BE NE AGE RE AC L A ETA RI
U19 WORLD CHAMPION
KINGSTONIAN KINGSTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE
2022/23
leading co-educational, independent day school – a significant departure from its previous history as a direct grant boys’ grammar school. 1978 is therefore potentially as important as 1561 or any other date in the School’s history, as it marks the beginning of the modern school we all enjoy and thrive in today.
HEAD MASTER’S WELCOME The academic year 2022–23 will be remembered as the year that life at KGS truly moved on from the trials and tribulations of lockdown and Covid recovery, and the School took another positive step forward in its illustrious history.
As ever, there were a vast number of performances – on the stage, in the concert halls and on the playing fields – to be proud of. So many students engaging with life beyond the classroom is something we can all celebrate. Perhaps, however, it was the performances of our rowers that really stood out this year. The senior girls have taken modern KGS rowing onto a level commensurate with the successes and glories of the past, and they are to be congratulated for doing so. May their dedication and commitment shine as an
example to other student athletes and performers across the School. Their success was, however, not limited to competitive endeavours. The rowing family of KGSBC and the KGS community at large kicked off our first year of commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), with the sponsored row raising over £25,000 for RALPHH, a charity established in the memory of Old Kingstonian Robert Allen (OK 2001), who died tragically young due to an underlying heart condition. The funds raised have helped the charity established by Rob’s family and friends to pay for more public defibrillators and Cardiac Risk in the Young assessments and education. KGS is proud to be one of only a few partner schools in the world to team up with the UNSDGs, which are all about equality, wellbeing, sustainability and partnership. Established by John Ruggie in 2015, the UNSDGs set out a simple but effective framework for how we can improve our world and its future.
At KGS, to further the work of the SDGs we established the Kindness Council, which aims to help to achieve the 17 goals via the principle of ‘be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and be kind to the planet’. This very much ties in with the Spinoza philosophy bound into our school motto of ‘Work Well & Be Happy’, the essence of which is to do your best, helping others around you to do the same, gaining a huge sense of genuine fulfilment from doing so. The sponsored row was followed by our inaugural Macmillan Coffee Morning, which we now have an annual commitment to, as well as events celebrating diversity and equality and our first ‘clothes swap day’ as part of sustainability initiatives. On the topic of sustainability, we are incredibly grateful to the Parent & Staff Association and all the parents who contribute to the events and fundraising for the purchase of our first fully electric minibus that will continue our drive towards becoming carbon neutral by 2028.
2028 is a key date in the future of KGS as it will mark 50 years of being a
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That sense of modernity and progress is ever present in our thinking, and it is in that vein that I would close the introduction to this year’s Kingstonian magazine with a few words of thanks and congratulations. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the material and production of this year’s edition. It is no mean feat to pull together a publication of this size and importance, that bookmarks another key year in the School’s history. Thank you also to everyone who has contributed to the events of the past year – the staff, parents, governors, alumni and, of course, not least the students. To those students who finished in last year’s Fifth Year and Upper Sixth I offer my heartfelt congratulations for their phenomenal achievements in the public exams. Their results were threatened to be held back by the return to 2019 levels of attainment, but they exceeded that benchmark by quite some margin, demonstrating that working well, and being happy, brings success both measurable and incalculable.
Enjoy your reading – Bene Agere Ac Laetari! Mr SR Lehec
CONTENTS 2022/23
92 SPORT
116 HOUSES
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128 CO-CURRICULAR
140 TRIPS
SCHOOL LIFE
Acknowledgements:
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Thank you to the many staff, students and alumni who have supplied both articles and photographs. We welcome feedback via marketing@kgs.org.uk on what you’d like to see in future issues of Kingstonian.
COMMUNITY
22 INTERNATIONAL
124 PASTORAL LIFE
Kingston Grammar School A leading independent 11-18 co-educational London day school. London Road Kingston upon Thames KT2 6PY
148 ALUMNI
159 FROM THE COMMON ROOM
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
020 8546 5875 enquiries@kgs.org.uk www.kgs.org.uk
AND FINALLY...
KGS1561 KGS1561 kingstongrammar
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SCHOOL LIFE
Farewell, Class of 2023 When sitting down to write a farewell, one often starts with a view of the overall character of the group. I must confess that, in the case of the Class of 2023, this has left me a little stumped. Not because they lack character or, indeed, characters. Quite the opposite. They are not simply a ‘sporty’ year group, or a ‘creative’ year group or, heaven forbid, a ‘boisterous’ year group. They are all of these in parts and much more. What stood out to me as their Head of Sixth Form was their range, both as individuals and as a cohort. This was a group of students where you were likely to encounter a First XI hockey player playing music in one of the school concerts; where you would find netball players volunteering with the local primary school and where you would find those working on the school play also at CCF training after school on a Friday. This was a year group that would not be pigeonholed, and those traits will stand them in good stead for life beyond KGS.
We wish them a fond farewell and all the best in the future. Mr N Hudson, Head of Sixth Form
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02–03
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SCHOOL LIFE
Class of 2023
Eve Abbott I Paul Adams I Junaid Alam I Toby Anderson I Alistair A Aisling Barton I Penny Bennett I Luca Booth I Phoebe Bowen I An Dhilan Chopra I Alex Clarke I Toby Collin I Adam Comley I Evie Co Casper Cook I Lola Crampin I Alexi Cross I Eloise Cross I Teddy C Fin Dickinson I Matilda Drewett I Tom Evans I Ben Fairweather I O Hattie Fowkes I Jake Francis I Sophie Fuller I Millie Furner I Jemim Millie Good I Silvia Greco I Kierth Grewal I Jai Gujral I Jacob Halls Higham I Henry Hill I Jolie Hodgson I Teva Hogarth I William Hudd Eva Johnston I Daniel Jolly I Rebecca Jones I Jemima Jordan I Ka Luis Knowles I Rohan Korpal I Harriet Lannero I Melker Lannero I E Olivia Lett I Jasmine Levell I Doyoun Lim I Fia Mahdi I Pranay Malh Kea Murray I Sid Nair I Bilal Naqvi I Adam Nasir I Riya Nathan I Ed O Sachin Patel I Natasha Pearce I Finn Pfeifer I Edward Phillips I Lara Frank Pye I Ben Reilly I Daniel Roberts I Olivia Rosser I Amelie Sco Lila Skeet I Adam Sloan I Amy Smith I Millie Smith I Sam Smith I Pr Rosie Symons I Lucas Targett I Ben Temple-Bowles I Tomas Timm Erin Verwoerd I Diya Wadhwani I Jess Walker I Alex Watkins I Jaco Rebecca Woodcock I Kiki Zhang I Laura Ziehms #workwellandbehappy
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Anthony I Cristobal Arraya I Charlie Bark I Rachel Barnicoat I nouk Busset I Elsie Callen I Eleanor Catcheside I onder I Bella Conder I Liam Conlon I Alice Connell I Curtis I Oliver Davis I Oli Dawson I Adam De Rozairo I Ollie Fairweather I Leon Feltham I Daniel Fletcher I Ruby Foley I ma Fussell I Sophie Garner I Jackson Ginn I Madi Good I I Sam Harcourt I Eleanor Hauck I Daniel Hepburn I Johnny dleston I Evie Hurn I Toby Ison I Fin James I Jack Jeynes I atie Jukes I James Keywood I Kareena Khandelwal I Jo Kim I Erin Lawson-Smith I Martha le Huray I Xian Leonard I hotra I Imogen Marinko I Katie Monaghan I Katie Mullally I Orrell I Caitlin Oxborrow I Kyle Park I Angelica Pasamontes Steel I a Pilcher I Louis Pisarro-Jensen I Tom Powell I Oliver Prasher I ott I Faran Shaheen I Jack Shaikh I Maddie Sibley I Harry Skeates I ragna Sree Ganesh I Ben Stancliffe I Emma Stoner I mermans I Lilah Tincknell I Sophie Tomison I Harry Venning I ob Watkins I Rosalind White I Daniel Wilding I Chloris Wong I
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SCHOOL LIFE
LEAVERS‘ DAY
Over and out! Upper Sixth’s end-of-year fun down at Ditton Field.
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06–07
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Prizegiving & Graduation Ball Graduation and the Leavers’ Ball was hugely enjoyable, held for the first time as a joint event at Sandown. The School Captains team of Hattie Fowkes, Sachin Patel and Jemima Jordan gave a wonderful speech, reflecting on the past seven years at KGS but looking forward with not a little excitement to their glittering futures, ready to make their mark on the world. After prizes and certificates had been handed out, with moving farewells from Form Tutors, we all decamped to the sunny terrace for a celebratory drinks reception and photographs followed by dinner for staff and leavers. Later, the entire Upper Sixth descended on the dance floor along with some of the more enthusiastic members of staff! It is always a huge privilege to act as the Head of Year to any year group and to have spent two years with this particular cohort of young people has been one that I will always remember. They are an exceptional group, each with their own unique abilities and talents and we are so excited to see what they do with their lives. As our outgoing School Captains so eloquently said, let us celebrate the memories, the friendships and the lessons learned. Let us celebrate the teachers who have guided us and our families who have supported us every step of the way. And let us celebrate the future, where we will all continue to work well and be happy. And with that we say goodbye and good luck to the wonderful Class of 2023. Dr A Crampin, Head of Upper Sixth
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08–09
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Results 2023 With the national media narrative being one of reduced top grades and potentially disappointed students, we were thrilled that these hardworking and committed students fulfilled their potential with excellent sets of results. We are exceptionally proud of them all.
A LEVEL As we bid the Upper Sixth farewell, we thank them for their good humour, their absolute engagement with life at KGS, and their immense contribution to their communities through charitable and voluntary work. We know that our alumni, our ‘Kingstonians’, go on to make a genuine and very positive difference to the world. We look forward to following their journeys and sharing in their success stories in the future.
GCSE This group of young people have not only worked incredibly hard but have done so whilst leading rich and diverse co-curricular lives, engaging in competitive sport, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh, mentoring and volunteering. They should be incredibly proud of their achievements. Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
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INTERNATIONAL
A LEVEL
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14–15
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GCSE
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16–17
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SCHOOL LIFE
WELCOME TO OUR NEW
School Captains 2023/24
It was a pleasure to work with the School Captain team of Hattie Fowkes, Sachin Patel and Jemina Jordan over the course of the year and I thank them for their excellent leadership. My thanks also go to the Upper Sixth Senior Prefects and Prefects for their hard work and commitment to the School. As we bid farewell to one group, I am delighted to welcome for the 2023/24 year the team of School Captain Stanley Farrant and Vice Captains Tom Morris, Ella Robinson and Miri Scott and very much look forward to working with them. Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
ELLA ROBINSON
TOM MORRIS
(VICE CAPTAIN) BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, MATHS, AS FURTHER MATHS
(VICE CAPTAIN) MATHS, FURTHER MATHS, HISTORY, ECONOMICS
I’m delighted to be a School Vice Captain this year. I am a committed hockey player, playing for the First XI as well as a national league side at Wimbledon HC. In my spare time I learn French, play the piano and help run a science club for First Years. I have spent time volunteering at St Stephen’s cooking for people experiencing homelessness and have been mentoring GCSE Maths students at the Kingston Academy.
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I’m hoping to read Economics at university. I play tennis and hockey at KGS, enjoy being part of the Young Enterprise Company and volunteer as a Maths Mentor. As a Vice Captain, I am looking forward to being more involved in school life and taking on a more active role in the running of the School Parliament.
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MIRI SCOTT
STANLEY FARRANT
(VICE CAPTAIN) CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, MATHS, ENGLISH LITERATURE
(SCHOOL CAPTAIN) MATHS, FURTHER MATHS, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY
I love music, hockey and tennis (although I could do without the fitness training!). As a Vice Captain I hope to help continue and develop the School’s sustainability and community programmes. I’m still deciding on degree choices but am really interested in Medicine and the Human Sciences.
I am planning to study Engineering at university and have a particular interest in environmental and civil engineering, with a focus on sustainable transportation networks and renewable energy. When I’m not studying, I play the bass guitar in a band, as well as the piano and the guitar, and love collecting records. As School Captain, I’d like to engage students on the issues of environmental and social sustainability.
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SENIOR PREFECTS
Maya Arwas Timothy Bryce Ellinor Comard Katherine Don-Wauchope Lucas Eley Hannah Farrell Ethan Hammond Anna Helbing Ollie Honeybone Sam Kelly Day Ko Polina Turnbull Joss White
SCHOOL LIFE
School Colours & Honours ‘23
FULL SCHOOL COLOURS
2023 AWARDS
School Colours and Honours are awarded to recognise excellence and commitment to sport and other co-curricular areas of school life respectively.
Cricket Eve Abbott Tim Bryce Jemma Dreyer Joe Goodsman Johnny Higham Erin Lawson-Smith Kea Murray Daniel Roberts Sophie Tomison Harry Venning
Football Cristobal Arraya Alex Clarke Oliver Davis Finlay Dickinson Harry Venning
Netball Eve Abbott Jemima Fussell Fia Mahdi Katie Mullally Lara Pilcher Amelie Scott Amy Smith Sophie Tomison Jess Walker
Rowing Natasha Pearce
Tennis Elsie Callen Oliver Davis Teva Hogarth Kea Murray Sid Nair
FULL SCHOOL HONOURS Art Lilah Tincknell Imogen Marinko
CCF Phoebe Bridges Eleanor Comard Alexi Cross Hattie Fowkes Daniel Hepburn Sachin Patel Edward Phillips Joss White Lucas Thompson
Community Service Joss White Sam Kelly
Golf
Drama
Oli Dawson
Toby Ison Fin James Penny Bennett
Hockey Rachel Barnicoat Elsie Callen Madi Good Millie Good Ellie Hauck Jolie Hodgson Teva Hogarth Martha Le Huray Katie Mullally Ollie Stone Jess Walker
Music Kiki Zhang
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INTERNATIONAL
International
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INTERNATIONAL
International KGS has been working with the Shanghai-based Mountain Education Group (MEG) who have been running a successful Chinese bilingual school – the Qingpu Pinghe International School – since 2000. In September 2022, The Mountain Kingston Bilingual School (MKBS) opened in Suzhou, west of Shanghai. The Chinese regulatory environment requires all Chinese nationals at middle school level to study the Chinese national curriculum. KGS won’t be involved in curriculum delivery at this level, but we will help support the students in their co-curricular activities, pastoral welfare and the bilingual element of their education. Student enrolment for this section of the school will start in September 2024. Mark Bedford, who has headship experience in the UK, Middle East and Asia, has been employed by MEG and we will be working closely with him to help him align the British elements of the bilingual delivery with the KGS ethos. Kingston Grammar School International (KGSI) is a separate commercial entity that works with our Chinese partner, but which is distinct and separate from KGS, which is a charity. KGSI receives royalties for our involvement which in turn will be gifted to support our Fee Assistance Programme here at KGS and increase the number of fee-assisted places we can offer. This is very similar to the way many other leading independent schools support their bursary programmes, including King’s Wimbledon, RGS Guildford, Lady Eleanor Holles, Reigate Grammar and Westminster, who all have comparative operations in China and the Middle East. The school is a world-class facility with an incredibly high standard of design and aesthetic. Suzhou is an ancient city known as the Venice of the East and is 100km west of Shanghai (30 minutes on the bullet train). It has strong Singaporean links and a vibrant expatriate community, which gives it a more international feel than some other cities in China. This exciting project will afford opportunities for both staff and students in the UK and China. As the school grows, there will be the chance for KGS staff to help support MKBS with training, quality assurance and supportive inspection visits, alongside educational and cultural exchanges.
Mrs D Sherwood, Director of International
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
ART The Art Department has had an eventful and fruitful year, filled with inspiring exhibitions, fascinating trips and remarkable achievements. The students’ dedication and talent have shone through various competitions and showcases, making this year a true testament to the School’s commitment to the arts.
Perhaps our most successful individual artist from the Junior School has been Alexandria Coen. She entered and won two art competitions this year, one for the Royal Entomological Society and the other for a poster to adorn the new Unilever Campus being built in Kingston town centre. One of the highlights of the year was House Art, where students showcased their creativity and teamwork in response to the KGS motto, ‘Work Well and Be Happy’. The competition fostered healthy competition and
a sense of camaraderie among the students and the resulting artwork was probably the best we’ve ever had for this competition. Judging the work was challenging but the ultimate victors were Stanley, with Walworth coming in as runners-up. It was a spectacle of imagination and innovation, with stunning artworks adorning the walls of the Gallery. House Photography was another exciting event that allowed budding photographers to demonstrate their technical
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skills and artistic vision. Students captured stunning moments, exploring the theme of ‘reflections’. The competition highlighted the students’ keen eye for detail and their ability to convey powerful messages through imagery. The winning photograph was taken by Clementine Holloway of Walworth, with Zoe Crooks of Queen’s coming second. Art trips played a crucial role in exposing them to renowned artists and exhibitions. The Fourth Years had the opportunity to visit the Peter Doig exhibition at
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the prestigious Courtauld Institute, immersing themselves in the works of this contemporary master. The Art Scholars went on a memorable trip to The Surrey Sculpture Society Showcase at the Landmark Centre in Teddington. Surrounded by stunning sculptures, the scholars were able to engage with the artists and gain valuable insights into their creative processes. The visit sparked new ideas and inspired the scholars to push the boundaries of their own artwork.
Additionally, the Sixth Form, an unforgettable trip to Paris provided a rich cultural experience and a chance to visit worldrenowned galleries such as the Musée d’Orsay and Atelier des Lumières, and places of interest such as the Père Lachaise Cemetery. Surrounded by some of history’s greatest masterpieces in this wonderful city, students couldn’t fail to be inspired upon their return.
The year was also marked by several Upper Sixth students gaining places at top art schools, a testament to their talent and hard work. Notable amongst these are Casper Cook, Imogen Marinko, Jasmine Levell, Lilah Tincknell and Kiki Zhang. Matilda Drewett, Jemima Fussell, Silvia Greco, Fin James, Eve Abbott, Sophie Fuller and Caitlin Oxborrow are the rest of a very talented cohort who have been a joy to work with this year.
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A magnificent exhibition of GCSE and A Level art celebrated the students’ dedication, growth and artistic development. It showcased a diverse range of mediums, styles and themes, reflecting the students’ individuality and creativity. Mr J Dyson, Head of Art
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GALLERY
A LEVEL
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GALLERY
GCSE
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Using transects to examine evidence of periwinkle zonation at Kimmeridge Bay
BIOLOGY 2022–23 saw significant changes in staffing in the Biology Department. Mrs Hill returned to take up a permanent position with us. Our long-standing senior Biology technician, Lesley Presland, left us after 21 years of service to devote more time to her family. The good news for us is that Sarah Pinchbeck, Lesley’s daughter, has taken over the mantle.
Our annual Brain Day, in collaboration with Psychology, took place again with visiting lecturer, Dr Guy Sutton, delivering yet more fascinating lectures to the Sixth Form, the highlight of which was the sheep’s brain dissection.
The UKBC Biology Olympiad in March again produced some impressive results. Highly Commended awards were earned by Hamza Elmansoury, Nabeeha Bilal, Danni Poole and Constance Jessop; Bronze awards were gained by Max Crampin, Katja Bardorf and Ally Ashton; Silver awards were achieved by Max Billar, Anas Boulahmi and Miranda Scott. Most impressive of all was the Gold award gained by Ella Robinson, a truly outstanding achievement.
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We returned to Leeson House for the tenth year for our A Level Biology field trip in June. Temperatures around 20°C were a pleasing relief from the warmer and more humid weather in South West London at the time. The students worked hard in their study of sand dune succession, freshwater invertebrate ecology and rocky shore marine zonation and were rewarded with a couple of trips to see the sights and sounds of Swanage in the evenings.
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Searching for crabs amongst the rock pools
First Year Science Club ran from September led by Mrs Hill, Ms Thomas, Mrs Mayor and Miss Clarkson, ably assisted by Ella Robinson from the Lower Sixth. The Autumn term involved activities such as making streamlined plasticine animals and seeing which moved the quickest through the water, testing how acid and alkali everyday substances are, and looking at cells under microscopes.
Around Bonfire Night, students learned about how fireworks function by carrying out flame tests using Bunsen burners. The run up to Christmas involved the production of Christmas trees made from salt crystals and testing how quickly candy canes dissolve in different solvents.
In the Spring term, students used the carbon in match heads to extract iron, measured the speed of sound in air and extracted DNA from various fruits. They observed the foaming ‘elephant’s toothpaste’ experiment and took part in the egg drop challenge, where parachutes and protective casings were developed to preserve eggs dropped from ceiling height. Of notable interest were the various dissections that the students undertook – hearts, eye balls and locusts generated a lot of curiosity!
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Mr M Rodgers, Head of Biology
ACADEMIC MATTERS
CHEMISTRY
Any visitor to the Chemistry Department cannot help but marvel at the beautiful and informative displays which line the corridors. Dr Winning spends countless hours researching these displays and the first of the month is always an exciting time as the new ‘molecule of the month’ is unveiled.
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New for the 2022–23 academic year, a weekly Chemistry joke became a feature that this writer has very much appreciated, probably a barometer of my own intellectual level!
It is always very rewarding to see students and staff loitering in the corridors to update their chemical knowledge. This year my favourite display by far was The Chemistry of Spring Bulbs, fascinating and stunning in equal measure. The bulbs ‘grew’ throughout the Spring term, with Dr Winning painstakingly cutting out little petals so that by the Easter holidays all flowers were in full bloom.
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The Chemistry
of Spring Bulbs While daffodils are attractive flowers, and horticulturalists have bred an amazing variety of daffodil forms to delight all tastes, they are both toxic to humans and other plants. Mixing daffodils with other flowers in the same water will often cause the other flowers to wilt and die prematurely. The principle chemical compound that causes these problems is narciclasine, an alkaloid that is released in the mucilage that escapes when the stems are crushed or cut. Also in that mixture are sugars and polysaccharides that increase bacterial growth and block water uptake by flowers such as roses and tulips.
It has been another very enjoyable year in the Chemistry Department, and I want to thank Dr Winning, Mr Casasanto, Mr O’Collins, Miss Clarkson, Mrs Lett, Mr Hardie and Miss Boyes for all their hard work. We wish all our Upper Sixth leavers all the very best as they move on from KGS, and trust that some of the chemical knowledge they imbibed in lessons, or from reading the displays, stays with them long into the future! Mr C Wenham Second in Chemistry
2023 Upper Sixth leavers studying Chemistry and related degrees: Leon Feltham, Natural Sciences Cambridge Katie Monaghan, Natural Sciences Cambridge Sachin Patel, Chemistry Edinburgh Eleanor Catcheside, Chemistry Southampton Ben Reilly, Chemistry Manchester Ben Stancliffe, Chemistry Leeds
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Other alkaloids in daffodils include lycorine and ingestion of daffodils by humans leads to severe vomiting and diarrhoea. Lycorine has been shown to have anti-tumour activity for the treatment of cancer, but no clinical trials have yet been conducted in humans.
ACADEMIC MATTERS
CLASSICS Top of the list of highlights this year was our Second Year trip to the Bay of Naples, rescheduled three times since 2019.
We visited Herculaneum and Pompeii, and students were able to experience Italian culture at a local festival in Sorrento. They were exemplary ambassadors for the School, asking thoughtful and perceptive questions of the local guides. They also threw themselves enthusiastically into the scavenger hunt and photography competition, acting out daring scenes of combat in Pompeii’s amphitheatre and scenes of Roman daily life in one of the many ancient thermopolia (the Roman
equivalent of a fast food restaurant). We look forward to a similarly fascinating experience on our senior trip to Sicily in 2024. We have seen some fantastic success from our First Years in the Ovid Competition, organised by Cambridge University, where students developed their own creative responses to myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. This was the first time that KGS had entered this competition and we were absolutely thrilled to see two winners, whose work focused on Daedalus and Icarus.
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Emilia Coladangelo won the Performance category for a gripping dramatic reading of her own poem, The Winged Boy. Oliver Hamilton’s outstanding modern retelling set in the lair of an evil Bond-style villain earned him victory in the Creative Writing category, judged by Roman Mysteries author Caroline Lawrence. We have also enjoyed seeing students challenging themselves by entering other national competitions, including a Classics Creative Writing competition run by Oxford University.
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Viewing a well-preserved wall painting of Hercules in a building in Herculaneum, then a wealthy Roman seaside resort whose residents were killed in the eruption of Vesuvius of 79CE/ AD. The building is thought by archaeologists to be the College of the Augustales (a civic order of freedmen charged with the organisation of the imperial cult for emperors who were deified after death).
Students in the Fourth Year took a leading role in a new initiative for the Classics Department – our very own podcast. Tessa Stanier, Nelly Malykhanova and Clementine Holloway developed, researched and presented the podcast on entertainment in the Ancient World. They particularly enjoyed interviewing people around school about how they would get revenge for a section about Euripides’ Medea.
Our Fifth Year and Sixth Form have coped admirably with the return to public examinations this year. Fifth Years particularly enjoyed reading selections from the Bacchae in Greek and the cinematic accounts of Caesar’s campaign against the Gauls in Latin. Sixth Formers grappled with the scheming Sejanus in Tacitus’ Annals 4 and the momentous Book 12 of the Aeneid, while those studying Ancient History and Civilisation made the most of the breadth of options available with Greek
Theatre, Roman Politics and, of course, Homer and Virgil. We are thrilled that some of this cohort will be going on to pursue their Classical interests at university level, including Alistair Anthony, who already has experience of tutorial-style teaching after studying Greek A Level one-to-one with teachers over the last two years. Ms L Andrew, Head of Classics
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
2
1
DT
1 The Design Technology Department continues to thrive and last year was as busy and productive as ever.
Mr D Farr, Head of DT
Second and Third Year students in Tech Club built the Phoenix, our Greenpower Electric Car, with a view to racing it at Dunsfold Park.
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2 Outside the classroom, the First Year Technology Club has produced some fantastic projects including door plaques, mirrors and lights.
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2
3
3 The Starpacks Graphics Competition continues to be popular, with the Fourth Year students that entered achieving a range of gold, silver and bronze awards.
Further up the school, GCSE and A Level students worked incredibly hard on their coursework.
We were delighted with their excellent results in August, as well as how many chose to continue to A Level and beyond.
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
A LEVEL:
project notes. . .
Multipurpose, space-efficient desk and storage designed for student accommodation
Welded steel frame for strength
Adjustable
Multi-purpose
Fully adjustable shelving rack for maximum flexibility
Materials.. Folding desk for space efficiency Plywood panels used for a contemporary look and cost-effectiveness
Space saving..
A LEVEL BEN FAIRWEATHER
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Based on the design of a traditional writing bureau
Inspiration
Compact Painted with a modern emulsion for a clean, modern feel.
Space-saving design ideal for compact student accommodation
Emulsion
Storage solution
Fold-down storage desk using contemporary materials
Hanging solution
A LEVEL TOBY COLLINS
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
JUNIOR SCHOOL PRODUCTION:
Treasure Island With dramatic plot twists, sword fights and the undeniable thrill at the chance of finding long-lost treasure with a mysterious map, Treasure Island, performed by a group of talented Second and Third Years was a smashing success. Sitting in the audience, you could feel the excitement grow as the story progressed. Would Squire Trelawny, Jim and the crew of misfits find the treasure they so desperately wanted? And would Long John Silver with Captain Flint and his dangerous crew successfully overthrow The Hispaniola? The acting was truly extraordinary and, coupled with amazing technical elements, brought this fantastic show to life – a huge shoutout to the tech crew who always work so hard to make shows a resounding success! Anya Taylor perfectly portrayed the eager and courageous but modest Jim Hawkins, effectively guiding the audience through the story with her narration. Alongside Anya, Melody Moppett wondrously performed the role of Squire Trelawny, naively trusting the dangerous Long John Silver, played cleverly by Allegra Kelly. Audience favourite, Daniel Rust, successfully overcame the challenge of puppeteering and perfectly played the role of Captain Flint, the cunning Parrot. Other notable performances were from Ava Kasolowsky as the wise and practical Dr Livesey, Eden Taylor as the professional and rule-abiding Captain Smollett, Miller Fearn as the cheese-loving, abandoned cabin boy Ben Gunn and Bella Brunati as the always forgotten and left behind Grey. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in such a fabulous production! Hannah Farrell, Lower Sixth
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ACADEMIC MATTERS
THE CAST
Anya Taylor Anna Jackson Hannah Price Ava Kasolowksy Melody Moppett Bella Brown Georgia Land Lily Buchanan
Zara Bate Alexander Christie Sami Ghusayni Eden Taylor Allegra Kelly Eva Rouse Rosie Campbell Julia Stewart
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Greg Cameron Imogen Cockerell Bella Brunati Miller Fearn Daniel Rust Jamie Scott Jonah Callen Alice Maltby
Alex Medley Oliver Mrkusic Emilie Wellman Angela Oliva-Velez Segura
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THE CREW
Alicia Bramwell Edward Haynes Tess Goodyer Antonia Ridley Alex Carrodus Joe Finn Milly Gregg Day Ko
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MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION:
Jekyll and Hyde Evan Placey’s adaptation of this classic novel picks up after the death of Doctor Jekyll, and his wife (played magnificently by Plum Knowles) is grieving the loss of her husband. When looking through her late husband’s possessions, she comes across recordings of his experiments so decides to investigate. After several attempts she ends up making the same concoction that enables one to be liberated and able to investigate their true desires, regardless of how dark and dangerous they may be. This was a truly immersive performance as the music, costume, lighting and acting kept the play very engaging throughout both acts. One of my favourite moments of the play was when Hettie Jekyll was in Doctor Jekyll’s lab experimenting, as the juxtaposition between the prim and proper lady that she presented herself as and her inner curiosity and desire to be able to learn were conflicting. This scene was also cleverly paired with the song Just a Girl by No Doubt as it emphasised that society at the time expected women to just be a ‘pretty face’, whereas Hettie disproves this point as she is equally smart and capable as her husband. Another moment that stood out to me is when Hettie Jekyll transformed into Flossie Hyde, and she ventured out to the local bar. Plum had changed from her very formal dress, into a corset and leather trousers. This clever costume change helped emphasise the contrast between the two sides of the character. Lucy Medley, Lower Sixth
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THE CAST
Nell Gudgin Plum Knowles Ava Dent Oliver Kemp Emily Smith Iarina Nacu Holly Seabrook Freya Ludlow
Aria Chaukar Grace Dormer Orson Griffith Adrian Tonge Charlie Neale Ben Fine Amelia Marinko Jasper Simmons
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Leon Brierly Izzy Reilly Hannah Topen Emily Jones Rosa Snow James Russell Lauren Proddow Ava Cooper
Gabriela Philpott Josie Hill
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THE CREW
Joe Finn Alex Carrodus Hannah Farrell Milly Gregg Maya Arwas Stanley Farrant Day Ko
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SENIOR SCHOOL PRODUCTION:
Everyman Meet Everyman: they have spent 30 years leading a life of drinking, debauchery and downright detestable decisions, enjoying every deadly sin devised. Now, however, there’s a problem. Everyman is dead. Luckily, if they can find just one friend to vouch for them, God might grant a reprieve. But after the kind of lifestyle Everyman has enjoyed, this might be easier said than done. KGS presented this electrifying play, an adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy of a 15th century morality play, in stunning fashion. God presides over the proceedings, a role that is ably filled by Alicia Bramwell, whose powerful voice commanded attention as she travelled over Duffy’s rhyming lines. She has sent her wise-cracking messenger, Death (Amelie Scott), to break the bad news to Everyman (Ben Temple-Bowles), who lurches from pitiful begging to rebellious denial of his fate. Mr. Temple-Bowles brings a frantic energy to the doomed protagonist, while Miss Scott is equal parts creepy and comic as the hazmat-suited Grim Reaper. Unfortunately, everything Everyman depended on seems to slip from his grasp. Their friends (humorously portrayed by the ensemble cast) don’t want to risk the journey to meet God. Their family (more tragically drawn by the senile father Jake Francis, ailing mother Arya Vamadevan, and exasperated sister Maddie Mepham) can’t bring themselves to forgive the prodigal son/daughter. And even the gold-clothed Material Goods (Diya Wadhwani, Ava Tallon, Lottie Routledge and Ben Reilly) have to laugh at the idea that God can be bought. It all looks rather dire for Everyman. In the second half, however, the eponymous role is taken up by Anouk Busset. She brought out a more reflective, sensitive side to Everyman as they begin to accept that a focus on gold instead of good deeds has led them astray. Aspects of Knowledge are brought to life by the sharp double-act of Lila Skeet and Lara Pilcher, leading to an emotionally-charged meeting between Everyman and their younger self (played by Eva Rouse in a stand-out performance for a Second Year actor). Here, Miss Busset flexes her ability to capture an audience’s attention, drawing us in to Everyman’s fears and doubts, achieving that great aim of theatre: to make us see ourselves on stage. Ultimately, this all culminates in a tour de force finale combining music, dance, quick-change-stagecraft, and a heartfelt plea to a world at risk. Mr B Campbell, English
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THE CAST
Ben Temple-Bowles Anouk Busset Alicia Bramwell Amelie Scott Fin James Toby Anderson Hannah Farrell Day Ko
Teva Hogarth Benny Romberg Ophelia Fyfield Eleanor Jones Ellie Hewer Lucy Medley Diya Wadhwani Ava Tallon
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Lottie Routledge Ben Reilly Arya Vamadevan Jake Francis Maddie Mepham Lara Pilcher Lila Skeet Eva Rouse
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THE CREW
Toby Ison Paul Adams Milly Gregg Phoebe Bowen Alex Carrodus Stanley Farrant Maya Arwas Joe Finn
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UPPER SIXTH:
The final curtain In late March, Upper Sixth Drama students performed for the final time in The Michael Frayn Theatre. This performance was worth 20% of their A Level grade. The first group gave a gorgeous performance of Brief Encounter based on Kneehigh’s production and the original film. The ensemble captured the late 1930s and the use of choral singing, physical theatre and multi-rolling kept the story’s momentum. Toby Anderson and Amelie Scott gave exquisite performances as Alec and Laura embarking on their illicit affair meeting at the train station café every Thursday. Silvia Greco cleverly designed the set to allow all actors to remain on stage throughout and Toby Ison created a stunning lighting design which captured the internal array of emotions that Laura was feeling as well as working in harmony to Rachmaninoff’s famous music which underscored the piece. The second group performed a chilling modern text of the Greek tragedy Medea. This was a cleverly staged production placing the chorus on the perimeter of the stage with minimal props, allowing the actors to shine. Diya Wadwhani gave a commanding performance as Medea and Jake Francis was heart-breaking in the final moments of the play realising that his children had been slaughtered. The audience were spellbound and deeply moved by this incredibly mature performance from the entire cast. Special thanks to Mrs Borrows for once again sourcing the costumes for both pieces. On a personal note, the Drama Department will really miss this cohort of students. They have been an exceptional year group, showing resilience, commitment and talent in spades! We are delighted that Toby Ison will be attending RADA to continue his studies of lighting design and Fin James will be going to Mountview for three years on the BA Acting course (an incredible achievement for an 18-year-old). We look forward to seeing them again when they are collecting their awards at The Oliviers! Mr R Gee, Director of Drama
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THE CAST BRIEF ENCOUNTER
Toby Anderson Fin James Amelie Scott Angelica Pasamontes-Steel Teva Hogarth Penny Bennett
THE CREW
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Toby Ison Silvia Greco
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THE CAST MEDEA
Diya Wadhwani Jake Francis Lara Pilcher Lila Skeet Anouk Busset Ben Temple-Bowles
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ECONOMICS MR W BOHANNA, HEAD OF ECONOMICS & BUSINESS STUDIES
It has been a year of substantial change in the Economics Department, both in personnel and course specifications. I joined the School in September as Head of Economics, along with the brilliant Ms Albayrak as a teacher of Economics. We successfully introduced the A Level Economics course to replace the outgoing and, it must said, incredibly successful and established Pre-U Economics course.
WE THOUGHT WE’D ASK THE BEST CRITICS – THE STUDENTS – WHAT THEY THINK SO FAR:
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Tim Bryce My year studying Economics has been incredibly rewarding. The subject has provided me with a deeper understanding of how the world works, from analysing market trends to understanding economic policies. The practicality and relevance of it in everyday life has fascinated me, and I’ve enjoyed applying economic concepts to real-world scenarios.
Zain Noor
New for 2023/24 we will be introducing A Level Business and we look forward to exploring this dynamic and relevant curriculum with students.
Why study Economics? To understand the complexities of the world, using data to analyse markets and economies, and understand how governments try and influence both. By learning theoretical ideas that can be applied to topical areas of interest, like employment, trade policy and inflation, the intention is to build a critical understanding of the UK economy. Study the principles that underpin economic thinking and develop a ‘toolkit’ of economic ideas.
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I came to my first Economics lesson with no prior knowledge of the subject but I quickly realised how fascinating it is. From predicting human behaviour in simple processes such as what groceries to buy to calculating the optimal strategy for two nations at war, Economics is an intricate and fulfilling course to study.
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Micro v macro:
What’s the difference?
Sofia Ruijs At the beginning of this year, I would never have guessed that I would love Economics as much as I do. I have explored topics such as supply and demand, and monetary/fiscal policy. It is so fascinating to me to see how these concepts influence our daily lives. Economics has given me a better understanding about how the world works which is why I love it!
Ethan Hammond It has been an eye-opening year. From analysing economic trends to participating in simulations, I’ve enjoyed the intellectual challenge and the ability to make informed decisions based on economic principles. But what truly stands out is the opportunity to engage in discussions with classmates and teachers, exchanging diverse perspectives and uncovering the interconnected nature of economic systems.
Microeconomics topics include the nature of economics, the functions of the market, market failure and government intervention. Macroeconomics involves an analysis of the UK economy, exploring topics such as measures of economic performance, growth and policy.
As host this year, we were delighted to welcome George Vlachonikolis as keynote speaker discussing ‘Diversity in Economics & Business’ at the Economics & Business Trinity Group meeting. George is the Chair of Examiners at a UK exam board, PGCE Lead for Economics at the University of Buckingham and contributing author to several books with Cambridge University Press and Hodder.
Zain Noor has been appointed as a Financial Times Student Advocate for the coming academic year. Not only will this allow him to further explore his interest in Economics but also allow him to develop his analytical, research and presentation skills. “The position is, in essence, a promotion and analyst role. Articles are examined by the advocates with suggestions and criticisms presented to my mentor working at the Financial Times. This is truly an exciting opportunity, giving me a glimpse into the working world, in a sector I am particularly interested in, while also helping to give me practical skills vital to my professional life.”
Upper Sixth Economists enjoyed a Development Economics lecture and discussion with Dr Soumya Mishhra. Dr Mishra is a Lecturer in Indian and Global Affairs having completed her PhD in International Development at Oxford University. She focuses on migrant labour and employment relations in the Delhi national capital region.
We said a very fond farewell to Mr Ricketts at the end of the year after an incredible 34 years’ service at KGS; we thank him for his dedication and insights to all things economic. You can read a fuller farewell to Peter on page 159.
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ENGLISH We have continued to focus on diversifying the curriculum, exploring texts from a range of perspectives and voices, as well as retaining our well-loved canon ‘classics’.
While exam boards are still in some cases dragging their heels over broadening their set text selections, KGS teachers are enjoying exploring stories by and about a range of human experiences with their classes, such as Purple Hibiscus, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Sawbones or She Is Not Invisible. Similarly, the Sixth Form now study Small Island, Exit West or The Kite Runner as part of their coursework, alongside authors such as Chaucer, Shakespeare and Webster.
Our Sixth Form extension class has explored a huge range of topics, from the Gothic to a literary critical appraisal of The Tiger Who Came to Tea with Ms Stones. Ella Keating led a particularly interesting session on the legacy of Sylvia Plath, and how to read her as an author whose biography frequently overshadows her work. We also were lucky to benefit from a workshop led by Professor Anne Rowe at the Iris Murdoch Archive at Kingston University.
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It was fascinating to discover more about this giant of 20th century literature and philosophy, and quite astonishing to be able to leaf through her personal notebooks, diaries and letters – a really special experience.
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Alumnus Hal Purton published a collection of his poetry this year called My Cat is Up To Something. We can confirm it is, in equal parts, moving and humorous, and is available to order via Amazon!
Co-curricular activities have continued apace, with ‘Books and Board Games’ remaining a popular combo, as well as Inklings poetry club, and Junior, Middle and Senior Book Clubs discussing some great reads, such as The Girl of Ink and Stars, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Still Life.
A huge highlight of the year was Welsh poet Owen Sheers’ visit to speak to the Lower Sixth. It’s rare to have the chance pick the brains of a writer who you will be examined on at A Level (if only Shakespeare were available for Q&A!) and get insights ‘from the horse’s mouth’, as it were. The Lower Sixth hugely enjoyed the opportunity and gave Owen lots of questions to field. He was a truly inspiring speaker, both about his own influences as well as his wider ethos on writing;
indeed, a smaller selection of extension class attendees loved hearing about some of his more extraordinary experiences during a more informal chat over lunch, and even got some expert feedback on their own poetry writing. On a personal note, we were incredibly sad to see Mr Campbell move to Epsom College as Second in Department – a very well-deserved promotion – but are delighted to welcome Mr Brook in his place, maintaining the male quota in the department!
One last word needs to go to the heroic Miss Jackson, who ran the London Marathon in aid of CPotential, a charity that supports children and young people with movement disorders due to conditions such as cerebral palsy, global development delay and acquired brain injury. Ms P Stones, Second in English
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THE SONG OF RESTORATION By Grace Stylianou
I can clearly remember that family gathering. It’s been almost a year; my cousin’s coming over again. In my hand, a clay instrument modelled after the one from my favourite game, The Ocarina of Time. A crack runs down the middle, a reminder of that day. It hasn’t played as well since. I sigh, putting the fragile pottery on the highest shelf, which is what I should have done last time...
“Hey, little man, you’ve got so tall!” he exclaimed. When I heard the comment, I puffed out my chest, trying to appear taller. He chuckled, my palm resting on the banister, and I stepped down the honey-stained oak. “Not so tall now we’re eye to eye?” Arthur laughed and I heard a soft giggle accompany it. I looked about and saw Lucy, clutching his leg, looking up at me with wide eyes now that I had seen her.
“Honey! Lucy’s coming over. Have you finished tidying yet?”
“She loves seeing you, you know,” my mum said, glancing at her niece hooked onto Arthur’s leg. “Oh, Scott, would you mind fetching the water?” I made a display of sauntering toward the kitchen, but, in truth, I didn’t mind.
“Almost, Mum, just putting the last few things away,” I said, not having started sifting through the piles of work covering my desk. Releasing myself from the warm embrace of my blanket, I sat up in bed, my eye catching the wilted leaf of a plant. Heaving myself up, I made to water the soil. While I was filling a beaker, I heard someone enter my room. My mother was shoving the items on my desk into a storage bin. “What are you doing?” I set down the beaker. “I told you I was putting that away.” She looked at me, and then at my cluttered room, and raised her eyebrow. “Be quick,” she started, “or I’ll do it next time I’m here.” She walked out, leaving most of my homework in the box. I carefully placed things away, struggling to not use each object when I held it. After ten minutes, almost everything was away, except my ocarina. It was small enough to sit on my desk, being the size of my hand. I experimentally played a tune, praying there wasn’t any dust settled inside that I might inhale. One tune, two, three, as I embraced the sonorous music. I lost track of time as when I set it down on my desk, I heard the door swing open and a chorus of greetings floated up the stairs. Running down the stairs, I saw Uncle Arthur at the base of them.
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I piled some glasses onto a tray and filled a beaker with water. I slowly made my way to the drawing room; my mother had ushered everyone in. I felt everyone’s gaze turn to me as I entered the room and passed out glasses, but that faded as the hum of conversation started again. I set down the beaker and told everyone to help themselves. It stayed like that for a while, the familiar comments on height and schoolwork, intriguing discussions with Arthur. Then the water ran out, and I was sent to get more. Everything was going smoothly; I felt a relieved smile form on my face. Crack. What was that? I was in the hall, and I couldn’t hear anyone fussing over anything in the drawing room, so nothing broke there. Just then, a realisation came over me that made my stomach lurch – I hadn’t seen Lucy since she arrived. My brain was doing somersaults: I could feel it whirring in my skull. My heart began to pound against my ribs, threatening to burst right out. My eyes darted up the stairs, and I longed my body to follow but I couldn’t, not yet: I was still holding the water.
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With haste, I entered the drawing room once more. I set down the jug and backed out of the room. I sprung up the stairs. Near the landing when my foot caught on the last step and I plummeted forwards. I felt my face flush but I quickly stood up and – grasping the newel – pivoted about the post. I entered my room and saw Lucy.
The fragrance of fresh basil flooded my senses like a dam broken. I sheepishly entered the dining room: I had stayed confined to my bedroom for most of the afternoon. I surveyed the room. Why was everyone looking at each other like they knew something? This whole event was already a disaster for me and now they were keeping secrets?
She stood with her back turned and I clenched my fist with dread. She spun around excruciatingly slowly and, what I saw in her hand was enough for tears to threaten to spill. My ocarina was in shards. The delicate, glazed clay cracked in her grasp. Before I had time to think, I heard quick footsteps from behind me, as my mother entered the room.
“Scott.” It was Arthur who spoke. “I think your mother has something.”
“Are you kids alright? I’m sure I heard...” Her voice cut off. “Lucy, why don’t you come with Auntie? Can you give me that in your hand? It looks quite sharp, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”
From behind her back, my mother revealed a blue glazed instrument. My blue glazed instrument. My ocarina. I could feel my eyes light up as I scurried over to her, pulling her into a warm embrace. “Careful, little man, don’t want it to break again!” I could tell my mother glared at him before smothering me in her arms. “Thank you, Mum.”
Lucy was ushered out and my mother turned to me. “Oh Scott, I’m sorry, I should have kept a closer eye on her.” “No. I should have put it away.” “I can try to fix it, if you want me to. I can’t promise it’ll still play like it used to, though.” “I’d like that.” She walked out to fetch what I assumed to be superglue. I collapsed back onto my bed and rested my hands on my face. “I can’t believe I was so stupid. I just left it there, practically begging someone to mess with it,” I muttered, the sound muffled by my palms. I lay there for a while until hesitant footsteps approached my room. It was Lucy. “H-hey, Scott. Sorry I broke your stuff! Oh – Auntie says it’s time to eat. She has a surprise for you; she won’t tell me what it is.” She quickly left. I groggily sat up, my head spinning from the movement, and I trudged down the stairs.
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NOTES While students are instructed in the craft of story writing and are able to discuss their plans and first drafts with their teachers, they are required to work independently in refining, editing and proofreading their final submissions, which are then entered into a short story competition. T he winner is chosen by our judge, Mrs Corcoran, and is selected for inclusion here in the Kingstonian.
ACADEMIC MATTERS
Investigating glacial landforms in the (incredibly wet) Easedale Valley
GEOGRAPHY The happy return of fieldwork meant that GCSE geographers enjoyed trips to Seaford to learn about the success of the town’s coastal defences, whilst Fourth Years investigated the regeneration of Bristol on beautifully sunny day in June.
We returned to the Lake District towards the end of term with 38 Lower Sixth students, our largest ever cohort. This is our third year visiting Blencathra, near Keswick, and not even the cancellation of trains could dampen spirits, although the fairly constant rain did try. This residential week is always a busy one, with students planning their coursework investigation question. With more geographers than ever, we needed to widen our investigation areas, adding a stop to Grasmere – famous for Gingerbread and Wordsworth – as well as woodland areas near Keswick and exploring more of the Easedale valley.
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Not quite as picturesque, perhaps, but Kingston does offer a good resource for both A Level and younger geographers to conduct field work. Following their time in the Lake District, Sixth Formers were able to apply the skills they developed there in investigating Kingston town centre, specifically its changing character and connections. We were also fortunate to have a guided talk by the local history guides who told us the history of the town and what makes the area unique.
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Catching some ‘vitamin sea’ on a walk over the cliffs...
Assessing the beach profile at Seaford,including measuring the sediment height either side of the terminal groyne
In June, First Year students investigated whether the town is a local or global place, conducting questionnaires and land use surveys. The Department made headway in catching up on Iceland trips which were disrupted by Covid by taking two trips this year; Fifth Years visited in October (a long-delayed trip from Second Year) followed by Third Years at Easter. There is more on both these fantastic geographical experiences elsewhere in this edition of Kingstonian.
As we reflect on another year, our thoughts turn to how we can add to the curriculum to ensure students continue to build on their geographical understanding. We look forward to planning more fieldwork opportunities to enable them to step outside the classroom and question, explore and investigate the world. Mrs L Macfarlane, Head of Geography
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Oli Dawson
Maya Arwas Day Ko
Eloise Cross
Joss White Harriet Lannero
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
In November the KGS team of Sixth Form Politics students competed at the Model United Nations conference hosted by Royal Grammar School Guildford. 10 students represented India and Norway, debating, negotiating and cogitating in their committees and winning prizes along the way. Adam Nasir won Outstanding Conference Delegate for representing India in the Security Council and for his negotiating skills in the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, Adam Nasir (for India) and Oli Dawson for Belgium led a resolution to bolster the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence-sharing network (USA, Australia, UK, New Zealand and Canada) against China and Russia in the Pacific.
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They discussed amendments from the floor from delegations with a vested interest in either halting’ Five Eyes’ or supporting the group and successfully steered their resolution to a majority vote of the Assembly. In February, it was the turn of Guildford High School to host and KGS again sent 10 representatives. Outstanding Delegate status was awarded to Joss White for her excellent debating and negotiating skills on behalf of Norway in the Human Rights Committee and Oli Dawson for his equally impressive negotiating nous, tactical awareness and debating skills as delegate for Norway in the Security Council.
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Faran Shaheen
Adam Nasir Lucas Eley Katherine Cattermole
The award for Highly Commended Delegation was won by Norway (being runners up to the UK) consisting of Oli Dawson, Harriet Lannero, Joss White, Maya Arwas and Day Ko.
Delegates for India not already named and who made significant contributions to their respective committees were Eloise Cross, Faran Shaheen, Katharine Cattermole and Lucas Eley.
In addition, in the General Assembly, India’s delegate in the Security Council, Adam Nasir and Norway’s Security Council delegate Oli Dawson led a crisis motion which was well received by the assembled delegates of all countries at the conference.
Three delegations representing Italy, the UK and Denmark took part in a mini Model United Nations conference at Wimbledon High School in June. Despite this being the first experience of debating for most of our delegation, we were delighted that Joss White won Best Delegate in the UK Security Council for her work on the crisis in Sudan.
Adam Nasir also distinguished himself by being the sole KGS delegate to have his excellent resolution passed by a near unanimous vote in his committee, the Security Council.
This was the best KGS performance for many years. Well done to all. Mr D Sorley, Head of Politics
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Model United Nations simulations are a fantastic way to engage students in the core skills of debating, negotiating, compromise and persuasion. Not only do they learn how the UN functions but they get to improve their oracy skills as they lead delegations in argument with peers from other schools. Many of today’s leaders in law, government,business and the arts – including at the UN itself – participated in Model UN as students.
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HISTORY A key focus of the History Department has been shaping our curriculum to emphasise the relevance of historical events to the world that we live in. The political, social and economic challenges facing the world today are complex and more than ever have highlighted the importance of the study of History to enable us to understand current events.
At Key Stage 3, as we continue to diversify our curriculum to include more modern British and world history, encouraging students to consider more social and cultural history to enable us to gain real insight into how different peoples lived in the past, their impact on our world today and give agency to those we are studying. For our Fourth Year students, considering the causes of the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the subsequent impact of the worldwide depression of the 1930s has helped them to draw parallels with the current socioeconomic climate.
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Fifth Years’ study of the origins of the Cold War has been vital in allowing them to understand and interpret current global geopolitical tensions. The Lower Sixth have considered how economic challenges in Britain in the 20th century led to industrial action and have compared the different ways in which Labour and Conservative governments handled industrial relations with the actions of our government today.
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We were delighted to see the return of its annual Anniversary Lecture Series. A huge thank you to Mrs Angell for her work organising the event which focused on the significance of the Soviet Union, a century from its formation. The thought-provoking lectures given by our two guest speakers were not only invaluable to our A Level historians, but we were also pleased to invite students and parents from other year groups at KGS, as well as those from other schools within the Trinity Group and our local community.
We have enjoyed extending our learning beyond the classroom and embarking upon history trips to compliment the curriculum. We enjoyed taking the Second Year to the Vaudeville Theatre to see SIX the Musical and the Upper and Lower Sixth to see Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Lower Sixth historians also had the opportunity to attend Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire allowing them to experience everything from medieval jousting and cooking to immersive World War II trench experiences and discussions on current political affairs. Ms M Cope, Head of History
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LIBRARY
The Library was lucky enough to receive visits from two exciting authors this academic year. The Autumn term saw a visit from the poet Owen Shears, who is the author of one of this year’s set A Level English texts, Skirrid Hill. It was such an exciting opportunity for the Sixth Form English students to hear from an author that they are studying.
February is LGBTQ+ History Month and we invited the transgender performance poet Jay Hulme to KGS. Jay delivered some workshops to the First Years, who had just studied performance poetry, so it was a fantastic chance for them to witness it in person. Jay also met with the Equalities Society and was kind enough to answer questions about his life and work.
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The Library is also home to the weekly Craft Club, which this year has produced a wide variety of homemade delights. We celebrated Chinese New Year in February by hosting paper lantern, calligraphy and fortune symbol sessions where everything produced was used to decorate the Library.
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May saw the Coronation of King Charles III and Craft Club celebrated by making some beautiful red, white and blue bracelets. Mavi Turan was presented with this year’s Library Project Prize for the thoughtful and clever artefact that she produced as a result of her in-depth investigation into Alan Turing. Mavi researched Turing’s achievements,
as well as the pain and torment that he suffered throughout his life due to the way in which society viewed his sexuality. She chose a mask to symbolise how Turing had to hide his sexuality from those around him and decorated it with words associated with Turing that she came across during her research: genius, saviour, sinner, indecent, criminal.
She used newspaper articles about Turing’s life to cover the mask and painted the LGBTQIA+ flag over one eye. The mask was such a clever and thoughtful way to look at Turing’s life and was a worthy winner. Ms F McBride, Librarian
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* 1st
LIBRARY
The Extreme Reading Competition saw some excellent and daring entries featuring this year’s Read up! Kingston book, The Boy Behind the Wall by Maximillian Jones, a daring adventure set in Berlin during the 1960s.
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Sebastian Wheeler took first place for his photo of reading the book atop a (stationary!) car. Easily the most extreme entry for this year, so a clear winner.
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*
*
2nd
3rd
In second place was Eshan Patel, who put himself in the place of one of the characters by squeezing himself into a tiny, claustrophobic space (the bottom of his wardrobe!) and tried to imagine how they must have felt.
Gregor More’s third-place entry saw him reading the book where part of the book takes place: Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin!
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MATHEMATICS One focus for the year was on making sure that our strongest mathematicians are stretched and challenged.
Our Lower Sixth Further Mathematics course has seen the introduction of a separate sub-course looking at mathematical topics and ideas beyond the A Level specification, including Number Theory, Geometry Puzzles and preparation for the British Mathematical Olympiad. For the first time, we entered several Lower Sixth Further Maths students for the Edexcel Advanced Extension Award examination. This is a challenging qualification aimed at the top 1% of A Level mathematicians.
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National Maths Challenge competitions continue to be very popular, with record numbers progressing through to the later rounds. Congratulations to Fraser de Rivaz (Fourth Year) and Lower Sixth student Samuel Sturge who were two of only 100 students in the country invited to sit Round 2 of the British Mathematical Olympiad in January. Moses Fung (Second Year) joined Fraser in the Intermediate Maths Olympiad, with Moses and First Year student Conor Barr going through to the junior round.
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Success in competitions has been boosted in no small part by the studentled Maths Challenge Club run by Fraser de Rivaz, ably assisted by James Gill. The club aims to develop and extend the mathematical skills of our top Lower School mathematicians, preparing them for the Kangaroo and Olympiad competitions. The KGS Hans Woyda team (Leon Feltham, Chloris Wong, Samuel Sturge, Anas Boulamhi, Yuri Rim, Edison Li and Anya Taylor, coached by Mr Chiew) faced some strong competition, first losing to Tiffin Girls before beating Surbiton High and finally getting knocked out by Tiffin Boys.
As I step down as Head of Maths and hand over to Mr Connor, I know that the Department is in great hands going forward. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with a great team and seeing mathematics at KGS going from strength to strength. Mr J Skeates, Head of Maths
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A record cohort of 93 Lower Sixth students took up Maths A Level, including 23 starting the AS Further Maths course and 32 doing Further Maths. We finished the year with a strong set of results at both A Level and IGCSE. 41% of our students achieved an A* in their A Level, with another 35% getting an A. In Further Maths, 9 out of 14 students got the top A* grade. At IGCSE, 54% of students were awarded Grade 9, and a total of 94% were awarded grades 7/8/9. Well done to all our students!
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MFL From cultural trips overseas to the Language Leaders Programme, study days, bake-offs, code-breaking competitions and more, our students truly threw themselves into all aspects of language learning.
Mrs A Evans, MFL
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What better way is there to start an Italian trip than to spend your first two days in Venice? We loved St Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge and the amazing glass demonstration in Murano but the highlight was undoubtedly a gondola trip, where we learnt about the history of the canals and visited the Bridge of Sighs. Moving on from Venice to Lake Garda, there were stunning views of the crystal-clear water and the beautiful lemon groves
of Limone, followed by a boat trip to Malcesine, where we made our own pizzas from scratch with a fabulous Italian chef. After a morning in classes with students at Liceo Fogazzaro in Vicenza, we went to Verona where we visited the amphitheatre and took pictures on Juliet’s balcony.
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After a very early morning journey, we arrived in Paris at lunchtime on Thursday. We swiftly set our sights on the Christmas market next to the Louvre. Students had a fabulous time wandering around the market stalls, drinking hot spiced apple juice and trying out some of the rides. The view from the top of the Ferris wheel (capitalised because it is named after its inventor, George Washington Gale Ferris Jr) was unbeatable!
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3 The following days were a blur of activity, food and sightseeing. From the artistic scene of Montmartre and the grand beauty of Versailles to a thoroughly modern virtual reality flight over Paris and the much-anticipated visit to Disneyland, we enjoyed every moment. Well done to all the KGS students for being exceptionally confident with their French skills.
Third and Fourth Year students had a fantastic time in Madrid, experiencing Spanish culture first hand. They cooked and ate a selection of tapas, learned how to dance flamenco and visited the Reina Sofia museum to see Picasso’s Guernica amongst other works of art. We were very lucky to be able to access historic sites such as the Royal Palace and the Parliament. A visit to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium was another highlight.
Language Leaders helps students develop leadership skills while learning to teach languages. This year, a group of Third Year students completed a training programme, mentored younger students, devised and prepared their own language lessons and taught both the KGS First and Second Year students and local primary school pupils.
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After three months of training, preliminary rounds and re-matches, Michaela Henderson and Polina Turnbull qualified for the final of the first UK English-Chinese Bilingual Recitation Competition in London’s Chinatown in November. Inspired by the poetry of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, they chose two Tang Dynasty poems to recite. They came second and third respectively, a fantastic achievement.
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MUSIC A fantastic year of performances saw our usual Autumn and Spring concerts which showcased all the larger ensembles and groups alongside smaller concerts and recitals which gave individuals the opportunity to shine on the concert platform.
Three of our chamber groups entered the Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival in the spring. Confident performances in the first round at St Catherines, Bramley were followed by polished performances in the semi-finals, held at the Central Foundation School in Old Street.
Our First Year piano trio, comprising Conor Barr (piano), Francesca Laudicina (violin) and Milly Hutton (cello), made it all the way to the grand final at Brighton College in March where they acquitted themselves with distinction, the adjudicator commenting favourably on the quality of their performance.
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Jazz continues to go from strength to strength under the guidance of Mr Canniere. Our annual Jazz Night in January saw KGS musicians perform alongside awardwinning trumpeter and composer Laura Jurd, joined by members of her band. As ever, the standard of performance was high across the board and it is good to know that the future of jazz is safe in the hands of these talented young musicians.
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March saw members of the KGS choirs join forces with our Choral Society in a splendid and stirring performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle at St Andrew’s, Surbiton. The fiendish first piano part was performed, with great panache, by Mrs Tierney who was joined by Mrs Law on the second piano and Peter Bullett on the harmonium. Everyone was greatly relieved to finally perform this work as the original performance was due to take place in the spring of 2020, just as we all entered the first lockdown.
There was much practical music-making right up until the end of the year and the last week of the Summer term saw two big events taking place. The first, House Music, involved large numbers of students taking to the stage to give some very accomplished performances that they had put together without any input from the staff. Congratulations to Queen’s on their winning performance.
The second was the First Year showcase performance of Smike in collaboration with the Drama Department. It was touching to have such complimentary comments from the composer, Simon May, who was with us for the second performance. The whole year group really was brilliant.
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The final high point of the year to single out was our annual Scholars’ Recital. This year we said thank you and goodbye to Kiki Quang and Emma Stoner after two years, and Jemima Jordan, Luis Knowles, Jasmine Levell, Imogen Marinko and Lila Skeet after seven years of fantastic music making at KGS. We wish them all the best for their future musical endeavours! Mr M Laflin, Director of Music
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PHYSICS Science is at the heart of many walks of life. Given the energy crisis, the rise of AI and the UK COVID-19 inquiry, the importance of science is hard to downplay. Someone even suggested I engage ChatGPT to produce this write-up, though anyone deploying ZeroGPT would realise that I decided to go ‘old school’!
British Science Week, run by the British Science Association, is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, featuring entertaining and engaging events and activities across the UK to help raise awareness and spark enthusiasm in people of all ages. This importance is not lost on the government of the day as they seek to position the UK as a science and technology superpower.
IT kicked off the week, when students in the First Year took on Sixth Formers in a challenge to navigate a maze with an autonomous robot. Using a micro:bit and the MakeCode block language, each team attempted to program their robot to execute the correct sequence of instructions to find their way through the maze. The teams were up against it time wise but worked hard using trial and error to refine their robot instructions.
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The Sixth Formers attempted to make use of the robot’s ultrasonic sensor but, in the end, it was the simpler sequence approach of First Year Luke Samms that won the day and got furthest through the maze. Well done to everyone involved: hopefully some students left inspired to explore robotics further at Digital Makers’ Club.
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The Physics Department followed this up with a session on the engineering of tall buildings. The theme this year was ‘Tall Structures’. Structures are any system that resists vertical or horizontal loads, including large items such as skyscrapers, bridges and dams, as well as small items such as bookshelves, chairs and windows.
Teams were given the task of building a tall structure using a very limited selection of straws, toothpicks, barbecue skewers, marshmallows and the ever-popular Jelly Babies. They analysed the types of structures and considered means of strengthening their design so that it could be both tall and sturdy, using the materials in a short time. Students then had the opportunity to see how Chemistry relates to their other subjects by following a trail around the school.
Biology rounded off the week by investigating how insects breathe. Some of our Fourth Year students came to see Mr Rodgers explain how the tracheal system delivers oxygen to cells rather than lungs or gills. They then watched the dissection of a locust’s abdomen and carried this out themselves before using binocular microscopes and viewing the tracheal system. Mr I Deepchand, Head of Physics
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Second Years enjoyed a day of motoring and aviation at Brooklands Museum as part of the study of Forces and Motion
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PSYCHOLOGY
Bethlem Royal Hospital, commonly known as ‘Bedlam’, is one of the oldest psychiatric institutions in the world with a fascinating history that stretches back over 800 years. Initially established in 1247 as a priory for the treatment of the mentally ill, it evolved into a dedicated psychiatric hospital in the 17th century. It has played a significant role in shaping the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions throughout history.
Mrs A Edwards, Head of Psychology
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The Museum of the Mind, located within the grounds of the hospital, showcases the history of mental healthcare and offers valuable insights into the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. The museum highlights the evolution of care through historical artifacts, artworks, photographs and personal narratives, offering glimpses into the lives of individuals with mental health conditions. The displays highlight the progression of treatments, societal attitudes and the development of psychiatric practices.
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The archives preserve and document the hospital’s rich heritage, serving as a valuable resource offering insights into the lives of individuals with mental health conditions and the development of psychiatric practices. The archives span centuries, providing a detailed account of the hospital’s evolution, patient experiences and medical advancement. The collection includes medical records, correspondence, photographs, architectural plans and other valuable materials that highlight the progression of treatments, societal attitudes and the impact of Bethlem Royal Hospital on mental health history.
Our trip to Bethlem included a very special exploration of the archives, focussing on the original records relating to female patients from 1887. ‘Patient 31’ really stood out to us: Minnie Turner was admitted in March and stayed at Bethlem for three months after suffering from hallucinations following the death of her youngest child. She was then transferred to another hospital for three years before being released as ‘uncured’. This tied in with Bethlem’s treatment of patients with acute, rather than chronic, conditions. It had a policy of discharging patients who remained ‘uncured’ after a year at the institution.
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After viewing the museum of artworks, which included art produced by those staying at the hospital, we listened to a psychiatrist who specialises in eating disorders at modern-day Bethlem. She told us more about what her job involves and the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. It was a great opportunity to hear directly from mental health professionals. Constance Jessop & Leela Siebert-Patel, Lower Sixth
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Religion & Philosophy It has been another action-packed year for the Religion and Philosophy Department, with a move to a new A Level, exciting new schemes of work for the Lower School and many co-curricular opportunities for our students across all year groups.
Of note has been the launch of our new weekly club, Philosophon, led by an enthusiastic group of Fourth Years. Each week, this lively and intelligent group prepares and present on a whole host of topics, ranging from the ethics of cannibalism, the value of religion in society and the dangers of censorship. A highlight of the year was a fiery debate about the citizenship rights of Shamima Begum, with strong support on both sides. Next year, we hope this articulate group will compete in two external cross-school competitions, The Ethics Cup (led by the University of St Andrews Centre of Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs) and Philosophon (organised by Academy Conferences).
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We are proud to be developing oracy in general across all year groups. Have I Got Ethical News for You (HIGENFY) continues to be well attended by First and Second Year students and expertly led by Mr Lawrence. This year, it has been great to see these students making full use of the Teams chat rooms to carry on their debates beyond the lunchtime sessions. Our Sixth Form students continue to benefit from a whole range of co-curricular activities throughout the week, including Philosophy Now, a weekly lecture programme led by Dr Sheehy. Touchstone, our studentled philosophy club, is hugely popular, attended by many studying RS A Level and many who are not.
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This year, a recurring theme has been feminism, which has led to specific debates regarding Andrew Tate and freedom of speech – important issues which our students tackle with confidence, sensitivity and maturity. In addition, several of our students have entered external essay competitions this year, including Jemima Jordan, who made the shortlist for the Theology Category of the John Locke Institute 2022 Global Essay Competition. Our students have also been fortunate enough to hear some excellent speakers. In January, Bob and Ann Kirk returned to share their moving and hopeful story of surviving the Holocaust with our First and Third Years.
In June, we welcomed Mike Haines from Global Acts of Unity. This charity was set up by Mike following the murder of his brother David in the Syrian desert in 2014. David Haines went to Syria with a well-established NGO but was kidnapped by ISIS and executed one year later. Mike’s response to this is powerful: he talks of the damage that hate does and he promotes the values of unity, tolerance, understanding and forgiveness. Since 2015, Mike has been undertaking school tours to reach young people in the hope that his story will inspire in them the values he wishes to promote.
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As these enrichment opportunities demonstrate, the RP Department plays such an important role in challenging our students to form and justify opinions, both in and around their timetabled lessons. We are so proud of the commitment they have shown to the subject this year, making the most of the super-curriculum available at every opportunity. We look forward to another year of fierce debate, competitions and speakers ahead. Mrs C Williams, Head of Religion & Philosophy
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STEAM
Mr T Benson, Head of STEAM
Artificial intelligence has long been a staple of the Computer Science curriculum, but in previous years it has always seemed rather nebulous and futuristic, full of ‘whatifs’ and ‘maybe in a few years’. The step change in development of the likes of ChatGPT and Dali-2 over the last year have, in a stroke, changed all that. AI seems now to be everywhere we look and it is interesting to note that its impact, both positive and negative, has been far wider and more varied than I think most expected. I’m fairly certain
that a GCSE mark scheme from a few years ago would not have had ‘cheating on homework’ up there as a primary AI issue. Such specific issues highlight how the ethical debate is now distinctly tangible; the ‘whatifs’ have become ‘what now?’ It is fair to say that there has been much soul searching about how education should respond to these new threats and opportunities. How can we best equip young people to harness these new powers for good, while protecting them from harm?
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A good starting point would seem to be to first achieve amongst young people a clearer sense of what exactly AI is, and perhaps more importantly, what it is not. Sensationalist media coverage can often encourage us to attribute human qualities to AI or generalise all types of AI into one group. In reality, AI designed to search for new antibiotic drugs will be very different to the large-language model generating text responses for ChatGPT. Our students are already exposed to a range of different types of
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AI every day, be it through the algorithms directing them to new content on social media, or Snapchat chatbots. Achieving a better understanding of the distinctions between these and their potential pitfalls is a positive starting point to using them responsibly. It is in this context then that we are introducing a new scheme of work for the Third Year at KGS, focusing on how AI works, and how we can make use of it responsibly. We are going to be following a programme developed in partnership by the Raspberry
Pi foundation and DeepMind called Experience AI. This offers students the chance to work with real AI and machine learning models, seeing first-hand how issues such as bias in training data can have significant real-world impacts. They will also focus on the positives: how can AI be utilised to solve problems that our students care about? In addition to this cuttingedge look at AI, we will also take a renewed look at age-old research skills, in particular assessing the credibility of sources.
With increasing numbers of students turning to the likes of ChatGPT for material, it is vital that they can work with these tools to uncover the source of this information and assess its reliability. The AI genie is definitely out of the bottle and doesn’t look like going back in. By learning to work with these tools responsibly, rather than treating them as taboo, we can equip our students to navigate the digital world with confidence in the future.
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SPORT The outstanding performance of the year was saved until the last few strokes of the Junior season at the U19 World Championships in Paris. On a wet and windy day, Matilda Drewett became a World Champion, sculling an amazing race in the double with Jessica Weir of Shiplake College. Matilda, who adds to her World bronze medal from 2022, is our first female World Champion and only our third World gold medal winner after James Cracknell in 1990 and Will Perham in 2009.
Ed Green, Director of Rowing, spoke to Matilda during her first term at Stanford University where she is on a Rowing Scholarship and is studying Liberal Arts.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO ROWING? My first taste of rowing was when everybody in Third Year at KGS was given the opportunity to try it for half a term. I really enjoyed the excitement and intensity of the sport, the atmosphere at the boathouse and being out on the water. WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF COMBINING ROWING AND STUDYING? I learnt so much about how to manage my time and greatly enjoyed holding myself to a high standard in both training and schoolwork. I made the most amazing memories and friends along the way and had so much fun.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAS ROWING GIVEN YOU? Rowing has enabled me to travel across the world, as well as going to an incredible university. I have also been able to compete at a domestic and international level, racing at some brilliant events including Henley Royal Regatta and the Junior World Championships. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE STANFORD? The standard of rowing is incredibly high (the team are reigning national champions) and the education is great. I am on a Liberal Arts course and will choose my major next year. I love the culture of the rowing team and have found that the same values I learned at KGS of enjoying what you do and working hard have helped me to adjust to life thousands of miles away. Oh, and it’s in sunny California…what more could you ask for?
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Canoeing Fifth Year student Nelson Kinzler represented GB at the Junior World Canoeing Championships in Auronzo, Italy and at the Junior European Championships in Portugal over the summer. Whilst in Montemor-o-Velho he met Zoe Clark, an Old Kingstonian who was also representing Great Britain at the Junior European Championships, who recognised him by his KGS shorts!
Old Kingstonian Honours Millie Giglio Member of the GB Hockey Elite Development Programme Jasmin Werner Played hockey for Peru in the South American Games Sally Sime Winner of the Vitality Women’s Hockey Championships playing for East Grinstead Hockey Club Holly Munro Member of the Wales Women’s Hockey Team in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Also represented Wales in the EuroHockey Championship Qualifier
Matilda Drewett: U19 World Champion
Lottie Ross Played for Surbiton Ladies 1s in the National Premier League. Winner of the Vitality Women’s Hockey League with Surbiton HC
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CRICKET 2023 was an enjoyable and increasingly successful season for our cricketers. An intake of keen U12 boys and girls showed signs of real potential for the years to come. The all-round skills of Kye Brown regularly dictated the direction of games, with regular contributions also coming from Seb Merrison and Eshan Patel. The Bs, Cs and Ds all won as many as they lost, and with more than 30 matches played
among these three teams, the appetite for cricket continues to grow. The U12 girls had their own stars, with Lauren Kirk, Emily Parmenter, Alexia Lacey and Anna Barker all putting in a series of successful performances. The As were incredibly unlucky to be knocked out of the cup on a coin toss following a series of rainrelated cancellations and will be targeting next year’s County Cup. The Bs were in high spirits throughout the
season. After a series of soft ball wins, they successfully made the step into the hard ball game. The U13As became loaded with match winners – indeed, there are too many to mention! While they did lose for the first time this year to St George’s Weybridge, their cup run saw them beat Epsom, St John’s, Danes Hill and St George’s, all before a 111-run winning margin over Dunottar saw them claim the county title.
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Following an encouraging year in the 2022, the U13 boys had a year to remember. After a strong winter cricket programme, the As produced an incredible run of form, achieving 13 wins from 16 games. There were significant contributions from throughout the side. Dallas Nourse, Max Mason, Arjun Cheema, Joseph Stanier and Charles Heyhoe all made match-winning contributions on multiple occasions.
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Our U14 cricketers made steady progress throughout the summer and, while neither challenged for competitive honours, the number of students involved grew steadily through the summer. Notable performance included a 65-run win for the U14A boys over City of London Freemans, and the girls’ two victories over Surbiton High. The U14B boys were also impressive in their commitment and performances, winning
almost 60% of their matches, the pick of which was a ‘runfest’ against Ibstock Place. The U15 boys were one of the most improved sides of the year. Having only picked up one win in 2022, they threw themselves into the winter training programme. Six wins this year was enormous progress and reflective of their immense enthusiasm. The U15 girls continued to excel. Despite a few key players being
unavailable due to involvement in other sports, the girls scored consistent runs each week and, under the leadership of Anna Goodsman, they picked up wins in 8 of their 12 matches. The girls’ 1st XI were frustrated by a string of cancellations this year at the hands of the opposition. However, there was still time for Jemma Dreyer to show off her notable skills with both bat and ball.
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On the boys’ side, there were clear signs of progression. Consistent runs at the top of the order from Tim Bryce, along with regular wickets from Johnny Higham, helped the boys pick up five victories. With a number of narrow losses, those involved next year will be hoping to continue building on the positive momentum they have developed over the past 18 months. Mr S Lavery, Head of Cricket
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GOLF The golf season began with the ISGA Southern Schools Cup with Oli Dawson, Joe Raven and Jonatan Ronberg finding the going tough on a tight and testing course. They placed 19th in both the gross and nett competition. The following week they faced the toughest of ISGA Matchplay first-round draws against Reed’s, the regional favourites. Up against an opposition whose highest handicap was 1, KGS went down 3–0.
We played the last two golf matches of 2022 against City of London Freemans in the HMC Foursomes and against Reed’s. The foursomes scratch events are always difficult for KGS and this was the case against a very strong CofLF team that included two England Girls’ U18 pathway players. Natalie Ivory and Jonatan put up a fight against the top pairing, only losing 4&3. The last two pairings lost heavily but there were encouraging debuts for Adam Sloan and Ollie Honeybone alongside the experienced heads of Oli D and Joe.
The friendly against Reed’s, played off handicaps, was a much closer affair with two of the three matches coming down to the last hole. There were more debuts for Upper Sixth students Charlie Bark and Imogen Marinko. Imogen partnered Natalie but they struggled in a niggly match in which one of the Reed’s boys played particularly well. Joe and Ollie H were 4 down at one point and did well to take it down the last, losing 2 down. Victory was within the grasp of Oli D and Charlie who stood 3 up on the 16th tee but a birdie-birdie-par
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finish from the Reed’s team meant the match finished all square. Following the winter shutdown, the ISGA Plate Regional Semi-Final match against Hurtwood House kicked off 2023. There was little sign of rustiness from a winter layoff as all three matches went the way of KGS. Jonatan won comfortably 25 to 15 in this handicap Stableford round. Natalie produced the round of the day to win 33 to 30 and captain Oli D prevailed 31 to 20 despite claiming to have putted
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poorly, qualifying KGS for a first regional final since 2018 against local rivals, Hampton School.
It was still an achievement for the team, which included Oli D and Jonatan, to make it this far.
The ISGA Plate Regional Final at Surrey Downs proved tricky, with blind shots and undulating greens to overcome. KGS narrowly lost to Hampton by two Stableford points (98–100) despite winning two out of three matches. Performance of the day came from Natalie, who top-scored with 41 points, 5 shots under her handicap and only 2 over par gross for the round.
The annual Past vs Present match took place in May over a resplendent-looking Malden course. Six students and five staff took on the Old Kingstonians of the KGS Golf Society in a match comprising 9 holes of greensomes and 9 holes of fourball better ball. The Present continued their run of victories that now stretches back to 2018 with one of their most dominant
performances yet, a 9-3 win where the result was settled with two matches still out on the course. Every Present pairing contributed at least 1 point to the team effort but special mention should go to Upper Sixth pairing of Fin Dickinson and team captain Oli D, as well as Master in Charge of Golf, Mr Rodgers, for winning two points out of two. Mr Hall, with eligibility for both teams, chose to represent the Present and took home the nearest the pin in two shots on the tricky 17th hole. Thanks to everyone who
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played, particularly Rowan Bantick and Charlie Bark who both stepped in to play at the last minute. The season finished with Oli Dawson representing the School for the final time in the Surrey Schools’ Championship at Farnham Golf Club. Oli has been a key part of the golf team over many years and it was nice for him to sign off his KGS golf career playing in such a big competition. Mr M Rodgers, Head of Golf
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BOYS’ HOCKEY
The 2022–23 season offered the boys opportunities for competition and participation in equal measure. We saw some brilliant performances, resulting in silver and bronze medals, along with national representation in the Fifth Year and Sixth Form.
The U12s and U13s finished second and third in the London Cup and should be very proud of their performances. In the Third Year, the U14As showed real promise, and were unlucky to finish second in London. We will watch this age group with particular interest as they progress up the school.
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Our U15 and U16 sides both lost in the last 16 of the National Cup, having fought their way through knockout rounds to get that far with both teams ‘punching above their weight’ by beating bigger schools with more boys to choose from throughout the Spring term. At senior level, the assessment of the 1st XI’s performance varied from ‘unlucky’ to ‘not ruthless enough’ depending on who was asked. I was very much in the latter camp!
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Not qualifying for the last eight in the Tier One competition due to goal difference is a lesson that the Lower Sixth will have to learn for next year but the team made great strides throughout the season. Dan Roberts captained and led by example and we wish Dan, and the other first team regulars, Sam Harcourt, Adam Sloan, Luis Knowles and Dhilan Chopra, all the best as they move on to university.
As well as team success, we would like to recognise the individual achievements of Mikey Eldridge, Ed Wheeler and Ollie Stone who all represented England at junior international level in 2023. Mikey also captained England at U18 level in May, particularly impressive given he was in Lower, not Upper, Sixth.
I would like to place on record my thanks to all the staff who have been involved in boys’ hockey this year but particular thanks and best wishes must go to Mr Bartram who has moved on after nine years at KGS. We wish him all the best in his new role at RGS Guildford.
National representation
Mr T Beaumont, Head of Boys’ Hockey
Ollie Stone played for England U16s in the Five Nations.
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Mikey Eldridge played for England in the U18 European Championships. Ed Wheeler played for England U18s.
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GIRLS’ HOCKEY The girls’ hockey season was marked by notable achievements and impressive performances across various age groups.
The 1st XI girls were an exceptionally talented group who competed very well throughout the season. They reached the Independent Schools National Final, an outstanding accomplishment in itself, especially after a tough shoot-out victory over Repton in the quarter finals. Although they faced a narrow loss in the semifinal against Sedbergh, they showed great resilience and fought back to secure a bronze medal by defeating Reed’s.
In the England Hockey Tier 1 competition, they performed admirably, securing a commendable third place finish. This reflects their consistent level of play and competitiveness at the highest level of school hockey. The U16 girls, despite being a young side, impressed with their performance and dedication. They made it to the regional finals for indoor hockey, showcasing their potential for future success.
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Both the U14A and B teams achieved success by reaching the London regional finals in their first year of playing the 11-a-side format. The U13As also made it to the regional finals, demonstrating their talent and determination on the field. The U13C and D sides showed significant progress throughout the season, emphasising the depth of talent further down the school.
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Season highlights 1st XI Girls – Bronze Medal – Independent Schools Cup 1st XI Girls – 3rd Place Tier 1 England Hockey Competition – East Region 1st XI Girls Indoor – 2nd Place Surrey Finals U16 Girls Indoor – 3rd Place Surrey Finals U15 Girls – London Cup Winners U13 Girls – Quarter Finals of Independent Schools Cup. London Hockey Finalists – 3rd Place U12A Girls – London Hockey Finalists U12B Girls – London Heats Winners and London Hockey Finalists
GB Hockey Elite Development Programme Martha le Huray
England Hockey U18 Training Squad Tula Knowles
England Hockey Talent Academy Camila Giglio
The U12s, in their inaugural season representing KGS, made a memorable impact. Every squad member had the opportunity to play a competitive fixture, showcasing the inclusivity of the programme. The As and Bs both reached the regional finals, with the B team even securing victory in their county stages, highlighting the promising future ahead for these young athletes. We also had numerous individual successes. Martha Le Huray was selected for the England U21
Nations Junior Women’s Invitational Tournament as well as being a member of the GB Elite Development Programme. She also played for Surbiton Ladies 1s, winners of the Vitality Women’s Hockey League, in the National Premier League. Katherine Don-Wauchope and Tula Knowles both represented Wimbledon Ladies 1s in the National Premier League with Tula also being a member of the England U18 Training Squad. Millie Good, Madi Good, Ella Robinson and Emily Barker all played
for Wimbledon 2s in the England Hockey National League Division 1 with Camila Giglio and Noa Armelin also playing in this league for Barnes and Surbiton respectively. Camila Giglio, Tula Knowles, Emily Barker, Hannah Wood and Hannah Topen all were selected for England Hockey Talent Academy with Maia Hendrickx and Ella Robinson being called back for England Hockey U16 and U18 trials. Miss H Naismith, Head of Girls’ Hockey
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Tula Knowles Maia Hendrickx Emily Barker Hannah Topen Hannah Wood
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KGS ON TOUR
HOLLAND
SOUTH AFRICA
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DUBAI
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FOOTBALL
With over 120 matches across the U12–U18 age groups and record numbers of students attending training, the football programme continues to thrive.
A highlight of the year was the U15 girls making history by reaching the National Semi-Finals of the ESFA Small School Competition, where the girls really excelled, winning their first four matches and scoring 26 goals. The girls should be very proud of their performances.
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There were some exceptional individual performances from Third Year Hanna Rouse and Gina Saltykova in Fifth Year who represented Surrey Schools U14 and U16 teams respectively. Lower Sixth student Jamie Kennedy has been playing for Brentford FC U18s this season.
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The traditional Classics v Moderns match, first played at KGS in the 1890s, was an easy 6–0 victory for the Moderns, which bodes well for next season’s 1st XI. As always, we hope that some of the leavers will join our Old Boys’ team who continue to do us proud in the Arthurian League where they were
promoted this season to Division 4. The final match of the season saw a Staff XI beat a Leavers XI in a comfortable 4–0 victory. Mr M Hall, Head of Football
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ROWING
The Boat Club’s regatta season was an enjoyable and successful couple of months. The season started with the JM16 quad of Joshua Cassidy, Judah Brackin, Freddie Steel and William Adams winning a superb silver medal representing the Thames London region at the British Rowing Interregional Regatta. The boys were in the medals again at the National Junior Sculling Regatta winning a bronze.
At Poplar Regatta there were two wins for the girls’ squad. In the JW15 coxed quad, Ava Cooper coxed Lauren Proddow, Clementine Holloway, Sophie Kelly, and Issie Botha to a commanding win, and in the JW18 coxless quad Rosie Symons, Audrey Coursey, Lola Crampin and Matilda Drewett were victors over Tideway Scullers in a tussle that lasted the whole length of the course.
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The National Schools Regatta saw another strong set of results for KGSBC. All four of our senior quads made A finals. The JW18 crew with Natasha Pearce in for the injured Rosie Symons placed fourth, missing out on a medal by half a length. The JM16 A crew also placed fourth with the B crew of Pietro Forlin, Florian Young, Tom Watts, and Oliver Kemp.
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The JW16 quad of Indy Catford, Charlotte Wigmore, Charlotte Wellman and Hattie Byatt placed sixth. Racing at the National Schools Regatta is some of the toughest domestic racing available and the KGSBC crews put in brave performances that reflect the growing ability and confidence of the club to perform at this level.
Henley Women’s Regatta saw another step forward for the JW16 crew with Amy Fraser replacing Hattie Byatt who was required to sub into the JW18 quad due to an injury to Lola Crampin. The JW16 crew raced incredibly well to reach the semi-finals and put in a particularly impressive performance against Marlow. The JW18 crew also raced well, losing out to a very strong Wycliffe crew in the quarter-finals.
Henley Royal Regatta saw the JW18 crew pre-qualify for the second year in a row and three other crews, populated in the majority by J16s, looked to gain entry via the nerve-racking qualifying event. Sadly none of these young crews made the main draw with the girls’ B crew being the fastest non-qualifier. The A crew did not put in their best race and lost out to Wycliffe in the first round.
A week after the end of term the club travelled to Strathclyde for the British Championships, racing in tough and changeable conditions. KGSBC had a remarkable weekend winning the JW18 quad, and taking silver in the JM16 quad, JM16 coxed four, JM16 double, JW18 1x (Lola Crampin), and in the penultimate race of the regatta an outstanding silver in the JW18 eight. Mr E Green, Director of Rowing
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SPORT
TENNIS
Building on last year’s record-breaking season, I am delighted to report that KGS Tennis enjoyed another fantastic summer in 2023!
Once again, we entered boys’ and girls’ teams into the Surrey Schools Leagues, the LTA Youth Schools competitions, the Surrey Schools Festival and the ISTA Championships. In addition, we hosted the Kingston Challenge Cup (an annual classic clash between KGS and Tiffin Boys), ran the KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon competition, Family Tennis and House Tennis tournaments, and introduced Saturday friendly fixtures for the first time.
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Our U12, U13, U14 & U15 boys’ and girls’ teams all won their LTA Youth Schools qualifying groups, with almost every team reaching the county semi-finals or finals of this competition – we wish them the best of luck as they try to qualify for the South East Region Finals.
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Season highlights The U13 girls were crowned Surrey Schools Champions The U13 boys reached the semi-finals of the U13 ISTA Championships and the semi-finals of the U14 Tier 1 Surrey Schools Festival The U13 & U15 boys reached the Surrey Schools Finals The U14 girls reached the semi-finals of the U14 Tier 2 Surrey Schools Festival The U12/U13/U14/U15 boys retained the Kingston Challenge Cup
We also held our annual U14 KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon tournament in May which once again saw many of our First, Second and Third Year students competing. Rhea Nayak successfully defended her title to make it a hugely impressive three wins in a row while Arjan Cheema played some excellent tennis to claim the boys’ title. Congratulations to both our champions who went on to represent KGS in the County rounds of this national competition in July.
Lastly, we enjoyed the annual to Day 3 of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. We were extremely fortunate to secure ten No.2 Court tickets in the LTA Schools Ballot and, after a short rain delay early on, saw lots of amazing tennis, including an epic five-setter between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem. Everyone had a fantastic time, both sampling the unique atmosphere of the world’s most prestigious tennis
tournament, as well as experiencing the power, athleticism and precision of some of the sport’s top male and female players. It has been great to see so many KGS students playing and enjoying their tennis and to see their hard work rewarded with such strong results. We look forward to continued success next year. Mr S Morris, Head of Tennis
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Family Tennis Tournament
SPORT
REAL TENNIS The year of Real Tennis at Hampton Court Palace has been thrilling once again. With a team of dedicated and talented tennis professionals providing world-class coaching, our students have made remarkable progress and embraced the wonders of this historic game.
Real Tennis, also known as ‘The Sport of Kings’, has a rich history dating back to the 16th century. Its origins can be traced to the royal courts of Europe, and Hampton Court Palace stands as a magnificent testament to this legacy. Playing this ancient game within the very walls that have witnessed centuries of royal sporting tradition is a truly unique opportunity for our students and, under the guidance of the brilliant coaching team, they have flourished. They have honed their skills, learned intricate strategies and developed a deep appreciation for the nuances of the sport.
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The dedication and experience of the coaches, Josh, Scott and Nick, have been instrumental in nurturing our students’ improvements and fostering a love for the game. It is a sport that combines athleticism, tactics and historical significance, offering a oneof-a-kind experience. We are extremely fortunate to be able to offer this option at KGS and look forward to many more students learning how to play. Mr J Dyson, Head of Real Tennis
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FACTS A Real Tennis court is enclosed by walls on all four sides, three of which have sloping roofs, known as ‘penthouses’ which have ‘galleries’ from where spectators can watch. There is also a buttress (‘tambour’) which intrudes into the playing area off which shots may be played.
Real Tennis is played using solid balls (more similar to cricket balls than lawn tennis balls), with wooden rackets. With no breaks in the game, fitness levels need to be high.
The game has its origins in mediaeval Italy where it was a leisure activity of monks. It spread around Europe after being adopted as a pastime by French aristocrats.
Other names it has been known by around the world: ‘royal tennis’ (Australia) ‘jeu de paume’ (France) ‘court tennis’ (US)
Shakespeare refers to tennis and its terms in several plays, most notably King Lear and Hamlet. This reference would have been to what we now know as Real Tennis.
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HOUSES
House Championship
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HOUSE DRAMA WINNERS Best Ensemble: Queen’s Best Actor: Hugo Whyte (1L) Best Actress: Eden Taylor (3W) Best Supporting Actor: Josh Randall (1W) Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Bramwell (L6 – Taverner) Best Duet: Queen’s – Eva Rouse & Jo Tasker (Top Gun medley) Best Original Choreography: Queen’s (Another One Bites the Dust remix) Best Solo: Walworth – Angelica Pasamontes-Steel Best Musical Theatre: Queen’s – Matilda Best Direction: Lovekyn & Queen’s Best Original Script: Walworth
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HOUSES
House Championship report Lovekyn
Queen’s
This year’s House Championship was one of mixed fortunes for Lovekyn.
Having won the House Championship last year, we always knew that the four other houses would be desperate to stop us taking another victory. The year began with Queen’s dominating the Autumn term with a brilliant rendition of Revolting Children in House Dance, followed by victories in, amongst others, House Poetry, winning both the number of entries and overall best poem (written by Tessa Stanier).
Each house member did us proud and their continued impressive performances ensured we upheld the established tradition of Lovekyn being one of the most competitive houses in the school. Our third-place ranking has given the eagles the impetus and determination to rise to the top of the perch next year. Huge thanks to outgoing House Captains Faran Shaheen, Kea Murray, Jake Francis and Alex Clarke for all their hard work and support and to everyone in the Lovekyn camp for their continued loyalty and dedication. Roll on next year!
Mr A Beggs
After Christmas, Stanley and Lovekyn were determined to knock us off top place, with Stanley dominating many of the higher-scoring events. With all to fight for in the Summer term, the competition became fierce. Zoe Crooks took it upon herself to organise House Music and what a wonderful job she did. Tom Price won the soloist title with a magical version of Friend Like Me. Zoe, Tessa Stanier, Tilly Bardell and Hanna Wren produced a beautiful small group ensemble to Viva la Vida to finish second, and the large group ensemble won their section with an outstanding acapella rendition of Take A Chance On Me.
Senior Debating
It turns out that this was enough to secure a second House Championship in as many years. Thank you to every member of Queen’s who has represented the House throughout the year. To Lovekyn, Stanley, Taverner and Walworth: thank you for being such great competitors. I wish you all the best in years to come. Good luck to Miss Christmas who will be taking over Queen’s: can they make it three in a row?
Second Year Boys’ Cricket
Mr D Bartram
WON Senior Boys’ Football Best Idea + Tastiest Recipe in Bake-Off Third Year Table Tennis Third Year Cross Country Second and Third Year Tug of War
First Year Girls’ Tennis
it was the energy, enthusiasm and good-humored positivity of Mr Bartram that inspired his students to their well-deserved win this year. Thank you to all Stanley students for your commitment to the cause and perseverance in the face of the many trials and tribulations that a year of competition brings.
WON Dance Poetry Art
We have a fantastic group of House Captains raring to go. Jump on board: we are Stanley, we go again!
Mr H Lawrence
Junior Girls’ Hockey First Year Cross Country Shooting First, Second, Third and Fourth Year Netball Senior Netball Music First Year Girls’ Cricket
WON
Stanley Stanley had another fantastic year, with high levels of participation and engagement. I must thank our House Captains, Lila Skeet, Luis Knowles, Phoebe Bowen, Daniel Jolly and Sophie Garner, for leading and inspiring us all so well. Standout moments include winning Senior House Hockey and Drama, both for the first time. We had fantastic entries in House Art, Dance and Music but narrowly lost to Queen’s each time. They are very tough to beat these days, not just in the creative competitions, with their well-established pedigree of scholars, but on the sports field with their ‘Sorting Hat’ good fortune of having so many A Teamers. It has felt that we are up against the ‘Queen’s Mafia’; however, I banish this conspiracy theory as mere coincidence, not just because I don’t want a horse’s head in my bed, but because
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First and Second Year Table Tennis Drama Senior Ergos Senior Hockey Fourth and Fifth Year Tug of War General Knowledge Chess Junior Debating First Year Hockey Second Year Boys’ Tennis
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Taverner What an emotional rollercoaster this year has been for Taverner! With a victory in the inaugural event of the season, the scrappy Taverner Bears struck first in the First Year Boys’ Football thanks to the efforts of Zayn Basher, Aidan Cua, Alexander Fardon, Oliver Hamilton, Harrison Lewis, Michael McGrath, William Phipps and Matties Van Herwaarden. However, we struggled to get all pistons firing as the term progressed; despite a strong second-place finish in House Art under the leadership of Ingrid Verwoerd, Anna Helbing, Caitlin Oxborrow, Sophie Fuller and Adam Comley, winter was coming, and the Bears grew sleepy. Entering a state of hibernation, we came last in the final three events of term. Roused from their wintery slumber by what else but food, the Bears found success winning the best overall portfolio in the House Baking competition - the brilliant biscuits of Isabelle Street, Emilie Wellman, Woody Griffith, Sophia Raza, Antonia Ridley, Qiangqiang Wang, Daniel Callaway and Alex Street helped nourish and give us hope. We enjoyed second-place finish in the Senior House Hockey and first in the Second Year House Cross Country (including individual first place finishes from Wilf Fox-Robinson and Connie le Huray). The Bears had grown so weary that motivation had all but evaporated. Drawing inspiration from Ted Lasso and with the help of House Captain Oli Dawson’s knowledge of actual football clubs, Mr Casasanto used Taverner’s final house assembly to inspire his Taverner Bears to “believe”. Incredibly, we went on to come second in seven of the next 13 events, including a close finish in the Second Year House Netball and impressive arguments from Anfisa Betts, Miller Fearn and Antonia Ridley in the Junior House Debate and Alicia Bramwell, Maddie Mepham and Harry Fisher in the senior
version. Taverner’s hopes to avoid last place rested on House Music. With performances of Franz Liszt’s Gnomenreigan on the piano by Catherine Evans, Adele’s Skyfall by Emily Smith, Tarun Desai, Joseph Oxborrow, Tess Helbing and Leon Brierly, and Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain by the large ensemble coordinated by Alicia Bramwell and Leela SiebertPatel, Taverner secured one final second place and earned just enough points to end the year in fourth place with 557 points. Sincere thanks to House Captains Oli Dawson and Alice Connell, Vice Captains Adam Comley, Eloise Cross and Luca Booth, and all the Bears who contributed their time, energy and efforts to Taverner this year. Never did fourth place feel so triumphant!
Mr N Casasanto
Our performances in House Drama and Dance were wonderful, with a host of Sixth Form students stepping up as directors and choreographers. This was the last time that costumes and make-up were done so fantastically by outgoing House Captain Imogen Marinko, bringing to an end seven years of creative support. We will miss her input and supply of glitter next year! As Head of House, I always stress the importance of taking part and enjoying the experience. I hope that those who did get involved feel they made new friends and perhaps tried something that is not their preferred sport or academic subject – and that, in my mind, will have made the year a success.
Mrs R Wakely
House Competition results
2022–2023 WINNER Queen’s 626.5 points 2ND Stanley 617.5 points 3RD Lovekyn 586 points
WON
WON Bake-Off Second Year Cross Country First and Third Year Boys’ Tennis Third Year Girls’ Tennis
Sixth Form Tug of War, testament to Mr Sorley’s excellent coaching DT, thanks to Alice Greenslade’s fantastic marble run Photography, featuring a superb photo of Battersea Power Station by Clementine Holloway
First Year Boys’ Football
CCF
Walworth Despite coming last, Walworth demonstrated incredible determination and enthusiasm. Students across the year groups worked together in sport, academic and creative competitions, encapsulating the meaning of the competition.
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4TH Taverner 557 points 5TH Walworth 553 points
COMMUNITY
Community Service
Our well-established Community Service Programme encourages students of all ages to get involved with a variety of projects. They have a positive and tangible impact on our local community and help students develop communication, leadership and organisation skills.
Huge thanks to all the staff who have contributed their time and expertise, without whom the projects would not have been possible, in particular, Miss Parry, Miss Christmas, Mr Deepchand, Miss Andrews and Mr Lawrence. Miss V Paterson, Head of Community Service
ST JOSEPH’S READING BUDDIES Lower Sixth students regularly supported pupils from St Joseph’s Primary School with literacy.
“I have dyslexia and struggled with reading in primary school. Volunteering is a great opportunity to help others overcome that too.” Lili Small
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DRAMA CLUB A student-led Drama Club culminated in a performance of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes at KGS. The primary pupils developed their confidence, resilience and passion for acting.
GARDENING CLUB Gardening Club begins with composting the winter leaves and digging for worms as we prepare the beds for planting. Finding the biggest worm is a highlight for the children. This year we had success with radishes, carrots, potatoes, onions and a variety of flowers as well as strawberries and peas.
CHESS CLUB I’ve really enjoyed teaching some of the children how to play chess from scratch, whilst others taught me a thing or two! It has been great fun, and we hope to get them playing competitively next year. Mr H Lawrence
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ST STEPHEN’S DROP-IN Students help provide a hot, nutritious meal to those in the community experiencing homelessness and food poverty.
COMMUNITY
Within KGS, The Kindness Council was established to develop the School’s culture in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following the principle of ‘be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and be kind to the planet’. We are proud to be one of only a few partner schools in the world to team up with the SDGs, which focus on community equality, wellbeing and sustainability.
Working in partnership with local schools we established one-toone careers and UCAS guidance interviews, maths revision sessions for pupils at local schools, reading support and Computer Science workshops. Over £30,000 was raised for Save the Children, RAALPH, the Disaster Emergency Committee appeals for Pakistan and Turkey, and the NHS Kingston Hospital Charity, as well as holding regular collections for food and hygiene banks.
Our monthly community focuses celebrated diversity, global relationships and our different beliefs and cultures. They included Pride, Black History Month, Gender Equality, LGBTQ+ History in the Arts and Neurodiversity and Disability Awareness.
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As part of a staff wellbeing initiative, linked to the Happy & Healthy School, we ran over 30 staff-led workshops, twice in the academic year, that included a diverse range of activities, including Life Drawing, Medieval Dance, Sign Language, Seasonal Bouquets, Outdoor Swimming, History Walks, Introduction to Opera, Indian Block Printing and many more...
Working with Go Green Experts, a sustainable consulting service, we are working on a comprehensive carbon audit which will help us develop an energy action plan and minimise our carbon footprint.
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KGS Global Goals Week saw a no beef or lamb policy in our school lunches. With livestock production accounting for over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, this initiative has not only reduced our school’s environmental impact but has also raised awareness among our students about the connection between food choices and sustainability.
Dr Nathan Robinson (OK 2002) delivered a highly engaging and thought-provoking webinar on his life as one of the world’s leading marine biologists. Nathan played a pivotal role in the anti-plastics campaign after a video of him removing a drinking straw from a turtle’s nostril went viral.
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The fashion industry ranks as the world’s second-largest polluter, following the oil and gas industry. To raise awareness among our students about the detrimental impacts of fast fashion, while promoting the adoption of sustainable fashion habits, we held the first-ever KGS Clothes Swap.
PASTORAL LIFE
PSHE
WHAT OUR STUDENTS THINK...
PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION
A new PSHE education programme launched this year which drew together all the excellent work already being delivered in a clearer format. Our overarching themes are ‘Living in the Wider World’, ‘Relationships’ and ‘Health and Wellbeing’. This spiral curriculum delivers ageappropriate lessons that develop as the students move up the school. Our pastoral forums have continued to give a voice to students, enabling them to inform the future programme for their peers. The PSHE programme does not stand in isolation; it is supported by a comprehensive programme of external speakers who deliver a consistent message that complements our school ethos. Natasha Devon, who was awarded an MBE for her services to young people, came in to talk to our First and Second Years about mental health, self-esteem and managing stress and anxiety. Our whole-school approach to pastoral care involves Form Tutors, Heads of Year, school counsellors, the nursing team and subject teachers. We have long known that focusing on academic matters and exam results in isolation is not in students’ best interests: pastoral care is therefore to all teachers in our school, not just those involved in PSHE lessons. We recognise that parents are the main educators when it comes to many areas of pastoral education. We keep parents up to date with topics covered in PSHE lessons, visiting speakers and details of our popular parental seminar programme. We also run a Mental Health First Aid course for parents and staff. Pastoral care is the responsibility all and we want to ensure that we provide a consistent message when it comes to students’ wellbeing. We aim to give students the tools to deal with situations and dilemmas that they will encounter both in and out of school, hopefully pre-empting some experiences but occasionally being able to be reactive when new situations arise.
“PSHE covers topics that we often wonder or worry about. It makes talking about embarrassing things fun and easy” “PSHE is a safe space to learn important and useful skills without being judged” “It helps us to learn about who we really are and helps us celebrate our differences and similarities as a group”
COLLABORATION IS KEY...
Our parent information talks continue to be very popular. Over the last few years we have covered a huge range of topics including parenting, the internet, sexism and misogyny, LGBTQ+ and mental health problems such as self-harm.
Mrs M Robinson, Head of PSHE
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PASTORAL LIFE
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JUST SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT...
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FIRST YEARS
SECOND YEARS
THIRD YEARS
Democracy, government and the welfare state
Careers, university and apprenticeships
Dealing with change
Volunteering, sign language and First Aid
Savings, taxation and budgeting
Digital resilience, teenage brain and understanding depression
Managing conflict, consent and cyberbullying
Racism, sexism and cancel culture
Healthy relationships, prejudice and discrimination
How to stay healthy
Relationship values, influences on expectations and consent
Healthy coping strategies including eating disorders and self-harm
Attitudes to mental health and promoting emotional wellbeing
Body image and keeping healthy
Mindfulness and yoga Personal hygiene, cooking, gardening and Lego
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Alcohol and recreational drugs
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4
5
6
FOURTH YEARS
FIFTH YEARS
SIXTH FORM
Sex and gender in the media, harassment and racism
Domestic abuse, FGM and public sexual harassment
Dealing with casualties including CPR and using an AED
Gambling and addiction
Personal statements, networking, branding and interviews
Self-examination: breast and testicular cancer
Democracy and voting
Consent and the impact of media and LGBTQ+ prejudice
Blood, stem cell and organ donation
Fertility and pregnancy choices
Alcohol and recreational drugs
Long-term commitments, marriage and parenting
Mental health
Student finance
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CO-CURRICULAR
Christian Union After a four-year hiatus, we were absolutely thrilled to be able to run CU Camp again this year. There are five things I realised I had missed a lot about this wonderful trip.
1 ENJOYING THE BEAUTY OF CREATION This year we were camping at a new site near Woolacombe: we weren’t quite sure what to expect, but we were certainly not disappointed. We were a 20-minute walk from a stunningly rugged cove, and a 10-minute drive from the sweeping sands of Woolacombe Bay. The weather was incredibly kind to us, and we enjoyed some great time outdoors – perhaps the highlight for most was a surfing lesson. But camping also brings you closer to nature, and gazing at the star-studded night sky each evening (with no city lights to dim the view) was absolutely wonderful.
2 THE SIMPLE LIFE Camping is not for everyone (and I am certainly not a natural camper) but there is something very special about living simply and not being dependent on all the technology and frills of ‘normal’ life. Even the gentle patter of rain on the roof of a tent gives me cause to be grateful for a thin sheet of canvas separating me from the elements. And then my return home makes me even more grateful for the comfort of a bed, and a roof over my head during more inclement weather conditions!
3 MAKING NEW FRIENDS A week away with students from different year groups gives a chance for new friendships to blossom. One of my highlights was coming back from an afternoon walk later in the week and seeing groups of students of all ages sitting down for cream tea, enjoying time with those whose names they would not have known at the start of the week.
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CO-CURRICULAR
4 EVENING MEETING VIBES
CU Camp clearly has its own Christian outlook, but we also want those of other faiths or none to feel welcome to take
part in the Christian activities. Our evening meeting is always a highlight for me, with the combination of uplifting songs, fun
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games and a thoughtprovoking message providing a focus for the week’s activities. This year we looked at John’s gospel focusing
on the claim of Jesus to be the Son of God, which provided a good stimulus for discussion each morning and evening.
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5 OLD KINGSTONIAN LINKS
Camp would not be able to run without the dedication of a small team of Old Kingstonian volunteers.
From the cooks and those who organised the tents to those running activities and our camp doctor – all had an invaluable
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role to play and were delighted to be able to facilitate a great week away.
Mr C Wenham, Head of CU; Chemistry
CO-CURRICULAR
CCF With a continued focus on training and development, and several notable individual and collective successes for the contingent, it was a very positive year for KGS CCF. As ever, the Remembrance Day programme of activities, including remembrance assemblies and, of course, our annual parade at the war memorial in Kingston, with over 60 cadets giving up their Sunday to pay their respects, was a focus. We ran four highly successful residential trips, starting with the October recruit camp, where 55 cadets attended, gaining the invaluable knowledge and experience necessary to become fully-fledged cadets. The experience of being at camp sees cadets getting the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities: from target shooting and canoeing to caving and paddle boarding. This all builds up to the final camp of the year which saw us travel to Driffield in North Yorkshire for a fast-paced week of challenges. Captain A Beggs; CCF Contingent Commander
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CO-CURRICULAR
The RAF section enjoyed their highest ever placing in the Air Squadron Trophy, narrowly missing out on the top three which
would have resulted in progression to the national competition. Watch this space next year...
Flight Sergeant Alexi Cross, Corporal Michaela Henderson and Corporal Katja Bardorf were a credit to the contingent and KGS, working
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tirelessly to support the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation’s Carol Service at the Guards’ Chapel in Westminster, where they were delighted
to meet special guest, Michael Morpurgo.
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CO-CURRICULAR
YOUNG ENTERPRISE
Young Enterprise exists to encourage the development of entrepreneurial and business skills and this year’s cohort fully immersed themselves in the challenge.
Having allocated director roles, determined a company name (Handcarded) and raised some initial capital via the selling of shares, the group set about their first project which involved the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of Christmas cards ahead of the PSA Christmas Fair in December.
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Sales went very well and with costs minimised, funds were raised for reinvestment in the Spring term. At this point, the company switched focus to a series of bespoke tote bags, the designs for which were applied using stencils and fabric paint.
The focus for the term was the Spitalfields Trade Fair in March and the team performed well, making more sales than anticipated and being pro-active in engaging customers and potential customers in order to try and generate interest.
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My thanks go to Suze Drew, who once again volunteered her time as our Business Adviser, and to Miss Parkes who accompanied us to Spitalfields Market.
The KGS Young Enterprise Group for 2022-23, Handcarded, was: Theo Ritchie, Tom Morris, Ollie Honeybone, Sofia Ruijs, Rosie Higham, Ella Jacobs, Sam Kelly, Gia Kripalani, Ingrid Verwoerd, Ella Verdult, Polina Turnbull,
Danni Poole, Aleeha Sheikh, Ffion Rowe, Lara Pickard, Daniel Harley, Arya Vamadevan, Jashan Kaushal and Ophelia Fyfield. Mr A Beard, Assistant Head (Co-Curricular & Character Education)
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A snapshot of co-curricular clubs on offer each lunchtime.
CO-CURRICULAR
Duke of Edinburgh BRONZE EXPEDITION: THE SURREY HILLS
75 students from the Fourth Year undertook the expedition element of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award Scheme. Having worked through their volunteering, physical and skills elements, students went through a day of training in March where they were taught the necessary skills. These
included navigation and map reading, how to successfully put up a tent and how to use a portable stove for cooking. In June, having been trained, students were then separated from their mobile telephones, no easy task in the modern world, so that they could not be used for navigation purposes.
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For many, the first challenge was in getting to the ‘jumping off points’ on their own without adult supervision. This meant travelling by train to either Milford or Godalming where they were met by the Activ Adventure assessors.
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Given the blisteringly hot weather, students were glad to have packed their water bottles, hats and sunscreen, although perhaps less delighted that they had to carry all their (unnecessary) wet weather clothing. The first day of the hike saw each group walking for over six hours, covering around 5km before they stopped and camped overnight.
After a good night’s sleep and a hearty DIY breakfast, they headed out for the second hike. Tired, with some blisters but happy having met the demands of the challenge and completing their expedition, they achieved their much-coveted Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards. Congratulations to all involved.
Mr A Beard, Assistant Head (Co-Curricular & Character Education)
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TRIPS
Iceland
With Covid having thwarted so many school trips, we were delighted to be able to run a catch-up trip for Fifth Years in October.
The plan was to follow our tried and tested pattern of viewing the highlights of the south coast plus the Golden Circle and the cultural highlights of Reykjavik.
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Beautiful weather greeted us: for the first time in my life, I visited the most southerly town of Vik and it didn’t rain! Another highlight was visiting the recently erupted volcano of Fagradalsfjall.
Having erupted in both the summer of 2021 and 2022 it was a treat to witness the lava still steaming and cooling, one of the true wonders of the physical world.
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Easter saw us return to Iceland, this time with a group of Third Years. We enjoyed glacier walking, beach trekking and hunting for sulphur pools, again in fantastic weather of crisp, fresh snow with bright and sunny conditions.
Free time in Reykjavik, the world’s most northerly capital, was very welcome.
REYKJAVÍK
Mrs S Humphrey, Deputy Head; Director of Development; Geography
Longitude -21.745319366455078
Latitude 64.1111831665039
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TRIPS
Ski Canada
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Mont-Tremblant, is 130km north of Montréal and is the oldest ski area in the Laurentian Mountains.
MONT-TREMBLANT Latitude 46.11588 Longitude -74.5891426
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TRIPS
Outward Bound
The Loch Eil Outward Bound Centre, near Fort William in the beautiful Highlands, was the destination once again for our First Year Outward Bound trip. Over the course of a week in June, students challenged themselves in ways not possible within a normal school timetable.
The week of activities began with students being put into clans. Each of the tasks was challenging: whilst some encouraged teamwork and building trust, others required students to ‘dig deep’ and show their resilience.
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Many of the clans finished the trip toasting marshmallows over a campfire whilst reflecting on their week of adventures. What was particularly wonderful was to see how they supported each other when needed, with words of encouragement and a helping hand.
Ms S Butler, Head of First Year
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I had so much fun on Outward Bound and made great memories. I loved gorge scrambling, which involved climbing up rocks next to waterfalls and swimming in the river. We did so many activities: climbing, the leap of faith, abseiling and Jacob’s Ladder.
During the week we also went camping: we canoed for around 4 hours which was very hard work but everyone worked together. For dinner we had to get water from a stream to cook our packages of food.
Our group leader explained how we would use the water and boil it, so that it would be safe to drink. I tried so many things outside my comfort zone. Having the group there to support each other made it easier.
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For example, when we climbed up the rocks, we had to have someone behind us to support us if one of us slipped. We had to have trust in that person.
Over the trip everyone built up more confidence in each other and in ourselves. It was a fantastic way to end what has been an amazing first year at KGS. Kiara Duffy, First Year
TRIPS
Italy
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VENICE
VERONA
LAKE GARDA
Latitude 45.4371908
Latitude 45.4384958
Latitude 45.6613187
Longitude 12.3345898
Longitude 10.9924122
Longitude 10.6851043
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ALUMNI
PROFILES
Life beyond KGS
Jas Levell and Melker Lannero, both from the Class of 2023, spoke to Mr Fitzgerald, Director of Careers & Universities, before they left the UK about their experience of the international university application process.
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Jas is at Bocconi University in Milan reading Economics and Management for Arts,Culture & Communication. Jas, when did you first think about applying to study outside of the UK? It was during Fashion Week in my GCSE year. I was considering studying Fashion in London but could see Milan was also a strong option. I did Italian GCSE, my Dad spent a year there and I have godparents who live there and I have continued learning Italian independently.
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Where else did you consider applying? Yes, the Istituto Marangoni in Milan and Florence and Polimoda in Florence for Fashion, Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design in New York and Bocconi in Milan for Economics. What attracted you to the two institutions you applied to in Milan offering two very different courses? I have always had an interest in both academic and creative routes and someone mentioned Bocconi so I visited last May. I was offered a place at Istituto Marangoni too but, in the end, decided
I could still apply my creative side in a career in the future so have chosen to study at Bocconi: Economics and Management for Arts, Culture and Communication. I study in English but can immerse myself in the Italian culture and develop my language skills on the side. Did you have a twin track application? Yes. Bocconi is very competitive and I wanted to keep my options open so I also applied to five UCAS choices for Economics.
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What did the selection process involve? You have the choice of sitting SATs or doing the Bocconi online test. I decided to do their test and just went over the past papers I found which helped familiarise me with the exam technique. You can sit it up to three times to improve your score but I was happy with my score on the second sitting and did not want to take away more time from my A Level studies.
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The application required me to submit my transcript of GCSEs, school reports and predicted A Level grades. I also had to send my CV and a motivational letter which is a bit like a personal statement. There was no interview and the offer I received was unconditional. What are you most looking forward to about studying at Bocconi?
What are your top tips for students considering applying to study at university outside of the UK?
Melker is reading Business & Economics at Stockholm School of Economics (SSE)
Just remember that there may be more time and effort required than with the UCAS application, and it’s quite a long process so it is important to start early. Do thorough research on the application process: sometimes you need to start the application a year in advance.
Melker, when did you first think about applying to study outside of the UK?
The new opportunities, the variety of teaching styles and meeting international students and learning Italian even though the course is taught in English.
At the same time I started going to tours for UK universities I looked at options in other countries. Having Swedish parents, SSE really stood out to me. What attracted you to SSE in particular? The fact that they only take 300 students a year, meaning it’s a lot more personal, and that it’s a city centre campus appealed to me. Also, the course is entirely in English which is great, and I was impressed by SSE’s close links to the business community, both in Sweden and abroad.
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Did you have a twin track application? Yes, I did my normal UCAS application for my five UK options, and then applied to SSE separately. Getting an offer from SSE did impact my UK application, meaning I changed what would have been my firm choice to two safer options instead. Was there an interview, portfolio requirement or test? There were quite a few hoops to jump through. I had to adapt my personal statement into a short motivational letter, then take the Oxford TSA and finally an online Kira-Talent interview where I had to write and record several answers with only 30 seconds of prep time.
How did you prepare for the entrance test? I prepared for the TSA with a lot of help from Mr Ricketts at school, taking sessions in my free periods to learn the new examination style. As for the interview, I went through lots of mock questions which was helpful for getting to grips with the tight timing of it. What are you most looking forward to about studying at SSE? I’m definitely looking forward to the truly international environment, which makes up around 110 of the 300 new students. I’m also excited to be able to specialise in the area I’ve chosen and am interested in, all the more so in a leading, ambitious institution.
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What are your top tips for students considering applying to study at a university outside of the UK? I think it’s really important to visit the university despite the distance. Get yourself prepared as early as possible so that a second application route doesn’t interfere with your A Level studies and that you’re well prepared for any additional aptitude tests which some universities will want you to do.
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EVENTS
Sturgeon cricket
Our annual Sturgeon cricket match at Ditton Field, together with the KGS Family Tennis extravaganza, took place in fabulous weather – hot and sunny – and a convivial, slightly competitive and welcoming atmosphere! We hosted parents and KGS students who spent a wonderful couple of hours playing tennis before enjoying refreshments.
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The cricket game saw a group of Old Kingstonians play some of our top cricketers. In a tightly fought game, the alumni (Ronan Harvey-Kelly, Joe Hughes, Owen Williamson, Ben Park, Ed Darwin, Joe Woodcock, Matt Pugh, Michael Moran, Tom Gooding, Ross Mcgeachie, Andy Wickerson and Alasdair Dean) narrowly won but there were strong performances all round, despite the sweltering temperatures. This was followed by a barbecue and a presentation of trophies and awards as the day drew to a close.
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It was great to see a number of staff and former parents at the event, and a lovely afternoon was spent sitting on the boundary. It was also the last time we would see Dave Bartram play for either KGS or the alumni as he heads off to a new school. Thank you to those staff and alumni who supported the event, especially James Gordon who presented the trophies at the end of a lovely Sunday afternoon. Mrs S Humphrey, Director of Development
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EVENTS
Henley Royal Regatta
We were delighted to be able to welcome over 300 alumni and students to our Henley tent this year during the glorious Henley Royal Regatta week. This is the annual celebration of KGS rowing and is a fitting culmination to a year of amazing success on the water.
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This year we decided on a floral theme and the tent was decorated with fresh flowers and displays of foliage to reflect the beautiful Henley countryside. Guests enjoyed delicious food supplied by a former KGS member of catering staff, and the drinks were generously supplied by the Sheriff Club. Our Fourth Year rowing students looked after our guests and made sure everyone was fed and watered before leaving to watch the rowing action.
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It was lovely to welcome so many former KGS rowing students to the tent and it was tremendous to hear about the academic and sporting paths our alumni have taken. Our Director of Rowing, Ed Green, gave a warm speech to round off the season and the Head Master thanked everyone for taking time to come back and celebrate KGS rowing.
A special thanks to Chloe Rowland and Charlotte Sandford for all their work behind the scenes in setting up a wonderful event. Mrs S Humphrey, Director of Development
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PROFILE
The Bishop of Durham The Right Reverend Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham (OK 1974), was involved in many aspects of life at KGS life, but his time was most prominently influenced by his role within, and presidency of, the Christian Union (CU), and the friends and memories made there. Having come to faith as a teenager, Paul feels passionately about giving children the opportunity to discover faith, and to make up their own minds about what and whether they believe. Statistics show that about 80% of people who come to Christianity do so before the age of 18, making Paul’s work very relevant with the young people he works with. Paul’s love of camping and the outdoors was also fostered by CU camps at KGS, and this has informed his work since, which has involved work with the Christian charity Scripture Union, running faith-focused vacations, usually camping in the UK, for children who may not otherwise get a holiday. He is now President of Scripture Union, as well as Patron of the Scargill Movement, both multi-national, inter-denominational evangelical non-profit Christian organisations. On leaving KGS, Paul completed a degree in English and History at the University of Nottingham, and then took a role as a social work assistant, working with elderly and vulnerable people, as well as students and young people – this would, had Christian Ministry not worked out, have been Paul’s ideal alternative career. However, the call to pursue Anglican ordination was strong and, by 1980, Paul had begun his training at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He continued to work with Scripture Union and remained up to date about the issues which affect young people, informing his later roles as a children’s advocate within the Church of England. As well as working within the UK with Scripture Union, Paul helped the development of links with Uganda, Rwanda and Russia as churches opened across these countries in the late 20th century and spent time developing with them a strategy for working with vulnerable and young people.
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Within the UK, he rose through the church ranks, taking several posts in Walthamstow which culminated in a role as team rector of the area until 2004, as well as serving as area dean of Waltham Forest. Paul was then appointed and installed as Bishop of Southampton at Winchester Cathedral in July 2004, which marked the beginning of his career as a Bishop; he remained in post until 2009, when he was offered the role of Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, which he held for only three and a half years before his name was submitted for the Bishop of Durham post. Paul admits that his wife, Rosemary, had never been to Durham before his installation in February 2014, and he himself had only visited once! Thankfully, they have been in Durham for almost 10 years now and love living in the city. Paul does, however, have an ongoing passion for East Africa, and the role that Christianity plays there. He visits Rwanda and Burundi as much as he can, mainly taking on clergy training. Later this year he will go to visit friends that he has made over the years, as well as acting as guest preacher for the 10th anniversary of one of the dioceses he helped found. “I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to visit often and to have made many friends and connections there.” The Bishop’s role in King Charles III’s coronation in May this year is understandably something that he recalls as a highlight of his career. He was one of only five people to witness
the anointing of the new king, which takes place behind a screen and is not televised, a privilege Paul will always remember. His overwhelming memory from the service is a sentiment of utter disbelief that he had ended up here, as well as positive reflection on the diversity and multi-faith nature of the service, despite it taking place in Westminster Abbey, an Anglican church. Nonetheless, the Coronation took months of preparation, and as Paul was part of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ‘planning group’ for the event, he was given insight into the level of strategy and rehearsal involved in such a significant state event; in the week leading up to the Coronation itself, the core group involved rehearsed for up to seven hours a day, over half of which the future King and Queen Consort were present for. This experience would, Paul admits, be very difficult to top.
former Bishop of Kingston, who was in the same year group. The Bishop’s plans for the future are varied and interesting, too; as he approaches his 70s, he hopes to move into a new phase of work, involving continued collaboration with schools across the country to enable exploration of the Christian faith for children of all socio-economic backgrounds. He also greatly looks forward to being able to spend more time with his wife, children and grandchildren, who are his pride and joy. Sasha Lacey, OK 2022
Paul recalls a love of hockey at KGS and has strong memories of happily chaotic bus trips down to Ditton Field, which was acquired by KGS during his time here. He completed A Levels in History, English and Religious Education, and is grateful for the excellent relationships he had with his teachers, particularly in the Sixth Form. His role as President of the Christian Union formed a major part of his school experience, both being involved in, and leading, faith-oriented events for students. Paul has so many happy memories of his time at KGS and is in touch with many friends from his time here including Richard Cheetham, the
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Peter Ricketts “Ah, my dear chap!”
As the economist John Kenneth Galbraith stated, ‘economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.’ There are no doubt generations of KGS students who are very grateful that Peter Ricketts is one such economist who made teaching his lifelong vocation. After graduating from Selwyn College, Cambridge in 1976, a young Peter took on his first teaching post at Merchant Taylors School where he taught both Economics and Politics. It was in the Autumn of 1989 that he first arrived at KGS to begin an unrivalled 34 years of teaching; our first statistic for the KGS history books.
Peter soon became the Head of Economics and the Department expanded under his leadership with the subject becoming one of the most popular university choices. He also played the lead role in preparing students for university admissions tests, teaching the Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving elements of the BMAT, TSA and LNAT. Alongside this, he also taught AS Level Critical Thinking for over a decade. Peter taught more than 1,000 students over the years, our second ‘stat’. What is more impressive is that he is able to recognise each and every one of them years later, quite often on the concourse at Waterloo Station, and then produce a wonderfully lucid account of their life since leaving KGS to share with the staff. Peter has a particular passion for theatre, and while this has more recently involved attending school performances or accompanying trips, he also has a number of KGS directorial credits to his name including: West Side Story (2003), Oliver! (1997), Dido and Aeneas (1993), Guys and Dolls (1992), Not in Front of the Parents – Staff Revue (1991) and Bugsy Malone (1990).
A talented singer and keen musician, Peter’s on stage have been as a longstanding member of various choirs and music ensembles. He is a particular fan of the Great American Songbook as well as the ‘First Lady of Song’, Ella Fitzgerald. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame was being part of a choir selected to provide the backing vocals on an early Communards album. It is not only the KGS alumni who have benefitted from Peter’s sage counsel: scores of staff, past and present, have valued his wisdom. He has served under five different Heads (our third statistic), all of whom have found him to be a mine of information on KGS past and present. Some of this information has been gleaned from the Friday ‘Library’ group, of which Peter is a stalwart member and accomplished raconteur. And while it may be true that all good things come to an end, for an individual like Peter this is simply the start of a new chapter as he leaves us to pursue new projects and interests. He does so with all our very warmest wishes and profound thanks. Mr SR Lehec, Head Master & Mr W Cooper, Deputy Head
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FROM THE COMMON ROOM
Welcome to KGS... As ever, we were pleased to welcome many new teaching and support members of staff for the 2022/23 academic year.
Alexandrea Phoenix Core PE Lead Rachel Hill Teacher of Biology Rae Ann Faiz Teacher of Mathematics Alexander Henderson Teacher of Psychology
James Hall Hockey Graduate Intern
Throughout the year, a number of staff welcomed babies to their families: Richard Gee, Kate Kennedy, Rebecca Sharp, Sophie Bailey, Adam House, Nick Hudson and Jack Daley.
Daniel Blenkley ICT Support Technician
Johnny Boyes Caretaker
Louise Andrew Head of Classics
Chloe Rowland EA to Deputy Head
Fabiano Geron Teacher of Computing
Thayavathani Krishnakumar Teacher of Spanish and French
Maisie Ireland Visiting Music Teacher Irem Albayrak Trainee Teacher– Economics
Callum Mackenzie Hockey Coach
Congratulations!
Sarah Moledina Lead School Nurse
William Bohanna Head of Economics
Kirsty Chaplin Visiting Music Teacher
Tim Hughes Deputy Director of Finance and Operations
Alessandra Lenzi Teacher David Preston Visiting Music Teacher Charlotte Sandford Events Manager Abdullah Ibrahim IT Support Apprentice
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Congratulations, too, to Dave Bartram who married ex-KGS member of staff, Daisy Collins, and to Olivia Wilkinson (as was) who married Matt Maclay.
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Farewell & thank you! At the end of the year, we said a fond farewell and thank you to...
Pamela Obi School Nurse
Maryna Rusinova Learning Support Assistant
Martin Durban Hockey Coach
Eva Gray Cricket Coach
Elaine Gawn Development Officer
Philippa Pike SLG Secretary
Jeevan Kaur Teacher of Geography
Natalie Man Senior Marketing Manager
Lesley Presland Senior Science Technician
Dave Bartram Teacher of PE
David Brent Cricket Coach
Peter Ricketts Teacher of Economics
Thomas Ellis Visiting Music Teacher
Ben Campbell Teacher of English
Rebecca Hetherington Teacher of Design and Technology
Aimee Byrne Hockey Coach Robert Lightowlers Teacher of Geography
Danny Vavrecka Theatre Technician Sandra Corcoran Head of Learning Support Anne Sankey Music Administrator
Annabel Lawrence Learning Support Assistant Sawsan Elbireer Learning Support Assistant
Jason Stiff Hockey Coach
Casey Beckford Teacher of Design and Technology
Anna Dabkowska Healthcare Assistant
Jennifer Chen Teacher of Mandarin
Shashi Malik Cricket Coach
Andy Watts Director of Sport
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AND FINALLY...
Welcome to the Class of 2030 #workwellandbehappy
Adam Abdel Wahed Roma Aggarwal Ammar Syed Ahmed Ela Akdogan Oscar Allibone Kerem Alpugan Jacob Anderson Romy Angel Matilda Applegate Stacey Audzei Noa Barkey Harry Beard Emily Boyd Sophia Braine Eleonora Brunati Jake Bryant Zoe Buchanan Atia Buckley Tilly Byatt Zoe Caldwell Rafe Chambers Teddy Christie Isla Clark Amy Davies Nate De Soyres James Dobbyn Holly Dobson Daisy Du Cann Mohamed-Amin El Glaoui Lara Fawdry Alexander Fedotkin Kaiya Feng James Firth Rawdon Frame Lucinda Franklin Molly French Katie Gaarn-Larsen Dayn Gill Jessica Gillbe Thomas Grant Sara Hendrickx Bella Herring James Ho
Sophie Houghton Kin Hui Allegra Humphreys Lilly Huwendiek Dahlia Isaac Alba Isalan Vedant Issur Hugo Johansson Holly Jones Orla Kasolowsky Benjamin Kay-Phillips Christian Kelly Noah Kolev Gunes Kosar Sophie Kozlovskaya Lily Large Karsten Lau Kassie Li Alexander Lim Lukas Lykopoulos Marco Magjuni Louisa Maltby Omar Mammadov Esther Man Sienna Manoharan Zack Martin Marina Masegur Marques Eveline McClatchie Millie McKillop Jemima Merrison Elliot Mills Iwon Min Flora Mitchell Owen Ng Jack Norris Neala O’Keeffe Xanthe Olding Alin Ozkeles Josh Patel Diya Rai Lila Randall Luca Rodger Denis Rodionov
Eddie Rowland Katy Russell Grace Sallis Sara Sanchez-Ruiz Maya Sekeram Delphine Sharpe Alex Sharples Esther Shaw Georgia Shepherd Sharv Manoj Shetty Clara Shin Sofia Shittu Leon Stephens Roxy Stratos Holly Stuart-William Alfie Tallantyre Thomas Tiltman Ben Tindall Jessica Todd Mia Townsend Beatrice Turner Gui Valido Poppy Van Der Plas Vivienne Van Eijnsbergen Alex Vasilenko Mia Vilasoa Allegue Emily Vincent Jude Virik Pratyush Vyas Oliver Walker Joshua Wellman Leo Whitfield Arlo Whyte George Whyte Sara Wilheim Jun Wong Iris Young Elif Yuksel
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BE N E AG ERE AC L A ETA RI
2022/23