15 and U18 KES teams attributed themselves extremely well taking the scalps of some very strong opposition. The 1st XV fought really hard to win the Shield competition; our first piece of silverware in this competition for many seasons!

The autumn term was blessed with perfect, rugby playing weather and saw all our teams progress through the early rounds of their prospective National and County Cup competitions. Individual players were also beginning to create a name for themselves among a variety of representative teams; Michael Gorry, Charles Bolton and Ed Grinsted all represented the Independent Schools’ South West Team (The Lambs) with county representation from Ed and Charles; Ed Grinsted is scheduled to trial for the

region having impressed at county level. Further down the School there were Hampshire County caps for William Thompson and Andrew Crawford and trials set for Jamie Cook, Toby Reid, Ben Pearce, Henry Gwilliam, Dan Leake, Ben Sharpley and David Marsh.

The senior squads boasted very good numbers this season with 45 at training and the hard work of the senior squad throughout the season, typified by players such as Theo Pritchard and Max Beaver, has brought its rewards. Wins against Churcher’s and PGS were notable highs with a huge performance in our slender loss to Dauntsey’s School, in round 4 of the NatWest Cup, another season highlight.

The First Year players were mostly small but skilful and quick and as determined as you could hope for.

Mr Aellen and Mr Miller crafted three squads full of energy and skill and pulled off some mighty victories.

The U13 squads made excellent progress throughout the season, growing in skill and speed and making it to the last thirty-two teams in the National Cup; their most notable result was against Churcher’s college in which the A team won in superb fashion.

Mr Westwater and Mr Self can be proud of their coaching and how their players have grown within the game. Our U14 teams were amongst the most skilful and ruthless players I have seen at this age group; they never failed to produce two full teams every Saturday and some of their performances were breathtaking; a 60 point win against PGS epitomised their attitude. A huge amount of credit goes to Mr Kent who worked the players hard, often training three times a week to develop their skills with, and without, the ball.

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Mr Collinson and Mr Rosenberg took command of the U15 charges. This was a difficult squad to coach, not for the lack of enthusiasm, but for the low numbers on the playing roster. Despite low playing numbers, stars emerged from the embers of the U15 season and Sam Hill-Cousins captained with maturity carrying the ball with destructive power. Their performance of the season was the narrow defeat to Bishop Wordsworth School in the NatWest Cup, a team who had plundered the boys last year by 40 points only managed to scrape a win through a last minute drop goal. Mr Wood and Mr Piggott worked hard with the U16 squad. Although low in numbers the U16 warriors knuckled down and worked hard until the final whistle of the last game of the season. Never have we seen such a determined, industrious and committed set of players who were often down to sixteen available players as a result of injuries. This character and attitude stemmed from the leadership group; players such as William Thompson, Oliver Viant and Ed Dawson allied with Scott Olive, Archie Millar and Ben Millar all demanded the highest amounts of effort in every aspect of every game.

Rugby at King Edward VI School is as much about team work as it is about results; there was a real improvement in the ‘squad mentality’ that was hard to achieve twelve months earlier and our B team coaches are to thank for this growth in playing numbers; their enthusiasm and organisation in fielding full teams every week was fantastic.

I would like to personally thank the staff and boys for their hard work. Coaches demand high standards which our boys respond to accordingly. Players understand the need to put their heart and soul into representing the School and this is rewarded with the positive experiences that they receive and, in a less direct way, from the results that they are achieving.

I look forward to seeing more boys representing the School, and as many parents as possible coming to support.

1st XV Player of the season: Theo Pritchard 2nd XV Player of the season: Toby Gill Most Improved Senior Player(s) of the season: Ben Routledge / James Ellis Moment of the season: George Skinner’s tackle on 69 minutes against PGS

Mr Powell

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1st XV Rugby

Early in September, KES hosted our South Coast Kings Tournament. The event was another fabulous success with teams from all over the South of England and South Wales competing in three structured competitions. The 1st XV fought really hard to win the Shield competition; our first piece of silverware in this competition for many seasons.

The 2015-2016 rugby season saw our senior squads at King Edward VI School achieve a number of outstanding wins over some massive opposition such as Magdalen College School and a strong run in the NatWest Cup that finished with an almighty game against Dauntsey’s School. Some of the highlights of the season included the phenomenal captaincy of Theo Pritchard (Player of the Season), our cup game against Dauntsey’s School and the phenomenal 12-5 win against PGS at Wellington Sports Grounds; this venue is fast becoming the ‘House of Pain’ for any opposition and one of the most prominent sports facilities in Hampshire.

Our 2nd XV were coached by Mr Mixer and captained

by Max Beaver and Toby Gill. We fielded many players who would have easily featured in any other school’s 1st XV. The fact that we managed to play with squads of up to twenty-two players is indicative of the commitment our senior players have towards this sport.

I would like to thank Mr Jones and Mr Wright for creating outstanding playing and training surfaces, Mrs Duke and all the medical staff who supported our players and visiting teams during our home fixtures, the catering staff who fed us all and to all the junior coaches who have worked so hard over the years to

Played: 18 Won: 11 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

continue to supply the senior teams with such wellrounded, skilled and robust players which makes my life so relatively easy.

Lastly, I would personally like to thank all the parents who have braved the weather to be such a supportive, positive and enthusiastic presence throughout this season; without your transport, time management and fridge contents I would be bereft of a team – thank you all so much. The ‘Player of the Season’ went to Theo Pritchard, ‘Top Try Scorers’ were James Ellis, George Skinner, Ed Grinsted and Rory Saunders and ‘Top Points Scorer’ was Ed Connelly.

Mr Powell Squad members: Theo Pritchard (C), Mike Gorry (VC), James Ellis, George Skinner, Ed Grinsted, Rory Saunders, James Thomson, Sterling Roberts , Stanley Paxton, Sam Gibson, Ben Routledge, Ben Sharpley, Tom Smart, Alex Shadbolt, Charles Gale, Chris Seaby, Ed Connolly, Hugo Marshall, Philip Normand, Reuben Benton, Will Thompson, Nick Hepworth, Charles Bolton and George Plater.

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2nd XV Rugby This has been a very enjoyable season. The squad played some first-rate rugby with an excellent spirit.

The team was well led by Toby Gill who was a powerful presence in the centre and an early 52-7 win over Halliford showed potential. Losses to very strong Dauntsey’s School, Magdalen College, Worth School and Clayesmore (their 1st XV) teams were no disgrace and the KES side never gave up at any stage during these matches. The 2nd XV played an excellent game against Churcher’s College during which the team just came up short 17-21 and, with more composure on the ball and better decision making, would have won.

All this was put right in a phenomenal 34-10 victory against PGS which was stopped early!

U16 Rugby The season started well with two encouraging performances, albeit a draw at Bournemouth (a match we should have won) and victory over Clayesmore.

It was apparent that this group of players were keen, well organised and talented. They had a hunger to work hard in training, their defence was well drilled (and at times ferocious) and they wanted to play entertaining rugby. The wins versus Ryde and Perrins were very pleasing, and the U16s played some excellent rugby in these two matches, but it was in defeat that we were most impressed with this group of players. Heavy defeats to Magdalen and PGS at U15 level were narrowed, to close hard-fought games. Both opponents commented after the fixture, that they had not expected that sort of response from the KES boys. The 14th November 2015 will be long remembered; a two hour trip to Worth School, a waterlogged pitch, only fifteen players available, pouring rain throughout the match, down to fourteen players due to injury before half-time and still the team played exceptionally well. At one stage, with only fourteen players, KES led 12-10, only for two late tries from Worth School to win the match for them. It coined the immortal phrase; ‘Was the trip to Worth, worth it?’ It was worth it for the experience of playing in the most atrocious conditions, although not one the team would care to repeat.

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

The squad was well led by pack leader Cameron Thomas and were totally committed in the break down and brilliant in the line-out. The backs played with pace and flair and were led by Alec and Dan Damley-Jones who put on a masterclass of skill and decision making. This was a performance that made us reflect on what is possible next year.

Mr Mixer Squad members: Toby Gill (C), James Maunder, Callum Loader, Duncan Urquhart-Hawkins, Stanley Paxton, Jake Berry, Ben Trotter, Will Steel, Joel Davies, Reuben Benton, Cameron Thomas, Hugo Marshall, Joe Winter, Toby Gill, James Harper, Rory Morris, Alec Damley-Jones and Dan Damley-Jones.

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

The results for this season belie the enthusiasm, commitment and hard work that this talented group of young men invested in their play but it is one that we have thoroughly enjoyed. As coaches we look forward to watching these boys’ further rugby development.

Mr Wood and Mr Piggott

Squad members: Will Thompson (C), Henry Waring (VC), Joe Arthur, Peter Borodzicz, George Cartwright, Dylan Chatterly, Ed Dawson, Jacob Fay, Ed Fletcher, James Gaunt, Nick Hepworth, Charlie Hurst, Ollie Jones-Hughes, Archie Millar, Ben Millar, John Naoum, Scott Olive, Henry Saia, Alex Shadbolt, Oscar Shaheen, Dominic Staniforth, Ollie Viant, Matt Whitehead and Felix Yeats-Brown.

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U15 Rugby The U15s had a tough season but improved with every performance. In the domestic season the pick of the performances was actually the final game which, despite being a loss, was a demonstration of the committed rugby these players can put together.

The PGS side they played had been putting 50 points on most of their opponents, so to only lose 26-12 and to have PGS worried was a real achievement. Another notable performance of the season was the 12-12 draw against Bournemouth, a game played on a hard pitch under baking sun where there was a great deal of running rugby and a hard-won comeback in the second half. In the cup fixtures the side was bolstered by several players from the U14 squad, all of whom played fearlessly despite facing players much larger than themselves. An excellent win against Ringwood was one of the highlights of the cup run, again a side that was much bigger than the one that KES fielded.

The cup run ended with a narrow defeat to Bishop Wordsworth’s but all players came out of that game with their heads held high.

The team was led all season by Sam Hill-Cousins, who played every game and often earned plaudits from the coaches and parents of our opponents due to his commitment to both attacking and defending.

Played: 14 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 8

The rest of the pack were often outsized by their opponents but found that superior levels of fitness and aggression could often even the balance. A special mention should go to Charlie Waring who found himself playing a higher level of rugby than he has in previous seasons but who courageously propped up one end of the scrum in nearly every game.

In the backs the outstanding player was once again James Webb, who overcame some early injury problems to score many memorable tries in the second half of the season. However, the two tries that stand out were, the chip and chase scored by Andrew Crawford against Magdalen College School where the last five metres was covered in a dramatic slide, and the team try against PGS that was scored under the posts by Jack Wergan after the ball went through at least ten different players’ hands first.

This season the team motto has been to play for each other and it has been very satisfying to see the players commit themselves both in training and on the pitch. There are some exciting talents in this year group that will bolster the 1st XV when they enter Sixth Form.

Mr Collinson and Mr Rosenburg Squad members: Dom Payne, Seb Fernando, Charlie Waring, Peter Ryall, Robert McFarlane, Harry Cowell, Ben Smith, Sam Hill-Cousins, Tom Croft-Baker, Henry Gwilliam, Adam Lock, Jai Mew, James Webb, Jack Wergan, Jake Rowland, Andrew Crawford, Max Pumphrey, James Harden, Angus Armstrong, James Diaper, Mateus Janaway, Mike Hannides, Jamie Cook, James Jerram, Jameel Khan and Toby Reid.

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U14A Rugby The results from their U13 year suggested that this was a strong group of rugby players and they did not disappoint over the course of their U14 year. Their challenge was to develop as a rugby team and to learn not to rely on key athletic individuals for success. The results suggest that this was achieved.

The first game, against Halliford, was a stuttering start as KES took an early lead and control of the game.

Some defensive lapses meant that the opposition were allowed back into the match but KES managed to work their way to a 24-14 victory. The following week’s training focussed on fluency and the breakdown and the result was a better performance against Bournemouth resulting in a 42-0 victory. Clayesmore were the next opponents and the KES team managed to put in another impressive display with the ball, scoring eight tries in a 52-19 win.

The squad needed testing and they got this in their next game. Dauntsey’s arrived at Wellington and it was clear in the warm up that they would pose a physical threat and that the boys would not be allowed the space to which they had become accustomed.

KES went ahead with two early tries out wide, but Dauntsey’s came back into the game with powerful driving play. The home team had to work hard to gain victory with the 24-15 final score only being secured with a final minute try.

A 24-15 victory over Ryde the following week was more comfortable than the score line suggests which set up a tough encounter against Churcher’s to finish the half term. In the week between these fixtures, the KES team attended the Hampshire 10-a-side competition and were impressive in their group, beating Romsey School and Salesian comfortably, and scoring 71 points in the process. In the semi-final they won a rematch with Salesian 12-5 setting up a final against Churcher’s. The opposition took the lead twice but KES hung on and scored two good late individual tries to win 24-10 and claim the county trophy.

The first half of term finished with a trip to Churcher’s who were very keen to exact some revenge for the cup win. The boys started well and took the lead but Churcher’s came back to equalise just before half-time.

In the second half they altered their strategy and played a very narrow game relying on their strong forwards which we could not match. This, allied with a string of injuries, led to the first defeat for this side although the final 25-7 score was a little harsh.

Played: 11 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

Magdalen College School were the first visitors to Wellington after half-term in what was an outstanding game of rugby. KES scored just before half-time but conversion was missed and this was to prove crucial at the end. In the second half, despite a number of chances, we could not extend the lead and eventually one of their strong backs made a break which resulted in a score for the opposition. This was converted and in spite of further chances an excellent game ended in a 7-5 defeat.

The final four games of the season were very one-sided affairs as the team put together some excellent phases of play against weak opposition. Worth School gave little resistance in a 66-0 victory and St John’s put up a fight for the first twenty minutes but were overpowered 67-0. KES travelled to Perins with a mixed A/B team but the boys’ attacking ability proved too strong for a combative side and the team won 53-17. The final game was against PGS and the KES performance was outstanding. The final scoreline of 65-0 was reflective of the complete dominance shown by the KES squad and a number of the scores were truly team scores as we showed offloading skills, support play, good decision making and strong running. Equally pleasing was the defence in the second half as we spent ten minutes on our line and worked very hard to stop them crossing. It was a fantastic way to finish the season.

The boys worked hard throughout the season and I would like to thank them for their efforts. They are capable of playing some excellent rugby when the game is open and expansive. However, if they are to continue to develop and push in next year’s Nat West Cup match, not to mention gain victories over Churcher’s and MCS, they must become physically stronger to be able to gain the ascendency at the breakdown and play a different sort of game when the conditions require. It will be exciting to see how this team develops as there is certainly potential.

Mr D Kent Squad members: Jamie Cook (C), Will Barker, Rufus Beck, Sam Burton, Luke Collins, Henry Gwilliam, Fillipo Hall, James Jerram, Ed Kellett, Daniel Leake, Tom Lockyer, Jai Mew, Joe Mills, Max Mills, Ben Pearce, Toby Reid, Jake Reilly, Michael Shenouda, Charles Thomas, Sam Thompson, Ollie Van Aalst and Oliver Wilson.

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U14B Rugby Being a very strong year group, the U14 B team enjoyed lots of success this season, winning the majority of their games although the season didn’t start too well, with a 37-0 loss to Halliford School. However, the boys played with much better shape from that point on and swept past Clayesmore and Dauntsey’s with ease. A very competitive match followed and the KES boys showed great determination and discipline to earn a 14-12 win, making it three victories in a row.

Magdalen College School proved too strong and the boys lost 19-5, but this would prove to be their last defeat of the season as they wrapped up an impressive season with convincing victories over Worth School, HCS and PGS. All members of this team deserve huge credit but there were a few players who really stood out and laid the foundations for the excellent performances; Ollie van Aalst and Max Mills formed a formidable partnership in

Played: 8 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

the second row and Luke Collins carried the ball very strongly. Paddy Johnson pulled the attacking strings from fly-half and Pushpit Bhardwaj, despite joining the team late in the season, showed that he is a real prospect for the future.

Mr Tesseyman Squad members: Ollie van Aalst, Max Mills, Luke Collins, Paddy Johnson (C), Pushpit Bhardwaj, William Barker, Arev Melikyan, Josh Golledge, Oliver Buckland, Luke Collins, Finn McCullagh, James Williams, Patrick Keith, Joe Mills, Thomas Lockyer, Tom Boyland, Behrang Mansourian, Gus Berry, Ben Donnison, Harry Pizzey, Lewis Ravenscroft, Oscar Bussey-Jones, George Beresford Campbell, Henry Tudor, Will Daniels and Chris Miller.

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U13A Rugby The U13 A team have had a fantastic season. They have been determined to improve not only individually but also as a squad, and this has seen them make huge progress. After a sluggish start, the squad were able to address their tackling issues and learn to play fast paced, organised and expansive rugby. They quickly learned when to attack out wide and when to attack nearer channels and this led them to lose only three matches throughout the season. Captained

by James Bristowe, the squad won the respect of many referees through positive play and disciplined performances. I am proud to say that many opposition coaches commended the boys for such a professional display that showed a maturity often missing from older age groups and other sports.

Their performances at times also demonstrated structure which is rarely seen at this age level. Led

by Tom Henley at scrum half, the boys put good, organised phases of play together; securing the ball through rucks and committing opposition defenders before spinning the ball out wide to finish in style on the wing. The forward pack often dominated rucks and mauls, and Jamie Dunn, Alex Georgiou and Harry Croft-Baker should be proud of consistently putting in game winning performances. Rory Holm should also be given a special mention for taking to the position of fullback like a duck to water, often forcing opposition teams to keep the ball in hand for fear of kicking the ball away for him to counter.

Played: 12 Won: 8 Drew: 1 Lost: 3

However, this was very much a full team effort throughout the season, and every member of the squad should be proud of the contributions and progress that they made.

In a season of many strong victories, one performance in particular stands out. Churcher’s College have dismantled teams this year. Their overall points difference is +297 from ten games and they have lost only one game in the two years they have been together. This loss came after a fantastic 15-14 victory at Churcher’s College to the KES U13 A team. The boys showed an intensity and unity that I have never seen at U13 level and even the opposition coach admitted the narrow score line flattered his squad.

This performance has set the bench mark for all future games and I look forward to working with the boys next year to see how much further they can continue to push themselves and progress.

Mr Westwater Squad members: Will Brench-Jones, Alex Georgiou, James Bristowe, Jacob Adeniji, Josh Williams, Charlie Harden, Harry Croft-Baker, Jamie Dunn, Tom Henley, Nick DamleyJones, Alex Miles, Sacha Groom, Luke Ward, Soren Golding, Rory Holm, Tom Sutton, Noah Cooper, Jonty Yonge, Cameron Aitken, Samuel Smith and William Jackson.

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U13B Rugby This was a difficult season for these boys from the perspective of the number of wins, but they showed a great deal of determination and willingness to improve, culminating in a fantastic win in the final game of the season.

The School entertained Halliford in the first game of the season and this was a good game. The forwards competed well but ultimately Halliford’s ability to be more clinical near the try line led to them winning 1224. Churcher’s were next and they were impressive, playing with great skill at great pace to beat the boys 5-45. Magdalen College School, Oxford also provided a tough challenge and their strong defence prevented the U13 Bs from scoring and they won 19-0.

The game against Worth School was a good contest but unfortunately KES finished on the wrong side of a 17-12 result and the following game against HCS A team was tough. Although the boys competed for much of the game, their two strong A team players ran the show and the boys lost 10-40.

The last match of the season was against PGS and I could not have been prouder of the commitment the boys showed towards this game following such a tough season.

Played: 6 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 5

They worked hard in training every session and thoroughly deserved to get at least one win from the season. To achieve this against PGS was even better!

The areas worked on with the ball paid off, as the U13 Bs kept control, putting together good phase play and creating opportunities. For the first time, they took more opportunities than their opponents and managed to claim a 25-20 victory. The boys were ecstatic, and rightly so.

I would like to thank the boys for their efforts over the season and I hope that they go on to enjoy their rugby during the rest of their time at KES.

Max Self Squad members: Rory Anderson, Niall Armstrong, Elliott Baxendale, Will Booth, George Butler, Pierre Forster, Ed Foundling, Dominic Goddard, Tom Hand, Tom Holliday, Faisal Kekere-Ekun, Alasdair King, Ralf Lloyd, James McIlroy, Leo Poller, Jamie Reid, Sam Richards, Theo Roberts, Anthony Rogers, Finn Sambrook-Smith, Ryan Scott, Matt Simmonds, Sam Smith, Archie Stokes, Rufus Taylor, Adam Woo and Jonty Yonge.

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U12A Rugby With a first season of rugby for many of the players it is usually a season for development at U12 level. It was very encouraging to see nearly sixty boys turn up for pre-season training and on the final fixture of the season over forty of them were representing KES in the local derby against Portsmouth Grammar School.

The opening match against the more experienced Halliford side brought a 20-0 defeat and some lessons to try and apply in both attack and defence; it seemed that one week was not quite sufficient with a 24-0 defeat to Bournemouth. To their great credit, the U12 squad never really looked back from this point. Their ability to keep the ball alive and play running rugby, as well as their tackling and defensive tenacity have both improved greatly. The next two matches brought good wins against Clayesmore with Archie, Ben and Oscar prominent at the breakdown and a hat-trick of tries for Rory in a 22-15 win. Most U12 matches are played without conversions so this game was one of only two successful kicks of the season. Next was a tough game against Churcher’s – probably the best team performance to date, despite the loss, and a try from the bench for Kerem; a real forward’s effort from all of three metres out. A draw against Magdalen College was also a good performance against strong opposition, this time Aaron scored the team’s only try with Oscar adding the extras. The game against St. John’s was our biggest win of the season with 7 tries and probably our strongest performance.

Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 4

Jack Wells had his first start at scrum-half and there will be strong competition for this spot between him, Isaac and Harry. Daniel Wickes played well for his first 2 tries of the season, to be followed with a hat-trick the following week for the B team. KES also played strongly against HCS running in another 7 tries in a 35-15 win, a hat-trick for Will including one caught straight from the kick-off. The final match against PGS was a close defeat 10-5, our boys will rue a few missed opportunities but emerged with great credit against a team who completed an undefeated season.

A very promising first season and a real team effort with twenty-six different boys making A team appearances and scores coming from twelve different players.

Mr Aellen Squad members: Oscar Groves (C), Hal Armstrong, Edward Bence, Archie Callaghan, William Chambers, Isaac ChapmanSheath, Flynn Denman, Huw Dunlop, Robert Evans, Ben Harding, Aaron Henderson, Daniel Hill, Alistair Howard, Tom Mason, Charlie Massey, George McGinn, Kerem Nebol, Tom Parsons, Jim Pearce, Benedict Potter, Billy Smith, Harry Stembridge, Rory Urquhart-Hawkins, Jack Warrener, Jack Wells and Daniel Wickes.

102 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

U12B Rugby The season started off with a challenging match against a well-organised Halliford side. KES played some attacking rugby and were prominent in the breakdown, rucking well and making some hard tackles. Unfortunately, the result didn’t go their way and they were on the losing end of a 20-0 defeat. The second match against Ryde School saw a different KES team come out to play. They were much improved from some good training sessions and won this game convincingly 28-7. Flynn Denman was the star of the show with two excellent tries and four conversions.

Next up was a tough fixture against Churcher’s College; this was a high tempo game in which both teams played some very good rugby. Magdalen College followed this which was never going to be an easy match. However, despite a heavy 41-7 defeat, the U12 B team tackled well and the second half saw them begin to take shape with some lovely passages of play.

Their performance showed some great determination in the face of adversity with Tom Parsons showing great leadership; he never let the side’s heads bow.

Against Perins School, the boys made a terrific start to the game with several good solo efforts from a number of players. The game was won 28-19 with some very happy spectators and players. Our final game was

Played: 6 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

the hotly contested local derby against PGS - the tide turned throughout the game with PGS finally coming out victorious in the last few passages of play by 24 points to 21. This was the best the team has played and, although they lost, a huge testament to how much they have developed throughout the season.

The players had a fantastic season and worked well as a team. They enjoyed playing and should be proud of their achievements.

Mr Miller Squad members: Tom Parsons (C), Sam Young (VC), Will Daniels, Flynn Denman, Charlie Massey, Robert Evans, Alistair Howard, Giles Bailey, Will Chambers, Joseph Clark, Beau Darrer, Daniel Hill, Andrew McFarlane, Freddie Coulson, Sam Boyland, Eric Bentham, Jack Wells, Kerem Nebol, George McGinn, Jin Sandhu, Harry Stembridge, Sam Mediratta, Finley Turner-Hall, Daniel Wicks, Giles Bailey, Jack Warrener, Joseph Worthy, Ali Hamady, Aaron Henderson, Isaac Chapman-Sheath and Matt Dyer.

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Hockey overview Once again, hockey at King Edward’s took many steps forward during 2016. There was notable success at all levels as the game continued to develop. More matches were played throughout the year and the percentage of wins and draws was up, on a strong fixture card.

Indoor hockey proved to be a very popular amongst the boys. KES did well in their preliminary tournaments but fell short of qualifying for the south finals. Again this was a great learning experience for the boys and they will have a large number returning next year.

One of the focuses of the coaching work this year was to have a similar game plan throughout the performance teams. This proved very successful as we were able to play our particular style and have a better understanding of our strengths. I look forward to seeing this develop next season as the boys have bought into the idea of everyone working hard off the ball to create pressure. The 1st team used this to great effect in playing the international teams at their tournament in Holland.

After thirty-nine years of coaching boys’ hockey at KES we were very sad to see Mr Fitzpatrick retire at the end of the season. Every boy that has played under his coaching has the utmost respect for him and his style of teaching. There is always a story to tell when our alumni return for their annual OE match.

Mr Fitzpatrick has been a pillar of strength behind KES hockey and he has left hockey at KES in a great position for the future. On behalf of all the boys and coaches we thank him and wish him well for a wellearned retirement.

KES won all Hampshire Cup Competitions at U13, U14 and U16 level. The best performing team this season was the U13 squad who made it to the National Finals in Nottingham. This was a great achievement as seven of ten players only started playing hockey the previous year upon joining KES. Much of their success was down to Harry CroftBaker, who represented the Lions team. He was able to lead this group of players with great maturity and has a great future ahead of him.

The U16 boys made it to the quarter-final play-off match, but struggled on the day. However with ten players in the team being under fifteen, we look forward to great things next season. The U14s did well in the south round but a few minutes’ lack of concentration cost them dear. However they can take credit in scoring three goals against Whitgift who did not concede a goal in their quest for the National U14 title.

I would like to thank the coaching staff for helping put teams out each week. The spring term is short and intense and requires many teams per week. The large number of boys playing is a credit to these coaches who have been extremely positive and created a culture of hockey amongst the boys. Thank you to Mr Gilbert, Mr Dellar, Henry Thould, Mr Wood, Mrs Kelly, Mr Dodds, Mr Kent, Mr Penn, Mr Sheppard and Mr Fitzpatrick.

In 2017 we look forward to an even stronger fixture card and a South African Tour for the 1st XI.

Mr Crichton

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1st XI Hockey Played: 17 Won: 6 Drew: 3 Lost: 8 The 2016 season saw a change in coach and Mr Crichton took over from Mr Gilbert. Hammy Kavanagh captained the team for the season and had to bring together a wide range of players, including many new players, to the 1st XI team. The boys started the season with a tough fixture against Canford but the KES side struggled to score as they missed many chances from penalty corners and open play with Canford using the counter attack to great effect, leaving James Thomson stranded at the back, having to defend many one on ones. This resulted in a 3-1 win for Canford.

The second match versus Wellington College was the first round of the England Hockey National U18 competition. Will Meacher converted a penalty corner at half-time to give KES a 1-0 lead and the boys went on to win 3-0 with Louis Kolliari scoring the next two. The match against Cranleigh started early to avoid a frozen pitch at Wellington Sports Ground and the pressure to finish the game saw it played at high intensity with KES pressing well and Cranleigh equal to the task when KES had the ball. KES struggled to score as Cranleigh used their speed and ability to counter attack to great effect.

The final score was a 5-3 win to Cranleigh which left the KES squad feeling disappointed with their display. They had many chances to keep themselves in the match but this served as a good lesson as KES had the ball for large periods but were unable to turn possession into circle entries or shots at goal.

The regular Saturday fixture versus Bryanston saw the 1st XI win 5-3 but this was followed by a loss to PGS 3-2. Again, the boys were able to have majority possession and many chances, but with the PGS keeper making some incredible saves PGS walked away with the win. KES bounced back to record a win versus Lord Wandsworth and then a loss to Magdalen College. In the final match before half-term KES played their second round plate match versus Bradfield College. The squad started well and held a 2-0 lead with ten minutes left to play. However, Bradfield took their chances to sneak a 3-2 win and knock KES out of the National Cup. After the half-term break, the team drew against a strong St George’s team 2-2 and then recorded a 3-3 draw versus Sherborne School. Unfortunately the match versus Churcher’s was cancelled due to a frozen pitch. The final game of the normal season saw the KES 1st XI play an Old Edwardians side. KES took an

early lead, before the OEs bounced back to show their experience and run out 4-2 winners.

The team ended the season with a tour to play in the International Youth Tournament during the Easter weekend in The Hague. This was an excellent experience for them as they ended up in 3rd position and were awarded the Fair Play Cup. The tournament showed the progress the boys had made over the season and the ability to improve in a short space of time.

Mr Crichton Squad members: James Thomson, Ben Trotter, Will Meacher, Hamilton Kavanagh (C), Fergus Hickey, Joe Winter, Louis Kolliari, Joel Davies, Jacob Fay, Ollie Martin, Rory Morris, James Murphy, Stanley Paxton, James Harper, Reuben Benton, Tom Newsom, Tom Fay and Oscar Birnie.

2nd XI Hockey Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 At a first glance, the overall record for the 2016 season looks anything but impressive. With four wins, three defeats and three cancellations, one would imagine mediocrity was the order of the day but the opposite is true! This was certainly the most talented 2nd XI team in my time at the School; some boys were unlucky not to appear more for the 1st XI, others still have their time to come.

The three cancellations were most disruptive to the flow of the season as, wrapped around half-term, this meant the team played only one fixture between 6th February and 12th March. The three defeats were all quite different. The first game of the season saw the school side play really well in difficult conditions, the team took the lead but conceded two late goals in a very good competitive game. A couple of individuals dominated the game against Winchester College’s 1st XI but the boys were not at their best. The only game that was out of their hands was the 3-0 defeat against a very talented and efficient Magdalen College School.

To beat schools of the calibre of Bryanston, PGS and Sherborne by 5-0, 6-0 and 5-1 respectively was a truly outstanding achievement and HCS were also beaten in comprehensive fashion, 5-2.

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These results were down to sound team play, excellent effort and individuals taking their chances when the opportunity arose. It was a real pity that the team missed out on so many games in such a short season.

I should make mention of the team captain, Henry Marden. His level-headed captaincy, his fairness to all players and his own personal performance all served as an example to his team. Along with many others he had an excellent season. I would like to thank all the 2nd XI players for their effort, application and for making my last season coaching a hockey side such an enjoyable one. There are many players in this team with a bright future in hockey.

Mr Fitzpatrick Squad members: Henry Marden (C), Alex Shadbolt, Joe Murphy, Jim Murphy, Tom Newsom, Reece Wiggins, Toby Hill, Oliver Viant, Reuben Benton, Joe Powell, Zak Milner, Zak Cooper, Will Thompson, Patrick Holly, Scott Olive, James Gaunt, Ben Millar, Archie Millar, Charlie Harrigan and Robert Atkinson.

3rd XI Hockey Played: 8 Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 2 Nothing starts a new season better than an away fixture to focus the minds (apart from handsome attendance at training), and travelling to Canford early in January was no different. Despite this being the first match of the season, and associated player unfamiliarity, the team performed well in the wet weather recording a victory by a margin of three goals, conceding only one. In a match at times reliant upon commitment for the loose ball, we connected well and struck several times from open play. As is often the case, the midfield would benefit from front player support, particularly when under defensive pressure, but those moments when our frailties were exposed were broadly mopped up by strong tackling and good positional play. It was clear that we had pace in attack as well as competitiveness and strength in our defensive players - this would prove to be one of the defining features of our play throughout the season with many opposition breaks being thwarted by welltimed tackles in midfield.

We played host to Bryanston a week later. This is traditionally a tough fixture, but sporting the lucky blue spare shirts we ran out 5-0 winners. Amidst half a

dozen genuine 3rd XI fixtures, we faced two U16 sides this season, the first being PGS (St George’s later in the season would be our second defeat at the hands of well-drilled age group sides). PGS was a game of contrasting styles which was close at half-time (0-1).

Despite working hard in the second half, exposure wide from PGS and unnecessary aerial play meant we lost touch after a clutch of goals struck neatly at the top of the circle. We did, however, maintain our positive goal difference (+3) for the season, which was our initial plan. This loss proved to be merely a hiccup as the following week we put a brace past LWC, despite a significantly stronger side travelling to us than in previous years. Magdalen College travelled to Wellington the following week. We blew them away in a blistering first half courtesy, in part, of a hat-trick from Gregor McKenzie. Turning four goals up at halftime, significant pressure from MCS only resulted in a consolation goal and the march of the 3rd XI continued.

Team spirit would be tested in our final two matches of the season. The first, against Churcher’s College, saw us initially squander a two goal lead before stretching ahead to win by three. Gregor’s second batch of three goals in this match was clearly a major assist in this regard. Our final game saw us somewhat depleted in terms of personnel but the ten who took to the field were nothing short of awesome. One down at half-time the side refused to be foxed by the opposition and teamwork and perseverance restored parity before the final whistle.

I would like to thank the squad for their commitment to weekend fixtures - nine players featured in 75% of matches (five of these committed to every game), bringing stability to the side, and all players for their enthusiasm and willingness to work as a team on match days.

Mr Sheppard Squad members: Eddy Compton (C), Hugo Wilkinson (VC), Gregor McKenzie, Angus Wright, Henry Compton, Nick Hepworth, Patrick Holly, Tom Rugge-Price, Bruce Carpenter, Scott Olive (GK), Matthew Man, Matchey Lincoln, Will Broadway, Hugo McCullagh, Rob Atkinson, Alex Damley-Jones, Will Thompson, Ollie Viant, Jim Murphy and Ben Sharpley (GK)

106 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

U16 Hockey The depth of hockey at KES continues to grow and the U16 team had an abundance of talent on show.

Jacob Fay captained the U16 team and his maturity and hardworking attitude on the field was outstanding throughout the season.

The U16 boys started off by winning the U16 Hampshire Cup with a 1-0 win over Kings’ School, 2-1 win over PGS and then a 10-0 win over Bedales School. They got better as the day went on and the different combinations of players were able to put together some great patterns of play with some outstanding goals. The squad took on Magdalen College with both sides showing their high level of skill and ability to play the game at a high intensity. A 4 goal draw was the outcome.

This tough fixture would set the tone for the south round after half-term. The boys travelled to Merchant Taylors for their first match against Whitgift and were disappointed to walk off 3-1 losers after having many chances in the match. The second match was a tough fixture versus Bede’s School as the opposition played with high strikers with speed. Bede’s managed to throw overheads over our defenders to create problems and KES had to come from behind to draw a tough fixture.

The final match of the day saw the U16s play Harrow needing a win with 3 goals difference. KES started well and ran out 4-0 winners securing themselves a quarterfinal place versus Seaford College.

The mid-week match versus Seaford was a tough encounter as they started stronger and were able to turn their position into goals as KES struggled to find their usual rhythm. Seaford eventually ran out comfortable winners and a few tough lessons were learnt by the boys. However, with the large majority of the squad still aged under 15, we look forward to building on the experience next year.

Played: 9 Won: 4 Drew: 2 Lost: 3

The final game of the season versus Kingston Grammar saw the team start slowly as Kingston put in two early goals. Jacob Fay again stood tall as he brought his team back to within touching distance, with the KES boys working hard throughout the match but Kingston Grammar were eventual winners 5-3.

This season saw an outstanding effort from the boys as they incorporated the young players to make a very strong team. I am sure they will look to learn from this year and build for the future, with the high number of talented players.

Mr Crichton Squad members: Joe Murphy, Toby Dudson, Jacob Fay(C), Tom CroftBaker, Sam Allsop, Matthew Bell, James Harden, Archie Millar, Charlie Harrigan, James Lander, Robert Atkinson, William Thompson, Ben Millar, James Gaunt, Zak Cooper, Ben Fox and Scott Olive.

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U15A Hockey Following a disappointing start to the season it did not turn out too bad! The game against Canford came at the end of the first week and there had been little chance for much work. We expected Canford to be strong, after KES gained a narrow victory as U14s, but as the game progressed it became apparent that the KES side had developed a lot since last year and they dominated the match both in terms of possession and chances created. However a lack of precision in front of goal cost them a victory and the game finished 1-1; they could, and should, have won by at least four. It was clear what the focus of the training sessions should be and the team worked on goal scoring for the rest of the term.

The boys travelled to Bryanston for the next game of the season and the game started in the same vein – lots of possession and a failure to score. However, as the second half progressed they started to find their touch and won comfortably in the end by 5-0. Another away trip to PGS followed and this game was tight in the first half and some defensive lapses resulted in them leading 2-1 at half-time. The half-time talk must have been amazing as the boys came out at full speed and scored twice inside the first three minutes and PGS capitulated.

KES eventually ran out 8-2 winners and this score was a fair reflection of our second half performance.

The journey around the south of England continued the following week with a visit to Lord Wandsworth College but again the squad proved too strong, building on solid defence and evermore fluid attacking play. The 6-1 victory was again a fair reflection of a result for a team with an ever growing understanding of the areas to attack.

Played: 8 Won: 6 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

between the two teams, and it is not often that a KES team will play St George’s with the KES goalkeeper not having to touch the ball. It is this performance that I would like the players to look back at as the blueprint for how they need to play as they move through the School.

It was disappointing that the Churcher’s game was cancelled but an 8-1 victory away at Sherborne and a 6-1 victory away at Kingston finished the season in style. If we take the MCS fixture out of the equation, as 7 A team players were not involved, this team scored thirty-nine goals in seven games and conceded just six. From this record it is clear that there is strength in every area of this team. The defence is very solid with a good keeper and defenders who are composed, tackle well and can distribute effectively. The midfield were also excellent defensively and started to appreciate the areas of the field to move the ball whilst the forward line started to understand that you had to be in the ‘D’ to score a goal.

There is real potential for next year as this side move into the U16 year group and I hope that we will be able to play them as an U16 side and they can push to reach the finals of the regional round of the National Cup. To do this they will need, as a group, to decide to approach training with the same attitude as they approach their matches as I know there is the ability to do very well indeed. I look forward to seeing their progress as they move towards the top of the School.

Mr Kent Squad members:

Against Magdalen College School a large number of the team were selected in the U16 side to give the cup side a chance to play together and get used to developing some cohesion. Whilst the U15 side lost their match, the U16 gained a draw and went on to do well in the National Cup. The first Saturday after half-term gave the team the first true test of their progress. St. George’s College, Weybridge visited Wellington having won this fixture the previous year as U14s. However, they were not given a chance to play as the KES team produced the performance of their season demonstrating real quality in attack and also working together to press the opposition; something they could not cope with.

The 5-0 scoreline was a fair account of the difference

Toby Dudson (C), Joe Murphy, James Harden, Nathan Hastings, Matty Bell, Tom Croft-Baker, Jovan Dhariwal, Henry Beardsall, Sam Allsop, James Lander, Ben Fox, Jake Rowland, Will Fleming, Adam Lock, Sam Rachman, Jameel Khan, James Diaper and Jackson Taylor.

108 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

U15B Hockey This has been an exceptional season for the U15 B team as they managed to win all of their matches. This began with a close fought win over Canford (4-3) and, having survived this, the boys did not look back. Their attacking abilities were evident as they dismantled Bryanston (8-1), Portsmouth Grammar School (7-1), Lord Wandsworth College (6-0), Hampshire Collegiate School (6-0) and Churcher’s College (7-1).

The team has shown exceptional spirit this term and this was evident when they travelled to St George’s Weybridge for an incredibly tight contest. Both sides had chances throughout the game to take the lead but the boys went into half-time with a 1-0 lead, having played poorly, despite multiple St George’s attacks.

After the break they came out and defended solidly and hit the oppostition on the counter when we had the ball. Every player played their part in that amazing win (1-0).

Played: 9 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 0

I had three key areas that I wanted the boys to focus on this term; working together, being disciplined and leaving nothing on the pitch. Each and every member of the squad have taken these points on board and have done their job this term. I am incredibly proud to have coached this group through such a memorable hockey term.

Mr Penn Squad members: James Diaper (C), Jack Wergan (C), Archie Attfield, Leon Astles, Adam Lock, Jameel Khan, Seb Fernando, Aditya Rokade, Sebastian Harris, Archie Lawrence, Raul Patel, Jackson Taylor, Daniel Atchley, Sam Rachman, Michael Hannides, Henry Southern, Harry Sandhu, John Joyce, Andrew Crawford, James Webb, Barney Clacy, Jovan Dhariwal, Henry Beardsall and William Fleming.

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U14A Hockey It has been an absolute delight to work with such an enthusiastic, energetic and dedicated hockey squad who have demonstrated so much talent and promise.

Although it was a slow start to the season in terms of progress, and we began with a heavy defeat by Canford, I was impressed with how keen the U14A team were to work hard, progress and improve. This determination and continuous effort by all, resulted in a very successful season and a very promising National Cup run. They were a credit to themselves and to the School and they should feel proud of their achievements this season.

It was obvious from the start of the season that the squad were going to have a fun, busy and inspirational season and once the pupils realised they were going to be worked hard, they bought into the work ethic and the hockey brand we expected from them. It was also great to see so many hockey players out at training on a Monday evening; sometimes numbers exceeded 45 for the combined A, B and C teams. The players were keen to learn new skills and to develop their experiences in tactical awareness and set plays.

This resulted in some fine play on the pitch and some excellent results of which they should be proud. The biggest highlight for the team, in terms of regular fixtures, was during the final game of the season when they beat Kingston Grammar School 4-1. This really did demonstrate the progress that they had made throughout a short but very busy term on the pitch.

In the Hampshire County Tournament the team won convincingly, winning all of their games and ending the day as county champions. KES recorded victories over King’s School (5-0), PGS (3-0), Churcher’s College (5-0), Perins School (4-0), Romsey School (5-0) and Lord Wandsworth (3-1) meaning they qualified for the regional stages of the competition.

Played: 20 Won: 14 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

At the regionals, the boys played some of their best hockey of the season. They beat Wellington School comfortably 2-0, lost to Sir William Borlaise 3-1 and then came up against a very strong opposition in the form of Whitgift who were the eventual national champions. The KES team lost 5-2 but gave their performance of the season and were delighted to score against Whitgift. These results meant the boys did not qualify for the next stages of the competition but they should be delighted with what they have achieved in such a short space of time. Ned Goodridge needs to feel proud of the achievements his squad have demonstrated and he was an excellent captain for the team. Ben Donnison was an excellent vice-captain and both boys led by example.

Mrs Kelly and Mr Crichton Squad members: Ned Goodridge (C), Ben Donnison (VC), William Barker, Rufus Beck, Thomas Lockyer, Jai Mew, Josh Williams, Joe Mills, Luca Astles, Jamie Cook, Toby Reid, Marcus Webb, Filippo Hall, Harry Croft-Baker, Tom Henley, Rory Holm and Sam Thompson.

110 | SOTONIENSIS 2016

U14B Hockey

Played: 9 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

The U14 B boys’ hockey team had a wonderful season, winning seven out of their nine fixtures, drawing one and losing one. The progression made from last year was evident as the boys’ positional awareness, and on-field play, improved dramatically.

A long journey to Sherborne School didn’t halt the boys’ away form and they won a physical game 3-1.

In the last fixture against Kingston Grammar the boys produced some skilful, quick tempo hockey resulting in a 4-0 win.

The first game against Canford School was a closely fought game with two goals apiece at half-time. In the second half though, KES ramped up the pressure and scored two to make the score 4-2. The first match set the tone for the rest of the season. KES won the next two matches against Bryanston and PGS 4-0 and 3-0 in emphatic style; the latter match against PGS seeing the boys put under a lot of pressure after losing goalkeeper Henry Gwilliam, but continuing with ten players to see out the result.

Once again it has been a pleasure working with and coaching the U14 B team. They have worked hard since the first coaching session and the attitude of the squad and team bond has become stronger as the season has progressed. I look forward to working with them again and seeing them all progress as hockey players.

Mr Dodds

The next match against Lord Wandsworth School saw KES play some of their best hockey of the season.

High tempo passing from the midfield, with Captain Ollie Van Alst commanding the passing role from the bottom of the diamond, with left and right midfielders Hugh Wilkinson and Tom Boyland skilfully linking up with Alex Hall at the top. Playing down to wing was Patrick Keith or Josh Golledge who drove to the baseline with pace and power. The spearhead to the attack, Jack Dyer-Slade, was ruthless in front of goal resulting in KES winning 6-2.

The next two fixtures proved to be the toughest tests of the season. The first, against Magdalen College, was a 0-0 draw in horrible wet and windy conditions.

The next fixture, against St George’s, was a very open, free for all, goal frenzied game which could have easily seen both teams score 10 but St George’s ran out eventual 6-4 winners.

The final three fixtures of the season saw the boys get back to winning ways. With the resolute defending of Max Mills, Sam Burton and Ed Baker KES built their play out from the back and ran out 4-0 winners against Churcher’s.

Squad members: Henry Gwilliam, Max Mills, Sam Burton, Ed Baker, Ollie Van Alst (C), Tom Boyland, Hugh Wilkinson, Alex Hall, Patrick Keith, Jack Dyer-Slade, Josh Golledge, Finn McCullagh, Ben Pearce, Henry Tudor, Paddy Johnson, Sam Alkin, Will Daniels, Will Brench- Jones, Luca Astles, Michael Shenouda, Luke Collins, Will Barker, Cameron Barr and Zach Tidby.

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U13A Hockey What a season with a huge number of games played, and success on all fronts. The list of achievements is impressive; KES Prep Schools’ Tournament winners, County Champions, Regional runners-up and National Finalists finishing 7th.

The season started with a competent display against RGS Guildford and a draw against PGS, although the latter should have been a win after leading at half-time by 3 goals to 0! Lord Wandsworth, Magdalen College U14B, St George’s, Stroud and Churcher’s were all dispatched with relative ease in either 11-a-side or 7-a-side matches. The boys were playing excellent hockey and scoring some memorable goals, the pace of play was good, passing was accurate and the finishing in front of goal, on occasion, clinical. The KES Prep Schools’ Tournament was won by winning all four games, although three of them were close affairs. The final game of the spring term saw us travel to Kingston Grammar to play their U14B team. It was a good competitive fixture which ebbed and flowed from end to end and finished with honours even at 2 goals apiece.

Next season I am sure that the U13s will be equally successful in their hockey.

They have a good understanding of how the game

Played: 30 Won: 22 Drew: 4 Lost: 4

should be played and will, with practice, become very good hockey players. I look forward to watching their development over the next few years albeit from a distance.

Mr Wood

Squad members: Harry Croft-Baker (C), James Bristowe, Noah Cooper, Nick Damley-Jones, Jamie Dunn, Pierre Forster, Alex Georgiou, Dominic Goddard, Soren Golding, Sacha Groom, Charlie Harden, Tom Henley, Rory Holm, William Jackson, Tom Sutton and Luke Ward.

National In2Hockey Competition In2Hockey is the 7-a-side version of the game and this year the U13s had a phenomenal run in the competition. They achieved 1st place in the county round by winning all their matches, including a 2-1 win over PGS and the reward was a trip to Woking Hockey Club for the regional finals. The boys had a terrible start drawing their first game and then losing their second pool match. However, they found their form in the third match, beating Alleyn’s (3-0), and qualified for the knockout stages of the cup on goal difference. The squad, despite some injuries, started to play to their full potential and they recorded competent wins against Eagle House (5-1) and Reed’s (3-0) which saw them through to the final to face Whitgift. They suffered the narrowest of defeats (0-1) to become regional runners-up and qualify for the National Finals.

Unfortunately, at the National Finals the squad had a similar poor start to that which they had suffered at the regional finals, this time losing the first two games against Harrogate GS and Dean Close (eventual

finalists), although on reflection both results flattered the opposition. The last two pool matches saw a draw against Ratcliffe College and a win recorded against Felsted Prep School (2-0) thus placing them 4th in their group. In the play-off match the boys beat Trent College (3-2) to finish 7th in the country. This was a fantastic achievement by the team and they should be proud of themselves. Only three members of the squad had played hockey prior to arriving; the remaining seven having played only 18 months of hockey. The future looks very promising for this group of players. Lastly I would like to thank the parents who made a huge effort to attend the games either in Southampton, Woking or Nottingham.

Mr Wood Squad members: Harry Croft-Baker (C), Finn Coleman, Noah Cooper, Jamie Dunn, Alex Georgiou, Dominic Goddard, Charlie Harden, Tom Henley, Rory Holm, William Jackson and Tom Sutton.

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U13B Hockey The U13B boys’ hockey season started off with a 7-a-side game versus a strong RGS Guildford side resulting in a 1-3 loss. Perhaps if the game had been played later in the season it may have been a different result. Conversely, the first 11-a-side fixture came against PGS resulting in an 11-0 victory to KES. This match showcased the brilliant attacking play of this team, a sign of things to come throughout the season. This form continued as Hampshire Collegiate School and Lord Wandsworth were dispatched 8-1 and 3-0 respectively.

The next two fixtures were to be a true test of the quality of this U13B team against traditionally strong opposition in Magdalen College and St George’s College Weybridge. Both these matches ended in draws with KES defending resolutely and counter-attacking with speed. The St George’s game was particularly impressive as the U13Bs showed real character to come back from 2 goals down at half-time to equalise and push for a winner. After this came another big win versus Stroud before a loss to Churcher’s College in a very tight game. Despite losing the boys learnt a great deal from this match. Most of all the team had a tendency to over-commit in attack which was highlighted against the greater opposition in the form of Churcher’s. This lesson served them well in their final fixture of the season against Kingston Grammar School.

Fittingly, the U13Bs saved their best performance until last against an extremely competent opposing side. They created many opportunities and finished clinically, as well as keeping their defensive shape to record a very impressive 3-0 victory.

Played: 9 Won: 5 Drew: 2 Lost: 2

This group of boys has a great deal of potential. Their attacking build-up play is fluid and fast which led to very high scores in many of their fixtures and has been a pleasure to watch and to coach. In the next few seasons the players in this team need to work a little on their basic skills and their positional and defensive discipline and this will no doubt produce even greater results next season.

Henry Thould

Squad members: Sacha Groom, Dominic Goddard, Anthony Rogers, Tom Sutton, Pierre Forster, Torin Atchley, Rufus Taylor, Luke Ward, Theo Roberts, James Bristowe (C), Josh Williams, Tom Hand, Noah Inada-Kim, Archie Stokes, Harry Webster, Will Booth, Will Jackson, Will Bench-Jones, Daniel Erwig and Ben Axton

U13C & D Hockey Unfortunately there was only a limited opportunity for those boys who represented the C and D teams to show their skills once the RGS Guilford games had to be cancelled. However, they played well and with enthusiasm, showing that with more perseverance and continued hard work in games lessons, and after school practices, they could be pushing for places in the B team next year. The C Team lost to Ryde U13B in a close match but produced a stunning performance to beat St George’s Weybridge by 5 goals to 2. In their only match the D team were outplayed by a clinical St George’s team.

C Team - Played: 2 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 D Team - Played: 1 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

My thanks to those who played and all who attended after school training.

Mr Wood Squad members: Ben Axton, James Bristowe, Will Booth, Will BrenchJones, George Butler, Edward Dare, Daniel Erwig, Kai Hammond, Tom Hand, Tom Holliday, Noah Inada-Kim, James McIlroy, Alex Miles, Jamie Reid, Sam Richards, Theo Roberts, Billy Smith, Sam Smith, Archie Stokes, Rufus Taylor, Tom Woodcock, Harry Webster Josh Williams, and Jonty Yonge.

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U12 Hockey The First Year boys responded enthusiastically from the start of the season with some experienced players parading their skills and others growing in confidence and skill remarkably quickly. We enjoyed a series of lunchtime practices in October and November and were ready for trial matches at the start of the spring term which enabled the coaches to select A, B, C and D 7-a-side teams.

A Team - Played: 6 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 B Team - Played: 8 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 C Team - Played: 5 Won: 2 Drew: 1 Lost: 2 D Team - Played: 3 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

distinction and played for Hampshire U13s too.

I encourage any of the boys in the squad who enjoyed the season to consider joining a local hockey club from September as this will give them the time they need to develop the core skills needed to improve and make a real impression next year.

Mr Gilbert and Mr Dellar

Our first fixture against Royal Grammar School, Guildford, fell victim to the weather and so the lads had to wait a long seven days before playing their first hockey match for the School and what a start they made. At the foot of the Spinnaker Tower all four teams played well to win their opening matches. The B team endured a few leaky moments at the start of the match before overpowering their opponents to record an impressive 10-3 victory.

The second weekend brought further victories against Lord Wandsworth College and Ryde School and a week later against Magdalen College School. A rushed warmup, after a period looking for the pitch, did not seem to be a problem as the lads passed the ball well and finished accurately for As and Bs to win handsomely, albeit against MCS Oxford C and D teams.

A Team Squad: Isaac Chapman-Sheath, Finnian Coleman, Flynn Denman, Matthew Dyer, Aaron Henderson, Daniel Hill, Owen Ramamoorthy and Sam Young.

It was an early start for the trip to St George’s College where we enjoyed a bright morning, super pitches and a fine post-match breakfast. We were competitive against strong opposition with C and D teams playing particularly well to secure an away draw and win respectively. Another icy morning told for our fixture against Churcher’s College.

The School has important links with many local hockey clubs and so it was that we managed to set up a last minute affair with Trojans U12s. The A team had an end to end match but were outdone by their opponent’s better finishing. The B team used their strength and speed well, against a younger side, to record a 4-0 victory.

Kingston Grammar A and B teams were particularly strong and showed our boys a new level of hockey. If this squad is going to compete against the best in the country they are going to have to work hard to improve core passing and receiving skills as well as being able to carry the ball with vision, speed and purpose.

It was clear that the boys really enjoyed their first season. They worked well and made some pleasing improvements. Finn Coleman led the A team with

B Team Squad: Giles Bailey, Archie Callaghan, Frederick Coulson, Beau Darrer, Oscar Groves, Duncan Little, Sam Mediaratta, Daniel Wickes and Joe Worthy.

C Team Squad: Oliver Alford-Evans, Sam Boyland, Tom Parsons, Will Chambers, William Daniels, Huw Dunlop, Robert Evans and Simon Ladd.

D Team Squad: Edward Bence, Ali Hamady, Ben Harding, Ben le Poidevin, Charles Massey, Andrew McFarlane, George McGinn, Jim Pearce, Russell Pugh and Jin Sandu.

Goalkeepers: Tom Mason, Billy Smith, Harry Stembridge and Jack Warrener.

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Cricket overview In a summer when the England cricket side were on the up, it was perhaps not a surprise to see the enthusiasm of our own students for the sport. Seventy-five matches were completed and had it not been for the poor weather in the second half of term and the games that were cancelled with opposing schools unable to field teams, we could well have almost reached 100 matches. This bodes well for the future.

In the First Year, there were consistently over forty boys at practices and I was delighted that after four cancellations the ‘C’ team finally got to play a match in the penultimate week of the term… which they won!! There are some able players in the First Year as they showed by reaching the cup final. However, they need to learn to apply themselves to make the most of their abilities. The U13 group also had good numbers at practices and would have fielded a C team had opposition schools been able to do the same.

The B team enjoyed their matches and the A team did very well, with the cup win in the final week being their highlight. This group could, and should, go from strength to strength particularly if there are some good additions to the group in the new Third Year entry.

The U14 group again show good depth with A and B teams playing every week. The A team came up against some good opposition, although could have won more than the four out of eight that they did, but should be proud at having reached the cup final only to lose by 0.2 of a run when the game was rained off. The U14B team, for their part, were excellent as they won all six of their matches. The U15A team are awarded the prize for most matches played, having completed an incredible seventeen matches over the eleven weeks of term. They should have won the county cup final, and did themselves justice by reaching the final 16 of the national Taverners Trophy. Two of the players got their débuts in the 1st XI and they acquitted themselves well. I would expect a number of this year group to play 1st XI cricket next year and hope they commit to a good winter training programme in January.

In the senior teams this was the first year that we have successfully fielded a 1st and 2nd XI every week. It was a shame therefore that the 2nd XI only actually played three of the scheduled seven matches as other schools failed to match the commitment of our players.

I hope that this will not discourage them next year and those that are still at school will continue to play cricket during the summer. In the 1st XI it was a long season as they finished on the wrong side of a number of close matches. However, their enthusiasm never waned and I hope that they enjoyed their time playing for the 1st XI this year. They can also claim a victory from the Bryanston game!!

It just remains for me to thank the many people who helped make the season work. Thanks to all the coaches who gave up considerable time in running coaching sessions and umpiring fixtures, often in cold, wet and miserable conditions. Thanks to Yasmin Paul who behind the scenes has ensured that everything runs smoothly with the administration of transport and catering and thanks to the kitchen staff for their patience when teams don’t come in at the right time for tea, the numbers being ordered change on the day and extra matches are organised at the last minute.

And finally many thanks to the ground staff who have had possibly the most frustrating season in many years (with the downturn in the weather during the second half of the season).

Our cricket provision does not stop here as we have set up a partnership with Hampshire County Cricket Club to be used as a host ground for the junior age group performance teams and it is fantastic to see Wellington being used by so many talented young cricketers. I hope this will continue for many years.

Wellington itself continues to be the envy of many and our players can count themselves very fortunate to be able to play there on a regular basis.

Mr D Kent (Director of Sport and Head of Cricket)

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1st XI Cricket The players had made a lot of progress over the winter training sessions. We approached the season with a great deal of optimism and the first game of the season illustrated the improvements that had been made.

Against Halliford, we set a tough total of 236 with Jovan Dhariwal scoring 60 on debut and captain Dan DamleyJones scoring 72. An excellent bowling and fielding display ensured that victory was ours as we dismissed the opposition for 83 to win by 153 runs.

The next four games were not so successful; defeated

by Peter Symonds College by just 4 runs in the first round of the Altham trophy, in spite of Gregor McKenzie’s 5 wickets and Charles Bolton’s 70, and we also lost another close one against a Trojans men’s XI; this time by 11 runs. We travelled to Reading Blue Coat School and this was the one game where we did not get close to the opposition, losing by 92 runs in spite of Charles Bolton’s 5 wickets. This was definitely the lowest point of the season. Farnborough Sixth Form College visited Hill Lane for our other Altham trophy game and again we could, and should, have won but instead lost with 3 balls remaining in spite of 66 from Rory Morris. The less said about the T20 game against Winchester College the better but the next game against Bryanston was a thriller.

Played: 13 Won: 3 Lost: 8 Drew: 1 Abandoned: 1

On a tough batting wicket we scraped to a below par 98 all out, but this was the day that the bowling was at its best with some outstanding fielding, as we took some amazing catches to take wickets at regular intervals. The game went right down to the wire as they needed 20 runs with just 2 wickets remaining.

The 9th wicket fell when they were still 3 runs short and we could sense victory; then controversy. The No.11 defended a ball but did not return to his crease and one of our fielders (who, on this occasion, surprised everyone with his alertness) came in and removed the bails to complete a run up (he was at least a foot out) and take the final wicket. Disappointingly the umpire had failed to display the same alertness and had failed to watch the game until the ball was dead. As a result could not give the batsman as out. Officially the game goes down as a defeat but the players in their minds know that they won this game. It was a shame that the officiating detracted from what was an exciting game.

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Bowling was on top for the rest of the season as the weather resulted in a number of damp pitches that were hard to score on. Against Lancing College, Greg McKenzie took 4 wickets as we restricted them to 154 which was a very gettable target. However, their county opening bowler soon got into us and it was time to rebuild. Jacob Fay was getting us into a position to push for a win but when he was dismissed for 41, it was a case of fighting for a draw. This was a situation that called for a sensible head and no better than Rory Saunders, who finished unbeaten on 15 from 69 balls to earn a deserved draw.

We played well against Churcher’s College after halfterm. A number of batsmen contributed and it was Tom Smart who was top scorer with 32 from 24 balls. Their batsmen could not cope with the movement achieved by our bowlers and they were dismissed for 40 with Tom Smart finishing off his good day with 5 wickets.

The game against Magdalen College School ended in defeat although again it was a very even contest and the annual MCC game was a reflection of much of the season. The bowlers did well to dismiss the MCC for 121, again in bowler friendly conditions. The batsmen, for their part, found it difficult against experienced adult players and we eventually lost by 39 runs with only Ben Millar getting significant runs battling to 29.

With the Tiffin match abandoned due to rain, the season concluded with the game against the Old Edwardians and this was once again a close game. Bowlers were on top and we restricted the OEs to 87 which many felt was a reasonable score on a very wet pitch. The response from KES started well with Rory Morris and Rory Saunders getting us to 30 without loss. However, wickets soon tumbled and another collapse ensued.

It was Jacob Fay who came to the rescue and he showed excellent technique and application to see us home with an unbeaten 35 to win by 4 wickets.

When we look back on the season, the number of defeats are a disappointment but so many were close matches coming down to 5 or 10 runs, or the final over.

With perhaps a little more attention to detail, in bowling discipline or batting technique, all bar one of the games could have been turned in our favour.

This group of players enjoy each other’s company, enjoy playing cricket and have continued to be positive even when results were not going their way. I am sure that most, if not all, will continue to play cricket when they leave KES which, in itself, can be viewed as a success. To the leavers good luck in your cricket in the future and thank you for your hard work. To those who are returning, I hope you learn from this season and work hard to become better players over the winter.

Mr D Kent (Head of Cricket) The following have played for the 1st XI at some stage either in Saturday fixtures or in the Altham Trophy (AT): Squad members: Dan Damley-Jones (C), Tom Fay (VC), Max Beaver (AT only), Alec Damley-Jones, Oscar Birnie (AT only), Charles Bolton, Felix Bussey –Jones, Nic Cooper (AT only), Jovan Dhariwal, Jacob Fay, James Gaunt, Patrick Holly, Jameel Khan, Gregor McKenzie, Archie Millar, Ben Millar, Rory Morris, Phil Normand, Rory Saunders, Ethan Sharpe, Tom Smart, Will Steel and Cameron Thomas.

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U15A Cricket The boys’ U15 A cricket team has had a long and successful season. The team has had to cope with the loss of a number of key players, as some boys have had regular matches with the 1st XI, but this has provided a great opportunity for a number of other players to show their value during the regular Saturday fixtures.

The Saturday fixtures have been challenging throughout the season, but there were good wins against Halliford School and Lancing College as well as a very exciting draw against Bryanston School. Notable performances in these matches have come from Angus Armstrong (4 wickets for 1 run), Will Wickham (3 stampings in an innings), Seb Fernando (38* off 16 balls) and James Lander (58).

The focus for this season though has been on the cups. In the county cup, the team reached the final for the third year in a row. After comprehensive victories in the early rounds, the team were unable to chase down a modest score of 97 set by PGS in the final, despite a valiant 34* from Tom Croft-Baker. Having won this competition the year before, the team was entered into the regional cup and this is where the boys really showed off their skills.

In the first round, the team faced Marlborough College.

Having restricted the opposition to 193 from their 40 overs, the boys set about their run chase in style.

Jovan Dhariwal (76) and James Harden (41) laid the foundations for victory with a stunning opening

Played: 14 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 6

partnership of 96 runs before Matthew Bell (42*) and Jameel Khan (19*) rounded things off to complete an 8 wicket victory. In the next round against Cheltenham College, the side showed the value of having a good all-round team and were indebted to the tight bowling of Angus Armstrong, Aditya Rokade and Sam Rachman. Their bowling helped the team to win by 31 runs and set up a semi-final with King’s College, Taunton. This match ultimately proved to be a step too far, with King’s putting on a master class and deservedly winning by 148 runs.

Best Batsman went to Jovan Dhariwal for his 254 runs, Best Bowler went to Angus Armstrong for his 26 wickets and Best All Rounder went to Matthew Bell for this 219 runs and 16 wickets.

Over the past two seasons, the boys can feel very pleased with their efforts and performances. It has given me immense pleasure taking the side and watching their progression and I look forward to seeing many of them representing the 1st XI over the course of the next three years.

Mr Brown Squad members: Jovan Dhariwal, James Lander, James Harden, Matthew Bell, Jameel Khan, Seb Fernando, Will Wickham, Tom Croft-Baker, Aditya Rokade, Sam Rachman, Ollie Miles, Angus Armstrong and Jasper Ladd.

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U15B Cricket After a very encouraging summer as the U14B team, this band of enthusiastic and talented cricketers were looking forward to another successful season.

However, the weather and player unavailability from our opponents meant that only three matches were completed.

The term started with a convincing victory over Reading Blue Coats where the boys chased the opposition’s 145 with five wickets in hand. Max Pumphrey bowled well for his 4 wickets and Seb Harris top scored with 34. In the second match, PGS posted a solid 158 and, despite Rob Dye’s unbeaten 51, KES fell agonisingly short, losing by a single run. In the final match, KES proved too strong for Churcher’s, bowling them out for 81 with James Diaper taking 4 wickets and Frankie Hoghton claiming five dismissals behind the stumps. The total was overtaken with ease to end the season on a winning note.

Played: 3 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

I would like to thank the boys for their commitment this year and commend them on the way they played and trained. Hopefully, we will see them playing for the senior teams over the next few years.

Mr Eyssens Squad members: Rob Dye, Frankie Hoghton, Seb Harris, Nathan Hastings, Dan Atchley, Leon Astles (C), Mateus Janaway, Finbar Ditchfield, Mattie Diamond, James Diaper, Max Pumphrey, Ollie Miles and Archie Attfield.

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U14A Cricket This was an eventful and enjoyable season with some very tight games of cricket. On three occasions the games came down to the very last ball!

The season started by beating Halliford School by 6 runs (Sam Thompson 79, Jamie Cook 34). Then came our only heavy defeat to a strong Reading Blue Coat team. A good 62 run win against Bryanston (Ben Donnison 3 for 6) preceded the loss to Lancing College when the team was bowled out in 12 overs making this the low point in the season. The players bounced back to win some amazing games of cricket starting with a 9 run win against Churcher’s set up by a team effort of aggressive running between the wickets as epitomised

by Tom Lockyer and Jack Dyer-Slade. Jai Mew (38) and Oscar Bussey-Jones (29) top scored on a slow surface. The best all round bowling display came trying to defend a mere 53 against Magdalen College School where the captain, James Williams and Alex Hall, Sam Burton and Jai Mew restricted the opposition to 29-6 off 16 overs before they crept to their total. The game was disappointing only because 5 catches went down (indeed the standard of fielding is something that needs to be worked on for next year).

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

Then came the county cup semi-final against Salesian College who batted first and managed 83 against our, again, accurate attack. The team then collapsed from 40-3 to 59-7 and then 81-9 with Will Daniels (14 not out) hitting the last ball of the game for the 2 required to win!

The last game of the season was the county cup final against Winchester College. Jai Mew got the team off to a flier scoring 28 off his first 12 balls and ending up with 65 out of a total of 91. The game was unfortunately abandoned during the Winchester innings with KES losing by an agonising 0.2 of a run on run rate! To come so close was a great achievement by the team and this should give them a great deal of confidence for next year.

Mr Mixer Squad members: Alex Hall, Sam Burton, Will Daniels, Jai Mew (C), Will Tall, James Williams, Sam Thompson, Jamie Cook (VC), Ben Dunnison, Tom Lockyer, Oscar BusseyJones and Jack Dyer-Slade.

U14B Cricket This season has been one of triumph for the U14B team as they completed the whole season without losing a game. Ably led by captain Finn McCullagh, who led from the front with both bat and ball, the boys amassed a record of six victories, with two cancellations. Five of these victories were emphatic, including two ten-wicket defeats of Churcher’s and Lancing College, whilst the team was also able to knuckle down and attain a favourable result in tight games, such as a 7-run win over Halliford School in the opening fixture, and in the face of adversity, such as when beating Magdalen College School with only eight men.

There has been a solid core of regulars such as Zach Tidby, Henry Gwilliam, Harry Pizzey and Filippo Hall, whilst others have come in for a game or two and done well, helping to keep the team ethic a strong one.

Luca Astles has grown in confidence over the season,

Played: 6 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 0

becoming a reliable opening batsman, whilst special mention for impressive batting should go to Max Mills for an impressive 72 run score against Churcher’s and jointly to Henry Tudor and Finn McCullagh for a 91 run stand that saw us over the line to victory against Magdalen. Several players have graduated to represent the A team, a testament to the character and talent of the group. I fully expect them to push on and enjoy a strong season next year too.

Dr Filtness Squad members: Filippo Hall, Oliver Wilson, Zach Tidby (VC), Harry Pizzey, Max Mills, Finn McCullagh (C), Henry Gwilliam, Jack Dyer-Slade, Luca Astles, Sam Alkin, Theo Law, Henry Tudor and Ishaan Manav.

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U13A Cricket

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

It has been a pleasure to coach this group of players this season and Charlie Harden has been an outstanding captain. He has bonded this group of boys into a competitive cricket team, with every player feeling valued and part of the success.

The Hampshire Cup

They started the season with a 91 run victory versus Halliford School with Charlie Harden making 74 and Daksh Bhatnagar, 46. From the start, this team showed their quality with the ball and bat, Charlie was able to set attacking fields and players bought in early to his captaincy.

The U13 boys had a fantastic cup run in this year’s Hampshire Cup competition. They beat PGS by 40 runs in the first round and the stars of the match were Ralf Lloyd 3 for 24, Tom Henley 3 for 30, Nick Damley-Jones 40, Harry CroftBaker 60 and Charlie Harden 36. In the second round the team played King’s and won by 27 runs (Charlie Harden 53, Nick Damley-Jones 39). In the county semi-final against Churcher’s, the opposition posted 72 runs; a competitive score in the rainy conditions. KES lost a few wickets early on but cool heads

by Croft-Baker and Bristowe saw KES home by 5 wickets to reach the final.

The squad lost the second game to Reading Blue Coat School by 63 runs but with core players away on Second Year camp, this gave an opportunity to other players to step up. The boys then had a ‘last ball thriller’ versus Stroud with KES winning by 1 run. Harry Croft-Baker’s final over took 2 wickets to put Stroud on the back foot, after they had looked comfortable for most of their innings. Alex Miles top scored with 31 runs.

KES achieved a good result against Churcher’s, winning by 12 runs, but then lost to MCS of Oxford by 5 wickets. The season finished with a Dads v Lads cricket match at Wellington Sports Ground and both boys and dads enjoyed the match. It was great to see the competitive, yet friendly tone of the match.

Mr Crichton

Squad members: James Bristowe, Nick Damley-Jones, Ralf Lloyd, Anthony Rogers, Noah Cooper, Jamie Dunn, Charlie Harden(C), Daksh Bhatnagar, Rory Holm, Alex Miles, Tom Henley, Harry Croft-Baker, Soren Golding Honours: U13 Hampshire Cup Winners

The final was against Yateley Manor; last year’s finalists and this match was played at Wellington Sports Ground. The solid foundation of the innings was again built on by Damley-Jones and Harden with an opening stand of 60 runs. KES finished on 112 from their 25 overs and the boys knew they would need to bowl a tight line to restrict the Yateley Manor batsmen. The opening bowlers struggled, but ‘Man of the Match’ bowling from Rory Holm 4 for 9 off 5 overs put KES in a strong position and he was supported by Tom Henley who went 4 for 1 off 5 overs. The team went on to win the U13 Hampshire Cup by 37 runs and become county champions

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U13B Cricket The U13B cricket team had a rather short and brief season, playing just two of their matches. This was due to the mixed summer weather that we had. The two games played were against PGS and Churcher’s College.

The first game against PGS took place on a dull, overcast and windy morning. All other school matches had been cancelled due to the rain, but the U13B team found a break in the miserable weather to play a 20/20.

KES were put into bat with captain, Pierre Forster (35 runs) and Torrin Atchley (6), who made a measured start before Forster got his eye in and was hitting to the boundary with frequent success. A quick tumble of wickets, and a near run out, saw the KES batting order start to wobble, but they held until the 20 overs were up. Erik Hillman and Will Booth kept the runs ticking over totalling 105. PGS then batted and started on the front foot, until Pierre Forster and Luke Ward both took wickets. A series of late wickets saw PGS nearly collapse but they held out with 4 balls to spare knocking off the winning runs needed.

The other game played against Churcher’s saw KES put into bat first in another 20/20 style match. The boys batted cautiously to start with, before hitting the runs; Torin Atchley and Pierre Forster playing some nice cover drives before Forster was run out.

Played: 2 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

In came Dominic Goddard and he quickly made his mark on the game knocking a splendid 37 runs, hitting some good boundaries and this set KES on the way to 100 runs. Churcher’s were put into bat and they too started cautiously after good spells of bowling from Forster, Atchley, Hillman and Goddard. The opposition were slowly stamping their authority on the game and looked as though they would run away with it until Alex Georgiou stepped up to bowl, his opening over was a maiden hat-trick which set up a tense finale.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, and Churcher’s scored the runs with an over to spare although it was a valiant effort from the KES boys.

My thanks to all the boys who played in the matches and who made it so enjoyable to watch and umpire. I look forward to taking the boys on more matches in the future.

Mr Dodds Squad members: Pierre Forster (C), Torin Atchley (VC), Luke Ward, Eric Hillman, Will Booth, Dominic Goddard, Alex Georgiou, Archie Stokes, Sam Smith, Sam Richards, Ben Axton, Theo Roberts and Tom Sutton.

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U12A Cricket This year’s intake of boys was tremendous in terms of numbers for cricket at this age group but we did lack natural leaders on the field; physically and mentally.

Having said that, there was a fantastic team spirit amongst the boys who had the opportunities to learn a lot about themselves and cricket itself. Planning how to bowl and how to play an innings was obviously very important for the boys to understand and during the season, there were improvements with a number of the players. Bowlers need to bowl a ‘stock’ delivery as often as possible and batters need to play as straight as they can, as often as they can.

Batters having successful innings included Flynn Denman 36*, Finn Coleman 27* and 19*, Sam Mediratta 28* and 22 and Will Porter 23*. It is no coincidence that all bar one score here was ‘not out’, so time at the crease enables players to score runs.

Successful bowlers included Ollie Alford-Evans 5-210-3 and 4-2-2-3, Matt Dyer 4-0-10-4 and 4-1-5-2, Will Porter 2-0-3-2 and Flynn Denman 4-0-6-1 who all showed the value of patience and control.

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

A committed group of players turned up on a regular basis for training on a Thursday evening to try and improve on their skill levels. I think next year, having spent this year finding themselves, they will produce better cricket and better results. The highlight for the squad was the cup run, in which they reached the county cup final following good wins over PGS and Salesian en route. Twyford were strong and won the match, but the boys should take great confidence from having progressed so far, although must appreciate that there is much work still to be done.

Chris Wheeler Squad members: Sam Mediratta (C), Oliver Alford-Evans, Edward Bence, Will Chambers, Finn Coleman, Freddie Coulson, Flynn Denman, Matthew Dyer, Oscar Groves, Ben Harding, Daniel Hill, Marcus Kail, Tom Mason, Kerem Nebol, William Porter, Theeran Ramanan and Jack Warrener

U12B Cricket The season started with an away match against Halliford School. This was a close match that KES won by 8 runs. The second match, away at Reading Blue Coat School, didn’t go so well and the opposition proved too strong for a developing team; with the U12 B team losing by 7 Wickets. The third match at home against Stroud U13 B was won easily and convincingly by 86 runs. The U12 B squad was, at this point, developing well and becoming cohesive - a team, was forming. The fixture against Churcher’s College saw an outstanding performance with the batsman Kerem Nobal, scoring 76 runs and ensuring a victory. The final Saturday match was against Tiffin School and was played in between showers, thunder and lightning. With nearly all wickets gone, we managed to put together a score of 94 with all team players making a contribution.

Played: 6 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

All was to play for but some good all round solid bowling, tight fielding and safe hands resulted in Tiffin falling short by 26 runs. This was followed by a defeat

by HCS as the season drew to a close.

Overall the season saw many good performances and, more importantly, a coming together as a team.

Mr Mapstone Squad members: Marcus Kail, Theeran Ramanan, Isaac ChapmanSheath, Huw Dunlop, Aaron Henderson, Alistair Howard, Owen Ramamoorthy, Charlie Massey, Henry Smith, Daniel Wickes, Sam Young and Kerem Nebol.

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U15 & U14 Tennis This year will perhaps be seen as a development year for the U15s and U14s, with a great deal of progress made on the practice courts, but too few opportunities to prove the worth of that practice due, in large part, to the weather.

We only managed the Aegon tournament matches this year, plus the regular end of season finale of the Hampshire U16 boys’ doubles tournament.

Nevertheless there was still a chance for new players to represent the School and for the more experienced to play up an age group.

The season did not begin particularly well with a first fixture in the Aegon cup against a strong Thornden side. The boys would probably have equipped themselves better later in the season with a bit more match practice under their belts, but as it was, Ben Fox recorded the only victory.

There was some fine athleticism including a brave astro court dive from Cameron Barr, some good defensive play against a strong opponent from Kai England and a very close encounter which saw Henry Gwilliam lose a tight set 5-7. Despite the disappointment, victory followed the week after against Kings’ School Winchester. It was good to see Ed Sheppard return to playing for the School and also George Fennell playing up a level for the first time.

The finest victory arrived against Romsey School, with the team losing only 6 games overall and the only set lost was a forfeit when one of our players had to leave early to make the bus. Rob McFarlane played for the first time this year and recorded a victory, as did Omar Al-Gholmy playing for the School for the first time.

It was a great shame that the block fixture against Winchester College succumbed to an almost biblical

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thunderstorm that began shortly before the match was due to start. We had good teams of talented players preparing to play for the School for the first time but whose hopes were dashed on the day.

The U16 Hampshire doubles tournament is always a chance for our strongest players to pitch themselves against the best in the region. This year Ben Fox and William Thompson were selected to carry the KES banner. The boys found themselves drawn in ‘the group of death’, with three of the four highest rated pairs in the tournament in the same group. The KES pair were hit cold by tournament favourites Thornden in the very first match, but the two games won in the 2-6 defeat were to prove important. A straightforward win against Kings’ School meant that Ben and Will needed to beat the Winchester College pair without conceding more than one game if they were to stand a chance of

going through. Thus a nervy set was played, with a 6-1 victory sealed, including a smash off the frame of Ben’s racket at break point down that limped over the net and bounced in. This set up a second round against St John’s, a tight fought affair that ebbed and flowed into a tie break with the KES pair unlucky to go down 5-7. Despite these mixed results the KES pair found themselves in a consolation final. Perhaps because of the match practice in the bag, or perhaps with the pressure off, Will and Ben produced some of their best tennis of the day to secure victory.

With so few matches able to be played, it is worth mentioning some of the stars of the practice courts; Chris Lotery, Patrick Lotery, Jake Reilly and Sebastian Harris, in addition to those mentioned above, have all contributed much to KES tennis this year.

Mr Culver

U13 Tennis The U13 boys have had a fantastic term of tennis this year and there has been a lot of competition for places in the Aegon league teams.

The first match, against Thornden School, was as tight as they come, requiring a tense shoot-out finish that saw King Edward’s lose out by the smallest of margins.

There were great performances by all students but it was particularly pleasing to see the brand new pairing of Beau Darrer and Torin Atchley linking up and getting a victory in their first match together. The second match, versus a highly effective Kings’ squad, saw the boys take a heavy defeat but allowed them to demonstrate their grit in the face of adversity. The top pairing of Dominic Goddard and Will Jackson fought to the end but were unable to stop an aggressive onslaught from the away team.

The squad fared no better against a strong Perins School side with close fought matches providing unfavourable results across the board. The last match of the season revealed the best display of tennis to date, with exemplary performances by all. Not dropping a set in the singles or doubles matches, King Edward’s dismantled Romsey School with a fantastic display of aggressive tennis.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the squad for their enthusiasm this season. They have presented themselves well throughout the term and shown exemplary sportsmanlike conduct both on and off the tennis court. Well done boys!

Mr Lewis

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GIRLS’ SPORT AT KES 2015-2016

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Hockey overview The past twelve months have arguably been the most successful in the history of girls’ hockey at KES. The 1st team again reached the top four in the South of England, the U16 girls made the south round, the U14 girls reached the quarter-final play-off match and the U13s also made the south round. King Edward’s girls have played opposition from around the world, with the 1st team completing a successful South African tour unbeaten and playing touring teams from Argentina and Holland. We have played a record amount of matches.

I would like to personally thank all of the coaches and girls because this success is not down to luck. The staff and girls, from the A to the D teams have all worked incredibly hard. The coaches have set high standards throughout the season and the girls have always been able to rise to their coaches’ expectations and have achieved great results.

We have had success at eleven-a-side but we did well in the indoor hockey circuit too. The U16 and 1st

indoor teams did well to win their preliminary rounds and the U16 girls took it one step further and qualified for the south finals. Both teams enjoyed playing the faster version of hockey and saw the benefits in their outdoor hockey. We hope to go one step further next year and make it to nationals.

The girls’ hockey teams have been incredibly lucky to have excellent coaches and one key member of the coaching team, Mr Fitzpatrick, retired at the end of the season. The girls have always enjoyed his coaching style as he is able to get them to work hard but also enjoy playing school hockey. He has instilled a love for the game in his coaching and will be sorely missed next year.

Thank you to Mrs Jordan, Mr Cross, Miss Ball, Mr Dodds, Mr Fitzpatrick, Henry Thould, Miss Smith, Mrs Penn and Mrs Kelly for all the work that has gone into putting teams together every week.

Mr Crichton

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1st XI Hockey This was a fascinating season for the Girls’ 1st XI hockey team. Not only did they match the successes of the previous hockey season, they had an amazing tour in South Africa and, once again, an outstanding National Cup run. They were hard-working, keen to improve, competitive and eager to be successful and improving their game meant they needed to play the best teams on the circuit – something they always approached with determination. The girls had a significant season split into the regular fixture list and the cup competitions. Yvie Lock was an inspirational and talented Captain and the ultimate role model for the team. She is one of the most talented female hockey players that KES has ever seen. Primrose Merritt was outstanding in attack and was a fabulous Vice-Captain.

Before the girls started their regular block fixtures, they had a number of pre-season games in preparation.

They achieved a 100% record in South Africa, winning all five of their games and also attended the invitational pre-season tournament at Sherborne School where they recorded excellent wins against Wellington School and Sherborne.

Played: 25 Won: 15 Drew: 2 Lost: 8

The girls then recorded an excellent win against St Alban’s College from Argentina who were touring in the UK. Two memorable highlights of the season were in the form of matches against Portsmouth Grammar School and Cranleigh. The KES squad pulled off an excellent performance beating PGS 2-1 but the game against Cranleigh was a Wednesday fixture and this is always a difficult situation for KES 1st XI hockey players as they have to field a team without their Fifth Year teammates. Playing away from home, the KES girls lost 6-2 but they learnt much from the experience and started to show the determination and motivation upon which they built during the season. The next fixture was against Millfield School – a match in which the girls suffered a heavy defeat last season. They lost 3-1 but had many opportunities to score and we were delighted with the progress made since last year. The next regular fixture saw the KES girls return to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Lord Wandsworth College. Other highlights of the regular fixture list were victories over St George’s College (4-0) and Canford School (4-3).

The National Cup After an outstanding afternoon of hockey, the KES 1st XI qualified for the regional stages of the competition by becoming Hampshire Cup champions. The girls recorded wins over HCS (3-1), Bedales (1-0), Lord Wandsworth College (2-0) and PGS (1-0). They also fought a very tough game against Peter Symonds College resulting in a 0-0 draw.

The School then hosted the southern regional stages of the National Cup at Wellington Sports Ground.

The KES team faced tough opposition in the form of Epsom College, Sir William Borlaise and Worth School resulting in a loss to Epsom but a win against the other two teams. This meant that they qualified for the next stages of the regional cup after coming runners-up in the pool stages and resulting in a fixture against Eastbourne College to progress to the South Finals. Eastbourne were a tough opposition and KES had many injuries going into the game. For myself and Mr Crichton, this game was the absolute highlight of the season and a real reflection of what our girls are capable of when they really have to work hard.

A number of players had their debuts for the 1st XI during this fixture – a demonstration of the depth of squad we are starting to develop at the School. It was a tough game but Primrose Merritt equalised from a short corner with minutes to spare, making the game 2-2, to send the game into penalties. Eleanor Medlock had the performance of her season in goal during the penalties and Sophie Ridley stepped up calmly to score the winner and send the girls to the regional finals.

A week later at the regional finals, KES lost to Kingston Grammar 3-0 and Cranleigh School 4-0 and drew with Reed’s School 0-0. This meant that the girls were knocked out of the National Cup but this ended a spectacular season and a very successful cup run of which they should all be proud.

Mrs Kelly and Mr Crichton

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Squad members: Yvie Lock (Captain), Primrose Merritt (Vice), Eleanor Medlock, Claudia Tam, Georgia Appleby, Sophie Ridley, Mary Amos, Emily Morgan, Honey Lander, Maddie Deakin, Alice Ridley, Lucy Porter, Kira Fowle, Daisy Porter, Romily Clark, and Georgia Hoile.

2nd XI Hockey The girls started the season having never played together before and each week were faced with big challenges playing U16A and 1st XI teams. Our results therefore do not truly reflect the girls’ abilities or how much they have improved.

To begin with the squad faced the Warminster 1st XI. In the first half they went 2-1 down but through sheer determination they managed to keep the second half to 0-0. This really showed how much the girls had improved during one single fixture and was a fantastic start to a tough season. The team were then faced with a strong and skilful touring Argentinian side but had now started to communicate and work together, defending with great strength and desire. Next they played the PGS U16 A team. Having played together for three years, the opposition’s set plays were flawless resulting in a 4-0 defeat. This was followed by a match against the Millfield U16 A team during which the KES girls worked tirelessly; creating space, moving onto the ball and marking tightly but unfortunately conceded a goal in the last thirty seconds. However, this is still an achievement of which the girls should be very proud.

The team defended tirelessly against a strong Lord Wandsworth side and used their only chance on goal to win 1-0. This was followed by a very even match against Bryanston who sadly managed to use their opportunities to score, resulting in a defeat. The away match at St George’s produced the best play of the season and the girls won 6-0. However, the following weekend the girls lost to a powerful Canford side in the pouring rain. The only draw of the season was against Churcher’s. The KES squad maintained possession for the majority of the match but their strong resilient defence meant the 2nd XI did not get the goal they deserved. The girls were unlucky to lose

Played: 11 Won: 2 Drew: 1 Lost: 8

against Seaford, who were playing half of their 1st XI team. Although the team moved the ball across the pitch smoothly their goal keeper stopped KES finding the back board after a few shots on goal. Our match against Dauntsey’s was our final challenge and the girls worked hard together, pushing high. However, Dauntsey’s shots on goal were too strong for us resulting in a 2-0 defeat. It has been a tough season but the girls have risen to every challenge. Laura Birch captained the side with Clare Mitchell as vice-captain.

Both led from the front, resulting in a determined, never give up ethos. They should be proud of all they have faced and achieved this season.

Mrs Penn Squad members: Laura Birch (C), Clare Mitchell (VC), Katy Billington, Emily Stone, Imogen Haisman, Beth Self, Romily Clark, Kira Fowle, India Clark, Vicky Diaper, Eleanor Todd, Kate Ward, Thailie Mace, Sophie Fletcher, Maddie Burton, Jess Holmes, Harriet Smith, Ellie HollandWright, Olivia Leask, Myfanwy Allen, Iona Rhodes, Katrina Penn-Newman, Flossy Rose and Isobel Searles.

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U16 Hockey

Played: 11 Won: 4 Drew: 3 Lost: 4

The season started off with a tough fixture versus Cranleigh School. The girls played well and were competitive on the field for every ball but Cranleigh ran out 4-0 winners and would be the eventual national U16 champions so the KES girls can be very proud of their determination throughout the match.

Unfortunately the U16 girls did not make it past the south round as they lost to Cranleigh, Eastbourne College and The Latymer School. However, this was still a great achievement for the team who had to play without five of their Fifth Year players as they were helping the 1st XI reach the south finals.

The tough start stood the girls well, as they drew 3-3 with Canford in their next fixture. The squad went into the Hampshire Cup minus all Fifth Year players but the Fourth Year girls did exceptionally well to finish the Hampshire Cup as runners-up with an excellent defensive record of not one goal conceded. They had wins against Kings’ School, Farnborough Hill and Romsey. The team drew against HCS and PGS before playing Brighton College in a knock out match to reach the south rounds. Brighton controlled most the game but KES scored in the last few minutes to take the match into penalty shoot-out. Roma Creedon was outstanding in goal, saving three flicks to take KES into the next rounds.

Well done to the girls for showing such a great fighting spirit throughout the national competition.

Mr Crichton Squad members: Roma Creedon, Indie Chungh, Amira Douglas-Todd, Eve Henley, AIex Hopkins-Manceri, Anna Poller, Catherine Thomson, Rebecca Williams, Eleanor Todd, Sophie Fletcher, Ellie Holland Wright, Thailie Mace, Kate Ward and Myfanwy Allen.

U15A Hockey

Played: 14 Won: 4 Drew: 3 Lost: 7

It has been a season of ups and downs with a great group of girls and a huge amount of laughter. The highlight was representing the School at the U16 Hampshire Tournament and going through to the next round, even though all of the opposition were in the year above.

There are many solid players in this team with 1st XI potential, but the players of the season were Amira Douglas-Todd at left midfield and our glorious goalkeeper Roma Creedon. The most improved player of the season was Alice Dean, who has become faster, stronger and more confident.

We started the season in a strong position, securing third place at the Sherborne Girls’ Invitational Tournament in September, and had huge fun and success hosting St Alban’s College, Argentina. We encountered strong opposition at Millfield and it just wasn’t our day! PGS, Bryanston, Canford and Dauntsey’s were good fixtures that could easily have gone either way, but they ended in defeat by a small margin. We had impressive victories against Lord Wandsworth College and Hampshire Collegiate School, and an excellent 2-2 draw versus the very strong St George’s College, Weybridge, memorably in the driving rain. In fact, we have played a lot of matches in the rain and this will surely be the enduring memory of the 2015 season.

The girls have been superb in defence but have struggled to score when it mattered and therefore have not accumulated as many goals on the score sheet as they have deserved. The step up to U15 level has meant an increase in aggression and this suited some players more than others. Coming to meet the ball and fighting for possession along with urgency on the pitch are areas that need to be addressed in the coming years. They have improved in skill and fitness but have never stopped talking through any practice or training; something they may wish to collectively address in the future!

Miss Smith

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Squad members: Tusca Alavi, Roma Creedon, Indie Chungh, Alice Dean, Amira Douglas-Todd, Eve Henley, Alex Hopkins-Manceri, Klaudia Glowacz, Meg Green, Ceci Laverty, Meg Magee, Gemma Pearson, Anna Poller, Cat Thomson, Becky Williams, Fin McKenzie and Abi Woodcock.

U15B Hockey It has been an interesting season for these girls, a lot of tough games against big schools and yet, despite having not had the same team once throughout the whole season, they have performed impressively.

The first match of the season against St John’s College ended well with a 2-0 victory but the next team we encountered was a strong Millfield side. Throughout the season, against schools such as Millfield, Bryanston, Churcher’s and Dauntsey’s we have found that the game play was evenly matched between both teams but that the opposition had better luck than we did in scoring. The matches against Ryde School and Kingston Grammar School gave the girls a lot to work on going forward into next year when they become part of the senior teams. Unfortunately, due to having a multi-talented team with girls that play other sports, the match against Seaford College was cancelled.

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

The highlights of the season are without a doubt the 3-2 victory over St George’s and the 9-3 victory against Lord Wandsworth College, both of which were as a result of some hard work and being fitter than the other team.

The player of the season this year was Jess Mills who has been extremely strong on the ball and who has gained confidence every match. The most improved player this year was Sophie Holliday who came to us as a goalkeeper and ended up as a centre forward, her skill level has improved massively and she has worked hard to improve at training and during matches.

Looking forward to next year, the girls just need to keep focussing on their defensive skills, having the confidence to take a shot on goal and their spacing, all of which have developed massively over this season but will help them as they continue with hockey next year.

Gina Steel Squad members: Meg Broadway, Millie Downes, Klaudia Glowacz, Issy Holland, Emily James, Meg Magee, Zara Mitchard, Beth Ryan (C), Ella Wright, Sophie Holliday, Finn McKenzie, Jess Mills, Phoebe Nicoll, Harmeena Sekhon, Abi Woodcock, Gemma Pearson, Meg Green, Alice Dyer, Sarah MacLeod, Emily Procter, Stella Bendoni, Maisie Molyneux, Kate Ward, Jess Holmes, Miffy Allen, Olivia Leask, Issy Rose, Florence Rose, Anna Pang, Ellie Holland-Wright, Kira Morton, Chloe Fong, Hannah Loran, Emily Price and Amy Ritchie.

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U14A Hockey In all, the girls U14 side played a total of seventeen games, eleven being full matches and six of reduced time in tournament play. Nine wins with eight defeats represents a decent season but perhaps not as good as it might have been. Ultimately, the team suffered from not taking chances when they came and should have probably scored nearly double the number of goals that it did achieve.

Close defeats at the hands of schools such as Canford, Millfield, Bradfield College and Kingston Grammar are nothing to be ashamed of. Indeed the ability to take chances could have reversed some of these defeats. Particularly good performances were achieved against PGS, Bryanston and Churcher’s. Undoubtedly the highlight of the season was the victory in the Hampshire one day tournament. An impressive string of victories, without conceding a goal, saw the School side with the County U14 title and progress to the divisional tournament. However, this is where the road came to an end with defeat by Bradfield College but the girls can feel justifiably very satisfied with the Hampshire cup victory.

Played: 17 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 8

There are some strong players in this side but they must draw others into the game rather than attempt to do all the work themselves. By feeding others they will become more confident and develop more quickly.

Ultimately better team cohesion was required but this is an area all the individuals can work on next season.

I thoroughly enjoyed the season as a whole. This group of girls are very friendly, lively and animated. They gave excellent effort at all times and I enjoyed their company throughout. They have a good deal to look forward to in their hockey careers and I hope they will enjoy the game for years to come.

Mr Fitzpatrick

Squad members: Sarah Macleod (C), Zoe Henderson, Issy Richardson, Otilie Beal, Stella Bendoni, Sophie AllanBurns, Amy Boyle, Alice Dyer, Stephanie Judd, Maisie Molyneux, Pheobe Moriarty-Palios, Daisy Sarton, Molly Troup and Charlotte Young.

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U14B Hockey The season started with a brilliant display of attacking interplay and finishing the match with the girls netting eight goals. The team formed partnerships in attack and defence which continued to perform excellently throughout the season and even more pleasing was the clean sheet recorded; testament to the girls’ hard work in defence. The fixtures against Millfield School and Lord Wandsworth College were challenging. A depleted squad, with the help of several U13 players, worked tirelessly against a strong Millfield side and had many chances to equalise after Millfield scored, yet none were taken. Next a bare eleven took on a physical Lord Wandsworth and went one up before beginning to fatigue towards the end, unluckily succumbing to two Lord Wandsworth goals very late on. St George’s provided tough opposition as the girls had to battle the elements as well as the opposition.

However, they coped admirably losing a close game in which they had plenty of opportunities to score. After this trip the girls come up against a formidable U14 A Ryde side. During the game they defended stoically yet were eventually overwhelmed by a strong opposition.

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

The fixture against Churcher’s College produced the performance of the season by the girls, absorbing everything the opposition could produce and scoring two brilliant goals of their own. They defended solidly as a team and then played some expansive and eye-catching hockey of their own in attack. The fixture against Seaford College saw the team play against another U14 A team in which they defended heroically before counter-attacking rapidly. Unfortunately the clinical finishing of the opposition saw them win the match.

The squad developed greatly throughout the season while maintaining a great atmosphere to train and play in. Their defence worked very hard and made some brilliant last ditch tackles as well as distributing the ball well to the midfield. The team attacked impressively with a great deal of skill, creating many goal scoring opportunities every game. Once the majority of these chances are taken this team will start to surprise many opposition squads.

Henry Thould Squad members: Kira Morton (C), Zayna Salib, Amy Tunney, Ellie Yonge, Isabel Todd, Eleanor Dunlop, Hannah Loran, Emily Price, Phoebe Bolton, Daisy Sarton, Amy Boyle, Steph Judd, April Hernandez, Sophie Roe, Issy De Merode, Amy Ritchie, Emily Proctor, Chloe Fong, Rosie Potter and Millie Bell.

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U13A Hockey This year the girls’ U13 A team have improved greatly.

I have been really impressed with how they have come on, not only with their hockey skills but also their positional game play during matches. The season started with some tough games against Farleigh and PGS, losing 2-0 to Farleigh and then losing 1-0 in a tight game against PGS. The girls’ enthusiasm to play and the team spirit were always high and the season picked up with a 3-3 draw against Lord Wandsworth College. As the squad made progress, they achieved their first victory of the season beating Bryanston U14 B team 1-0.

The Hampshire Cup round saw the girls win their pool beating HCS (1-0) Robert May’s School (5-0) and Durlston Court (1-0), making it to the play-off finals against Farnborough Hill School in which they beat them 2-0 to progress to the regional round.

Unfortunately the squad then lost all of their group games at regionals in March but progressed through to the quarter-final play off in the plate competition. They lost this match 3-0 to St Andrew’s but they played well and their first experience of playing at regional level will give them lots to build on next season.

Played: 14 Won: 6 Drew: 3 Lost: 5

The girls’ set-up play and positional awareness improved massively as the season went on and they started to use the width of the pitch far better. Although they lost the next few games to St George’s (1-0) and then another close loss to Westbourne School (1-0) it didn’t stop the team’s improvements and they were soon back to winning ways beating HCS 5-0 and then a well-earned draw against Churcher’s College 1-1.

The season’s last game was an away trip to Kingston Grammar School in which the girls dominated the game leading 1-0 until the last few minutes when KGS equalised and therefore ending the season with a 1-1 draw. Holly Laugesen performed exceptionally in this game against KGS not only in defence but also running the wing.

The team has made a lot of progress and now have the skill sets to make the next step-up into senior hockey. I would like to thank all the girls who have been involved in the squad they have worked hard and have all improved, Captain Mariane Brabazon who has led from the front, Hattie Wheeler who has been a rock at centre back despite being injured in mid-season and Alice Cowell as the most improved player.

Mr Dodds Squad members: Carol Naoum, Lucy Tait, Holly Laugesen, Hattie Wheeler, Mariane Brabazon (C), Alice Cowell, Lucy Pumphrey, Lucy Howarth, Isobel Chapman, Rebecca Wagget, Puja Muthalagu, Mukta Srinivasa Raghavan, Grace Loveridge and Ottilie Beal.

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U13B Hockey The U13 B girls started off the season well, winning five games in a row. Firstly they played 7-a-side fixtures against St John’s College, Southsea and Farleigh School. Building on this confidence, they changed format to 11-a-side hockey and convincingly won 3-1, followed by two further brilliant performances against West Hill Park School and Lord Wandsworth College, winning 5-0 in both of these fixtures. The girls worked well as a team, moving well on the field and making good use of their passes to move the ball around the defence. After the half-term break the fixtures became more challenging; playing some seriously strong opposition in the form of St George’s College, Weybridge.

Played: 10 Won: 7 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

The girls learnt a lot from this game; their opposition were dominant throughout, and although each player was a skilled individual, it was their ability to play as a dynamic unit that gave them the edge, eventually leading to a one-sided 1-7 result and the biggest loss of our season. Undeterred, the girls returned to winning ways the following week with a 2-0 victory which was more comfortable than the score line suggests; the girls once again receiving an important lesson in the need to score goals. This lesson was repeated in the subsequent fixture, a goalless draw demonstrating that although both sides had plenty of creativity on the pitch, they were lacking the ability to convert possession into goals. Hopefully, they enjoyed their season and will carry these lessons forward into their next season.

Miss Ball Squad members: Anais Ansari, Lizzie Armstrong, Jenny Bareham, Elizabeth Beardsall, Mia Blake, Alice Cowell, Isobel Chapman, Freya Crowley, Elizabeth Field, Mattie Gazzard, Elli Gingell, Elspeth Hargreaves, Amelia Harris, Lena Mills, Puja Muthalagu, Sophia Olive, Lucy Pumphrey, Beth Robinson, Mukta Srinivasa Raghavan, Natasha Thompson, Olesia Wisniewska, Madeleine Wright and Anoushka Umranikar.

U13C Hockey The season took a while to get underway for the C team as their first fixture was cancelled against Farleigh School. However, though this meant that it was a slow start to the season with the girls having to wait until after the half-term break to play a game, they had plenty of sessions after school to develop their skills. Indeed, they made progress over the season, becoming more confident hockey players, with a good sense of fun and enjoyment of the game.

After the weeks preparing, it was great to see the girls produce the only victory against St George’s College, Weybridge, winning 4-2, on a very wet November day.

They should be very pleased with this performance.

Played: 3 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

Towards the end of term, they faced Westbourne House School, winning 3-0. Sadly they lost their final fixture; a close game of 3-4 to Kingston Grammar School. The girls made good progress this season and should be pleased with their efforts.

Miss Ball Squad members: Jenny Bareham, Katie Duff, Elizabeth Field, Elspeth Hargreaves, Ruth Kilgannon, Lena Mills, Carol Naoum, Sophia Olive, Mukta Srinivasa Raghavan, Natasja Thompson, Anoushka Umranikar and Madeleine Wright.

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U13D Hockey The D team were committed to practice throughout the season and grew in confidence with their hockey skills. We had a lot of fun during sessions even as the winter weather took hold! Unfortunately only two of the three scheduled fixtures were able to be played but from these games, the girls were given the opportunity to put what we’d learnt into practice. In November, they managed a very competitive end-to-end draw against St George’s Weybridge, the final result at 1-1. They were only one of two sides to avoid a loss so should be pleased with themselves. They also travelled to the Isle of Wight where they faced strong opposition and eventually lost 2-7 to Ryde School with Upper Chine. They remained positive in defeat

Played: 2 Won: 0 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

however, and understood that they needed to work on their possession and pacing in the future so as to keep control of the ball. It was disappointing that their final fixture against Kingston Grammar School was cancelled the girls should be proud of their efforts and their commitment in training was brilliant.

Miss Ball Squad members: Jenny Bareham, Mia Blake, Freya Crowley, Katie Duff, Rosalind Dye, Suheera Ebrahim, Elli Gingell, Amelia Harris, Ruth Kilgannon, Catherine Thomson, Olesia Wisniewska and Madeleine Wright.

U12A Hockey With around forty girls regularly attending practice, it was a pleasant headache when it came to selection.

The standard varied but by the end of this term those who had not played before, or had played very little, were chasing those with more experience for team positions.

The term started well with three victories over Farleigh (3-0), PGS (3-2), and Lord Wandsworth (3-1). However, after half-term the girls seemed to forget the skill and discipline they had learnt in September and October, particularly in defence, with two losses against St George’s (1-4), and Westbourne House (2-4). A 1-0 victory over Churcher’s, in which the team played some fabulous hockey, considering it was their first 11-a-side

Played: 9 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

match, was followed by another loss against HCS (1-2).

The squad had all the play, and were winning comfortably, but due to a lack of discipline in defence and a lack of finish, up front, HCS came back at KES, with three goals in the second half. Dauntsey’s was possibly the most difficult of matches, not only against a very strong 11, but also against hideous wind and rain; a justified 0-2 loss.

It was particularly pleasing to see how much the girls have improved this term. This was in no small way due to the enthusiasm of four Fourth Years and one Fifth Year who gave up their time to assist at practice.

KJ Squad members: Sophie Diamond, Holly Giles, Ellie Small, Ida Goodridge, Rachel Howarth, Lucia Rugge-Price, Abbie Morton, Grace Loveridge, Olivia Tudor and Sophia Bassi.

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U12B Hockey The season started with back-to-back wins, including a convincing 6-0 win at Southsea, and the girls playing confidently in the September sun. Then there were three successive defeats against much stronger opposition but, in all three games, the girls were unfortunate not at least achieve draws. The defence was solid and the midfield created plenty of chances; we just found it difficult to shoot on target when in the opposition D. Despite these setbacks, the girls continued to work hard in training and their efforts were rewarded after half-term with a thumping 8-2 win against Westbourne House in weather conditions that can only be described as horrendous. It was not until December that the

Played: 9 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

girls played their first 11-a-side fixtures. In the first game against Churcher’s we were tactically naive and verging on the hypothermic; not a great combination.

However, the team learnt well from their defeat and performed much better to hold Dauntsey’s to a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately the last game of the season was a mis-match against Kingston’s A team.

The girls worked hard on their core skills throughout the term and were quick to pick up on advice about positional play and tactics. They were also a thoroughly pleasant set of children to work with.

Mr Cross Squad members: Sophia Bassi, Charlotte Dunkley, Suheera Ebrahim, Maddie Gallagher, Bella Roe, Xanthe Thompson, Anna Tunney, Beatrice Watson, Nadia Paine, Florence Wright, Darcie Burrows, Thomasina Gibson, Megan Matthews, Abigail McCarthy, Isi Murphy, Katie Powell, Jasmine Williams, Katie Leask, Martha Sullivan, Isabella Tam and Claudia Leeming.

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U12C Hockey The season started superbly for the girls when they held a much more experienced PGS outfit to a 2-2 draw; in fact they had numerous chances to win this game. Next up was another more experienced side in St George’s and the girls performed well to only lose by the odd goal in three. After half-term the team had two highly competitive fixtures: the first, against Westbourne House, in a monsoon, saw our girls snatch victory in the last ten seconds of the game whilst the last game of the season was notable for an outstanding performance from the opposition keeper. Despite KES having possession for most of the game, and a hatful of chances, the match ended honours even.

Played: 4 Won: 1 Drew: 2 Lost: 1

Squad members: Suheera Ebrahim, Claudia Leeming, Elizabeth Lotery, Bella Roe, Florence Wright, Thomasina Gibson, Isi Murphy, Katie Powell, Xanthe Thompson, Rosalind Dye, Maddie Gallagher, Anna Tunney and Beatrice Watson.

Even though they only had four fixtures, the girls worked really hard throughout the term and made excellent progress. They were a lovely set of children to coach.

Mr Cross

U12D Hockey With many players not having played hockey before, this was a work in progress.

An unlucky result against PGS in the sweltering heat (1-2), and a well-deserved win against St George’s in torrential rain (2-1), saw the D team progress well during the term. Although they lost 5-0 to Ryde A team, a clearly stronger and more skilled side, the girls were putting into practise what they had learnt at training.

Their season culminated in a superb and well-deserved victory against a new and supposedly strong opposition Kingston (2-1). It was pleasing to see how well these girls had improved and with a good display of skill, defensive strength and tight marking, their last match was a fine end to their first hockey term.

KJ

Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

Squad members: Tabi Rouf, Ros Dye, Emily Bull, Natasha Pillai, Hannah Smith, Olivia Tilley, Lila Whatley, Maddie Gallagher, Darcie Burrows, Lily Cooper, Suheera Ebrahim, Lizzie Lotery, Bella Roe, Anna Tunney, Iona Morley, Flo Wright, Nadia Paine and Alice Thomas.

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Netball overview It has been a pleasure to be back at the helm of KES netball during the 2016 season whilst Mrs Ferrand has been away on maternity leave. The enthusiasm from the girls, across the age groups, has been fantastic and with such large numbers wanting to play, the coaching and team managers have had a busy season.

I would therefore like to thank them for their time and commitment to making it all happen.

The results across the age groups have been good with particular strength being evident in the lower year groups, both at the top end but also in the depth of squads with competition strong for places in the C and D teams. The School entered the ‘Magazine Cup’ for the first time this year with both U12 and U13 teams.

This brought through some of the stronger players during the autumn term and with their success they came up against strong opposition from outside our normal cohort of schools.

1st VII Netball It has been a pleasure to be involved with senior netball this season. All the girls trained together meaning there were often in excess of thirty keen netballers, from Fifth Year to Sixth Form, attending sessions. Over the season there were different formats of teams with Sixth Form fixtures on a Wednesday afternoon, against Ryde School and Brockenhurst College, and matches on a Thursday afternoon, against Bradfield College as a stand-alone fixture for U16 players. On Saturdays, for regular fixtures, the teams were selected from across the three year groups.

The 1st VII was ably captained by Meg Dunlop who led by example on the court and displayed an infectious enthusiasm which really lifted the team performance.

In the autumn term the team attended a training match with Southampton University and this was an excellent opportunity for the squad to come together. The match was played in six short sections giving plenty of time to move players around and trial positions and, although the final score was a loss to KES, the girls won over half of the sections played. The new Lower Sixth Form players have been a really asset to the squad, bringing

The U14 squad, who contain some strong players who regularly play in the Southern Region League, qualified for the Schools’ Southern Regional Tournament and, although they were knocked out in the pool round, those who were not used to playing at this level of tournament gained some valuable experience.

At the senior end of the School the current 1st VII has performed fantastically with no Upper Sixth players and therefore are in a strong position to build on their performance next year. The number of Fifth Year players in the 2nd VII and 3rd VII along with strong Fourth Year Players coming through, means there will be plenty of competition for the senior teams next year.

Mrs Henderson

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

in Eleanor Medlock; an outstanding player who has already been selected for one of the super league squads and brings not only an outstanding skill set in her defensive play but also the flexibility to play a range of other positions. Alice Cheshire also joined us, playing in defence, and brought experience and energy that upset many of our opposition teams. Rosie Daniels and Martha Clark brought height and experience to the circle play in the 2nd and 3rd VII respectively.

The first full match for the 1st VII was against Churcher’s College at Petersfield and proved to be a tight game. Thanks to excellent shooting stats from Julia Mead-Briggs, Vicky Diaper and Eleanor Medlock, and some very gutsy defence from Mary Amos and Alice Cheshire, the game went to KES by five goals.

The girls followed this with an excellent win over Bryanston which was well deserved and allowed all the players an opportunity to practice some set plays and really get used to playing together. St George’s proved to be the first hurdle and, despite a full squad, we were unable to gain the shooting averages or turn overs needed.

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The squad were frustrated but could see where the London side were gaining the play and as such were determined to work on their response before next season.

The match against PGS was cancelled but the squad took their frustration to Dauntsey’s and, as such, the opposition really did not stand much of a chance from the onset. Brockenhurst College was more of a challenge, particularly as the start of the game coincided with a hail storm. The New Forest college side were not expecting a tough game from a School, and the match became a real end-to-end thriller.

Sophie Ridley provided some excellent interceptions mid-court, with Romily Clark, and Bronwyn Lee supporting Meg to ensure that the shooters got the opportunities they needed to score the goals. After dropping behind in the third quarter the KES girls upped their game and came away with the win in the closing minutes. This match was probably the highlight of the season for the squad.

After a sunny and relatively easy game against Lord Wandsworth College it was time to take on the KES alumni team. The KES team was made up of a mix

of players from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd VII but all were committed. Despite the quality of this year’s alumni side, the KES squad played well and kept their heads up, even with the ever increasing margin in the score line. The final fixture of the term was against an unbeaten Canford team. The Canford team were drilled and committed and, although the KES girls ended up in 2nd place, the Canford staff to their credit reported that it had been one of the closest fought games that their girls had had to play.

All in all it has been an exciting season and one in which the squad has come together and demonstrated that it will be a force to be reckoned with next year. I have been delighted not only by their commitment but in their love for the sport and I hope that the range of results they have obtained this season has left them with the drive to come back fighting next season.

Mrs Henderson Squad members: Meg Dunlop (C) Mary Amos, Alice Cheshire, Romily Clark, Vicky Diaper, Iman Elsheikh, Bronwyn Lee, Julia Mead-Briggs, Eleanor Medlock and Sophie Ridley.

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2nd VII Netball The 2nd VII team was coached and managed this season by Emma Hoare; an outside coach who has years of experience with Applemore Club and in the county arena. Emma brought her experience to training and, with that, a fresh approach to drills and set plays.

Played: 9 Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 4

Squad members: Katie Mote (C) Rosie Daniels, Iman Elsheikh, Susannah Hill, Naomi Hill, Honey Lander, Thaillie Mace, Sophie Ridley, Ellie Holland Wright, Martha Lawrence, Amy Tizard and Eleanor Todd.

Katie Mote was Captain this season and impressed us both with her commitment and ability to bring together the team on the court. Due to availability and injuries, the squad varied significantly through the season and it was Katie’s steadfast approach which allowed this movement not to undermine performances. As the results demonstrate, their performance improved as the season progressed. None of the games played as a full 2nd VII were lost by large scores and the final win over Canford was an outstanding performance.

As the squad contained no Upper Sixth Formers, the girls have produced a fine basis upon which to build next year. Particular mention should be made to the shooting combination of Eleanor Todd and Susannah Hill, the outstanding work done by Martha Lawrence in the mid-court alongside Katie, and the commitment that Rosie Daniels brought to the defensive circle.

Mrs Henderson

3rd & 4th VII Netball The 3rd VII were led by Samara Jones and brought together the defensive Upper Sixth combination of Anna Wood and Lottie Percival whose combined height caused issues for many of the opposition. At the other end of the court Iolanta Spanner and Martha Clark worked together to score the goals and, over the season, this pairing developed an understanding which proved very effective. The mid-court players often varied with a lot of flexibility between the 3rd and 4th VII and also between the 2nd and 3rd VII. As such, it took a while for the team to settle into their matches but once they were underway, the score cards generally demonstrated improvement in performance in the second half. The squad’s highlights of the season definitely included their two victories over Dauntsey’s and Canford.

Great credit must be given to this team as representatives of the School. Their positive approach

Played: 8 Won: 2 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

was commented on by opposition staff and external officials on more than one occasion. I do hope that the alumni match will be a positive influence in encouraging those girls who are leaving us to stay within the sport over the coming years.

Mrs Henderson 3rd VII Squad members: Samara Jones (C) Maddie Burton, Martha Clark, Maddie Deakin, Belinda Groom, Anna Pang, Jess Holmes, Olivia Leask, Lottie Percival, Iolanta Spanner, Amy Tizard, Kate Ward and Anna Wood.

4th VII Squad members: Anna Pang (C), Maddie Burton, Belinda Groom, Ellie Page, Luka Peart, Isobel Rose, Ella Norman and Emily Stone.

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U15A Netball Although the balance of wins verses losses seems to be a little disparate and, without exception, the number of players I have had to choose from has not always been as healthy as I would have preferred, this U15 squad were nothing short of industrious in all their games this season.

With a narrow loss against Bryanston, they showed what they were capable of when there was a full squad to select from and there were good training numbers during the week. This pattern was not always the case but with consistently strong performances from players like Zara Mitchard and Gemma Pearson, we managed to stay competitive throughout the first half term; finishing with a lovely win over Bradfield College.

The second half of the season saw wins over Hampshire Collegiate School and Lord Wandsworth College which set the squad up well for the Perins Super 8 Tournament. During this competition in Aldershot the team were phenomenal during the early stages and completed the first three games unbeaten, putting them through to the main cup competition.

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

Even with flagging energy levels, they managed to return to KES as 3rd place medal winners!

I would like to thank the girls for all their efforts during the 2016 season and particular mention should go to our captains; Gemma Pearson, Becky Williams and Hannah Elton-Dobbin – they were truly outstanding.

Mr Powell Player of the Season: Zara Mitchard A&B Squad members: Zara Mitchard, Gemma Pearson, Fin McKenzie, Millie Hargreaves, Alex Hopkins-Manceri, Becky Williams, Amira Douglas-Todd, Katya Seifert, Hannah EltonDobbin, Millie Downes, Anna-Maria Shenouda, Roma Creedon, Alice Dean, Megan Green, Meg Broadway, Isobel Holland, Abigail Woodcock, Lana Willoughby, Klaudia Glowacz, Beth Ryan and Jenna Erwig.

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U15B Netball

This season was never going to be easy for the girls.

With numbers being low, teams changed frequently and so it was only in the later stages of the season when the girls started to play more frequently together, that they saw some successes.

Matches began against tough opponents, but the girls always gave their all and constantly tried to implement what they had been practising in training and in games lessons into matches. The first win was perhaps unexpected after recruiting girls from younger years to make up numbers. Incredibly the girls gelled with the team and provided a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. The final score against Dauntsey’s was 27-20, after Hannah Elton-Dobbin and Anna-Maria Shenouda scored some excellent goals in very cold and wintery conditions.

The girls followed this match with a second home win against local rivals HCS. Thanks to the early start, Abigail Woodcock was able to play and proved to be a very valuable member of the team, scoring some great goals along with Hannah, and rewarding the team with their second win.

Played: 8 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 6

The girls unfortunately did not experience any more wins, but played some fantastic netball against Lord Wandsworth and Canford, demonstrating just how far they had come during the season. Roma Creedon and Alice Dean proved themselves to be particularly agile on court and Roma was given ‘Player of the Match’ on two occasions which was very well deserved.

My thanks go to Hannah Elton-Dobbin for being a very organised captain, who never ceased to stop encouraging the girls both on and off court.

Miss Enfield Player of the Season: Roma Creedon A&B Squad members: Zara Mitchard, Gemma Pearson, Fin McKenzie, Millie Hargreaves, Alex Hopkins-Manceri, Becky Williams, Amira Douglas-Todd, Katya Seifert, Hannah EltonDobbin, Millie Downes, Anna-Maria Shenouda, Roma Creedon, Alice Dean, Megan Green, Meg Broadway, Isobel Holland, Abigail Woodcock, Lana Willoughby, Klaudia Glowacz, Beth Ryan and Jenna Erwig.

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U14A Netball This was a fantastic season during which the girls worked tremendously hard. It started very early back in October at Southampton Sports Centre, when they won eight out of nine games, only losing to Bedales.

This meant that the squad came second in Hampshire and progressed to the regional rounds alongside PGS. Unfortunately, our first fixture of the spring term was cancelled due to poor weather, but we started off our weekly fixtures with a strong win against Churcher’s, 24-11. The girls took a while to get started but improved throughout this match showing good movement. We then faced a strong Bryanston side and were 7-3 down in the first quarter. After a team talk, the girls stepped up, taking control of the game and making excellent interceptions to win 24-18. The following Saturday was the regional tournament in Farnborough. This was a long and tiring day for the girls with all matches testing the team’s skills. Our first match against St Helen and St Katherine School was our hardest, with the majority of their team playing regional netball. Unsurprisingly they ended the day top of the pool. The girls went out with great determination, taking every opportunity and only lost 12-6. They then went onto win against Ryde and Aylesbury only just losing to Wycombe High, Queen Anne’s and Hurst College and finishing 5th in the pool. They played extremely well, especially considering it was their first experience at this level for the majority of the players.

All should be extremely proud of their desire to win, face down every challenge and adapt to different styles of play. This was a fantastic experience during which the girls learnt a tremendous amount.

Played: 21 Won: 14 Drew: 0 Lost: 7

The first match after half-term was against Dauntsey’s.

The girls illustrated what they had learnt, working well from the first whistle. It was an end-to-end second half but the girls’ movement, excellent shooting and strong defence meant they secured a win in the last two minutes, 22-20. Against Hampshire Collegiate the girls moved the ball around the court well, crossing into different channels and defending tightly. They worked hard throughout, winning 25-10 and did not allow HCS to score at all in the final quarter. Lord Wandsworth was a tough fixture and, unfortunately, losing 20-8 does not represent how well the girls played. The final Saturday of the term was a tough one against Canford.

Unfortunately their speed, awareness and cohesive teamwork resulted in KES losing, but the girls’ team spirit and competitive nature meant they never gave up. The final game of the season, against The King’s School, Winchester, allowed the girls to show off the skills they had developed all season. King’s strong attack meant the squad had to work very hard but all made some excellent interceptions by being patient.

Good movement around the court and teamwork meant KES maintained possession for the majority of the match resulting in a 28-14 win.

The girls have worked very hard this season rising to many challenges and developing their possession, defending, set pieces and teamwork. I am very proud of their efforts and progress this year and look forward to seeing them continue to develop over the next few seasons.

Mrs Penn Squad members: Zoe Henderson (captain), Eleanor Dunlop, Molly Troup, Sophie Allan-Burns, Ottilie Beal, Sophie Roe, Alice Dyer, Isabella Todd, Amy Tunney, Amy Boyle, Pheobe Moriarty-Palios.

Regional Squad: Zoe Henderson, Eleanor Dunlop, Molly Troup, Sophie Allan-Burns, Ottilie Beal, Isabella Todd, Freya Crowley, Catherine Thomson, Grace Loveridge.

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U14B Netball This term, the U14 B team played a strong season of netball. Although the team has often varied week to week, the girls in this squad played very well together.

They came up against some tough teams but always remained optimistic and passionate about playing, constantly wanting to know how to improve themselves.

The biggest win of the season for this team was against HCS, where they won 28-10. This was an impressive game and the girls were clearly superior in technique to their opponents which must have been clear to anyone watching. Big wins are a reward to the girls for all the time and effort they have put into practising and improving their skills over the years. This was one of the highlights of their season along with a strong win against Bryanston (23-13), who are often a very tough opponent. The team also had a few close wins against Dauntsey’s and Lord Wandsworth College.

These were challenging games and it is credit to the girls that they persevered throughout the entire hour to keep on top of the other team. Although there were two losses during the season both were against incredibly skilled squads, and the girls should be proud that they were able to put up a solid show against these teams.

There were many incredible performances to credit.

They were a very versatile group, with several players who were comfortable playing multiple positions.

U14C Netball This has been a tough season for the U14 C team due to illnesses, injuries and availability but the girls’ levels of commitment has been fantastic. The first game of the season was against Churcher’s after only a couple of practices. Unfortunately, this meant we lacked teamwork and found it hard to maintain possession. However, the girls’ spirit shone through, keeping the goal line very low. With more training the girls developed the accuracy of their shooting and set pieces resulting in wins over Bryanston and Lord Wandsworth. They should be extremely proud of how much they have developed individually, and as a team, during this season and I hope they continue to enjoy their netball in the future. Well done!

Mrs Penn

Played: 7 Won: 4 Drew: 1 Lost: 2

This was beneficial, particularly during absences and injuries, which tend to throw a team off balance. The captain, Steph Judd, also did a very good job, and was great at pulling the team together during a game.

The girls have improved vastly this term, and continue to work as a great team. Hopefully they will continue to do so throughout their remaining years at KES.

Jordan Campbell

Squad members: Olivia Abraham, Zayna Salib, Maisie Molyneux, Stephanie Judd, Amy Boyle, Alice Dyer, Georgia Tomlin, Emily Boxer, Issy Todd, Phoebe Moriarty-Palios, Amy Tunney, Rosie Potter, Charlotte Young, Sarah Macleod, Hannah Loran and Emily Procter.

Played: 5 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 3

Squad members: Amy Ritchie (C), Emily Procter, Emily Boxer, Emily Price, Sarah MacLeod, Eleanor Yonge, April Hernandez, Isabelle de Merode, Kira Morton, Charlotte Young, Orla Bark, Hannah Loran, Rosie Potter, Georgia Tomlin and Millie Bell.

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U13A Netball The U13 age group has been impressively strong this year and, having had an extended season that began in September, they have played a lot of good quality netball.

This year, for the first time, the U13 A team were entered into a new National Cup with which King Edward’s haven’t previously been involved. They did extremely well beating Portsmouth Grammar School, Warden Park Academy, Bede’s Prep School and Downe House with ease, before being knocked out of the competition by a very strong Walthamstow Hall. They were very fortunate in having Princethorpe College, a touring team, come and play them during the National Cup, giving the team an opportunity to work on some different combinations.

When the netball season officially started in January the squad started in a strong position and had no issues resettling into their groove, beating Ryde School 16-5.

The following week they met Churcher’s College and, although they drew 12-12, they dominated the game.

The matches against St George’s, Dauntsey’s, King’s School, Winchester and Westbourne House really put pressure on the team and showed the girls where they can improve next season. Unfortunately, in the middle of the season we had three cancelled matches against

Played: 14 Won: 8 Drew: 1 Lost: 5

Portsmouth Grammar School, Thornden School and Lord Wandsworth College due to bad weather. The highlights of the season have to be the games against Bryanston and Hampshire Collegiate which showed a return to form for the girls. They played the netball that they had showcased during the National Cup and, due to some exceptional performances by the shooters, won 23-13 and 29-7 respectively.

The player of the season this year is Lucy Tait who has not only been impressive every single game with her tenacity and her versatility, has improved her basic skills and defensive work and has been a really vital player on the court. The most improved player this year is Lucy Pumphrey who has listened to the advice given to her by the coaches and has improved not only her movement and shooting technique but also her confidence on the ball.

Looking forward to next season the girls should set their sights on progressing through the National Cup, working on maintaining their standard of gameplay during a hard match, practising their shooting and circle work and introducing more complicated tactics and set plays into their gameplay.

Gina Steel and Mrs Penfold Squad members: Zoe Henderson (captain), Eleanor Dunlop, Molly Troup, Sophie AllanBurns, Ottilie Beal, Sophie Roe, Alice Dyer, Isabella Todd, Amy Tunney, Amy Boyle and Pheobe Moriarty-Palios.

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U13B Netball Despite a slightly delayed start to the season due to weather, the girls worked hard to form a cohesive team with several players flexible in the positions they played.

They showed promise in their first match (in very cold conditions) against Churcher’s College and followed this up with a convincing win against a mixed age Stroud team. In this match several players gained experience playing different positions around the court.

Played: 8 Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

Anouska Umranikar was the most improved player over the season as she proved to be very adaptable and always maintained a positive outlook. I look forward to seeing how this team of promising players develops over the next few years.

Miss Yerbury

The toughest opponents proved to be St George’s and Westbourne House which was the last game of the season. I was incredibly impressed by the girls’ persistence and determination in this last match as they fought back from 1-14 at half-time to an overall score of 10-17. It was a shame that the match against PGS was cancelled as this, I am sure, would also have proved to be another testing match.

The team captain, Lena Mills, led her squad well and consistently scored goals for the team, along with Hattie Wheeler and other team members who stepped in to the shooter’s position when needed. Sophia Olive and Issie Chapman were always full of energy and prepared to play whatever position was required of them.

Squad members: Lizzie Beardsall, Issie Chapman, Hattie Wheeler, Lena Mills, Puja Muthalagu, Elspeth Hargreaves, Sophia Olive, Natasha Thompson, Anoushka Umranikar and Madeleine Harris.

U13C & D Netball

C- Played: 5 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 D- Played: 1 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 0

The C team also began their campaign under very cold conditions on a rather icy court at Churcher’s but they held their nerve to win by five goals. They had comfortable wins against Dauntsey’s and Lord Wandsworth, playing well together as a team with several members playing out of their preferred position.

St George’s and Westbourne House proved to be tough opponents but the girls played consistently throughout these games to ensure that the goal difference was not too great.

The team was led by Lucin Melikyan who was awarded ‘player of the match’ on several occasions. A number of players from these teams also gained experience playing for the B Team.

The only D team comprised some members of the First Year as well, but despite many of the team not having played together before, they had a convincing win (16-3) and should be proud of their efforts.

Miss Yerbury

Squad members: Lizzie Armstrong, Mia Bake, Katie Duff, Issie Fleming, Alice Kernick, Lusin Melikyan, Ella Thomas, Maddie Wright, Hannah Black and Liz Field.

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U12A Netball

Played: 9 Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 0

Although last year saw a large number of netballers, this year the number was surpassed by some way. Almost forty girls attended weekly practice. The experience ranged from beginners to regular club players and made for a fantastic term of netball. It was a huge advantage having several coaches at practice which, with so many girls, enabled each drill to be carried out correctly, and according to players’ skill levels.

The only schools to come anywhere near KES were St George’s who got within seven goals, and Dauntsey’s who got within three goals. Both these fixtures were without the full squad due to club commitments.

The one match cancelled, due to bad weather, was against our local adversaries PGS. This was a great shame as it could well have confirmed the KES team’s dominance at this age group.

Many thanks go to Mrs Gadsbey and Miss Stone, who managed the B and C teams respectively, and the assistance at practice of Emma Hoare (Solent University) and our Gap Year student Jordan Campbell.

The U12 A team also entered into the Sports Magazine Netball Cup for the first time this year. This involved them training throughout the autumn term and playing in a knockout competition with schools from across the south of England. The first two games were home draws, with the girls performing well against St Swithun’s and Downes School from Sussex, winning both matches with clear margins. This qualified them for the quarter-final round and an away fixture against Wycombe Abbey School. The girls played well, but the opposition were very strong particularly in the shooting circle and the final result went to the High Wycombe girls.

The A team, captained by Abbie Morton, was a force to behold. Already with a wealth of experience and success since its inception in September, it was a joy to see such a talented and mature squad of nine tearing their opposition apart in each third.

Versatility and consistent personnel was the key and, when called upon, each player adapted to her role with consummate ease, whether it be in defence, mid court, or attack.

KJ Squad members: Abbie Morton, Sophie Khan, Claudia Leeming, Sophia Bassi, Esme Lock, Jasriah Mandair, Charlotte Dunkley, Rachel Howarth and Grace Loveridge.

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U12B Netball Popular attendance at netball training meant the Under 12 B team was flooded with members to choose from this season. The first few games saw the squad finding its feet and training was key to picking a team who gelled well and had the right positions. To this end, the first half-term saw a range of girls playing in different positions before the squad settled into its successful formation after half-term. Results reflected the jostle for positions as match performance did not go in King Edward’s favour in early games, with consecutive losses. However, the girls showed determination and, by half-term, the B team showed dramatic improvements in their cohesion and skill, with solid defensive play by Captain Jasmine Williams and Abigail McCarthy helping to create a strong defence. By the time February half-term arrived, the quality and pace of netball from the whole team improved. Nadia Paine listened to advice in training and her shooting as goal scorer saw more conversions of goals and better positioning in the circle. Overall, more strategic position-related play meant the girls soon brought more convincing wins than defeats in their remaining matches leading up to Easter, and the season ended in a buoyant mood.

Played: 8 Won: 3 Drew: 1 Lost: 4

The girls’ commitment to training and successful match performances means the B team look poised for an even better season in 2017.

Mrs Gadsbey Squad members: Sophie Diamond, Abigail McCarthy, Jasmine Williams, Lily Cooper, Olivia Tudor, Natasha Paine, Darcie Burrows, Bea Watson, Nadia Paine, Antonia Ruprecht-Smith, Esme Locke, Rachel Howarth, Isi Murphy and Eve Musson.

All girls showed fantastic sportsmanship and commitment throughout the training and match schedule, with particular improvements in performance by Bea Watson and Olivia Tudor.

U12C Netball

U12D Netball

The C team performed fantastically this season winning almost all their games. Notable victories were against St George’s College 10-3, Dauntsey’s School 12-6 and Lord Wandsworth College 16-6. The girls who played showed stamina and determination to achieve and, even though a number of the matches were cancelled, the team remained enthusiastic and hardworking.

It was very pleasing to see that, by the end of term, the less experienced girls had, with regular commitment and endeavour, improved considerably, especially their court awareness. In fact, although the D squad, which was rather fluid in its membership, had just three fixtures (and one cancelled), they were most successful.

Miss A Stone Played: 5 Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 Squad members: Maddie Gallager, Tomi Gibson, Eve Musson, Bella Roe, Lucia Rugge-Price, Xanthe Thompson, Emmy Walker, Flo Wright, Zeenia Amjad, Martha Sullivan, Anna Tunney and Ida Goodridge.

KJ Played: 3 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 Squad members: Zeenia Amjad, Lizzie Lotery, Hannah Smith, Ida Goodridge, Tomi Gibson, Anna Tunney, Emily Bull, Suheera Ebrahim, Olivia Tilley, Katie Powell, Rachael Holebrook, Alice Thomas, Anna Askenova, Martha Sullivan, Tomi Gibson and Isi Murphy.

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Rounders overview Once again A and B teams were fielded from U12 to U15 level and there were some very good performances in a full season. Unfortunately all matches against Portsmouth Grammar School were cancelled due to wet weather.

The U15s have also not had many fixtures this season due to other schools. This is a big shame for a group of girls who have shown a lot of potential and natural talent. They have shown a lot of resilience this term to continue to try and do their best no matter what.

The First Years have trained well, which enabled all to develop their skills across the term and to only lose one match. This is an excellent achievement for their first season of rounders at King Edward’s.

Rounders is an important element of the summer programme for girls’ sport and I would like to thank Mrs Henderson, Mrs Sheppard, and KJ for their considerable efforts to ensure that the girls had the same opportunity for sporting involvement as they do in the other terms. A lot of effort was put into the training and selecting of teams by these members of staff and I am sure it was much appreciated by all.

The U13 team are particularly strong and only lost one A team and B team match across two seasons. These girls have been particularly focussed in practice, which has shown them develop greatly across the term. Their excellent hitting has allowed them to score 91 rounders throughout the season and only have 49½ scored against them.

The U14 squad have had a better season this year but have not had that many fixtures, largely due to other schools not being able to find enough players and the poor weather. Their team spirit, communication and desire to always do their best have allowed them to play well in each game and they show a lot of promise for next year.

I would also like to thank all the girls for their hard efforts as we continue to develop rounders at KES with the focus on having more fixtures across the term.

Mrs Penn (Head of Rounders)

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U15A & B Rounders For some reason, the game of rounders wasn’t popular with this year’s U15s. We didn’t have one practice: mostly due to indifference, or cricket, or the weather, and the few matches in which we competed, comprised a handful of good players, rather than a full complement. Indeed, it wasn’t until the last match of the season that we were able to field a fairly keen nine players and then the weather spoilt it all and we never got to play.

The highlight of my season, was the inclusion of one of our preparatory school pupils (the sister of one of the B team players) who boosted our numbers when we played Churcher’s.

A- Played: 4 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 3 B- Played: 2 Won: 0 Drew: 0 Lost: 2

She delighted both teams and unanimously received ‘player of the match’.

A special thanks must go to Mrs Penn, who tirelessly tried to cajole this year group into committing to a very much under-rated sport.

KJ Squad members: Indie Chungh (C), Klaudia Glowacz, Jess Mills, Libby Hoare, Alex Hopkins-Manceri, Anna Poller, Gemma Pearson, Fin McKenzie and Jenna Erwig.

U14A & B Rounders

A- Played: 4 Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 2 B- Played: 3 Won: 1 Drew: 1 Lost: 1

The U14 rounders squad are enthusiastic, keen, energetic and full of fun and this has been another thoroughly enjoyable season of rounders.

The girls’ weakness in previous years has been their batting, but this season they have showed that their batting can certainly match the high quality of their fielding.

The first match of the season was against Seaford College. The A team played very well and their fielding was particularly good but they eventually lost 13½-17½.

The B team were also unlucky to lose 7½-15½ Against PGS the A team really found their form winning 15-12. The B team were involved in a super game with the final score a fair outcome at 10½-10½.

The next match was against Churcher’s College and in an incredibly tight match. KES A team were the eventual winners 21-20. The B team won more comfortably, 15-8. In the last fixture against Ryde School, the A team lost 9½-13½. Unfortunately due to atrocious weather the remaining two matches could not go ahead.

Mrs Sheppard

A Team Squad members: Ottilie Beal, Alice Dyer, Stephanie Judd, Sarah Macleod, Issy Todd, Ellie Dunlop, Zoe Henderson (C), Phoebe Moriarty-Palios and April Hernandez.

B Team Squad members: Emily Boxer, Amy Ritchie, Sophie Roe, Phoebe Moriarty-Palios, April Hernandez (C), Stella Bendoni, Amy Boyle, Emily Price, Eleanor Yonge, Charlotte Young and Molly Troup.

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U13A & B Rounders

A- Played: 4 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 B- Played: 2 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

The U13 girls have been enthusiastic this season and numbers at training have been high. Thanks to Mrs Kent we have regularly been able to get two pitches in action and ensure that the girls have plenty of opportunities to develop their individual skills as well as their team tactics.

This has been a very successful season with some very talented players. Izzy Chapman proved to be a vocal and encouraging captain who led by example and was a regular receiver of the ‘Fielder of the Match’. Top batswomen included Lucy Tait, Freya Crowley and Lucy Howarth.

The first match of the season saw the girls travelling to a windy Seaford College. Both teams fielded well in the first innings and at half-time both matches were very close, with the A team slightly ahead and the B team slightly behind. However, the Seaford teams stepped up a gear in the second innings and we were unable to respond, letting them pull away and secure two wins.

Mrs Henderson

This was not to be repeated for the rest of the season.

The matches against Churcher’s were two clear wins with both the A and B team settling into strong fielding patterns and ensuring that Churcher’s struggled to capitalise on their hits. When the A team travelled to the Isle of White they were in high spirits and this translated onto the pitch. Their cohesion and speed around the fielding area and relaxed hitting, ensured an easy win.

B Team Squad members: Alice Cowell (C), Lizzie Armstrong, Mia Blake, Maddie Harris, Puja Muthalagu, Carol Naoum, Sophia Olive, Anoushka Umranikar and Maddie Wright,

A Team Squad members: Izzy Chapman (C), Freya Crowley, Lucy Howath, Holly Laugesen, Lena Mills, Lucy Pumphrey, Lucy Tait, Catherine Thomson, Rebecca Waggett and Harriet Wheeler.

The final game of the season was against HCS. The grass was damp and corners were slippery so the girls played it safe and built up a lead based mainly on half rounders. The HCS players played with spirit but were never able to stop the momentum that the KES girls had built.

A Team Squad

B Team Squad

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U12A & B Rounders This has been a great season for the U12s who have represented King Edward’s for the first time in rounders. The first match of the season was against Seaford College and the girls played very well, constantly communicating and with Lucia Rugge-Price making two fantastic catches resulting in our first win.

Unfortunately, the following weekend saw all matches against Portsmouth Grammar School cancelled due to wet weather, much to everyone’s disappointment, but straight after half-term the A and B teams travelled to Churcher’s School. The A team played extremely well in the first innings, scoring very quickly and all of the girls fielded well. King Edward’s were on top in the first innings but Churcher’s fielding improved and kept us down to only 4 rounders in the second innings. Our fielding was excellent again, but Churcher’s hitting was too good resulting in the A team’s only loss of the season. The B team showed lots of improvement and potential, scoring double their rounders in the second innings but our fielding let us down, resulting in the B team’s only loss of the season too.

After half-term the girls travelled to Ryde with great anticipation of the ferry crossing. The awful weather cleared up just in time and the A team’s fielding and batting was their best yet. The girls took every opportunity to score and made many fantastic catches and stumpings, resulting in a 21-12½ win.

A Team Squad

A- Played: 4 Won: 3 Drew: 0 Lost: 1 B- Played: 2 Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 1

The B team showed off their improved skills, working well in the field gaining an 18½ -12½ win. The final match of the season was against Hampshire Collegiate School who could only field an A team. The team batted very cautiously but fielded with excellent catching, throwing and stumping skills resulting in a 10½ -6 win.

The girls have been excellently focused this season and have always been keen to develop. They have been a delight to coach and should be proud of their improvements this term.

Mrs Penn Squad members: Lucia Rugge-Price (C), Rachel Howarth, Ida Goodridge, Sophia Bassi, Sophie Khan, Rosalind Dye, Abigail McCarthy, Jasmine Williams, Holly Giles, Abbie Morton, Claudia Leeming, Jasriah Mandair, Olivia Tudor, Evie Musson, Anna Tunney, Florence Wright, Nadia Paine, Antonia Ruprecht-Smith, Emilia Walker, Darcey Burrows, Xanthe Thompson, Natasha Pillai, Martha Sullivan, Isabella Tam, Lily Cooper, Isabella Roe and Elizabeth Lotery.

B Team Squad

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U15 Tennis A disappointingly small group attended this after School club, with few scheduled matches. With the one friendly cancelled due to lack of opposition, three Fourth Years and one Third Year competed in the National Aegon competition.

Of the three matches, the Kings’ fixture was by far the closest! At the end of the four singles, the match was tied and with the score still tied at the end of the two doubles matches, the ‘shoot out’ competition came into play (ten clear points). Unfortunately, our No.1 and No.2 players had to go, leaving Indie and Ottilie to battle it out with the opposition’s No.1 and No 3. King Edward’s finished 2nd, but certainly not for want of trying and I am grateful to both girls for enabling the match to reach a conclusion. The other schools were much too strong for us, but that didn’t stop us from giving of our best.

A special mention goes to our Third Year player Ottilie Beal, who was part of the Aegon Four and, as always, thanks go to our external coach Joe; his sessions were fun and most rewarding.

KJ Aegon squad: Anna Poller, Tusca Alavi, Eve Henley, Indie Chungh, Ottilie Beal.

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U14 Tennis We had a very well attended set of practices with twenty-five girls participating. Our competitive matches were unfortunately cancelled by the opposition which was a disappointment. A friendly match against Kings’ School, Winchester was a great opportunity for our girls to play some matches and they were very successful.

Mrs Searles

U12 & U13 Tennis As in previous years, the School fielded an U13 Aegon team that contained a mix of First and Second Year pupils. In fact, due to the enthusiasm and ability of the younger age group, the vast majority of the squad came from the First Year.

The team played four matches, winning one, drawing one and losing two. Their first fixture proved to be the toughest of the summer, away, and in difficult conditions, against a very strong St Swithun’s team.

The team lost 6-0, but they were not to be outclassed again. In their next fixture against Kings’, there were wins for Rachel Howarth and Lucy Giles in the singles, and for Lucy and Abbie Morton in the doubles, resulting in a 3-3 draw, although King’s subsequently won the tiebreak. Against PGS, Abbie Morton and Flo Wright won their singles matches but overall the team went down to a 2-4 defeat.

However, they saved their best until last, in the final game of the season, against Westgate. There was a well-deserved win for captain, Lucy Howarth (who had been playing well all season) against some really tough opponents in the first singles and also for Rachel Howarth and Lucy Giles, to put the School 3-1 up after the singles. The Howarth sisters then took the first doubles to conclude with a 4-2 win. These results bode well for the future as most of this talented and competitive squad will still be available to play for the U13 squad next season as well.

Miss Barron and Mrs Evans Squad: Charlotte Dunkley, Holly Giles, Lucy Howarth (Captain), Rachel Howarth, Abbie Morton, Lucy Pumphrey and Flo Wright.

King Edward VI School Wilton Road . Southampton . Hampshire SO15 5UQ Telephone: 023 8070 4561 www.kes.hants.sch.uk