The Vigornian 2018-19 by King's Worcester

The

Vigornian

2018 / 19

THE KINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SCHOOL, WORCESTER

As this year marked the centenary of the end of the First World War we would like to pay a special tribute to OVs who were killed during this conflict. OVs who were killed in the First World War Norman Frederick ACTON (D 1910-1912) Juan Manuel ALDANA (H 1909-1913) Will ALLURED (H 1909-1911) Francis Nicholas ANDREWS (Ca 1906-1911) Fritz William BAGOTT (S 1906-1909) Stanley Edward BAILEY (D 1895-1897) Andrew Arthur Dering BAIRD (D 1904-1910) Maurice Charles Thornton BATE (Ca 1913-1915) Penrith Sutton BEAUCHAMP (Ca 1907-1912) Cecil Victor BEDDOW (Ca 1909-1911) Geoffrey Alwyn Gershom BONSER (S 1902-1907) William Carr BRODRIBB (S 1901-1903) Alfred BURR, MM (H 1907-1910) William Eldon CHAPPEL (S 1906-1908) Alban Kingsford CHAYTOR (D 1901-1909) Clement Byron CHEVALIER CREAM (Ca 1902-1905) Hugh CHIGNELL (D 1914-1916) Francis Charles Erlin CLARKE (D 1905-1907) John Edmund Percival COCKEY (H 1906-1910) Brynmor CONAN-DAVIES (D 1905-1910) Alfred Henry COURTENAY-EVANS (D 1911-1912) Owen Howett DAMPIER-BENNETT (H 1913-1915) Norman Leslie DARBY (Ca 1903-1908) Charles Leonard DAVEY (D 1891-1895) Hughbert Burgoyne DAVEY (D 1900-1906) Richard Ernest DAVIS (S 1906-1912) Reginald Swithun DE BLABY (H 1906-1912) John Keelinge DEAKIN (S 1892-1896) Charley Gordon ECCLES (H 1905-1907) Bede Liddell FENTON (Staff 1908-1912) William Arnold FERGUSSON (Ca 1897-1904) Duncan Macintyre GRANT FERGUSSON (S 1907-1911) Ian Alexander GRANT FERGUSSON (S 1911-1914) Henry GRAVES MORRIS (D 1902-1905) William Percival GRIFFITHS (S 1909-1911) Thomas Lambert HALL (Ca 1907-1914) Frank James HEMMING, MC (Ca 1910-1915) Edmund Sydney HOWELLS (S 1909-1914) Harry KING, MC (D 1906-1910) Alan Vivian LEWIS (D 1910-1916) Edwin Richard Hampton LEWIS (S 1906-1910) Arthur William Wentworth LIMBRICK (S 1908-1916)

Stratford Walter LUDLOW Harold MAJOR Francis Arthur Rivers MALET Arthur Llewellyn MARE Lionel Watson MOORE Walter Herbert Ettrich MOORE George NASH James NASH Clifford NICHOLS Howard Percival NIND Robert Dudley NORTH Cecil Herbert NORTON John Lawrence OTTLEY Cuthbert James PEARCE Robert Bagshaw PLUM Henry William Tennent REED Matthias Groves ROBERTS Hugh Travers ROWLEY Dennis Carlton ROYLE, MC David Cecil SANBY THOMAS Trevor SANBY THOMAS Francis Wilfred SHUTTLEWORTH James Victor SINNETT-JONES Henry Leonard Chappell SMITH John Critchley SMITH James Hilary SPENCER Gerald Hugh TEMPLE-BOURNE Victor Herbert THOMPSON John E. TIBBETTS David Wilson TONKING Philip Bevan TREE James Bentley WAGSTAFF Martin WARREN Aubrey Herbert Bower WEBSTER John Hervey WIGGIN Francis Harry WILCOX Henry Cecil WILMOT Robert Coningsby WILMOT Thomas Norbury WILMOT, MC Armar Lowry-Corry WINTLE, MC Richard Hartland WOODS

The Vigornian 2018/19 Number 255 Editor: Sarah Le Marchand, Emmah Cameron and Andrew Maund Design: Catherine Perera OV News: Alec Mackie Published by The King’s School, Worcester Printed by ABC Print Group © 2019 The King’s School, Worcester

(S 1904-1907, 1908-1911) (S 1911-1912) (D 1906-1908) (Ca 1909-1912) (S 1907-1909) (S 1906-1908) (S 1900-1904) (S 1903-1912) (Ca 1904-1906) (H 1908-1914) (S 1898-1900) (D 1892-1898) (S 1913-1915) (S 1905-1909) (S 1909-1914) (Staff 1908-1909) (Ca 1907-1916) (H 1908-1910) (D 1893-1898) (S 1909-1911) (S 1910-1913) (D 1905-1907) (S 1912-1915) (Staff 1913-1914) (D 1899-1902) (S 1909-1913) (D 1902-1910) (D 1896-1903) (Staff 1911-1915) (S 1900-1909) (D 1907-1913) (S 1895-1901) (D 1908-1914) (S 1900-1907) (H 1910-1914) (S 1910-1911) (S 1902-1909) (S 1901-1904) (S 1905-1910) (H 1913-1914) (Ca 1904-1906)

The

Vigornian COMMON ROOM NOTES

ACADEMIC

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS

SPORT

PASTORAL

KING’S HAWFORD

KING’S ST ALBAN’S

KING’S COMMUNITY

101

A Message from the Acting Headmaster

King’s has had yet another excellent year with success in many areas of school life to celebrate. The breadth and depth of our curriculum continues to engender a passion for learning, whilst the range of opportunities available to pupils outside the classroom contributes to their personal development and enjoyment of school. None of what the school offers would be possible without the dedication and commitment of staff and I am grateful to them for all that they do to add to the diversity of life at King’s.

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It says much about the determination and resilience displayed by our pupils that the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at King’s has the highest completion rate of local independent schools and our talented engineers were placed fourth in the Land Rover-sponsored world final of the 4x4 Schools Challenge. The number of concerts and performances this year has involved many pupils across the whole age range of the school and provided many highlights. The senior production of ‘The 39 Steps’ was excellent entertainment and just as memorable were the performances of ‘Forbidden Planet’ by the Removes and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ by the Fourth Forms. We are justifiably proud that the school has been made a Champion Centre by the Arts Award. The range of events from the House Song and Open Mic Night to more formal school concerts is impressive and gives many musical performers interested in different musical genres the chance to shine. The 1st XV rugby team played superbly this year and won the Nat West U18 Schools Bowl whilst the U16 Netball Team secured a win in the National Schools Regional Competition and went on to be crowned the fourth best team in the country; this is just a flavour of

the numerous sporting successes this year. We were saddened by George Terry’s death in the spring. We will remember her fondly as an enthusiastic and energetic Head of Art who inspired pupils and gave them the selfconfidence to flourish creatively. Her sons Francis and Fabian remain in our thoughts and prayers. Matthew Armstrong’s death in August came as a shock to us all. He was a visionary Headmaster who had a genuine passion for King’s and its community. I have no doubt that he would have been extremely proud of the pupils on their A level and GCSE results days and, though we miss him tremendously, we regard ourselves as fortunate to have had him as our leader for five years. His wife, Kate and the rest of his family have our deepest sympathies.

Jon Ricketts

Editorial The Vigornian is not only a celebration of the life and activity of King’s School through an academic year; it is an important tradition, reaching back one hundred and forty years, of gathering and publishing a record of the writing of students and staff, about the school, their interests and opinions. Editorials in previous editions of The Vigornian, when they have featured, have been an eclectic mixture of summaries of the school’s general status, musings about the role of an editorial, ramblings about the hard work of an editor going unnoticed or scarcely veiled complaints about the dearth of enthusiasm in contributions to the magazine! It was interesting to read in a 1946 edition about the editor’s hope of overcoming post-war shortages, including paper and fuel, and in 1947’s editorial dealing with a serious outbreak of scarlet fever which affected half of the school. They reflect both a personal touch and the context in which they were written. I’m going to an take the opportunity to write about an issue that I regard as significant. Love of writing, both creative and analytical, is nurtured by many at King’s, although a strong move towards technology and STEM subjects threatens

to put art subjects in the shade and it is a concern that language, imagination and literary skills might become a luxury rather than a necessity. In the last few years, it has been encouraging to see the popularity of The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). An independent dissertation (or written report) is at the heart of the qualification and Sixth Form students who take up the option relish the challenge of the writing skills required. Our late Headmaster, Matthew Armstrong, was a great supporter of the EPQ and a man of immense talent with words. His influence and inspiration will live on in the writings of our students. I have always savoured writing (I kept diaries and had ‘pen pals’ as a child) and teaching English is an excuse for indulging in other people’s writings and guiding children and young people into appreciating the power of language and stories and developing their literacy. One of my regrets as I retire from teaching (there are very few indeed!), is that I have not (yet) fulfilled a longnurtured desire to write a novel. Now is the perfect time to realise my ambitions and I am excited to be beginning my studies towards an MA in Creative Writing with the Open University in October.

Editing the Vigornian has been a joy, even though it has been short-lived; I have worked with enthusiastic and talented students and dedicated colleagues and felt privileged to highlight the writing skills, as well as the academic and extra-curricular activity, of King’s pupils and teachers. I am happy to pass on the responsibility for further editions to Emmah Cameron, Head of History and Politics, who shares my love of the school and traditions, believing in the significance of this publication and the power of the written word. Writing survives; long may it grow and thrive at King’s.

Editorial: Sarah Le Marchand Editorial team: Sarah Le Marchand Emmah Cameron Andrew Maund Annie Park Sophie Mitchell Grace Williams Edward James Designer: Catherine Perera Additional Proof-reader: Jo Ford

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Common Room Notes Matthew Armstrong The news of the sudden and untimely death from a pulmonary embolism on 11th August 2019 of Matthew Armstrong came as a devastating blow to his wife Kate, the King’s School Foundation, his colleagues and many friends. Matthew was educated at Hutton Grammar School, where his father was Headmaster. He went on to study at New College, Oxford, reading Medieval and Modern Languages followed by a PGCE. He subsequently studied part-time at Birkbeck College, University of London, where he gained an MA in Renaissance Studies and a first-class BA in English Literature. Mathew’s teaching career started in 1994 at Lancing College, where he spent three years as an Assistant Master before moving to work for a couple of years in the city with McKinsey & Co as a Business Analyst and Strategy Consultant. The move was “to investigate the possible attractions of a career in the city” and, although it was

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at McKinsey & Co that Matthew met his wife Kate, there was soon “a recognition of greater professional satisfaction in teaching”, and in 1998 Matthew returned to teaching, starting at Winchester as an Assistant Master teaching French and German, subsequently becoming the Deputy Head of Languages. After five years at Winchester, Matthew moved in 2003 to Charterhouse, initially to teach English, before being appointed as Head of English, Master of the Under School and Assistant Housemaster. In 2009, he became Assistant Headmaster (Academic), responsible for managing the academic side of the school. In 2012 Matthew was made Assistant Headmaster (External Relations), responsible for development, alumni relations admissions, and links with other schools. Following the Retirement of Tim Keyes at the end of the Summer Term 2014, Matthew took up the post in September 2014 as the 36th Headmaster of the King’s School since its re-foundation by Henry VIII in 1541. During his time as Headmaster at the King’s School, Matthew made an

exceptional contribution to the success of the foundation and its community. He had a clear vision of what it was that he wanted to achieve for the school and its pupils and was able to communicate and agree that vision with governors, staff and pupils. Always courteous and articulate, he was able to combine the intelligence and professional rigor necessary for the role of Head with warmth and affection for people as individuals. His dedication to the school was without question and his aim was that pupils would come to King’s and leave still curious about the world, still excited to learn and able to adapt to changes which none of us is able to predict. Matthew was a keen long distance runner and an accomplished skier and mountaineer and had a true love of the outdoor life whether in the Scottish highlands or the European Alps. He is missed by the whole community and remembered with respect and affection. Hugh Carslake Chair of School Governors

Georgina Terry Most people who met George Terry would probably agree that they have never known anyone quite like her. Her energy and enthusiasm inspired both pupils and colleagues alike and her death earlier this year has left a profound absence throughout the school. She joined King’s in 2014 from Winchester College with a formidable CV which included an entry in ‘The Guinness Book of Records’ for gaining the highest number of A grades, a record she maintained in 2017 when her Upper Sixth achieved the highest Pre-U grades in the country. She was everything an inspirational teacher should be; she set high standards, believed in the pupils (even when they doubted themselves), and never took ‘no’ for an answer. She pushed them to produce work beyond the conventional and as a consequence of her guidance, encouragement and belief, pupils made ambitious and outstanding work that exceeded even their own expectations. The pride and self-belief that this gave pupils is what gave her the greatest satisfaction and she celebrated just as much as the pupils

when they succeeded. My favourite memory of her is from one results day, when she ran a lap of honour around the common room, walking stick in hand, punching the air and whooping with joy, because the students had achieved such high grades. Her joy was not for herself or the department, but for each individual student. The energy she showed and her positive outlook on life resonated throughout the department and she made Art exciting and engaging to all of her students. When she walked into the department, you would often hear her before you saw her, or more precisely, you would hear the commotion she had caused and the laughter of pupils echoing down the corridor, before you saw her. This positivity was also seen in the way she battled against her illness, which she beat twice, and it is typical of George that she never once complained and still worked as hard as ever, even when she was on sick leave.

to the student who has most embraced George’s spirit of adventure, energy and ambition with their work. As ever in situations when someone so brilliant is lost, we are left with sadness and grief, but also gratitude that we were able to work with someone as wonderful as George, even if it were for too brief a time. Our best wishes go to her parents and two boys, to whom she was devoted. Chris Haywood

Her absence is considerable and there is a gap in the department that can never be filled; however, her legacy will continue to be influential and will be remembered for many years to come; in her memory the new ‘George Terry Art Prize’ has been introduced, which will be awarded annually

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Common Room Notes A number of staff babies were added to the school family during the year and King’s would like to warmly welcome and send our congratulations to these proud parents. Alice Deichen was born on 19th November 2018 and is described, aged nine months, by her doting father Alan as, ‘absolutely amazing, if a little messy’.

Harry James Woodward was born to Emma and Dave on the 1st April 2019, weighing 7lb 15oz. He is little brother to Bethan, who is delighted with the new addition to the family.

Freddie Lewis was born 16th of January 2019. His favourite food is puréed carrot and his favourite hobby is sucking his fingers. Brother Theo is eagerly waiting for the day when he can play properly with his brother; in the meantime, he enjoys getting a laugh from his baby brother by performing silly dances for him.

Chloe June Fellows was born on 28th May 2019 to Alice and Charlie Fellows (OV), weighing 7lb 6oz; she is the younger sister of Hugo by 22 months.

Additionally, Grace (née Bradley) and Steve Hawthorn were married on 27th April 2019 at St Mary’s Pembridge, Leominster and were joined by family and friends at The Cider Barn for their reception. Despite the

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presence of storm Hannah, the day was a lovely event and Grace and Steve would like to thank all members of the King’s community for celebrating their special day with them.

New Staff 2019 Kate Arnold joins King’s as Head of Lower Years in September 2019. Kate began her teaching career in 2012 at Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire, after the completion of her degree in Chemistry with Biological and Medicinal Science from The University of York and a PGCE from Leeds University. Throughout her time at Giggleswick, Kate was an active member of the boarding school community, holding the post of Resident Tutor prior to becoming Head of Lower School. Having recently completed a Master’s in Professional Science, focusing on the impact of gender and learning in the classroom, Kate is looking forward to putting this into practice in her teaching whilst ensuring new pupils feel warmly welcomed into The Lower Years community at King’s. Jo Ford returns to King’s with her husband, Adrian, after a few years teaching at Brighton College and, more recently, at The Downs School in Malvern. She studied Classics at Durham University where she balanced her study with many enjoyable hours rowing on the river. Jo is delighted to have returned to King’s, both as a Classics maternity cover and as a Rowing coach for the Boatclub. When not working, Jo is kept busy with her two young daughters, Livvy and Megan. As a family they love baking and spending as much time as possible outdoors. Esther Loveridge joins King’s this year as a part-time teacher of History and Politics. She is excited to return to the profession having taken a few years out to start a family and feels particularly fortunate to be joining such a warm and vibrant learning community. Esther gained a firstclass degree in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath before going on to complete a Graduate Teacher Programme at the University of Canterbury. Once qualified, she taught for a number of years at Highworth Grammar School for Girls in Ashford, where more recently she took on the pastoral role of Head of Community. Esther is passionate about her subjects but believes that the best part of teaching is the students themselves and she can’t wait to get to know the pupils here at King’s.

Adam Hooper joins King’s in September 2019 as a Teacher of Physics. He began his teaching career in 2013 after studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Warwick and then completing his Physics PGCE at King’s College, London. Adam has a passion for charity work and his most notable contribution to this sector was his assistance in building a school in Ghana during his studies; he has brought that passion into his teaching career. Additionally, Adam is dedicated to pastoral care. His most recent role as Head of Lower School at St James Senior Boys’ School in Surrey has allowed him to work closely with and nurture all the students under his care. He understands the value and importance of a strong school community and is excited to contribute to the wonderful one which already exists at King’s. Adrian Ford returns to the school as Assistant Director of Sport and Head of Rugby. Adrian first joined the school in 2009, teaching History and Politics for just over 7 years. He then left to become a boarding housemaster at Brighton College, where he stayed for two and a half years. Adrian and hisMr wife are excited to be back at the A Jo J Ford school and are looking forward to catching History and Politics up with pupils, families and OVs. He is still House Tutor, Wulstan extremely keen on all sports and when not coaching at school he can be found cycling in the Worcestershire lanes or walking on the Malvern Hills. Adrian is excited to return to this very special community and making the most of all King’s has to offer. Lydia Wolsey joins the well-established King’s D&T department in September 2019. Lydia began her teaching career in 2002 when she trained as a swimming instructor and worked with beginner and nervous swimmers in pools around the Midlands. At the same time as doing this, Lydia trained at the School of Jewellery to gain a HND in jewellery and small scale metal work. After completing this qualification Lydia had a gap year allowing her time to qualify as a water-sports instructor and with this travelled around the world. Realising that working with children was an area she loved and wanted to continue in, Lydia went on to train as a D&T teacher at Brighton University. Joining the teaching profession formerly in 2009, Lydia taught D&T, watersports and assisted with girls’ games in her previous school. Lydia started her own jewellery and design business in 2013 and left teaching full time to be able to do both things that she loves, teaching and design.

Georgie Ormandy returns to King’s in September 2019 in her new role as Teacher of Geography and Girls’ Games. As an OV (2002-2013) Georgie looks forward to having a L4 form and being able to give back to the King’s community. She is excited with the prospect of helping current students make the most of their time at King’s. Georgie played first team netball while studying Geography and Sports Science at the University of Exeter and looks forward to transferring the knowledge and skills learnt to both the pupils at King’s and the King’s Severn Stars NOVA academy, where she is assistant coach. In her spare time Georgie is a keen horse rider and aims to increase the profile of the sport with the hope that more pupils will enter the NSEA competitions. Jasmin Williams joins King’s in September 2019 as a Teacher of Art, Silver Arts Award Advisor and Upper Fourth Tutor. Jasmin began her teaching career in 2015; originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Jasmin studied for her PGCE in Art and Design at the University of Gloucestershire. Prior to this Jasmin attended the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion for four years, where she specialised in surface textiles, printmaking, garment design and construction, and gained a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design and a BA Hons in Fashion Design Womenswear. Jasmin continues her own creative practice alongside teaching, her latest project being designing and making her own wedding dress for her wedding in the summer! Jasmin is very excited about being able to share her skills with the students at King’s School. Cattleya Petchsingh joins the Physics department in September 2019, but is not an entirely new face, having completed a placement here during her PGCE studies at the University of Worcester. Previously a university lecturer and researcher, Cattleya recently retrained to teach at secondary level to continue her mission to communicate science while making a pre-emptive strike to understand her own children as they approach their teenage years. With degrees from Bristol (BSc), Heriot-Watt (MSc), and Oxford (DPhil), subsequent academic positions took her back to her native Thailand and to Ireland. Her lab research has ranged from optical properties of exotic semiconductors to industrial scale battery technologies. Cattleya is also a keen racket sports player and a formidable chef; she has quiet hopes of finding ways to put these skills to use in the King’s community.

Thomas Pearson joins King’s on 1st September 2019 as Teacher of Physics and Upper Four Tutor. He began his teaching career in 2016 after reading Mathematics and Physics at Cardiff University and completing a PGCE at the University of Bristol. As a former Head of Physics in Bristol, he values the importance of practical physics in the classroom and has a real passion for making physics fun and accessible for all abilities. In 2017, Thomas was selected as one of 100 teachers from around the world to take part in the ‘Honeywell Educators at Space Academy’ program in Alabama, where he completed astronaut training designed to ignite his pupil’s passion for physics. He hopes to use experiences such as these, coupled with his lessons, physics shows and trips to further promote the importance of physics in the world, as well as to promote careers in the STEM field. Thomas has experience as a radio presenter and will be setting up a pupil-presented school radio station in the new year. He looks forward to contributing to the school community as well as the opportunities that will arise from working at such a prestigious school. Iwan Davies joins King’s in September 2019 as Head of Middle Years. Before becoming a teacher Iwan worked in the Pharmaceutical Industry at the earliest stages of drug discovery. Despite loving the challenges of the lab, Iwan missed the energy of teaching the next generation he had experienced during his PhD. With this in mind, he applied to be a Teacher of Chemistry at The Perse School in Cambridge and he has never looked back. Before joining us, he worked at Highgate School in North London, where he was Head of Chemistry and coordinator of the 11+ Admissions Process. Iwan is passionate about helping all pupils achieve their ambitions, both academically and beyond the classroom. Iwan is married to Nicola and has a little daughter called Elodie (who has just joined our new Nursery at St Alban’s). He enjoys nothing more than time with his family; walking hills, reading together or just playing in the garden.

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Leaving Staff 2018/19 Steve joined King’s in 1985 from Bedford School, where his career had begun. A talented rugby player himself, Steve was welcomed with open arms by the rugby coaching staff and immediately appointed as assistant coach to the 1st XV, a role which he filled for almost 30 years. Like many new recruits in the days when King’s had a significant boarding community, SMB was also quickly coopted onto the boarding side of things and appointed as ‘House Tutor’ to School House with MJR as Housemaster. This initial appointment led to the beginning of what some might call a love affair with School House and a relationship which lasted until he retired this summer as the longest serving Housemaster in recent years. Over his 34 years at King’s, he dedicated himself to the school across a range of activities and in a manner which few others have managed. He will be remembered for the way in which he threw himself into adventurous training with the CCF at the Old Chapel, despite not really being a fan of either abseiling or potholing! Indeed, the former landlord of the Red Lion at Llanbedr still tells of the night that his supplies of ‘Speckled Hen’ were completely exhausted by SMB and others! There is no doubt that Steve gave most generously of his time and his expertise, in particular whilst coaching the 1st XV, when several nights a week as well as whole weekends could be given up as first the 15-a-side and then the 7’s seasons took hold. What will stay with me, however, long after the dust has settled, is that this was a “Schoolmaster” from the old school. He had an unshakeable sense of what was right and wrong, how the students (and especially the rugby players) should and should not behave and, most of all, he cared, deeply, about the sort of people we as a school produce. If I were to be asked to describe an ideal friend and colleague over the past 35 years, I would simply refer you to Steven Matheson Bain. Steve leaves to spend more time with wife Jan, their children, Will, Lottie and Lucy and their grandson, Fin. The latest, four-legged, addition to the family, Honey Bee, has apparently already stolen Steve’s heart! We wish Steve a long and happy retirement. RPM

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Jon Downe joined the Chemistry department in September 2018 and although his time with us was limited, the impact which he had was great. He was popular with his fellow Chemists, who all appreciated his easy manner and good subject knowledge. The pupils he taught benefitted from his carefully structured lessons, which paid attention to detail and ensured rigour was demanded from every one of his students. Additionally, the help he gave them on an individual basis as he circulated around the laboratory made sure each child made consistently good progress. His experience as an AQA examiner gave the department incredibly useful insight as to how to tackle the exam questions most effectively. He will be much missed, and we wish him every success in the future. RPG

George Dransfield joined the Physics department in September 2018 as a part time member of staff, whilst also pursuing her academic life at Birmingham University doing a Masters in Astrophysics. She made a very positive contribution to the Physics department and had a very positive impact on all the pupils she taught, particularly those in her A-level classes. George leaves us to begin a fully funded, full time PhD in Astrophysics. Naturally, she was thrilled to take up this opportunity, which would have been impossible for her to turn down. George will be greatly missed in our department, but we will continue to stay in touch with someone who, over the last year, has become a good friend as well as a colleague. George, you leave with our best wishes and good luck for the future. AJK.

Kath Whiteman joined King’s as Head of Middle Years and Teacher of History in September 2017 and while her time here was short, it certainly was sweet. She quickly established herself and rapidly gained a reputation for being a truly inspirational leader and mentor. Her initial task of organising the Lower Remove activity day set the tone for her time with us; her outstanding attention to detail, thoughtfulness and genuine care for each student shone. This is how she approached everything she did.

Felicity Drinkwater joined the school in September 2017 from Stratford Girls’ Grammar School. She made a strong contribution to the Maths department and enjoyed considerable success with the Junior Mathematics Team. She also contributed to the busy co-curricular activities and learned a lot about netball coaching and umpiring. Additionally, she was able to share her excellent knowledge of Badminton with the girls and boys in the Sixth Form. After two brief years she applied for a post at Alcester Grammar School, the school she attended herself, and was successful. She can look forward to a much shorter commute than she endured in her time here at King’s. The department and school wish her all the best in her new role. OJH

Her teaching of History was enviable from the moment she arrived, always able to captivate students with her interesting stories to enliven every topic and managing to make even the most reluctant love History. She was a wise counsel in department meetings and to many staff individually. Outside of the department too, her ability to see the best in every student was a gift to many and her natural way with people enabled her to make real breakthroughs in numerous challenging circumstances. Kath is a diplomat, scholar and friend; we wish her all the best as she takes up her promotion in the role of Academic Deputy at Monmouth Girls School. She will be missed a great deal by both staff and students.

USE CAMP

SCHOOL HO

Andrew Longley, Geography Teacher & Head of Geography (AWL) – 1997-2019 Andrew joined King’s as Head of Geography in 1997 from Stamford School where he had also been Head of Department. Inheriting a thriving, but somewhat disparate department, he very quickly united the staff and both numbers and results began to blossom. Undoubtedly, he was a hit with the pupils who admired both his passion for the subject and ability as a sportsman. His classes always felt secure and were inspired by his teaching; many were encouraged to further their geographical interests at university and beyond. As a proud Yorkshireman, he stood for no nonsense, expected high standards, and was ambitiously competitive. Many will remember how he would enjoy the challenge of putting a hole in one between desks in his classroom to decide how much prep was to be set to his classes. In 2001 Andrew became Head of Fourth Forms. Taking over as Head of Geography, I could not have asked for a better role model and have since enjoyed a further 18 years of a close working relationship with him in both Geography and the Fourth Forms. In return I introduced him to the world of Information Technology, something that David escaped the girls’ boarding houses of Benenden to join King’s as Head of Physics in January 2001. He quickly established himself as an able teacher who was equally at home explaining how Feynman diagrams can be used to simplify interactions between subatomic particles to the Upper Sixth as he was teaching floating and sinking to the Lower Fourth. Having said that he was not unusual in finding the teaching of the most able students particularly rewarding and those who have gone on to study Physics and related subjects over the past twenty or so years will have benefitted greatly from his tuition. He has many interests, though academically astrophysics would come top. He was the chief examiner for the cosmology A level option, taught GCSE astronomy, introduced many students to the subject via his stargazing evenings and even got primary school children building telescopes on their challenge days. Perhaps it is fitting that he retires just as the world

he quietly hoped would “never catch on”! In terms of Geography, he has always maintained a genuine appetite for the subject, and an ability to get pupils of all abilities on side. I will fondly remember his excellent company on fieldwork – Tunisia, the Alps, Devon, Somerset and, of course, numerous wonderful trips to the Gower. He connected with his classes and found an impressive balance between good fun and hard work that many experienced staff still search for. As well as being an outstanding teacher of geography – his coastal fieldwork lessons in a stiff breeze were especially powerful – he was also a talented sports coach. But it is his role as Head of Fourth Forms that hundreds of pupils and parents will remember him for most. I wonder how many OVs can repeat the stories of “broken windows”, Aesop’s (aka Longley’s) Fables, and remember how “slow and steady wins the race” or to “work hard, have fun but above all else be kind”. With the exception of the Chaplain, he has probably delivered more assemblies than the rest of the staff body put together – always helping to set the right tone, giving a sense of belonging and a desire for everyone to do their best. His focus has never deviated from the basics and he and Mark Dorsett have done a brilliant double act that has been a massive strength to both the Fourth Forms, and to the school. What he has said to parents over many years at official functions has celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Although a traditional teacher, he moved with the times and always ensured that the Physics department had the most up to date equipment and that members of his department were fully up to speed on how it all worked. He willingly upheld the King’s tradition for practical physics even if it meant spending all lunch break setting up the equipment rather than simply relying on a YouTube video. For the past few years he ran the Raspberry Pi club, where he taught young students the basics of coding. His great love of the outdoors led him to qualify as a Mountain Leader and it was a natural progression for him to become fully involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award whilst at King’s. He gave his time freely to all three levels, though it was his leadership of the Silver Award, which grew and grew in popularity during his time in charge, for which he must be thanked most.

always come from the heart and been 100% authentic. I know he is genuinely proud of what pupils in the school have achieved. I can safely speak for all 40 or so Fourth Form Tutors that have worked with Andrew over the years that he has always been there for staff and led a happy team. He has always found time to have conversations with staff and pupils despite the endless emails (and by the way, since 2012 my inbox shows 2,800 emails from him!) Every day he would see how pupils were getting on at lunch, in the playground, at clubs, in the gardens, and at sporting or musical events. He was interested; he cared – and this was clear to pupils and the many colleagues who received letters, emails or cards thanking them for their contributions. His Christmas assemblies were especially memorable comprising a short pantomime by the 4th Form staff. In their early days they were little more than extracts read by staff but each year the ambition grew and towards the end they resembled a full production with lights, costume, make-up and props – in fact, everything except the talent of the cast! Andrew’s 24 year contribution to King’s has been first class. His friendship and dedication both inside and outside the classroom will be greatly missed. We wish him a long and healthy retirement – most likely spent on the golf course. SCC David’s other great passion is music. There was always something tuneful emanating from his lab once the teaching day was over (depending on your taste in jazz that is!) and it was always more sophisticated than the noise coming up the stairs from Chemistry. He was a mainstay of the School Choir and even made a violin from scratch. Outside of school David and Lois have championed the good life. They’ve kept chickens, sheep and pigs and one of my earliest memories is him trying to coax a chicken down from a tree at dusk so that the fox wouldn’t have her for dinner. I’m sure that retirement will allow them to take their smallholding ambitions a stage further. They may have to wait though as I believe that they are keen to travel and return to teaching in a less developed country for a couple of years as they did in Belize at the very start of their careers. Whether those students fall for the trick of writing down sultana instead of current only time will tell but, like the thousands of children who were in his classes in Worcester, I’m sure that they will end up with fond memories of being taught by him. ICR The Vigornian

We are told that people with the name Sarah tend to be cooperative, considerate, sympathetic to others, adaptable and balanced. They are trustworthy, respecting the confidences of others, and make excellent diplomats and mediators. They are often very intuitive. They like detail and order. As a person specification that sounds ideal for a member of any school. Sarah Le Marchand started at King’s in September 1992, having worked at St Augustine’s Catholic High School in Redditch, taking over the running of girls’ boarding here in College House and teaching English part time. Sarah and Stephan brought with them their children, Sophie, who was nearly four, and Emmie, who was 11 months. Boarding stopped seven years later in 1999, and Sarah then became Head of Sixth Form, by which time she was teaching English full-time. Throughout her time at King’s, Sarah has combined professionalism and passion in her teaching; she is always very well prepared, innovative in her approach and extremely thorough in everything she does, particularly her marking, with full and supportive comments which reveal the fact that she wants all her students to do as well as they possibly can. She has complete integrity, will challenge when necessary, speak her mind but then listen to others and support absolutely the combined decision. This approach can also be seen in all the aspects of school life to which Sarah During her time as Oswald House Tutor Lois exuded energy and enthusiasm. Examples include the ‘Oswald Bake Off’ competition and the Oswald Afternoon Tea Party. More recently, she masterminded an Oswald Summer Party in the school gardens, and it is all credit to her that a huge number of ‘Oswaldians’ showed up, including some pupils that had previously left the school in the Fifth Form. The pupils in Oswald always knew that they had a House Tutor who encouraged them to always have fun and to not take life too seriously. She was always approachable, fair and, above all else, cared about them as individuals. Lois fostered a culture of enjoyment and compassion in

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dedicated herself. Running the boarding house was very demanding but Sarah was unstinting in the time she gave all the boarders and the patience and compassion she showed. She enjoyed working with Peter Iddon, who was running boys’ boarding in Hostel. They combined for the House Song competition and were winners in the last year before boarding stopped. As Head of Sixth Form Sarah was responsible, among other things, for the UCAS process, which was a full-time job in itself. She delivered presentations to parents and students about the process and every year produced a booklet to make the application as straightforward as possible for the students and staff involved. Students, House Tutors and parents have all been immensely grateful to her for the care and wisdom with which she advised them, both in the application itself and when results presented challenges. She also arranged Sixth Form testing days and taster mornings. She introduced and ran the mentoring programme. She ran the Sixth Form Charity Committee, which included organising Pink Day, other home clothes days and innumerable cake sales. A major event and part of the service we offer to the wider community each year is the Fort Royal Party, which she has continued to run with distinction. Her extra-curricular contribution included rowing in the early days but her main efforts were in school drama. She directed several school productions, including two productions of West Side Story. She also co-directed the first Les Mis, Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, King Lear and Joseph. Last year she edited The Vigornian and produced an edition which saw the innovation of a student editorial team, introduced several Oswald House, a place where pupils were encouraged to know one another and to look out for one another, and where they had a safe-haven to go to at all times. Her final House assembly on contentment is one that will stick in the pupils’ minds for a long time to come. It wasn’t, however, always ‘all good’ in the House. For us poor Year Group Tutors, we had to put up with countless mornings of a woman with early-morning unbounded energy dashing into the house room for our morning meetings and the common sound of ‘Let’s go’ when she tried to goad us tired Tutors into action. We could never quite match her enthusiasm for the day ahead! Lois was not just a House Tutor during her time at King’s. She did a tremendous amount for the school. First and foremost she was a knowledgeable Physics teacher.

new features and freshened things up, while maintaining its essential character; this year she has helped with the transition to the new editor, Emmah Cameron, who has been very grateful for her support. But her greatest contribution has been in the classroom, where she has achieved some truly excellent results for the widest range of students, enthusing them for literature and having great fun at the same time. Her greatest contribution was to A level teaching, where she often took responsibility for U6 coursework and guided her students to producing work of extraordinary quality. Work with the Sixth Form included Study Weekends in Haworth, where we explored the work of the Brontes in general and Wuthering Heights in particular with literary discussions, dramatic readings, improvisation, walks over the moors, poetry reading and writing and just by having fun. Other subjects benefitted from her work too: with Rosemary Diamond and Stephan, she was responsible for the introduction of GCSE Drama and A Level Theatre Studies and, together with Russ Baum, she introduced the EPQ. In retirement she plans to spend some time travelling but then settle down to follow a Master’s course in Creative Writing and write her first novel, based in her beloved family home of Jersey; we wish her every success and happiness in this and the many other enterprises and endeavours that lie ahead. With such a rich and varied portfolio, one is tempted to use the phrase “Renaissance Woman” to describe Sarah. The King’s School, its staff, students and parents, owe her a huge debt for an extraordinary contribution to the life of this school in its widest sense. AJMM Alongside this, she spent many years helping the girls’ games department. She was also an integral part of the school’s Duke of Edinburgh programme and her commitment and vigour, along with a love of being in the mountains and at the Old Chapel, will be sorely missed. She was great company to many colleagues and pupils during expeditions, encouraging all to take on new challenges and grab every opportunity with both hands. Lois was a great role model not only for the pupils here, but also for many members of staff. She was a teacher that didn’t just teach but one that unfailingly cared about young people. She will be very much missed by all. We wish her luck as she embarks upon many new exciting adventures.

Academic Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day

Prizes presented by Steve Bain Reeves prize for Further Mathematics Tom Hale Mathematics Miles Maley Physics Zak Rawles Cavenagh prize for Biology Sam Barstow Chemistry Jia Jie Huang Physical Education Megan Power Design and Technology Emily Watkins Michael Blake Drama and Theatre Studies prize Hollie Avery Music Archie Jury Geography Sarah Allen-Griffiths Art Margeurite Bullock Business Anna Jethwa Winslow prize for History Kirsten Campbell-Ferguson Computer Science William Kelly Extended Project Qualification Maddy Curtis-Wetton Ashley Shameli prize for Politics Sam Ness Religion and Philosophy Harry Walker Latin Natasja Enthoven French Esme Blinman-Wilson German Abigail Hyde Spanish Isobel Cree Maurice Day prize for Classics Rebekah Legge

Bishop Fleming Rabjohn prize for Economics George Hale English Literature Amy Heptinstall Cobb Shield for extra-curricular Drama Archie Jury Cup for contribution to extra-curricular Music Amy Heptinstall Neil Bowler Cup Max Richardson Nicky Wilson Cup Sophie Welburn Robert Harley Award Rebekah Legge OV Service Awards Amelia Clark Izzy Copeland Kate Emsley Will Gorner Abi Hyde Ben Madden Hannah Stock Ethan Summerwill Ben Walker Holly Whitcomb Senior Scholar

Thomas Hale

Michael Harvey-Good

Sam Martyn Smith Harry Walker Emma Smalley

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Classics Department

A fantastic example of cross-curricular activity, Rebecca Bayliss was inspired by her interest in Classical Studies A Level to explore classical themes and traditions for her Art Pre-U work. She said she enjoyed being able to combine her two passions and enhance her understanding of both subjects by creating her own pieces.

As part of their summer project Mrs Bradley’s LR Classics class created their own Mycenaean vases. This creative venture helped the students to gain a greater understanding of Mycenaean culture and appreciate what we can learn about a civilisation through artefacts.

In the summer Miss Trow-Poole’s LR Latin class performed a series of plays inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses. As nature is one of the key themes explored within the epic poem, the pupils wanted to incorporate the school gardens into the plays. A particular highlight was Narcissus gazing into his reflection in the school fountain.

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In the summer Mrs Hawthorne’s and Miss Trow-Poole’s U4 Latin classes put on an Ancient Greek drama festival over one lunchtime. The groups performed their own versions of two famous tragedies, Aeschylus’ Agamemnon and Euripides’ Electra.

As part of their Imperial Image module within the Classics A Level, the L6 students decided to recreate the statue group from the pediment on the Temple of Mars Ultor in the Forum of Augustus. Not only was it a bit of fun, but it helped them to appreciate the significance of each statue and the temple as a whole. ETP

DT Department This has been a genuinely exciting year for the DT department. Having taken a ‘systems’ approach to the subject for as long as the department has been in its current form, we have resisted opinion amongst some that DT means making coffee tables and chess boards! This has not been the case at King’s in living memory! Thankfully, the government have caught up and have requested something more rigorous and relevant of the new exam specifications at GCSE and A Level. This is not a popular move nationally, but absolutely the right thing for our engineers, problem-solvers, designers and innovators of the future. The subject is about the responsibility of the designer to improve the world around us. We are continually looking for opportunities for problem solving. We are building our understanding of materials, developing our knowledge and skills with advanced manufacturing techniques, and bettering our ability to act in ways that improve the environment rather than damaging it. Not only is it the responsibility of the consumer to protect the world in which we live, but, perhaps more so, the responsibility of the designer.

in the undeveloped world. They have grasped the opportunities with all hands!

design iterations, each with an improved solution to the problem.

One of the many advantages of the new courses at GCSE and A Level is that students are encouraged to take an iterative approach to their design work. Designing, modelling, learning through making mistakes, redesigning, remodelling and prototyping ideas is of so much more value than spending hours on the finish of a coffee table!

We have a huge array of excellent projects. These range from devices helping the elderly to open cans, turn taps on and off, pour drinks and get on and out of sofas, to foldable skateboards, illuminated cricket stumps and a portable climbing wall to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

Learning through making mistakes could not be more valuable. A standard GCSE project now looks like a series of models, leading to a final working prototype, rather than a beautifully finished single piece of work. We are focused upon the prototype answering the needs of the client. Maintaining close contact with clients, the students build an understanding of their needs, and an empathy with their requirements. This leads to a series of

Owing to the new exam courses, the DT Show had a very different look and feel this year. Finally, we have more reason to celebrate; four students have been successful in winning prestigious Arkwright Scholarships this year. Following a gruelling application process, Alex Checkley, Ed Cosson, Eli Edwards and Toby Weymouth all managed to shine among a huge field of applicants. We very look forward to next year in the DT department. There are exciting times ahead! CWSW

For their NEA (non-examined assessment), our GCSE students have been focused upon either encouraging people to live a healthier lifestyle, helping someone with a disability, or improving the life of someone

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English Department Albert Einstein wrote that, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” That art is something we truly hope to practise in the English Department and, in what has been another very busy year for King’s English, we have introduced several innovations to run alongside our regular programme of teaching and extra-curricular activities. The academic year began with a trip to The Globe theatre on London’s Bankside for our L6 and U6 students to see a lively and highly entertaining production of ‘Othello’. Despite having left plenty of time for the journey, roadworks and other traffic chaos meant that we arrived just after the production had started, but the staff whisked us into our places with great efficiency and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the show. There have been other theatre visits through the year, including a particularly memorable trip to Malvern to see an adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ which was certainly thought-provoking… We also benefitted greatly from a Sixth Form Study Day in Birmingham and managed not to leave any staff behind on railway platforms this year.

One particular innovation this year has been to bring in visiting speakers; two such visits this year have met with huge success. The first was the highly regarded poet, Ruth Stacey who, according to her own website, “writes poems in the fleeting spaces between motherhood and studying Native American Literature. It is not the easiest way to be a writer, but it is her way.” Her seminar on reading and writing poetry was truly inspirational, as was our next visitor, Sarah James, whose many talents include those of poet, fiction writer, journalist, occasional playwright, photographer, poetry film maker and arts reviewer, as well as editor at V. Press. We are most grateful to Mrs Walmsley (Second in English), who had the initial idea of these visits and organised every element of them so thoroughly and successfully. This year we have not only welcomed a large number of talented and enthusiastic students to the Lower Sixth to study English but also two new members of the department; Ms Oliver and Mr Owen have both brought not only valuable experience but also many new ideas, unstinting commitment and great enthusiasm and they are already very popular with their students and key players in our team. We must also say goodbye not only to some

very talented and committed U6 students, who have really flourished in their two years in the department, but also to one of our “senior pro’s” (to use a cricketing term of which she would heartily approve), Mrs Le Marchand. Her contribution to the whole school since joining in 1992 is detailed elsewhere in the magazine, but she has been an invaluable member of the English Department throughout her time here. Extremely thorough and always very wellprepared, challenging, demanding and supportive, passionate for her subject and an extremely popular teacher with all her classes, she will be very much missed and we thank her for her huge contribution to the very ethos of King’s English. The final event of the year captured perfectly that spirit of creative expression and fun which is at the heart of everything we do in the English Department. Once again organised by Mrs Walmsley, a company of five visiting actors performed an hilarious production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the Lower Fourth in the School Gardens in late June. Filled with contemporary references, the most rapid of costume changes and the magic not only of the fairy world but also of theatre itself, it was a wonderful way to bring to a close another fine year for King’s English. AJMM

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM PRODUCTION IN THE SCHOOL GARDENS

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Geography Department

LOWER SIXTH BIRMINGHAM FIELDWORK

PER-MARE

WESTON-SU

Geography is about people, places and processes that shape our everyday lives. The recent changes to the exam specifications have reignited the relevance of the subject but during the year there have also been many opportunities for all ages to develop their interest in the subject beyond the classroom. In the autumn term, the LR applied their understanding of coasts during a visit to Weston-super-Mare, where coastal features could be observed first-hand, as well as providing an opportunity to carry out various fieldwork techniques. Thankfully the tide was in and the weather remained relatively kind. The Lower Sixth also explored coastal processes and landscapes during their three day stay on the Somerset coast, based in Minehead. With some good food (who could forget the pigeon starter?) and comfortable accommodation overlooking the beach, we had perfect access to several fieldwork sites before follow-up lessons in the evening (Chi Squared analysis late evening was a particular highlight). As well as illustrating the course content, a focus of the trip was to experiment with new data collection methods. Students used statistical techniques to calculate the difference in sand accumulation either side of the sea defences, clinometers to calculate beach profiles, and a number of unusual techniques

such as mood-mapping and smell surveys to investigate the characteristics of the urban area. On the way home we stopped at Watchet, a small harbour settlement that until recently was able to boast being the country’s largest manufacturer of paper bags. As well as enjoying some traditional fish and chips, we were treated to a talk by the founders of the Onion Collective, an inspirational group of entrepreneurs that are bringing life back to the town. After the January mock examinations, the Fifth Form visited Cathedral Square to investigate how this part of the High Street has changed. Later in the term an intensive workshop collaboratively teaching 85 pupils took place in the Vigornian Room in preparation for the decision-making exam. The Lower Sixth had a further fieldwork activity, visiting Birmingham to illustrate the human side of the A-level course. Groups enjoyed exploring the Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth, the Chinese Quarter and Gay Village, Brindley Place and the City Centre. Data were collected using Geographical Information Systems via phones and later analysed in the classroom. Nearing the end of their course, the Upper Sixth were treated to a morning revision workshop by David Holmes, an experienced geographer and examiner. In the summer term the Upper Remove spent an enjoyable day based at Bishop’s Wood Field Centre and the Wyre Forest completing a fieldwork enquiry, whilst the Lower Fourth stayed closer to home, exploring the transformation of the former Worcester Porcelain Works.

LR Geography Club has been popular, meeting every week to explore geographical current affairs and to learn new skills. Some members formed a team to compete with a group from the Upper Remove in the Geographical Association’s Regional Worldwise Quiz. King’s hosted the event that involved a further six local schools. Much fun was had in a relaxed but competitive environment resulting in a King’s team becoming close runnersup. Other evening events have been enjoyed by Sixth Form geographers, such as the lectures held at the University of Worcester. Fourth Formers were given a geography challenge over the summer holiday and those who took part submitted impressive portfolios of geographical themes that included holiday destinations, physical landscapes and environmental concerns. Towards the end of the year a group of Lower Fourths inspired by Greta Thunberg, spoke passionately in assembly on two occasions about the environment, raising awareness of the problems and suggestions of what we can do to help. The academic year concluded with an outstanding trip to the French Alps (see separate report). I always look forward to this trip and was delighted to see how much all the pupils enjoyed the experience. They were fabulous company and it was a pleasure to be with them for a week away. I often regard Geography as being a special subject – relevant, real, engaging and challenging – and when students recognise this for themselves, it is especially rewarding. #lovegeog. SCC

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Modern Languages: Active International Gaining social skills, confidence, emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity are some of the reasons why at least minimal knowledge of other languages matters, quite apart from developing the intellectual and communication skills required under the media spotlight in the modern world. KSW parents and pupils in 2018/19 remain aware of the importance of linguistic and cultural exchanges and so we can be proud that at least half of our Upper Remove pupils have again participated in one or more of that increasingly rare opportunity, the school exchange, whether to France, Germany or Spain. Every year a number of language students return to visit their exchange family, forming friendships, language learning opportunities and work placements which last beyond their time at King’s

university lecturers. A-level linguists have again participated in work experience abroad too – from kindergarten language immersion to legal experiences in a court room and from multinational car sales (combining German and Spanish) through to several weeks of hospital experience prior to starting a medical degree.

The European Day of languages kicked the year off well with an inter-House Quiz, won by Castle House, and a range of activities to develop language and cultural awareness for all year groups. Beyond Europe, Mandarin Club enjoys weekly sessions building up both linguistic and cultural knowledge with our expert teacher and a band of loyal and impressive students of all ages, including one Sixth Former seeing himself through GCSE, whilst Russian has also seen external examinations taken.

KSW Fifth Formers and Upper Removes represented all three languages and scooped prizes including the German language prize at the RAF/Business Languages competition at RAF Cosford (our armed forces need linguists too!) whilst Kittermaster House won the annual Lower Remove Linguistics Competition. A fascinating insight into the world of languages in football (think of all those international players and managers in teams across the globe needing to communicate) allowed pupils to chat live with Manchester United and Spain star Juan Mata and the Southampton captain Oriol Romeu, whose dog stole the limelight during another live

The annual Sixth Form Media Day enabled Upper Sixth Formers to share their wisdom with the Lower Sixth linguists under time pressure to produce a series of newscasts, but also to enjoy another element which helps inspire the best pupils at King’s to pursue experience of other cultures – cuisine. The latter was one of many cultural topics included in the programme on our trip to Stroud with interactive presentations given to linguists of all three languages by

AN INTERNATIONAL

GANG

chat in the JMT before a live interpreting task put our guests on the spot. Younger year groups each watched one or more short, accessible and entertaining plays performed in each of French, German and Spanish by visiting Theatre Companies, whilst the Upper Fourth continued with their weekly languages club enabling active understanding of such diverse topics as Japanese Manga, European cheeses and flags of the world. All of that before the MFL Cultural Extravaganza which will see a full coach load off to Paris, up the Eiffel Tower, experiencing baking in a boulangerie, dinner in Montmartre and testing language skills at Parc Asterix, where all our three modern languages can be tested. All MFL staff are heavily involved in ensuring the range of educational experiences available beyond the classroom, including our excellent team of assistants who share their knowledge and prepare our older pupils for internal and external examinations. The reward comes from seeing well-rounded, effective linguists representing the best of the King’s School facing the challenges of the wider world better equipped than most students in the country – long may this continue irrespective of the challenges. RAB

FLOWER GIRLS

BERLIN WAL L EASTSIDE BREAKING TH GALLERY ROUGH THE LANGUAGE BARR

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RAF COSFORD - BUSINESS LANGUAGES

IVRE

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JUMPING FO

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STRONG FOUNDATIONS

Mathematics Department This has been another busy year in the Mathematics department, with a wide range of activities for pupils in which to be involved. We have run three individual challenges, three school teams and two internal team competitions including the House Countdown competition and “Who wants to be a Maths Millionaire”. During October half-term, fourteen Sixth Form Mathematicians met DJS and OJH to take part in the Senior Maths Challenge. This is an individual challenge, run nationally, involving answering a number of tricky problems. All fourteen were awarded a certificate and we achieved four bronze, seven silver and three gold certificates. Duncan Starkie scored the highest mark in the school and Joe Amos scored the highest in the Lower Sixth. Duncan, Joe and Zak Rawles won through to the Kangaroo round. Congratulations to them and all who took part! In November we took a group of 67 Fifth Form and Lower Sixth students to the ‘Maths Inspirations’ lectures in Birmingham. Jen Rogers told us about her success in using statistics to disprove statements by Ryan Air. Rob Eastaway introduced us to applying Fermi estimation to come up with a rough solution to a range of problems involving the Olympics and sausages. Aoife Hunt gave us a fascinating overview of the Maths used to model crowd movement and highlighted the use of quadratic curves to model flow rate. Our own Charlie Mackintosh was one of the volunteers helping with her experiment to measure the relationship between walking speed and population density. Colin Wright entertained us with his juggling skills and showed us how to use patterns to predict the existence of new juggling tricks. It was

In February, the Lower Fourth InterForm Maths challenge was held and this was another exciting event. The teams enjoyed the usual mix of challenging problems and puzzles and, as always, the energetic relay round – which our Sixth Form helpers also love! This year’s event was dominated by Team A1 who won the event with an impressive 98 points, beating their fellow L4A team A2 into second place with 87 points. Well done L4A! In third place, was team B1 with 85 points. There was also a close battle for forth place as only two points separating E1, C2 and D2. Congratulations to all who took part and especially to the winners L4A.

a very enjoyable introduction to a small selection of the range of applications of Maths in the real world. The Senior Maths team, made up of Tom Hale, Duncan Starkie, Libby Colebourne and Joe Amos went to Malvern College to complete in the regional heat of the Senior Team Maths Challenge. It was a very competitive contest. The team dropped one question on the group round and finished the cross number in record time, but lost a few marks along the way. Just dropping those few marks put us below the top five going into the final relay round. It was a challenging round and the team performed well, ending up in fifth place overall. Throughout the year we hold our annual team challenges. There is an Inter-Form challenge for Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth. These are hotly contested events held in College Hall and consist of four rounds. There are two group rounds in which the teams work on a number of problems either in groups or individually, a group circus in which the teams have a limited time to solve a series of more visual problems, and then the frenetic relay round

which involves a great deal of running around as well as Maths! Each form enters two teams and each House enters one team of four pupils and all competitors did extremely well, managing to solve a variety of challenging puzzles and problems. We would like to thank the Sixth Form helpers for giving up their time to help run both events. The Upper Fourth Maths Team Challenge was held in November and was won by U4C Team 1 with a score of 62 points, while the two teams from U4E came joint second with 60 points – a very closely fought contest! Four different teams held the lead and it all changed on the final relay round. Well done to all participants and particular congratulations go to the winning team which consisted of Jack Janes, Luke Barrington, Olivia Sproule and Katy Campbell-Ferguson.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS! LUCY FRYERS, MARTHA EVANS, JAMES CAPELL AND WILL MASON WITH THEIR SIXTH FORM HELPER SOPHIE HARRISON.

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The Intermediate Maths Challenge was held in February and a number of our Fifth Form, Upper Remove and Lower Remove pupils took part. There were 16 gold certificates awarded, with a further 36 silver and 43 bronze earned! The best in School was Luke Beever (UR), while Matt Hall and Matthew Kimber were the best in the Fifth Form and Lower Remove respectively. Seventeen pupils won places on the Kangaroo round: Matt Hall, Chris Rodgers, Cameron Pipe, Ruby Needham, Owen Preston, Luke Beever, Jamie Elsdon, Louisa De Vos, Dan Duke, Daisy Newman, Matthew Kimber, Henry Halford, Becky Ye, Micah Browne, David Wills, Ben Beedie and Tilly Barwell. The Kangaroo round is similar in style to the original Challenge but the problems are much harder! Seven of those who qualified for the Kangaroo were awarded merits and particular congratulations should go to David Wills for scoring the highest in school in the grey Kangaroo and for Jamie Elsdon for doing the same in the pink Kangaroo. Well done to everyone who took part!

In March, The Junior Team Maths Challenge was held at Earl Mortimer College, Leominster. A team of Upper Fourth and Lower Remove students put their skills to the test in four rounds of competition, a group round, a cross-number, a shuttle race and a team relay. The four worked well together and, after answering more relay questions than any other school, ended in a commendable second place. Congratulations go to Olivia Sproule, Becky Ye, Henry Halford and Max Barclay.

Congratulations to Kittermaster House on winning an excellent House Countdown final against Chappel House. Over eight thrilling rounds, there were some imaginative and impressive numerical solutions. The winning team in the final were Joe Amos, Ben Amos and Tom Dobson. Well done to all who took part. Throughout the year, Maths in Motion has taken place on Wednesday lunchtimes. Much like the England football team in many ways, Maths in Motion has seen

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‘Was Epicurus right

THE WINNERS : OLIVIA SPROULE, BECKY YE, HENRY HALFORD AND MAX BARCLAY

The Upper Sixth Maths Society have been busy again this year. They held meetings throughout the year and organised the rota for volunteer Sixth form helpers at Maths clinic. In March, they organised and hosted a superb Vegas Night in the Boathouse. Families and students from King’s enjoyed learning to play some traditional card games and the overall stakes were some rather tasty chocolate prizes. All proceeds from the evening went to support the Maggs Day Centre for the homeless in Worcester. The Junior Maths Challenge took place in April with pupils from the Fourth Forms taking part. There were seven gold certificates, twenty-one silvers and forty bronzes awarded this time. Max Barclay scored the highest mark in school, qualifying for the Kangaroo round. He was awarded a gold certificate along with Sam Perkins, Riya Mayilvahanan, George Campbell-Ferguson, William Morrison, Caitlin Clements and James Capell.

Religion and

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus did not fear death, writing that “the wise man neither fears, nor rejects death.” Epicurus was a materialist; he believed that there was nothing in the universe except for matter. In death, the body and all sensation cease to function. We will not feel death and therefore we do not need to fear death.

THE WINNERS : JOE AMOS, BEN AMOS AND TOM DOBSON

the retirement of an old guard of senior engineers, making way for a new squad to emerge. What these young participants may lack in experience and accuracy, they more than make up for in enthusiasm, energy and passion. Rarely before has a Maths classroom seen such whoops of excitement during virtual racing! The highlight of the year for the team was seen when Harvey Smith achieved victory in the first round against eleven other schools from all over the world, after a thrilling race. Set in Motor Park Romania, his perfectly timed pit stops and exquisite tyre selection left the other schools trailing in his virtual dust. This transitional year has enabled younger pupils to build their skills and experience, ready for racing in future years. We all look forward to seeing what they achieve in the competition next year. DJS

Epicurus understood that while there was no reason to fear death, there might be suffering in the run up to death. Because of the difference between the two, it becomes helpful to differentiate between “process death” and “denouement death.” “Process death” is a term used to describe the events preceding and leading to an individual’s death, whereas “denouement death” is the state of being dead. Epicurus’ argument only attempts to explain why fear in the latter is irrational. There are two more aspects to the fear of death: 1. Fear of premature death 2. Fear of the death of others The fear of premature death can be summarised through Levenbook’s “Harm Thesis”: Premise 1: Life is good because we get to experience things we enjoy. Premise 2: Things that are bad for us (or prevent good things), cause us harm. Premise 3: Death is the cessation of life and the ability to experience such events.

e m t r a p e D y h p o s o il Ph that a wise person does not fe

ar death?’

Charlie Mackintosh

To conclude, was Epicurus right that a wise person does not fear death? Most empirical philosophers from Epicurus onwards have rejected a fear of denouement death as it is merely the cessation of sensation and this view, when combined with our limited knowledge of human experience after death, seems to be persuasive. If we accept that death is a lack of sensation then it follows that we ought not to fear death itself.

Conclusion: Therefore, as death prevents people from experiencing enjoyable things, it causes us harm and so should be feared. In everyday life people express this as a fear of missing out. One philosophical response to this is that of the contemporary philosopher Thomas Nagel, who points out that whilst our death will cause us to miss experiences we otherwise would have had, our birth did too. Very few people would feel a deep sense of loss over the fact that they missed out on experiences because of the timing of their birth and he believes that there is no difference between those potential experiences and the ones we miss upon our death. Therefore, fearing death because of missed experiences is as illogical as mourning having been born when you were. This leaves the fourth fear: fearing the death of others. The Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi argued that there was no reason to fear the death of our loved ones because it is inevitable – it is merely a part of the cycle of life. Zhuangzi argued that death is just a milestone within our life, just as being born, growing up and growing old are. Just as it is ridiculous to fear the transition from being a toddler to child, it is also irrational to fear death as both are just parts of the cycle of life. He even went as far as to suggest that we should celebrate death just as we celebrate the other changes people experience in life.

Some philosophers, however, have tried to refute this by arguing that we can fear death due to the painful processes that often lead to death, the experiences that death means we will miss out on, and the fear that a loved one will no longer be present. Therefore, by combining these four standpoints, a logical conclusion can be reached that Epicurus was right that a wise man does not fear death, but that a wise man ought to fear the consequences of and build up to death. As the sun rose on the 15th of February, the school’s A level RP students departed for Oxford for the annual “Peter Vardy Experience.” For our non-philosophical readers, Peter Vardy is an author of several books concerning ethical, religious and philosophical questions and is also a lecturer and former professor. These days he travels around the country teaching sixth-form students all about A-level Religious Studies. The day started well: we arrived with time to grab breakfast and explore the town before walking over to the St Andrew’s church in north Oxford. When walking in a tight group following Drs Dorsett and McLaverty-Head, it is easy to switch off to

WE THOUGHT, THEREF

the surroundings and not pay attention to locational details (for the consequences of which, see below). We took our seats along the front row and prepared for philosophical enlightenment. Dr Vardy covered topics varying from God’s existence to animal rights. Time flies by when philosophical debates are being held and before anyone realised, lunch time was upon us. A quick visit to a Kurdish sandwich shop left us refreshed and prepared for part two of the lecture, though, on heading back to St Andrew’s, it became apparent part two may have to be delayed. Some of us had foolishly walked past the turning to the church and, with our heads swimming with new-found knowledge, nobody had realised the walk back had taken twice as long as the walk there. We eventually admitted we were lost. Luckily a church in a residential area isn’t that difficult to locate so we hurriedly jogged back only several minutes late. We took our seats as politely as possible, which is easier said than done when they’re located on the front row. The afternoon’s events continued and, after concluding the day’s lecture, Dr Vardy proposed a debate on the controversial issue of euthanasia. Ideas bounced around the room on all opposing beliefs. Our very own Calum offered an insightful philosophical perspective on the matter by saying that, “in order to eradicate slippery slopes on this issue we should ban slides.” Even the erudite professor couldn’t argue with that logical reasoning. The debate concluded with Dr. Dorsett’s closing words, which presumably no-one could top or respond to as the debate was drawn to a close shortly afterwards.

ORE WE WERE: PHILOS

OPHY STUDENTS IN OXF

ORD.

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‘Brexit could be the best thing to ever

A discussion by William Banner written in May 2019

with rapidly developing newly emerging allow the free movement of people in ‘Brexit’ is the coined term referring to markets without the restrictions of the the EU. It may be argued that the UK the process of the United Kingdom EU: these could be with Mexico, Indonesia, could accept more non-EU immigrants withdrawing from the European Union Nigeria or Turkey (the MINT countries) or if the (currently unrestricted) number of (EU). Brexit has been a controversial even Thailand or the Philippines. immigrants into the UK from the EU was topic which has divided opinions across curbed. Some politicians advocate that the UK population because of its political, immigration can be based on a skilledsocial, environmental, legal and economic Another way that Brexit would benefit the workers basis, as exists in Australia with a impacts. The focus of this essay is the UK economy is through the termination of points-based system. A benefit of having economic impacts: Brexit would have many contributions to the EU budget. Assuming a higher proportion of skilled workers is advantages and disadvantages in the areas the figure to be correct, £350 million that they would pay higher rates of income of trade, regulation, immigration and the could be saved each week and not ‘sent tax as they are more likely to earn in the international influence of the UK. There are to Brussels’. This amounts to £18.2 billion higher bands of the progressive income also positive and negative consequences per year. This figure is significant – it is tax structure. More skilled workers are also for the UK’s macroeconomic performance. equivalent to half of the Department for more likely to buy more expensive houses, Education’s budget for English schools. which could lead to house prices rising To support an argument for Brexit possibly Prime Minister candidate (at the time which could cause the wealth effect and being ‘the best thing to ever happen to of writing) and devout brexiteer, Boris thus increased consumer confidence in the the UK economy’, one must consider Johnson, has previously suggested that this economy. If, over time, net migration falls a comprehensive range of reasons for would entirely be put towards funding the then there could be less strain on public why Brexit could be beneficial to the National Health Service (NHS). Alternatively, services, including the National Health UK economy. In terms of trade, the £350 million could be used to spend on Service (NHS) which EU citizens are able to main potential benefit from leaving the developing new industries and scientific access for free by means of UK residency. European Union is that the UK would be research. As a result, aggregate supply free to negotiate new relationships with would increase and economic growth occur, Whilst a member of the EU, the UK can both the EU and other economic unions as there is a long-term expansion of the at times be prevented from fully acting and countries, without being bound by productive potential of the economy. in the UK government’s best interests EU law. The UK could negotiate a new at international summits. Thus Brexit deal with China, where Theresa May The EU currently has several regulations could give the UK greater international and Xi Jingping settled on a new trade which brexiteers believe are detrimental to influence. Alternatively, the UK could join and investment agreement worth £9 the UK. One such regulation is the Common other unions such as the Pacific Trade Pact billion in February 2018, a preliminary Fisheries Policy, which allows fishing fleets which Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzō Abe arrangement prior to a potential full free from EU member states equal access to any has said he would welcome. If possible, trade agreement after Brexit. This is fairly waters within twelve miles of a member’s this would lead to maintained or increased viable because when David Cameron was coastline. There are currently quotas investment from Japan into UK businesses. Prime Minister he helped create a ‘golden affecting all member states, including As Japanese firms already create 140,000 era’ for British-Chinese economic relations. the UK, which are aimed at preserving jobs in the UK in manufacturing and the The UK government might alternatively, fish stocks. Brexit would allow the UK pharmaceutical and finance industries, a or additionally, choose to pursue an government to set their own fishing laws new agreement with Japan after leaving enhanced trade deal with India, due to again and be in control of job security in the the EU could mean even more jobs are become the third largest economy in the fishing industry. On a different account, the created by both firms already operating in world by 2030, which is also feasible as EU’s laws on energy bills mean that member the UK and new firms too. India is presently the third largest provider states must apply a Value Added Tax (VAT) of foreign investment into the UK. To add of at least 15%; Brexit would give the The UK’s macroeconomic performance to this, there is the possibility of a revised government the freedom to make gas and can be measured using the four main trade agreement with the US – President electric bills VAT-free. This would benefit objectives of economic growth, achieving Trump has promised that the US and UK those on the lowest incomes which would price stability i.e. low levels of inflation, will maintain a ‘special’ relationship and help the UK economy. There are also some minimising unemployment and having a that a favourable post-Brexit deal would more obscure regulations that the UK could stable balance of payments on the current be agreed. There is a strong argument avoid after Brexit: firstly, the government account. At the moment the UK is classified for this being the case as the UK is the can allow easier access to driving licences as a ‘net contributor’ to the EU budget fourth biggest importer of US exports after for people with diabetes, and secondly since the UK government has to pay £18.6 Canada and Mexico, who are ahead due to there will be less regulation required over billion towards the EU budget prior to a the North American Free Trade Agreement, the shape of bananas and cucumbers. rebate of £5.6 billion. A comparatively and currently China – a situation which Some proponents of the UK leaving the EU smaller £4 billion is reinvested by the EU is likely to change with the new tariffs believe that the UK could have economic into the UK public sector – the rest is sent imposed in the ongoing trade war. Likewise, success similar to Norway and Switzerland to the ‘structural funds’ which redistribute the US needs a strong trade deal with the who are both in the single market but do money to poorer parts of the EU. Hence UK as the UK is the US’ sixth largest import not have to follow EU regulations. If the UK the UK’s membership of the EU directly market by import value. The UK is also the could achieve a similar deal, Brexit could costs the government a net £9 billion largest source of Foreign Direct Investment make the UK economy better off. each year. Following Brexit the UK would (FDI) to the US, representing 15% of all FDI be able to retain this income and finance flowing into the US. Furthermore, now is A key implication of being part of the UK infrastructure and supply-side policies the ideal time to negotiate trade deals European Union is the requirement to

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happen to the UK economy.’

such as work programmes which will, as previously said, increase aggregate supply in the long run. Figure 1:

By definition, economic growth occurs when an economy expands its capacity to produce goods and services. The outwards shift of the long run aggregate supply curve in Figure 1 demonstrates that more goods and services are being produced and National Income (or real GDP) is increasing. This indicates that it is possible for leaving the EU to be beneficial to the UK economy; likewise, the thinktank ‘Open Europe’ estimates that in the best case scenario the UK’s GDP could be one point six (1.6%) higher per year than if the UK remains a member of the EU. In terms of minimising unemployment, it has already been shown that new trade deals with any of China, Japan, India or the US would have the potential to increase investment into the UK and create jobs. Employment might not be significantly affected in the shorter term as uncertain firms may continue to operate with ‘business as usual’ or even if unemployment does rise in the short term then in the longer term the effects will be minimal; the Institute for Economic Affairs, despite advocating free trade and by extent be pro-EU, believes the UK labour market to be very ‘dynamic’ and able to adapt to any changes in the UK’s relationship with the EU. This dynamism is evident from how the UK labour market has relatively swiftly recovered from the Financial Crisis of 200708. Brexit could lead to unemployment levels staying low, provided that the evolving UK labour market remains flexible and corporation tax stays low (currently at 19% and due to fall to 18% in April 2020). On the other hand, there is strong evidence that leaving the EU will not be ‘the best thing to ever happen to the UK economy’. In terms of trade, the likelihood is that the UK will now have to pay export tariffs to the EU and will experience increased redtape delaying exports. This, unlike what Brexiteers might say without statistical evidence, is hugely problematic as 45% of the UK’s exports currently go to the EU; the UK will need to sustain the EU as an export market or will suffer significantly from

structural unemployment and a decline in industry. Moreover, any new tariff-free trade deals which the UK could potentially create with non-EU countries could not even come close to the magnitude of free-trade with the EU the UK can benefit from as a member. Since it is impossible to maintain all the benefits of the EU whilst not remaining a member, UK exporters are inevitably going to be negatively affected overall. The view that the UK is a ‘net contributor’ to the EU can be challenged: a statistic which shows the clear benefit of the UK being in the EU is that £340 of taxation per household is sent to the EU each year but the total benefits are nearly nine-fold at £3000 of benefits to each household per annum. This massive benefit will be lost during Brexit. Moreover, even if the UK leaves the monetary and economic union, the UK would still have to make a payment to access the single market so Brexit would not be so beneficial for the UK economy in this way. Another reason why Brexit would not make the UK economy so much better off is that the £13 billion of contributions each year (after allowing for the rebate) constituted only 1.68% of the £772 billion the UK government spent in 2016-17. Hence retaining this money would not give the UK economy such a boost as to validate the claim that Brexit is the ‘best thing to ever happen to the UK economy’. The £13 billion can be seen as a worthwhile investment as it enables UK citizens to benefit from the rights such as the free movement of people to live and work in the EU. The relative insignificance of the size of EU contributions is proven further as the £350 million per week Boris Johnson claimed during the leave campaign did not take into account the rebate so the actual figure is closer to £250 million. Likewise, the campaign did not explicate how much the EU contribution is in relative terms and so any perceived economic benefits of leaving the EU in terms of not contributing to the EU budget is overestimated. Whilst there are some fairly strong arguments for the UK economy benefiting from removing certain regulations by leaving the EU, most EU regulation is beneficial as it helps to merge the 28 national standards into one standard across the union and this helps to reduce administrative costs of governments setting their own laws and also reduce red-tape. This has helped UK businesses since the UK joined the EU in 1973 and has boosted economic growth. It must be noted that the UK would not have to leave the

Winner of the 2019 Economics E ssay Competition

EU to campaign for better regulations. Brexit would mean increased costs for the government through independent law-making which is another clear reason why the UK economy would not be in its ‘best’ ever state following Brexit.

If, after Brexit, the UK adopts a skills-based system for immigration, there would be huge administrative costs of such a system and moral arguments against it – workers being skilled usually depends on their background and access to education. There is also uncertainty over how it will affect foreign students’ access to higher education. If it becomes more difficult for EU students to study in the UK, then the UK workforce could be missing out on skilled workers who are prepared for the UK labour market, including medical students trained to meet the requirements of working in the NHS. If net migration became negative the housing market could be affected by falling prices which would effectively lead to the opposite of the wealth effect and cause consumer confidence in the economy to fall. Another reason why Brexit would be bad for the UK economy is that in the future the number of workers from the EU will fall; EU workers are net contributors to the UK economy. European migrants living in the UK contribute £2,300 more to public purse each year than the average adult, suggesting a net contribution of £78,000 to the exchequer over their lifespan in the UK. In comparison, each UK-born adult contributed £70 less than the average, and each non-EU migrant contributed over £800 less than the average. These figures show that if Brexit means a higher proportion of immigrants are from outside of the EU then government revenue from taxation will be lower. Furthermore, 62,000 immigrants from the EU worked in the NHS in 2018, comprising 5.6% of those 1.2 million who work in the NHS and nearly half of all foreign nationals in the NHS. Hence the NHS, which already has shortages estimated at 29,000 nurses and 3000 general practitioners, will become under increasing strain if fewer doctors and nurses from the EU join the NHS in the future. EU immigrants also support the UK economy by teaching in UK schools; the Brexit vote has already caused the number of these teachers to fall by 25% to 3525 during 2017-18. This could exacerbate issues in an industry where 31% of new teachers leave within five years of joining.

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Whilst many ardent brexiteers claim that leaving the EU would give the UK more independence to act in its self-interests at international summit, the UK would actually have less representation since as a member of the EU the UK has been represented not only by the UK foreign secretary but also the EU high representative. Following Brexit, the UK would not have the same support at some international summits. It is undeniable that Brexit will have negative effects on macroeconomic performance. The UK’s EU membership had meant that numerous transnational corporations (TNCs) had chosen to locate in the UK because it is within the EU’s common external tariff (CET) and can therefore sell products across the EU from manufacturing bases in the UK. TNCs such as Nissan (through its car manufacturing plant in Sunderland), Honda (which has its European flagship factory in Swindon) and GlaxoSmithKline currently create thousands of jobs in the UK both directly and indirectly which contributes to UK production levels and taxation revenue. Following Brexit, if many of the TNCs based in the UK relocate to maintain the benefits of the EU, the UK could suffer from structural unemployment and slowing economic growth. There would be recessionary effects in real terms as TNCs affect a large supply chain. Honda have already announced that they intend to close the Swindon factory in 2021 and Jaguar Land Rover, another car manufacturer, have attributed its plan to cut 4500 jobs to Brexit. Contrasting to the aforementioned Open Europe projection, the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics (LSE) believes that GDP per year will likely be around 6.3% lower by 2030 than if the UK remained in the EU and up to 9.5% worse off in the worst case scenarios. The Bank of England similarly reported in 2018 that Brexit could leave the UK economy 9.3% worse off. However, it must be acknowledged that there is uncertainty over the future trade deal with the EU which will ultimately have a critical effect on economic growth in the UK. The Bank of England figure of 9.3% refers to the scenario of a no deal Brexit, whereas achieving a free trade agreement would still mean the UK would be 6.7% worse off in 2030 than if it had remained in the EU all together. These statistics seem compelling, but admittedly if you read the background behind them the Bank of England has assumed a ‘100% reduction in migration’ which is clearly unrealistic. Even so, by 2030 6.7% of the UK’s GDP would equate to about £170 billion which is a sizeable amount. Whilst the UK’s rate of unemployment at 3.8% in the three months up to March

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2019 is the lowest since 1974, Brexit will cause unemployment to rise. This has been explicated previously in terms of the car manufacturing sector, but other industries will be hit as well. A study in 2000 by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) estimated that up to 3.2 million UK jobs were ‘associated directly with exports of goods and services to other EU countries’. This is reinforced by a study from South Bank University the same year which estimated that 3,445,000 jobs in the UK ‘depend upon exports to the EU’ including 2.5 million directly and 900,000 indirectly (relating to jobs that come about as a result of increased aggregate demand from the wages of workers in export markets). These reports underline how important the EU is as an export market. Whilst leaving the EU does not have to mean job losses, the likelihood is a weak trade agreement with the EU in the future which will lead to export volumes falling. Unemployment will also arise from TNCs, including the car manufacturers, moving operations to other parts of the EU. The finance industry which employees 2.1 million people in the UK will also be affected as it is reliant on EU legislations relating to the Single European Market. A decline in the finance sector would be an issue due to the industry’s scale - in 2017, the financial services sector contributed £119 billion to the UK economy, 6.5% of total economic output. Moreover, Brexit uncertainty could lead to a degree of unemployment in many other sectors in the future. Whilst minimising unemployment is one of the most important macroeconomic objectives, as the levels of unemployment are so low at the moment these consequences may not be the most severe of the impacts of Brexit in the short term at least. Another key cause of economic growth in the UK is through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). FDI in the UK had risen in the years leading to 2016, particularly in IT, cyber-security and the digital economy. However, in 2017 the value of foreign direct investment into the UK, i.e. inward flows, increased by £92.4 billion, significantly less than the £192.0 billion increase in 2016. This was just as a result of the EU referendum result and it is not difficult to believe by extent that FDI would fall to even lower levels after Brexit. On the other hand, the UK’s outward FDI flows (i.e. investments made by UK companies in companies abroad) were worth £91.4 billion - this follows three successive years of net disinvestment between 2014 and 2016. Analysts have said that Brexit will lead to the UK no longer being the top destination for inward investment, meaning Germany and France will benefit. France, in particular, experienced a 31% rise

in FDI projects which may also be due to President Macron’s policies. Despite this, the UK economy’s growth will slow rather than regress: the UK attracted 6% more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects in 2017 compared to 2016, but in a European market growing at 10%, the UK’s market share fell for the second successive year. The effect of foreign direct investments decreasing in number would be even worse if future agreements with the EU did not include free trade because investment would almost certainly be redirected to within the EU. Having considered both the arguments that Brexit could be beneficial to the UK economy and that Brexit could be very harmful to the UK economy, it is clear that Brexit is such a complex issue which has wide-ranging effects aside from economic effects. The only completely certain economic effect of Brexit is uncertainty, so it is true that Brexit could be ‘the best thing to ever happen to the UK economy’, but this would require every extremely unlikely circumstance happening that could cause the UK economy to benefit from Brexit, and this is quite simply impossible for the reason that the European Union would not want leaving the union to appear favourable to other members and a perfect trade agreement with the EU should not be made to appear possible without remaining a member of the EU, receiving all the benefits without the input. The effects of Brexit will not be fully known for at least fifty years and it may be that in the short run Brexit is harmful to the UK economy whereas a few decades down the line it may be seen as ‘the best thing to ever happen to the UK economy’, but equally it may not. Different stakeholders will be affected differently by Brexit and there will be winners and losers regardless of future international relations post-Brexit. For instance, maybe if the NHS did receive extra funding then that would be a benefit of leaving the EU. However, all actions have trade-offs, or an opportunity cost, and in the case of the Brexit conundrum the opportunity cost of missing out on the benefits of the EU exceed the opportunity cost of remaining in the EU which is gaining increased independence by leaving the EU. Whilst the focus of this essay was on the economic impacts, it must be remembered that when the European Economic Community was formed in 1953 (forty years prior to the foundation of the EU in Maastricht in 1993) one of the reasons was to improve international relations following the Second World War, and conflict is the enemy of economic prosperity and social wellbeing. Even if the circumstances in Europe were significantly different in 1939, the ideology still stands that unity is stronger and more powerful than any division. William Banner

Art Department Lower School

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Upper School

ART TRIP, ST IVES 2018

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A Level History essay:

Assess the view that disagreements about the Second Front were the most significant cause of tension between Russia and the West between 1941 and 1945. Even now in the long-term aftermath of their engagement in the ‘Cold War’, there is still much debate surrounding the reasons for the attitudes of Russia and the West towards one another. The origins of much of this inter-power tension lie, perhaps unexpectedly, in the period of the Grand Alliance during the Second World War, a time which supposedly saw the highest level of cooperation between the then communist Soviet Union and its primary Western Allies, Britain and the United States. It has traditionally been historians sympathetic to the Soviet view, such as Gabriel Kolko, who have given more weight to the Allied delay in opening the Second Front against Nazi Germany being a serious factor in causing this tension, as this interpretation downplays the USSR’s own hostility. Despite Kolko’s judgement not being completely objective, himself being a self-declared anti-capitalist, it is abundantly clear that disagreements over the issue caused much tension. More modern historians such as Bradley Lightbody and Michael Dockrill support this view. With that in mind, it is evident that the Second Front issue did indeed cause more tension between 1941 and 1945 than any other concrete issue dividing the Allies, but only as a result of the already present ideological differences within the Grand Alliance. Alternatively, there is reason to consider that Stalin’s proposed foreign policy worsened relations, but examples of clear cooperation on the matter and proSoviet public opinion in the West refute the notion that this caused the most tension during the war. Furthermore, historians such as Michael D. Gordin argue that the friction caused by the notoriously hostile disclosure of the United States’ atomic bomb in 1945 was not felt in full effect at the time, but rather had greater consequences for post-war tensions. Underpinning every mentioned interpretation, however, are the stark ideological differences and preexisting mistrust between the capitalist West and the then communist USSR, rendering that the fundamental and ultimately most significant cause of tension between 1941 and 1945. As the most pressing issue in Stalin’s eyes at every wartime conference before 1944, delays in the opening of a Second Front in Europe were bound to cause disagreement,

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since Churchill favoured concentrating British forces elsewhere. Tension was caused by three main aspects of the issue: firstly, the hostility Stalin felt from the West; secondly the lack of effective communication on the matter allowing Stalin to form unrealistic expectations, thus leading to Stalin’s greater mistrust of the Western Allies’ motives when his expectations were not met, and thirdly the West’s perception of the USSR’s ulterior motives. With the Soviet Union having borne the brunt of the Nazi attack in the East for over a year, the Soviet Premier Josef Stalin issued a hostile memorandum, as early as 1942, in response to British Prime Minister Churchill’s decision not to commit to a Second Front. It stated, ‘As is well known, the organisation of a Second Front in Europe in 1942 was pre-decided at the sojourn of Molotov in London’ and later refers to the refusal of the British Government to take action as ‘a moral blow to the whole of Soviet public opinion’. Not only does his accusatory tone convey his anger at the British response but he also indicates that the whole population felt betrayed by this. Bringing the Russian people into the picture may, of course, have been a device employed by Stalin to apply more pressure on the Allies to open the Second Front sooner and therefore not be completely reflective of how the people really felt. That said, however, the news of delays to the establishment of the Second Front in the summer of 1942 coincided with the beginning of the Red Army’s defence of the city of Stalingrad. The sole fact that the Soviet Union suffered 800,000 soldier and civilian casualties in this single battle, compared to 375,000 British and 405,000 American casualties for the entire war is argued by Lightbody to have made the Soviet people more hostile towards the limited direct military assistance it was receiving from the West, seeing it as an attempt by the Allies to bleed the USSR dry of men and supplies. Furthermore, the Allied decision to prioritise the Anglo-American campaigns in North Africa and Italy, in 1942 and 1943 respectively, according the Dockrill were not regarded by Stalin as sufficient enough substitutes for a ‘full-scale Allied attack into the heartland of the Reich.’ Roosevelt’s message of further postponement in May

1943 warranted an icy response from Stalin, in a private letter to Roosevelt and Churchill, which read ‘I must tell you, that the point here is not just the disappointment of the Soviet government, but the preservation of its confidence in its Allies.’ With Stalin adopting here a similar tone to that of 1942, it would suggest that the tension caused was persistent and was making those at the highest level of authority in the USSR directly question the integrity of Allied motives, even as far as with statements that seem to threaten the alliance. The confidential nature of the interaction adds credibility to this view, as the letter would not have been intended to influence public opinion in any way. The constant postponement and favouring of other peripheral campaigns excited deep cynicism in Stalin, so that even when informed of the decision to launch the D-Day landings of 1944, Stalin still doubtfully remarked to his generals ‘Yes, there’ll be a landing if there is no fog. What if they meet with some Germans? Maybe there won’t be a landing then, but just promises as usual.’ This attitude leads on to the second fundamental way in which the disagreements regarding the establishment of a Second Front caused significant tension: a degree of miscommunication. From Stalin’s reference to the failed ‘promises’, it could be ascertained that there was a mutual misunderstanding between Stalin and the Western leaders as to how binding the promises were. Walter LaFeber argues that tensions were significantly increased following discussion of the issue at the Tehran Conference in 1943. What the Western leaders saw as merely indications of readiness to open a Second Front in the foreseeable future, Stalin took as ‘ironclad pledges’. Therefore, from a Soviet perspective the Allies were not committing themselves to the defence of the Soviet Union seriously enough, as the balance of war in the East had not yet been tipped in their favour by the momentous victory over Stalingrad. Lightbody, along with his contemporary, Steve Phillips, argues that what underpinned these tensions caused by the Second Front issue were in fact the severe ideological differences between Russia and the West right from when Russia had turned communist in 1917. The negative responses

of the West, in particular Churchill’s, to the repeated requests for this action have been suspected by Phillips and Lightbody to have been perceived by Stalin as dictated not solely by wartime strategy, but political motives also. The latter argues that ‘Stalin was suspicious that his Allies were content to watch the Soviet and Nazi armies destroy each other on the battlefield and rid Europe of both fascism and communism.’ Lightbody’s view is supported by the fact that finding a common enemy in Hitler by 1941 did little to distract from the fact that both the USA and Britain been part of the foreign military intervention against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War. Moreover, Churchill famously remarked to the National Press Club, Washington, in 1954; ‘If I had been properly supported in 1919, I think we might have strangled Bolshevism in its cradle.’ Although this was said at a time when such inflammatory remarks were more acceptable, he was in fact consistent in his views even in times of cooperation with the USSR. This is conveyed through the remark he made to his Private Secretary, John Colville, in 1941 at the news of the Nazi attack on Russia; ‘If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons.’ To Churchill, working with the ‘Devil’, that was Stalin, was the sacrifice he would have to make to achieve victory in the war – clearly it was only the threat of Hitler’s fascism that prevented Churchill making Stalin his number one enemy. Having been said in private, the comment gives an indication of Churchill’s genuine opinion of his wartime ally, rather than the cooperative one broadcast to the nation when Britain declared its support for the Soviets following Operation Barbarossa. This serves to show that the ideological differences between the powers still remained close to the surface during times of high-level cooperation. Thus, the argument presented is that the tensions caused by the Allies’ alleged political motives in delaying the Second Front were likely fuelled by the underlying ideological differences between them and the USSR. The hostility created by the delays was, however, by no means one-sided. The third angle to this view suggests that Stalin was actually able to use his demand for the immediate opening of a Second Front to the Soviet Union’s advantage, causing much tension. According to Jonathan Fenby, Stalin’s constant pleas were ‘too useful a political tool not to be used to ensure the Western allies would compensate by pumping supplies to the Eastern Front’, referring to the $130 billionworth supplied to the USSR under the LendLease Act between 1941-45. With Britain

heavily reliant on Lend-Lease supplies too, Churchill recognised a threat in the diversion of supplies away from Britain eastward, recalling in his memoirs that the armed services felt it ‘like flaying off pieces of their skin.’ It did indeed put an enormous strain on domestic production, ultimately lowering living standards in wartime Britain. Fenby’s argument is supported by Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister 1939-49, who later admitted ‘our demand was politically necessary and we had to press them for everything’, after stating that he was doubtful that Stalin was realistically expecting any action before 1944 anyway. As a high-ranking diplomat he was well aware of the Axis army’s superior position in the West. The comment may, of course, have been calculated to assert the competence of Soviet leadership after the event, but his reference to the ‘political’ necessity suggests that Stalin was focussed on maintaining diplomatic strength rather than providing for his people, lending credibility to Fenby’s view that this caused diplomatic tension. Moreover, following Stalin’s very first requests for an attack in the Balkans or France in June 1941, Churchill responded with hostility: ‘Only four months ago, we in this Island did not know whether you were not on the German side…you, of all people, have no right to make reproaches to us.’ This suggests how Stalin’s demanding nature caused enough tension to warrant a direct and accusatory response from another leader, something rarely seen in regard to other sources of inter-power tensions during the war. Churchill’s tone implies that he made it no secret to Stalin the extent to which he distrusted Soviet actions from the beginning, referencing the fact that Stalin had been in alliance with Hitler since the signing of the NaziSoviet Pact in August 1939. This, therefore, reinforces that a pre-existing personal mistrust of Stalin and his earlier association with Hitler were a primary reason for Churchill’s attitude towards Stalin when discussing the delay to the Second Front. Thus, with Churchill always being so ideologically opposed to communism, coupled with the pressure of supplying to the Soviets, he himself could be held responsible for advancing wartime hostilities. Ivan Maisky, the Soviet Ambassador to Britain for much of the Second World War, reinforced in 1967 that ‘Roosevelt had a very positive idea of the world and its relations…His death changed many things,’ highlighting the distinctions between Anglo-Russian and US-Russian relations. His account would suggest that Roosevelt acted as a mediator of tensions between Stalin and Churchill and that his replacement, Harry Truman,

did not proceed to fulfil the same role. Truman was much more staunchly opposed to communism and far more reluctant to trust the Soviets than his predecessor, being prepared to concede to fewer of Stalin’s post-war demands. This was likely the cause of the significantly more hostile atmosphere between the leaders at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945, over which Truman presided, compared to the more cooperative air between Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta Conference in February. That said, Maisky naturally would have been inclined to portray Churchill as a warmonger and Truman as a more threatening alternative to Roosevelt, as it had been the former two who had become figureheads of the fight against communism by this time. Although this indicates that Maisky’s opinion should not be taken at face value, the argument for the pre-existing ideological differences between the powers being the underlying and therefore most significant cause of tension is still most convincing. Another factor often considered a reason for the breakdown of the Grand Alliance, was the threat that Stalin’s foreign policy was beginning to pose to Eastern Europe as the Allied victory grew ever more likely with the Russian counterattack. The Declaration of Liberated Europe, drafted by the Allies at the Yalta conference, carried with it the promise to ‘enable the liberated peoples to create democratic institutions of their own choice.’ With hindsight, it is clear that Stalin’s retention of both military and political control of certain eastern European states after the war is an example of Soviet foreign policy severely undermining this agreement. Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing, argue that the goal of achieving real Western democracy in a post-war Eastern Europe was made wholly unrealistic by Russian actions during the war. This caused major tensions between the West and the USSR, since promoting democratic selfdetermination of states had been outlined as early as 1941 as the third of eight fundamental principles of the Atlantic Charter signed by the USA and Britain. A prime example was the USSR’s stance over the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 – the rapid Soviet advance westwards was halted just 20 miles before reaching Warsaw during what, with Russian assistance, may have had the potential to be a successful uprising against the occupying Nazi forces by the Polish resistance. In the words Isaacs and Downing, ‘Hopes for genuine democracy in Eastern Europe after the war were destroyed in the ruins of Warsaw.’

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The idea that this caused a degree of tension at a high-command level is supported by the words of the British Air Marshall Sir John Slessor, who in his memoirs stated ‘How, after the fall of Warsaw, any responsible statesman could trust any Russian Communist further than he could kick him passes the comprehension of ordinary men.’ However, given that this was written in the 1950s, it would have probably been heavily influenced by ‘Cold War’ opinion. Slessor himself served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1950-52 during the height of confrontation in the Korean War, so was naturally inclined to take an anti-communist stance and portray Soviet wartime actions in a negative light. Therefore, it may be limited in its credibility. Once again though, the ideological differences are the crux of the matter. With hindsight of Churchill’s famous ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in 1946, condemning the enforcement of Communism in the Eastern Bloc, it is clear that he had been harbouring his suspicions about Soviet post-war foreign policy even during the war. Thus, it is also clear that much of the tension caused by the threat of Soviet expansion was actually based on pre-existing ideological differences – the Western powers simply could not feel content in allowing communism to dominate supposedly autonomous countries. Just two years after the end of the war this very notion would be enshrined in the Truman Doctrine in the form of a containment policy, illustrating that the ideological tensions, although largely overlooked during the war for the sake of cooperation against the common enemy, were ever-present and prevalent enough to define western policy such a short time later. Alternatively, there is much evidence to oppose Isaacs and Downing’s view that the issue of Soviet presence in Eastern Europe was central to aggravating tension in 1944, namely, and primarily, the existence of the Percentages Agreement between Churchill and Stalin. Agreed in secret at the Fourth Moscow Conference in October 1944, the purpose of this ‘naughty document’ was to pre-determine so-called ‘spheres of influence’ for the USSR and Britain, given the expected victory in the war by this point. It could be assumed that readily allowing Stalin a high degree of influence in a large part of Eastern Europe would completely undermine the aims of the Allied Declaration of Liberated Europe, causing tension, were it not for the fact that it was Churchill, not Stalin, who suggested the underhand agreement. Churchill acted prematurely and without the approval of the United States, for fear of the growing criticism of British imperialism from his

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‘special relationship’ partner. After all, his main objective was to ensure Britain maintained its influence in the Balkans and the Mediterranean, as the terms of the Atlantic Charter had also been intended to apply pressure onto Britain to begin a process of decolonisation. It would seem, therefore, that between 1941 and 1945 Churchill and Stalin saw eye to eye on foreign policy matters much more frequently than has perhaps been portrayed by historians since. So cooperative and seemingly informal was the Percentages Deal meeting, that the terms were handwritten by Churchill and purportedly agreed upon by Stalin with a single large tick. This version of events is supported by Churchill’s own words in his 1954 where he recalls; ‘I wrote it out on a half-sheet of paper…I pushed this across to Stalin…There was a slight pause. Then he took his blue pencil and made a large tick upon it. It was all settled in no more time than it takes to set down.’ Given that Churchill had made himself a bigger opponent of communism than ever by 1954, his famous Iron Curtain speech in 1946 and his ongoing support for Truman’s containment policy post-1947 being definitive evidence of this, it is interesting that he suggests an agreement was reached between him and Stalin in almost no time at all. He may have presented his account of the meeting in this way in order to reinforce that Stalin was just as ready to engage in such underhand activity as Churchill was to propose it. Churchill, being the stubborn and self-righteous figure he was, would have been highly unlikely to publicly portray his dealings with Stalin during the war as anything but perfectly diplomatic and well-handled, particularly since he had been re-elected as Prime Minister in 1951. But most prominent still, is the fact that, as stated in the document, Churchill himself quite readily offered Stalin ninety percent influence in Rumania, seventy-five percent in Bulgaria and fifty each in Yugoslavia and Hungary. This demonstrates that regardless of the forceful stance Churchill took against Soviet occupation after the war, between 1941 and 1945 he was clearly very open to negotiation on matters of foreign policy, being prepared to concede areas where there was little prospect of weakening Soviet influence in order to win Stalin’s recognition of British interests elsewhere. Similarly, despite the British public favouring a strong stance against Soviet control at the time of the book’s publication, this had not always been the case during the war. An article published in The Times in November 1944 was very clear in defending the need for a Soviet ‘buffer zone’ . It states: ‘Russia, like Great Britain, has no aggressive or expansive designs in Europe’,

and compares Russia’s presence in the East to the necessary British involvement in the region around the Suez Canal, and that of the USA in Central America. The article concludes by reiterating Russia’s equal right to such involvement in regions of interest, calling it ‘somewhat hypocritical, to interpret insistence on this right as the symptom of an aggressive policy.’ The purpose of the article seems to be to justify Stalin’s potential expansion as a necessary and deserved security measure for Russia, even going as far as to say that it would be hypocritical of the Western powers to spark any tension over this. It would of course have been the intention in 1944 to present the Allies as united on key issues as to not damage morale, explaining the article’s overly optimistic tone, but it does also offer a reliable insight into public opinion at the time. Being a widelyconsumed newspaper, conscious of the need to retain readers, it is unlikely that The Times would have published opinions which strayed too far from the general consensus. The fact that a conservativeleaning newspaper was inclined to publish a statement so supportive of a communist state strongly suggests that public opinion in Britain was with the Russians. There was, indeed, ever growing sympathy for the Russian sacrifice in the war and socialist elements of the Beveridge Report (1942), such as the notion of a Welfare State, were becoming popular with the people. It can be concluded therefore, that on both a public and an extremely private high command level, Stalin’s foreign policy only became a very significant cause of tension once wartime cooperation had ended. The final view evaluated in this debate is how tensions were exacerbated by the Allies’ deliberate exclusion of the USSR from their collaboration on the Manhattan Project, the name given to the top-secret development of the first atomic bomb. According to Gar Alperovitz, the dropping of the bomb was intended to be seen as a sign of US military superiority and a threat. Michael D. Gordin, however, refutes the idea that this caused the gravest tension in 1945. He argues that Stalin was not in the very least surprised at, or genuinely threatened by, the news broken to him by Truman at Potsdam. There is evidence to suggest this is true, at least on the surface. The eyewitness account of Truman’s interpreter at Potsdam, Charles Bohlen, states; ‘so off-hand was Stalin’s response that there was some question in my mind whether the President’s message had got through.’ According to Bohlen, Truman had asked not to be accompanied to his conversation with Stalin, hoping to make it as casual and unthreatening as possible. This in itself

suggests that the President recognised the issue’s potential to cause severe diplomatic friction but was determined not to let it do so. Bohlen’s personal presence at Potsdam and his almost constant interaction with Stalin as Truman’s interpreter would have put him in a prime position to gauge the dictator’s reaction, adding credibility to his version of events. Stalin’s lack of surprise goes as far as to suggest that by Potsdam he was already well aware of the success of the Manhattan Project, which has been reinforced by evidence recovered from the only recently accessed Soviet archives. The day after the atomic destruction of Hiroshima, the Soviet Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, is recorded to have smirked and said to Averell Harriman, ‘You Americans can keep a secret when you want to,’ after which Harriman, the US Ambassador to the USS, noted, ‘the way he put it convinced me that it was no secret at all.’ Clearly it would have been in Molotov’s interests to act as if the Americans had not managed to conceal something so immense from the Soviets. Likewise, since he was recalling the

event during the Cold War, Harriman would be inclined to paint the Soviets as knowing about the project, to further the negative image of scheming and espionage built up around Russia. Nonetheless, it was only in 1949 that the USSR successfully tested its own nuclear weapons, allowing the so-called ‘arms race’ between Russia and the United States to commence, an event characterised by the global tension it caused throughout the remainder of the Twentieth Century. The fact that nuclear tensions only properly escalated once both sides were armed, sometime after the war, suggests that in 1945 it was not as big a point of contention. Although it signified a new era in diplomacy as Alperovitz suggests, its most heated consequences only arose later. In conclusion, the root cause of tension between Russia and the West between 1941 and 1945 was the insurmountable ideological differences between them. Whilst the case for the significance of the tensions caused by disagreements over the opening of a Second Front is more convincing than that of Stalin’s foreign

policy threat and the atomic bomb, it could be argued that the Second Front debate simply gave the ideological differences an arena in which to play out in full effect. Stalin certainly would not have perceived there to be political motives behind Churchill’s reluctance to open the Second Front, had their political ideologies been aligned. This is also true of the tension caused by Soviet expansion, because it was, above all else, the threat of communist governments gaining presence in Europe that troubled the Western allies, such as that in Poland and Czechoslovakia. Moreover, with hindsight, both this expansion and the nuclear threat only began causing major international tension after 1945, therefore it can be concluded that disagreements over the Second Front were more significant within the time period of 1941-45, but only when viewed as a product of the severe ideological differences between Russia and the West at the time. Kirsten Campbell-Ferguson

IT and Computing The computing department has seen many changes this year, most notably the welcome arrival of Mr Blakemore full time to the department to help introduce A level Computer Science to the curriculum and, as a result, alterations to the lower school curriculum have been made to develop basic IT skills. In September we took some very keen Lower Fourth pupils to visit the Malvern Festival of Innovation, at the Three Counties Showground, aimed at inspiring pupils to take STEM subjects at school and university and to enter careers using those skills. It was an inspiring day; there were many local and national companies exhibiting including QinetiQ, Mazak, Royal Air Force Engineering and The James Dyson Foundation and we saw an inflatable planetarium, listened to a talk about BitCoin and tried some virtual reality headsets. In October a group of Computer Science students began competing in the national Cyber Discovery competition. This was a cybersecurity focused competition which lasted eight months, during which time the students were faced with increasingly difficult challenges, enabling them to access higher rounds. Eventually, two students,

William Kelly (U6W) and Freddie Palmer (U6OS), managed to complete successfully all stages of the competition, with Freddie securing enough points to enter the final in which the best 170 students (out of 23,000) competed. The final was a fantastic opportunity for Freddie to work in a team with other finalists and to compete through a series of new challenges, including hacking a robotic arm, lock-picking and a ‘capture-the-flag’ exercise. The weekend also gave students an opportunity to hear from industrial leaders who were experts in their fields. In November all Fourth Form and Lower Remove pupils, and some Sixth Formers, were entered for a global online computational thinking competition called Bebras. The competition aims to improve the computational thinking of pupils by solving puzzles that need pattern recognition, ‘shortest routes’ finding or cipher decrypting. Some pupils did exceptionally well and qualified for the next round organised by Oxford University. Freddie Palmer (U6 OS) qualified for the grand final held at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford in February. Reaching the final of the elite age group is another impressive

achievement, as 6,415 students entered the first round for the age group (16–18). Freddie was among the top 60 highest achieving students invited to the final round in his age group and was presented with his finalist’s certificate at a prizegiving ceremony at Hertford College. The spring term saw the successful introduction of Physical Computing to the curriculum where pupils programme external microprocessor boards using block code or a text language. The Lower Fourth used BBC Microbits while the Upper Fourth used Arduino Uno boards, both controlling LEDs, buzzers and taking input from switches. Some found the new work challenging but all found it enjoyable. The summer term saw us venture into mobile computing with the introduction of iPad learning. The Lower Fourth learned to use the Swift coding language which is used to make nearly all Apple apps. The Upper Fourth used the same Swift language but to programme flightpaths for a set of Parrot minidrones that we recently purchased. This year pupils have risen to the challenge of new innovations in IT and the future looks bright. DNB

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EPQ Extract: Will artificial intelligence in developed countries revolutionise healthcare in the next decade? Liberty Colebourne’s 9600 word essay, written for the Extended Project Qualification, covers a range of findings and analysis including the use and potential of AI in diagnosis and treatments, its function in drug development and the challenges faced by those who are aiming to improve its use in healthcare. Extracts only are reproduced here: Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) has the power to transform the world today into a more efficient and skilled civilisation. AI is when computer systems can perform acts of human intelligence such as speech recognition, decision making and visual perception. This dissertation looks at the future uses of AI in healthcare and to what degree AI could revolutionise the industry. AI has already been proven to make diagnoses faster and more accurately than human radiologists on multiple occasions, including a cancer-detecting software which has been CE approved. AI can also be used to improve the success of clinical trials and develop precision medicine, saving time, money and lives. The key challenge of implementing AI in healthcare is that the current regulations and privacy laws are not developed to suit AI because it is so new. However, these challenges will be overcome, and AI will revolutionise healthcare in developed countries in the future and perhaps within the next decade. Introduction With the world’s population increasing rapidly, healthcare needs to make a drastic change in order to keep up with the high demand. Artificial intelligence (AI) could be the lifeline needed by healthcare systems around the world which are facing potential overload within the next decade. One of the main issues with healthcare is the shortage of trained professionals. For example, the NHS could be short of 100,000 nurses and 11,000 general practitioners at the end of the next decade. Globally, the number of extra healthcare professionals needed is 17.4 million, and this number will rise rapidly due to the aging population of healthcare workers, with one third of physicians expected to retire within the next 10 years. This shortage of doctors, coupled with the aging global population and increase in chronic diseases, will cause a major crisis for healthcare very soon if nothing is done to stop it. Artificial intelligence can be used in a variety of ways to help reduce the pressure on doctors. Main uses include help with diagnosis, treatments and drug development. It is important to note that professionals think artificial intelligence will not fully replace physicians; it will aid them in 30

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making the correct decisions more efficiently, therefore reducing the pressure on physicians and reducing the time taken to treat each patient. This leads to a healthcare system which provides patients with the best treatments possible and with a shorter waiting time. Physicians can focus their efforts on more important medical cases and leave AI to do the timeconsuming jobs for them. The former chairman of the NHS, Sir Malcolm Grant, said that “AI and machine learning has the capacity to hugely enhance our ability to diagnose illnesses and to understand how to treat them better”. His use of the word “enhance” reiterates the point that AI will only be used to help human professionals, not replace them. However, this could change once AI has been integrated into healthcare systems for many years and technology has improved even more, although this is unlikely to happen within the next decade. The potential for AI is currently unknown because it is so new. As Deborah DiSanzo explained in a podcast, AI is rather like the iPhone. The first iPhone was released just over a decade ago, a time when we couldn’t even imagine how advanced the current iPhone would be. Deborah says that AI is at the stage which came before the first iPhone and so we can’t conceptualize how far progressed it will be in 10 years’ time. Therefore, this dissertation will use estimates for the potential of AI in healthcare in the next decade because it is impossible to know what will happen in the future. This dissertation aims to determine whether AI will revolutionise healthcare in developed countries within the next decade, focussing on developed countries because this is where technology is advanced enough to create AI. This will be done by first assessing whether AI can be used effectively in healthcare. Different uses of AI in healthcare will be examined, including deep learning to aid image analysis and diagnosis, robotic surgery, natural language processing (NLP) for drug discovery, and ways of improving the success of clinical trials. It is important to be aware that there are lots of other uses for AI in healthcare and this dissertation focusses on the main uses which are most

likely to revolutionise healthcare. However, AI will not revolutionise healthcare by 2029 unless it can be implemented into healthcare systems safely and ethically. There are lots of ethical issues regarding the use of AI in healthcare, especially if the AI makes decisions which could affect people’s lives. Therefore, ethics need to be considered about who would be responsible for any mistakes and, worst case scenario, deaths. This dissertation will cover the challenges of implementing artificial intelligence in healthcare such as ethical issues, data protection issues and the lack of regulations surrounding AI. After considering the immense benefits of AI in healthcare, but also the practicalities of it being used within the next decade, I will conclude whether AI will revolutionise healthcare in developed countries by 2029. Diagnosis and Treatments Machine Vision: Machine vision is the use of AI and deep learning to analyse images and detect anomalies. In a podcast by Emerj it is said that the new technology of deep learning means that the computer doesn’t need to be coded for each image; it can be shown multiple images of a disease and learn itself what to look for. Every time the machine sees a new example of the disease it learns more variations of what the disease can look like, making its detection of the disease more accurate the next time. This technology will therefore always be improving until it reaches almost 100% accuracy which could happen within the next decade. 42% of mistakes made by radiologists are made when they don’t detect a disease or injury which was present in an image. Therefore, machine vision can be used to assist radiologists when screening patients to reduce this number of cases missed and therefore improve patient care. An example of this is Kheiron; the first UK deep learning software in radiology to be given a CE mark. Kheiron is used to help radiologists screen for breast cancer. The software locates lesions within seconds and has been shown to be more accurate than an average UK breast cancer screening radiologist. It can detect breast cancer before a lump can even be felt, meaning lots of people in the future will

have their breast cancer detected much earlier and not need chemotherapy. Detection isn’t the only use of machine vision. It can also be used to measure the size of diseases/injuries and predict what will happen to them in the future. For example, a radiologist may see a small lesion but must wait a few months to see whether the lesion grows and needs removing. Whereas machine vision can tell the radiologist whether the lesion is dangerous from the first image, and so they can move on to the next stage of care months earlier, dramatically increasing the patient’s chance of being cured. Imagia is an AI company which uses this skill to detect cancers in the early stages. In a podcast by Victoria Oakes, Antonio Criminisi talks about Microsoft’s InnerEye Project. It uses the quantification tools of machine vision in a different way. He says that after a patient has been diagnosed with cancer and must undergo radiotherapy, a scan of the tumour is taken to know precisely where to blast the lesion with radiation. Criminisi says the radiotherapy then happens in multiple sessions in the space of up to 40 days. However, the planning of the radiotherapy is only done once at the start of the process, because it takes hours to manually mark the location of the tumour in every cross-sectional image to build a 3D image of the tumour. Therefore, the shrinkage of the tumour after each session of radiotherapy isn’t considered, meaning radiation hits healthy tissue. Criminisi reveals that the InnerEye Project uses an AI algorithm to locate the tumour in a 3D scan image which takes seconds rather than hours. This means the radiologist can create a new image of the tumour before each session of radiotherapy, ensuring no healthy tissue is hit. He claims this method of ‘adaptive radiotherapy’ can reduce the number of sessions needed, from 40 down to 3-5 because it is so much more accurate. Cost and time of cancer treatments are reduced, meaning many more people could be saved from cancer.

A radiologist has used Microsoft’s Project InnerEye AI algorithm to locate a tumour in a 3D image in a few seconds.

Figure 2. [19]

Consistency is very important for radiologists to ensure all patients get the same quality of treatment. An average radiologist asked to delineate the same tumour from the same image 2 days apart will only produce an overlap of 80% between each trace of the tumour. AI can guarantee 100% overlap, meaning it is much more consistent and so less error is introduced. By using AI algorithms to help radiologists, patient care is improved in multiple ways such as accuracy, consistency and efficiency. These algorithms can be used alongside radiologists so that any mistakes made by the AI can be corrected and the patient isn’t forced to trust AI alone when receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses such as cancer. Used correctly, AI can improve the patient’s chances of recovery, transforming the quality of healthcare. Conclusion Artificial intelligence will unquestionably have a large impact on healthcare. Whether it will reach its full potential in the next decade is unclear due to the current lack of regulations and training. However, AI will never stop improving and so will continue to revolutionise healthcare in the future. AI can be used to save thousands of lives by detecting illnesses earlier and helping develop drugs for rare diseases. This has been made possible by the digitalisation of medical health records, which provides the data that AI algorithms need in order to learn. Currently it is hard to get enough of this data because of privacy policies, but as AI becomes more commonplace, more people will provide their data and AI will gain more knowledge. With all great things come challenges and combining such a new technology as AI with the outdated healthcare sector, which still uses pagers, is a huge leap. For AI to revolutionise healthcare, clinicians will need to be trained to work with AI safely for it to be used for analysing medical images and monitoring patients. Other uses of AI such as drug discovery will be deemed useless unless AI software developers have access to data from pharmaceutical companies to train the AI algorithms with. Ten years is a long time, especially in the technology sector, and so I believe AI will expand rapidly into all kinds of medical uses in the next decade. The market for AI in healthcare is expected to grow to $27.6 billion by 2025 and Michael Rigby thinks that “potential contributions to biomedical research, medical education, and delivery of health care seem limitless.” The challenges of implementing AI into healthcare will be overcome because AI is such a revolutionary technology which can’t go to waste. It could create a healthcare

system without the weeks of waiting for appointments or results, because AI is used to make diagnoses quicker and alleviate the number of patients requiring direct care. Developing new drugs will no longer take over a decade and people in need will receive the drugs they currently don’t have. New cures could be found more quickly for illnesses such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, because AI can improve the success of clinical trials and be used for precision medicine. One of the first ways AI will revolutionise healthcare is by improving the accuracy of diagnosis through analysing medical images and scans. An AI software, Kheiron, which analyses mammographic images has already gained a CE mark and should be used soon in the NHS and other European countries. Another software already in use is the mobile app, Stream, which alerts clinicians when hospitalised patients are at risk of acute kidney injury. Stream has been in use at The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust since 2017 and will undoubtedly be used in most hospitals in the future. Michael Rigby believes “there is no doubt that AI will have widespread ramifications that revolutionise the practice of medicine, transforming the patient experience and physicians’ daily routines.” I think the biggest hinderance for the progress of AI will be data privacy. Current privacy policies are not detailed enough to cope with AI development, as they don’t cover the use of medical data in technology companies. However, this problem is easily fixed with the creation of new privacy laws and so I don’t think it will stop the AI revolution in the long term. Developed countries are already making governmental decisions to invest in AI for their healthcare systems. For example, the UK’s government has pledged for £250 million to be spent on a National Artificial Intelligence Lab for the NHS. The lab will aims to do the following; use AI to improve the mspeed of cancer screening, use AI to analyse data to predict patients at risk of diseases, train the NHS workforce to work with AI, increase the standards of AI safety, and automate routine administration tasks. This is a huge project which makes the revolutionary potential of AI even more likely and other developed countries will be soon to follow if the NHS AI Lab is successful. Overall, as the uses for AI in healthcare broaden and the regulations governing the technology improve, AI will become a fully integrated part of healthcare around the world, starting in more developed countries. The benefits of using AI will be huge, going on to save lots of money and lives during the next decade and certainly in the future. The Vigornian

Written for the Gold Arts Award and published in Gold Standard magazine

rsy concerning ve o tr n co e th – n ressio dance world e th Tradition VS Prog in n o ti ta n se re BTQ+ rep gender roles and LG Maybe it this lack of pointe work.

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Wh to ne a ryo in s eve art s use thi to t whether should be able l is disagreement abou , anger or joy, everyone ter sire de cut kie a coo a to Unfortunately, there stil e to du m not have to confor be shown through ballet way that fits them and equality and fluidity can . Pointe work llet ba al ion dit tra in rk wo version. large amount of pointe Hannah Blackmore g on the tips to dance while balancin up rise n me wo en are wh ls is t only gir usually a technique tha of their toes. As this is le pas de deux ma t tha ue arg e, many taught from a young ag peal as the gance and aesthetic ap can’t have the same ele

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Clubs and Activities

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4x4 In Schools Challenge World Final 2019 The Land Rover sponsored 4x4 In Schools Challenge World Final was held at Warwick University on Sunday 14th and Monday 15th April.

manager) did a great job of getting the car safely through the cones in the tunnel and up the exit ramp. As we had expected, the car performed faultlessly.

There were 22 teams, from 17 countries. The standard of innovation, design and engineering was, in the words of one judge, ‘Industry Standard’. It was very much down to the long hours of hard work that enabled EDGE 4x4 to come fourth, which was a very successful result when compared to the older members in other teams.

The judges were very impressed with the team’s breadth and depth of work and how they articulated all of the learning experiences, both working as a team and technical aspects of the challenge to a very high level.

Their fantastic three metre long pit stand and display drew an enormous amount of interest from the other competitors, Jaguar/ Land Rover designers, engineers and VIPs. The latest car had the new body styling and most of the suspension upgrades on it produced especially for the world final track, which always has new elements to negotiate. This year’s was a tunnel that could only be driven through using televised images. Ed Cosson (team

The team were nominated for ‘Best Verbal Presentation’ and were just two marks short of winning ‘Best Track Performance’. They did win the prestigious ‘Research and Development Award’. All the team members were excellent ambassadors for the school, receiving lots of praise and glowing comments from all those with whom they came into contact and have been invited to visit and participate in workshops in other countries. They have also been invited to become judges in future 4x4 In Schools events.

EDGE4x4 Made in the Midlands Expo 2019 EDGE 4x4 were invited by a number of their key sponsors to put on a demonstration stand about the 4x4 In Schools Challenge at the Made in the Midlands Expo 2019, held at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. This is a high-profile, one day event with over 220 Midlands based design and manufacturing companies exhibiting their capabilities. The exhibition attracts over 2500 visitors, most of whom are leading company decision makers.

Their world final pit stand and display drew a lot of interest from the other exhibiting companies and visitors alike. This was on show during King’s Day in the DT department. The school test track was erected to cover an area of 28 square metres, our largest set up to date. This was run by the team to demonstrate the off-road capabilities of their cars and also provided the opportunity for the attendees to drive the course for themselves. Over £100 of donations went to the West Midlands Air Ambulance.

Lord Whitby spent a good twenty minutes with the team and congratulated them on the quality of design and engineering throughout their exhibition stand and expressed the view they all had bright futures in design and engineering. We were also successful in gaining a number of potential new sponsors for future King’s 4x4 teams. EDGE4x4 – Ed Cosson, Toby Weymouth, Alfie Parry and Ed Robins EIL

Chess Club Numbers attending Chess Club have decreased compared with last year but commitment by a select few has been very good. I hope that enough strong players will come up from the feeder schools to improve standards and numbers next academic year. It is to be hoped that this will enable King’s to field a junior team and complete fixtures against local schools. Successful links with Worcester City Chess Club continue, with the weekly Junior Chess Academy taking place in the Keyes Building on Saturday mornings during term time. King’s also hosted nearly a hundred young chess champions at the Worcestershire

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Megafinal of the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge for places in the Midlands Gigafinal to be held at Solihull in July. The outstanding local performance was from King’s pupil Joshua Clarke of Upper Four E, who won the Under-13 tournament with five points from six games. In addition to the winner’s trophy, Josh also qualified for a place at the Midlands Gigafinal to be held in July at Solihull. The hospitality provided by King’s at this event was widely commented on; my thanks to Catering Manger Iain Cunningham-Martin and his team. MWW

JOSH CLARKE STARTING ONE OF HIS MATCHES AT THE WORCESTER MEGAFINAL

Berlin, December 2 any

Art, History & Politics in Germ

Ten elite Sixth Form Germanists engaged in the annual five day intensive cultural and linguistic experience that is the Berlin Trip. The wide array of memorials and museums visited was complemented by a slightly greater focus on art and architecture than in the past (Bauhaus, Jugendstil, Secession, Romantics, Impressionists, Neo-Classical, Modernists...) in line with an aspect of the new A level specification. History and Politics too ‘as ever’ have their place in Berlin, including the Deutsches Historisches Museum, life in the GDR, the Berlin Wall, refugee crises (inter-German and more recent), Holocaust, Cold War, Merkel era, Norman Foster designed Bundestag, 1936 Olympic Stadium (2006 World Cup), Stasi prison and memorial, art galleries, cathedrals and much much more.

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The Advent Service in the Berliner Dom compensated for missing the School’s Carol Service and proved a good way to get to see the interior of the Wilhemine Cathedral as well as learn a German version of a format of worship somewhat familiar to King’s pupils. Other cultural events included improvisational comedy and a cinema visit, not to mention the Ständige Vertretung (location for pre-fall of Wall diplomats to meet, given the refusal to establish diplomatic ties via an official Embassy) and Schöneberger Weltlaterne restaurants, at which, in turn, OVs met us. One has been living in Berlin and another two from last year re-celebrating their affinity for the dynamically evolving city.

With one third of Berlin being green space, helping to make it Europe’s largest city by surface area, travel is easy and reliable. The lower stress environment no doubt eased the use of German as the lingua franca during (most of) the trip - including when playing cards in what little time was left at the end of each day. Busy Christmas markets and department stores offered some brief retail therapy and with timings at all stages almost perfectly adhered to, the 2018 Berlin Trip was certainly one to indulge in, remember and enjoy for all the right reasons. The positive and indeed enthusiastic attitude of all those present was fully rewarded, with ideas also developing well for A level Independent Research Projects. RAB

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Careers Department Careers learning is multifaceted and is taking place in almost every thread of school life. Personal development, learning about careers, the world of work and developing career management skills is happening within subject curriculums, within pastoral activities and in the wide array of extra-curricular activities in which our students participate. The best way to predict the future is to create it Abraham Lincoln

The Careers department seeks to supplement this rich and diverse smorgasbord with a range of additional activities, often focussed on facilitating interactions between students and employers and employees representing an industry sector. This is largely possible due to the support and enthusiasm from our parent body and OVs who frequently offer their time, expertise and inspiration for the benefit of the current students. We are enormously grateful to you! Highlights Last November many of the Upper Sixth students opted to practise their interview skills. They were matched with a professional who both quizzed them about their university applications or careers aspirations and then provided valuable feedback. Almost every student found this a positive experience. Sometimes we learn most when placed in uncomfortable and challenging situations and learning how to present ourselves to best effect in an interview situation is not easy. We are keen to encourage as many students as possible to participate next year. The skills developed are useful for not only university but also future employment interviews. The Annual Careers Conference in 2019 focussed on the rapidly growing range of careers within the Digital, Cybersecurity and A.I. Industries. Approximately 50 students participated throughout the morning and received insights into the world of Tech Start Ups, Careers within the Space industry and opportunities within software development.

S SPEE CAREER???? ?

D DATING

Students went on to investigate the mindsets required within Cybersecurity, trying their hand at a series of challenges devised by Cybersecurity Challenge UK. Our Upper Remove Speed Dating event was bigger and better than ever this year and hugely successful. How do you know what you don’t know about the world of work until someone tells you (and you listen)? The Lower Remove students had the opportunity for at least twelve short conversations with representatives across a range of different sectors. Students emerged invigorated, buzzing and, in some cases, inspired. Every conversation will have been useful. Finding out what you don’t want to do can often be the first step towards finding what you do! Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life Confucius

We welcomed over forty volunteer employers and employees to support students in the summer Business Skills Workshop for Lower Sixth students. Paul Rostand (OV 73-82) shared his story of starting a business ‘The Great British Biscotti Co’ and students were challenged to complete an enterprise challenge within limited time whilst working alongside a team of their peers with whom they weren’t necessarily familiar. Not many of us relish networking activities but we are aware how valuable they can be for both personal career development and the development of business opportunities. The Lower Sixth students met the challenge with good grace and enthusiasm and emerged wiser and more experienced. Another huge thank you to the volunteers who supported this. Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible Francis of Assisi

BUSINESS SK?? ILL?? ? RK S WO 36

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In late June, the careers department set up an activity for the Upper Fourth involving a task of creating and designing a box of chocolates. This was a real pleasure for myself and other pupils. We were asked to brand the chocolate, work out the finances and finish by presenting our boxes. In our group we created a green box and named it “Bonachoclate” after the word “bona” meaning good in Latin. We had other jobs like financial adviser, and manager and more, these jobs being taken on by others in the group. Unfortunately our group didn’t win, but all pupils appreciated that the skills we learnt on this course will be valuable in the future. Maddie Worth (Upper Fourth) The careers department is pleased to operate an ‘open door’ policy. Students from all year groups are welcome to utilise the well resourced careers library facilities but additionally all can request a 1:1 careers guidance discussion with Mrs Airdrie. We look forward to seeing you next year! HA

Christian Union It’s been a great privilege to help in leading the Christian Union again this year. A range of pupils across the school have enjoyed lots of games and bible studies, while not missing out on grabbing a biscuit and the occasionally hot chocolate. We very much encourage those who are just interested in having a look to pop in and join in the fun, as well as those who are more established in their faith. This year we looked to gain some inspiration from the book “The World We All Want”, which proved useful in helping to start many interesting discussions. We also focussed on prayer and how this is entwined in a relationship with God, as well as a session on prophecy. The highlight for me must be the weekend at The Pioneer Centre, which was a special time away. Amongst the high ropes, walks, bonfire, and general wide game activities, we enjoyed some times of prayer and worship, and dug deeper into the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and what this means in our life. The summer term consisted of more biscuit and sweet eating, studies on a few psalms, and many games outside. “Kings of the Hill” proved once again to be a popular game. We look forward to another enjoyable year next year! JNG

Model United Nations This academic year has been a busy one for the Model United Nations Society, with three conferences and fruitful debate in weekly sessions. We’ve seen many faces, old and new and from across all year groups, contributing to the large variety of views under discussion. In October, we sent three delegations, representing Poland, Ireland and North Korea, to the conference at Cheadle Hulme School in Manchester. A variety of issues, ranging from modern slavery to the elimination of preventable diseases, were debated with great success by our delegates. Several individual awards were won and the North Korean delegation, made up of Charlie Mackintosh, Ted Poel, Hannah Stock and Zoë Kimber, won Highly Commended Delegation. This success was continued in the conference at Malvern St James in November, where we represented the USA, Myanmar and Kazakhstan. A high standard of debate was maintained across the day with the delegation for the USA winning Outstanding in the General Assembly and commended overall, and both Charlie Mackintosh and Hannah Stock being awarded Outstanding Delegate in their

respective committees. George Capell also came away with Best Young Delegate for his performance in the political committee, despite this being his first conference. Finally, in March, BISMUN at Kingswood Bath School saw 13 students representing China, Palestine and Malaysia. Though the Palestinian delegates were unsuccessful in their multiple attempts to gain a vote, the standard of debate was once again high and some students even made use of bribes (including a coconut, pineapple and mango) to help ensure their success. This clearly paid off as many won individual awards, most notably Charlie Mackintosh and Zoë Kimber both winning Best Delegate and George Capell winning Best Young Delegate in their respective committees, and the delegation of China winning Highly Commended overall. It is safe to say that all members of the Model UN Society have thoroughly enjoyed the year and debate. On behalf of all of us, a huge thank you to Mrs Shearburn for all her hard work and dedication; without her we wouldn’t have been able to achieve all we have. See you all next year Thursday after school! Zoë Kimber

French exchange At the end of the Easter holidays, a group of L6 and UR students boarded a coach at King’s Street Car Park and began their lengthy journey to Cysoing, not too far from Lille. As we approached the entrance to the French school, all feelings of fatigue which had gradually accumulated over the journey were swiftly replaced by nerves once our exchanges came into view – and understandably so. The beginning of such an experience is daunting, especially due to the fact we would soon be left to our own devices in a French household. Those nerves, however, began to dissolve upon meeting our exchange families, and many of us were eager to say our goodbyes and head off to our new home for the week. Luggage was piled into car boots and, one by one, we returned to the homes of our exchanges – some of which were a mere two-minute drive away. Due to the bank holiday coinciding with our stay, we spent a total of three days alone with our hosts. These were spent doing a vast array of activities: theme park visits, trips to the city or an hour or two at the cinema. Easter Sunday was predominantly spent amongst the family, participating in

egg hunts, attending church services and experiencing a traditional Easter lunch with our exchanges. This was an interesting and informative experience, as we had the opportunity to see how a different country celebrates the holiday. For the Upper Removes, Bank Holiday Monday was spent at an exchange’s home, where their time was spent around the swimming pool. Other activities of the week included learning to play Boule which they took to rather quickly – although, they were unfortunately beaten by the French hosts by a narrow margin. A day was also spent at school with their exchanges; plenty of French practice was undertaken whilst our students sat in on their exchanges’ lessons where, of course, no English was spoken. The Sixth Form participants, however, spent much of the week independently. On Tuesday, the girls joined a parent of their exchange at their workplace in order to complete two days of work experience. These ranged from a company office to a transport control centre. This was a very challenging experience and gave us a taste of how the French language is used in the real world. It goes without saying

that each of us benefited greatly from this escapade and communication skills have improved substantially. The penultimate day in France was spent at the French college alongside hosts which again involved plenty of speaking practice. It was lovely also to meet the peers of our hosts, all of whom were very understanding and patient. Sadly, the morning of our final day in France arrived all too quickly. Laden with our belongings, we gathered in the college car park and loaded the coach. Having said our goodbyes to our hosts, we were taken on a whistle-stop tour of the campus before our departure for Calais. Our experience of the French exchange was a very rich one – something which was replicated upon our exchanges’ arrival in England. All of us have improved our skills in communication and linguistics as well as gaining good friends in the process. It was an experience that will remain with all of us for years to come. Merci beaucoup pour votre aide, Madame Yates, Monsieur Houghton et Madame Nesbitt. Grace Williams

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Combined Cadet Force The year started with summer camps. The RAF section went to RAF Wittering, where cadets took part in a wide range of activities including drill competitions, visiting air traffic control, first aid with paramedics and riding in RAF logistics vehicles. The Army section went to STANTA (Stanford Training Area) in Norfolk. The highlight was undoubtedly the assault on a mock Afghanistan village, where they practised platoon attacks and defended forward operating bases. This year’s new recruits began their training with a soggy night in the school gardens as part of ‘Exercise Basic Basha’, followed by a range day at school. Along with regular Air Experience Flying and Gliding, the RAF participated in the annual Air Squadron Trophy (AST) competition, losing out on a place in the final by one point. This year also saw the introduction of the first junior

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AST competition, where the King’s team secured first place. The Army took part in the brigade’s military skills competition, finishing in a respectable 7th place with a very young team. Their day consisted of a variety of skills-based tasks, such as a gun run, march and shoot, and first aid. Army cadets have also taken part in both junior and senior NCO cadres. Two cadets completed the prestigious Cadet Infantry Battle Course. Ahead of the Easter holidays both the Army and RAF sections had a Field Day for the first time outside of a biennial inspection. The RAF travelled to RAF Cosford for a day of different tasks ranging from engineering to low ropes challenges, while the Army went to Nesscliffe for an over-night field exercise. The CCF year was celebrated with the annual Mess Night at Grafton Manor.

Awards and appointments for 2018-19: Senior NCOs 2018-9: Izzy Copeland (Senior Cadet), William Gorner (Senior Army), Maggie Bullock (Senior RAF), Lily Beckett, and Jack Downing (ICs Recruits). Winner of the Bertie Wootten Cup for Best RAF Cadet: Zak Rawles. Winner of the Fenton Cup for Best Army Cadet: Will Gorner. Winner of the Peter Lau (OV) Award for Cadet Endeavour: Peter Simpson. Winner of Best Recruit: Sophie Pitts. Winner of the Featherstone Cup for Best Shot: Jamie Elsdon. By Izzy Copeland and Will Gorner

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Over the past twelve months 270 participants have completed their awards. One hundred and sixty seven participants gained the Bronze Award, eighty five completed the Silver Award and an impressive eighteen achieved their Gold Awards. During the year, over 280 Upper Remove to Upper Sixth pupils and OVs were working towards their awards across the three levels. The dedication shown by King’s participants means we have a completion rate across all award levels of 88%; this is the highest of all local independent schools. In March, the Fifth Form received their Bronze Awards at a presentation assembly. Apart from the time spent preparing for and completing their expeditions, between them they spent over 4,600 hours working towards their Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections. Earlier in the term, Mr Armstrong had met with the Lower Sixth who had gained their Silver Awards during a series of six presentations. As well as awarding their badges and certificates, he enjoyed hearing about their expeditions, where they experienced extremes of weather. Undeterred by all this, many had chosen to go on to their Gold Award. Eleven Upper Sixth students: Tara Barrington, William Bishop, Michael Burgess, Kit Coleman, Rosie Conyers, George Hale, Tom Hale, Archie Jury, Miles Maley, Ted Pickering and Peter Simpson completed their Gold Awards during the year, with several others very close to doing so. This is an outstanding achievement and the result of many hours of commitment over the past three years to the various sections. All participants who have successfully completed the Gold Award are invited to either St James’s Palace or Buckingham Palace to receive their certificates from a member of the Royal Family. At the end of May, five OVs attended such ceremonies in the sunny gardens of

Buckingham Palace. During the day, three thousand young people received their awards in the presence of HRH The Earl of Wessex and The Countess of Wessex. At the morning session, Kerry Ellis, actress and singer, presented four OVs with their certificates on behalf of Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Kerry is well known in the musical theatre world and has performed in West End productions including Les Misérables as Fantine, Oliver! as Nancy and Cats as Grizabella. Most recently she has starred as Alice in the UK tour of Wonderland. The four OVs at the morning presentation were Ollie Colebourne and Andrew Salkeld (2018 leavers), Ed Dorsett (2015 leaver) and Rob Bennett (2012 leaver). Another OV, Siân Thompson (2015 leaver) received her award during the afternoon presentation. The award recipients and their guests enjoyed a most memorable event. Very well done and congratulations go to everyone who completed an award last year, especially to all those who achieved their Gold: a superb achievement! As intimated previously, participants at all three levels have once again given a regular, sustained commitment over a number of months to an impressive range of activities to complete the volunteering, physical and skills sections to complete their awards. In addition to this, Gold participants had to undertake a residential section. Here they took part in a shared five-day activity with people whom they didn’t already know. The part of the award which many of the participants find the most challenging is the expedition section. The duration of the self-reliant journey increases from level to level concluding with a four day, fifty mile expedition at Gold. A comprehensive training programme is provided at all levels. This section has seen the ninety Bronze participants enjoying excellent walking weather during the day, combined with low temperatures at night, for their

practice expedition in March. A much warmer assessed expedition followed in late June. Both expeditions took place in the picturesque Cotswolds. At the end of the Spring Term, the Fifth Form experienced cold weather on their practice expedition in the New Forest. In the summer, however, they faced the exact opposite, where they had to endure extremely hot conditions for their assessed expedition in the Black Mountains. The record number of Lower Sixth who enrolled on the Gold programme this year certainly stepped up to the higher demands of this level. During the Easter holiday, they headed off to the Brecon Beacons for their practice expedition, where they encountered a wide range of weather conditions which fully tested both students and their kit alike. Towards the end of August, thirty six of them undertook their assessed expedition in the Lake District supported by a team of King’s staff. All the participants coped admirably with eight to nine hours of walking and approximately 1,000m of ascent each day. Despite experiencing some poor weather, the teams managed to appreciate the beauty of the Lake District and they can be very proud of themselves. The local assessors complemented the groups on their skills and resilience. On completion, there was a wonderful atmosphere celebrating their achievement which was fully justified. A-MS

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Charity Work at King’s ‘Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.’ Sam Levenson, ‘In One Era & Out the Other’ Many members of King’s have already learned the reason for having two hands, as suggested by Levenson, and a large and enthusiastic Sixth Form Charity Committee has been a joy to work with this year. Through a number of events, including a fun run and exit collections, we raised £500 for the local branch of the bereavement charity, Cruse. In October, Pink Day was celebrated by the Sixth Form wearing something pink and the school bought pink pens, ribbons and cakes. We sent £476 to the Breast Cancer Haven at the Royal Worcester Hospital. Raising funds for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeal to support victims of the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami, which happened in September, was the focus of exit collections in the second half of term and audiences from concerts and ‘The ThirtyNine Steps’, gave a very generous £737 This amount was added to with the work

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put in by U6th volunteers helping clear up after the Parents’ Ball; the parents gave us £250, so an incredible £987 was sent. The homeless charity ‘Crisis at Christmas’ was supported through an U6 vs. L6th netball match and money left over from the Fifth Form Prom in the summer term was donated to the same charity. The Senior Citizens Christmas party was our biggest yet and the U6th hosted 140 guests for a superb hour’s entertainment of song and dance and afternoon tea in a beautifully decorated dining room with presents, games and carol singing. A small, but perfectly formed Removes Charity Committee raised money for two charities in the autumn term. They organised the Children in Need non-uniform day and ran a quiz, sending almost £900 to the BBC appeal. The ‘Smarties Challenge’ was very successful with friends, families and staff agreeing to take the gift of a tube of chocolate Smarties and return it full of silver coins; £375 was contributed to ‘The Friends of Fort Royal School’ to add to the fund for new specially equipped minibuses for disabled children.

The Spring term’s work included both fund-raising and practical charity work. Chadsgrove School in Bromsgrove is a specialist sports college for children with special needs. Many of the children, who have limited communication skills, enjoy a scheme called ‘Eye Gaze’ that helps them to communicate using their eyes. The equipment and software needed is very expensive and they currently only have funding to allow seven children to take part in a planned orchestral Christmas performance. Through exit collections and other activities, the Charity Committee were able to send the school music department £820 to give more children the opportunity to get involved. Green Day activities, including a Namethe-Penguin competition, a nature photography competition and a cake sale, raised enough money to send £462 each to two environmental charities, Cameroon Catalyst and The Whitley Fund for Nature. The committee supported ‘Smalls for All’, which collects underwear for women and children in Africa; four large boxes of donated underwear were sent to the charity.

The Charity Committee’s application to The Bransford Trust resulted in a a grant of £1900 to double the money we raised for charities in the last academic year, so the charities benefitting from that generosity were: Spectrum Days, Worcestershire Breast Cancer Haven, The Sick Children’s Trust, The Plastic Soup Foundation and Headway Worcester. In the summer term, despite disruption from exams and other activities, the Charity Committee continued to raise funds and organise activities for the benefit of others. A whole school Worcester Foodbank collection was extremely successful with a minibus load of groceries and household items being donated. Final exit collections of the year raised money for Epilepsy Action and the Spinal Injuries Association (both charities recommended by U6th students who have experience of their good works). The Fort Royal Garden Party, as usual, was a highlight for the L6th as a year group and all staff and student members of the Charity Committee, though this year

was a particular challenge because of shocking weather. Despite warm summer weather both sides of the party’s date, the heavy rain (we were spared threatened thunderstorms) persisted all morning and we had to reorganise to hold the party inside rather than on the lovely playing fields of Fort Royal School. It was a great success, with the only planned activities not taking place being football and cricket. We even squeezed a couple of bouncy castles into one of their halls and the musicians did a fine job of sharing that space with noisy, laughing children on the inflatables, gathering an appreciative audience of their own. In the other hall we put on amazing art, fabulous face-painting, reduced but brilliant beach games, dazzling dancing and performances of the grizzly Gruffalo story. Mr Tom Foolery, our regular magic man, completed the variety of activities. Great fun was had by all. The May Day sponsored walk was one of our whole school community highlights of the year, with the Senior School, combining with King’s St Alban’s and King’s Hawford to raise money for charity. It was a great

occasion, with the schools walking from Droitwich Rugby Club along the canal towpaths before following the river back to the school gardens for refreshments and the every-popular hot pork rolls, organised by the Parents’ Committee. The four charities which benefitted from sponsorship for event were Friends of Fort Royal School, ‘Born Sleeping’, a charity set up to develop a bereavement suite at Hereford County Hospital, the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust and MIND, the mental health charity which focuses on young people. Whole school activities and those in houses, fourth forms and academic societies have demonstrated an appetite for charity work and it has been great to see individual students inspired to raise money with their own initiatives. “A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives you roses.” King’s has been cultivating roses very effectively and, once established, the blooms can only increase, if the gardeners water, feed and enjoy. SHLeM

Debating It has been another rewarding year for the KSW Debating Society. Junior Debating has gone from strength to strength, not least due to the tireless efforts of Edmund Poel and Charlie Mackintosh. Numbers are strong as we strive for fun-spirited and interesting debates that encourage our younger members to take part. Senior Debating had a very strong start but, due to the pressure of revision and exams, we have not been so active in the latter part of the year. The Spring Term was a busy time for our Senior Debaters; two external competitions and preparation for the House Debating Competition became our principal focus. First came the second round of the ESU Mace Competition, held at King Edward VI School, Stratford-on-Avon. The school was valiantly represented by Edmund Poel and Charlie Mackintosh. We opposed the motion, “This House would prohibit businesses from taking a public position on social issues” against the proposition team from King Edward VI. It was a terrific debate with our speakers putting valid points forward and dealing with rebuttal wonderfully. Unfortunately, we weren’t selected to go forwards to the regional final. This honour went to Chenderit School and the hosts, King Edward’s. The following evening saw a much larger King’s team

competing in the Oxford Union Schools’ Debating Competition regional round, held at St Paul’s Girls’ School in Birmingham. This is an enormous competition, comprised of 64 teams, each competing in two debates against three other schools. The reward winning a place in the national final. Our teams, once again, debated fiercely and with great skill. Our victors were Will Hunt (FF CH) and George Capell (LR BR) who were one of just ten teams to make it to the final, to be held at the Oxford Union at the beginning of March. The day of the finals was a tough one, with our teams participating in four debates with only fifteen short minutes to prepare an argument. The team performed particularly well as Closing Proposition in the motion “This House Believes the Feminist Movement should reject the Glorification of Motherhood” where they not only debated with knowledge and skill but also dealt admirably with, strong points from the opposing side. Sharing an opinion with the judging panel, I was hugely impressed by the standard of debating - our boys should be immensely proud of themselves. The finals were composed of over 1500 competitors from across the globe, so it was an incredible achievement to attain. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite make the cut for the semi-finals and Westminster School

went on to claim first prize. This experience was tremendous, and we certainly hope to return next year. The year ended on a high thanks to Charlie Mackintosh who organised a Question Time style debate. In attendance were some high-profile guests who were set to discuss the biggest issues facing British politics today. The panel included city councillor and Labour parliamentary candidate Lynn Denham, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Beverley Nielson, Conservative MP for South Norfolk Richard Bacon and Worcester City Council leader, Marc Bayliss. The debate took place in the John Moore Theatre and provided students, parents and OVs with the opportunity to question the politicians on some of the recent developments in British politics. It was hugely successful and a wonderful afternoon. Debating numbers remain high and it’s been amazing to see so many people wanting to try debating as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award. This not only makes a massive contribution towards their award but also gives the pupils the tools to become confident, engaging, charismatic and well-prepared public speakers! NJS The Vigornian

Dragons’ Den 2019

Fields of Battle

On Tuesday 11th June, five teams of Lower Sixth Business Studies students presented their business plans to a panel of five “Dragons”, successful businessmen and women from outside school. This was a good, if nerve-wracking experience for all the teams. For example, one of the them was Martin Sharples, the former Director of Amazon’s operations in the UK. The nerves of the students weren’t helped by the fact that they knew they had to present their plans in the John Moore Theatre in front of parents and other students.

As part of our commemoration marking the centenary of the First World War, the History department were delighted to be joined by an award-winning photojournalist; Michael St Maur Shiel is an internationally acclaimed photographer who spent eight years capturing the transformation of the battlefields of the Great War into the landscape of modern Europe. He commented that his intent was to ‘represent a legacy which…will create a gateway to the battlefields themselves, thus encouraging people to visit these historic landscapes.’ His collection has been exhibited globally and we were fortunate to have the images displayed in Worcester’s own Cathedral Square throughout the whole of September, before they made their final journey to London.

Each team began the project by brainstorming ideas on possible business proposals that they could pitch to the Dragons. Once they had chosen their product or service, they began to research the market and the finances that would be needed to start up their business. After that the teams had to decide what would be their unique selling point. Once these fundamentals had been determined, the teams set to work on their detailed plans for the financing and marketing of their business as well as their operational and HR plans. Most challenging of all was the fact that this all had to be completed in just two weeks! On the presentation night itself all of the teams put in strong performances, with every team having a great stab at answering the probing questions from the Dragons. A special mention goes to Pro.Team made up of Niamh Peckston, Managing Director, Libby Griffiths-Garbett, Marketing Director and Hannah Latham, Finance Director. They delivered a very strong pitch in support of their protein powder product aimed at young to middle aged women.

The other groups also did very well with the Dough Dough team of Skye Weaver, Tomas Bartrum and Nancy Marsh (pictured above) coming in a close second place with their concept of a doughnuts van targeting festivals and weekend markets. Overall the event was very successful - all the groups came away with a real sense of achievement and a better understanding of the topics that we had studied in class. Once their presentations were out of the way, students freely admitted that they had really enjoyed the experience, even allowing for the stress of having to hit really tight deadlines. The teachers commented that standard of business proposals, teamwork and presentations was the best they had seen from any year group. The Dragons too were complimentary, which was reflected in the comments of Martin Sharples from Amazon who said, “I was impressed with the ability of the students to adapt to changing scenarios and to handle the questions so confidently, in what must have felt like a fairly intimidating environment… if the students continue to build on their communication skills and ability to work with others, I’m sure you’ll be seeing some very successful young men and women in the near future”. Finally, a huge thank you has to go to Mr Williams who organised the event and to the Dragons for giving up their valuable time and expertise to support the Business Studies students at the school. David Watson (Photos by Eren Cetindamar)

Ode to Cologne: As it was for many of us, this was my first trip overseas without my parents. Heading off early on the Saturday morning with mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation, plenty of thoughts and questions went through my mind. What would my exchange be like? What type of apartment did she live in? Will I like the food? What would her family be like? With so many unanswered questions floating around my head, the journey to the airport quickly passed, as did the flight to Dusseldorf. On meeting both my exchange, Tanja, and her mother, my fears were soon allayed. They were warm and welcoming, and made me feel at home in their apartment in central Cologne very quickly. The week passed quickly with an eclectic set of experiences. These experiences ranged from a tour of Cologne to visiting the theme park, Fantasialand.

PRO.TEAM IN ACTION IN THE DRAGONS’ DEN

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Perhaps the most enjoyable experiences of all were those when we were involved in day to day activities. Sitting in lessons in a German school, socialising at the park in the evening and visiting other families at their homes all gave me the sense of truly integrating and immersing myself in German culture. It was at these moments I realised that my exchange was very much living a parallel life to mine, but simply in a different country, with some subtle cultural variations.

– Lands of Peace

Along with students from surrounding Worcester schools, the pupils in the Upper Remove were invited to reflect upon those whose lives were affected by this conflict. Michael St Maur Shiel shared his stunning images and provided insightful knowledge surrounding key aspects of the war. His particular focus was to challenge existing preconceptions, particularly surrounding the view that it was Britain’s victory, by

illustrating that the War was indeed one of the Empire. Additionally, time was taken to consider the values and the lessons that we can learn from History and why remembering the past is an important part of living. With this in mind, we particularly remembered the 83 Old Vigornians who were killed during the conflict, 79 of whom were students and 4 were staff. Many of our

current pupils were able to revisit memories of their trip to Thiepval, where some of these men are remembered. On a wider scale, the end of the conflict saw the rolling count of injuries rise to 11,507 for the Worcestershire regiments and students were asked, while listening to the talk, to consider what their brothers, fathers and possibly even they themselves, would have been doing if they had been born 100 years earlier. EJC

‘The fragrance of treasured moments’ Some of the key highlights of my week in Germany were the tour around the sports museum, attending a drama lesson at school, walking up Dragon’s Rock, visiting Bonn (particularly the Haribo shop!) and going up the Rhine Tower (Rheinturm) in Dusseldorf on the final day. In conclusion, my exchange trip to Germany was truly enjoyable and will leave me with many lasting memories. I feel a strong friendship developed with my exchange Tanja, which will no doubt mean we stay in contact for many years to come. In times of such European uncertainty, bonds and friendship simply overpower the politics and economics of individual countries. Izzy Trow This return visit was a great opportunity for both the English and the German pupils to get to know each other more and also to have so much fun together. The week was full of exciting events for all, including after school plans that were arranged by the English. When the English pupils spent time at school, trips were planned for the Germans.

In the morning of the third day, people made their way to school by various modes of transport and joined the different Houses for registration. They then went on to join some of our lessons, where they could experience English teaching methods. They also experienced how school sport differs from that in Germany. After lunch, the Germans had a tour of the cathedral and they climbed the tower. Many gathered after school to take the bus to Aztec at Upton Warren, where they enjoyed an hour of swimming, running, jumping and sliding between inflatables. Afterwards my partners had a traditional meal of fish and chips to end the day. Friday was when the Germans had a trip to the Black Country Living Museum, for a chance to go back in English history to the 1900s and to see how England has changed over the intervening hundred years. The day included a 1900s school lesson, where everything was far stricter, with even a cane for punishment. For most

people the evening consisted of a film, as it was time to relax because of an early start the following day for some. The weekend was free time to have with the families, where most planned a day out to some interesting places, and some even went to London. I think the cities had many social impacts on the visiting Germans, and souvenirs were bought to remember the great moments. For others who stayed more locally, they gave some of the Germans the opportunity to play cricket for the first time, providing an understanding of some more English culture. Almost a week had gone by, so we all took our partners to school for the last time, where they had a town trail in the morning, and finally said our goodbyes. The whole exchange boosted everyone’s learning, not just through the use of language, but also through the life of their partners too. I and many others hope that another opportunity like this comes in the future. Abby Sly and Izzy Trow

After a long first day of travelling for the guests, they then spent the second day in Oxford. They saw many colleges and learned a great deal about the student lifestyle there. My exchange partners even bought jumpers for souvenirs. In the evening, a big group of us gathered for an evening meal which had a most positive atmosphere and everyone enjoyed themselves.

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The Library We have had a very successful year in the Library, with a wonderful author visit, excellent pupil engagement and some new initiatives to promote reading within our community! All of the L4 really enjoyed taking part in the Bookbuzz programme, where every new pupil takes part in a speed-dating session to choose from a fantastic selection of 12 books chosen by the Book Trust. It is always a lovely way to kick off their relationship with the Library. For National Poetry Day this year pupils explored the theme of Change. Isobel Cree and Amy Matthews were winners of the Sixth Form and Removes categories, and read out their poems in College Hall. The standard of the Fourth Form winning poems was so high that we had to have joint winners for U4 (Lola Morgan and Lois Unwin) and L4 (Amelia Venables and Isaac Blasdale)! These were read out by Mr Maund during a beautiful celebratory service in the Cathedral which proved the perfect setting for poetry; Dr Dorsett even chose a George Herbert hymn. In February we were extremely lucky to have author Candy Gourlay come for not one but two author events in College Hall. Over the two events we had 600 pupils from 10 local schools attending, including our Year 7 and 8 children and Year 6 from KSA. Candy Gourlay is of Filipino heritage and was a journalist in Manila during the dangerous Marcos dictatorship before marriage to an English journalist bought her to London. Candy was promoting her new book Bone Talk, which was subsequently shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie award. Bone Talk is a coming of age story set in a remote village in the Philippines, about growing up, discovering yourself and the impact of colonialism on native peoples and their lives. Candy proved to be a compelling and entertaining speaker who related very well to the children. She vividly depicted the classic elements of storytelling - with the hero’s journey from an ordinary to extra-ordinary world, the choice they make to pass through the door of no return and the spirit guides they meet on the way - all interwoven with her own journey from a child growing up under a dictatorship to becoming a children’s author in the UK. She learned in the end that the best advice is not only ‘write what you know’ but also ‘write who you are’. It was indeed Candy’s own story, and hearing about the challenges she overcame to become an author, which really captivated the children: “Her story of how she became an author was really inspiring. No matter

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how many times she failed, she never gave up” (Eleanor Cartwright L4). Pupils found her to be inspirational and engaging, and a real role model for resilience. “She also went into lots of details and used scenes from other stories so that we really understood how she wrote the books” (Max Barclay U4). “I also learned about different cultures and their way of life” (Ellie Hiorns U4). Candy was very excited to be at King’s and to be speaking in such a historical venue. We had a fantastic day with her. The feedback from the children and the queues for book signing were both testament to how successful Candy’s visit was in inspiring the children to read and to pursue their own writing. This year for World Book Day we had both pupil and staff competitions for ‘Catch your pet reading’. We had a fantastic range of entries which were very hard to judge! Dogs always seem to make the best readers, and cats were well represented too, but we also had chickens, tortoises, fish, guinea-pig, rabbits, hamsters, a pig and a snake! Sophie Pitts (LR) submitted a whole photo story for her dog Charlie! The staff were extremely competitive, with the eventual winner being Mrs Darby’s lurcher ‘M’ who was lying in luxury on a sofa intent on his James Bond book. Staff also rose marvelously to our World Book Day challenge to read a contemporary children’s or YA (Young Adult) book and write a review for our display. We enjoyed sharing the results with the pupils. On the day itself we also had a giveaway of the World Book Day special editions (which proved every bit as popular as a cake sale!) and Waterstones brought gorgeous books to school for a pop-up shop and served lots of very happy customers. Displays throughout the year have enabled us to promote relevant fiction and nonfiction. We have supported whole school initiatives such as Anti-bullying Week, Holocaust Memorial Day, European Day of Languages and Safer Internet Day. For Remembrance Day we had a special display of resources for the Armistice Centenary, and were very proud to include ‘All the King’s Men’ by our Archivist Harriet Patrick, remembering each of the fallen OVs from World Wars I, II and the Boer War. February was LGBT History month and we made the most of the opportunity to buy lots of wonderful new fiction (and enlightening non-fiction) to add to our stock. On Valentine’s Day we asked the pupils to take out one of our books that has never left the Library on a date, but been sadly overlooked through no fault of their own #Don’tleaveusonthe(Library)shelf!

We also provided displays and resources for Mental Health Awareness Week (for which the pupils contributed ideas for our ‘How to be healthy inside and out’ bunting), International Women’s Day, and made use of the fantastic resources and ideas from Empathy Lab for our first Empathy day in June. Empathy Lab UK aims to build children’s empathy, literacy and social activism through reading. “We believe that empathy is a beacon of hope in a divided world”. Pupils enjoyed browsing the resources and writing their own Empathy Resolutions which received a lovely response from Miranda McKearney, founder of the Reading Agency and Empathy Lab “Oh these are just fantastic @KSWLibrary. Please thank your young people for their #EmpathyResolutions. It’s they who can take us to a less divided place”. In May for the first time all four KSA Year 6 classes visited the Senior School to take part in reading for pleasure activities. We wanted to introduce them to the fantastic choice of authors, titles and genres that will be available to them when they join us in September. They proved to be a delightful and enthusiastic year group, with much to discuss and share about the pleasures and benefits of reading. Many were unable to resist borrowing their first book from the senior school library! Please see the Library Twitter feed for photos of all the activities that we have enjoyed throughout the year @KSWLibrary AJJ

CANDY GOURLAY VISIT

MFL Media Day On the final, cold morning of January, A Level students studying a foreign language gathered in the Vigornian Room. Many had dressed accordingly; perhaps the most obvious were the French students, sporting berets and reflective-yellow gilets. As we took our seats around a table, we were presented with the day’s itinerary, which included activities relating both to broadcasting techniques and also current affairs around Europe. Mr Ball welcomed us (thankfully, in English) and proceeded to describe each of the tasks we would complete in groups throughout the day: a radio broadcast; a television news segment and a written article each, which would ultimately all be compiled into three magnificent newspapers in French, Spanish and German. Another challenge for the day was that nobody in attendance would be permitted to speak a word of English… all day long. If one did so, they would be penalised with a dreaded mark on the whiteboard beside their name — a mark of shame. With that daunting concept on all of our minds, we split off into the three groups to begin our first media-related quests.

The French students began by planning which articles we would include in our news bulletin. In smaller groups of three or four members, we scoured the far corners of French media outlets for the most interesting stories to bring to our viewers. Features included reports about ‘Les Gilets Jaunes’, interviews with French ‘officials’ (who were most certainly not our fellow language students in berets) and the odd advertisement thrown in for good measure. After the planning stage, groups drifted to other rooms to film their segments using the high-quality cameras of the school’s iPads, which would be edited later in the day. Afterwards, all participants regrouped and indulged in some hot chocolate and delicious pastries, which could have easily come from an authentic Parisian patisserie. For French students, next came the writing of the newspaper. All manner of subjects were the focuses of the articles, from French contemporary music to nuclear power stations, with some well-devised crosswords and word-searches dotted throughout for the entertainment of whoever ended up reading it. Once every element was completed, it was compiled

into one magnificent document, ready to print and distribute to the masses. Lunchtime arrived and the smell of freshly cooked schnitzel with a side of paella drifted beyond the Vigornian Room as students gathered before the spread of piping hot food, ravenous. As everybody took their seats, we were rather excited to see that bottles of beer were available as beverages but, to the disappointment of many, the labels informed us that they were, in fact, non-alcoholic. Dessert was a delightful chocolate mousse which left all of us with full stomachs, raring to get on with our final tasks. French students ventured to School House to plan their radio broadcasts and, with completed interview questions in hand, each group retired to a quiet room for the recordings to take place. After a few takes and fits of laughter at mispronunciations, we were finished and ready for all the elements to be compiled together. Overall, this was a fun-filled day which will ultimately prove very beneficial. Grace Williams

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Scuba Club

Scuba Club this year has gone from strength to strength. Mrs Gamble took over the mantle from Mr Jeavons, who left King’s last summer and immediately put into practice his diving experiences by volunteering in the Caribbean, with warm water survey and eco-clean-up work. Where might your Scuba diving take YOU? In 2018-19 students across all ages at King’s undertook a weekly training session with a Master Dive Instructor from Seastyle Diving on a Tuesday evening. Pool training involved learning skills, signals and techniques which were all tested in a practical context by the Dive Master and her fellow instructor as training progressed. Having completed their training,

students can now demonstrate that they can, for example, ascend and descend safely, equalise and maintain neutral buoyancy, flood, take off and even swim a width of the pool without their mask then replace and clear it. They practised drills to safely check their buddy’s gear before commencing a dive, remove and then get back into their BCD (buoyancy control device) whilst in the water and how to “buddy breathe” underwater if their dive partner’s air runs out or fails when at depth. Regular theory lessons back up the practical experiences the young divers gain in the pool. The assessments are rigorous and the students were surprised to learn just how much application of the science they meet in their Physics, Chemistry

Senior Ski Trip – La Plagne With Autumn term coming to a close, and Christmas on the horizon, attention quickly turned to the senior ski trip. 35 students from the Fifth and Sixth form and three staff made the journey to France and anticipation for taking to the snow the following morning was building. The group was split by ability and experience and the instructors quickly made a start. Each group improved hugely over the course of the week and, in particular, the beginners made staggering progress. Starting without ever having put ski boots on, the four beginners were all parallel skiing by the end of the week and even attempting jumps

and mogul runs - with varying degrees of success! Across the levels, there were plenty of bumps and spills, but thankfully no injuries. This was somewhat surprising, given the degree of ‘adventure’ shown by the top group in particular! Happily there was a lot of snow and therefore a soft landing! Another benefit of the great conditions was the quantity of off-piste skiing that was available. Aside from skiing, we went ice skating, bowling, impressed the locals with Karaoke, went out for crepes, pizza and raclette and generally had a great time. There were some tired souls arriving back in Worcester! CWSW

Junior Ski Trip – Folgaria February half term is always a busy ski week, so we tend to find a quiet destination with empty slopes and plenty of altitude for snow. This was a hot week, but the snow was good and the resort of Folgaria did not disappoint. We have been here before because of what it has to offer and we made full use of everything available this time too. The groups, split by ability, benefitted from great instruction. The groups travelled widely, with the advanced skiers nearly, but not quite, completing the

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full ski area. There was huge improvement across the groups and we could see confidence growing by the day. In addition to the antics on the snow, we had plenty of fun in the evenings too, including trips into the local town for pizza, ice skating and hot chocolate. We went for a torchlight walk one night and went tobogganing. By the time the week was ending, there was just enough energy left for Karaoke on the last night, and then a quiet journey home. Another great week. CWSW

and Biology lessons goes into understanding how Scuba diving works and is kept safe. All students passed their initial PADI Junior Dive training; the next step is to go “Open Water” at a quarry in South Gloucestershire so they can fully qualify as Open Water Divers. Watch this space! Next year Mrs Gamble and Seastyle are moving King’s students over to a new online training package with SSI. The theory training will use more visual and engaging activities which can be completed on a phone or tablet at your own pace. Still very much a skills-based course, as with PADI, we hope to see many more of KSW students giving this exciting sport a try in 2019-20!

STEM Science Club has been renamed to encompass the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We meet weekly to experiment, investigate and explore, make, mess and mash-up all things physical, chemical and biological and we throw in the odd engineering problem as well. We also hosted a series of demonstrations, quizzes and hands-on activities for National Science Week. This year our highlights have been: • the dissections of a selection of organs – heart, lungs, kidneys and eyes (very smelly and gross) and on another occasion, fish (even smellier); • constructing egg launchers and testing their resilience when dropped from a height (Mrs Gamble climbed a very high ladder) - the eggs are raw, of course; • blowing giant bubbles and looking at surface tension – slippy and slimy and a lot of fun;

• fire writing with oxidising agents – great for all pyromaniacs; • making slime and snitch launchers (perennial favourites); • and investigating “Bangs & Explosions” - where Mrs Gamble got to return to her chemistry roots and make a lot of noise! We conducted a survey into single-use plastic in the dining room and researched the true meaning of biodegradability. Next year we are looking to expand our ecowarrior credentials with some new projects around school. Our aim is to engage, enthuse and ignite a passion for STEM in students at the start of their secondary education and to get them thinking about the enormous impact, importance and significance these subjects have for us in our everyday lives. ARG

Spanish Exchange The Spanish exchange was a great opportunity for both the pupils of King’s and the Spanish school, Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Zaragoza to learn more language skills and make new friends. 23 pupils travelled to Zaragoza in October 2018. During the exchange we were able to develop our language skills but also have a lot of fun experiencing a different way of living with our host families. It was a frightening experience at first and none of us wanted to get off the bus and be sent away with an exchange partner and their family whom we had never met. The teachers had to forcefully assist the first of us off! Everybody was so nervous and whilst we were getting our suitcases off the bus, we were all wishing each other good luck! After settling in with our families and exchanging gifts, we met as a big group for the first time later that evening. Whilst in Spain, we went on lots of day trips and saw many historical monuments. These included a trip to Teruel in the mountains where on our way it started to snow and another trip to Albarracín where we had a tour of the area - imagine a group of 22 school children trying to fit through the narrow streets! We also had a tour of Zaragoza’s city centre and went to the ‘Museo del Foro de Caesaraugusta’ where we saw the remains of a Roman forum from the time of the Emperor Augustus. During the tour, we also saw other buildings combining Islamic and Gothic architecture

in different areas of the city. On the same day, we were able to go to the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, which is a famous pilgrimage site with a shrine to the Virgin Mary and multiple domes. Inside, it looked amazing! We had some free time in the Plaza of Our Lady of the Pillar after finishing the tour and went home to spend the evening with our exchanges. Each morning, our exchanges dropped us off at their school library where we met before setting off for the day. Our host families gave us snacks for lunch and typically Spanish dishes for dinner, although we did have a McDonald’s! On one of the days, unfortunately, our trip to San Sebastián did not go ahead due to the unpredictable weather. So instead, we spent the morning in the Spanish school and played games with the younger children outside, plus Halloween themed games inside and helped them draw pumpkins. We spent Halloween in Zaragoza and I went out for hot chocolate and churros with my exchange and a few others. We spent a lot of the time all together as a big group in the evenings, which was very enjoyable because we were able to experience how the Spanish spent their free time after school. We had a free day with our families and some of my friends and I, along with our exchanges, went to the aquarium while others spent the day at a sports park. Whilst we were in Spain we also had a party ‘underneath’ a café, which was enjoyable.

We went to the Aljafería in Aragón, an eleventh century Moorish palace, where we were toured its Arab remains and towers. On our last full day, we all ended up at one of Europe’s largest shopping centres Puerto Venecia - where we spent most of the day and some went bowling later in the evening. When it was time to bid farewell to our exchanges and their families it was quite upsetting for some to have to say goodbye and there were a few tears, but we knew that we would see them again in March. It was great to see our exchanges arrive in England after a long time since we had all last seen each other. We threw them straight into our way of life with a hectic schedule and I know that my exchange, Paula, enjoyed her trips to places such as Oxford and Stratford thoroughly. I think that my friends will agree their exchanges did also. Again, we met up as a big group on a few occasions to go bowling, out for pizza, to Nando’s, to watch the Superball and to go to a party. Everybody enjoyed these events a lot. When the time came for the Spanish to return back to Zaragoza, there were even more tears than in Spain! It was sad to see our exchanges, whom we had got to know so well in such a short time, leave us, but hopefully we will see them again soon! Thank you to Mrs Shearburn, Mrs Ruiz, Mr Sarriegui and all our parents for helping to make the exchange very enjoyable. Felicity Quiney

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Sixth Form Politics Trip to Washington

Over the Easter holiday, several of the A-Level History and Politics students were lucky enough to embark on a trip to Washington DC to learn about both the rich cultural history and day-to-day politics of the American capital. Accompanied by Miss Cameron and Mr Gillgrass, we spent four action-packed days exploring the city and taking in all it has to offer. Following an eight-hour flight that constituted little sleep and much enjoyment of the in-flight entertainment, we landed into Washington DC. Transport between the airport and the hotel was provided by a bus that evoked nostalgia of classic Americana. After a brief stop at the hotel and the opportunity to explore the on-site gift shop, we headed straight to the first stop on our tour of the city, The Ford Theatre. Famous for being the deathplace of Abraham Lincoln, The Ford Theatre serves both as a theatre and a museum of the life of Abraham Lincoln and the story of the assassination that tied him forever to the building. Following this, we spent the afternoon on a whistle-stop tour of the city, getting a brief look at several of the monuments, memorials and museums we would return to throughout the week. The White House was currently the host of a public Easter egg hunt, so we would have to wait a few more days to get a proper look at the residence of Mr Trump. After a delicious dinner in the hotel, we all headed straight up to our rooms to get some muchneeded sleep and prepare for our first full day of exploring the city. Having enjoyed a breakfast buffet in the hotel, where we learned that Americans see potato wedges as breakfast food, we were introduced to our tour guide for the trip, a Texan woman named Boglarka. Always smiling and helpful, Boglarka showed us her love for the city (though she couldn’t quite summon the same amount of enthusiasm for Mr Trump). Our first stop for the day was Capitol Hill, the political hub of America, where decisions 48

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are made, laws passed and precedents set. After a brief look around the Supreme Court, filled to the brim with lawyers when we arrived as the transgender military case was being discussed, we moved on to the Capitol Building itself, a huge monument to American ideals that took over 30 years to complete. Guided through rooms full of paintings and statues, we were shown the American story through their eyes, a tale of God-ordained glory and their destiny for success. The chambers they debated in were also grand, though our guide assured us of the humility built into the rooms, surrounded with busts of great leaders to show American politicians to what they should aspire. We then moved on to the beautiful library of congress, a building designed in a French style, containing all sorts of important documents and legal tomes. To finish the tours for the day, we spent the afternoon in the museum of African-American history, a building dedicated to the preservation of the development of African-American culture, and the Natural History Museum. To make sure nobody was getting too homesick, we spent the evening in a British-style restaurant called Elephant & Castle. The food was amazing, and everyone was exhausted from the long day of walking, so quickly headed up to their rooms to rest.

and World War Two. Each memorial was specifically designed to make those who looked at it consider the value of human life and acknowledge how it has been wasted in these wars. Free time in the afternoon allowed us to visit some of the spots we hadn’t scheduled, or to look around the city’s collection of malls and boutiques. A free evening also allowed us to (costpermitting) enjoy some of the excellent restaurants of Washington DC before our final day in the city.

The next day was dedicated to looking around the memorials in Washington; after an early start we crossed the river into Virginia and visited Arlington cemetery, where hundreds of thousands of dead servicemen and their families are buried. While there, we also watched the passing of the guard ceremony, a precise routine in which the soldier in charge of guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier is changed. Before leaving we stopped at the eternal flame where John F. Kennedy is buried before heading back over the river into D.C. once more. Within a small area, the city hosts memorials to every major conflict in which the U.S. was involved during the 20th century, including Korea, Vietnam

Both Lower and Upper Sixth are extremely grateful to Miss Cameron and Mr Gillgrass for taking us on this trip and taking a week out of their Easter Holidays to load themselves up with stress. We hope they enjoyed the trip, because we certainly did! Will Bradley and Sophie Mitchell

After an early start, the last day began with an exclusive tour of the White House. Museum. After looking at the history of the most important building in America, we made our way over and, as it was now cleared up from the Easter egg hunt, we were able to get closer to the entrance. After stopping there for what was probably the best photo opportunity of the trip, we managed to stop by the Lincoln and MLK memorials, which we had been unable to see the day before. We were given a final chance to look around the stores of Washington before jumping onto our bus and making our way home. The flight home was used by most as a chance to sleep, but Will Lloyd decided to use the time more productively by discussing Brexit with an elderly Chinese stranger.

Upper Remove GCSE Geography Alps Trip With a heatwave across Europe and the UK, it promised to be a hot time in France. We were grateful for the air-conditioned coach as 28 UR pupils and four geography staff left Worcester on July 14th for our six day trip . Some 16 hours later the Geography Alps trip of 2019 reached le Bettex, our home for the week, which is a small alpine resort in the heart of the French Alps at 1400m. Already we were higher than any point in the UK! After a wonderful lunch cooked by our hosts Lisa and Thierry, we settled in and took a cable car up to Mount d’Arbois at 1833m, where we found our first outdoor classroom. Overlooking the Mont Blanc Massif, we explored the formation of the Alps before a stunning walk down. In the morning we had an outside breakfast before a short drive to the Chamonix valley floor. Upon arrival we took advantage of the impressive cable car network to ascend Le Brévent at 2525m for a look at the glacial history and future, and to see the different zones of a glacier with views that beat any textbook diagram. We then took the iconic 110 year old Montenvers cog railway up to the Mer de Glace, one of the largest glaciers in the Alps. Exploring the ice caves

was one of the highlights of the trip, as well as giving us an understanding of how the rock is positioned in the glacier and what glacial ice feels like. It also showed stark evidence of global warming as we passed signs marking former glacial positions while we descended the 500 steps to the cave. Upon returning, we completed a field sketch of the Mer de Glace and were taught about moraine and why the glacier has its stripes. On our return to the warmer Chamonix valley, a luge ride was enjoyed by most before returning for a delicious well-earnt evening meal. With the good weather continuing the next day, we took the opportunity to summit the breath-taking Aiguille du Midi by cable car climbing 2,800m to reach a stunning height of 3,840m where the lack of oxygen was all too obvious! The panoramic views provided amazing photo opportunities all morning and we were reluctant to leave. On the descent to the halfway point at Plan du Midi, the cable car had an unexpected stop; the resulting swing provided much excitement! When everyone arrived we took a mountain path to the Mer de Glace with breathtaking views into the Chamonix valley and up onto the mountains above. Glacial troughs, hanging valleys and

truncated spurs were all spotted before we descended on the cog railway back to the valley floor to explore Chamonix and to buy some souvenirs. The next morning, we caught the Tramway du Mont Blanc and got booklets out for a lesson on glacial deposition below the Glacier du Bionnassay. We were all stunned to learn that we were on a lateral moraine for the lesson. After lunch, we travelled down the mountain for a swim in Lake Passey, with a spectacular backdrop of the Mt Blanc range. This was an enjoyable and memorable way to spend the afternoon. In my opinion this was the best day. Being so close to a five kilometre glacier was an amazing experience because we could really see the scale of the ice monster. The final day was relaxed with a greatly appreciated late breakfast and the opportunity to enjoy the Alps for the last time, while finishing some written tasks and then traveling home overnight. I must thank the geography staff, our drivers from Aston’s Coaches and our hosts Lisa and Thierry for making this trip possible. Without all of these people, this amazing trip would have not happened: thank you all! Jamie Waters

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W.R.A.I.T.H.

(Writing, Reading and Imaginative Thinking: The Library Book Groups)

It has been another fantastic year for our six WRAITH groups, with all years from L4 to U6 well-represented. Each group has its own character but they are all full of passionate readers who enjoy the company of other readers and are brimming with recommendations and opinions. It is an absolute pleasure and privilege for Miss Jeffery, Mrs Capell and Mrs Walmsley to look after WRAITH.

Lower Fourth I like WRAITH, because I get to read new books, recommended by people my age. More importantly, there is cake! Connor Yates WRAITH is amazing! You get to know other people, read books and eat cake! Milly Yates I have really enjoyed participating in WRAITH because it has allowed me to see what other people are reading, why they are reading it and it also inspires me and others to read the books. One of my favourite books is Accidental Superstar by Marianne Levy! Amy Smithson Upper Fourth This year I have really enjoyed WRAITH book club. There has been a wide range of books and novels to choose from and enjoy - as well as some delicious cake and treats to top it off! Overall, I think my favorite book was Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford because it was so moving but really gripping at the same time! I couldn’t put the novel down. I am looking forward to the various opportunities in WRAITH next year in the LR Catherine Rendall-Baker

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Lower Remove I have really enjoyed WRAITH this year. Many books have been of a genre that is very different from those I would usually read, and I enjoyed those just as much as my favourite books. It has opened my eyes to another range of reading opportunities such Perks of Being a Wallflower or The Art of Being Normal. Sophie Pitts This year I have been a member of WRAITH, and nothing compares to it for socialising and talking about books. Every half term we meet and discuss the books we have read. This is a great experience, because it opens you up to books you wouldn’t have otherwise read and it is so interesting knowing other people’s takes on the books you have read. It has been one of the highlights of my year because it has been an unparalleled club for reading and talking about books, both of which I enjoy immensely. The club is one of the best on offer at King’s and I would recommend to everyone. George Capell

Upper Remove 2019 has been another interesting year in WRAITH, filled with varied discussions even if they weren’t always about books - and reading lots of different genres throughout the year. Although the number of members may have slightly decreased recently, there is still a great bond between the dedicated regulars who simply enjoy reading (and eating cake). We’d like to thank Mrs Capell for keeping our group together, and always making us cakes, and we look forward to another year of discovering new books! Sammy Hadley In WRAITH this year we have read a variation of books from Orphan, Monster, Spy to Goodbye Perfect. We meet once a term and talk about the books that we have read and the next selection of books we can choose from. My favourite book that we have read in WRAITH is Only Love Can Break Your Heart, a teen book award nominee. I look forward to returning next year. Maddy Hales

Fifth Form If anyone likes books of any sort, I would recommend they go along to WRAITH. Be prepared for times of enjoyable discussion, working out what to read next, recommending books to others and of course, cake! There is always someone willing to listen to what you have read recently; if you are not able to read the books that have been given out, no one minds! I know that exams, work and general school life can get in the way, but the most important thing for me to say is, “keep reading”! It doesn’t matter how much and how often you read, just as long as you keep reading and are prepared to enter a world of dragons, mystery, flight or time travel then WRAITH is for you! Rowan Dash

Fifth Form has continued to be an engaging, entertaining and very well-read group. Over the past year we have enjoyed books from Cassandra Clare, Graham Greene, Ernest Cline and Dan Brown – not to mention all the additional reading outside the group books, which always provokes lively discussion. We are sorry to be losing a number of our loyal members at the end of this year as they relocate to pastures new, but this did provide ample excuse to schedule an extra meeting – mainly for the purpose of reminiscing and eating cake! I have thoroughly enjoyed our meetings, will miss our departing students, but look forward to seeing these fantastic readers in our Sixth Form group next year. MC

Sixth Form Sixth Form WRAITH has gone from strength to strength this year, with a fantastic group of keen readers always willing to discuss their reading and eat copious quantities of cake. There have been some intensely thought-provoking books on our lists this year. Early on, we went a bit postapocalyptic with The Girl With All The Gifts (zombies galore) and the exquisitely written Station Eleven, which was lyrical and terrifying in equal measure. Later in the year, we had a very indulgent Ian McEwan fest, and we also did our bit for LGBT History Month with an excellent range of novels, old and new. Indeed, had it not been for our LGBT reading list, I doubt I would ever have read Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, and the other WRAITH members were very patient with me as I attempted to understand and articulate what it was all about. We are very sad to have to say goodbye to some of our long-standing members as they leave us for pastures new, but we know that they take their love of reading with them to light them on their way. LAW

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Young Enterprise This school year saw three zealous Lower Sixth companies take part in the Young Enterprise scheme: ‘Re-co’ led by Faith Murray and Matt Lewis; ‘Purple Cactus’ led by Harry Flockhart and ‘Mightea’ led by James Pritchard. Aided by the support of teaching staff and external business advisors, each group pooled product ideas and eventually established a business plan. Spotting an early sales opportunity, Purple Cactus leapt at the opportunity to attract some early revenue selling bam bam sticks at the King’s vs RGS Modus Cup. Converting supporter to customer meant the group created a nice starting point from which their business could launch.

With the countdown to Christmas in full swing, the first official selling event was fast approaching: the annual Victorian Christmas Fayre. Wanting to reap maximum profit from our products, groups went the extra mile to ensure they would be ready and raring to go by the 1st December, whether that involved staying late after school to squeeze in some additional production, decorating the allimportant stall board or even stocking up on some festive fairy lights (every little helps). When the day arrived, groups from across Worcestershire gathered in College Hall determined to make the day a success. With Purple Cactus promoting their metal straws and accompanying smoothie recipe books, Re-co flaunting their upcycled cork coasters and Christmas ornaments and Mightea showing off a range of ethically sourced teas and handmade stamp Christmas cards, an environmental focus was clearly rooted within all groups. The merry atmosphere proved to work to our advantage, with each group harvesting some well-deserved profit, and Purple Cactus even having to delve into reserved stock as their product sold so successfully. Stand out performances go to Re-Co who came third place, and Mightea who also sold out and achieved best trade stand overall- you could say we had it down to a T(ea).

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Helped by customer feedback at the Christmas Fayre, a period of ‘product development’ followed this event, taking the groups into the new year. Re-Co branched out from their cork range by introducing bottle-top place mats and Mightea amended their card array, creating Easter-themed as well as more universal designs. A few new flavours were also introduced- new year, new tea.

all three King’s groups went on to deliver sleek presentations about their businesses later in the evening. An awards ceremony concluded the night, with Re-Co receiving ‘Best Teamwork’ for their cooperative cork collection and Mightea achieving ‘Best Marketing’ as well as being the only group from King’s to progress through to the Herefordshire and Worcestershire May county finals.

Unfortunately, the weather did not work in our favour on the day of the Spring fair, with rain and gales making stall set up difficult and hampering any possibility of displaying anything paper-based on our stalls. On the other hand, the poor weather did offer a good excuse for sales failing to match those of the Christmas Fayre; it seems that in this period shoppers really are imbued with a sense of cheerfulness and ‘Christmas spirit’ which makes them more susceptible to a shopping spree. Judges examined all stalls at the fair and marks were awarded to each, and Mightea walked away with the honour of best brand image.

Further refining our presentation skills, the group took time after school to practise our slides to the other members. The day of the finals was very similar to the first presentation evening, with an interview preceding a presentation, to but this time to a large audience in Worcester County Hall. Having had experience of both before, we all felt more confident and knowledgeable in talking about our business, leading to an even better overall performance. Faced with some tough competition and different judges, who were evidently coffee drinkers, Mightea unfortunately didn’t progress to the West Midlands regional final. Nevertheless, we were immensely proud to have reached this level, and have undoubtedly gained invaluable assets from the whole process, whether that be in the form of an expert business acumen, self-confidence or the ability to sell the obstinate packets of Japan sencha green tea with the intricate art of persuasion. Annie Park

Between the Spring Fair and the South Worcestershire presentation evening on the 26th March, groups wrote their individual business reports, which accounted for 20% of our marks overall. On the night, all teams performed well in their first Apprentice-like situation when faced with a panel of three unsparing judges in the team interview, and

Creative and Performing Arts

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Arts Award The Arts Award offering here at King’s reached new heights in 2019 and we are delighted to have been awarded Champion Centre status by Trinity College, London. Trinity have been impressed by our commitment to the qualifications: we have seven trained Arts Award Advisers across four departments in the school and can provide support and continuity for students who want to take their Arts Award journey right through from bronze in Lower Fourth, silver in Lower Remove, and gold in the Sixth Form. They have been very interested in the range of new initiatives we have put forward, like the Gold Standard magazine which is now published annually to share our gold students’ research into prevalent arts industry issues. We have hosted visits from teachers and staff from other centres interested in offering Arts Award themselves and looking to the achievements of King’s pupils for ideas and inspiration. To cement our new status as a Champion Centre, Trinity also sent a photographer to the school in June to capture some of the arts events taking place around King’s and we are looking forward to seeing King’s pupils in Trinity’s new brochures and materials.

This year’s cohort have followed in the footsteps of their successful predecessors. Our L4 bronze pupils compiled their portfolios with colourful gusto; documenting their progress in their own artistic/creative skill, recording and sharing their views as audience members at live arts events, researching the practitioners who have inspired them, and passing on their own passions to others in the ‘skills share’ component! Along the journey, the LR silver pupils were perfect role models as they took their own arts practice to the next level and embraced the challenge of the arts leadership module. Many bronze pupils benefited directly from the mentoring undertaken by the silvers, especially when it came to the Fourth Form Christmas Show. Ms Price-Hutchinson and her silver team created yet another magical festive event in the John Moore Theatre enjoyed by the sell-out audience. This year’s gold cohort also rose to the challenge of their leadership projects. Traditional events such as the Arts Award Showcase and Exhibition in March and the L4 Shakespeare Fest in May were steered to success by members of this year’s gold team. Others produced one-off events including the stunning Emotion in Motion - a dance showcase raising both awareness

and much needed funds for the mental health charity BCAT, and 21 Chump Street – a mini-musical by Lin Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame) based on the 21 Jump Street stories which, with its firm anti-drugs message, was turned into an outstanding piece of theatre-in-education shown to the Upper Fourth in their assembly. Amidst the hard work, there has also been the sheer pleasure of being audience members at different events, not least on this year’s combined Arts Award trip which took us all to the Birmingham Rep to see their unconventional, but nonetheless spectacular, production of The Wizard of Oz. The dedication and commitment shown by the Arts Award pupils in all the different units of the qualifications has been unquestionable, as has the sheer talent on display. The Arts Award qualifications are all formal awards on the Regulated Qualifications Framework with bronze the equivalent of a low GCSE, silver at the same level as a good pass GCSE, and gold earning UCAS points as an A Level equivalent qualification. Every member of this year’s 50 strong cohort deserves their certificates and will be an inspiration to the cohorts to come. SP

Emotion in Motion As part of our Gold Arts Award we choreographed and directed a dance showcase that used dance to inform our audience about the issues surrounding mental health struggles. This showcase, ‘Emotion in Motion’, also raised funds for BCAT, ‘Birmingham Centre of Arts Therapies’. In order to gather information about their work and find inspiration prior to our choreographing of dances, we had visited the centre a few months earlier. Both of us were in awe at the way in which they used multiple art forms, such as music, drama and dance itself, to help and motivate those who are struggling with their mental health. The importance of music in their practice compelled us to place as much emphasis upon this as we were to place upon the dances themselves. We chose to use music from the popular television series, ‘Thirteen Reasons Why’. This show became a huge success as it highlighted many of the issues teenagers face and the importance of addressing our own, and our friends’, personal battles. We ensured that we combined dance that expounded both positive and negative 54

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feeling in order to both move our audience and also prove that it is possible to conquer mental health struggles. Though stressful at times, the organisation and running of this show was incredibly rewarding. We learnt much about advertising, leading an online campaign alongside creating posters and giving speeches, as well as running front of house and coordinating an event with a charity. All of the dancers performed spectacularly and we are so grateful for the time and effort they put in to help us share a message that is so important to us both. The support from the audience exceeded all expectations. Many spoke to

us after the performance to not only share their own stories of struggle but also to mention how impressed they were that we were able to encapsulate the highs and lows through our choreography. Thanks to their immense generosity, we managed to raise a staggering £903 for BCAT. Both of us were brought to tears at the end of the piece, overwhelmed by a sense of pride at what we had achieved but also towards those who face the issues we had explored through our passion for dance. Skye Weaver and Victoria Whitehead

Dance Senior Dance Showcase To finish off a sensational year, members of the dance department took part in the senior dance show. There were dances of all styles which were greatly enjoyed by audience members. A particular highlight was the incorporation of a large scaffolding cube. Dancers from both the senior and junior company got the chance to take part in dances that made use of this large prop.

Although rather challenging this was a new and innovative idea and was great fun for all dancers involved to get the chance to use.

to their role of senior dancers, their hard work in assisting with choreography and the triumph of their project, Emotion in Motion.

Miss Lane would like to thank all the dancers for their hard work and commitment to rehearsals and performances this year. An extra ‘well done’ to Skye Weaver and Victoria Whitehead for their commitment

Senior Citizens Christmas Show Just before the end of the winter term, King’s Sixth Form Charity Committee organised for a showcase of all art forms to be performed for the elderly, as part of the annual Christmas party, which included a festive theme. A vast number of the Fifth and Sixth form also participated by supporting in the crowd and helping the elderly into the theatre safely. During the show, group

dances were performed by the Senior Dance Company and the Juniors. The dances took a different approach to the festive theme; whilst one was comic and fun for the entertainment of the guests, the other was more nostalgic, conveying the familial bonds and environment of happiness at Christmas time. Our senior dancers, Victoria Whitehead and Skye Weaver, choreographed their own

Netball Superball

RGS Dance Festival

During the annual RGS vs King’s netball match, the L4 dance group had the opportunity to perform alongside dancers from RGS, to cheer on the players. They learnt a couple of collaborated dance routines which they performed to a very high standard. This year we were lucky enough to have two male dancers join us from RGS who were given the spotlight during the piece. The performances were enjoyed by all present at the arena.

Early in the year the senior dance group took a trip to RGS. The group took part in a dance festival to celebrate the opening of RGS’s new performance space. It was a great chance for the dancers to display their dance skills but also to watch and be inspired by dances created and performed by a variety of other local schools and universities.

lyrical duet for this performance, with the help of Miss Lane, which was praised after the show for its minimalistic beauty. The dancers themselves and the way in which they performed made a great day out for the senior citizens and all routines were executed and performed to the highest of standards.

The dances were very different to each another which created immense variety and allowed this trip to become a unique experience for all those involved. KEL

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Drama Articles such as this invariably start with a note about how busy the Drama Department has been this year! Funnily enough, 2018-19 has been no exception! The start of the academic year saw the introduction of the new curriculum for Lower Removes. They now have the option of taking Drama for the full academic year instead of alternating with other subjects on the old ‘carousel’. This has meant introducing a whole new curriculum for them which has really allowed them to get their teeth into all aspects of making, evaluating and appreciating theatre. Starting with a ‘shoebox theatre’ design project, including an often hilarious workshop with professional make-up artist, Daryl Singleton, and ending with a West End trip to see the spellbinding National Theatre production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time”, the LR groups have embraced every diverse element of the packed course and many will be taking these skills further as they embark on their GCSE course. The current GCSE students got the performance ball rolling in the department in the first half-term, with the Fifth Form giving public performances of their own original devised theatre. Brooding dystopia seemed a popular theme! Despite the bleak outlooks, the standard of execution was outstanding and set the bar high for this year’s achievements. Straight after the half-term break, the FF and UR groups welcomed an old friend to the department. Actor, director and co-founder of StageEd, Mike Southern, has been working with the King’s Drama Department for several years now and he joined us to lead another amazing workshop on our GCSE set text, Blood Brothers.

unexpected! It was also outstanding! The Fourth Form Christmas Show took us into the Christmas holidays in festive spirit. A well-earned break and it was full steam ahead in January with the GCSE and A Level groups departing for the traditional London Theatre weekend. We started with the opportunity to perform on an actual working West End stage, workshopping The Woman in Black in its home theatre, The Fortune, before returning in the evening to be truly terrified by the production itself. We were also treated a full back-stage tour of the National Theatre and the chance to take in the matinee of Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre. Throw in our well-loved gathering in the Pizza Hut on the Strand and our stops at good old Oxford Service Station and our combined Fifth and Sixth Formers had a weekend to tweet about!

More workshop opportunities followed. Lucy Bird, assistant director at the Birmingham Rep, joined us in November to follow up with students after a theatre trip to see the Rep’s haunting production of The Lovely Bones. Equally haunting was the A Level group’s November performance of extracts from Othello. Inspired by the work of Peter Brook, the performance in a candle-lit and incense-filled Wightman Studio was lyrical and very evocative.

Into the Spring Term proper, and work intensified on the Removes’ musical. It was the first time in many years that the Removes have had an opportunity to work on a full-scale musical project. Never ones for shying away from ambitious choices, Mrs Parry and Mr Taranczuk took on the crazy rock’n’roll Shakespeare show, “Return to the Forbidden Planet”. The stage of the John Moore Theatre was transformed into the deck of the starship Albatross and the audience were taken on a journey they are unlikely to forget in a hurry! Special guest at the opening night was Clifford Rose – actor and OV – who was unveiling our new donor’s panel outside the JMT. King’s School Development Director, Liz Elliott, brought Clifford to the Drama Department earlier in the day to meet some of our students and his reminiscences on a career spanning more than six decades were truly inspirational.

Whilst all this was going on, the Autumn term was dominated by rehearsals for the Senior Production. This year, Ms Price-Hutchinson directed Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of the 39 Steps. For those expecting a Hitchcockian thriller, this witty, slapstick farce was certainly

Whilst Forbidden Planet was in full swing, some Removes were also part of the King’s Theatre Company, joining students from the Fifth and Sixth Forms in performing as part of the National Theatre Connections programme. Director, Ed Stamboullian, visited from the National to provide

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feedback on our world premiere of Dawn King’s Salt. The ensemble cast were delighted with their efforts and these hit even greater heights when they transferred their production to the Theatre Royal, Bath during the Easter holidays. Before that, though, our GCSE and A Level students undertook their final public performances of the year. The A Level original devised piece, Deeds Not Words, a Brecht-inspired political satire on the progress (or lack of) since the time of the suffragettes for women in politics, drew hearty guffaws from the audience, not least from Matthew Armstrong. An ever-present audience member, Matthew was a staunch supporter of artistic events – a man of culture and a man of humour. Rather than being outraged by some of the crudeness, he appreciated the searing wit. His laughter will be a treasured memory here in the Drama Department. There was certainly plenty of laughter in the Wightman Studio when the FF gave their final public performances of the year. Although there were also moments of pathos with extracts from Be My Baby, Not About Heroes and Kindertransport, the evening started with a sparkling extract from Noel Coward’s Private Lives courtesy of Ella Fidlin and Sam Nield, and ended with the riotous humour of John Godber’s Shakers, performed with all its potty-mouthed verve by Bella Fielden, Maddie Hinchliff, Annabel Hoy and Lottie Humphrey! There was no respite into the Summer Term. With the Music Department having welcomed Mr Chris Allsop to its ranks, we soon initiated him into the ways of collaborative productions as he took the helm as musical director on Little Shop of Horrors. Mrs Parry directed this Fourth Form production and the process was full of surprises. With little tweaks along the way to make the production appropriate for our young cast, an absolute gem of a show emerged. Not even an explosive power failure during the interval on the opening night could dampen the spirits.

and A Level students. It was also a lovely opportunity to meet and welcome some of our new L6 intake who will be joining us in September and were able to take part in these final events of the year.

the opening night technical hitches. Like a true professional, he kept the whole crew calm on ‘cans’ (the theatre headset communication system) and managed the cast on standby until we were up and running again. I don’t think they were expecting the notion of ‘going out with a bang’ to be quite so literal! Little Shop of Horrors was also a fitting finale to Sam Dudley’s work here at King’s. Mr Dudley leaves us to take up an exciting new role backstage at the Birmingham Hippodrome and we wish him every success in this next step in his career.

All that is left is to thank everyone who has contributed to this year’s Drama offering, especially John Hollyhead and the LAMDA team who spearheaded another year of exceptional speech and drama work and exam results. The John Moore Theatre and the Wightman Studio have been a hive of activity with visiting performance groups and other in-house showcases and Work finally came to a close in the final presentations. Time to draw breath and week of term when Jimmy Whittaker look forward to an equally exciting 2019-20! from Splendid Productions came to lead Prod SP uc tio n Te am two after-school workshops for our GCSE Director

Musical Director Designer/Produc tion Manager Theatre Manager

Assistant Direc tor Production Assist ants Stage Manager Deputy Stage Manager Assistant Stage Mangers Lighting Sound Costume / Make -up Master of Pupp ets

Shara Parry Christopher Allsop

Sam Dudley Paul Haynes Michael Nice Sophie Lloyd, Rosie Stanley Meg Sweeney, Sam Ness* Will Pyle, Archi e Jury* George Cox, Zach English, Angus Patrick Thomas, Pepperall, Joe Trickett, Lois Unwin Joe Harper Matt Fowler, Max Manning, Will Kelly* Isabella Green , Freya Hunt, Maisi e Lyons Charlie Halford *denotes Senior

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Jules Price-Hutch inson Kym Lane Daryl Singleton Catherine Perera MacClarry Photo graphy Little Shop of Hires Trinity College MTI

Wednesday 19th Thursday 20th June 7.00pm

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Book and Lyrics by HOWARD ASHM AN Music by ALAN MENKEN

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The band were simply wheeled out front and plugged in to various points around the auditorium in true “the show must go on” fashion. The curtain eventually went up on Act Two and cast and crew continued as though nothing untoward had happened at all! True professionals! The production standards quite surpassed the young team’s age but they had wonderful mentors in their midst. Assistant Director, Michael Nice (U6W) was a great inspiration to the young cast, although I don’t think he ever envisaged his swansong production in the King’s Drama Department involving him suited up as a six-foot tall man-eating plant! Likewise, U6 technical trio, Will Kelly, Sam Ness and Archie Jury led their young crews superbly. As DSM calling the book, Archie didn’t even break into a sweat with

19th & 20th Jun

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A Drama Teacher’s Response: From the moment the lights went up on The 39 Steps and revealed Charlie Mackintosh poised with careless elegance in a wingback chair, we knew we were in for a treat. Charlie captured Richard Hannay’s sardonic humour in an instant but managed to sustain the illusion that this was lighthearted relief before the classic thriller kicked in. Even when spectators were whisked off to the London Palladium for the vaudevillian romp of Mister Memory’s music hall act, unsuspecting audience members could still have been forgiven for thinking that Peter Simpson and Michael Nice’s exuberant comic duo were a simple diversion for Hannay’s man-about-town - the comic relief before a Hitchcockian storm. However, once Hannay brought Annabella Schmidt back to his apartment, the full brilliance of Patrick Barlow’s comic spoof was unleashed. Kirsten CampbellFerguson milked every possible ounce of innuendo out of Annabella’s lines, whilst Tash Singleton and Kate Saunders deftly established the metatheatrical humour as they trotted on and off stage with their lamp-post with perfect timing. Having firmly set the tone with this comic shtick, the hysteria continued. Annabella’s murder was perfectly ridiculous in itself but watching Charlie writhe and wriggle until he had limbo-ed his way out between body and armchair had the audience crying with laughter – and Hannay hadn’t even left London yet! When he did make his escape, the audience were plunged straight into their next comic caper as Hannay shared a train carriage with a pair of travelling underwear salesmen! George Monce and Will Lloyd immediately made their intentions clear

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that no holds barred upstaging would probably ensue as they nudged, winked and danced their way from one wise-crack to the next. By the time that Dani Brennan was brought into (soft) focus, complete with romantic soundtrack and slow-motion hair tossing, as Hannay’s love interest, Pamela and Hannay’s first kiss barely gave the audience a moment to draw breath before Hannay made his escape across the roof of the train. As coats flapped (literally and manually!) in the crosswinds, the level of slapstick comedy kept ramping up until, dangling off the Forth Bridge, Charlie made Hannay’s death-defying four-inch leap!

that the audience were still laughing as a gunshot rang out and Charlie fell to the floor. There was no way that the company were going to allow the audience out to the interval without one last scrap of silliness. The curtains drew in with Hannay’s limp body still in full view of the audience – before being unceremoniously dragged under the curtain to much audience’s mirth.

On the run in Scotland, Hannay’s encounters with an array of supporting characters allowed the comic talents of the rest of the cast to shine. Hollie Avery and Ellie Deehan played the mismatched Crofter and his wife to perfection – Hollie, resplendent in fake beard, nearly brought the house down with her thumpingly Presbyterian hellfire-and-brimstone supper blessing. Ellie’s lovestruck Margaret provided Hannay with a means of escape as the police net closed in: who knew that all you needed was a two-foot square wooden frame to stage the perfect dramatic escape through a window?

Act Two began with a brief expositional scene to explain Hannay’s unlikely survival but even that was shot through with biscuit-stuffing comedy and a reprise of the window frame gag. Pitching up at a provincial political rally, Monce and Lloyd took to the stage again, this time as a pair of ageing, parochial leaders, and mayhem descended once more. Further unlikely plot twists brought Dani Brennan back on stage, only to end up handcuffed to Charlie as Tash and Kate returned with more quirky slapstick set-pieces as the Professor’s evil henchmen. Forced to cooperate at ‘pipepoint’, Pamela ends up with Hannay at the McGarrigle Hotel. Never has a monosyllabic “Aye” been so entertaining as it was in the hands of Teddy Poel’s henpecked Willie McGarrigle, whilst Sophie Mitchell as his dynamic wife ramped the innuendo quota back up superbly.

The play was already at fever pitch by the time Hannay encountered the villain, Professor Jordan. Will Bradley would have to provide something special to keep momentum going after all the hilarity. Ably supported by a cavorting dance ensemble and Daisy Beedie’s deliciously deadpan delivery as his wife, Will certainly didn’t disappoint. He played to every villainous cliché and stereotype in the book so

Dani and Charlie’s timing was superb as they kept Pamela and Hannay’s will-they/won’tthey romance bubbling away. Subtlety had already been firmly established as utterly alien to this production so a sequence involving the handcuffed pair and Pamela’s stockings was predictably riotous as the audience squirmed and guffawed at the same time at the action (and Charlie’s facial expressions).

Back at the London Palladium, Will Bradley and Michael Nice competed for most elaborate death scene, as loose ends weren’t so much tied up as bound, gagged and tossed into the river! The final scene back in Hannay’s flat milked the contrived happy ending for all it was worth as the snow fell (sprinkled liberally at the window frame by Nice and Simpson!) to symbolise Hannay and Pamela’s yuletide domestic bliss. Not one aspect of this production disappointed. Paul Haynes’s imposing Palladium set changed in an instant as doorways and simple furniture pieces whirled on and off. The vast backdrop even allowed an entertaining shadow puppet sequence to recreate a North By North West-style aerial attack with the most generous dollop of silliness possible. Jules Price-Hutchinson’s confident direction absolutely captured the spirit of Barlow’s script and allowed the immense talents of the ensemble cast to shine. Whilst Charlie Mackintosh rightly received the plaudits for carrying the huge role of Hannay on his talented shoulders, he was supported the entire way by his fellow cast members. In a show where affectionate upstaging actually enhanced the comedy, there was certainly plenty going on! As with any show, the success of a production can be measured against its ability to live up to the expectations of its audience. Having successfully trampled all over the audience’s expectations within the first few minutes, this production never lost momentum and the feel-good atmosphere that enveloped the John Moore Theatre as the audience departed truly summed up the triumph of this show. SP

gether with n to put it to nce: ga rie be pe e d w ex n ’s he an w ing and soun tion The leading m tic stage, light school produc as rnt or fa de ni r un se ou t ’s os m This year tion of Alfred e always the t End adapta crew, who ar rformance, pe hn y Jo an was the Wes of of n rt io pa rs d ve te ia s ec ou fam appr whole show e Hitchcock’s out them the e 39 Steps. Th ith Th w l e ve hts us no ca c si be y, a addition of lig Buchan’s clas Richard Hanna function. The r of ’t y ou dn or ul ed st co e nc th ha rther en on who play tells und effects fu adian in Lond st so la an d e -C an m sh iti so y Br lonely and despite in a spy stor up ce an ht n m ug gi or ca rf be pe to somehow gets we felt ready ch leads him inute hiccups, i Germany whi m the first az N ith d g w in te lv n ni U vo ga e in g. This be e around th in as m or ch rf e ember pe os D go d to the onday 3r ec on a wild rehearsal on M g from London s lin es el dr y. av tr da , g e m ik in Kingdo ands. Unl the follow Scottish Highl and the second is ay pl wilds of the e th , ok e m and bo that week, w a cast the famous fil rformed with Wednesday of e pe ce th ly en al n di in O ig au or comedy, our first live lot of physical and involves a performed to schools of four actors to local junior ee in at m r ic ou in our first publ theatre. r that day, in te la re d oo an M hn role of Richard both in the Jo e challenging performance, ent down r, w s so ce es an of I was cast in th m Pr or e ley was th tre. The perf ad ea Br Th we got ill W se lla y, on Hanna the resp d son, Anabe an gu l er el l-F w el ry pb ve mance was the Kirsten Cam nan, Pamela; evening perfor en e Br th i e an om D fr d were hter from th Schmidt an orting roles enal. The laug pp om su ith en w tic ph as ic m nt play’s fa rs. ged the dyna r versatile acto audience chan is made filled by 18 othe ormed and th rf pe e w ch hi w e enjoyable, begin g even mor ere ready to in w m e or w rf , pe st ca hard not to k for The play it was often e twice a wee er gh w ou e th es al t on Th l. to rehearsa age! We wen started g which we h when on st rin ug la that du s s, ce ur ue an D ho m two perfor gically. do two more ene chronolo e. sc to tim ch ch ea es ea s en k ce sc oc bl play, these bigger audien e to th k, e of ee m w re ca tu 0 people pairs of to the na one or two ll, more than 50 ra d ve ne le O ai hi w nt a co e r usually to practis show and fo allowed pairs to watch the e talk ell as w actors. This as , e show was th ch hi w of parately e hilarity th se th d all es an en in ed sc lv es r vo ei en in th of the sc ol. For all ho ity sc al e qu th e of th ya the best ghly enjo ble, improving ake the cast ing, it was a hi m ch at ed nt w lp he a n, questio work and tale re to be sult of the hard had the pleasu re er a ev ve til ha I un that ntinued ts. e rehearsals co of its participan part of. Thes t most of in po ch hi w , by mber of to each and after half term l thanks go r lines. The nu ia ei ec th Sp nt ar le e d w cast ha e cast and crew dly and y member of th sed quite rapi er ea ev cr in able ls th sa ar bo rehe ughs of such a memor ming run-thro for making it Mr d re an he y w le t started perfor in at this po e; Mr Dud nc as w rie It pe 2. ex y ct sl A es tirel coming Act 1 and s for working the whole play ne e ay se H e to th n g ly ga us tin we be d previo enes, craf jokes that ha behind the sc e d to te together, and ar st d organising th ly an s en op nny sudd set and pr s ce en ce ur lic so , a seemed unfu es , costum were often gs ls in sa ok ar bo he re to , e work. Th ent caused and, of course y with amusem and marketing; ost m ’s of great hilarit ay pl ctor, Mrs Pricee th di r fantastic re nuendos of ou in ng ng, ki oc m by for organisi . Hutchinson e th g in ag innocent lines an g and m in ct re di ! st e ally saw th to call her ca which we re rabble she had was k or The point at w lie Mackintosh rd ar ha Ch of all our e nc ge er nv co The Vigornian

Before The Daylight Fades Away An act of commemoration by the students of The King’s School, Worcester – November 2018. Performed in the Wightman Studio on 9 November 2018 Thomas Norbury Wilmot – William Lloyd Henry Cecil Wilmot – Michael Nice Robert Coningsby Wilmot – Charlie Mackintosh Katharine Wilmot – Esme Blinman-Wilson Nurse Helen Munro / Kitty – Hollie Avery Siegfried Sassoon / Harris – George Monce Wilfred Owen / Todd – William Bradley Singer – Dani Brennan Roll of Honour – Andrew Maund Incidental Violin/Vocals - Shara Parry Directed by Shara Parry Designed by Paul Haynes Technician – Archie Jury When one gazes upon any of the war memorials that stand as the proud legacy of the fallen, it is inevitably the volume of young men listed that makes the initial impact. Individuals reduced to single components in seemingly endless lists – rafts of names in printed columns that seem to bear the weight of the wood or stone on which they are inscribed. Once the scale has been absorbed, personal sentiment often weighs in – a name with a personal connection (real or imagined) may leap out and demand a second look. After that, we then see the other patterns that emerge and tell the tale of real human tragedy, and we start to picture the lost sons of shattered families as the names on those memorials start to repeat.

The letters are carefully curated by Harriet Fitzpatrick in the King’s Archives, part of the legacy that she now cares for, just as King’s archivists before her have tended to the memories of our community. Some of Katharine Wilmot’s letters also form a treasured collection in the Imperial War Museum. The tragedy of the Wilmot brothers can be pored over nationally, but it is the incidental details – the name of WH Chappel, mention of an Old Vigornian dinner – that stab at the collective memory of our school consciousness.

The Wilmot brothers came to the war at different times and by very different routes which meant that we needed to open the piece with a call to arms to bring our performers on to our stage. Oliver Lansley’s prologue to his 2012 play, The Trench, supplied the perfect instruction to today’s young cast: “The future’s youth may never understand / The hell that once descended ‘pon this place. / They can but swear to honour fallen men / And pray such horrors never come again.” Lansley’s The Trench was written for Les Enfants Terribles, an innovative physical theatre company which he founded in 2001. Through song, physical theatre and puppetry, The Trench tells the tale of Bert – a doomed engineer who, in the claustrophobic confines of a collapsed tunnel, battles the inner demons which have been unleashed, before a final act of bravery and self-sacrifice brings an apotheosis – a peace that transcends the horrors he leaves behind. Only after the show, after the visual spectacle of Les Enfants Terribles’ work, does a perusal of the script reveal that the whole piece is stunningly crafted in blank verse, a lyrical heartbeat of text underpinning the whole play. That poetic heartbeat is a poignant start to our staging.

Before The Daylight Fades Aw

The Wilmot brothers inevitably became An act of commemoration by the students of central to our wish to commemorate the centenary and allow the King’s Thearmistice King’ School, Worcester – November 2018 community ofs today to pay a very personal

For that reason, it is hard for anyone who has spent any time in College Hall, not to be aware of the name of Wilmot. Three times it appears. Three names. Three sons.

tribute to the fallen. Sifting through those letters became something of a labour of love for our Theatre Manager, Paul Haynes, who carefully compiled a timeline from the most pertinent and personal of the three brothers’ missives to their mother.

Three sons. One mother. Think then of Mrs Katharine Coningsby Wilmot. Think of the packages she makes up of socks and razors in response to the seemingly banal requests of her sons in the letters she lovingly saves. The letters that go to-and-fro between Ross-on-Wye and the ever-moving camps and bases. The letters that maintain a haunting mundanity, conversational, pragmatic. The letters that suddenly cease.

From there, the letters provided the springboard to other sources which would help shape a dramatic arc for our commemoration. Whilst we did not actively avoid the familiar, we did try to avoid the well-worn, so that the familiarity of great works of the age would not overshadow the Wilmots’ own story.

Performed in the Wightman Studio on 9 November 2

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The heart-wrenching triviality of Tom Wilmot’s letters – the first of the Wilmots to lose his life – reminded one of Helen

Dircks’s poem To You In France. The persona is desperate to talk of “Just a few / Small things that make me happy in my day” and exhorts their loved one in France to remember that they are “fighting for / This little world of dear small things, and me”. The very first line inspired our title, “Before the daylight fades away”, and it felt important to include these sentiments from those who, like Katharine Wilmot, waited at home. The musical setting you will hear is by Jonathan Dove, from his 2014 choral work, For an Unknown Soldier. A little way into Henry’s letters, the ghastly observation that he spent Christmas Day (1916) “in a cattle truck” seemed to eerily echo Wilfred Owen’s grisly opening to Anthem For Doomed Youth - “What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?” To any student of literature, as powerful as Owen’s finished poem, is the draft manuscript preserved (like so much of his literary legacy) by his mother, Susan. The image of Owen’s handwritten draft (complete with hastily corrected spelling mistakes) covered with annotations in the handwriting of his friend and mentor, Siegfried Sassoon, is a compelling artefact of poetic history. It has inspired various imagined narratives: Pat Barker weaves a poignant scene around the draft in her 1991 novel, Regeneration. Before that, though, a lesser-known work – Stephen MacDonald’s 1982 play Not About Heroes – explored Owen and Sassoon’s friendship, from their first meeting at Craiglockhart Hospital. The evolution of what came to be Anthem For Doomed Youth is a pivotal scene in MacDonald’s play. We took liberties with the timeline: Owen and Sassoon did not meet until 1917 but we use the poem to frame the end of 1916 for the Wilmots. It is especially poignant for Katharine. The funereal parody of the first stanza is probably the most memorable. However, the weary resignation of the second and its acknowledgment of the endless memorials conducted silently at home in absentia seems a mournful echo of Katharine’s situation – grieving one lost son and unknowingly awaiting the agony of further loss. One of the cruellest ironies of the Wilmot situation is that Henry Cecil was not lost on the battlefields. He died in London of tubercular peritonitis, invalided back to England but never managing that final journey home to Ross. Katharine’s letters include those of the medical staff who wrote on her son’s behalf. Their inclusion momentarily turns a spotlight on the wartime nurses and brought to mind The Rose of No Man’s Land. Again. There are liberties with the timeline: the French version was not published until 1918 whilst the English version did not appear until

1945. However, publication dates merely mark a commitment to print; it is more than likely that songs such as these reverberated around trenches and music-halls alike and would have been heard in 1917. Its history straddling both World Wars, the song reminds us that the spirit of remembrance does not just honour the fallen of one war, but of all conflicts, and not just those who fought, but those who sought to save. The scale of Katharine Wilmot’s loss cannot be imagined but the yearning of Vera Brittain’s poem Perhaps can be used as some sort of illustration. Again, we tried to avoid an overworn path of staged readings of this poem and turned instead to a modern setting by composer, Caz Besterman. The hint of a more jaunty music hall melody deliberately and disturbingly jars with Brittain’s lines and gives the poem an even more haunting, melancholy and ultimately empty tone, as we use it to approach Robert Wilmot’s final days. Having already illuminated Sassoon, knowing that Robert Wilmot died at Passchendaele immediately evoked Sassoon’s lines in Memorial Tablet, “I died in hell – / (They called it Passchendaele.)” It seemed right to bring Sassoon back into focus at this point and his historic “A Soldier’s Declaration” – bewildering to us now that words of such passion, eloquence and perspicacity could actually have been

so out of step with the politics of the age and sent Sassoon down such a lonely path. The adage says that hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the recurring history of global conflicts force one to wonder how much we have really learned. The penultimate voices in our piece are those of the survivors. In 1960, the Imperial War Museum began a massive undertaking, to trace and interview veterans of World War One and archive the memories of a nation at war. Author, Max Arthur, collated the archives for his 2002 book, Forgotten Voices, a project that was also dramatised by playwright, Malcolm McKay. The painful reminiscences of the armistice of Kitty, Todd and Harris, provide the final moments of our drama. As Kitty broods on the personal tragedies of the end of war, she muses “It was all over. All over for me then. Properly all over.” And so it is, save for one final detail. The Roll of Honour. Every community has one. Within that roll call of the King’s Fallen, you will hear the name of Wilmot. Three times it will appear. Three names. Three sons. And you will hear the name still in years to come, with all names, for what a century of remembrance has taught us is that “We will remember them”. SP – November 2018 King’s Roll of Honour is presented inside the front cover of this edition

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Salt This year, once again, the King’s Theatre Company was selected to take part in the National Theatre Connections festival of new plays for youth theatres and schools. The play they performed was the dark and brooding Salt by Dawn King. Something was certainly awry on the ship which was supposedly heading out to a better life - it was up to the Wightman Studio audience to work out what. Six teenagers, bubbling with optimism, were supposedly sailing to a future of training and opportunity. However, realisation that all is not as it seems began to set in as the journey progressed. The ensemble of twelve worked effectively together to create the atmosphere of mounting tension and unease as the events unfolded. Anna Morrison was excellent in the role of the Team Leader on the ship ‘Bright Future’ as she chivvied the

occasionally recalcitrant teenagers to do well in their tests and bond together. Ella Fidlin was deliciously spiky as the rather obstructive and cynical Ade - who quickly realised that the hard sell of a happy and fulfilled future was not quite what was on offer. Hollie Avery as Kassie strived forwards in her quest for a better future, unwilling to allow anything to impede her progress - even to the point of threatening to harm other members of the team. One element of the play that worked superbly was the inclusion of filmed sections in which six more glossy, happy teenagers encouraged others to follow in their footsteps and become part of the Foreign Apprenticeship Scheme. Gradually, the audience became aware that perhaps not all was well as the actors skillfully revealed coercion and half-truths via a series of quite shocking outtakes. When

these characters met with the original six characters towards the end of the play, much more of the truth about what they were sailing towards was revealed. It was not at all what the original six expected. Sam Dudley was the designer and production manager; he used projection to give us the sense that we were aboard a ship complete with swinging galley lights in the storm. As ever, the production was ably supported by King’s students working in technical roles. Alex Hemming operated the lighting desk and Gabriel Hard operated the sound desk to great effect throughout. Shara Parry directed this thought-provoking and dark play with a clever lightness of touch as she encouraged the audience to take a wry look at the issues of choice and hope which unite all young people. Congratulations to all those involved on their achievement. JPH

Return to the Forbidden Planet – February 2019

Bob Carlton’s “Return to the Forbidden Planet” is joyously different in its seemingly bonkers ambition. The jukebox collection he settled upon is an eclectic mix of the very well-known “Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Fire” to the perhaps less familiar “Gloria”. He then incorporated a plot (Shakespeare’s The Tempest) and, perhaps most importantly, the quirky style of 1950s science-fiction. Written entirely in blank verse as an homage to Shakespeare, shamelessly plundering the bard’s work and wittily recrafting it in order to fit the setting, there is a reason why “Return to the Forbidden Planet” won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical upon its West End debut in 1989! Does that mean it’s an easy show? By no means. A cast must perfect the musical number whilst also maintaining the intended style. Fortunately, the Removes involved in our production had the talent to do both brilliantly! Vocally, the treats came thick and fast. Finn Watkins as Cookie was a real audience

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That sense of style was present throughout the production. Mr Haynes’s deliciously retro set for the deck of the Starship Albatross certainly had the wow-factor (and was embedded throughout with ‘Easter Eggs’ to amuse die-hard sci-fi fans). With additional design features courtesy of Mr Deichen’s Removes DT Club, the set flashed and glimmered with almost as much

By Bob Carlton By Bob Carlton IA SCHOL R EG A

favourite, and numbers such as “She’s Not There” and “I Ain’t a-gonna Wash for a Week” sparkled. Amelia Davies, playing the role of Miranda, sang “Teenager in Love” wonderfully, whilst Sophie Lloyd captured both the lyricism and humour of “Who’s Sorry Now?” as Ariel. Playing Gloria, Joni Foster revealed an unexpectedly mature jazz alto voice that oozed through numbers like “Go Now”. Niamh Thomas, playing the Bosun, brought a classy vocal balance to many of the duets. The audience in the John Moore Theatre was denied the pleasure of hearing Henry Bowers who, throughout the rehearsal process, had excelled as Captain Tempest, particularly bringing numbers like “Young Girl” to life. Poor Henry succumbed to illness during production week and was unable to perform. Instead, there was an unexpected treat for our audience: our very own Mr Taranczuk sang in Tempest’s fiendishly high tenor solos from his vantage point as MD within the on-stage band. Standing in as Tempest on stage was George Capell, script in hand – although that fact was swiftly forgotten by all those spectating – George pouted and postured through the show in true 50s sci-fi hero style!

VIGORNIENSIS

Jukebox musicals can be the theatrical equivalent of Marmite – you can either love them or you hate them! Either way, they are usually very straightforward. Often, the hits are strung together as part of a biopic of the original recording artist or, even if a thin ‘original’ plot has been woven between them, there is still the hook of one particular artist’s back catalogue to hold things together.

February 27th & 28th 2019 7.00pm, £6/£3

The John Moore

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energy as the cast and band; the video footage and stage effects contributed to more of the tongue-in-cheek stylistic humour! The young cast were not overawed by their extraordinary surroundings – they simply matched that energy and vibrancy. The big company numbers like “Gloria” and “Great Balls of Fire” positively sizzled. The principles, such as Rhys Watkins playing a delightfully unhinged Dr Prospero, drove the show forward, but this was a real ensemble piece. The chorus of the Albatross’s crew barely left the stage – their dedication was infallible. Instinctively led by the show’s unofficial Dance Captain, Rosie Stanley, they clicked and shimmied their way through every number as joyful backing singers and dancers to the show’s big hits. The band themselves – Mr T on keyboards, Dr Croc and Jamie Kemp on guitars, Tom Kingsford-Dowd on bass and Gabe Tilbury on drums - relished every note. Congratulations to all involved in this fabulous production. SP

Music Department

New staff were welcomed as the year began. Christopher Allsop, who has had a long association with the school, moved across College Green from the cathedral to the school in a full-time capacity as Assistant Director of Music. This is a new role which has been created due to the everincreasing workload the music department is undertaking, including the development of a music outreach programme for local primary schools. Chris License joined the department as a peripatetic brass teacher and Oliver Chatham spent the year at King’s as the music gap student, performing in both orchestras and choirs as well as assisting the music staff at St Alban’s. The first musical event of the year was a visit by OV Allan Clayton as the Barnabas Speaker. Allan is one of the leading operatic tenors of his generation and has a worldwide reputation. The day began with his entertaining talk to the school in assembly about his time at King’s and his career to date. He gave an inspiring vocal workshop to some of our leading singers, sang to both junior schools before giving a short yet brilliant recital in College Hall at the end of the day. His infectious enthusiasm for music was clear and made a profound impression on all who met him. Our musical links with the cathedral remain strong. A new feature is to take part in the lunchtime concert series. At the end of September, five U6th music scholars performed a varied and exceptional programme of music on the piano, flute and voice in front of a large audience, seated in

the nave. This is an excellent platform on which to develop their performing skills as well as showcasing King’s musicians to a wider audience. In March, we returned to the cathedral, this time with the Chamber Choir (under the new direction of Mr Allsop) and the Chamber Orchestra, both of which performed in the intimate setting of the cathedral quire. The first few weeks of the new school year are always taken up with the House Music Competition followed closely by the Fourth Form equivalent just before half term. Chappel were overall winners of the House Song with their rendition of Abba’s SOS. The solo competition had the largest number of entries in recent years with over 50 pupils taking part. The whole event was adjudicated by the cathedral’s new Assistant Director of Music, Nicholas Freestone. On Remembrance Sunday, members of the Chamber Choir performed live on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester singing Keep the Home Fires Burning. Marguerite Bullock and Mike Burgess talked about CCF and life as a chorister – valuable memories for both. The session recording has subsequently been put in a time capsule and will be opened in fifty years’ time. The year continued with the usual, spectacular array of termly school concerts, including two young performers, an informal concert and the school concert; the latter featured Marguerite Bullock as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra. The Wind Band premiered a work called No Man’s Land,

which was written by U6 pupil Archie Jury. This concert also featured a performance of Tunes from the Trenches given by the First Orchestra and sung by a combined choir of the School Choir, Fourth Form Choir and pupils from St Alban’s. The Lent term began with one of the musical highlights of the year - a visit of a school choir from St Anne d’Auray, Brittany, who spent a few days at school. The choir performed evensong in the Cathedral and joined forces with the school choir for an excellent concert in College Hall, attended by a substantial audience. Plans are in place for a return trip to take place at some point next year. Nearly 100 pupils from all three foundation schools took part in the annual Orchestral Workshop in the theatre just before half term. The first ever Remove Musical Production took place in March; Return to the Forbidden Planet is a rock musical based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest but set in space! Rehearsals proved to be hard work, but the band and cast were exceptional. Open Mic Night this term included many firsttime performances and was enjoyed as ever by a large and supportive audience in the boathouse. Highlights from the school concert included the Wind Band performing a challenging medley of tunes from Pirates of the Caribbean, and Amy Heptinstall and Hollie Avery performing the Flower Duet by Delibes, accompanied by the First Orchestra. The Summer Term saw the Wind Band return to the Cathedral in the start of term

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service. Their rousing performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was enjoyed by all, so much so that pupils from St Alban’s attended the school concert rehearsal a few days later in order to congratulate the band with some rapturous applause. This second performance also included cannons thundering over the audience from the balcony, courtesy of Theatre Manager Mr Haynes! The concert concluded with one of the most exceptional performances seen in College Hall in recent years. U6 music scholar Jia Jie Huang performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue accompanied by the First Orchestra. Congratulations to him as well as to Mr Gunter for directing the orchestra with great aplomb. In May U6th pupil Hollie Avery, OV Penny Ashmore, and King’s singing teacher Claire Prewer-Jenkinson gave the opening performance to a packed audience at the Royal Albert Hall with the British Police Symphony Orchestra at their thirtieth anniversary gala concert. They performed Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries from his opera cycle The Ring accompanied by the superb and large orchestra. Hollie said, ‘I was overwhelmed by the sensation of performing at the Royal Albert Hall. The experience of dressing rooms, all day rehearsals and meeting celebrities almost made me forget I was singing there! It was an honour and I am very grateful to my singing teacher for this opportunity’. The King’s Swingers entertained local businesses at the Chamber of Commerce dinner in Colwall in June. A few days later,

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an off shoot of the band, Geepers Creepers, performed a set in the young jazz tent at the Upton Jazz Festival. The biennial Fourth Form production in the summer was Little Shop of Horrors, featuring an excellent cast, chorus and crew together with a band comprised of senior musicians. Mr Allsop directed his first production with skill and humour, working alongside Mrs Parry and Mr Dudley. For the second year running due to excellent weather, we were able to perform the summer Open Mic Night in the school gardens, the perfect venue for this gig. There were over 20 performances by soloists and bands, including many talented U6 pupils giving their swansong. This culminated in a massed ad lib performance of Abba’s Thank You For The Music led by Dani Brennan. L6 pupil Nicole Sherwood appeared on Black Country Radio twice during the year, speaking about her music and performing a small portion of her songs. She released her EP album Back to Front in April. Nicole was nominated for a Black Country Music Award for best singer songwriter and was awarded a sponsorship deal with MAS records to record further music. During the year over 100 pupils passed practical music examinations, many with merits and distinctions, including fifteen grade 8 successes. In recent years, we have seen increasing numbers of pupils go on to the next level of diploma - showcasing the significant pool of talented performers

we have. Five pupils, Jessica Crichard (flute), Philippa Wills (piano), Charlie Mackintosh (saxophone), Hattie Wales (flute) and Christian Goodall (piano) passed the ABRSM diploma with merits and distinctions. Holly Jennings and Dani Brennan passed the dipLCM in Music Theatre (voice) and Natasja Enthoven passed her LTCL diploma on the piano with distinction. There have been numerous individual successes outside of school including many winners at the Worcester Festival. Natasja Enthoven won the piano open class and there were many successes from our singers. David Wills was the youngest finalist in the Bromsgrove Young Musicians Platform and Dani Brennan has been offered a place to study Music Theatre at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, where places are hotly contested by musicians across the world. Joseph James attended the summer course of the National Youth Boys’ Choir and performed an excellent concert at the Elgar Hall at Birmingham University. Soundcloud continues to be a major platform to demonstrate the diversity of music on offer at King’s. We now have over 600 tracks performed during concerts over the past five years and these have been listened to over 50,000 times. The department has had another wonderful year filled to the brim with musical excellence – none of which would have been possible without our fabulous musicians. Thank you to everybody involved in the department. ST

Sport

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Boys’ Cricket 1st XI Unlike in the previous year, the 2019 season was severely hampered by the weather. This caused a problem because the summer term contained only eight weekends and fixtures were at a premium as it was. On the field, however, there was much more of a déjà vu feeling about this season. Once again, our success was based on the strength in depth of our bowling attack and in all formats our opponents were consistently put under pressure, finding it hard to score runs. Max Richardson took wickets with the new ball and Captain Ed Burgoyne bowled with unerring accuracy. An extremely pleasing aspect was the fourpronged spin attack of Burgoyne, Otley, Tsiquaye and Hussain, who consistently performed well above expectation and in the process received the accolade of “the best spin attack in the country”. Against Monmouth, the four finished with combined figures of 7 for 66 off 27.2 overs. Tom Otley took the most wickets with 20, but all four made the qualification to appear in the coveted Wisden Almanack. Unfortunately, the batting demons from the 2018 season re-emerged and competitive scores were once again hard to come by. Owen Preston and Zain Hussain showed promise at the top of the order but struggled to turn starts into ‘big runs’. Oliver Tsiquaye was our stand-out performer finishing with 283 runs and he regularly took the attack to the opposition but similarly struggled to convert. Ciaran McGee undoubtedly played the innings of the season in our victory against a strong Solihull School side. Ciaran scored a whirlwind 51 off 25 deliveries on debut for the 1st XI. Francis, Robb and Richardson were the other main run scorers. Another similarity was the success in

the T20 competitions. In the National T20 competition, emphatic victories against Warwick and Wycliffe, thanks to some impressive team and individual performances, meant we once again reached the regional final, where we faced Malvern. A rain-affected game, some horrendous playing conditions, a very short boundary and quality opposition made things difficult for us and, in truth, we never really got going in chasing the 134 that was set us. Hopefully we can continue our T20 success in the Chesterton Cup, which this year will be played in September. Without a doubt, the performance of the season came in the last match, away to Bristol Grammar School, historically one of the toughest opponents we face. We again found ourselves in a weak position losing two wickets early on. It was, however, pleasing to see how we went about rebuilding our innings, something that we had struggled to do in previous matches. This fightback was led by Upper Sixth Ali Robb and Max Richardson, and recorded half centuries in their last ever appearances for the school. Our strength in depth was also shown with all of the lower order chipping in and allowing us to bat for a full 50 overs and reach a score of 271 in the process. Max Richardson then starred with the ball, who, alongside his brother Josh Richardson, took 4 wickets in the first seven overs, decimating any hope the hosts had of a successful run chase. Special mentions should go Ed Burgoyne, Max Richardson and Ali Robb, who led the side excellently on and off the field and helped to create an excellent team culture and enjoyable experience for both players and coaches. All three have been thoroughly committed and performed consistently

well throughout their time playing for the 1st XI, often scoring important runs and taking vital wickets when called upon to do so. All will be sorely missed! Huge thanks must go to Mr Gilgrass who was present at all training sessions and worked tirelessly during the flooding to help things run as smoothly as ever, and to our resident scorer, Josh Moorhouse, for his commitment to the team each week. Current Worcestershire professional, Ben Twohig, was also a great addition to the coaching team and played a major role in developing the four spinners. Thanks also go to our fantastic grounds team who prepared excellent cricket wickets for both matches and training. Their continued effort and support are much appreciated. SG

U14 The B team showed some good commitment this year, showing an eagerness to better their cricketing skills in both training and matches. Giles Harrison performed well, demonstrating a particular willingness to learn. Pete Dorrell also worked hard through the season, showing good control with both bat and ball. The season, unfortunately, was not as long as we may have wished, with a few games cancelled due to the weather and oppositions unable to field a B team for us to play against. Additionally, the season was a successful one for the A team boys, with some close games against teams such as KES Birmingham and Millfield and fantastic wins against Monmouth and Solihull. The side was ably led by Shrav Raajkumar who also opened the batting, often providing a good foundation for the rest of the batting line-up. Sam Hawes batted explosively and expansively on numerous occasions and his talent with ball in hand allowed him often to prosper in both innings of a game. Wicket-keeper and vice-captain Cam Jones showed fantastic character, producing consistent performances both with the bat and behind the stumps, while entertaining us all off the field too. George Hira has performed well all season for the team, grasping the opportunity to bat higher up the order with both hands against Solihul, providing an entertaining innings of which any ODI cricketer would be proud! Barnaby Tripp demonstrated great control with ball in hand, being our most economical bowler this year whilst also picking up over 20

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2nd XI The Second XI year started with real optimism. From the outset it was clear that the team were going to, firstly, have a strong bowling attack and, secondly, make it very difficult for the opposition to make big scores against us. The weather, however, did not give us much of an opportunity to see this hope become a reality as we only managed two games. In the first game, against Millfield, they

batted first and scored an impressive 230 for 4, with Laurie Higgins taking three of the wickets. Unfortunately, our batting was not up to their exceptional bowling attack and we were bowled out for 65 runs! In our second game against KES we played on a saturated wicket, but nonetheless, did get an opportunity to demonstrate our strong bowling attack. KES struggled to score any runs and were 116 for 6 after 30 overs – in

all honesty, these figures flattered KES. Tom Otley and George Bartram were both outstanding, taking 2 wickets. Batting was a real struggle on a substandard wicket; however, Edward Thrush and Cameron Pipe carefully built a solid partnership of 84 runs to win the match; Cameron was 46 not out at the end. This was sadly our final match in what was a brief but evolving season. LHI

The rest of the season was a bit frustrating with four of the eight games being cancelled due to rain. Of the four games played, Bromsgrove and Millfield were always going to be a challenge but the squad showed determination and solid progress. They were unlucky to lose to Monmouth but came back for a very strong and convincing nine wicket win against RGS.

They also performed very well in the Solihull 6s tournament losing only one match and playing some outstanding attacking cricket. Bill Wales

U15 The under 15 cricket season started with a pre-season tour to Eastbourne in the Easter holidays. They took a mixture of under 15 and under 14 players. The team played well and won two of their four games. The tour was very successful, with a standout performance from Josh Richardson for an excellent century helping the team to victory against Eastbourne College.

U13 wickets including five against Hanley Castle. Henry White and Henry Pearman provided variety in the bowling attack, being leftarm bowlers. Both became more consistent as the season progressed and I am excited to see them progress as they refine their bowling actions. Max Yorke-Brookes and Ben Withnall showed brilliant commitment throughout the season, both eager to improve their games and demanding the very best of themselves at all times. Ben Waddington took up the challenge to mould himself into a much-needed offspinner in the middle of the season, working tirelessly to hone his new technique. His efforts have been rewarded all season where he took some crucial important wickets at crucial times within games. The standout player this year has been George Tomlinson who scored over 400 runs and took almost 20 wickets throughout the season. His 117 (not out) against Monmouth was one of the finest innings I’ve seen from a player of his age, displaying a mix of intelligent control with powerful striking. His ability to take the game away from the opposition was frequently commented upon by other coaches and he should be very proud of his season. I’d like to thank the boys for their very positive attitude towards the season as well as Mr Greenall, Mr Warren and the ground staff for supporting our efforts throughout the year. AADG

2019 saw a mixed season for the U13 cricketers. With the late Easter and the wet early summer, the side only completed nine games, winning four and losing five. Convincing wins were gained against QMGS Walsall, Bishop Vesey’s, Bredon Hill and Hanley Castle. Despite this, however, the side also suffered heavy defeats to Solihull, Monmouth, KES Birmingham and to Bromsgrove School in the County Cup final. Amongst all of these one-sided games there were two close matches - a final ball defeat to a touring Bradford Grammar School and a Twenty 20 game against local rivals RGS which was sadly abandoned due to rain. King’s had posted a good total in the RGS game of 158-5 and, frustratingly, were in a strong position when the game was called off. In terms of individual players, the standout performance was Monty Jelfs’ 100 not out off 71 balls against Bishop Vesey’s. Monty struck the ball superbly all season and was the side’s highest run scorer with 277 runs at an average of 40. Captain Luke Barrington’s knock against RGS of 64 not out showed determination and skill in equal measure. Other batsmen who came to the fore included Ollie Brealey (46 v Bradford) and Jack Flood (39 v RGS). In terms of bowling the wickets were spread around very equally amongst a good number of players. Off spinner Jamie Thorp and leg spinner Jack Flood had some successful days. Amongst the seam bowlers Jacob Gwilliam, Monty Jelfs, Ed Bowers, Luke

Ranasinghe and Hugo Chapman all took their fair share of wickets. Ollie Brealey kept wicket very smartly all year and looks a super prospect with the gloves. I hope these young players stick at their cricket as they go up the school. There is a decent amount of skill in the team. What I’d like to see more of is players “digging in” when they are playing against stronger teams. When the going gets tough the tough need to get going! If they can find that inner steel, a good number of this crop of players could develop into very handy 1st XI cricketers of the future. GLW

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U12 The U12 ‘A’ Cricket team - ably led by Tilly Cook - had a mixed season; 3 rained-off matches, 4 marginal losses and 3 positive wins against QMGS Walsall, Monmouth and Liverpool College. And not to forget a final-ball loss to Bishop Vesey’s, on the final game of the season. The L4 year is all about forming, storming then norming - mainly as they’re not used to playing cricket with each other. Naturally this affects some results and a few of the losses could easily have been turned into wins had they played more together beforehand. Over the season we saw displays of good batting, outstanding catching and excellent bowling. This group have much ability. I look forward to watching them become much more of a norming-team over the years to come.

Girls’ Cricket This season was the first year of a full set of cricket fixtures for U12s, U13s and U15s. Many of the L4 and U4 girls were engaged with the introduction of indoor cricket into the PE programme and then the transition from rounders to cricket during games. Subsequently, many girls have been able to make significant progress this season. Some of the more experienced players were invited to participate in the winter cricket training programme supervised by Mr S Greenall, teacher in charge of cricket. Tilly Cook, for example, joined the L4 boys’ squads for training and represented the school in the Boys’ Hard Ball fixtures.

Climbing Climbing at King’s has seen many successes this year, branching out into more competitions and inspiring many young people to start the sport with the use of the climbing wall in the Keyes Building. The school’s climbing community has a great, safe and friendly atmosphere and on the 23rd May King’s School invited children from Cranham, St Clement’s and Manor Primary School to climb on the wall. They were closely helped and instructed by members of the Sixth Form who are involved in the school climbing community. It was a fun afternoon for everybody and there was some real potential demonstrated by the children who came along. Additionally, the club has started competing this year and we have already achieved many accomplishments. This included the highly successful Worcestershire Interschool Climbing Competition. This involved set bouldering problems and big wall climbing in the top rope category; each school scoring points for the problems successfully completed. King’s gained first place overall, with Isaac Haywood taking first place in the individual competition and Richard Briggs placing third. High places were also achieved in the speed climbing competition. On 30 March, Jon Bracey gave an engaging presentation about his life as a mountain guide along with Nick Robertson who talked about his experiences climbing Mt. Everest. The evening was well received and got students thinking about a career in the outdoor industry.

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Weekly sessions on the school wall run by Mr Cuthbertson and Mr Grinnell help the climbers go from strength to strength and we are hopeful that with the popularity of climbing rocketing across the world we will see many new additions to our team. It is an exciting time for climbing at King‘s and we are looking forward to the future of both the school club and the climbers within its community. Eddie James

With large numbers regularly attending U12 and U13 practice this year we have been really pleased to field B teams in both age groups. Many of the fixtures used soft ball paired cricket games to increase confidence and participation. Unfortunately, this season was one of the wettest and therefore several fixtures had to be cancelled. Despite this, we had successful performances against Abberley Hall, Bromsgrove School and King’s High, Warwick. Next season we hope to increase the fixture list which will include entering the Independent Schools’ Cup and other hard ball competitions. LCS

Tennis The tennis season was well underway early in the summer term with the County singles being played at Malvern. King’s stalwarts Milly and Lucy Short demonstrated their super ability not only when playing on their own but also when pairing up. Additionally, both the Removes and Fourth Form girls were keen to get involved with fixtures and secured excellent wins with

the intermediate girls’ team, beating Bromsgrove School and Malvern St James in the Aegon League. The Fourth Form were full of enthusiasm and eager to receive feedback and improve; they, too, defeated RGS in the Team Schools’ Competition. Last year, enthusiasm for boys’ tennis grew within our after-school clubs and,

consequently, as of this year several boys’ fixtures have been added to the rosta for both the Removes and the Fourth Forms. Often shy but unnerved by the prospect of the opposition, the boys performed incredibly well, ensuring a win in the area cup against Bromsgrove and a narrow victory against RGS in the Team Schools’ Competition. EFP

Athletics Unfortunately, like many of our summer sports, the athletics season was severely affected by the typical British weather conditions; the continuous rain didn’t stop our athletes giving their best in a busy but short term, even though training was prevented for most of the second half term. There were some excellent performances in Saturday fixtures, competing against many of the top schools across the region. We also had many different events, with pupils competing both individually and as part of the team. It is particularly pleasing to see so many pupils joining local clubs and competing on the regional and national circuit. A special mention to Adam Rutter who competed in the English Schools Athletics Championships finishing an impressive 7th in the Country.

Track and Field Cup King’s continued to do well on the regional stage in the Track and Field Cup, which is a unique competition where every member of the team must compete in both a track and field event to score points for the team. All four teams came 2nd in the County stages and qualified to compete in the Midlands B Final. Like many of our other competitions, it was cancelled once due to a flooded track, but on the second attempt we had wonderful conditions which led to many personal bests being achieved by the athletes. Both our boys’ teams finished 2nd, with the Inter-girls coming 3rd and the Junior girls finishing 4th.

Sports Day Unfortunately, only Senior Sports Day went ahead this year, with both the Removes and Fourth Form competitions being lost to the flooded track. The seniors did not disappoint and there were many exceptionally close events. Choir House really did run away with the overall senior title, winning both the 5th form girls and 6th form boys individual competitions and finishing 3rd in both the 5th form boys and 6th form girls. They had a representative in nearly every event which shows the value of the whole House coming together and supporting each other. The individual awards went to the following: 5th form boys, Louis Hira (Ca) – 1st 400m 3rd Triple Jump 2nd High Jump; 5th form girls, Mia Mathewson (Ch)– 1st 200m 1st 300m 2nd Triple Jump; 6th form boys, George Monce (Br) – 1st 400m 4th Long Jump 1st Javelin and 6th form girls, Sophie Welburn (W) – 1st 100m 1st Long Jump 1st Triple Jump. Congratulations to every pupil who has represented the athletics team this season and helped it to be one of the most successful seasons to date. The Vigornian

ip County Championsh most successful King’s had one of its Hereford and competitions in The Athletics y Count Worcestershire peting com pils pu 33 h Championships wit nts. eve for multiple and many qualifying re the s, ion dit er con Despite the awful weath m fro es anc rm rfo pe were some fantastic als, fin ck tra 25 d che rea King’s athletes. We the top eight in field with 18 finishes within achieved by: Laurie events. Medals were isa De Vos (Hurdles Checkley (800m); Lou Gillgrass (800m & mie & Long Jump); Im -Johnson (1500m); 400m); Evie Hawkesford Jump); Ed Kerton Amy Hughes (Long nce (400m); Harry (Javelin); George Mo Josh Richardson p); Paddock (High Jum (Hammer & Discus); (Hurdles); Adam Rutter p & 100m); Emily Alex Ward (High Jum ; Bella Woodcock Wood (Discus and Shot) lde (Javelin). Wy lly Ho (Triple Jump) and

per Fourth athletes Fourteen Lower and Up the Junior County qualified to compete in m achieved seven tea e Championships. Th ing, Gold for: Ollie individual medals includ rry Paddock (HJ). Palmer (200m) and Ha in); Maisie Lyons vel Silver for: Will Mason (Ja 0m). Bronze for: (30 r nte (Shot) and Ollie Tra and Lydia Goodman Oliver Rooksby (Shot) m’s girls joined with (Javelin). Two of the tea ster City schools to two others from Worce the Worcestershire for l win the Gold meda l mention must go district team. A specia boy’s relay team of to the school’s junior

nter, Alex Dowling Harry Paddock, Ollie Tra team took on the and Ollie Palmer, as the luded some of the other districts, which inc

runners, and won country’s fastest junior siderable margin! con a by the gold medal LCS

Combined Events

Mason Trophy

Aquathlon

King’s pupils have really enjoyed the opportunity to compete in the Combined Events Championships, which are multievent competitions. This is the first time that many of the pupils have competed in all events in one day and is a test of their all-round athleticism and their technique in each individual event. Josh Richardson won the gold medal in the Inter Boys Octathlon beating his closest rival by over 150 points; Henry Collinson won the bronze in the same event. Louisa De Vos won the bronze medal in a hotly contested Inter Girls Heptathlon, with only 200 points separating the top three competitors. Amy Hughes finished 6th in the Junior Girls Pentathlon in a field of 30 competitors. Amy Hughes and Oliver Hill were selected to compete for the County team in the Regional Championships, with Amy finishing with an overall personal best and Oliver achieving four individual event personal bests before injury prevented him completing the final event.

Five athletes who earnt a place in the County team competed at the prestigious Mason Trophy, which is an Inter-County Athletics Competition held at the Alexander Stadium. Adam Rutter did exceptionally well to come 2nd in the U15 Hammer, setting a new personal best of 45.11 metres, which sent him second in the 2019 UK rankings. Amy Hughes was the only Hereford & Worcestershire athlete to compete in the Pole Vault and she also did the Long Jump. Louisa De Vos also ran a personal best in the 80m Hurdles and both Ed Kerton and Bella Woodcock competed admirably in the Javelin and Triple Jump respectively. Well done to these five athletes, who represented the school on the regional stage in a fantastic manner.

Eight members of the Fourth Form, along with two teams from the junior schools, took part in the Downs aquathlon event. The aquathletes, who must swim 100m followed by an 800m run, put in professional performances and worked very hard, especially during the uphill climb of the running event. A special mention must go to Ellie Harle and Zach Mason who came 6th and 10th respectively. Everyone’s performances contributed to The King’s Foundation coming second overall in the competition. This is always a great event for members of the foundation to join together and support each other as one team, with great teamwork.

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Swimming This year has been hugely successful for swimming at King’s. There has been a number of competitions throughout the year which have shown off the high level of swimming in all age groups. The year started with the West Midland English Schools’ Secondary teams qualifying round at Malvern College. Five teams were entered and all competed well respectively. The Junior girls (Maisie Lyons, Catherine Rendall-Baker, Ruby Ingles and Ellie Harle) were faced with strong competition but secured a solid second place in both the freestyle and medley relays. The Junior boys (Charlie Dixon, Jacob Smith, Max Barclay and Luke Barrington) finished third in the freestyle and second in the medley, also faced with tough competition.

Woodcock) secured second place in both their relays and also qualified in 29th place in the medley relay. On November 17th eight girls from King’s Worcester headed down to the London Aquatic Centre to compete in the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) Secondary Teams Final. The atmosphere was incredible and competitors swam faster in the 50m pool than the 25m qualifying round at Malvern College. The senior girls managed to go up seven places and achieve 22nd place in their medley relay. The intermediate girls finished 7th in their freestyle heat and then go on to come 5th in the final which was an incredible achievement. The medley relay was also a strong swim with the girls finishing 7th in the final.

The Intermediate girls (Alex Barry, Bella Barry, Hannah Woodcock and Izzy Trow) smashed their relays coming first in both and also qualifying for the national final in 11th place in the medley and 13th in the freestyle which takes place later on in the year. The Intermediate boys (Adam Rutter, Leo Rendall-Baker, Henry Halford and Sam Hawes) alsoperformed exceptionally well winning both relays and producing some fast relay splits.

The day was full of huge successes and tough competition and hopefully next year we will make some more finals.

The final team, the Senior girls (Josie Ross, Josie Armstrong, Hannah Dixon and Bella

The girls’ U15 team (Alexandra Barry, Bella Barry, Hannah Woodcock and Izzy

The final event of the year was the Bromsgrove School Invitational Relays gala held at Perdiswell Leisure centre. The school was faced with strong opposition with many regional and national swimmers competing. All teams did exceptionally well reaching the A final in 7 out of the 8 events.

Trow) were unstoppable winning both their relays with a five metre lead. The U15 boys also didn’t disappoint with Charlie Dixon stepping up joining Daniel Day, Leo Rendall-Baker and Sam Hawes placing 4th in the medley and 5th in the freestyle. The U18 girls also saw Alex barry and Hannah Woodcock swimming up an age group with Bella Woodcock, Hannah Dixon and Naomi Marsden. They achieved 2nd in both the freestyle and Medley relay. The U18 boys only had one boy in the correct age group therefore, Daniel Day, Leo Rendall-Baker and Sam Hawes all swam up joining Sam Hartley. They still performed really well coming 6th in the A medley final and 4th in the B freestyle final. Overall the day was a real success even with the last minute changes to the teams. Everyone stepped up and produced some really strong swims. Swimming involves gruelling sessions before and after school and during the weekends so it is great to see everyone’s hard work paying off. Thank you to Mrs Monkhouse for coaching and encouraging us throughout the year, it has made a big impact on our swimming and we can’t be more grateful for your support. Hopefully next year will bring even more successes and maybe some trophies! Josie Armstrong

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Football 1st XI The First Team had a mixed season, winning ten, drawing one and losing four. Luke Coupland and Ben Tyson played key roles even as the youngest members of the team. Alex Lowe finished top goal scorer with twelve goals and player of the season

went to James Unwin. This team has great potential with a couple of players seeing first team action with their respective clubs. We certainly expect to have a great season next year.

Old Vigornians: s u rs ve am te t rs fi Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s . It was pils in our annual match

m of ex-pu me but st XI played a strong tea great chances in the ga On January 4th the Fir current First XI creating the ntually h eve wit it me me ga ga ted ted tes a well-con and equally contes g lon a er Aft . als go up the o set int the season had unable to convert these ties. The training from nal pe h wit e out d tle cam set m be tea saves, the first ended 2-2 so had to ts and some incredible sho few se ten a er aft , First XI well and in the shootout. victorious winning 5-4

Manchester City training camp. On 15th December 2018, nineteen footballers from The Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School went to Manchester City for an action packed three days taking part in the pre-season football development tour. Pupils from the Lower Remove and the Senior Team had such an amazing opportunity in training at a first-rate stadium. They had three training sessions with Manchester City coaches and played matches against Manchester Health Academy. Training in the same location as some of the best football players in the U.K and seeing behind the scenes of an established club was really inspiring for our players and helped to build confidence and ability within the team. There was also time to go on a behind the scenes Etihad Stadium Tour, visit the National Football Museum and watch Manchester City win 3-1 versus Everton. Overall, a fantastic trip and useful experience in preparation for the football season.

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2nd XI

U15

U13

The Second Team had a very good season, winning six games, drawing two and losing two. Both Benji Halford and Oliver Tsiquaye finished joint top goal scorers with five goals each. Jack Cope, Archie Parker-Smith and Joe Amos performed well in defence, giving the team captain Tom Judge a sound basis. Many will be hoping to be regular First Team players next season.

The team played an attractive brand of attacking football throughout the season. The midfielders were comfortable on the ball and the pacey duo of Alex Terry and Alex Lloyd were a constant threat to opposing teams. Jack Havercroft was the player of the season for the work-rate, touch and game-awareness he showed in every position he was asked to play.

3rd XI

U14

We welcomed Mr Owen to the coaching staff to help oversee the U12 and U13 training alongside Mr Branchett this season and to great success. The opening match went well for the U13A team with an easy 6-2 win over The Downs. Local rivals RGS came to visit next and closely beat the U13A team 3-2 but the U13B team achieved a spectacular win over RGS 12-1, including 5 goals from Sam Perkins. The season ended on a high at Hereford with a 1-0 win for the U13As scored by Alex Evans.

The Third Team had competitive matches and gained a deserved victory versus Monmouth. Josh Connolly and Joseph Heydon finished joint top goal scorers. The season was a good demonstration of the skill and determination still to come for Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football.

The team had several decisive wins this term, scoring more than six goals on three occasions; their biggest victory coming in a 9-3 win at Hereford. Rob Clason ended the season as top scorer with nine goals, closely followed by Joe Ward and Cole Evans who scored eight and seven goals respectively. Alex Dalton and Alex Moule were impressively strong in defence. Our player of the season, David Wills, provided plenty of skill in midfield.

U12 The youngest team had an unbeaten season, winning four and drawing two matches. They put in a notable performance against Hereford Cathedral School winning 10-2 and clearly demonstrated their determination and skill as a team, a promising insight into future football at Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

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Hockey 1st XI Winning 13 of 20 games, the First XI enjoyed a very successful season this year. We began our National Cup campaign well, with a victory over Malvern St James, though were unfortunate not to progress into the next round of the cup after a loss to a very strong Clifton College side. Following this, the team entered the competition for the National Plate, scoring a convincing 3-1 against The King’s High School for Girls. In the next round we drew against RGS and, although we earned a 4-1 win in an earlier game in the season, we were unable to progress through to the next stages. Nevertheless, team development continued into the second half of the season, despite missing players due to injury and illness. This cohesion was demonstrated by welldeserved victories against Malvern College, King Edward’s Five Ways and Hereford Sixth Form College. The girls particularly

2nd XI enjoyed the opportunity to play a mixed match against The Chase which gave them a chance to test their skills against the boys. A personal highlight of mine was the squad’s win against Bristol Grammar, a school that has remained unbeaten throughout my time at King’s. In this game the team displayed one of their best performances of the season, moving the ball quickly between teammates to ensure we pressured effectively. Congratulations go to Cerys Preston for her continued involvement with the Welsh Hockey Pathway, in particular for gaining her first Senior Cap. Further congratulations go to Milly Short and Immie Gillgrass as well as Seb Hood and Matt Whiteside for their contribution to Performance Centre Hockey in the girls’ and boys’ pathways respectively. Abby Deller

The 2nd XI have had another progressive season this year, in which the girls have continued to bond and develop as a team. A combination of great teamwork and a fighting spirit has resulted in some incredibly closely fought matches. Cocaptains Maisie Martyn-Smith and Sophie Harrison led the team from the front, setting expectations and demonstrating competitive attitudes in both games and training. A strong defensive unit kept the team in contention in all matches and managed to link up well with the midfielders to give the forwards increasing opportunities to score. Throughout the season, the girls consistently progressed in their skills and decision-making in training sessions and as a result the quality of the hockey on display in matches significantly improved. The team were continually optimistic and showed enthusiasm in their play, being rewarded with convincing wins against The King’s School, Gloucester and The King’s High School for Girls, Warwick. The team will be sad to lose many players moving into next season as they leave King’s and we wish Maisie Martyn-Smith, Sophie Harrison, Abi Alcock, Lauren Arnold, Lilly Briggs, Emma Smalley, Tash Lloyd and Sarah Allen-Griffiths all the best with their future hockey endeavours. Maisie Martyn-Smith and Sophie Harrison

U15 This season has been a positive one for the U15s, with many girls making significant improvements in their individual performances even whilst balancing their time between several other sports. It has been encouraging to see so many of them join local hockey clubs and represent Worcestershire Academy U15s and U17s. I hope that this is something they will continue to enjoy and participate in through the years, as it will really aid their individual development and help their transition into club hockey when they leave King’s. The season began with a draw against King’s High, Warwick followed by a loss against Solihull School. Through working on a new formation and developing confidence with the ball, the girls performed with confidence against Pate’s Grammar School, scoring four goals. Despite this strong start, the girls struggled in games against Hereford Cathedral School, Cheltenham

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Ladies’ College, Bristol Grammar School and Bablake School. This was often because we weren’t sufficiently taking our excellent chances and defending against fast attacks. Nevertheless, through hard work and a determined effort from the U15 ladies, they improved on their defensive shape to convert attacking opportunities. This was rewarded by wins against Princethorpe College, Redmaids’ High School, RGS Worcester and Malvern College. I look forward to seeing the girls return as seniors next season and hope that they grasp opportunities to play in the first and second teams. EFP

U14 This year was the U14s first season of 11-a-side hockey. The team initially found the transition to this new style of play slightly challenging but soon adjusted well. Working hard over the season in both training and match play, they showed commitment, effort and dedication. The girl’s performances improved with every game despite facing some challenging opponents. Their skills and team bond began to develop, helping them to connect better on the pitch and, crucially, enjoy playing together. The sound season of hockey kicked off with the great start of a 2-0 win against King’s High, Warwick. As our first 11-a-side match, this was a tough match to play, especially as the team had beaten us last season; the result served as proof of us pulling together. Despite poor weather, absent or injured players and having no subs, we were also able to win our following two games thanks to some last-minute goals. In the second game against this side the girls showed an

impressive attacking flare, and a special mention must go to Henny Allen who scored a fantastic goal during this game. One of the highlights of the season for us, and we’re sure for most of the team, was the match against RGS. We have struggled against them since primary school; we knew that applying the skills learnt in training sessions was something we needed to work on. A strong first half gave us the lead and the defence, particularly Grace Miller, Tamara Marsden, Tilly Barwell and Maddie Cartelet, were doing an excellent job of keeping the ball out of the D. Sadly, we lacked this same energy in the second half and made a few mistakes, allowing RGS the eventual victory with a score of 3-2.

them the results they deserved. Overall, they finished fourth in the tournament but played some pleasing hockey throughout.

The County Tournament was held at Malvern College and took place fairly early in the season, meaning the girls were still relatively new to the 11-a-side game. We defended well even through the severe weather conditions, though we were unable to grasp the opportunities needed to give

We’re very proud of the way our team has adapted to 11-a-side and can’t wait to see just how strong our team will become in the future. A brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable season, the girls have worked extremely hard and hopefully next year is the year we will beat RGS. Ava Crompton and Amy Hughes

lots to improve on for the many games to come. Towards the end of the season the team played well in the county tournament, drawing against Bromsgrove and RGS, securing us second place and a chance for victory at regionals, one of the highlights of a very successful season include a 4-1 victory to RGS. This gave us momentum and determination moving on against tougher opponents. In the run up to the regionals, we gave some good displays of hockey, drawing to Bablake and beating Bromsgrove. At the regional finals in Cannock we finished second in the group and made it through

to the semi-finals, giving us a chance to qualify for the nationals. Sadly, we lost 1-0 in a close game against Loughborough High School. Our final three matches were all strong victories, giving us confidence and excitement for what should be another successful season to come.

Special mentions go to Amy Hughes, who has continued to play in the Welsh Hockey Performance Pathway, and Lucy Short, who has been training in the English Performance Centre Squad. Most improved player of the season goes to Tilly Barwell, who has made exceptional progress throughout the season. The standout result of the season was the 4-0 victory over Bablake School, in which the girls displayed some quality hockey. The team played a total of 14 games this season, winning six of them and scoring over 22 goals in total.

U13 Throughout this season the U13 A team have not only matured as individuals but have also improved dramatically as a team. Though we have experienced losses as well as victories, after each match every player can confidently say they came out stronger. The U13 A had a strong start to the season with wins against Malvern St James, Pate’s Grammar School and at a mini tournament against Bablake School and King’s High, Warwick. In the middle of the season, the team faced some challenging opposition in Solihull, Bristol and Redmaids’, giving us

U13 B Team The U13B team have seen another strong season, winning 50 percent of their matches and only losing two games throughout the season. Over the course of the season, an impressive 19 goals were scored while only conceding nine. The team had notable victories over local rivals RGS as well as Wolverhampton Grammar School and Malvern St James. The girls have gone from strength to strength all season and placed third in the county tournament.

As a team we felt it right to congratulate two players on “players’ player” and “most improved”. Well done to Bea Morgan and Rosie Stone for their respective contributions to this season as well to the rest of the girls for a strong and competitive few terms. Lucy Wadley and Bea Morgan

U13 C and D Team As a team we have really enjoyed this past year and would like to thank all the coaches who have supported us along the way. We feel collectively that we have really developed, working well together and encouraging teammates to apply principles taught in training. After such a great season, we are now eagerly anticipating the next and progressing towards the 11-a-side game. Maisie Lyons and Bethan Taylor

These teams have had a fantastic season. The C team began with a friendly tournament in which they won two, drew two and lost two games in a tightly fought competition. They built from this experience and went on to win their remaining games against RGS, Worcester to 4-0 and 3-0. The D team played two fixtures this year, both against RGS, and also achieved convincing victories of 5-0 and 4-3 respectively. These results demonstrate the strength and potential across their year group, with many of the players in these teams capable and eager to step up into the B teams when necessary. RLW The Vigornian

U12 Hockey Report The transition to senior hockey has been a positive one for the U12 girls. Many girls regularly attended training despite the poor weather. They have made significant progress this season. They have worked on a range of techniques and tactics, focusing on key core principles in each game and training session. They have demonstrated mature performances throughout the year and successful despite losing both A and B team goal keepers during the season due to injury. The U12a were able to win against Hereford Cathedral, St Peters Gloucester and Malvern St James and should be proud of the individual and team development made. Here are the views of the girls from the U12a squad.

‘Our hockey has improved greatly this year. We have worked on our techniques, tactics and new skills. To improve our technique in our push passes we have done drills to help us pass and receive on the move, also we have been focusing on looking up and making sure we are confident to dribble to find the perfect pass. We are definitely more confident to move if we can’t see a pass whereas at the beginning of the year we often wouldn’t find a pass and have to give the ball to no one! We have worked on lots of different tactics to help us in game situations. We have looked at leading towards the baseline and hunting in pairs (making sure two people are always defending the player with the ball). We have definitely created more chances at goal by

leading towards the baseline and we have got much better at adding pressure to the opposition by hunting in pairs. This year we have also worked on hitting. We have learnt some new techniques and practised a lot so that now we are much stronger at our hits. Our team has also worked hard getting to know how each other’s play so at the end of the season we were playing better together. We have also worked on communication on the pitch. We have had lots of matches to put our skills into practice. Over all we have had a very enjoyable season and learnt a lot in the process.’ Rosa Jukes and Milly Dobson

U12 B

U12 C&D

Many of the girls have played across both the U12a and U12b teams. The pupils have helped to develop the strength of both the U12a and U12b team and despite finding playing with new players a challenge they worked exceptionally well together and achieved wins against Pates Grammar, Malvern St James, Bablake, RGS Worcester and a draw with Hereford Cathedral School. They finished the season by achieving second place at the U12b county tournament.

This season we have seen a number of pupils represent the school, by playing for the U12 C & D.

Here is a report written by some of the girls from the U12 B squad: This year’s hockey has been a great success with lots of team work, we have won games, lost games and had a lot of fun. A few things that we have practiced in hockey club and games were dribbling to find a pass, back line passes and channels. Everyone has had a great time thanks to our amazing team and coaches. Things that we have found challenging have been dribbling to find a pass. Over the course of the year we improved but we still hope to work on it in year eight. Thank you for all the support from the coaches.’ Ruby Ingles and Rebecca Nosworthy

The U12C beat both Bromsgrove School and RGS Worcester in their home fixture. However, they lost to RGS in the return fixture and to a strong Solihull school. The significant progress they have made this season is testament to their commitment in games and training. In the second term they had made significant progress and their efforts at games were rewarded with a 5-1 win over RGS Worcester in the return home fixture.

Indoor Hockey King’s had their most successful indoor season ever this year, reaching the Regional Finals of the U16 Competition. The U18 team were short on numbers due to various clashes with other school events. Despite this, the team did not lose heart and continued to employ principles established in training throughout the tournament. The girls took an early lead in their first game against Malvern College with Sophie Welburn exhibiting a heroic display in goal. Despite this, we were unable to keep the opposition at bay, eventually conceding second-half goals to lose narrowly. The match against Bromsgrove was a fastpaced affair with numerous chances up for the taking, but both teams’ goalkeepers were equally eager to keep it a draw for much of the game. Unfortunately, a lastminute short corner goal gave Bromsgrove the lead and eventual win. The following game against RGS was very close; both teams were a little reluctant in focusing on their defensive games, though some

good individual play led to the opposition taking the game. In the final game, versus Malvern St James, the team began to more readily take the opportunities available in the game which gave them confidence and allowing for more fluent hockey. Player of the Tournament went to Sophie for her excellent performance in goal. The U16 team faced a strong Malvern College side in their first game and were slow to get started, losing the first game 3-1. The next game against Bromsgrove saw an improvement in the quality and intensity of their play with some excellent goals being scored to win 4-1. The final match was against RGS, in which the girls gained positivity through an early goal and stuck to the game plan to come away with a comfortable 4-1 victory. This earnt the team a place in the Regional Finals, an excellent achievement particularly as eight out of the 10 can play in the same age group again next year. Milly Short played exceptionally throughout the tournament

and was voted player of the tournament, but the whole team should be very proud of their performances. At the Regional Finals the U16s did themselves justice in a very tough competition. In the first match against Oakham, the girls were a little slow to get started and lacked a winner’s approach, losing 2-1. The team played much better and applied pressure tremendously well in the next game against the eventual winners, Repton School, but were unfortunately beaten 3-0. The team was, however, much more confident going into their next match against Bablake and showed off some attacking flair to win them the game 2-1. The final game of the day was extremely close and could have gone either way, though a last-minute goal meant Worksop College narrowly beat us 2-1. The team made excellent progress throughout the day and are already looking forward to the opportunity to play indoor next year. LCS

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Netball

1st VII Captain: Sophie Welburn Vice-Captain: Abi Alcock Squad: Alex Ward, Hannah Latham, Natasha Beattie, Cara Nyamekye, Elly Cope, Rosie Conyers, Mia Mathewson, Ellie Deehan, Sophia Winfield and Georgie Thorp. New challenges, new team, new leadership, new objectives and finally new friendships. Having lost many of the older players from last year’s squad, this young group of girls were determined to make their mark on senior netball, showcasing their talent and desire to gel together as a squad. The season began with a home game against Rugby followed by a second-round game against Loughborough High, in the Independent Schools’ Cup (ISNC). Both proved tough opponents, but the squad was beginning to come together in both attack and defence. In the third round they faced King’s High Warwick; their first game minus defender Hannah Latham who we lost to a seasonending injury. Nevertheless, the squad demonstrated excellent versatility winning

59-23. This set up a fourth-round tie with Bedford, a school we knew little about but who had a strong connection to one of the franchises; inevitably meaning they had several key players. This game was the first time that I saw the squad begin to waver; connections were not working as fluently as before; communication was lacking, and we were giving away easy balls. By the fourth quarter the game was lost, meaning it was a time to see out the match and then reflect on what had happened in the first forty-five minutes. Looking back, this was a game that we could and should have won, but the team learnt from this and we returned to the drawing board. Next up was the county tournament, but with an injury to the captain, our defensive unit had been obliterated in the space of a week. Fortunately, Alex Ward stepped up to the plate and made her mark, acclimatizing extremely well. Despite this, it was not to be that day and we finished 3rd with the top 2 going through to the regional finals.

The second half of the season started off much better and although the squad narrowly lost out to King Edward’s Bath and the University 1st team, they beat Bablake, Marlborough, Wrekin and Hereford Cathedral School. A new fixture against Wycliffe, however, was the showstopper for me. Displaying excellent teamwork, resilience and intensity only to lose out in the final minutes was tough, but another game that they would remember and reflect on as they headed into Superball. Finally, I would like to thank my leadership team this year; Captain Sophie Welburn and Vice-Captain Abi Alcock. It certainly wasn’t a smooth ride, but cohesion was quickly developed between the players and made court time enjoyable. This enabled them to play with a smile on their faces which is when they produced their best netball. Good luck to all of the leavers. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed your King’s netball career and will come back and support us when you can. EKM

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U16

U16 County & Regional Champions and National Finalists

Squad: Mia Mathewson (Captain,) Georgie Thorp, Sophia Winfield, Josie Armstrong, Olivia Campbell-Kerr, Cara Nyamekye, Milly Short, Libby Evans, Abby Sly, Emily Diaz, Charlotte White, Holly Wylde, Louise Harris. This year, the U16s went down in the King’s School’s history books by finishing fourth in the National Finals and became both district and county champions. Special mention must go to Holly Wylde who gave some tremendous performances with several excellent interceptions in defence and Abby Sly who maintained her composure and contributed great passages of play in attack. The regionals allowed the team to display our determination and drive which enabled strong performances against tough opposition. Blustery weather conditions meant we began the day a little shakily, but as a team we remained focused and concluded with a win against King Edward’s. This gave us the momentum we needed, encouraging our team spirit and great support from the side lines. This unity led us, undefeated, to the semifinals against Wrekin College. This was a tough encounter, but, a sound partnership of shooters Georgie Thorp and Sophia Winfield steered us to an outstanding 9-7 victory. We all knew we had to bring our ‘A game’ to the final against Wolverhampton Grammar to secure the Regional Trophy for a second year running.

Our sterling performance can be credited to our outstanding work ethic, composure and team cooperation. Stand-out performances have to go to our defence, consisting of Cara Nyamekye, Milly Short and Emily Diaz. They ensured difficulty for Wolverhampton’s shooters and provided some excellent interceptions, helping our 13-9 victory. Following such success, we headed to nationals undefeated and brimming with confidence and ready to face the best schools in the country. At the nationals, a few uncharacteristic errors crept into play, with weather conditions exacerbating these. A slow start ended with a narrow defeat of 12-10 to the eventual winners. Despite this set back, we picked ourselves up and focused on correcting our errors and finally finished in second place. Enthused, we began with a lead of 3-0 in the semi-finals against a strong Brighton College. Soon, however, the opposition secured a turnover, scoring off their centre pass and narrowly winning 8-7. We finished the day fourth overall in the country. This is an incredible achievement and a testament to the grit, resolve and the teamwork we retained throughout. I am immensely proud to have a captained such a talented group of players who all added something valuable to the team. Many thanks must go to our coaches who continued to support throughout this fantastic season. Mia Mathewson

2nd VII The highlight of the Second VII netball team and my own netball experience at King’s was winning our superball match against RGS in the Worcester University Arena. The team had been training hard for our final match together and, despite losing to Wycliffe College in an exhausting match the day before, the squad played impressively and fought to stay ahead throughout. It was a great experience to play in the arena and the team responded well to the added pressures by displaying grit and determination, meaning we enjoyed a 15-12 victory in our last match. With five Fifth Formers, the team was quite young. Once the squad was finalised, however, we began to take form and consequently won three consecutive matches during March. The most notable triumph was against Millfield School where the team worked hard to secure a strong lead of over 10 goals and won 32-21. It has been a pleasure to captain the 2nd VII netball squad this year: it has been incredibly enjoyable training and learning with different players and I am certain that the team will continue to be successful in the years to come. Maggie Bullock

3rd and 4th Vll The Third and Fourth teams have had a mixed season. With lots of different teams and combinations being introduced throughout the year. The girls continuously put up a great show of resilience: always fighting their hardest, encouraging each other and showing great team spirit, even when matches may not have gone their way. The season began with a close game against Malvern St James in which King’s lost by only two goals (13 -15). Nonetheless, they fought back and in the next match achieved a fantastic victory, winning 2318, against King Edward’s VI Five Ways School. This gave the girls a fresh burst of confidence and they fought their way through the rest of the season. The team were led fantastically by Phoebe Conyers (Captain) and Emily Murray (ViceCaptain) and a special mention must go to them for motivating the squad so well. Good luck to those who are leaving King’s, I hope you continue to play in the future. To the girls returning, let’s get ready for another exciting season!

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U15 What a season this squad has had, starting off with a super run of wins against Redmaids’, Malvern St James, King’s High and Bablake School. Their only loss of the year came whilst playing St Swithun’s in the Independent Schools’ Cup (ISNC), despite competing well up until half time when the opposition just managed to

pull away. Nonetheless, this group has banded together, achieving some superb results against Bromsgrove, King Edward’s, Marlborough and Wycliffe. My favourite game of the season, though, has to be the penultimate game in their fixture list against RGS, a “friendly” which is always hotly contested. Having trailed for three quarters

of the game, the players showed true grit and character when they pulled away in the last winning 29-25. By far this was the best display of a team pulling together when the going got tough and never once thinking they were beaten. EKM

U14A

U14B

U13A

This U14A squad have had a season full of tough lessons this year. Having had to adapt to different playing combinations as well as different atmospheres, they have been challenged by some extremely competitive fixtures. Nonetheless, the girls finished the season as stronger, more mature and competent players and teammates, making considerable individual improvements as a result of having to be versatile on court. The girls have, ultimately, learnt what they can achieve in their units and as a team when they commit to one another. Their hard-fought wins are proof of the immense grit and effort each player demonstrated on court. The team played very well in the district tournament with performances to be proud of and the girls made great working relationships with some of the U13 athletes. A standout performance for the squad was the match against Millfield. The team conducted themselves professionally, with all areas of the court showing great promise thanks to a culmination of their training and determination. The defensive circle has particularly improved; players have been applying constant pressure in order to achieve interceptions by the use of body angles, three feet marking and aggression when competing for rebounds. The squad must turn their attention to the upcoming season and think about how they can continue to progress, and I look forward to hearing of their future successes. GSH

U14B has had a fantastic season in individual progress and development as well as some tremendous wins. They have worked tirelessly in training, remaining committed regardless of the conditions and developing the strong sense of physicality very much needed at senior levels of netball. Their ability to respond to advice has produced some outstanding performances such as the matches against Malvern St James, King Edward’s Bath and Bablake School. Centre court players have worked hard on landing and receiving circle edge in addition to developing awareness of their teammates. The shooters have made real improvements in working as a partnership and balancing the shooting circle to create space for each other, whilst the defence have addressed their body angles and the importance of maintaining a three-foot mark for three seconds, creating a high turnover for the team. The remainder of the squad’s matches were often very close, serving as a testament to the team’s consistent effort and determination throughout the season. I am so pleased with the girls’ individual progress but, more importantly, the dynamics that have emerged between them as a result of their teamwork. I look forward to seeing them continue to progress next year and build off all the hard work and training from this season. GSH

From the start of the school year, the U13A team’s target was to improve team cooperation and cohesion. This seemed to really help the success of the team as we won 50% of our matches. Lucy Wadley was voted as player of the season due to her ability to play confidently in both attack and defence. The most improved player goes to Francesca Sly who has moved up from the B team this season and demonstrated her full potential and positivity throughout. Looking ahead to the next season we aim to develop further by using all the space available, improving the speed and accuracy of our passes and developing our communication skills. Abbie Diaz and Freya Sinclair

U13B U13B has enjoyed a fantastic year, winning 100% of our games! This season, we have focused on incorporating two moves into our play to increase passing options as well as develop our communication on court. The highlight of the season was the match against Bablake School. We felt that, as a team, we worked particularly well together. We applied the principles we had been practising in training into game situations and this resulted in a victory of 10-7. Our key objectives for next season are to be more confident with our decisions during the game and to continue our winning streak by working cohesively as a team. Ultimately, we want to score lots of goals! After a team decision, we decided that the player of the season was Millie Davis for her dedication to the team. Rosie Stone and Becca Stone

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U13C This year, U13C excelled by winning all of our matches. The game against Malvern St James was the most enjoyable thanks to a very friendly atmosphere and a tremendous performance from the King’s girls, resulting in a final score of 19-5 to us. As a team, improvements in finding space

U13D allowed us to be ready to receive a ball and communicate well. Next season we will continue to work on this in addition to regaining possession of the ball. Mitali Prasad

The U13 D team had just 1 competitive fixture this year against the Royal Grammar School, which was a very exciting, end-toend game. The girls really focused on using 2 moves to create space to receive a pass. As a result of their hard work, they won 19-11! RLW

U12 Netball With two-thirds of the year group attending throughout the netball terms, the girls enjoyed finding new friends, learning skills and taking part in matches. A wide range of ability from beginners to county players meant we fielded five teams and saw clear signs of progress through the season.

U12A

U12B

U12 C and D Teams

The A-team had a tough start to the season with losses against Bablake and King’s High Warwick. In January, however, they were invited to the Gloucester Arena to play in the warmup game to the Seven Stars Superleague match against Celtic Dragons. The girls were thrilled to be playing on the same court as a Superleague team. This was their best performance of the season; their focus was at 100% and the girls taking every opportunity to show off their skills and teamwork in front of family and friends. Their play in the district competition later in the month, unfortunately, lacked this same determination and we came away as runners-up with the narrowest margin of one goal. Nevertheless, this is a team with enormous potential, and if they can train hard and believe in themselves, they will be one to watch for the future.

This year’s U12B squad has been a delight to coach. Whilst not all the results may have gone our way, we have developed into a cohesive team with great potential. It has been impressive to witness the girls train with such maturity and appreciate the need for versatility at this stage. As the season progressed, the team gained confidence with a convincing win against Hereford Cathedral School (28-1) and sadly a nail-biting loss (8-9) to RGS. The future, however, certainly looks bright and I very much look forward to seeing how the girls flourish as they make their way through the school. I vividly remember when Sophie Welburn played in the U12B team; keep the 1st VII in your sights girls! CMN

The C and D teams both played with great spirit this season, as demonstrated in one of their match reports below.

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U12C Netball v Bromsgrove – 25/01/19 Today we played an away match at Bromsgrove. A slow first quarter, in which we weren’t ‘switched on’, meant that by the end of the first half Bromsgrove was winning 7-1. After an encouraging team talk, however, from Miss Morton and Miss Ormandy, we were reinvigorated and determined to make a difference. Talia John began the quarter by scoring her second goal of the match. Martha Evans and Phoebe Reuben showed similar drive, achieving some great interceptions! Between Talia and Phoebe Reeley we brought the score up to 5-7. In the last quarter we were really fighting for it. Josie Lloyd-Adams was running all around the court with good touch tight marking with her player, and Jess Newman made several successful interceptions. By the end of the quarter we had drawn 8-8 and Ellie Cartwright was awarded player of the match. Great game girls! MML

Rowing Senior Girls Coach: Mr W Bird The Head Season started with a win for Immy Carter, Caitlyn Hawkesford-Johnson, Tara Barrington, Kate Emsley and Anna Jethwa at Worcester Small Boats Head in the coxed four. The Senior Girls’ Quad of Lily Becket, Jess Crichard, Katie Sweeney and Anna Porter placed second in some very cold December conditions at Wycliffe Small Boats Head. The winter season was filled with high intensity indoor training which prepared us nicely for the British Rowing Indoor Championships, a very exciting event at the Lee Valley Velo Park. Five of our girls competed in both individual and relay events; all achieved personal bests and top positions. Indoor events followed, including the Million Metre Charity Row, the Junior Indoor Rowing Competition at King’s, and the 5k Day. Back on the river and at the West Midlands Championships, the Four coxed by Ellen Copeman placed first and the Coxless Quad of Amelia Clark, Libby GriffithsGarbett, Faith Murray and Anna Porter placed second. The highlight of The Head Season for many of us was Schools’ Head on the infamously choppy River Thames. It was a very exciting race for the Senior Girls Eight and we were very pleased with

seventeenth place. Head Season ended with an amazing rowing camp in Portugal where we prepared our crews for the upcoming regattas. The Regatta Season started with a very successful outcome at Wallingford Regatta, with the Coxed Four of Emily Watkins, Bea Evans, Emily Havercroft, Kate Emsley and Liberty Colebourne placing sixth in the A final. The success continued at Shrewsbury Regatta where the Senior Girls Eight and the Coxed Four both won. The hard work all year paid off for the girls at National Schools’ Regatta where the Coxless Quad of Caitlyn Hawkesford-Johnson, Amelia Clark, Jess Crichard and Nemi Edwards raced very well in the time trial against the country’s top competitors and, following a tough semi-final, made it to the B final. A sudden spur of determination led them to place second, ranking them eighth overall. Additionally, Henley Women’s Regatta was a wonderful weekend away for the Coxed Four and despite not qualifying after a tough time-trial, a sunny weekend watching some of the best crews in the country racing was an enjoyable experience.

prize for coxswain of the year went to Emily Watkins, the prize for crew performance of the year went to Liberty Colebourne, Emily Havercroft, Bea Evans and Kate Emsley. The clubwoman of the year went to Bea Evans and the prize for the most improved rower of the year in the club went to Kate Emsley. Liberty Colebourne

The prize for the most improved rower went to Jess Crichard and the prize for rower of the year went to Emily Havercroft. The

Senior Boys Coach: Mr J Chalmers The Senior Boys Squad started The Head Season with a structured training regime: early mornings in the gym for strength and conditioning; post school water outings; indoor rowing sessions all focussed towards long distances and the enhancement of technique. In the winter months David Watson in a single scull and Henry Edmonds and Mark Salkeld in a double achieved success with them both placing second at Wycliffe Small Boats Head. It was a promising start to competitive rowing. This was soon followed by gold at West Midlands Regional Championships where Will Gorner and Ben Madden joined those from the Wycliffe Head, posting one of the fastest times of the day. In the spring, the squad continued to build strength and form on the water

which was only enhanced by the time on Senior Rowing Camp in Portugal in the Easter holidays. This was the perfect opportunity for the squad to finalise boat crews and combinations and prepare for the Regatta Season. Perhaps the most notable achievement was a win over a university crew at Worcester Regatta. The coxed four, consisting of Henry Edmonds, Mark Salkeld, Tom Eaton and David Watson, coxed by Ellen Copeman, took first place. To end the year, the squad formed an Eight, with extra help from the Fifth Form Boys, and competed at Henley qualifiers, a truly memorable experience for us all. This year has proved a productive and enjoyable endeavour. The prize for the most improved rower went to Henry Edmonds and the prize for rower of the year went to Will Gorner. The prize for services to rowing went to David Watson and clubman of the year went to Will Gorner. Henry Edmonds

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J16 Girls Coaches: Mrs B Young and Mr C Kenny The Head Season kicked off with two great successes at the Worcester Small Boats Head: a win for the quad, consisting of Bethan Fox, Amy Yorke-Brooks, Anna Fryers and Olivia Howard, and for the double of Georgie Thorp and Bea Beever. This continued at Wycliffe Small Boats Head with wins for another quad and a single. The British Rowing Indoor Championships followed, with three of our rowers competing in both individual and relay races held in the impressive Olympic Velodrome in London with a bronze medal going to Bea Beever in the mixed relay. Georgie Thorp and Bea Beever also took part in the prestigious Junior GB Trials, leading to Georgie going on a GB training camp later. The winter months, building on fitness, paid off at the West Midlands Championships where Georgie Thorp and Bea Beever’s double qualified for the Junior InterRegional Regatta. We then closed The Head Season with the Junior Sculling Head at Eton Dorney where our ‘A’ quad placed eighteenth in the country. During Easter, training camp took place in Figueira Da Foz, Portugal. The intense week-long training helped sharpen our technique and fitness whilst developing a race plan for the upcoming regattas. We

carried these skills into the Regatta Season; competing at Wallingford, Shrewsbury and Worcester Spring Regatta. The National Schools’ Regatta proved yet again to be a very competitive event, with a notable performance from Georgie Thorp and Bea Beever, in a double, who placed fourth in their respective final, making them tenth in the country. Our rowing year concluded with the quad made up of the double, Olivia Howard and Anna Fryers racing at Henley Women’s Regatta against the top boats of our age category, both nationally and internationally. This proved to be an incredible racing experience.

We have all thoroughly enjoyed this rowing year and are extremely grateful for the tireless support from our coach, Beverley Young. She has provided us with invaluable technical details and knowledge which we can carry forward into our future rowing careers. The prize for the most improved rowers went to Louisa Kenny and Amy YorkeBrooks; the prize for rower of the year went to Bea Beever; and the prize for club rower of the year went to Georgie Thorp. Louisa Kenny and Anna Fryers

J16 Boys Coach: Mr E Houghton The 2018-19 season was extremely successful for the J16 Boys’ squad. As we adapted to the intensive and rigorous training of Mr Houghton, we began The Head Season often narrowly missing out on winning finishes. Notably Olly Timlin narrowly missed out on winning the single sculls at Worcester Small Boats Head over a four-and-a-half-kilometre course. The next highly prestigious event was the British Rowing Indoor Championships where four members of the squad raced.

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Everyone performed extremely well in their individual events and Alex Checkley took an outstanding bronze medal as a member of the mixed relay. As regatta season approached the squad began to tailor their focus towards some shorter side-by-side action. An impressive performance by the quad at Shrewsbury was extremely well-received on what is always a highlight of the event calendar. All the work of the year built up to the stand-out performance at the National

Schools’ Regatta which is perhaps the most prestigious event. Here the boys’ quad of Olly Timlin, Tom Angell, Alex Checkley and Archie Stephan began by qualifying for the semi-final by just fractions of a second in a time trial. The boys raced extremely well particularly in their B-final where they maintained a strong third place after an outstanding start to eventually place eleventh in the country. Well done also to the boys B crew of Ben Thorpe, Rob Newman, Ed Robins and Wilfred George for placing 24th in their time trial. Tom Angell

J15 Girls Coaches: Mr R Booth, Mrs J Ford and Mr N Blakemore The J15 girls have had a great year, going from strength-to-strength in quads and becoming more confident in small boats. We began the year in The Head Season, where we battled the winter weather and rowed well in all the events we entered. Although many of the heads were cancelled due to the poor weather, Fliss Quiney and Izzy Trow won in their double at Worcester Head and Wycliffe Head. The A coxed quad of Darcy Milner, Alice Baker, Alice Clarke, Harriet Smith and Izzy Trow placed third in the West Midlands Championships, going on to place 25th at the National Sculling Head, with the B quad placing 44th. During the winter season we also entered indoor rowing competitions. Harriet Smith

and Alice Baker travelled to London for the British Indoor Rowing Championships where Alice came third and Harriet came 26th in the 500m. King’s then hosted a Junior Indoor Championships, held in the Keyes building. Cat Lucas finished third in the five minutes and Alice Baker and Harriet Smith came first and third respectively in the 500m event. In the Easter holiday we headed to Shiplake College for an intense three-day rowing camp, where we prepared for the Regatta Season ahead. We were on the water before breakfast every day and had a great time practising in small boats and quads. Over the week we all improved a great amount and, while we left exhausted, we were ready for the races ahead. Our first regatta of the season was Shrewsbury, an exciting event where Fliss

in her single and the B coxed quad of Charlotte Morgan, Georgia DuPont, Cat Lucas, Jess Waddington and Eleanor Hill got into their finals. The next weekend, at Worcester Regatta, the B quad of Jess Waddington, Georgia DuPont, Harriet Smith, Eleanor Hill and Florence Edmonds performed well and finished second. The last event of the season was the National Schools’ Regatta, where the B quad of Joni Foster, Georgia DuPont, Maggie Marshall, Eleanor Hill and Jess Waddington placed 35th and the A quad of Darcy Milner, Alice Clarke, Alice Baker, Fliss Quiney and Florence Edmonds came 36th. It was a fantastic end to a great season in and with help from Mr Booth, we are looking forward to another year of rowing together. The prize for the most improved rower went to Cat Lucas and the prize for rower of the year went to Alice Clarke. Alice Baker

J15 Boys Coach: Mr J Robins With wind and rain as our constant enemies, we had some disappointing cancellations this year. Nevertheless, we still aimed high and, as the year unfolded, we all improved and delivered some outstanding performances. At the Worcester Head in October, despite the awful conditions, determination shone through and everyone gave their best. Victories went to Luke Beever and Leo Rendall Baker in the double scull, later joined by Fred Allan, Andrew Smithson and Finn Watkins to win the coxed quad.

bronze went to Leo Rendall-Baker and Jack Barclay in the double scull, who then went on to win silver in the coxed quad joined by Nathan Fenby, Andrew Smithson and Matthew Daniels. This team also achieved victories at the Shrewsbury Regatta in May.

Fred Allan and Luke Beever made their debut at the Boat Club’s annual visit to the British Indoor Rowing Championships at Lee Valley Velopark in London. Joining Alice Baker (W15) and two seniors, Luke went on to win a bronze medal in the relay.

Later that month two J15 boys’ coxed quads joined other King’s crews for their first experience of rowing on the Olympic lake at Eton Dorney, at the National Sculling Head. The coxed quad of Jamie Kemp, Tom Kingsford-Dowd, Ned Meredith, Leo RendallBaker and Finn Watkins came twenty-fifth in a massive field of seventy-three.

The West Midlands Championships in March was the next racing opportunity, and

Due to continued poor weather we ended the season early on Friday 24th May at the

National Schools’ Regatta at Dorney Lake. In the initial time trial of sixty-one crews, the coxed quad of Rhys Watkins, Andrew Smithson, Nathan Fenby, Jamie Kemp and Finn Watkins came forty-second. The crew of Jack Barclay, Fred Allan, Leo-RendallBaker, Luke Beever and Matthew Daniels placed 8th, going on to qualify for the semi-finals and then the B finals where they achieved fourth place, placing twelfth overall in the country. The prize for the most improved rower went to Jamie Kemp, the prize for rower of the year went to Luke Beever and the most improved coxswain of the year went to Matthew Daniels. Matthew Daniels

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J14 Girls Coaches: Mrs P Bladen, Miss R Ellender and Mr H Armstrong In January we had our first competitive event; the King’s Indoor Competition. Many medals were won throughout the day in both individual events and the relays. As our first event, it was certainly a positive start to our rowing careers.

girls managed to capsize a quad, which we thought would be nearly impossible to do!

was a positive end to the season, and we look forward to what next year has to bring.

During Easter, we ventured to Shiplake College for rowing camp where we were able to develop our skills and gain our confidence in smaller boats, including the single scull. The highlight of the camp for many of us was the food, especially the hot chocolate available at every meal! Also, the funniest moment for us was when a group of

Our first regatta of the year, Worcester, was a great success as each crew gained invaluable racing experience. Three quads were entered, one of which comprised of Rosie Stanley, Erika Jones, Sophie Pitts, Henny Allan and cox Anna Morrison, ended up winning. Two doubles were also entered and in a tense final Erika and Henny won. This

The prize for the most improved rower went to Meghan Rew, the prize for rower of the year went to Amy Matthews and the prize for cox of the year went to Anna Morrison. Erika Jones, Maple Unwin, Meghan Rew and Sophie Pitts

us, this was our first experience rowing in single sculls and on a different stretch of river to Worcester. Here we focused on small boats, skills and race practice in the quad. This was a challenging experience for us, training three times a day and rising at six in the morning. No sooner had we returned was it time for the Worcester Regatta. We entered two quads and two doubles, aiming to give everyone valuable race experience. The double scull of James Stevens and Charlie Webster did well to reach the semifinals along with the quad of Henry Halford, Bobby Riddell, Ben Beedie and Alex Dalton, coxed by Will Threadgold. Unfortunately, many of the following regattas were cancelled due to the unexpected weather but we look forward to coming back for a new season as J15s.

The prize for the most improved rower went to Alex Dalton, the prize for rower of the year went to Charlie Webster and the prize for cox of the year went to Will Probert. Henry Halford

J14 Boys Coaches: Mr T Sharp and Mr A Emsley This year Lower Removes had their first taste of rowing. After completing the initial swimming test, the boys started with the basics: ergo technique and general fitness. Once we had practised this, we took to the water, in quadruple sculls. Albeit a slow process, we were soon confident enough to row together, feathering and squaring in the stroke. At the start of the new year, we competed in the annual indoor rowing competition held at King’s. Will Threadgold achieved three gold medals, one in the four-minute race, a second in the mixed relay with Shri Raajkumar and the third in the boys’ relay along with Alex Dalton, Henry Halford and Bobby Riddell. At Easter, we went on rowing camp and for many of

Senior Rowing Camp - Figueira da Foz

This year’s rowing camp was held in the coastal city of Figueira da Foz in Portugal, a popular surfing destination famed for strong winds and boasting sunshine and high temperatures. Somehow, however, the sun didn’t get the memo. We flew to Portugal in the early morning, giving us time later for a quick induction row at our lake near Figueira. The lake in question was a 2km long training lake, similar to that of Eton Dorney, which meant that it was perfect training for National Schools’ Regatta. We saw many of Portugal’s Olympic canoeists and rowers, which gave us some great practice of side by side racing with a professional crew (during

their warm up). Our accommodation was a cosy townhouse, providing more calories in bread rolls and fish than we could ever hope to burn off rowing, and being just a five minute walk from the beach. it gave an amazing background deserving of any great rowing camp. As the training truly began on the second and third days, so did the rain. All crews embraced the challenging conditions well to push through their training around the lake. As Mr Houghton would have said, “These are perfect PB conditions”. By the fifth day, the sun had finally appeared and we suddenly found ourselves in Portugal. The name of the game had changed and

it was now a race to get a suntan in the remaining two and a half days. The rowing was also pretty good. Off the lake we also had great opportunities to study for upcoming exams for all. The final day comprised of a full 2km time trial as Nat Schools’ prep, a fun session of mixed quads and fours, and a surfing lesson on the last day before our flight home. Overall, it was a fantastic rowing camp, and we are all thankful to the coaches for such diligence and close attention, giving us a truly incredible time. Mark Salkeld

Rugby 1st XV The season began with the annual preseason trip to Mount St Mary’s College where, for three days, the team bonded and started to learn the basic structure and patterns that we wanted to take into the upcoming season. We had a difficult start to the season losing our first three matches, but the determination within the squad did not falter and we finally got our season underway with a hard fought 15-5 win over St Peter’s Gloucester. This set the tone for the style of play and intensity we needed to bring to every game. Having lost our first National Vase game, we moved into the Bowl competition where we started with a convincing 27-5 win over Worcester Sixth Form College. Our next game consisted of a very strong performance against Prince Henry’s where, thanks to a hat-trick by Charles Clark, we won the game 56-7. KES Birmingham was the last game before the Modus Cup where we hoped to build confidence to take with us into that crucial game. We played very well, winning 27-12 with Willem Humphreys scoring one of the

best individual tries of the season, breaking the opposition line around the 10m line and weaving through numerous players to finish. Throughout the season the lineout was an integral part of our game thanks to a strong throw from Joe Richardson and an exceptional jump from both Will Bishop and Joe Connor After the disappointment of the Modus Cup, our focus was set fully on to the Natwest Bowl National Competition. Our next game tested the depth of our squad due to a number of injuries. The boys never gave up and managed to score off the back of a maul in the final play of the game to give us the lead by one point. We dominated the next two games before meeting the traditionally strong Ampleforth College. The game definitely didn’t go to plan in the early stages and with 10 mins to go I thought our hopes of going to the final were over. We knew we needed to score three tries to get the win. With a monumental performance from the forwards we managed to do this in the last play of the game for the second time in the competition! Special mention must go to

Will Bishop as his hat-trick of tries in the last play drew us level on points. Knowing that a draw wouldn’t be good enough, Ethan Summerwill stepped up to the kick with a huge amount of pressure on him. With nerves of steel, he coolly slotted the ball through the posts, taking the school to its first ever national final. The final at Sixways was the pinnacle of my, and I’m sure many others’, school careers. The boys saved their best performance until last, playing with pace and accuracy throughout. Hamish Stigant opened the scoring thanks to an early break from Charles Clark and from that moment on we were on the front foot. A try straight after half time moved the score to 22-0 securing the game against a determined Glynn School. The final score was 34-10 with George Hale scoring an incredible individual try, finishing the game off in style. All the boys would like to thank Mr Mason, Mr Atkinson and all the coaches for their time and effort over the season both on and off the pitch. Your guidance and motivation have been key to all of our successes. Max Richardson

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1st VII With the semi-final of the National Bowl competition on the horizon, our main focus as a squad was upon improvement. When it came to tournaments, the boys didn’t hesitate to give their all. The patterns we’d looked to play didn’t run as smoothly as in previous years, but the team were able to put in several strong performances. The second term started off with the Trent College 10s where, due to our successes in the National Bowl competition, we brought a more 15s style of play rather than a freer flowing sevens style. This proved beneficial to us as a team as we ended up winning three out of the four games. The first sevens tournament was at Christ College Brecon which was a bit of a baptism of fire for the squad. We had a tough pool but the team gave it a good crack. We won our final game, putting us in the plate competition where we came up against the home side who, in the previous year, we had beaten in the final to win. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for this year despite starting to gel well as a team. The tournament saw massive improvements to our game. The two pacemen, Willem Humphries and Charles

Clark, proved in this tournament that there is no substitute for pace and good footwork. We reached the bowl final of the Hereford sevens but lost out to RGS Worcester 5-0 with both teams pretty much dead on their feet by the end of it. The KES Stratford tournament came next where we took a younger squad of players to rest some of the others who were playing both formats of the game. This ended up working well as the new lads coming in were keen to impress. We won our first game comfortably but had very narrow losses in our next two pool games. This put us in the plate competition where we came up against The Crypt School. We managed to have a 19-0 lead at half time and yet, we lost 19-21. This was very hard to take in what turned out to be my last sevens tournament for the school. The next tournament was our home tournament which came the day after the final of the National Bowl Competition. Our 1st XV had just won which meant none of these players were able to play. This was disappointing for the squad as we were set to go in as the defending champions.

U16 Describing this as a tough season just doesn’t tell the full story. With key personnel from the previous season missing for a variety of reasons, the campaign was destined to be difficult from the start. Sure enough, our first encounter would prove to be a real challenge. Facing a strong Solihull side was a valuable experience and, even though we narrowly lost this fixture, we learned a great deal from the fight. It was clear that this was a good group of lads to work with. St Peter’s, our opposition the following weekend, provided another close match, but Sir Thomas Rich’s was more of a battle. With a week to regroup, we managed our first victory: a comprehensive win over King Edward’s, Birmingham. We would meet them again a couple of weeks later and overpower them once again. Losing against RGS was disappointing: we had trained well, but were overwhelmed by the occasion and made a few early mistakes. These were costly, and our confidence was eroded as theirs grew. Learning from our mistakes, and refusing to lie down, we forged ahead with victories over Bristol Grammar School, Dean Close

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and Bishop Vesey’s. Most notable of those was the 17-12 victory over Dean Close. This was a tremendous win, against a powerful side, with the deciding factors being passion and fight throughout the squad. There was a very committed group of players, keen to train, regardless of conditions, but never a full squad. This was our biggest obstacle to becoming a fully functioning side. Thankfully, as we turned our attention towards sevens, our quality would shine through. We won our place in the final at the Warwick School Sevens tournament by beating a string of quality rugby schools. Being struck down with injury by the final, so often the case for smaller squads, we did extremely well, only narrowly missing out. We took this success into training for the Rosslyn Park National Sevens and performed strongly throughout. It was a real triumph to make it through to Day 2 and to play in front of the TV cameras on the main pitch, losing narrowly to Hurstpierpoint and just missing out on a place in the quarter-final. Getting to the last 16 in the country was a super achievement from the boys! CWSW

The boys that did play, however, did not take a backwards step and challenged all opposition right to the end. The final tournament of the season and the last time the boys would play together as a team was a week after this at the Rosslyn Park Sevens. This is the biggest tournament of the season and one which every schoollevel sevens player wants to take part in. Unfortunately, I was unable to take part in the tournament and Charles Clark captained well in my absence. The squad started off strongly with two convincing wins over The Perse School and Caerleon Comprehensive School. However, the small pitches the team had to play on did not suit our style of play and we struggled in the following two games, losing narrowly. Overall, this sevens season didn’t go quite to plan, but, the players never gave up and were always there at training, week in, week out, to make sure that they were at the best level they could be. I would again like to thank Mr Mason and all the coaches for their time and effort over the season both on and off the pitch. Max Richardson

U15 The 2019 season with the under 15s will undoubtedly go down as one of my most memorable seasons as a school coach. It was hugely enjoyable, not only because of the success the team enjoyed on the pitch, but because of the way the boys bonded and developed as a group and as individuals. The under 15s finished their season with an impressive eleven wins and only two losses, against Bristol Grammar and Bromsgrove in the Nat West cup. This team wouldn’t have been described as the most skilful in the early parts of the season, but I have never been involved with a team that has trained and played with such determination and constantly wanted to do well for each other, week in week out. Due to their brilliant approach to training, a huge amount of progress was achieved. By the end of the season, they would have been a match for any side. Their work ethic was complemented by the brilliance of captain Alex Terry and Josh Richardson at half backs, who often provided moments of magic to turn games on their head and cut through the opposition defences. The side were also blessed with the power and aggression of forwards Ben Williams, Will Wrout and Joe Clive who consistently shone throughout the season in both defence and attack. The whole team bought into a fast

and open style of play and allowed us to deliver an exciting and free-flowing form of rugby which meant we could attack from all areas of the pitch. Henry Collinson, Freddie Allan and Arry Ghoncech all had stand-out seasons and at times showed real quality. Bill Wales also impressed when he switched to fly-half mid-way through the season to replace the injured Richardson. Highlights include beating both Solihull and St. Peter’s for the first time and emphatic victories over Bishop Vesey’s (36-0) and local rival RGS (44-0). In the previous season they had beaten Bishop Vesey’s narrowly, so this game was always

going to be something to look forward to. Unfortunately for Bishop Vesey’s, the boys produced their best performance of the season and the visitors had no answers to the high speed and intensity with which the team looked to play. King’s won 36-0. The hard work the squad put into developing their catching and passing under pressure paid off in the latter stages of the season and proved too much for many opposition defences to cope with. I look forward to seeing how the team develops as the boys progress to playing for the 1st and 2nd XVs next season. SG

U14 Although the successes of the team the previous year had been sporadic, this talented group of boys showed their true ability as the season progressed. There was much sweat and toil, the occasional tear, many an afternoon ending on “the hill”, but the boys bought into the concepts of hard work, teamwork and individual responsibility, and by winning their last eight games, and only losing two all season, they developed into a highly efficient, cohesive, skilled and exciting team to watch.

The season got off to a very difficult start, away to Solihull, who were by far the best side we played all year, and who ended the year undefeated. It clearly showed where time and effort needed to be invested, as well as identifying the best positions for a couple of the boys. After this initial defeat, the only other loss came away to Loughborough 12 – 10; with a severely weakened line up it, was a brilliant game and, even in defeat, provided the boys with further confidence.

Victories over OSH, Bishop Vesey’s and Trent were all hard-fought, as was the tremendous team performance against RGS, where Adam Rutter scored a hattrick. There were easier wins against Sir Thomas Rich, KES Birmingham and Bristol. The team was brilliantly led by Ben Withnall and the new boy, Laurie Checkley, was outstanding throughout. The boys should head into next year full of self-belief; they were a pleasure to coach and a wonderful advert for King’s. AADG

focus throughout a long day at some rugby 7s tournaments where several matches are played: they displayed some superb rugby combined with uncharacteristic mistakes. Ollie Palmer and Ollie Tranter scored the majority of the tries, but the whole team shows great potential with all players

having the ability to step up to challenges and make vital contributions. I wish them every success and am sure they can go on to great things, if they take on board the advice they are given next year. JNG

U13 The U13 rugby team had an impressive season, winning the vast majority of their matches and remaining unbeaten in the Warwick 7s, Rosslyn Park 7s in London and in our home tournament at King’s. They have, at times, been a little inconsistent and occasionally struggled to maintain

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U12 The U12s’ season got off to an exciting start, defeating Solihull before the first training session! Despite playing some very impressive opposition, especially a very strong St Peter’s side, the team had an impressive record, winning seven, losing four and drawing two. The draw against RGS was a genuinely tense and thrilling affair and it was pleasing to see the passion with which the boys played. I was impressed with the numbers who worked hard at training sessions throughout the year; this resulted in a strong ‘B’ team as well. Will Mason led the side from fly-half, scoring crucial tries. He was especially strong in defence, having an impressive ability to rip the

ball from opposing attackers. Ollie Yip was a consistent scrum-half, whilst Zac Mason had a real knack for breaking the gain line from deep. The forwards grew in strength, with Michael Edwards and Charlie Sheppard showing real strength. It was pleasing to see three boys who worked hard all year really excel in the sevens tournaments. Joe Stone, Will Tucker and Isaac Blasdale developed their game and will be even stronger next year. With further experience and coaching, this dedicated group of players will continue to enjoy their rugby for years to come. JOH

Will Mason one of the U12 Captains, has written a few words: This season, I think that we have made a lot of progress from our set pieces to our handling. One of our toughest games was against RGS; the score in the end was 0-0, which was a big surprise for everyone as there was a disallowed try for each side. I personally think that our best performance was against Dean Close, where our hard work resulted in a 35-20 win. Now on to sevens: our highlight as a match was our victory against Bishop Vesey’s, especially after losing to them when we played them in 12-a-side. The squad would like to thank Mr Hand as he has really helped everyone in the Under 12 team.

Rugby Tour In early July a tour party of 45 Six Formers travelled to South Africa for two weeks to sample the culture and wildlife and play eight games of rugby. The boys conducted themselves extremely well in all aspects of the tour, which made for a very enjoyable experience. We started in Johannesburg, playing our first game against Odendaal High School. They were great hosts and provided the 1st and 2nd teams with competitive matches. Both sides played some good rugby and made a successful start to the tour. One of the highlights of this part of the tour was a visit to the Winnie Mabaso Foundation, where the boys had a tour of the shelter that looks after vulnerable girls, before spending some time entertaining a class of five and six year olds at the nearby township. We then moved onto Ermelo High School, located near the Swaziland border, where we were hosted in the school’s boarding house. The games were real tests for the boys with 10 of the Ermelo team representing the Springbok U18s team.

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Although we lost both games, the boys took a great deal from the experience. The next few days saw us on safari in Kwazulu Natal, where we were fortunate to see most of the Big Five. On the journey down the coast to Durban, we stopped in St Lucia for a hippo and croc cruise. Our third game was against Westville Boys, who provided the seconds with a really tough game but to their credit they kept working hard throughout. The firsts played some excellent rugby, with improved physicality at the rucks which helped them earn their second win. Before traveling up to Drakensberg, with its stunning scenery, the boys were able to relax in the sea and try

out some surfing. This was enjoyed by all, despite the mixed results! Port Shepstone High School, two hours down the coast, provided our final games. These were well supported and produced entertaining rugby and two more wins. Overall the rugby was very physical and really tested the players but they acquitted themselves extremely well winning five of the eight games. Before flying out of Durban, the boys had some more time at the beach and watched a Currie Cup match at King’s Park stadium in Durban. I would like to thank the staff for all the time they put in to making this a memorable tour. JJM

Pastoral

Chappel House It’s been another exciting year in Chappel House. We kick-started the year with success in the House Song Competition, where the house emerged victorious with ABBA’s classic, S.O.S and Amy Heptinstall as our soloist. It was great fun to perform at the winners’ concert and we hope we’ve now set a precedent! Another early event was the Lower Remove team building day. This was hugely enjoyable, and it was great for staff and pupils to spend time with each other outside the classroom. Charity has, once again, been at the forefront of what Chappel is all about. Our Big Quiz Night, held in the Boathouse, was a roaring success, raising over £800 for MIND, our house charity. During the year we have also held a cake sale and collection for MAGGS

Day Centre and a phone amnesty to raise even more funds for MIND. In total we’ve raised over £1200 this year and supplied the homeless with blankets, clothes and basic food items. We would like to thank our terrific Chappel parents for their constant support of our charity events. A house bowling trip was a great success with members from all year groups coming together to have fun. This was swiftly followed by Chappel’s legendary Christmas party; music, pizza and games were just the tonic after a very busy and productive term. Throughout the year our pupils have stepped up to the plate, representing the house in various school and inter-house competitions. Although we were often denied success, this was not through lack of

effort or team spirit. A special thanks goes to all who represented the house whether it be our debaters, quizzers, sports’ teams or musicians – you are all magnificent - and congratulations to our hockey players who were triumphant in winning the inter-house hockey competition! Over the year we’ve enjoyed dodgeball in the Sports’ Hall, boule in the gardens, mixed team quizzes to keep abreast of current affairs and a reading group. None of this would be possible without our tremendous team of year group tutors who remain as supportive and invaluable as ever. Thanks also go to Holly Whitcomb and Myles Whaley who have led the house magnificently – we will miss all our U6th and send them on their way with our love and best wishes. NJS

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Bright House The year began with an exciting trip for the Lower Remove to Aztec Adventure. Pupils were able to enjoy various climbing activities and water sports including building their own raft before racing it on the water. The rafts held together well, although a little more work was needed on synchronising the paddling to ensure it went forward rather than round and around in circles. I am not sure whether it was through lack of balance, or whether they thought it would be quicker, but Flo Clines and George Capel both ended up falling off the raft and swimming to the finish line rather than paddling. The day was a good test of leadership, teamwork and their sense of humour. All of which they passed impressively, and was the first of many times that this superb year group excelled. The next significant event in the calendar was the House Song competition, and although our version of Take That’s ‘Back For Good’ might not have troubled the winners, and there may have been question marks over the musical quality, the effort and enthusiasm, particularly of the Sixth Form rugby players, was never in doubt. Special

thanks must go to Dani Brennan who did a brilliant job at organising rehearsals, Sophie Harrison for conducting, and Lower Remove pupil David Wills who did a great job on the piano. I am sure that if David continues to play for us it will only be a matter of time before Bright House feature in the winners’ concert. The performance in the House Song Competition is fairly indicative of most of our other house events this year: plenty of effort, enthusiasm and spirit, but not always unbridled success. We did feature in a few finals but were narrowly beaten, that is until the senior 4-a-side football. In a tense final, the boys came out deserved winners, and with most of the team in the Lower Sixth, they will have high hopes of defending the title next year. We are very proud of the achievements of our pupils, including the success they have achieved at swimming, riding, canoeing and climbing out of school, but what is particularly impressive is the enthusiasm and good humour they show in everything they do. This was exemplified in the Senior Sports Day, particularly when the rain became torrential and spectators

Castle House In our new house rooms, part of the refurbished MFL Department, Castle House enjoyed a year full of achievement in our ever-friendly little community. We had high hopes in the House Song Competition, performing a harmonious medley mash up of “Give It Up” and “Never Gonna Give You Up”. According to Mr Deichen, “We were robbed!”, and narrowly beaten to first place by Chappel House. Coming second seemed to become the trend for our house. Our senior netballers placed second in the final against Choir House. The outcome was repeated in the junior netball competition, but, there is no doubt that netball in Castle House has a promising future ahead. Our senior footballers were the runners-up and the junior footballers, though unplaced, showed great skills and determination. We were third in the hockey tournament and pleased to beat Wulstan who we were pitted against as favourites. While many members of the house engaged keenly in inter-house Senior Sports Day, even despite torrential rain, we were not ranked. It was disappointing that the Junior Sports Day had to be cancelled due to the similarly poor weather. Our first victory came in the junior basketball tournament despite tough competition, showing the willpower and skill from younger members of the house. The winning streak continued in the MFL Quiz, suggesting our strengths are cerebral,

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as well as athletic. As the newest house, our success in all competitions has proved that Castle’s strong team spirit and enthusiasm can hold its own against larger houses. Creative, and mostly physical, house activities, including, “human bingo”, matsliding contests (a Mr Houghton special), an Easter egg hunt and musical chairs have been enjoyed by all, culminating in the “Great Binbag Fashion Show” on the last day of the year. Another highlight was Castle’s pizza and film night with each year group contributing a short film of their own. Congratulations to our House Tutor Mr Deichen and his wife on the birth of baby Alice. We say goodbye to Mrs Le Marchand who is retiring at the end of this year, having been a brilliant year group tutor to the Upper Sixth for the past few years and key member of the house; she will be missed. Castle wishes her every success in her master’s degree and hope she enjoys her retirement. In September Castle will for the first time in its history be a fullsized house and will be able to reach its full potential, under the leadership of the new heads of house: Anna Kimberly and Emily Wood. Good luck to them and the rest of Castle next year! Amy Mushing

and competitors were all soaked to the skin. Everyone still gave it their all regardless of whether they had hopes of winning an event or simply knew that they were making up the numbers to gain a few more valuable points for the house. The year ended as it had begun, with a Lower Remove activity, this time a trip to the Old Chapel. Once again, their enthusiasm was most impressive, as was that of the new Heads of House, Lily Stringer and George Monce. As the departing Heads of House Josh Moorehouse and Sophie Harrison stand down, we know that with George and Lily in charge, the house is destined for another exciting year. CH

Choir House Choir House started the new academic year by welcoming a new Year Group Tutor, Mr Owen, whose sartorial elegance was noted from day one (his choice of football team was also appreciated by the House Tutor). We have been keen to involve pupils in mixed year groups in house activities and have strived to achieve a balance of quizzes and other more strenuous pursuits such as tug of war. Although our house song wasn’t quite as successful as in previous years, the Upper Sixth must be praised for their enthusiasm in bringing it to fruition, and the whole house for the volume they achieved in College Hall (tone and musicality will feature on the house development plan for next year). We do, however, continue to be a strong competitor in all house competitions with success in junior and senior netball and a superb victory at the recent Senior sports Day. Our success in the latter competition was down to a brilliant team effort with pupils unselfishly stepping into events outside their comfort zone, some at the last minute, to earn valuable points. Once again, we were pipped at the post in the interhouse debating final, demonstrating the strong diversity of talent within the house. Additionally, Amelia Clark and Ben Walker deserve much credit for their roles as Heads of House, and along with the rest of our wonderful leaving Upper Sixth. We wish them well in the next chapter of their lives; they will always be part of Choir House. I would also like to pay tribute to Mr Routledge who became a much-loved member of the team in his all too brief time in the house. RJJ

Creighton House Early in the year, Creighton House organised a new event - the Sixth Form Curry Night. This gave the new Lower Sixth a chance to mix with the Upper Sixth and it proved a great success. Another early event was the Lower Remove team building day at Aztec Adventure. This was very enjoyable, and it was great for staff and pupils to spend time with each other outside of the classroom. As always, it has been a busy year of interhouse events. Creighton put in a sound performance in the House Song Competition but ultimately didn’t make it through to the final. Greater success was to be had in the inter-house football competition. The junior boys, led superbly by Ben Bartlett, played some excellent football, yet it was their team spirit and positive work ethic that contributed to their victory in the final. The senior boys also did the house proud, going all the way to the final, but unfortunately were pipped at the post and finished runners-up.

Creighton put in some fine performances in both the Inter-House Quiz and the debating competition. In the quiz, Charlie Mackintosh, Tom Angell and Grace Tivnan progressed serenely through the initial rounds, making it into the final. We finished runners-up after one of the closest finals in recent years, with the winning point occurring in the final thirty seconds! In the debating competition, Charlie Mackintosh and Tom Angell again represented the house with distinction. The motion debated was, ‘This House would legalise paid surrogacy in the UK’, and Creighton were the ‘Proposition’, supporting the motion. Charlie and Tom constructed a superb case and presented their ideas convincingly, both showing excellent skill in delivering their key points. Senior Sports Day went ahead despite some testing weather conditions and Creighton showed tremendous team spirit ensuring that we had a representative in all events. In the end it was the fact that many members of the

house stepped up to the mark, even at times when they were not playing to their strengths, that was most impressive. This is highly commendable and is a valuable life lesson to all. As the academic year draws to a close, we say a fond farewell to our Upper Sixth. We wish them all the very best for their futures and trust that they will stay in contact with Creighton House. We will also be sadly saying goodbye to Mr Gillgrass, better known as Gilly, who is stepping down from his house role after a phenomenal 23 years attached to Creighton. Gilly has been at the very heart of the house and his enthusiasm and humour will be missed by us all. We wish him well and know that his influence upon Creighton House will continue far beyond his exit. WJJ

Kittermaster House This year Kittermaster House has been particularly productive across all aspects of curriculum and co-curriculum activities. Officially, our achievements can be briefly summarised: 4th in House Song Competition with the Kooks’, ‘She moves in her own way’; Amy (LR) winning the House solo song competition, with her rendition of ‘O Mio Babino Caro’; and the Lower Removes winning in the GCHQ linguistic challenge. These achievements do not fully represent the commitment or spirit that Kittermaster has put into the competitions and, even though we may not have come

away with medals in more competitions, we were able to field a strong and positive team for each event. Individual achievements have been a notable feature of the past year. Many house members took part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme as well as some L6 taking part in the NCS scheme. The Lower Sixth has been busy with Young Enterprise, whilst the U6 and FF have been revising hard for their exams.

As we go into the new academic year, we will be passing on the metaphorical baton to the new Heads of House, Naomi Marsden and Shaiyan Siddiqi with Jack Baker (Sports Captain) and Eleni Smith (Deputy Head of House) whilst other members of the L6 have been chosen to take up monitor positions (Joe Amos, Nicole Sherwood and Hannah Latham). We wish them all the best in their roles next year. We also feel it appropriate to recognise the amazing work and the example set by Mrs. Neville who has taken over from Mr. Davis at the start of this year. Peter Simpson and Cara Taylor

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Oswald House Oswald have had another excellent year, described in the students’ own words as both ‘busy’ and ‘fun’. As always, Oswald students have thrown themselves into all events and participated with great enthusiasm this year. It started with a joint trip made by the Sixth Form to Aztec in Upton Warren. An enjoyable time was had by all, jumping on the inflatables and getting very wet. It allowed the new Lower Sixth to meet their peers and bond with the Upper Sixth. This set a positive tone and meant we approached the House Song Competition with the usual Oswald dedication. After much hard work and rehearsals, led by our

Upper Sixth musicians, we placed third with a unique performance of Boney M’s ‘Rasputin’. Our next success was in the Inter-House Hockey Competition, where we placed second overall. In the spring term, a group of Fifth Form and Sixth Form students participated in the Inter-House Quiz Competition. Oswald won first place against tough opposition and we would like to congratulate Edmund Poel, Daisy Beedie, Ella Fidlin and Clara Watson on this well-deserved success. As summer approached, the Lower Remove spent two enjoyable days on house camp; activities included: canoeing, climbing, walking trails

and a zip wire. Cooking their own food on camp stoves was a new experience for some, although one which proved very successful. The house finished the year with a party in the gardens. Lots of games were played and it was nice to be able to spend time with the departing Upper Sixth and our staff team. It also gave us an opportunity to say a very sad goodbye to our House Tutor, Mrs Haddock and Lower Remove Year Group Tutor, Miss Drinkwater. We would like to thank them so much for the hard work and dedication they have put into Oswald, and we wish them luck with their next adventures. LEH

School House The highlight of the year for the Lower Removes was going on camp at the Old Chapel. It was a great opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and to get to know Grace Williams, one of our new Heads of House. The first day was spent canoeing; the weather was reasonable, but the boats were still full of water on our return after some epic splashing battles and a fun game of canoe polo. Despite the minibus breaking down, we managed to arrive at the Old Chapel without too much delay and enjoyed an evening in the company of Creighton House. While ‘we were robbed of success’ in the annual House Song Competition, we won the Senior House Debating Contest against Choir with the motion of, “This House believes that Brexit will benefit young people”. Zoe Kimber and Annie Darwent robustly made the case that leaving the

European Union would not benefit younger people and garnered huge support from the assembled school for the compelling case they made. We reached the semifinals of the Senior Inter-House Football Competition due to a superb goal from Seb Hood. Jia Jie Huang’s beautiful rendition of an excerpt from Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ in the Cathedral on King’s Day was a triumphant yet moving end to his time here at King’s. Jia Jie and Esme BlinmanWilson have been excellent Heads of House this year. Jia Jie’s reading of daily notices has become legendary and Esme’s calm and efficient manner has been greatly appreciated by the staff. It was with great affection that we said farewell to Steve Bain as House Tutor at the end of the Summer Term. He joined King’s in 1985, taking over from Marc Roberts in School House in 1989 in the days

when it was a boys’ boarding house. Steve moved on to be House Tutor in 1991 when School House had no boarders for the first time in its history. Hundreds of pupils have benefited from his pastoral care over the years, all delivered in his modest and understated manner. Hours spent supporting teams on the sidelines as they represented the house across a variety of sports will be remembered with fondness by those involved. We wish him all the best in the years to come in his life beyond King’s. Mr Bain is succeeded as House Tutor of School House by Mr Gilbert, a Politics and History teacher who joined King’s in 2017. As Mr Gilbert said, “Steve has positively impacted the lives of a huge number of King’s pupils over decades and he now deserves some time for himself. They are huge shoes to step into.” SCB

Wulstan House We were both very pleased on being told that we had been chosen as the new Heads of House in Wulstan as there had been a fair bit of competition for the posts. Our first official event was the House Induction Evening in September where it was rewarding to be able to share our detailed knowledge of the house system with parents. Our roles have largely been focused on helping the house staff run daily activities effectively, acting as a springboard for new ideas and

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initiatives, and generally creating a positive atmosphere around the place. Addressing the house on a regular basis as well as running our weekly quizzes and chairing discussion groups has become almost second nature, something both of us deem incredibly valuable for the future. My (Sophie’s) unprepared interview as school Netball Captain in the lead-up to Superball was certainly an experience to remember! As Heads of House, we frequently get asked our opinion on how to best use the

limited amount of free time in the house; this year, for example, we have done more physical activities in the morning, with several hotly contested matches against Choir House being enjoyed by all, even the initially reluctant. Being top of the tree has been very rewarding in many ways and we would like to thank our House Tutors, alongside all the pupils for making our final year in Wulstan so enjoyable. Sophie Welburn and Michael Nice

Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hawford

What a wonderfully busy and immensely purposeful year this has been, with such a breath-taking variety of moments to celebrate. We are so proud of the children and the joyful way that they embrace the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawford Spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; giving their all in the firm knowledge that they can achieve anything that they set their minds to. Both academically and spiritually the children have demonstrated a welcome balance of talent and energy set against a caring environment designed to give children every opportunity to become themselves. The Vigornian

Staff To begin with there have been a few goodbyes this year. Joel Turvey (Deputy Head, Academic) was appointed to the role of Head at Abberley Parochial School from Easter 2019 and we thank him for his excellent leadership in the role, moving the school forward in many key areas. Kathy Turk is departing to take up a job closer to home and after 12 years’ service as Art and Design teacher she leaves some wonderful memories of some extraordinary projects.

Abi Hershman is also leaving after 8 years of dedicated service in a wide variety of roles. In addition, Becky Pearman is thanked for all of her hard work and dedication in PrePrep as she moves on this year. Caroline Knight moves to the role of Deputy Head (Academic) from September and Oliver Roberts will become Head of Lower school in her stead. Joanne Rand continues her maternity leave until Christmas and Mrs

Evans will take her class until her return. Additionally, James Dewhirst joined the staff on a temporary basis for Joel Turvey and will extend that to cover the continuing maternity leave of Anna Leatherdale. We also welcome Paula Gregory to the staff on a permanent basis as she takes up the role of Art and Design teacher. We extend our thanks to all those who are leaving and look forward to exciting times ahead with those who are joining us.

Academic Success We were absolutely delighted with the progress that the children made this year which was highlighted by our best ever results in the King’s Entrance test. We were delighted that all children were offered places at King’s Senior School. Academic scholarships and exhibitions were offered to Bryony Gillgrass, Freddie YorkeBrookes, Holly Oliver, Alex Probert, Caitlin Rutter, Annabel Wales, Holly Oliver, Donal Clason (maths), Abigail Haldane, Eliza Pritchard, Daniel Arridge (maths) and Bella Crompton (English). Noah DuPont was awarded an all-rounder Award. We were also pleased to see four music scholarships and exhibitions being offered to Annabel Wales, Angelina Martin, Jasmine Shukla and Joshua Adam. In addition, Abigail

Haldane was offered an academic and sports scholarship to RGS. Academic progress across the school continues to be strong, particularly in maths and writing where almost all children exceed the nationally expected levels of development. This demonstrates a significant value added which the children gain through excellent parental and pastoral support, outstanding teaching and learning, a development of a positive learning attitude and a broad and carefully planned curriculum.

children have about reading. It has been pleasing to see the library regularly in use, whether it be a ‘mystery reader’ session with a friend of the school community dressed as, for example, a pirate or a reading session for our Year 6 children. The bus is a fantastic addition to our school that is already having a positive impact. Hawford is a place where literature is loved and both reading and writing receive a significant amount of focus. This can be seen in the wonderful results we have had in the Worcester Young Writer Competition where Hawford pupils were awarded first, second and third places.

With the addition of our wonderful library bus, we have sought to improve the reading culture of our school and the attitudes

The Arts LAMDA remains ever popular with students at King’s Hawford. It enables students to grow in confidence and also enables them to adapt to many different settings that call for performance, whether that is presenting information, giving a speech, engaging with peers or elders or taking part in a public performance, festival or an examination. The examinations taken in September 2018 saw an impressive 100% pass rate of 66 students taking the exams, achieving 39 distinctions, 25 merits and two passes. March saw 55 students entering the Speech and Drama classes of Worcester Competitive Arts Festival and we were pleased to see excellent results being achieved recently in the festival. Dance continues to be a fun and energetic part of the school week. Our annual dance showcase was once again a real hit and greatly enjoyed by all. ‘Schools Out’ took us all back to our school days with classic hits such as Baggy Trousers, ABC and Kiss the Teacher, all the way through to modern day songs from Matilda the Musical and School of Rock. The children really enjoyed getting dressed up with some fantastic costumes, and the Hawford hair and make94

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up team really went to town and created some punk rockers for the evening. The children performed in the comfort of their own school in the Barn this year which gave it an extra special feel. Their confidence, dance ability and performance skills are improving each year and you can definitely see the progression through the ages. The future is looking bright in terms of instrumental teaching with 39 children receiving singing tuition in addition to 33 for piano, 24 for woodwind (bassoon/clarinet/ oboe/saxophone/flute), 23 for violin, 16 for Guitar, 12 for drums, 10 for brass and four for cello. Senior Choir (Years 5 and 6) remains very popular with numbers at around 50 pupils. During the year we offered Senior Choir, Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Junior Choir, a Guitar Group, a Year 5 and 6 Musical Production, a Year 3 and 4 Musical Production, Informal Concerts and more formal occasions for performance such as the Spring Concert, Charity Concert, Christmas Services and Grandparents’ Day Concert. The Worcester Competitive Arts Festival is always a major event in the school year for our musicians. In March King’s Hawford

Jazz Group, Brass Group and Orchestra entered the ‘10 and Under Orchestra or Band Class’ Cup, coming 1st 2nd and 3rd, and winning the class for the 7th consecutive year. We were pleased to see excellent results being recorded by those entering the festival, with the Guitar Group being awarded first place with Honours and many other individual successes. The Junior Choir and the Chamber Choir (12 voices) also won their sections, making this year one of our most successful Festivals. Hawford always looks forward to its moments upon the stage and it’s been a most memorable year on that front. In December the EYFS performed their nativity ‘Stable by Starlight’, and Pre-Prep Year 1 and 2 Nativity performed ‘Hooray in a Manger’. All children were involved in singing all the songs and performing a class dance. Musical productions have gone from strength to strength over the past few years and culminated in two outstanding shows. In March we thoroughly enjoyed the excellent Year 3 and 4 production of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’. Then, in June, the Year 5 and 6 children drew plaudits from many directions for their phenomenal performances in ‘Grease’.

Charitable Fundraising This year King’s Hawford chose to support Winston’s Wish, the charity for bereaved children. As a charity, this is especially close to the hearts of everyone in the King’s Hawford community and we are enormously grateful for the way in which everybody embraced this year’s choice and supported all of our fundraising activities and events. Over the year we have held cake sales, enjoyed a “Onesie and Wig Day”, run stalls at the Christmas Fayre and May Fete, enjoyed a Valentine Disco, break time busking and together created a Winston’s Wish copper trail. Our autumn term Roy Orbison Charity Concert raised over £1000 whilst sponsorship of the Year 6 rugby tour to York and an early morning sponsored swim raised over £720. Meanwhile, the hugely enjoyable “Tonki Fest”, organised by our parents, drew children, parents and friends from across the Foundation and raised a magnificent £3804. We have also been very grateful to the local businesses who have made their own significant contributions during the course of our fundraising year. Throughout the year we have maintained close contact with the charity and were pleased to invite a representative to a

special assembly in February to outline their important work and the invaluable support that Winston’s Wish provides. A return visit in July, along with their mascot Winston Bear, brought our fundraising year to a close and we were thrilled to be able to present a cheque to the charity for £9100. Aside from our school charity, the sale of fresh produce from the Harvest Festival raised £63.80 for the Salvation Army and 540Kg of food items were delivered to the Worcester Food Bank. Our support of the annual Poppy Appeal raised £313.01 and the collection following our Carol Service at St Andrew’s Ombersley raised £436.59 towards the church’s refurbishment project. In addition, the St. Richard’s Hospice Hollywood Ball at Stanbrook Abbey, held at the end of March, raised an impressive £7631.61 Finally, our children, through the School Council, raised £546 towards the education of a child at Worcester Primary School, South Africa. We are looking forward to a visit from four teaching staff at WPS in September 2019 and have a further visit to the Western Cape planned for April 2020. We are also most grateful for the sponsorship from individual parents which provides fees for a further two pupils.

Parents’ Association We thank our dedicated team of parents for all of their hard work this year. Events such as the Christmas Fayre, the May Fete, Bonfire Night and The Summer Ball have all contributed to a rich and diverse school community, raising money for a wide variety of school-related projects. One has only to look at the tipi and the school bus library to see the vital role that the PA have on our wider school and the delight that the children have for such wonderfully eclectic teaching spaces.

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Sports Throughout the 2018-19 year, sport at King’s Hawford has continued to thrive. The children have shown a real passion for their Physical Education and Games lessons and enjoyment of sport, regardless of ability levels, is at an all-time high. We are immensely proud of our children’s successes in sport, whether that be a team gaining qualification to national finals in a sport or simply an individual discovering a new-found enjoyment and enthusiasm for a particular activity. Swimming at King’s Hawford remains strong through our regular swimming lessons. We have a number of very capable young swimmers and this was displayed at the IAPS swimming regional qualifying event at King Henry VIII School in Coventry on Thursday 7th February 2019. The majority of the Year 5 and 6 squad swam personal best times in their events and a special mention should go to the performances of Abigail Haldane and Lillie Sawyer who both swam exceptionally in their races. Perhaps the most popular and successful of the individual sports during 2018-19 at King’s Hawford was athletics. Throughout the summer term the children showed commendable commitment and desire to strive to improve their performances across the whole range of track and field events. It is with immense pride that we can report on the success of two of our pupils, Noah Dupont and Freddie Yorke-Brooks. Both qualified for the national finals and Noah went on to win both the high jump and the long jump to become our first national champion in athletics. Netball continues to be a strong sport for Hawford. The Year 6 girls went to the IAPS netball regional tournament at Rugby

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School joined by Year 5 pupil, Harriet Watts and narrowly missed out on getting to the national finals. Meanwhile Our U11 A team have enjoyed great success this term, scoring over 80 goals. They also performed amazingly at the regional IAPS hockey tournament, getting through to the final with the assistance of two Year 5 pupils, Lola Martin and Jennifer Kerton. The rugby season was a tremendous success this year. The under 11s had a fantastic season, playing 25 matches and only losing once. Their performances at Warwick Junior School in the two festivals we attended were, without doubt, the standout moments. In those festivals we were pitched against schools with far larger numbers but the boys showed incredible resilience to win all 7 matches across both festivals. The festivals held locally at Under 8 and 9 were also a great success. The A squads in both year groups emerged

unbeaten again showing incredible promise for the future. We have been very pleased by the continuing progress of football at King’s Hawford. We were delighted to win the ISFA Regional Competition at Clifton College in March and the boys became the first ever King’s Hawford team to reach the football national finals in May where they acquitted themselves with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. We have had growing success in girls’ cricket over the last couple of years and due to some pioneering work by two girls that popularity has gathered considerable momentum. As a whole the school had six boys and two girls involved in the Worcestershire Cricket Pathway in 2018. These numbers have been repeated for the 2018-19 season where we had a further six taking part in the winter training squads.

King’s St Alban’s

2018-19 has been a busy, exciting and fulfilling year in many, many ways. The positive mantra of work hard, play hard is embedded in school life and our children are always quick to grasp new opportunities. Outside the classroom, King’s St Alban’s is in rude health with many notable achievements in sport and the arts, enriching trips and strong engagement with charities and the local community. With the opening of a nursery in September 2019, the next exciting chapter begins. The Vigornian

Academic News King’s St Alban’s remains proud of its academic reputation. Whilst sports tours, concerts and galas grab the headlines, it is what goes on in the classroom (and beyond!) that is at the heart of the school. I am always struck by the classroom environment at KSA and would describe it as ‘quietly purposeful.’ Children love learning and (as would have pleased Mr Armstrong) display a natural curiosity about the world. The same ‘quiet, purposeful’ children might have been charging about on the playground ten minutes earlier; that’s what KSA is all about! Our Year 6 was a stellar group in many ways and certainly academically. This was a ‘bulge’ year of 67 children in (for this first time ever) four classes. Most of these

children will start at King’s in September. Between them, an astonishing twenty received awards in the form of academic, music or all-rounder scholarships. We are very proud of this haul and of the hard work, perseverance and successes of our children. This year has seen excellent progress towards development targets and thus seen the school continue to move forward. We have had a strong focus on handwriting – an important but seemingly disappearing skill – and, through new certificates, staff training and extra support in lessons, made significant progress across all years. We completely changed provision for Wednesday afternoons for our older children to allow us to compete in local sporting

Staff As I wrote last year, we have again had a fairly quiet year in terms of staff movements. Todd Dudley joined us in September 2016 and made a very positive impact as Head of Boys’ Games and Year 5 teacher. He built up a super rapport with the children and played an important role in the recent development of our sport. He left us in April to start his own company and an exciting challenge; teaching’s loss is the drone industry’s gain! Rebecca Cleugh started as SENCO in January and has already made an excellent start in post.

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fixtures but also provide organised and meaningful learning experiences for those left at school. The resulting AFP (activities, fixtures, PSHE) programme has proved effective, given a good model for PSHE and will be developed further next year. We continue to see our caring, nurturing ethos as being at the heart of the school. With this in mind, we delivered Paws b lessons to all children in Year 5 and 6 last year. Paws b is a 12-lesson course of mindfulness for 9-11 year olds and we hope will give our children the coping tools to survive and thrive at senior school and beyond. We have exciting plans to further develop this area next year and this includes working towards the ‘Well Being Award for Schools.’

Growth Mindset We have been blessed with some excellent GAP students in recent times. These ‘youngsters’ (many are OVs) play an integral role in our games provision. This year we say goodbye to Faye Hopkins and welcome Keiza Jordan to assist with girls’ games. Ellie Chadwick returns from maternity leave as Lucinda Hand starts hers. Finally, we wish Nathan Mann and his family well as he starts a new role as Deputy Vice Principal at HD School in Shanghai.

King’s St Alban’s has embraced the principles of Professor Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset for a number of years now. Our children generally have a positive mindset and are certainly encouraged to be resilient in their learning and beyond. This year a group of teachers looked in detail at what we offer in terms of Growth Mindset, character education and in terms at our wider ethos. After much consultation and deliberation this year, we have come up with twelve Growth Mindset words we feel King’s St Alban’s is all about: kindness, perseverance, pride, resilience, respect, responsibility, risk taking, cooperation, curiosity, flexibility, focus and independence. These twelve words perhaps best describe our environment and ethos.

Clubs, Trips and Visitors The number of clubs on offer and the takeup is very impressive at KSA at present! Many children attend clubs, mostly after school, and in many areas. Year 5 and 6 cricket club, for boys and girls, was perhaps the most popular with a roll of 50 some weeks! Children also enjoyed activities such as knit and natter, philosophy, school magazine and aqua fun. We have looked carefully at provision for

residentials, trips and visiting speakers in recent years. The current programme really does enrich the curriculum and foster curiosity and the desire to learn in our children. We have been keen to use our location and tap into what Worcester and Worcestershire have to offer. Highlights this year have included trips to Worcester Infirmary, the Hive, Smite Farm, Severn Valley Railway and Worcester Cathedral. As ever, every child enjoyed the Christmas

theatre visits. We are also keen to host workshops, especially in the arts subjects and our children enjoyed an Architectural Workshop, a session on Junk Drumming and a lively workshop on the Great Fire of London amongst many others. Visiting speakers, many OVs amongst them, gave insights into life beyond the school and the city. As ever, there were residential trips for Years 2 to 6 giving our children the chance to develop and grow their minds.

Sport It is certainly true that sport has never been in a better place than in 2018-19. The year was eventful and successful in many areas. Every child in the junior section participated in school matches and our various successes and experiences were at all all-time high. Cricket is now the main summer sport for both boys and girls and a very popular option. Our swimmers and netball players in particular continue to excel and ensure we ‘punch above our weight’ both locally and beyond. As with all areas of school life, we aim for excellence and inclusion and so the wonderful tournaments at Millfield School for our U11 rugby and swimming teams is as pleasing as the fact that we fielded A, B, C and D teams in some of our hockey fixtures. Highlights would be the aforementioned trips to Millfield, our U11 netballers being crowned IAPS South West Regional Champions and competing at the nationals (and being on local radio!), our swimmers qualifying for the ESSA and IAPS National Finals, an ‘away’ gala at Warwick School and significant successes at the Malvern Aquathlon and the RGS Cross-Country Meet. Our Year 6 children have always been very sporty and will make an impressive impact in sport at King’s. Equally pleasing has been the impact and development of our younger children. Our Year 2s now go to the fields and astro-turf as part of PE. Our success in sport and extensive games provision for all children has benefited our children and the school in many ways: healthy body, healthy mind! The Vigornian

The Arts Participation in the Arts is a regular feature of life at King’s St Alban’s. Junior and Senior Choirs involve every pupil in the school in weekly rehearsals and Wednesday mornings see the whole school come alive with music as everyone attends wind band, string group, guitar group or our weekly hymn practice. Class assemblies and workshops in addition to regular curriculum time across the arts place creativity at the heart of every child’s education. This inclusivity means that children are often working together towards a common goal, whether that be a house song, class dance, group composition or collaborative piece of art work. This year has seen some staggeringly good performances in art, dance, drama and music. This year’s school concerts in College Hall have allowed every pupil to perform either as a soloist or as part of a choir or ensemble. Our Chamber Choir combined forces with the Fourth Form Choir from the Senior School to sing Evensong in Worcester Cathedral. This was a wonderful and memorable occasion for all involved. LAMDA platforms have given our budding actors the opportunity to perform poems, monologues and act scenes

to a live audience in our lovely chapel. Children worked very hard in their LAMDA lessons to prepare these pieces and the standard of performance this year has been extremely high. Our Year 6 play, ‘The Ratbusters’, was an entertaining retelling of ‘The Pied Piper of Hamlyn’, with more than a passing reference to the film ‘Ghostbusters’. It was a challenging play to stage, with a complex script. The actors had clearly worked hard in rehearsals and the end result was impressive. The Year 5 drama group also performed ‘The War of the Vegetables’. A strong and committed cast ensured that this was a huge success. ‘Chance to Dance’ has given our budding dancers and choreographers an opportunity to develop their skills. These shows are becoming increasingly popular and we enjoy the superb facilities in the Wightman Studio, which allows the performers to enjoy professional quality sound and lighting as the backdrop for their work. We are living through some challenging and changing times and this is something

we wanted to explore in this year’s Creative ConneXions, ‘The Beauty of Change’. We derived inspiration from the National Poetry Day in October 2018, entitled ‘Poetry for a Change’. The subject matter was broad and challenging at times and included social and environmental issues alongside lighter topics such as changes in nature and our very own ‘Strictly’ dance, which explored tempo changes. The theme also provided inspiration for some super art work. The audience was treated to a fabulous exhibition in the theatre gallery, which showcased pupils’ work. The arts continue to flourish at KSA and we are now working towards an Artsmark Award. This will acknowledge and celebrate everything we do in this important area and also give us a structure to make further developments.

Parents

Charity

Cathedral Choristers

Our children raised an astonishing £6,500 for various charities this year and should be very proud of this achievement. Various speakers from charities have been into our assemblies to ensure our work in this area is about education as well as fund-raising. Highlights this year have included £2090 raised for Read for Good as part of a push on children reading for pleasure, £650 raised for Birmingham Children’s Hospital from a breakfast and Christmas card sale and £580 raised for Headway from the sale of hundreds of knitted chicks for Easter (all made by staff and their families). Our May Day Walk was a splendid event involving all Junior children and their families and this raised nearly £2000 for the Grace Kelly Ladybird Fund. We also held a collection for the Maggs Day Centre; this filled Mr Chapman’s office with clothes, sleeping bags and food! Many events and certainly all charity suggestions come from the children. We are very proud of them.

We continue to be very proud of our Cathedral choristers, not least because they represent our longest tradition and continue a story now 478 years old! There were eight choristers at King’s St Alban’s this year with some strong leaders in Year 6. As ever, it was lovely to hear the choristers perform in school concerts. Indeed, the November concert was particularly memorable as illness reduced numbers by half and the four remaining boys included the two probationers! Undeterred and undaunted, the boys filled College Hall with their usual wonderful sound. We have made further steps this year to educate the rest of the school about the life of the choristers. The boys remain committed, busy and impressive but, when at KSA, they are ‘normal’ pupils! With pleasing recruitment to the Cathedral Choir and a new Director of Music at the Cathedral, we look forward with optimism to the next year with our choristers.

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The Parents’ Social Group has had something of a transitional year as a number of Year 6 parents have moved on and, encouragingly, been replaced by a good number of parents of younger children. As ever, the group has been very active in arranging social events for families and parents and supporting the school at its own events. Highlights have included the Halloween Party (always a sell-out!), the New Parents’ Picnic, the Spring Cocktail Party and the inaugural Parents’ Summer Garden Party. I am grateful to Emma Butcher, Chair, and many other parents for their presence, support and hard work throughout the year.

Moving On A group of 61 KSA children will join the Lower Fourth in September, full of life and energy and ready for the next step. As in previous years, this group has really grown up in Year 6 and especially towards the end, enjoying carousel weeks in Science, Shakespeare, Humanities, ICT, time at the Old Chapel and a week together in Normandy. They have been a strong, talented and well-bonded cohort and will offer a lot to King’s over the coming years. I wish them all well! RAC

Community

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The King’s School Worcester Development Trust Last year we launched our Bursary Appeal and the response from the OV and wider community has been incredible. The King’s School Worcester Development Trust was established in 1968 to accept donations on behalf of The King’s School and the Development Office at King’s was created in 2000 and has two clear aims: I. to encourage a strong and engaged alumni network; and II. to talk to individuals who wish to give back to the school. The Trust is in the very fortunate position to have an enthusiastic and experienced board of Trustees, who meet three times a year to discuss with King’s Headmaster and Development Director the Trust’s priorities for the year and also to monitor the performance of invested funds. Our Trustees come from a wide variety of backgrounds and all have existing relationships with the school, by being Old Vigornians, parents, governors or teachers.

5 YEAR REUNION

Our Trustees for the year 2018/19 were: Katie Beever (parent, teacher) Julie Best (parent) Hugh Carslake (Chair of Governors, parent) Linton Connell (OV, parent) Douglas Dale (governor) Fanos Hira (OV, parent) Donald Howell (OV) Carl Jury (parent) Pat Preston (parent, governor) Andrew Reekes – Chair of Development Trust (OV, governor) Leanne Sheen (OV) Andrew Underwood (OV, governor) John Weston (OV) During the year, Julie Best and Andrew Underwood stood down as Trustees after 17 and 12 years respectively. We are grateful to both Julie and Andrew for their long service and wise counsel over the years. Andrew continues his close connection with King’s in his capacity as governor.

The Development & Alumni Relations Team The Development & Alumni Relations team have had a busy, tremendously fun and successful year. We have hosted numerous events throughout the year, both in Worcester, in London and in various other UK locations, and it is always a real joy to meet with so many OVs and other members of the King’s family. The team comprises Liz Elliott, Development Director who looks after development and fundraising strategy, Sophie Borrillo-McLellan, who heads up our alumni relations, Alice Evans, our development assistant who coordinates all event bookings, processes donations and is in charge of our social media and OV newsletters, and Cath Williams, database assistant who ensures we maintain accurate contact details and records for all our alumni. In addition to the work we have been doing on our Bursary Appeal and our events programme (see separate sections), we have also focused on increasing our social media reporting and on collecting and sharing OV News. For those who use Facebook and Twitter, please search for us using ‘Old Vigornians’ and do follow us for regular updates and flashbacks of images and events from the archives. We produce weekly OV news throughout the term and periodic news articles throughout the holidays and we also send out a weekly newsletter which can be emailed to anyone who signs up to receive these. OV news is also reported on the King’s website: ksw. org.uk/alumni-news and we always love to hear news about OVs meeting up, awards, achievements or anything you think may be of interest to us! We are incredibly lucky to have such a wonderfully varied, rich and interesting network of OVs and it is always such a pleasure to share news of OVs with others in the King’s family. We really enjoy seeing OVs and friends of the school back at King’s and visiting OVs are very welcome to have a tour of school, which provides us with an opportunity to show off some of our stunning new facilities and also to re-visit some of the more familiar buildings. If you would like to come for a visit to King’s, please give the Development & Alumni Relations team a call on 01905 721737 or email us at alumni@ksw.org.uk. Please remember to keep us informed should you move house or change your email address: alumni@ksw.org.uk

‘ALL THE KING’S MEN’ EVENT

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‘Open the door’ to King’s Bursary Campaign Throughout the year, we sent out over 6,000 Bursary Appeal brochures and over 3,000 brochures to support our Legacy Appeal. We have been very grateful to those people who have responded to the brochures by making donations and the King’s website has a ‘Support us’ page which allows anyone to donate online or offer alternative methods for donating. We have also produced a film in support of the appeal - launched at our London Drinks in October 2018 - which showed a glimpse of the variety of professions that OVs go into and involved OVs sharing their own experiences of their time at King’s, reminiscing on what they felt they gained from their time at school and how this helped them throughout their career. The testimonials from some of our bursary students in the film about the power of a bursary place at King’s is a heartfelt reminder of how donations to the Trust can make a life-changing difference to a child who attends King’s with financial support. If you have not yet had the chance to watch our bursary film, please do take a look and remind yourself why King’s is such a special place.

of shares on our behalf. If you would like to talk to us about donating shares please call Liz Elliott on 01905 721719 or by email on eelliott@ksw.org.uk. ‘Sponsor a Theatre Seat’ was launched in March 2019, during a visit to King’s by OV, Clifford Rose (S 43-38) as Clifford had kindly sponsored a seat. The cost of a name is £200, which includes an etched name on the glass panel and a small named plaque on the theatre seat. All monies raised via this appeal will go towards supporting pupil bursaries at King’s. If you are interested in having your name on the Theatre Panel and on a theatre seat, please contact us on alumni@ksw.og.uk . In March 2019, in conjunction with the Himalayan Trust UK (of whom Tim Keyes and John Walton are both trustees) King’s hosted a successful and entertaining evening of lectures, a Nepalese dinner and an auction to raise funds for the King’s School Worcester Development Trust and for the Himalayan Trust UK. We are very grateful to both Jon Bracey (Ch 90-95)

In January 2019, we launched a ShareGiving Appeal and have been very grateful for the generosity of those who donated shares to The King’s School Worcester Development Trust. The Development Trust has a broker account with Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) and can accept donations of shares either by online transfer to our HL account, via share certificates or by the sale Development Office Funds Since the formation of the Development Office in 2000, almost £8 million has been raised by donations into the Development Trust. In the year to July 2019 donations totalling £690,000 were made to the King’s School Worcester Development Trust. The type of donations received during the year can be

seen below: Donations to the Trust are either invested in an Enduring Fund – where the principle is to retain the capital element and apply investment gains towards financing bursaries – or they are applied into a Fellowship Bursary fund, which supports bursary places immediately in the school. One of the key roles of the Trustees is to ensure that there are sufficient funds to provide for future bursarial support, whilst maintaining the current level of bursary places in the school. In the year to July 2019, ten 100% bursary places were funded from donations to the Trust and the current fund for bursaries stands at just over £3million.

and Nick Robertson (Br 89-94) and to all those who donated auction items and those who bid for the auction lots. We are always hugely grateful to those who give to King’s and you can be reassured that your donation will go directly towards helping children from low income families to come to King’s. If you would like to know more about supporting King’s bursaries, please call Liz Elliott on 01905 721719 or email at eelliott@ ksw.org.uk. Information is also available online at ksw.org.uk/bursary-campaign 1541 Society The 1541 Society recognises all those who have made a major contribution to the Development Trust through legacy pledges, major donations or by volunteering their time and expertise. We are very grateful to those who have committed to remember King’s in their will; this is a very powerful and meaningful way of supporting our Bursary Appeal and ensuring that a child in the future can attend King’s, who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Each year, the Chairman of the Trust hosts a dinner for the members of the society and the Headmaster reports on current activities and future plans for the school. The 1541 Society dinner was held this year on 16th May 2018 and was a hugely enjoyable evening for members of the society, who met for drinks and an excellent dinner provided by the King’s catering team, in the stunning setting of the Michael Baker Boathouse.

The aim is to have a fund of £5million by 2025 and, in the longer term, to be in a position to provide for 40 bursary places from a total fund value of £18million. Updates in Data Protection Legislation We are committed to ensuring that contact details are kept up to date and we also work hard to ensure that all members of the Kings family hear from the Development & Alumni Relations Office as they wish (giving options for individuals to personalise the method and purpose of communications). On all correspondence from the office, a link is provided to personalise communications preferences and we adhere to GDPR legislation when communicating with all individuals, for whom we hold contact details. Our Privacy Notice in relation to development and alumni activities of The King’s School Worcester can be found on the Alumni/Development Trust/Privacy Notice section of the King’s website.

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OVs in the News MBEs for Chris and Stephen Congratulations to OV Chris Koehli (Cr 70-71) on receiving an MBE for services to Carers and Healthcare in Wales. Following a career in accountancy and finance, Chris was appointed as a Non-Executive Director for two health boards, where over a period of 11 years, amongst other responsibilities, he worked to ensure that unpaid carers are recognised and can access the help they need to live their lives. Chris has also been involved with and been a trustee of a number organisations representing carers interests; he is currently a member of the Carers Trust Wales Board. Chris received the award from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in November 2018. We were absolutely thrilled to see that Stephen Darlington (Cl 60-70), former Organist of Christ Church Oxford, was also made an MBE for services to music in the New Year’s Honours. Stephen has only recently stepped down from the office of Organist at Christ Church Cathedral after an incredible 33 years in post. The job was unique – in that the post-holder not only

directs the Cathedral Choir but teaches in the Faculty of Music at the University of Oxford. Speaking to us following the announcement, Stephen said: “I must say it is a delight to have received an award for doing a job I have loved for all these years.” Stephen’s musical accomplishments are many. His recorded works amount to over 50 albums, of which several have won awards including Gramophone Awards. He has travelled worldwide, both with the choir, and as an organist and conductor. He has directed, among others, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, London Mozart Players, English Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, Hanover Band, English String Orchestra and London Musici. Congratulations to Stephen on this wonderful achievement.

OV Knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

We are thrilled to report that OV Dr Stephen Cleobury (Ch 58-67) was been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to choral music. Former Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen said, “I am profoundly honoured to have received this award. I have sought to nourish and support the precious choral tradition that we have in this country, and to be an advocate for the innumerable benefits of singing and choral music. “Nothing I have achieved would have been possible without

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the outstanding singers with whom I have been so fortunate to work. It has been, truly, a privilege. It’s an honour also for the whole activity of choral singing. To be a singer is a great thing; you use every aspect of your body. You use your physique, your brain and intellect, and you express your heart and emotions.” We were saddened to hear of the death of Sir Stephen in November 2019. Photo: Kevin Leighton

OV receives Legion of Honour We were delighted to hear that OV Peter Watson (S 38-41) received the award of the Legion of Honour from the French Government for the contributions he made in 1943 to the Invasion of France and the expulsion of the German forces. The Legion of Honour is the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits, established in 1802, and the French government has been awarding the Légion d’honneur to veterans as a way of honouring and thanking those who fought and risked their lives to secure France’s liberation during the Second World War. Of his achievements, Peter told us with great humility “It all happened so long ago, but I was an air gunner in an RAF Lancaster and we made many sorties over the French Invasion area helping to destroy their airfields railways and “doodle bug “ sites. Why they picked on me I will never know, but I didn’t argue!”. A huge congratulations to Peter on this well-deserved recognition. He is pictured here in 1945 and also receiving his award with his partner Ruth.

OV Appointed as Chairman at Worcestershire County Cricket Club OV Fanos Hira (Os 80-87) has been appointed as Chairman of Worcestershire County Cricket Club. Fanos, who has been a lifelong Worcestershire supporter, has been a member of the Worcestershire CCC Board since January 2016 and became the club’s Audit Group Chairman shortly afterwards. Fanos was delighted to be filling such a key role: “To be given the opportunity to be Chairman of this prestigious club is a tremendous honour.” Worcestershire CCC is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales representing the historic county of Worcestershire.

Rugby Win for OV Captain Congratulations to Matt Humphreys (Ch 00-07) whose team won the Singaporean Ruby Cup Final! Here he is pictured holding the trophy. Matt, who captains the Singapore Wanderers says, “We were extremely pleased to win the Singapore Premiership this season, going unbeaten throughout the whole season, culminating in the Grand Final at Queenstown Stadium, beating Bucks RFC 35-10. I also happened to score a try in the victory, whilst captaining the team this season as well.

OV a 2019 Young Ambassador for The Brain Tumour Charity Congratulations to OV Chantal Smits (Br 12-14) who has been chosen to be a 2019 Young Ambassador for The Brain Tumour Charity. Chantal is a Neurosurgical Anaesthetic Practitioner at The London Clinic and after seeing a poster raising awareness of the symptoms of Brain Tumours in children realised she herself had some symptoms. Soon afterwards, Chantal was diagnosed with a Grade 2 Diffuse Midbrain Astrocytoma which in layman’s terms is a brain tumour that is inoperable, currently incurable and is in an area that controls everything from your hormones to your ability to breathe. As a Young Ambassador Chantal says, ”I am hoping that my voice, expertise and passion about raising awareness will mean that more people are diagnosed early, like me, so that they can be monitored before they have a life altering seizure, and that with more awareness comes increased fundraising and ultimately a cure!”

OV in Runner-up University Challenge Team We are so proud of OV Lizzie Fry (Cr 07-14) for being part of the incredible 2018-19 St Edmund Hall, Oxford University Challenge team. ‘Teddy Hall’ made it all the way to the final and after a close match were just pipped to the top spot by worthy winners Edinburgh University who won 155 to 140 points. Lizzie played extremely well in the final answering a host of questions on topics including sports and ornithology. When Lizzie was at King’s she took part in and captained some of the inter-house school quizzes and was a member of the Quiz Club so it is really inspiring to see how she has used this experience so positively.

OV Baby News

OV Engagement

Bonnie Posselt (Cr 98-03) and her husband Mark are delighted to welcome a baby girl into the world. Josephine Quimby Austin-Carroll was born on the 8th of June at 09.25 weighing 6lbs 1oz. Bonnie says, “It all happened at the military hospital here at Wright-Patterson Air Force base, where I’m working on an exchange posting for 3 years. So, she’s a little American citizen! Her middle name is after ‘Harriet Quimby’ who was the first US female to gain her pilot’s licence in 1911, so is a reminder of our time here in the US, our joint love of flying and hopefully will be a strong inspirational female figure for her.”

We are delighted to announce the engagement of Hannah Lucas (Cr 01– 08) to Thomas Motley. Tom popped the question in February while he and Hannah were on holiday in Berlin. They are to be married in Worcester Cathedral next summer on Saturday 11th July. Congratulations to Polly Sayce (née Mason) (Ch 98-05) and Ed Sayce who are proud parents to Reggie born October 9th 2018. The Vigornian

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OV Weddings We love hearing news of OV weddings and we have got a great selection of wedding stories to share. If you would like to be featured in next year’s edition please email us at alumni@ksw.org.uk.

Sophie Crabtree (née James) (S 97-05) and Chris Crabtree (W 03-05) married in Worcester Cathedral on 14th January 2017 followed by a reception at The Guildhall. Sophie’s sister Ella James and friends, Tamzin Foster (née Simpson) and Rachael Macleod were bridesmaids, and Stephen Humphreys was a groomsman. A number of other OVs were present as guests and OV Bethany Raybould (née Martyn Smith) was the photographer.

In extra news, Sophie and Chris were delighted to have a baby girl called Jessica Elizabeth Crabtree who was born on 29th July 2018 at St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol weighing 6lb 6oz. Her godmothers are Tamzin Foster and Rachael Macleod.

Many congratulations to OV Grace Hawthorne (née Bradley) (Br 07-13) on her marriage to Stephen on Saturday 27th April. Grace and Stephen were married at Pembridge Church and their reception was at Dunkertons Cider Barn. They were joined by lots of friends and family and Grace’s ‘Bride Tribe’ included OVs Jess Longley, Becky Brunt, Molly Farmiloe, Sasha McNeilly, Alice Chilman, Lucinda White, Tess Titmuss and Corah Lewis.

Chris and Sophie have been settled in Bristol for the past 4 years now and are very much enjoying life there. Chris is working as a Civil Engineer with Costain and Sophie is a gastroenterology registrar at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Laura Osborne (née Bligh) (Br 93-01) married James Osborne (Solicitor at Harrison Clark Rickerbys) at Worcester Cathedral on 5th May 2019. Laura had many OVs in attendance including Clare Roberts as her Maid of Honour and Harriet Lynas as a bridesmaid. Carla Small also did a reading.

Helen Harding (née Lee) (Ch 94-01) married Paul Harding at Eastnor Castle on 21st December 2018. Both Helen and Paul are both involved at King’s as they help with the CCF Section on Fridays. Paul is with the Army Section and Helen with the RAF section. Helen was an RAF cadet when she was here at King’s and says how nice it is to be back.

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Annie Young (née Duffy) (Br 01-08) married Stevie Young on 20th October 2018 in County Meath, Ireland. Bridesmaids included OVs Sarah Porter, Amy Procter Nicholls, Lizzie Isaac, Lizzie Unwin and Lucy Senior. Annie’s brother Dara Duffy was one of the groomsmen. OV guests included Olivia Salmon, Nicky Wilkinson, James Yelland, Kit Smith, Robin Middleburgh, Lowri Brown, Tom Lea, Fran Weaver, Tom Mitchell and Emily McNally.

James and Laura jetted off on Honeymoon to Mexico immediately afterwards where they met up to celebrate with OV Oliver Brooks who was working on The Symphony of the Seas starring as Edna in Hairspray the Musical! Laura said of marrying at Worcester Cathedral that it was a dream come true having been so sentimental to her from her time at The King’s School.

Alexandra Bevan Lyons (née Lyons) (K 00-06) married Josh Bevan (brother of Harriet Bevan) on 26th May 2018 at St Giles House in Wimborne St Giles, Dorset. There

were five OVs in attendance - Claire Gott, Gem Stanier, Tasha Shaddick, Danni Riley and Natalie Shingler.

On November 17th 2018 Francesca Mitchell (née Weaver) (W 02-06) married Thomas Mitchell (S 99-06). Tom and Francesca met in Upper Remove at King’s and the rest is history!

Lorcan Lynch and Dara Duffy were Tom’s best men and Tom Rogers and Luke Weaver were both ushers. Francesca’s Maids of Honour were Sophie Codd and Sally Shepherd. Lowri Brown also did a reading in the church and there were many other OVs present too.

Luke Weaver (S 98-03) met Lizzie on 17th July 2013 on a blind date at The Fleet at Twyning, fast forward 4 years and 10 months later… Luke and Lizzie got married on May 26th 2018 at St Andrew’s Church, Ombersley, followed by a marquee reception at Lizzie’s parents. The reception included plenty of drinks, canapes, a two-course wedding breakfast followed by speeches and then everyone was entertained in the evening by a band from Cheltenham called “The Chip Shop Boys” This was quite appropriate as Lizzie’s great

grandad opened the first ever Fish and Chip shop in Worcester. Suffice to say the day itself went really well and everyone had a great time, the weather even behaved and the sides of the marquee had to be rolled up as it got so hot - which was a bit different to the rain showers the day before! Two days later they both flew out on honeymoon spending two weeks in The Maldives and three days in Dubai on the way back.

Eliot Jones (Br 05-12) married Arabella Mitchell on the 22nd June 2019 at Benacre in Suffolk. There were many OVs in attendance from Eliot’s year: Eliot’s ushers were James Green, Robert Battrum and Robert Bennett, Alex Wood was best man and guests included Charlie Dunn and Dave Grinnell (Hon OV).

Alice Smith (née Rees Phillips) (Os 00-05) married Matthew Smith on the 11th August 2018 in Stanton Lacy with their lovely dog Toby there to enjoy the special day too.

King’s were well represented on the day, with the Groom’s party including Alex Cross, Ali Young, David Brazier, Tom Mitchell, Joe Timson, Tom Squire, Alex Humpage, Oli Mathew and Jack Hampson. There were also lots of OVs in attendance, including Francesca Weaver, Tom Scaife, Tom Kolodotschko, Ed Pearce, Dave Payne, James Annis, Alistair Druett, Ozzy Fiaz, Cassie Woodcock (née Brennan), Dave Woodcock, Daisy Scaife (née Barnett), Rebecca Holt (née Hewson), Richard Tomlinson, Rosie Tomlinson (née Tustin), Emily Weaver, Lucy Weaver, Emily Lang, Tom Wilde, Tom Muir and Tom Bird. We have also been delighted to hear that Lizzie and Luke have had a baby! Charles Edward Weaver arrived on Wednesday 3rd July weighing a healthy 8lbs 8oz.

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Peter Winstanley (Cr 99-04), married Lauren Creed in Winchcombe on June 9th with a reception afterwards at Sudeley Castle. OV Simon Potter was one of the

best men and OVs William Woodhouse, Thomas Weston and Patrick Dykes were all ushers.

Congratulations to Lizzie Turner (née Baxter) (S 03-10) on her recent marriage. Lizzie says, “On a blustery day in July, Ian and I married at St. Peter’s Church, Pirton- the very church that my parents married in almost 32 years to the day! Our reception was held back at home in a marquee; we greeted family and friends from all over the world including a large number of OVs from over the years. These include my father, Andrew Baxter, my mother, Laura Baxter (Hon OV), my brother Nick Baxter, my uncle Michael Baxter, my godfather Antony Bonner, my great uncle Malcolm Leonard, my bridesmaid Sophie Kavanagh and friends Jess Hunt (née Bilson), Zennija Clements, Hayley Turner, Sarah Chilman, Alice Chilman and Kate To (née Smith).

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Congratulations to Damian Warburton (Cr 85-92) on his marriage to Kelly Carneiro Saavedra on 4th August 2019 in Bedford. OV Lt. Col. Matthew Walker and his wife Claire attended.

Wonderful news from Lottie Martyn Smith (née Jeavons) (Ch 02-09) and James Martyn Smith (Cl 04-09) who got married on 17th August 2019 at Homme House. OV bridesmaids were Beth Raybould (née Martyn Smith), Hannah Jeavons and Beth Jeavons and Edward Rowley was a bridesman. OV ushers were Oliver Cox and Andrew Hewit. There were lot of OVs in attendance to share their special day including Gemma Martyn-Smith, Sam Martyn-Smith, Maisie MartynSmith, Ben Martyn-Smith, Henry Martyn-Smith, Miranda Shute, Barney Sears, Amelia Martyn-Smith, Melissa Martyn-Smith, Gordon Cox and Ashley Pain.

Barnabas Inspired by St Barnabas, ‘son of encouragement’, our Barnabas speakers are distinguished, inspirational OVs who have excelled in their chosen profession and come into school to share their experiences and inspire current pupils.

ALLAN CLAYTON On Tuesday 25th September, Allan Clayton (H 91-99) joined the Barnabas Group. Allan is established as one of the most exciting and sought-after singers of his generation. Allan garnered huge praise as the lead role in Brett Dean’s Hamlet, which had its world premiere at Glyndebourne in June 2017. This performance attracted raving reviews and saw Allan win several prizes and accolades including the 2018 WhatsOnStage Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Allan also sang the role of David in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Summer 2018 saw him return to Glyndebourne to perform Handel’s Saul, again receiving huge praise and commendation. Allan’s awards are many and they include 2018 Royal Philharmonic Society Singer Award and Best Male Performer in Australia’s prestigious Helpmann Awards. Allan began his Barnabas Day by giving an inspirational address in College Hall reminiscing on his time at King’s. He talked of how lucky he felt to be able to try a variety of activities at school alongside spending much time practising as a chorister; he also enjoyed rugby, football and many other hobbies. He encouraged all the pupils to enjoy their time at school and explained that he wasn’t sure until later in his university studies of the career path he wanted to pursue.

KEITH CARNEGIE Throughout the day, Allan gave a fantastic masterclass to three King’s singers where he workshopped a chosen piece with each of them, offering technical and performance advice. Both St Alban’s and King’s Hawford schools enjoyed a visit from Allan who was delighted to meet some younger members of the school, including current choristers. Allan was most jealous that the boys now get Tuesdays and Saturdays off from choir practice as he used to attend daily! The pupils asked many questions from ‘What is your favourite opera’ and ‘What countries have your performed in’, all the way through to ‘Do you own a comb?’.

Keith began the day with an inspiring address in College Hall where he spoke about his life growing up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, before moving to King’s. He spoke incredibly eloquently of his early experiences there, and the prevalence of politics and racism in the culture. He touched upon the importance of acceptance, self-awareness and humility, and used his own experiences, both personal and career-based to highlight these. He talked especially about his experience coming out as homosexual and the irony of having been brought up in an essentially homophobic culture.

Allan met Headmaster, Matthew Armstrong, and Head of School, Sam Martyn-Smith, to sign the prestigious Barnabas book where he was presented with his Barnabas shield. Lunch at the Headmaster’s House was followed with a truly superb recital where Allan delighted an audience of music students, scholars and members of staff with a resounding repertoire in College Hall, serving as the perfect finish to a magnificent day.

Keith visited both King’s Hawford and King’s St Alban’s where he talked about the housebuilding industry and answered a host of questions. During morning coffee, Keith was presented with his Barnabas shield and signed the Barnabas book.

We also enjoyed welcoming Keith Carnegie (H 86-88) back to King’s as the newest member of our Barnabas Group in March. Keith is CEO of the Partnerships Divisions at Bovis Homes, and he had a huge amount of personal and professional experience to share with us.

Keith also visited an U6 Business Studies lesson where he talked in detail about his role and the various wonderful opportunities that exist within the housebuilding profession. He answered lots of questions from the group, particularly regarding the challenges of the economic climate, the importance of partnerships, the role of affordable housing, sustainability, Brexit, and the need to understand and meet customer expectations. Keith was also able to offer some sound personal advice, detailing his approach to stress, managing teams and the importance of enjoying your work.

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Obituaries Michael Baker (Ch 48-55) Michael Tweedie Baker was born on the 7th February 1937 in Penzance. The only child to his parents Maurice and Helen. Helen was a Scot from Paisley and gave her maiden name, in the traditional Scottish way, to her son as his middle name. He was a true Cornishman, with great pride in his Scottish heritage.

most at home in. His grandfather William was managing director of Reed and Smith Paper Company, and still lived in the house at Silverton Mill. Sir Arthur Reed, owner of the business was impressed by Michael and recognized a sense of business acumen in the young man. Sir Arthur offered Michael a job in the paper business against William’s advice and Michael became the manager at Stoke Canon Mill in 1962. Little did Michael know that the Mill had been scheduled for closure but in a typical push Michael turned its fortunes around so that by 1963 it had been reprieved.

During the war, Maurice was serving in the forces and Michael was living in Birmingham with his mother. During the blitz of 1940 Michael was lucky to survive a near miss to the nearby public air raid shelter, unfortunately their house was damaged and Helen decided to move the family to the relative safety of Silverton, where her father William Tweedie was the manager at Silverton Mill.

In 1962 another momentous incident occurred in Michael’s life, he met Pam! They literally bumped into each other when their cars collided on a country lane. Michael was not one to miss an opportunity and he asked Pam out for a date whilst exchanging details. Pam took some winning over but Michael was typically tenacious and eventually she agreed. They were married on 30th August 1963 at Broadclyst Church. In July 1964 Andrew was born and in August 1966 the family was completed by the arrival of Nicola.

From the age of 7 Michael became a boarder at Bramcote Hall, Nottingham. He later moved on to Kings School, Worcester where he remained until he was 18. He always spoke fondly of his school days in particular his sport. By his own admission he was hopeless at ball sports and certainly no ‘rugger bugger’, however with the encouragement of his housemaster Mr Knight, Michael discovered rowing. Sited on the banks of the River Severn Kings School was perfectly located for a sport that became his passion, not only at school, but on into his adult life too.

Early family life for Andrew and Nicky was at Orchard House, Stoke Canon. In 1969 Michael and Pam purchased a plot of land in Upexe and over a period of 3 years built their dream home – Forge House. Even then there was gardening and with Pam, they set to designing the garden from scratch. Having moved around so much in his younger life, this house was incredibly special to Michael, and a place where he could finally put down his own roots and he only left there in 2004 to move a mile away to Aishe Barton.

In 1955 at the age of 18 Michael’s hopes of going to University were put on hold by the requirement for him to complete National Service. He joined the army and commenced his officer training at Sandhurst. During training he broke his ankle whilst on the assault course. Michael did not want to be back coursed and so kept quiet about his injury, by keeping it strapped up and taking plenty of pain killers he managed to complete his officer training and passed out in 1956 whereupon he joined The Royal Ordnance Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant. This injury in later life caused Michael to have two knee operations. Following training as a Heavy Weapons Instructor he was seconded to 42 Commando serving with them during the Suez Crisis. Following Suez he was posted to Cyprus. Michael enjoyed his time in the forces and stayed on after National Service for a further 3 years. Upon leaving the army in 1961, Michael returned to Silverton, the village he felt

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In 1968 Michael became Managing Director of Reed and Smith. He was an irascible character known to many, including employees and family alike for his characteristic mood changes from peaks of explosive rage and frustration in one breath to acquiescent gentleman in the next! One local lady Collen Gooding recalls the time he couldn’t open a fire door at Silverton Mill. He became so angry that he kicked the door and the whole thing, frame and all came out of the wall and ended up on the gantry that crossed the railway. He then marched off in a fury returning just a few moments later to apologise to Coleen and to arrange repairs! In 1976 Michael was made redundant from Reed and Smith. This was a difficult time but within a short period he became a business consultant for Norrington’s, and within a year he had re-entered the paper business as joint owner of Somerset Waste. In 1978 he set up on his own as ‘M. Baker Waste Paper’ in Okehampton St, Exeter. At first it was ‘seat of your pants ‘stuff. Andrew can recall the first contract obtained was

with the Royal Hydrographic Office who required their old confidential maps to be recycled. Whilst negotiating the contract, Michael hinted that his nonexistent business cards were at the printers, and the Hydrographic Office were unaware that his office was actually the unfinished bathroom at Forge House! His first lorry was bought from Globe Elastics in Tiverton on the proviso that the name was removed. Unfortunately, he could only afford a small pot of paint, that wasn’t the same shade of green and not enough to block paint! Michael was a true entrepreneur, a passionate man who had some remarkable, forward thinking and innovative business ideas. As the waste paper company established and became successful, he bought a bankrupt American Company from the receivers called USave which used waste paper to produce fire proof insulation. On the flight back from the States, Michael’s flight was delayed and he bought a book to pass the time. This book was titled “How to make money from Real Estate” He devoured the book from cover to cover and after the sale of the waste company to Severnside Waste in 1983, M Baker Property Services was born. Over the following years the property company established itself in Exeter and together with Pam, Keith Pyne his Managing Director and a loyal and treasured band of employees and consultants, the company went from strength to strength. As well as property there were many other adventurous projects, some more successful than others! These included Britain’s largest on shore wind farm development, importing grand pianos from Estonia, the first out of town superstore site in the South West, Elk tourism in Estonia, running a package holiday company, various recycling projects, a car sales business, a fridge recycling business, setting up a butterfly sanctuary and a farm. Michael was a man of many parts. Business was an enormously large part of his life, but his wife Pam and family were tremendously important to him. He enjoyed sharing precious family holidays with close friends Nick and Jane Parkin when their families were young. He loved his rowing and with Nick, was a member, captain and subsequently President of Exeter Rowing Club. Rowing formed such a large part of his life that after rowing, he commentated at the Exeter Regatta for many years and donated two boats to the club. In 2011, after an old boys’ reunion, Hugh Scurfield approached him about trying to rebuild the old club house and whether he would help. Michael then donated the funds

for his old school, King’s Worcester to build a new boat house. This is a remarkable building and a wonderful legacy to be enjoyed by many at his old school. He also set up a bursary as well to support pupils. In his busy life Michael always found time to help others. He was proud to serve as a magistrate in Exeter for many years, and also performed the role of Chair for Exeter Hospice Care. He was an absolute giver. Michael enjoyed a very long and happy association with the Incorporation of Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen at Tuckers Hall in Exeter. Michael was appointed Master on two occasions during his membership and was incredibly proud to be a part of this historic guild. A compassionate man, who had a remarkably soft side, a true gentleman who could always be relied upon. An exciting, adventurous man who always had new ideas to discuss and a zest for life. It was devastating for Michael to receive the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2004. Typically, his first concern was not for himself, but for his family and how they would cope with the awful news. Michael was a man with a strong Christian faith. His association with St Mary’s Church and his love of the building is known by many people. His faith supported him greatly over the next few difficult years. After his illness became more severe in 2007 he moved into a care home. Even in the care home Michael was still a force to be reckoned with. One recent story that has come to light, is that he showed a fire insurance agent around his second home so well that the agent didn’t know that Michael was a resident. It is a sign of Michael’s strength of character that he fought his illness for fourteen years. It was very sad that he was unable to see his grandchildren, Paddy, Nat, Will and Maddie growing up, leaving school and going to university. He would have been enormously proud of all their achievements. But through all the sadness of Pam’s deterioration through dementia, it was a comfort to the family that Michael and his devoted wife were reunited in the same care home and after 52 years of marriage they were still holding hands at Pam’s passing in October 2015. Andrew and Nicky are certain that Michael is probably now being ordered about sorting out garden beds and paint schemes by Pam as we speak as well as trying to do a deal, because there is always a business opportunity. Andrew Baker

John Bentley-Walls (S 41-48) John Bentley-Walls (22.03.31 – 03.07.19) passed away at home in Dartmouth at the age of 88. John studied Hotel Management in Switzerland and managed hotels and restaurants in Jamaica and Canada, before returning home to the Midlands to manage the family hospitality businesses, which included pubs in Worcester. John spent his later years running bed & breakfast accommodation in Dartmouth with his wife, Pamela. He developed his love for rowing and rugby at King’s and continued to row and play rugby for teams in the Midlands well into his 60s. John will be much missed by his family, including his 9 children and 12 grandchildren. Georgina Blackburn (Co 91-93) John Champion (H 41-45) My father was born on 15 December 1927 in Worcester. His father was also a clergyman and they lived in nearby Powick for the first five years of my father’s life. When he first started school, there were already certain aspects of his personality evident: the headmistress of his school used to give him a lift in her car and apparently, he observed verbally and with some dissatisfaction that the car was untidy and very noisy. This did not go down very well with either the headmistress or his mother. This attention to detail was to be a big part of his life, including the weekly bulletin he produced in various parishes, it had to be folded perfectly on a Saturday night by us, his family. This extended to Group 3 News – the monthly journal he produced during his time in Fladbury – stapling and folding was set up in the Rectory study by various volunteers in the village whilst he was out taking services; due warning would be given that he was returning. In 1939 he moved with his parents to a new parish in Himbleton where he was sent to King’s School, Worcester as a weekly boarder. I do remember him talking about 6am cross-country running followed by cold showers. All character-building stuff, as he would say! When the second world war started he became a full boarder at the choir school as a non-singer – this is something he always enjoyed telling people – it’s strange though because actually he was a decent singer! He had to attend Matins every Sunday which he found very dreary and in fact, it almost put him off religion altogether.

A subsequent vicar of Himbleton found some of his old school reports which were good with the exception of Religious Instruction which was “poor”. He left King’s School early at the age of 17 in the last year of the second world war to join the navy – where he was a sick-berth attendant for a year. After this he went to Durham University where he graduated three years later with a BA in - despite the school reports – Theology! During his time at university he engaged in a lot of cross-country running and rowing. It was at Durham that he decided he would like to be ordained and so he was, as deacon in 1951 and assigned to St Martin’s Church in Worcester. He was ordained priest in 1953 in Worcester Cathedral, after which he joined the navy as a chaplain for four years. What he liked about being naval chaplain was that he had no specific rank – this was very important to him because he was free to go anywhere on the ships without his clerical collar on and he could speak to everyone and mix with them without reference to class. During this time my father also undertook adventurous cycle trips with the sailors Capetown to Durban being one of them – the sailors weren’t that happy about a chaplain joining them obviously, but soon discovered that this was to their advantage because they always received nice accommodation and decent food in church halls! Because he knew his way around the ships including all the secret passages, he arrived early one day to the quarter deck when they were receiving a visit from the Queen – the Inspection of the Fleet – and found himself with just the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Captain. So, he was afforded an opportunity to meet them and have what I can only imagine was a unique conversation. After his four years in the navy were up he returned to his native Worcester. He also re-acquainted himself with a choirgirl that he had noticed from his time previously in St Martin’s Church, who was now at teacher training college in Chichester, one Ann Burston. They married in 1957 and they moved to Canterbury where my father was curate at St Martin’s and St Paul’s Church for two years. They moved back to Worcestershire in 1960 to a parish in Stourbridge where my brother Richard was born and then on to Astwood Bank, near Redditch for four years where I was born. After 8 years at St Stephen’s Church in Redditch, he had the opportunity in 1975 to move to the village of Fladbury as Rector of St John the Baptist

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Church, where he realised how much of his own father was in him, in that he loved being in country parishes and in particular being so near to Bredon Hill. My parents remained in Fladbury until his retirement in 1993 – after which they moved to Pershore. In his retirement, (so called.... what vicar ever retires...) he was invaluable in taking services in the surrounding small villages here where he had been Rural Dean; and on behalf of the Abbey he looked after the churches in Pinvin and Birlingham. He was also Chaplain to the HMS Kenya Society and a member of the Ancient Mariners. However, as time went on he discovered to his distress that he was beginning to make mistakes in services due to the onset of vascular dementia. He was diagnosed with this in 2009. He remained at home in Pershore, very ably looked after by my mother and brother Richard until 2015 after which he had to go into full time care, first in Willow Bank and then on to Bricklehampton Hall in 2017. It was a long and drawn-out final four years of this illness, that really is so cruel, but he fought until the bitter end in true characteristic fashion, always saying “how nice to see you” not really knowing who we were but then I think this was a technique that he had perfected in his working life! Right up to the end he kept saying “what do we need to do” - he was so dutiful until the last. Lucy Champion Matthew (Matt) Johnson (Br 93-04) 1985 – 2019 Matt was always destined to be a pupil at The King’s School. He began his education at Hawford Lodge, moving to St. Albans in 1993 and from there progressed to The King’s School. He gained a place at Oxford Brookes School of Architecture & Design to study Architecture, however he subsequently graduated with a degree in Computing from The University of Worcester. He was loving, caring beyond reason and when he wasn’t going through his latest round of treatment he would do anything for anyone. He went through life making friends, helping others and was firmly grounded by The King’s School ethos. Matt died suddenly following a long illness at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on the 3rd of July 2019. Matt leaves behind his parents Peter & Maggie, and siblings Sam Johnson & Emma Roche. The Johnson Family

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John Langdon (H 52-61) 1943 - 2018 At his funeral, John Langdon was described by the Director of Music at Paisley Abbey, where he frequently deputised, as “a man of phenomenal talent; he had more influence on music in Scotland than anyone else and was undoubtedly the best musician I knew -as an organist unsurpassed”.

musicians with generosity of time, modest humility and patient grace.”

John was born in Minehead in 1943, the eldest of three children; both parents were teachers, his father also the local organist. He came to King’s in 1952 and served as a chorister under David Willcocks, who also taught him the organ. Those were great days for Worcester Cathedral music and John recalled singing in the first performance of Vaughan Williams’ Hodie and other major new compositions. When he contracted TB and was in a sanatorium for many months Willcocks sent him the complete set of Bach’s Preludes and fugues to work up, on the hospital organ. When Willcocks moved on to King’s Cambridge and John left the choir, he continued his organ studies with the assistant organist, Edgar Day, becoming ARCO and FRCO in quick succession. He always said that it was to these two men that he owed most as a musician. John was also an excellent linguist, well taught by Harry Ferrar, speaking good French and fluent German (He used to spend many lunch hours talking to the lady from Berlin in the Sidbury dry cleaners). Other sides of school life, notably the CCF and team games, he found an irritating distraction, but when 1950s school ethos got too much he would disappear into the Cathedral to play the organ or, in summer, to Teme weir to sunbathe and swim.

In 2005 he suffered a stroke from which he only partially recovered. His first act on leaving hospital was to get himself to an organ to check he could still play. He could, though his knowledge of German had disappeared. A few years later he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In these latter years he was hugely helped by present and former students and by his younger sister, Margaret, who came to live nearby, to live as full a life as possible.

In 1961 he began something of a King’s trend by winning the organ scholarship at King’s Cambridge. Here he again worked with Willcocks before going to New College, Oxford to research the Elizabethan composer, Christopher Tye. After a brief spell teaching, in 1968 he moved to Glasgow where he remained for the next 50 years, working as a lecturer for the Royal Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and playing each Sunday in Hyndland parish church. His musicianship and possibly his eccentricities endeared him to generations of students. The obituary in the Scottish Herald says: “Underpinning all the great musicianship was a man who was a tireless and inspirational encourager of anyone with even a modest interest in music. He offered his supreme skills whether in the context of voluntary charitable work, encouraging novices or accompanying internationally recognized professional

Everyone has their favourite JDL story, many recounted at his funeral- the time he drove in reverse across Glasgow when all but his reverse gear had failed; the time he came back from holiday to be met by the police saying his flat had been completely trashed and they had never seen such chaos, only to be told by a puzzled John that he could see nothing out of place….

His many recordings, both as accompanist and soloist and playing with great choirs and orchestras, live on as does the memory of a generous, modest, humorous friend who lived life in his own idiosyncratic way while spreading his love and understanding of music to all those who knew him. David Bryer (H 51-62) Anthony Leahy (Ca 44-49) Anthony was born in Worcester on August 14th, 1933, and started as a boarder at The King’s School, Worcester in 1943 where he was a chorister. He left in 1949 and attended Malvern School of Art and Crafts for two years and carried out National Service with the RAF for two years. On his return from National Service he worked as a commercial artist until 1974 when he joined Boehm Porcelain, leaving in 1992 to pursue a career as a freelance artist, painting local scenes and wildlife – particularly birds – in both oils and watercolours, taking on commissions and creating a wonderful largescale mural in St James Church, Welland. A father of four, a grandfather and greatgrandfather, Tony had a fine singing voice and a talent for acting which he put to good use in many memorable amateur operatic performances over the years. But painting was always his first love, drawing inspiration from his beloved Malvern Hills. He died peacefully in June 2018 in the shadow of the hills where he so loved to walk and paint. Cecilia Leahy

Dr Bernard Leeman (Ca 59-64) The death of Dr Bernard Nicholas Townsley Leeman on the 17th August 2018 was sudden, and unexpected. He died aged 72, in Mekele, Ethiopia of a heart attack, after a very short illness. His death was bitterly painful not just to his family, but to all those who knew him, including a host of international organisations, and students whom he inspired in person, and in his writings on the Web. He was an exuberant man, brilliant, a funny scholar, and an avid traveller who loved life and to sing. He possessed an encyclopaedic knowledge of many things. Perhaps it was comforting for those around him that apart from Swahili he was unable to completely master other foreign languages, which gave him at least one human weakness. Bernard was born on the 19th December 1945 in Hastings East Sussex to William and Margaret Leeman. He was first raised in Songea in what was then Tanganyika (now Tanzania) after his father had settled there as a coffee farmer following his military service in the first world war. After his father’s death in 1949, his mother took him and his older sister to Rye, East Sussex. At age eight, he won a scholarship to Broombank School in Selsey, where the headmaster was very musical and taught the pupils to sing – they regularly put on Gilbert and Sullivan operas. He went to King’s School, Worcester from the age of 13 where he continued to sing among other things. Later, he enjoyed communicating with King’s regarding the whereabouts of Old Vigornians whom he was adept at tracking. From 1965 to 1968, he read African, Byzantine, and Arabian History at the School of Oriental and African Studies (now SOAS, University of London), and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (Nigeria). He majored in Southern African history. Although he dropped out of Swahili class at university, Swahili later became his second language after intensively learning it in Tanzania from his nieces and nephews. In 1985, he was awarded his PhD (magna cum laude) at Bremen University, Germany, on the study of the African National Congress party (ANC), the South African Communist Party (SACP), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) of Azania, and the Basutoland Congress Party (BCP). He went on to publish other related works: Lesotho and the Struggle for Azania (1986), Lesole la Mokhehle (1992), The PAC of Azania (1995), Mandela and Sisulu: Equivocation, Treachery and the Road to Sharpeville (2010), and Mandela, Sobukwe

and Leballo: The South African Communist Party and the Pan Africanist. Most of all, Bernard lived his life according to principles he cared about. He was passionate about social justice. Therefore, in 1963, aged seventeen, he served as cadet in the British Army’s Queen’s Own Hussars tank regiment in Germany and other regiments. In 1964, he had intended to get military training and return to South Africa to combat the racist regime. As a result, he became heavily engaged in the Tanzanian – based military and political struggle against apartheid South Africa. He vigorously campaigned to restore democratic rule in the Kingdom of Lesotho. To this end, he served in the Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA), in the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA) as lieutenantgeneral in charge of military intelligence and undercover as a major in the Lesotho Paramilitary Force (to assist the LLA). Lacking funding, and always working on a shoe string, Bernard was an itinerant champion of low-cost rural tertiary education. His most recent venture was in helping to set up a university in Vanuatu. He was also a prolific Biblical Scholarship writer with his last unpublished research on the Nubian Moses and Black origins of the Bible. In fact, he was in the USA making YouTube videos on the Arabian and Ethiopian origin of the Old Testament before his fateful journey to Ethiopia to visit his two foster children. Bernard emigrated with his wife and son to Australia in 1988. He was always in search of his roots. He was a dual citizen of Australia, UK, and Ireland. He established connections with minority Evenk, Chukchi, and Ket groups in Siberia whom he discovered were part of his ancestral heritage. Interestingly, after a life-long search for a country, a people, and a place to call his own, his Ethiopian death certificate classified him as an Ethiopian National. Bernard’s love of travel meant he worked and lived in many countries including: Australia, Austria (Bad Gestein), China, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, UK, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, and as a Visiting Fellow at Oxford (UK). Bernard is survived by Trilas, his wife of 45 years, as well as by his son Nick, daughter-in-law Ellen, granddaughter Melody, his sister Paddy, brother-in-law Roger, his niece Ro, and his two foster children Helen and Milkana who all sorely miss him and yet celebrate his wonderful life. Trilas Leeman

Christopher Pugh (Cr 41-48) 1930 – 2018 Christopher Pugh was born in Hinkley on 18th June 1930, the son of William and Doris Pugh. In 1933 the family moved to Banbury, and then in 1937 to Pershore, Worcestershire, where Chris’s father was the manager at Lloyds Bank. This is where Chris spent the rest of his childhood, living in the Bank House on the floors above the bank downstairs, along with his younger sister Joy. Chris went to Gore House School in Pershore, and then in 1941 began secondary school at King’s School Worcester – a daily cycle to Pershore station, often racing against the approaching steam train, and throwing his bike onto the platform to leap on the train just in time. He described the school transition as “a traumatic cultural shock” (especially in regard to the exalted status of team sports), but added “one learnt over the years to survive adversity”. He was happier out of school having adventures on the Avon, exploring the river in the family rowing dinghy, armed with fishing rod and lock windlass, and accompanied by black Labrador Sam. He and Joy were both keen tennis players, and the Pershore Tennis Club was a major part of their social life. Chris also loved photography, and had his own dark room in the attic at the Bank House. In 1950 Chris went to Bristol where he spent three very happy years living in Wills Hall and gained his degree in civil engineering. This was followed by a postgraduate diploma at Imperial College, and during this time Chris went to All Souls Langham Place, which marked the beginning of his lifelong Christian commitment. National Service came next, from 1954-1956, serving with the Royal Engineers in Derna, Libya, and then a return to civvy street, working again in London, and then at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell, where Chris gained his membership of the Institute of Civil Engineers. After this he worked for the Leicester Water Department diverting aqueducts for the extension of the M1 motorway, and bought his first home in Wigmore. In March 1963 he married Grace Panter, a nurse and midwife, who he had originally met through All Souls. Chris’s next job took them to St Albans, where their three children were born - Clare, Caroline and Philip. In 1970 Chris joined the Civil Service, and spent the rest of his career with the Health and Safety Executive, progressing to be a Principal Specialist Inspector. During the rest of their married life Chris and Grace had homes in Goring on Thames, Southport, Altrincham, Taunton and Tonbridge, and in all these places they immersed themselves in the community and the local church. Chris always

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maintained a flourishing and productive garden and kept each house in order with his practical DIY skills. His love of boats and fishing continued with annual family holidays on narrow boats, exploring nearly all of the English canal network. Retirement allowed more time for other interests, such as classical music, history, wine making, bowling and of course his beloved garden. Chris was a quiet, kind and gracious man, who always valiantly supported his beloved Grace - who delighted in opening their home and offering hospitality. Chris himself was happiest when all the guests had gone home! His ideal party would be a quiet meal at home with family. In his later years Alzheimer’s Disease crept up on him. Although he began to lose grip on place and time, he retained a strong sense of personal identity and still recognised and remembered family and friends. After Grace’s death in 2016 Chris lived with Clare and her family for a while before moving to a residential home in Tonbridge. A fall and broken hip hastened his decline, and he died peacefully on 25th June 2018, just a week after his 88th birthday. He leaves his three children, and three grandchildren (plus he was delighted to hear shortly before he died that a fourth grandchild was on the way). Clare Masters David Ramsay OBE (Cr 50-55) The remarkable Navy career of OV David Ramsay OBE (Cr 50-55) was featured in the Times on 29th September 2018. David sadly died in August 2018. David was a keen swimmer while at King’s as well as a member of the CCF and his swimming successes are mentioned in several Vigornian magazines including the 1952 edition where he is listed as having ensured ‘the swimming Cup returned to its rightful place this term’. The article in The Times covered David’s distinguished career, including his commanding of the submarines HMS Ocelot and HMS Superb. His final posting was as staff officer of operations at HMS Dolphin. David was awarded an OBE in 1999 for his services to the British Parliamentary Union. The article included memories that David had shared of his voyages, including his recalling the Atlantic where waves would reach 30 or 40 feet, leaving him with a “great respect for the Sea”. Gillian Spilsbury (Hon OV) 1938-2018 Think Gillian Spilsbury and the image conjured up is of vibrant, ethnically sourced clothes, kohl eye makeup, coloured

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nails, orange hennaed hair and above all, professionalism, integrity and love.

to the rest of the queue that he was diddling them.

Gill grew up in the Birmingham area and worked in commerce where she conveniently dropped some staplers by her desk as a very tall, handsome young man passed her. He picked them up and that was the start of a very happy marriage. She trained as a teacher when their sons, Peter and Richard, were older. Later she moved with Roger to Somerset where they baked cakes and pastries and ran a muchliked restaurant/ community hub. It was not long after 1989 when they had settled in Worcester that she joined the staff of St Alban’s as a year 5 form teacher.

Very sadly, Gill suffered a massive stroke whilst in Kathmandu. The hospital, home care experts and her Nepalese family could not have given her better care. Her sons and families visited many times but she died several months later.

She was a cultured, intelligent woman who set high standards. She was calm, firm and fair and her pupils soon respected her, understanding that she had their best interests at heart. Her lessons were never dull as she had so many interests which included literature, art, marionettes, ecology, geography, cooking and music. She played the piano for the daily assembly and realised a dream when she co-produced St Alban’s 1997 production of Humperdinck’s opera, Hansel and Gretel.

Alan Stacey (Hon OV) ALS, Mr. Stacey, Alan, even Jess, depending on who or where you were in the school. Former pupils, friends, former staff and family together celebrated his Life in College Hall in February 2019. It was a joyful, sad, thoughtful, hearty occasion, appropriate to the man who served King’s School devotedly for over 30 years. His contribution to the life of the school as Boarding Housemaster, teacher of History and French, Commander of the CCF and President of the Common Room was appreciatively recalled: these formal roles have been more fully fleshed out recently in a fuller article in the OV magazine Connect, which also described his enthusiastic involvement in music and drama, the cultural and creative life of King’s.

Two young boys from Chernobyl joined St Alban’s for a spell in 1995 and Gill was the obvious choice to be their teacher. She set about learning Russian and spent many extra hours helping them to feel safe. When you talked to Gill you knew she was listening and that she would respond with words of wisdom. She was also an example of how to deal with life and remarkably, when Roger became very ill, she did not allow it to affect her when in school. After Roger died in 1997 she decided to leave St Alban’s to help ‘carpet children’ in Nepal and of course learnt Nepalese. She laughed when shortly before her journey the cracker she pulled at the school Christmas lunch contained a plastic aeroplane. She split her time between Worcester and the Kathmandu area and before long she had a second home there, had set up a trekking company with customised itineraries, employing knowledgeable young Nepalese, as well as fundraising and organising the building of a school for young, deprived children in Kathmandu. Some of the mothers then asked if she would teach them to read, so of course she ran classes for them. She told the story with glee, delight and perhaps a little pride about one of these women who worked in a carpet factory. She was waiting for her money and looked over the shoulder of the pay-master. He was both surprised and dismayed when she was able to announce

She once told me that she was amazed that when you thought you had used up all your love you found there was still more to give. Whether as a teacher, facilitator, neighbour, friend, or matriarch that love flowed ceaselessly through Gillian. Ruth Reeves (Hon OV)

One of my former colleagues once looked askance at me when I used the word ‘colleague’ to describe him: ‘I don’t want colleagues, I want work mates.’ I met Alan when we worked together but it was the second part of the phrase which best described him - mate. He was my friend. But first, work ...... I’m struck by how often I hear teaching described as ‘delivering lesson content’. I’m sure Alan was a content deliverer and his students content receivers. But ask a child what subject they like or do well in and it’s the who not the what that influences their choice. Alan ‘delivered’ his history and, primarily, because he delivered himself. He was an enthusiast, a scholar, interesting and funny. And there was little difference in domestic settings where he discussed everything and anything - particularly Welsh rugby - with enormous energy, generosity and good humour. There used to be talk of ‘schoolmasters’ (sometimes disparagingly as opposed to teachers). Oh dear! And yet the description suited Alan to a tee. He was the all-rounder

who took part in everything and did it well. He had an enormous sense of duty, loyalty and responsibility. These are often regarded as old-fashioned qualities, a bit Mr Chipsish. I fancy we need them more than ever now. I hope we can still ‘look upon his like’ again. Peter Diamond (Hon OV)

considerable part in managing change at King’s. The decline in boarding, the introduction of girls throughout the school, and the significant growth in numbers of staff and pupils, all helped the School to progress from the traditional institution which John joined in 1960 to the open and welcoming place which King’s is today.

John Turner (Hon OV) Member of Staff, King’s School Worcester, 1960-1995 John Turner joined King’s from King’s School Grantham, in September 1960. He was appointed by David Annett as a member of the mathematics staff, in a department led at that time by Richard Knight. The teaching of mathematics was evolving rapidly, with Knight leading the way as the author of several textbooks on the subject, to which John contributed. John brought with him a particular interest in Statistics, which helped to widen the breadth of the subject taught at King’s at the time.

John retired from King’s in 1995, but returned immediately for one year part-time, to cover the absence of a colleague in the Maths department. His dedication to King’s was in part due to the enjoyment he took from the life of the Common Room. John was a central figure in the solving of The Times crossword each morning, and always valued the company of his fellow staff.

John immersed himself in the life of the school, which at that time centred on College Green, and the community of boarding houses. He was Castle house tutor initially, and then Choir house tutor. John also coached the Under-13 cricket team for ten years, and in 1966 he took over careers advice, instituting a proper careers office. John was also a keen Contract Bridge player, starting the school Bridge club in 1967. A year later, they entered a team in the Daily Mail Schools Bridge Cup – and won. John became Housemaster of Chappel House in 1969, a role he made his own over 19 years. This was perhaps his key contribution to the development of pupils at the school. Although he ran the House with clear discipline, John was completely dedicated to those in his care, and always very proud of their achievements. As a logical thinker, John was the natural choice for the unenviable job of setting the annual school timetable, at a time before the arrival of computers at King’s. John would spend much of the summer holiday in a room in the Biology Block, where a huge and colourful grid of small moveable plastic pegs covered one of the walls. The timetable was a complicated equation to solve, which John quietly relished. He gave up this job just as computer programmes became available to do it in an instant: it was simply not as much fun. In 1988, having passed on the reins of Chappel house, John was appointed Senior Master. He worked with John Moore, Tim Hickson and Patricia Stevens, playing a

Over the years, John’s sons benefitted from their education at King’s, and in their retirement John and his wife Ann enjoyed the company of other members of staff and many Old Vigornians. John died in August 2019 after a long period of illness, endured stoically, and will be much missed by his family, friends and many former pupils. Ann Turner Timothy Vivian (Hon OV) Timothy was a talented artist and was Head of Art at King’s from 1957 to 1971 before going on to lecture at the University of Worcester from 1971 until 1985. OVs will remember Timothy as a Commanding Officer of the Naval Section and as a skilled Rugger Coach. Timothy died on 5th of October 2018 aged 92. He was a loved and respected Husband, Father and Grandfather. “Don” Henry Lewis Williams (Cr 40-45) 1928-2018 Don the adventurer. Don was born in 1928 and acquired a great interest in engineering and motorsport inspired by his father Eric Williams. Eric was one of 7 children, living in Herefordshire, who pioneered the first use of steam-powered cultivation and threshing machines. His interest in transport lead to being a keen motor cyclist and racer and to the development of a racing team. Eric won the Isle of Man TT race in 1914 and team members came in 3rd, 4th and 5th. He was to win the TT twice riding for AJS. Don, who was always an explorer an adventurer and some would say a daredevil, was born in Worcester in 1928 and attended the King’s School. He inherited this passion for engines and undertook an apprenticeship with Standard Motor Company. After completing service in the

Royal Navy on HMS Arthur, Gosling, Jamaica and Drake he became a professional competitive rider for Norton, competing in the Isle of Man Grand Prix, winning three times, and on the international motor racing circuit across Europe. In the 50s he was a gold medallist in the international six days event in Austria and undertook long distance races (typically 500 miles) riding for Triumph and Royal Enfield. Don recounts some of his experiences driving from Worcester to Coventry where he worked at Norton, a journey that he completed in as little as 30 minutes it is alleged! He also started racing cars, with some success driving for Cooper and Emerson Formula 3 vehicles at Brands Hatch. He then took over the family business focussed on selling “anything on wheels” – these were the days when you could order a car of choice from a garage and Eric Williams Ltd in Worcester sold Jaguars alongside Reliant 3-wheelers – how the world has changed! Don and his father Eric entered the TT Hall of fame as father and son TT racers and featured in several magazines and books. With a wide network of friends in the motor industry he represented the sector as Vice President of The Motor Agents Association for a number of years and ran his retail business. Don married Hazel in 1955. Hazel patiently supported Don in his racing ambitions along with friends Geoff, a fellow rider, and Gloria. After marrying Hazel and with arrival of children Elizabeth and Richard he focused on the more sedate sports of motor cross and then later trials riding. Elizabeth was born in 1958 and Richard in 1960. Don sometimes recounted tales of his high-speed endeavours and took pleasure in announcing when a piece of deeply embedded Isle of Man road gravel worked its way out of his arm or leg to pop out astonishingly this happened over several decades! Following retirement, he has been a regular returner to TT reunions and Goodwood. Amazingly identifying his old racing car now in American ownership by the CEO of Chrysler. Away from work and bikes Don enjoyed travels with family to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland and the pleasures of the garden, seaside and countryside. He introduced Hazel, Elizabeth and me to family holidaying in out of the way places, be it in a caravan in West Wales, on the West Coast of Scotland, or on remote islands in the Scilly Isles. Don was known for his gracious nature and generous spirit and concern for the welfare of those around him. Don was happy if those The Vigornian

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around him were happy. He was proud of being associated with Freemasons working for social good of others receiving a lifelong award for 50 years membership. Along with Hazel, as a couple they were renowned for their hospitality and willingness to support family and friends wherever they could. Don loved spending time with his grandchildren Sam, Hannah-Rose and Tim supporting their development. Richard Williams (W 68-78)

OV Deaths reported since publication of 2017-2018 Vigornian Alastair Ager-Harris (S 75-80) William Anstey (DB 37-43) Matthew Armstrong (Hon OV) Michael Baker (Ch 48-55) Patrick Beer (Cr 48-57) John Bentley-Walls (S 41-48) Charles Bethell-Fox (Ca 61-71) John Champion (H 41-45) Robin Elt (Cl 57-64) Andrew Garlick (Cl 75-82) Richard Gough (Cr 69-75) Stephen Harris (DB 31-38) Timothy Hopkin (Ca 49-55) Richard Hume (S 53-54) John Humphreys (DB 42-49) Matthew Johnson (Br 93-04) Michael Keel (Cl 89-92)

John Langdon (H 52-61) Anthony Leahy (Ca 44-49) Bernard Leeman (Ca 59-64) John Morris (W 60-64) Ian Phillips (Br 74-76) Christopher Pugh (Cr 41-48) David Ramsay (Cr 50-55) Barry Rigg (Cl 45-55) John Roe (H 46-57) Andy Sharp (Br 59-67) Gill Spilsbury (Hon OV) Alan Stacey (Hon OV) Philip Tansell (Cr 41-44) John Turner (Hon OV) Timothy Vivian (Hon OV) Brian Wheelwright (Cl 49-56) Henry Williams (Cr 40-45)

Events and Reunions Over the past year we have enjoyed a wide variety of events, reunions and school and career visits, welcoming over 1,000 OVs and members of the King’s family back to school and to various events. The King’s alumni network is incredibly strong as

evidenced by this impressive number of individuals who remain in touch with the school. Below we have given an overview of the events hosted or facilitated by the Development & Alumni Relations office:

Leavers BBQ –September 2018 This has been a new event, where we hosted a barbeque for the most recent OVs, the year of 2018. This was great fun and a wonderfully relaxed introduction to the OV network. It was a pleasure to be joined by our most recent OVs who were able to fill us in on all their post A Level plans.

NEW OV BBQ

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5 Year Reunion – September 2018 This event proved to be a thoroughly lively reunion in The Michael Baker Boathouse to mark 5 years since the year of 2013 left King’s. OVs, with their parents, were delighted to meet with their friends and former teachers. The year group were evidently incredibly popular and well-remembered, with a bumper crop of teachers joining us. The reunion gave a very good opportunity to remind the OVs of how the network can be of use to them, as well as how they can begin contributing to the school, particularly with advising and inspiring current pupils. The Headmaster was also able to offer an overview of King’s today and touched on the future ambitions of the school, especially ‘Open the Door to King’s’. London Drinks – October 2018 The Bankside Gallery proved a fantastic venue for this year’s London Drinks. On the River Thames, opposite St Paul’s Cathedral, the gallery had an eclectic mix of paintings displayed by the Royal Watercolour Society. With guests from 2016 OVs to 1951, the gallery was abuzz with lively chatter and reuniting. It was a particular pleasure to see that both the years of 67-69 and 2012 had used the evening as an opportunity for a group reunion. The Headmaster had the opportunity to speak to the guests about King’s today and the integral part OVs can play in school life. This led on nicely to showing our Open the Door to King’s film. From start to finish it was a fun and happy evening. Modus Challenge Cup – October 2018 We were delighted to see many OVs coming along to support King’s at the annual Modus Rugby Challenge Cup vs RGS. Although not quite the result King’s was hoping for, it was a brilliant opportunity to meet with many members of the King’s family.

Remembrance Day – November 2018 It was a very special day on the 9th November when King’s commemorated Remembrance Day and the centenary of the end of WWI. Commander Durham Hirons (K 83-93) gave an incredibly poignant address in College Hall. Jon Palmer (Br 63-73) provided an excellent lecture focussing on bringing together the events on the Western Front in 1918 and the marking of the centenary in 2018. Lunch was followed by a very moving performance from the Drama department called Before the Daylight Fades Away, reading the letters from three OVs, the Wilmott brothers. Remembrance Day also saw the opportunity to share the incredible hard work of local author and historian Mark Rogers and our Archivist Harriet Patrick, who have produced a beautiful book, All the King’s Men, remembering all OVs who died fighting in WW1, WW2 and the Boer War. All pupils within the senior school received a copy of this remarkable book and years 5 and 6 at King’s St Albans and King’s Hawford. 10 Year Reunion – December 2018 Saturday 15th December saw us welcome the year of 2008 back to King’s for a hugely fun reunion, consisting of a drinks reception in the Michael Baker Boathouse and tours of school. The 2008 OVs were also joined by some of their former teachers. The rain outside was pouring, but that didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits as everyone caught up on all the news ten years after leaving school. There were exciting academic and career progressions, travels, rings on fingers, and babies on the way, so nobody was short of exciting news to share.

Retired Staff Coffee & Cake – December 2018 It was a pleasure to welcome retired staff back to school for Christmas coffee and cake. This annual event is a lovely opportunity to meet with Hon OVs who gave so much of their time to the development of King’s and the pupils they taught here. Football Reunion 2019 – January 2019 It was an absolute pleasure to welcome 16 OVs back onto King’s turf on the 4th January for the annual OV vs King’s 1st XI football match. It was a crisp and bright day where both sides played well and both secured impressive goals which saw the game end with a 2-2 draw. This led to penalties, where sadly the OVs lost 5-4 on penalties. Our congratulations must go to the 1st XI on a game well played, and a deserved win. The OVs then enjoyed a curry in Worcester with their former King’s football coaches Jon Sarriegui and Mark Poole (Hon OV). Cambridge Reunion – January 2019 January saw Liz and Sophie host an OV Reunion in a Cambridge pub for OVs who enjoy living, working and studying in the beautiful city of Cambridge and its surroundings. OV, and Head of Sixth Form, Josh Hand (Cl 91-01) also joined which was fantastic, especially for the more recent additions to the OV community who remember him well as a teacher here at King’s. With plenty of reminiscences varying from rugby highs and lows to Latin lessons, the evening was huge fun from start to finish.

1979 ROWERS REUNION

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A Farewell to Alan Stacey – February 2019 College Hall was the perfect place to celebrate the happy life of Hon OV Alan Stacey on Saturday 23rd February. Alan died in November 2018 and it was lovely to see his widow Jane and all his family joined by so many OVs and members of the King’s family to say farewell. The celebration took the form of a concert where Jane had organised beautiful readings, and superb music. A particular highlight was the group rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘When I was a Lad’, led by a chorus of OVs, friends and family. Much of the music was lead or accompanied by OV Adrian Partington (S 66-76), and Hon OV Malcolm Drummond, former Director of Music here at King’s. Readings included ‘The Donkey’, G.K. Chesterton and three Hon OVs and former colleagues, Peter Diamond, Stephan Le Marchand and Ian Brown also read wonderfully too. As Housemaster of School House, History and French teacher, and also Contingent Commander of the CCF, Alan had crossed the paths of so many here at King’s, and a tribute by Nigel Bax (S 56-66) articulated perfectly the positive effect his passion for his subject, and his pupils, had on all those who had the pleasure of knowing him. Jane and the Stacey family requested that donations were made to The King’s School Worcester Development Trust to support bursary places at King’s. We are immensely thankful to the Stacey family for choosing this as the charity they wished to support in memory of Alan. Alan saw the life-changing effect that the splendid education and opportunities here at King’s afforded the many boys and girls who passed through his care. Careers Speed Dating – March 2019 In March our Upper Removes took part in Careers Speed Dating here at King’s, organised by Head of Careers, Helen Airdrie. This gave an opportunity for the students to meet a variety of representatives from a diverse range of professional sectors, spending a short amount of time with each. We were hugely grateful as ever to the OV community for lending so much support to this event. OV Professions - March 2019 Sophie enjoyed a trip to London, meeting with one of our OV Professions Group (Audit, Tax, Pensions & Advisory), in the jam-packed Merchant’s Pub, Canary Wharf. The idea of these groups is to provide an opportunity for OVs of all generations who now work in the same fields to meet up and share their experiences, to learn from each other, and to network as an OV community in an informal and relaxed environment.

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We also held the first of our gatherings for OVs working in Marketing & Communications, with Liz meeting up with them for informal drinks at the Hoxton Hotel, Holborn. It was lovely to see such a wonderful group of OVs, representing many years and finding much in common despite working across a wide range of industries, but in very similar marketing and communications roles. Himalayan Reunion – March 2019 We welcomed back around 100 OVs, members of the wider King’s family and keen travellers and climbers, as we marked 25 years since Hon OV John Walton founded the Himalayan Club here at King’s. As a result of this incredible initiative, pupils, staff and parents have benefited from amazing trips and treks to Nepal, Peru, Morocco and Tibet, to name just a few of the many locations. The evening was in aid of both the Himalayan Trust UK, of which both Hon OV and Former Headmaster Tim Keyes and John Walton are trustees, and Open the Door to King’s bursary appeal. The evening began with a drinks reception in the Michael Baker Boathouse which was followed by a brilliant lecture by OVs Jon Bracey (Ch 90-95) and Nick Robertson (Br 89-94). Jon is one of the UK’s leading alpinists and a former competitor at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships and Nick has scaled Everest and also reached the highest point on five of the seven continents! They had some absolutely incredible stories to share and no peak was left unturned as they talked about their various trips, the inspiration and motivation behind what they do, and the highs and lows of their incredible adventures. It was particularly amazing to see how their early lives and time at King’s helped shape a passion for travel and challenge.

Annual OV Reunion Weekend – May 2019 It was lovely to welcome back to King’s many OVs for the annual OV Reunion Weekend in May. Proceedings began with Bubby Brunch in the Dining Hall where OVs could meet with former teachers and staff. Tours of school provided an opportunity to revisit familiar spots whilst also exploring the newer facilities on site and OVs were able to join the annual OV Club AGM in the afternoon too. The black-tie Dinner on the Saturday evening saw College Hall packed to the brim with reunion year groups who enjoyed a wonderful 3 course meal in the ever familiar and memory-filled College Hall. Henley Regatta – July 2019 We were thrilled to meet up with several OVs attending Henley Regatta this year, where they joined Liz and Sophie at the Cricket ground for a glass of Pimm’s and a catch up. Year of 1984 Reunion – July 2019 The year of 1984 met up 35 years after leaving King’s, starting with tours of King’s and followed by an evening of catching up at ‘The Sociable Beer Company’ in Worcester over drinks and food. The OVs all thoroughly enjoyed the evening with promises to meet up again for their 40th anniversary in 2024! Bespoke We have been so pleased to help facilitate a 20 year reunion dinner for the year of 1988 in London, a 14 year cricket tour to Guernsey, 30 year cricket tour to Jersey, 40 year U15 cricket dinner, School House Lunch and an OV Choristers reunion. Careers Advice We are also very grateful to the many OVs who have been in to school to visit or lend inspiration and share career advice with current pupils over the past twelve months. If you would like to come and visit school or would like to get involved with careers at King’s, please get in touch with us: alumni@ksw.org.uk

Following the lecture, we entered the dining hall, adorned with Nepalese prayer flags and beautifully decorated tables for a traditional Nepalese dinner – a real feast of flavours and spices, for which we must send sincerest thanks to the King’s catering team. Then followed an incredible auction, full of truly unique lots; candlelit dinner in Edgar Tower, tickets for the Royal Ballet, a climbing session with Jon Bracey himself, a beautiful original painting by David Birtwhistle and a driving experience with Derek Bell MBE (S 56-58) all amongst the many prizes on offer. ANNUAL REUNION DINNER

Old Vigornian Club The Annual Reunion Weekend took place over Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May. In a change to our normal programme, we started the weekend with a Bubbly Brunch in the Dining Hall on Saturday morning when the school welcomed back a number of retired staff and their spouses. It was an excellent opportunity for Old Vigornians to meet up again with some of their old teachers over a hearty cooked breakfast. This was followed immediately afterwards by the Annual General Meeting of the OV Club. Attendance was disappointing this year as we hoped to attract some members who would attend the meeting on Saturday rather than have to be at the school for both days. Tours of the school then took place. This year, we voted on and accepted the rewritten club rules. We were also pleased to vote in David Ogle (K 76-86) as Club President for the year 2019 to 2020.

One of the rules that has been introduced is that OV Committee members serve a term of three years and must then either be reelected or replaced. There are vacancies on the committee, and we would welcome new OVs if they were interested in joining us. The Annual Dinner took place in College Hall on the evening of 4th May. The hall was filled with over 160 OVs and their guests, numerous former and current teaching staff, and the present Head of School and the Deputy Heads. Our caterers provided us with a fine meal and the building had once again been decorated excellently by the Development Office and the Maintenance Staff. A wider selection of drinks available at the bar went down well, especially the provision of Prosecco and even gin this year. This seemed to suit some of those OVs who had reacquainted themselves with certain local hostelries prior to the meal.

There were, once again, a good selection of reunion years attending. This included a table of ’69 leavers, four tables of those who left in ’79, an equal number of 1989 vintage leavers, and a small group of ’94 OVs celebrating 25 years since they left King’s. Each year we make a presentation to the oldest OV in attendance (where they haven’t received the award previously). This year the Chappel Award went to Stanley Allsopp (Ca 46-51). The Headmaster gave us an excellent update on the school and its prowess: academic, sporting and artistic. The incoming President also gave a short speech reflecting upon his time at the school and what it meant to him to be President for the forthcoming year. Thanks were also offered to Sally Themans (Co 84-86) for her year as Club President. The following day, OV Rev’d Dave Bull (Br 80-90) preached in the Cathedral. Hon Secretary Nick Stephens (Br 77-84)

Old Vigornian Club Committee 2018-2019: President: Sally Themans (née Ogden) (Co84-86) Vice President: Vacant Chair: Richard Underwood (Ch 68-79) Hon Treasurer: John Potter (Cl 55-62) Hon Secretary: Nick Stephens (Br 77-84) Emeritus Members: Roy Padden (Cl 46-52) Alec Mackie (Cl 47-56)

ANNUAL REUNION DINNER

Headmaster: Matthew Armstrong (Hon OV) Development Office Representative: Sophie Borrillo-McLellan Elected Members: Julia Annable (née Simcock) (Co 85-87) Nick Clark (H 88-90) Simon Cronin (S 67-77) Rebecca Day (Co 81-84) David Head (Cl 52-58) Helen Kennedy (née Meacham) (E 90-92) Will Kerton (Os 82-92) Mike Page (Cr 60-65) Rob Richards (Cr 79-84)

ANNUAL REUNION DINNER

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Archivist’s Report Archives Club Fifth Form members of Archives Club Henny Hodges and Amy Yorke Brooks have made wonderful progress summarising a large collection of letters written by OV James Clayton (Ca 1941-1948) to his parents during his years as a chorister and boarder at the Choir School and at King’s. These letters provide a fascinating insight into 1940s schoolboy life, and it is wonderful to have such detailed descriptions of their contents for the archives catalogue. Thank you very much indeed to Henny and Amy for their continued hard work. Readers can find a taste of these letter summaries below. Upper Fourth member Robert Foskett has transcribed a large number of wartime letters sent by OV Henry Cecil Wilmot (S 1902-1909) to his mother during his time at the front – thank you. In addition, Robert has visited many libraries and archives during the school holidays in order to undertake research into his own family history. Robert’s report on the most recent of these visits can be found below. Lower Fourth members Lewis Capewell and Archie Slevin have assisted with several archives displays, and have also helped with less glamorous but nonetheless important work in the archive: dusting and cleaning, and assisting with pest monitoring. Other visiting members of Junior Archives Club this year included: Jessica Edwards, Georgia Mann, Miranda Marling, Lucy McWilliams, Freya Mitchell-Wise, Phoebe Reeley, and Joseph Young.

er summary extracts Some 1940s King’s School lett plice, 26 Oct 1941 not have a cassock and sur the Lord Mayor has he did for l a era had ; fun y’s raid air sda an Tue had sed ; Mis h his wig on’ ge ‘looked ever so funny wit plane. war a of g win dra a but has now; the visiting jud s lose enc Shuttleworth team and won; house-match, he was on the Tempest” 12 Jul 1942 y; saw Shakespeare’s “The Prayer Book for his birthda Would like a good book or boys. acted by The King’s School rather 30 May 1943 School’; would like sardines House at King’s, ‘certainly not Would like to go into Castle than peanut butter. 1944] in detail; had a Undated [postmark 8 Feb Scouts; describes the parade the ect insp to ing com is y service, and encloses Lady Baden-Powell re interesting than an ordinar mo ch ‘mu nd fou he ich wh Scout service the order of service. 1945] what it was like in Undated [postmark 17 May was working on VE Day, and she if r the Mo a s ask le; Bib Asks for his h his bike; Maths prep; had ments; having problems wit nge arra m ”. -ter ber half ; em ham Rem Birming saw “A Song to ing and rowing on VE Day; game of cricket; went swimm o 8 Oct 1946 in choir they miss the boys wh lost, really enjoyed himself; but tch ma his es ger uss rug a disc in e; yed knif Has pla has a new razor ; describes geography prep; left last term, had a long solo try. pen car in ion making a stat trips to see train engines; is s; has 3 Jun 1947 have won the shooting cup a master’s marriage; Castle in” ngu “Pe w sha Ker a es Had a half-holiday following describ “The Groote Parks Murder”; ool at Sch ar mm Gra the t bought Freeman Wills Crofts’ bea XI ; U14 mist; has been to Shrub Hill camera available at the che st g. otin cricket; got a 1 Class in sho 8 Feb 1948 a lot to do”; earlier in the ing” but worries “isn’t there rest inte ry “ve et leafl s’ vet Thinks the k two photographs during his they had to use candles; too and ed fus ts ligh se hou the week ct a radio and make it work. band; has managed to constru walk; is now a bugler in the ary 12 December 1948 as could not find the necess ss dance, went as a reporter dre cy e fan m hom e For th com Six ll the sha to re; Went w anyone the oyed dancing but did not kno ; July in s one n tha der clothes to be a choirboy, enj har ms for school last week, exa nch Fre had life A; a t as Cer on bike; passed s about joining OV Club y; starting house matches; ask school dance is on Wednesda , costs £5–5–0. member at the end of term

Robert’s Report “I am researching my family history. I discovered that my Grandmother’s family was mentioned in a book published in 1934. The book is not widely available, and the only place I could find a copy was at the British Library. British Library reader passes are usually only available for people over the age of 18. It appeared on the website that anyone under 18 could apply for the British Library to make an exception. So, I submitted an application. I received a response saying that you have to be at least 16 to apply for an under-18 reader pass. I thought that the British Library should be encouraging younger people to get involved with research, so

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I wrote to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport about this. I had a reply saying that they had contacted the British Library about it and they said that because the book was only available in national libraries, I should receive permission. I re-submitted my application and was granted a reader pass valid for a month. Once I received my pass, the staff in the application office put out a notice for all staff to say that I was legitimately in the library for research purposes and all of the staff I met greeted me and talked to me about my research. They made me feel very welcome. My research has also taken me to the Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire

and South London. I would like to thank the British Library, the DCMS, Croydon London Borough Council, Liverpool City Council and the Friends of Anfield Cemetery for all of their help and also a big thank you to Mrs Patrick for listening to me every Friday and encouraging me.” Robert Foskett has been awarded a Music Exhibition scholarship at Oundle School, where he will be starting in September 2019. We are delighted for Robert’s wonderful achievement but are very sad to lose such a cheerful and hardworking member of Archives Club. Robert Foskett

Enquiries

Archives Volunteer

The archives has received many enquiries on a wide range of subjects this year. The majority of enquiries came from individuals undertaking family history or investigating the fallen of the First World War. Other enquiries have included: the impact of the Spanish Flu on the school in 1918-1919; the population of King’s during the 1940s-1950s and the population of King’s St Alban’s in 1969; and the histories of the KSW logo, the 1st XI cricket crest and the OV cricket crest. Further enquiries to the archive include requests for early photographs of the inside of the Chappel Memorial Room, fencing at King’s, early-twentieth-century curriculum for English, History and Classics, and the school’s sung grace.

This is the third year in which King’s archives has welcomed a history student from the University of Worcester, here on a voluntary placement as part of her assessed university course. Hannah Lovering spent 40 hours in the King’s archives, researching and mounting an exhibition on The King’s School during the First World War, now on display outside the Long Gallery. Thank you, Hannah.

Visitors It was wonderful to accommodate all 103 Lower Fourth pupils to the archives during their usual History lessons across January, February and March this year. We also welcomed seven L6 Historians in June. Twelve new members of King’s staff visited the archives in February, and the archives also welcomed 31 Year 6 pupils during two Stretch Days. In addition, we were visited by 14 OVs and one Hon OV; and it has been good to welcome the wife, the sister, and three children of OVs as visitors to the archive. The school archive has also received visits from three current King’s pupils undertaking research projects. Joseph Young (L4B) has viewed back issues of Stepping Fourth as part of his work on the magazine’s editorial team; Robert Foskett undertook research on OV Edward Winslow (KS 1606-1611) as part of his school History course; and Annie Park (L6Cl) made use of archive material for her “Red Papers Vs Red Welts” article in The King’s Speech. Thank you very much to everyone who visited.

D of E Archives Volunteer It has been wonderful to have L6 pupil Will Craddick in the school archive this year, volunteering once a week as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Will has been assisting with the long-term digitisation of archives material, resulting in the successful in-house digitisation of our cricket, netball, and hockey team photographs. Thank you ever so much indeed.

Accessions It has been particularly gratifying to receive an array of material from individuals I spoke to at this year’s OV Reunion. Bill Harris (S 1984-1989) donated a collection of papers regarding his father’s (Michael Harris, Ca 1948-1955) time at Tredennyke and The King’s School. In addition, Keith Bridges (KSW Staff 1963-2003) bequeathed a large collection of papers from his time at King’s, including paperwork from his time as Housemaster of Hostel, and painstakingly preserved King’s “Field Club” material 1963-1970. Thank you very much to all those who have given material to the school archives: if you have any former King’s School material that you would like to donate, do get in touch!

FIELD CLUB MATERIAL 1960s

OV Reunion As part of the annual OV Reunion over the May Bank Holiday weekend the archives display boards were exhibited on the stage in College Hall: we are very grateful to King’s Maintenance for all their help in setting up. The OV Reunion reverted to previous years’ format, with the reunion brunch being held on Saturday: it was wonderful to meet and talk to OVs during brunch.

Building Work Is still ongoing! However, there was great excitement during Spring 2019 when the scaffolding was removed from outside this part of Edgar Tower – it is wonderful to be able to actually see out of the windows from the Archives Office! Plastering and maintenance work needs to be carried out before everything can be returned to its rightful place and the Archives Exhibition Room can be fully restored to its former glory; but it now feels as though the end may be in sight… Harriet Patrick, Archivist

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Teaching Staff 2018/19 M.G. Armstrong MA Headmaster J.R. Ricketts BSc Senior Deputy Head A.R. Oliver BA, MSc

Deputy Head (Staff and Co-curricular)

D.S. King BSc Academic Deputy Head S.L. Toland MA Assistant Head (Pastoral) K.H. Beever Ma, CEng

Assistant Head (Pupil Development)

R.P. Mason BA

Chemistry

Director of External E. Friend BA Relations, Economics

Head of Economics R.A. Roberts MSci & Business

L. Ruiz Pelaez BA

MFL

S.M. Bain MSc, BSc

Biology, Games

J.H. Chalmers B.Appi.Sc

Biology, Rowing

R.A. Ellender BA

Design & Technology, Art

R.J. Davis BA

English

C.M. Neville BSc

Geography

A.J. Knights M Phys

Physics

T.R. Sharp MA

History

A.G. Deichen BA

Design & Technology

S.L.E. Parry MA

Head of Drama

S.H. Le Marchand BA

English

L.A. Walmsley MA

English

K.E. Lane Dance M.C. Poole BSc, PhD Chemistry J.L. Lucas BA, Dip Sp LD Head of Learning Skills C. Yates BSc Head of French

M.R. Dorsett BA, MTh, PhD Religion & Cert Theol (Chaplain) Philosophy

J.C. Barnard BSc

Geography

G.L. Williams M Ed, BA

Economics & Business

G.S. Bradley BA

Classics

N. Essenhigh BSc

Biology

R.J. Shearburn BA

Head of Spanish

D.N. Branchett BSc

Head of Computing

R.P. Geary BSc

Head of Chemistry

J.N. Gardiner BSc

Maths

E.J. Cameron BA

Head of History & Politics

A.A.D. Gillgrass BA

PE, Games, Politics

J.O. Hand BA Head of Sixth Form, Maths

E.J. Lewis BSc

Maths

S.C. Cuthbertson BA

Head of Geography

E.K. McKenzie BSc

C.T. Haywood BA

Art

J.R. Hewitt BA

Art

M.W. Warren BA, MA English A.W. Longley BA, MA Head of Fourth Forms, Geography

J. Price-Hutchinson BA

Drama

A.R. Gamble BSc

L.A. Beard BSc

Biology

Games

Physics

A.J. Fellows BA

English

M.M. Longley BEd, Cert Ed Games

G.L. Hardy BA

Art

F.J. Drinkwater MSc

Maths

D.J. Haddock MA, DPhil Head of Physics

R.J. McLaverty-Head BA. MPhil, PhD

Head of Religion & Philosophy

S. Greenall BA

Games

J. Knipe BA, Dip Sp LD

L.H. Ison BSc

Chemistry

A.J.M. Maund MA, M Phil Head of English

Learning Skills

E.L. Woodward BA Geography E.K. Trow-Poole BA Classics C.W. Wilson BA, Cert Ed E.L. Darby MA

Maths

G.V. Ward BEng, Ceng, MIET Maths

R.M. Lewis MA

Head of Design & Technology Classics

R.L. Wood BSc

Games

R.A. Ball MA

Head of MFL

N.J. Sears BA

History

N.J. Blakemore BSc

Computing

J.J. Mason BSc

Director of Sport

O.J. Heydon BSc

Head of Mathematics

D.R. Drew BA

MFL

C. Atkinson BSc

Games

W.J. Joyce BSc

Geography MFL

S.D. Gilbert MSc

Politics, History

R.J. James BSc, PhD

Chemistry

J. Sarriegui BA

C.R. Murray MA

Art

E.I. Lummas BA

Design & Technology

S. Taranczuk MMus, FRCO Director of Music

M.D. Parkin MA, PhD

Head of Biology

K.A. Whiteman BSc Head of Middle Years, History R.M. Rutter BA

MFL

C.L. Brown BSc, PhD

Biology & EPQ

A.N. Falzon MA

MFL

R.A. Worth BSc

Biology

D.J. Clarke BSc

Maths

E.F.E. Preece BSc

Games

E.D. Houghton BA

MFL

G. Garfield BSc

Physics

G.M. Gunter GTCL, LTCL Music A.M. Simpson BSc

Religion & Philosophy

E.A. Shepherd MA

Classics

J.D. Owen BA

English

L.E. Haddock BSc

Physics

A.R. Swarbrick BSc

Maths

C.J.B. Allsop MA, FRCO

Assistant Director of Music

D.J. Salkeld BSc

Maths

L.C. Symonds BSc, PGDipEd Games

J.A. Downe BSc

Chemistry

S.C. Bradley BA

Head of Classics

G. Terry MA, BA

C.R.S. Rees MA

Head of PSHE & RSE

Head of Art

Monitors & Heads of House 2018/19 HEAD OF SCHOOL

Sam Martyn-Smith

HEADS OF HOUSE Bright Sophie Harrison & DEPUTY HEADS Josh Moorehouse OF SCHOOL Emma Smalley Castle Amy Mushing & Finn Hughes Harry Walker Chappel Holly Whitcomb MONITORS & Miles Whaley Izzy Copeland Sam Ness Sarah Allen-Griffiths George Hale Choir Amelia Clark & Ben Walker Kate Emsley Megan Power Hollie Avery Tom Hale Creighton Rachel Holdway & Harry Clark Natasja Enthoven Zac Rawles Lucy Baxter Dan Humphrey Kittermaster Cara Taylor & Peter Simpson Alex Green Hannah Stock Marguerite Bullock Abi Hyde Oswald Rachel Cross & Aiden Taylor Ethan Summerwill Sam Barstow Anna Jethwa School Jia Jie Huang & Kirsten Campbel Ferguson Archie Jury Esme Blinman-Wilson Wulstan Sophie Welburn & Michael Nice

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The Vigornian

Support Staff 2018/19 Bursar

H.L. Jackson

Deputy Bursar

P.F. Hope BSc, ACA

ICT Support

S.R. Tongue MPhis, BSc, MCP

Estates

A.C. Winter BSc

D.A.J. Cox

R.J. Barker

Human Resources

K.L. Turner

A. Rowberry

N.M. Clines

G.S. Harding

D.G.R. Thomas

S. D’Ambrosi

Bursary Staff

A.S. Grove

SIMS

H.R. Hateley

P. Gibbon

S. Hewitt BSc, ACA

Examinations

M.A. Glarvey BA

R.L. Vaughan

A. Cross

E.J. Gale

Health & Safety

A.F. Woodward

K.A. Thurgood BA

M.A. Roberts

Technicians

J.L. Timlin BA

S. Kilminster

Caretakers

D.J. McFee D.A. Starkey Dip IFE

Bursar’s Secretary

C. Neil

J. Harrell

Cover

A.E. Sansome BA

Headmaster’s PA

A. Stanley

V. Robinson

Pupil Supervisor

T.A. Pardoe

Grounds

School Secretaries

C. Nesbitt BA

A.M. Westley

M.P. Quigley

L. Saunders

G. Collins

M.L. Richardson

A.F. McNeilly BSc

W.E. Calvert

C.M. Williams

M.D. Guest

Language Assistants

J.A. Palmer A.C.M.P. Rolland

Transport Boathouse/Rowing

R.C. Kidd

R.D.P. Wilkes

F.E. Mead

K. Lloyd-Adams

P. Bladen

D. Paddock

Coaches

Registrar

V.C.L. Peckston BA

S.E. Nevitt BA

Catering

P. Tyrrell

I.R. Hobbs D. Grinnell BA (Ed) W.M.S. Bird J.D.A. Robins

H. Zhang T.M. Benham BA

B.J. Young

Cleaning

N. McNamee

A.E. Stratford I. Cunningham-Martin

Governors

Design, Media and Reprographics

C.M. Perera BA

K. Webb

R.E.F.J. Booth BSc

K.T. Spink

Foundation Development Office

E.J. Elliott BSc

S. Borrillo-McLellan BA

A.F. Evans

Mr Hugh Carslake BA, LLB (Chairman) J.M. Bennett Mr Mark Atkins MRICS A. Balcerzak The Very Rev. Peter Atkinson FRSA I.K. Carson The Rev. Canon Dr Michael W Brierley

C.M. Williams

A.H. Choudhury Professor Michael Clarke CBE MA, DL

Marketing

E.J. Ward BA

A.J. Taylor BA

Mr Douglas Dale MA, FCA H.E. Dutfield Mr Jeremy Goulding MA R.J. Gough

S. Velasquez BSc

Compliance Manager

E.B.S. White

Mr Laurence Green

Health Centre

C. Furber RGN, Dip N.ENB100

Mrs Jane Jarvis BA (Hons), MCIPD S.J. Kings Mr Rob McClatchey MA C.L. Kings Mrs Carolyn Pike OBE LLB (Hons)

E.L. Rossiter RGN, BSc

G.M. Knight Mrs Patricia Preston MA (Oxon), DipM

School Library

A.H.C. Jeffery MA, DipLIS

Mr Andrew Reekes FRSA K. Mol-Drygas

M.J. Capell BSc, MSc

V.E. Warr