KGS Newsletter Feb 2016

1KGS Newsletter ∙ FEBRUARY 2016

with a blue-black run. This was thanks to Barry, their instructor, who managed to get the right combination of teaching and fun, with a few film quotes mixed in!

FEBRUARY 2016 ∙ www.kgs.org.uk

NEWSLETTER

After a 5000-mile journey, two planes, three airports and a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride, we arrived at Winter Park

greeted by a frosty atmosphere and the best turkey sandwich you have ever tasted. With a 6.30am wake-up call and a full American breakfast, we started the next day with the ski

KGS HITS THE SLOPESA group of KGS students and staff spent an enjoyable week on the ski slopes over February half term

MAD FOREST ∙ page 6 SPORTS NEWS ∙ page 14

Review of the Middle School play, 'Mad Forest'

Updates from Hockey, Rowing & Indoor Cricket

continued on page 3

fitting. We rode a shuttle bus up to the luxury ski resort before meeting our instructors who would teach and guide us for the next six days.

The beginners' group showed a great improvement, evidenced by the fact that they started the week on the green runs, and ended

2 FEBRUARY 2016 ∙ KGS Newsletter

welcome

WELCOMEWhen writing the introduction for the

South Africa Hockey Tour magazine recently, I called to mind the

exceptionally strong and positive memories I have of touring the country as both teacher and sports coach. I vividly recall reflecting on what a great opportunity it was for the students in my care. South Africa is a wonderfully diverse, interesting and engaging country. Every aspect of its history, including the period of apartheid, which was brought to a surprisingly peaceful resolution through the work of immense, historic individuals such as Nelson Mandela, is there for all to see. Aside from its history, South Africa has a rich cultural heritage that everyone can enjoy. Much, but not all, of this is embedded in the South African love of sport. As nations we share a commitment to remembering our past, celebrating our successes and having a vision for our future. My memories, however, suggest that our students may not yet have encountered the degree of consistent, high-level competitiveness (with no small amount of ability thrown in) that they will do in South Africa.

Even before I took up my position as Head Master at Kingston Grammar School I was impressed by both the immense breadth and diversity of the local, national and international opportunities available to KGS students to both travel and tour. This continues unabated and in this month’s Newsletter you can read what some of the School community experienced whilst skiing in Colorado and our recent CCF camp will feature in our March Newsletter. Meanwhile, others prepare for the staggering number of trips and activities that are coming up over the Easter period that include language exchanges to Madrid in Spain and Châlons-en-Champagne in France, a Hockey tour to Wageningen in the Netherlands, Rowing camps both in Gloucestershire and in Souston, France, CCF

Mr SR LehecHead Master

Follow Mr Lehec on Twitter @KGSHEADMASTER

"These trips will form part of a student’s most vivid memories of their

school days"

STUDENTS IN COLORADO DURING THE HALF TERM BREAK

Adventure training in Sunnybridge in the Brecon Beacons and the CU Houseparty on the Isle of Wight. News and reports of these wonderfully exciting opportunities will no doubt appear in the next few editions of the Newsletter, as well as in our renowned annual publication, the Kingstonian.

These trips will form part of a student’s most vivid memories of their school days and I’m reminded that we are very lucky to have a dedicated and passionate staff willing to create such exciting opportunities as well as such supportive parents and students who are ready to take advantage of them.

Perhaps what matters most is the qualities that our students will gain, for the rest of their lives,

in doing so. This is especially true of travelling to South Africa, a nation that has undergone such dramatic transformation in living memory. As the great British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said, “Travel teaches toleration” and I can think of no finer quality to instil in our students in this age of seemingly increasing intolerance.

As the Zulu say, “Hamba Kahle!” (Go well!).●

KGS Choral Society concert, 12th March, 7pmPerformed by:

KGS Choral SocietySchool Chamber ChoirKingston Sinfonietta

Brahms RequiemParry: Blest Pair of Sirens

A Cappella songs by Reger and Rheinberger

Book your tickets here: www.kgs.org.uk/events/choral-society-concert

Venue: St Andrew’s Church, Maple Road, Surbiton KT6 4AB

Tickets £14 (£10 child)

http://www.kgs.org.uk/events/choral-society-concert


school life

ON THE SLOPES IN COLORADOThe advanced group spent the majority

of the time on mogul runs (for those who don’t know what these are, they

are mounds of snow closely packed together on the piste). The instructor, Andrea, had a clear passion for moguls which she managed to pass on to the rest of the group, despite our aching knees.

After a long hard day skiing, we always looked forward to having some down time in the room before a fun night out. During our stay, we ate at many classic American restaurants (Randi’s Pub & Grill being our favourite!) as well a Mexican night and pizza party. We also undertook a variety of après-ski activities. These comprised bowling, swimming, ice-tubing, shopping at Cooper Creek Square and a visit to the local convenience store. This was the first time any of us had ever gone ice-tubing which involves sitting in a rubber ring, either by yourself or

with a partner, and sliding down an icy track at around 27mph! The local swimming pool was equipped with a slide, a lazy river, a hot tub and a water basketball court.

On the final evening, we undertook the traditional ski-trip quiz, with questions varying from countries to the bus driver’s name on Tuesday morning (Mr Beard came up with that one!). We then visited Randi’s one last time to enjoy the classic American burger with not double, but triple-fried fries! Finally, we packed and left on Saturday morning, awaiting the two-day journey ahead of us. We may have left Colorado but we brought its spirit with us.

This trip could not have happened without the work and organisation of the ‘chaperones’, Mr Beard, Miss Postgate and Miss Adolphus and, of course, the preparation done by Mr Rodgers. The skiers (and one

snowboarder) have learnt a lot and look forward to going back to Winter Park in 2017!●

Aryan Bhasin, 4LJS & Toby Fairhurst, 4PJJ

READY TO SKI AT WINTER PARK

The ski trip has been booked to return to Winter Park next year during February Half Term. Information about how to take part can be obtained from Mr Rodgers or can be found in the Weekly Bulletin on Firefly.

TRIPS


school life

In October, twenty ambitious students in Lower Sixth decided to put our business skills to the test by joining the KGS Young

Enterprise team with the aim of starting our own successful company. This will assist us in harnessing skills that we will find vital in the future, such as resilience, confidence and working to a strict deadline whilst under pressure.

After various suggestions and numerous votes, we decided to name our company 'SEEKO', the Japanese word for success. Starting with under £500, which came from each member buying shares in our company, the objective is to earn as much money as we can, by buying and selling our own product, by the end of the school year. The decision was made early on to donate all profits we earn to a cause which we all agree on – supporting the environment by promoting recycling and decreasing packaging waste. This, we find, gives us an extra incentive to make our company as prosperous as we can, as we know our efforts will go to an excellent cause.

At the Christmas Fair in December we managed to nearly double our money by selling KGS-branded thermos cups and diaries, as well as candles and sweets. Dedicated members of the team stayed at school as late as 8pm in order to ensure we earned as much as was possible. For Christmas, we decided to engage in one more fundraising drive, selling candy canes and various items remaining from the Christmas Fair. This earned us enough money to allow us to buy our final product.

YOUNG ENTERPRISE Our Sixth Form company, SEEKO, tell us about their product and progress so far

"SEEKO is the Japanese word

for success"

After many intense debates, we finally settled on the product our company would sell: collapsible lunch boxes. Perfect for holding your lunch, whether it's warm or cold, and then folding up once empty in order to create more space in your bag. Although we suffered some disconcerting setbacks, we finally welcomed the exciting arrival of our stock last January. They did not disappoint.

MY REFLECTIVE ESSAY ON MY A* READING CHALLENGEI have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the A* Reading Mission. Before I started this challenge I used to judge a book by its cover - and of course that probably limited what I was choosing. During this mission I have learnt not to judge a book by the way it looks but to try it whether I like the pictures or not. It doesn’t even matter if I don’t like it because I know that I have tried a book that I normally wouldn’t have read. This has helped me broaden my horizons and has allowed me to discover new books.

This assignment has also helped to expand my vocabulary. In reading a wider variety of books I have come across many new words such as the names of all the different coins used in the olden days (from

Pygmalion). This has helped me in many different school subjects so I can definitely say that taking part in the reading challenge has helped me e n o r m o u s l y.

Having to read more books has forced me to find more time to just pause whatever I am doing. It has given me a chance to unwind and let myself become immersed in someone else's story. This has helped me get more sleep, become calmer and relaxed and has given me time to just take a deep breath and slow down to discover something, or someone, else. I shall definitely be continuing to challenge myself in my book choices. ●Jasmin Good, 2RJW

'DON'T THROW, FOLD'N'GO'


school life

LUNCHTIME OF LOVEOn Friday 12th February we acknowledged the then-imminent St. Valentine’s Day by

holding a festival of poetry, drama and song devoted to the theme of love. Pupils wrote and performed their own pieces covering a range of emotions; we also heard

some traditional poems chosen by pupils.

A new feature of this year’s event was the recording of some of the performances on film. Natasha Burrell, Jessica Cropley, Holly Blake, Camila Carbajal, Chloe Taylor and Emily Adam combined to produce the ‘Poetry mash-up film’ which included a rendering of Shakespeare’s ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ Mr Bond devised his own poem by combining mem-orable famous lines and creating a subtle, complex hybrid work. He made the interpretation even more cryptic by filming different pupils delivering the lines, with Josie Palmer, George Parrot, Fergus Ainsworth, James Gawn, Jamie Bisping, Jack Bowman, Emma Pitcairn, Maddie Kelly, Finn Stammers and Joe Mallinson each enjoying a few seconds of fame.

Ruairi Parker, Ewan Galloway-Hale and Alex Gavrilescu began proceedings with ‘Ed’s Hunt for Love’ whilst Jude Boden and Jamie Van Hesteren Jones delivered Shakespeare’s ‘If I should think of love’. Drama was provided by ‘Love Square’, in which two couples (Heidi Wort, Jamie Van Hesteren Jones, Thomas Hall and Chloe Taylor) attend a therapy session, ably conducted by Giulia Duggan.

Miss Brackley delivered ‘Shopping for Elizabeth’, a touchingly insightful poem about emo-tional as well as physical ‘presents’ that she wrote on the birth of her best friend’s daughter.

The event had a fitting finale with Anna Gray following up her moving piece ‘Why don’t you ever look me in the eyes?’ by singing a duet with Emilia Kinzler, ‘Jar of Hearts’. As well as singing, Emilia also accompanied on the keyboard. The Lunchtime of Love, attended by over 30 pupils, showcased the originality and creativity that can be brought to this enduring theme. ●

Mr J Smith

After viewing our products, we decided on the perfect name - 'Collapsiware' - with the slogan 'Don’t throw, Fold'n'Go'. We are currently putting all our efforts into selling this fantastic product.

We would like to thank to Mrs Rhys, Dr Kennedy and our business advisers who have put extensive efforts into helping us along our journey, and we look forward to making our business prosper over the following months.

If you wish to purchase a Collapsiware lunch box, or would like any further information, visit our website seekokgs.wix.com/collapsiware. Alternatively you can email our Managing Director, Theo Cons, at [email protected]. ●

Daisy Parker, L6PSG


school life

Directed by Mr Crohill, the Middle School Production of ‘Mad Forest’ was a dark and gritty production which explored the impact of Ceauşescu’s Communist regime on the people of

Romania. Written by Caryl Churchill, in collaboration with students from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, the play fused the experiences of two families with verbatim accounts of the massacre at Timişoara.

Act 1 began before the uprising and documented a nation of people living in fear. Silence was all around, with freedom of speech and religion controlled by the Securitate. In the midst of this, two families, the Vladus and the Antonescus, were battling between themselves, with the younger generation wanting to push for change and the older in fear of repercussions. Fifth Years Luca Kamleh-Chapman, James Hall, Lucy Tait, Izzy Toner, Isobel Thom, Will Garside, Katie Crawford and Will Freeman showed their experience and talent as they carefully guided the audience through the montage of short scenes. Act 2 saw personal accounts of the uprising and massacre at Timişoara. The striking image of the Romanian flag with the communist symbols torn out from the centre started the act. What followed were deeply moving accounts of the revolution. All of the actors in the verbatim section came from the Third and Fourth Year and I was hugely impressed with some of the performances. Kitty Griffin, Jack Durden, Harry Torrance, Issy James and Omid Alavi all brought their characters to life, and communicated their stories with passion and emotion.

Act 3 documented the people’s response to Ceauşescu after his execution. As confidence grew alongside freedom of speech and thought, a new enemy began to emerge, that of long-held and deep-seated racism and xenophobia amongst the people. As the voices became louder and stronger, the differences that were once hidden beneath the common enemy appeared and threatened to destroy the new-found freedom. The non-naturalistic characters of the Vampire (Lucy Evans) and Angel (Holly Godliman) communicated the people’s hopes and fears directly to the audience.

The design concept drew together some of the main features and themes of the play. Designed and built by Mr Gray and Mr Edwards, the stark functionality of the homes juxtaposed with the violent imagery from the uprising. The vivid colour in the flags emphasising the hope of the people was placed alongside projected imagery of violence and suffering. Mrs Borrows once again costumed the production exquisitely, with careful attention paid to the mythology and tradition evident in the text. Many congratulations to all involved, and to Mr Crohill for directing a challenging and thought-provoking production. ●

Miss S Boulton

'MAD FOREST' REVIEW

DRAMA


school life

"A dark and gritty production which

explored the impact of Ceauşescu’s

Communist regime"

DRAMA


school life

The first of these was the RAF section’s participation in the Regional Heats of the Air Squadron Trophy on Sunday 31st

January. The competition involves a variety of CCF RAF section-related activities, such as a highly contested drill display, first aid, fitness test, shooting, command tasks and RAF knowledge. Cadet Hedley reports:

I found the trip to RAF Halton to be both entertaining and educational. I took part in four events which I thoroughly enjoyed. My favourite event would probably have to be the command task where we were asked to build a free-standing propeller with 3ft-long blades out of lengths of plastic, plastic nuts and bolts and a couple pieces of string. Even though we did not fully achieve the task I think that as a team we worked as hard and efficiently as possible to achieve our goal, listening to each other and following instructions from our IC, Sgt Jake Cutts. We did better in other categories such as first aid and fitness. The girls who did the fitness task earned some well-deserved points for our team and a special mention to Cdt Izzie Jones who was the last girl left in the bleep

CCF UPDATEThe CCF has had several high profile events since returning from the Christmas holidays

test. Overall I think we grew as a flight and will hopefully reflect on our errors and aim to do even better next year.

Shortly after the competition, we were informed that we had indeed won the fitness test element of the competition. Well done to everyone involved.

The team comprised:

Sgt Matt Pugh – I/CSgt Jake Cutts – 2I/CCpl Oliver ColeCpl Jacob PhillipsL/Cpl Mikalas PolenskyCdt Sorrel Humphrey


school life

Cdt Izzie JonesCdt Frances HedleyCdt Amelia PetersonCdt Ellena Eley

The second of our big events this month was the visit of Wing Commander Mark Jackson, RAF fast jet pilot, on Friday 5th February. Wing Commander Jackson is the brother of Mr Jackson, Head of PE, and we owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Jackson for arranging his brother’s visit.Wing Commander Jackson delivered a thoroughly captivating speech, where he spoke about his illustrious career to date in the RAF,

including flying and instructing on the RAF’s elite fighter plane, the Tornado GR4. Following his talk, Wing Commander Jackson met with the RAF section and discussed the concepts of flying and his depth of training to become a pilot. In addition, he kindly gave away two prized possessions to two of our lucky cadets, Sgt Cutts and Cdt Richardson. The first of these items was a pair of flying gloves that he wore on his last operational sortie and the second, a pin from a missile on his first operational flight.

The contingent would like to thank the Wing Commander for taking the time to come and talk to our cadets and we wish him every success in his new posting at Joint Headquarters Northwood. ●

Mr A Beggs

Turn to page 13 for Sgt Matt Pugh's thoughts on the Wing Commander's visit

SIXTH FORM DRAMA FESTIVALFriday 22nd January saw three

outstanding performances from our Senior Students forming the

culmination of the Drama Festival Week with A level students from the Upper Sixth presenting their examination pieces. From concept to staging, these pieces responded to the writing of Crimp and Ravenhill, and utilised the physical performance styles of DV8 and Frantic Assembly.

With challenging subject matter, and some quite exceptional performances, the work was thought-provoking and intelligent. We also saw the Lower Sixth Drama scholars present an extract from Marber’s ‘Closer’. Directed by former School Captain, and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduate Molly Hanson-Akins, this piece dealt with human interaction and strong emotions. Again, another quite outstanding performance. Operation Enlightenment Upper Sixth Examination pieceInspired by Martin Crimp and using extracts from the works of Mark Ravenhill, 'Operation Enlightenment' explored the way modern societies drive fear of terrorists which can in turn lead to the torture and manipulation of innocent people.Cast: Josie Palmer; George Parrot; Paula Antalffy; Archie Sturton (lighting design)

CloserThis extract from 'Closer' was taken from Scene 2, where Dan (Bisping) has gone to visit Anna (Le Feuvre) to have his photo taken for the book sleeve. They are strangers but we find there is electricity between them. As the scene develops we meet Dan's girlfriend Alice (Kelly), who also wishes to be photographed, but her intentions are not as innocent as they seem.Cast: Charlotte Le Feuvre; Jamie Bisping; Maddie Kelly EntrapmentInspired by playwrights Martin Crimp and Steven Berkoff, the piece followed three ways in which 'entrapment' can manifest itself in everyday life. Influence was taken from artistic director of DV8 Lloyd Newson, and his innovative approach to devising physical theatre.Cast: James Gawn; Laura Marcus; Maya Yousif ●

Miss S Boulton

"A special mention to Cdt Lizzie Jones who was the last

girl standing in the bleep test"


school life

On Monday 8th February, some 110 students from KGS, Tiffin (Boys’ and Girls’), Sutton Grammar, Sutton High,

KCS Wimbledon and Wimbledon High battled their way through the last death-throes of Storm Imogen to the magnificent surroundings of Glaziers Hall in Southwark for our now-biennial Careers in Engineering event.

The event, a joint venture between KGS Friends and the Careers Department, enjoyed support from the Energy Institute and the Institute of Chemical Engineers, while the Women’s Engineering Society, the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Institute of Civil Engineers all provided representatives to speak to the students, with Headstart and the Engineering Development Trust providing informational material.

In total 32 expert practitioners – drawn from parents, alumni and diverse personal contacts as well as those provided by the various supporting bodies, in fields ranging from Oil and Gas to Architecture and Carbon Management, from Scientific Instrument Makers (Glaziers Hall being the home of the

CAREERS IN ENGINEERING EVENING

'SAD CULTURE' EXHIBITIONThroughout the Spring term the Baxter Gallery will be hosting an exhibition of artwork by First Year Painting students from Wimbledon College of Art. ‘Sad Culture’ comments on contemporary society and culture by exploring changing methods of communication such as emojis and emoticons. Curators Joanna Martin and Alex Harding explain this idea further: “We are living in a time of 'Post Internet Art' and our exhibition hopes to reflect that, questioning whether painting is a reiteration of the past, or a medium that can encapsulate a period of time irrespective of its creation that is still a relevant force in today’s culture.” The exhibition will be on display from 22nd February – 11th April. ●

Miss S Christie

their Worshipful Company) to Civil, Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers – were on hand to talk to the students about their careers, to offer advice and guidance about qualifications and how to get on and to give insights into what their work is like. It was an inspirational evening for those attending, and the professionals present were very impressed by the intelligence, commitment and enthusiasm of the students. As one said, ‘They asked all the right questions.’

Our thanks go to the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers for hosting the evening in their splendid riverside home, to the bodies who provided such generous support, to all the experts who gave up their time so readily to talk to the next generation of engineers, but especially to Old Kingstonians and KGS Friends Gopal Srinivasan and Claire Saul – and to Claire’s family, who were there in force – for being the driving forces behind the success of this wonderful occasion. ●

Mr ND Bond

KGS FRIENDS HOSTED THE EVENT AT GLAZIERS HALL, SOUTHWARK

EVENTS


school life

CAREERS EVENING 2016Once again, the KGS Careers Evening

was a huge success. We had close to 500 students and parents attending

the event, and over 40 different careers being represented by 50 different speakers. Talks ranged from Accountancy, Acting, Advertising and Architecture to Scientific Research, Social Work, Teaching and Veterinary Medicine, taking in everything in-between!

The talks were engaging and informative, giving students an excellent insight into career opportunities, and a broader careers education. Once again the talks were followed by the Careers Fair which packed out the Hall and the Hattersley Room during the second half of the evening. This again proved an excellent format, giving students a chance to talk to speakers individually, get a more in-depth look into that career area, as well as asking about potential work experience.

Particular thanks must go to those who helped make the evening such a success. Old Kingstonians continue to be a central part of the evening, many of whom contribute

regularly to not only our Careers events but also to other aspects of school life. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to welcome them back to KGS for the evening, and appreciate how much they give back. The event also couldn’t provide such a range of interesting careers talks without the help of parents, who represented 28 different careers this year. Thank you very much for the help you offered, particularly those who

were dashing between their own talks and accompanying children to other sessions. Finally, thank you to the staff who were involved for finding speakers to talk on some areas or volunteering themselves in others. The whole evening requires a large number of people to give of their time and expertise, and this has been greatly appreciated by all those involved, the students in particular.

If you did attend the evening and have not yet done so, please do send us an email with your feedback, to enable us to make the event even better next year. ●

Mr SR Morris

SINGING FOR THEIR LUNCHFirst Year students were treated to

an inspirational opera workshop on Thursday 11th February. Four members

from English Pocket Opera visited KGS for the day, with each of the classes being taught songs from the opera 'Carmen' in workshops during the day. This included learning the words, the music, staging and moving around on stage. The day ended with a combined session of all classes. English Pocket Opera performed a fantastic array of excerpts from different operas to demonstrate various styles and structures used in opera, and this was interspersed with performances from the students

singing what they had learnt during the day. Students were really fired up when they put together all the songs for a final mini version of Carmen to conclude the day. This was an energetic, fun and creative way of being introduced to elements of the opera; being directly involved in performing the songs and choruses on stage at the end of the day gave students a taste of what it is like to be part of an opera production at an opera house. A brilliant workshop! We look forward to welcoming English Pocket Opera back for further workshops in the future. ●

Mr M von Freyhold

"500 students and parents attended

the event"

EVENTS


school life

You may be aware that KGS has established a link with a school in Ghana. Sacred Heart is a school of 150

pupils aged 2-16, three hours north of Ghana’s capital, Accra, set amongst rural fields and lush rainforest. As part of our link with Sacred Heart, we have successfully launched a gap year programme for our Upper Sixth leavers. We would like to offer the same opportunity for four to six school leavers or alumni in September 2016 or January 2017 to spend three, five or nine months teaching English, Maths, Science or another specialist subject at the school. In addition, they would also offer another co-curricular interest such as sport, music, art or drama – anything which would enrich the education of the Ghanaian children.

The KGS students would be accommodated in comfortable quarters at the school and in all matters would effectively be adopted as part

GAP YEAR IN GHANAOpportunity for 4-6 leavers and alumni to spend 3, 5 or 9 months teaching in Ghana during 2016-2017

of the Headmaster’s family. Prior to arriving at the school, the students would spend an acclimatisation week in Accra, where they would also gain an insight into the best of Ghanaian culture.

Students would be encouraged to make the most of their free time and weekends to travel or get involved in the local community, and after their stint at the school they would have the opportunity to see the best of Ghana and West Africa’s world-class jungles, wildlife and beaches. All this would be offered at a considerably reduced price compared to that offered by other gap year operators. The students would also benefit from far greater training and support, both in the country and from KGS. Upper Sixth formers planning gap years may also qualify for Travel Awards from KGS Friends.

"Students would be encouraged to make the most of the free

time to travel"

Please contact Mr Bond ([email protected]) or the alumni officer, Katie Raymond ([email protected]) for details of how to apply.

If this is of interest, if only provisionally, please do get in touch with me via email at [email protected]

In terms of a gap year choice, it is hard to imagine a more worthwhile and exciting opportunity. I hope you will feel inspired to apply. ●

Mr N Mackay


school life

FIRST YEAR DISCO

In the summer, two teams of students from the current Lower Sixth and Fifth Year are travelling around Vietnam for

21 days. The three weeks they spend there will involve a five-day-long trek, ten days working on a volunteering project and six days exploring the country. Each team will visit two rural villages where they will help the locals by laying pathways; this is something which the communities there have requested and feel they will benefit most from. In order to fundraise for this project, the Lower Sixth organised a disco for the First Years. At the end of the night, a total of £273 was raised, all of which will go towards the project and to covering the cost materials. The evening was enjoyed by all involved and lots of positive feedback was received from the First Years, with one student saying, “Has there been a better disco?” Given the success, there may be a summer disco at the end of the year...

Throughout the rest of the expedition to Vietnam, the teams will be staying in community halls, run by welcoming locals. As well as this, they have chosen to carry out their trek around one of the peaceful, undisturbed National Parks. Towards the end of the expedition, a few days will be spent exploring Hoi An, a city on Vietnam’s central coast, famous for its unique heritage sites. Finally, the three weeks will be rounded off with a trip around Halong-Bay, known for being home to hundreds of scattered islands, covered in lush forests and surrounded by the emerald green waters. ●

Domi Rybova, L6RJS

UN DEBATE EN ESPAÑOL

Last week Anna and I were given the opportunity to participate in a Spanish Debating Competition at Whitgift School.

16 schools fought it out through a series of rounds to decide who were the most persua-sive, eloquent and knowledgeable speakers in the county! We prepared for three motions: whether the Spanish colonisation of Latin America was wrong, whether new technology will lead to people no longer learning lan-guages and finally whether Catalonia should leave Spain.

On the night, we drew our first debate but were awarded a victory against our opponents in terms of carrying the motion. This was followed by a second victory. Unfortunately, an equal points score after these two rounds meant we had to go head to head with our first

opponents again. After a tough deciding debate we lost 4-5 on points. Although we were quite nervous on the night, being challenged by peers in a foreign language was a stimulating and extremely useful experience. In fact, the students we originally beat went on to win the title, so we left with our heads held high! ● Anna Wallich & Alice Grimley-Evans, U6NEM

VISIT TO CCF OF WG CDR JACKSONWhat’s life like as a fast jet pilot? This

is a question particularly relevant to members of the CCF, some of whom

may well see themselves as future fighter aces. And what better way to find out than for Mr Jackson’s fighter pilot brother to come to KGS on a Friday afternoon to speak to the CCF?

Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) Jackson only recently finished flying Tornado fighter-bombers for 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron (mais après lui, il n’y avait pas de déluge, much to the caretakers’ relief). He first addressed the whole of the CCF, giving a brief run-through of his career to date – which has included tours of Iraq and Afghanistan and a flight with TV’s Dan Snow – as well as a description of everyday life in the RAF. To those cadets most zealously answering his questions, he made gifts of the safety pin from the first bomb he ever dropped and the gloves he wore for his last ever sortie.

Afterwards, Wg Cdr Jackson remained with the RAF section for a more detailed discussion about his job, focusing particularly on the unparalleled skill of piloting such a powerful aircraft as the Tornado. The main message of his address was that even though fighter pilots are the best of the best, to number among the few is perfectly achievable for the most determined and committed. And yes, he has been sick in an aeroplane, so there really are no insurmountable hurdles.

To finish, KGS CCF says a huge thank you to Wg Cdr Jackson for his time and for the insight he provided into his line of work, and we wish him good luck for his future career – particularly in terms of getting to command the squadron. ●

Sgt Matt Pugh, L6TMR


school life

On Monday 1st February, the KGS Boys’ First XI Hockey team began their National Cup campaign. After a bye

in the first round, we faced a potentially challenging opponent, Peter Symonds College, in the second round. The format of the cup, a straight knockout competition, puts more pressure on every game for fear of elimination, but some early goals and a performance marked by good passing resulted in a comfortable 8-1 win in Southampton.

The fixtures come thick and fast at this time of year, with the next round just a week later against RGS Guildford. The squad was further depleted through injury, so we had just 13 players available for the match and, having only beaten RGS 5-4 a few months ago, we were anticipating a very close and intense match. However, we started very positively and were 3-0 up after five minutes. Producing our best performance as a team this year, we secured another 8-1 victory, with seven different scorers, to send out a strong message to the other schools in the competition. Our next match is against Reeds (whose coach was taking notes at Guildford) in the last 16 round, and the whole squad is excited as we know that we are getting into the serious stages of the tournament. ●

Ben Park, L6JMD

BOYS' 1ST XI NATIONAL CUPROUNDS TWO AND THREE

U13A TEAM REPORTS

On Monday 1st February the Girls’ U13 A Hockey team went to Surbiton to take part in a tournament. Overall

we came second in the Plate league with some outstanding hockey being played. The team included Lily Mercier (Captain), Jasmin Good, Matilda Halliwell, Rosie Callen, Clara John, Emma Sloan, Clara Hinde, Izzy Kerr, Maria Uria Kabashima and Simi Isaacson (Goalkeeper). The team played St Teresa’s and lost 0-2. We then played Reigate GS and drew 0-0, going on to draw 0-0 with Godolphin and Latymer and narrowly losing 2-1 to Surbiton High. We then faced St Teresa’s for the second time, beating them 1-0. This sent us into the finals where we were unlucky to lose to Reigate with a score of 3-2. They standard of the girl’s hockey increased dramatically as the tournament progressed and we all felt we really came closer as a team. Special mention should go to to Simi Isaacson who has recently just started playing as goalie again after dropping it in First Year. She played amazingly in the tournament, saving some incredible goals. Congratulations to the whole team on their performance. ●

Wednesday 3rd February saw the Girls’ U13 A team travel to Alleyn’s School to compete in the London

Tournament. The team of Lily Mercier (Captain), Jasmin Good (Vice-captain), Matilda Halliwell, Clara John, Clara Hinde, Emma Sloan, Maria Uria Kabashima, Izzy Kerr and Simi Isaacson (goalkeeper) played brilliantly as a team and came third overall. We smashed the first match, beating Alleyn’s Bs 9-0, going on to beat Thomas’s Battersea which sent us through to the semi-finals. Sadly we lost 2-0 to Thomas’s Clapham. They were a very tough draw and the girls did the best they could. The loss sent us into the 3rd/4th play-off where we beat Alleyn’s As 1-0 to finish 3rd place. Well done to Emma Sloan who played in defence for the first time during this tournament, having always played in mid-field. She took a ‘no prisoners’ approach to the matches and never gave up the ball without a fight. The team on the whole played extremely well and should be very proud of the way standards rose over the length of the tournament. Well done, girls! ●

Lily Mercier, 2NHR & Jasmin Good, 2RJWU13A&B TEAMS (SEE PAGE 16 FOR U13B NEWS)

SPORT


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JUNIOR ENGLAND HOCKEY SQUAD ANNOUNCEDThree KGS students have made the final selections for the England U18 team for 2016.

They are Holly Munro (U6th), Lottie Ross (L6th) and Ellie De Heer (L6th). They have attended numerous camps and trials over the past few months and we congratulate

them on this fantastic achievement! The first international tournament will take place over the Easter holidays.

Two other students, Owen Williamson (L6th) and Michael Moran (5th Year) did not make the final selections for their respective age groups but to make the England Development squads was a huge achievement in itself. ● Mrs N Maclean

U16 LONDON FINALS

We went in to the tournament with a tough draw – Whitgift, Trinity and KCS Wimbledon – so

we knew we would be in for a challenge. Our first game was against Trinity and we started off brilliantly with a stunning reverse finish from Michael Moran. We seemed to turn off them, though and conceded a couple of goals. Suddenly we were 2-1 down. Then in the dying moments of the game we won a penalty flick, coolly finished by Nick Browning; the game was drawn and we left with a slightly disappointing result. Next up we had KCS. We knew this would be our easiest game but we started slowly and only managed to go 1-0 up at half time, thanks to Ed Nicholas. Then, after a few words of wisdom from Mr Daly, we scored four goals in a very short period of time, all of which I scored. We then squeezed in two more goals in the game, one from Michael Moran and another from Ed Nicholas. After a positive result we were feeling good about the up-and-coming challenge of Whitgift. We played very strongly for the whole game and completely outplayed our opposition; however, we struggled to finish off the countless number of chances we had and ended the game with a draw. With two draws and one win we finished in 2nd place behind Whitgift, meaning we qualify for the Souths. We look forward to the challenge that lies ahead. ●

James Hall, 5PWS

HOLLY, LOTTIE & ELLIE IN THEIR ENGLAND JACKETS

U14A LONDON HEATSOn Tuesday 2nd February, the Boys’

Under 14 A team played in the London Heats, which is the first

round of the national competition, against KCS Wimbledon and Dulwich College. After a slow start in our first game against KCS we soon got into our stride and managed to put 7 goals past our opponents, finishing 7-1. Going into our second game against Dulwich we knew it would be a lot harder and that to progress to the next round we must win again. We started off well and managed to score two early goals which gave us the head start we needed. With the extra confidence this gave us, the goals kept on coming.

However, rather carelessly, in the last 10 minutes we dropped off and conceded three goals. The game finished 9-3 and we were happy. Throughout the two games, we mainly played to our strengths which helped us to beat both teams and go through to the next round. Credit to Tom Nicholls who managed to score 6 goals overall and to Daniel Sullivan who worked well with him to assist. In the next round, we will face Trinity School in the London semi-finals which will be a tough game but hopefully we will pull together and get a good result. ●

Sam Mayhew, 3AEB

SPORT


school life

Three KGS boys attended Great Britain rowing long-distance trials on the second weekend of half term, racing in time

trials on successive days among the country’s best rowers in Boston, Lincolnshire. Cameron Spurling finished fifth out of 34 Under-16 single scullers on day one of the event, a 5km time trial on the River Wytham. On day two he teamed up with James Joseph of Kingston RC to finish fourth out of 15 double sculls in the J16 category. Cameron can now expect to be invited to a GB crew sculling training camp for J16s in Nottingham over the Easter weekend.

Those results were more impressive because poor weather and fast river conditions in the run-up to trials meant the boys had only a handful of sessions in small boats before the event. Laurence Milward took part in his first set of GB trials, while Luke Hillier competed in Boston for the fifth time in three years. In a pair together they found the going tough against some high-calibre opposition but should now have a clearer idea about what is needed to compete at a high level. Cox Will Burden was not required at this trial but took part in a training day with leading athletes at the GB Rowing Team HQ in

GB ROWING TRIALS

THREE CHEERS FOR

CHEERLEADING WORKSHOP

On Wednesday afternoon, sixteen First Years were given the opportunity to learn some amazing

cheerleading skills from three experts, KGS’s own Mrs Man, Mrs Edwards & Miss Andrews. All three had previously competed at national level, so we were coached by the best!

Firstly, positions. We started on the basics: high ‘V’, low ‘V’, ‘T’, broken ‘T’, and not forgetting ‘K’. At first, we were all pretty confused, but thanks to the helpful guidance of the coaches, we all managed to create the right shapes, including little ‘e’s and big ‘E’s (which help your hands face the correct direction).

Next, we practised some simple forward rolls; we were taught to propel ourselves forward, making them quicker and longer. Then we tried cartwheels. Most of us had cartwheeled before but the coaches taught

us how to add round-offs, and make them even better.

After that, we got to try some stunts. In cheerleading, stunting means crazy lifts, involving three or more people lifting and supporting another in the air; we were sometimes over two metres up. This was definitely the best bit.

Overall, it was a brilliant afternoon and we all had great fun. We are all really looking forward to the next session after half term.●

Sasha Lacey & Holly Farrer, 1MJD

CAMERON MOVES ON TO TRAINING CAMPS

U13 INDOOR CRICKET TOURNAMENT

On Tuesday 2nd February our U13 Cricket team played in an indoor tournament comprising of local

Kingston Borough schools. We lost our first match, won our second but lost our third (all against Coombe Boys) which sadly meant we didn’t make it through to the final against the hosts, Tiffin. The boys, however, did themselves proud as they scored more runs and took more wickets as each game progressed and showed good spirit and determination to respond to a disappointing first match. Special mention to James Dick who captained the side with distinction and played three crucial innings during the afternoon. I look forward to seeing this group of boys develop throughout the year. ●

Mr D Reed, Cricket Professional

Caversham, near Reading, just before the half-term break. He has submitted recordings of his coxing to the selectors and is waiting to find out whether he will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process. There are three further stages in the selection process: Spring trials in Nottingham during the last week of term, a one-day regatta in April and final trials in July. The top athletes will be selected for the World Rowing Junior Championships in Rotterdam in August, with a further group taking part in the Coupe de la Jeunesse (the European team championships) in Poznan, Poland in July. ●

Mr M W Gough

U13B HOCKEY REPORT

On Wednesday 3rd February the U13Bs played a series of matches. Even though our first match was

against the Alleyn's A team, we didn’t panic, and with some great defending and goalkeeping we managed to only lose 1-0.

Our next match was against Ibstock Place. We managed to get the ball into the D a few times and there was a great goal by Clara Boucher. However, we lost 3-1. We were determined to win one match at least. Our next match was against the Alleyn's B team and with great attack, defence and goalkeeping we won 2-0.

Everyone played very well, we learnt a lot and had fun. Well done, girls! ●

SPORT


school life

SURREY SCHOOLS PROBLEM SOLVING CHALLENGE

Fifteen students across three age groups represented Kingston Grammar School in

the recent SATRO Problem Solving Challenge 2016 at Heathside School in Weybridge. This annual event is always extremely popular and five local heats are held with the winners and runners up progressing to the grand final in March.

The challenge this year was to design and build a timing device which could illuminate a light bulb when 10 seconds and 20 seconds had elapsed. A one-and-a-half-hour time limit was applied with nothing more than rudimentary components including cotton reels, Blu Tack and paper clips. Three KGS teams representing years 7 to 9, years 10 to 11 and years 12 to 13 set about the task with determination and grit. They demonstrated immense focus, creative talent and, above all, dynamic team work.

After judging and scoring had taken place it was congratulations to the Sixth Form team who finished as runners up and will now be invited to the finals which will be held at ACS School, Cobham in March. Congratulations should also go to the other teams who fought hard and were a credit to the school. We very much look forward to returning next year.

The KGS students were as follows:Year 7 to 9 team - Chris Wilding, Thomas Skeates, Adwait Joshi, Harry Fletcher, Tom Pryse-Davies, Tim Baker, Toby Cole.Year 10 to 11 team - John Gallop, Lucas Prefontaine, Nathan Farr, William Touzet.Year 12 to 13 team - Joe Underwood, Alice Metcalf, Aaron Farr, Sean Mansfield.

SATRO is an independent social enterprise that exists to inspire young people about their future careers in Science-, Technology-, Engineering- and Maths-based environments. ●

Mr D Farr

We are extremely proud to have a real-life hero amongst us! While holidaying in Devon last summer with his family, Croyde Cracknell

(1LMJ) rescued a grandfather and grandson who were in difficulty in the sea. Croyde’s bravery has been recognized and honoured with the prestigious Silver Cross Award which was presented to him on Thursday 4th February at the 20th Chiswick Scout Group, Chiswick Park. The Silver Cross is awarded for gallantry in circumstances of considerable risk, a notable achievement for any eleven year old to receive. Croyde, your courageous, chivalrous actions are a model to us all; we are extremely proud of you here at KGS. Well done! ●

Ms A Williams

OUTSTANDING BRAVERY


school life

On January 27th, RP students from the Third Year took a trip to the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St John’s Wood,

North London and heard the stories of Bob and Anne Kirk who both fled Germany on the Kindertransport to escape persecution of Jews in WWII.

Bob was born in Hanover in 1925 and in May 1939 escaped Germany. Arriving at Liverpool station, he was then placed in many different hostels and with ‘sponsor’ families. Sadly, his parents were sent to one of the many ghettos for Jews and died there; however, after the war ended, Bob was reunited with his brother and discovered he had seven second cousins dotted across the globe.

His wife, Anne, was born in Cologne and in April 1939 escaped on the Kindertransport to England. Hers was a unique story in that she knew the family she was going to live with and had exchanged letters and phone calls with them before leaving Germany. She was sent to live with two sisters who attended the Synagogue we visited and, thanks to the Red Cross Foundation, was allowed to both send and receive one 25-word letter a month to her parents. However, they were heavily censored. In 1942, she stopped receiving the letters and later found out that her parents had been sent to Auschwitz concentration camp where they later died.

Bob and Anne went on to be very successful and we felt extremely privileged to meet them and hear their stories. The theme of this year’s talk was ‘Don’t Stand By’ and Bob read us a poem written about the Holocaust:

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAYThe Third Year visit the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in North London to meet Bob and Anne Kirk who fled on the Kindertransport during World War II

‘First they came for the Jewsand I did not speak outbecause I was not a Jew.Then they came for the Communistsand I did not speak outbecause I was not a Communist.Then they came for the trade unionistsand I did not speak outbecause I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for meand there was no one leftto speak out for me.'

We are incredibly lucky to be the last generation of people that will be able to hear these stories from Kindertransport children and we hope that by sharing their stories with friends and family their tales will live on. ●

Lucy Pringle, 3VMW & Grace Lloyd, 3KEC

PRIMARY SCHOOLS READING PROJECTWe have a long-standing relationship with two local primary

schools - St Joseph's and King Athelstan - and over 20 of our Sixth Form pupils visit regularly to help children with their

reading. Abi, who volunteers fortnightly, writes about her experience at King Athelstan:

"Every other week on a Monday morning I go to King Athelstan primary school to help children as young as five with their reading. I usually read with three children in particular, and I have come to know them really well. I have started to really enjoy my visits as I have learnt from each child not only their different levels of reading but also how they like to be taught. Some of them prefer you to break words down, letter by letter, assisting them with blending the sounds together, whereas others don’t require as much assistance and read more

confidently. Initially I found it difficult to discuss the books we were reading with the children - they were quite timid and nervous and didn't always want to speak - but now that I have seen them more regularly, they chat more confidently about whether they enjoyed reading it and whether they understood the stories. The more I see them, the more confident they become around me which makes my experience there even more enjoyable. One of the most amusing moments was when I realised that a young girl, Ella, had become so comfortable that she decided - in the middle of reading a book - that she would show me a dance routine she had been practising, which I found very entertaining. Volunteering for the primary school has been an invaluable experience which I am looking forward to continuing this year. ●Abi Broberg, L6TMR

THIRD YEARS WITH BOB AND ANNE KIRK

TRIPS


school life

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAYThe Third Year visit the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in North London to meet Bob and Anne Kirk who fled on the Kindertransport during World War II

KINGSTON MUSEUMBeth Hill and Justin Foreman were

delighted to be part of an exciting new initiative at Kingston Museum

during February half term. After devoting several weekends and a lot of spare time to devising and planning, they spent Thursday afternoon helping to run a carousel of children's activities, inspired by objects displayed as part of the 'Talking Objects, Sharing Stories' exhibition. The creative and hands-on activities enabled local children to learn about some of the experiences of members of the borough's South Asian community who settled in the UK during the 1960s and 1970s, creating objects inspired by the beautiful exhibits. It was wonderful to see the children so engaged and inspired by Justin and Beth's activities.

"We both really enjoyed volunteering at the museum as it enabled us to help plan, organise and deliver an exciting workshop for young children. Working together

and being able to come up with our own ideas, we were able to create a number of fun activities which helped to bring alive cultural stories which children were able to appreciate and understand. Overall, volunteering with the museum and having the responsibility to create a child-friendly experience for the local community has proved both worthwhile and rewarding. I would strongly recommend this opportunity to anyone in the future." ●

Beth Hill, L6JOH

Chiara Russo, the Museum's Outreach and Education Officer, could not speak highly enough of their contribution, and we are looking forward to offering similar opportu-nities for Sixth Formers during future school holidays, so please get in touch if you think that this might be for you! ●

Mrs K Pinnock

THIRD YEARS WITH BOB AND ANNE KIRK

JUSTIN IN ACTION

BETH WITH SOME YOUNG VISITORS

COMMUNITY SERVICE


school life

TRINITY SCHOOL BOOK AWARDSPOWDER MONKEY BY PAUL ADAMS 1LMJ

In Norwich, life was a bore,But I had the entire ocean to explore!

I found a job on a merchant ship,And climbed aboard with a joyful skip,

I watched my parents weeping tears,But I assured them that there was nothing to fear,

However, I did scarcely know,Of the journey ahead, full of woe,

Against the French, we had our first bat-tle,Listening to the Captain’s useless prattle,

Things started to go a bit wrong,But alas, we didn’t worry, not for long,

The Royal Navy came to save the day,To their guns, the French ship fell prey,

But in return, the Navy wanted men,And I was chosen, worried once again,

To my parents, I wrote a letter,But I knew it would not make them feel better,

I was introduced to my Gun crew,But what I was meant to do, I hadn’t a clue,

However, I had to learn quickly,For the Captain’s moods were often prickly,

Rules were also very strict,And breaking them a punishment would inflict,

We met an enemy, all too soon,And shot them down with a great big boom!

However, when all was done, we couldn’t celebrate,For another one was spotted, unlucky was our fate,

And this time we didn’t do so well,Sadly, our large crew finally fell,

Then the cruel Spaniards with the remaining few,Took us prisoner and our fear grew,

But some of us formed a plan,To be carried out by a brave man,

Trick the guards and steal the guns,Then bang, bang, bang, one by one!

At night time, when everyone was in bed,We came round, and shot them all dead,

Then, in triumph did we yell,And with pride, did I swell!

A joyful ride, was the journey back,For there was no more need to attack,

In England I had a choice, to stay or to flee,But Friends are more important than being free. ●

Students across the year groups have been taking part in the Trinity School Book Awards, reading a

range of exciting novels on the theme of ‘Journeys’. One of the competitions running in tandem with the awards has challenged students to create a personal response to one of the novels they have read in either the Senior or Junior sections. The winning student response will be announced on the 9th March, at the TSBA ceremony.

Mrs Cleaves has had some incredible entries so far, including Paul Adams’ fantastic poetic response to ‘Powder Monkey’ by Paul Dowswell, the story of a young boy manning the cannons on a British Naval ship. ●

Miss K Brackley

WAYNE SEARLE (OK 1994)Wayne is currently Human Resources Director at Abdul Latif Jameel

Back when I was a pupil at KGS, the Sixth Formers were given a careers test to complete. My results suggested

that a career as an Actuary or an Accountant was a possibility. I was good at Maths and, with my dad being an Accountant, I thought I’d give Actuarial Science a go at the University of Kent. Although I wouldn’t say I was passionate about my degree, it gave me a good grounding in finance and financial planning which led to joining the HR team at Barclays.

After a stint at Barclays I moved on to an HR role at Cable and Wireless which meant roles leading the recruitment in both Singapore and India. Working for a UK-registered business overseas you notice how parochial the UK can seem! I’ve had to acclimatise

to different cultures and have learnt how different traits are valued in recruitment. Technical expertise, for example, is highly valued in India. I guess I’m lucky that ‘Britishness’ translates remarkably well in an international context.

I’ve been in my current role at Abdul Latif Jameel for 18 months. Working in Saudi Arabia is an interesting experience: it’s a relatively young country where extremes of wealth are common place. Life in Jeddah is pretty different to growing up in Kingston but I always reflect on KGS as it had a reputation for developing rounded individuals and I’m pleased to hear that’s still the case. Building relationships in international countries and establishing strong teamwork ethics are the basic components of my success and I firmly believe they began at KGS.

I’m in touch with several alumni from KGS and many of us are godparents to each

other’s children. The KGS connection is something that I cherish, even when I’m thousands of miles away. ●

Documents

KGS Newsletter Feb 2016