The Vigornian July 2017

The Vigornian

2016 / 17

THE KING’S SCHOOL, WORCESTER

A Message from the Headmaster

I write these notes at the end of a tremendously exciting academic year during which King’s has marked its 475th anniversary with some gusto. There was a festive feel to the celebrations on December 7th, which began with a talk to the school about how they might have found school in 1541 and ended with a magnificent firework display. Another highlight came in the spring term in the shape of a performance of the promenade play 1541, a piece specially written for this anniversary year by drama teacher Shara Parry. This compelling piece used the surroundings at King’s to remarkable effect, with parts set in the cloisters and College Hall as well as a compelling evocation of Catherine Howard’s court in a candlelit Edgar Tower.

The summer term brought a special celebratory OV weekend at the end of April which involved a hugely well attended dinner in the magnificent surroundings of the Cathedral. The Cathedral was also the venue for the final major event of the anniversary year, a service which included a setting of psalm 150 specially commissioned for the occasion by the King’s School Parents’ Committee and composed by former member of the Music Department Piers Connor Kennedy. It is a bright and vibrant work which we look forward to enjoying as part of the choir’s repertoire over years to come.

grateful to my colleagues who devote so much time not just to their teaching but also to encouraging their pupils beyond the classroom.

Our 475th birthday made the year particularly special, but there has also been much else to celebrate. Results at both GCSE and A level were again excellent, and the spirit of intellectual enquiry has been much in evidence in the range of academic activity beyond as well as within the classroom. Our sporting squads have had an excellent year too, with impressive rugby success at Rosslyn Park and some excellent results on both the netball court and the hockey pitch. Our cricketers were joined by members of the OV Cricket Club in June for the naming of the Peter Iddon Pavilion in memory of our much-loved master in charge, and produced a thrilling victory over the MCC which would have warmed Peter’s heart.

A lovely feature of 2016-17 has been the relatively high number of visits from OVs with fond memories of King’s for whom their time at school provided a platform for later success. I know that many who attended the school, via the direct grant or assisted places scheme, acknowledge the value of the education they received here, and we are anxious to preserve the inclusive feel of the school which is so much a part of its heritage. It is partly with this in mind that we have launched a 475th anniversary bursary appeal in the hope of achieving the goal which Henry VIII set out but failed to fund, that of providing forty free places to those in need who will benefit most from them. This appeal was launched on King’s Day, and you will hear more about it over the years ahead. My hope is that the wonderfully warm King’s Community will

Common Room Notes

The Common Room celebrated one wedding and the arrival of four staff babies during the year. Over the summer holiday last year, our School Archivist Harriet Fisher married Chris Patrick. We wish them every happiness in their life together.

The new arrivals began with Emma and Dave Woodward welcoming Bethan, then Felicity was born to Gemma and Rob Hardy. Jenny and Sarah Parkinson-Mills welcomed Freya and finally Alice and Charlie Fellows (OV) greeted

New Staff 2016-17

Duncan Branchett

Duncan Branchett graduated from the University of Leicester in 1997 with a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Space Science & Technology. After completing his PGCE he started teaching Physics in Nottingham and then moved over to Malvern where he taught a mixture of IT, Computing and Physics. Duncan joined King’s in September 2016 as Head of IT & Computing and is introducing the new A-Level Computer Science in September 2017. In his spare time, after ferrying his three children about, he enjoys playing the cornet with Stourport on Severn Brass Band.

Emmah Cameron

Emmah fell in love with History while at school and has continued to be enchanted by its rich stories and interconnected ideas, causes and beliefs. She loves teaching all aspects of history and to pupils of all ages, but more specifically her favourite subject area is the American West and the lives of the Native Americans. Having gone straight from school, to university, to teaching she tries to make the most of her holidays and enjoys travelling to new places, exploring the geography and wildlife. At heart she admits to being a hopeless romantic who spends too much time with her nose in a book, ideally a love story; her favourite being Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.

Edward Lewis

Edward Lewis graduated from Durham University with a degree in Geology and Geophysics. He taught mathematics in Cambridgeshire before working in an international school in Bogota, Colombia. He met his wife Kathryn at his next posting in Essex and they have recently returned from working at a boarding school in Kenya. Their baby son, Theo, was born in Nairobi. They also brought back a stray cat, which involved many injections and a lot of paperwork. Edward’s hobbies are birdwatching, listening to the Archers and playing golf badly.

Hugo at the start of the summer holiday this year.

Many congratulations to all of our new families!

We were deeply saddened, however, last November by the news of the death of Sue Jackson, a popular and wellrespected former colleague. Sue had been one of our receptionists for many years before retiring just a few months previously and was also mother of Harry and Alex Jackson (OVs).

Emma McKenzie graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2011 before moving to Durham as a sports graduate coach at Barnard Castle School. Having completed her PGCE, she took on the role of Director of Netball at King’s Worcester. In her first year at King’s she finished her MA in Pedagogy through the University of Twickenham. Having moved back to the area, she has returned to her old Netball club, Hucclecote. Emma enjoys keeping fit and setting herself challenges; a recent conquest was running the Edinburgh marathon having been a track sprinter only 12 months before.

Catharine Yates

Since starting her career as a French teacher at The Chase in Malvern, Catharine has taught in a wide range of schools, including five years as IB Coordinator in a Sixth Form College in Southampton and two years in America, teaching Spanish in a small country school in North Carolina from Kindergarten to 12th Grade (4-18 year olds). She joined King’s in September 2016 as Head of French and Year Group Tutor in Wulstan House. Outside school, she enjoys camping, morris dancing and spending time in France with her husband and children.

Vicky Warr

Vicky Warr joined us in January as our new Library Assistant. Having managed the library at the Chantry School for nine years, Vicky came to us with a wealth of experience and a genuine love of working with young people in libraries. In her spare time Vicky likes to walk her Welsh collie Solo and school her project pony Cassie who has lived the majority of his life on a Welsh hillside. She has two grown-up children who are both at university. Vicky is very keen to try all the new things that King’s has to offer and has already accompanied Bright on their LR camp this summer!

Helen Jackson

Helen Jackson joined King’s on 1st August 2016 as Bursar. Helen was previously the bursar at Tudor Hall School, a girl’s boarding school, and Carrdus School, its junior day school, both near Banbury. She was at Tudor Hall for over fourteen years and prior to that she had been Operations Bursar at Stowe School for more than six years. Helen trained in Hotel and Catering Management and began her career as Junior Bursar at St Anne’s College, Oxford, before moving to Oaklands Agricultural and Horticultural College, St Albans, as Domestic Bursar. This was followed by six years working as the Accommodation Services Manager for BBC Wood Norton, Evesham. Helen was drawn to King’s by its reputation, sense of community, history and the challenges of working with three schools and the Cathedral; little did she know that she would also be a ferry operator!

New Staff 2017-18

Sophie Toland

Sophie Toland joins King’s as Assistant Head Pastoral. She was previously assistant head of boarding at St Swithun’s School, where she joined as a housemistress and teacher of English in 2011. Sophie read English and Drama at Homerton College, Cambridge before completing her PGCE at Brunel University. Alongside coaching girls’ football, directing school plays and helping to run a boarding house, Sophie also taught English and Drama at Clayesmore School in Dorset before becoming a housemistress. Sophie is married with two children, Evie and Theo.

Kath Whiteman

Kath joins the History Department and as Head of Middle Years. She was educated in Warrington and studied for a degree in History at Oxford University. Kath has been teaching for over twenty years, most recently at Francis Holland School Regent’s Park, where she held the position of Deputy Head. Her hobbies include reading, yoga and travelling. Kath is excited about her new, varied role assisting pupils academically and pastorally.

John Barnard

John joined the Geography Department to cover Emma Woodward’s maternity leave. He is now starting his second year at King’s as a geography teacher and Wulstan House Year Group Tutor. He also teaches hockey and football. He was educated in London and gained a degree in geography at Liverpool University. He has been teaching for over 30 years, mostly at Lakers School in the Forest of Dean. In his spare time he enjoys watching Gloucester rugby win at Kingsholm, although this doesn`t happen often enough! He is looking forward to another rewarding year teaching and learning at King’s.

Liz Elliott

Liz Elliott joined King’s on 1st September 2016 as Foundation Development Director. Liz herself is an Old Vigornian (OV), having attended King’s between 1982 and 1984. After leaving King’s, Liz studied Hotel and Catering Management at the University of Surrey and subsequently held a number of positions within the hotel industry, including at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, at London-based consultancy Pennell Kerr Forster as well as spending ten years with Whitbread PLC. In 2009 Liz and a small group of other OVs arranged for over fifty of their year group to come back to King’s for their 25 year reunion and it was this occasion which inspired Liz a few years later to consider returning to King’s to head up the Development team. Liz thoroughly enjoys meeting, and hearing from, King’s OVs as well as other members of the wider King’s family. King’s School retains very close links to its alumni and Liz also works with those individuals who want to give back to the school and support the work of The Development Trust.

Lorna Beard

Lorna joins the Biology Department. She graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2013 then spent some time working for a local business manufacturing, quality control checking and selling test kits for allergies and autoimmune diseases before completing a PGCE. Prior to going to university Lorna spent a summer in Vermont on the Camp America programme both mentoring girls and coaching horse riding. She has competed in sprint triathlons, running and cycling events and enjoy horse riding at weekends. Two years ago Lorna walked the Inca Trail and so is looking forward to getting involved in the Duke of Edinburgh award at King’s.

Nathan Blakemore

Nathan Blakemore joins the IT department in September. Before training to be a teacher, he enjoyed a career in IT, designing and managing technical solutions. In addition he has worked in snowsports as a qualified snowboard instructor. Since graduating from the University of Worcester, Nathan has spent the last few years working in a range of schools teaching Computer Science and Sport as well as playing an active role in Gold DofE. In addition to teaching IT, Nathan will be joining the rowing staff at King’s. With a passion for the outdoors, Nathan has many interests including tennis, competition cycling, snowboarding, clay shooting, surfing, climbing, and wild camping.

Emma McKenzie

Diana Drew

Diana Drew graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in French and German, including a year spent teaching and skiing in the Black Forest in Germany and summers in France as a tour guide of a perfume factory and au pair. After a PGCE at York University, she began her teaching career in Kettering and then followed spells in other schools in Oxford, Bromsgrove and Malvern as Head of German, before taking time out to raise her 3 daughters. After living in Paris as a family, Diana returned to teaching at St Mary’s and then RGS. Diana’s interests include tennis, playing the flute in an orchestra, the theatre, reading widely, being involved in a local church and volunteering at Foodbank.

Felicity Drinkwater

Felicity Drinkwater joins the Mathematics Department. She graduated with a MSci (Hons) in Mathematics from the University of Bristol before completing her PGCE at Worcester and entering the teaching profession. Felicity comes to King’s from Stratford Girls’ Grammar School where she taught for four years and enjoyed sharing her enthusiasm for mathematics with her students, a team of whom succeeded in reaching the national final of the Team Maths Challenge competition in June. She intends to instil the same love of problem solving and aptitude for maths in her pupils at King’s. Aside from her passion for teaching, Felicity is interested in sport: she plays league badminton for her local team and is looking forward to getting involved with the extra-curricular activities at King’s.

Alison Gamble

Alison joins the Physics Department full time after a year working with us at King’s in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and RP. Her family has lived in the area for generations - she was born and brought up in Tewkesbury. She studied Chemistry at the University of Nottingham, and then her PGCE at the University of York. This is Alison’s thirtieth year of teaching! She was Head of Chemistry at Hanley Castle High School then, after her children came along, at schools in Rugby and Southam in Warwickshire. More recently, Alison spent a few years living and working in London, Ontario where she was also able to spend a lot more time skiing! Her hobbies include water-skiing, cooking and travelling. Alison is delighted to be joining the Physics team at King’s and is looking forward to sharing her passion for sciences across the spectrum with students of all ages.

Stephen Gilbert

Stephen Gilbert joins the Politics and History Department to teach British and American Politics and History. From Cornwall, Stephen was educated at Aberystwyth University and the London School of Economics before embarking on a ten year career in financial services. Recently serving as a Member of Parliament, Stephen’s hobbies include sailing, writing and the gym. He is currently studying for a Spanish GCSE and is looking forward to being part of the King’s community.

Simon Greenall

Simon graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 2007 and then worked for Hertfordshire Cricket in their elite coaching programme, before pursuing a career in teaching. He joined Framlingham College in Suffolk as a sports coach before undertaking his PGCE there the following year. As well as teaching PE, he coached the 1st teams for rugby and cricket. Coaching sport is a huge part of Simon’s life and over the past year he has worked with both Middlesex and Suffolk County Cricket Clubs and coached rugby with Northampton Saints and the Independent Schools Lambs. Rugby has always been a major part of Simon’s life – as a schoolboy he played for Saracens and Northampton Saints. However, his passion is cricket and after university Simon spent two winters in Australia playing 1st grade in Newcastle, NSW. He has played 10 years of Minor County Cricket for Hertfordshire and received his full cap at Lord’s in 2012. In early 2017 he was made a full member of the MCC.

Laurie Ison

After initially studying Biology at Oxford Brooks University Laurie returned to his home town, Tiverton in Devon, to become a Research and Development Chemist at an industrial textile factory there. Alongside working, he studied for a degree in Chemistry from the University of The West of England. After six years he made the decision to change careers and become a teacher. After completing his PGCE at Exeter University, he moved to Worcester to teach Chemistry at The Chase School in Malvern where he has been for the last nine years. Amongst his interests Laurie lists walking and natural history.

Bernard Routledge

We are most fortunate that Bernie Routledge is joining the English Department in September to cover for Mrs Fellows’ maternity leave. Bernie is a very experienced teacher of English, as a former Head of English and Director of Studies at The King’s School in Chester. He has most recently been teaching at Chosen Hill School in Gloucester. As well as his love of all things literary, he has directed numerous school productions and coached cricket and football. We welcome him to King’s and to the English Department in particular.

Emma Kate Trow-Poole

Emma Kate joins the Classics Department to teach Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation. She has local roots, being educated at The Chantry and Worcester Sixth Form College followed by a degree in Classics at Exeter University. Her hobbies include reading, visiting museums and travelling. She also enjoys art history and learning new languages. She is looking forward to being part of the King’s community and inspiring the next generation of Classicists.

Graham Ward

Graham Ward joins the Mathematics department. Graham studied Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. A variety of control & instrument and power systems engineering roles at Atkins, Hickson & Welch and EA Technology led to Chartered Engineer whilst working at QinetiQ in Malvern as the team leader for Military Radar Systems. More recently, he moved from fast jets to business aircraft with GE Aviation in Cheltenham. For the past six years, Graham has been the maths instructor on the GE Aviation Edison Graduate Training Scheme. Graham is married with two children. In his spare time, he follows Worcester Warriors, enjoys long distance running, and motorcycling.

Mark Warren

Mark graduated as a mature student in 1996 from the University of Sheffield before completing studying at the University of Warwick for his MA in Historical Methods and Discourse. This was followed by the commencement of a DPhil at University College, Oxford. After a year working on his thesis a moment of epiphany convinced him that another dust gathering book on nineteenth century poverty was most definitely not required and consequently he qualified as a teacher on the Solihull SCITT. He has worked in schools in Warwickshire and Worcestershire since 2001 and began teaching at King’s in March 2016 in the English Department. Mark was also responsible for Junior Debating and has now taken on Chess Club. He has been married for over thirty years and has three children. He is a keen golfer and spends his spare time either on the course or playing chess and scrabble.

Rebecca Wood

Rebecca Wood joins the PE department as a hockey specialist. Originally from Shropshire, she has interests in outdoor pursuits as well as team sports. Her hobbies include horse riding, snowboarding and travelling. For a short period of time she combined these passions and worked in ski resorts in France and summer camps in America. She studied Sports Coaching at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) where she represented the university hockey team. She currently plays for Harborne Hockey Club. She is excited to join the PE department and become part of the King’s community. Rebecca will also join Choir House.

Chris Xia

Chris spent his formative years picking up languages. He was the only blond boy in a Chinese school in colonial Hong Kong; he moved to Austria where he discovered snow and gender before pitching up at a boarding school near London which led him to French and a year in the Norman capital, Rouen. A languages degree took him to Latin America, and thence to journalism at the BBC World Service where he spent a decade in the polyglot world of the Bush House newsroom producing radio news for broadcast to the world, with an interlude back in Hong Kong reporting on its return to Chinese rule. A late arrival to teaching, but not without adventures!

Other Starters and Leavers

Alison Stanley joined King’s, taking over from Christina Swainston as the Head’s PA, in the spring of 2017. Our new Theatre Manager, Paul Haynes, took over from Chris Crosswell in January. He has been joined this academic year by new Theatre Technician Sam Dudley who takes over from James Garside who left in July. During 201617 from the Foundation Development Office we also said farewell to Alice Brunt (Head of Alumni Communications) who is now a fundraiser for St Richard’s Hospice, and to Kathryn Gilmour (Development Officer) who joined the National Trust as a Conservation Assistant. In June, Sophie Borrillo-McLellan joined the team as Head of Alumni Relations. Sophie used to work at Malvern Theatres as Trusts & Foundations Coordinator. Alice Peirce (Development Assistant) who worked previously at Natural England as Technical Support Advisor also began work in the FDO last summer. The marketing team has been joined by Lily Blueman as Head of Marketing, Kate Cairns as Head of Digital Marketing and Sue Mason as Primary Schools’ Liaison.

Also joining us since September 2016 are Kerstin Lloyd Adams (German Assistant); Tom Benham (Sports Coach); Beverley Young and Jack McDonald (Rowing Coaches); Emma Rossiter (School Nurse); Tracey Pardoe (Lunchtime Supervisor); Shelley Guest (Receptionist).

We also wish last year’s PE PGCE students – Tom Allcoat, Ali Wright and Tom Brown all the best as they embark on their teaching careers. This year we welcome Paloma Adorisio-Hughes and Marcus Barnard to the PE department as they undertake their PGCE with King’s and the University of Buckingham.

Departures

Russ Baum came to King’s in April 2002 from Wisbech Grammar School, where he had been Head of Physics, to take up the newly-created post of Director of Studies. Over his time at King’s few areas of academic life have been untouched by his influence, and the school’s academic development over the last ten years has owed much to his good offices.

Russ’s sensitivity and willingness to listen made him an excellent choice to lead the academic side of the school, and his capacity to remain unruffled under pressure enabled him to introduce important initiatives here and to cope with the vagaries of government policy and their effects on life at King’s over the last fifteen years. Always wise in his counsel, his head of department colleagues found him both a rich source of advice and a significant support in times of difficulty. He also made an important contribution to the Senior Management Team during his tenure, providing guidance and help to a range of colleagues during the essential expansion of the academic administration, and helping to ensure continuity during periods of change.

Russ is a man of unusual and eclectic talents, with a capacity both to distil and focus on what is important and the thoroughness to ensure that the attention to detail essential to effective academic administration was always in place. He did this with a lightness of touch that belied his consistent hard work and devotion to his duties; the smooth running of the school’s systems was such that his colleagues were scarcely aware of the efforts going on behind the scenes. More public among his roles was his responsibility for the management of the King’s and Queen’s scholars, in whose accomplishments and achievements he took a considerable pride. Indeed, his interest in individuals and their welfare was unwavering, and ensured he remained an inspirational teacher of physics right up to his retirement.

equipped to respond to the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. His personal enthusiasm for the opportunities available, combined with a refreshingly undogmatic approach, ensured that systems were appropriately developed and major progress made. The successful introduction of Firefly most recently provided yet another example of a project which Russ spearheaded with untiring commitment.

Russ has also combined his responsibilities with an impressive contribution to the wider life of the school: he consistently promoted and facilitated the attendance of the school’s physicists at lectures offered by the University of Birmingham, encouraged many of the school’s scientists in their university aspirations, and did much to support outdoor pursuits at the school. In addition he has been responsible for a number of expeditions including, most recently, a highly successful joint trip to Iceland with New College, Worcester, the local blind college. This visit had a profound impact on the King’s pupils who travelled, and required prolonged and meticulous preparation.

Russ’s quiet willingness to assist wherever help was needed was hugely appreciated by his colleagues; in his understated way he would be the first to volunteer whenever a need arose. This generosity, combined with his unassuming manner and unfailing patience, provoked a warmth towards him which was very evident in the farewells at Easter. Russ will be much missed here, but retirement will give him the opportunity to devote more time to his many interests beyond professional life.

Among these is a love of the mountains. Russ’s modesty is such that one needed to know him well to be aware that the picture which hung on his office wall, of the Kuffner Ridge on Mont Blanc, was there because he had climbed it in his younger days; this remains a demanding and much coveted route among alpinists. Russ’s interest in mountains and wild places is one which he hopes again to indulge more fully over the years ahead, and is one of the factors which underlies his decision to relocate to Scotland. We hope that the years ahead will bring much happiness to Russ and to his wife Pauline, formerly the

Katie Conroy

Having previously worked in the Middle East and then in Guernsey, Katie was appointed as the Assistant Head of Mathematics in September 2015. In addition to being an excellent teacher, it quickly became apparent how organised and effective she was as a second in department; it would not be long before she was given her own department to lead. She applied for and was successful in securing the post of Head of Mathematics at Pangbourne College, near Reading. This will be a new venture for her as it is a military boarding school.

It did not take long for Katie to settle in to life at King’s and

Adrian Ford

Adrian joined the History Department in September 2009. His last teaching practice before arriving in Worcester was at Tonyrefail in the Rhondda Valley, so discipline, rugby and singing were always likely to be his strong points. At King’s he immediately impressed students, colleagues and parents as someone who is a ‘natural’ teacher. Normally newly qualified teachers at King’s are not allocated a pastoral role in their first year but such were the qualities Adrian exhibited at interview that he was appointed as a year 7 form teacher immediately. In this role he showed exceptional insight, understanding and awareness, well beyond what one would expect from someone just starting out on a career in education. His relaxed, kindly but authoritative manner, his willingness to spend time with individual pupils providing structured and purposeful advice and his great sense of humour meant that he established a first class rapport with both boys and girls. They recognised that that he was scrupulously fair, did not favour individuals or genders and had as clear an understanding as anyone on the staff of the somewhat convoluted workings of the teenage mind.

her outgoing personality has meant that she has made many friends across almost every department. The ease with which she settled in was immediately evident at the new staff welcome party in that first week.

In the mathematics department, Katie has made many significant changes which have helped move the department forward and she leaves the department in a stronger position. She has also participated in CCF and has been a very supportive year group tutor in Choir House.

She will be missed far more than she realises and I, along with the rest of the school, wish her all the very best in her new role.

His ability to lose exam papers before marking them was second to none as was his ability to inform me who was in the Welsh team within seconds of the announcement being made. When Politics was introduced, I managed to persuade Adrian to diversify as it was obvious that his interest and knowledge of current affairs and his measured approach to exam preparation would make him a first class addition to the team, especially as his presence helped counter-balance the strongly Thatcherite line emanating from a fellow Politics teacher. He taught both American and British Politics with great success and accompanied and helped organise numerous trips both in Britain and abroad for both subjects, most notably to Washington DC and New York

He moved to being a year group tutor in Chappel in 2012, where he formed a very effective team with his fellow triathlete Joshua Hand. A sign of the times that two former props became first class athletes. Not sure if Adam Jones or Gareth Chilcott would be quite as home in a triathlon! Having completed a full Iron Man it was no surprise that he was appointed House Tutor of Wulstan in 2014, the third Welshman to hold that post, John Wheeler having been only the second non-Celt. Under his leadership Wulstan was a dynamic, positive and lively unit with all students being made to feel fully involved. In a school where many of the staff are regarded by the students as ancient (ie over 30) Adrian was seen as being young and sufficiently cool to have ‘street cred’ but also as someone to be respected and admired. The fact that he was taught singing as a youngster in Bridgend by Wynne Evans, of Go Compare fame only slightly dented his credibility!

He came to King’s to teach History and his lessons were always well prepared, entertaining and intellectually challenging. As his Head of Department I found him a totally committed and conscientious colleague and an excellent recruiter for the subject at GCSE and A level.

He is a very capable rugby player, captaining Llanharan when still a student, in the days when they were a flourishing club in the higher leagues of the Welsh rugby set up. At King’s he was an innovative and highly successful coach, running the Under 15 XV and also coaching the First XV forwards. He was a key figure in the school’s run to the semi-finals of the Nat West Cup in 2012. As a coach he has a mature appreciation of all aspects of the game and is also fully aware that coaching at schoolboy level is about success as a team but also about developing individuals and helping establish guidelines about discipline, fair play and other skills important in later life. It was always a pleasure to referee the Under 15s as whatever the result, and however many decisions I may have got wrong (not many), Adrian was always appreciative and supportive of my efforts and his teams played open attractive rugby far removed from ‘WarrenBall.’

He arrived at King’s as a bachelor but quickly developed a previously undiscovered passion for Classics, resulting in his marriage to Jo Wootton, who joined King’s at the same time. Olivia their first child was born in January 2016 and immediately showed herself to be an intelligent and discerning youngster by expressing a definite preference for supporting Wales at rugby rather than following her mother’s misguided allegiance to England!

Adrian’s promotion to take charge of a large boarding house at Brighton College was no surprise. He is an outstanding school teacher. In 40 years of teaching I have not made a better appointment although obviously TRS, NJS and SES run him pretty close!

Photo:

Taken from a recent school trip to Iceland

Russ Baum

Jo Ford

Jo joined King’s in September 2009 from Durham University as a graduate and leaves us as an experienced, respected teacher, adored by her classes. In her years in the Classics department, she has displayed energy and great commitment in all areas. Her passion for the Classics and encouragement of her pupils has seen impressive public examination results for the senior years and has inspired the younger children to pursue Classics as they make their choices for GCSE.

Jo was an outstanding Form tutor and colleague in the Fourth Form during her time at King’s. She cared deeply for the girls and boys in her care and worked tirelessly on their behalf. She also encouraged them to be independent and get fully involved in all aspects of school life. Jo also engendered a strong sense of joint responsibility in her Forms and she enjoyed the Form competitions as much as her tutees did! She had real initiative and was keen to take things forward. The memorable moments and core values were ideas partly initiated and strongly supported by her. Jo was positive, energetic, talented and also great fun; often taking a leading role in our annual pantomime.

Jo made an enormous contribution to the Rowing programme during her time at King’s. She joined at a time of tremendous growth in numbers and quickly became an integral part of the functioning of the club. Her passion

she produced highly successful crews, developing a culture of enjoyment around hard work. Jo has an ability to nurture, challenge and inspire the children and played a significant pastoral role in the daily operations of the club. Her crews enjoyed unrivalled success at all levels of competition, regularly representing King’s at Inter Regional Regattas and the prestigious Henley Women’s Regatta. The girls would invariably return home with a number of medals and trophies for their efforts. Her cheerful and energetic manner added to the vibrant, family atmosphere of the Boathouse and she is held in the greatest esteem by her fellow staff and equally by all the students and their parents. Of course she powered the Boat Club with her baking; on one occasion alone, making over 200 brownies. During the gruelling 24 hour charity rows she produced a gingerbread model of the Boathouse one year and a rowing machine the next, both brought her baking and our cause international recognition through social media.

The Classics department, the Fourth Forms and the Boat Club are incredibly indebted to Jo for her professionalism, loyalty and the overriding generosity she has afforded to every facet of her role and beyond. We have such fond memories of Jo and her positive influences endure, we are reminded of those as we have our top quadruple scull named ‘JKF’ in her honour. We wish her all the best for the next stage in her life with her family at Brighton College; we shall miss her organisation, amazing IT skills,

Claire Horacek

Claire Horacek first joined King’s in 1994, and, after a brief break, re-joined the school in 2007. Although she has been based in the Art Department, the contributions she has made beyond her timetable have been wide and varied; in recent years she has been a Year Group Tutor in both Choir and Oswald House, and a Tutor to the choristers, she has sung in the choir, run Arts Award, masterminded Big Draw events, attended the Paris Music trip and the St Ives Art trip, ran an art and music collaboration with St Albans and four local primary schools that culminated in a music composition and artwork inspired by Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’ being displayed at Croome Court– not bad for someone who was supposed to be part time! If this has not filled her time enough, she is also close to completing her second Master’s degree in music at Southampton University in performance on the viola da gamba, and any spare time left after this is usually spent painting in her studio. Her love for painting has inspired countless pupils over the years, many of whom have produced a standard of work that has far exceeded their initial expectations, largely because of her enthusiasm for the subject and the high standards she expects. She instils excellent practice in the pupils, never allowing them to take short cuts, and

she won’t accept anything less than the best- her focussed and purposeful lessons have encouraged all pupils to raise their aspirations. She leaves King’s to complete her Master’s degree in music and no doubt to continue to be involved with her two main passions; music and art. Her presence will certainly be missed and we wish her and

Garland

Peter joined the Classics Department three years ago and has achieved much in that time. His keen commitment to encourage the wider study of Classics saw him deliver Ancient Greek as an extra-curricular subject. A small cohort of pupils has studied the subject over the last three years, enjoying the opportunity to learn more about this remarkable language. Peter has taught Latin and Classical Civilisation throughout the school, from the basics in the Lower Fourth year to the challenges of A Level. At all times he has conveyed his passion for the subject and his belief that it should be accessible to all.

Peter has shared the coaching of 1st XI cricket for the last

two years. He has been a knowledgeable and talented coach giving a huge amount of his time in order to facilitate the smooth running and effectiveness of the squad. Last year he took on the lead coaching role with the Lower Fourths.

Peter joined Castle House two years ago and has been Year Group Tutor to a group he has taken through the sixth form, and for whom he has provided both support and encouragement. As part of the pastoral programme within House, he introduced a cross year debate on Syria, which was very well received.

We wish him all the best for the next stage in his career when he heads off to teach at Sherborne School in Dorset.

Nick Pilborough

From motorcycle maintenance via mindfulness to Memmingen, Herr Pilborough has done much in his three years at King’s. Primarily of course he has taught German expertly and each year added to his repertoire taking detailed account of the individual pupils in each class just as he has done in Oswald House. The sense of individual understanding, openness and trust, blended with energy and enthusiasm, has left its mark and in part explains the tears which certainly flowed once the news of his imminent departure was known. It has also enabled pupils to feel happy and often relieved to share confidences where appropriate. His mark on the Modern Languages Department was no less deep – other than unreliability with timings when supplying milk for departmental coffee (a distinct black mark when dealing with continental cultures) his drive, articulation of ideas and willingness to present ‘just a thought’ to change the world for the better enlivened meetings, social events, exchanges, whisky tastings. His usually carefully

(barring football!), his humour and his engagement with any number of discussions made him a regular at a range of meetings, where again he would not shirk from sharing ‘just a thought’, often philosophical.

It is an impossibility to list all his achievements, but there are many and there are as many fascinating experiences all of which give insights into life which make knowing Mr Pilborough, even briefly, like reading a classic, lifeenhancing novel. He has always wanted the best for his charges, as they well know, but he shares his care for all humans, from those at home to those seeking refuge in Calais or indeed Syria. Personal development plays its part too - having completed grade 8 singing (distinction – what else would anyone who heard him on Open Mic night expect?), refurbished his beloved VW camper van and a number of motorbikes, he has also performed in opera and of course remains a dedicated husband and father.

Entering his classroom meant entering another, usually safer world where his bilingualism and love of detailed grammar and idiom enabled swift and enjoyable progress. Always happy to experiment and (re-)evaluate, he has also been an invaluable colleague. His zest for life means that he’ll give anything a go, often then pursued to the highest standards, and he will use his experience, whether from exchanges or on trips or from research, to good effect in future. In some of his previous lives he has competed at top levels in figure skating, team motorcycle and bicycle racing and table football, plus picked up Luxemburgish, Italian and (although he has vehemently denies it) French, as well as a smattering of other languages as someone who travels, translates and loves people is prone to do.

Nick is moving on to the post of Head of German at Radley College and we wish him all the very best for the future.

Photo: Jo with some former rowers

Photo: Nick in the Boathouse

Photo: Claire with a group from St Alban’s at Croome Court

Peter

Andrew first came to King’s on his PGCE teaching practice nine years ago and was encouraged to apply for a job that was coming up. Being the best applicant he was quickly snapped up and his distinguished career spanning twenty years in the Royal Air Force would help him throughout his time at King’s.

He is a Worcester boy, born and bred, and attended RGS where he excelled academically and in sports. After A levels he studied Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College before joining the RAF to train as a helicopter pilot. He has served in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other deployments in various other European countries.

There are many things that we will miss about Andrew but the trait that sticks out is his integrity. It is rare to meet such an honest and genuine person who puts his

Ian Robinson

Ian arrived at King’s from Wimbledon in September 1999 initially as Head of Physics, and latterly as timetable wizard. For most of his time here he served as a Year Group Tutor in Creighton House.

In the classroom he has achieved that rare “legend” status, and has enjoyed an excellent rapport with his pupils, who have enjoyed his sense of humour and evident enthusiasm for the subject. Rigorous, inventive, and willing to try pretty much anything if it will get the point across, he has been an outstanding classroom teacher.

Ian has been a huge contributor to the extra-curricular life of the school.

He set up the still-thriving Lego Robotics club and the Engineering Education scheme and has been a mainstay of Cricket, running 2nd XI and U15 teams, as well as continuing to play for the OVs.

Ian has also been a huge contributor

colleagues and students ahead of his own welfare.

The school is losing a tremendous asset and the full impact of Andrew’s leaving will not be realised until September when he will leave massive holes in the Fourth Forms, the Mathematics department, CCF and rugby. The school wishes him all the best in his early retirement, and will look forward to welcoming him and his wife Amanda

He seems far too young to be retiring, but we wish him and Alison a very long and happy retirement.

Corinna Westley joined the Economics and Business Department in October 2015 as a part-time member of staff, having previously worked on the Isle of Wight. She quickly became part of the team and delivered both Business and Economics lessons with energy and enthusiasm. During her time here she has also taught Mathematics to younger pupils and offered assistance with girls’ games.

This year she has also run the school’s very successful Young Enterprise programme, and has been a Link

Teacher to one company, Fusion. Once again, she brought enthusiasm and organisation to this role and students in her company and other staff involved with the scheme are grateful for all her hard work in leading Young Enterprise.

She has been an effective Year Group Tutor in Castle House, taking her small group of Upper Remove through to the end of Fifth Form, providing guidance, support and encouragement to her tutees.

We wish her all the best for the future as she leaves King’s to take up a full-time position at Solihull Sixth Form College.

Susan Stone

Sue came to teaching after a career as a Chemical Engineer, joining King’s in 2003 after spending three years at Prince Henry’s in Evesham.

She has always put in a terrifying amount of effort into preparing resources and devising new ways of trying to trick students into thinking that “Physics is fun”.

Sue has never allowed her teaching to stand still. An excellent physicist, she will try almost anything to get her message across, but always retains a bedrock of rigour in her approach. Sixth form classes have appreciated her sense of humour, including the “Hat of Physics Knowledge”, the “Smart” board (immortalising particularly stupid answers) as well as her lively and colourful wall displays and not forgetting the step to reach the top of the board.

Sue began her pastoral duties as a Year Group Tutor in Chappel House and then in 2010 became House Tutor, again in Chappel House which she ran with enormous energy and commitment.

Sarah Stuart Thoughtful and kind are two of the most common words I have heard students use to describe Sarah. She has been loved by her classes for her brilliant subject knowledge and her calm consideration for how best to enable them to understand even the most complex of events. Throughout her time at King’s she has inspired pupils, most notably through her creativity. She has been known to explain the Wars of the Roses using ribbons and teddy bears, been the recipient of many fantastic castle projects and helped pupils to construct a 3D monk! As well as her invaluable role in the History department, in her time at King’s Sarah has also taught English as well as Religion and Philosophy.

A great deal of credit must go to Sarah for her role in revitalising the Debating Society, to encourage younger debaters and to involve more girls in this extra-curricular activity. Sarah thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of school life; never failing to go the extra mile or give the extra time to ensure that students received the support and encouragement they needed. Recently she commented on how proud she was that the debaters have developed a strong, yet calm and polite manner when speaking in debates, whether the debates are those in after school club or in competitions. Sarah will be much missed by the pupils and staff at King’s but we wish her all the best for the future. In January she will take up a teaching post at Christ’s Hospital School in Sussex.

After three years and a hip replacement, Sue stepped down as House Tutor and has since served as a “floater” in the Fourth Form team where her experience and gift for pastoral care have been a great asset to pupils and colleagues alike.

Sue also took on the temporary position of Head of Key Skills, which she ran with distinction, and she has also played a leading role in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, developing the Bronze training programme with SCC and overseeing the dramatic rise in DofE participation.

She also used to run a Sign Language club and has been a mainstay of the Christian Union throughout her time at King’s.

Simply put, Sue has been an outstanding teacher and colleague who will be greatly missed in both the Physics Department and throughout the school. I would like to wish her and Mark a very long and happy retirement.

Juliet Wallace-Mason

Juliet joined the Art Department for one year in order to provide maternity cover for Gemma Hardy. Although she was only with us for a short time, she made a lasting impression on both pupils and staff. Her impressive teaching experience was utilised as she was thrown in at the deep end, having to teach exam groups from UR to U6, but her professionalism, commitment and willingness to go beyond the call of duty, meant that her pupils were able to learn from her expert knowledge.

Printmaking is her particular strength and the whole department has benefitted from the way she has revolutionised this discipline. Always willing to give up her time after school, pupils have been able to produce printmaking of outstanding quality, many exhibiting the work in their end of year shows. Outside the department she has been a Year Group Tutor in Creighton House, and has brought the same professionalism and commitment to her pastoral role. Her fitness regime is unbelievable and puts us all to shame; along with her teaching this year she has competed to highest level in Triathlon and it is no surprise that the dedication and focus we have come to recognise have resulted in great success in this area. We are all grateful for the many hours she has spent in the department and we wish her well for the future.

Corinna Westley

Photo: Ian at the summit of Pen Y Fan with a D of E group

Photo:

Andrew’s leaving powerpoint presentation with CCF

Andrew Kerley

Christina Swainston

Christina Swainston joined the school in June 2000 as Headmaster’s Secretary, and retired at Easter after seventeen years of distinguished service in what is a high profile and hugely demanding role. There are two critical characteristics for the job, complete unflappability in the face of the unexpected and absolute discretion. Christina’s previous experience as an MP’s secretary meant that very little surprised her, and difficult situations were handled with calm authority and deft diplomacy; she was also utterly reliable, discreetly aware of what was going on and in a position to provide excellent guidance.

I have known heads’ secretaries who have had these two qualities, but who have combined this with a fearsome approach to the exercise of the role’s considerable influence. Christina was the polar opposite, and her universal warmth to those she encountered means that she was much loved at King’s. Her genuine interest in people, her compassion for those in difficulty, her delight in the successes of the pupils and her unfailingly helpful approach to enquiries meant that all those who encountered her warmed to her, and gave her an ability to defuse difficult situations which was institutionally invaluable.

Her concern for others also made her outstanding in her other responsibility running the school office, demonstrating her care for others consistently and ensuring that all those with whom she worked felt cared for and appreciated. This approach also spread throughout the Common Room, and meant that she

Chris Crosswell

When Chris’s predecessor as Theatre Manager, David Thurlby, left in 2001, I was distraught. I didn’t think his replacement could be as good. But then Chris appeared, and when we worked on our first show together, Les Misérables in 2003, I quickly realized how lucky the school was. He produced a brilliant set design for the show, and so many aspects of the production came under the umbrella of his control and expertise. He continued to produce, throughout his 15 years, sets that were visually stunning but also actor-friendly, never lowering his standards even when working on the slightest of pieces. His experience in the professional theatre meant he was able to teach us, staff and pupils, how to behave in the theatre, and he set standards of excellence to which the rest of us aspired. Not only did he bring his talents; he also brought his work ethic: yes, the show would indeed go on because Chris would work until everything was ready and continue to polish and tweak right up until the end of the last performance. I remember having one very late night with Chris preparing the set for King Lear and we agreed at about midnight that we were both knackered and it was time to go home. Imagine how I felt the next morning walking into the theatre to discover that some elves had been up for much of the night, producing, amongst other things, a brilliantly effective painted stage floor. Chris saw it as his job to look after his directors and his actors, and the stage crews that he expertly and patiently trained so that they could experience the thrill of working on a school

was the frequent recipient of confidences from those experiencing problems. They knew that Christina would be sympathetic in her response, that she would give excellent advice, and that she could be relied upon to honour their trust.

Hugely experienced in dealing with people, Christina is an excellent judge of character; and it was rare that her informal judgement of a field of interview candidates did not coincide with the eventual choice. Those being interviewed may not have realised it, but failing the Christina test was enough to stymie their chances. Her knowledge of the institution and those working within it were immensely valuable to me during the period following my arrival in 2014, and it says much for her cheerful adaptability that, if she felt the strain of working with a new headmaster after 14 years as a wonderful support to Tim Keyes, she never once showed it.

I am personally enormously grateful to her, and the King’s Foundation as a whole owes her a huge debt for the commitment and enthusiasm which have characterised her work over the last 17 years. Her capacity unfailingly to see the positive side of situations and of people has been an enormous boon to successive headmasters, and this cheerful approach means that we can be confident in wishing her happiness over the years ahead. Christina is emphatic that she is not yet ready for full retirement, and intends to continue working part-time with her husband Hugh; they will continue to live in Malvern, and so we at King’s hope that we will continue to see much of them both over the years ahead.

Abi Haywood

Assistant Librarian Abi Haywood left us in December after five and a half valuable years. She worked hard to make the Library the lovely place that it is for pupils and staff and it has been an absolute pleasure to have spent every school day with her since we both started together in 2011.

Abi does everything to such a high standard and with great flair and attention to detail. She is creative and cultured, and everything she produced for our events and displays was beautiful. More importantly Abi was a very welcoming presence in school. She was always dignified but approachable, warm and caring (and also steely firm when the situation demanded it!) She has been absolutely

of her greatest achievements and satisfactions was to develop her two WRAITH reading groups from L4 all the way through to UR and FF. No doubt her influence in discovering the joys of reading and discussing books will remain with them long after they have left us.

Beyond the Library, she accompanied pupils on trips to the Battlefields, Lower Remove Camp, synagogues and mosques, and took part in staff tennis and yoga (and end of term debriefing sessions in The Plough!)

Teachers have praised Abi for being ‘just a tremendously welcoming, lovely person’ and ‘delightful, positive and always helpful’. After five very full and happy years here, Abi decided that it was time to leave the rest of her family at King’s but give herself the opportunity to fulfil her potential and use her MA, talent, and creativity to pursue a career in art galleries and museums. She will be much missed but we are left with happy memories, inspired readers and lasting friendship.

production. Chris never sought the limelight. He regarded it as his role to be a facilitator – to provide the cast with the best possible technical support and a beautiful but safe and practical set on which they could display their talents.

Chris supported all directors of school plays. He also provided the best possible support for curricular drama. Most members of staff had direct experience of working with him for one reason or another: staff parties; balls in College Hall; quizzes; Open Days; assemblies; conferences; all kinds of meetings; INSET; induction; transition; presentation evenings; Fort Royal parties; lectures. All of us, I know, would have been comforted by the knowledge that we were being supported by someone who is unflappable and completely reliable.

I don’t like upsetting anyone. And I hope you know what I mean when I say that there are some people you especially don’t want to offend because you respect them so much. For me, Chris comes into that category. He is quiet and modest. He is strong. He is a man of integrity. He is wonderfully talented. He’s been brilliant for the King’s School. And he’s a gentleman. Chris, we wish you and Maggie a happy, healthy, long and very well-deserved retirement.

Photo: Abi with some of the WRAITH group

Photo: Chris with his retirement gifts

Combined Cadet Force

In August 2016, WO2 (SSI) Grinnell took the “Queen’s shilling” and was commissioned as a 2Lt to take up the post of OC Army Section. Maj Maund remains in the Section and continues in the post of Adjutant, and has now reached 30 years’ service in the CCF. C/Sgt Harding remains a stalwart member of the team and Lt Ricketts was duly transferred into the Section.

Summer camp in July of last year was held at Penally. Sgt Joe Myatt was awarded Best Shot, attaining the maximum score. The section also excelled in a LSW classification shoot held on Llansillin range. This involved firing the regular army-issued LSW at 100, 200 and 300m in single shots as well as bursts.

Sgt Cameron Cunningham-Martin successfully completed the Brigade Senior Cadet Instructors Course with distinction. He immediately demonstrated his experience and expertise as an instructor in the RAF field training

In the Brigade Military Skills competition we lived up to our high standards as we “Struck Hard” against our opponents, winning best CCF.

Cadets also took part in two field training exercise on Nesscliffe training area. The first exercise was the JNCO Cadre Exercise, Exercise “Stand Firm.” The second exercise, “Strike Hard” changed tack from being a traditionally SNCO Cadre to a general exercise open to all Section cadets. This gave us the opportunity to exercise in different infantry tactics.

In summary, the standards of our cadets have been outstanding. A recent quote from a visiting officer from our Brigade Cadet Training Team says it all: “It is always a joy to visit the CCF at King’s and watch the quality of your NCOs teaching, knowing that they are doing it right and with such professionalism.”

The Section once again performed very strongly in the Air Squadron Trophy, where our team of 13 cadets competed against other schools in a variety of disciplines including drill, shooting, first aid, fitness, aircraft recce, command tasks and RAF knowledge. We won both the first aid and drill elements. Having progressed to the National competition for the last 4 years we were very unfortunate to miss out on qualifying by just a single point!

The Air Experience Flying this year has also been successful with many of the cadets having the opportunity fly in a Tutor light aircraft with 8AEF at RAF Cosford at least once during the year. Getting to develop their own flying skills and also to experience the excitement of aerobatics has led to several cadets funding their own additional flying training outside of the CCF.

Seeing (and hearing!) Eurofighter Typhoons regularly taking off throughout the day, as well as witnessing several flying display practices of the Typhoon and the more vintage aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, such as the Spitfire and the Hurricane, was a genuine highlight.

Last summer several of our cadets participated in the prestigious Air Cadet Leadership Course at RAF Cranwell (nationally less than 1% of cadets get to do this course) so congratulations to Sgt Peckston, Sgt Burgess and Sgt Checkley for successfully completing it. Another three of our cadets are preparing for the same course this summer and the skills they learn will be put to very good use in the future training of the junior cadets.

With lots of highly motivated and talented cadets across the year groups, including a very promising intake this

Army Section

RAF Section

Photo: Passing Out Parade 2017

Photo: RAF Summer Camp 2017

Photos: L-R: RAF Summer Camp 2017, RAF Regional Air Squadron Trophy Final

Christian Union

CU has enjoyed an excellent year of games, studies and general biscuit-eating. We began with the story of Joseph and then put it in context by producing some impressive Bible timelines. We followed up with a variety of studies on Matthew, and more recently looked at what the Bible says about stress and peace, and how this can be related to exams. The sessions continue to be well attended across the year groups, and we have enjoyed getting to know each other better through a selection of games and fun, the infamous “King of the hill” ball game proving popular once again in the summer term.

14 pupils and 3 staff greatly enjoyed the yearly residential weekend away at the Gaines Christian Centre in Herefordshire, where we were able to spend some quality time together, looking at Ephesians, and “God’s big plan”. As ever, we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to

Big Questions

Big Questions has continued to run on a Tuesday lunchtime this year, offering students and teachers a relaxed environment in which to consider some of the bigger issues of life, belief and eternity. We have tackled questions such as, ‘Is there a God? – How can we know?’ ‘The Bible: Fact of Fiction?’ and ‘Does money bring happiness?’ Students from

Debating

This has been a great year for the debating society. The Upper Sixth students have set an excellent example, not only through their accomplished debating skills but by their positive, encouraging and mutually supportive approach. Friday afternoon debates have been consistently good humoured, entertaining and quite frankly, a wonderful way to round off the working week.

None of this would have been possible without the inimitable Thomas Kelly at the helm. He provided the inspiration for many new innovations this year: Inter House and Inter-Form debating, a debating dinner and most exciting of all, a debating tie!

Inter House debating was won following a rousing and exciting final in College Hall, by Choir House (Adam Rowling and Hayden Lewis). The motion was the suitably controversial, ‘This House would abolish private schools’. The fourth form competition saw L4B victorious in the final, debating ‘This house would ban school uniform.’

Both events proved very popular and encouraged some to take up debating for the first time. The senior competition also featured a lively and well attended debate between Choir House and a staff team of Mr Sharp and Mr Maund on the topic of the monarchy.

engage in a variety of activities while looking to broaden our depth and understanding of who God is, and how this is relevant to our lives.

Mrs Stone is due to retire at the end of the school year, and is looking forward to being able to give more of time to her local church. The impact she has had on the Christian Union and the School has been phenomenal over her time at King’s, ranging from before my arrival, and back when Mrs Keyes was leading the Christian Union. She has faithfully given her time and wisdom year after year, and will be hugely missed by staff and pupils alike. I’m sure God has many more plans for her in her next ventures, and we trust the transition goes well.

JNG

Lower Remove to Upper Sixth have come along to share their views and ask questions. Large quantities of cake have also been consumed in the process!

EDH

experience gained by participating and meeting debaters from across the country is invaluable.

Mr Warren has taken over the running of Junior Debating, again with the help of Tom Kelly, Sam Burden,

Chess Club

Chess Club has been well supported this year, especially the lunch time sessions. It is the intention to strengthen Chess at King’s through the establishment of both House and Form competitions during next academic year. I am hopeful that, as the younger players progress, King’s will be able to take part in more matches against other schools.

The link between King’s and the Worcester Chess Club was strengthened on Sunday 21st May when over fifty children played at King’s in the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge Worcestershire Megafinal, the county stage of a national competition that attracts 50,000 players.

Successful Worcester players scoring most points in their age-groups were: Henry Cameron (under- 7 boys’, King’s Hawford); Grace Evans (under-11 girls’, Hanley Swan Primary); Nathaniel Saunder (St Laurence Primary,

Equestrian Club

The King’s Equestrian team has been busy competing throughout the year. Holly Coles qualified for the National Schools’ show jumping final in October in a tough competition. Later in the year Lucy Harrison qualified for the National Dressage championships after becoming the county champion for Worcestershire in dressage. At the

Northfield), and Tamara Marsden (under-12 girls’, The King’s School, Worcester).

Other Worcester players gaining entry to the Gigafinal at Manchester in July were: Amar Pandy, George Allan and Hugo Chapman (all King’s Hawford), Reuben Simmonds (Bredon Hancocks First Endowed), Jacob Gwilliam and Golkulkrishna Sivakumar (both King’s St Alban’s).

King’s is also hosting the Worcestershire Chess Congress over the weekend of 18th - 20th August.

Many thanks to Mrs Sears for running Chess Club for several years. She is moving on to take oversee Debating at King’s.

MWW

after the society very easy and it has been a pleasure to work with them.

SES

national championships she did very well and finished in 7th place. At other times our members have been competing in arena eventing, show jumping and dressage.

In national competitions, Tom Kelly and Adam Rowling progressed to the second round of the ESU Mace competition where, by general agreement, they fell victim to some rather strange judging. We also put in strong performances in the Oxford and Cambridge competitions, but sadly did not make it to finals day. Nevertheless, the

Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth tutor groups took part in a debating competition. All forms put forward a team of two debaters and some lively debates took place over the motion of ‘This House would bring back the death penalty’ to find the best two L4 teams and the best two U4 teams.

L4A took on L4B in their semi-final and the motion ‘This House would ban certain forms of religious dress’ again drew some skilful debating with L4B winning a very close contest. Debating the same motion for their semi-final, U4D contested U4G, with U4D just getting the nod.

The whole of the Fourth Forms assembled in the Theatre for the grand final to debate the motion ‘This House believes school uniform benefits neither pupil nor school.’ David Wills and James Brewer represented L4B whilst U4D were represented by Sami Hadley and Jonah KieltyCollins. Another close run debate followed with L4B just beating their older opponents.

There was also a prize for the best debater overall in the contest which was won unanimously by George Capel.

The whole event was proposed, organised and officiated by Tom Kelly and Charlie Mackintosh assisted by other members of the Senior Debating Club. My sincere thanks to all who helped.

The excellent standard of performance by the juniors bodes well for the future of debating at King’s.

MWW

Photo: The Debating Society

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

session 1,424 young people received their awards in the presence of TRH The Earl of Wessex and The Countess of Wessex. Tom Fletcher, musician (one of the lead vocalists and guitarists of McFly) and children’s author, presented one current Upper Sixth student and twelve OVs with their certificates on behalf of Prince Edward. The thirteen recipients were Sophie Mackay (current Upper Sixth), Lizzie Cree, Georgie Grant, Imogen Jury, Daisy Nichols, Kaushik Rai, Liv Richards, Olivia Summerwill and Nicholas Thomas (2016 leavers), Julien Redfern (2015 leaver), Peter Johnson (2012 leaver), Alex Roberts (2010 leaver) plus Thomas Rean (2009 leaver).

On all three occasions the award recipients and their guests enjoyed a very memorable event. Very well done and congratulations to all of these individuals!

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. In addition to this, Gold participants must undertake a Residential section.

Over the past twelve months 128 participants have completed their awards. Seventy five participants gained the Bronze Award, thirty three completed the Silver Award and an impressive twenty have achieved their Gold Awards. Currently over 250 pupils are working towards their awards across the three levels.

In April the Fifth Form received their Bronze Awards at a presentation assembly, whilst Silver Awards gained by the Lower Sixth have been presented in College Hall. Seven Upper Sixth students, Harry Annable, Kate Dunn-Massey, Molly Francis, Hattie James, Sophie Mackay, Bobby Shackley and Megan Stigant have completed their Gold Awards during the year with several others very close to doing so. This is an outstanding achievement. All participants who have successfully completed the Gold Award are invited to St. James’s Palace to receive their certificates from either Prince Philip or Prince Edward.

536 young people collected their certificates. These were Daniel Austin and James Green (2016 leavers), Phoebe Groves, Tobias Thomas and Michael Watson (2015 leavers) plus Alice Chilman (2013 leaver). HRH The Earl of Wessex was in attendance and they were presented with their certificates by actors Oliver and James Phelps (better known as the Weasley twins from the Harry Potter films) on his behalf.

Currently over 250 pupils are working towards their awards across the three levels.

In his address to the group, Oliver said:

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 over ninety Bronze

participants enjoying good weather on their practice expedition in the picturesque Cotswolds.

Last July, twenty nine Fifth Formers successfully completed a Silver assessed expedition in the Yorkshire Dales in variable weather where they also endured midge infested campsites; they also experienced challenging conditions on their practice. This year over forty pupils have built on their experiences at Bronze to complete a more demanding practice expedition in the New Forest where they encountered very good weather and the joys of wild camping.

“Doing the Harry Potter films meant that we never got the chance to do our own DofE so I am very jealous of all of you for achieving yours. You now have the skills and experience to know that you can go on to do anything you set your mind to.”

Meanwhile James told them:

“When I was in New Zealand I met a group of young people who were due to receive their Gold Awards in a couple of weeks’ time and it made me realise just what a huge, world-wide Award it is. They inspired me to do my own Diamond challenge, which included 4 bungee jumps – one off the tallest building in New Zealand!”

At Gold level, the year began with twenty three Sixth Formers completing a tough assessed expedition at the end of August in the Lake District. The groups clocked up around 1,000m of height and 8–10 hours of walking each day in demanding countryside where they also had to contend with flash flooding during the first day. The discomfort from carrying heavy expedition packs and several blisters added to the challenge, but perseverance coupled with impressive teamwork meant the groups successfully finished their expedition. The real sense of achievement at the end of the four days was fully deserved.

Then in March this year a further five OVs were some of the 534 young people who collected their awards when HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was in attendance. The recipients this time were Bethany Allen, James Simpson and Thomas Speed (2016 leavers) plus Matthew Foster and Oliver Hunt (2015 leavers). Their certificates were presented by actress Joanne Froggatt. In her speech she

“Your involvement with the DofE will have given you invaluable guidance and preparation for this wonderful and exciting life ahead. Congratulations on your achievement.”

At the end of May, a presentation was held in the sunny gardens of Buckingham Palace. During the morning

The Lower Sixth enrolled on the Gold programme this year have stepped up to the higher demands of this level. At October half term the students developed their expedition skills during an intensive three day training camp at the Old Chapel. Activities included a night navigation exercise, practical first aid, a simulated casualty incident, and plenty of walking in the Brecon Beacons. Several summits were reached including that of Pen Y Fan (886m).

During the Easter holidays these twenty six students successfully completed a four day practice expedition in Snowdonia. Some mixed weather, so common in a mountainous environment, added to the challenge. A highlight for many was an exciting scramble day either up the north face of Tryfan (918m) followed by Bristly Ridge, or up the east side of Moel Siabod (872m). All four groups showed excellent teamwork and developed their technical skills. They are now well prepared to tackle their assessed expedition later this summer.

Photo: D of E Gold Award presentation

Photos: Top bottom: DofE Gold Qualifying Expedition August 2016, DofE Gold Training Camp October 2016Summit of Pen Y Fan and night navigation

This has been another busy year in the Mathematics department with three individual challenges, three School teams and three internal team competitions. We have had the House and Fourth Form Countdown competitions and “Who wants to be a Maths Millionaire” for the Lower Removes.

Since the Autumn Term a number of budding racing drivers have been attending Maths In Motion every Wednesday lunchtime. The objective of the club is to tune a Formula 1 car to complete the fastest practice lap possible to get into Pole Position and then re-tune it to ensure that it can complete a virtual race where weather can play havoc with tyre choices. There have been many entertaining races between us and, on a national level, we made it through to the semi-final in which we needed a podium finish or to finish in less than 1h42m05 secs. In an exciting race where King’s started in third place and then mixed it up with the top four, including leading for a number of times, the weather ultimately decided the top three. Unfortunately King’s finished fourth, 27 seconds behind the leader, although our time of 1h39min25 secs was well within the qualifying time. For the 4th year in a row, King’s was represented at the World Final on 21st June 2017.

Pupils from all year groups have taken part in the three individual Maths Challenges organised by the UKMT. The Senior Maths Challenge was held in early November and 39 Sixth Formers took part. There were 7 gold, 17 silver and 13 bronze certificates awarded. Dom Cronie (U6Br) scored the highest total in the School and qualified for the Olympiad which took place in December. Oliver Rosoman (U6Os), George Blinman-Wilson (U6Cl), Donovan Webb (U6Cl), Jack Osmond (U6Cl), Sophie MacKay (U6Cl) and Imogen Gunter (L6Br) qualified for the Kangaroo round.

There were three internal team events held in the Spring Term in College Hall. In all of these competitions there are four rounds – two group rounds involving a team effort to problem solving, a group circus where a variety of puzzles are solved in a given time, and the relay which is frenetic as it involves solving maths problems and running! The first of these was the Lower Fourth Maths Team Challenge and this was a hotly contested event! The winning team led all of the way and was well clear in the third round, but a late surge by L4A Team 2 meant an exciting finish during the final relay round. The winners were Team 1 from L4E and congratulations go to Mehraj Khalid, Grace Miller, Henry Halford and Purdy NewsonTonks. Lots of fun was had by all!

The Removes Inter-House Maths Team Challenge was held in March. This was a very exciting event as at the end of each round the teams at the top changed and the scoring was very tight. Even at the end, only 8 points separated first place from the fourth place! In joint fourth place were the teams from Wulstan House with 100 points. The teams from Creighton House were in second and third places with 104 and 101 points and the winning team, with 108 points was Bright House X! The winning team members were Matt Lewis, Will Banner, Katie Brookes and Ruby Needham and they are shown being presented with the trophy by Mr Kerley. Congratulations to them and well done to all pupils who took part!

Get practising your 75 times table before next year!

We have three Maths teams who competed against local schools and colleges for places in the National finals.

In November a team of four sixth form students competed in the UKMT Senior Team challenge regional heat at Malvern. Lots of sixth formers were interested in competing and the final team was made up of George Blinman-Wilson, Dom Cronie, Dan Edmonds and Joe Ashton. They were in first place with an impressive 90% on the group round and maintained their lead through the second round, a team cross number. Unfortunately, a misread question on the final relay round cost them points and they ended up with third place from the fourteen local teams in attendance.

The Upper Remove Maths team entered the Worcestershire Team Mathematics Challenge. The team competed in four demanding rounds of mathematical challenges with some “light relief” of Countdown number problems in between each round. The team worked well together and put in a strong performance coming 3rd out of 18 schools. The team of Joe Amos, Will Banner, Mark Salkeld and Katie Sweeney enjoyed the experience which really tested their mathematical skills. Congratulations to the team for a strong performance.

We have three Maths teams who competed against local schools and colleges for places in the National finals.

In November the Maths department took two groups of students to the Maths Inspirations lectures in Birmingham. These are always enjoyable events with students hearing from speakers who have developed successful careers across a wide range of fields by using their mathematics skills. A group of 35 Lower Sixth learnt about statistics in the media, using maths in animations and how to use maths to improve decision making. On the following day, 36 Fifth Formers heard about prediction of risk, the use of data in marketing and found out about how maths can help with discovering new juggling tricks.

The Intermediate Maths Challenge was held in February involving pupils from the Fifth form and the Removes. Duncan Starkie (FFCa) scored the highest mark in the School, earning himself a place on the UKMT Summer School and in the Olympiad alongside Zak Rawles (FFOs). Joe Amos (K) scored the highest mark in the Upper Remove and Matt Hall (W) was the highest scorer in the Lower Remove. Joe, Katie Sweeney (URW), Tom Hale (FFCl), Michael Burgess (FFS) and Aidan Taylor (FFOs) all qualified for the Pink Kangaroo, while Matt, Cameron Pipe (LRW) and Katie Brookes (LRBr) all qualified for the Grey Kangaroo. In all there were 13 gold, 31 silver and 35 bronze certificates awarded. The Junior Maths Challenge took place in April and pupils from the Fourth forms took part. Jamie Elsdon (U4) scored the highest mark in the School, earning a place in the Junior Kangaroo with Louisa De Vos (U4) and Alice Baker (U4). Henry Halford (L4) scored the highest total in his year and joins them in the Kangaroo. In total, there were 10 gold, 31 silver and 44 bronze certificates awarded.

Congratulations to all of our certificate winners and well

The Upper Four Maths Team Challenge took place at the end of March and was another close run event. Team U4A1 led all of the way and proved worthy winners with 105 points, but second and third places changed throughout. At the end of round 2, A1 led from D1 by one point. However, a very strong relay round from the teams from U4E saw U4E2 placed second with 105 points and U4E1 in third place with 104 points. Well done to all of the participants and congratulations to U4A1! The winning team consisted of Louisa De Vos, Alex Lloyd, Charlotte Morgan and Tom Dobson.

These internal competitions can only run with the help of our Sixth Form Mathematicians, many of whom gave up their free time to help. Our thanks go to them!

The Lower Removes took part in “Who wants to be a Maths Millionaire” in the theatre in the spring. This involves the “fastest pen” round to select the pair who will compete. Several rounds of the competition took place and the winners were Mia Mathewson (Ch) and Bella Woodcock (Cl).

A “Step Up to Maths” group of UR have been meeting at lunchtime during the Spring and Summer Terms. As a group we have worked on some of the skills needed to help with the UKMT individual challenge and have looked at a range of interesting problems and how to solve them using techniques including combinatorics and the pigeonhole principle.

The House Countdown competition took place this year and all Houses entered teams consisting of four pupils from Lower Remove to Upper Sixth. The final was played in a closely contested match between Kittermaster and Chappel. Kittermaster emerged victorious in the highest scoring match of all time: 131-124. The final round was a real nail biter! Congratulations to all pupils who took part.

After a competitive squad selection, two pupils from Upper Fourth and two from Lower Remove were chosen to represent King’s in the regional final in the spring. The lucky four were Louisa De Vos and Jamie Elsdon, Matt Hall and Katie Brookes. After a rather shaky start in the group round, the four rallied over the next three rounds; the number crossword, the shuttle and the relay. Unfortunately the ground that they needed to make up from the first round proved too great but they finished a respectable 7th out of 24 teams. Sadly for Matt and Katie this is the last time that they can participate in the Junior Team, but they can look forward to the Year 10 team challenge next year. For Jamie and Louisa, this has whetted their appetite and, with more practice on the group round, a top 3 finish should be achievable next year!

The U6 Maths Society has had a busy year. They have organised two trips to Birmingham University and Countdown competitions for the Fourth Forms, as well as organising Sixth form helpers for Maths Clinics to support younger pupils. In March, they hosted a Vegas Night in the Boathouse. Upper Sixth students organised the evening and acted as croupiers and were delighted to raise £671 for St Richard’s Hospice. Thanks go to all the families who supported the event, and to the students and staff who ran the evening.

In May, members of the Maths Society visited Bletchley Park. They were able to tour the iconic WWII huts where much of the code breaking activity took place, including the hut containing the famous Bombe machine that was used to crack the German Enigma code. The students enjoyed the various exhibitions, displays and talks. The highlight of the day was seeing the replica of Alan Turing’s famous Bombe actually working.

DJS

Photo: Las Vegas night in the Boathouse

Photos:

L-R: The Removes Inter-House Maths Team Challenge and the House Countdown competition

Maths in Motion World Final

In June William Banner (URBr) and Daniel Stobbs (URCl) participated in the Maths In Motion World Final at the British Motor Museum, near Gaydon in Warwickshire. Over 102,000 pupils had taken part in the competition heats and the boys did exceptionally well to reach the final, where they competed against 100 pupils from 29 other schools.

Having set up the car and qualified in 6th place on the grid, the team from King’s moved up and down the leader board, getting into the top three at one point. An unfortunate change in the weather meant that their simulated car had to make an early pit stop on lap 31. In an attempt to gain ground the car pushed on, perhaps a little bit too hard and it retired with cooling system failure on lap 41. The boys had a great time though and enjoyed

Mandarin

In the Spring Term, three pupils in the intermediate Mandarin class, which takes place after school on Thursdays, entered a calligraphy competition. The competition is a national event organised by the UK Association for the Promotion of Chinese Education (UKAPCE) and there are various categories. Participants are entered according to their age group and whether they are competitors with or without a Chinese background. They are free to choose their own passages to draw and choose to work with either a pen or a Chinese brush. Certificates are awarded for outstanding, excellent and merit. All three pupils – Sam Ness (FFCl), Owen Marles (LRK) and Guilin Chiu (LRBr) were awarded a Certificate of Excellence. Our congratulations to all three pupils. CM

Having never entered the teachers’ race before, the car of Mr Heydon and Mr Lewis was a lowly 21st out of 30 on the grid, but gradually the car worked its way through the congested field and some sensible pit stops saw it finish a commendable second. Their car was beaten only by the now five times winner, but by the narrow margin of 6 seconds.

“This has to be the highlight of my 21 years in teaching” Mr Heydon was heard to say as he received his goodie bag on behalf of the teachers’ team!

organised and chaired by our own students. On one evening we held an invitation debate with Hanley Castle School Sixth Form. The society’s primary objective is to prepare for conferences, and we attended four conferences this year, where delegates were assigned to represent a number of nations, great and small, in various UN-style committees.

The first conference took place on the UN’s 60th Anniversary in Westminster Central Hall, where Edward Peckston (U6K), Adam Rowling (U6CH) and Lauren Green (L6W) represented New Zealand, debating the original resolutions passed by the UN in 1946. The delegation was highly commended for their performance.

The second event, and the first of the larger conferences, took place at Cheadle Hume School near Manchester, where King’s students represented Malaysia and Jordan, with Adam Rowling and Tom Kelly (U6W) serving ably as their respective ambassadors. Edward Peckston served as a guest chair in the Human Rights Council. The society made its mark, with Charlie Mackintosh (URCR) winning Best Young Delegate in the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC) 1, Tom Kelly being highly commended in the DISEC2 Committee and William Hunt (LRCH) also being highly commended in the Youth Committee. Moreover, the entire Jordanian delegation was awarded Highly Commended in the conference, bringing home the silverware of the year.

Committee; Will Hunt was commended in Economic and Environment and Charlie Mackintosh won Best Young Delegate in the Health and Disarmament Committee.

With many members leaving this year, MUN at King’s is looking for new members.

The final and largest conference of the year took place at Kingswood School in Bath, with the society representing Peru, Côte d’Ivoire, France and Switzerland, with France being especially prestigious as a permanent, veto-carrying member of the Security Council. This conference proved the most successful, with a number of items of silverware being brought back to King’s. The three-day conference saw our entire French delegation highly commended for its efforts throughout the conference, with individual awards as follows: commended: Rachael Bruno (U6K, Disarmament, Peru), Dan Thomson (U6OS, Environment, Cote d’Ivoire), Sam Burden (U6OS, Environment, France) and Hannah Stock (FFOS, Environment, Switzerland). Highly commended: Will Hunt (Switzerland, Political), Dom Cronie (France, Health) and Adam Rowling (France, Middle East). Ed Peckston (Security Council, France) won Best Delegate in the Security Council, as well as Will Hunt and Charlie Mackintosh who were awarded overall Best Junior (under-16) Delegate prizes for their efforts.

All those who join will be made very welcome!

The thanks of the entire MUN society go to Mrs Shearburn for organising our trips to the conferences, and to Mr Warren who assisted with mock debates and attended the conferences.

The next conference took place at Malvern St. James, with King’s putting on another strong show as the delegations for Malaysia and the Philippines. The day conference saw

With many members leaving this year, MUN at King’s is looking for new members. All those who join will be made very welcome!

Edward Peckston @KSWMUN

Photo: Bath International Schools’ Model United Nations 2017

Photos:

Removes’ Interhouse Quiz

Winston Churchill once said ‘history is written by the victors’ therefore I am overjoyed at being able to write this report on behalf of the Oswald Removes’ quiz team. Our path to victory began by winning in the first heats of the competition. The tension became palpable when it was announced that we would be competing against in our semi-final; our arch-rivals, Creighton. Their captain, Charlie Mackintosh (URCR), was quoted as saying the victor of this match would go on to win the competition, a statement that came true, although probably not with the outcome Charlie had in mind. The day of the semi-final came along and with the support of Mrs Haddock and our reserve, Harriet Wales, we were feeling ready. We were soon able to secure a two-hundred-point lead, much to the chagrin of Creighton. We were ecstatic to win and beat our rivals, but nervous for the upcoming final that we soon found

Quiz club

Quiz club has had another successful year. Membership has grown and the responses are getting quicker. Our two big events are the Regional School’s competition and the King’s Inter-house Competition.

Regional School’s Challenge – Autumn Term

Although outnumbered by teams from RGS Worcester and Wycliffe, the King’s Senior Quiz team outsmarted their opponents and secured a victory in the first round of the Regional School’s Quiz Challenge. The team, made up of Captain, Ed ‘quick fire’ Peckston (U6K), William ‘dark horse’ Banner (URBR), Charlie ‘reckless’ Mackintosh (URCR) and Ella ‘literary genius’ Fidlin (LROS), proved themselves a formidable, undefeatable force. The evening started with a win against the RGS’s B team 490 points to 110 and continued to improve as they secured a second

Robotics Club

out would be against Castle after they beat Choir in their semi-final. IN the final Castle secured an early lead that left us reeling, but we soon regained our composure and it became very tight with either team having no more than a ten-point lead on the other. However, after a few strange errors, we soon found ourselves comfortably ahead and when the timer finally went off we looked to see we were more than three-hundred points ahead and had won the Removes’ house quiz competition for Oswald. We would like to thank Miss Cameron and Miss Mellor for their work in organising this competition and our team would also like to thank Mrs Haddock for her endless support and supply of early lunch cards!

Edmund Poel (UROS)

victory against Wycliffe’s A team 360 points to 140. A quick motivational talk from the captain meant that the team were ready to take on their notably strong challengers, RGS Worcester’s, A team. This final was a tense match, bristling with nerves and uncertainty. With only 10 minutes to go KSW were 50 points down and some were beginning to think it was all over. Fortunately, Fidlin’s expert knowledge of Fitzwilliam Darcy proved a turning point and the team were back in the game. Mackintosh managed to resist his overzealous buzzing and secure points on a number of tricky questions. The report would not be complete without a special mention to the ‘dark horse’ and his knowledge of Beyoncé. KSW finished victorious with 470 points to 410 after an impressive match.

All

Robotics Club was as busy as ever this year. For the last time the Lower Fourth constructed their creations using the original Lego Mindstorms kit; after many years faithful service this will finally be ‘retired’ and replaced with the latest kit. The Upper Fourth pupils were as imaginative as ever and avoided the temptation of robot wars by concentrating on machines which could shove each other out of the way in a sumo style contest! This year’s First Lego League representatives were the Upper Remove team led by Henry Edmunds. By winning the regional competition held at Oxford Brookes they earned a place in the national final in Bath. Here they held their own against stiff opposition but missed out on a place at one of the European or World finals.

the team members were excellent ambassadors for the School

season’s challenge. All 10 pupils were, at times, working late into the evening to produce all the necessary car parts and paperwork to participate competitively at the Central Regional and National finals.

The Regional final was held once more at Shireland Collegiate Academy, Birmingham, in late January where 12 teams competed for just six places in the National final. The standard of the top teams was again up on last year’s competition so we were delighted to get both teams on to their respective podiums and, more importantly, the win guaranteed the teams the opportunity to compete in the National final at the Wing Building, Silverstone.

In the National final 25 teams spent the day competing for the National 4x4 crown. The standard of innovation, design and enthusiasm was even better than last year.

Planet’s fantastic sports car design and cockpit-themed pit stand drew an enormous amount of interest from rival competitors, Jaguar Land Rover designers, engineers and VIPs alike. The improved car had all the latest body and sensor upgrades on it. The judges were very impressed with the team’s breadth and depth of work. It was very much down to the long hours of hard work that enabled Planet

to win the Professional Class Best Engineered Car. Unfortunately a transmission problem cost

Edge had been set the brief of designing an alternative SUV to the new Jaguar F-Pace. They immediately booked themselves in for a test ride and afterwards set about redesigning a commercial chassis and produced their own body to match their ideas. Edge the won the Beginners Class Best Engineered Car, which is the first time this prize has been awarded, and also the First Placed Beginners Class trophy.

All the team members were excellent ambassadors for the School, receiving lots of praise and glowing comments as they enthusiastically talked through their experience of working as a team and of solving the many technical challenges of producing a scale remote control vehicle that can match the off-road capabilities of the full size counterpart.

Our thanks go out again to all of the sponsors, Etech, UK Flood Barriers, DRP Group, Listers, West Midlands Safari Park, Bredon Hill Treehouses, Kersoe, Vehicle Services, 2 Design, K&R Laser Services, Speedline Models, GPM Ltd and PBS who all provide significant funding and support for the teams and greatly enhance the experience.

EIL

Photo Henry Edmunds and Tom Eaton setting the robot off on another run

Lower Remove Camps

The experiences that Creighton House pupils this camp will remain with them for a long time and are hugely beneficial to their development as young people. The activities such as the climbing and canoeing were, as always, fun and with a degree of challenge for all.

But it was the time spent at the Old Chapel itself that I felt was so incredible. Giving the pupils the opportunity to take personal responsibility for tasks such as cooking dinner on camp stoves and managing their camp area is a learning outside the classroom experience that will help equip them with valuable life skills.

As staff we watched as they enjoyed the freedom of exploring the grounds of the Old Chapel and their genuine

excitement as they took part in a whole range games and challenges. The evening ended by a camp fire. Sitting around the fire with pupils while they chatted and toasted marshmallows was an unforgettable experience in itself. It was a genuine pleasure to see them free from their mobiles and just enjoying the simple pleasures of the fire and each other’s company. The value of this experience is unmeasurable and at a time when so much of their every day school life is continually measured and assessed, this is something that will help in a very different way. Having the space, time and freedom to relax and enjoy the tranquillity of the natural world without distraction from mobiles is something that cannot be underestimated. For those moments the pupils seemed to be closer as a group

had been using an outside provider.

At a time when their lives (and ours!) seem to operate at a hundred miles an hour with constant electronic communication, the pleasure of being at the Old Chapel and away from the whirlwind, even just for twenty four hours, is a rejuvenating and character-forming experience. Our pupils are lucky to have these opportunities. It is something that we should be proud of as a school and it is clear that many of the pupils remember with true fondness the experiences that they had while staying at the Old Chapel.

What must also be said is that the fantastic experience of the LR Camp would not be possible without the hard work of Mr Cuthbertson. His superb organisation and planning, along with his determination make the LR Camps run incredibly smoothly and efficiently, make the whole thing possible.

It was also evident to us as staff how helpful the new Creighton Heads of House were. Georgia Lambert and Olly Singleton did a fantastic job and this not only benefited the Lower Remove pupils, but it also helped them to develop as leaders and mentors. As staff we were full of praise for their positive approach and all-round ability to help inspire the group. WJJ

Photos: Various taken from Kittermaster, Creighton and Oswald Camp 2017

Scuba

King’s SCUBA diving has continued to grow and progress this year, with two pupils undertaking the PADI Advanced Open Water course, as well as our usual cohort of pupils undertaking the PADI Open Water qualification as part of a weekly club. We are continuing to invest thought and time into an overseas SCUBA diving trip for King’s pupils, and I hope it will not be too long before this becomes a reality. Until then however, we have plans to visit the coast this year, as well as continuing to offer SCUBA courses in the school pool and at Cromhall quarry, a very picturesque spot near Gloucester that defies all GCSE Chemistry questions on the disadvantages of a limestone quarry. Congratulations go to Ben Jones U4, Jonah KieltyCollins LR and Charlie Riddell UR who all completed their Open Water qualification last year, as well as Ben Hale UR and Eddie James FF who are now Advanced Open Water divers. If you have any questions or interest in SCUBA diving at King’s, whether as part of a course or future

Young Enterprise

This year saw the formation of five new Young Enterprise Companies. Double Fish led by Lucy Macaulay, Fusion led by Joe Sullivan, Aurora led by Will Hood, Sphere led by Zac Thomas and Millennium led Jack Kenneally-Perrin.

The companies got off to a flying start to the financial year with Double Fish selling “Bang-Bang Sticks” at the Modus Cup, King’s vs RGS rugby match and Millennium designing their own celebratory 475th anniversary wristband – all 300 wristbands sold out quickly.

The companies then prepared for the annual Christmas Fayre at Worcester Cathedral. This was their first real selling opportunity and proved a steep learning curve for all involved with members learning how to engage successfully with the public and develop their sales techniques. Selling a wide variety of products, ranging from Christmas themed soaps to personalised baubles, companies rose to the challenge and achieved strong levels of sales with Millennium, Fusion and Aurora all selling out before the end of the day.

Reflecting on the Christmas Fayre, the companies set to work ironing out any issues they had experienced in developing their products and sales techniques. This inevitably led to disagreements in the companies, which tested our levels of patience but eventually improved our communication skills. All this proved to be valuable life experience as you don’t always get to choose who you work with and companies were forced to rethink their management strategies. The companies also took this time to expand their product range.

The next stage in the competition process was the Company Report. Each company had to produce a tenpage report stating the company’s history, management systems and finances for the judges.

This was then followed by the final stage of the competition, taking place at Evesham Arts Centre. Each company had to deliver a four-minute presentation to a panel of four judges from small local businesses. The evening proved successful with all companies delivering an impressive presentation and Millennium getting through to the Hereford and Worcester Regional Final, along with Double fish winning the “True Grit” award for their determination and resilience.

The Hereford and Worcester Regional Final took place at County Hall and saw Millennium make some adjustments to their report and presentation. They also worked hard to set out a stall which earned them the “Social, Ethical and Environmental” prize and once again the company achieved “Best Display Stand”. Sadly, Millennium did not progress to the national finals but they were highly commended by the judges.

In summary, King’s students have again benefitted greatly from the Young Enterprise experience. There were some real successes in competition and business terms.

After much work and development, the companies had stalls at the Worcester Spring Fayre, where they were to be judged for the first time. The sales on the day proved tough, however the companies persevered with

Photos: Scuba Club trip 2017

Photos: L-R: Best display stand at Worcester Spring Fayre and Christmas Fayre 2016

Photo: Jack and Victoria receiving their award

2016-17 has been another year with a Library packed with pupils in both breaks and study periods, and a number of literary highlights! In September Lower Fourth really enjoyed taking part in Bookbuzz – a Booktrust literacy initiative - whereby every year 7 pupil is given a book by the Library. This year there was a fantastic selection of 12 books. Pupils choose their favourite in speed dating sessions (involving a whistle and a timer, willingly wielded by helpful U6 monitors!)

The theme for National Poetry Day on October 5th was Messages. This gave pupils the chance to write on the theme of emails, stamps, conversations, letters or hidden messages. With the welcome involvement of the English and Art Departments pupils produced some fabulous poems and beautiful artwork. Our winners were Ben Beedie (L4), Amber Haywood (U4) and Rebecca Darnborough (LR)

Jonathan was the best kind of visiting author and gave us a wonderful example of how powerful and enjoyable an author event can be.

On 11th October we were very fortunate to host an exciting event with Jonathan Stroud (author of the bestselling Bartimaeus and Lockwood& Co series). Our medieval hall on haunted College Green proved the perfect setting for a wonderfully interactive event about ghosts and the art of hunting them! L4 and U4 pupils were joined by pupils from six other Worcestershire Schools including King’s St Albans. Jonathan told us about how he became an author (the pupils particularly enjoyed seeing the actual if rather tattered books that he had written and illustrated at their age), and kitted out James Brewer (L4) as an intrepid Ghost Hunter complete with a magnesium flare, clanking chains, torch, and other ghost busting paraphernalia. James played his part with great panache! The children were particularly entertained by Jonathan’s live drawing of various spooky locations. He also advised them what to look out for when encountering spectres, phantoms and wraiths, read to them and then took many interesting questions at the end. In fact Jonathan engaged with the children at every stage and they all seemed to be captivated throughout. He found time to speak with each pupil whilst signing their books with a personal message and a hand-drawn skull! Jonathan was the best kind of visiting author and gave us a wonderful example of how powerful and enjoyable an author event can be.

In November we had a second author visit from up and coming YA author Chris Vick (author of Kook and Storms). He came to a special lunch event for our FF and 6th form WRAITH groups. As a dear friend of Miss Jeffery’s since Sixth Form, it was so exciting to finally have him here to meet our pupils. He spoke about the power of storytelling, and the challenges of writing about risk-taking in YA fiction. Chris was delighted to spend time with such a lovely audience, who had all read his book, and asked such intelligent questions!

In November we started the annual Worcestershire Teen Book Awards process with over 150 pupils taking part in the shortlisting stage (each choosing their top six out of a longlist of books published in 2016). We had such an enjoyable time shortlisting with a range of L4 and U4 English classes. Ten U4 and LR pupils read the shortlist over the spring term and went to the Awards Ceremony in March at County Hall. Our favourite book as voted for at KSW was ‘Lying about last summer’ and this book went on to win the overall title.

For World Book Day on 2nd March the school was festooned with colourful and inspiring laminated book cover bunting! The Sixth form chose a book for the theme ‘I loved this book when I was 12’ (to inspire our Fourth Forms) and the staff bunting showcased a real mix of recommended reads from different decades –both fiction and non-fiction – for the theme ‘I’m glad I read this book when I was 17”.

This World Book Day marked the end of our yearlong reading challenge (for pupils to read 12 books over 12 months in 12 different categories). Pupils who received Gold and Silver in the reading challenge were presented with certificates and vouchers in assemblies. Those who achieved Gold were: Amalie Coleman, Rebecca Darnborough, Eleanor Osborne, Hannah Stock and Jamie Waters. Pupils also enjoyed choosing their free special edition World Book day books, written by popular authors.

Displays throughout the year have enabled us to promote relevant fiction (for example, Thrillers and Chillers for Halloween, ‘Which book have you fallen in love with?’ on Valentine’s Day and Books Awards (a rich source of new fiction for children and young adults)) but also nonfiction, supporting whole school initiatives such as antibullying week, European Day of Languages. Holocaust Memorial Day, Safer Internet Day, International Women’s Day, Mental Health Awareness week (for which we promote The Reading Agency’s Shelf Help resources) and of course Revision! Intrepid pupils also dared to partake in “Sweetie Roulette” – risking random chilli sweets to raise money for Children in Need!

It has been a very special year for us, sharing our Library for the last time with this outstanding Upper Sixth. They are talented, charming and kind, and we have so enjoyed their company. I hope that they will come back and visit whenever they are home, as they will always be so welcome.

Please see the Library Twitter feed for photos of all the activities that we have enjoyed throughout the year.

TRAVEL

Photo Mrs Capell with WRAITH members

German Exchange - Memmingen

To kick start the summer of 2016 the Upper Remove visited the Bernhard-Strigel-Gymnasium school, Memmingen, for a fantastic fortnight of fun, learning and adventure.

We visited the city of Ulm and had the chance to climb the tallest cathedral tower in Europe, plus we had the fantastic opportunity to tour round the famous Olympic stadium at Munich, where we also climbed up the radio (torch) tower from which we had a fantastic view of the city.

We went to the Alps in Bavaria where we scaled the Grünten – though it was a challenging uphill climb to the top, the view was magnificent, more than worth it!

On other days, in our own time with the families, we had the chance to visit places like Neuschwanstein Castle (the one which inspired the Disney castle and is a setting for the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), which overlooked a freshwater lake in which many of us later swam.

We attended three traditional festivals: Kinderfest, which involved the school children of Memmingen in a huge parade; Fischertag, where all the men and boys of Memmingen jumped into the river that ran through the city to catch as many fish as possible. The man with the biggest fish was later crowned ‘Fischerkönig’ and the previous king is ceremoniously kicked off the throne to make way for the new king, whilst everyone in the huge

we also got to know each other really well and have made some great friends

hall is drinking beer and making merry; Wallenstein, a historical festival to celebrate the history of Memmingen (ironically of a time when it was occupied by Catholic forces during the Thirty Years’ War which proved to be a time of stability and prosperity). There was an opening parade which involved traditional costume, music, weaponry and even a British group, in historical dress.

After Wallenstein parade we headed into Memmingen, which was packed full of market stalls, and on to the park green area, where no one was allowed unless they had traditional dress. If they did enter without costume they were put in the stocks. After this many attended an evening of entertainment which involved acrobatics, dancing and a comical jester.

When we weren’t travelling around we were spending time in the host school, joining in their lessons. Some of the dual language students on exchange even attended a Spanish lesson in German. A real brain-teaser. The school hosted their annual sports day during our stay and played games, such as rugby, volleyball and basketball. On another day they had a football match in which the English boys played the German boys – England won!

Because it was such a close-knit neighbourhood, where most of the students lived near each other, we were able to get together easily and go cycling to each other’s homes. We had pool parties and barbecues. This meant that not only did we get to know our German exchange partners well, we also got to know each other really well and have made some great friends.

We enjoyed a detailed tour of Memmingen where we had the chance to climb the bell tower, see the town hall and see the city in all its glory.

We had the pleasure of seeing the most ornate church I have ever seen in Ottobeuren. It had beautiful paintings on the ceiling. When you went through the church you entered into another part of the building which was like stepping back in time. The town also offered an experience of a ‘Kneipp’ cure – stimulating circulation through contact with cold water.

Finally, we visited a farm-like village teaching us how they made fire and what life was like in the times when they had thatched roofs.

To finish off our time in Germany we watched a showcase which involved creepy dancers on stilts and a funny double act about the seven deadly sins, which was made even more atmospheric by the lightning which was happening during the show. Despite the poor weather the light mood was carried through by the dancing and general entertainment provided by all of the acts involved.

Despite the initial nerves felt by everybody about having to speak German for two weeks, the jitters soon past and everyone’s German swiftly improved. A truly great opportunity and one which we would thoroughly recommend.

Hollie Avery

Spanish Exchange - Zaragoza

During October half term twenty five Upper Remove pupils and one Fifth Former travelled Zaragoza to take part in the annual exchange, warmly hosted by our partner school Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Zaragoza. During the busy week we appreciated guided tours of the Roman ruins of the ancient city of Caesar Augustus; a visit to the Aljafería (a beautiful Moorish palace which is now the seat of the autonomous government of Aragón) and a day trip to San Sebastian. This trip included seeing the impressive town hall, the port and the old town whose narrow streets are full of its famous tapas bars. We finished the trip with time on the beach.

There was also another day trip to Barcelona taking in such sights as the Nou Camp stadium, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Montjuïc, the Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas and the port. On top of these tourist activities pupils went attended lessons with their exchange partner, had a bilingual lesson in school, and completed a diary in Spanish about their

stay. In March the Spanish partners came to Worcester for the second part of the exchange and were looked after and kept busy by their host families. They took part in trips to Birmingham, Stratford and Oxford.

German Exchange - Cologne

During the first week of the Easter holidays, 31 Upper Remove pupils went to Cologne for nine days as the first part of the exchange. During this time, pupils stayed with their exchange partners and their host families, ensuring that everyone had the opportunity to speak and hear lots of German. The weekends were spent with families, enjoying activities such as visiting the Rhein Park and Phantasialand, a local theme park. During the week, the group had the chance to visit the Olympic Museum, where they could try their hand at various sports, and even got to attend a football match, when the local team FC Köln beat Eintracht Frankfurt, 1-0. On a day trip with the German partners,

Berlin

Although linguistically accessible (technical German often is), the processing of ideas meant that most of us drifted in and out of conscious assimilation of information. To avoid sensory overload, we skipped the option of a Christmas market in preference of a bus ride through the central city – with a growing awareness that what makes Berlin special is not the skyscrapers associated with most modern metropolises but rather a sense of space and, as you get a feel for what it offers, time. Historical and architectural gems blend with green spaces, a feeling that politics is still playing out day to day life here in this most welcoming of places, and a buzz of small scale cultural opportunities providing the life blood for grand cultural and sporting events.

After refreshment, the DDR Museum offered interactive and fascinating insights into life behind the Iron Curtain, and the waft of Glühwein and roasted chestnuts from the Alexanderplatz sent us dreamily back to our hostel for an early night – or for the more (fool)hardy, a nightcap, billiards and vigorous debate. For the most part, German remained the group’s primary means of communication.

improvisational comedy show allowed for linguistic as well as recuperative fun and games. A pasta meal, the smartness of the Gendarmenmarkt Christmas market and the usual options back at the hostel made for a full and rewarding day’s study and fun.

Early (and extensive) breakfast allowed for swift entry to the Reichstag building the following morning and an excellent guided tour by our good-humoured and sensitive guide who responded knowledgeably to the range of well-posed questions, whether architectural, historical, political or technical. Russian wartime graffiti and Dr Angela Merkel’s office nameplate reminded us of Berlin’s unique relevance to the shape of today’s world, with the Holocaust and then Berlin Wall memorials adding further poignancy to our individual perceptions of the past and present. Light relief and a seat in the Ratibor Theater was needed by mid-afternoon, and the

Russian wartime graffiti and Dr Angela Merkel’s office nameplate reminded us of Berlin’s unique relevance to the shape of today’s world

Sunday morning was spent at the Hohenschönhausen memorial centre. A former Stasi remand prison, having previously been Soviet NKVD political prison and before that a Nazi welfare centre, the site was brought rather discomfortingly to life by our guide. Personal anecdotes as well as viewing interrogation rooms and cells provided a clear sense of the methods employed by the East German State Secret Police, having ‘progressed’ from the physical torture of the pre-50s to more modern psychological interrogation methods. A skip across the city brought us to the intriguing Olympiastadion, where

architecture, history, sport and politics are brought together disconcertingly, even brutally. The museum at Checkpoint Charlie required another time shift, but again the personal stories mixed with historical context allowed us all to build our sense of Berlin being what it is, not least with the fall of the Wall and broader culture being key elements of current A level (and arguably general) study. Traditional food in the garret of a Berlin Kiez (backstreet inn) rounded off the day, with the promise of some free time finally being made for the final full day.

The Eastside Gallery is a 1500 metre section of original Berlin Wall with celebrated graffiti art. Colourful and thought-provoking, it set us up for another relentless slog, this time to the Stasimuseum, fascinating for its presentation of how the Stasi infiltrated everyday life and by means of which gadgets and informant structures, as well as sense of desperation as the Ministry for State Security employed ever greater numbers of officers to try and keep control as the political landscape changed in the build-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Deutsches Historisches Museum then allowed each of us to select a specific era of German history for a brief final moment of ‘contextualisation’. Free time beckoned, and was used by some to attempt to recuperate for three hours, by others to shop, and yet others to explore further sites. Fortunately we were all ensconced in a cinema and unavailable to the outside world when the awful attack took place at the Christmas market we had skipped on our first day. We decided to walk back to the hostel that night.

The return home was efficient, with the party even arriving before schedule back at Worcester ready for plenty of ‘mulling’ over experiences and events and of course a more than deserved Christmas rest.

RAB

French Exchange

Twenty seven King’s pupils spent the first week of the Easter holidays living with French families in and around Lille on the first stage of their French exchange. They enjoyed a visit to Ghent in Belgium and a tour of the War Cemeteries in the region, as well as excellent hospitality and sunny weather for the week. King’s pupils used many of the skills they have learnt in their curriculum and spoke a lot of French during their stay, boosting their confidence; several were surprised by how much they

For the second stage of the exchange our French hosts visited us here in May and, during their time with us, spent a day at school, visited Worcester Cathedral and the Black Country Museum and walked thirteen miles from Droitwich on the May Day Walk. It was great to be able to return our French host’s hospitality and help them to improve their English, in the same way that they had helped our pupils to improve their French.

Our thanks go to all at Institut de Genech and Collège Notre Dame for such a warm welcome, and to our colleagues, classmates and families at King’s for supporting this most enjoyable educational experience.

Memories, festivals and the place of the moment Midnight and the lingering echo of the Carol Service; packed and ready for a sleepless night; coach and flight with arrival mid-morning in the capital city of Germany. By 2pm, with the first Currywurst under our belts, the twenty Sixth Formers (both those taking A level German and three further intrepid adventurers) and staff were dozing, wide-eyed, in the Bauhaus Archiv, listening to detailed philosophy of Art and the influence of the Bauhaus school on modern design.

The Himalayan Club - Kyrgyzstan

Summer 2016

The destination for the 25 strong Himalayan Club including three teachers and one doctor was ‘Unknown Kyrgyzstan – the canyons of Kok-Kyja River’. After a gentle start to the trip, with 2 days exploring the capital city Bishkek, the group made its way to the town of Naryn. The stay here was most memorable for the work undertaken at two orphanages. Constructing a flat-pack kitchen with instructions in Kyrgyz was demanding, though was in noway preparation for what was to come. Leaving behind some extremely grateful children and their guardians, the group climbed aboard the vintage Russian army vehicle that would support the trek beginning the following day. With a handful of difficulties during its first long journey, Kamaz (as it was known) delivered the group to a bend on the Ak-Say river, many miles from anywhere. Setting up camp, we began to get a sense of the Kyrgyz wilderness.

With night one over, tents packed away and a sense of anticipation, the group started on the first trek of the trip.

Broadly following a handful of rivers, and in the capable hands of Alex, our local guide, we covered anywhere between 10 and 25 km most days. With spectacular scenery for as far as could be seen in all directions, we were spoilt by the natural beauty of the surroundings. Making camp wherever was suitable, and always by fresh running water, there was a true sense of being on our own. The only people we came across were the occasional soldiers on horseback patrolling the border with China, the very occasional nomadic family, and the extremely rare sightseer. With the trek punctuated by some demanding climbs up spectacular mountains with peaks of around 4,300 metres, and incredible aquamarine

coloured lakes, one could easily spend hours sitting in a place simply absorbing the beautiful view. This was done though, on the move. It is hard to describe the country since every few hours a new landscape would reveal itself. Reminiscent of Canada, South America, Scotland, Iceland and often Switzerland (with its fields of Edelweiss), it is a country that never stops giving and one could be excused for regarding it as a photography expedition.

The heat of the day quickly gave way to the bitterly cold night time and it was not unusual at altitude at least, to wake up under a thick layer of snow. With a full two weeks of trekking, the trip back to Naryn promised the first shower for some time, in exchange for river washing, and the first night in a warm bed.

With a final day and night back in Bishkek for our farewell dinner, there was a genuine sadness to be leaving behind the trip of a lifetime. Many thanks to Mrs Alice Fellows and Dr Magda Cullen for their support. Having started the Himalayan club in the early 1990s, John Walton is stepping back from leading school trips. Over the years, he has designed and led countless expeditions to some incredible places and has inspired many former King’s students and staff. On behalf of the School and each of his groups, I thank him for all the very hard work he has put in to running this incredible club and wish him well on the many more exciting journeys he has planned beyond the King’s community.

A link to a video of the trip can be found here https://youtu.be/wJAWPiP_-f0 CWSW

Senior Ski Trip - Saalbach

Twenty one students from the Fifth and Sixth Form, along with three staff made the resort of Saalbach Hinterglemm home for the week before Christmas. This lovely Austrian ski area is an old favourite of the KSW ski trip but this visit was different. The recent massive investment in infrastructure ensured that we had near perfect snow conditions across the full resort whilst all neighbouring resorts really struggled.

The atmosphere was great throughout the week, with everyone taking full advantage of all that was on offer. The instruction was typically pitched at all the right levels, and the instructors got the most out of our group with a mix of relaxed and challenging skiing. Unusually for this week in December, the sun was hot and with us throughout our stay. The usual trips to the bowling alley, local restaurants, ice rink for curling and DVD night complimented the challenges on the slopes each day.

UR Geography Trips - Alps ‘16 and ‘17

An efficient coach journey through France punctuated by a welcome “petit déjeuner” ended with a ten hairpin-bend drive to the small alpine resort of Le Bettex, our home and classroom for the week. At 1400m we were already higher than any place in Britain and after a splendid lunch outside, we ventured higher to explore the formation and economic use of the Alps.

Sunrise over Mt Blanc was an impressive sight from our comfortable chalets the following morning and at breakfast there was a real sense of excitement as the weather forecast looked good. We seized the opportunity to visit the Chamonix Valley and by 11.00am we had climbed 2,800m thanks to the impressive Aiguille du Midi cable car. The panoramic views from 3,840m were spectacular and gave the staff enough teaching material for several hours! After a lesson on accumulation, ablation and glacier formation,

we made our way along a delightful mountain trail to the Mer de Glace. A leisurely train ride on the Montenvers funicular railway took us back to the valley floor where temperatures were noticeably higher. The next hour was spent having great fun on the luge before returning for a well-deserved meal, courtesy of our hosts Lisa and Thierry.

With equally good weather the next day, work booklets were out again and inspiring mountain classrooms were found in the shadows of the Glacier du Bionnassay. There the group learnt about crevasses, moraines and glacial snouts. A swim in Lake Passey, with the dramatic backdrop of the Mt Blanc range, was an enjoyable and memorable way to spend the afternoon.

A second visit to Chamonix allowed us the opportunity to ascent Le Brévent (2,525m) and later revisit the Mer de

Junior Ski Trip - Passo Tonale

Twenty one students from the Fifth and Sixth Form, along with three staff made the resort of Saalbach Hinterglemm home for the week before Christmas. This lovely Austrian ski area is an old favourite of the KSW ski trip but this visit was different. The recent massive investment in infrastructure ensured that we had near perfect snow conditions across the full resort whilst all neighbouring resorts really struggled.

The atmosphere was great throughout the week, with everyone taking full advantage of all that was on offer. The instruction was typically pitched at all the right levels, and the instructors got the most out of our group with a mix of relaxed and challenging skiing. Unusually for this week in December, the sun was hot and with us throughout our stay. The usual trips to the bowling alley, local restaurants, ice rink for curling and DVD night complimented the challenges on the slopes each day.

Forty pupils and four staff spent February half-term in the Italian resort of Passo Tonale. It was our venue for the third time in the past ten years, and a favourite for all it has to offer. The party was made up of pupils from Upper Fourth, Lower and Upper Removes and the excitement was palpable. Racing around the mountain was high on the agenda, and the fantastic Italian instructors delivered in style.

Everybody’s skiing improved enormously and distance covered must have been close to being a junior ski trip record! Evening entertainment included trips to two different ice-cream parlours, tenpin bowling, a pizza restaurant, a karaoke night and night-skiing! The group were exhausted by the end, but had thoroughly enjoyed a fun-packed week.

CWSW

Glace, this time venturing into the glacier itself. The descent to the ice illustrated so effectively the effects of climate change as we passed signs that marked former positions of the glacier. Wondering inside the ice caves became a real highlight for the group who were able to see fragments of moraine and bubbles of air that were hundreds of years old!

The Alps trip may appear a well-oiled machine but for the party of 2016 things became a little complicated owing to a not so small event called the Tour de France. Two days into our stay our plans were tested when our resort became the destination of Stage 19. The coach bay became a media centre and this forced our drivers to find alternative parking about 10 miles down valley. Thankfully the excellent cable car infrastructure meant that we were not completely cut off and this allowed us access to the Tram du Mont Blanc

resumed! This turned out to be a splendid venue to view the Bionnassay glacier and learn about landforms and their processes. Of course, the Tour de France later became a real highlight for this group as we became Chris Froome’s largest fan club in Le Bettex. Although the weather deteriorated, it all ended well for both us and our French hosts as the French team crossed the line first, but Team Sky had done enough for Froome to retain the yellow jersey. Seeing the presentations right in front of us was quite special.

On both trips, the routine of a prompt start in the morning continued into the final day so fieldwork notes could be completed and packing could be done. My thanks to my colleagues for their invaluable assistance, and also to the pupils for their positive attitude and good company throughout.

Photos: Alps trip 2016

Photo: Alps trip 2017

Art Trip - St Ives

Fifty four GCSE Art pupils spent a very busy five days in St Ives, Cornwall in October 2016. The group followed in the footsteps of previous artists and fully embraced

and we saw the ruins of the ancient city. Briefly, after a well-deserved lunch, we visited a church. Later, we finally got a time slot for the Colosseum, and spent a fascinating couple hours there. It was so interesting to visit this wellknown site. That day we walked around the whole city of Rome –very tiring but very interesting! On Wednesday we went to Ostia where we saw lots of beautiful mosaics. We also saw an underground bath system, and it was really dark – how did they manage to see back then! There was a huge theatre which managed to hold around three thousand people at any time.

The following day we travelled to beautiful Sorrento for a day’s excursion. When we arrived, we went for a short walk down by the marina. On Friday we spent the day in Pompeii, where we saw huge statues and the ruins of the legendary city. On the final full day of the trip, we went to Herculaneum. Here we saw the ruins of a boathouse which contained many skeletons of people who had died in the eruption of Vesuvius. There was also a small underground

statue of the hydra. Later on in the day, after a pizza lunch half way up Mt. Vesuvius, we completed the long walk –

On the very last day, Sunday, we had time to explore a museum, which was full of statues of Roman and Greek gods and goddesses. Our return flight wasn’t until the evening and we were all extremely tired by the time we got home!

Rugby Trip - Sri Lanka/Singapore

Forty three Fifth Form and Lower Sixth rugby players went on a 16 day tour in July 2017. After a long flight and coach journey we arrived in the spectacular location of Kandy. Trinity College who have been playing rugby for 120 years provided tough opposition in their 3000 capacity stadium. The first team won 10-0 after creating a number of good opportunities and the 2nds just missed out on a win (12-7) after finishing the game strongly.

Having travelled around the area and taken in a safari we moved to the coast. Unfortunately at our first hotel a number of boys suffered food poisoning that ended up having an effect on a large number of the party over the middle part of the tour. This resulted in us being unable to field teams for the next four games in Columbo. The boys coped extremely well with the difficulties and were a credit to themselves and the School.

Our arrival in Singapore was warmly received by the whole party as we were over the worst of our illnesses which allowed the boys to appreciate fully everything the city had to offer. Everyone was keen to finish the

tour on a high and we just had fit players to put out two teams for our final two games. This was no mean feat and says a lot about their attitude and determination. An excellent performance followed with three well worked team tries to give the 1st XV a 21-0 victory over Singapore Polytechnic. The 2nds produced another combative performance and were unlucky not to have come out on top in their 10-5 defeat. With just 30 fit players it was a great way to finish what was a challenging but still thoroughly enjoyable tour.

I would like to thank the staff (CWSW, ARS, JOH, MCP) for their efforts at all hours of the day – and night!

History Trip - Battlefields

The History department resumed its trip to the First World War battlefields this July after a gap of two years. In the intervening time a great deal of new investment and refurbishment has taken place around the sites we visit as the centenary of 1914 to 1918 has run its course. There was therefore much of interest even for seasoned visitors to the battlefields and four days of favourable weather meant there was no need to postpone the start of any operations.

A new visit this year was to the museum at Notre Dame de Lorette, which dealt mainly with the French army. The remnants of trenches and abandoned equipment outside offered an early insight into the topic on the first afternoon. On the following day we took time to find out about some of the OVs whose names appear on the Theipval monument to the missing of the Somme, which gave an idea some of the personal stories behind the 72 246 names on the memorial. It also provided a chance to consider the kind of institution that King’s was one hundred years ago, some of the attitudes and assumptions of the period, and why these encouraged so many young men to take part in the fighting. On the final full day we visited Ieper, better known in the war as Ypres, where we explored Tyne Cot Cemetery and studied the battle of Passchendaele, ending

Gate as part of the daily last-post ceremony.

The thirty-four pupils who came on the trip showed a great deal of interest in what they saw and many good conversations and discussions were had. These were greatly encouraged by the contribution of my three colleagues who very generously agreed to help with the trip. I should like to record my thanks to MRD, whose expertise on the history of the war made him an excellent guide; to SCB, whose experience of running school trips and calming presence helped with the smooth running of everything; and to GLB, for her organisation of some very popular team games at

Business, Economics & Politics Trip

- Washington DC & New York

This Easter, students studying Politics, Economics or Business had the opportunity to partake in a school trip to Washington DC and New York. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to experience first-hand the cities which drive the political and financial spheres in the most powerful democracy in the world.

We first flew to Washington DC, which was beautiful at this time of year. On our first day, driving through the city, we were taken aback by the grandeur of the buildings. The centre of Washington DC is certainly a place like no other; almost every building was government-run and each was as impressive as the next. Immediately after dropping our bags at the hotel, just a short walk from the Capitol, Mr Williams gave us a quick tour around the centre. On our very first day in Washington we saw the Washington Monument, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial - all were very impressive. We stayed in DC for a few days and each was packed with activities. We had the opportunity to see all of the key sites. These included a guided tour around the Senate and the House of Representatives, the beautiful Library of Congress, the White House Visitors’ Centre and the Supreme Court building. We also saw the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, the Martin Luther King Memorial, the Air and Space Museum and the brand new Museum of African-American History and Culture. Having learnt about the political system and culture in America this year, it was fascinating to see it brought to life. Experiencing DC first hand has helped us to engage with the subject. A truly special highlight for the Politics students was being able to get into the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives whilst they were in session. In the Senate they were debating whether to approve

President Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee; whilst in the House we heard speeches on whether North Korea should be placed on the “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list.

for the first time. Our first full day in New York began with a tour of the financial district and Wall St where we had a presentation and question and answer session about careers in Finance with a New York trader. We then visited the 9/11 memorial and museum, which was particularly moving and impressive. The next day we were fortunate enough to visit the United Nations and have a guided tour of the building, including the General Assembly and Security Council. Our tour round the UN was just a few hours before President Trump bombed Assad’s forces in Syria for the first time, bringing to life the significance of the institution that we had just seen. Throughout the remainder of the week we also took a ferry to Staten Island where we saw the Statue of Liberty in all her splendour and had a guided tour of Madison Square Garden. We were able to take some terrific photographs of the Empire State Building at night from the Rockefeller centre and even had some free time to mooch around the hordes of larger-than-life shopping centres. On the final evening we travelled to Queens via the subway to see a New York Mets baseball match; the atmosphere of the game was unforgettable!

A truly special highlight for the Politics students was being able to get into the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives whilst they were in session.

After our busy schedule in Washington, we drove up to New York - the city that, truly, never sleeps. NYC was awe-inspiring and everyone on the coach became very excited as we caught a glimpse of the New York skyline

All in all, the trip was a fantastic experience. We all returned home exhausted, exhilarated and much more experienced than we were when we set off. Visiting both Washington DC and New York has been both inspiring and educating; being immersed in American culture has provided us with a deeper understanding of the political and business worlds which we study. A special thank you to Mr Williams for organising this fantastic adventure and also to Mrs Sears and Miss Cameron who accompanied the trip.

Kiera Dignam, U6W

SPORT

Congratulations to the athletes listed below:

Junior Boys: Ben Tyson (200m); Louis Hira (300m); Alex Terry (800m); Luke Beever (hurdles and triple jump); Sam Binnion (long jump); Rob Saunders (triple jump) and Aston Campbell-Kerr (high jump)

Athletics

Five pupils went to Stourport athletics track in glorious weather to compete in the Hereford and Worcestershire

improving their technique throughout the event. When the final results were announced Alex Ward and George

ESAA Track and Field Cup

On Friday 9th June all four Athletics teams headed off to compete in the Midlands B Final, which is the first time King’s has qualified all its teams from the first round. This is a unique competition where every member of the team has to compete in both a track and field event. Three out of the four teams improved their points tally from the first round, most notably the Inter Boys who scored 45 points more. There were stand out individual performances,

Mason Trophy

Our four athletes who finished first or second in their event at the Hereford and Worcestershire Track and Field Championships competed at the Mason Trophy. This event is a prestigious Inter-Counties Athletics competition, where the top athletes from ten counties across the UK compete. Despite the sweltering heat, all four athletes did themselves and King’s proud.

Imogen Gillgrass, achieved a time of 5 minutes 16 seconds in the 1500m to place her fourth in her race and ninth overall.

Nathan Kelly, competed in both the hammer and shot putt. Both competitions had some exceptionally strong competitors and he came sixth and eleventh respectively. He also threw a new PB in the shot putt.

Alex Ward had a fantastic competition coming joint second out of 15 athletes, jumping a new PB of 1m 56 in the process. Later that same day she went to compete at the annual RGS fixture, not only did she win the competition but she jumped another new PB of 1m 60, which also broke the School record.

scoring over 18 points, from: Alex Ward (IG 100m and High Jump); Holly Wylde (JG 100m); Louisa De Vos (JG 200m); Evie Hawkesford-Johnson (JG 1500m); Hannah Woodcock (JG Long Jump); Amber Haywood (JG Javelin); Owen Marles (IB Javelin); Nathan Kelly (IB Hammer); Alex Hemming (JB 300m); Alex Terry (JB 800m); Luke Beever (JB Triple Jump); Adam Rutter (JB Discus). Well done to everyone involved.

Congratulations to all four pupils for performing so well on the County stage and it is exciting to know that three of them will compete in the same age group next year.

Inter Boys: Archie Spencer (200m); George Monce (hurdles); Andrew Gee (triple jump), Nathan Kelly (hammer and shot); Stephen Turvey (discus) and Owen Marles (javelin)

Junior Girls: Holly Wylde (100m and javelin); Louisa De Vos (200m and long jump); Millie Connor (high jump); Charlie Smith (high jump) and Amber Haywood (shot)

Inter Girls: Alex Ward (100 and high jump); Holly Whitcomb (300m); Hannah Latham (800m); Imogen Gillgrass (1500m); Ellie Deehan (long jump); Sophie Welburn (triple jump); and Emily Wood (shot)

Senior Girls: Victoria Bartlett (100m) and Emily Weaver (200m)

U6 competed for Worcester City in the Track and Field Championships. This competition sees the best athletes from across the county come together with the top two in each event earning the right to represent Hereford and Worcestershire in the Mason Trophy. There were some excellent performances and pupils dealt well with the new challenge of having to do a heat and final in the same day. Twelve athletes competing on the track made their respective final, which is an incredible achievement. There was an impressive medal haul of: 2 Gold; 3 Silver and 3 Bronze, with a further 14 top 8 finishes. A special mention must go to: Imogen Gillgrass (1500m); Nathan Kelly (hammer); Owen Marles (javelin); Alex Ward (high jump) and Sophie Welburn (triple jump), who went on to compete at the Mason Trophy at the Alexander Stadium.

Sophie Welburn again competed in the triple jump. She made the top eight, qualifying her for a further three jumps when she achieved her best jump of the day of 10m 40.

Basketball

A good number of players attended the weekly practice sessions in the new Sports hall, which is proving to be a first rate court on which to play basketball. The sessions have involved a mix of age groups as ever, with Charlie Moffat, Barnaby Trip and Ben Waddington representing the Lower Four age group particularly well. From the Lower Remove Callum Wright had a 100% attendance record, not missing one of the 23 practice sessions through the season – he was presented with a match ball as reward for his efforts. Other Lower Removes who showed promise were Ben

Remove level that the strongest year group was seen, with great performances from Dan Stobbs, James Banner, Oli Osborne, Benji Halford, Sami Riaz, Finley Chance, Will Chapman, and Oli Tsiquaye.

Players from Worcester Wolves joined us for two training sessions during the season. At the first they made a promotional film of the session, which is still available on the Wolves web site. The school players very much enjoyed the sessions, learning skills directly from professional players and responding well to the challenges of the drills used.

The season finished with matches against the All-star staff team, featuring talent such as Mr Newby, Mr Jeavons, and Dr Head. The pupils were divided into three teams, and managed to win two out of the three matches. Staff would probably claim that fatigue set in as they didn’t get a break between games, but in reality it shows that the pupils have made tremendous progress over the course of the season – well done!

The final placings were: Junior Girls 3rd, Inter Girls 6th, Junior Boys 5th and Inter Boys 5th. Mason Trophy Winners: Imogen Gilgrass, Nathan Kelly, Alex Ward and Sophie Welburn.

Cricket

difficult to imagine that the weather for the season was probably the best I can remember; we only had one Saturday effected by rain and two midweek fixtures, consequently there was a considerable amount of cricket played and I’m pleased to be able to say that much of it was positive, enjoyable and victorious.

There were a number of holes to fill in the 1st team from last year, most notably replacing the runs of Nick Hammond and the wickets of Henry Wilde. The former we really didn’t accomplish, but the bowling unit were hugely successful throughout the summer. Max Richardson started the season extremely well and although his form tailed off in the latter stages he still has two more years of opening the bowling and should become a real handful. Will Burgoyne took the wickets this year that his performances over the last couple of years have deserved; he has been a significant member of the side with his batting and fielding as well and will be a hard act to follow. Two fifths of the overs were shared between two boys who were 2nd X1 players last year, but who both had a successful tour to Sri Lanka, and consequently nailed down there spot. George Fradgley improved his pace and accuracy over the winter and became a reliable 2nd change bowler, often having to bowl the difficult overs at the back end of the innings; something he did with increasing authority. Angus Guthrie seemed to have a golden arm, picking up wickets when the team most needed them and also being able to restrict the opposition with a variety of options. He had a tremendous season which was fittingly capped when he took a hatrick against the OV’s on King’s Day, deservedly winning The Peter Iddon Trophy, which is presented to the player from either side who has the standout performance on the day. The cement that held the whole attack together was provided by our indomitable skipper, Cameron Stanley-Blakey; his off-spin is from the top draw and he brings such enthusiasm to the game that it is impossible for the rest of the side not to be inspired. He always wanted to play declaration games as there was no limit on overs which meant he could bowl all day!

We had to wait until the last game of the season, again against the OV’s, for our only hundred (if you don’t

positive, enjoyable and victorious

include James Arnolds amazing 148 on tour in Colombo) which was by Jamie Hammond, who made the no.3 position his own. He is a talented cricketer, more so with the ball in hand, but a persistent foot injury prevented him bowling more than two short spells all term. Harry Annable and James Arnold opened the innings, both having success, but usually at different times! Easy to tell apart from their batting techniques, both have given a huge amount to King’s cricket and will be greatly missed. Henry GS Armstrong found form and confidence towards the end of the season and with another year to go should score the runs that he has always promised. Ali Robb was probably our most consistent player with the bat; only in the 5th form, he batted with determination and no lack of skill to score a number of 50’s during the term. His goal now should be to turn these into hundreds and he has the potential to score a significant number of runs over the next couple of years. Batting far too low down for someone of his quality, Joe Sullivan played a number of match winning knocks, especially against the touring Australian side from St. Peter’s College, Adelaide. His real gift to the side, however, is his wicket-keeping; his ability to stand up to all of our bowlers and his athleticism behind the stumps has been a pleasure to watch; we are lucky to have him setting the standards in the field for yet another season in 2018.

The team recorded far more wins than losses during the summer with notable school victories over KES Birmingham, Dean Close, Hereford, OSH and Bristol GS. The outstanding feature of what was an extremely enjoyable set of fixtures was the fact that we won three games all off the last ball; the matches against the MCC, St. Peters and the OV’s were all nail-biting affairs and the fact that we emerged victorious in all three says a lot about the character of the team.

My thanks go to our groundsmen who have again produced excellent strips for the boys to play on and to Mr Benham for his dedication and knowledge in the coaching environment. I would also like to wish Mr Garland, who helped with the 1sts for two years, all the best in his new teaching position at Sherbourne.

AADG

U15 Cricket

A small squad had a reasonably successful season winning over half their games. Moderate scores batting first against Dean Close and KES proved to be sufficient with our strong bowling attack making the most of the favourable bowling conditions available. The bowlers were, however, left with too much to do against Warwick and RGS, despite an opening stand of 85 from Ciaran McGee and Tom Otley in the first game, and a counter attacking 47 from Seb Hood in the second. our best batsmen got themselves in and then played a poor shot with plenty of overs in front of them. score of 185 came against OSH and featured a robust but sensible 40 from James Unwin on debut, and a classy knock from skipper Oli Tsiquaye. Oli was our stand-out with bat and ball in the Solihull Sixes from which we were narrowly eliminated on net run rate after winning two of our three games. In the first of these wins King’s were in the desperate position of 15-4 before Oli dispatched the Warwick spinner for 28 off his over; he then returned to bowl a miserly final over with the opposition needing just 8. Overall, the batting was rather hit-and-miss, but the bowling attack promises much for the future. Finley Chance was the most effective when the ball was swinging and Jack Baker bowled with consistent hostility. aggressive” Hamish Stigant also picked-up early top order

wickets. Oli Berlet proved to a very competent wicketkeeper, and ended the season with just two yellow cards!

MCP / JJM

U13 Cricket

The Under 13 A side had a mixed season, winning 5 and losing 5 of their completed fixtures. The side’s start to the season was blighted by poor batting. In fact, after the first 3 games, 65% of the team’s dismissals had come from batsmen being clean bowled. To be fair to the players, after this alarming statistic was pointed out to them, defences tightened up and the batsmen started to value their wicket.

he joins Malvern College in September.

most important victory over RGS

Stand out bowling performances during the season included, unusually, two hat-tricks. These were achieved by seamer Sam Brealey against Haileybury and by offspinner Rory Crichard in the Solihull Sixes tournament. Both George Bartrum and Alex Terry bowled with impressive pace and control on several occasions, with Terry putting in a lethal spell against Bishop Vesey’s of 5-24. A number of players hit half centuries, including Ben Bartlett with a match-winning 62 against Hereford and Joe Clive with a defiant 51 against Warwick. The improvement in Will Wrout’s batting over the season was remarkable; culminating in him steering his side home with an unbeaten 44 in a tight game against Bishop Vesey’s. Bill Wales, Harry Sproule, Oliver Annable and Jack Havercroft were excellent in the field throughout the season and, at times, all four showed potential with bat and/or ball.

Without a doubt the team’s most enjoyable win was against local rivals RGS where, on a baking hot day, the side chased down 248 in 29.3 overs. The innings was founded on three superb innings from classy opener Oliver Cox (75), hardhitting Will Wrout (50) and swashbuckling Alex Terry (96 not out) who smashed a couple of balls into the nearby Worcester and Birmingham canal. Nearly as impressive was the victory over a strong Bradford Grammar School by exactly 100 runs – a performance that was founded on a skilful opening partnership of 65 between Oliver Cox and younger brother Joel. We will certainly miss Oliver when

One of the most pleasing aspects of the season was the success of the B team who won 3 of their 5 fixtures. This year’s B team were an especially keen group, as shown by the majority of these boys being ever-present at training sessions. James Launder, who also bowled well for the A team, proved to be a thoughtful and effective captain, steering the team to its most important victory over RGS.

The Under 13s made really good progress, but at times the wheels came off in the field and heads dropped. For instance, we saw this trait in the games against RGS, Warwick and Solihull. Part of their development as a side needs to be learning to stay positive and trying to retain a semblance of control when opposing batsmen are well set and seeking to smash it to all parts. This is all part of

Football

1st VI

The season continued well for the first team winning the following 6 games. Overall, it was a very good season which ended with 10 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats. Richard Newton won the player of the year and also finished the season as top goal scorer with 18 goals in 10 matches. The win against RGS at Sixways marked the 1st football match at the stadium and we were very pleased with the support we received. We hope to continue playing this match at this venue in future years.

The 2nd team, had a steady season with some good wins,

U15

The U15 A’s were arguably one of the strongest teams I have coached at King’s in over twenty years, which is not surprising with over half of the starting line-up regularly playing in the Junior Premier or Midland Junior Premier Leagues. The most pleasing performance was a tight 1-0 victory over St Thomas Rich’s in which the centre back pairing of James Unwin and Jimmie Poole showed their class against very good opposition (who had beaten us 5-1 the year before). Ciaran McGee was a real presence in goal and not just because of his height; many of our best moves originated from his confident passing out from the back. Full-backs Archie Parker-Smith and Will Caddick rarely missed a tackle and bombed forward at every opportunity; all the back four scored important goals with Archie’s mazy run and fine finish being the most memorable. The tough-tackling Tom Otley screened the back four superbly and rarely choose the wrong passing option. Skipper Jack Baker and Finley Chance consistently showed their pedigree in midfield and both scored important goals in tight games; early on in the season it appeared that they were having their own free-kick competition! Oli Tsiquaye, Seb Hood, Shaiyan Siddiqui and Jack Cope all put in strong performances in wider attacking positions; it is rare to have so much quality in depth. Alex Lowe had to work hard as a lone striker but was always a threat on the break and became more

A team record: played 8, won 8!

effective in terms of his hold-up play. Despite their 100% record the team could have been much more clinical in front of goal; even in their 15-1 victory over Clifton College they missed four good chances before scoring, and they almost let RGS back in the game when they should have been at least three or four clear by half-time Jack Baker looked assured on his debut for the First XI and I am certain that many more of the squad will play key roles next year.

The B team games were rarely dull with 56 goals being scored in six games! A superb hat-trick from Archie Spencer was the highlight of the unexpected win over Chase and the pulsating 5-4 win over Malvern College will long be remembered by players and coach alike.

MCP/TB

U14

The U14’s improved as the season went on, with a good number attending training each week. The highlight for the A team, captained by Aston Campbell-Kerr, was a 4-1 victory over QEH, and for the B team it was a thrilling 5-4 victory over RGS. Stand out players were Ben Tyson who had an impressive season playing up front and ended as top scorer, Luke Coupland who was usually the most skilful player on the pitch, and Will Chapman and Cameron Pipe who were both outstanding in goal.

Hockey

King’s hockey has enjoyed a season of excellent performances both from the teams and individual players. At the very top of the school the U18 squad took the County crown, an impressive achievement in such a strong county. The U13 age group narrowly lost in the semi-finals of the Midlands Finals, showing the strength that is in the school. I am sure that these young teams will continue to improve and achieve success in the years ahead.

I would like to extend my thanks to the pupils and parents for their continued commitment and support to hockey and King’s. Congratulations to all the girls who have represented their year group this season. In particular I would like to congratulate those individuals who have gone on to achieve representative honours at County, Regional or International Level. Finally, the younger girls at King’s have been very fortunate to see the current U6 girls playing over the past few years. They have been an exceptional year group, reaching the Regional Finals at every opportunity during their time at the school. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

1st XI, U18 County Hockey Champions

The 1st XI took the ultimate prize in the County this year being crowned as champions. Having finished runners-up last year, the U18 team took to the pitch striving to go one better. With injury and illness hitting the team it was by no means a foregone conclusion, but the determination shown by the squad epitomises their efforts throughout their time at King’s.

The squad has once again been a good mix of year groups with over half of the current squad being from the Lower Sixth and Fifth Form. I know these girls will be aiming to retain their title next year.

The season started well for the 1st XI squad with a preseason game against Malvern College. Some of the standard of play during the game was exceptionally high and a glimpse of what was to come. The first win of the season came only a few days later with an emphatic 3-0 victory over King’s High, Warwick. Ellie Hollis was awarded player

The standard of hockey on display at times this year has been outstanding

progressing to the next round by one goal when the places were decided by goal difference.

Other memorable performances and victories through the season came against Solihull School, King’s Gloucester, RGS, Malvern St James, and a particularly impressive performance against a mixed team from The Chase.

I would like to congratulate the 1st XI squad for their work this season. The standard of hockey on display at times this year has been outstanding. The current squad has been a pleasure to work with and I wish those leaving us the very best of luck in their future playing careers.

SPM

2nd XI

The 2nd XI has played some excellent hockey and has been one of the strongest 2nd teams King’s has ever had. Again, the team was a good mix of Fifth and Sixth Form pupils and the younger pupils soon fitted into a team that had bonded on tour during the summer holidays. All girls worked hard throughout the season and improved both their individual skills and ability to play as a team. U6 students were excellent role models and helped to encourage and motivate everyone in the team. My thanks go to Molly Francis; Kate Jarvie; Olivia Meredith; Lucy Nichols and Sophie Richards.

Unfortunately, the season has been disrupted with a number of cancelled games, which meant only six games were played. However, in these games some superb attacking hockey was played and impressive goals were scored. The season ended with a win percentage of 66% and a goal difference of +6, which is the first positive figure for several years. Undoubtedly the highlight was the 6-0 victory over RGS; it was a first-rate

Photo: County Champions

U15

The squad has made significant progress this year, becoming a formidable team. This is shown in the results; they won 8 out of their 11 games, losing only once. In total, they scored an impressive 24 goals. The team trained regularly, gradually settling into a good system of play. Their strength was their teamwork. The girls were superbly led by their captain Harriet Wales who took over the captaincy in November. The team scored impressive wins over Solihull, Cheltenham Ladies’ College and Pate’s. The victories were built on excellent defence and special mention must be made to Niamh Peckston, Keeley Sentance, Emma McGrory, Jasmyn Ball and Harriet Wales. JB

U14

This is the first year in the girls’ hockey career where they move to playing solely 11-aside matches. It always takes some time to adapt to a different style of play, but the team managed the change effectively and a number of girls stepped up to play A team hockey.

The results have been pleasing with 7 wins in the 12 matches played, most notable were the wins against Pate’s, Solihull and the second fixture against Malvern St James. The team has scored an impressive 21 goals and a special mention must go to Cara Nyamekye as she scored many of these. In the County Tournament the team played some nice hockey but unfortunately did not progress through to the Midlands Zonal round. Congratulations go to the following girls for the outstanding progress made this season: Millie Connor; Maddie Docker; Nell Milton and Ellie Overfield.

LCS

U13

It has been a pleasure to coach the U13 teams this season, with over thirty girls regularly attending training. All the girls have trained very hard and I am sure they appreciate how that hard work has resulted in so much success.

The U13 A team had an outstanding season, being unbeaten in all 8 matches, scoring an incredible 19 goals and conceding just 3. Qualifying for In2 Hockey Competition after coming second in the County Tournament, the team had an impressive run in this competition, demonstrating some excellent play in awful weather conditions. Unfortunately the girls lost in the Quarter Finals, but they should be very proud of their performances throughout the season.

The U13 B team also had an impressive season, winning or drawing 5 out of their 7 fixtures and finishing with a goal difference of +14. There were notable victories against Bristol Grammar School and Malvern St James. At the end of the season the team had an opportunity to play in an 11-a side Tournament against A teams from other local schools. The effort and work rate shown was admirable which makes the prospect of 11-a-side hockey next season very exciting.

The C and D teams have played some high quality hockey and enjoyed the opportunity to play in a tournament at The Chase. They progressed well in the series of matches and were able to score some well-worked team goals. Many girls have represented the school, demonstrating their dedication and work rate throughout the season.

U12

The U12 A team developed strongly as the season progressed. Posting an impressive 7 wins and scoring 41 goals, the team has enjoyed plenty of success. They were able to record victories against King’s High Warwick, Solihull School and King Henry VIII to name a few. The squad has trained resolutely and played purposefully, narrowly missing out on a place in the Midlands Finals.

The U12 B team had a mixed season but worked hard in training. The girls were committed in every game and enjoyed strong performances against many teams. Of particular note was a 3-3 draw against Solihull.

The U12C team also had a varied season but produced excellent performances against RGS, Bristol Grammar and Solihull School.

SPM

Indoor Hockey

The U18 and U16 indoor hockey teams enjoyed some success this year. In this fast-paced and highly tactical version of the outdoor game, both teams worked to get to grips with new positions, presses and formations. The U18 squad competed in their county tournament in early October. Unfortunately, injury and illness depleted our small squad. The team performed well but did not progress to the next round. The U16 squad competed in their County Tournament a week later. After an impressive performance, comfortably beating RGS in a practice match the week before, the team went in to their first match with confidence. They played exceptionally well, particularly given that some of the squad were only fourteen years old. Having drawn their first game against Malvern College they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Bromsgrove in their second. To qualify they had to win their remaining two matches. A 4-0 victory over Malvern St James meant that only RGS stood in their way of the Midlands Finals. Frustratingly the ball would not go over the line and we lost 1-0, narrowly missing out on the opportunity to progress.

The strength in the U16 squad is exciting for the years to come. We have also introduced indoor hockey to the U14s and U13s. In the Spring Term we hosted a friendly county event which our U14 team won. I hope this new generation of indoor hockey players will be able to continue to develop the sport at King’s. SPM

Netball

1st VII

This year has been a whirlwind for me at King’s and it is hard to fathom that I am already writing the end of year Netball report. There have been obvious highs and a good number of lessons learned. With this in mind, hopefully next year, the nine-dot netball family will become even stronger.

The 1st VII have certainly had a mixed season and with a new coach coming in, it was tentative at times. My mantra of either “win or learn” was certainly applicable and one that the whole squad took on board. New players and new combination setups are a work in progress. Learning the strengths and working on development of each player has undoubtedly been interesting. One thing is for sure; these girls’ will always give more than required, not only for me but for their team; cohesion unquestionably breeds success.

The lead-up to the final game of the season and the Superball did not happen as early as I would have liked. Nevertheless, the squad was selected and the hard work

training or sheer bad luck, injuries happened, and kept happening. There is no way this can be used as an excuse and it has been a lesson to all that periodisation of training can be key to success.

However, the Superball was a superb showcase of the girls’ talent; from our junior schools up to our seniors. Celebrating girls’ sport was certainly envisaged on this evening and hopefully it was an evening that will be remembered by many, not just our sixth form leavers. Unfortunately KSW, pushing hard until the final whistle, did not get the win the team so craved, missing out 50-41.

would like to take this opportunity to wish all of the U6th good luck and hope many of them will continue to play. Lastly, Molly Evans has been a superb, highly organised role model this year and a member of the squad who will be thoroughly missed; the new captain will have big shoes to fill!

Photo: 1st VII v Bromsgrove

Photo: Superball 2017

A committed and sociable group of 20 girls, some alternating with rowing, attended Monday training during the Autumn and Spring Terms. This year saw fixtures played in both terms giving more continuity and purpose to training sessions. Despite their best efforts the early matches were lost. However, a two goal win against Bablake at the King’s High Warwick Quadrangular fixture restored confidence. The following week, with renewed determination, the girls convincingly beat Cheltenham Ladies’ College in a closely contended match and with strong performances by Alex Ward and Hannah Latham. A good win against Bromsgrove before Christmas gave promise for the Spring Term. Many matches were closely contended and the girls’ tenacity paid off with wins late in the season. Captain Ellie Deehan played consistently well and together with Grace Burgoyne and Anna Kimberley shot with accuracy. Emma McGrory could always be relied on to contend every pass with dynamic feistiness and Natasha Beattie always gave of her best. Keeley Sentence played an increasingly effective defensive game and stood out as most improved player of the season. The squad gave their best performance in an exciting final fixture with RGS, losing at the final whistle by a goal. I look forward to following their progress as they move to senior netball.

of. With different combinations, the girls gelled well as a team which was visible both on and off the court. Their movement through court is good, transitioning well from defence to attack and giving the shooters plenty of scoring opportunities. It was also great to see so many of the U14B girls step up and contribute to this success at Disney! Their development as a team has been phenomenal and I hope this success continues. Overall, a fantastic season!

U13A/B

U18B

The girls’ grit and determination was apparent from the first game where they beat Cheltenham Ladies’ College 2120. With two minutes to go and a CLC six foot defender we were undeterred as Sophie Doughty made some excellent interceptions and our girls kept the ball up the court to the shooters. There were some comprehensive wins against King Henry’s and OSH, but we had to fight hard to win against Bablake and Hereford Cathedral School. With the U16s feeding in to the team we prepared for the match against RGS 2nds at the Superball arena. Sophie Welburn stood out by spoiling her opponent’s chance to play and with Sophie Lynch’s shooting accuracy we took and maintained the lead, winning 18-13 and finishing the season off in style. With three year groups making up this talented squad, the girls’ flexibility and willingness to play for the team made it a really successful and enjoyable group to coach.

MML

U18c

The U18c team captained by Meg McEneaney, had a successful start to the season with a win against Malvern St James. They continued their success with a win against King Henry’s, RGS, Bablake and Hanley. In their final match of the season against RGS, stepping onto the court with high spirits and determination, the girls had a strong start and took the lead. Victoria Bartlett worked hard to control the centre court and with tight defending from Caitlin Sharpe, Abi Watson and Freya Wynne, a number of interceptions were made to which we attacked well. Emily Weaver and Alice Harrington worked the ball accurately around the circle, scoring some impressive goals. Despite difficult weather conditions and tough competition, it was an excellent display of genuine teamwork and dynamic play – their greatest performance of the season. It has been a pleasure to have coached and witnessed the improvements they have made as a team. Many thanks for the commitment and determination in training and matches.

KMA

U16A

From the outset the U16 girls were competing for their position in the squad and throughout the season this large squad was able to take to the court in a variety of positions. With the full squad available we went into the County Tournament as District Champions. Here we met strong opposition as we drew Bromsgrove in the final but we came away as victors. The Regional Finals in January saw King’s with a weakened squad due to illness and, despite some excellent wins, our dream of making the Nationals didn’t come to fruition. Nevertheless, Thalia Letori was explosive in attack, Abi Alcock and Kirsten Campbell-Ferguson worked as one in the shooting circle and Hannah Latham stood out in defence. Most improved player this season was Sophie Welburn.

MML

Throughout the season the U15B’s went from strength to strength. Early on we played in the Bromsgrove triangular, we went with optimism and determination and came away with two good wins against RGS and Bromsgrove. The girls have amazed with their enthusiasm and positive attitude. Working on this solid foundation of great team cohesion they continued to get better and improved their tactical awareness and skills. All of the girls showed brilliant versatility on court and were willing to play different positions. I am incredibly proud of the team as they showed great maturity at away matches and fabulous hospitality when at home. They have come on leaps and bounds this year due to their positive mental attitude. I wish them all of the best in seniors!

U14A

The U14 teams had a tremendous season. The A squad had a particularly good season, remaining unbeaten, securing dominant wins that they had not had before. Focussing on making an impact early has been their main aim and an area they have all worked hard to excel in. Their progress securing the forward ball from defence to attack has been highly commendable and with a strong defensive line-up at the back, rebounding and reading the attacking ball has become much easier. The attacking centre court players proved hard to break down and were wonderfully led by Mia Mathewson. The girls made light work of finding the shooters in the circle, who performed some wonderful rotation. A very successful season topped off by a wonderful tour to Disneyland and becoming International Showdown winners – the future certainly looks bright!

U14B

The U14B team had an efficacious start to the season with a strong win against Malvern St James (38-3). Their strength and determination earned them 9 out of 11 wins which is fantastic result and one they should be extremely proud

It was encouraging to have 40 energetic girls attend netball club training on Tuesdays after school this year. With such an enthusiastic and talented group the coaches had quite a challenge with team selection. Despite Milly Carter, Holly Wylde, Charlotte White and Louise Harris playing and training a year above their age group, we fielded strong A, B and C teams. Teams were often closely matched in ability, with depth in all positions making for healthy competition. The B team, captained effectively by Catrin Lucas, proved to be the most successful and only lost one match all season. Louisa De Vos showed through court consistency whilst Catherine Coupland was the most improved player. With a convincing win to begin the season, the A team steadily gained in skills and cohesion and it was soon clear that nothing was going to stop them. The highlight came at the District tournament when the team played exceptionally well to become District Champions. Captain Emily Diaz shot consistently throughout, Abby Sly linked attack and defence with determined composure, whilst the defensive duo of Amber Haywood and Abbie Jones only conceded six goals. The final match of the season against local rivals RGS was extremely exciting. Trailing every quarter by two goals their skills and tenacity prevailed in the final minutes, winning the last quarter 9-2, for the match. An outstanding result on which to end a successful season.

KMA

U12 A

The team started the season with an excellent performance against Solihull where they started the game rather tentatively but by the last quarter dominated the opposition and conceded no goals due to the excellent defence of Lucy Short and Amy Hall. With only two shooters in the squad we struggled at times to find the net and confidence became an issue. The team was determined to improve and this was most apparent in their performance against RGS where they played confident and attacking netball, forcing the opposition to make errors. They finished the season with some excellent wins against KES Bath and KES Birmingham and claimed the title of District Runners-Up. Henny Allan was the most improved player.

U12B

The U12B squad had an encouraging season; playing 11 games, winning 4 and losing 7. The score lines often did not reflect the determination and skill demonstrated. A notable victory did, however, come with a 23-0 victory against Malvern St. James in October. They also came second in the District tournament held at CWHS in March, where it was fantastic to be able to field such a strong team. Throughout the season the girls grew in confidence, working hard during training sessions to enhance their tactical awareness and ball skills.

Superball 2017 Worcester Arena

Superball is a celebration of girls’ sport and performance in Worcester. It was a showcase of talent in Dance, Gymnastics and Netball for girls aged 8-18 years old. It is an evening of energy, enthusiasm and ability enjoyed through games and spectacles, and it also presents the opportunity for girls in Worcester to unite.

The afternoon began with the Second VII taking on RGS. The girls kept the audience on the edge of their seats, with the game going from end-to-end with interceptions being made from both teams. KSW stepped up and started to pull away from their opponents and settled into a rhythm to allow the audience to take a breath. The game was very close until the last quarter and displayed a high quality of talent from both schools. The match finished 18-13 to King’s Second VII, and created a fantastic atmosphere for the match to follow.

The junior teams from both schools took part in a fun workshop led by players from the Severn Stars Superleague team. The young netballers were able to sample the environment of playing in the Arena and received coaching from some of the top netball players in the country. It was an extremely exciting event for King’s St Alban’s and The Grange, and will be one that they will not forget.

Next up was the First VII who sought their first win at Superball. Having spent the whole year living and breathing netball, the girls were more than fired up to take on RGS. Both teams took to the court at a fast pace, neither one letting up on their own centre pass. However, RGS got the slightest of margins and entered the break one goal up. Both King’s and RGS were represented in the breaks between quarters with dancers from the junior years. They kept their crowd entertained and the energy levels remained high for the match. At half time the score

was 27-23, but with a difference of only 4 goals it was still all to play for. The girls fought hard to turn over centre passes and were doing well in the battle of the physical game. With a few injuries and changes being made, the squad was pumped to finish on a high and give their supporters a good show. Unfortunately, the deficit was too great and the final score ended 51-40. Despite the result the girls were true ambassadors for netball in the school and the community, and showed the true qualities of good sportswomen.

It was a fantastic evening for girls’ sport in Worcester, and we are looking forward to next year.

“the girls were true ambassadors for netball”

Disneyland Tour

Day 1 – Travelling

We arrived at school at 4.45am. It took us about 4 hours to get to Dover, making one stop at Reading to change drivers. Luckily, we made good time and managed to catch the earlier ferry. After a very smooth crossing we continued our journey to our hotel. On arrival we were assigned our rooms and relaxed for an hour. It was then time to take our first visit to the Disney Park, having an hour on the rides and then we all met to have tea at Planet Hollywood. Everyone was really tired after a long day of travelling.

Day 2 – A&B Venue

After an early start the previous day, we had another one on Day 2, having breakfast at 7.30. We arrived in Disneyland at 9.30 and went on the rides. We had a great time going on our favourite rides, even the teachers went on the scary Indiana Jones ride, which had two loops! We left at 13.30 and started our matches at 15.30. The A’s had a great start to the pool matches and tour, winning all of their matches. The B team or U13 team had two convincing wins, a draw and one loss. They did really well considering they were playing in a very difficult pool.

C Venue

The C’s had a great day as well. Everyone tried really hard and gave it their all in the pool matches. We finished the day, similar to the B squad with two wins, a well-fought draw and one unlucky loss. Our team was very much looking forward to the final day of matches. We got back to the hotel at 10.30pm and went straight to bed to get a good night’s sleep.

Day 3 – Masterclass Coaching

We had breakfast at 7.30 before being put through our paces at our netball coaching masterclass. The masterclass began with a fun and energetic warm-up. We then participated in six different sessions including defence, attack, ball handling, shooting, skill challenges, and accuracy and core tasks. After the sessions we had lunch in the sunshine outside and then transferred to the Park. Disney was very funny because Miss McKenzie and Miss Wright came on the rides with some of us, going on Hollywood Tower of Terror and Rock’n’Rollercoaster; they were screaming their

Rugby

1st XV Captain: James Smalley

1st XV results

heads off. We travelled back to the hotel for an early night

It was a bright and early start this morning as we had to leave the hotel by 7.40 to transfer to the netball venues. The A’s and the B’s started well with a win in the quarter finals. With both teams through to the semi-finals, the A’s played really well against Lingfield who were a tall and strong team. The B’s also had a great win against Grey Court, 20-8. Both teams were through to the finals of the cup and shield, respectively. In the A final the squad came up against a strong Bath High School. The whole squad had to think about how they were going to stop the ball going to their 6’foot tall shooter. Their plan worked; they eventually won 26-18, to become champions of the International Cup. The B’s had a similarly tough opponent in St. Augustine’s and again, minimal errors and patience would win them the game. The kept their heads and secured a 10-7 victory, to win the Showdown shield. The C team also had a good final day. Unfortunately we lost our first game as they were a strong A team and had some skilful players. We continued with a positive attitude into the next two games. Our last game was the best, where we were able to show excellent teamwork and determination. We were playing a team we had played on the first day losing 7-5 but in this last match we came out as winners, 8-4.

Day 5 – Going Home

Today we travelled back to Worcester. We were sad that our first tour was over so. Finally after a long day travelling, we arrived back in Worcester ready to share stories and memories of our trip.

Mia Mathewson, Emily Diaz & Phoebe Conyers (Tour Captains)

Having won 9 of our 12 games this season the squad should be extremely proud of an achievement based on an unbreakable team spirit, a strong leadership team and a fantastic work rate. They produced some memorable performances and scored a number of outstanding team tries. Coming from behind on a few occasions against strong opposition produced real highlights of the season.

Early games saw us beat Solihull twice (once in the NatWest Cup) which is always a good sign for a promising season. It is an extremely tough start to the season but one which traditionally sets us up well for the demands of the Modus Cup. Despite all of our losses coming before the RGS game, we felt in a strong position going into the match at Sixways.

Another impressive crowd and an equally impressive pregame speech from the captain set the stage for what was our third successive Modus win. RGS had some powerful runners in the middle of the park but a three quarter line of Pritchard, J Austin and King shut them down time after time. As a defensive three they were one of the most consistent units in the team across the season. A strong set piece and intelligent running lines from the pack put the team on the front foot on a number of occasions and played a significant role in all tries. You do not always get a significant percentage of the ball in rugby which was the case this year, but when you do, a team needs to be precise and finish well. Tries from Pritchard, Lowe and King came after some controlled rugby and demonstrated the class of this squad.

After this win the squad did not look back and went undefeated for the rest of the season. Although the win against Malvern was satisfying the two wins against Bristol GS and Trent College were highlights. Bristol had a very strong team and boasted a formidable pack. 22-13 down, going up the hill in poor conditions with ten minutes to go seemed a lost cause. Having successfully defended a driving lineout 5m from our line we kept possession,

eventually set Ed Ashton up to go under the posts. This was probably the try of the season and set up a thrilling last few minutes. With virtually the last play of the game a penalty was won on their 10m line. This was no easy kick but a calm Pritchard put it between the posts for the win!

The last game of the season was against Trent College who were undefeated and went on to win the NatWest Vase at Twickenham. Three well-executed tries and some heroic defence in the last five minutes gave us a 17-13 victory and a fitting end to the season.

James Smalley and Angus Guthrie led the squad extremely well both on and off the pitch and were well supported by a number of senior players throughout the season. I would like to thank CA, AJF, ARS and AADG for their support. I should also like to thank the grounds staff for their efforts in producing such fantastic playing surfaces for all of the age groups.

Preston Cup (Most Improved player) Charlie Wong. Surman Cup (Services to the Rugby Club) James Smalley. Player of the season Alfie Pritchard/Dion King.

1st VII

For the first time we entered a 10s tournament in early February to help prepare for the 7s season. It was a great opportunity to see a larger squad in a fast paced format of the game. Wins against Nottingham Trent, Solihull and Leicester GS made for a successful day. The highlight came against Solihull who went 14-0 up before three tries in the last five minutes gave the squad a very memorable win.

At Brecon and the Marches we did not start well and only played good 7s in patches, making it hard to close out games. Our third tournament saw us travel to Stratford where we won the Plate competition, having played some excellent rugby in the latter stages when we eventually found ourselves on a reasonably sized pitch.

With confidence growing the North of England beckoned. A tough group and an unfortunate draw against Rishworth put us in the Plate competition. Two hard fought wins against King’s Macclesfield and Durham placed us in the final. Having played golden try against Durham in the semi-final the players were heavy legged to say the least. It was a great effort and one packed with fight but it led ultimately to a frustrating 26-21 defeat.

A strong set of performances at our own tournament saw us eventually lose (19-14) in the Cup semi to St Peter’s, Gloucester who went onto win overall. The highlight was a

tries were scored and a rampaging James Smalley ran virtually the full length to score under the posts.

7s is often a building process from tournament to tournament where you hope to peak at the Nationals in London. This was definitely the case this season where, despite not having the pace of King or Lowe due to injury, the squad played some great 7s to reach the Quarter finals. We won all our group games with a 10-0 win against Worth School being the key game which set up a knock out game against Ipswich School.

26-7 down with 5 minutes to play put us in an unenviable position. Not for the first time the drive to keep pushing and working for each other produced a special performance. Two converted tries scored by Smalley and Connor reduced the deficit 5 points with the last play of the game to come. From the scrum Pritchard stepped his man, finishing under the posts before keeping his nerve with the conversion and claiming a 28-26 win. Despite not progressing beyond the Quarter finals the feeling across the two days was of a job well done.

The squad worked extremely hard during the season. They were a pleasure to work with and it was good to see a number of players come through that were not regular 1st XV players in the first term.

narrowly to both Malvern College and Bristol Grammar School. To mention but a few outstanding performances, Joe Pritchard’s distribution from 9 never wavered, allowing a solid platform for the rock solid centre partnership of George Hale and Dan Humphrey to operate. The front row never seemed to lack power at scrum time, and the height advantage of Joe Connor proved invaluable in the lineout. Max Richardson continued on from where he left off last season, consistently getting over the gain line alongside Tom Hale, arguably the unsung hero of the team, who showed phenomenal work rate week in week out. The hard work and commitment of the team, resulted in a successful

Campbell-Kerr and Owen Preston; are ability to attack from anywhere was an integral part in the teams’ success.

The forwards are not big, certainly not in comparison to Sir Thomas Rich or St. Peters Gloucester, but they rarely took a backward step. Matt Whiteside carried the ball with immense effectiveness all season and was certainly “Mr Reliable”, never having a bad game and always doing the hard, but unnoticed work. Willem Humphreys was again outstanding, dominating the pitch with ball in hand as well as making try-saving tackles. It was a huge shame that he succumbed to a shoulder reconstruction before the end of term as this ruled him out of the entire 7’s season; although the team made the last day of Rosslyn Park without him, his presence was definitely missed.

The best games of the season were against the two schools from Gloucester already mentioned; both were huge physical battles and the boys showed great character and skill to win both by a score. The match against Malvern College brought together two unbeaten sides; we emerged 35 – 21 winners, but the score does not really reflect the fact that they were rarely in our half and two of their tries were breakaways. The annual match against RGS resulted in a crushing defeat, the 92 – 0 score line reflecting the complete domination of the game by King’s (I also ended the game early!). The last team to defeat us was Bristol GS in early November 2014; they did not live up to that billing as U13’S, but this year we went down there and won an extremely hard fought contest 7 – 0. This game clearly showed that as sides become better organised and more determined, the huge scores of lower

This group of boys have been a pleasure to coach for the last two years. I hope that they can maintain their love of the game and progress to being an impressive 1st X1.

Photos: 1st VII v St Peter’s

A tough opening fixture against Solihull, taking place before any training sessions, saw a number of boys introduced to the game for the first time. It was pleasing, therefore, to see a rapid increase in rugby ability and a desire to play effective rugby. Wins against St Peter’s, RGS Worcester, Bristol GS and Trent College were real highlights – with these victories being underpinned by a powerful set of forwards and swift backs.

George Tomlinson was a stand out player and as captain led by example. He was fearless in defence, although continues to refine his tackling technique. He scored some excellent solo tries and showed fine hands and excellent pace. At scrum half, Joel Cox and George Hira competed superbly, and the wide backs had pace to burn,

rounders club was very popular this year and the teams were created through motivation and attendance on a Tuesday evening. The A team had a positive season with a super start against MSJ. Their encounter against The Chase was a little less convincing but, with some clever batting, they managed to secure a win. With several fixtures cancelled their last game saw them lose to Bablake. This was due to forced errors and not thinking before releasing the ball when fielding. Overall, a good

with Joe Ward rapidly developing his game.

The forwards were amongst the strongest King’s has seen at this level in a long time. Adam Rutter and Charlie Lewis were very powerful runners, frequently drawing numerous defenders and creating space for their teammates out wide. Ben Withnall was hard-working and showed good strength – he will enjoy the addition of the No 8 position next year.

This was a strong squad and I would like to congratulate all boys from the A and B teams on their superb attitude and willingness to train hard. I hope they continue to enjoy rugby.

JOH

display which should be carried forward to next year.

Rowing

The B team had a mixed season losing early on to MSJ but redeeming themselves well against The Chase. A lot of these girls made the step up to the A team when playing Bablake and transferred their overall knowledge well, slotting into positions that they perhaps had not played before. Their last game against Bablake was a tough encounter but they hung on to win by one.

The winter saw more head races than usual, due to the sun shining rather than the usual wind and rain. We still found time to host the first Worcester Indoor Rowing Competition, inviting the Royal Grammar School and Worcester Rowing Club juniors to join us in the Keyes Building. This saw medals for King’s in each age group from LR to U6th. The shining stars were Harry Flockhart (URCa), James Robins (U6K), Jemima Moss (URCh), Amelia Clark (FFCh), and Sophie Lee (L6W). These successes were inspired by King’s, once again claiming two national silver titles at the British Rowing Indoor Championships in December of last year, the sixth form boys relay team (Rufus Tilt, Morgan Moore, Henry Marles and James Robins) and Harry Flockhart again in the year 10 category.

Sticking to the theme of indoor rowing, we held our annual charity challenge in December with the aim to row one million metres. The rowers managed to raise almost £4,500 in the 18 hour row, the money was split between two charities; Cardiac Risk in the Young and Place2Be.

This was the prime opportunity for the Boat Club to say farewell to two members of staff. Jo Ford (née Wootton) has been part of the King’s rowing community since 2008 and leaves us to go to Brighton College with husband Adrian and daughter Olivia. Megan Glenn came for a gap year, but stayed for five years, serving as boatperson and coach at King’s; keeping the boathouse organised and the rowers under control. Meg leaves us to become head coach at Hinksey Sculling School. Both coaches had wonderful success at King’s and we wish them all the best for their future ventures.

Summer saw the National Schools’ Regatta come around once again as well as a host of local regattas. The younger year groups made their mark at Worcester and Shrewsbury before the whole Boat Club stormed through National Schools’ with many boats winning places in their finals.

The most prestigious events of the season are Henley Women’s Regatta for the girls and Henley Royal Regatta for the boys. The schools sent four crews to Henley, with the senior boys’ top quad (Rufus Tilt, James Beattie, James Robins and Harry Guy) having again prequalified, one of the highest accolades the boys could achieve after two years of incredibly hard work.

The Boat Club held a number of successful social events; celebrating the end of the season with the annual dinner and then the King’s Regatta offering a spectacle for all on King’s Day. We say goodbye to Nick Pilborough and Beth Sears at the end of the year. Nick would be often be seen putting his cycling expertise to good use with gruelling workouts and enthusiastic encouragement of the students on the Wattbikes. Beth spent two seasons with the Boat Club and provided a magnificent experience for the boys and girls she coached and mentored. She also managed logistics and the administration of many aspects to ensure the smooth running of the club. Beth’s caring, supportive and good humoured approach has been a hallmark of her enormous contribution to the club and we wish her well in her new role as House Tutor at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, York.

Most Improved Coxswain

Emily Watkins (FFCh)

Richard Gabriel Award for Services to Rowing Charles Checkley (U6W)

Club Woman

Alice Evans (L6S)

Club Man

Rufus Tilt (U6Cr), Tim Quiney (U6Ch) and James Beattie (U6Cl)

Senior Boys, coached by Jim

Chalmers

The senior boys consisted of one of the most experienced squads we have seen in recent years and ensured the resources were fully utilised, with some twenty four boys participating over the two sixth form years. The Upper Sixth boys took the lead early in the season and boasting national champions on the water and off, were keen to make their mark. The dominance of the squad was soon evident in the small boats head races, where the internal competition was fierce ensuring extensive wins at local and regional events. The championship quadruple scull soon settled into winning ways and took wins at Monmouth and Wycliffe Heads. Posting the fastest times of the day across all categories and prolific wins in numerous events they soon became the crew to beat in the region and added a number of pennants to the haul in the boathouse. Illness ensured the quad kept six members of the squad involved with James Beattie, James Robins, Rufus Tilt, Harry Guy joined by Henry Marles and Charles Checkley on a number of occasions. Switching disciplines and climbing into an eight, the squad won at The Head of the Severn and gave rise to a very competitive eight, which developed over the season.

Off the water the squad were an equal force; Henry Marles, James Robins, Rufus Tilt and Morgan Moore took a silver medal for the team relay at the British Rowing Indoor Championships, very soon after Rufus had set a PB in the

frustrating for the crews. Our illness stricken and everchanging line-up in the Championship Quad competed in the National Sculling Head achieving fifth place with James Beattie, James Robins, Henry Marles and Charles Checkley sculling magnificently. Our Lower Sixth boy’s crew of Ollie Colebourne, Seb Bower, Fred Cronin and Henry Armstrong gained a superb seventh in their race.

Our rowing camp in Brive la Gaillarde, France finalised our three boats for the regatta season ahead. The Championship quad, First Eight and Second Quad quickly settled into a regime of race pieces and worked hard in preparation for the National Schools’ Regatta and other events. Racing at the major national events brought us up against the finest crews in the country and the squad acquitted themselves admirably, gaining outstanding results in all events. The highlight for the quad scull was a silver medal at the Junior Sculling Regatta. The crews raced in difficult cross winds at Dorney Lake for the National Schools’ Regatta, making finals in their respective events. The Second Quad (Charlie Kenny, Jamie Havercroft, Seb Bower, Henry Armstrong) finished sixth in their final. The First Eight (Tim Quiney, Charles Checkley, Edward Ashton, Fred Cronin, Henry Marles, Ollie Colebourne, Morgan Moore, Matt Kemp, Andrew Salkeld) were also sixth in the D final, racing against Championship as well as 1st eights. The Championship Quad (James Beattie, Rufus Tilt, Harry Guy, James Robins) excelled in making a

They soon became the crew to beat in the region and added a number of pennants to the haul in the Boathouse.

Senior Girls, coached by Megan Glenn and Will Bird The senior girls had a very strong start to the year making their name known and claiming pennants at both Monmouth and Worcester Small Boats. Despite the girls racing up a year group all season, Emily Timm, Phoebe Thomas, Alice Evans and Sophie Lee took gold time and time again at local events such as the Head of the Severn and both Wycliffe Small and Big Head. This put them in good stead as they faced the pinnacle of their season under new coach, Will Bird. The girls went to London for a weekend to attend both Schools’ Head and the Junior Sculling Head. Despite some awful conditions at Schools’ Head both of the girls’ quads went on to post good times at the Scullery.

Easter saw the girls face camp and some assessment as a potential shuffle of seats came up. However, no changes were made and the girls slotted into the quads, putting in the work in preparation for the regatta season.

Worcester Regatta saw the girls ‘A’ quad (Emily Timm, Sophie Lee, Alice Evans, Phoebe Thomas) win against a university crew and wins for two doubles as Emily Timm and Sophie Lee took the women’s title and Abi Watson

and Heloise Brown took the J17 title; a success they repeated at Shrewsbury Regatta. For the national events in the summer the senior girls entered two quads. Abbey Lynch, Lucy Stratton, Heloise Brown and Abi Watson in the ‘B’ quad and Emily Timm, Phoebe Thomas, Alice Evans and Sophie Lee making up the ‘A’ quad. The girls posted a very good time at the Junior Sculling Regatta where both crews were in the middle of the pack. This allowed both crews to have a look at the results seeing where they may be placed at the National Schools Regatta.

The girls raced phenomenally at National Schools’ with the ‘A’ quad coming 3rd in the C final. Sadly due to illness the ‘B’ quad did not race their final but they had a fantastic time trial that would have placed them third in the ‘A’ final of their event. This long weekend at National Schools’ was all in preparation for the season finale at Henley Women’s Regatta. Both quads competed in the qualifying races. Again rowing up a year the girls waited with bated breath for the results to come up. They missed being in the side by side match races by just 1.1 seconds. Never to be disheartened the girls were well aware that they all have another year of rowing at King’s ahead of them!

Girls, coached by Edward Houghton Fifth form is an interesting year for the rowers as they pick up new skills such as steering coxless quads and rowing sweep oar. For this year’s J16 girls squad it was no exception as EDH had them out in coxless quads on their first games session and raced them in an eight, both coxless and coxed fours and coxless quads throughout the season.

The winter was a success as a quad of Anna Porter, Tara Barrington, Izzy Copeland and Lily Beckett posted a win in Women’s Novice Quad and the coxed four of Hannah Stock, Kate Emsley, Amelia Clark and Bea Evans, coxed by Anna Haywood won a silver medal at Wycliffe Small Boats Head.

During the busy indoor rowing period Amelia Clark raced in the year 11 age group at British Indoors and came a phenomenal seventh place. Amelia went on to win gold at our first ever Worcester Indoors Championships.

The girls tried their hand at racing in an eight at the Head of the Severn but their success was again in a coxless quad where they narrowly missed a win. A week later Hannah Stock, Kate Emsley, Bea Evans, Amelia Clark, won at Wycliffe Big Head in a coxless quad. These four girls went

on to race at the West Midlands Championships and gained two bronze in the quad and silver in the coxless four.

After a tricky race at Schools’ Head the J16 girls raced two quads at the Scullery finishing with less than 30 seconds between them. This was an exciting finish to the head season.

The girls had a rocky start to the summer season with Wallingford upon us after the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, this was not to be a success. However, a week later at Shrewsbury the girls fought into the final, giving their opponent a real run to the finish.

Worcester Regatta saw the lead up to National Schools’ and the girls racing in small boats. Amelia Clark and Bea Evans made it to the final of the doubles race despite having to do a re-row! They were just pipped to the post by the opposition.

National Schools’ was the highlight of the season where the four had one of their best rows of the year and the quad of Immy Carter, Anna Porter, Tara Barrington and Lily Beckett placed sixth in the ‘D’ final of their event.

J16

Rower of the Year

Bea Evans Most Improved Anna Porter

J16 Boys, coached by Jim Chalmers and Nick Pilborough

The fifth form boys had the smallest squad in the club this year and at times struggled to form a crew at the various events. There was a dedicated nucleus to the squad and they trained in earnest through the cold winter months and continued to improve their skills and fitness at every opportunity. When a quad scull came together they delivered some outstanding performances in both the head and regatta seasons.

J15 Boys, coached by Beth Sears

The UR Boys started their year with a short distance singles time trial, the results of which saw Tom Eaton and David Watson racing in singles at Monmouth Head. Despite a capsize the boys finished their races in good time and although not placed this was a promising start to their very first head season. At both Wycliffe and Worcester heads the boys raced in coxed quads each time narrowly missing out on a placing. Their first success was at the West Midlands Championships where Mark Salkeld, David Watson, Ollie Gill and Alex Bower, coxed by Will Bradley flew down the river claiming the bronze medal for the region. Harry Flockhart was the only year 10 boy to attend the British Rowing Indoor Championships however it really flew the flag for us and gained a silver medal in his age group.

Over Easter the boys attended the Shrewsbury Training camps where they were once again subjected to a singles time trials and further assessment in the form of a doubles matrix. Out of this came the ‘A’ quad and ‘B’ quad - the crews the boys would then race in for the rest of the summer.

After Easter the boys’ first race was Shrewsbury Regatta where they came up against some rather large boys in their category and unfortunately were knocked out.

A week later the boys attended the Junior Sculling Regatta at Dorney Lake where they once again really battled it out on the water and posted a time that put them in the middle of the pack nationally. On a high the boys headed to Worcester Regatta - their home stretch of the Severn. Here Wycliffe beat the ‘B’ quad by a canvas but the ‘A’ quad of Tom Eaton, David Watson, Mark Salkeld, Ollie Gill and cox Will Bradley managed to overcome the conditions, win all of their races and gain their first tankard!

outcome. The end of the head season was a particular highlight for the squad and a just reward for the rapidly developing and hardworking Will Gorner. Will won the right to represent the West Midlands at the Junior Inter Regional Regatta. The event took place immediately after our rowing camp and Will was whisked away from the airport in the early hours of the morning to a hotel, where he grabbed a couple of hours sleep before his first race at the National Water Sports Centre. The fatigue of an intensive training camp and the travelling took its toll and he just missed the A Final by a tiny margin. A couple of hours sleep on the lakeside revived Will enough to display his talent and comfortably win his final, placing 7th overall in the country.

Shrewsbury Regatta gave an opportunity to boat a quad just before the exam period and the boys demonstrated some great sculling to win the event. The quad consisted of Will Gorner, Freddie Palmer, Zak Rawles and Archie Jury. Will raced his single at the Junior Sculling Regatta with a third place in his final, whilst Zak and Freddie raced a double and came forth in their final. The boys will join the senior squad next season and the increased numbers will offer opportunities to put their work from this year to use in some new crews across the competitive season.

J15 Girls, coached by Robin Booth

The UR girls had a wonderful year with medals and tankards at almost every event. Emily Hovercraft and Jemima Thrush had their first ever head race in a single at Worcester. Jemima Moss gained a seventh place nationally at British Indoors and the girls (Emily Havercroft, Jemima Thrush, Libby Griffiths-Garbett, Libby Colebourne, coxed by sixth former Fionnuala O’Hickey) got their first gold at the Head of the Severn winning by some ninety seconds.

They went on to win a bronze medal at Wycliffe Big Head but missed out on a medal at the West Midlands Championships by just two seconds!

At the Junior Sculling Head at Dorney Lake - their first national head event - both quads had a fantastic race and things were starting to look up heading into the summer.

Over Easter the girls were assessed at training camp and much like the boys put into an ‘A’ quad and a ‘B’ quad - this was their fate for National Schools’.

The girls had an amazing summer with two wins in both the double (Emily Havercroft, Libby Colebourne) and the ‘B’ quad (Nemi Edwards, Jemima Thrush, Jess Crichard, Alex

J14 Boys, coached by Tom Sharp assisted by Andrew Emsley

The two quads were then headed to National Schools’their first time at this event. The boys were excited and despite an injury in the ‘A’ crew they managed to gain a good time. The ‘B’ crew of Alex Bower, Ben Brown, Charlie Kelley and Henry Edmonds coxed by Ted Poel would have been racing in the ‘C’ final however due to some very trying conditions the final was cancelled.

The boys have ended this year on a high with some side by side singles racing, of which Mark Salkeld was the champion, and learning to sweep in an eight. Next year the boys will face the usual fifth form challenges but are

Mumby, Faith Murray) events at Shrewsbury Regatta. This success was not short-lived as the ‘B’ quad (Nemi Edwards, Faith Murray, Jemima Thrush, Libby Griffiths-Garbett, Caitlyn Hawkesford-Johnson) gained a bronze medal at the Junior Sculling Regatta, their first national medal. Worcester Regatta saw them in a King’s vs King’s final which was an exciting race to watch as the ‘A’ boat (Emily Havercroft, Libby Colebourne, Jemima Moss, Libby Griffiths-Garbett, Ellen Copeman) got a lead off the start and managed to hold it down the course, adding another pot to their collection!

The LR boys have been fortunate this year, with a fairly dry and calm winter they managed to get out on the water from the beginning of their season. They made quick progress and after sessions in the swimming pool they gained the skills and confidence to move into small boats on the river.

Winter saw the use of ergs and the boys joining in with the 1,000,000m charity row before demonstrating their talents to RGS and Worcester rowing club at the Worcester Indoors Championships. Thomas Holland and Alex Checkley gave a fantastic performance in their race and claimed the silver and bronze medals.

Easter saw a training camp at Shrewsbury School, where the boys undertook some intensive coaching and came on in leaps and bounds ahead of their first race on the

Shrewsbury water. The boys had some fantastic racing at Shrewsbury Regatta, only narrowly missing out on success in the plate competition. Two weeks later they were racing again, this time at Worcester. The boys showed huge improvements and had two wins in the heats for a quad of Ollie Bidwell, Ollie Flanagan, Thomas Holland, Archie Stephan and cox Ollie Taylor. Sadly they just missed out in the semi-final but what wonderful racing in their second ever competition. Regular time trials in the single sculls and some rapid improvements against local rivals at friendly competitions have ensured a great foundation in what has been an outstanding year for our youngest boys. The quality of the boys and their advanced skills so early in their rowing careers, combined with their enthusiasm for the sport, bodes well for the future.

J14 Girls, coached by Pauline Bladen assisted by Rosie Ellender

This year the LR girls’ squad has been larger than ever. With a fairly calm winter the girls were able to get plenty of water time under their belt before their first race. The West Midlands Championships was held on a rather windswept, swollen river. However, not to shy away from a challenge the girls were escorted up to slip on a safety launch. Libby Evans, Izzy Dimmock, Lottie Humphrey, Poppy Madden and cox Eszter Horvath were fearless as they took on the river and raced all the way down to the finish and then back to school.

Camp saw a record number of attendees and a record number of capsizes as the girls started to get the feel of small boats – this was all in preparation of the regatta season just around the corner. Shrewsbury Regatta was an eventful time for the four LR girls’ quads, with one dead heat, one crash and one capsize, the crowning glory went to Anna Fryers, Elsa Bishop, Phoebe Conyers,

Megan Pitts and Alita Santos-Dendy who came second in the plate final after some fantastic side by side racing!

The girls had their first taste of racing on a lake at the Junior Sculling Regatta, where they were just four seconds behind our local rivals –RGS. This summer the girls came up against RGS on several occasions at both local regattas and friendlies held at school, where more often than not King’s came out on top!

National Schools’ is always an exciting event for King’s J14 girls and both quads came in the middle of the pack with the ‘A’ crew in the ‘C’ final and the ‘B’ crew in their ‘B’ final. Josie Armstrong, Bea Beever, Georgie Thorp, Poppy Madden and cox Molly Smith battled in the strong wind and had a wonderful row, coming sixth in the ‘B’ final, an amazing result in their first multilane race!

Rower of the Year

Emily Havercroft Most Improved Libby Griffiths-Garbett

Rower of the Year

Amy Yorke-Brooks

Most Improved Megan Pitts Coxswain Eszter Horvath

Rower of the Year

Jonny Stratton Most Improved Ollie Flanagan

Rower of the Year

David Watson Most Improved Will Bradley

Sports Day 2017

King’s has the privilege of hosting three Sports Days, with the Senior event seeing (FF-U6) taking place at Nunnery Wood Athletics Track and both the Removes and Fourth Form events taking place on our own track. All three events are both a showcase of the top athletes across the years as well as an opportunity for pupils to enjoy competing to earn points for their Houses or Forms. There were some top performances in all the events with seven school records being broken.

The Victor and Victrix Ludorum trophies, for the most individual points in three events are a relatively new addition to the Sports Day Programme and the competition for these awards shows the strength of athletics in all year groups.

U13 Tennis

With only one fixture taking place this term I believe word must have gotten around about the strength and depth of the tennis at King’s in the U13 category. A fantastic four travelled to Bromsgrove for an evening fixture that saw it go all their way. Abby Sly, Maddy Workman, Flo Edmonds and Alice Baker were on top form and with 3 wins and 3 losses that put us both on equal points which then went to a nail-biting one setter to decide the winner. Although Abby and Flo put up tough competition they were just pipped to the post. However, despite the scores, these four were outstanding on the day.

U13 tennis club has been great fun in the Summer Term, welcoming players of all abilities to come and enjoy a fun, coached session, regularly ending with a game. However, the life and soul of this club has not only come from the pupils involved but also Miss Katie Clark who, rain or shine, has delivered fun-filled, energy-pumping, enthusiastic sessions. EKM

CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS

Artist in Residence Workshop

Vigornian The Vigornian 73

Morgan Moore

Ella Smith Jade Lilley Hannah Davies

A selection of artwork from the Pre-U Exhibition.

came to moderate the work of this year’s Arts Award cohort. She was impressed, as ever, by the standard of King’s entrants, and by the breadth of artistic experiences which they had embraced throughout their journey.

The year started in very energetic fashion with various Silver and Gold leadership projects immediately getting underway. With Silver candidates leading Art Club and The Big Draw as well as organising and mentoring acts for the Fourth Form Christmas Show, there was plenty of activity. The first Gold leadership project, with a group staging a Senior Christmas Show, also got underway with a bang. The Autumn Term was rounded off by a fun-filled trip to see Sister Act at Malvern Theatres.

Leadership work for Silver candidates continued into the Spring Term as The King’s Factor competition was organised by the Music cohort. Meanwhile, the Gold students continued to produce a range of innovative projects, including an Open Mic Night in the Boathouse, the first LAMDA Showcase to be hosted in the Wightman

Work was still continuing in to the Summer Term. Gold candidates invited Lower Fourth parents to the Shakespeare-Fest that had been organised and Thomas Holland unveiled his art installation Our Oceans are Drowning in the school gardens. Highlighting serious environmental issues, as well as being a fascinating piece of artwork, Thomas’s Silver project really highlights the enormous possibilities which Arts Award opens up to allow pupils to pursue creative goals.

Along the way, there have been some wonderful experiences. An important feature of the Arts Award is the need to stand proudly by opinions on arts events and issues, so reviews not only need to be written but shared with others, and Gold candidates have to pursue and document whole arguments on pertinent issues. It has been a privilege to hear presentations and read a variety of published articles and blogs that demonstrate the exciting range of events that our pupils engage with in such a passionate way and the deep, critical thought which they put into current artistic debates. Participation in professional projects has also been inspiring, with work experience and shadowing experiences ranging from stonemasonry to fashion designing. An uplifting, hands-on event came in the form of an African Drum and Dance workshop with Joliba and our Gold students also accepted an invitation to work with the Culture Clash team (a cross-arts/architecture initiative that started life a decade ago at the Victoria and Albert Museum) on a day’s work “Sampling St Swithun’s”.

It was only right that such a hard-working year was well rewarded. All portfolios submitted were passed by the moderator meaning certificates are on their way for more than 30 L4 pupils who passed their Bronze, 21 pupils in the LR whose Silver Arts Award is a Level 2 qualification (equivalent to a GCSE) and the impressive L6 Gold group where the 15 entrants all passed this Level 3 qualification which means they carry well-earned UCAS points into

Governors’ Essay Prize

Do we learn more about the world from fiction than from non-fiction?

Some cultures do not distinguish between fiction and non-fictionboth genres are valued as writing that can be learnt from - our binary categorisation of truth and untruth does not exist. To illustrate this cultural affluence, how does one categorize Emmeline Pankhurst’s My Story? Despite the fact that what she says may be presented as unquestionable truth, there is huge debate over how she documents the story of Women’s Suffrage. In the same way, Life of Pi encourages the reader to question the verity of the story itself and whether how much of it is true actually matters. The definition of non-fiction is ‘prose writing that is informative or factual, rather than fictional’. Therefore if we are informed by a fiction, might it then be classed as non-fiction? So for example does not a Charles Dickens novel inform us in great detail about Victorian life? The combative question of fiction verses non-fiction is comparable to asking whether the sciences or arts are better for informing us about the world. To answer the question, we need to define ‘the world’ first.

If ‘the world’ is considered as a term encompassing everything surrounding us from the inner workings of the human mind to the structure of an atom, most would be inclined to say that we learn far more from non-fiction. This idea focuses on the literal sense of knowledge and how we obtain it through literature. In order to revise for an exam on religion, the majority of people would read a textbook on the subject in preparation, rather than a work of fiction aiming to approach the issue of religion. This is because the textbook will contain more relevant information on religion in a simple manner, with fact presented as fact - little inference is required. In the same way, to broaden one’s understanding of the world in a factual sense, the choice between the National Geographic magazine and a Marvel magazine would be a very easy one to make.

Yet if the concept of ‘the world’ is actually referring to the ‘people and societies on earth’, the lessons we learn from fiction are richer and more relevant. If it were the case that we learnt more from non-fiction than fiction, then why would we read fiction to children? Why do we teach young people about danger through fairy tales and nursery rhymes? If humans absorbed and remembered the information presented to them in a non-fiction book more efficiently and in larger quantities than from reading a fiction book, then the argument for us learning more about the world from non-fiction would be very one-sided. It is highly likely that if a child were asked to read and remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood they would be more likely to remember the story and learn from it, whilst if a child were asked to read a short book on avoiding danger they would struggle to maintain the concentration needed to read the book, let alone remember what was in it. Not only does the fiction book more easily grasp a child’s attention, it requires a different type of thinking in order to understand the message presented and transfer it to understanding the world, teaching the child the skills of inference and comparison.

This is also applicable to higher order thinking. It is more likely that someone would remember the events in reign of Edward IV having read a historical fiction novel about it than they would reading a nonfiction biography of the king. But if it were the case that we learnt more from a fictional book about a subject than a non-fiction piece, then why are non-fiction books used to teach? Although fiction may present information in a way that is more exciting and memorable to us, much of the time you have to sift through fact and fiction; which (although a skill in itself) means that the things we learn from nonfiction can be viewed as purer; core, factual information to be used as a tool or as evidence.

The difference between the two genres is not how much we learn from them, but what. Fiction teaches us much more about ourselves and others. Indeed it is proven that those who often read fiction books are better at empathizing. From fiction, we can learn how to interact with one another, as well as develop and broaden our minds through experiencing stories from a perspective enforced by a narrative. This experience turns us into more open minded and worldly-wise people. Those who have read To Kill a Mockingbird would agree than they learnt more from this novel than they would from any sociology or philosophy textbook, and Atticus Finch’s line sums up this idea completely: ‘you never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it’. It is fiction that gives us the power to do this; to view the world through someone else’s eyes. Even the Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer considers reading fiction as vital to his work as a judge can ‘project himself into the lives of others, lives that have nothing in common with his own, even lives in completely different eras or cultures. And this empathy, this ability to envision the practical consequences on one’s contemporaries of a law or a legal decision, seems to me to a crucial quality in a judge.’

At the same time, non-fiction provides us with knowledge at our finger tips. Through reading non-fiction we can quickly inform ourselves on the world around us. Whilst it does not provide the narrative and perspective that fiction does - which makes it so easy to learn from - non-fiction can still provide a perspective. A biography presents the reader with opinions and views, just as different historians may present different views about the significance of a battle. In this way, the point of thought at which most of learning occurs, for example the reader developing their own opinion on the impact of a certain law on human rights, is far from lost.

However this is extremely dependent on the reader and how far their thinking reaches. Many people may read a work of fiction purely for the story, therefore learning very little from the book, however, they may read a non-fiction book avidly and be able to regurgitate the majority of the information presented. At the same time another reader may learn vast amounts from fiction as they look into the messages conveyed in the novel, the language used and the context of the story. For this reason, it is impossible to distinguish between the two genres as more important than one another, particularly for learning. For us to learn as much as we can from the world, it is not which genre or which book we read that matters - even if we value some types of knowledge above others: it is how much we read and how much we think about it. The point of learning is not the content of the book, but the approach to it and the response. You can read hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books and learn far less than someone who reads ten books but applies higher order thinking, such as inference. To conclude, the answer to this question is completely subjective to audience and purpose:

Two boys were given a novel, Frankenstein, and asked to read it. The next week at school, their teacher gave them the question ‘how much did you learn about the world from the fiction book?’ One boy wrote that scientists once believed they could bring bodies to life with galvanism; the other wrote that as humans we must place ethical boundaries on our search for knowledge and the power of science. The next week the boys were asked to read I Am Malala. They were given the same question to answer: ‘how much did you learn about the world from the non-fiction book?’ One boy wrote that a school girl was once shot in the face by a member of the Taliban for going to school; the other boy wrote that tolerance is one of the key pillars to happiness.

A huge well done to all the candidates and many thanks to their advisers – the Arts Award trained members of staff who support, supervise and assess the portfolios.

However the idea that non-fiction is more ‘intelligent’ and therefore we can learn more from it lacks a fundamental understanding of English as a skill to be developed and learnt from. If fiction books are not as ‘intelligent’ as non-fiction, why does writing a successful novel require years of experience, awareness, knowledge and a strong grasp of the English language? Although appreciating the talent of classic novelists such as Hardy requires a certain level of understanding, we can learn from them as much as we can learn from the talent of a historian. In this way, books can be viewed as a vessel of knowledge and learning; a way to pass on experience and it is irrelevant how it is passed on - through fiction or non-fiction.

Rebecca Hartley (Bright House)

Governors’ Essay Prize

Do we learn more about the world from fiction than from non-fiction?

would contend that there is no such thing as non-fiction. It is purely a publishing category and the word does not exist at all in many languages. Any book is influenced by its author’s view of the world and should be seen through the prism of his opinions. A very obvious example of this is the ‘non-fiction’ produced, every day, in newspapers. The ‘facts’ appear very differently from one publication to another, depending on editorial influence. Many ‘facts’ and analysis in so called non-fictional history books are also from the editor or writer’s mind as they don’t usually have first person privileged access to the events they are writing about, they have to collect the information they can and they produce hypothesis due to these facts.

Writing should help us to understand more about the human experience, whether the story is based on true events, like Pigeon English or Animal’s People, or if it is fanciful like the works of CS Lewis. They may help us learn but are once again based around some part of truth, CS Lewis’ ‘A lion, a witch and a wardrobe’ is a great example of this as it is stooped in truth through its allegory for the story of Jesus and even though that may be fictional we do know some of the events depicted are true and the people did live in that time. The author of these books is writing them in possibly a more palatable way for the mass audience but they are all originally fiction in some way or another and therefore you are learning not only about the English language but different cultures, events and eras.

Reading allows you to get a taste of places and times that you have not visited and, in fact cannot visit without a time machine, for every story ever told begins to become out of date as soon as it is uttered. But, hopefully, that sense of time and place will shine through and linger with you, giving you an impression of what the author has seen or experienced. Hilary Mantel is an author who writes historical fiction based around the true events of medieval characters. For instance in her book Wolf Hall she follows Thomas Cromwell and even though she has to fill in gaps of the story with her imagination she still creates an accurate depiction of Cromwell’s life having to deal with Henry’s demands. It is set in a world very different from our own and does educate you on life in that era and even though it is fiction it can only be informative of that era through the multitude of factual events and characters she uses alongside sources from the time to build up her characters personalities and the events in their lives.

However, you are only able to illustrate a story via the limits of your own experience or imagination, so are you really learning anything or just re-cycling what you have already perceive? Sketches of elephants, based on the descriptions of early travellers to Africa, clearly show this problem. The author is only trying their hardest to ‘paint a picture’ for you but ultimately it is your own experiences and mind that conjures up the imagery when reading. Your brain is a simple thing at its core, without the ability to register negatives or create things in its imagination spontaneously. It has to have been formed or seen, even subliminally, before it can be imagined. This means that you do learn things from books, both fiction and nonfiction but to be able to truly visualise this you must have some previous visual experience to call on. Unlike the early illustrators of elephants, we are able to access a lot of information about the world, through media, and, therefore, find it much easier to interpret fiction. Most fact and fiction is now consumed through film. Although this relies less on the audiences’ imagination, it is still subject to influence by the editor or the director or the presenter or the actor. Even fact based or reality shows are usually far from any reality most of us would recognise. Even the participants often claim not to recognise themselves, or their world, as presented in the final cut.

Despite its short comings, though, the bulk of human knowledge has reached us through fiction and more fact based reports. But is Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica more elucidating than the Chronicles of Narnina? Newton’s theory’s mostly held true and did help us to understand our world, from an engineering point of view. But in truth, our world is not driven by levers or gravity: it is driven by people. And these people at the core mostly read for the enjoyment and reading Newton’s extremely long and complicated reasoning behind gravity isn’t the lay-person’s cup of tea. More may be learnt through fiction but there is far more fiction books and stories and poems than a non-fiction piece of writing. Lewis borrowed themes and inspiration from many sources to try and help educate his young readers about life and about living. His books have been adapted and emulated many times and, due to their fantastical nature, have stood the test of time. Whereas, much of Newton’s work is now so basic and so well known, Lewis’s young audience don’t need to read about gravity to know it exists!

Numbers are, undoubtedly, important. Any economist or business man will tell you that the only thing that counts is the numbers! But any sportsman will tell you, the numbers rarely tell the whole story. Like with the ‘Moneyball’ scenario, in baseball it worked well due to the a solo nature of the sport but when you try and transfer this into other, more team oriented sports, the model falls away. This is shown through the success the Red Sox adopted in the MLB but when their owners tried to replicate this at Liverpool FC in the Premier League they weren’t met with the same staggering success. So even empirical data is flawed in terms of education. Everybody wants to know the numbers, but then they want to know the story behind them…. and that’s normally where fiction begins.

So, as a young man making the difficult transition from childhood to adulthood, what can I rely on for my education? In history, I’m taught to always question the source and provenance of the information. That is a useful lesson for life.

Education is about helping us interpret the world. It can prepare us, but it can’t tell us what truth is or what we will feel. It can warn us of danger and awaken us to opportunities. It can fire our imagination and it can lead us down the wrong path. But this is all just preparation. I cannot learn about the world from reading, or viewing, the fiction or non-fiction of others, however, erudite or entertaining it might be. When teachers tell me to ‘read ahead’ on my subjects and topics, it may help but there will be areas won’t understand and will need the guidance of other sources and people to help me excel. Even though the non-fictional text book give me a good grounding and the fiction can give me extended knowledge and help grow my imagination and opinion, I think that most the learning we have in our lives is achieved through experience, whether that be going out and visiting the running of the bulls in Pamplona or cliff jumping or just sitting down with a person from a different culture and discussing life. Many things will not be ‘learnt’ or fully understood until we can go and get our own opinions through experience. The only way to learn to swim is by getting wet. Newton said he had been standing on the shoulders of giants, but I have to stand on my own feet and stride out into the world to start really learning.

Maxwell Duffen (Wulstan)

Poetry Prize

National Poetry Day is a British campaign to promote poetry, including public performances. National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by William Sieghart. It takes place annually in the UK and Ireland on a Thursday in late September/early October. National Poetry Day 2016 fell on 6th October. The theme was Messages, with the spur to “Say It With A Poem”, encouraging participants to send poems to friends, and the wider world. Prince Charles performed in the 2016 National Poetry Day, reading Seamus Heaney’s The Shipping Forecast.

Winning entry

Highly

Highly

Through my eyes look in the

Who is that looking at me? Sad eyes and a dirty face

The one who see

look at the photo

So different, so serene

Dancing eyes and a bright face

So proud, just a teen

look at the letter

The one from a friend

So full of laughter

A friendship I can’t mend

look at my life

take the blame

So desperate, so weary

This is who I became.

Esther Rosoman (LROS)

Commended

Commended

mirror

Drama

It seems inevitable that a review of a year in the King’s School Drama Department will highlight just how eventful life has been. 2016-2017 has certainly lived up to expectations, with some new and unique events thrown in to the already heady mix of creative outpourings.

The traditional Fourth Form Christmas Show was another sell-out success in the John Moore Theatre, with many Fourth Formers using the event to showcase their talents for their Bronze Arts Award challenges. That got the creative juices flowing for an entirely pupil-led production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in February with an Upper Fourth cast directed by Iris Barrell (U4E) and Amelia Davies (U4F). April saw a brand new event added to the Fourth Form calendar with the whole of the Lower Fourth taking to the stage for their ShakespeareFest. The Bard’s best-loved works may never be seen in the same light ever again! The Fourth Form journey came to a rest in Egypt with a truly uplifting production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

atmospheric production of Webster’s The White Devil in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Further workshops have taken place with Splendid Productions helping to refine the devising skills of our GCSE and A Level groups and we have welcomed Daryl Singleton to the department on several occasions to train up teams of budding stage make-up artists.

Fourth Form Christmas Show

Our Removes years worked equally hard but had fun along the way. Silver Arts Award candidates showed their talents in a variety of cross-arts events, having already proved their leadership skills with their superb efforts supporting the Fourth Form Christmas Show. The Removes actors bookended the year with two excellent productions. In the Autumn Term, they took to the stage at the Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove, as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, to perform Romeo and Juliet whilst at the end of the Summer Term, they performed Patrick Marber’s The Musicians in our own Wightman Studio.

Two innovative productions dominated the year for the Senior School Drama students. The December production of A Streetcar Named Desire was breathtaking with absolutely compelling performances from the talented cast. Then, in February, a committed troupe of actors wrote their way into the school’s history books as they created the roles in the première of 1541, a specially commissioned promenade play celebrating the 475th anniversary. Throughout the year, the vibrancy of the department has been enhanced by a range of one-off performance events coordinated by the Gold Arts Award teams. And, of course, there have been the exceptional examination performances by our GCSE and A Level students.

The department’s theatre trips and visits continue to be an essential part of GCSE and A Level study but also a wonderful opportunity for all pupils to come together in their shared love of theatre. We started the year at Birmingham Rep, entranced by Kneehigh’s 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips. From there, we enjoyed Blood Brothers at the Birmingham Hippodrome, Sister Act at Malvern Theatres and The Play That Goes Wrong at the Cheltenham Everyman, before finishing the year back at the Rep with the mesmerising La Strada. (And that’s not to mention the traditional Fifth Form London Theatre trip) Of course, it’s not all sitting back comfortably!

Prior to watching their production of Happy Hour, Tmesis Theatre put our A Level students through their paces with a physical theatre workshop. The same students were worked hard at Shakespeare’s Globe where they took part in a text

Whilst this has been a joyously jam-packed year, the passing of time inevitably brings change. At Christmas we said a very fond farewell to Chris Crosswell, our long-serving Theatre Manager. Everyone involved in King’s Drama wishes him a happy retirement and his final set design, his remarkable transformation of the Wightman Studio into Stanley and Stella’s New Orleans tenement apartment for Streetcar, has left an indelible impression. In his place, we have welcomed Paul Haynes to the team who joins us from the Leys School in Cambridge. We are also saying goodbye to James Garside, our Theatre and Events Technician, who leaves us this summer to pursue a BSc in Computer Networks and Security and wish him all the very best in his future studies. SP

Lower Fourth Shakespeare Fest

The John Moore Theatre was packed on Thursday 27 April as the L4 tutor groups participated in their inaugural Shakespeare-Fest. Each form was presenting their own abridged version of one of Shakespeare’s plays. It was the culmination of several months of preparation, familiarising themselves with the work of the Bard, finding creative solutions, and collaborating as a whole form in a great spirit of creative fun.

The event was the brainchild of Louise Turner (L6BR) and Isobel Unwin (L6K) who organised the whole event as part of their Gold Arts Award qualification. There was a wonderful atmosphere as the forms finally had an opportunity to see each other’s work and their parents were able to celebrate their creative achievements.

L4A kicked off proceedings with their version of Hamlet. One of the challenges for young people dealing with Shakespeare’s tragedies is managing the death toll! L4A had a unique solution for this: they created a new character – Consuela, the much put-upon maid, who dutifully swept each and every dead body from the stage. Played in drag

This year the Fourth Form Christmas Show was organised as usual by the Lower Remove Silver Arts Award Dance/ Drama Group. As well as ensuring, through their hard work and dedication, that the show actually happened, this group of pupils also mentored many of the performers. It was delightful to see our talented LR pupils working alongside our equally talented Fourth Form pupils to create outstanding performance work. Along the way friendships were made, expertise was shared and both groups gained a great deal. The Silver team comprised of Rebecca Darnborough, Esther Rosomon, Grace Tivnan, Maddie Hinchliff, Alice Martin, Harriet Killman, Elsa Bishop, Charlie Smith, Izzy Watson, Sophie Connor, Will Hunt, Mia Mathewson and Bella Fielden.

The Fourth Forms did not disappoint with their wonderful performance work and we had a very varied programme. There were excellent dance items from both the L4 and U4 Dance clubs as well as a ‘Dynamite’ performance from the Breakdance Club! Amelia Davies stunned the audience with her solo of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables and band members Tim Morris, Ben Amos and Henry

L4B followed up with The Comedy of Errors and did a remarkable job of making any sense at all out of what is arguably Shakespeare’s most confusing plot line. With two sets of twins amongst the characters in a storyline that hinges on mistaken identity, thank goodness for the excellent narration of George Hira, Shrav Raajkumar, David Wills, Leah Heaysman, Harriet Jones, Flora Parry, Tiffany Batt and Sam Hawes.

Romeo and Juliet was the offering from L4C, and Jack Rothwell and Amy Ranasinghe excelled in the title roles. The whole ensemble kept up the tension of the warring families throughout to make the tragic ending even more touching. At the other end of the spectrum, L4D returned to comedy to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The

Bowers performed a rousing Hold Back the River. Drama work was highly entertaining and the L4 Drama club performed a heartwarming version of The Night Before Christmas. Members of the U4 Drama club performed, amongst other things, a comedic Christmas Bakeoff and Christmas You’re back in the Room. A mournful George Capell pleaded for his ‘Scruffy‘ back at the end of the night and tugged at the audience’s heartstrings.

A special mention should go to the surprise act of the evening which was Mr Tom Jeavons resplendent in an Elsa wig and dress performing Let it Go with gusto. He was accompanied by two dancing snowflakes in the form of Harry Hopkins and Harvey Conyers. A truly memorable performance!

The evening ended in traditional style with Mr Taranczuk leading the Fourth Form Choir and the audience in a hilarious rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Everyone left smiling and full of Christmas cheer after another wonderful show. JPH

performances from the whole form, it really was a dream!

Dreams and magic are also a recurring theme in The Tempest and L4E’s interpretation was full of the necessary charm. There were lovely physical theatre touches to create the ship and the shipwreck in the opening scene and, as the characters return home at the end, there was an inspired, tongue-in-cheek Titanic reference courtesy of Purdy Newson-Tonks and Henry Halford who made a delightful Miranda and Ferdinand.

The performances were rounded off by L4F’s version of Macbeth. Will Threadgold dominated the stage as a confident, menacing Macbeth and the final showdown with Macduff (Rafay Siddiqui) was the dramatic climax that the play and indeed the whole event deserved.

Louise and Isobel’s leadership of this project was outstanding and the positive feedback from parents overwhelming. It is hoped that this marks the start of a new Fourth Form tradition and thanks and congratulations go to everyone involved.

SP

by Oliver Pritchett with superb comic timing, Consuela

Photo: Fifth Form theatre trip

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I was fortunate enough to be a chorus member and the Butler in the Fourth Form production of Joseph in June this year. I started off as a chorus member but after a short while I was chosen to play the part of the Butler as well because of my constant enthusiasm in rehearsals. I was initially delighted, but when I found out about my solo singing lines (I didn’t know when I accepted the role) I was terrified! Singing will never be my strength and singing on my own to a theatre of about 200 people seemed like hell. However, I knew that if I went back to school the next day and turned down the role I would be missing out on an opportunity I might never get again, and I knew I would regret it. So, I nervously accepted only to find it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be! It was fun in rehearsals with the Baker, the Narrators and the Prison Guards. I wore a great jacket as my costume (it was huge and I was boiling when I had to sing, act and dance in it for FIVE NUMBERS!) and it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be after all!

The cast had rehearsals every Wednesday and Thursday from after spring half term. The director was Mr Le Marchand, supported by Mrs Le Marchand, and Mr Taranczuk was the musical director. Penny Ashmore, an OV and a very talented actress and singer, was also helping. but sadly mid-way through rehearsals she became ill. Fortunately she was well enough to come to our first performance. At the beginning of rehearsals everything was quite easygoing and relaxed as we were just learning all the songs and routines, but as the weeks went on Mr Le Marchand became more animated in rehearsals and Mr Taranczuk would grade our singing with grades normally ranging from B (on a really good day) to F (at the start of rehearsals).

The production didn’t feel real until we had an all-day rehearsal. Before that, we were just singing and acting with not much pressure, but in the all-day rehearsal we were finally given props, costumes, microphones and the proper lighting. It started to feel serious but also really exciting! It was really cool using a radio mic, as I had never used one before, but also mega stressful as I had about one minute to run off stage, put on my mic in the semi-dark, run to the other side of the wings, shove on my jacket and grab my prop to make my cue line to enter! The lighting effects were absolutely amazing too, with all the different colours, especially at the end. It was also great to see the very versatile set, but it was quite scary as two sets of steps had no railings, so I was always tense in case I fell off!

... my parents were there right on the front row, and seeing them enjoying the show made me feel even prouder of my efforts

On Wednesday 21st June in the afternoon we had a matinee performance for local primary school children. It was great watching the children enjoy our production because it made me feel really proud of the work we had done together and more confident for the real show the same day. Although the children were mostly attentive, it was clear to see the things they most enjoyed: the Pharaoh’s exotic dancing and vibrant costume, and the light display (including a disco ball) at the end! At this point we were able to use makeup to turn us into proper Egyptians with help from a skilful team, and I will never forget seeing myself with masses of heavy black eyeliner, red eye shadow and huge bushy eyebrows for the first time. The main thing I can remember from this performance was the stifling heat in the theatre, and all the children fanning themselves. I was so envious of them in my jacket!

which was met with cheers from the cast. Although I was ecstatically happy that I had done well and had had a great time, the feeling was tinged with sadness: the show was over, and I wouldn’t be able to do it again, or at least not with the same great people. As well as that, Joseph would be my last Fourth Form Show, another thing that marked the end of my time in the Fourth Forms.

I had a great time in Joseph. I hope that everyone watching it had just as much fun watching as we did rehearsing and performing it! And finally I want to say the most important thing I have learned from being in this show: if you are going to do something, give it everything you possibly can. Don’t feel nervous to stand out - being different is being brave. I got so much from being in the show, and I gave so much too. I shall remember being in Joseph fondly, and I am pretty certain I will never get all these songs out of my head!

Sammy Hadley, U4D

Removes Drama: The Musicians

The Musicians started life as part of the National Theatre’s Connections project. Playwright, Patrick Marber, is renowned for his work on both stage and screen, including the award-winning, Closer.

The Musicians follows the fortunes of the Ridley Road school orchestra. They are in Moscow to give a concert of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony as part of a youth festival. There is only one problem: their instruments have been impounded by customs! Student-conductor, Roland is at his wits’ end and it is left to the Russian cleaner, Alex, to save the day. Alex is a dreamer – a devout Pinball Wizard fan who fantasises about his future as an international superstar. He teaches the orchestra about the power of dreams and imagination and encourages them to pull together and believe so that their audience will believe.

The comic interplay between Will Bradley’s Alex and Charlie Mackintosh’s Roland was witty and well-paced throughout. The caustic one-liners from the ensemble cut

Poel’s nerdy double bass player. Sophie Mitchell’s portrayal of the highly-strung flautist, infatuated with Roland, also kept the comedy bubbling along.

The stark setting of the Moscow concert hall fixed attention firmly on the skills of the young Removes performers. The atmospheric lighting for the imaginative music sequence really showcased the utter commitment of the cast to the play’s joyful fantasy and also allowed our dancers - Skye Weaver and Charlie Smith - to shine.

Finishing the academic year with such a quirky piece allowed everyone involved to explore new aspects of theatre-making and send their audience away with an uplifting message and Pinball Wizard ringing in their ears!

Thanks again go to Paul Haynes and James Garside for their design and technical expertise and their guidance of the pupil technicians – Benji Halford and Isaac Haywood.

working with schools and theatres the length and breadth of the country. King’s was one of over 1,500 schools to take part in the festival in 2016.

This year we chose was the well-loved tragedy that is Romeo and Juliet, a complete change from last year’s Julius Caesar. We worked on an abridged version and had a half day workshop at the Artrix in Bromsgrove with another school which was a lot of fun. The Removes then had the opportunity to rehearse at the Artrix on the day of the performance and they performed to a full house in the evening. The performance was a huge success at the Artrix and it was performed at King’s a few days later as a charity fund raiser for Help For Heroes.

Rebecca Darnborough as Lord Montague. Romeo was helped throughout the play by his loyal friends Mercutio and Benvolio, who were both excellently portrayed by Becky Hodson and Sam Hartley. The main antagonist in the performance was Tybalt, played valiantly by Steffi Mountain, whilst the violent escapades of the tale were peacefully settled by Prince Escalus, played by Edmund Poel.

A special mention goes to Will Lloyd, Benji Halford and Isaac Haywood for their splendid technical skills in lighting, sound and stage managing and to the L6 directors - Lou Turner, Issie Unwin and Olly Singleton.

Fifth Form Drama Tour to London

It seems that no Drama Department residential trip to London is complete without taking over a branch of Pizza Hut! 2017’s tour was no exception. We had already packed plenty in to our first day before we tucked into our pizza. The Fifth Form had been in fine voice on the coach: one of the main advantages of taking drama students on trips - all the coach singing is in harmony! There was also the added bonus that we had remembered the packed lunches this year! Things were going well. Admittedly, we did take a somewhat scenic route to the South Bank but we arrived safely for our backstage tour at the National Theatre. Getting to see the three stages back to back was a real reminder of just how remarkable and versatile a theatrical hub the National is, and just how impressive our theatrical heritage is in this country. As impressive as the spaces, are the skills and craftsmanship of their resident designers and technicians, especially when those skills are put to use making realistic prop severed heads and limbs for our blood-thirsty Fifth Form to admire.

Pizza happily consumed, it was across the road to the

delightful Duchess Theatre to see The Play That Goes Wrong. Having enjoyed the BBC screening of Mischief Theatre’s Peter Pan Goes Wrong over Christmas, our Fifth Form were perhaps a little more prepared for the high jinks to follow than previous years. However, that didn’t detract from the genuine hilarity of a wonderfully conceived and executed comedy. (With everyone crying with laughter, Mrs Parry forgot once again to keep her eyes peeled and try to work out how and when they did the “clock switch”. At least she would get another chance when the touring production came to Cheltenham...)

After a good night’s sleep in the comfort of our Covent Garden Travelodge (musical theatre puppets not included), it was an early start on Saturday morning for a workshop at the world famous Pineapple Dance Studios. Led by Fergal McGoff, from the Matilda cast, the Fifth Form learnt the routine to Revolting Children. Later, watching the whole musical at the Cambridge Theatre, it was amusing to watch shoulders collectively start twitching when that sequence began. The production is a real

West End triumph and the Fifth Form enjoyed themselves immensely. The icing on the cake though came at the Stage Door where cast member (and OV) Oliver Brooks greeted us for a chat and many selfies!

I’d like to say that the singing on the coach on the way back was quieter after such a busy and tiring weekend, but I’d be lying. I’d also be lying if I said that vast amounts of tat had not been bought in souvenir shops during a lunchtime exploration of Covent Garden. What isn’t a lie though is what spectacularly good company the Fifth Form had been throughout the weekend. Both Mr Haynes and Mrs Parry were proud to be with such a delightful group (even if we could have done without some of the

A Streetcar Named Desire

RJD and I put on ‘Streetcar’ 20 years ago. I remember John Moore loved the set, including the hundreds of bricks we used to mark the walls of the Kowalskis’ apartment. Sheana Griffiths in her Vigornian review raved about Miranda Rennie’s performance as Blanche. I’ve only seen Miranda once since she left King’s: in an episode of Blind Date (in fact two, because she was picked of course and came back the following week). I hope you are well, Miranda, if you are reading this.

Why then do it again when we were so pleased with the previous one? Well, it’s back on the A level syllabus so that’s one reason. We had planned to do it two years ago but couldn’t secure the performance rights because Gillian Anderson was doing it in the West End, but we got them this time. Another reason was because we were keen to do it in the Wightman Studio, a space we felt would suit the play’s intensity and claustrophobia. The main reason, though, was because we both love this magnificent play.

We didn’t really have a cast in mind, but after rigorous auditions we felt we had found four potentially excellent leads, and so it proved. Rehearsals were intense. Our leading actors were extremely busy students, involved in many other aspects of school life and busy out of school too. But they would come to rehearsals at the end of an exhausting day and completely immerse themselves in the physical and emotional demands of the play, a play which has the most lyrical beauty and the most raw brutality. All four showed emotional intelligence, remarkable resilience and stamina and tremendous talent as they set about lifting the words off the page. As directors, we were moved and excited by what we saw happening in rehearsals. It is a daunting responsibility, of course,

us felt that education couldn’t be much better or more important than what was happening in the studio. The supporting cast were also fully committed to the project. It’s always a good sign when members of the cast come to rehearsals for which they haven’t been called, or stay to watch when their scenes have been done.

We chose to stage the play in the round. Chris Crosswell’s design was special; it was his swan song. He ‘made’ a period cooker and fridge, and sink, running water included, of course. The apartment’s two rooms (living area and bedroom) were separated only by the staging of the action, the actors creating the invisible wall between the two rooms. Outside the apartment, on all four sides, was a walkway. Life in the quarter happened in these spaces which were illuminated by neon signs. Chris’s design also included screens on which were projected images, still and moving, of 1940s New Orleans. Inside the apartment the lighting was intimate: the audience saw the early morning sun shining through the bedroom window onto the Kowalski bed; the yellow lurid nocturnal brilliance of the kitchen table around which the men gather to play poker and to drink whisky; and the bare light bulbs over which Blanche hangs her Chinese lantern to try to soften Stanley’s brutal territory. James Garside put together a beautiful soundscape to create a bustling, working New Orleans of streetcars, bowling alleys and bars around the corner. Meticulously chosen music captured the period, the location and the changing moods – the ‘hot trumpet’, the piano being played with ‘the infatuated fluency of brown fingers’, and the Varsouviana, the polka tune that haunts Blanche and from which she can’t escape.

should really have been beyond a sixth former. She was utterly compelling from the moment she first came round the corner and found herself in this alien environment. Layer upon layer of deceit were stripped away, and her alcoholic, neurasthenic vulnerability was exposed, and Sarah presented this to the audience so that we could feel her pain and share in her tragic journey. Her presentation of Blanche’s descent into madness was quite brilliant and disturbingly convincing. And then the final moments of stillness and dignity as she imagines she is being escorted away by a gentleman was deeply affecting. This was the pleasure of tragedy. Blanche clings to the hope that Mitch might be her salvation, and Fred Cronin created a character whose gentleness makes him superior to the rest of Stanley’s friends. The scene in which Blanche describes the suicide of her young husband to Mitch was riveting, as much because of Mitch’s sensitive silence as Blanche’s revelation. In the end, Mitch lets Blanche down, and Fred was equally convincing when presenting the unshaven drunk who turns up to see Blanche, demanding what he’s ‘been missing all summer’.

Angus showed Stanley’s and Stella’s sexual urgency and intensely physical relationship with astonishing conviction, and completely without the inhibition and embarrassment one might perhaps expect in school drama. One member of the SMT was heard to remark after a performance: ‘It’s certainly a play with adult themes’.

There was a very strong ensemble, with notable performances from Reece Kerley and Ruth Furber as Steve and Eunice, the couple who live in the apartment above the Kowalskis and whose marital ups and downs are played out alongside the struggles of the main characters. Rhys Clarke was an entertaining Pablo and Ben Vella was the Young Man with whom Blanche can’t resist very briefly re-living something of her past.

Angus Guthrie’s Stanley was a powerful antagonist. His excellent performance was the result of a really challenging journey through the weeks of rehearsal. Angus is civilized, courteous and considerate. Stanley is not. He started to inhabit his character so that something bestial emerged; he became one of the apes that gather for the poker party. But he also managed to show that Stanley has wit and the charisma and tenderness to persuade his wife, Stella, to go back to their bed shortly after he has beaten her in a drunken rage. Kiera Dignam was a superb Stella. Caught between her Southern belle sister, Blanche, and her husband, a representative of the new social order, she struggles with moral and emotional conflicts but in the end getting the ‘coloured lights going’ is just irresistible to her

RJD and I knew we had a show in which all the elements had come together to produce a special piece of drama. And though we were too close to be objective, we still thought that our judgement was what really mattered. Even so, it was a relief to read a tweet shortly after the end of the first performance in which the Headmaster used the word ‘brilliant’ and to find in the days that followed the performances that colleagues and students wanted to talk about the production and about the play and how deeply they had been affected by it.

I am writing this in mid-June, six months after the show. I feel most strongly now two things: an absolute conviction that examining great literature is one of the best ways to learn about what it means to be a human being; and an acute awareness of how lucky I have been to work with such nice young people and old (RJD) to produce something in which we truly believed.

SLeM

Senior Drama: 1541 A Promenade Through Time

1541 was born from a simple idea to celebrate the 475th anniversary of the re-foundation of the King’s School by staging a few Tudor-inspired vignettes in various locations around our beautiful and historic site.

The original plan was to perform staged readings from Wolf Hall, however when we were unable to secure the performance rights, a new project emerged and I decided to write our own unique piece. Wolf Hall belongs to an earlier period in Henry VIII’s life anyway, so a new play allowed us to go back to 1541 itself. Thus began a labour of love, researching that year and shaping a dramatic chronicle. The archived records of the Privy Council helped to piece together an historical narrative and in addition, the remarkable letters of Estace Chapuys, Charles V’s Imperial Ambassador to England, and Charles de Marillac, the Ambassador of Francis I of France, provided colourful accounts of life at Henry’s court that year. Even in translation, the language is glorious and needed to be heard. To do it justice, it needed to be presented and framed by language of equal care so I decided to write the whole piece in blank verse, a nod to the glorious traditions of English verse drama which started in Henry’s reign and were later to reach their zenith with the works of Shakespeare. Chapuys and Marillac evolved into the perfect dramatic masters of ceremonies, drawing a promenade audience from scene to scene as they themselves observed a year in the life of Henry VIII with diplomatic detachment.

The real theatrical life of this piece, though, was breathed into 1541 by the amazingly talented young cast. Olly Singleton excelled as Henry VIII, especially in the final scene where, for a fleeting moment, the audience felt some sympathy for the troubled monarch before his unflinching pride and self-righteousness reasserted itself. Charlie Duddy was equally well cast as Henry’s doomed bride, Catherine Howard. She captured the naivety of the character superbly and the audience were struck by her

Even in translation, the language is glorious and needed to be heard.

fragile vulnerability in her final moments. At her shoulder throughout was Lady Jane Rochford, chillingly played by Issie Unwin, whose impressive performance made it easy for the audience to understand how much the young queen had been manipulated by those around her. At the heart of the performance, Lou Turner and Rhys Harris Clarke, as Marillac and Chapuys respectively, drove the promenade and their assured command of the blank verse provided the essential commentary to the whole piece.

The supporting cast also gave assured and sensitive performances. Michael Nice (Wriothesley), Peter Simpson (Norfolk) and Josiah Gibson (Cranmer) were perfect foils for Olly Singleton’s bombastic Henry, whilst Lily Tyson, Hollie Avery and Laura Webb helped Charlie Duddy and Issie Unwin create the ill-advised, girlish giddiness of Queen Catherine’s chamber. As the audience roamed from location to location, the ubiquitous chorus of Rachael Bruno, Max Davies, Luke Hudson and Ruth Wakefield sustained the atmosphere with their whispered gossip and declamatory choral speeches.

A special mention must go to Benedict Madden whose exquisite vocals greeted the audience as they made their pilgrimage up the Edgar Tower to meet Queen Catherine; his haunting treble voice in the candlelit tower helped to transport us back to Tudor times.

The school and cathedral grounds provided the perfect backdrop but Paul Haynes’s clever lighting made the piece even more atmospheric, including the wonderful touch of a flaming brazier lighting (and warming) the audience procession between the Cathedral and Edgar Tower. The costumes (from Complete Costumes of Kidderminster) further enhanced this theatrical journey through 1541. The whole event was a unique experience for the Drama Department’s examination pupils and a memorable celebration of the 475th anniversary. Everyone involved was proud to have been a part of the experience.

SP

Design and Technology

This has been another exciting year. The subject spans the almost unbridgeable gap between Physics and Art, resulting in there being more than just something for just about everyone. With so much to offer, it can feel wrong to encourage our students to specialise so early on, but this routinely results in work of a very high standard. We are excited to be offering new GCSE and A Level courses next year which will require a new direction and a new thought process. It is only right that our subject remains ready to continually adapt to new technologies and that we do all we can to prepare our students to meet the ever changing demands of life beyond King’s. In reality, the changes are not that pronounced. The requirements of the exam boards do not call for wholesale changes. In fact, our students are already used to doing much of what is new.

We have had an extremely committed cohort this year. Our GCSE students have embraced the challenge put before them and have worked hard to understand, and put into practise, the wide-ranging principles of the subject. The AS group have wanted to go beyond that

being asked of them by the exam board, and the A level candidates have grown in strength and stature week by week. Four of our Fifth Form, Sam Barstow, Richard Briggs, Will Kelly and Alex Thomas have just received notification of having achieved Arkwright Scholarships. This is a very prestigious engineering award recognising their abilities and potential. The rigorous application process involving portfolios, examinations and interviews rules out all but the most capable of candidates.

The End of Year DT Show brings together, to showcase, the practical offerings of the exam groups mentioned above, but it represents the tip of the iceberg. The accompanying written work is too plentiful to display, and the knowledge and understanding achieved through hour upon hour of theory lessons gets its opportunity for demonstration in the exam hall. Hidden too is the great work of the younger years, without which, none of this would be possible! CWSW

The Careers Department

Today’s young adults face an increasingly competitive and global workplace. This year in the Careers Department we have enriched our programme of activities and events to reflect the dynamic and evolving opportunities that exist in the world of work. This has been the first year when every year group in the senior school has received careers-related education.

In the autumn term, Fifth Form students completed a series of psychometric tests and subsequent 1:1 guidance interviews with professional careers advisers as part of the ‘Futurewise’ programme offered by the ‘Inspiring Futures’ organisation. These sessions were the first of two opportunities to speak with external advisers and many of our Lower Sixth pupils had their second session at the end of the summer term. The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Looking ahead to next year ‘Inspiring Futures’ will continue to provide a number of careers services throughout the school. However, the flexible package offered by ‘Morrisby Online’ will be our key software offering to students from Lower Remove onwards with timely testing and advice to support GCSE and A Level choices and provide targeted higher education and careers advice.

Our Careers Speed Dating event demonstrated that the King’s spirit is still very much alive and kicking.

In February we hosted an in-house Property Careers Conference. Nine visiting professionals, all with links to the school, gave up their time to inspire budding property enthusiasts. Representatives from estate agencies, architecture, surveying and property finance ran workshops for our Fifth and Sixth Form pupils. Alice Hershman (OV) took time out of her marathon training to end the conference with a most memorable look to the future with a clip showing how a working day could look in 2030. The interest shown by pupils in the property industry surpassed many similar events and is one which we will definitely look forward to repeating in the future.

Our Careers Speed Dating event demonstrated that

two sittings of approximately seventy Upper Remove pupils. Our wonderful OVs, ranging from youthful twenty-somethings to experienced eighty-somethings, demonstrated such energy and passion in their fields despite having only four minutes with each pair of pupils. It proved to be a brilliant way for our Removes to find out about careers that they previously had not considered.

Lunchtime talks have been extremely popular this year and our thanks must go to all those staff, professionals and OVs who gave up their time to support these events. Talks have included; vocational ministry, medicine, The Marines, the music industry, marketing using social media, Border Force services, The Army, The Royal Air Force, studying Art at college, working in the City and living and working abroad. We have also welcomed a number of higher education outreach services to the departments to talk about course choices and applying to competitive universities. The National Citizens Service also visited the school to talk about their youth voluntary programmes and seven pupils have taken up the opportunity to volunteer their services this summer. We look forward to

hearing how they have got on in the autumn term.

In June, the Fourth Form pupils started their careers education journey as The Lower Fourth completed a careers activity aligned closely with the wonderful growth-mindset work during a PSHE lesson and The Upper Fourth took part in the ‘Chocolate Challenge’ mini-enterprise workshop, organised and run by the ‘Inspiring Futures’ team. This fun, educational session enabled them to start thinking early about their options as they progress through the school and will be effectively followed up by the ‘Careers Investigator’ programme next year as they enter the Lower Remove.

Once again, in November, a large number of our Upper Sixth students took the opportunity to be put through their paces in our Practice Interview Evening. Many professionals kindly took time out of their busy schedules to assist our students with interview preparation, technique and the all-important feedback. Whilst, at times, daunting, all of our students commented on how they got so much out of the experience and how they felt more readily equipped for university or work-based interviews in the future, in particular for that curve-ball question!

In the summer term, all members of the Lower Sixth year once again took part in the Business Conference. This event offers an insight in to the world of business and includes ‘assessment-day’ style activities, often used by large corporations selecting high-calibre recruits for their school-leaver and graduate programmes. Pupils were put through their paces in the Dragons’ Den style competition, demonstrating presentation skills to surpass many of those pitching on the popular TV show. This year we welcomed Alex Garwood-Gower (OV) from Speller Metcalfe to host the event.

In one of the final Key Skills sessions of the year, our Lower Sixth students were provided with the opportunity to practise essential networking skills at an in-house careers networking event in the sports hall. Local, national and multi-national businesses were all represented and an insightful time was had by all. Our Lower Sixth students ended the year with a visit to Birmingham University or a university of their choice as they embarked upon their university applications next year. A number of students have further strengthened their application with work experience and many more will be undertaking placements during the summer holidays. We wish them all the best and look forward to hearing all about their experiences in September.

HR and EF

Music

The beginning of the Autumn term is always something of an unknown in the Music Department. Every year we lose some very strong musicians, though we are fortunate to be able to replace them with a new crop of Music Scholars, Music Exhibitioners and other talented and keen musicians. We also said goodbye to piano teacher, Mr Graham Lloyd, who, due to ill-health, has had to reduce his teaching. We thank him for all he has done to encourage his pupils. Richard Cook has been the Music Assistant this year, helping with rehearsals, coaching individual pupils and running the Music Arts Award. He takes up the role as Sub Organist at the Cathedral in September 2017 and he will continue to accompany the School Choir.

The two Music Competitions are the focus for the start of the academic year. Every pupil is involved and, in the case of the House Song, it gives some of the senior musicians and Heads of House a chance to develop their leadership skills in whipping together a large group of singers and non-singers into shape in a short two-week period. This year’s adjudicator was Mark Swinton, Organist of St. Mary’s, Warwick. The winner was Choir House with an excellent arrangement of Michael Jackson’s Man in the mirror and was conducted by Ruth Furber. A few days later the Winners’ Concert that took place in College Hall is a great celebration of music-making at school and featured the top three houses together with the winners of the various classes in the solo competition. Just before half term the Fourth Formers took part in their own competition with each form singing as well as a solo vocal and instrumental competition. The adjudicator was local musician and music teacher Janet Scarrott who gave L4B and U4F first places. The winners’ concert was attended by a large audience and showed that there is a great deal of musical talent coming through the school.

As part of the 475 anniversary celebrations of the refounding of the school, a Foundation Choral Concert was held in the Cathedral in November. This was a highly ambitious event featuring over two hundred pupils from all three schools. Years Five and Six from King’s Hawford and Year Six from King’s St Alban’s joined the Fourth Form Choir, School Choir and members of the King’s Swingers to perform Zimbe, a collection of African songs written by Alexander L’Estrange. It was a wonderful opportunity for all three schools to come together and showcase the music skills of pupils across all age ranges. The singing, band and atmospheric lighting was enjoyed by a large audience of over four hundred parents, staff and guests. The five-piece band was comprised of Sixth Form pupils; Shannon Asplen, Matthew Kelley, Henry James, Charlie Pollard and Harry Jackson. They were superb and gave the younger pupils the opportunity to see what can be achieved with their own music-making through regular practice and hard work.

In each half term the Chappel Memorial Room plays host to a Young Performers’ Concert. We have seen a wide variety of soloists this year, from nervous first timers to seasoned performers, and all have given great pleasure to their audiences. It has been a particular delight to watch the Fourth Form Guitar Group grow in stature as the year has progressed.

The Informal Concerts are the next step up for pupils in the Lower Remove and above. These concerts give an opportunity for pupils to perform in College Hall for the first time as well as experienced performers who use these events to practice and record GCSE and A Level recital material or exam pieces.

The termly Keys concert is a showcase for our most experienced musicians. There have been nearly fifty performances with a wide range of instruments and

styles. There were too many superb performances to mention. Usually the concert concluded with some performances from the Keys Choir. The summer concert was a little unusual as parents of the Upper Sixth surprised their children and audience with a rendition of Abba’s Thank you for the music. The Upper Sixth musicians have been superb ambassadors for the music department throughout their time at King’s and this was a very touching moment at the end of their time at school.

In March orchestral players from the Lower Remove, the Fourth Forms, King’s Hawford and King’s St. Alban’s gathered in the John Moore Theatre for a packed day of rehearsals at the annual Orchestral Workshop. Many parents attended the evening concert, and were treated to inspiring solos performed by Sam Perkins, Anna Fryers, Lucy Wadley, Katie Brookes and Chris Rodgers, alongside a brass fanfare and pieces for full orchestra, string orchestra and wind band, and brought to a rousing conclusion by the Workshop Orchestra’s performance of The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini.

The three school concerts are an opportunity for the larger ensembles to display their skills from the junior ensembles of the Second Orchestra and Fourth Form Choir through to the First Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Band, School Choir and King’s Swingers. This year the Senior Flute Group has also made regular appearances. Highlights include the First Orchestra playing the first movement of Beethoven’s epic Fifth Symphony and a selection of movements from Carnival of the Animals; the Chamber Orchestra’s beautiful performance of Elgar’s Serenade. The final concert of the year concluded with a premiere of a Saxophone Fantasia. The music department commissioned former Music Assistant, Piers Kennedy, to compose this piece for Shannon Asplen and the Wind Band, and it was a rousing finale to a year of ensemble and solo playing.

The School Choir is the busiest school ensemble. Its first performance usually takes place in the first week of term in the Cathedral and its last performance is on King’s Day. Throughout the year the choir sings at least twice a term in Cathedral services as well as performing some lighter repertoire in School Concerts. The Autumn Term was mainly taken up with learning music for Zimbe and concluded as ever with the wonderful carol service in the Cathedral. The choir performed Evensong in the Cathedral on Valentine’s Day and included a beautiful motet called Love me Brought by Geoffrey Burgon. The Keys Choir’s annual visit to sing Evensong at the start of the Summer Term included a gentle motet called Northern Lights by Ola Gjeilo. As part of the 475 anniversary a service of thanksgiving and commemoration took place in the Summer Term. Local composer Ian King was commissioned by the school to composer a large-scale anthem as part of that service. His exciting version of Psalm 150 was written for choir, organ, harp, saxophone, trumpet and percussion. The school is very grateful to the Parents Committee for funding this new work. The piece was repeated on King’s Day together with the Keys Choir singing a hauntingly beautiful piece called Only in sleep by Erik Ešenvalds featuring soloist Ruth Furber.

Open Mic Nights continue to go from strength to strength. This year’s Upper Sixth musicians have been integral to the success of these events over the past three years and have inspired many younger pupils to take part. Every term we are over-subscribed with pupils wanting to perform. With such a large group of Upper Sixth leaving we are looking forward to seeing the next crop of pop musicians coming through. As ever, a huge thanks to Andy Crocker for his help with organising these events.

OV Sam Clines, who left in 2016, is another pupil to aspire to and was a regular performer at Open Mic Nights. A few months after leaving King’s, Sam won a national

Main photo: Zimbe in the Cathedral L-R: Shannon Asplen, Charlie Pollard, Open Mic night June 2017 and December 2016

There have been twenty six Grade 8 exams passed, many of which were merits or distinctions.

Over the course of the year there have been numerous individuals who have taken part in external music competitions. The Worcester Competitive Arts Festival is one event in which many King’s pupils take part and achieve success. Three pianists are regular participants in competitions further afield. Natasja Enthoven was the winner of the William Morris Recital Class at Worcester, and winner of the Lazenby Award and Rhian Morris Recital Award at the Herefordshire Festival as well as a finalist in the Herefordshire Male Police Choir Bursary Competition. Tamara Enthoven won the Open Sonata class at Hereford Performing Arts Festival and received the Eric Sanders Memorial Prize. Jia Jie Huang was runner up in the Bromsgrove International Young Musician’s Competition. In addition he won various classes at the Dudley Festival of Music and the Worcester and Birmingham Music Festivals. During the summer Charlie Pollard, Ben Weaver and Michael Burgess attended the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir course and sang Evensong at Lincoln Cathedral which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

There is usually a musical production each year alternating between the juniors and seniors. This year the Fourth Form staged Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Henry Bowers was incredible in the lead role and his performance of close every door in particular was mature beyond his years. The brothers were very entertaining, the three narrators kept the story moving and the whole cast and backstage crew gave three superb performances.

Over the course of the year nearly one hundred and fifty senior school pupils achieved success in practical music exams. There have been twenty six Grade 8 exams passed, many of which were merits or distinctions. This year numerous pupils have gone on to the next level and taken music diplomas. Matthew Kelley has taken two; he has passed both the DipABRSM in piano and the CertRCO on organ. Jia Jie Huang passed the LTCL in piano with distinction. Georgie Lewis, Ben Weaver and Ruth Furber have received the dipLCM in Music Theatre.

We say goodbye to a large and talented group of musicians who have given so much to music-making at King’s.

Matthew Kelley and Shannon Asplen were awarded Headmaster’s prizes at King’s Day for their contribution to music. Following on from his time as a Cathedral Chorister Matthew took up the organ and has played regularly for Fourth Form services and whole school Cathedral Services. Last year he won a national composing competition and has since had his music performed on Radio 3 and was commissioned by the BBC Singers to compose a choral work that has since been released on a BBC Music Magazine CD. He is a founding member of The Blue Rompers and has regularly arranged music for this group and various vocal ensembles. He will be taking a gap year as Organ Scholar at Guildford Cathedral. Shannon Asplen is another founding member of The Blue Rompers. In addition she was Deputy Head in the Cathedral Girls’ Choir, took part in all the senior school ensembles, was a vital ‘spralto’ in the choirs, a leading member of The King’s Swingers and has passed Grade 8 on five different instruments. She has been awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music.

Other leaving musicians include Ollie Wild, who is a superb performer and a popular act at Open Mic Nights. He goes on to study music production and performance at Leeds Conservatoire of Music. Ruth Furber was Head Chorister of the Cathedral Girls’ Choir and holds the record for most performances at Keys Concerts and Open Mic Nights over the past few years. She has accepted a place to study music at Royal Holloway. Ellie Davies is another regular performer at concerts either as a flautist or singer and member of most of the senior ensembles and the second vital ‘spralto’. She takes up a place to read music at Cardiff University. Charlie Pollard has been the drummer in 99% of band performances at Open Mic Nights. He is a founding member of The Blue Rompers and played a vital role in most senior ensembles as a percussionist, drummer and singer. He goes on to study music and maths at Birmingham University.

Most music events are now recorded and uploaded to Soundcloud. Since setting this up last year there are now over 200 tracks that have been listened to over 20,000 times. The website enables the music department to demonstrate the wide variety of music on offer at King’s and for pupils, parents, friends and staff to enjoy over and over again some very special performances, particularly from our leaving Upper Sixth. There are links to the website on Firefly, the school website or by searching for King’s Worcester Music on the Soundcloud page.

At present there are over 150 tracks and these have been listened to over 10,000 times since the site was launched in January. soundcloud.com/ksw-music

CHARITY

The Sixth Form Charity Committee

The Sixth Form Charity committee’s efforts and results this academic year have been record-breaking with over £12,000 being raised.

activities of organisations engaged with the arts, music, education and well-being of young people in the Worcester area, has responded to our efforts by doubling a number of the amounts we have raised.

We began our endeavours with a focus on supporting a mental health charity for young people and a new innovation - a fun run. World Mental Health day and the charity Young Minds ‘Hello Yellow’ campaign, coincided with our plans to raise awareness about the often unseen and untreated mental health issues of young people. The fun run along the towpath, with participants dressed in shades of yellow, was undertaken by over 100 students and staff who paid to enter. A cake sale at the end of the run helped to increase our fundraising. Exit collections at School concerts and other events, and the matching arrangement from The Bransford Trust mean that we sent £3,180.86 to Young Minds.

Pink Day just before the autumn half term raised £853.17 for Breast Cancer Now. To achieve this amount, Sixth Form students and staff paid for the privilege of wearing pink for the day and we sold pink t-shirts, hand-embossed by members of the committee with the pink ribbon

those who suffer from this form of dementia and their families, and contributes to important research into treatments. A number of exit collections showed the generous nature of parents and friends attending school events. Our Christmas jumper day for the Sixth Form students, and the Monitors’ carol-singing yielded more funds. Our profits for The Alzheimer’s Society was £676.60, which was doubled by the Bransford Trust to £1,353.20. Half of the collection after the carol service was also donated to The Alzheimer’s Society.

Our final efforts of the autumn term were directed towards the Senior Citizens’ Christmas party which was hosted by the Upper Sixth. It was a very happy occasion with over 80 guests from the local area being entertained by a variety show which included dance and music in many forms. A particular highlight was our own ‘Strictly’ dance group who performed a jive to ‘Rock Around the Clock’. A Christmas tea was followed with a raffle in which the elves distributed donated gifts. Carol singing, which rounded off the afternoon, got everyone into the Christmas spirit.

In the spring we supported Worcester Snoezelen, an independent charity which runs a leisure therapy centre

for people with a variety of disabilities. The unusual name comes from two Dutch therapists who experimented with a sensory tent to increase enjoyment for those with intellectual disabilities. The word ‘snoezelen’ is a contraction of the Dutch verbs “snuffelen” (to seek and explore) and “doezelen” (to relax).

Fourth Form disco was our first fund-raising event. We set up and run the event, organised goodies and glowsticks, ran competitions for best dancers and best dressed fourth formers as well as led the dancing.

A Valentine’s Day cake sale and a number of exit collections at musical and dance events followed. We raised in total £950 which was doubled by The Bransford Trust. We were able to send Snoezelen the great total of £1,900!

Green Day was a great success with money being raised for two water related charities: Water Aid is an international charity working to tackle the lack of clean water in many countries by delivering a supply of clean water and toilets and promoting good hygiene. Marine Conservation aims to manage our relationship with the sea in ways that allow the wealth of marine wildlife to thrive, now and for future generations. The green and blue themed non-uniform day, a cake sale and the name-the-whale competition were among the activities organised. Charlie Wong (U6CL) became the proud parent of Squirt, the cuddly King’s killer whale! With the help of The Bransford Trust we were able to send over £900 to each of our Green Day charities.

In the summer term we decided to raise money for the East African Crisis Appeal by Oxfam to support efforts to help with the famine and droughts which are being experienced by a number of countries. Generously at concert and drama exit collections has meant that we were able to donate £552 to the appeal.

The committee supported three Sixth Form students in their independent efforts to raise money for their chosen charities through sponsored sky diving at Hinton Air Field. They were encouraged and helped by Mr Wilson, a regular diver. Katie Harvey organised a fun badminton tournament for the Sixth Form and ran a cake sale to help pay for the dive and raise her sponsorship profile for the mental health charity SANE. Katie raised £655. Neil Seymour, jumped in aid of The Alzeimer’s Society and raised over £900. Both these sums will be matched by The Bransford Trust, bringing the totals to £1,300

and £1,800 respectively. Ollie Wild made a late decision to join what was grandly named as The King’s School Skydiving team! Jake Main (FFW) also took advantage Mr Wilson’s connections and completed a fund-raising dive.

The year ended with another memorable Fort Royal Garden Party, our biggest ever with 167 children and 98 staff from Fort Royal Community School attending. The event was organised by the committee with the help of Heads of Houses and was hosted by the whole of L6th. Bouncy castles, Tom Foolery with his magic show and Punch and Judy were very popular as usual, but other activities including face painting, football, basketball, ‘beach’ games, a performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, were excellent this year: The new addition of fun science experiments proved equally popular. The catering team managed to feed over 400 children, staff and students with BBQ, salads and ice-creams. And, despite the rumours of thundery showers, the weather stayed dry and we even had a little sunshine!

There has been plenty of excellent other fund-raising

The King’s School Charity Walk

In time honoured tradition, The King’s School Charity Walk took place on May Day Bank Holiday which actually fell on Monday 1st May this year. Once again we again took the route along the canal and river from Hanbury to Worcester via Hawford. Many walkers directly at the rugby club or Hawford whilst coaches ferried other pupils, parents, staff and numerous dogs from King’s to the starting points. Although the junior school pupils and Fourth Formers were able to start at Hawford, many chose (or were perhaps coerced by parents!) to complete the full 12 miles, walking with older pupils, parents and staff from the rugby club at Droitwich. This year, in memory of Mr Peter Iddon, the senior school chose to support St Richard’s Hospice as its main charity. Tricia

weather this time, although most walkers did try out by the time they reached the finish line! The pig roast and refreshments organised by King’s Parents’ Committee in the school gardens at the end provided well-earned and much-needed energy for some rather tired walkers. Whilst many of you donated directly to the justgiving site which we had set up, pupils raised substantial amounts through sponsorship. Many pupils raised large sums with several collecting in excess of £100; they included Cerys Osborn; Theo Osborn, Rosie Stanley, Ben Sheriff, James Stevens, and Benjamin Jones who raised an impressive £300. When Jane Sargeant came into school to collect the cheque on behalf of St Richard’s we knew that in total we had over £8,000 but as St Richard’s has been able to collect gift aid on this sum the total donated was

KING’S HAWFORD

It has been a memorable, exciting and purposeful year at Hawford and as the year ends we reflect on some of the staff who are leaving us.

Outdoor Learning

This year at King’s Hawford we have made a real push to encourage Learning Outside the Classroom, as we see the benefits of taking the children’s learning outdoors.

after eight years at Hawford. Finally, Gemma Woolley, our school secretary is also moving on to a post in an insurance company. We thank her for all of the hard work she has done in the front office and wish her well in her new career.

Our residential visits over the last 12 months from Years 2 to 6 were a great success; ranging from a visit to the Old Chapel, camping trips using the school grounds, the Malvern area and Derbyshire, as well as visits to Broad Haven, the Malvern Elements Outdoor Centre and Dukes Barn Outdoor Centre in Derbyshire.

Jill Willis, who has been a valuable and long serving member of the Hawford team, is retiring after twenty eight years and will be missed by staff and pupils alike. She has been Head of Early Years at Hawford for many years and has served the school with distinction. Many of our pupils refer to their wonderful time in Kindergarten and it is clear that she will be missed a great deal. We wish her well in her retirement. Similarly, Gill Riley, another valued and long serving member of staff will also be retiring this summer after twenty years. She is highly regarded by pupils and staff alike and we thank her for all she has done for Reception and in particular for her superb work in setting up our superbly successful Forest School with Mrs Willis. This year also sees Kate Chapman leave after three years at Hawford and we thank her for all of the work she did as Maths Co-ordinator as she moves on to a Maths Advisory role. In addition Leanne Stephens moves to Malvern College after three years as Drama and Lamda teacher

As well as departures, some other changes and arrivals have taken place. Anna Kingston was appointed to the post of Head of Early Years from September 2017 whilst Joel Turvey was appointed to the post of Deputy Head with responsibility for academic matters. We will be welcoming Oliver Roberts (Year 3), Jodie Howland (Year 2) Russ Marsland (Year 2) Grace Owens (Reception) and Laura Fullelove (Drama and Lamda) to the staff team in September. Lorne Stigant also returns as a student teacher and to provide support in Prep Sport.

Literary Success

Our involvement in literary competitions continued to meet with considerable success, and enthusiasm was very high amongst our pupils. It was therefore particularly pleasing when we achieved a number of successful entries to the Young Writer section of the Worcester Literary Festival 2017, with Lexi Lee being deemed the overall winner in the Intermediate category and Henry Edwards finishing third. Additionally, Josh Laverack was awarded

Sporting Achievements

The 2016-17 year has seen a great many developments, achievements and enhanced opportunities within sport at King’s Hawford. In particular, the official opening of The Bartholomew Barn has had a significant impact on sporting provision. Our children are now able to enjoy a much larger range of sporting opportunities with the introduction of a number of new activities including regular PE lessons which cover basketball, handball, badminton, indoor football and, most recently, trampolining. This has enhanced the motivation and enthusiasm of all children towards sport at Hawford.

2016-2017 has seen Girls’ Games maintain the high standard that has come to be expected. Netball continues to be strong with the Year 6 netball players performing with distinction. They competed in the National Finals in Basildon, this being the third year in a row that we have made the National Finals. The U9A, U8A and U8B teams finished the season unbeaten. We also won the U11 Severnside Competition,

first place in the Junior category. We were also delighted when the results of the Rotary District 1100 Young Writer competition were announced in December 2016. Olivia Sproule was judged to have come second overall and Lexi Lee was given third place. Joel Chumbley and Martha Davey also received commendations for their entries with Olivia and Lexi progressing to the District Final.

We believe that challenging, adventurous activities have a huge impact on self-confidence and help children learn to manage risk in a controlled environment; working with others in a stimulating environment helps develop self-awareness, communication, teamwork and social skills. Additionally an outdoor environment will often appeal to those who are not always engaged by the classroom environment.

Parents’ Association

In the last year alone, KHPA has run a variety of successful fund-raising events, which have included: numerous second hand uniform sales, the Christmas Fayre, the May Fête, a summer camp-out (Hawfordfest), a spectacular firework display, a Six Nations Rugby afternoon and an excellent Summer Ball.

With the ‘Barn’ already an integral part of school life, KHPA has been delighted to have funded the purchase of the retractable seating for this space. This purchase sees the completion of several years of fund raising and has insured that the school can utilise this facility for a wide range of audience-based activities. We can hardly believe what we did without it!

In addition, KHPA has also been able to fund the purchase of the outdoor potting sheds used by Kindergarten, and a beautiful outdoor classroom for KG1; as well as providing

We believe that challenging, adventurous activities have a huge impact on self-confidence

the U9 RGS tournament and the U9 Hawford tournament. Special mention goes to Lizzie Poole, who scored 90 goals in the regular season and 154 goals throughout the term, including tournaments – a terrific achievement!

Boys’ Games has enjoyed another very successful year. The year began with an impressive performance at The Elms 7s, where the U11 boys managed to finish second in their group and third overall. Other highlights of the rugby season were a hard fought victory over Abberley and a comprehensive victory on tour in Cardiff against a good side from Llandaff Cathedral School.

Football at King’s Hawford has continued to progress at an excellent rate and is now one of our strongest sports. The boys played 63 fixtures this term, winning 43. The U9A side deserves special mention, winning 16 and drawing one game out of their 17 fixtures.

Special mention must be made to Harry Paddock who came a remarkable third nationally in the High Jump at the annual IAPS Athletics meet and also to Maisie Lyons who came sixth overall nationally in the 25m breaststroke.

Early Years

Our focus in the Early Years during the past 12 months has been making the most of the outdoors in the widest sense. Both the staff and the children are extremely fortunate to work in such a wonderful environment in which the natural beauty of our school grounds is apparent from the moment of arrival. Walks around the grounds and further afield offer so much to our children. The walk across the fields, often watching the older children playing sport, the walk down Mr and Mrs Garrard’s lane, past their vegetable patch, visiting the birds in the aviary and seeing the baby chicks growing into hens, have all contributed to the children’s experiences this last year.

At Forest School our children feel confident to explore and discover, to experience appropriate risk and challenge, to choose and to initiate, and to drive their own learning and development. The children develop positive relationships with each other and with adults as well as developing a strong affinity with their natural world.

Hawford pupils have also enjoyed family events outdoors such as the annual Bonfire and Fireworks, the Pancake Day races, the May Fête when the children perform

Charities

This year the children have chosen to support Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The Halloween and Valentine discos, Nativity collections, children-led sweet and Christmas decoration stalls, the Charity Day, the Charity Concert and the terrific House Bakeoff sale mean the current total stands at £1870.30

In the autumn, the sale of fresh produce from the Harvest Festival raised £73.28 for the Salvation Army and a substantial collection of food items was also delivered to the Worcester Food Bank. Our support of the annual Poppy Appeal raised £482.56 and the planting of snowdrops around the school site raised £388.15 for St. Richard’s Hospice. Donations following the Carol Service provided £579.35 for St. Andrew’s Church, Ombersley.

In April, the Bank House Hotel played host to our Bond themed Charity Dinner Dance. This attracted over 230 parents and guests and raised a further £11,500 for St. Richard’s Hospice.

Finally, our children, through their School Council, have already raised £296.99 towards the education of Abigail at Worcester Primary School, South Africa and the sponsorship from individual parents provides fees for a further two pupils.

their May dances and the Christmas Fayre where Early Years staff provided face-painting, cooking, crafts and a cake stall (run by our Reception Christmas puddings!). Reception highlighted the spirit of the Olympics when they performed their Olympic assembly for their parents. The Olympic Oath, ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ was evident in the enthusiastic participation at Sports Day.

Once again, the arts have taken centre stage with some most memorable events and some superb results with many stand-out performances during the year. Dance has continued to be a strong feature of our arts provision. The children in Years 3 to 6 took part in the Dance Showcase at the John Moore Theatre in November, performing two shows to packed audiences. Our Year 6 and our Dance Mix pupils also performed in the King’s Foundation Dance Showcase in February.

We continued to enjoy terrific success in LAMDA this year and were successful in many sections of the Worcester Festival. Section winners were: Kieran Balding, Poppy Graham, Amelia Lees and Lydia Goodman (Duet), Lucy

Junior Choir, Guitar Group, String Group and Orchestra. There were a large number of pleasing results. Our Orchestra came first with Distinction whilst the Guitar Group came second, also with Distinction.

Other winners from the solo and duet entries were: Martha Davey and Elijah Broadbent (Duet), Amelia Lees, Olivia Sproule and Amelia Davies (Duet), Lillie Sawyer, Bella Crompton and Annabelle Bird (Duet), Joel Chumbley (two sections), Anna Wales and Angelina Martin. In addition Martha Davey and Angelina Martin were awarded best performer trophies and the Festival Concert.

Special mention must be given to Olivia Sproule in the

Moving On

In the entrance exams we were extremely proud of the achievements of our Year 6 children. Special mention goes to Lucy Wadley, Anton DeVos, Olivia Sproule, Henry Edwards, Martha Davey, George Howard, Jaime Lewis and Beatrice Morgan who all achieved academic scholarships whilst we were also pleased to see five music scholarships and awards given to Lucy Wadley Martha

Davey, Harry Paddock, Joel Chumbley and Oliver Tranter. In addition Martha Davey was successful in being offered a scholarship to Cheltenham Ladies’ College and George Howard was offered an academic scholarship at RGS. These were the finest set of results in Hawford’s history and we congratulate all of our children and wish them well as they all move to the senior school.

The Governors’ Essay Prize

KING’S ST ALBAN’S

Winners: Jasmine Sayani and Martha Davey (extracts)

ways and includes the competition for house points with the winning house averaging 361 house points per child! Changes to the Year 1 and 2 curriculum have been successful in inspiring the children; indeed, the twin aims of nurturing a love of learning and modelling and

The twin aims of nurturing a love of learning and modelling and encouraging a growth mindset have been very much in evidence in our younger children

Throughout the year, I have presented over six hundred Headteacher’s Awards. The ensuing conversations about the work and the children’s learning convince me that the academic side of school life is in rude health

Staff

This has been a fairly stable year for staffing at King’s St Alban’s. We welcomed Mrs Sarah McCarthy to the administrative team in February and she has made a positive start as Marketing Assistant. Mr Aaron Ryan leaves us after three years as Games Assistant. His calmness and reliability, his manner with the boys and his prowess as a coach, especially in rugby, will be missed. Mr Ben Shimwell spent two terms with us as a GAP student and helped boys’ sport immensely. Again, his dedication and easy way with the boys were much appreciated. After two maternity covers, we say a sorry goodbye to Mrs Philly White. She taught in both Year 1 and Year 3 and proved to be a committed, caring and inspirational teacher and a much valued colleague. Her smile, flexibility and ‘can do’ attitude will be missed. We wish Aaron, Ben and Philly well for the future. Mrs Eleanor Majhu returns from maternity leave to a part-time position in Year 6 while Mrs Atkinson moves up to full-time and to Year 3. We welcome Charlie Hooman as Games Assistant and Henry Pillman and Lucy Nichols as GAP students in

Trips

This has been a very exciting year for out of class learning at King’s St Alban’s. New overnight trips have been undertaken in Years 3 and 5 following our first Year 2 residential last year. This means all children from Year 2 to 6 go on a residential trip each year. The development such opportunities offer has been clear to see. Beyond the curriculum, we aim to foster ‘grit’ in our children in all sorts of ways. This will include qualities such as confidence (but not arrogance), resilience, teamwork, leadership and empathy. Residential trips allow our children to develop these qualities. Year 2 returned to

the Malvern Outdoor Centre for a successful second trip whilst Year 3 embarked on a super first visit to Oakerwood camp site near Leominster. Year 4 spent a night at the Old Chapel and enjoyed a visit to the Big Pit whist the inaugural Year 5 sports tour took in cricket and rounders matches in Bath and a visit to the England vs South Africa T20 international match at Taunton. The Year 6 carousel weeks were a real highlight and included weeks at the Old Chapel and Normandy.

We have had a whole host of visitors to the school this year. Many offer one day workshops to children often in history or the arts. We have been lucky in having a number of guests to assemblies this year and the talks by representatives of St Richard’s Hospice and Birmingham Children’s Hospital were particularly inspirational. Our strong link with the senior school has allowed us to enjoy talks and performances on a regular basis. Mr Armstrong and Mr Maund both gave thought-provoking assemblies and links are strong with the Fourth Form staff. Our proximity to King’s has meant we have had many Sixth Form students over here on a regular basis both helping run our clubs and sports and also hearing children read in Pre-Prep. We have also welcomed older children back to King’s St Alban’s to perform in our weekly Celebration Assemblies. These times are special: inspirational for the younger children and enjoyable for the older ones.

Photos: Roald Dahl Day 2016

Sports

This has been a very busy and successful year. Fixtures have been increased in all areas which has allowed more children to represent the school. Indeed, on some afternoons, we can take whole year groups on fixtures involving A, B, C and D teams. Girls have enjoyed hockey, rounders and netball and it has been pleasing to see the participation and development in all three sports. In particular, the new Severn Stars netball team which plays at the University Arena, has been an inspiration to many of our girls and perhaps helped ensure some excellent results at all ages. Boys’ sport continues to thrive across rugby, football and cricket. The Year 6 rugby team had a very strong season whilst hopes are high in all sports for the current Year 4 boys. We have continued to perform very well in swimming with a number of successful home galas; children of all abilities are able to compete and there has been strong participation in IAPS and ESSA competitions. Sport is thriving at King’s St Alban’s and, like residential opportunities, offers much in terms of ‘grit’ education to our children.

Dance continues to be an important area and we enjoyed a wonderful Creative ConneXions showcase in March. The theme this year was children’s literature and the dancesplanned, choreographed and performed by the each class -offered variety and a gamut of emotions, zeal and fun. As usual, the theme allowed for creativity and impressive learning in art, ICT and poetry. Our dancers were wellrepresented in the Foundation Showcase in October and also contributed well to an excellent Summer Show.

Music has continued to thrive this year with some super school concerts in College Hall, a number of informal concerts in the Chapel and lots of opportunities within music during the week. During the morning, children can join chamber choir, orchestra, guitar group, flute group and recorder group whilst there is a whole-school hymn practice (delivered by the inspirational Mr Allsop and much enjoyed!) every Wednesday and choirs every Thursday. Highlights of the musical year have been the Senior Choir’s rendition of ‘Careless Whisper’ with Shannon Asplen’s haunting alto sax solo, a lunchtime concert at St Stephen’s and workshops in junk drumming and Balinese instruments. Budding actors have had an enjoyable year at King’s St Alban’s and the Year 5 and 6 drama club put on two performances. ‘Peace and Goodwill’ was ably acted and well-received in December and the Wightman studio

Charity

Raising money for charitable causes, as well as ensuring the children are aware of the work these charities do, has continued to be an important element of all we do. We have endeavoured to support a range of charities throughout the year, often responding to children’s requests, as well as guiding them with their choice of charities. I am delighted that we have raised over £6,300 this year through the May Day Walk, a sponsored Readathon, Pink Day, a big breakfast and various cake sales. Two fund-raising efforts were particularly memorable. In March, one of our teachers felt motivated to raise money for Headway, a charity helping people after brain injuries. She started to knit some Easter bunnies to sell to children. Many other colleagues joined the effort, the school was awash with knitted Easter bunnies and £476 was raised. The other event came about when some Year 6 children wanted to raise some money for the Grenfell Tower fire victims. A hastily-arranged sponsored swim took place on the penultimate day of term and raised £300.

Cathedral Choristers

We have had eleven choristers this year and they have continued to play an important part in the life of the school. As well as their daily round of rehearsals and services, they have offered a lot to music at school and have impressed our audiences with their chorister slots at our concerts. These boys lead impressively busy lives!

Parents

The King’s St Alban’s Parents’ Social Committee (PSC) has had a busy year and is a real asset to the school community. The committee has organised a new starters’ picnic in September, a Halloween disco, a Christmas fayre in the Pre-Prep, a Ball in March and autograph books for our Year 6 children. PSC members have also run stalls and sold refreshments at the May Day Walk and Sports Day as well as offering a valued presence on Open Morning and New Parents’ Evening. I am very grateful to this dynamic group for their time, interest and support.

Moving On

Year 6 was a big, lively, interesting group this year who ‘trained on’ well as the year progressed. In particular, the children really developed during the carousel weeks in May. These included weeks on science and Shakespeare and a week in the Black Mountains. The children embraced everything on offer during a super visit to

Normandy, enjoying visits to Mont St Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry and the D-Day landing sites. Growth Mindset was in evidence on the last night as all the children tried snails! This group has a huge amount to offer and they leave us with our best wishes.

RAC

The Governors’ Essay Prize

Winners: Francis Dowell and Harry Long

Is competition always a good thing?

Competition is everywhere, and I know many competitive people. However, I will be discussing if a core part of human psychology, like contesting, is always a good idea.

There are some people who enjoy being competitive and bask in the joy and tension that can be experienced at a contest. Many competitors can gain confidence in themselves if they believe they can win. Alternatively, losing can keep your ego in check if you can get too confident. Similarly, losing teaches you to make mistakes and even learn from them. In addition, having a competitive rival means you can spar off each other and thus form stronger friendship bonds. Even if you don’t have a competitive rival, adding an element of competition makes the whole situation much more enjoyable. Lastly, let’s face it, it’s fun to win.

On the other hand, there are some people who can be stressed out by events and hate the entire idea. Losing can not only make people feel disappointed, but can also knock their confidence. It can also be even worse if there’s a cocky winner to top it all off. Unfortunately, the idea of competition has brought out the worst in people all over the globe, with many wars started this way. For another, competitions can be a lure for cheats and fakes, like a mouse to cheese. Finally, winning rarely teaches anyone much.

I myself am very competitive, but even I think competition isn’t necessary all the time. In a nutshell, people can succeed by doing their best, rather than winning.

Francis

Dowell, 6P, King’s St Alban’s

Is competition always a good thing?

There is a fine line between fun and being competitive. Competition is part of human nature. You can’t stop it. Is it always good though?

The good thing about having a competitive nature is if you believe in yourself, you then gain confidence in yourself. In addition, losing teaches you not to take things too seriously. Competitive actions indicate to people that you have talents and want them to be noticed. Making mistakes does not matter because you learn from them, they only matter if you keep on making them. Competitive actions help the situation to be more fun and interesting. Having a competitive rivalry is sometimes a good thing, it helps establish a stronger friendship between you and your friend. On top of all this, in the end, winning makes you feel elated.

The most important thing about being competitive is to not break the friendship with your friends. Being too competitive can do this and break your friendships. Competing doesn’t just happen on a sports field, it also happens on a battlefield. Competitiveness between land and religion can often create war and loss of life. The winner is not often the actual winner, it takes the bigger person to not be the winner. For example, imagine a tennis match. A player has done an incredible shot but the other player pulled off an ever better shot to get it back and win the point; the other player then claps to congratulate him on the shot. If you are competition crazy then you sometimes forget to take responsibility for your own actions. Although if you win, think is the victory worth it because some winning can be pointless. Losing can make you feel different things; I think stressed and angry are the most common.

Is competition always a good thing then? I think competition is a good thing because without a competitive side, and if you were playing a match, you wouldn’t try your best and would just have a joke about. You wouldn’t take it seriously, but you need to know not to take it too seriously.

Harry Long, 6P, King’s St Alban’s

King’s Community

The Development Trust

This year has been very much one of celebration for The King’s School, with all members of the King’s family embracing the rich history and diversity of school life, through a wide variety of events held both in, and outside of, school.

The King’s School was re-founded by King Henry VIII in 1541 with the founding principles of the school being the education of cathedral choristers and, importantly, for scholars who were unable to pay for education but who had an ‘inborn aptitude for learning’.

Henry VIII specified that the school should provide 40 free places for such scholars, however he did not set up an endowment to facilitate this. In more recent history, many King’s pupils have been educated under the Direct Grant or Assisted Places schemes. Government funding ceased in 1997 and since this time, financial support has only been possible through the generosity of many members of our King’s family. King’s has a long tradition of providing top quality education for pupils across a wide social spectrum; a mix of pupils with different talents and strengths is critically important to King’s.

On 9th November 2016, the 475th Anniversary Foundation Choral Concert bought together the three choirs from across all three schools in the King’s Foundation. The concert took place in Worcester Cathedral, with the pupils performing ‘Zimbe’ by Alexander L’Estrange – a collection of African songs, accompanied by members of the school’s jazz band.

King’s has a long tradition of providing top quality education for pupils across a wide social spectrum; a mix of pupils with different talents and strengths is critically important to King’s

The King’s School and Cathedral archivists came together to produce a memorable 475th Anniversary Joint Exhibition, displayed in Worcester Cathedral. The exhibition was viewed by many visitors to the cathedral during November and December and featured historic material relating to the foundation of the school as well as a number of poignant and notable landmarks in the school’s history.

in College Hall on the founding of the school, followed by Tudor-style lessons in St Albans, tudor rose cakes for everyone, celebration activities at King’s Hawford and the day ended with a bell peal from the cathedral by ringers of current and past pupils and a grand firework display, visible across the city of Worcester. We were very lucky to have the support of our sponsors for the fireworks: Quality Solicitors ParkinsonWright and Brockway Carpets Ltd.

The main drama production of the Autumn term, A Streetcar Named Desire, held a special 475th Anniversary Gala evening on the last night of the show, with OV guests and current parents in attendance. The audience was enormously impressed with the cast’s polished performance in the intimate surroundings of the Wightman Studio.

In the Spring Term, we were treated to a talented and awe-inspiring performance of ‘1541’: a promenade play that was written especially for our 475th Anniversary Year, by Head of Drama, Shara Parry. The play was written in iambic pentameter style, performed in period costume and took place in the atmospheric surroundings of the cathedral cloisters, Edgar Tower and ending with a magnificent finale in College Hall.

On 16th February 2017 pupils from all three schools came together once again for a spell-binding Foundation Dance Showcase, titled ‘The Evolution of Dance’. The John Moore Theatre was full to capacity with parents from the three schools, with dance sequences from the 1920s, 1970s and the modern day.

In March, the school hosted a wonderful Lunch and Lecture event at Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire. Dr Tracy Borman, historian and co-chief curator of the Historic

included his role in the dissolution of the monasteries, being of great relevance to the re-founding of King’s. The setting of Ditchley Park lent itself superbly to this event, which was enjoyed by many members of the King’s family.

The OV Reunion weekend at the end of April set off to a grand start with a special 475th Anniversary Reunion Dinner, celebrating 114 years of the OV Club. Over 300 guests attended a drinks reception in College Hall, followed by a sumptuous meal in the nave of Worcester Cathedral. The cathedral itself looked stunning, with the columns and tables decorated in the colours of the tudor rose. The event proved to be a huge success, being the largest ever gathering of OVs. Chappel was the most well-represented house, followed by Creighton and Hostel. We were once again very lucky in benefitting from sponsorship for this event from Brockway Carpets Ltd, Underwoods, Bank House Hotel, Speller Metcalfe, Britannic Place Financial Management, Anja Potze Jewellery with the OV Club also providing generous sponsorship.

Our 475th Anniversary Service took place in Worcester Cathedral on 11th May 2017, with pupils present from all three schools. The service was led by school chaplain, Mark Dorsett, with music orchestrated by Head of Music, Simon Taranczuk. There was a specially commissioned piece of music, funded generously by the Parents’ Committee and written by local composer, Ian King, and performed by members of King’s choirs. This service

The Anniversary Bursary Appeal, being launched on behalf of the Development Trust, will aim to build on the original very generous donation of the Baker family (Michael Baker Ch ‘48-55), with their initial £1m donation invested in an Enduring Bursary Fund, which has benefitted from subsequent contributions and now stands at over £2m. The trustees are looking to grow this Enduring Fund to £14m (in current values) in order to achieve the objectives of funding the equivalent of 40 full places annually across the school.

Andrew Reekes (Ch ’64-69), reputed historian, OV and Chairman of the Development Trust, gave an incredibly informative and lively lecture on the foundation of The King’s School in the John Moore Theatre on 29th November 2016. The popularity of this lecture was evident in the broad appeal of its audience, being attended by current pupils and staff, as well as former staff members and parents, OVs and friends of the school – a truly entertaining evening for all those present.

School-wide we celebrated our Re-Foundation Day on 7th December 2016, starting with an engaging talk to the pupils

Photos:

From top left clockwise: 475th Anniversary fireworks, a day out at Ditchley Park, ‘1451’ play in the cloisters, 475th Anniversary Reunion Dinner.

475th Anniversary Year Celebrations

their curricululm. The Art department held competitions for ‘tudor rose’ themed Christmas decorations, with the winner being Tom Holland (LRCl), and all entries were hung from an enormous Christmas tree, which took pride of place in the foyer of the Keyes Building. Bright House were the winners of the 475th Anniversary inter-house art competition, which involved pupils from all houses decorating and personalising their own huge tudor rose. In Economics pupils studied the business world and the economic situation of the 1540s in Europe, whilst the Maths department ran a countdown-style project based on the numbers 475 and 1541. In Languages, pupils looked at the relationships between different European countries during this period in history and what languages were spoken. The English department ran a short-story competition for the Fourth Forms with ‘475’ as the title and a maximum of 475 words. In Physics, the Copernicus Theory (conceived during this era) was explored and re-enacted by pupils and in Chemistry students had the chance to test out their alchemy skills: making gold coins from bronze! The DT department used CAD design to good effect this year, with the tudor rose logo featuring across a number of mediums.

It has been inspiring to witness the way in which pupils across the King’s School Foundation and also the wider King’s family have embraced the celebration of this historic year for the school, with a keen understanding and appreciation of the significance of the school’s origins and founding principles.

Reunions and Events

In addition to our rich 475 events listing, there has been a plethora of reunions throughout the year: Five Year reunion for the OVs of 2011, Ten Year reunion for the 2006 OVs, London Drinks courtesy of Steven Walker (Cr ’75), Hong Kong Reunion initiated by Anthony Eden (K ’96) and Andrew Eden (W ’78), Oxford and Bristol university reunions, Paris Reunion hosted by Roger Thorn (Cr ’56) and a Hostel House gathering. There were also impromptu reunions of a number of OVs: the 1975 leavers, a group from the 1960s held in Ombersley, as well as other OVs meeting up in Buenos Aires, Auckland and a group of 2005 OVs caught up closer to home, in

Development Office Funds

Worcester. Other events organised by the Development Office included a Remembrance Day talk by Lt Cdr Edward Sutcliffe (Cl ’92), a WW1 Lecture and Lunch, Christmas Morning Coffee for retired staff, Cricket Pavilion naming ceremony, OV Golf Day, Drinks for Parents of Upper Sixth, Afternoon Tea in the Boathouse, President’s Drinks and Hon OV Lunch during the Reunion Weekend.

The Development team has also been delighted to meet over 60 OVs and friends of the school who have visited school during the year, enjoying individual tours of the school site.

The 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. The Development trustees are key members of this group; the Trust continues to play a vital role in the success of the school and we are grateful to those who give up their time to be a trustee. Our thanks goes to Ian Smith who resigned this year and we welcome Carl Jury (parent and current Chair of the Parents’ Committee) and Leanne Sheen (W ’06) who were both elected to join the board of trustees this year.

Each year, the Chairman of the Trust hosts a dinner for the members of the society and the Headmaster reports on the progress of the school. The 1541 Society dinner was held this year on 25th May 2017 and was a pleasant and informal occasion for members of the society to meet up in the stunning setting of the Michael Baker Boathouse, overlooking the beautifully maintained School Gardens.

Since the formation of the Development Office, some £6.5m has been raised via generous donations from members of the King’s family, of which nearly 60% has been for capital projects (School House Library, Michael Baker Boathouse, contribution to The Keyes Building) with the bulk of the remaining 40% going towards the King’s Bursary Programme.

Old Vigornian Club

Old Vigornian Events

114th Annual OV Reunion Dinner: Friday 28th April, 2017

The 114th Annual OV Reunion Dinner was a rather special affair which, unusually, took place on a Friday evening, 28th April. The club would like to extend their thanks to the Dean and Chapter for letting us have use of the Cathedral on this occasion.

The event was ably compered by Ben Humphrey (Creighton 1993-2004); the dinner was followed by speeches given by OV Club President, Julia [Simcock] Annable (College 1985-87), and the Headmaster. A particular highlight was a performance of a number of songs from Les Misérables by cast members of 2003 and 2012 school productions. Julia’s contemporaries - the class of 1987 - were the largest reunion group, closely followed by 1997 leavers who were marking their 20th anniversary; for many of these OVs, the dinner was the first time they had returned to King’s. Michael O’Neill (Creighton 1944-49) signed the Chappel Memorial Award book as he was the oldest OV in attendance who had not previously received this award.

A splendid evening, in even more grandiose surroundings than usual, was a fine way for the OV Club to celebrate the school’s ‘big birthday’; the occasion will, undoubtedly, be remembered fondly for years to come.

After the dinner, a number of OVs moved to the favourite haunt of OVs, The Farriers Arms, for an impromptu gathering;

Donations to the Development Trust Bursary Programme are invested in the Enduring Bursary Fund or allocated to the Fellowship Bursary Scheme. The aim of the Development Trust ultimately is to grow the Enduring Fund so that the interest earned can fund 40 full bursary places each year, however it is also a key requirement that bursaries can be supported by the Trust on an on-going basis, via funds raised during the year. In the future the Trust aims to raise funds to support and grow the current number of bursary places. Numbers of bursary places funded in recent years by the Development Trust are shown below:

OLD

2016-2017

President: Julia (Simcock) Annable (College 1985-87)

Vice-President: Vacant

Chairman: Richard Underwood (Choir 1968-79)

Hon Secretary: Mike Page (Creighton 1960-65)

Danny Payne (School 1992-99)

Hon Treasurer: John Potter (Chappel 1955-62)

Member Emeritus: Alec Mackie (Chappel 1947-56)

Headmaster: Matthew Armstrong (Hon OV)

Development Office

Representative: Alice Brunt (Hon OV) Liz (North) Elliott (College 82-84)

Accounts Examiner: Gardiner Fosh, St John’s

Ordinary Members: Roy Padden (Chappel 1946-52)

Will Kerton (Oswald 1982-92)

Jon Marchant (Oswald 1985-92)

Helen (Meacham) Kennedy (Eliot 1990-92) Simon Cronin (School 1967-77)

Claire (Williams-Hewitt) Andrews (College 1990-92)

Nick Clark (Hostel 1988-90)

Nick Stephens (Bright 1977-84)

OV Reunion Weekend: 29 - 30 April, 2017 Following the Reunion Dinner on Friday evening, the weekend continued with tours of the school and afternoon tea in the Michael Baker Boathouse on Saturday; a small group of OVs enjoyed tea and Tudor Rose cakes and conversation with friends old and new, enjoying the stunning views up and down river and across the school gardens.

Sunday’s events began with the Cathedral Eucharist, attended by a good number of OVs and including a reading by OV Club President, Julia Annable; the Dean gave a memorable sermon on the subject of perspective. The OV Club’s Annual General Meeting, held in the Vigornian Room, was well attended (minutes will be available on the King’s School website.) Julia was elected for a second year as Club President, with Sally Themans elected as Vice-President to take over from Julia at the 2018 AGM. Having succeeded Mike Page as Hon. Secretary in February, Danny Payne’s appointment was ratified by the meeting; a number of OVs present paid tribute to Mike for his 19 years of service to the Club. Guests and Hon OVs enjoyed drinks in the Weston Centre, also in the

announced: Barney Bell (Chappel 1959-67) was pleased to have won a ‘KSW 475’ golf umbrella. The lunch, now a regular fixture of the weekend enjoyed by many retired King’s staff, brought Hon OVs together for a carvery-style meal in the dining hall.

Payne (School House, 1992-99), Hon. Secretary, OV Club

magazine.

Drinks’ in November, organised by the Development Office. Reports on these reunions can be found in the ‘Connect’

Danny

Photos above: 475th Anniversary Christmas decoration competition entries

Photo right: Worcester Reunion Weekend 2017

OV Cricket Club

The Peter

Members of the OVCC joined colleagues, friends, family and pupils at The King’s School cricket ground for the naming of the school’s cricket pavilion in memory of the much-loved Peter Iddon (Hon OV 1980-2016) on Tuesday 20th June, 2017.

Peter dedicated nearly thirty-six years of unbroken service to The King’s School and had an impact on many pupils and colleagues during this time, as an English teacher, Housemaster of Hostel House, Editor of this magazine and, of course, as Master i/c Cricket. Cricket played an

enormous part in Peter’s life, so it is fitting that The King’s School cricket pavilion should be named in his memory.

Despite the soaring temperature of the midday sun, there was an excellent turnout for the unveiling of the new pavilion plaque, with many fond memories shared by the guests ahead of speeches by Russ Mason, Matthew Armstrong, and Julia Annable. Harry Iddon was called forward to have the honour of unveiling his late father’s plaque - and not only because he was the only one tall enough to reach it!

Speech made by Julia Annable, President of the OVs, on the occasion of the naming of the Peter Iddon Cricket Pavilion, 20th June 2017

I am delighted to speak on such a glorious day in such beautiful surroundings on behalf of the OV Club at the naming of this building.

The original part of the pavilion was built to commemorate those OVs who served in the war. The fundraising and the wording of the original inscription were the work of TE Rammell, Master in charge of cricket, who had acted as Honorary Secretary to the OV Club

The words in Latin, ‘Heac olim meminisse juvabit’ are from Virgil’s Aeneid and translated as “These things one day it will be a pleasure to remember”

When we get together as OVs, we spend time discussing the things that have been going on in our lives, but very quickly, and without fail, our conversation turns to school and the friendships we made at King’s and, equally reliably, to the teachers we encountered there, particularly those like Peter Iddon who watched so many of us come and go.

teachers who were fair, firm, and who used humour in just the right way. They were also the teachers from whom we learnt the most.

With Ids, we learnt the most because we wanted to be like him. His example was faultless.

OVs talk a great deal about the teachers of the King’s School because the stories make us laugh together – they are, for the most part, a pleasure to remember, and as we get older, we reflect more on the lessons they taught us that were not of an academic nature.

King’s Day Cricket

Match winnings performances with bat and ball from Jamie Hammond and Angus Guthrie led The King’s School to a thrilling last-ball victory at the end of a glorious summer’s day at New Road.

The Old Vigornians batted first and looked in complete control as skipper Osman Fiaz (41) and Jack Park (86) shared an opening stand of 124 in 17 overs. Guthrie, who had conceded 33 runs in his first 23 balls then turned the match on its head with a devastating burst of 5 wickets for just four runs in his next 19, including a hat-trick. The Old Boys collapse saw them tumble to 145-6, before last year’s King’s captain Nick Hammond led a mini revival. The former Worcestershire academy player, now with Warwickshire, made 48 from just 29 balls before he was last out with the OVs reaching 217, though they were left to regret only batting 33 of their allowed 40 overs. Harry Annable bowled well and finished with figures of 4-27.

After early breakthroughs by Charlie Lamb and Charlie Annable, it was time for a batting masterclass from another Hammond - the current Worcestershire Academy player - Jamie. He scored a magnificent 115 in just 93 balls, and shared in a third wicket stand of 176 with Henry Armstrong who scored 65. Although they seemed to be cruising to victory, there was still time for a late twist as Henry Wilde picked up two wickets. The equation seemed straightforward as only 6 runs were needed off the final over bowled by Dave Haddock. The pressure ramped up as he conceded 1 run and took a wicket with his first three balls, and with 2 required

to win off the last - all three potential results were still on the cards. Ali Robb and wicketkeeper Joe Sullivan scrambled the necessary runs to loud cheers from the sizeable crowd which had been gripped by the thrilling finale.

The Second XI encounter between the two sides involved a few twists and turns too, but in the end the Old Vigornians won by 5 wickets with plenty of time still remaining.

The King’s School batted first and were soon in trouble thanks to the experienced seamers Jabba Riaz and captain Phil Mackie who picked up two wickets apiece as the school seconds found themselves in trouble at 20-4.

Cheltenham town footballer Cameron Mathewson, who plays for England Independent Schools at under 18s, then showed he is also a dab hand at cricket, making an impressive 57. Ed Burgoyne (25) and George Francis (37) also took advantage of some sloppy fielding as the schoolboys reached 175 before Mackie and Riaz returned to mop up the final wickets.

Steve Campbell-Ferguson (50) and Alex Lowe (55) got the Old Boys off to a terrific start before they both retired after sharing a stand of 111 for the first wicket. With the victory target in sight there was a tremendous collapse which saw 5 wickets fall for 5 runs before Mackie (15*) and Riaz (14*) saw them home with more than 3 overs to spare.

Phil Mackie (Chappel House, 1973-84), OVCC

Now I didn’t play much cricket at The King’s School and, coming as a sixth former, I wasn’t taught by Peter Iddon, so in the very best traditions of the Old Vigornians’ Club, I asked my friends to help me find something fitting to say today at the naming of the King’s School Cricket Pavilion as a memorial to Peter.

Of course, we all hoped that we could be as talented as him, as fearsome a bowler as he was, as effective and so elegant a rugby player. But above all, we wanted to be as decent a bloke as he was; never losing our temper; always treating others with respect; always trying our hardest and always finding that knack of keeping others engaged with an incredible sense of humour and modesty.

With Ids, we learnt the most because we wanted to be like him. His example was faultless

My husband Charlie (we are friends most of the time!) spoke at the King’s Day cricket match last year shortly after Peter had died, about how the very encouraging words that he had been given as a 12 year old had stayed with him. In the Upper Fourth, Charlie had been struggling to get a good batting score and Mr Iddon urged him to keep trying as he was sure Charlie’s first 50 was just around the corner. Charlie feels it’s a testimony to Mr Iddon’s skills as a motivator that, aged 47, he still believes his first 50 is… just around the corner.

Andrew Underwood told me of his fond memories of Peter as a legendary loser of important bunches of keys - to kit lock ups, mini buses and pavilions. The First XI under his captaincy even bought Peter one of those key fobs you could whistle for, but he managed to lose that as well! But he also spoke of his commitment to extracting the very best from all in the team, especially those with enthusiasm but with, as Unders put it, limited abilities. He mentioned the first ever First XI Cricket Tour to Jersey when Peter and SLeM spent their evenings trying to avoid the team, enjoying “a quiet drink” in the pubs of Jersey. And his fondest memory – of Peter’s sense of fun, wit and the very dry humour that was so infectious and endearing.

Ids wasn’t one of those teachers who tried to be your friend. He was too firm, disciplined and uncompromising for that. He had no problems telling you when he’d been let down –and no one liked letting Ids down. So when it came to his friendship, you earned it by following his example. He was the example to all of us.”

Many of OVs gather here in the cricket season; all are welcomed and there is lots of laughter. We see our friends and remember the stories about our peers and share our memories of the teachers.

114 The Vigornian

Iddon Pavilion

Roy Padden (Chappel House, 1946-52)

Visited New Zealand for two months over Christmas 2016. Met up with Barry (Basil) Parsons who gave us a private tour of Auckland Maritime Museum.

Marcus Ferrar (Creighton House, 1953-63)

Published a new book - The Fight For Freedom - covering 2,500 years of people fighting for freedom and asking: can it last? Available from bookshops, Amazon or marcus@ ferrar.org.uk

Mike Page (Creighton House, 1960-65)

Retired as Hon Sec of @OldVigornians after 19 years working with fellow OVs and three headmasters! Great to meet up with Nigel Garland at the OV Reunion with whom I used to cycle to school from Spetchley 50 years ago. Still a working man, earning money as a ‘Billy Butlin’ - holiday lets converted from old barns!

Rowan Kitt (Choir House, 1977-87)

Lydia Robinson (Kittermaster House, 1991-98)

Won two Daily Telegraph Homebuilding and Renovating Awards with my architectural practice at design_storey. Project involved complete reworking of two miners’ cottages - our first project, making the achievement even more outstanding!

Danny Payne (School House, 1992-99)

New Hon Sec of Old Vigornians. Delighted to have finished my teaching degree with a First - looking forward to being a Year 4 teacher at my primary school in Evesham this September. Moving to Pershore this summer.

Director of Development at Queen’s College, Cambridge and part-time TMO for England Rugby

J-J Richardson (The Hostel, 1982-91)

Recently moved near Churchdown, Glos with my family. Continue to work for Aldi Stores Ltd, now based at Swindon regional office as Managing Director. My two sons both attend Cheltenham College.

Dave Wetherall (Chappel House, 1980-87)

Attended my first ever OV Reunion Dinner. 475th anniversary in Worcester Cathedral with Julia Annable and Ashley Fox MEP.

Julia Annable (College House, 1985-87)

OV Deaths and Obituaries

Jessica Page-Thomas (Chappel House, 1994-99)

Married Darren Thomas on 20.08.16 at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton. OVs in attendance

(L-R): Danny Payne, Mike Page, Tony Cook and Kate MorrisGanderton. August must be our lucky month - August 2017 is the due date of Baby P-T!

Verity Armstrong (School House, 1995-2002) Gave birth to Beatrice Emilia Margot in August 2016. Beatie arrived a month early so she could watch the Olympics! Matthew and I are delighted she is doing well.

my new and old lives: first vicar of church which is now my training college moved to become Dean of Worcester

Catholic Church, Leicester. My sisters Amy and Jenny were my

John Adeney (Wulstan House, 2005-12)

Celebrated my Sandhurst Passing Out, Royal Engineers.

Thomas Gorner (Wulstan House, 2007-14)

Currently in my last year at Bangor University. Recently, I was successful in receiving a job offer from DHL to join their Supply Chain and Logistics graduate scheme. I start that new role in September.

From an early age, Jim moved around the country a great deal on account of his father’s work. As a result, he attended 11 schools before finally settling at The King’s School, Worcester

Jim enjoyed school life and was a keen sportsman, excelling at rowing, rugby and athletics. In 1947 Jim went on a month-long trip to Switzerland led by Herr Natan, Master of History. The trip made a great impression and instilled the travel bug in him. In later years, he revisited many of the places on that trip with his Danish wife, Lis.

After leaving King’s in December 1948, Jim joined The Royal Engineers for his National Service, spending nine months in Egypt during the Suez crisis. On his return, Jim trained to become an architect at the Oxford School of Architecture.

His architectural career began and ended at British Rail on the Great Western Region. Never having intended to stay with the same employer for so long, he jumped at the chance of early retirement at the age of 55 and, with his younger brother, Richard, (School House, 194249) followed in his father’s footsteps, who upon his retirement went into the antiques trade.

Jim and Lis moved to Easingwold in North Yorkshire, where, together with Richard and his wife Laura, they converted a double fronted Georgian House into a shop and ran Bow Antiques successfully for seven years. After their second retirement Richard and Laura moved closer to their daughter near Northampton; Jim and Lis moved back to their pre-Yorkshire home town, Reading.

Jim was passionate about trains throughout his life, and took great pleasure in building large model railways. Jim and Lis always enjoyed the company of family and friends, travelled widely, as well as making many trips to Denmark where, unofficially, Jim was made an ’Honorary Dane’deep down he remained a proud ‘Shropshire Lad’.

In 2012 Jim was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but remained very cheerful throughout his illness, despite losing his mobility in the latter part of 2016. Jim was a most loving husband and leaves his wife Lis, children Jonathan and Sally from a previous marriage, stepson Lars, and Charlotte and Rebecca, his step-granddaughters.

Lis Ager-Harris and Lars Jaeger

Written by Michael Blake

A country lad from childhood, after leaving school in 1945 Michael worked on several farms as a farm pupil, which led to a two-year diploma course at Harper Adams where he developed a love of theatre with the students’ drama club.

After his course the ‘£10 Pom’ scheme, sending emigrants to Australia and New Zealand, was at its peak; Michael sailed to New Zealand on a two-year contract

as a cattle-tester, but a change of career to become a teacher resulted in his staying there ten years. His first teaching post led him to become quickly involved in local amateur drama, summer drama schools, and so on, and he was also employed by the New Zealand Department of Education as a director to help remote and inexperienced groups. Then the National Theatre set up a Theatre in Education company which toured schools with a programme of excerpts from classic plays. Thus he became a professional actor (he kept his Equity card to the end), but after a few months realized that he did not have the talent – or the perseverance – to make a living as an actor, and returned to teaching.

His next career step was an award of a New Zealand Department of Education two-year bursary to return to England, to take a course in teaching drama at Central School of Speech and Drama. Here he was able to associate – at a distance – with the acting students, among whom the stars were Julie Christie and Judy Dench. Glamorous times.

Michael was appointed as a teacher to Woodberry Down Primary School in North London, where he met a young teacher called Gillian, who helped him with the first production of three eventual stagings of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, for which he wrote the script.

He later moved to Stockwell College, Bromley, where he established a course in English and Drama designed for students who did not want to commit themselves wholly to either subject. Changes in circumstances led to redundancy, but Michael was fortunate in getting a teaching post at Warren Road, and so began the final period of his teaching career, lasting thirteen years.

In his retirement he continued to indulge in amateur theatre and became involved with his parish church, St Martin’s.

Reported by Nicholas Blake

Tony Boroughs

Tony joined the The King’s School at St Albans, subsequently progressing to Castle House. After leaving in 1956 he studied Architecture at Birmingham University. Once he had qualified as an architect, Tony worked in private practice in London for several years before joining Reading University as an in-house architect. He was the Senior Architect at the University when he retired in 2003.

Tony had a keen interest in the railways which he pursued in his retirement; he was involved in the restoration of the disused Fencote Station in Herefordshire where he spent many happy hours also restoring a guard’s van.

Married in 1970, Tony is survived by his wife Elli, daughter Freya and his two grandsons.

Tony Sheffer

The following deaths have been reported to the OV

Club since the publication of the previous issue of the Vigornian (July 2016):

James (Jim) Ager-Harris (Ca, 1942-48)

Felix Alexander (K, 2010-15)

Alexander (Alex) Bentley (O, 2003-08)

Michael Blake (Cr, 1942-45)

Antony (Tony) Boroughs (Ca, 1949-56)

Benedict (Ben) Campbell-Johnston (Cl, 1976-84)

William (Bill) Comyn (S, 1957-61)

Ian Fearnside (Cr, 1957-64)

Anna (nee Kaltsoyannis) Featherstone (Col, 1984-86)

Kenneth Flay (Day Boy, 1935-41)

John Grieves (Day Boy, 1944-55)

Graham Hollister-Short (Cr, 1943-50)

Susan (Sue) Jackson (Hon OV, Staff 2004-15)

Robert (Bob) Jeffery (Hon OV, Former Dean of Worcester Cathedral)

Kathryn (Kate) (née Watkins) Lovegrove (Col, 1989-91)

Stephen Marsh (W, 1989-91)

Neville (Peter) Meadows (Cl, 1945-54)

Alec (Al) Milner (Cl, 1942-43)

Anthony (Tony) Mitchell (S, 1943-47)

Michael (Mike) Pantridge (Ch, 1960-64)

Peter Preece (S, 1955-63)

John Procter (S, 1946-57)

Leslie (Gordon)

Roland-Adams (C, 1960-65)

Keith Salberg (The Hostel, 1946-50)

Michael Scoular (1948-53)

Kerstin Smith-Cooper (Ch, 2008-13)

John Turner (Cl, 1940-44)

Edward Vines (The Hostel, 1944-53)

Brian Wilkes (Cl, 1943-49)

Peter Williams (Cl, 1946-52)

Trevor Wilson (S, 1938-42)

Edmund (Bunty) Wootten (Cr, 1941-47) A minute’s

Gemma Geary (Kittermaster House, 1999-2006)

bridesmaids.

Ben Campbell-Johnston

Ben went to university at Stirling to read Spanish and English Literature. He started a university wine club; what had begun as an excuse to go drinking with his friends became an ever more passionate interest. Travelling to Spain to teach English as a Foreign Language, he spent a great deal of time in Penedès.

After university, Ben moved to London where he worked for several months at Oddbins. With his persuasive charm as well and a growing knowledge, he was soon promoted to manager. He then went to work with the Symingtons in Oporto. He combined a great enthusiasm for wines with a great enthusiasm for joking: for visiting buyers, trips to the Douro might be made equally memorable by Ben’s knowledge of the vintage served or by the fact that they had found their underpants neatly rolled into napkin rings at the dinner table.

Returning to England in 1996, Ben worked for Fells, the Symington family’s agency. He set up his own consultancy business in 2008, organising events and offering PR and marketing assistance to producers, importers and generic organisations. In 2009, I invited Ben to collaborate on what was to become the b.f.t.: the world’s largest single wine-tasting event. Launched in London in 2010, under the dark skies of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which tested Ben’s organisational skills in extremis (as airspace closures kept exhibitors grounded elsewhere in Europe), the event was an instant hit.

In 2013, and by then an annual event, the b.f.t. was awarded the International Wine Challenge’s Generic Marketing Campaign of the Year Trophy. Exhibitors and visitors travelled across the world to attend this unique showcase for fortified wines which by 2016 was being fully administrated by Ben. Elsewhere, Ben worked as a specialist judge with the International Wine Challenge and International Wine and Spirit Competition.

After what he described as an itinerant prep-school career, Bill Comyn arrived in School House as a boarder in 1957. He once wrote that it was “the era of Dan McTurk, fagging and cold showers…” Bill’s best sport was hockey and he eventually represented the school in the 1st XI. He also rowed and was an enthusiastic fives player. Bill worked on his academic studies as hard as he played, but left King’s in 1961 part-way through his A-level course. He chose to leave early for a most generous and unselfish reason: he wanted to ensure that his younger twin brothers, Richard and James, who were both completing two years in St Alban’s, could continue their King’s education in the senior school as boarders in School House.

Bill took up articles in 1961 with a firm of Chartered Accountants in Leamington Spa. In 1966 he qualified as a Chartered Accountant and joined Touche Ross & Co (later to become Deloitte) in Birmingham. After a spell in Canada he became a London Partner in that firm in 1974 at the age of 30.

By coincidence, I met Bill again in about 1977 when I was working for GEC in Stafford. Bill appeared grinning broadly in my office doorway, telling me he was the Touche Ross Partner in charge of the very large GEC Group audit. Bill had a most distinguished international career as a Chartered Accountant with Touche Ross, dealing with many famous clients; but he also had a major interest in the technical side of accounting and auditing, working on a number of projects for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. In 1990 he became the firm’s National Director of Accounting and Auditing and later he chaired an international group with various responsibilities covering its worldwide audit practice.

Bill retired to Cornwall in 1997 where he pursued his interests in golf, walking and travelling, and in running a small business.

In 2004, the governors of The King’s School invited Bill to join their Board and to serve on the Finance and General Purposes Committee, recognising the huge contribution his experience could make to their work. To the school’s great good fortune he served as a governor until 2012; he must have driven many thousands of miles between Cornwall and Worcester on the school’s behalf. During those eight years, Bill’s financial acumen helped give the Board confidence to make courageous decisions which would benefit the school and its pupils for many years to come. As a Trustee I also have reason to know how generous Bill was as a donor to The King’s School Worcester Development Trust.

In recognition of Bill’s years of service, in February 2016 the school welcomed him to a lunch and presentation at which ‘The Severn Room’ was re-named ‘The Comyn Room’ in his honour.

After an illness bravely borne over many months, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in St Agnes, Cornwall, on 2nd August 2016. Many friends and colleagues joined family members including his wife Vicky, his children Alistair, David, Nicholas, Siobhan and stepdaughter Stacey, at his funeral in Truro.

Donald Howell

Ian Fearnside

A popular Malvern-based artist, Ian ran an art shop in the town centre from the early 70s to the mid 90s and was deeply involved in the late 70s revival of the Malvern Fringe. Ian’s paintings are in private and public collections throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Asia, Russia and even the Falkland Islands.

The last 12 years of Ian’s life were overshadowed by serious illnesses, but he kept as active as he could with art and poetry. He leaves his long-term partner Jan Sykes and children Lauren and Joel.

Adapted from a report in Worcester News.

Graham Hollister-Short

In 1943 Graham won an assisted place at The King’s School – an experience which transformed his life. He played in the 1st XI and 2nd XV sides, joined the CCF and was Head of Creighton House. He never forgot the value of these years, and generously provided funds to offer opportunities for bright scholarship boys like himself. His donations enabled many of them to go on school trips abroad. In later years he would often visit the school.

Graham shone academically and gained a place at New College Oxford to study History, where he did his PhD, followed by a post-doctorate at Imperial College London. He was a specialist in 17th and 18th Century technology, with a particular interest in mining.

After some years teaching History at Holland Park Comprehensive in London, Graham became Honorary Lecturer in the History of Technology at Imperial College, London, and at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was also a member of the academic staff of the London Centre for the History of Science, Medicine and Technology, University of London. His most significant body of work was his long collaboration with Professor Frank James, as editorial adviser for the History of Technology Yearbook. He also published a Shire Guide to wrought iron gates. And at the time of his death he was still working on what he had hoped would be his life’s work: a bibliography of mechanical engineering.

Graham was a very private man who rarely showed emotion. Nonetheless, he was devoted to his wife of 40 years, Gala; it must have been devastating for him when she developed Alzheimer’s, and eventually moved to a care home.

Graham’s love of sport, engendered when he was at school, lasted throughout his life. His main sport was squash; he also used to enjoy potholing, and he and Gala would go swimming at the Imperial College pool – something he maintained almost to the end of his life. Even when his health was breaking down and he was enduring daily kidney dialysis he would aim for 20 lengths every week. Text adapted from the order of service for Graham’s funeral.

Bob Jeffery

The Very Reverend Robert Jeffery was the Church of England’s foremost authority on ecumenical matters, having an encyclopedic knowledge of Church unity schemes worldwide. Besides which he seemed to know everything that could be known about the life of Anglican cathedrals.

Robert Martin Colquhoun Jeffery was born on April 30 1935. He went from St Paul’s to King’s College, London, to take a degree in Theology and train for Holy Orders. In 1964 he became assistant secretary of the Church Assembly’s Missionary and Ecumenical Council, embracing two concerns that never left him.

In 1971, he returned to parish ministry as Vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Headington. In 1980, the Bishop asked him to become Archdeacon of Salop, with oversight of 80 parishes. Appointment as Dean of Worcester in 1987 brought responsibilities of a very different sort.

The great tower of the cathedral was in danger. Large and widening cracks and falling masonry demanded an

urgent £4 million repair programme. Other parts of the building also required attention and Jeffery launched an appeal for £7 million which, by dint of a massive effort on his part, was raised in 30 months. A team of stonemasons was recruited to carry out this and further work. At the same time the life of the cathedral was invigorated and a modern sculpted Pietà installed in the crypt.

The unexpected death of his wife, Ruth, in 1995 left Jeffery shattered and unable to stay at Worcester. Appointment as Sub-Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, proved to be an ideal solution. He took on a number of important roles in the Church of England and wrote 11 books, mainly on subjects related to the life of the Church. Birmingham University awarded him an honorary DD in 1999. He is survived by three sons and a daughter.

Adapted from an obituary in The Telegraph.

Tony Mitchell

While at school, Tony enjoyed rugby, soccer, running, swimming and rowing. Sadly, his father, an Anglican priest serving as a wartime naval chaplain, went down with his ship in the English Channel in 1943. Tony spent a year as a farm student, supporting his mother, but realised that was not the life for him and so enlisted in the Royal Navy. He spent five years as a seaman, was chosen for officer candidate school, and served as an officer for 13 more years. Along the way, he met the love of his life, Heather, whom he married in 1957. He initially served on a ship in Scotland, but there were many ships thereafter, where he most frequently served as diving officer. Many of his tours were just six months, so Heather, and later their two girls, Fiona and Pippa, got used to moving. However, after a particularly long 18-month tour, he resigned from service.

He took an 11-month job in Bermuda, before accepted a sales position in Los Angeles. The family drove from New York in January 1965 and settled in Downey. Four years later another move took them to San Diego, where Tony worked for 19 years. Retirement beckoned, so Tony, Heather and their two dogs drove to Washington state, set up an appliance business and, after 10 further years, he retired again. He was active in the city of Port Townsend, volunteering with youth programs, participating in Rotary Club projects, gardening, and providing a loving home for the many dogs he rescued.

After the death of his leukaemia-stricken daughter Fiona, Tony was so devastated that his mind was never the same, and, when his memory loss and confusion became a challenge, he and Heather moved to Long Beach to live with Pippa. Text adapted from the order of service for Tony’s funeral.

Peter Preece

Peter Preece, b. Malvern 08/10/44, d. Cheltenham 05/12/16 - KSW Cr/S ‘55-’63. MA Oxon, Christ Church, Forestry, postgraduate studies in arid zone ecology at the Australian National University. Joined the Foreign Office, (‘71-’99). Served in Tokyo (twice), Islamabad, Jakarta and Whitehall. In retirement supported and grew Habitat for Humanity in Australia. Survived by his wife, 3 children and brother Paul (KSW Cr/S ‘52-’60).

Chris

Baron

Danny Cameron

William (Bill) Comyn

Brian Wilkes

Brian, Dad, enjoyed his King’s School years in the 1940s, especially playing sport. Many friendships made at school lasted throughout his life and in retirement Dad and Mum were still actively socialising with friends from their school days.

Dad joined his father’s business, Metal Constructions, on leaving school and remained at the company throughout his 47 year career, starting as an apprentice and eventually rising to Technical Director. Dad’s only time away from Metal Constructions was for national service between 1954 and 1956, serving in the Royal Engineers. Dad was not posted overseas because his rugby skills were quickly recognised. National service duties were performed as much on the rugby pitch as in the design and construction of bridges and other structures. Dad worked to develop Metal Constructions and contracts ranged from large warehouses and Sainsbury’s superstores throughout England to farm buildings in kit form for export to the Middle East. Dad was instrumental in taking Metal Constructions into the Worcester Engineering Group which later became Worcester Bosch.

My parents married in 1957; children began arriving two years later and family life evolved and grew, first at Whittington and later at Silverdale Avenue in Worcester, being closer to schools and other amenities. Dad gave his full and wholehearted commitment to the care and support of his family and dedication to his work. We were members of St Martin’s church in Worcester.

At Worcester Rugby Football Club, Dad was a player from 1950 to 1964, twice captain in 1957/1958 and 1960/1961, manager of the successful 1970’s colts team and a stalwart supporter and officer. He was club president from 1984-1986 and committee roles included assisting with the successful relocation of the club to Sixways. During the summer months Dad enjoyed many happy days with team mates and friends of Whittington Cricket Club.

Dad continued his connection with The King’s School through active membership of the Old Vigornian Club, of which he was president in 1996. He also served on the Development Committee and the helped to make valuable contributions to the buildings and facilities at the school.

Unfortunately, Dad suffered with joint problems from middle age which developed to osteoarthritis. He bravely endured the pain and mobility restrictions. When Alzheimer’s started to affect him 10 years ago, to his tremendous credit, he remained cheerful, calm and positive throughout.

Mike Wilkes

Edmund (Bunty) Wootten

Bunty was affable and generous with a love of the good things in life. Alongside his illustrious career in business he was a great philanthropist, supporting charities relating to his old school and university engineering department. He was a keen supporter of education and an active governor of Redditch School and very supportive of his extended family.

Both Bunty and his brother Berite - my Dad - shared a love of speed and drove perhaps somewhat recklessly. The last occasion on which this was demonstrated was at my son’s wedding 2 years ago, when Bunty came to the pre-wedding dinner in his Maserati and was persuaded to put his foot down when leaving – waking up many of the locals whilst demonstrating its remarkable acceleration on a small country road!

Bunty enjoyed his time at The King’s School, Worcester; becoming Captain of Boats and Vice Captain of Shooting. He continued to shoot after leaving school and in 1951 won the Daily Mail Cup at Bisley. He also won the UAS Team Competition three times in the early 50s.

Bunty did his national Service in the RAF where he learned to fly and also saw service in Iraq, after which he went on to Nottingham University to study electrical engineering. Before going up to Nottingham he was competing at Worcester Regatta when he met Linda, a member of another rowing club. Always known as a snappy dresser, Bunty dazzled her in his rowing blazer. They were married four years later in September 1955 and so began 60 years of very happy marriage. Bunty maintained his interest in rowing and they continued to visit Henley, where he was a valued member of Phyllis Court.

The Barnabas Group

The Barnabas Group was established in 2008 to recognise OVs who have excelled in their chosen profession. OVs in banking and investment, law, medicine, defence, sport, politics, the media and the charity sector have returned to King’s to share their experiences with the school community.

in October. He started the day with a rousing address in College Hall.

Nigel’s time in School House was ‘a period of huge fun interrupted on occasions by study.’ He left King’s in 1966 to read Pharmacology and Medicine at Guys Hospital Medical School. He went on to become a member of the Royal College of Physicians and later, a Medical Research Council Training Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology. In 2003, Nigel was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. He has been an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians for many years and has published more than 80 scientific papers on carcinoid disease, pharmacokinetics, the estimation of hepatic

In addition, Nigel, with his wife Deborah, have helped establish medical schools in Australia, Malaysia and Pakistan; he now travels regularly to Iraq, to work with the University of Baghdad College of Medicine, helping to rebuild the country’s medical education and training.

The King’s School, Worcester From 1541 into the 21st Century

Bunty joined Lucas Girling as a senior sales representative in 59, and was soon appointed home sales manager. By 1965 he was a Director of the company. After a spell at Harvard Business School, in 1969 he moved to Germany to reorganise and expand Lucas Girling’s operations in the EEC. In 1976, Bunty was appointed President of Lucas North America. He and Linda spent the next 13 years commuting between Birmingham, Paris and the States - part of the deal being unlimited flights on Concorde. I have a cutting from the Detroit Press reporting that Bunty’s air miles exceeded 100,000 a year – sadly they are not transferable. He was justifiably proud of his enormous achievements at Lucas Girling during a career spanning 30 years.

Bunty chose to retire in 1989 and returned to Astwood Bank to the house that he and Linda had bought in the 70s with its unrivalled view of the Malvern Hills. He and Linda stayed at Astwood Bank for a further 27 years and died within four months of each other.

John Wootten

This new history of The King’s School, Worcester celebrating the school’s 475th anniversary year, is presented in a 280-page, full colour folio edition, charting the progress of The King’s School from the time of King Henry VIII to the present day.

Updated to include full co-education, the end of boarding, the inclusion of King’s Hawford within the King’s Foundation and the developments of the Tim Keyes era, the book brings the history of The King’s School right up to date.

Edited by Danny Payne (School House 1992-99) and including stunning new photography, professional archaeology and contributions from Old Vigornians and former staff members, The King’s School, Worcester: From 1541 into the 21st Century is an essential read for all members of the King’s Community.

All proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to the ‘Enduring Bursary Appeal’.

To order your copy for just £18.00 (including postage) please contact development@ksw.org.uk.

Mara Goldstein (Co 81-83) visited King’s in May. After addressing an assembly in College Hall, in which she enthused about the Civil Service and encouraged pupils to persevere even if their career plans change, Mara spent time with modern languages students throughout the day, sharing her knowledge and experience of the Civil Service and working with European Union partners, particularly in Germany. Mara offered ‘life hacks’ to the Sixth Form, including being flexible, spotting opportunities and looking for friends who bring out the best in you. Mara has worked in several Government Departments and has been fortunate to do many exciting jobs, including helping establish European police co-operation. After three years as private secretary to the Home Secretary, Mara transferred to the Foreign Office where she became a diplomat; her postings abroad include Deputy High Commissioner to Canada.

graduated with a double first in Natural Sciences from Trinity Hall Cambridge, completing his doctorate in Experimental Psychology at Magdalen College Oxford in 1974. A distinguished career in academia followed, as a lecturer in Psychology of Education at the University of London and King’s College London; later, Guy enjoyed professorships at Bristol University and the University of

Now semi-retired, Guy is currently Visiting Professor of Education at King’s College London and travels the world lecturing on improving the quality of education. A prolific author, Guy has written, co-written or edited almost thirty books drawing on his expertise in cognitive science, life-long learning, intelligence and psychology of the mind, notably Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less (1997) and Building Learning Power (2002). He has also written books on Buddhism and taught meditation. Guy is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Society of Arts.

Guy became a member of the Barnabas Group when he addressed groups of pupils and teachers at King’s and King’s St Alban’s in May.

Archivist’s Report

475th Anniversary Exhibition

From 26th November to 18th December 2016, visitors to Worcester Cathedral will have seen the joint King’s School and Worcester Cathedral archives exhibition on prominent display in the Dean’s Chapel. The exhibition formed part of wider King’s celebrations to mark the school’s landmark 475th anniversary this year. King Henry VIII nominated John Pether to be the first Headmaster of the newly-founded cathedral school at Worcester in a letter dated 7th December 1541; and it was wonderful to have this exhibition up and running to incorporate the anniversary of that landmark date in the cathedral itself.

The celebratory exhibition featured archives material reflecting key events in the school’s history from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century. Alongside the chronological history of King’s, the exhibition showcased changes to the school site and buildings, and the formation of its Houses. Elsewhere, visitors will have seen testaments to King’s heavy losses during the wars of the twentieth century, and how these conflicts affected the school in

Interactive Timeline

Following on from this exhibition in Worcester Cathedral, the school archives has continued to celebrate King’s 475th anniversary throughout the year by featuring material from the exhibition on the new school website.

Robin Booth, King’s Digital Media Assistant, set up the wonderful interactive timeline in 2016, and the archivist has been adding pages to it ever since. The timeline is an ongoing project, showcasing the King’s history from its origins in the monastic school in the tenth century, to

junior schools, and details of all of King’s 34 Headmasters.

Of course, The King’s School has always celebrated close ties with Worcester Cathedral; it also has associations further afield. It was wonderful, therefore, to be able to include material from other institutions far and wide, including: the Museum of Royal Worcester; the Pilgrim Hall Museum, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; and three Oxford University colleges, namely Corpus Christi, Hertford, and Worcester.

The exhibition would not have been possible without the Cathedral Archivist, David Morrison (Cl 1987-1992), who agreed to hold a joint exhibition. He and his band of dedicated archives volunteers, headed by Meryl Wilson, meticulously sought out pertinent early material for display; and we are grateful to the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, for permitting reproduction of archive material. Grateful thanks must also go to Susie Arnold, the Cathedral’s Events Committee, and to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, for granting permission for use of the Dean’s Chapel to house the exhibition.

landmarks of the twenty-first century; and will help promote the school archives and history to all school visitors and interested parties. This wonderful resource means that the school’s 475th anniversary exhibition can be continued to be enjoyed and explored, whether or not visitors made it to last year’s physical exhibition in Worcester Cathedral.

The timeline can be found directly on the school website’s homepage, or by going to www.ksw.org. uk/timeline-index If you’ve not yet had a chance to investigate it, please do have a look!

Digitisation

Beyond the 475th anniversary celebrations, the archives has continued its everyday activities and ongoing projects. Following on from past years’ successful professional digitisation of whole school photographs and school registers, more digitisation has been undertaken this year. Previously we had digital copies of The Vigornian available from its earliest surviving copies in 1880 up to 2011. This year we have gained digital copies of the most recent editions, 2012-2016. It is wonderful to now have a complete set of digital copies which can be easily searched to help with answering various and wide-ranging enquiries.

Archives Club

King’s pupils continue to play a crucial role in the running and championing of the school archives. One of this year’s project highlights has been the Upper Fourth members’ making of a “CCF Old to New” powerpoint presentation, showcasing the history of the CCF from sources in the archives, which was shown during the school CCF parade on 24th March 2017. Thanks and congratulations to Thomas Young, Elise Varnes, Harriet Smith and William Temple-Purcell for putting this together. Another project included finding and copying theatre posters and programmes from relevant years and productions, in order to make a book for Mr Crosswell, who retired this year from his role as King’s Theatre Technician and Stage Manager. Lower Remove pupils Henny Hodges and Amy Yorke-Brookes continue to make excellent progress with transcribing Robert Wilmot’s First World War letters from

This is my third year of preparing for and participating in the OV Reunion over the May Bank Holiday weekend. The archives display boards were exhibited on the stage in College Hall on Friday afternoon in readiness for the special 475th anniversary dinner in Worcester Cathedral that evening. At the Sunday OV lunch I met and chatted to several OVs with whom I have previously been in email contact but had never met in person. It was good to be able to put some faces to names!

Meanwhile, it has been wonderful to welcome two volunteers who have been assisting in the archives this year. Abi Haywood (former King’s Library Assistant) has been tackling the accessions backlog by cataloguing fantastic amounts of material. In addition, Abby Gaunt (History student at Worcester University) produced a wonderful archives display on the history of King’s girls and women, as well as a smaller exhibition showcasing some of the 475th celebrations that have happened around the school this year: these displays are on show in the Long Gallery.

As ever, enquiries continue to come in from far and wide, covering a broad range of subjects. This year’s topics of enquiries have included the old Fives Courts, the school Debating Society, King’s 450th anniversary window in Worcester Cathedral, the history of the school cricket pavilion, and of course numerous enquiries about former staff and OVs, including some of those killed in both

Director of Music, Worcester Cathedral

The pupils of The King’s School, Worcester feature prominently in the Cathedral’s music department. Whilst all of the boy choristers attend either King’s or King’s St Albans, an increasing number of voluntary choir choristers and girl choristers are also pupils at one of the three schools in the Foundation.

2017 is a Three Choirs Festival home year and our commissions this year include, amongst others, works by Piers Connor-Kennedy and Ian King. Both of these musicians have recently composed works for both school and cathedral, indeed Piers was on the staff until last year. It is a great thing that we should continue to support this particular avenue of creativity and I am pleased that Simon Taranczuk and I share similar likes in our choices of modern composers. Both the Cathedral choir and the voluntary choir will join together to sing the Missa Vigornia of Connor-Kennedy at the Cathedral Eucharist during the Festival.

Speaking in broader terms, the previous year has seen a highly successful tour to the north of France with the girl choristers and men and a trip to Sweden for the boy choristers. Alto Lay-Clerk, Richard Pugh, retired at Christmas and many of us enjoyed a meal at the County Cricket Club with Richard and his wife Shelagh, where we were able to join with former members of the department

the music department at King’s but from September 2017 will have more focus on the Cathedral’s music. The organ scholarship will be filled by Ashley Wagner in September 2017. Ashley currently studies at Birmingham Conservatoire and hopes to combine the course there with his scholarship here at Worcester.

Another area of growth in the department is that of outreach to local schools, in collaboration with the Cathedral’s education department. This valuable work has also had the spin-off of proving to be a good recruitment tool for our choirs. Christopher Allsop, Richard Cook, John Wilderspin and myself have all been involved in bringing singing workshops into schools in the county. It would be both comfortable and simple always to look to King’s in our work with youngsters but it is good to know that our liaison with other schools is not only supported but mirrored by the work that King’s school carries out in the broader field.

It would be remiss of me to let this report pass without mention of a CD that we released towards the end of last year in tribute to Sir David Willcocks, once organist at the Cathedral. Whilst the middle of the summer is not the best time to mention such things, it is worth our noting the work of this great man and the sheer delight he has brought both singers and audiences over the years with

Governors of The King’s School, Worcester

Mr Hugh Carslake BA, LLB Chairman

The Very Rev Peter Atkinson MA, FRSA Vice Chairman

Professor Michael Clarke CBE MA, DL

Mr Laurence Green LLB

Professor John Vickerman BSc, PhD, DSc

Mr Paul Walker MEB, BTech, MPhil, CEng, MIMMM

Mr Douglas Dale MA, FCA

Mrs Jane Jarvis BA (Hons), MCIPD

Mrs Patricia Preston MA (Oxon), DipM

Mr Mark Atkins MRICS

Mr Andrew Reekes MA, M.Res, FRSA

Mr Jeremy Goulding MA (Oxon)

Mr Rob McClatchey BA

Mrs Carolyn Pike OBE

University Places Awarded (2016)

University Places Awarded (2016)

University Places Awarded (2017)

University Places Awarded (2017)