APRIL 2015
www.kgs.org.uk
NEWSLETTER
making KGS history in China Over the Easter holiday nineteen Second Year students and three members of staff travelled on an inaugural trip to China.
FROM THE HEAD
PA G E 2
AV E AT Q U E VA L E
PA G E 3
O K S ’ M A R AT H O N
PA G E 9
FROM THE HEAD MASTER Whilst the country at large is actively doing its best to engage with or avoid the General Election 2015, or #GE2015, there are two aspects of the event that means we have little choice but to follow it with increasing interest here at KGS. The first of these is, of course, our own hotly contested mock election. With eight parties represented, all broadly sticking to the roles and policies assigned to them by their national representatives, it is not only a diverse but also highly entertaining affair. Regular updates from our very own Peter Snow (Mr Sorley) bring home to us the pendulum-like swing of opinion after every husting, manifesto release or ‘Question Time’. I would hesitate to say that it is a US-style personalityled campaign but let us just say that one would not normally find the Liberal Democrats being edged into second place by the Communist party. Long may democracy and freedom of speech reign at KGS! The second, and ever so slightly more serious, perspective is the impact that any elected party or coalition of parties will have on education. In the independent sector we are thankfully immune to some of the more strident policies concerning strategy, policy and funding. Nevertheless, recent. 2
governmental, dare we still say Goveian, changes have impacted on schools in every sector. As we plan to make changes to our GCSE and A level programmes we know only too well that a change of government may well be reverse these reforms. Whilst we have to be conscious of what each party offers to our students as they progress into their university and career of choice, we are also aware of the resurrection of the demand in some quarters for independent schools to have ‘meaningful’ partnerships with the state sector. Fortunately, Kingston Grammar School has many meaningful and often longestablished partnerships with all areas of our community, but who knows what we may have to adopt or adapt to if and when the policy of ‘meaningful’ is defined. We may also have to prepare for all students to study English and Mathematics to 18. I suspect if this were to be the case that KGS may be in a better position to do so than most but it would still take away that most important element of further education: independence. There is of course no real point in overly worrying about what may or may not happen, but there is genuine benefit in being prepared. For now we can enjoy the many
positive articles in the national press regarding the benefits of the type of education that values co-curricular engagement and preparation for life as being equally as important as the high academic grades that need to be achieved to gain success. It is too often forgotten at times of high tension and change that the person, the pupil, is the most important ingredient in education and whilst there are hoops that must be jumped through there are also many that can be spun, created and played with. In next month’s newsletter you will see a fuller article relating to our School Captains but may I direct you for now to our ‘latest news’ and offer my thanks and congratulations to all concerned. Also, whilst we thank many staff for their service to KGS over a variety of years I would like to particularly congratulate Mr Wallace, our Principal Deputy, on his well-deserved appointment to the Headship of Lincoln Minster School. Work well, be happy and maybe see you at the polling station!
Follow Mr Lehec @kgsheadmaster
Pastures New for JMW We are both delighted (for him) and sorry (for ourselves) to have to report that Mr Wallace has been appointed Head of Lincoln Minster School. He will be taking up his new responsibilities in September. Mr Wallace joined KGS from Caterham in January 2010 as Principal Deputy Head, a position he has filled with great distinction, impressing all with his quiet composure and authority, his deep concern for pupils and staff and his incisive but even-handed administration of the myriad tasks of a fully committed Deputy Head. He has also been a stalwart of School hockey, and will be long remembered, amongst so much else, for being the driving force behind the 48-hour hockey marathon that raised money for the Ditton Field refurbishment last year and secured for the School a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Mr Wallace’s new school is co-educational and independent, like KGS, but it also has some boarders, like Caterham, and takes pupils as young as two. LMS manages both to be a new foundation and steeped in History. Formed in 1996 by the merger of Lincoln Cathedral School and two others, and enlarged even more recently by the addition of a prep school, LMS enjoys modern, purpose-built accommodation but also maintains its historic link with the cathedral and continues to act as its choir school. Music is very much at the heart of the school, and its students and alumni can boast some very impressive achievements in this field. Indeed, Mr Wallace was, he says, heartily relieved that the interview process did not include a singing audition! But there is more to the place than music, with sporting success in some unusual fields. The U15 girls are National Champions in Squash, and the girls boast some top performers in rugby and cricket, too. One Year 11 pupil is a member of the GB Youth Bobsleigh Team (a bronze medal winner in the new monobob event), and one of their recent alumni is even an award-winning racing driver! They play hockey as well, and Mr Wallace will no doubt be looking to build on the school’s burgeoning achievements. They laid their first astro just a year ago, and the U16 boys have already become Lincolnshire champions. They have a little way to go before they can match the KGS record, but the first steps have been taken, and Mr Wallace will be relishing the prospect of our meeting some day and of his new school getting the better of his old. Mr Wallace will leave a huge hole at KGS and be a very tough act to follow, but while we will miss him and his family, we wish him, Cathriona and Zach (when he eventually ups sticks and leaves in a year or so) well in their new home.
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Gibbon Society Dinner The Gibbon Society Dinner, for very many years considered the premier social event in the school calendar, is an opportunity, held by ancient tradition on the last night of the Spring Term, for all those in the Sixth Form who have contributed to the Society’s activities or the cultural life of the School more generally to join staff and OKs in a celebratory dinner. This year’s event was an historic one for several reasons. Not only was it the first (of many, we hope) for Mr Lehec, but it was also the first (for many years) to have a Fifth Year presence. It was also, more sadly, the first not to have a contingent from the Lower Sixth, and we can only hope that next year this cohort will realise what they
missed. There was a very healthy turn-out of OKs, mostly from 2013 and 2014, however, and we were particularly pleased to welcome back James Heale, as it meant we would have someone never knowingly lost for words to present the cup. The two secretaries, Ben Doble and Serena Sekhon, gave an entertaining report on the year’s activities and it was they who were the worthy recipients of the cup in recognition of all their efforts and their achievements in their short time with us – is it another first that both secretaries joined the School in the Sixth Form? After an excellent four-course meal, there was plenty of mingling and chat across the years until eventually people began to fade into the night, going on to who knows what further and no doubt louder and less intellectually stimulating entertainment. I hope they are looking forward to next year’s dinner already – the Spring Term 2016 ends on 23rd March. Put it in your diaries now! NDB
Rosclare Tea Party Members of Miss Naismith’s form hosted our fourth Community Service Tea Party this year for our friends from Rosclare Care Home on Friday 20 March and it was a great success. Once again we were spoilt for choice by the spread of homebaked cakes and biscuits and pupils chatted with our guests over tea and coffee before listening to some beautiful music performed by Kitty Griffin and then playing bingo. As she had promised, Dolly brought along her telegram from the Queen celebrating her 100th birthday, as well as some of her poetry’ which we found very moving. Our guests always appreciate the time given up by our pupils and enjoy the opportunity to visit us, particularly given that two of our sixth formers (Robert Bern and Josie Palmer) have also volunteered at the Care Home during the weekend this year, strengthening the relationship between KGS and Rosclare. Huge thanks to all involved in making this tea party a success. The next two will be held on Friday 15 May and Friday 12 June. KDP 4
School Election Manifesto Launch
The six party leaders and their campaign teams launched their manifestos in the QE2 Quad near the end of the Spring Term in an exciting event attended by some sixty students. Party leaders took to the soap box and there was much grandstanding, demagogic oratory and such like to whet the appetites of the mixed-age voters who turned out on a chilly lunchtime in March. Although there was enough oratory to fill a small book, we can only note here the fundamentals of each party’s message. Here is what they had to say! ‘Vote UKIP for change, to bring Britain back to the best, strongest and proudest days that Britain so dearly misses.’ Harry McGregor, UKIP Leader ‘A stronger economy and a fairer society - vote Liberal Democrat for a reliable, unified government.’ Matt Maginnis, Liberal Democrat Party Leader ‘A party that stands for fairness, equality and a better Britain. Vote Labour - a party that gives you Moore.’ Ben Moore, Labour Party Leader ‘Green Party. Reason over Rhetoric.’ Ben Doble, Green Party leader ‘A party that stands for smaller government and lower taxes for hard-working people.’ James Wakefield, Conservative Party Leader ‘Altering the never ending cycle that is the Tory/Labour regime, time for change, open your mind to hope, vote for Julian Style, Communist.’ Julian Style and Fergus Ainsworth, Communist Party Co-leaders.
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Touchstone Dinner
On Wednesday 22nd April the 6th form Philosophy and Ethics club – Touchstone – had its annual dinner at the Canbury Arms. The event was a huge success, with more attendees than in previous years, and ever more geeky philosophy puns being added to the RP department’s list. The highlight of the evening – aside from the delicious food – was the three rounds of ‘guess the philosopher or KGS personality’ game, with particularly amusing descriptions and mimes coming from Katharine Sealy and Mrs Williams, who clearly had been practising their charades skills. Special mention should go to Emma Cramp and Elisheba Marshall who outshone many of their peers in the ‘Articulate’ round of the game, despite not being philosophy students. A big thank you to everyone involved with Touchstone for making it such a fun and lively environment in which to debate the fundamental questions of life (and death!)…here’s to next year! HH
GCSE & A-level Art Exhibition Tuesday 2nd June 4pm—7.30pm Baxter Gallery & Theatre 6
THE ARTS
The Arts
School Concert The Spring Term’s School Concert on 25th March was a thoroughly enjoyable event. The concert started with a punchy rendition of Ravel’s Boléro by the First Orchestra. The piece is famous for beginning softly and ending as loudly as possible and the Orchestra upheld this tradition. Grace Lloyd’s persistent drum beat set the pace as the music built to an enthusiastic finale. The Boléro was followed by the Junior Guitar Ensemble’s performance of La Bamba. It was a cheerful, rhythmic piece that the audience clearly enjoyed judging from all the foot tapping. They were then joined by the Senior Guitar Ensemble with Elena de Mello Martin, Marina Kornilova and Tali Box singing. They performed Chan Chan, a Cuban love song from the Bueno Vista Social Club, arranged by Mrs Thurston. A special mention goes to Joe Underwood and Joe Malbon for their guitar solos and Miranda Worth’s trumpet solo. The Horn Group performed next, slowing the pace of the Concert as they played Ave Verum Corpus, a German piece, filling the hall with warm notes.The Junior Boys’ Choir followed with an emotional performance of Elton John’s famous ‘Your Song’ arranged by Mac Huff and Joshua Selimi. They were obviously enjoying the performance and it was a fantastic way to end the first half of the concert. After the interval it was the turn of the Junior Girls’ Choir. They performed a very entertaining piece directed by fourth year pupils Olivia Merrington and Fiona Kennedy. The performance was based around Mr Tierney’s suggestion that you can write a ‘hit pop song’
as long as you know four particular chords. The Choir went on to demonstrate just how many famous artists follow Mr Tierney’s advice from Elton John to U2, including an unforgettable performance of ‘Not Pretty Enough’ by Mr Lehec from the front row of the audience. The second half of the concert was off to a flying start. The String Quartet followed with Timothy Shipley and Mark Berrow on violin, Vivek Haria on Viola and Paeony de la Garde Tingay on cello. They gave a confident and accomplished performance of Quartet No. 1 in F Major by Beethoven. The School and Chamber Choirs upped the pace next with ‘The Best of Bond’ a medley of well known James Bond themes. Peter Le Tissier shared the directing with Mr von Freyhold and the Choir gave a polished performance of a number of popular themes including Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever. The final piece of the evening was Senior Orchestra and the first movement of Dvořák’s New World Symphony. Dvořák was inspired by America and its wide open spaces and this piece blends together American influences and Eastern European folk music. Senior Orchestra gave a stirring and moving performance with an impressive brass section clearly enjoying their triple forte moments. The haunting melody passed seamlessly from string to woodwind to brass and the whole orchestra was so clearly enjoying themselves, as was the audience! Mr von Freyhold closed the evening by thanking the Music Society for serving refreshments. Jessica Pringle, 4HW
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PEOPLE Aoife and Peter with TYO Peter Le Tissier and Aoife Parr report on their participation in the Thames Youth Orchestra Concert at the Barbican on 29th March 2015. On Sunday 29th March, I had the opportunity to play Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony No. 2 at the Barbican with the Thames Youth Orchestra as part of their 10th Anniversary celebrations. The piece is a monumental work, for an Orchestra of roughly 130 musicians, offstage brass and drums, as well as a large choir, and our usual ensemble was augmented with past players, including KGS alumnae Kath Roberts and Gabby Noble, many of whom have since gone on to the Royal Academy of Music and thence into professional musical careers. My experience with the Orchestra began in 2010, and introduced me to many of my favourite pieces, especially the nine Mahler symphonies. For the last two years, I have been the Orchestra’s Principal Horn, which has improved my playing in solo performances, as well as as part of an ensemble. I have enjoyed the opportunity to perform in a number of different locations, and annual tours also enhance the social experience of playing in an orchestra. Playing at the Barbican was an absolutely wonderful opportunity which I will never forget. The hall has a capacity of more than 2,000, and that, along with the piece that we were performing, meant this was by far the biggest concert I have ever performed in. It was an amazing thing to be a part of, with both an excellent orchestra and stunning choir helping to bring everyone’s playing to an exceptional standard. It was an extraordinary experience. Peter Le Tissier, U6JH After all of the weeks, weekends and extra hours of practice, the day of the TYO Mahler 2 concert had finally arrived. I arrived at the renowned Barbican Concert Hall 45 minutes early, but the backstage area of the Barbican is like a maze; there are loads of different corridors and dressing rooms everywhere. After about ten minutes of wandering around, I finally found the right dressing room! We set up the stage quickly and the music was handed out. I played 6th horn as I am a low player. I love playing any of Mahler’s works because they all have really good horn parts and a lot of tunes. After a really long rehearsal with the orchestra, we had an hour to go and relax. Finally the time had come…. it was concert time! We did a final tune-up and then it was time to go on stage. The concert was absolutely amazing and the quality of sound produced for a youth orchestra was phenomenal. I will never forget that concert as it was the first time I had played in the Barbican! I’ve learnt so much over the period of time and have improved my playing as well as making new friends. It’s experiences like this that remind me why I perform music. Aoife Parr, 3RS
Rory at the Young Vic
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OKs in London Mar athon Two OKs from the year of 2012 completed the London Marathon on 26th April. Below are their reports, and links to their justgiving pages should anyone should wish to contribute to the wonderful causes they were supporting. Nick Skelton writes: I ran the London Marathon in a time of 4 hours 57 minutes despite tendonitis in my Achilles heel, which I was absolutely delighted with. It was a gruelling but wonderful experience with the crowds lining the streets from Blackheath to the Mall. I hope to run it again in the future and now have a time to beat! I was running for Hope for Children and so far I have raised £1,852.49 for the Charity. Hope do fantastic work around the world, and help ensure that children can eat, go to school and receive medical care. I am astounded by the work that Hope for Children does and hope that the donations I have received will help this continue. The link to my Virgin Money Giving page is: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NickSkelton Michael Fernando ran in full hockey goal-keeping kit. He found himself increasingly hampered by the kickers and pads but didn’t discard a single item, and was much buoyed along the way by friends and supporters from KGS and Surbiton HC. The sixth most successful fund-raiser for Cancer Research (beaten only by the likes of the Governor of the Bank of England, the CEO of Cancer Research and the CEO of Virgin Money Giving), but with the largest number of donors, he writes: I finished the marathon in 5:45:02. I was quite happy with that. Sadly I missed out on an official Guinness World Record by 15 minutes; I can guarantee that I will not be making a second attempt. I am currently preparing for my finals with a extra strong pain relief patch on my back, strapping on both ankles, and sporadically falling asleep at my desk. That being said the whole experience was amazing. Raising nearly £40,000 (with gift aid) for Cancer Research UK is definitely worth a few days of discomfort. Sadly my dad passed away early in April and thus couldn’t watch me finish the marathon, but it is fitting to raise so much money for a charity that is doing excellent work to make sure that fewer people leave the world too soon. I first had the idea for running a marathon in keeper kit when I was sitting in a KGS assembly at which Mr Grant described hitting ‘the wall’ (if I remember rightly he hit it at 18 miles and powered on through). Hockey played a huge part in my life at KGS but the marathon was about more than that, it was about the confidence that a good education, with excellent, encouraging teachers, gives one to take on challenges that seem, to other people, impossible. So thank you KGS, and Mr Grant, for teaching me to try things that, to others, may seem absolutely ridiculous. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fernandogetssweaty
Second-former Rory Stroud has just opened in ‘a spring-like, fragrant’ production of Eugene O’Neill’s ‘gentle, sweet’ comedy ‘Ah, Wilderness!’ at the Young Vic that ‘leaves [the audience] feeling uplifted’. The show was launched in front of an invited audience of British press, a few ‘celebs’, sponsors and VIPs on 21st April. Rory, we are told, had an amazing time afterwards talking to Juliet Stephenson, amongst others, and ended up having to give a little speech to the great and good. Quentin Letts, in the Daily Mail, described Rory’s performance as ‘excellent’, and the show has had very positive reviews. A short trailer, featuring Rory in a few scenes, can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKlVzvtPKaE#t=0 and the play runs until 23rd May. A fuller account of Rory’s experiences will appear in the May edition of the Newsletter.
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TRIPS
French Exchange On the last day of term the French Exchange group gathered nervously in the cage and made their way to the coach, which was the first step of a day-long trip to Châlons-en-Champagne in order to be reunited with the “correspondants” they had last seen the previous October. The journey went well and everyone was excited but also nervous at the prospect of a whole weekend of speaking French only. The French families were waiting for them on the platform and within minutes everyone was whisked off to their respective French home. The weekend activities varied between bowling, visiting the planetarium in Reims, shopping in Châlons, visiting Troyes, going to a waterpark and also, I hear from a certain individual in the group, skateboarding! It was no surprise then to find everyone looking very tired on Monday morning but also very positive about how much they had understood and communicated over the week-end. Off to Paris it was. Our first stop was the Tour Montparnasse with its 56 floors and the fastest lift in Europe, that takes you to the top in 36 seconds. Having had our lunch on the terrace with a panoramic view of Paris, we made our way to the Trocadero, from where we took quick snaps of the Eiffel Tower. Then it was Montmartre and some free time to look at the galleries, le Sacré Cœur and of course the painters on Place du Tertre. I hear the “crêpes” there were not bad at all!
Tuesday was spent with the French students in Reims but not before a visit to the chocolate factory at Pierry and some free samples to taste. What a great way to start your day! After a quick tour of Reims by coach, we visited the Cathedral where most French kings were crowned. Then we had a lovely meal and students were given free time in the pedestrian town centre. In the evening, back in Châlons, we went to watch the local basketball team. What a fantastic atmosphere! On Wednesday there was a visit to a Champagne cellar to learn about the champagne-making process, then onto mini-barges on the rivers Mau and Nau to learn about Châlons’ history. Lunch at school was delicious and the pupils had a free afternoon with their “corres” only to return to school in the evening for some sporting activities (mainly basketball which both pupils and teachers took part in), followed by pizzas and a well-deserved night’s sleep Thursday morning was spent at Notre-Dame Perrier School in lessons with the French. Another fantastic lunch at school and a quiz around Châlons followed. Later on, we were received by the Mayor’s deputy, who welcomed us in the lavish town hall. All that was left to do then was to pack, hoping there would be enough space for everything! Friday was a sad day all round and the tearful good-byes were heart-breaking but certainly a sign that good fun had been had by all! A few testimonies from the group: “I had an absolutely incredible time in France… I loved the whole experience and have definitely made some good friends”; “I had such an amazing time on this trip… I would love to go back one day”; “I enjoyed experiencing more of the French culture and practising my language skills”; “Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the exchange. My family were lovely and the mother cried when I left!” Thank you, Miss Bruce, Mr Crohill and Mr Garner. NLH
Ghana Gap Years Readers will be familiar with the link KGS has created with a rural school in Ghana. One aspect of this link is a gap year programme for alumni to teach a subject of their choice in the school for three, five or nine months. This is tremendous opportunity for anyone interested in making a real difference to the lives of local Ghanaians in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. If interested, please get in touch with Mr Mackay: nmackay@kgs.org.uk.
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Making KGS History in China The main purposes of our journey were linguistic and cultural, but really it was out of simple curiosity to get to know a part of the world so different from Kingston. After a long flight via Dubai we landed in Beijing and quickly got accustomed to the heaving traffic which circulates through this megacity. A smorgasbord breakfast of noodles, eggs, dumplings and unidentified fried objects was enjoyed before we set off to the Great Wall. Typical of our trip, the ancient and modern combined as we marvelled at the scale, beauty and craft of the Wall; and then descended from it via the hair-raising toboggan ride! We then honed our bargaining skills at a fakes market (one of our party negotiated a pair of Beats headphones for £5!), sampled a tea ceremony and marvelled at a Kung Fu show, while stomachs groaned with the best Chinese food any of us had ever tasted. The next day we spent marching through history in Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City – the scale of these two locations was extraordinary! That evening we caught a TGV style train south to the city of Suzhou – travelling at top speeds of over 300kph! Suzhou is called ‘The Venice of China’ and we soon discovered why, with an idyllic visit to the World Heritage site Tongli, with its hand-powered paddles down calm canals. We also received a warm welcome from a local primary school where we taught a couple of English lessons. This was a wonderful experience during which we set up very positive links with the students and teachers.
For the final day we transferred to Shanghai for a boat trip next to the Bund, a climb up The Pearl Tower (with a terrifying view from its 300 metre high glass-bottomed walkway), a final Chinese meal and a death-defying Acrobat Show. It seems amazing we packed so much in to the one week, but all of us are keen to return to this sometimes modern, sometimes ancient, but always fascinating part of the world! NEM
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Spanish Exchange Over the Easter holidays Miss Pastore, Mr Borrero and I took a group of Third Year students to Spain as part of an exchange programme with our partner Spanish school, I.E.S Ángel Corella. Aryan Bhasin, 3PS outlines below what we did and why it was such a fantastic experience! NHR The Spanish Exchange is a programme where KGS pupils visited Colmenar Viejo, a town thirty minutes from Madrid. The trip is all about introducing a new culture and country to students. Spending time with the host family was the crucial part of the programme, which allowed me to immerse myself in the family’s lives as well as getting to speak Spanish. On the first day we visited Madrid and explored churches, shops and the markets there. The high point of the day was a Flamenco lesson at the end! Over the weekend we did exiting things with our host families, such as hiking in the beautiful countryside as well as visiting a theme park where we enjoyed many dizzying rides. We also visited Toledo, both the English and the Spanish students, and got a feel of a typical Spanish village and culture. For our final trip to Madrid it was great to have a tour of the Bernebéu Stadium (the home of Real Madrid). This was followed by a typical Spanish meal. It was a magnificent experience for all. The final day was emotional as we said goodbye to our Spanish friends. My personal highlight was the time I spent with my host family as I truly got to experience Spain. I recommend this trip because it allows you to learn about a new and warm culture! Aryan Bhasin, 3PS
CCF Adventure Tr aining When we arrived in Wales, it was raining, as always. But having unpacked and revised our navigation we were ready for the days ahead. On the first day, we spent the morning orienteering and then in the afternoon attempted to scale the mountain Pen y Fan. Unfortunately, strong winds made it impossible to reach the summit. There was a mixture of rock climbing and horse riding on the second day, which everyone enjoyed a lot. Colour Sergeant Styles had a particularly hard time trying to control his stallion. This didn’t bother him however as it was his birthday, which was celebrated later on with a small party at the accommodation. On the last day everyone was exhausted, but we only had a morning of rock climbing left, and we had a great time. And with that we had finished another successful Easter camp and can now turn our attention to the upcoming summer camps, a summer term of exciting training and a trip to Horse Guards’ Parade to watch the massed bands of the Household Division parade. Flt Sgt Newton 12
JCU Houseparty
Third Year Visit to the German School,
This year, the Junior Christian Union went to Norfolk for four days at the start of the Easter holidays to enjoy a weekend of great activities together. We had our usual trips out, and we also had use of the go-karts at our venue the whole of Monday morning. As well as our activities, Mark and Laura Rodger, long-time supporters of the CU, gave our evening talks on the Parable of the Lost Son. These sessions were full of interactive activities and helpful illustrations to enable all of us there understand the meaning behind Jesus’s story. Thirty-five pupils, including a number of the
Sixteen German students spent half the day on Wednesday 18th March at the German School or the DSL. I found that their school was very different from ours. They usually finish around 2 or 2.30 and have three breaks in the day. German pupils do not wear uniform and bring their own clothes in for activities like sports. Everyone was welcoming and eager to test out my German. I also found that the teachers were slightly more laid back. I enjoyed the experience and it was interesting to compare schools. Serena Clarke, 3RS We left school at 9.30 and took the 65 bus to the German School. Once there we met the class that we would spend the morning with. First there was a 15-minute break until the first lesson which was Maths. It was very difficult as it was in German. Then we had Geography. It was an exciting experience to see what a German school is like. Ollie Jackson, 3PS We admired the beautiful old building and the vast grounds scattered with table tennis tables, basketball hoops and football goals. We were soon greeted by a teacher and led in. A German girl, Riva, gave me a tour and then we made our way to the classroom where I was greeted by double German! It was interesting to see how the class worked and communicated. In the lesson they were debating ‘should alcohol be banned for those under 20?’ Although I couldn’t understand everything I enjoyed hearing the accents and the atmosphere. Next we had a break where we socialised and snacked. After break I had Geography, where my class was looking at the Earth. After a long, interesting morning we said our goodbyes and headed back. At the German School they didn’t have a uniform so that appealed to me and they finished very early! All in all, it was a very enjoyable day. Lydia Fisher-Norton, 3PS
new First Year, came for the weekend. Annabell Theron (1AP) describes her experience: “I went on the JCU Houseparty for the first time and I have decided that I am definitely going again next year! It was so much fun because we got do so many amazing things. My highlight was the go-karting, because I had never been before and it was a really exciting new experience. We also went swimming, bowling, competed against each other in team games, and on the last day we did an Easter egg hunt. Another thing I loved was meeting and making friends with people in other years. We stayed in dorms: we had a small dorm of three and we got know our Sixth Form leader, Rachel, really well. All the other leaders were so nice and friendly too. I learnt so much on the weekend because we had a time every morning where we talked about the evening meeting from the night before. Overall it was so much fun and I am really looking forward to camp!” The next Christian Union trip will be camp in the summer. It’s even better than houseparty, and this year we are going to Brixham in Devon: the dates are 15th – 22nd August. Consent forms are available on the parent portal now. CGW K G S N e w sl e t t e r
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SPORT football
Staff versus Leavers Having won the corresponding fixture on penalties last year, the staff were under pressure to continue their impressive form this time around. Given the great season that the Senior 1st and 2nd XI football teams have had, it was going to be a difficult task. Luckily, the staff were able to call on some considerable experience in 1st XI team coach and former Morocco international Ahmed Mettiuoi. Also available was Mr Gwynne, who left KGS last year and although not current staff was considered and honorary member for the day. Once again the weather allowed for some smooth, freeflowing football at times from both teams. Some neat interplay between Ahmed and Mr Greggor in midfield allowed for to ball to be played forward to Mr Rodgers, who won a free kick close to the leavers’ penalty area. Mr Beaumont was quickest to react to the incoming free kick and slotted the ball into the goal to put the staff 1-0 in front. Both teams managed to defend consistently well for the remainder of the half with staff goalkeeper Mr Parry pulling off some impressive saves from the pupils’ long-range efforts.
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It wasn’t long into the second half before the staff side got their chance to go two goals in front. Some good play out wide gave Mr Beaumont the chance to turn and slot the ball into the corner of the goal. The pupils increased the pressure on the staff team, playing some quick attacking football, which caused the staff to concede a number of corners. Surprisingly, it was the pupils that had the height advantage and made their pressure pay with a well-worked headed goal by captain Ralph Harvey-Kelly. The leavers were back in it and continued to play well in the remaining minutes. Tom Currey, who was lively throughout the fixture, came under a bit of pressure in the staff penalty area and went down, only to look on in disbelief as the referee waved away his penalty claim. In what was a very committed performance from both teams the match was played out with no more goals leaving the staff victorious once again. Credit must go to the leavers for the way they played and behaved throughout the fixture. It’s not every day that you play against a former international player!
‘Golden Boots’ Bags Glory! Congratulations to U14 centre-forward Niall Shinn, who amassed an amazing forty goals in just nineteen games this season. Niall scored some spectacular individual goals but was ably supported by the rest of the U14 players throughout the season.
Ist XI’s Impressive Season The 1st XI can be proud of their achievements this year, winning eight and drawing three of their fifteen matches. This included an impressive run of five unbeaten games, against Sutton Grammar, Royal Russell, Ewell Castle, Caterham and RGS Guilford before losing out to Claremont Fan Court in the last game of the season.
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ROWING easter camps
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Seniors
Third Years
Easter saw the annual rowing camps with the seniors this year returning to Soustons just outside Bordeaux in France with a view to finalising line-ups for the summer racing season and make progress in boat speed. The camp involved three water sessions a day with two in the morning and one in the late afternoon. Most of the afternoon was taken up with study, supported by Mrs Corcoran, who joined us for the second year running to aid students with this critical aspect of camp. The week was an intense time for the athletes and they all coped well with the training and study. The intense training load was tempered by the glorious weather which always makes an outdoor sport like rowing even more enjoyable, especially after a long cold winter! The camp ended with the traditional 2km time trial, a chance for all the crews to test their early-season pace. This saw times that were significantly better than twelve months ago but also showed, as expected, that some crews still have work to do. With the National Schools’ Regatta coming up at the end of May the rowers now look ahead to final sharpening up in their crews and the start of summer exams, a challenging, but hopefully rewarding time. PS
The 3rd year rowers took over the boathouse for a few days during the Easter Holiday to complete a number of rowing sessions. These covered racing starts and doing some racing in quads to prepare for the regatta season, but also plenty of time in single sculls learning the skills of boat moving and developing confidence by various challenges and drills. They also enjoyed making full use of the boathouse kitchen to experiment with toasting various foodstuffs for lunch! At the end there was a singles time trial, at which Sean Huh and Emilia Munns triumphed – these two also collected the most stars during the week for their helpful attitude and excellent rowing. RS-S
J15s The J15 rowers spent five days in the delightful countryside south of Gloucester, close to the River Severn. It would have been an idyllic place for a restful break in the fabulous sunshine we enjoyed, but the training programme instead included many miles of rowing on the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal. This bit of water allows long distances to be done on still water with no interruption – apart from the odd low bridge to be ducked under! Almost everyone did some rowing in pairs, there was some competitive singles racing and then time in eights and fours with a focus on the National Schools’ Regatta little more than a month away. RS-S Cameron Spurling, 4SC, and Sophie Bien-Nowakowski, 4DS add: We rowed…a lot! Therefore we made lots of progress, and significant improvements. This might have been due to the lack of distractions we would have faced at home; we knew we could work really hard and focus on our rowing. We ended up blistered to perfection… clear evidence of the hard work that took place. Final 2k races showed us the speed we had, and were great practice for the coming regatta season. We were well-fed at every given opportunity; who would have thought our most lightweight rower would have found room for five servings of cereal and a full English! The superb flat water for the first early morning session made up for the super-early wake-up call. We were also lucky enough to have the start of the supposed heat wave on our side, so by the time the early morning mist had lifted we couldn’t help but enjoying paddling in a variety of boats. It was also an opportunity to mix with different people and form new friendships. Lots of recovery time was factored into the programme so many a game of cards was played, the rowing quiz added another dimension to the competition between the squads, and we even made use of the pool table at the hostel. All in all a great sense of achievement, a boost to our confidence and a head start going into our toughest five weeks of rowing in the run up to the National Schools’ Regatta. A true rower’s dream holiday… can’t wait for Senior Camp next year!’ K G S N e w sl e t t e r
SUMMER 2015
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hockey
Holland Hockey Tour This year was the 30th year of KGS and Wageningen friendship. We brought over t-shirts for all the Dutch exchanges with the KGS crest and their crest which we presented to them after our last match. On the second day of the exchange (after a day-long trip to Wageningen in the now bloodstained bus thanks to Josh) all the Kingston teams and coaches went to Efteling theme park for the day before our first match. Later on we had the evening to spend with our exchange families. All the girls went for pancakes and ice cream for dinner with the exchanges and to a bonfire at one of the Dutch girls’ houses. We played our exchanges three times, with the boys’ As winning once and drawing another, the Bs winning once and the girls winning once. We also played two other Dutch clubs with good results against them. On Easter Sunday, we had the morning with our families and all had traditional Dutch Easter breakfasts. This was followed by a tournament for all the KGS teams, Wageningen and another club. After the tournament,
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a group of boys went go-karting, while others played football. In the evening we all met up at a pizza restaurant, which was really good. On Monday we had our last match against Wageningen but not until four o’clock, so a group of boys and a group of girls had time before that to go into Amsterdam. The groups went on a boat tour through Amsterdam’s many canals, which the families organised for us, then the girls went on bikes and were allowed to shop while the boys went to a café and stopped off to get some fries for lunch before going to play our match. Everyone had a great time throughout the week even though the results didn’t always go our way! The girls can’t wait to see all the exchanges again when they come to England in October, but for the boys, Wageningen aren’t coming back over. However, we will remain in good contact as we got on so well with them all. Jonny Kerr, 3HL and Sally Sime, 3PS
Fab Four on International Duty KGS’s crop of current England players were on international duty over the Easter holidays in test series against the Netherlands. Playing for the U18 and U16 Girls respectively, Holly Munro and Ellie de Heer may not have had the results they were hoping for but will have benefited hugely from the experience, while Zach Wallace and Owen Williamson, playing for the U16 Boys, had a much closer tussle, losing the first match of the three-match series 1-2 but coming back strongly to win the remaining games 4-3 and 1-0. Our congratulations to all four of them, and our best wishes for the European tournaments in the summer.
KGS Girls Help Surbiton to Double Double Three KGS Old Girls, one a current member of staff, and a KGS sixth-former helped Surbiton HC Ladies to a cup and league double in a remarkable season which has seen the side remain unbeaten in any domestic competition. Captain Sarah Haycroft and fellow OKs Natalie Maclean and Harriet Tibble and current sixth-former and England U18 player Holly Munro clinched the Investec League Championship title for the second year running with a 2-1 win over Canterbury at the Olympic stadium on 19th April. A week later the team was back in the Lee Valley as holders defending their crown in the Investec Knockout Cup final, but without Sarah, who had international commitments. The Surbiton ladies won a tense, closely fought battle against Clifton 3-2, the winning goal coming in the last minute. That meant that Surbiton had achieved the unique feat of being the only Ladies’ side to have won back-to-back cup and league doubles. Our congratulations to the KGS contingent and the whole team on a remarkable, recordbreaking season.
K G S N e w sl e t t e r
SUMMER 2015
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Jazz and Popular Music Night Theatre Friday 8 May 2015 7:30pm - 10pm
(Glass doors open at 7pm)
Adult ÂŁ15, Child (18yrs and under) ÂŁ7.50 (all performers need a free ticket) http://www.trybooking.co.uk/fd to book tickets
Description
- An evening headlined by the KGS Jazz Band and Popular Music Group
plus Junior Boys Choir and other guests - Table seating with Buffet style dinner and Music Society bar
Venue
Kingston Grammar School 70 London Road Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 6PY
Contact Details
Joshua Selimi, jselimi@kgs.org.uk 20