9 minute read
Introduction and Welcome
Gordon Opie
This piece really resonated with me, and I think we all now appreciate many aspects of Kingswood life that we did not even recognise as special before. I even look forward to the return of the legendary “Kingswood Run to Lunch!” We will also need to embrace all the gains from better use of modern technology. It will never replace face to face contact, but it has certainly helped us develop as educators. I could list lots of examples of things we might continue to do in the future including:
The use of MS Teams enables us to offer evening pastoral events which can be accessed by parents either live from the comfort of their own home or by listening to a recording later.
We have also enjoyed holding Virtual Parents’ Evenings which has allowed parents and guardians all over the world to meet the teachers. This is something that our overseas parents have particularly appreciated with some meeting their child’s teachers in person for the first time.
However, at the same time as all this excitement at the return to physically being in school, there were some who, quite understandably, found this a difficult and unsettling time. As ever the Kingswood community reached out to try and support everyone. The students and staff accepted the need to always wear masks including in lessons. The whole community undertakes Lateral Flow Tests twice a week. The cleaning regime remains as thorough as ever, and the list could go on and on. Kindness really is at the heart of this community!
Now we are in the Summer term, it has been lovely to be able to begin to release some of the restrictions under careful risk assessment. We have started to mix certain year groups outside for sport and other activities. We have started to play fixtures against local schools and what excitement this caused after over a year with no competitive matches. I was delighted to be able to lead the first Whole School Service of this term “live” to a small group of Year 12 students in the Theatre whilst it was streamed live to the rest of the school.
It does feel as though we are getting back to a more normal school, and this is exciting. At the same time, Michele Greene has begun to plan events for the Association, and it will be lovely to be able to see people in person again. I am not sure, at this point, what event will be the first live gathering in over a year, but I will certainly be there! Michele has, as usual, done the most amazing job in keeping in touch with everyone and I love her phone calls to update me on what is going on. Her enthusiasm and positivity are infectious and lightened many a day during lockdown. She has worked hard to put this magazine together and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.
At this point, I would like to thank all members of the Executive for their hard work during this challenging year. Chester Lewis steps down as Chair as does Sanveer Singh from his role as Treasurer. I was fortunate enough to look after both these fine people when they were boarders in Hall House, and it has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to be on the Executive Committee with them. Our new Headmaster, Andrew Gordon Brown, now takes over as President and this is an exciting step for the Association. He has so many innovative ideas and is keen to work even more closely with the alumni. I have loved my time on the Executive and so have told Michele that I want an invite to as many events as possible in the future!
Gordon Opie, Deputy Head
(KS 1976-81)
Andrew Gordon-Brown
HEADMASTER’S WELCOME
Dear Old Kingswoodians, This opening paragraph of my first contribution to the Kingswood Association News could quite easily be largely cut and paste from the first paragraph written by Simon Morris one year ago, as he penned his final contribution.
Bath remains beautiful but Covid protocols are still with us and Kingswood School has been far too quiet. Taking over as Headmaster during a pandemic when a good deal of school life has been virtual is not what I envisaged when I jumped at the chance to pick up the reins from Simon.
Strange as it may sound, in my first two terms I have not addressed a physical assembly of pupils, staff or parents. All of these important features of normal school life; whole school service, chapel, weekly assembly have happened remotely, with the new Headmaster talking into the camera in the desktop computer in his study. School life has been a much diluted affair and with no sports fixtures, drama productions and music concerts, we have had to content ourselves with long periods of remote teaching with pupils stuck at home behind a computer screen.
And yet, I can already see that Simon’s description of this very special community is spot on. The warm welcome that has been extended to me, Harriet and our family has come not just from current staff and Kingswood families, but from alumni all over the world, and it is a real privilege to have been given the honour of leading this fine school, but also becoming a member of the Kingswood family. It is exciting to realise that when someone joins the Kingswood Community, they do so for life, and that we are blessed with a vast group of alumni, former staff, parents and governors who care deeply about Kingswood’s future. You will appreciate just how much the school community is longing to return to a new normal, embracing all of the elements that make Kingswood special. While the usual gatherings of alumni haven’t taken place, we have been planning carefully to see how we can make up for lost time, both in the short and medium term. It would be wonderful to begin getting to know our alumni so please do check out the proposed dates and join us for the forthcoming scheduled events. Our thoughts are also coming together around how to make the most of 2023, the year when Kingswood will celebrate our 275th birthday. Given Wesley’s impact and legacy in the world of education it is a source of great pride that the International Association of Methodist-related Schools, Colleges and Universities
has chosen Bristol and Bath as venues for the global education conference in that year.
I didn’t know Bath all that well until arriving at Kingswood but can see why it is so popular. The allure of the beautiful world heritage city and surrounding Somerset countryside is understandable, and the GordonBrowns haven’t been the only family moving into the area! It is very pleasing that places at Kingswood remain as sought after as ever and we are currently enjoying record numbers in both the prep and senior schools. As you know, an important element of our mission is to make a Kingswood education as accessible as possible to many talented children, and through the success of our 10 for 1 bursary campaign as well as some very generous donations, I have been able to make several awards to pupils for whom I feel sure a place at Kingswood will be transformational. I am very grateful to those alumni who have been able to support this campaign and hope that there might be other year group cohorts who could come together to support us in this endeavour. I’m delighted that Simon Morris has agreed to chair the 275 Campaign Board.
As you would expect, the governors have tasked me to lead a process of strategic review, reaffirming our vision and values and determining our priorities for the next few years. As regards the Old Kingswoodian Association I look forward to ensuring our alumni remain a connected family of former pupils, who enjoy each other’s company and who can also support us in whatever way in our mission to offer our pupils life-changing opportunities. It is a great pleasure to be leading this community and I am both excited and humbled by the opportunity to build constructively on Simon Morris’ legacy and indeed on those of the Headmasters who have gone before us.
CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME
Dear Old Kingswoodians, I have to admit that I struggled to imagine how this edition of Kingswood Association News (KAN) would look given the events, or lack thereof, of the past year.
In my words of welcome to last years’ KAN, I reflected on the poignancy of the images of Old Kingswoodians joyfully meeting in the pages of that edition, as at the time we were experiencing the first national ‘lockdown’. Little did we know that we would have to endure a further year of restrictions and challenging times.
However, 2021 has brought new hope. We hope that we can return to events (in some format) for Association Day in early Summer. We will be in contact as plans take shape.
Like everybody else the Old Kingswoodian Association’s Executive Committee has had to adapt. After a pause in activities we took to virtual meetings in time to welcome the new Headmaster, Andrew GordonBrown. Andrew has brought new ideas and energy to his role on the Executive Committee. The Kingswood community has been at the heart of our conversations. I and the rest of the Executive Committee look forward to continue working closely with Andrew over the coming weeks, months and years. A thank you to the Executive Committee for your time, flexibility and support throughout this year, it is very much appreciated.
We are determined to return stronger and better than before. I am optimistic we can do this. Social events are a key and important part of what we do, but as ever I am driven by the idea that the Old Kingswoodian Association can support its members and Kingswood School in so many more ways. For example, during a difficult year, we have continued to match people seeking career advise with those with experience and a willingness to help. A huge thank you to those that have volunteered their time and please do continue to reach out, whether you are seeking support or willing to volunteer a small amount of time to help progress the careers on fellow Old Kingswoodians. Michele Greene has again been key to everything we do, putting in the hard work to connect Old Kingswoodians and support those that get in contact whatever she can.
I have enjoyed my time on the Executive Committee and as Chairman immensely. I encourage you to reach out and get involved as we continue to evolve, drive and enthuse our support to the Old Kingswoodians community.
Thank you to all Old Kingswoodians, and in particular those that have contributed to this edition, for showing the brilliance, resilience and optimism in our unique community. I am very proud to be part of something I consider so special.
