YEAR IN REVIEW 2023/24
Kingstonian 2023/24
Editor: Emma Dawson
Designer: Christine MacDonald, Aspire Design
As ever, our thanks go to the many staff, students and alumni who have supplied articles and photographs.
Kingston Grammar School
A leading independent 11–18 co-educational London day school. London Road
Kingston upon Thames KT2 6PY 020 8546 5875 enquiries@kgs.org.uk www.kgs.org.uk
KGS1561 kingstongrammar
It’s always wonderful to welcome new and returning students alike for the start of the academic year, whilst at the end of September we opened our doors to almost 2,000 visitors for another successful Open Day. In-between, our budding engineers raced in the Greenpower Car Race at Dunsfold and First Years had fun at Bonding Day at Ditton Field.
House Dance remained the hottest ticket in town, showcasing incredible student talent across the year groups. The Macmillan Coffee Morning kickstarted our charity fundraising programme and was an opportunity for the KGS community to raise money whilst getting together over homemade cake. Black History Month was celebrated across the school with a variety of initiatives that engaged and informed.
We were deeply honoured to participate in the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Cadets from the CCF, along with Commander Beggs and the Head Master, took part in the March Past and laid a
wreath on behalf of the KGS community. The House Art competition produced wonderful entries and the Autumn Concert saw a range of excellent performances from ensembles and choirs.
The Sunday Times Parent Power guide ranked KGS as the fourth best co-educational day school in London. On a cold December evening, the PSA Christmas Fair got everyone in the festive spirit and at All Saints Church, Kingston, there was a warm welcome for guests at our annual Service of Lessons and Carols.
JANUARY
Holocaust Memorial Day was marked with an event on the ‘Fragility of Freedom’ Having enjoyed many visits over the years from Bob and Ann Kirk, who escaped Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport, we were sad not to be able to host them again this year, but shared their story with students.
FEBRUARY
Razzle dazzle truly came to KT2 thanks to superb performances from the cast of the Senior Production, Chicago. Staff took part in ‘Blue Monday’ wellbeing workshops that included an introduction to ceramics, chess, embroidery and opera.
As part of British Science Week, students had the opportunity to send their code up into space to be run on the International Space Station, whilst laboratories around school hosted fun, interactive sessions.
The Pi Wars robotics competition, run by Cambridge University, gave a group of students the chance to test their programming skills with their robot Fsh, whilst on the CCF Easter Camp, cadets orienteered, canoed, gorge walked and camped in the Brecon Beacons.
We bid farewell to our Upper Sixth as they began Study Leave, were transported to the Texan desert whilst watching the Junior Production, Holes, and enjoyed a variety of wonderful performances as part of House Music.
The sun shone for Upper Sixth Prizegiving and Graduation at Sandown, whilst First Years headed to the wilds of Wales and Scotland for their Outward Bound trip. Raising money for the Royal Marsden, the KGS Olympic Run saw staff and students running almost 3000km, the distance between the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens and the Paris 2024 Olympic Stadium. A Level Geographers, meanwhile, studied glaciation in the Lake District.
Sports Day at Ditton Field saw students battle it out on the track and field as part of the House Championship. Our Gold DoE students completed their expedition to Snowdonia, and we hosted alumni and families at the Henley Royal Regatta.
The KGS Theatre Company performed Katzenmusik at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to four-star reviews and critical acclaim whilst intrepid CCF cadets enjoyed the great outdoors in Longmoor, Hampshire. GCSE and A Level students celebrated stellar results, with the latter becoming the latest generation of Kingstonians.
Mr SR Lehec Head Master
The academic year 2023/24 proved to be another extraordinary year for Kingston Grammar School in all manner of ways, described best, perhaps, on the pages that follow, by those involved.
As Head Master, I have an enormous sense of pride in what our students and staff achieved throughout the year. We know that such successes do not occur based on one year’s worth of effort, or through sheer luck, but instead are created, moulded, prepared for and executed over a much longer period.
The current generation of KGS students stands on the shoulders of giants, those generations of Kingstonians that have gone before. Our Upper Sixth leavers become our next generation of those ‘giants’, as they set new bars, create new highs and increase the aspirational levels of expectation for those who follow.
So, what are my highlights of these great deeds? Tough though it is, I have selected a few to direct your attention and interest towards. In the busy world of activity that is KGS Sport, the laurels must surely go to our rowers this year. Their performances at the Schools’ National Regatta,
and Henley, (pages 126) to name but two prestigious competitive performances, deserve our praise and admiration. We know just how many hours of coaching, commitment, training and performance go into competing at this level.
In the Arts, the four-night sold-out run of the Senior Musical, Chicago, (page 69) brought enormous delight and earnt praise from professionals and parents alike. The coming together of the KGS Music and Drama departments to create this spectacle is a highlight of last year that will live long in the memory. Bravo!
As Head Master, I have an enormous sense of pride in what our students and staff achieved throughout the year. We know that such successes do not occur based on one year’s worth of effort, or through sheer luck, but instead are created, moulded, prepared for and executed over a much longer period.
The focus on building character, encouraging levels of engagement and participation, and having enormous fun into the bargain, is no more evident than in the KGS House Championship (pages 20), and this year belonged to Stanley. The youngest KGS House, named after the School’s first Olympian, Stanley Shoveller, and ably and enthusiastically led by Mr Lawrence, demonstrated what is required to win a championship: determination, organisation and, most importantly, everyone pulling together.
Saying goodbye to Mr Sorley is perhaps a strange highlight (page 48). We were sad to see him go. He was the ‘father’ of the KGS Common Room, a brilliant Head of Politics, teacher of History and the School’s Professional Tutor, amongst the many other roles he held during 38 years of service to KGS. The highlight lies in having the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate his long career and dedication to KGS, something we can all applaud and be grateful for. As ever, I am delighted to have had the opportunity to enjoy wonderful performances and productions, to accompany First Years from Stanley on their Outward Bound adventure to Wales (page 46),to celebrate Upper Sixth Leavers’ Day (page 06) and Graduation (page 12), and Junior and Senior Prize Giving: they were all truly meaningful moments that make me both proud and grateful or everything that makes KGS a very special place.
Finally, reflecting on my own decade of service to KGS, I am incredibly proud of the School today, and truly delighted that there is still so much more we are able to look forward to.
Follow @kgsheadmaster for insights into KGS life
Finally, reflecting on my own decade of service to KGS, I am incredibly proud of the School today, and truly delighted that there is still so much more we are able to look forward to. From the opening of the new Sixth Form facility and the arrival of the First Years to the imminent naming of House number six, the coming year promises to be exciting, invigorating and successful. We have already rolled up our sleeves for 2024/25 but I do hope you take a moment or two to enjoy everything that last year had to offer.
Bene Agere Ac Laetari!
The look on the faces of this year’s Upper Sixth on A Level results day is so rewarding for me, along with all KGS staff, and is due reward for the efforts of the students. We cannot speak highly enough of their contribution and achievements, and I wish them every success and happiness.
It was a pleasure to work with the School Captain team for 2023/24 –Stanley Farrant, Ella Robinson, Miri Scott and Tom Morris – and I thank them for their hard work, leadership and good humour.
For the academic year 2024/25, I am delighted to formally welcome School Captains Charlie Neale and Emily Smith, Vice-Captains
Maya Buchanan and Oli Kemp and the Senior Prefect body. I look forward to working with them all.
Joe Ashton
Judah Brackin
Joshua Cassidy
Sebastian Cockerell
Noah Dyson
Cara Ehrenreich
Ben Fine
Pietro Forlin
Amy Fraser
Jasmine Jones
Plum Knowles
Hugo Land
Amelia Marinko
Izzy Reilly
Maddie Sloan
Anne Thevenon
Hannah Topen
Charlotte Wellman
Freddie Abbott I Maya Arwas I Ally Ashton I Rowan Bantick I Katja Bardorf I Johnny Barr I Josh Batchelor I Amber Bennett I Nabeeha Bilal I Max Billar I Anas Boulahmi I Anna Bowyer I Alicia Bramwell I Thomas Bristow I Nate Broadhurst I Timothy Bryce I Tilly Cairney-Leeming I Conor Carnegie-Brown I Max Carnegie-Brown I Mia Carrington I Katherine Cattermole I Nina Chamarette I Mikhail Chohan I Ellinor Comard I Poppy Connolly I Audrey Coursey I Max Crampin I Mark Csejtei I Francesca Delbe-Waldron I Katherine Don-Wauchope I Sylvia Dorovski I Jemma Dreyer I Greta Dudgeon I Evie Dunwoodie I Mikey Eldridge I Lucas Eley I Hamza Elmansoury I Poppy Emerson I Lea Essery I Athena Estrada I Catherine Evans I Christian Faergemann I Stanley Farrant I Hannah Farrell I Ben Forster I Ophelia Fyfield I Prithvi Gandhi I Camila Giglio I Joe Goodsman I Milly Gregg I Lucas Hagler I Ethan Hammond I Aman Harchowal I Daniel Harley I Freddie Haynes I Anna Helbing I Michaela Henderson I Ellie Hewer I Rosie Higham I Nick Ho I Ollie Honeybone I Tom Hunt I Kitty Hutchings I Ella Jacobs I Ayush Jain I Alia Jarvis I Constance Jessop I James Johnson I Eleanor Jones I Jashan Kaushal I Natalie Kavanagh I Ella Keating I Sam Kelly I Jamie Kennedy I Day Ko I Melissa Koshi I Gia Kripalani I Nicole Le Grossec I Cameron Lit I Ella Litwin I Amy Marshall I Lucy Medley I Maddie Mepham I Jasmine Moher I Bonyad Mokri Moayed I Tom Morris I Victor Muraviev I Zain Noor I Pearl Nyakunengwa I Maxim Osipov I Christian Park I Lovisa Parker I Orla Parker I Gracie Paterson-Neil I Francesca Pavry I Arun Peiris I Theo Pflanz I Lara Pickard I Frazer Pickrell I Danni Poole I Patrick Priest I Jasmine Procter-Tarabanov I Sol Procter-Tarabanov I Robbie Proddow I Joe Raven I Theodore Ritchie I Ella Robinson I Dagny Rollins I Benny Romberg I Lottie Routledge I Ffion Rowe I Sofia Ruijs I Henry Sandry-Butler I Miranda Scott I Pamir Sesli I Tara Sharma I Aleeha Sheikh I Emily Shepherd I Jack Shute I Leela Siebert-Patel I Jack Skeates I Lili Small I Benjamin Sporleder I Samuel Sturge I Ava Tallon I William Taylor I Freddie Thompson I Lucas Thompson I Joe Tooth I Polina Turnbull I Arya Vamadevan I Ella Verdult I Ingrid Verwoerd I Ashley Walker I Kerry Wang I Youngseo Wang I Teddy Warner I Ella Watkins I Edward Wheeler I Joss White I Josh Whitelam I Tyler Woods
Following in the footsteps of recent leavers who have gone on to study at prestigious US universities, many on full rowing scholarships, this year’s cohort saw students accept places at Harvard University, Massachusetts, Pitzer College, California and Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
Ms A Williams Head of Sixth Form
As I bid farewell to the Class of 2024, I reflect on the unique blend of talents and personalities that define this remarkable group. They aren’t ‘just’ athletes, artists or scholars – they embody all these attributes and more.
Throughout their time here, they have demonstrated an impressive range of interests and abilities. It’s not uncommon to see a star hockey player performing in a school concert or a netball player volunteering at a local primary school. This is a group where a student who shines on stage is also committed to the rigorous training of the CCF.
As we say goodbye, it’s with pride, nostalgia and excitement for the future. Your journey here has been filled with countless memories, friendships and achievements.
As you step into the world beyond our gates, we celebrate the unique mark you have left on the KGS community.
Aspiration, Respect, Integrity and Engagement are our key school values, and we have seen
them
in each of you. Whether you joined us in the First Year or later, you have embraced opportunities, shown respect for those around you, and
demonstrated integrity.
Alumni can stay in touch with school news and our Kingstonians network by signing up at www.alumni.kgs.org.uk
It has been a privilege to have welcomed you on your first day at Kingston Grammar School as your Head of First Year, to watch you grow over the past seven years, and to now say farewell as Head of Sixth Form. Each member of the Class of 2024 should feelproud of their achievements. We hope your time at KGS has shaped you and will always be a part of who you are.
Aspiration, Respect, Integrity and Engagement are our key school values, and we have seen them in each of you. Whether you joined us in the First Year or later, you have embraced opportunities, shown respect for those around you, and demonstrated integrity.
As you leave us, you step into a world full of possibilities. Pursue your passions with the same zeal you have shown here, and never forget the KGS motto, Work Well and Be Happy
Thank you for the laughter, the lessons, and for making our school a better place. Now go out into the world and do the same.
As we say goodbye, it’s with pride, nostalgia and excitement for the future. Your journey here has been filled with countless memories, friendships and achievements. As you step into the world beyond our gates, we celebrate the unique mark you have left on the KGS community.
Our 2024 leavers had real cause for celebration in August, recording the School’s best-ever A Level results.
“We are delighted that this cohort of hardworking and committed young people, who have all given so much to the life of the School during their time here, have achieved such brilliant A Level results.
Their success stories are complemented by their rich and diverse co-curricular and social lives and they have all been part of what makes Kingston Grammar School so special.
81% of our Upper Sixth attained their first choice of course and university
75% of all grades were at the highest level of A*/A
75% of all grades were at the highest level of A*/A, of which 32% were A*, and 95% were A*/A/B.
It is a real testament to the hard work of students and staff alike that standards have continued to rise given the reduction in top grades nationally over the last few years, and despite all the disruptions and challenges that students have faced.
We bid them a fond farewell, whilst welcoming them as our newest group of alumni, and wish them the very best as they take their next steps into the world.”
Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
students got a clean sweep of A*s
OXBRIDGE ‘24
CAMBRIDGE
Ellinor Comard Engineering, Pembroke College
Stanley Farrant Engineering, Clare College
Ollie Honeybone Land Economy, Downing College
Samuel Sturge Mathematics, Trinity College
OXFORD
Tilly Cairney-Leeming Computer Science, Somerville College
Ella Robinson Biology, Keble College
Jack Skeates Chemistry, Pembroke College
Our 2024 leavers had real cause for celebration in August, recording the School’s best-ever A Level results.
Our leavers’ degree course choices this year covered a broad range of interests including:
Medicine
Engineering
Theatre Technology
Climate Science
Artificial Intelligence
Motorsport Engineering
Industrial Economics
Fine Art
Zoology
Microbiology
Law
Chemical Engineering
Urban Planning & Development
Linguistics
Aerospace Engineering
Journalism
Applied Psychology
PPE
Congratulations go to Ava Dent, Yuri Rim, Jasper Simmons, Sophie Skeates Tessa Stanier achieved an incredible 11 Grade 9s, and De Rivaz, Maggie Connolly, Emma Pope
Webber
Grade 9. They were closely followed by Tilly Bardell, Joshua Berry Thornton, Ieuan Thomas, Alex Nikolov, Joshua Clayton, Ava Cooper who all achieved a very impressive nine Grade 9s.
85% of grades were Grade 7 or above
64% of grades were the top grades 9 and 8
“I congratulate the students on this set of results for which they worked so hard. It was a pleasure to be their Head of Year, and I wish them every success for their future studies.”
Mr O Garner, Head of Fifth Year
“Behind each set of academic outcomes is a student who has shown an impressive commitment to their studies whilst making a valuable contribution to the life of KGS.
I look forward to welcoming this group of young people into the Sixth Form, in the fabulous new Sixth Form Centre, where they will continue to thrive as senior members of the KGS community.”
Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
Behind each set of academic outcomes is a student who has shown an impressive commitment to their studies whilst making a valuable contribution to the life of KGS.
16 students achieved a clean sweep of Grade 9s across all their subjects 16
Our new Sixth Form building at 100 London Road features a large study café, quiet study zones, classrooms and teaching staff offices.
We welcomed 50 external students into Sixth Form, joining the Class of 2026.
‘24
After a fabulous graduation ceremony that celebrated each student and with farewell speeches from key staff and the School Captain team, our students, parents and staff enjoyed drinks on the sunny terrace at Sandown racecourse. It was a wonderful way to end what we hope has been a happy time at KGS.
23 24 AWARDS
FULL HONOURS:
Ava Tallon
Conor Carnegie-Brown
Greta Dudgeon
Lili Small
Natalie Kavanagh
Poppy Emerson
Rowan Bantick
School Colours and Honours are awarded to recognise excellence and commitment to sport and other co-curricular areas of school life respectively.
HALF HONOURS:
Ella Verdult
Emily Shepherd
Francesca Pavry CCF
FULL HONOURS:
Avery Siebert-Patel
Constance Jessop
Ellinor Comard
Katja Bardorf
Lucas Eley
Michaela Henderson
HALF HONOURS: Day Ko
FULL HONOURS:
Joss White
Sam Kelly
HALF HONOURS:
Hannah Farrell
Maya Arwas
FULL HONOURS:
Joss White
HALF HONOURS: Lucas Eley
FULL HONOURS:
Alicia Bramwell Day Ko
Hannah Farrell
Jasmine ProcterTarabanov
Milly Gregg
HALF HONOURS:
Arya Vamadevan
Eleanor Jones
Lottie Routledge
FULL HONOURS:
Catherine Evans
Jasmine Moher
Joe Goodsman SPORT
FULL HONOURS:
Ella Robinson
Athletics & Hockey
Ollie Honeybone Cricket & Football
Amber Bennett Football
Frazer Pickrell Football
Henry Sandry-Butler Football
James Johnson Football
James Kennedy Football
Joe Raven Football
Kitty Hutchings Football
Natalie Kavanagh Football
Nathaniel Broadhurst Football
Patrick Priest Football
Tyler Woods Football & Tennis
William Taylor Football
Aman Harchowal Hockey
Amy Marshall Hockey & Netball
Ashley Walker Hockey & Netball
Camila Giglio Hockey
Conor Carnegie-Brown Hockey
Edward Wheeler Hockey
Francesca Delbe-Waldron Hockey
Freddie Haynes Hockey & Tennis
Jemma Dreyer Hockey
Joe Goodsman Hockey
Johnny Barr Hockey
Joe Tooth Hockey
Katherine Don-Wauchope Hockey & Tennis
Mikey Eldridge Hockey
Miri Scott Hockey & Tennis
Teddy Warner Hockey
Thomas Bristow Hockey
Tim Bryce Hockey
2023/24
Alexandria Ashton Netball
Leela Siebert-Patel Netball
Maddie Mepham Netball
Sol Proctor-Tarabanov Netball
Audrey Coursey Rowing
Max Crampin Rowing
Nina Chamarette Rowing
Poppy Emerson Rowing
Tom Morris Tennis
HALF HONOURS:
James Johnson Cricket
Ethan Hammond Hockey
Evie Dunwoodie Hockey
Francesca Pavry Hockey
Jashan Kaushal Hockey
Jasmine ProcterTarabanov Hockey
Lovisa Parker Hockey
Max Billar Hockey
Max Carnegie-Brown Hockey
Ophelia Fyfield Hockey
Poppy Connolly Hockey
Rowan Bantick Hockey
Tom Morris Hockey
Anna Helbing Netball
Ava Tallon Netball
Constance Jessop Netball
Day Ko Netball
Ffion Rowe Netball
Hannah Farrell Netball
Katja Bardorf Netball
Lea Essery Netball
Maya Arwas Netball
Mia Carrington Netball
Michaela Henderson Netball
Milly Gregg Netball
Tara Sharma Netball
Mr A Beard Assistant Head (Co-curricular and Character Education)
Forget the General Election, forget the US Presidential Election, forget the Euros. The fiercest competition of the year has been raging since September right here at KGS, as each of the five Houses have been seeking to win the much coveted House Championship Trophy.
Would Queen’s defend their trophy? Would the Eagles, the Bears, the Tigers or the Stags be able to wrestle it from them? Only time would tell.
Having finished second last year, Stanley set their stall out early this year with wins in the Second and Third Year Boys’ Football and in House Dance, whilst there were wins for Taverner in House DT and Lovekyn in House Art, the latter competition focusing on the theme of sustainability as part of our commitment as a school to the UN Sustainability Goals. Taverner won House Poetry overall, but Queen’s took the points for volume of entries.
Walworth were winners in House CCF and the First Year Hockey, Stanley won the Third and Fourth Year Netball and Taverner took the big points in the House Commendation Bonus at the end of the Autumn term.
The Spring term began with Chess and saw victories for Stanley in both the Senior and Junior competitions. Walworth won the Senior Ergo and the honours were shared in the J15 and J16 Ergo competition between Lovekyn and Walworth. Walworth’s hot streak continued with a win in the Third Year House Table Tennis Doubles, whilst Taverner picked up the win in the Junior Public Speaking, the topic for which was the ‘world’s greatest leader’.
Would Queen’s defend their trophy? Would the Eagles, the Bears, the Tigers or the Stags be able to wrestle it from them? Only time would tell.
It is fitting perhaps, in the final year before the House Championship expands to include a sixth House, that Stanley (itself the youngest House, having been established just eight years ago) achieved its first win.
There were wins for Lovekyn in Photography and Senior Public Speaking and for Walworth in the inaugural Sustainability video competition. March brought with it a plethora of events, and saw wins for Taverner in the Junior Girls’ Football, Lovekyn in the House Joke competition and Walworth took House Drama, Senior Netball and Senior Football, putting themselves into contention for the House Championship.
Queen’s recorded the win in the Second Year Cross Country, Lovekyn won the Senior Hockey and Third Year Hockey, Walworth took the Third Year Cross Country, Stanley the Commendation Bonus and Lovekyn the First Year Cross Country. Going into the Summer term, Walworth and Stanley were both vying for top slot, but Queen’s, Lovekyn and Taverner were all within sight
The Summer term began with the Tug of War, and a win for Walworth, urged on to victory by Mr Sorley. Lovekyn and Taverner shared top spot in the Second and Third Year Tug of War, and there was a big win in early May for Lovekyn in the House Music. Stanley won the General Knowledge Quiz, the Tennis was dominated by Walworth, and at Sports Day, Stanley took home 40 points with an impressive display of athleticism both on the track and in the field.
The result of Sports Day, meant one House had achieved an unassailable lead.
It is fitting perhaps, in the final year before the House Championship expands to include a sixth House, that Stanley (itself the youngest House, having been established just eight years ago) achieved its first win.
My thanks as always go to the Heads of House, Miss Christmas, Mr Beggs, Mr Lawrence, Mr Casasanto and Mrs Wakely, for all their hard work. Mrs Wakely in particular deserves special mention; having led Walworth House for a number of years now, she is moving across to become Head of Second Year. We shall miss her input from the competition but wish her luck in her new role.
Finally, well done to all the students who got involved and supported their Houses in the competition this year.
2023/24
1ST STANLEY
667 POINTS
Mr H Lawrence Stanley: Head of House
It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to congratulate Stanley on winning the House Championship this year.
It is a victory that is seven years in the making and each and every member, past, present and indeed future, should savour the moment and celebrate this great achievement.
I remember an early House Assembly, in 2016, just after Stanley had been formed. I was Assistant Head of House at the time, and we were charged with the task of launching the motley crew that made up the ‘New’ House, into a force that could compete.
The Head of House was pointing out Hannah Farrell, a First Year at the time, and said she was ‘one to watch’, participating in everything, and would make a great House Captain one day.
How right she was and how fitting it is that Hannah led Stanley to its first win this year. Her cohort were the inaugural Stanley members and it has taken a full school cycle of seven years to build the sense of belonging and cohesion necessary to win the House Cup. Hannah, Emily Shepherd and their friends put so much into Dance, Drama and Music over the years, organising, choreographing and directing the younger students, inspiring them to participate in absolutely everything, not just in the Theatre, but in sports, creative and academic events, always leading by example. Thank you so much to the fantastic House Captains, Hannah, Emily, Tim Bryce and Ollie Honeybone and well done!
Of course, this year’s success was built on the work of previous House Captains and Stanley legends over the last 7 years such as Jess Murray, Sally Sime, Daisy Bainbridge, Cameron Spurling, Yoseph Mahdi, Alex Pelling, Douggie Bradley, Phoebe Bowen, Luis Knowles, Daniel Jolly, Lila Skeet, Matilda Drewett and Rosie Symons. There are also many Stanley House legends
in the making who have been a huge part of this year’s victory, signing up, turning up and giving it their all. Their skills, talents and stand-out performances have contributed hugely to the win.
Our team of committed Form Tutors have been key to the success of the students too and I would like to thank Miss Maclean (22/23), Ms Thomas, Miss Clarkson, Ms Hill, Miss Arcos Villanueva and Mr O’Collins for their commitment to the cause, encouraging their students to participate and for creating such positive groups. Mr Gee ably led the House through the national lockdown and has always been a loyal Stanley supporter and key team member. It was great to see him at the final assembly for the trophy presentation and sharing in the celebrations.
I am well aware that Stanley parents have been waiting patiently for this moment and endured much in the process. Thank you for your support and belief in the House: we did it! Finally, a big thank you to my colleagues; Mr Beard, Mr Beggs, Mrs Wakely, Mr Casasanto and Miss Christmas for all the camaraderie and healthy competition.
The story of the year is a simple one to tell. We won the first competition of the year,
Second and Third Year Boys’ Football, got ahead and stayed ahead for the whole year. There was not a day when we were not at the top of the leaderboard. Wins in Dance, Third and Fourth Year Netball, Chess Commendations and General Knowledge kept us ahead of the competition. There were challenges, significantly from Taverner and then Walworth, but our consistency ensured they were fought off.
It was incredibly satisfying to get the final big win on Sports Day which sealed Stanley’s first victory in the House Championship. We have never thought of ourselves as a ‘sporty’ House but the belief that if we worked as a team we could do it, saw us to this historic moment.
Leading Stanley has been a real highlight of my time at KGS. I’ve loved our half-termly assemblies, building up the belief and momentum. It’s a very inclusive competition and it has been truly inspiring to see students from all Houses having a go at something challenging.
Well done, Stanley !
Mr A Beggs
Lovekyn:
Head of House
At the end of what has been one of the closest House Championships that I can recall in my seven years in charge of Lovekyn, I am extremely proud of how the students have lived up to the strong tradition of the purple eagle and have risen to the challenge laid down throughout the year.
Lovekyn quickly recorded victories in a significant number of competitions, and this set the pace for a steady win rate as the year progressed.
One of our major successes was House Music, with Sam Kelly (House Captain) leading the way and showing our youngest members what it means to be part of the Lovekyn fraternity. Lovekyn delivered superb performances in the solo, duet and quartet, resulting in the overall win.
House Senior Public Speaking was another notable success, with the threemember team made up of Fifth Years. Each spoke with knowledge, compassion, commitment and clarity, which all helped to steer us to victory.
At the mid-morning stage of Sports Day, Lovekyn were skimming the bottom of the points table. However, the determined efforts of Sixth Formers galvanised the younger year groups and we fought back to second place, a huge achievement.
Although we finished second in the House Championship, we upheld the established tradition of Lovekyn as one of the most competitive houses. We are determined to rise to the top of the perch again next year.
I would like to finish by thanking our outgoing House Captains, Sam Kelly, Eleanor Jones, Tara Sharma, Constance Jessop and Arya Vamadevan, for their hard work and unwavering support, and to everyone in the Lovekyn camp for their continued loyalty and dedication.
Miss M Christmas Queen’s: Head of House
It has been an utter delight to take over as Head of House for Queen’s this year.
One thing that is clear about Queen’s is the enthusiasm of the students – for almost every event I was inundated with volunteers, and this meant that we were able to have varied and exciting teams for many of our sports fixtures; most notably football and netball where, across all years, we had nearly two full teams ready to go for each event! Some of our sporting MVPs were Joseph Stanier and Freddie Fawdry for Second and Third Year Football; Josh Patel as an excellent goalie for First Year Football, and Alexia Lacey was an incredible point scorer for First and Second Year Netball (our first win of the year!). Sol ProcterTarabanov was an incredible Centre for Senior Netball, and Daniela Montero Silva organised the Third and Fourth Year Netball teams with military precision (and how lovely to have Romeo Ebanks, Noah Kapinos and Greg Cameron having a go at netball for the first time, and doing a great job).
Some of the bigger events of the year were equally as exciting – House Dance saw Queen’s victorious in the Musical Theatre section, with Francesca Pavry’s choreography to Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat proving an absolute hit –
the First and Second Year really gave their all, with wonderful lip-synching from Millie McKillop, who stole the show.
Zoe Crooks and Maxim Dythtchenko led House Music this year, performing a stunning violin piece. Anna Jackson sang phenomenally for her solo, and deserves incredible kudos for braving the stage alone!
House Drama, directed by Grace Dormer, Plum Knowles, Aria Chaukar and Freya Bates, was a fantastic success. Closely pipped to a victory, we were awarded many accolades, specifically for Best Ensemble, Best Supporting Actress (Olivia Priest), and Best Supporting Actor (shared between Arlo Whyte, Jamie Sexton and Tomas BoestenAllocco). George Whyte deserves particular praise for leading the piece so wonderfully and emotionally! We finished the year with Sports Day, where a series of great victories in the relay races saw us climb from last to third place. Kiara Duffy won a series of golds, all while breaking several school records, and was rightfully awarded her year prize.
Ema Ogowewo and Freddie Lett did Queen’s proud by winning their year prizes as well.
We may not have won the title this year (or have come particularly close), but I have been so impressed with the dedication of those who have participated, and know that we have all that we need to come back and reclaim the crown next year!
Mr N
Casasanto
Taverner: Head of House
It really was a year of potential for Taverner, especially with such a great start in the Autumn term. The first event of the year, the Second and Third Year Boys’ Football, kicked off the Championship in great form for the Bears, with a strong second-place finish. Whilst not the highlight of the year, it was such a great feeling for Taverner to realise their potential and build some momentum. Indeed, that momentum carried Taverner to finish the first half term with a huge second-place finish in House Dance, which was helped massively by Ava Dent’s dance to Mein Herr from Cabaret not only securing first place in the Solo category but being so incredible that one of the adjudicators practically begged her to join his dance school! Ava was joined by Leela Siebert-Patel in
dance to Grow As We Go by Ben Platt, and Taverner produced two more brilliant performances for Original Choreography to Madonna’s Vogue (choreographed by Emily Smith and Tess Helbing) and Musical Theatre to A Cover Is Not The Book from Mary Poppins Returns (choreographed by Alicia Bramwell).
The second half of the Autumn term saw a continuation of Taverner’s early successes, with outright victories in House Poetry, which Joseph Oxborrow won with his touching poem A Sea of Stars, and the Second Year DT Challenge, which saw Taverner rally to earn a last-moment victory thanks to the hydroengineering of Alexander Fardon, Lam Lam Chan and Eleonora Terranova. With second place secured in House CCF and first place in the Autumn term Commendation Race, Taverner went fiercely into the Christmas break not only in second place overall, but just a single point away from first!
The Spring term began with more hope as Taverner earned second place in the first event of the new term, Senior House Chess, in which three of the five undefeated players in the tournament were Taverner’s own: Johnny Barr, Ewan Smith and Arjan Cheema who, incredibly, was promoted up from the Junior tournament!
But, with the Spring term in full swing, Taverner began to misfire – of the 20 events this term, Taverner won only
two (Junior House Debate thanks to the public speaking skills of Anfisa Betts, Miller Fearn and Antonia Ridley, and the Second and Third Year Girls’ Football) and placed second in only two others (First and Second Year Netball and Senior Football).
Despite the slowing momentum, Taverner amazingly clung to second place, albeit with Walworth and Lovekyn edging closer and closer. But then came House Cross Country... Bears may be furious creatures, but they are not as fast as Tigers, Eagles or Stags (or Queens?); Taverner suffered from poor results, falling to third place by the Easter break, nine points behind second-place Walworth and 25 points behind first-place Stanley. We began the Summer term with the dream of overall victory still a possible outcome, but one that would require strong placings in the remaining events of the House Competition. We were able to muster some sparks of success, including first place
in the Second and Third Year Tug of War, second place in the Summer term Commendation Race, and third place in House Music (the latter buoyed by the small ensemble’s rendition of Feeling Good by Muse, in which the performance of vocalist Emily Smith received particular praise from the adjudicator, who placed Taverner second in the category).
Lovekyn’s overall House Music victory, however, earned them enough points to leapfrog Taverner in the House Cup standings, dropping the Bears to fourth place overall. Going into Sports Day, Taverner no longer had a road to first place, but third and even second places were still possible overall outcomes, but only if the Bears could take the top of the Sports Day podium. Sadly, Taverner’s sparks failed to ignite into an inferno of come-from-behind glory, and a fifth-place Sports Day finish solidified our place in the House Championship –only 11 points from Walworth’s third and 13 from Lovekyn’s second.
Of course, I would be remiss not to recognise the considerable support of Taverner’s devoted House Captains and Vice Captains; my sincere thanks to Alicia Bramwell, Leela SiebertPatel, Johnny Barr, Maddie Mepham, Anna Helbing and Michaela Henderson for everything they have done in their leadership of Taverner this year and for their many individual contributions in years past.
Mrs R Wakely Walworth: Head of House
This year Walworth went all out to win, with a House Captain team who had been enthusiastic members of Walworth since their first days at KGS seven years ago.
Katherine Don-Wauchope, Amy Marshall, Theo Pflanz, Ethan Hammond and Jasmine Procter-Tarabanov inspired Walworth on to win an impressive 16 House events, more than any other House! Ultimately, though, it’s the points that count and, despite chasing Stanley closely for most of the year, we finished in third place. This result doesn’t reflect the energy, enthusiasm and effort put in. House Drama was a particular highlight. Amelia Marinko, Holly Seabrook and Jasmine created a fantastic performance based on the colour blue, and mention must also go to Rosie Campbell who was excellent in the lead role, along with a fantastic supporting cast and crew. Walworth produced a marvellous House Art piece on sustainability, highlighting the plight of the oceans using recycled materials to create a seascape. Huge amounts of effort, fun and rehearsing went into creating three fantastic performance pieces for House Dance – well done to Sophie Davies, Amelia and Holly for their work.
First Year students showed huge promise, winning House Football and Table Tennis, and we were again victorious in the fast and furious Ergos competition. Our Senior Netball and Football teams also triumphed. A special mention must go to Mr Sorley, who has been Walworth’s Tug-of-War coach for many years, encouraging the team on to numerous victories with an impressive understanding of how to topple the opposing team. He will be much missed.
Finally, after over ten years as Head of Walworth, I too am moving on. I have loved being Head of House. It is a privilege to work with such enthusiastic and talented young people and a joy to see such a different side to so many of them as they turn up for a sporting competition that perhaps they wouldn’t normally participate in, create masterpieces in Art, Drama and Music, astound you with their general knowledge and so much more.
Although it would have been amazing to leave on a win, I hope I have shown the students that it really is the taking part, showing up for your House and having fun that leaves the most lasting impression.
Good luck next year, Walworth: I wish you all the best!
Mr C Wenham Head of CU
Fifty students, many of whom were returning campers, enjoyed a fantastic week in Woolacombe for a week of adventure and activity in August.
Whilst it was perhaps the most challenging week of weather I have experienced in my 13 years of camping with the CU, it certainly did not dampen spirits. Even though we had to battle with up to 50mph wind speeds from Storm Lilian at night, you can see from the photos that our days were much more pleasant!
Highlights of the week included bowling, surfing lessons and the statutory requirement to visit as many ice-cream shops as possible in North Devon. The aquapark was a great addition for 2024, and they even served up freshly cooked pizza for famished souls after we had enjoyed an hour bouncing around on the inflatables!
This year I would like to give particular recognition to our great team of chefs who served up some phenomenal meals from their tiny kitchen. They took the challenge of catering for a larger camp in their stride, producing delights such as roast dinners and curry, banoffee pie and crumble, and delicious breakfasts including French toast and a beautiful (not to mention healthy)
yoghurt, fruit and granola extravaganza. Never has anyone eaten so well on a campsite!
As the sun set each day, we gathered in the main marquee to sing songs and to hear talks about the Christian faith.
This year, Sam Brown (himself a teacher at another school) took us through a whistle-stop tour of the whole storyline of the Bible, managing to touch on all 66 books in seven nights to give us a wonderful overview of how God’s plan for history all fits together in the person of Jesus.
Finally, before bedtime each night, we enjoyed a range of evening activities with some hot chocolate to accompany the festivities. I particularly enjoyed Mr and Mrs Angell leading us all in Campaoke – like a whole-camp danceoff, but for singing, if you can imagine that – and I was amazed at the range of 80s and 90s classics that our students could recall. You had to be there to believe it…
The week’s evening entertainment culminated in ‘Camp’s Got Talent’ which saw students deliver memorable performancessome for the right reasons (!)which displayed good humour and reflected the real sense of fun which characterised the week.
We look forward to an even better – and bigger – venue on the Isle of Wight next year and we would love to welcome even more people to enjoy a taste of CU Camp!
With more than 40 new recruits joining us last year, it is wonderful to see such a healthy interest in everything the CCF offers. The highlight of the year was surely our involvement in the Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph. Thirtythree cadets represented the School with pride. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it was a great honour to participate. While some of the more senior cadets were in London, the recruits took part in the Kingston Remembrance Parade, accompanied by Mr Beard.
Senior Cadets led the Remembrance Assembly at KGS, with Lance Corporal Fox-Robinson laying the CCF
wreath, followed by speeches and readings from Sergeants Comard, Eley and Henderson. Sergeant Thompson ended the assembly with a rendition of The Last Post.
JNCOs got the opportunity to take command for Crown Court Service, an annual tradition for the contingent. October Camp at Pirbright was the first camp experience for many of the recruits and was the first chance to have a leadership role for many of the Fourth and Fifth Years.
Towards the end of the year, the CCF was invited to the Guards Chapel Carol Service, where guests including Gyles Brandreth and Dr Hilary Jones gave readings, and performances were led by mezzo-soprano Emma Brown and the Guards Chapel Choir.
The RAF section placed fourth – out of 51 Combined Cadet Forces in London – in the regional stage of the Air Squadron Trophy. This meant we were only one rank away from qualifying to represent the region at the National Finals. A commendable effort by all.
If you missed the BBC’s coverage of the Cenotaph National Service of Remembrance, you can watch an edited version here, which includes KGS CCF’s part within it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbosmJdbiT4
Miss B Beeharry Head of Young Enterprise
If you’ve been to any music festivals recently, you’ll have seen the sea of abandoned tents at the end. A group of innovative KGS students found a way to turn this waste into sustainable fashion with their Young Enterprise company, InTent
The brainchild of Max Norman and a team of Lower Sixth students, tents were upcycled into stylish and durable shopping bags. Using every part of the discarded items, from the groundsheets to the zippers, InTent manufactured two lines of reusable bags that retailed for £7 each.
In an era where consumers increasingly prioritise sustainability, InTent’s eco-friendly bags sourced from waste materials met a growing market demand.
Beyond just creating an innovative product, the team immersed themselves in all aspects of building a successful start-up.
They conducted extensive market research, created designs, sourced manufacturers and built a strong brand presence on social media. The team were divided in groups by Business Functional Areas: Leadership, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Sustainability and Human Resources, allowing every team member to develop key skills across the various functions.
Kept track of profits
Balanced cashflows & managed costs
Reviewed forecasts
Developing and implemented a marketing plan
Promoted our Shopify page
Focused on highlighting eco-friendly aspects
Engaged our audience
We made £1,094 net profit. The rewards, however, went beyond just numbers. Team members have developed a variety of new skills and of the InTent team are even continuing to run the company, with the aim of producing hammocks and eco bean bags made from upcycled tents.
At the Kingston Company of the Year Awards the company won the muchcoveted Sustainability Award and Holly Seabrook won Presenter of the Year, having delivered a heartfelt overview of the company and the students’ journey.
InTent team: Holly Seabrook, Max Norman, Trixie Glynn, Luke Chang, Oliver Kemp, Lucy Holland-Barden, Imogen Ioannilli, Angelina Zadora, Aria Chaukar, Plum Knowles, Freya Bates, Nesta Bowen, Maya Buchanan, Alice Cowin, Daniela Cuervo, Skye Harris, Tess Helbing, Natalie Ivory, Katy Jones, Amelie Lear, Hetti Rapley, Bella Pritchard, Sophie Williams, Ema Ogowewo and Elena Gallego Rodriguez.
Mr A Beard Assistant Head (Co-curricular and Character Education)
First launched in 1956, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is as popular as ever. The Award recognises young people who complete a series of ‘self-improvement’ activities modelled on the ideas of the educationalist Kurt Hahn as a solution to what he saw as the ‘Six Declines of Modern Youth’.
The Gold Award, offered to KGS students in the Lower Sixth, represents the pinnacle of the scheme and all those who have completed it will know just how challenging it can be.
There are five components: Volunteering (undertaking service in the community), Physical (improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness), Skills (developing practical and social skills and developing personal interests), the Expedition (which involves students planning, training and completing an adventurous journey) and, at Gold, a Residential section which involves staying and working away from home for five days, doing a shared activity.
Kurt Hahn was right with
his assertion that
“there is more in you than you think.”
This year’s cohort from the Lower Sixth completed their practice expedition during the May half term, travelling to the Peak District for five days and hiking and camping across the Hope Valley, whilst learning how to navigate effectively, how to cook on a Trangia and how to pace themselves in order to overcome peaks such as Mam Tor and Kinder.
Huge congratulations to Freya Bates, Holly Seabrook, Maddie Sloan, Maya Buchanan, Amelia Marinko, Kamini Meech-Menon, Joe Ashton, Charlotte Comard, Iris Mitchell, Hannah Topen, Sophie Williams, Tomoki Delucia, Jonathan Duguid, Thomas Giraudo, Max Norman, Lucas Starling, Oscar Waddington and Ed Simpson.
The Gold Award... represents the pinnacle of the scheme and all those who have completed it will know just how challenging it can be.
The Award is core to the development of student character at KGS, embracing each of our eight focus areas: Teamwork, Leadership, Communication, Confidence, Creativity, Curiosity, Compassion and Resilience.
In July, it was then onto the qualifying expedition, which took place in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park. Students were faced with some incredibly challenging conditions, with plenty of rain and some mountain mist, making progress tricky at times as they hiked from campsite to campsite, often pitching their tents in the driving rain. Nevertheless, through effective teamwork, they succeeded in meeting the challenge and completing their expedition. There was a palpable sense of achievement on the final day when they arrived, tired and hungry, but with their expedition complete at Llanfairfechan, proving to themselves that Kurt Hahn was right with his assertion that “there is more in you than you think”.
Once their assessor reports are complete, they can look forward to a trip to Buckingham Palace to receive their Gold Awards.
The students worked really well together as teams and demonstrated grit, determination and resilience.
100 Fourth Years took part in the Bronze Award hiking expedition in challenging weather. With the group split between Ashurst and the site of a former WWII RAF base in Holmsley, camping and cooking were made more difficult by heavy rain and gusty winds, providing students with an extra incentive to ensure that their tents were pegged down properly.
The trip really did provide allfour seasons in one day and yet the students worked reallywell together as teams and demonstrated grit, determination and resilience in order to complete the expedition.
Mrs S Humphrey Deputy Head (Development, Outreach & Partnerships)
As the Easter holidays approached, it was time for the annual KGS trip to Iceland. Forty members of the Third Year met at Heathrow Airport for a short hop over the North Atlantic.
One of the many issues we had to contend with was the recent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano. We had been monitoring the situation daily and worked with our travel company to ensure the excursions to the area were safe.
On arrival, we were advised that sulphur levels were extremely high in the area around the volcano and, in fact, the Icelandic government had warned people not to go to the area. This meant a quick replan and we all went into the capital city of Reykjavik for shopping and sightseeing. The weather in the world’s most northerly capital city was absolutely beautiful and we were treated to bright blue, cloud-free skies.
Students
were able to see the underground caverns
caused
by
the hot lava pouring through the rocks thousands of years ago.
We also visited the nearby waterfall of Seljalandsfoss before heading down to the South Coast and our hotel at Dyrholaey.
It was then back to Reykjavik for our final night. We had our last dinner as a group before having a short sleep as we were up in the middle of the night to catch our return flight to the UK, but what a treat to see the active volcano of Fagradalsfjall lighting up the night sky. Congestion at Heathrow meant our plane had to fly far out to the east of the UK and come back over a clear London. Incredible scenes of the capital from the plane rounded off another fantastic field trip to this magical destination.
The weather in the world’s most northerly capital city was absolutely beautiful and we were treated to bright blue, cloud-free skies.
We then travelled down the South Coast to our first stop at the town of Selfoss. That evening the weather was so beautiful and clear that we were able to see the Northern Lights clearly from the hotel window! The next day the weather was bright and we set off to visit waterfalls and glaciers. We stopped at a waterfall we have never been to before as a school –Urridafoss – before travelling along the South Coast to the classic waterfall of Skogafoss where the sheer curtain of water falling over the coastal cliffs was as beautiful as ever.
A thick blanket of fresh powdery snow greeted us the next morning. The sky was grey and heavy and it was clear that we would have to replan that day’s activities. The road down to the southern coastal town of Vik was closed, meaning a diversion to the nearby cliffs of Dyrholaey for a walk. This was an amazing experience and students were met with thick deep snow, against a backdrop of an angry, grey sea.
Travelling back along the South Coast we headed up to the lava caves near Selfoss. Here, students were able to see the underground caverns caused by the hot lava pouring through the rocks thousands of years ago. That night we stayed on an isolated farm outside Selfoss complete with two gorgeous farm dogs and hot tubs! The final day involved visiting the famed Golden Circle where we walked along the canyon edge to Gulfoss, wondered at the incredible power of Geysir and marvelled at the sheer scale of the active plate boundary at Thingvellir.
The final day involved visiting the famed Golden Circle where we walked along the canyon edge to Gulfoss, wondered at the incredible power of Geysir and marvelled at the sheer scale of the active plate boundary at Thingvellir.
Ms S Butler Head of First Year
First Year students embarked on their Outward Bound week-long residential in June. 1S visited the Aberdovey Centre in Snowdonia National Park, whilst the other four tutor groups travelled further north to the shores of Loch Eil in the beautiful Highlands.
Whether in Wales or Scotland, students were challenged on an individual level as well as working together in teams to build trust and communication, learning to support each other.
Many of the activities pushed students out of their comfort zone, helping to overcome their fears and believe in themselves. Phrases such as ‘dig deep’ and ‘show your resilience’ took on new meanings when they were hiking, scrambling, canoeing and camping in the wilderness. They should all feel proud of their efforts and
I did so many things outside my comfort zone such as climbing Glen Nevis and the leap of faith.
We all had a go at the jetty jump, jog and dip, army crawl (very tricky) and abseiling. We also went on an expedition, climbing and scrambling up a high peak and camping at the bottom by a beautiful lake.
From abseiling to jog and dip (which involved jogging to the shore of Loch Eil and swimming in the freezing cold water!) there were so many fun activities.
Outward Bound was such an amazing experience. My highlight was gorge scrambling, which made us all smile as we scrabbled and splashed through the rocks and water.
It was so much fun to spend a week trying new challenges, and having my friends there to support me which made a huge difference. It was an incredible way to end a fabulous first year at KGS.
Every two years, the KGS Theatre Company performs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This year, our intrepid actors chose Katzenmusik by Tom Fowler, a darkly comic story about social inequality and upheaval.
“This is a complex play but the young actors have clearly worked hard to explore its every nuance, so that the production is emotionally engaging as well as provocative. I can’t wait to see what KGS come up with in 2026.”
“Director Meg Christmas does a sterling job marshalling her troupe, and the players perform with gusto as well as skill.”
My time at the Fringe taught me to step out of my comfort zone and to experience a wider range of plays. The trip acted as a precursor to university life, teaching me how to plan my day and to budget. It also taught me to support others in what was an intense week and showed me how motivated I was as a person. I loved every minute!
Oli Kemp
The rush of performing in a new space after just a week of rehearsing was new to me, but I enjoyed it so much. Having 20 minutes to ‘get in’ before starting a performance to an audience of strangers created such a buzz around each show. This energy carried through our performance. I really enjoyed getting to have fun with a character and find comedy in a dark play. This opportunity to perform for a paying audience heightened the stakes – in the best way possible. It provided motivation and excitement around the whole experience.
Grace Dormer
Having the opportunity to be part of the KGS Theatre Company was a true joy. I loved being part of an ensemble of actors who felt equally as passionate about performing as I do, and together we worked constructively to put on the darkly comic ‘Katzenmusik’. I also loved our daily routine, walking to the venue, having breakfast together, warmups, and giving our all each day to put on a great show!
Jasmine Jones
My trip to Edinburgh was an immersive and intense experience and I saw plays which made me cry with laughter and those which moved me to tears.
Plum Knowles
Snowdonia DoE Gold
Sicily Classics Boppard, Germany MFL
Banyoles, Spain Senior Rowing Camp
Lake District
A Level Geography
Peak District
DoE Gold
Wales & Scotland Outward Bound
New Forest
DoE Bronze
Chichester
DoE Bronze
Iceland Geography
Brecon Beacons CCF
Lincolnshire U19 rowing trials
JULY 2024 SAW A SEISMIC POLITICAL CHANGE THAT WILL HAVE TRULY FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES.
We speak not of the landslide victory of the new Labour Government in SW1 but rather closer to home, in KT2. The hallowed corridors of the middle floor of the Fairfield will surely never be the same again. The legend – and we really don’t use that word lightly –that is David Sorley packed up his mark book, hung up his mock election rosettes, photocopied his last cheat sheet and left the building.
In KGS terms, the man is as big as Elvis...
Rather like Brenda from Bristol, David was heard to exclaim ‘not another one’ as he became Chief Election Officer for KGS mock elections and the 2016 EU Referendum...
It is difficult to believe that this Peter Pan figure has been inspiring students for 37 years – and inspire he did.
David joined the History Department in 1988, quickly earning himself a positive reputation amongst students and staff for his well-planned, highenergy lessons which departed from the usual ‘chalk and talk’. By the early 2000s, his teaching had reached such dizzy heights that the then-Head Master, Duncan Baxter, saw fit to appoint him Professional Tutor so that he could pass on his wisdom to newly qualified teachers.
As a colleague, he was the perfect combination of supportive, assertive, organised and collaborative. As Head of Politics, he outlasted seven PMs (albeit that there was a quick turnaround in recent years!) and four US Presidents. His teaching style – enthusiastic, hugely knowledgeable – inspired students to do the very best they could. His marking was rigorous, and his many anecdotes helped to engage them as did his legendary class debates. He used these skills to lead students at Model United Nations conferences, where his knowledge of Middle Eastern politics was invaluable.
Rather like Brenda from Bristol, David was heard to exclaim ‘not another one’ as he became Chief Election Officer for KGS mock elections and the 2016 EU Referendum, a role that benefitted from his firm but fair approach. Ultimately, there is no better accolade than to see students who started the A Level course with an idea that they might like politics progress into students who pursue it at university and beyond, and David has, for years, been pivotal in that decision for so many.
Chess and Assistant House Master for Walworth, there were very few things that David did not do to support the wider education of KGS students.
in the group, gently probing them as to what they would do, before pausing and nodding in agreement. Never did the mask fall and, to the end, David’s chess skills were revered, with rumours that he had once bettered a Russian Grandmaster during the Cold War.
By the mid-2000s, there was even an alumni fan page in his name on Facebook.
David’s chess skills were revered, with rumours that he had once bettered a Russian Grandmaster during the Cold War.
The number of best wishes sent to David on his retirement from past students is testament to the high regard and fondness that they continue to hold for him. Indeed, as a hockey coach, Head of Squash, Head of Football (in the era when hockey ruled supreme), Head of
Many alumni will have fond memories of being guided through their formative years by him, and his kind and patient manner with students in his care has been much commented upon. By the mid2000s, there was even an alumni fan page in his name on Facebook.
As Master of Chess, he is remembered for the great strides KGS made under his benign leadership, impressing in the Brian Poulter Chess League. This success was carefully crafted without revealing the deeply held secret that he does not actually play chess. When asked by a student as to what move he might make, David would carefully study the board and then turn to the most accomplished student
His sartorial elegance should also be noted. One contributor to this piece praised his attire, saying, “the man is dapper with a capital D, and there are few who can carry off a lilac floral print with such panache.”
The man is dapper with a capital D, and there are few who can carry off a lilac floral print with such panache.
David is held in very high regard, with very good reason, and we are thankful for the years of wit, intellect, enthusiasm and humour. For this, and so much more, we will miss him enormously.
DAVID SORLEY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.
We also said a fond farewell and thank you to...
Laura Parkes
Educational Visits Co-ordinator
Maddie Davies Rowing Coach
Tom McCarthy Hockey Coach
Rachel Dunman Sixth Form & Careers Administrator
Steve Hardy Head of Coach Education & Sports Outreach
Charlie Duddy Teacher of Art
Laura Wilson Graduate Finance Apprentice
Lily Shield-Polyzoides
Marketing Assistant
Thayavathani Krishnakumar Teacher of Spanish and French
Nicholas Elder Hockey Coach
Charlotte Shipley Visting Music Teacher
Ellena Rawal Network Systems Manager
Thea Phillips Head of Marketing
Sarah McEwan Learning Support Assistant
Adam Buckle Hockey Coach
Saba Hassan Head of Community Action & Service
Lucy Forbie School Nurse
Christopher Short Music Intern
Louise Andrew Head of Classics
Dylan Brook Teacher of English
Patricia Hermosa
Language Assistant
Amy Clarkson Trainee Teacher of Chemistry
Rachel Hill Teacher of Biology
Kerry Tamblyn Teacher of English
Laura Hobbs Teacher of English
Nicholas Hudson Assistant Head
Victoria Paterson Head of Community Service
Megan Parry Teacher of Mathematics
Anubhav Gautam Teacher of Computing
Paula Stones Second in English
Charlotte Brosnan Visting Music Teacher
Ava-Lee Clark Learning Support Assistant
Sam Lavery Assistant Director of Sport
As ever, we were pleased to welcome many new members of staff for the 2023/24 academic year...
Balsheel Beeharry Teacher of Economics
Cora Hurley Teacher of Geography
Ben Edwards Director of Sport
Alexandra Dion-Jones Teacher of Design and Technology
Billy Winter Hockey Coach
Isabella Robson
Marketing Assistant
Lorraine Calder Music Administrator
Federica Casole School Administrator
Natasha Page Visiting Music Teacher
Cameron Moffatt Rowing Coach
Joseph Deveson Learning Support Assistant
Fiona Fraser Educational Visits Co-ordinator
Johanna Pursey Sixth Form & Careers Administrator
James Fisher Visiting Music Teacher
Mark Lipski Visiting Music Teacher
Austin Kwok Finance Officer
Emma Allen Assistant to the Director of International
Moses Philips Project Manager
Genevieve Gohlan HR Administrator
Nicola Gordon Rowing Coach
Jasleen Sidhu Admissions Data Administrator
Benjamin Costello Visiting Music Teacher
Eleanor Attley Head of Marketing
Stanislav Kiselev Network Systems Manager
CONGRATULATIONS! Throughout the year, a number of staff welcomed babies to their families: Tim Hughes, Anubhav Gautam, Rachel McCulloch, Alex Henderson, Gavin Garcia, John Clay and Matt Daly. Congratulations, too, to Holly Airbright, Chloe Rowland, Lauren Boyes and Amy Clarkson who all got married.
Work Well and Be Happy
ART 2023/24
THEY DEVELOP THE SELF-CONFIDENCE TO TAKE ARTISTIC RISKS AND, IN DOING SO, STUMBLE UPON THE JOY OF BEING CREATIVE.
MR J DYSON I HEAD OF ART
Work Well and Be Happy
Mr J Dyson Head of Art
In order to create successful, thought-provoking art, you need to be intellectually gifted.
This is why, in the KGS Art Department, we are so lucky to be working with some of the country’s brightest students. They come to us, excited at the prospect of being exposed to new ideas and eager to try new techniques. We teach them a range of processes and quickly they develop the self-confidence to take artistic risks and, in doing so, stumble upon the joy of being creative.
Our First Years have drawn, painted, collaged, printed and modelled a mind-boggling array of artworks this year. They have learnt to accept their mistakes as valuable learning experiences and each student has successfully completed artwork of which they should be very proud. The final assignment of the year was a ceramics project which involved creating fired clay sculptures based on coral forms. The work is sophisticated, mature and challenging. These early experiences are built upon, year after year, until, fast forward to the Upper Sixth when our students are producing work that would not be out of place in any West End gallery.
The A Level Art Exhibition 2024 included an incredibly detailed etching of Baker Street Station by Rowan Bantick, with light streaming through skylights, illuminating the platform and creating a wonderfully atmospheric effect. There were oil and acrylic paintings by Poppy Emerson (a life-sized wheelie bin, inviting the viewer to take a second look at what we consider ordinary), Greta Dudgeon (a shadowy house by a railway line, lit by a single lamp as night draws in), Francesca Pavry (an
energetic image of a daily tooth-brushing routine), Emily Shepherd (a vibrant and daring picture of continental buildings in yellow and purple) and Nina Chamarette (a triptych of paintings charting her childhood experiences). Several artists experimented with combinations of painting with printmaking or photography. Eleanor Jones painted fragmented images of her Welsh family, few in number, onto a photograph of a vast gathering of her extended French relatives.
Ella Verdult developed a technique for printing lino-cut images onto oil paintings, whilst Lili Small created wonderful patterned backgrounds using similar relief printing techniques. Conor Carnegie-Brown used nylon tights to create the crumpled faces of newborn babies and Eva Tallon made a vast mixed-media collage piece using the cyanotype process at its core. Natalie Kavanagh drew a fantastically detailed set of biro drawings depicting her family members and their significant childhood cuddly toys.
This brief snapshot of the terrific exhibition that our Sixth Formers produce gives some indication of the purpose of the experiences and artwork that went before. It would not be possible for them to succeed without the First Year drawing and painting, the Second Year printmaking and digital art, the Third Year pottery and collage, the Fourth Year collagraphs and contextual studies and right through to the ambitious outcomes produced by the Fifth Year in their GCSE projects and the portfolio-building and life-drawing undertaken in Lower Sixth
Vibrant House Art and House Photography competitions, Junior Art Club and visits to galleries, along with collaboration with a group of students on a Study Tour from Mountain Kingston Bilingual School in China, have made this a hugely productive and creative year, and my sincere thanks go to students and staff for being part of the KGS Art Department.
RELATED DEGREE COURSES
Conor Carnegie-Brown
Kingston University Art Foundation
Lili Small
University of Leeds
Fashion Design Innovation
Ava Tallon
University of Edinburgh Fine Art
Poppy Emerson
University of Leeds Art & Design
Mr M Rodgers Head of Biology
Do all animals breathe like us?
Fish, like all living things, require oxygen to survive but there is 30 times less oxygen in water than there is in air. So how do they do it?
The UKBC Biology Olympiad yielded some very impressive results from our Lower Sixth biologists. Highly Commended awards were achieved by Matthew Shinn and Dilly Roberts, both of whom joined KGS for Sixth Form. Hannah Topen, Maddie Sloan, Chen Gao and Priyam Patel achieved Bronze awards, with Ben Fine and Lottie Wellman gaining Silver. Most outstanding of all were the two Golds achieved by Adrian Tonge and Aidan Seymour, who were put forward for the Biology Olympiad Team Selection exam as a result of their performances.
As part of the A Level syllabus, students experience ecological field work on the historic Dorset coastline. They showed excellent interest, enthusiasm and diligence when carrying out their investigations, even though the Euros were competing for their attention! On the first day, we visited the River Piddle near Wareham to sample marine invertebrates and to identify differences in biodiversity between the fastflowing and slower-flowing parts of the river. The students greatly enjoyed donning the chest waders and getting waist-high in the water to collect ‘kick samples’. Later that afternoon we investigated rocky shore molluscs at Kimmeridge Bay, the students setting up transects that ran down the rocky shore to identify the zonation and niches occupied by four different species of periwinkle. They also sampled limpet size to determine if there was any difference in the shell size of those limpets found living in a sheltered part of the bay compared to the exposed part.
A visit to one of the UK’s prettiest beaches at Studland, with views of Old Harry Rocks in the distance, allowed them to investigate succession by sampling the sand dune vegetation. The reward for their hard work was a beach picnic followed by delicious local ice cream. The students later used the skills they had finetuned over the first two days of the trip to design and carry out their own ecological investigation as part of their A Level practical competency award.
As part of British Science Week in March, students investigated the structure of a fish and how it ‘breathes’. Adeptly guided by Florian Young in the Lower Sixth, they were shown how to perform a dissection, first examining the operculum and the gill filaments and lamellae that make up this remarkable organ.
The ever-popular First Year Science Club was again run by Ms Hill, Ms Thomas, Mrs Mayor and Miss Clarkson. Students tested the streamlining of plasticene animals, the acidity and alkalinity of everyday household substances (some of which we eat) and learned how to use microscopes to examine different cell types. They discovered how the different colours in fireworks are produced as well as making salt crystal Christmas trees. Of particular interest were the various dissections led by Ms Hill: hearts, eyeballs and fish heads generated a lot of excitement and, in some cases, fairly pungent aromas around the Department.
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Biology
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Biomedical Sciences
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Biomedical Engineering
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Mr C Wenham
Second
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Jack Skeates
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University of York Biochemistry
A big focus of the Chemistry Department’s plans this year has been ‘transition’.
After our best-ever A Level results in 2023, with the highest percentage of A* grades since their introduction in 2010, we have been keen to build on our success at enabling students to make a successful transition from Fifth Year into Lower Sixth, and then once again from Lower Sixth into Upper Sixth; those summer holidays can be a tricky time for memory retention! This year Dr Winning inaugurated the ‘Mind The Gap…’ programme where students were challenged to complete 10 sets of synoptic questions over the summer holidays. The questions were themed on interesting molecules in Chemistry, and hopefully gave a stimulating as well as rewarding pathway to recap the topics covered in Lower Sixth. Also included was a pull-out supplement of Chemistry-themed puzzles, including a cryptic crossword and a coding challenge.
Our current Upper Sixth also did us incredibly proud by producing some of our best results in the Chemistry Olympiad Jack Skeates and Ellinor Comard were awarded Gold certificates, Anas Boulahmi and Polina Turnbull gained Silver, and Maya Arwas achieved Bronze. We were delighted their Chemistry talents were rewarded in such splendid fashion.
We wish all our Upper Sixth Leavers all the very best for their next adventures – they have been a delightful cohort to teach.
It is with great sadness that we said goodbye to Miss Clarkson who has made a big impact during the three years she was with us.
Having taught many Lower School classes in that time, there are many students who have appreciated her kindness and care, and the way that she has encouraged high standards with her characteristic gentleness and firmness. She will be missed, and we felt that this would be a great opportunity to ask for her reflections on her time at KGS.
What has been your favourite memory of teaching Chemistry at KGS?
There was a time when one of my students sent me a photo of her cat who had taken up residence on her homework – whilst she was trying to complete it! I am not sure why the cat had taken such an interest, but that was certainly memorable. This year I have enjoyed working with some of our Fourth Year students to put on a science show to the First Years – they were good fun and created a great event.
What are your favourite Chemistry topics to teach, and why?
I really enjoy teaching the analysis topic at GCSE. You get to do fun experiments such as flame tests, and it’s quite exciting how you can start with a completely unknown substance and then work through some steps to find out what it is you have in front of you. I also like teaching Infrared Spectroscopy at A Level, a bit of an extension on GCSE Analysis but just involving less fire!
What made you choose to study and then teach Chemistry?
My GCSE Chemistry teacher was great so I decided to study it for A Level. He taught me through Sixth Form and then inspired me to choose it as my degree course. At the end of my undergraduate studies, I then decided to become a teacher. I saw this job at KGS and the rest is history.
What would be your top tips for all our students studying Chemistry?
Believe in yourself and work hard. A good work ethic will get you far in this challenging subject.
What will you miss most about KGS?
I will miss all the students. They have been great fun to teach: every character is different, but they are all wonderful individuals who will go far. Good luck, everyone!
Ms L Andrew Head of Classics
The highlight of the year for many Third Year to Sixth Form Classicists was our senior trip to Sicily, visiting the extremely varied Greek, Roman and Carthaginian archaeology.
An impromptu singing competition against an Italian school group inside the famously resonant ‘Ear of Dionysius’ cave at Syracuse is still ringing in our ears, and other visitors were impressed by a performance of excerpts from Euripides Bacchae from Fifth Year students Jasper Simmons, Ava Dent and Harry Lipscomb at the theatre of Taormina, set against the impressive backdrop of Mount Etna.
The Italianists among us used the opportunity to try out their skills and Mr Garner fascinated us with some interesting perspectives about politics, identity and the mafia in modern-day Sicily while we looked out across the Strait of Messina. The students were fantastic representatives for the School throughout the five days. We received many compliments from locals about the polite and considerate way they conducted themselves throughout the trip, and they were a joy to be around.
for our Sixth Form Oxbridge seminars, resulting in fruitful and fascinating discussion between aspiring Classicists from both schools about Callimachus’ Aetia, Euripides’ Medea and Virgil’s Eclogues.
An impromptu singing competition against an Italian school group inside the famously resonant ‘Ear of Dionysius’ cave at Syracuse is still ringing in our ears...
Students also threw themselves enthusiastically into the photography competition which had daily themes based on the day’s excursions, and lots of fun was had by all designing togas out of toilet paper as an activity for our final evening, with Ava Kasalowsky in Fourth Year taking the prize modelling for her team. We were delighted to join up with the Languages Department for this trip.
The Department has also seen a boom in co-curricular activities this year, many of them student led. Henry May in the Lower Sixth has played an instrumental role in bringing a broader view of the ancient world to students in Third Year at his Classics Club where they have explored, amongst other things, Roman board games. Olu Koevets in Fifth Year has also led the way in bringing the sounds of Greece and Rome to life with his new Spoken Latin and Greek Society, challenging his fellow students to put their language knowledge into practice in a new way.
In addition to this, First Years produced some brilliant creative writing for the Cambridge University Ovid Competition, rewriting their favourite myth from the Metamorphoses. Fifth Years Clementine Holloway, Tessa Stanier and Izzy Street have also enjoyed creating this year’s KGS Classics podcast, on the theme of ‘Troy’. This involved some interesting interviews with fellow members of the school community about how they would break into a city, inspired by Odysseus’ wooden horse. We are also delighted to have restarted our collaboration with Tiffin
Olu Koevoets...led the way in bringing the sounds of Greece and Rome to life with his new Spoken Latin and Greek Society.
Our GCSE and A Level cohorts have coped well once again with the challenges of their exams. Sixth Form Latinists have been studying the rise of the sneaky Sejanus in Tacitus’ Annals 4, Cicero’s masterful character assassination of Clodia in Pro Caelio and selections from the Aeneid, including the heart-wrenching Book 2 and action-packed Book 12. Our Greek students have enjoyed exploring Herodotus’ Histories and the drama of Book 16 of the Iliad.
Mr D Farr Head of DT
Greenpower Electric Car Racing has risen from the ashes and is now an annual fixture. Team KGS (Chaohan Fang, Alexander Fardon, Zoe Goldwyn-Pagett, Vincent Liao, Yulia Novak, Maxim Osmond, Meryn Porritt and Hugo Whyte) had a fantastic day out racing at Dunsfold Park, the famous Top Gear test track. There was a mixture of excellent pro driving and mechanical issues in equal measures. This was the first race for many years and the students gained valuable driving and pit crew skills.
Design Technology students from the Fourth Year visited the Warner Brothers Studios for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Harry Potter film sets. They learnt about set and prop designs and gained an insight into the world of film making.
Students from the First Year Technology Club have been busy making mirrors and tool trays from recycled pallets. The DT Club is a great opportunity for students to learn new skills outside the classroom. It is fantastic to bring sustainability and recycling into the Department and produce such high-quality
Congratulations to students from the Second and Third Year Technology Club for achieving silver certificates for their designs in the Teen Tech Awards. This is an annual competition to design solutions to everyday problems. This year, there were three teams working on three different categories. Projects were: a sustainable water turbine project for rivers, a solution to crowded cities and a flying concept aircraft of the future.
Designed for small cottage gardens or balconies where space is limited
GARDENING WORKSTATION ROWAN BANTICK
LOUNGE READING CHAIR EMILY SHEPHERD
Storage in armrests for current reading material
A LEVEL PROJECT WORK
Congratulations to Rowan Bantick and Emily Shepherd for their high-quality A Level projects. Rowan designed and made a Multi-Functional Garden Workstation and Emily designed and made a Lounge Chair with Storage. Well done to them both and we wish them well at university.
CLASS OF 2024 RELATED DEGREE COURSES
Emily Shepherd
Queen Mary University London, Design, Innovation & Creative Engineering
Rowan Bantick
University of Edinburgh
Architecture
Mr R Gee Director of Drama
Following last year’s inaugural First Year Showcase, this year’s students celebrated the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Each form was assigned a musical from which they performed songs and scenes. It is no mean feat mounting a production with 124 students involved but thanks to the expertise of our Music and Drama departments and, ultimately, the dedication of the students, this was an evening the audience will remember for years to come. They were treated to Oklahoma, Carousel, The King & I, South Pacific and, surely everyone’s favourite, The Sound of Music. There was an enormous amount of talent on stage and the future looks bright for musical theatre at KGS.
Congratulations to all of our First Year – what a way to round off such a busy and successful year at KGS.
I think it is fair to say that Mr Gee came, he directed and he conquered in this, his first Junior Play, I think it is fair to say that he came, he directed, and he conquered.
Holes was a fantastic execution of such a classic story and found myself engaged from start to finish, with the fantastic storytelling by all members of the cast. The play was the perfect balance between narrative, plot twists, bold characterisation and comedy.
Doing an accent on the stage is never easy, but the Southern American accents were pulled off flawlessly, in particular by Arlo Avens, who incredibly and comically played Mr Sir, and Angela Harris, who excellently showed off Miss Pendanski’s motherly sass, along with Eva Rouse, who embodied The Warden with the perfect blend of menace and intrigue. I cannot write a review of this play without commending Frederik Merlo’s superb performance as Stanley Yelnats, ensuring that all ‘holes’ in the story were filled in. Frederik was ably complemented by Oliver Hamilton, who played Zero, and the bond that these two characters formed throughout the story was utterly convincing, and very heartwarming. The kids at Camp Green Lake came together to give Stanley a tough, yet endurable time, which was truly shown by Aram Adams, Matilda Pain, Bella Brunati, Hugo Whyte, Agatha Lehec, Sammy Ridley, Connie Le Huray and Mattia Signoretto. All these characters had incredible stage presence and allowed for very funny moments to shine through an intense plot.
The story telling was also cleverly executed through the use of flashbacks, taking us back to Latvia in 1870, with brilliant and clear narrative from Woody Griffith, playing Elya, and Zoe Goldwyn-Pagett playing Madame Zeroni. This helped to boost the already fascinating storyline, also including a very catchy song! The story also took us back to the town of Green Lake in the 1900s where we met Anfisa Betts’ sleazy Sheriff, and the story’s crucial link, Kissin’ Kate Barlow, played with aplomb by Lily Buchanan.
Justice for Stanley was finally restored by Mrs Morengo (Bella Brown) and the Attorney General (Anya Taylor), which was definitely the happy ending deserving of such a fantastic play. I must mention the incredible set, designed by Miss Chen, with a beautiful backdrop of ‘God’s Thumb’. This along with the lighting design by Mrs Starmer, made the audience feel as though they were in the dry desert, rather than the theatre watching. The music was composed by Mr Tierney, which was a fabulous score to complement a brilliant play. I must compliment every member of the stage crew who assisted in such a smooth running, fantastic play, particularly the assistant directors, Izzy Reilly and Jemima Stuart, and the mostly First Year Technical crew: Tess Goodyer, Jessica Todd, Antonia Ridley, Amy Davies, Xanthe Olding, Orla Kasolowsky, Katie GaarnLarsen, Thomas Darbyshire, Edward Haynes, Oscar Allibone, Esther Shaw and Georgia Shepherd. A huge congratulations to Mr Gee, whose first go at the junior Play was an incredible success. Well done, everybody! Lottie Routledge, Upper Sixth
‘Constellations’ was a perfect balance of drama, a thickening plot and incredible acting and staging. Directing a play ‘in the round’ is never easy but was flawlessly executed by Mr. Crohill and his fantastic cast and crew.
The play tells the story, through different multiverses, of two people who fall in love. A blossoming romance, with each segment in their relationship timeline retold in a different dimension, with different actors, but with the same costume and character. The use of multi-rolling each version of ‘Marianne’ and ‘Roland’ created significant depth to each character and ensured the audience’s full attention through every change in their story. This remarkably skilled group of performers told the story in a flowing, professional way, and I was amazed with the quality of the acting. The significant effort put in by the technical crew must also be highlighted, managed by Mrs Starmer, and costumes by Mrs Burrows. In addition, credit must go to Joe Finn, Alex Carrodus, Edward Haynes, Tess Goodyer, Nesta Bowen, Chen Gao, Antonia Ridley and Day Ko for their seamless effort in assisting with such a highlevel performance.
A specific moment in the play which had me in awe at the talent on stage was during a sequence where three versions of the couple were on stage at the same time, and each character had to speak in tune to two others on stage. An incredibly difficult skill to master was flawlessly performed by Maya Marner,
Yulia Novak and Emilie Wellman playing Roland, and Alexandria Coen, Catty Vedenkova and Anna Jackson playing Marianne.
Notable credit must be given to some incredible actors, who I believe will go far in their pursuit of acting. Jasper Simmons controlled the stage with his characterisation of Roland, alongside Allegra Kelly and Orson Griffith. Every actor who played Roland bought something new and special to the character, like the Roland renditions produced by Greg Cameron and Oluwatamilore Koevoets Mariannes quirky and gentle character was also beautifully executed by Ava Dent, Abigail Sturge, Imogen Cockerell and Iarina Nacu. It was another incredibly directed piece of theatre from Mr Crohill, and I can’t wait for the next one.
Lottie Routledge, Upper Sixth
The
performance was excellent with some wonderful acting from our younger students and a great set, lighting and sound.
Mr A Beard, Assistant Head
“A valentine engraved in acid”, Stephen Farber wrote in 1975 of the original Chicago, and he may well have been describing this thrilling and high-octane production: striking the right balance between hard-edged cynicism and a delighted enjoyment of the ludicrousness of the many crimes depicted in the show, this version gave the Sixth Formers a real chance to shine.
Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, who shoots her lover and – through a combination of street smarts, trickery and outright lies – manages to talk her way out of a guilty verdict. Assisted at every turn by her charming but immoral lawyer, Billy Flynn, and the smooth prison warden, Matron “Mama” Morton, Roxie pursues stardom, much to the frustration of her equally infamous cellmate, Velma Kelly.
Maddie Mepham shone in the role of Roxie Hart, combining the guileless innocence of a 1950s housewife with the sparkle of a determined starlet, keeping the audience enthralled throughout, especially in her on-again off-again relationship with her besotted but foolish husband, a delightful turn by Ollie Kemp, with whom the audience couldn’t help but sympathise. As the slippery lawyer, Billy Flynn, Charlie Neale was a joy to behold: sauntering across the stage, winking at various audience members, and fully embodying the incorrigible lawyer, he brought a lot of the laughs.
The singing, too, was excellent: Alicia Bramwell and Lottie Routledge, as Velma and Mama respectively, brought glamour and drama to the production. Lottie’s Mama was a fast-talking, slick, larger-than-life character who held the stage completely every time she stepped on it. Meanwhile, Alicia’s turn as Velma was one for the books: she toed perfectly the line between envy and anger, between the righteous star tossed aside for the newest thing, and the cynical, wellversed woman who knows what she wants - and goes after it.
Honourable mentions go out to Eleanor Jones as the fesity reporter, Ben Fine as the hapless murdered lover and Hannah Farrell, whose choreography made for several spectacular, showstopping numbers, alongside her turn as a tragically misunderstood cellmate. The ensemble in general were excellent: wellchoreographed, confident and comfortable, they moved around the stage with ease, and managed a series of very complicated numbers with a great sense of fun.
“Give ‘em the old razzle dazzle,” Velma tells us at the start of the play, and I can say with confidence that this production did just that.
Ms K Tamblyn, English Department
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Performance: Design and Practice
Day Ko
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Drama
Frederik Merlo I Aram Adams I Matilda Pain I Bella Brunati I Hugo Whyte I Oliver Hamilton I Agatha Lehec I Sammy Ridley I Connie Le Huray I Mattia Signoretto I Arlo Avens I Angela Harris I Eva Rouse I Woody Griffith I Zoe Goldwyn-Pagett I Alyssa Klimanova I Heidi Chambers I Anya Taylor I Yasmin Kloihofer I Anfisa Betts I Jamie Sexton I Oliver Mrkusic I Lily Buchanan I Kiara Duffy I Pippa Thompson I Josh Randell I Bella Brown I Daniel Rust
Work Well and Be Happy
2023/24
HARD-EDGED CYNICISM AND A DELIGHTED ENJOYMENT OF THE LUDICROUSNESS OF THE MANY CRIMES DEPICTED IN THE SHOW... GAVE THE SIXTH FORMERS A REAL CHANCE TO SHINE.
Work Well and Be Happy
CONSTELLATIONS CREATIVES:
“Outstanding precision and professionalism”
Mr Crohill
“A mind-blowing show –superb!”
Mrs Humphrey
“It had all that jazz and more – loved it!”
Mr Cooper
“I had to remind myself this was a school show and not the West End”
Mrs Butcher
“Spellbinding performances!”
Mrs Lett
“A feast for the eyes and ears”
Mrs Vilasoa
Alicia Bramwell I Maddie Mepham I Charlie Neale I Oliver Kemp I Lottie Routledge I Eleanor Jones I Izzy Reilly I Ben Fine I Hannah Farrell I Day Ko I Jasmine Procter-Tarabanov I Jasmine Jones I Emily Smith I Grace Dormer I Angelina Remisio I Plum Knowles I Dilly Roberts I Adrian Tonge I Jemima Stuart I Joseph Oxborrow I Nesta Bowen I Maya Buchanan I Freya Bates I Aria Chaukar I Hannah Topen I Amelia Marinko
Work Well and Be Happy
THE BAND MARK LIPSKI: BASS, DAVID NEVILLE: DRUMS, LAFLIN: KEYBOARD + MUSICAL DIRECTOR, JOE GOODSMAN: VIOLIN, SAM KELLY: REED, PETER NICHOLS: REED, TROMBONE, GILES STRAW: TRUMPET, ANDRE CANNIERE:
DRUMS, JASON TIERNEY: KEYBOARD, MARK GOODSMAN: REED, MAXIM DYTHTCHENKO: CHRIS FORD: TROMBONE, DAVE HORDEN: CANNIERE: TRUMPET.
It may sound like a cliché, but the standard of House Dance gets stronger and stronger each year. This was certainly the hottest ticket in town on a blustery night in October and the Theatre was packed.
The evening’s proceedings were ably compered by Sixth Formers Lottie Routledge and Oliver Kemp
First up were the Duets where there were many standout performances, notably from Melody Moppett and Xan Cairney-Leeming who performed an emotive and varied dance to Cat Burns’ Live More & Love More. It was brilliant to see students from Second Year to Upper Sixth competing in this category with Florence Coen and Kiara Duffy holding their own against more senior students.
The Solo category was probably the most difficult for the judges as the talent on display was extraordinary. Eva Rouse, Nelly Malykhanova, Hannah Farrell, Ava Dent and Sophie Davies did sterling work with such varied genres. However, it was Ava who received the most rapturous applause of the night with a breathtaking routine from Cabaret. She not only danced brilliantly but captured the nuanced complexities of the character Sally Bowles throughout her choreography.
With the Original Choreography category, our students were able to display incredible creativity and flair with many routines looking as professional as a West End show!
The Musical Theatre routines are always the audience favourite and this year every house delivered a superb routine based on a Hollywood classic from Walworth’s highly energised West Side Story to Lovekyn’s charming Singin’ in the Rain performed by twenty First Year students. However, it was Queen’s Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat that captured the key notion of Musical Theatre: character and storytelling. It was a joy to watch from start to finish.
Our judges this year, Zoe Rogers and Ryan Munroe, gave exceptionally detailed, positive feedback to all categories. They made the students feel proud of their achievements despite the result. A special mention to our student lighting designers who plotted all the lights for their house dances: Joe Finn, Abigail Sturge, Edward Haynes, Milly Gregg and Maya Arwas
Of course, as this is a House competition there must be an overall winner: Congratulations to Stanley for lifting the trophy for the second time in three years!
1ST STANLEY
2ND WALWORTH
3RD QUEEN’S AWARDS
Solo Ava Dent Taverner
Duet
Melody Moppett
Xan Cairney-Leeming Stanley
Original Choreography
‘Game of Survival’ Ruelle Stanley
Musical Theatre
‘Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat’ Guys & Dolls Queen’s
It is wonderful to see our students collaborating with different year groups and growing in resilience, confidence and creativity.
The much-anticipated and highly competitive House Drama took place in March with over 100 students taking part on and offstage.
This year each house was allocated a colour as inspiration for their piece which provided a varied and entertaining evening. Day Ko and Eleanor Jones were very competent hosts for the evening with an effortless rapport with the audience. Stanley explored environmental activism. A cleverly written piece by Izzy Reilly proved topical and relatable with strong performances from Melody Moppett and Allegra Kelly Next up was Queen’s, with a wittily written story from Grace Dormer, inspired by the colour purple. The piece followed the protagonist Madge on a journey of selfacceptance in the face of adversity in a new school. George Whyte gave a captivating performance as Madge and there was strong support from Olivia Priest, Arlo Whyte, Jamie Sexton and Tomas Boeston-Allocco
Taverner delivered a poignant piece based on red that followed childhood sweethearts through key events in their relationship. The passing of time was shown through the change in actors and the delivery of a red rose, acting as a symbol of their love. Special mention to Emily Smith who wrote and directed with sensitivity and ease. It was fantastic to see all year groups performing for Taverner in the true spirit of House events. Walworth transported us to the roaring twenties with a polished performance about the Jazz age. This piece had a number of strong performances, cleverly choreographed routines and inventive use of staging.
Jasper Simmons received a special mention from the judges for his commanding performance as a swaggering New York businessman. This was a slick production which was the deserving winner of Best Director for Amelia Marinko.
Finally, Lovekyn treated us to an uplifting piece about a young boy (Christian Kelly) trying to discover what his ‘thing’ in life was. Inspired by the colour yellow, the play ended with the boy recognising that, despite not being the most academic or the best at football, his friends and family were his ‘thing’ that brought joy to his life. There were ten First Year students in this piece, all with huge potential, notably Lily Large who I can see having a flourishing career in Drama. We were delighted to welcome actors Finty Williams and Millie Hikasa to the school as our guest judges. Millie is a recent graduate who has already performed at the National Theatre and Finty has a wealth of film, TV and stage experience...and a rather famous mother (look her up!). Both judges were staggered by the amount of talent on display and as Finty said it’s impossible to select Best Actor and Best Actress unless they were all playing the same role. A very valid point! Huge congratulations to all students involved onstage and offstage. This really is one of the most hard-fought House events of the year and it is wonderful to see our students collaborating with different year groups and growing in resilience, confidence and creativity.
1ST
2ND
3RD
Best Actress
Melody Moppett
Stanley Olivia Priest
Queen’s
Best Actor
Christian Kelly Lovekyn
Best Supporting Actress
Ava Dent Taverner
Best Supporting Actor
Jamie Sexton, Arlo Whyte
Tomas Boeston-Allocco
Queen’s
Best Ensemble Queen’s
Best Script Lovekyn
Best Director Walworth
Work Well and Be Happy
Mr W Bohanna Head of Economics & Business Studies
Last year we successfully established the new A Level Economics course to replace the outgoing Pre-U Economics syllabus and this year we introduced A Level Business Studies.
The Economics extension course has continued to grow and inspire our students beyond the requirements of the A Level course, allowing them the opportunity to explore econometrics, behavioural economics and aspects of economic history. The focus of this course is very much designed to develop higher order thinking skills in the context of more complex economic theory.
The best critics of any new course are, of course, the students themselves...
When starting KGS in September, I was slightly wary of choosing a subject I had never previously studied but I was instantly engaged. I enjoy it so much that I’m considering studying it for my degree.
Nesta
I study both Economics and Business Studies which work really well together. The highlight of the year for me was the Barbie project: we had such great fun and it provided an insight into pitching a marketing campaign.
George
I chose Business studies unsure of what to expect, having not studied the GCSE, but it immediately grabbed my interest during the entrepreneurship unit we studied early in Lower Sixth. More recently, I have enjoyed studying global business, which has grown to become a keen interest of mine and reinforced my ambition to read International Business Management at university.
Max
As a department we remain committed to the development of core economics/businessrelated skills and both the end-of-year research tasks in Economics and Business Studies not only support and cover the required subject content but also facilitate the enhancement of such skills.
At the end of these tasks, our students had the opportunity to develop their oracy, presentation skills, teamwork, critical evaluation of evidence and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to reach sound, reliable and wellbalanced judgements. All of these skills will, of course, assist and differentiate them when applying for undergraduate courses whilst engendering a love of the subjects along the way.
Economics students have been researching the demand-side policy approaches to the Great Depression and the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, looking specifically looking into the different interpretations of these significant events and analysing the UK and US’s policy responses.
Business Studies students, meanwhile, have worked in teams to take on the ‘Barbie Challenge’.
Issued with an iconic Barbie Doll, each team’s task was to relaunch Barbie to a particular
The students had to develop an international marketing strategy and present this to our very own Marketing Department at KGS. It has been an enjoyable and highly rewarding year and we look forward to the continued growth in the popularity of these two dynamic A Level subjects.
The year saw us welcome a new member of staff to join the team in Miss Beeharry, who has also taken on the role of Young Enterprise Co-ordinator. For a full report see page 29.
The Business Studies students absolutely nailed the ‘Barbie Challenge’! Their creative approaches and sharp application of international marketing theory were nothing short of inspiring. From innovative strategies to polished presentations, the teams showcased a level of professionalism that had our Marketing Department at KGS seriously impressed. It’s been a fantastic year for these budding business minds, and we can’t wait to see where their talents take them next!
RELATED DEGREE COURSES
Gia Kripalani University of Nottingham Management
Joe Raven University of Birmingham Business Management with Marketing
Benny Romberg University of Exeter Business Economics
William Taylor University of Bath Business
Aman Harchowal University of Birmingham Business Management with Marketing
Thomas Bristow Loughborough University Business Economics & Finance
Timothy Bryce University of Nottingham Industrial Economics
Audrey Coursey University of Bath Economics & Mathematics
Mikey Eldridge University of Nottingham Industrial Economics
Lucas Hagler University of York Economics & Finance
Ollie Honeybone University of Cambridge Land Economy
Sofia Ruijs University of Bristol Economics & Management
Pamir Sesli University of Bristol Economics
Ella Watkins University of Exeter Economics
Teddy Warner University of Birmingham International Relations with Economics
Ophelia Fyfield University of Edinburgh Social Policy & Economics
Tom Morris University of St Andrews Economics
Benjamin Sporleder University of Bristol Economics & Management
Mikhail Chohan University of Bristol Accounting and Finance
Christian Faergemann City, University of London Finance
Cameron Lit City, University of London Maths & Finance Foundation
Zain Noor University of Bristol Finance
Joshua Whitelam University of Reading Finance
Sylvia Dorovski Tilbury University, Netherlands Economics
Ethan Hammond Exeter University PPE
Pictured left:
Come on, Barbie, let’s go party! Miss Beeharry and Young Enterprise students waiting for the verdict from the KGS Marketing Department...
Mrs S Garside Head of English
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Two highlights in the English department this year have been a Second Year visit to the Rose Theatre to watch an excellent production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge and English Extension Classes.
Once again, our easy access to the Rose has brought drama texts to life for students. Under the direction of Holly Race Roughen, Jonathan Slinger and Nancy Crane brought Red Hook to Surrey, capturing the complexity of Miller’s exploration of working-class life in post-World War II Brooklyn. Not only were our students fully engaged, but it helped inform their study of the text later in the year.
In Extension Classes, the Department offered a range of seminars from Applying Critical Theory to The Tiger Who Came To Tea, to the Angry Young Men and their impact on British drama. Most exciting, however, was the lecture delivered by our Upper Sixth English A Level student, Ella Keating who spoke eloquently and informatively on The Legacy of Sylvia Plath We look forward to what the present Lower Sixth has to offer.
Finally, we say a very fond farewell to Ms Stones who is leaving us to become Head of English at the Leys School, Cambridge. She has been a stalwart of both the School and the Department for the last 12 years and will be remembered and missed by all for her warmth, vast knowledge of all English texts, raucous and infectious laughter.
Her holistic approach to education is best captured in her creation of the Equalities Society, where she encouraged students and staff to understand the importance of respect for all.
This atmosphere was always present in her classroom, as witnessed by the delight of students who were part of her teaching group, and the disappointment of those who weren’t.
As both a colleague and a teacher, however, what most obviously comes to mind is her extensive subject knowledge, her love for her profession and her enjoyment in being in the classroom. The sound that defines ‘English 2’ – Paula’s room – is energy: there was, quite literally, never a dull moment. She brought this spark into the English Office too, endlessly suggesting initiatives and ways we might improve students’ experience. She remained determined to reflect changing trends in reading through her choice of class texts. All the above was presented with boundless good humour and a sense of collaboration.
We will miss her talent, laughter, energy and determination immensely and wish her every success at the Leys. They are lucky to have her.
One of the aspects that I enjoy most about creative writing is being able to write about absolutely anything, no matter how crazy or unrealistic.
When I write, I can be anyone I want to be and do anything I want to do; I’m not just Oliver anymore.
I love the crazy situations that my characters gets themselves in, the complex relationships they have, the hills they have to scale and everything in-between. I love forming a wonderful story from just a few wild ideas, a pen and a piece of paper, and the rewarding sense of achievement when I finish.
Pictured: Oliver Hamilton, Second Year Short Story Competition Winner
by Oliver Hamilton
I raced down the street, praying that I wouldn’t be late. I couldn’t be late. Not to a first date with the love of my life, the apple of my eye, my heart’s desire: Sarah Walker. I darted round a corner, my loafers skidding across the caustic hot concrete tiles, fuelled by the unforgiving sun. The leather of my cheaply manufactured shoes provided little to no insulation from the heat; my feet were two soggy loaves of bread being cruelly heated in the ovens that were my shoes.
As I drenched my newly purchased Ralph Lauren shirt (that I had spent my precious birthday money on) in a pool of my own malodorous sweat, I questioned to the heavens: ‘what had I done?’ What sin had I committed to possibly deserve this fate? Oh, but I knew darn well! How could I have expected not to have overslept after spending hours after my supposed bedtime gaming online? I cursed myself for my own stupidity. I vividly remembered my mum telling me it was way past my bedtime and warning me of the exact problem I’m facing now. But no. Of course I had some snarky defence: claiming that ‘to leave now would be to let my friends
down.’ However, now I wasn’t only letting myself down, but I was indeed letting Sarah Walker down.
Almost on cue I felt the fatigue kick in. The lactic acid that had gone from muscle to muscle, cell to cell, had inevitably made its presence felt. My heart was thumping as if there was a manic little man relentlessly pounding on my ribcage (a sledgehammer his weapon of choice) begging to break free. Glancing down at my watch, I registered the time: I had 10 minutes to trek a 25-minute walk. Any effort I could make would be futile. I staggered towards a bench; its smooth, polished, oak wood soothing me. For what seemed like an aeon, I sat still as a statue, fearful of my muscle’s piercing response to the slightest movement. Then I felt it: defeat. It enveloped me, sending me cascading down its endless abyss of sorrow and regret- refusing to let me go.
Crystal-clear tears leaked out of my puffy eyes and streamed down my face before sizzling on the scalding tiles. While I struggled to choke down sobs, I slipped a mangled rose out of my pocket; it was ruined beyond repair. Still sulking,
I pictured Sarah in my head, obsessing over her smallest details that no one else would pay attention to. Like the smoothness and radiance of her olive skin, and the way her thick, luscious hair swayed just right when the wind was perfect. However Sarah Walker wasn’t just a pretty face.
Anger and rage that had been bottled up for years erupted from the pit of my soul and dispersed to the rest of my body, and the brutal heat did nothing but intensify it. I wasn’t sure what I was mad at, whether it was myself or the world, but I knew one thing was certain: I was not going to let down Sarah Walker.
When I finally arrived, I burst through the door frantically scanning the packed restaurant for Sarah and found her quietly sitting at a table tucked away in a corner.
“Sarah,” I called out in a hoarse whisper.
The leather of my cheaply manufactured shoes provided little to no insulation from the heat; my feet were two soggy loaves of bread being cruelly heated in the ovens that were my shoes.
She was a God-sent angel! Always doing whatever she believed was right and sticking to her morals (even if it meant putting herself in jeopardy). Once, a group of older kids cornered me in the hallway. Sarah saw this and, being the goodnatured person she is, put them in their place (not with her fists but rather her words). Ever since then, she has stuck her neck out for me. This was who I was betraying, who I was standing up just because I was too inconsiderate to wake up on time!
With my newly found determination, I sprung off the bench and bolted down a long stretch of pavement, my arms and legs pumping relentlessly. I hadn’t a clue in the world what brought it on, but I was astonished by my athleticism, and I had no intention of wasting any time pondering on it. I inhaled long gulps of air. It felt like that manic little man was back again, banging harder than ever, except this time he was on my side, helping me move at maximum speed.
Suddenly, a thought dawned on me: I was in desperate need of a replacement rose for the one which I had destroyed. As I swiftly made my way toward the restaurant we would be eating at, I glanced in all directions, hoping the perfect flower would miraculously materialise. Then (in my peripheral vision) I saw it. It stuck out like a sore thumb amongst goods displayed outside a quaint kiosk. A single red rose in a pristine condition. Immediately, I fished out some change from the depths of my pockets and bought the rose before anyone else could beat me to it.
She glanced up from her table, and her gaze intertwined with my own. I held my breath in anticipation of her reaction. Considering my sweaty and dishevelled appearance, I expected Sarah to walk right out of the door without a second glance back. For a moment we remained, staring at each other.
The tension could have been cut with a knife. It was too much for me, “Listen Sarah, I can explain everything. It all started when...,” I blurted out. Without warning, she walked towards me and wrapped her arms around me. At her touch, I felt a spark of electricity flow through me. I wished I could’ve stayed in that moment forever; I would never get bored hugging that girl.
“Listen, you can tell me about it another time, but for now, I’m glad you are here. Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s eat,” Sarah insisted, and with that, the start of a long and wonderful relationship commenced.
A tarn is a lake that forms on a mountain when a glacier melts.
Easedale is a U-shaped valley that sits around 280 metres above sea level.
Mrs L Macfarlane Head of Geography
When venturing outside the classroom, Geography education becomes more dynamic, relevant and impactful, preparing students with a deeper and more practical understanding of the world around them. Learning outside the classroom offers numerous advantages, enhancing the educational experience in various ways including handson experience, application of knowledge in the real world and collaborative learning.
Students spoke to community members, gaining insights into the challenges and successes of urban regeneration projects.
As the weather warmed in the Summer term, First Years headed into Kingston to investigate whether the town is a local or global place, conducting questionnaires and land use and clone town surveys and then analysing their data back in the classroom. This introductory fieldwork helped students develop essential skills in data collection and analysis.
The past academic year has been an enriching and eventful journey for the Geography Department, marked by a series of engaging field trips and external opportunities.
Our first adventure outside the classroom was in early September and saw Fourth Year students investigating infiltration rates around the school site, applying hydrological concepts to various locations. Armed with measuring cylinders, timers and the obligatory clipboard, students selected various locations with differing soil compositions and vegetation cover. The students meticulously measured the rate at which water infiltrated the ground in each area. This hands-on project not only deepened their understanding of water cycle processes but also emphasised the practical implications for mitigating run-off on the school grounds. When back in the classroom, the write up helped to hone their analytical skills.
During a cold lesson in November, Lower Sixth students stepped onto the Fairfield to investigate the role of trees in carbon sequestration. Measuring the carbon content of trees, they used techniques such as tree circumference measurement and species identification to estimate the amount of carbon stored.
Our first GCSE field trip of the year took place in Seaford, where students braved wet and cold conditions to investigate coastal management strategies. Despite the challenging weather, the trip was a resounding success. Students examined coastal defences such as the terminal groynes and sea walls and were lucky enough to see the beach nourishment project in progress. They assessed the effectiveness of these measures in protecting the coastline from erosion and coastal flooding. The harsh weather conditions provided a real-life demonstration of the dynamic nature of coastal environments and the importance of effective management strategies. Students recorded their observations and interviewed residents about the impact of coastal erosion on the community.
In addition, many of the Second Year students were able to take advantage of the weather instruments on loan to us from the Royal Meteorological Society by investigating the School’s microclimate, with the aim of finding the best location for a new bench for Mr Lehec’s morning tea break! They got to grips using digital anemometers, infrared thermometers and light meters.
From local explorations to in-depth studies in Bristol, the Lake District and Seaford, each trip has contributed to a holistic understanding of geography.
One of the most anticipated trips of the year was the five-day excursion to the Lake District, where A Level students studied glaciation in the Easedale Valley and the changes in Keswick town centre. This trip offered a deep dive into physical geography, with students examining glacial landforms such as U-shaped valleys, moraines and corries. Guided hikes and hands-on activities allowed them to observe and measure these features directly.
In Keswick, they investigated the impact of the changes to the town on the local economy and environment.
Students examined coastal defences such as the terminal groynes and sea walls and were lucky enough to see the beach nourishment project in progress.
The good weather remained for the Fourth Years who enjoyed a day trip to Bristol to investigate the regeneration of the area as part of their GCSE course. We travelled by train and took a boat trip around the harbour enjoying the sights of recent efforts in urban renewal. Engaging with local communities during fieldwork is important to enhance students’ understanding of processes in the area. At Cabot Circus, students spoke to community members, gaining insights into the challenges and successes of urban regeneration projects through questionnaires. Students also completed field sketches of the harbourside and environmental quality surveys of four locations around the city.
Further afield, the Department also ran another successful trip with the Third Years to Iceland led by Mrs Humphrey. Having have studied tectonic hazards in the previous term, Iceland, with its unique geological features and active tectonic environment, offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience first-hand the concepts they’ve learned in the classroom. There is more
on this fantastic geographical field trip in this edition of Kingstonian.
The diverse range of field trips this year has significantly enriched the curriculum, providing students with practical experiences that complement classroom learning. From local explorations to in-depth studies in Bristol, the Lake District and Seaford, each trip has contributed to a holistic understanding of geography. These experiences have not only enhanced students’ academic knowledge but also fostered a greater appreciation for the complexities of our world, preparing them for future geographical studies and careers.
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Mr D Sorley Head of Politics
After winning the last three School Elections, in 2015, 2017 and 2019, the Communists struggled to defend their record in government. Their crown was taken by the Liberal Democrats who had previously chalked up victories in 2005 and 2010.
An unseemly quarrel broke out among Reform UK, whose stupendous largesse in tax cuts and public spending would surely bankrupt Britain if they ever won the election and secured power.
The topics of the NHS and immigration elicited firstclass questions from the audience and in some cases quite brilliant ripostes from the party leaders. The leader of Reform deftly dismissed the immigration policies of Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats as being abject failures; however, he struggled to articulate exactly how Reform UK would stop the small boats.
As the Conservatives and Reform pointed out, there was no money left after the huge expense of Covid and energy support due to the Ukraine war.
(62% turnout, higher than the General Election!)
The parties and their manifestos were scrutinised in three Question Time events modelled on the popular BBC format. As the self-proclaimed Chair of the Electoral Commission, I took on the mantle of hosting.
The inaugural event focussed on the thorny issues of taxation and the economy and it was hardly a surprise that the parties gave less than full answers on their plans for public spending cuts, taxation and economic growth. Not unexpected was the Communists’ response that there would be a topdown, centralised control of all economic organisations which elicited predictable heated exchanges with the audience and other party members, who were worried about massive wealth redistribution.
On the state of the NHS, all parties agreed that health was vitally important for an effective workforce and a growing economy, but acrimony and disagreement broke out over the question of funding more doctors, more nurses and more operations.
More topical issues than net zero and education would be hard to find in the third and final Question Time event as the party leaders battled to convince the audience that only their policies would save the world from climate change. Once again, the Communists stirred up trouble, disingenuously suggesting that citizens should be allowed to make their own decisions regarding how they used energy conveniently forgetting that their ideology was predicated on regimes of highly regimented and strict government control. The Greens, unsurprisingly, led the charge on climate change solutions and had the most commitment to following through on their manifesto promises However, they struggled to answer the serious question of funding.
When the questions moved on to education, Labour were placed under the microscope almost immediately for their VAT on school fees manifesto commitment, which was universally condemned. Reform UK even wanted more tax breaks for private schools, which elicited a hearty cheer from the audience. The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Greens claimed to have no plans to remove tax breaks, whilst the Communists wanted all children to be treated equally.
A sub-plot of school mock elections has always been some element of scandal and skulduggery and 2024 was no exception. The Chief Election Officer was party to a host of allegations of corruption and biases throughout the campaign, most of which revolved around alleged support given to Reform UK in the form of more magnificentlooking rosettes and accepting bribes.
In the end, the Chief Election Officer, who also happened to be retiring on 5th July, resigned in ‘disgrace’ and handed over the reins of power to his deputy at the Electoral Commission, Mr Christopher Wenham, who will manage the next school election expected in 2029, to which we look in anticipation.
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The teachers who have stuck in the memory the longest are those who made school a genuinely enjoyable place and who clearly cared about the students they were teaching. David Sorley was most certainly one of those.
George Mumford, Kingstonian 2014
I don’t think I’ve ever learned and laughed so much during any other lesson. Normally, one typically comes at the cost of the other.
Thomas Hollands, Kingstonian 2020
You turned our class of Sixth Formers into political animals, particularly impressive given the most exciting events at the time were a tax on pasties, David Cameron vetoing an EU treaty (it’d never catch on…) and a Mitt Romney Gangnamstyle parody.
Peter Whitelaw, Kingstonian 2013
Your marking (as harsh as it was! ) undoubtedly forced me to raise my standards. You have left an indelible mark on my academic journey, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Faran Shaheen, Kingstonian 2023
Some teachers leave an impression not only through their knowledge, but through the passion and zeal they bring to their lessons. Mr Sorley, without a doubt, was one of those. Whether through his razor-sharp wit or a political mind so pregnant with esoteric nuggets, he inspired a curiosity of learning in every one of his lessons. He helped me to realise what
Few teachers shaped my life to the extent that David Sorley did. Your politics lessons in Sixth Form not only gave me some of my fondest memories of KGS but served as the foundation for my career in Westminster. The way you taught with humour, insight and passion, made a profound impact on me at a key juncture of my life. Your lessons were the ones I most looked forward to every week. Whether it was the bulging ‘cheat sheet’ packs, the class debates or the YouTube documentaries, you enlivened arid concepts and made politics relatable.
James Heale, Kingstonian 2013
HISTORY 2023/24
STUDENTS ATTENDED A SERIES OF LECTURES AND LIVING HISTORY EXPERIENCES RANGING FROM MEDIEVAL JOUSTING AND FALCONRY TO IMMERSIVE WORLD WAR II TRENCHES.
CHALKE VALLEY HISTORY FESTIVAL, WILTSHIRE
Ms M Cope Head of History
The History Department has expanded the curriculum this year to enable us to consider how Britain’s history interacts with the history of the wider world in more depth. Students now have the opportunity to learn about the lives of people in North America, India and Ireland before they were colonised by Britain as well as the impact of the British Empire on these colonies. In the Third Year, students have studied how and why Britain decolonised its Empire across the world and have evaluated the implications of this for modern-day international relations. GCSE students have considered how Britain’s leaders have interacted with those in other countries as well as how our position on the world stage has changed throughout the twentieth century and what this might mean for our future interactions with countries across the globe.
A Level historians have the opportunity to attend the Senior History Society at KGS each week to present on topics of their choice and engage with current historical debates and historiography. This year we were delighted that Ema Ogowewo and Lois Robinson took a leading role in the School’s celebration of Black History Month.
The 2023 theme of Celebrating our Sisters emphasised the vital role black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities. Ema and Lois led excellent assemblies to all year groups within the school, carefully considering and highlighting the role of black women across different areas of the curriculum.
At the National Archives, student analysed original telegrams sent by Cold War leaders and letters written by Elizabeth I.
We are extremely lucky to have the National Archives on our doorstep in Kew. Sixth Form students attended workshops in January on either the Cold War or Tudor Rebellions. They had the opportunity to analyse archived documents from the periods, including original telegrams sent by Cold War leaders and letters written by Elizabeth I. The expert staff at the National Archives encouraged students to interrogate the documents with confidence and the session, enjoyed by all, inspired our historians to explore a wider range of primary documents for their own coursework essays.
The Lower Sixth Historians were delighted to return to Chalke Valley History Festival in Wiltshire this year. Students attended a series of lectures and living history experiences ranging from medieval jousting and falconry to
immersive World War II trench experiences, as well as lectures on current historical debates and research. Talks included an analysis of interpretations of Richard I’s performance in the Third Crusade, a consideration of how the alliance formed between the Allies and Stalin at the end of the Second World War laid the grounds for the Cold War and the role of individuals whose stories often fail to be celebrated in mainstream history. Matthew Longo told the fascinating story of how popular protest in Hungary initiated a sequence of events that would see the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of the Soviet Union.
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The trip to see Hamilton helped consolidate and extend knowledge about the American Revolution in a fun and engaging way, highlighting the importance of revisionism within History as a discipline.
The portrayal of historical figures is becoming increasingly pertinent in modern-day popular culture. Our Lower Sixth trip to see Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre was a huge success. Not only did the show help to consolidate and extend knowledge learnt in lessons about the American Revolution in a fun and engaging way, but it also highlighted the importance of revisionism within History as a discipline to enable us to gain a fuller understanding of the past.
Ms F McBride Librarian
As another academic year drew to a close, we bid a heartfelt farewell to our exceptional Sixth Form Student Librarians, Hannah Farrell, Maya Arwas, Day Ko and Ella Keating. Starting out as Junior Student Librarians with responsibilities that included shelving and weeding, they soon went on to become Senior Student Librarians, a role that demanded much more responsibility. Hannah and Maya were instrumental in organising the weekly Lit Quiz Club and have left it in a strong position for the future. Whilst we are sad to see them go, we are immensely proud of their contributions and confident they will continue to inspire and succeed in their future endeavours.
Usually, we only accept applications for Student Librarians from the Second Year onwards. However, this year we could not restrain the enthusiasm, nor combat the sheer determination, of some of the First Year students and their wish to become Junior Student Librarians! Stacey Audzei, Iris Young, Xanthe Olding and Mia Vilasoa Allegue have already firmly established themselves as indispensable members of the library team. We are thrilled to see their growth and dedication and are confident that they will continue to enhance the library experience for all users.
Students’ creativity always seems to be at its peak during the Autumn term, and when they are not being used for reading and serious study, Library tables become craft stations, wrapping paper production lines, presentation spaces and much more. Craft Club has been a roaring success this year, with students making items ranging from conker snails to beautiful Christmas poinsettia leaves. First Years really let their creative juices flow and it has been a delight to see.
December saw KGS partnering with the BRITE Box charity to wrap 270 gifts for children that will be included in the recipe kits that they send to families that have been identified as being at risk of food insecurity.
The Autumn term saw First Year students produce their Library Projects which included some wonderful presentations, superb poems and delicious cake! This initiative is a fantastic way for the students to hone their research skills and use what they’ve learnt to produce something creative.
This year, Sophie Houghton won the prize for her stopmotion animation that tells the life story of Alan Turing. She used charming animal figures to explain both Turing’s achievements and struggles, with the resulting video captivating all who saw it. The sheer amount of work and effort that Sophie put into the project was evident and made her a clear winner.
TSBA & OTHER AWARD–WINNING BOOKS FOR 2024
Trinity Schools Book Award (TSBA):
Rebel Skies
Anna Sei Lun
KGS participated in the TSBA again this year and we were very proud that two of our students were highly commended for their competition entries. Cathy Oh was highly recommended for her painting that was inspired by Deeplight by Frances Hardinge, whilst Florence Coen was recognised for her review of The Girl from the Sea by Molly Ostertag.
British Book Awards Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year: Brilliant Black British History
Atinuke
British Book Awards Children’s Fiction Book of the Year: Impossible Creatures
Katherine Rundell
Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize: Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
Pari Thomson
This year’s Read up! Kingston book was Storm Horse by Jane Elson, a heart-warming tale that celebrates neurodiversity and the art of alternative thinking. The incoming First Years were tasked with taking photos of themselves reading the book in the most imaginative and unusual places that they could think of, and they did not disappoint!
Winner
Emily Boyd
Reading a book whilst crossed-legged in mid-air is certainly very extreme!
Mia Vilasoa Allegue
Mia’s entry was taken as she read the book on a mussel farm in the middle of the sea. Mia says she risked not only her life getting to the mussel farm in a kayak, but also her shoes!
Louisa Maltby
Louisa is reading her copy of the book whilst hanging upside down from a tree. What a death-defying pose!
IT’S ALL GREEK... NEALA O’KEEFFE ENJOYED STORM HORSE IN FRONT OF THE PARTHENON
Mr K Connor Head of Maths
The Maths Department has continued to thrive this year in the face of change.
Last year Mr Skeates stepped down as the Head of Department but remained as a teacher of Maths. We thank him for so successfully leading the Department for the best part of a decade and developing many key aspects of our curriculum and enrichment strategies that have had a great impact on students such as extension classes, AEA/STEP teaching in Further Mathematics and Oxbridge provision. Soon after my appointment as Head of Maths we also appointed Mr Emmerton as Second in Maths and we eagerly took on the challenge of the year ahead.
Our vision this year was ‘maths for all’ and our focus was two-fold: to more fully integrate extension topics in the curriculum for high achievers and to maximise students’ attainment for those who find maths more challenging through targeted support sessions. Each week, students were able to attend sessions outside of lessons including maths clinics, fun maths club, maths competition club, targeted support, Oxbridge problemsolving, and individual maths mentoring provided by Lower Sixth students. A Level Maths continues to be an incredibly popular subject, with 83 students having opted for one of our courses, including 26 taking AS Further Maths and 24 taking the full A Level in Further Maths.
In November, we took 60 Lower Sixth students to the Emmanuel Centre in central London for the A Level Maths in Action conference. Students enjoyed enriching talks on Fermat’s Last Theorem, Moebius strips, how circles and spirals turn up in the most surprising places, how maths is used in imaging and the link between maths and music. The top set Fourth Year mathematicians attended the subsequent GCSE Maths in Action Trip in December and enjoyed exploring how maths can be applied in sport and video games.
This year’s Hans Woyda squad had a successful year. Samuel Sturge, Anas Boulahmi, Sebastian Cockerell, Thomas Low, Fraser De Rivaz, Moses Fung, Jamal Shittu and Marcus Leung were selected as team members for the various rounds of the competition and attended weekly maths competition club training.
They had a great start to the competition, winning the first round in the group stage against St William Perkins’s School more convincingly than the final score of 34–33 would suggest. The second round had us winning 42-34 against Wellington College, a match where we took the lead from the start and never really looked back. In the third round we played a seemingly inexperienced St George’s Weybridge, winning 46–13.
We completed the year with a strong set of public examination results.
75% OF STUDENTS ACHIEVED AN A*
A LEVEL MATHS
49% ATTAINED AN A
IGCSE MATHS
92% OF STUDENTS ACHIEVED A GRADE 9–7
Well done to all students for working so hard to achieve these excellent results and best wishes to our Upper Sixth students as they move on to university!
As winners of our group, KGS went into the knock-out stage of the primary competition in January when we faced Whitgift School. It was a messy and tense start to the match due to a mix up of the questions but after this was corrected it was a very even match until the final round, the race round.
Somehow Whitgift pulled away and ended our hopes of winning this year. Whitgift eventually went on to the next rounds only to lose in the final. Well done to this year’s squad!
In October, 120 students from the Third, Fourth and Fifth Years, along with the Lower and Upper Sixth, took part in the Senior Maths Challenge. The students achieved 40 Bronze, 30 Silver and 20 Gold certificates. Joshua Cassidy, Samuel Sturge, Anas Boulahmi, Moses Fung and Fraser De Rivaz achieved Best in Year certificates. 14 students qualified for the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo paper, while Johnny Barr, Anas Boulahmi, Jack Skeates and Samuel Sturge all qualified for the British Maths Olympiad paper. Samuel Sturge achieved full marks in this round and qualified for the next round of the British Maths Olympiad.
It was an outstanding year for Samuel, who went on to get a Distinction in the second round of the BMO, a Bronze medal in the Romanian Masters of Mathematics competition and a Silver medal in the Balkan Mathematical Olympiad. On the back of this outstanding set of performances, Samuel was selected to represent the UK in the International Mathematical Olympiad in the summer.
(IGCSE
In January, 170 Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Years took part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge, achieving 63 Bronze, 50 Silver and 36 Gold certificates. Conor Barr, Arjan Cheema, Zurina Yiu and Fraser De Rivaz achieved Best in Year certificates. 16 students qualified for the Grey/Pink Kangaroo paper, while the following qualified for the Olympiad round, which is a great achievement: Fraser De Rivaz, Pranshu Kashyap, Tiago Aparicio Ferrier, Arjan Cheema, Tom Dragne, Moses Fung, Marcus Leung and Samuel Skeates. Moses Fung came in the top 100 in the country for the Olympiad for his age category and received a Bronze medal.
In April, 148 First and Second Years took part in the Junior Maths Challenge. The students achieved 38 Bronze, 47 Silver and 43 Gold certificates. Conor Barr and Sara Wilheim achieved Best in Year certificates. 20 students qualified for the Junior Kangaroo paper and Conor Barr and Irene Hong qualified for the Junior Olympiad paper, with both achieving a Merit.
Many congratulations to our team of Conor Barr, Miguel Olalla-Lopez, Marcus Leung and Moses Fung who put up a fantastic performance to come fourth, just one point outside the medals after just being beaten by St Paul’s and Westminster.
As part of the school’s Community Outreach programme, we had 15 pupils from local primary schools attend our Primary Maths Challenge classes, where Lower Sixth mathematicians helped mentor and train them for the Primary Maths Challenge competition in November. Following their success in this first competition we extended the programme to prepare them for the Junior Maths Challenge competition where they won one Silver and six Bronze Certificates. Many thanks to our Sixth Form mentors, Drew Souter, Jonah Tsang, Naz Aydin, Asher Kim and Sebastian Cockerell, who really helped make the sessions come alive. We look forwards to welcoming more pupils for the next programme starting in September.
The end of this year marked an incredible 50 years in teaching for Mr Orr who is our very own part-time maths Olympiad expert. We have been fortunate over the last few years to have him coming in each week to mentor and coach some of our top mathematicians, including Fraser de Rivaz, Samuel Sturge and Toby Cole (OK 2020). KGS Maths extension classes went full circle with a visit from Toby Cole, now a Cambridge maths graduate and soon to be PhD candidate, who joined us in April for a visit to see his old mentor and help with the up-and-coming Olympiad students. We are looking forward to seeing Mr Orr for year 51 next year!
We said farewell to Mrs Hassan and Miss Parry at the end of this year. We thank them both for their valued work while at KGS and wish them every success in the future.
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Youngseo Wang University College London
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Tom Hunt University of Portsmouth Computer Games Design
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Sam Kelly
University of Warwick Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics & Economics (MORSE)
Bonyad Mokri Moayed University of Glasgow Mathematics
Fourth Year student Ava Kasolowsky composed a song, Stream Headache, at the end of the Summer term. Recently remastered, you can listen to her performing it at https://soundcloud.com/sequencekomplete/ headache-feat-ava-kasolowsky
Mr J Tierney
Music
When the Director of Holes, Mr Gee, came to me with the idea of writing the music for the Junior Play, the only thing I had to go on, having not read the book or seen the film adaptation, were the lyrics to a song that had seemingly been passed down through generations of characters in the play.
My first challenge was to write a melody for those lyrics. As the song began with the words, “If only, if only”, I knew that the character of the music should have a yearning quality. I also wanted it to sound as though it could have been a creation of an Eastern European folk tradition. As this theme would be used throughout the play, it was necessary for it to change to fit various moods and settings. In its full ‘minor’ orchestral version with its modal melodies, it was suitably dramatic but when it came to the town celebration in the past, a major string quartet version of the same theme was equally effective and dance-like.
One of the biggest challenges when writing for a play like this is not knowing exactly how long certain tracks should be. Are they required to cover scene changes or just short interludes? There are times when they will be playing during dialogue so it wasn’t until some scenes were really tested that we would know, resulting in several overnight adjustments as the play fully came together during its final rehearsals.
The entire score was written and produced in Cubase using a variety of orchestral instruments such as Spitfire Audio’s Albion One orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra among others. This is the second time we have composed an original score at KGS. The first time was a Hollywood-style score for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Mr Gee and I are hoping to repeat the success of Holes with a new score for the Senior Play.
Kerem Hasan (Kingstonian 2008) conducted the BBC Philharmonic at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall for a concert that featured Strauss, Mozart and Wagner.
Original score composed by Jason Tierney.
https://youtu.be/ UJTmCJDRFVs
Mr Gee was very interested in ‘The Boys’ and ‘Kate’ having their own themes. As the entire setting for Holes was evocative of the Wild West, I decided on something of a Copland-esque piece. Again, different versions of this were necessary – the full orchestral ‘Hoe-Down’ and then the reduction to the monophonic slow guitar melody when the boys were struggling in the blazing heat of the desert, the music mirroring their isolation and sense of hopelessness. Kate’s theme was more of a direct ‘Old West’ style but was intentionally wistful and melancholic to represent this fallen and rather tragic character.
Mrs A Evans
Modern Foreign Languages
In May half-term, 42 students and five teachers gathered at a rainy Ditton for a very early morning coach journey to Germany. After navigating our way through France and Belgium, we arrived at the lovely town of Boppard just in time for dinner and an evening stroll along the Rhine to the pretty town square. The next four days were a whirlwind of activities: we took a chairlift up to appreciate the beautiful horseshoe bend of the Rhine, visited the Nürburgring F1 track and played evening mini golf. We spent a day in Cologne learning about the former Gestapo headquarters, climbing the cathedral tower and ending with sampling chocolate at the Lindt museum. For some, the highlight of the trip was inevitably the final afternoon visit to the Phantasialand theme park. Students and staff were lucky to take part in such a varied trip and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Bis bald, Deutschland!
In July, a number of our German linguists from the Second Year and Lower Sixth entered the Stephen Spender Schools Laureate Prize. This competition celebrates the translation of poetry or song from any foreign language into English.
Our students first spent time considering the particular challenges that might be faced when undertaking creative translation, such as cultural references, rhyme, metre and style. Lower Sixth students then took on the task of translating a German poem
of their choice, whilst our Second Years translated a well-known children’s song. The students tackled the task with linguistic rigour, imagination and creative flair, producing translations of a high standard. We were delighted that several students were awarded Commendations by the judges for the third year running. Congratulations to Theo Pflanz, Anfisa Betts, Lily Buchanan, Tom Dragne and Meryn Porritt
In September, KGS students spent the week celebrating languages from around the world. The week kicked off with The Great European Bake Off, which saw all year groups bring in some of their fabulous bakes. The remainder of the week saw students participate in the House Languages Quiz which put their knowledge of flags, landmarks, traditional dishes and greetings to the test! . For staff, a real highlight of the week was having a language taster session from our Language Leaders. Teachers from a range of departments were lucky enough to attend Mandarin, Italian and Spanish sessions. The Language Leaders had their behaviour management skills pushed to the limit, but eventually managed to get staff focused and on task! It was fantastic to see so many students and staff participating in the activities.
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Modern European Languages & History
Theo Pflanz
University of Warwick German & Economics
Head of Physics
Eight students made it through the A2 Challenge round of the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) and sat the Round 1 paper. This threehour extravaganza challenges a range of student knowledge, preparation and ability, and aims to stretch and challenge the top young physicists in the country. Congratulations go to Youngseo Wang (Bronze I), Johnny Barr (Silver), Josh Batchelor, Anas Boulahmi, Ellinor Comard, Sam Sturge and Joe Tooth (Gold). A special mention goes to Stanley Farrant who achieved a Top Gold, placing him in the best 6% and allowing access to Round 2, from which the final competitors to represent the UK will be selected. A brilliant achievement!
Stanley also sat Round 2 of the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, achieving a Silver Award in that alongside his Silver in the BPhO. This places him near the top in the pantheon of hard-core Physics problem solvers across the nation. Stanley has done incredibly well in both papers and deserves both our congratulations and admiration. He is clearly destined to achieve great things in the field of science, engineering and technology!
Hot on the heels of National Careers Week, students at KGS celebrated British Science Week by immersing themselves in a range of activities. Science continues to be one of the most popular choices at A Level so this year we were delighted to be able to run various activities to celebrate the beauty and importance of science.
Physics helps develop the kind of problem solving, numeracy, literacy, teamwork and flexibility skills that employers are looking for.
This dovetailed very nicely with #TECHOGNITION which is a national celebration of technical support staff, recognising the importance of their essential roles in school and college education. We have technical staff in: Art, DT, Science, Theatre, Reprographics and IT at KGS.
The British Science Week, which is run by the British Science Association, is a tenday 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.
In honour of British Science Week, First Year students had the opportunity to send their code up into space to be run on the International Space Station (ISS). Astro Pi Mission Zero is a project run by the European Space Agency, allowing students to control the Astro Pi – a modified Raspberry Pi up on the ISS. The young scientists did a great job and were able to not just code an image to be displayed by LEDs on the Astro Pi but also to use an onboard sensor to change the image according to the colour it senses! Having met the criteria of working code, we duly sent it off to the ESA to be sent up to space. We look forward to hearing when the program is run for real!
Teams from across the school competed to build a roller coaster using pipe insulation. In their small groups they analysed the transfer of gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy so that their passengers, in this case ‘marble’, would travel a long distance performing a loop on its travel. They ended up having to think about how to strengthen their design and, most importantly, to ensure their passengers did not go flying off into the air!
Thank you to all the students who attended and all the teaching staff and technicians who went the extra mile to put on these events. It is wonderful to have a week set aside where we can promote the beauty of our subject beyond the classroom.
Almost 25% of Lower Sixth students study Physics.
In Physics our theme was ‘roller coasters’: a roller coaster is an elevated railway with steep inclines and descents that carries a train of passengers through sharp curves and sudden changes of speed and direction for a brief thrill ride. The oldest roller coasters descended from the so-called ‘Russian Mountains’; specially constructed hills of ice located especially around St Petersburg. Built in the 17th century, the slides became popular with the Russian upper class. Catherine II was such a fan that she had a few built on her own property.
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Mrs M Robinson Head of PSHE
We are very proud of the pastoral programme we deliver at KGS. Timetabled PSHE lessons form a key part of school life, ensuring that every student receives age-appropriate education.
A key part of the programme is the pastoral year group forums that we hold each term. One or two student representatives give feedback from their tutor groups on their PSHE lessons and discuss the pastoral sessions where external speakers deliver a wide range of talks including online safety, consent, and nutrition.
PSHE has a statutory core curriculum set by the Department for Education so although we students cannot directly change the topics taught, we do collaborate to discuss delivery method and emphasis on the
topics that really matter to them. Their opinions help guide the upcoming programme whilst providing valuable feedback that can improve the experience for those in the years below: true collaboration!
Just some of the topics discussed this year across various year groups
PSHE is a safe space to be yourself and learn about important life skills without being judged.
PSHE here is really fun because we cover things that would normally be awkward but we talk about them in a normal way.
PSHE = important issues learned in fun ways!
PSHE strengthens our ability to disagree respectfully!
Living in the wider world: Democracy and voting
Relationships: Being a positive bystander
Health & wellbeing: Unhealthy & healthy coping strategies including eating disorders, self-harm and body image
Relationships: Consent and the impact of media the media
Health & wellbeing: Blood, organ and stem cell donation
Living in the wider world: Student finance & university accommodation
A SNAPSHOT OF SCHOOL LIFE 2023/24
Mrs A Edwards Head of Psychology
The EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is a standalone qualification in the UK designed to extend students’ abilities beyond the standard A Level syllabus. It allows students to explore a topic of their choice in depth, developing research, critical thinking,and independent learning skills. The EPQ can take the form of a dissertation, an investigation or field study, a performance or an artifact, accompanied by a written report. It is highly valued by universities and employers as it demonstrates a student’s initiative, self-motivation, and ability to manage a substantial project independently.
This year, Lower Sixth student Iris Mitchell chose to conduct an investigation in Psychology with a focus on music memorisation strategies. She has conducted an in-depth project which is summarised below.
used in exam preparation to reduce cognitive load. It saves practice time by targeting specific areas that need improvement.
Visual memorisation focuses on retaining music mentally rather than through muscle memory. Though potentially challenging, if successful, it could enhance performance reliability. Past research on memory techniques such as the memory palace suggests it could be effective.
For this experiment, I chose passages from Georg Phillip Telemann’s Twelve Fantasias for their similarity, ensuring a fair comparison. Each passage was practised and performed at the same tempo. My hypothesis was that chunking would be more effective than slow practice and visual memorisation.
of dynamics and phrasing and maintained rhythm and continuity.
Interestingly, visual memorisation was more effective than expected, while chunking had the lowest accuracy.
This study highlighted the value of exploring new techniques and reaffirmed that all methods support memorization to varying degrees, with slow practice being the most beneficial. The analysis process was both informative and enlightening.
Joseph Goodsman
In this project, I aimed to determine the most effective practice techniques for memorising music. I will evaluate three methods: slow practice, chunking and visual memorisation.
Slow Practice involves playing music at half speed or slower to minimise mistakes, focusing on details such as intonation and dynamics, and gradually increasing tempo. It promotes a calm practice environment but has potential drawbacks, making it an interesting technique to study. Chunking breaks the music into sections to be learned individually before combining them. This method is also
To test this, I recorded initial sight-reading and first memorised attempts of the passages. I then practised each passage for 20 minutes daily over five days, recording progress after each session. After seven weeks, I assessed the improvements and gathered feedback from friends and family via questionnaires to ensure unbiased results.
In conclusion, the hypothesis that chunking would be more effective than slow practice and visual memorisation was not supported as it emerged that slow practice was the most effective method. I assessed note accuracy and musical expression, finding that slow practice led to faster improvement and greater confidence in the final recital.
Despite some mistakes in the performance, judges rated it highest in overall accuracy and musical expression. Slow practice allowed for better learning and application
University of Exeter Applied Psychology (Clinical)
Lovisa Parker
University of Exeter Applied Psychology (Clinical)
Kitty Hutchings Durham University
Psychology
Ffion Rowe
University of Leeds Psychology
Leela Siebert-Patel University of York Psychology
Constance Jessop University of York Psychology
Ellie Hewer
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Camila Giglio
University of Nottingham
Liberal Arts
Prithvi Gandhi
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Mrs C Williams Head of Religion & Philosophy
As ever, the RP Department has been a hive of activity this year, particularly across our extensive co-curricular programme.
Leading from the front has been Have I Got Ethical News For You, run by our First and Second Year students who have thrashed through a whole host of debates, ranging from what makes a good world leader, is abortion a right and whether the voting age should be lowered. This club and its large following are a testament to Mr. Lawrence’s hard work and our students’ passion for Religion and Philosophy at KGS. This is also the case with Philosophise, our Middle School Philosophy Club, which this year has waded into the ethics of AI, has asked whether comedy should be censored and discussed whether gender equality can ever realistically be achieved. The Department is so proud of the dedication and confidence our students bring to these groups.
As with every year, our students have also had the opportunity to hear from a variety of fascinating speakers. At an A Level conference in November, Sixth Form students heard Professor Daphne Hampson, Professor Emerita of Divinity at the University of St Andrews, explain the reasons for her view that it scarcely matters whether Christ was male. During her talk, students were given a whistle-stop tour through the views of feminist theologians, Mary Daly and Rosemary Ruether, and the reasons why Christian feminists have found it tough not to be able to see Christ in their image.
We then heard from Professor Keith Ward, an Emeritus Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University, on Liberation Theology. During his talk, he explored the influences of Marx & Hegel upon this movement. To hear such prominent speakers, who feature so strongly on our A Level course, was a real privilege for us all.
Another highlight of the year was the return of our Faiths Forum, which we last organised before lockdown. Second Year were invited to hear a panel of guests from a variety of different faiths, share their thoughts on subjects ranging from violence, the importance of inter-faith dialogue, creation and who will get into heaven. As you can imagine, the panel were not always in agreement and our students were privy to some heated debates. Most importantly, they observed the rigorous yet respectful exchange of differing views, which we always strive to promote. Thank you to Mr Lawrence for all his efforts in organising this fantastic event and hosting so diplomatically!
We received an impressive number of entries to the launch of the RP essay writing competition, open to all First to Fourth Years. Students were invited to respond to one of several different philosophical questions. These entries reflected hard work and considerable evaluative ability. The winning entry was submitted by Gregor More in Second Year, who asked ‘Could a machine think?’. Gregor impressed the judges with his references to Descartes’ Meditations and his originality of thought. Cathy Oh and Flora Mitchell (Second and First Year respectively) were close runners-up, both responding to the question, ‘Can I know that the world I experience is
real?’. Congratulations to these winners and to all who entered – a real achievement.
We look forward to another vibrant year ahead, filled with more trips, speakers and competitions, (including two external cross-school competitions, The Ethics Cup – run by the University of St Andrews Centre of Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs – and Philosophon, organised by Academy Conferences).
Roll on the many student-led philosophy debates of 2025!
Gracie Paterson-Neil
University of Edinburgh Philosophy & Theology
Orla Parker
University of Bristol Philosophy & Spanish
Anna Bowyer
University of Leeds Philosophy, Ethics & Religion
Victor Muraviev
University of Roehampton Philosophy, Religion & Ethics Foundation
Mr T Benson
Head of STEAM
This year has been packed to the gills with competitions. Our students, as always, have excelled themselves, producing some brilliant performances.
In November 170 students took part in the annual UK Bebras competition. This is a logic and problemsolving competition aimed at testing the skills needed for programming, without needing any actual programming experience. It is a great way for students to see what kind of logical thinking is required to solve practical computing problems and, hopefully, spark an interest in the subject that they can pursue throughout their time at KGS. The students performed brilliantly, with 61 achieving a Gold award for coming in the top 10% of the country! Special mention should also go to Amy Davies who achieved the best in school for the Junior category, Moses Fung and Marcus Leung for the Intermediate category and Fraser De Rivaz for the Senior Category.
Achieving in the top 10% for the UK Bebras qualifies students for the Oxford University Computing Competition, a more programming focused challenge. This year saw the highest number of participants at KGS, with 30 students taking on some fiendish puzzles. As well as excellent merits for Anya Taylor and Zurina Yiu, there was a fantastic result for Fraser De Rivaz, who qualified for the national final with a score of 67/70. This is an exceptional
achievement that only 2 KGS students have managed, with only 20 students out of around 3000 who participate invited to the final. Fraser gave it his all in final and finished 19th in the country overall, a result of which he can be very proud.
Also taking place in November was the Cyber First girls’ competition, a contest aimed at encouraging more women and girls into the fascinating world of cyber. It was great to see again a good level of participation in the competition, with eight Second Year girls taking part. As always the array of team names was eclectic with the Banangrams and Codenames entering the fray. The resilience and perseverance of the teams when faced with a challenge was impressive and I hope gave them new insight into this dynamic sector. Well done to Alexia Lacey, Eleonora Terranova, Ellie Weston, Emily Roberts, Florence Coen, Kiara Duffy, Kiera Davies and Pippa Lacey for their excellent contribution!
In January seven brave students took on the fiendish challenge of the Informatics Olympiad. A national competition designed to test students programming skills to the limit, this gruelling three-hour marathon is not for the faint hearted. Once again though the students came up with some innovative and elegant solutions, showing fantastic lateral and logical thinking. Coming out on top this year was Fifth Year Joshua Berry-Thornton with an excellent score of 24.
April saw the long awaited return of the Pi Wars robotics competition (https:// piwars.org/), back as an in-person event for the first time since the cancellation of the 2020 edition for COVID. Held at Cambridge University’s wonderful William Gates building (the university Computer Science department), Pi Wars is a brilliant community run event, testing both adult and junior teams to build a Raspberry Pi based robot that can overcome a series of autonomous and driven challenges.
In keeping with this year’s theme of ‘Disaster Zone’, our team consisting of Fifth Years Angelina Remisio, Nathaniel Butcher, Ben Ariel, Olu Koevoets and Fraser De Rivaz, and Sixth Former Anas Boulahmi, faced challenges such as Minesweeper (a bomb defusal exercise), Eco Disaster (sorting barrels of toxic waste) and Zombie Apocalypse (dispatching the undead on a target range). Taking inspiration from the joke: “What do you call a fish with no eyes…?”, the students developed Fsh-Tank, taking over a robot built initially some years ago for the 2020 edition (but sadly never competing) by KGS alumni Henry Hill, James Keywood, James Sweeney and Rohan Korpal.
It was a day filled with dramatic duels, last-minute technical tweaks and above all a superb team spirit. The team worked so hard on the autonomous maze challenge in particular in the build up to the event, so it was fantastic to be rewarded with a second-place finish in this category. Angelina and Anas both excelled themselves with the driven challenges, with Angelina producing spectacular performances in the Eco Disaster (third place) and Minesweeper rounds, and Anas taking us all the way to the final of the Pi Noon duelling competition. This particular event sees the robot teams trying to burst the balloons of their competitors and created some incredibly tense moments, with Anas pulling off a particularly dramatic win in the quarter final, despite the robot’s needle twisting to 90 degrees.
Huge congratulations to the team for finishing a very creditable 7th overall and for their fantastic attitude throughout the whole process. The way they supported each other both during the development process, coding and debugging the robot, and particularly on the day, picking each other up after some early mishaps was really inspirational to watch. We look forward to participating again next year!
I would like to thank everyone for creating such an educational, fun and exciting event for our children. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
St John the Baptist CofE Primary School
At the end of June, we hosted 30 primary school pupils from five schools for our annual Faraday STEAM Challenge, where they were tasked with building an aeroplane and transporter using ‘Faraday’ money to purchase supplies. The team from St John the Baptist CofE Primary School came out on top, producing an innovative design for both their aeroplane and transporter, and for showing excellent teamwork throughout the day. Our team of Sixth Form volunteers (Bodhi Fennell, Dexter Porter, Anushka Bate, Holly Seabrook, Isabel Harris and Maya Peun) and Judges (Charlotte Comard and Charlie Neale) also deserve huge credit for their excellent support and hard work during the event. Thanks are also due to the large team of KGS staff volunteers for their invaluable assistance in the running of the event, particularly Mrs Pinnock for all her logistical support.
Tilly Cairney-Leeming University of Oxford Computer Science
Sol Procter-Tarabanov University of Bristol Computer Science
Tilly and Sol’s infectious curiosity for technology meant they always dug deeper to understand more about how things work and put their knowledge to work in their own creations. It is fantastic to see them going on to further study in Computer Science at university and I’m excited to hear what creative projects they put their minds to next.
Mr B Edwards Director of Sport
Despite the challenges of the British weather, I feel fortunate that my inaugural year as Director of Sport saw so many matches, training sessions and national competitions. The sheer volume of activity has been astounding, with well over 1,000 competitive fixtures played.
Our aim of providing the opportunity to compete to all those who want it has been thoroughly upheld, with the enthusiastic participation of students, staff and supportive parents cheering from the sidelines. Participation in sport and physical activity offers significant benefits to health and wellbeing, with team sports in particular helping to foster lasting bonds with peers and create memories and this is so clearly on display at KGS.
The year has been marked by numerous superb achievements at the highest levels, both from individuals and teams, spanning a wide range of year groups.
The Girls’ 1st VI reached the U18 National Indoor Hockey Finals, setting a high standard for the year.
House competitions kicked off with great enthusiasm, showcasing the spirit of friendly rivalry.
Witnessing students embark on their KGS sporting journey was truly inspiring.
The U13 boys’ hockey team made it to the Independent Schools Cup finals, a remarkable feat.
The U15 girls’ football team reached the ISFA Small Schools Semi-Final, demonstrating great skill and determination.
The Sherriff Club Rowing Dinner was a memorable event, celebrating our successes.
Large numbers of students participated in competitive House Cross-Country competitions.
The U18 boys’ quad clinched Gold at the National Schools’ Regatta.
The U18 girls’ quad reached the final of the Henley Women’s Regatta, showing their prowess on the water.
The Girls’ 1st VIII had an outstanding performance at the Henley Royal Regatta.
Numerous students clocked international hours, representing KGS with pride.
The Athens to Paris Charity Run raised over £2500 for the Royal Marsden.
Alumni Zach Wallace and Jack Waller, and current KGS hockey coach Nick Park, were selected for Team GB’s hockey squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
There were many outstanding individual performances in cricket and tennis.
The U14 girls’ cricket team reached the Surrey Cricket Final
Natalie Ivory won the Surrey Schools Golf Championship
We are immensely proud of our students who have represented their country, including Ollie Stone, who captained the England U18 boys’ hockey team, and Ella Robinson, who played for the England U18 girls’ hockey team. Cara Ehrenreich rowed for Great Britain at the U19 level, while Amy Fraser represented England U19s in rowing. These accomplishments highlight the exceptional talent and dedication of our students.
Thank you to everyone for making me feel so welcome in my first year. Here’s to many more successful years to come.
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Mr B Dixon Head of Cricket
The 2023/24 cricket season was a resounding success, with numerous memorable moments and significant progress across all our age groups.
We managed to play 216 matches in just a nine-week period. There were many great team and individual performances, with 22 fifties being scored and six 100 plus partnerships scored. Seven of our students averaged over 40 and 15 took more than 10 wickets in the season.
The leading run scorer was Ellie Phillips, followed by Olivia Klein second, both scoring over 500 runs during the season. The leading wicket-takers were Tom Price and Lauren Kirk, who both took more than 20 wickets. With us predominantly playing T20 cricket and players often having to retire in most matches, it was a significant achievement.
There were some great team performances across the age groups, with the standout team being the U14 girls who were unbeaten in the season and got through to the Surrey County Finals
Our U15A squad had the busiest season, juggling 26 matches across multiple competitions. With many U14 (and even some U13) girls playing up, it was an incredible achievement to win the Surrey Schools League. They lost two very close quarter-finals against Epsom College in the National Cup and Surrey Knockout competition but with a young team playing in these matches, we look forward to an exciting U15 season next year.
Our U13 boys and girls both reached the finals of the Surrey Indoor competitions and our U13 boys won the Plate competition at the Reigate 6s Tournament.
The U12s, in their inaugural season representing the School, made a memorable impact. For many it was the first time they had played the sport and their willingness to learn and work hard was reflected in the amount of growth and improvement we saw by the end of the season.
The cricket programme goes from strength to strength. Many of our students are part of our high-performance programme, and many being part of county teams. We look forward to an exciting 2025 season.
Mr M Hall Head of Football
Another successful season on the football pitches saw record numbers training and representing KGS. This year we had 23 boys’ and girls’ teams playing over 130 matches in the Surrey Schools, English Schools (ESFA) and Independent School (ISFA) competitions. On top of a successful season, the U15 girls reached the ESFA Small Schools Semi-Final for the second year in a row. It is an incredible achievement to be in the top four schools in the country again. Well done to Ada Akyol, Abi Man, Julia Stewart, Catherine O’Shea, Sophie Aymat, Imogen Cockerell, Jess Cornell, Zara Curtis, Sophia Foster, Tess Halliwell, Hanna Rouse, Rania Shittu, Camille Delbe-Waldron and Bonnie Robinson
There were many other successes throughout the season including the U13 boys reaching the ISFA Bowl Quarter Finals and Round 3 of the ESFA competition.
The U18 leavers beat both the Staff XI and the hockey 1st XI in the end-of-season celebrations.
Old Kingstonians had an exciting season after being promoted to Division 4 last season in the competitive Arthurian League. If anyone is interested in playing, do contact Mr Hall at mhall@kgs.org.uk.
Huge thanks to all who have supported the football programme this season.
Mr M Rodgers Head of Golf
The 2023-24 KGS golf season was one of the most successful in many years, starting with a run to a regional final and ending with the county championship.
The season opened with the ISGA Matchplay first round at home to St. Paul’s Boys. Good golf from Natalie Ivory and Jonatan Ronberg in the top two matches was enough to secure the 2-1 win and progress to the regional semi-final. Before that came a number of foursomes matches in the revamped Swifts Foursomes, formerly the HMC Foursomes.
First up was a match away to ACS Cobham at Silvermere GC. A slightly depleted team came very close to winning the tie, with Ivory and new partner, Holly Seabrook, winning easily in the top match, before the Fourth Year pairing of Floyd Maclean and Yire Lee ran out of steam to lose the bottom match. A rain-shortened second foursomes match was played at Malden GC against Eltham College. Against a very strong opposition, the KGS golfers were glad to only play the matches over 9 holes and get out of the pouring rain; the 3–0 loss was not unexpected.
A friendly away to Epsom College over the prestigious Walton Heath New Course was next and after a good 3&2 win for Freddie Lett and Ollie Stone in the bottom match, the tie came down to the top pair of Joe Raven and Ed Wheeler, who was making his team debut. The match was all square going down the last, but the KGS boys could not match the par of the Epsom College girls and so the match was lost 2-1.
Next up in the Swifts Foursomes were Reed’s, one of the top schools in the area by virtue of having multiple golf scholars in their line-up. An enjoyable day playing on the Burhill New Course was tainted by the swiftness by which the KGS pairs lost their matches. It was a debut that Liam O’Neill and Olly Kemp would very much like to forget.
The last match in the foursomes competition was an equally tough home tie against City of London Freemans. With the top CLFS team made up of twins who played for England, it was always going to be tough going and so it was as KGS fell to a second successive 3–0 defeat.
KGS bounced back in dramatic style following the half term break. A long drive to Harrow to play John Lyon School over Sandy Lodge GC for a place in the ISGA Matchplay regional final was well worth it, with Ronberg and O’Neill producing victories to see KGS qualify for regional final for the first time in six years. The only problem was that our opponents in the final were Reed’s. The match took place in March at Surrey Downs GC, my home club.
Despite a valiant performance from Ivory, KGS were no match for the Reed’s team full of golfers destined for American college golf programmes and the cup run ended there.
The annual Past vs Present match against the Old Boys was a shock this year. The Present had held the trophy for the last six matches but that run came to an end, thanks in large part to the MCC cricket match that took away our two strongest players. But, like the Ryder Cup, it’s good for the competition for the underdogs to win occasionally.
A couple of friendlies followed in May against Epsom College again away at Walton Heath and at home to Glyn, both resulting in narrow losses, before the seasonending triumph for Natalie Ivory in the Surrey Schools Championship.
Played in very tough conditions across the Clandon Regis golf course, Natalie won the girls’ championship with a 5 over round of 77. She was clubhouse leader for the entire field of 60 boys and girls until the very last group came in, finishing third overall, only beaten by two of the boys.
Thanks to all the students who played this year.
A standout moment for the 1st XI was winning the London Finals Indoor and qualifying for the National Finals. After a regional defeat to Alleyn’s, KGS showcased tactical brilliance to triumph in the regional final and secured their place at the Nationals in Repton, where they finished fifth, a noteworthy accomplishment and testament to their skill and teamwork.
For the first time, we also entered a team in the Tier 2 competition for the 2nd XI. Despite a close loss to Langley Park in the plate, the 2nd XI’s efforts were promising.
Miss H Naismith Head of Girls’ Hockey
The 2023/2024 girls’ hockey season was marked by strong performances and significant achievements across various age groups.
The 1st XI demonstrated resilience and competitive spirit in a challenging Tier 1 league. This squad, primarily composed of players from the U14 National Championship – winning team, was bolstered by new talents emerging after a successful summer tour of South Africa. Although they narrowly missed progressing further, their dedication throughout the season was commendable.
The U16A team made it to the last 16 of the England Hockey Tier 1 competition, travelling to Taunton for their quarter-final match.
Although Taunton progressed, the young squad’s potential for next season is evident.
The U15s had a strong run in the Independent Schools Cup, reaching the quarterfinals but losing on sudden death penalties to Ipswich School. The U14s competed fiercely in a tough regional knockout competition, showcasing their tenacity early in the term. Both the U16B and U14B teams were consistently competitive against other schools’ 2nd XI or A sides.
The U13s, a talented group, made it to the regional finals, where penalties again determined the outcome. Meanwhile, the U12s showed significant progress throughout the season, peaking with an impressive performance at the Nottingham Independent Schools Cup tournament, winning seven out of nine games.
Along with team successes we also had numerous individual successes. Martha Le Huray was selected for the England U21 Championships, the 2023 Junior World Cup in Chile and played for Surbiton Ladies 1s in the National Premier League (winners of the Vitality Women’s Hockey League). Katherine DonWauchope and Ella Robinson both represented Wimbledon Ladies 1s in the National Premier League, with Ella also being selected for the England U18 squad. Camila Giglio, Miranda Scott and Maia Hendrickx all played for Wimbledon 2s in the England Hockey National League Division 1, with Maia getting a callback for the final England Hockey U16 Trial.
Overall, the season was filled with notable successes and evident enjoyment of the game across all year groups, with many players continuing to train during the Summer term, promising a bright future for girls’ hockey.
Mr T Beaumont Head of Boys’ Hockey
The 2023-24 season contained no fewer than 208 boys’ hockey matches played by 20 teams across the age groups. This is a fantastic achievement as boys from the First Year to the Sixth Form were able to represent KGS.
The 1st VI had a mixed year and probably slightly underachieved given the goals they set themselves in September. Coming into the season after an amazing summer tour to South Africa as an U17 side where they played against teams from all over the world, the ambition, particularly amongst the Upper Sixth boys, was high and there was a real air of excitement and determination to succeed.
A tough 1–0 loss to Langley Park in the Tier One pool was the difference between qualifying for the quarterfinals and finishing fourth in the pool and showed just how tight a competition it is.
The Independent Schools Cup was an opportunity to show some real resilience after the Tier One disappointment, and the team saved one of their best performances of the season for a match at Alleyn’s on a cold Monday night in February.
With a couple of key players missing, strong leadership and a touch of class were required to scrape through, and Tim Bryce and Teddy Warner provided both to ensure we won 3–1. Unfortunately, St George’s Weybridge were too strong in the following round and so the season came to a competitive close. The boys finished fourth in the Tier One pool and reached the quarter-finals of the ISHC, both perhaps a case of ‘what could have been’.
Elsewhere, the U13A side reached the semi-finals of the ISHC and the U16As reached the last 16 of the Tier One Cup, losing in the last minute. Both groups will come back stronger having learnt from these defeats.
We were particularly pleased to see our range of teams expanding to include an U12F team and an U14C side and we hope they will play more regular fixtures as the school expands.
On an individual note, we congratulate Ollie Stone who represented England in the U18 8 Nations Tournament in Granada in July.
We also congratulate Tom Hebert, Barnaby Harcourt and Wilf Fox-Robinson who were selected for the England Hockey Talent Academy Festival in July, and Freddie Lett who has been selected for an England U18 assessment in September.
Mrs J Stapleton Head of Netball
Netball has continued to thrive, with over 20 teams, all of whom love their netball and are thoroughly committed to their weekly sessions, playing in fixtures. There have been a range of results, with the A teams winning many of their matches and doing extremely well at County and Borough tournaments. Our B/C/D teams continue to develop, with goal shooters attending extra training sessions each week, which reflects their desire to continuously improve.
Our U15 and U16 squads won their age groups. The U12, U13, U15 and U16 squads all ranked in the top three.
The A teams played well but just missed out on qualifying for Surrey Finals this year. It’s a very strong competition and is a great platform for the players to step up their game. We are excited to see what the teams achieve next year.
Mr J Dyson Head of Real Tennis
Real Tennis, often referred to as the sport of kings, is an ancient racquet sport that originated in the late Middle Ages in France. Unlike modern lawn tennis, Real Tennis is played indoors on a unique court featuring asymmetrical dimensions, sloping roofs called penthouses and various openings in the walls that players use strategically.
The game is played with a solid, handmade ball and racquets that have an asymmetrical shape, allowing for precise control and a variety of shots. Scoring in Real Tennis follows a similar format to lawn tennis, but with additional nuances such as chases — marked points on the court that determine where the ball must land to win a point.
The game requires a combination of athleticism, strategy and finesse. Players must navigate the complex court and use its unique features to their advantage, making it a game of skill and intelligence.
How fortunate then are we at KGS to have the world’s most famous court (of the 48), at Hampton Court Palace, on our doorstep and to have the fantastic professional players of the Royal Tennis Club to coach our students.
Once again, this year, a dozen students have had the privilege of learning to play this fascinating and challenging game. There is nothing like the feel and sound of hitting the ball in the tiny sweet spot of the highly tensioned wooden racket; it is just so satisfying! All the participants made great progress throughout the year and were able to have well-contested matches by the end. The star players this season were Maxim Dythtchenko and Melissa Koshi. Other notable players were Zara Mirza, Youngseo Wang, Ingrid Verwoerd and Bonyad Mokri Moayed
A huge thank you to Jack Josephs, whose outstanding coaching throughout the year has produced a crop of new enthusiasts.
Mr E Green Director of Rowing
Despite being off the river due to an unprecedented volume of rain between November and April, KGSBC has seen further progress and positive results throughout the year.
The Boys’ VIII took a win in the Club Eights at Quintin Head, followed by a win at the Schools Head of the River in the new Mixed Eights category and a second place by 0.5 seconds in Girls’ First Eights. Our top scullers earned a bronze in the J17 quads and a silver in the JW17 quads at the Junior Sculling Head, remarkable for the fact that this was achieved after one 45-minute sculling session, such was the sparsity of water time.
The regatta season opened with strong performances by the JW15 squad in eights at Wallingford Regatta, competing brilliantly against far more experienced crews. It was a very promising opening regatta for this age group.
At Poplar, it was the turn of the J18 coxless four to bring home the win, followed by success for the JW16 coxed four, who won at the same regatta a year previously. A happy hunting ground indeed.
KGSBC took large numbers to the National Schools Regatta where over 5000 athletes from across the country raced for a coveted T-shirt. Our students were successful in the Girls’ J16 coxed four, winning a bronze medal behind a very strong Godolphin and Latymer crew. In the Boys’ Championship Coxless Four KGSBC had a stunning couple of races to take the Royal Engineers Cup home for the first time in KGS history. A much-deserved result for a group of boys who have been winning national medals for several years.
The second half of the Summer term saw KGSBC take on some of the most challenging racing in the domestic and international calendar.
The first major event in June is Henley Women’s Regatta The club successfully qualified a JW18 quad and JW18 coxed four in the main draw, with the quad losing out to NSR silver medal winners Marlow in the first round. The coxed four raced superbly over two days to reach a much deserved final against the NSR winning Aberdeen Schools crew. In the final Aberdeen were too strong for the KGS crew and were deserved winners.
Henley Women’s Regatta is swiftly followed by Henley Royal Regatta. This year, we qualified for the first time in the Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy for Junior Girls Eights. The crew put in a hardfought win against Latymer Upper in the first round to set up the opportunity to race Hinksey who are the 2024 NSR Champions in this boat class. The girls put in a brave effort in difficult conditions but were outclassed on the day.
The club had two girls taking part in British Rowing final trials held in Nottingham. Amy Fraser was most unfortunate to fall ill with food poisoning and miss out on the chance to win a GB vest but was selected to represent England at the Home Countries International Regatta held at Strathclyde Park. She raced in the England coxed four and eight and won all her races, helping England win the Junior Women’s team trophy.
Cara Ehrenreich raced up the pecking order and travelled to Racice in the Czech Republic to represent Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in the JW coxless four. This regatta has two days of racing against opposition from across Europe. Cara and her crew raced well to earn a bronze on Saturday and upgraded this result to silver the following day.
KGSBC will have more returning athletes with Henley and international experience than for several years. This is an exciting position for the club to be in, particularly as the senior squad size will be double its 2023/4 numbers.
Watching the Girls’ 1st VIII – Nina Chamarette, Audrey Coursey, Bella Pritchard, Amy Fraser, Anne Thevenon, Sophie Kelly, Cara Ehrenreich, Lottie Wellman and Indy Catford – perform at Henley filled me with immense pride. Their dedication and hard work were evident in every stroke. It has been the most successful year in our history, and with seven of the girls in the boat returning next year, the future looks very promising.”
Mr SR Lehec
Head Master
Mr S Morris
Head of Tennis
KGS Tennis has enjoyed great success over the last few years and I’m pleased to report that there was much to celebrate again this summer.
Across the age groups, our boys’ and girls’ teams competed in the Surrey Schools League, the LTA Youth Schools competition, the Surrey Schools Festival and the ISTA Championships
In addition, we hosted the annual Kingston Challenge Cup (v Tiffin), ran the KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon, Family Tennis and House Tennis tournaments, as well as re-introducing the ever-popular Saturday morning training sessions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
William McKay and Arjan Cheema were runners-up in the Surrey Schools Festival U14 Boys Tier 1
Ellie Phillips and Aimee Redman won the Surrey Schools Festival U14 Girls Tier 2
The U13 Girls & U14 Girls reached the Surrey Schools League Finals
The U13 Boys & U13 Girls won their LTA Youth Schools groups to qualify for the county Q/Finals
The U12/U13/U14/U15 Boys retaining the Kingston Challenge Cup
We also held our annual U14 KGS Play Your Way to Wimbledon tournament in May which had a superb entry, with 30 of our First, Second and Third Year players competing. We had two new champions this year, with Aimee Redman and Miguel Olalla-Manji winning the girls’ and boys’ tournament respectively. They went on to represent KGS in the County rounds of this national competition in July.
In addition, the Family Tennis tournament ran alongside the Sturgeon Cricket in late June. We had a bumper entry this year with 20 pairs competing – as well as current students & parents we were very pleased to welcome back to the alumni pairings of the Coles and the Lunns. Indeed, David and Sophie Lunn came very close to a winning return, just being edged out in the final by our champions, Luke & Ed Bowyer
Lastly, there was the KGS Tennis Trip to Day 3 of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. We were extremely fortunate to secure ten No.1 Court tickets in the LTA Schools Ballot and saw lots of amazing tennis, involving Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu. Everyone had a fantastic time, and even got to take some selfies with Elena Rybakina (2022 Wimbledon Champion), Ons Jabeur (2022 and 2023 Wimbledon Runner-up), Holger Rune and Katie Boulter (British No.1).
Once again, 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.
500 primary pupils received MFL taster lessons from our Third Year students.
We partnered with 10 primary schools to provide academic and extracurricular support through clubs, professional development sessions and activity days.
255 primary pupils have benefitted from our sports outreach provision. 200
KGS collaborated with local secondary schools to deliver Oxbridge interview guidance, careers seminars & university support to over 200 pupils.
CHARITY IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF LIFE AT KGS, AND LAST YEAR WE RAISED OVER £12,000 FOR LOCAL AND NATIONAL CHARITIES.
THIS YEAR OUR FOUR MAIN CHARITABLE PARTNERS HAVE BEEN...
The Elizabeth Foundation
As the UK’s largest single provider of education services for babies and pre-school children with all degrees of deafness, our donation to The Elizabeth Foundation will help to deliver essential support. elizabeth-foundation.org
Football Rebooted
An initiative which enables us to avoid unwanted football boots being sent to landfill and provides a local young person with football boots which they would otherwise be unable to afford.
footballrebooted.co.uk
BRITE Box
This charity does important work in Kingston addressing increasing levels of food insecurity. They provide a weekly recipe kit to some of the nearly 4,000 Kingston households which are eligible for Free School Meals.
linktr.ee/thebritebox project
We have also supported:
Kingston Food & Hygiene Bank
Twice a year we arrange a whole-school collection of toiletries and non-perishable food items which are donated to these two charities serving the local community.
thehygienebank.com
Mrs K Pinnock Head of Community Action and Service
From our innovative partnership projects with local primary and secondary schools to academic mentoring and charitable fundraising, meaningful collaboration brings a diversity of approach and reaches the greatest number of people.
KGS students volunteered for projects with other schools, community groups and charities.
Burlington Junior School were worthy winners of the Faraday Challenge we hosted in June, building a prototype aeroplane and transporter. The Royal Institute Energy LIVE! event in January, for 230 pupils, was a fiery introduction to science and energy and how it affects our lives.
Hundreds of local children have used our facilities, been trained by our coaches or taken part in hockey and cricket festivals we host.
Pupils at 3 local primary schools took part in multi-sports sessions run by KGS coaches.
The Maths Department also supported local pupils to participate in the Primary Maths Challenge, with many achieving Bronze and Silver certificates.
First Years made a reverse advent calendar collection in December, later taking part in a litter pick to keep the Fairfield looking splendid, whilst Second Years hosted a number of care home tea parties.
We had a fun afternoon of playing bingo, and I got to play music for them too.”
Milly Hutton (Second Year)
Enthusiastic Second Year students welcomed residents of local care homes to a tea party at KGS with musical performances, delicious cakes and rounds of bingo.
Third Years volunteered at sports days at St John’s and St Joseph’s primary schools, with some also becoming Language Leaders, teaching taster MFL lessons to an incredible 500 pupils.
Local people experiencing food poverty or homelessness enjoyed meals prepared for them by 17 Lower Sixth students.
Fourth and Fifth Years volunteered in countless placements as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Sixth Formers As a volunteer at the Drama Club led by Miss Christmas at St Joseph’s, Plum Knowles explained that she “learned how to not only keep things fun and lighthearted but how to help the class maintain focus. I think working with the children has boosted their confidence and acting skills.” The children performed Pirate Stories in the Studio at KGS for their parents. Other Sixth Formers have cooked at St Stephen’s to support people experiencing food poverty.
Helping children to pronounce new words was so rewarding.
Marcus Hawkins (Lower Sixth)
In June 2024 we welcomed MKBS students and staff on the inaugural MKBS Study Tour which included several Insight Days here at Kingston Grammar School to gain experience of our lessons and the KGS culture. In addition, the students enjoyed visits and workshops at some of the UK’s most prestigious universities (Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial) together with visits and tours to some key historical and cultural sites.
RD Finlay
Kingstonian 1950
Whether a past or present student, current or past parent, Governor or member of staff, Derek Finlay’s name will be familiar to many of you.
Joining the School in 1942, he not only excelled academically but on the sports field too, playing in the School’s 1st XI hockey team, holding the school record for javelin and as a talented sprinter. Rowing was his real passion, though, and in his book, Ten To Take Her Home, he remembers returning from an outing with the rowing crew to see a man in a Rolls-Royce wearing a grey fedorastyle hat watching them. That man was renowned author and KGS alumnus RC Sherriff, who went on to coach the young KGS rowers. Derek was made a Prefect in 1948, becoming School Captain in 1949. After leaving KGS, he completed two years of National Service, where he became Platoon Commander, after which he read Economics and Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge followed by a Master of Arts in 1959. After a career that included Mobil Oil, McKinsey and Heinz, along with positions on the boards of Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Symphony Society and the United States-China Business Council, Derek returned to the UK.
Derek Finlay’s feat of playing 1st XI hockey, being in the 1st VIII boat – as the KGSBC Captain, no less – being School Captain two years running, and representing the School as a leading light in other areas such as the CCF Contingent and athletics squads, all whilst gaining his place to go up to Cambridge after leaving KGS, is something that would be impossible for any student to achieve today. In fact, it was nigh-on impossible then, but with talent, ability and a will of iron that drove him to success, Derek elevated himself above what was expected, or even realistic, for any student.
What is equally staggering, however, is the way he has given back to the school that set him up for success in life. Derek’s commitment as a Governor, a benefactor and as a friend is unparalleled. We shall be forever grateful and appreciative that Derek is a Kingstonian who has always adopted the mantle of being so with great pride.
Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
We were delighted that, from 1996 to 2002, Derek agreed to serve as a Governor, and the School benefitted hugely from his experience, leadership and commitment to excellence.
As a student, School Captain, Governor and major benefactor, Derek’s influence and impact on Kingston Grammar School is immeasurable. The KGS community is truly indebted to Derek for his generosity and dedication to the School. Indeed, his name is etched into the very fabric of the building and grounds.
Each day, hundreds of students work in and walk through the Finlay Gallery, our specialist Art, Design & Technology space. Bathed in natural light, it provides a wonderful environment to develop their creativity.
At Ditton Field, the Finlay Hockey Pitch and the Sherriff Boat House have seen many thousands of hours of sporting endeavours for students past and present – and will continue to be central to the home of KGS Sport for generations to come.
Perhaps most significant, however, is Derek’s generous support of the RD Finlay Bursary Award. Past recipients have gone on to study at leading universities, followed by careers where they are able to make a positive difference to the world. Derek’s generosity has been instrumental in our journey to create a Bursary Fund that has grown from a few hundred thousand pounds to an incredible endowment of £7.5m today. His example continues to inspire alumni from across the globe to add their financial support to our cause, and the support Derek has shown KGS has enriched our school in countless ways.
Derek was made a Prefect in 1948, becoming School Captain in 1949. (He was also Editor of the Kingstonian!)
Derek’s generosity has been instrumental in our journey to create a Bursary Fund that has grown from a few hundred thousand pounds to an incredible endowment of £7.5m today. His example continues to inspire alumni from across the globe to add their financial support to our cause. We now aim to increase the endowment to £20m, by 2028, thereby ensuring that even more students can benefit from a Kingston Grammar School education.
It is unlikely that we will ever again witness so many significant achievements by a single student. Derek Finlay is truly a one-off.
Mr SR Lehec, Head Master
Lola is part of a growing cohort of KGS alumni who have chosen to study in the US whilst participating at a high level of sport. Lola tells us about her first year at the University of California, Berkeley and how KGS helped to shape her decision.
After taking A Levels in Physics, Biology and Maths, I started at Berkeley, about 30 minutes outside San Francisco. I am working towards a Major in Integrative Biology specialising in Human Biology.
I am on a full rowing scholarship and am part of the heavyweight women’s team which has been a great experience. I have loved being able to explore new areas of the world and my scholarship makes it so much easier for me to be able to really make the most of the experience.
From my dormitory I can see the Golden Gate Bridge and, as well as spending time in California including San Francisco and LA, I’ve been able to travel with my rowing squad to Ohio, Kentucky and Washington DC.
At weekends we walk just up the road to the 63,000-seater university stadium to watch the Golden Bears play football or go to the water polo matches. Student athletes are almost famous here; at the airport recently, I was wearing my Cal jumper and people came up to me to ask about our rowing and to wish us luck in our competitions!
My advice to anyone even vaguely interested in studying in the States is to start investigating your options at the start of the Lower Sixth or even earlier. The US is huge and there are so many different types of universities and offers available and you need to select one that works for you.
This means that all students on sport scholarships had specialised dining options; after doing my research I found this was common at in the US. It’s more important to focus on the sport team culture, where the university stands on the education and sport ranking list. There are other things to think about too, such as the kind of university campus you want. Mine is very compact and you can walk everywhere in 30 mins but at places like Ohio State University you can’t get anywhere on campus without driving. Doing research early really does pay dividends.
From my dormitory
I can see the Golden Gate Bridge and, as well as spending time in California including San Francisco and LA, I’ve been able to travel with my rowing squad to Ohio, Kentucky and Washington DC.
In Fifth Year I was contacted by Princeton University and this made me begin to consider studying abroad. It was another year and a half before I could firm up my first university choice (confusingly they are called ‘schools’ in the US), and I ended up changing to Berkeley.
Be aware that there is a lot of competition for sport scholarships: you really need to do your research and reading around each one. You may really like a particular place on paper but the facility that attracts you may be pretty standard for the US. For example, I was excited to find out that my university of choice had ‘athletic dining’.
I have another three years of study in the US. I’ll continue to row for Cal, and hope to make the first eight and go to the US National Championships each year. I’m also hoping to trial for the GB U23 team. Luckily, the GB system lets you trial from around the world: you train and compete and send data back to the UK: from there, they invite you to race with other hopefuls for the goals of a place in the Worlds, Euros...or even the Olympics.
My Major is going to be in Biology with, hopefully, a Minor in Physics. Once my four years in America is up, I will probably come back to England where I’d love to do an extra year or so, hopefully at Cambridge, and row there. I love watching the Boat Race, seeing them battle it out over 7km upstream.
Something I really like about the US system is that in the first year you can change your Major. I began with engineering and then switched to two different branches of Biology before I settled on Integrative. It’s very useful if you’re not 100% settled on a career plan from the outset.
I began rowing in Third Year at KGS as a Games option and it opened up a whole new world to me. I loved the KGS Boathouse: after five years of rowing for the School, it felt like home. The culture at the Boathouse was so supportive and encouraging; I wasn’t always sure I was going to take rowing this far, but the coaches were so positive that I kept aiming high. The culture at the Boathouse
was so supportive and encouraging; I wasn’t always sure I was going to take rowing this far, but the coaches were so positive that I kept aiming high.
Being up so early wasn’t always easy but when you see the sun rising above the glass-smooth water, it makes it worth it. I remember when the river was incredibly high and the boathouse flooded. I have very vivid memories of all the coaches pulling us along in boats to try to get us to the bottom of the stairs so no one had to wade through waist-deep flood water! The whole culture there was positive and I looked for something very similar at university. It sounds corny to say, but the boathouse was my family and it is the same thing at the Cal boathouse now that I am so far from home.
On 27th January, almost 500 mourners gathered in the Olivier Hall at St Edward’s School, Oxford, to say farewell to Fred Tao who has died aged 55. Throughout the congregation were the red ties, socks and trousers of those who knew Fred at KGS and who had come to reflect on the extraordinary impact this immensely generous man had on the lives of so many. Fred came to KGS as part of a large family that originated in Hong Kong. At school he had two passions: the Christian Union (CU) and the Boat Club, passions he retained throughout his life. He would often lead the weekly meetings of the CU, during which his deeply held faith became clear. For those who knew him, the strongest memories came from the annual camps held in remote fields in southern England. Even as thunderstorms darkened the skies and tents collapsed, Fred provided his trademark enthusiasm for evening hymns, putting more emphasis on volume than tone. More importantly, though, if someone was feeling homesick or was struggling with something, Fred had a knack for spotting it and providing friendship or support.
Fred’s other passion was the KGS Boat Club. Initially taking the position of cox, he went on to row in the eight or the four. Travelling in the school bus to regattas all over the country, he would shorten the journey by providing a steady supply of jokes and Jaffa Cakes for the rest of the squad. Fred was one of the people who generated the camaraderie that turned a sport, rowing, into a club.
After leaving school in 1988, Fred spent two years working as an Associate at St Helen’s Church, Bishopsgate trying to decide whether to train as a minister. He chose a different path and worked at Lloyds of London but, rather than working out insurance premiums, he would prefer to spend his working day planning menus and guest lists for the weekly 30-person dinner parties that he hosted in a shared house in south London. Fred had a knack for creating a community for these guests, going on to meet his future wife, Claire, at such an event.
The themes of steadfast cheerfulness, a knack for maintaining communities by putting others before himself and above all generosity of spirit that marked the early stages of his life only became even more apparent later on. From the City he went into teaching, first at City of London for Boys and then Pangbourne College before taking up his final berth at St Edward’s. Claire was by then also a teacher, eventually rising to become an Executive Head. Fred, though, was content to teach and manage two Geography Departments, putting to good use his generosity of spirit and time much to the benefit of countless pupils and fellow colleagues. Rowing was also a big part of his life at Pangbourne and St Edward’s; his unique methods of organisation and tendency to hand out Percy Pigs proving to be just the sort of thing that the management of J14 squads required.
Indeed, rowing was a major part of his life until the very end. Fred died suddenly on the banks of Port Meadow in Oxford, having volunteered to give up extra time to help a crew that would not otherwise have been able to train. At his memorial, the family asked guests wear Henley attire to reflect Fred’s love of rowing and his incredible contribution and dedication to the sport. Each aspect of the uplifting and emotional service spoke to the enormous spirit of a much-missed man.
Ross Simmonds, Kingstonian 2014
WE ALSO REMEMBER...
John Normandale Kingstonian 1944
David Betts Kingstonian 1948
Phillip Chapman Kingstonian 1952
Neil Walter Kingstonian 1953
Douglas Tredwell Kingstonian 1965
To mark the anniversary of 50 years of co-education and independence at Kingston Grammar School, we are launching three ambitious targets for 2028.
Our past, present and future: shaping Kingston Grammar School together
TARGET 1
The KGS Bursary Fund to stand at £20m, meaning we can offer Bursary Awards to 100 students each year who would benefit from an education at KGS.
Raise £30,000 for local, national and international charitable causes annually.
TARGET 3
To expand the Community Service Programme, so that every student is involved in volunteering and service during their time at KGS.
The support of the KGS community makes an immeasurable difference to the lives of others. There are many ways you can be involved. To find out more please email, development@kgs.org.uk
Early in the Autumn term, our youngest students enjoy a fantastic Bonding Day as a year group down at Ditton Field. As well as helping to establish friendships we hope will last for many years, First Years take part in a number of challenging, team building-type activities including an inflatable obstacle course and dragon boating from our boathouse on the Thames.
2023/24