Hall

from Kingswood In Focus 2021/22

Teaching Staff & Governors List

HALL HOUSE

As ever, there has been much for Hall House to celebrate this year. A return to something approaching normality enabled us to recommence House Entertainments with Fonthill and all House competitions starting with House Music on the fi rst weekend back.

Robert Ted

Rob and Ted have led the House superbly and I am indebted to them both for the fantastic role models they have been. The boarding house has been looked after and kept in order by our team of Housekeepers: Denise, Grace and Rubens, with support from Bex. Both Denise and Grace have been with me throughout my time in charge of Hall and they have been quite phenomenal at ensuring the boarders have immaculate rooms and living areas. Sadly, Grace leaves this year and we wish her every success on the next part of her journey. Hall boys know our tutors are the best and Messrs Chua, Moat, Reeman, Smith, Edgell, Davies and Peerless were all thanked at the end of the year for the superb way they have guided our boys through the last year. We say goodbye to Mr Shah, Mr Burton and Mr Snell and numerous occasions, ice skating, Jimmy’s World Grill, Dodgeball, infl atable games on the Dixon Lawn, tug of war, Bath Half Marathons, Valentine’s Dinners, sporting success, sporting failures, academic success, academic failures, snow days, fans in bedrooms to cool them down, walking through the car park and not using the zebra crossing, Covid-19, quarantine, isolation, house kit, tutors coming and going, babies arriving, marriages, retirements, pool, monopoly, chess, cards, darts, being woken up with water pistols, being woken up with stink bombs(!), practice fi re alarms, real fi re alarms, Frankie and Liam, Nhyiraba making a huge dent in the wall (still not sure how!), noodles, mango chicken wraps on a Saturday, takeaways on Friday, Dominos (not the game), barbecues, PlayStation, FIFA 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, football on the lower astro, football world cups, Euro 2020, deer, foxes, squirrels, mugs, cuffl inks, tears of sadness, tears of laughter, #hallhouseheroes

I have always believed we are the sum of our parts. Everyone who is in Hall represents Hall and, as a consequence, when one of us achieves, we should all feel pride.

you will read more about them and the fantastic contribution they have made to Kingswood elsewhere in this magazine.

After ten years looking after Hall House it is also time for me to say farewell. I spoke to the boys collected together one last time in Hall on Wednesday 6 July and said the following words:

Ten years ago I became Senior Houseparent for Hall House. I was 43 years old and my kids were 4, 6 and 9 and Mrs Harding was….ten years younger.

At the time, I was Head of Drama, Activities Co-Ordinator and Assistant Houseparent in Westwood living on the top fl oor of the house with my family. The interview was conducted by Mr Morris and Mr Opie and I was very fortunate that I was selected to run Hall. At that point, Hall was based where Summerhill now have their home in Main School above the Headmaster’s offi ce and Dining Hall.

A lot, an awful lot, has happened in that time: house move into a brand new building, winning House music, being robbed in House music on

I know I certainly do. We have had international sportsmen, outstanding musicians and performers, outrageously clever academic students who have gained amazing results in examinations and inspirational teachers and tutors who have guided our boys through Kingswood via Hall.

BUT, I am most proud of us when a member of staff tells me about a selfless act – “I saw one of your boys offer to help one of the Support staff carry some books across to the Ferens the other day”; “The boys in your house are reliable, I know they will be in chapel or assembly on time and looking the smartest” or one of the best things I ever heard (and it was from Mr Opie!), “It was a testimony to him and your boys that they came in during the school holidays to help out at the memorial service even though they didn’t even know the person and was even considerate enough to wear their school uniform as a mark of respect”.

Being kind is at the core of being at Kingswood and I would add to that – respect one another and respect yourself.

I am going to miss being Hall’s Senior Houseparent but I know you are in very good hands with Mr Brown taking over and the majority of tutors staying. Please always remember, be kind, be respectful and always be #hallhouseheroes.

Farewell to all of our leavers and the very best of luck in where your journey takes you next.