Welcome from the Head

Welcome to King Edward’s.

Our school is the oldest in Southampton, with a long and distinguished history stretching back over 460 years. We are extremely proud of these roots and traditions, but we are prouder yet to be recognised as a vibrant, modern institution, dedicated to providing our pupils with the support and opportunities to flourish in the 21st century.

As a leading co-educational Independent day School, King Edward’s undoubtedly has high academic standards and expectations. Under the guidance of an expert teaching staff, our pupils consistently perform at the highest levels in public examinations, and both GCSE and A Level results are exceptional. A summary of these are shown in this booklet. As a result, the school is regularly placed within the top 100 schools in the country, and is widely recognised for its academic provision and breadth. Pupils who attend our Sixth Form regularly gain admittance to the leading universities in this country and abroad: this year 80 of our leavers secured a place on either a medical course, or else at a prestigious ‘Russell Group’ university.

However, academic outcomes are only one part of our story: we want pupils at King Edward’s to be kind, caring young people, committed to helping others as well as developing their own unique personality, strengths and character. This is facilitated at King Edward’s by a dedicated staff group, who get to know each individual child at the school, and who provide the opportunities and encouragement for the children to build on their precious pool of self-esteem and confidence. Alongside this focus on pastoral support and on nurturing strong relations within the school, we firmly believe that children develop critical life-skills through participation and engagement in school life beyond the classroom. At King Edward’s, pupils are given unrivalled opportunities to try out new activities and hobbies; to represent the school in sporting, artistic and intellectual clubs and societies; and to explore the wider world through trips and visits. Recent destinations have included South Africa, Vietnam, India and France, alongside more local and regular day and residential visits – including to the Lovaton Rural Study Centre, which the school purchased in 2004. Through involvement in these trips, our pupils’ eyes are opened to all that this world has to offer, giving them an international perspective and a cultural awareness so vital to modern living.

Further, the school is deeply committed to charitable and outreach work, with many pupils giving freely of their time to participate in a wide-ranging fundraising programme. Our student volunteers are also frequently to be seen working alongside young people and local communities at schools and charities across the city and region.

It is vitally important to us that we provide class-leading facilities for our children. Over recent years the school has invested heavily in developing each of our sites. As a result, King Edward’s has unrivalled facilities both at the main school site, but also at Lovaton in Dartmoor and at our superb sports grounds at Wellington, which boasts 33 acres of pristine sports fields, netball and tennis courts and an outstanding artificial hockey pitch. In May 2012 we also acquired Stroud School, Romsey, creating for the first time a preparatory school for King Edward’s, and thereby allowing us to build a true 3-18 educational experience for the young people of the region. As part of our ongoing commitment to providing world-class educational facilities, the school has also recently built the magnificent Dobson Theatre; has refurbished our main library, and has upgraded our teaching spaces in the sciences, art and music. This September we opened a brand new Wellbeing Centre to further enhance our ability to support and develop a positive approach to mental health and wellbeing for every child in our care. In addition, we continue to invest at Stroud School, enhancing this inspiring site and location, whilst modernising and improving the facilities available for our younger children.

All candidates who attain the required academic standards and whose parents live within a reasonable distance of Southampton may be considered for admission. The age of entry will normally be at 11 or 13 on the 1st September, although we do occasionally consider under-age pupils. External applications are also welcomed for places in the Sixth Form.

The school offers a number of bursaries each year, up to a maximum value of 100% of the full fee. Academic and creative arts scholarships and sports awards are also available. Details of our academic and pastoral systems are included in this booklet, along with the routes of our school transport system. If you would like to register your child for the school, please express your interest via the school website at www.kes.hants.sch. uk/admissions. Further information may be found in this Information Booklet or on our website www.kes.hants.sch.uk but the best way to get a flavour of the school is to visit it on a working day. Our Registrar, Mrs Sheppard, would be delighted to give you a tour and to answer any questions you may have.

Welcome again – I hope to see you soon!

Neal Parker Head