ISSUE 33 | AUTUMN 2021
From the Head The last year or two has seen huge changes in society and education. Changes for the better. Changes long overdue, but which have been brought in to the sharp focus which they always merited and deserved. Of course, minds have been preoccupied with the fallout from the pandemic, which has wrought devastation both to society and to so many individuals and families around the world. In UK schools, too, the pandemic has had a huge impact upon the wellbeing and confidence of young people, as well as on their academic progress. Whilst we are proud of how our pupils and teachers at KES have responded to the pressures of lockdowns and school disruptions, we have not been immune to the effects of social isolation, nor complacent about the wider impact of these unprecedented times. A great school should always be as much concerned for the welfare of its pupils as for their academic progress. I believe that King Edward’s absolutely represents the best of pastoral practice as well as unmatched academic expertise, but this past year has served to remind us all of our responsibilities and duties of care. With this in mind, it was with great pride that we opened a new Wellbeing Centre in the heart of the school this summer, providing a wonderful new resource for the support of pupils in need, and for the education of all of us in how to look after our mental health and build resilience. This was a landmark development for KES, as we continue to shape and evolve our wellbeing programme under the leadership of our pastoral staff and the new Head of Wellbeing, so that every child who passes through KES is equipped to deal with the crises that must occasionally befall us all. But I spoke earlier of societal change. Yes, the national conversation around mental health is both overdue and much
to be welcomed. But different seismic shocks have been no less felt by our community in the past few year. The horrific death of Sarah Everard and the awareness raising of the #metoo movement exposed uncomfortable truths about ongoing discrimination within our society: about the need to be vigilant and unremittingly focused on educating our pupils against their and our conscious or unconscious biases, so that imbalances and injustices still circulating today are not perpetuated into the future. Our pupils rightly feel this very strongly, as indeed do we. And we are all absolutely clear that whilst we continue to strive for a better school community, and are proud of what we have already achieved, nonetheless we have work still to do. For this reason, I was pleased that members of our community both current and former contacted me about these important issues last year, asking KES to focus on how we have responded and will continue to respond to underlying causes of societal inequity. I believe that it is important that as OEs, you have an opportunity to read about the work that we are engaged in as a school to make strides towards fairness for everybody… both whilst attending KES, and as role models and future leaders in our wider community. Therefore, without apology, I have included here in full a letter written to all members of our community in reply to the communications I received then. Since the letter was sent, we have completed the promised audit of student experience, and already put in place some measures in response – such as the creation of a new peer support scheme to offer younger pupils an opportunity to speak to trained older peers about concerns they may have. In the coming years we will continue to focus on equality at KES. Our singular goal is always to be the best school in our region, and the very best that we can be – academically, pastorally and in offering life-changing opportunities for all. We take that ambition very seriously indeed. If you would like to be part of the conversation, I would absolutely welcome your engagement and input. Thank you, as ever, for your support of your school.
Neal Parker Head
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Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Letter to Pupils, Parents and OEs: 31st March 2021 No doubt you will have seen the media reports regarding concerns expressed by young people about their past experiences in schools across the country, in particular those between young men and women. Institutional discrimination has no place anywhere in society today, especially not a school. I wanted you to know our school’s stand point on this incredibly important matter, what we have done in recent years to help ensure any sexist attitudes and behaviours have no place here and what we plan to do now our eyes have been opened to the challenges schools are facing. Although KES is not one of the schools in the spotlight, a great many schools and universities are now being referenced and we have received an email from one former pupil; I am grateful to her for raising her concerns. Sadly, I doubt that any school, or institution for that matter, can claim that these entirely unacceptable attitudes have not been present at some stage. It is powerful movements like we are seeing here that open eyes and prompt change, just like #metoo and #BLM campaigns and I am grateful to all the brave people who are sharing their most personal memories and for being part of this. Being relatively new to the school, I cannot provide much insight into the past but I can tell you what the school already has in place and what we will be doing in light of the issues raised nationally. You may not be aware but in the past two years, the school has sought to improve its focus on challenging stereotypes. Last year we became an Official Gender Action Supporter, a programme to support a whole-school approach to this important topic and we have run teacher training on unconscious bias and gender stereotyping. These topics are also highlighted in whole school assemblies and talks. In September 2020, we relaunched our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) policy following a specific RSE audit in order to enhance this vital part of our education. This was in part to combat the new challenges young people now face from social media and explicit content accessible online that can otherwise change attitudes, behaviours and boundary perceptions (see more detail below). We believe we have a more equitable and balanced school make-up than ever. Nonetheless we believe that every student in our care has a fundamental right to feel safe and secure when at school. To support our pupils’ mental health, the school is currently in the process of appointing to a new Head
of Wellbeing. Later this year we will also be opening a purposebuilt Wellbeing Centre, to provide all of our pupils a space in which they can develop their mental health and resilience, and feel safe in seeking help whenever needed. We believe that these measures will enhance our ethos of positivity to all people, regardless of their background, gender, race, beliefs or life choices. I would also like to remind students that they have a range of people in school to reach out to for support, information, guidance and consultation including the school counsellor, nurses, head of years, Group Base tutors and teaching staff. The prevention of negative behaviour would always be our preference, but as you will be aware, we do also have a zero tolerance policy in relation to illegal activities, which is enforced and requires us to report known illegal behaviour to the police. Although I genuinely believe the school is in as good a place as any, I know there is yet more we can do. For this reason, I have asked Mr Collinson, Assistant Head (Pastoral) to conduct an audit of student experiences so that we can identify where we still need to improve. Rest assured that we join the nationwide call for reform in this area and the subject of women’s safety being further elevated in the national conversation. As educators of the next generation, we do not underestimate our role in this and I hope as parents you are already aware that we are committed to playing our part to the best of our ability. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to any pupil who may have experienced any kind of misogynistic attitudes during their time at this school. It doesn’t make it acceptable but I sincerely hope that any negative experiences will be consigned to the past as we continue to evolve into better people who are more accepting of others. As ever, if you have any questions on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact myself or another member of staff.
Neal Parker Head
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Prize Giving 2021 Our Chief Guest and speaker at this year’s Prize Giving was OE Chris Morris (KES 77-83). Chris was a BBC foreign correspondent for more than 20 years, living and working in South Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. He now writes and broadcasts on climate change, trade, Britain after Brexit and other issues for BBC Reality Check. It was a pleasure to hear from Chris, who spoke about his experiences of living and working with different cultures as he has travelled the world in the course of his career. The sharing of world news and events has changed drastically with the advent of new technologies and Chris urged us all to check the accuracy of our facts with the rise of ‘fake news’, as well as discussing the need for the leaders of tomorrow to act with fairness so that the poorer people and nations of the world do not lose out, particularly when it comes to tackling the climate change crisis.
OEs join the teaching staff This year we are celebrating the return of four former pupils, all of whom have joined the teaching staff. Harriet Crompton (KES 15-17), Sophie Bentley (KES 05-12) and Cath Lewis (KES 98-05) all join the Biology Department whilst Tim Fewtrell (KES 03-10) has taken up a post as teacher of Geography. We look forward to working with them all.
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Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Thank you for sharing your experiences! We are grateful to all of you within the OE network who give up your time to share your experiences with current students. Your advice and insight are invaluable. Over the past months we have been delighted to catch up with a number of alumni from differing KES eras both via Zoom and in person. Ameena, Tom and Rob, who are currently working, or pursuing work in creative industries, spoke to Sixth Formers about jobs, study pathways and the skills that employers look for within the sector. Virginia, Patrick, Mike and Ollie shared their experiences of studying languages at university, working abroad and using their language skills in a professional capacity, Amin, Beth, Hugo, Joanna, Richard and Sarah discussed careers in a wide range of different scientific fields and recent leavers Zoe, Gus, Oliver, Paddy and Finn took time out to share their GAP Year stories in a time of COVID. We look forward to welcoming many more of you back to school over the coming year.
Leaving staff Mr Tofts joined King Edward’s in 1994 and in the last 27 years has taught 23,000 lessons to innumerable numbers of students. His lessons have been imaginative and intellectually demanding and he has imparted vital facts about religious and philosophical world views, encouraging students to think clearly and to argue logically. Outside the classroom, he has taught cooking to the Sixth Form in Foundation Studies, has led the Philosophy Society and has carefully nurtured many students through The Philosophy Shop outreach to Highfield School. We wish him all the best for a well-deserved retirement.
Miss Yerbury took up her post in 2005 teaching both Biology and Chemistry classes at A Level. For several years now, she has taught purely Biology guiding numerous cohorts of IGCSE and A Level students who have appreciated her excellent subject knowledge and engaging lessons, as well as her understanding of how biology mark schemes are interpreted through her work as an examiner. Outside of the classroom, she has coached netball teams, run the Charities Commission and led the Charlotte Exchange. She moves on from King Edward’s with our very best wishes.
Mr Mapstone joined King Edward’s in September 2010 to head up the Computer Science and Digital Literacy Department and has expanded the subject to all year groups to create a continuous pathway of learning for students. He has led two ‘Digital High Tech Treks’, first to Silicon Valley in California and then to Tokyo and, closer to home, he has taken teams to the Student Robotics competition, organised trips to the National Museum of Computing and been a long term member of the DofE team. He has also coached numerous cricket teams in the Lower School and leaves us to lead the Computing Department at Winchester College.
Mrs Cox joined King Edward’s in 2008. During her time at the school the number of students that the nursing team has to deal with on a daily basis has risen exponentially. This rise is testimony to the safe, welcoming environment that she has created. Whether it is a minor injury or the occasional more serious situations that need urgent care, she has been the face of calm reassurance and professional excellence. She has also supported students experiencing emotional turmoil or periods of poor mental health, and her compassion and good sense has been invaluable. Mrs Cox will be sorely missed and we wish her the very best of luck in her new role.
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The King Edward VI Foundation
- bequest from a former member of staff secures further bursaries. Earlier this year, we were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Michael Sergeant, a former very longstanding member of the KES teaching staff. Michael leaves behind a lasting legacy in more ways than one. As Head of Department, Director of Sixth Form and a teacher of mathematics, Michael has ensured that his many hundreds of students have performed to the best of their ability and pursued their academic and professional aspirations. He possessed the special gift of being able to explain maths to those who struggled with the subject, as well as encouraging and pushing his gifted students. His commitment to the school and his desire to see all students succeed and achieve their full potential was echoed in his will and we were delighted to receive a bequest of £300,000 to the King Edward VI Foundation. This hugely generous donation will allow us to provide more bursaries for children applying to the school from families who are less financially advantaged than the majority of our students. The school and its governing body strive to ensure a wide social mix within the school community and being awarded a bursary to receive a King Edward’s education can often be life-changing for a child, and something that they would not be able to access without the generosity of donors such as Michael.
The opportunity to study at KES has enabled me to achieve the grades I need to study medicine - my ambition from a young age. The very high standard of teaching, small class sizes and access to excellent resources have all helped me reach this goal. KES has given me an all-round education including opportunities for sport, music, volunteering and DofE, as well as surrounding me with a supportive and close-knit group of friends. This has all contributed to making me into the person I am today and ultimately shaped my future. I will always be grateful for the bursary, without which I would never have been able to go to a school like King Edward’s, and I hope I have proven myself to be a worthy recipient. Bursary Student, 2021 leaver Now studying Medicine at University of London
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Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
How you can help change a child’s life We understand that not everyone is in a position to donate large sums but we would ask you to consider supporting the Foundation in whatever way you can. Please think about joining with other alumni in helping gifted children, regardless of family income, attend our wonderful school. This can be a small sum on a regular basis, a one-off donation or a bequest in your will. Enclosed with this copy of The Edwardian you will find a direct debit form for making regular donations and details of how to make one-off payments. If you would like to discuss leaving a bequest to King Edward’s in your will or have any other questions about the work of the Foundation, please call Suzanne Hooper on 023 80 704561.
Why I am grateful to KES!
I joined King Edward’s as an 11+ entrant in 1950 from Shirley Junior School in Bellemoor Road, back when KES was a free Grammar School. It was my free passport to what is now called social and professional mobility. My passage
through school was enabled by an excellent teaching staff many of whom were recruited and retained by Dr LJ Stroud, newly appointed as Head in 1952. Following my time at KES, I went to the Birmingham University Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, graduating in 1963. After two years’ service as a junior hospital dentist, I went into general practice in Southampton and met and married a UK trained German nurse and midwife. In 1970, I took up a post in Malawi, Central Africa in a hospital dental department. It was a formative experience and not to be missed. Our children were born there and, after returning to the UK in 1973, via Cape Town, where I worked for a brief interval, I secured a post as dental surgeon attached to the American Embassy Dispensary in Kabul, Afghanistan, in May 1974. This was a one-in-a-lifetime experience and we returned to the UK for good in early 1980 after the Russian Invasion in December 1979. We formed a great respect for the Afghan people and mourn the awful things that have
been visited upon them over the last forty years. We travelled the country which left us with indelible memories of the people and landscape. My practice there was truly international and the highlight of my career. After Kabul, I worked for six months in Germany and then joined a practice in Chandlers Ford where I remained until 2003. Still up for adventure I took locum posts in Queensland and Victoria, Australia before I retired. I can only say that never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the life I have outlined which brings me back to the beginning where it all began. King Edward’s gave me the chance and I think my life has been a testament to it giving all its pupils a great start in life.
Richard Matthews (KES 50-58) Richard would like to get in touch with others from his cohort. If you would like to get in contact, please email the Development Office on edwardians@kes.hants.sch.uk
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Cats, cameras and conservation – finding the Arabian leopard “So, you’re like David Attenborough?” is a question I’m frequently asked when I tell people what I do. “Well, maybe if he spent more time troubleshooting why his code won’t run…” I respond. In truth, I haven’t got the camera-sharp charisma for wildlife TV, but I do get to travel the world studying incredible wildlife, so the comparison is not too far wrong. I am a wildlife researcher. Specifically, I am a data analyst with Panthera - a world-leading big cat conservation NGO. I work on the Arabian Leopard Initiative trying to figure out if there are any Arabian leopards left in Saudi Arabia. If so, where? And how can we best protect them? So how did I get into this role? Like many of you reading this, my road here started at King Edward’s. I attended from 20032008 and spent many a sunny day lounging on the grass quad, resenting being dragged inside to study maths. It was at KES that my love for biology grew and I honed my outdoor skills during DofE. It was also at KES where I learnt the study skills that I would later rely on during my higher education. I had left with only a vague idea that I wanted to do “something with wildlife” so jumped at the chance to do my biology undergraduate course at the University of Birmingham. This course offered the opportunity to do a year in industry and I managed to organise a placement on the Island of Samos, Greece, monitoring the population of golden jackals. It was a great experience as, alongside the year-round sunshine, it was this first foray into hands-on wildlife research that made me realise that there was a career here that I could love. The day after graduation I was on a plane to South Africa to work with leopards. With a return flight booked for just three months’ time, I ended up staying for nearly a year. I embarked on various conservation efforts including helping prevent predator conflict with goat farmers and decreasing snaring that was causing a crash in local leopard and hyena populations. I was also able to assist with deploying GPS collars to track these large carnivores’ movements to monitor where they were roaming and what they were eating. Of course, wildlife fieldwork never goes entirely to plan. There was a troop of monkeys that would jump on my tent in
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the morning and try to sneak into the kitchen. We got the car stuck in sand beside a pride of lions and could only rev ourselves out as the sun went down. And despite our best efforts camping in the wilderness for three months, we didn’t catch any leopards at one of our sites. But overall, there’s nothing like watching an African sun set behind a herd of elephants at a watering hole to make it all worth it. It is these tracking collars that I went on to use extensively during my PhD I had applied while still in Africa and owe thanks to the troop of habituated Samango monkeys that wandered past during my interview for giving me some authenticity. With my acceptance onto the programme, I had to wrench myself away from Africa and move to sunny, warm Belfast. I confess, sat packing back in the UK, I shouldn’t have googled how many days it rains there each month. The answer is 25, for those who are curious. My PhD was, however, worth the investment in a good raincoat. I worked with some of the leading experts using GPS and accelerometers for wildlife research. Accelerometers used in this context are essentially Fitbits for wildlife. By calibrating their movements, we can see exactly when animals are walking, running, hunting, or sleeping. We are really only at the beginning of what these technologies can tell us about previously elusive, understudied and secretive animals, so I get to study wildlife in a way that has never been done before. While my research can allow me to get really hands on with animals and have major conservation and management repercussions, my job also entails a lot of desk hours with data wrangling and modelling. That long-forgotten maths class has been put to good use as I delve into machine learning and spatial statistics. It’s the bit they don’t show you on the wildlife documentaries as, let’s be honest, no one would find that good Sunday evening viewing. But it’s important to calculate how many prey animals are needed to sustain a leopard population, what habitats they need protected in order to survive, and whether the expansion of human settlements and road networks really are disconnecting the landscape. Or can these animals overcome these challenges we throw at them?
Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Of course, the first step in answering these questions is collecting and analysing the data, so I will shortly be heading back to South Africa to join the team there and plan our next steps of Arabian leopard conservation. Arabian leopards are critically endangered with only an estimated 150 left in the wild. Panthera’s invitation from the Saudi Arabian Royal Commission for Al Ula to revive this rare species is therefore a fantastic step in the right direction. I am responsible for analysing the hundreds of thousands of camera trap photos that our field team are collecting from across the length of the country. The cameras are left in the wilderness for months at a time and photograph anything that walks past, including leopards, if they are there. We also see Arabian wolves, striped hyenas, and caracals, as well as the prey species such as rock hyrax (like a large guinea pig), partridges, and rodents. These ‘extra’ images allow us to understand whether each site would contain enough prey to support a leopard and also to estimate the level of human presence. This information is vital to understanding what factors affect predator survival there now, and in the future. The project will ultimately give us vital information on all the wildlife in this landscape, hopefully including leopards. You will have to keep an eye on the news to see if we find any of these cats in the desert mountains and for how our population-boosting plans go over the next few years. So, my take home messages? Wildlife research can be full of travel, amazing wildlife, and incredibly worthwhile projects. It might even be the career for you if you want to wake up to lions roaring outside your tent and don’t mind re-learning some maths. Just remember, if you’re ever in Africa, and you’re parked up in the bush, don’t leave your car windows open as monkeys will steal your snacks.
Carolyn Dunford (KES 03-08)
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Researching a cure for dementia Hospital site in Cambridge and is part of the University, but funded entirely by the Alzheimer’s Research UK charity.
Since leaving KES in the eighties I have spent many years pursuing an interest in science that can be credited to the Biology Department at the school. At the University of Bath, I completed a four year “thin-sandwich” Applied Biology course (BSc) with diverse industrial placement experience in crop protection (Aberystwyth) and molecular biology (Cambridge and Illinois). After graduation I completed a PhD in bacterial genetics at the University of Cambridge before several postdoctoral contracts in different laboratories. These included looking at cell signalling pathways in cancer at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam and in the Pharmacology Department back in Cambridge, investigating the role of lipid signalling mechanisms in mammalian cells. Seven years ago, I took up the position of Team Leader in Cell and Molecular Biology at the ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute. The Institute is located on the Addenbrookes
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Dementia is a blanket term used to describe cognitive decline that can be caused by brain injury, or, more commonly, by a large number of neurodegenerative diseases with a common pathology and prognosis. Estimates for 2020 suggested that dementia directly affected around 50 million people worldwide (850,000 in the UK), in addition to the distressing impact on carers, friends and family members. The single greatest risk factor for neurodegenerative disease is age; increases in average life span due to developing treatments for cancer and heart disease, as well as general lifestyle improvements, have led to increases in cases of later-life neurodegenerative disease. Some genetic risk factors are known and can result in rare early onset disease, but most cases involve development of late onset symptoms from 65 years of age. Research shows that there is a complex interplay between these factors; inheritable gene variants do not always lead to disease, and lifestyle choices, other diseases (such as stroke in vascular dementia) and injury (for example as seen with boxers and professional footballers developing CTE due to repeated brain trauma) can have a greater impact. For Alzheimer’s disease (the most common cause of dementia) it is suggested that 95% of cases are sporadic, with no known genetic element.
Currently there is no cure for dementia and medicines that are available for treatment are used to reduce the effects of the symptoms or reduce the speed of progression of the disease. However, as with most hard-to-treat diseases, cure isn’t necessarily impossible, and so the search continues to find potential therapies. Understanding into the cause and mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases has made substantial progress in the recent past, and this uncovers new therapeutic targets for the drug discovery process. This progress is slowed by the nature of the neurodegenerative disease itself, which may take decades to develop before symptoms are seen, and so research also tries to identify reliable early stage markers or indicators of disease. A common feature of neurodegenerative disease is aggregated protein. This occurs as tight bundles of normally useful and functional protein, which, by some dysfunctional mechanism, becomes wrongly folded and accumulates. This can be inside or outside of cells in the brain, but is usually associated with death of functional brain cells (neurons). In context, this can result in the loss of brain tissue equivalent to the weight of an orange (in Alzheimer’s disease). The type of aggregated protein can also be specific to the disease; amyloid and tau are present in Alzheimer’s disease but other proteins can be the hallmarks of dementia with Lewy bodies (related to Parkinson’s disease), frontotemporal dementia (including Pick’s disease), progressive supranuclear palsy and Huntington’s disease.
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The role of the ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute is to interact with academic groups that are actively researching in these areas. Research into the reasons why proteins may aggregate in cells uncovers new “targets” for the process of drug discovery. These targets may be a key point in the dysfunctional pathways that lead to disease, and can be proteins or enzymes with known functions, or could be part of normal survival pathways in cells that can be “persuaded” to remove or repair damaged protein. This early drug discovery work, which may not be the aim of the academic group, is necessary to give confidence to larger pharmaceutical companies to progress drugs through costly later-stage drug trials. The role of my group within this interdisciplinary institute is to support the biology side of the process – to develop cell-based assays and use molecular biology techniques to validate the use of a target. The chemistry group are able to use these biological assays to develop compounds through the process of medicinal chemistry – a cycle of synthesising and selecting desired characteristics of new drugs. The best lead compounds are then tested on rodent models of human disease to provide proof of concept and allow the further development of the drug by a pharmaceutical partner. The difficulty in showing the effectiveness of drugs targeting dementia, and many failures at the clinical trial stages has led to fewer drugs entering trials and a hesitancy to commit the large amount of funding needed to complete these (around
$19 million for a phase III human trial). Increasing the drug pipeline by increasing the confidence in the targets, and hence the possibility of success, is the goal of charity-led research. Our hope is that the research and drug development that we are involved with contributes to bridging
the gap between academia and industry and fuels the future drug pipeline for neurodegenerative disease therapies.
Jon Clarke (KES 79-85)
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Alumni Reunions
Belated Leavers’ Dinner In September we were delighted to hold a very belated Leavers’ Dinner for the Class of 2020 who unfortunately missed out on the usual event last year due to the lockdown. It was great to see so many familiar faces and find out what everyone has been up to in the past 12 months. It also provided a chance for the Head, Mr Parker, to finally present the Waller Prizes to our former Head of School and Deputies.
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Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
10 Year reunion – Classes of 2010 & 2011 Having had to cancel the planned reunion for the Class of 2010 last autumn, we combined this year group with the Class of 2011 for a 10 year reunion in October. This was another chance to reclaim a certain amount of normality in our lives as close to 100 people gathered together for an evening of conversation and catchup.
Planned Events Class of 1996 & 1997
25 Year Reunion Event
4th February 2022 @ KES 7.30pm
Legacy Club Dinner 20th May 2022 @ KES 7.00pm
Poole Veterans’ Lunch 8th June 2022 @ KES 12.00pm 13
Obituaries Niamh Radosavljevic (KES 12-14) died suddenly in September having suffered a stroke. She attended King Edward’s for Sixth Form, having been awarded a Sir Edward Abraham Memorial Award, in Chemistry. She progressed to The Solent University, Southampton where she studied Computer Science and in her third year she was selected, from a highly competitive field, for an internship at IBM, Hursley. She returned to Solent to study and work, becoming a very respected and competent IT engineer. Niamh travelled widely, partly for cultural exploration and partly entrepreneurship ventures and moved to Liverpool where she had a successful career as an IT engineer working for Torus. Her House, called, The Hive, as it has always been a buzz of activity, came to be a focal point of support and encouragement for others with Niamh known as ‘The Queen Bee’. Niamh was diagnosed late in life with ADHD and funds are being raised in her memory to support local Liverpool ADHD charities, to provide initiatives to young people, with neurodiversity, to support their empowerment in living satisfying and meaningful lives. Upon her death, Niamh donated five of her organs to others capturing her generosity of spirit and personality. Her parents are blessed to have shared their lives’ journey with her for twenty-five years.
David Reginald Wasp (KES 52-60) died in April this year. His passion for learning and education began at KES where he excelled at history and developed a love of sport. Upon sitting the Oxbridge entrance exams and gaining a place at Keble College, Oxford, he read for a degree in history, followed by a Diploma in Education. David went on to have a long and successful career in teaching and education consultancy. His teaching career began at Eltham Green Comprehensive school, before accepting another post at Thomas Carlton Comprehensive School in Peckham. In the 1980s he moved into teacher training before becoming an OFSTED Inspector. In 2000, David was at the forefront of the Teach First programme inspiring and mentoring graduates making the transition into education. David was an exceptionally special father to Lucy, Daniel and Emily and grandfather to five grandchildren. His loving nature and playfulness were boundless and he is greatly missed. David Glyn Withers Thomas (KES 50-58) attended King Edward’s on a scholarship and proceeded to Cambridge where he gained his Masters in Physics at Gonville and Caius College. British Electric paid a portion of his fees in exchange for his reading Boolean algebra, a then obscure field of mathematical logic. Subsequently he was employed by them
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to help build one of the first working industrial computers in the UK. He soon joined Rio Tinto where he used the still new techniques of programming computers in binary, what computer scientists now call machine code, on engineering teams in South Africa and Canada. Seeing promise in the field, he sailed to the United States to attend Harvard Business School, where he was a 1967 Baker Scholar, before moving to California. In Los Angeles, in 1969, he met Margaret, whom he married. They moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they lived for several decades and raised three children. In the 1970s Glyn founded a small computer consulting company which developed software for large firms. He retired to a ranch north of Reno, Nevada where he lived out the last decades of his life quietly, enjoying books, scenic mountains and wide, open space. He is survived, and missed, by his three children and two young grandchildren.
George Drury (KES 48-56) died in June 2021, aged 84. During his time at KES he was Deputy Head of School in his final year, editor of the Sotoniensis magazine and was a talented rugby and cricket player, captaining the 1st X1 in 1956. He took up a major award to New College, Oxford in 1958, studying Modern History, after conscription in the Army. After graduating, he completed a Masters in Applied Social Sciences at Leicester University and became a Probation Officer. He married Erica in 1962 and
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moved to Ripley in Derbyshire where he lived throughout. In retirement his other interests led him to write a book on the renowned Royal Crown Derby porcelain painter William ‘Quaker’ Pegg and he gave many talks on this to local history societies, U3A groups and the like, even entertaining a packed audience at the Derby Book Festival on his 80th birthday. He is survived by his wife, Erica, son, Paul, and daughter, Isabel.
Martin Hyman (KES 48-52) died in April this year. He was born in Southampton before the family moved to Jersey for his father’s work. However, as his father came from a Jewish family they fled back to Southampton in 1940 shortly before the German invasion. As refugees, life was hard but after leaving school he won a place at the University of Southampton becoming a biology teacher and retiring as Assistant Head in 1993, having moved to Livingston, Scotland in 1979. Martin was an acclaimed English long distance athlete who in the 1950s and ’60s competed widely at the top level. His speciality distance was 6 miles (10,000 metres). Highlights of his career included appearances for England in the Commonwealth Games at Cardiff and Perth, and for Britain at the Rome Olympics and European Athletics Championships in Belgrade. In addition, he ran for Great Britain regularly in international matches, captaining the men’s’ team in the early 1960s, and was a multiple British Championships medallist. He is survived by his wife, sons and his brother.
Peter James Rashleigh (KES 43-48) attended St Mark’s Infants School until 1939, when World War 2 broke out. During the war his school was bombed and for two years his education was very limited with home visits by teachers and sharing with other schools. However, despite this, in 1942 he was awarded a scholarship to KES who were, at the time, sharing facilities with Poole Grammar School. This being the case, aged 10, Peter was evacuated to Poole and billeted to Parkstone. Upon leaving KES, Peter worked for the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company for 2 years before completing his National Service in the RAF. In 1952 he began working for Folland Aircraft Company Limited, moved to Esso Petroleum in 1957 and then Hooper & Ashby Ltd in 1961. In the mid-1960s he went to work for Minister Fuels before moving to New Zealand in 1975 where he worked for the Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club in Auckland for over 20 years retiring to Cairns in Australia in 1998. He died in April this year.
Arthur “Roy” Cash (KES 38-46) passed away in September, aged 93, having been ill for some time. Whilst at school he was secretary of the chess club, a capable actor and received his football colours. In 1945 he sat and passed the Higher Certificate in German, History, Latin, French and English Literature despite the disruption of war and subsequent evacuation to Poole. After university, Roy completed his teacher’s training at KES under Dr Stroud in 1953. He then took up a teaching post in the German Department at Bishop’s Vesey School and moved to Sutton Coldfield, later becoming Head of German and then Head of Modern Languages. He remained at
Bishop’s Vesey until he retired. A kind, loving and supportive man with a fun personality and ready smile, he was a regular at the annual Poole Veterans’ reunion lunch. Roy leaves his wife Joan and children Andrew and Carol and will be greatly missed by all that knew him. Air Commodore James Mackereth Stevenson CBE (KES 37-39) passed away peacefully on 28th March this year aged 94. A decorated member of the Royal Air Force, he spent his retirement living in Lincolnshire. His wife, Maxine, predeceased him but he leaves a daughter Michele, two grandsons and a great grand-daughter.
Michael Sergeant (former Head of Maths and Director of Sixth Form at KES) died late last year. He was born and grew up in Aldershot the youngest boy of three. His enthusiasm for education started early. Angry that his older brothers got to go to school and he didn’t, he walked himself there on his own and thus started school a year early. From Farnborough Grammar School, he went on to study mathematics at Southampton university before completing his teacher training. His first post was in Torquay before he arrived at KES where he would teach for 36 years. A patient and calm man who was close to his family, he was a good friend and had many hobbies and interests. He fostered a love of cricket, puzzles, stamp collecting and chess and for many years he ran the school chess club alongside his other responsibilities. He will be hugely missed by his friends and family and died aged 85.
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Choir memories
I was in the choir for my first two years at KES. We were, of course, a secular body but had a significant religious content in our repertoire, and often performed in churches and cathedrals. In addition to the various engagements at school functions during the academic year, we also made trips around the country and abroad. I recall one trip including performances at Llandaff (Cardiff), Hereford and either Gloucester or Worcester cathedrals. We also did a one-off service in the newly consecrated Coventry cathedral. We had a very enjoyable time each Christmas with carol singing performances in front of the Bargate, in department stores, and in various hospitals around the city. A select group of about a dozen or so (goodness knows how I made the cut!) were taken on a magical mystery trip one Christmas. We assembled at the school at the appointed time and were transported by bus to the Town Quay where we boarded a pilot launch and were taken to the Calshot Spit lightship. We sang carols for, and with, the crew who would be stuck on board over Christmas. However, the highlight of my 2 years was an exchange trip to the town of Bad Tölz in Bavaria. After travelling by train to Dover we took the cross-channel ferry to Ostend where we boarded an overnight train to Munich. The carriages were the old corridor and compartment type, with opposing upright seating. Such horizontal time as we had was only made possible by electing some of the smaller choristers to sleep on the overhead luggage racks, thereby creating more space on the seats! Imagine our delight when we arrived at Munich and transferred to a local train with wooden seats. Eventually reaching Bad Tölz, we were billeted out and Adrian Butler and I went to a family who owned a hotel on the main street of the town. We were allocated a room in the attic, and our attempts to grab a few hours of much-needed sleep were thwarted, because whenever we laid down, we could still feel the swaying motion of the trains on which we’d spent most of the previous day and a half. We spent a fabulous few days abroad combining leisure outings with our choral duties. We enjoyed a friendly football match against the host school and also attended an official reception in Munich during which one of the civic dignitaries insisted that we try the local white Bratwurst sausage. The majority of us, who were brought up on Walls pork sausages, found the fatty, spicy German variety distinctly unappetising. Other excursions
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included a day trip across the border to Salzburg and a visit to the spectacular fountains and water gardens of Schloss Linderhof with a short stop in Oberammergau where the famous Passion Play is performed every 10 years. Our choral performances were varied. We spent an exhausting afternoon in a community hall in Munich recording a programme for local radio. Each song had to be repeated at least half a dozen times, either at the behest of the crew in the outside broadcast truck parked alongside the hall, who weren’t satisfied with some technical aspect, or because our choir master, Eric Merriman, didn’t think we had sung it well enough. We also performed a farewell concert in the town hall in Bad Tölz, where the audience were amazed that we could do such a lengthy performance from memory with no ‘crib sheets’. A recital at St Anne’s Church in Augsburg saw the choir accompanied by a famous organist, playing the church’s equally famous organ. I distinctly remember sitting in the choir stalls beneath the organ pipes and feeling my body shake when he thundered through Widor’s ‘Toccata’. A few years later I saw an episode of the famous BBC TV science series Tomorrow’s World, which included an item about random instances of people feeling dizzy and collapsing at a recreation ground in Essex. The cause was pinpointed to neighbouring factory whose manufacturing processes created a pressure wave of very low frequency – about 7-8 Hz. This turned out to be the typical resonant frequency of the innards of the human body and was considered a relevant topic for Tomorrow’s World as the military were rumoured to be investigating the phenomenon as a potential battlefield weapon! Years later, in the internet world, I discovered that the organ in St Anne’s Church was one of a small number in the world that is capable of producing a ‘note’ called C-1 at a frequency of 8 Hz. That is below the threshold of human hearing, but our experience that evening confirmed that it can certainly be felt. Our choir master Eric, was a remarkable man who could persuade boys to willingly engage in demanding practice aimed at near-perfection, without us feeling that we were being pressured or bullied. I treasure to this day the discipline which he instilled in us, and the pleasure and pride which we gained from our experiences.
Graham Hunt (KES 61-69 and Former Head of School)
Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Spor t
Golf Opportunities for OE sport have been relatively limited over the past 12 months. However, despite circumstances, the OE golfers have managed to fit in a handful of events. A team of 4 OEs comprising of Nick Creal, David Creal, Guy Bewick and Rob Putt (former Deputy Head) took part in Ferndown Rotary Club’s charity golf day last summer, which was originally started by the late OE Norman Hendy (KES 5057) whose company, Hendy Group, is the day’s main sponsor. Under the team name The Edwardians, the foursome won the competition and the Norman Hendy Trophy helping to raise over £5000 charity on the day. In June, a group of 7 OEs took to the Red Course at the Berkshire Golf Club. The adverse weather taking place elsewhere avoided the heather and woods of the Ascot area, unlike several golf balls. All the players enjoyed the course with the greens being particularly slick on the day. Nick Creal took the honours with 35 points (11hcp) just ahead of Ian and James Bassett, who scored 34 and 33 points respectively (2 and 3 hcp).
This year’s Triangular Match against the Old Symondians and Old Tauntonians saw the OE team, comprised of Nick Creal, David Creal, Howard Hilliker, Andrew McNaught, Paul Griffiths, Rob Putt, Hardeep Basi and Colin Cross, put up a great fight. Unfortunately, they ultimately lost out by just ½ a point to the Old Symondians whose last player secured 2 points to win them the cup. In October, 14 players visited Corhampton Golf Club to compete for the Wally Kemp and Ray Paull cups. Having feasted on a full English breakfast, the players took to the superbly presented course in slightly misty conditions but this lifted, and some fine golf was played, especially by former Corhampton Junior Captain James Lay. James shot a level par round of 70 for 38 points to win both cups from Nick Creal who shot a round of 80 for 36 points.
2022 Golfing Events April/May (date tbc) Inter House Competition at Rowlands Castle
June (date tbc) The annual Triangular match
3 July 2022 Berkshire blue course
6 October 2022 Corhampton Golf Course Any OEs interested in playing please contact Nick Creal on squealer13@yahoo.com
Hockey In July, an OE boys’ hockey side played the school’s 1st XI. It was a fantastic display of hockey from both teams with KES starting off stronger and the KES 1st team Captain, and England U18 player, Rory, showing his class and ability. However, going in to the break, the teams were level at 3-3. Charlie scored a few quick goals to give the OEs the lead at the start of the second half with James finally finding the goals to put the score out of reach of the school team. The KES team pulled a few goals back but ultimately ran out of time, giving the OE team a well-earned 9-7 victory. The match was followed by a BBQ and drinks. Thanks to everyone who played - it was great to see you all!
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Merchandise The School has a range of Edwardian merchandise for sale. This includes bespoke gold or silver plated cufflinks, (which come in individual presentation boxes and make ideal gifts), school scarves, ties and a number of books on the history of the School. To purchase any of these items please visit the KES PAY section of the main school website. payments.kes.hants.sch.uk/shop
OE Climbing trip This year’s OE climbing trip to Lovaton took place on the first week in September. Accompanied by Mrs Henderson and Mr Havers, the group of climbing enthusiasts headed to Dartmoor for a weekend of challenging climbs. With the average age of OEs being higher this year, the standard of ability was exceptionally high and everyone enjoyed a fabulous weekend of fun, great company and beautiful weather.
Football In September, an OE team, made up predominantly of last year’s leavers, took on the school’s current 1st XI football team in the annual pre-season starter game. It was a great match but the current 1st XI team, maintained possession and composure throughout, to emerge with a 3-1 win. Mr Powell presented the trophy to the school. Better luck next year Edwardians!
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Issue 33 | Autumn 2021 | www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Snippets Josh Blunsden (KES 07-14)
studied chemistry at Oxford University, where he completed a Master’s thesis on the mechanism by which birds use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. He then moved to Imperial College London, where he studied for an MRes in quantum physics and where he is currently doing a PhD, working on a quantum simulator made of ultra-cold molecules.
Arabella Suttie (KES 19-21)
is now playing for Birmingham City Ladies Football Team. At just 18 she has signed a one-season deal following a successful trial under new Blues boss Scott Booth.
Katya Sheath (KES 10-17) has been shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards! Katya completed her degree in illustration at Leeds University last year. We wish her the best of luck in the competition.
Simon Williamson (KES 90-94)
ran his 100th marathon in 8 years in September raising over £12,000 in aid of Parkinson’s UK. This is a charity close to Simon’s heart as his mother has suffered from the disease for many years. Over 300 people ran at the Awbridge Runfest to support Simon in his goal, including Simon’s son, who is a current Year 8 KES pupil.
Andrew Earnshaw (KES 70-72) is
trying to track down John Wallis (KES 6572). If anyone knows of his whereabouts or has his contact details, please contact the Development Office.
Will Barker (KES 13-20) completed
a Gap Year Commission with the REME regiment. He was commissioned at Sandhurst last November and has been based for the last year at Leuchers in Scotland, although he travelled to several overseas destinations whilst on training operations. Will is moving on to university this year to study engineering.
Joe Weatherley (KES 08-15)
Ananth Sathyanath (KES 10-17)
appeared on this season’s run of BBC1’s University Challenge representing King’s College London where he is currently studying medicine. The team progressed through the first rounds and will soon appear again in round 2.
received his county cap from Hampshire earlier this month and won white-ball batter of the year in the end of season awards. He scored 410 runs with a strike rate of more than 141.
Phil Joslin (KES 58-65) has just
completed his 4th marathon at the age of 74. Phil started running aged 55 and between 2010 and 2021 has run the Edinburgh, South Downs, Milton Keynes and London marathons.
Katie Mote (KES 12-17) studied
Primary Education at Durham University graduating in 2020. She has recently started her first teaching job at a school in Totton in the Reception class.
Beth Rose (KES 07-14) completed
a sponsored cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats earlier this year - a distance of approximately 1100 miles. She cycled alone, carrying her tent and everything else she needed. Beth was sponsored by Sustrans as she was using the Sustrans National and Regional Cycle Network as much as possible, whilst raising money for the charity at the same time.
J M Thompson (KES 82-87) is a Sasha Koushk-Jalali (KES 99-06)
plays tuba in the Septura brass septet. Septura brings together London’s leading players to redefine brass chamber music through the uniquely expressive sound of the brass septet. They have released a new CD celebrating the music of Gershwin and Copland.
clinical psychologist. His book ‘Running is a kind of dreaming’ is published in the UK this month by HarperCollins.
Julian Sutton (KES 78-85)
participated in his 4th London Marathon in October which was officially a record breaker for the most users (37,966) to run a remote marathon in 24 hours.
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King Edward VI School Wilton Road Southampton SO15 5UQ Tel 023 8070 4561 Fax 023 8070 5937 Email enquiries@kes.hants.sch.uk www.kes.hants.sch.uk