King's St Alban's Year 6 Leavers 2020

Classes of 2020

Message from Mr Chapman Dear Year 6, Well, what a year we’ve had! When I spoke to you in the Chapel in September, who would have thought your time at King’s St Alban’s would have ended with remote learning and then bubbles! Who would have predicted that your life would become dominated by Showbie and that school would be so different! I suspect you will reread this Yearbook in two, five, twenty or even fifty years time and you might wonder if this all actually happened. Your grandchildren will ask you about the time Boris closed all the schools and we were all in lockdown.

I am so sorry that your time at King’s St Alban’s didn’t end with a memorable Speech Day in College Hall after trips to the Old Chapel and Normandy. I hope this wonderful Yearbook goes some way to making up for what you have missed. You are the first Year 6 to take part in a Virtual Speech Day but also the first Year 6 to get their own Yearbook! My thanks to Emma and the Parents’ Social Group for making this happen.

You have ended your time at King’s St Alban’s as an outstanding cohort! You have all grown up, bonded well and acted as super role models for the rest of the school. I hope you have enjoyed your time at King’s St Alban’s and I wish you well for the next exciting chapter in your lives.

Richard Chapman June 2020

The Year 6 Leavers’ Song I am waking up again to a brand new day of fun, I can’t believe that already my lessons have begun!

I’m happy and excited about learning lots of things, And just this day I can’t wait to see what this new day brings.

So thanks for all the good times, parents, teachers, friends, Wherever we may go, I know We’ll stay together ‘til the end!

I will look back on all my memories and smile, We’ve made our way through KSA and done it all in style.

Sports and music workshops and then the May Day Fair, World Book Day, school trips away, there’s been so much to share.

So thanks for all the good times, parents, teachers, friends, Wherever we may go, I know We’ll stay together ‘til the end!

Our story now, at KSA is on the final page, We’re parting ways and moving up to take on the next stage.

Now it’s time to write the next chapter of our lives, Think of all the stories yet to come!

So thanks for all the good times, parents, teachers, friends, Wherever we may go, we’ll stay together, So thanks for all the good times, parents, teachers, friends, Wherever we may go, I know We’ll stay together ‘til the end!

Pre-Prep

Independence

King’s St Alban’s

Perseverance

The Arts

Responsibility

Pride

Curiosity

Respect

Resilience

20/6/20

6DB

If the year 2019-20 were a story character, it would surely have been Mr Topsy Turvey! There we were in a mild autumn, heading along happily, learning lots. First, the Architectural Workshop, where we discovered the importance of triangles in constructions, the tightly bound structures stress-tested for durability or, equally likely, disaster! Then the outdoor studies. A beautiful hot autumn day at the Knapp and Papermill, where the presence

of freshwater shrimp in the Lye Brook taught us that the river was clean and healthy, the wildlife within, thriving. Entrance testing practice, honing our skills at maths, writing and exam-taking.

The exam season soon behind us, the Form Assembly loomed. Here we explored, prepared then presented what caught our interests: from sword fencing to the advent of the electric car, from fossils to D Day.

Kindness

France, the Old Chapel and the Carousel Weeks beckoned in the near-distance.

And then the whole world turned head over heels, and we found ourselves in TopsyTurveyland!

Lockdown: remote learning, online Showbie lessons, distant friends brought just a little closer by digital means. Echoey drainpipe voices on Teams. The hottest, driest Spring

on record. A tentative return to school and a new concept: social distancing.

Reunited at last with friends, learning in a cavernous senior school classroom, though discovering new levels of focus. Games on College Green on warm, sunny days.

And every so often, a lofty screech from the local peregrine falcons perched on the cathedral tower, and the sociability of Cyril the semi-tame squirrel, companions on our lockdown learning adventure.

Mr Braithwaite

My memorable moment is…

Mr Braithwaite

Molly Branchett

Marcus Butcher

Frederick Edmonds

Piers Jelfs

Martha King

Harriet Mason

Ruby Neil

Playing Mr Potts in the Year 2 ‘Baubles’ Nativity Play. I received lots of amazing comments and really enjoyed myself.

The Year 5 sports tour to Cardiff which was simply amazing!

Playing in the river at the Old Chapel.

My first day at school, walking into Reception and meeting new friends. especially Rupert.

Arriving at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff with all my friends for an exciting sports tour!

Visiting the Old Chapel in Year 4 with my friends was my best memory of KSA. We were adventurous and it was really fun.

When I first moved into Year 3. It was scary at first but then others helped me and I didn’t feel scared anymore and learnt lots of new things.

Tobias Edwards-Hall

George Fisher

George Gamble

Juliet Gardner

Luke Perera

Oliver Young

Oscar Stevens

James Walton

When I played my first A team rugby match and made some brilliant tackles and got man of the match.

Celebrating my tenth birthday with my friends on the Year 5 sports tour and being captain of the KSA A team at the Millfield rugby tournament.

When we were on the sports tour me and George Gamble threw sweets at each other and then when we went to bed i woke up early and had 7 cups of tea 5 cups of coffee!

When the whole school dressed up for World Languages Day. I was a German flag!

Passing my entrance exam to KSW, Mrs Ricketts doing ‘fire hands’ on me, going to Oaker Wood & sharing a sleeping pod with Tigo & Fred, going to Old Chapel, competition fencing for KSW (we won!), Mr Braithwaite teaching me and making great friends.

The excitement of my first day, after joining in Year 6!

Meeting my new friends in my first week when I joined in Year 6, they were new too and we found it really easy to get along, they are supportive and fun!

The Year 6 rugby tournament at Millfield School was an amazing story of the underdogs winning against champions. The KSA A team somehow ended up top of the leaderboard. The journey home gave us plenty of time to polish off the Haribo bucket I’d brought for the ride. We laughed and joked our journey back high on sherbert.

6KB Flexibility

“Can I get the ball please, Mrs Beauchamp?” seems to have been our soundtrack for the last few weeks of school during lovely long breaks on the Fourth Form Playground (which is not particularly ball friendly!) Who knew that our end of year 6 would look like this? Certainly not me at the beginning of the year.

The year started as they always do, full of promise and hard work, making new friends and getting reacquainted with old ones.

We welcomed Larissa, Ceri and Eva to KSA and it soon felt as if they had always been in school and they became firm friends.

Autumn term was productive with a trip to Knapp and Paper Mill to look at the Leigh

Brook and an overall rigorous approach the Year 6 curriculum. The children enjoyed the architectural workshop, concert, informal concerts and many sporting fixtures. As the term drew to a close we started to turn our attention to the looming Entrance Tests.

Spring term quickly threw us into revision and preparation for Entrance which the children took mainly in good spirits (although there was a fair amount of grumbling about comprehensions task from all except for Tigo – who loves them!). We also welcomed Danny to the class this term and learnt a lot from him and his mother about Chinese culture and about life in Beijing. Danny soon also became a valued member of the class.

Entrance testing brought lots of successes

to the class with Scholarships for William, Eva, Henry S and Grace. The whole class did a super job and made me very proud.

Before the term could end, we were thrown into the turmoil of a global pandemic which turned our lives upside down. The last week of term was possibly the most stressful for parents, children and staff and we entered into the Easter break wondering what the next term would bring.

After a very busy Easter break and the introduction of Showbie, the children flew into remote learning. Whilst not easy for all and certainly not without a few hiccups, the children embraced their new world with flexibility and independence again making

me incredibly proud. I enjoyed form times from home where the children discussed many ‘would you rather…’ topics in depth and explored A-Zs of virtually every subject we could think of. The children carried on their learning from home across a range of subjects making great progress and producing an astonishing amount of work.

As we reach the end of the year, we say goodbye to Piper and wish her and her family all the best for their move back to the USA. Everyone else moves up to ‘Big King’s’ with my very best wishes and I would like to thank them all for their good humour, tenacity and hard work this year.

Mrs Beauchamp

Mrs Beauchamp

My memorable moment is‌

Harry Corby

Larissa Edwards-Hall

Pia Forrester

Henry Gillen

Santiago (Tigo) Marskell

Eva Mein

William Perkins

Ceri Pritchard

When we beat RGS at rugby in Year 5 in all of the mud.

The Year 6 Drama club performance.

I went to hockey IAPS and saved a tough shot that really helped our team. I felt really proud of myself.

My first day at St Albans in September when I met lots of new friends.

My first over night school trip in Year 3, being on the top bunks at Oaker Wood with my friends.

When I read out my poem, that I had won in a competition, last year in Creative Connexions. I was very nervous beforehand, but fortunately it went OK.

When we won my first rugby match after breaking my shoulder and for scoring the last try of the match with only a few seconds left. And then suddenly everyone leaping onto me.

Playing the flute in the orchestra workshop and wind band with my friends.

Freddie Goodwin

Jayden Heaysman

Rupert James

Grace Kitching

Henry Sutcliffe

Ethan Tan

Piper Yoon

Danny Zhang

When I returned back from my 6 month family sailing trip and saw all my KSA friends and teachers again. Mrs. Lewis & my class followed our journey as we crossed the Atlantic Ocean & sailed the Caribbean Islands.

Having too many great memories to choose from but I know that I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime.

The Year 3 show where I performed dressed in a leotard which I don’t think anyone will forget!

On the sports tour, the coach was late and we sat on our cricket bags and waited in the car park. It was very fun.

Meeting Marcus at the teddy bears picnic before we joined Reception and I knew then I’d have a good friend at school!

Having a great time portraying a funny character in the Year 6 play, because I love to make people laugh!

Saturday cricket.

Playing football in football club and the games against RGS.

6M

6M, what a year it has been! You have been resilient, hard working and an absolute credit to yourselves. It has been a year of change for us all. Saying farewell to Mrs Duke, who we continue to miss and then the challenges of lockdown and adapting to our ‘new normal’ at school. You have handled it all with positivity and an open mind and I am very proud of you all.

It has been wonderful to have most of you back at school. I smile to myself as I watch you play with your

friends, laughing and grinning from ear to ear. Hide and seek has become a firm favourite, den making in the bushes and laps of the playground in the glorious sun.

Thank you for being an amazing class. Even though this year was not the year that you were expecting, you have made the most of it and will have memories that you can cherish for a long time.

Mrs Majhu

Focus

My memorable moment is‌

Mrs Majhu

Freddie Barwise

Arthur Dykes

Mohamed Elgali

Henry Lovegrove

Phoebe Martin

Arthur Mears

George Parker

A rugby match where I ran through the other teams line of defence and scored a try.

Going to Old Chapel and having fun with my friends

Raft building at Aztec In Year 4.

When our corridor got forgotten about at breakfast on the Sports Tour.

Playing T20 cricket against Bromsgrove school with all my friends.

My most memorable moment at the school was my first day. I felt warmly welcomed and I made friends instantly.

The Old Chapel visit in Year 4 with Mrs Ricketts and Miss Jordan. Building dens and fires, amazing!

YearMy memorable moment is‌

Lily Firkins

Tom Haughtey

Peter John

Max Knott

Sam Perkins

Xander Shepherd

Ava Town

Arabella Tripp

I received a Headteacher’s award for my ‘Face of Recycling’ artwork. I had my picture in the newsletter holding the picture with Mr Chapman.

Playing rugby at Millfield School with my friends, we won all our matches and it was very enjoyable. I will also remember the fun Sports tour!

Being made to feel welcome by teachers and friends when I joined KSA in Year 5 and I have also enjoyed taking part in the sporting fixtures.

Being the sleepy sheep in the Pre-Prep nativity and going to the water park on the Year 5 sports tour!

Being part of the U11A rugby team that went to Millfield for a rugby tournament....and we won the whole tournament! It was amazing!

Being a part of the IAPS swimming and netball team was brilliant, I loved the training, being with my friends and the excitement of the competition, it was so much fun.

It was tough rugby season but my highlight was winning the tournament at Millfield.

During Old Chapel Mrs Hind burnt the toast at breakfast and set the fire alarm off and I had to run down the stairs whilst putting on my leggings!!

Cooperation

A socially distanced farewell from King’s St Albans

Photobook produced by Emma Butcher (Marcus’ Mum) and Catherine Perera (Luke’s Mum) on behalf of the KSA Parents Social Group