Founded 1553
KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL SOUTHAMPTON
ANNUAL REVIEW 2014 Contents Head’s Report
Julian Thould looks back on another successful year for King Edward’s
Chairman’s Report
The Chairman of Governors, Brian Gay, gives an update on new faces and new buildings at King Edward’s
Culture
The latest news surrounding drama, music and art at King Edward’s
Sport & Co-Curricular
Activities and achievements in the past year
Charities, Trips & Visits At home and away
ANNUAL REVIEW 2014
Staff
Welcomes, moves and farewells
Head’s Report The academic year 2013/4 has seen a number of significant developments. We began with 975 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 a refurbished School Hall and Tower, a new fitness facility and a new viewing gallery at Wellington. At Stroud, our preparatory school, new classrooms and a dining hall have been completed. Further detail is provided in the Chairman’s report. Our students have enjoyed another very good set of academic results with 88% of A2 grades at A*, A and B and three quarters of all grades at IGCSE at A* and A. We were also particularly pleased with our Oxbridge admissions results. Twelve students have been offered places this year continuing the School’s five year average of 11% of the year group going to these two universities. Over 80% of our students will proceed to universities in the Russell Group. We were delighted to welcome Dr Marek Ziebart, Professor of Space Geodesy and Director of the Space Geodesy and Navigation Laboratory at University College, London as our Chief Guest at Speech Day in 2013. He has worked a lot with NASA and was well worth hearing. This has been an excellent sporting year with the largest number of pupils representing the School for many years. In boys’ sport the rugby season has enjoyed impressive results with particular success for the U12, U14 and U15 teams. The U16s won twelve out of thirteen matches and had a successful county final. The 1st XV had a tougher season but their commitment and determination has been commendable. Rugby 7s have seen some encouraging performances. In boys’ hockey, large numbers have been involved. The U13, U14 and U16 A teams all reached the regional stages of the national cup whilst the U15 A team won all of their matches and the 1st XI made it to the last 32 in the country in their knock out cup. In cricket the school sides had to contend with very difficult weather conditions with many matches lost to the rain. However the U13, U14 and U15 teams all reached their county finals, with success for the U13 and U14s,
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while there were some other notable successes including an excellent 1st XI performance against the MCC. We have had one of the most successful girls’ hockey seasons in recent years. The U15 side won nine of their eleven games, whilst the U12, U13, U14 and 1st XI all competed at regional level. The 1st XI were also very successful on their circuit with many notable victories and emphatic wins against strong local opposition. In netball the U14 team qualified for regional finals and the U15s were successful, winning seven of their nine matches. The U16 B team only lost one match and the 1st team were impressive winning eight of their nine games. In rounders the teams had to contend with challenging weather for much of the season but, with more sunshine towards the end of term, a number of impressive victories were gained. The highlight of the season was the U13 tournament hosted by KES for a number of our feeder schools. The tennis season for both boys and girls was also subject to a damp early summer although there have been a number of individual successes. The U13 boys’ team did well with the KES pair coming third in the county U16 Doubles Championships. The footballers had a successful season, winning ten out of their fifteen fixtures reaching the semi-final in the cup. In basketball the Senior Colts’ team and the Senior team both played well against tough opposition whilst the U12 table tennis team finished 2nd in the tough Southampton Schools’ League. The rhythmic gymnasts had another very successful National Schools’ Championship finishing with two national team titles, as well as a large number of individual gold, silver and bronze medals. A large number of individuals have achieved outstanding individual honours at regional and national level in a wide range of sports including athletics, archery, biathlon, fencing, rowing, sailing, swimming, and squash. The number of visits the School organises each year continues to grow
Head of Charities. Mr Watson, who joined in the same year, has moved to Fettes as Deputy Director of Music having also served as Head of Watts and we also grateful to Mrs Naylor after three years teaching Economics as she moves to Switzerland.
and is a major part of our educational provision. This year KES students have enjoyed visits to the USA, South Africa, Morocco, Prague, Istanbul, Madagascar, Sweden, Spain, France and Germany. These have ranged from diving in the Indian Ocean to kayaking around islands in the Baltic. Closer to home students have participated in historical visits to the French First and Second World War battlefields, skiing in Serre Chevalier, language exchanges and study visits to Angers, Mutterstadt, Salamanca and Santander and trips across the UK from regular theatre and music visits to London, to geography and biology field trips to Swansea and Dale Fort. Hundreds of our students have made excellent use of the New Forest and our facility at Lovaton on Dartmoor for Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions. The arts have had a high profile with regular occasions such as the Carol Service at St Mary’s and Thanksgiving interspersed with a wide range of concerts, with the highlight being an evening event at Turner Sims. Drama has been busy with a number of productions including ‘Grease’ and ‘A Handbag’ as well as numerous Junior Drama Club events including a production of traditional folk tales. The Annual Art Exhibition was one of the most impressive we have had with a very imaginative use of the squash courts as a gallery. Charitable and community work has long had considerable prominence at King Edward’s. In the past year over £26,000 has been raised by the students themselves for a range of different organisations including our Summer Camp for Southampton Young Carers, the Goedgedacht Trust near Cape Town and our partnership with St Mark’s Junior School at Lovaton on Dartmoor. Dozens of volunteers 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 Activities Day for local primary schools as a part of the Endeavour programme. We have been very well served by Julia Roope as Head of School over the last year, ably supported by her deputies, Tom Durham, Liberty Roberts and Joshua Blunsden. 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 team work and communication skills. We have had a number of staff leaving King Edward’s this year with some notable retirements after long service. Mr Putt has retired after serving as an outstanding Deputy Head (Registrar) with over thirty-seven years’ teaching at the School. Miss Peachment has moved to refurbish her house in Cornwall after over twenty years at the School, most notably as Head of Girls’ Games. Mr Kelsey has retired after eleven years, serving five years as Head of Religious Studies and also teaching classics. Dr Leaman has been appointed as Director of Music at Blundell’s after ten years here and we will particularly miss his compositional skills, Mrs Cottrell-Ferrat is moving to a post at Abingdon School after nine years having made a notable contribution as a very effective Head of Partnerships and Mrs Parkyn has been appointed to the Headship of Mayville High School after five years as our Head of Modern and Classical Languages. Dr Sinnett-Jones is moving to Thailand after four years, making a real impact as a mathematics and physics teacher, Head of Lake and
We are also thankful to Miss Ibañez Manzano (Spanish) and Mrs Kent (PE) who have each served shorter periods at the School and thank other staff who have assisted this year on short term contracts. Amongst the non-teaching staff particular note must be made of the contribution of Mrs Putt as the Registrar’s PA for a decade. Mr Jarvis and Mr Parris worked very effectively as IT classroom support technicians and Mrs Kemp, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Cook, Mrs Shaw, Mrs Bloom and Miss Roberts all made very useful contributions in administration and reception. KES PTA has prospered under the direction of Mrs Sansome and Mrs Morgan. We are very grateful for their support for a range of activities from music and kayaking to the partfunding of a youth worker in South Africa. Our alumni have enjoyed numerous reunions organised by our Development Officer, Ms Hooper, with much useful work completed by our King Edward VI Foundation to help students applying to King Edward’s from disadvantaged backgrounds. King Edward’s has had a very successful year offering its students a very wide range of activities, visits, sport and cultural opportunities so that they emerge from School with enviable teamwork and leadership skills tempered with a strong conscience and a firm commitment to the wider community. They continue to be the School’s finest ambassadors.
AJ Thould Head
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Head of School
Chairman’s Report As I come to the end of the seven years I have spent at King Edward’s, I look back with only affection at all the opportunities KES has given me to be a part of its community, to participate in exciting and challenging activities and to learn in a stimulating and inspiring way.
“I have truly loved my time at King Edward’s”
The vast array of activities on offer is a testament to how rounded the School is. Playing in the sports teams has been a hugely important and enjoyable part of my time here and it feels odd to think that I will not be part of the annual Spring Concert, Sports Day, or a theatre production again. In their regularity, it can be easy to almost let such events pass you by without appreciating just how enriching they are; allowing students to explore, develop and showcase their talents. KES is not, however, a school about showing off. More often than not, students participate in the likes of music, sport and local primary school partnerships just to enjoy that activity with their peers. It is this attitude that creates the friendly, busy, inclusive atmosphere that I love being part of. My trip to South Africa last summer with a group of Sixth Formers was an unforgettable experience. We were fortunate enough to spend time with people of all ages from an impoverished and rural background. I learnt a great deal about how being in a community with people is so valuable, and the trip highlighted to all of us the importance of humility. Along with all the other charity projects King Edward’s is involved with, locally and abroad, experiences like this have given me the chance to broaden my perception of the world and gain so much more from being at School besides examination qualifications. I have truly loved my time at King Edward’s and am so thankful for the strong foundation it has given me for the future but it is the feeling of belonging that has made starting each new school day a pleasure, and never a chore.
Julia Roope
Head of School
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Having previously gone through a number of years of significant building activity at Hill Lane, the last couple of years have been a period of relative quiet, although small improvements on this site have continued during 2013/14. We have installed new energy efficient, brighter lighting in the Sports Hall, we have completely re-laid the inner quadrangle including new furniture provided by KES PTA and following the winter storms and a huge ingress of water into the second squash court, this required major structural work to the roof. It is now being converted into two levels with a fitness suite on the ground floor and Sports Department offices on the new second floor. At the same time, our extensive maintenance programme keeps our facilities in first class order with particular attention having been needed on the clock tower and the 450th anniversary stained glass window, again primarily due to the extremely wet winter we all experienced this year. The School Hall has been redecorated in brighter colours during the summer break and the floor completely refurbished providing a much needed overhaul to this key area in our School’s daily life. The coming year will finally see us move forward with the plans to which I have referred in the last two reviews, with regard to the enlargement of the Dobson Theatre, the Art Department and the Sixth Form Concourse. This is a major project which may have to be undertaken over several years, both to spread the very significant cost, but also to avoid as much disruption as possible to normal school activities. An architect has been appointed and by the time this report is published, the detailed designs will have been agreed by the various departments affected by this major building project. The key aim is to provide a theatre with a capacity in excess of 400 seats that can also be used for a number of other activities. At Wellington, the departure of Portsmouth Football Club ensured the whole of the thirty-three acre sports ground was returned solely for use by the School. This enabled us to create additional parking spaces which also improved the appearance of the site to visitors. To this end, we also erected new, improved, signage which now incorporates the Stroud name. As our prep school, pupils from Stroud are
making increased use of this facility for their sports provision. The area directly in front of the pavilion has been turned into two excellent rugby pitches for the autumn term and a professionally-laid ten wicket cricket square has been established between them for the summer, with first usage expected in 2015 once it has bedded in. In my last review, I mentioned the possibility of a spectators’ viewing area as an addition to the pavilion. A design has been agreed and, subject to planning approval, this should be created at first floor level during the October half-term. At the same time, the outdated windows will be replaced by new thermally efficient ones, and the pavilion itself will be redecorated. Our Rural Studies Centre at Lovaton on Dartmoor is in very good order, although the cottage itself, which is grade II listed, needed some extra attention during the last year. We continue with regular visits to Lovaton, not only for Duke of Edinburgh activities, but for other team-building or educational purposes and it certainly stands out as an unusual facility for a school like ours. I am delighted to be able to say that we continue to be very pleased with progress since our acquisition of Stroud School two years ago. There is now considerable contact between staff members at both schools and I believe both sides have benefited from this, as we anticipated would be the case. We have also experienced an increased demand for places at Stroud which has enabled us to agree plans for the construction of a new dining and kitchen facility together with three new classrooms. These buildings have been designed to be ecologically friendly and take advantage of the site contours. They are scheduled for completion in time for the start of the autumn term and will be a major enhancement to Stroud’s current facilities. Within the KES Governing body there has been only one change. Dominik Holyer, who joined us with Stroud, has stepped down due to business commitments. We have, however, been able to recruit an excellent replacement in the form of Dr Nick England who recently retired as the Head of Ryde School, an independent school on the Isle of Wight with pupils from 3 to 18 years old. Dr
England will take over the Chair of the Education and Academic Standards sub-committee from Dr Roger Buchanan, who has very ably led that committee in two separate periods for a total of six years. Dr Buchanan will continue as a Governor maintaining his particular interests in IT and our PSHE education. The Governors are a key part of the leadership of our two schools and I would like to thank them for their continued support and involvement in so many of the School’s activities. I normally leave comments with regard to staff to the Head but I feel I must refer to the retirement during the year of a very longstanding member of the School - our Deputy Head (Registrar) Rob Putt. Rob has given outstanding service to the School for nearly thirty-eight years, the last eleven of them as Registrar. In this role he has been the main point of contact for new parents, pupils and our feeder schools, additionally during that time becoming a Governor of Prince’s Mead School near Winchester. His wife, Jackie, after a short absence, rejoined KES in 2003 as his PA and has now also retired. I would like to thank them both for the huge contribution they have made to our current success - King Edward’s is essentially full - and wish them well for the future.
the arts, and in the multitude of cocurricular activities in which so many of our pupils participate. We are also financially secure - an aspect of the School very closely monitored by the Governors’ Finance Committee, and with a solid intake of new students this September - maintaining our numbers at around 975. There is also a firm indication from the enquiries we receive that this level will continue for the foreseeable future.
Mr B Gay
Chair of Governors
The King Edward VI Foundation, under the enthusiastic guidance of Suzanne Hooper, continues to develop a greater following, particularly amongst older Edwardians who appreciate the start in life which the School gave to them, in most instances with their education being provided free due to our status, at that time, as a direct grant school. Regular annual gatherings of older alumni now take place at School, such as the Poole Veterans, so called because they were evacuated to Poole during World War II, and the William Capon Legacy Club made up of those who have donated or pledged legacies to the Foundation. Suzanne has also organised reunions both at School and around the country for other groups who have attended KES at various times. I am pleased to be able to conclude my review by confirming that our school continues to be in excellent health, academically, in sport and 5
Academic Progress The School began the year with 975 pupils on roll and a ratio of 60% boys to 40% girls. We have enhanced the School’s reputation for academic success with another set of impressive A level, GCSE and IGCSE results. In 2014, 87.7% of King Edward’s students passed their A levels with grades at A*, A or B with over 25% at A*. 44% of students gained 3 A grades or more. 98.7% of all GCSEs and IGCSEs awarded were at grade C or above with 74.4% of all grades at A* and A. 93% of all grades were awarded at A*, A or B. 100% of students obtained 5 GCSE passes (including IGCSE mathematics and English) the usual Department for Education measure of high standards, although this is not currently given official recognition in the government’s league tables for examinations taken at IGCSE. These results have ensured that our students have been able to proceed to a range of competitive institutions in Higher Education with 81.3% of our students holding offers from the UK’s top 25 universities. 93% gained places at their chosen universities and twelve students were offered places at either Oxford or Cambridge, representing just under 10% of the total number of applications.
A Level Results 2014 40
Percentage
30 20 10 0
A*
A
B
C
D
E
U
D
E
F
A Level Grades
IGCSE and GCSE Results 2014 40
Percentage
30 20 10 0
A*
A
B
93% CF/CI Places Other University placement or PQA
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C
IGCSE and GCSE Grades
Students placed in The Times top 25 ranking universities* Students in other HE institutions including music & art
*As quoted in the Times Good University Guide for the year the application was made.
“the KES PTA raises substantial funds”
KES PTA The Parent Teacher Association has undergone somewhat of a ‘rebranding’ this academic year. Its name has changed from KESSOC to KES PTA and its sub-groups have been consolidated.
volunteers to run the shop this year and there is a steady flow of clothes going in and out. Sincere thanks to Sophie Liardet, Erica Roberts and to Sharon John for their continued support of these activities.
The Social Committee, in fulfilling its role as a social conduit for the KES community, hosted its first event in November, the New Parents’ Wine Tasting which provided an opportunity for new parents to meet. In March the annual Quiz Night was contested between 300+ parents and friends in the Main Hall and in May we held our 5th Annual Lecture; Peter Jones (former KES staff member) delivered a fascinating insight into the lives of five members of the KES community who died during the First World War. In 2015 we look forward to hosting the ‘The Stars & Stripes Ball’ on July 4th! We are grateful to all Social Committee members for their unwavering and invaluable support.
Through its various activities, the KES PTA raises substantial funds, some of which are directly contributed to the school’s Charities Commission. The remainder, together with accumulated funds from previous years, is used to enhance the School’s activities, particularly co-curricular ones. This
year we have bought a bespoke PA system, props and staging for theatre productions, kayaking equipment, a vehicle for the Green Power Racing Team, a model aeroplane for the DT Department and a defibrillator training device for the First Aid Club! I would like to thank all those who have supported us over the past year and would urge parents to get involved and join in, whenever they can.
Lorraine Morgan Chair of KES PTA
The Prayer Group continues to flourish under the leadership of Erica Roberts, and their meetings are well attended by both parents and staff. OBNO (Outgrown But Not Outworn) has also recruited a number of additional
This year there have been fifteen OE sporting and reunion events that have been enjoyed by Edwardians of varying ages.
The Edwardian Society
On the sporting front the Edwardian girls’ hockey team played their annual match against the KES 1st XI on the first weekend of the new academic year settling for a draw in the final stages of the match. The Edwardian boys’ hockey team (the strongest we have seen in some years) also played the KES senior team in the spring and were pleased to steal a second consecutive victory from the School. In March the sun shone for the KES v Edwardians netball match that ended in a win for the KES senior girls’ team and golfers of all ages and abilities have enjoyed the four annual events organised by the golfing section. Those representing the School in the annual Triangular Match against the Old Tauntonians and Old Symondians were extremely pleased and proud to retain the trophy for KES for the third year running, something that has never before been achieved since the inaugural match in 1949.
There has been an increased number of social events over the past twelve months with reunions attracting attendees from as far away as Thailand and the Middle East. In all cases, those returning to the School, some after many years, have been impressed by the new facilities but also keen to reminisce about their experiences whilst at KES. In March, the Charing Cross Hotel was the venue for the London Universities Reunion and our annual Poole Veterans’ and Pre-1939 Leavers’ luncheons were very much enjoyed by our older alumni. We continue to raise the profile of the King Edward VI Foundation raising money for our bursary funds in order that as many talented children as possible, regardless of financial circumstances, can benefit from a King Edward’s education. A growing number of Edwardians and other friends of the School have supported this initiative over the past year and in recognition of their generosity a thank you dinner was held in June.
Suzanne Hooper
Development Officer
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Drama
Art The Drama Department has been busier than ever this year with six full scale productions, numerous GCSE and A Level performance evenings, thirteen trips to London and local theatres, two workshops with visiting theatre companies as well as lunchtime clubs in stage make-up, improvisation, technical aspects of theatre, New Views Playwriting club and Junior Drama Club. ‘Grease’ was definitely the word in the autumn term when the cast and crew of 100 pupils transformed the School Hall into an American High School for a week complete with bleacher seating and neon lights. Under the direction of Mrs Piggott and the musical direction of Mrs Freemantle the energy and talent of the cast brought the house down as they performed to sell out audiences every night. In February the Sixth Form-directed play, ‘A Handbag’ by Anthony Horowitz, chilled audiences with its theme whilst in June, the Junior Drama Club pupils performed an evening of folk and fairy tales that really was ‘An Enchanted Evening’.
“Grease was definitely the word in the autumn term”
The GCSE and A Level exam pupils entertained on numerous evenings with a wide range of productions and the GCSE classes performed their devised pieces and extracts from an eclectic range of plays from all eras. The Third Years produced three excellent plays from the National Theatre Connections series that showcased the breadth of talent in three hard-hitting modern dramas. The quality of acting was exceptional and audiences were moved by the maturity with which pupils engaged with the characters and the situations. LAMDA lessons were introduced successfully in the summer term and have proved very popular with First to Third years. We also had success with two of our young playwrights being nominated for the National Theatre’s New Views Playwriting competition long list; a great achievement.
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The Art Department has seen another busy year with the high standard of artwork always impressing staff and visitors. The Upper Sixth artists have shown they are artistically ambitious and the Lower Sixth have also impressed with their range of work. The photographers have also produced some lovely images and have shown a real eye for ‘making’ a good photograph as well as realising there is always a potential for wider context. The GCSE classes have yet again produced a fantastic range of work with their sketchbooks really embracing the opportunity to experiment with a wide range of material. Their examination pieces were equally confident. We continue to host partnership workshops with Highfield and Springhill primary schools. This year a fantastic group of Third Year girls have helped run things and their enthusiasm and care for our young guests was exceptional and a real credit to the School. There have been trips to the Tate galleries and the Royal Academy as well as a Sixth Form master class day with photographer Martin Parr and painter
Music KES musicians have had another action-packed year that began with a performance of Fauré’s ‘Requiem’ in St Mary’s Church. The choir, under the baton of Mr Watson, sang with great vitality and energy and brought this serene yet powerful music to life. Many musicians were in action amongst the cast and band of Grease, which played to sell-out audiences for four performances in December and the combined choirs also led the singing at the Carol Service at St Mary’s Church in December where a wide variety of carols complemented the traditional Christmas readings. The first of this year’s two Spring Concerts was held in the Dobson Theatre in February where over 100 young musicians from the Lower School, supported by a few Fourth Years, played a programme of lively items. The second event was held at Turner Sims in March and showcased the School’s advanced musicians in the Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Big Band and Chamber Choir. Music ranged from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony and Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano Concerto to Billy Strayhorn’s ‘Take the A Train’. There were a number of outstanding solos and chamber items to complete the programme. Lisa Milroy. Life drawing for the Sixth Form proved popular again with artist Chris Wood showing how to both record accurately and draw freely. All this creativity culminated in the Annual Art Exhibition. This year, as a one off special, we took over the squash courts and turned one of them into a gallery. The other court with its glass back was the ideal venue to project over sixty images of sketchbook pages and photographs. The overall result felt very contemporary with many commenting on how it felt like a professional gallery.
In addition to the large-scale concerts there have been a number of successful year group and ‘Listen While you Lunch’ concerts throughout the year. Rock bands were seen in action at the annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ event and musicians have enjoyed inspiring and educational workshops ranging from master classes with pianist Philip Jenkins and flautist Ian Clarke to a Music Technology conference in London.
A level musicians travelled to Berlin for a mini music tour where they heard the world class Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera and visited an authentic Berlin jazz club. Closer to home the School’s flute trio reached the final of the National Chamber Music Competition and several individuals won prizes at the Southampton Festival of Music and Drama. At the end of the year we said goodbye to Dr Leaman and Mr Watson wishing them success and happiness in their
new posts. Their contribution to KES music has been truly outstanding and they will be greatly missed by all.
“KES musicians have had another actionpacked year”
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Sport Sport continues to play a significant part in the co-curricular life of the School and the Saturday block fixtures provide an important opportunity for sporting involvement. This year sixteen sports were available for students of a range of abilities to play competitively, as well as there being a large number of recreational clubs and activities which challenge the individual. In addition to this, thriving House competitions provide another sporting outlet for all students.
A number of our teams and individuals have had great success beyond the already challenging fixture list. The rhythmic gymnasts once again won national titles, boys’ and girls’ hockey teams competed well at regional level, the U16 rugby team won the County Cup for the first time in a number of years and several cricket teams are involved in later rounds of the cup. The cross country runners and the table tennis team were successful in the Southampton Schools’ league and our U13 boys’ tennis team won all their group Aegon Cup matches.
From an individual perspective there are international performers in sailing, taekwondo, archery, cricket, hockey, diving, fencing, swimming and athletics within the KES community. In addition, a considerable number of students show their enthusiasm for sport through involvement outside of School whether that be at club, county or regional levels. Wellington Sports Ground provides our students with playing surfaces that are the envy of many and there are further developments planned to the pavilion to increase the capacity. The sporting facilities on the Hill Lane site are also being expanded and there is great excitement about the development of the new fitness and training facilities that will be used to better prepare our athletes. Sport is thriving with a number of talented staff committing a lot of time to delivering an excellent range of sporting opportunities for all students.
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Co-Curricular The multitude of clubs and societies have ensured that the School remains a hive of activity well after the bell at the end of each day.
House Poetry Reading Competition and the Greenpower Challenge, where students raced the endurance racing car around the school grounds.
KES PTA have continued to offer support, in particular through funding improvements to the Greenpower endurance racing car and also enabling the purchase of much of the essential electrical kit for the British Model Flying Association Electric Lift Challenge.
The very extensive partnerships programme has gone from strength to strength. The increasing prominence of the partnerships programme has resulted in the appointment of a new student position, Head of Partnerships, who will have the same standing as a Prepositor.
The Debating and Public Speaking Club have had their busiest year to date, taking on and beating opposition from a number of high profile schools as well as a number of university students. The Allen Grant Trophy was once again hotly contested but due to the early end of term was not awarded before the end of the academic year. Students from all Houses have shown fantastic spirit in the usual mix of sporting and non-sporting competitions. New additions to the inter-House competitions this year have included the very successful
Endeavour This year saw the launch of the new Endeavour programme. Rather than the Activities Day that has taken place in the past, the whole school took two days off timetable to work towards specific goals within their year groups. The First Years focussed on INDEPENDENCE with a two day camping residential. The Second Years improved their CONFIDENCE abroad in Normandy, with heights, water and behind the lens. The Third Years worked
on COLLABORATION skills in the Dragons’ Den. The Fourth Years showed their COMMUNITY spirit hosting 200 students from our partnership schools. Lower Sixth Formers developed SELF IMPROVEMENT on a range of activities and trips including visiting CERN and the Large Hadron Collider.
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Trips & Visits Over 150 trips have been run from the School this year. As ever, these have catered for a very wide variety of interests and while many support the academic learning of our students, there has also been a huge variety of opportunities for students to engage in activities which develop their confidence, skills and wider understanding of the world around them. In addition to our regular exchanges and language trips to Germany, France and Spain, the cultural exchange with Charlotte remains a popular and valuable opportunity for students from our Third Year and this year we also added a second cultural exchange to Pribram in the Czech Republic. Together with the regular field trips ranging from visits within Southampton to the Pembrokeshire Coast and North Yorkshire, we have continued to have a very full schedule of Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. Our musicians managed to squeeze a trip to Berlin into their busy schedules and our classicists visited Istanbul. The Third Year trip to Morocco ran successfully for a second time and this trip seems to have given
a real boost to numbers wishing to sign up for future Sixth Form expeditions. Operation Wallacea took a group of our Sixth Form students to the jungles and reefs of Madagascar. The Duke of Edinburgh Award has maintained its very prominent position for students in the Upper School and Sixth Form, with in excess of eighty awards having been made this year. The variety and number of opportunities on offer at King Edward’s is one of the qualities that we feel distinguishes us from other schools. Whilst this places a significant workload on our staff, in addition to their teaching and pastoral duties, the understanding of the value of such experiences in terms of the students’ development means that the time is given willingly.
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Charities This has been another fun-filled and busy year for the Charities Commission with events, big and small, allowing all members of the KES community to get involved in raising money for local, national and international charities. The year kicked off with our annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal and pupil, staff and parent generosity was again overwhelming. Thereafter, and throughout the year, a number of large scale events have also taken place. These have included the annual Burns Night Supper for the South Africa Goedgedacht project which raised £3,600, the First Year Toy Appeal fun run which generated an incredible £2,160 through sponsorship, enabling 200 presents to be bought for local children who may not otherwise get a gift at Christmas, and the 24 hour Summer Camp Rowathon that brought in £900. The Carol Service collection amassed £700 that was donated to New Forest Nightstop, an organisation which enables homeless young people to access safe, free, emergency accommodation in the local area and ticket sales from the ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition brought in a further £740. The Krispy Kreme doughnut sales remain as popular as ever and have generated £1,300 this year whilst a further £1,400 was also raised for Typhoon Haiyan Appeal and donated to Oxfam and the Disasters Emergency Committee in equal parts. Other pupil run events have included non-uniform days, the sale of roses and bears for Valentine’s Day, a ‘KES does Countdown’ competition, ‘Innuendo Bingo’, the sale of Advent
calendars, ‘Children in Need’ stalls, dodgeball and football tournaments, an Easter egg raffle, the retail of school honey, Christmas stalls and many other imaginative events. The Charities Commission has also supported mental health awareness days and World Aids Day and, through former pupil Joanna Reid (née Hutton) working out in Uganda, well over fifty hats were either donated or knitted for premature babies on the neonatal ward.
“All money raised is donated to a variety of charities”
The team have worked immensely hard to ensure that events are successfully run throughout the year, in addition to helping support the school run the Goedgedacht and Summer Camp projects. All money raised is donated to a variety of charities and charitable groups that have been put forward by staff, parents and members of the Charities Commission.
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Staff Miss Peachment was appointed to her post at KES in 1993, one year before girls arrived in the First Year. She set up much of the current girls’ sports provision and programme and has been outstanding in her organisational abilities; she was also utterly reliable and hardworking. She has been an excellent tutor and as a PE teacher she has always aimed to get the best from her students whilst ensuring they also enjoy their involvement in sport. She has been fully involved in school life taking part in nine ski trips, a number of Spanish trips and sports tours including the world tour 2003. We wish her all the best as she embarks on a house renovation project in Cornwall and indulges in her passion for DIY and photography.
Mr Putt was appointed to teach Mathematics in September 1976 and was one of the last members of staff appointed when KES was still a state grammar school. In 1985 he was appointed to the position of Head of First Year and then promoted to Head of Lower School in 1994, until in 2003 he took on the senior role of Assistant Head, Registrar. In 2012 he became Deputy Head, Registrar and took on the role as the principal link between Stroud and King Edward’s during the merger of the two schools. He successfully ran the 1st XI cricket team for nineteen years and has been involved in countless numbers of school trips and organised cricket tours at home and abroad. He has been a key member of the SMT and Cabinet and retires after nearly 38 years of service. His calm nature and friendly and approachable manner ensure that he will be sorely missed as a friend and colleague.
Mrs Parkyn joined King Edward’s in 2009. She studied Modern Languages at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and for a second MA at UCL before starting her teaching career at St Benedict’s School, Ealing following the completion of her PGCE. She also worked at Bedales School before taking up the post of Head of Faculty at KES. A committed teacher, she has led the faculty through a period of restructure as well as taking part in a range of co-curricular language trips. She has an impressive grasp of educational trends and curriculum management. Mrs Parkyn leaves KES to take up a headship at an independent day school in Southsea. We wish her all the best.
Dr Leaman joined the School in 2004 as a Music Technology teacher to establish the A Level course and the school Recording Studio. In 2010 he became Deputy Director of Music, expanding his teaching to embrace all year groups and becoming a Sixth Form tutor. He is an exceptional teacher and musician and has directed the Big Band, Sax Choir, Telemann Octet, Sax Quartet and Symphonic Winds. He has written many compositions for public concerts and services and collaborated on ‘Einstein the Musical’ and ‘That Certain Uncertainty’ with Mr Herklots. He has participated in music tours and other cocurricular trips and we wish him well as he leaves us for Blundell’s School Tiverton, where he takes up the post as Director of Music.
Mr Kelsey joined in 2003 and has served as Head of Religious Studies as well as being a renowned teacher of Classics. He has brought to the classroom not only a profound knowledge of the Classics but a sense of wonder for all that they entail. His gentle and considered manner has made him a wonderful colleague and teacher and he has enabled his students to progress with enjoyment and good humour. He has participated in a number of school trips, including visits to Greece and Rome where he proved an extremely useful guide to the sites. He is sadly retiring earlier than planned due to ill health.
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Mrs Naylor joined the School in September 2011 as a part-time member of the Economics Department. She has taught both Economics and Business Studies with real enthusiasm and energy in the classroom and students have benefited greatly from her thorough preparation, subject expertise and commitment. Mrs Naylor has enhanced the cocurricular provision with her ballroom dancing tuition that has been enjoyed by many. We wish her luck as she moves to Switzerland with her family. Mrs Evans has worked as the KES biology technician for eight years. As well as her support of the Department, ensuring that students and teachers have all that is needed for their lessons, she has also assisted in the nurses’ room, sung in the adult choir and helped out with many Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. She leaves us to lead the team of biology technicians at Barton Peveril College.
Mrs Putt joined the staff at KES for the second time in 2003 as PA to the Registrar having previously worked in the library. For nearly eleven years she formed the KES Admissions Team along with Mr Putt, her husband. Mrs Putt would often be the first point of contact for new parents and has always dealt with all applicant queries with understanding and patience. Her organisational skills are outstanding and her thoroughness has ensured the smooth and efficient running of the detailed admissions process. The role of the Registrar’s PA cannot be underestimated and Mrs Putt has dealt with the entry of nearly 2,000 KES pupils with diplomacy, empathy and professionalism. After 38 years of association with KES. through family and work, we wish her well in her retirement.
Miss Ibañez Manzano is leaving KES after just two years having worked as a Spanish Language Assistant during her first year contributing enormously to the conversational skills of the students. During her short time at KES she has helped organise the Salamanca trip for the Sixth Form and accompanied the Catalonia trip for the First and Second Years. She leaves us to teach in a secondary school in the centre of Madrid. Mrs Cottrell-Ferrat joined King Edward’s in 2006, having spent a year at the School working as a French Assistant in 2002. She quickly gained a reputation as a highly effective, innovative and inspirational teacher of French (German and Spanish) and has been a valued and supportive colleague who has outstanding organisational skills. She has helped to lead the French Sixth Form Exchange for the last eight years and was instrumental in setting up the current exchange to Angers. Mrs CottrellFerrat has been a caring tutor and has also worked as ICT Link, Teaching and Learning Link and recently as the Partnership Co-ordinator. We wish her well in her new post at Abingdon School.
Mrs Kemp joined King Edward’s in September 2012 as the Head’s Executive Assistant. She embraced this pivotal role and her organisational skills and capable nature ensured she became a key part of the administration team. Unfortunately she had to leave her post in 2013 due to ill health and we were very sad to see her go. Mrs Holmes started at KES in March 2013 and quickly became a valued member of the administration team. A keen netball player, she completed training to become an umpire and regularly assisted the Sports Department with Saturday fixtures. She leaves KES for a new job in the NHS and we wish her well. Mrs Shaw joined the School in May 2013 on a temporary contract and held the position of Head’s Executive Assistant for nine months. She had never worked in education before and did a wonderful job getting to know the vagaries of working in a busy secondary school. We are very grateful for all that she has done for King Edward’s and wish her well for the future.
Dr Sinnett-Jones joined King Edward’s in 2010 bringing lots of enthusiasm, energy and innovation to the Maths Department. She has been widely involved in the co-curricular side of the School accompanying the Charlotte Exchange, ski trip and watersports trip and running the expedition to Morocco. She coordinated the Summer Camp for three years and started the ‘Battle of the Bands’ and the ‘24 hour Rowathon’ fundraising initiatives. She has also coached a netball team every year. In 2013 she became Charities Commission Co-ordinator and also undertook a set of thirteen physical challenges to raise money for Southampton Young Carers. Her contribution to the School over the last four years has been immense. She will be sorely missed but we wish her all the best for her new adventure teaching in Thailand.
Mrs Cook joined the Music Department in 2011 as Music Administrator and during her two years in the post she looked after the team of twenty-six visiting Music teachers. She also assisted with concert days and Open Evening and her cheerful, efficient manner and excellent organisational skills ensured everything ran smoothly.
Mr Watson joined the School in 2010 as an NQT. He is an outstanding teacher and musician and has directed First Year Choir, Sinfonietta, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir and the Adult Choir during his time at KES. He staged Faure’s Requiem at St Mary’s Church, was Musical Director for the pantomime Ali Baba and played the role of Archie Spent in ‘That Certain Uncertainty’. He has been a committed Head of Watts, U12 cricket team coach and has accompanied several school trips. He will be greatly missed but we wish him great success as he moves to Fettes College as Deputy Director of Music.
Mr Jarvis joined King Edward’s in September 2013 as IT Classroom Support Technician on the sandwich work-placement component of his degree course in Forensic Computing at Portsmouth University. He has always been keen to assist anyone who asks for help and his enthusiasm and ability to adjust explanations to match the ability of those being supported has meant that he will be sadly missed. Miss Roberts did a fantastic job as the School’s temporary music administrator in the spring term. We are grateful for her hard work and enthusiasm and wish her well in her travels as she flies off to South America.
Staff Internal changes Mrs Burrows shares the role of Assistant Head (Co-curriculum), Mrs Allen becomes Head of Classical and Modern Foreign Languages, Mr Kukla, Assistant Head of Modern Languages (German) and Dr Thomas takes the post of Head of Year (Upper School). Mrs Rugge-Price becomes Assistant Head of Year (Lower School), Mrs Costello-Kelly, Co-ordinator for the Very Able, and Mr Powell takes over as Head of House (Reynolds). Mr Westwater becomes Head of House (Watts), Mrs Barnes-Wardlaw takes on the role of Partnerships Co-ordinator, Mrs Potter will be Charities Co-ordinator and Miss Birks will co-ordinate Summer Camp. Mr Brown becomes Head of House (Lawrence) and Mrs Jones becomes the South Africa Project Co-ordinator.
New staff A number of new staff will be joining the School. Mrs Anderson is appointed Deputy Director of Music, Dr Berryman will teach Music, Mr Cuthbertson joins the Physics Department, Miss Ball will teach French and Spanish whilst Miss Enfield will teach French and German. Dr Prowse will cover maternity leave in the Geography Department. Mr Reece will be teaching Classics and R.E. The Modern Language Assistants for 2014/5 are: Mrs Ardiccioni, Miss Decker, Mrs Djivanian, Mrs Lefrançois, Miss Ramos and Mrs Garcia. Mr Dar is the new Classroom IT Support Technician and Mrs Canty is the new SMT Administrator. Mr Webb is the new Web Content Manager.
Founded 1553
HIGHLIGHTS 25% A* at A level with 88% at A*, A and B grade Over 80% of applicants achieving places at the UK’s top 25 universities 12 offers at Oxford and Cambridge (10% of all applications) Excellent GCSE results with 75% at A* or A grade New fitness suite Three new classrooms and dining hall at Stroud Refurbished School Hall and Tower
KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL SOUTHAMPTON Wilton Road Southampton SO15 5UQ
New gallery for the Wellington Pavilion
Tel 023 8070 4561 Fax 023 8070 5937 Email enquiries@kes.hants.sch.uk www.kes.hants.sch.uk