News from
Issue No 5, 2018
Star Musician King’s bassoon player Francis Bushell (St John’s College School, Cambridge) achieved the great distinction of competing in the Woodwind Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition 2018. Francis had to pass through a rigorous selection process to reach this stage:“It was a wonderful experience”, says Francis. “Everyone was so helpful and the audience highly supportive.” He explains that he chose his programme “to represent all the different characteristics of the bassoon. It’s a wonderful
Prep pupils enjoyed the wonderful experience of singing in Canterbury Cathedral as the culmination of a Choral Day held at King’s in September.
instrument and the audience’s response is why I love playing.” Francis looks forward to a very busy time over King’s Week: “The very best time of the school year.” He has a whole series of performances scheduled including a bassoon solo and his very own concert, playing
Pupils from 14 schools attended and rehearsed during the morning and early afternoon under the guidance of Director of Music Will Bersey, and
Schubert. Francis looks forward to Cambridge where he has an offer to read Music. Beyond that he says: “I would love to be able to combine solo bassoon playing with conducting.” Hopefully Francis’ excellent performance in the BBC Young Musician Competition will have helped provide just the platform he needs.
Head of Singing Nick Todd. The Cathedral concert (with the kind permission of the Dean and Chapter) was attended by many parents and featured items by Bruckner, Elgar and Howells and closed with Bob Chilcott’s “Irish Blessing”. The school’s Crypt and Chamber Choirs also sang, as did some of the accompanying Prep school Music staff, and the audience were treated to a superb musical treat. The day was rounded off perfectly with a lovely tea in the Cathedral Chapter House.
Edited by David Hopkins, Head of Prep School Liaison (dnh@kings-school.co.uk)
Running For England Cross-Country runner Matt Stonier (Danes Hill and Junior King’s) achieved the distinction of running for the England Schools team against Wales, Scotland and Ireland at the end of March, coming 3rd overall. Matt won his place representing Kent a week earlier when he finished 2nd in a field of 242 boys from across the country. Matt, who runs with Invicta East Kent Athletic Club as well as at school, first began cross-country when he was at Danes Hill Prep before joining Junior King’s. He is pictured here with King’s Head of Cross-Country Mike Mawby, who is himself a highly accomplished England and GB runner, with a whole tally of excellent half-marathon and marathon performances. Mike comments: “It’s great to see what Matt has achieved already and we much look forward to seeing what the future holds.”
King’s Week 2018 King’s Week is a very special feature of King’s. Now in its 67th year, King’s Week 2018 promises to be another fabulous festival, with 111 events planned and over 15,000 audience members expected. The festival strives to provide pupils with opportunities to perform, create and present; it features music and drama of all kinds, as well as dance, art, sport, lectures and even the opportunity to enjoy the incredible food from the King’s Week Kitchen. Many pupils will say that the final week of the summer term is their favourite week of the entire school year and it isn’t hard to see why, as King’s once
again gears up to end the year on a high note. Robert Sanderson, King’s Week Manager (and Head of Geography), loves King’s Week in spite of the huge amount of work involved for him in masterminding and running such a full and complex event. When asked about his favourite event, he replies: “The best bit for me is never one single event. I love the buzz of the vintage bicycles round the Green Court, the music coming from the marquee and teas on the lawn, all framed by the Cathedral backdrop. It’s like a great merry-goround, with the Green Court in the centre.”
King’s Week 2018 Brochure Cover Design by Chloe Chan (Junior King’s)
Dramatic Developments
Ed Summers (Northcote Lodge) and Harvey Coulson (Junior King’s) in “Joseph K
Exciting times lie ahead for Drama at King’s with the new Malthouse Performing Arts Centre due to open in 2018/19. The Centre will provide wonderful facilities, including a 350 seat theatre, drama studio, dance studio and various seminar and small group spaces. Rebekah Beattie, Head of Drama, is very excited about the prospect: “The impact of the new facilities is going to be enormous. The spaces have been designed to be highly versatile and will provide
A 21st-Century School Magazine The King’s School magazine, The Cantuarian has an exciting new look this year under the guidance of Anthony Lyons, Head of Creative Writing, and Pupil Editor, Mark Bäcker (Junior King’s). “We wanted the new magazine to connect fully with the King’s community – locally, nationally and internationally, rather than just being a record of the school year,” explains Anthony. “We wanted it to be lively, readable and sometimes surprising, with a wide range of articles and writers.” Mark, who played a key role as Pupil Editor, and undertook a landmark interview with Canterbury’s new Labour MP Rosie Duffield, adds that he ensured a pupil perspective is expressed throughout the new magazine. Anthony comments, “Mark was invaluable as Editor and helped to keep us on course.” He sums up: “The Cantuarian needs to speak to and for parents, pupils, past pupils and staff, and to celebrate more than the obvious about the King’s community.” He, Mark and all the other contributors have done all they can to ensure this first edition of the new Cantuarian does just that.
complete flexibility over productions – the Malthouse Drama Centre will enable us to move to another level.” This school year has already been an excellent one, with a superb production in November of Tom Basden’s “Joseph K”, inspired by Kafka’s “The Trial”. The focus for Rebekah and her staff and pupils during the summer term, is very much King’s Week. The centrepiece play this year is Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew”, just one of five productions during the festival.
Love of Languages
6th form pupils, David Bickersteth (Marlborough House) and Molly Hardwick (Littlegarth) spoke of their love of languages to an audience of 30 Prep school teachers during a very successful Modern Languages Day held at King’s in February. David, Mollie and Mark Bäcker (Junior King’s) spoke initially in their chosen language Mandarin, French and Spanish respectively. David, who is planning to study Engineering at university, chose Mandarin because “Having studied German, Latin and Greek, I found Mandarin different and
a new challenge. I have visited China and would be very interested to work there.” Molly plans to read French and Spanish at Durham after King’s: “I have studied a variety of languages from Prep school and have always enjoyed the practical and fun way in which I have been taught. The exchange between King’s and the Lycée in London was very helpful in increasing my fluency as well as in giving me the experience of a French school without leaving UK.” Ben Pennells, Head of Modern Languages who organised the excellent day was very proud of his pupils, and the audience were highly impressed by their fluency, both in foreign languages, and in English when they answered questions!
The Pupils’ View A particular feature of King’s Open Days is the Pupils’ Panel where visitors are able to ask questions in an open forum. The occasion is an excellent opportunity for prospective pupils and their parents to quiz the Panel on aspects of King’s life and makes for a lively and interesting Pupils’ Panel Members Sophie Brown, Charlie session. Questions from Watson and Theo Davies-Jones younger visitors are especially encouraged make up the panel, with Deputy and add to the diversity of Head Admissions and Marketing aspects which the King’s panel Ian MacEwen in the chair. The are asked to cover. The March pupils handled the various Open Morning saw Sophie questions with skill and humour Brown (Peet Junior High, including the interesting, but Texas), Charlie Watson (Junior potentially tricky “What would King’s) and Theo Davies-Jones you change about the school?” (Dulwich Prep, Cranbrook)
Peer Listening
Peer Listeners meet in the Gateway Chamber
A Peer Listening scheme at King’s plays a valuable part in the school’s pastoral care, with over twenty 6th Form students from all 16 Houses performing the role this year. Peer Listening was first set up four years ago. “The scheme provides another important strand of pastoral support,” explains Deputy Head (Pastoral) Tanya Lee. “Quite often pupils just need to talk something out and in these instances another pupil is just the right person to talk to.” Pupils apply to be Listeners during the Spring term and go through a rigorous selection process, with written applications followed by interviews with staff and House references, before appointments are finally made. “Training is held over two days towards the end of the Summer term” continues Miss Lee. “It is really quite intensive and emphasises the importance of factors such as confidentiality and respect, as well as providing guidance over issues such as when cases must be referred. Once the Listeners are in place, they work with four key staff and have weekly meetings to keep in touch and to discuss issues and concerns. I have been so pleased with how the scheme has developed
since its start. As well as supporting individual pupils, it also adds another layer of leadership and service here at King’s.” Peer Listeners for 201718 are: Stephanie Andrews (Holmewood House), Jonah Baker (Brambletye), Oscar Balfour (Northbourne Park), Marie-Louise Bird (Kent College), George Broxham (Dulwich Prep Cranbrook), Lucy Bryant (Brambletye), Francis Bushell (St John’s College School, Cambridge), Tobe Chima (Hong Kong Academy), Flora Clark (Putney High School), Emma Coe (Marlborough College, Malaysia), Theo Davies-Jones (Dulwich Prep Cranbrook), Soti George (Junior King’s), Molly Hardwick (Littlegarth School), Amy and Louise Hinshelwood (Broomwood Hall), Polly Killingbeck (Brambletye), Amelia Paine (Thomas’s Clapham), Mabel Pickering (Alleyn’s School), Henry Rutman (Marlborough House), Anna Shepherd-Barron (Junior King’s), Isabella Snow (Discovery College, Hong Kong), Imogen Taylor (Brambletye), Harry Trelawny-Vernon (Saint Ronan’s), Charles Watson (Junior King’s)
King’s Week Band
A highlight of this year’s King’s Week will be when seven talented pupils play music by the legendary American rock band Steely Dan in a programme of concerts which culminates with an open-air performance on the lawns at St Augustine’s Abbey. 2018 will be the 12th year that the King’s Week Band has performed. In previous years, music has featured a diverse selection which has included Pink Floyd, ABBA, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The music-making all happens under the guidance of Nick Parvin, Lead Teacher of Music Tech. and Rock Band activities. Nick, who still plays in bands himself, explains: “The idea was that rock or pop music should be played at King’s at the same very high level as classical music.” The music played will depend on the interests of each year’s group. This year’s
Dan Ball (Marlborough House), Christina Rhodes (Junior King’s), Duy Phimasset (British International School Vietnam), Tom Lane (The Perse, Cambridge), Caroline Loane (Lady Margaret School, Fulham) and Mr Nick Parvin. Not pictured: Halden Cooke (Rygaards International School, Copenhagen) and Jeremy Wan (Ying Wa College)
suggestion came from Nick: “The group needed a challenge and were interested in more sophisticated jazz-influenced music. Most of them hadn’t really listened to Steely Dan, but they took it away for a listen and came back full of enthusiasm.”
Study Smarter An impressive range of Study Skills workshops, run by Librarian Philippa Rose and her staff, help pupils to look to an increasingly digital future with confidence. As Philippa explains: “As fake news becomes increasingly part of our everyday experience, it’s essential to be able to spot it. We also look at assessing the credibility of self-published authors, learning how to find and store information using online organisation tools and making sure that
pupils know how to avoid plagiarism.” Plenty of ideas for workshops come from the pupils themselves and their Library Committee suggested a new note-taking workshop which has been a great success. Philippa adds: “Pupils also wanted to find more time simply to read for fun – Saturday late afternoon sessions, with a relaxed atmosphere, including hot chocolate and doughnuts, are proving very popular!” The Library Committee: Kathryn Rand (Junior King’s), Phoebe Heptinstall (Broomwood Hall), Eliza Morrison (Junior King’s), Cara Bromley (Woldingham), Masha Korovina (SAAS Marina, Moscow), Shirley Fu (Tudor Hall), Kiya Khan (Junior King’s)
New Day House Building When Mitchinson’s pupils closer together because of arrived back for the second the excellent lay-out of staff half of the Lent term they and pupils’ accommodation.” entered a brand new House. When asked to describe the Over the 10 days of half-term, 6thForm accommodation, staff had worked incredibly Head of House Nima hard to move everything from Hojatoleslami (Junior the old House in the Mint King’s) summed up the mood Yard to the new building in perfectly when he replied with St Radigund’s, just outside just one word: “Awesome!” the Precincts. Pupils and staff have been delighted with the new House and have quickly settled in. Housemistress Emma Ladd comments: “The building is so bright and modern and we all love it. It’s such an inviting place with a pleasant, Mrs Ladd with Mitchinson’s pupils: Eddie Instance cosy feel and both (Ashford), Grace Chester and Alex Harden pupils and staff want (Junior King’s), Lottie Karolyi (Loretto School), to spend time here. Max Bondatti and Charlotte Claydon (Junior In fact, it’s brought us King’s)
Emirates Cricket Tour King’s enjoyed an excellent Cricket tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the February halfterm. The boys’ touring party of 14 played five matches, including one in the magnificent 20,000 seater Zayed Cricket Stadium. Various notable performances with the ball, included a five wicket haul by Zach Barker (Saint Ronan’s), as well as useful spells by George HowardSmith (Vinehall), Will Oates (Junior King’s) and Richard Heywood (Simon Langton). With the bat, Captain Heywood scored 53 against Etihad Academy,
while Isaac Rahman (Junior King’s) made 60 versus Dubai College. The tour, which ran in conjunction with a Netball Tour of the same locations, proved a very good warmup to the new season as well as being a marvellous experience. Other members of the Tour party were: Alfie Gurtler (St Paul’s Cathedral School), Barnaby and Gabriel May (King’s College School, Cambridge), Frederick Miller (King’s House), Rory Pritchard (Wellesley House), Sid Ravishankar (Eagle House), William Sturges (Vinehall), Tomas Edgar and Dhiren Gidoomal (Junior King’s).