INTRODUCTION & WELCOME KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2021-22
"With our 275 th
anniversary plans taking shape, I look forward to a host of opportunities to connect with alumni in the forthcoming year."
gives me a very strong platform to proceed with the implementation of an ambitious strategic plan. As we seek to light a fire within every pupil, the governors have given their full support for our action plan which centres around 4 strategic priorities; Care for Each Individual, Educate for Life, Care for the Community and Live Sustainably. It was of course John Wesley who said that “an ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge” and we can’t go too far wrong if the value of love remains central in our School. That said, as I write, our Year 11 and 13 pupils have an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills as they sit the first public exams since 2019. I feel confident that they will achieve great things, having been expertly taught by our generous and dedicated teachers. I am pleased to update you that, through the generosity of alumni and other philanthropic donations, I have been able to offer four more places to students to join our Sixth Form on transformational bursaries; these impressive young people will be joining us from Ukraine, Iraq and from deprived areas of
London. Closer to home, we have a strong and growing partnership with St Mark’s School in Larkhall with whom we are working on this and other initiatives. We are hoping that through a successful 275 campaign we will secure donations to enable us to continue with this work, as we seek to offer all of our sixth formers as diverse and inspiring experience as we are able. My sincere thanks to Kirsty Allen for chairing the Old Kingswoodian Executive with such good cheer and for overseeing the generous donations from the Association to provide a few nice-to-haves for our pupils. The new Association Café in the Creed Room looks terrific and has been met with the universal approval of our sixth formers. Michele Greene is as busy as ever as our Alumni and Community manager, keeping us all breathless in her wake. With our 275th anniversary plans taking shape, I look forward to a host of opportunities to connect with alumni in the forthcoming year. With our new easy access alumni database, it is easier than ever for us to stay in touch and, 1
if you haven’t already done so, please get yourself registered (https://community.kingswood. bath.sch.uk). As challenging as the last two years may have been, my life has been made immeasurably more manageable through the rock-solid support and guidance of our long-serving and most excellent Mr Opie. It is impossible to overstate the contribution that Gordon and Jen Opie have made to Kingswood, during their combined 62 years of service, and I am enormously grateful that I have had Gordon at my side as Senior Deputy during my first two years as Headmaster. They have both earned a long and happy retirement and I wish them every blessing on behalf of every member of the Old Kingswoodian Association. Please stay in touch and do come and visit us in Bath if the opportunity arises.
Andrew Gordon-Brown Headmaster and Principal of the Kingswood Foundation
