No images? Click here
A message from the Head, Jude Lowson
As the Lent Term draws to a close, I have been contemplating the season’s deeper themes—those of reflection, renewal, and service. This term has offered opportunities to consider how we serve others, both near and far, how we find moments of calm and reflection in amongst the frantic energy of a busy term, and how we persevere, even when the demands are many.
From pupil-led fundraising initiatives to community outreach, there has been a powerful energy behind the charitable efforts across the School. Pupils have shown remarkable compassion and initiative across a range of projects, raising impactful sums for charity, but also making meaningful contributions to the local community.
We have enjoyed many moments of reflection, stillness and beauty, recently brought to life most vividly in two musical performances, from the moving Lent anthem arranged by our own Dr Roy and sung in Matins this last week, to the exquisite performance of Scarlatti’s setting of the Stabat Mater, sung by candlelight in the Shirley Hall.
It is also a season and a term marked by hard work and perseverance. Our exam year groups now embark on the final stretch of revision before external examinations this summer, and we wish them well as they head into that crucial period. For all of our pupils there have been steady demands—of deadlines met, rehearsals completed, matches played, and ideas explored—each one a testament to their dedication, resilience, and growth over the course of the term.
As you read through this newsletter, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the many ways our pupils have contributed to the life of the School in the past few weeks, and I wish you and your families a restful and restorative Easter break.
Music
With an impressive ensemble of 190 singers from the King's Chorus, representing the breadth of the School community, including pupils, teachers, parents and OKS, and 65 talented pupils in the orchestra, this year's choral concert showcased the exquisite Requiem by Maurice Duruflé. The concert opened with the technically demanding Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune by Claude Debussy, featuring Aileen Chan's impressive handling of the opening flute solo. The orchestra then continued with the well-known Pavane by Gabriel Fauré. The Requiem followed, when the chorus was joined by internationally acclaimed soloists Katie Bray and Benjamin Bevan, in a performance that was both tender and subtle, yet powerful and emotive. A large cathedral audience gathered for this annual event, but those who missed it can enjoy it here.
Our talented 6a music cohort delivered a fantastic A Level Recital programme last week with seriously impressive performances from all six of the participants. Well done to Toby (MO), Henry (GR), Charlie (LN), Matilda (LX), Romola (KD) and competition winner, Joe (MT).
The regular Friday@5.15 recitals continued throughout the term, with fantastic performances across a wide variety of instruments including oboe, piano, violin, cello, voice, flute and viola. A particular well done to the performers, some of whom were making their 5.15 debuts!
The School has been awash with music this term, with concerts and showcases from a number of day and boarding Houses. It has been a delight to see the Houses get into the spirit of things and join together to produce some very impressive performances.
Charity & Outreach
Pupils across the School have again been raising money for a variety of charities throughout the half term. Over the term, in excess of £20,000 has been raised for various causes and through a number of initiatives, with many highlights.
Luxmoore House danced their way through 24 hours, as well as selling some delicious home baked goods, in support of the charity of the term, Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity. Their Choreo-thon raised a grand total of £1,674.
The boys of Meister Omers participated in a 24-hour bike ride in support of Leukaemia UK. Collectively, the team covered 1,686 miles during the event. Their efforts raised £3,390 to support Leukaemia UK’s work in funding research and providing care for those affected by the disease.
Jervis House hosted a ‘Can You Beat the Teacher?’ charity fundraising event. Pupils took on teachers in a variety of fun challenges, including arm wrestling, board games, and even Mario Kart races. In a lively afternoon at the Pupil Social Centre, over £1,000 was raised for Cancer Research UK.
Kingsdown House hosted their first charity lunch to raise money for both Guy's and St Thomas' hospital and Pumping Marvellous, a wonderful patient-led heart failure charity. A raffle and subsequent blind auction raised an incredible £10,500.
This term the Running Wild Removes have continued to serve the community of Canterbury by attending local churches (St Dunstan’s and St Stephen’s), where they have been carrying out gardening tasks and helping out the parish. Beyond this, they have also completed litter picks, beach clean-ups and even a spot of gardening in the School's Cellarer's Garden. The Fifth form Running Wild pupils have been focussing on life skills, including sewing (both hand and machine), dinner party etiquette, conflict resolution and personal safety. The activity continues to go from strength to strength and this summer a further intake of 60 Shells are set to join the initiative.
Lily's Social Kitchen was set up as a social enterprise to provide employment and employment training to people with neurodiversity with or without cognitive challenges and people with learning disabilities. Each Wednesday, a group of our Sixth Formers work in their kitchen alongside their chef to prepare and cook food that is taken to Catching Lives, a charity who support rough sleepers and homeless people in Canterbury. This term, their culinary efforts have included making cottage pie, apple crumble, scones, and pasta bolognaise. It is a productive partnership because it links our pupils with different sections of the city's community and enables them to learn skills that will help them in their future. King's also raised money for a special chiller fridge that allows the food the pupils make to be kept at the correct temperature for food hygiene rules until it is taken to Catching Lives.
Our partnership with All Saint’s Food Larder continues to go from strength to strength. This term, 9 pupils have been valued members of the volunteer team that help All Saints to provide food parcels to the local community. Through this the pupils have learnt a lot about the need for foodbanks and how they help the local community beyond providing bags of food. As a result of the volunteering by our pupils and the continued support of the whole school community All Saints have been able to launch a new initiative helping the families of a local nursery. Our ‘Eggs is Eggs’ collection this term of tinned spaghetti and baked beans will be used to support these families during the school holidays. Thank you for your support.
Talks & Conferences
We were delighted to welcome back author AF Steadman OKS for a talk with our Morpurgo and Marlowe Societies. With the final book of her acclaimed Skandar series set for release this year, and a Sony film adaptation in the works, it was an exciting time to hear about her journey from King’s, to aspiring barrister, to best-selling author. She shared how King’s shaped her storytelling, the challenges of getting published and the importance of reading widely and pursuing your passions.
Our Monday’s Experts Talks continued with inspiring and interesting talks on ‘The Difference Between Coaching and Teaching’ by Head of Football, Mr Odev, ‘Fanatic About Phonetics’ by Tradescant Housemaster, Mr Harrison and ‘Sporting Mentality to Play for England’ by Head of Lacrosse, Ms Monaghan.
Mr Odev highlighted how coaching in football requires a player-centred approach, encouraging problem-solving and decision-making rather than simply delivering instructions.
Mr Harrison explored where and how sounds are made in language and why they vary so much. Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), he demonstrated how every sound in any language can be charted, linking this to English and beyond.
Ms Monaghan spoke on the power of mindset in sport. She explored how mental strength can drive success, focusing on the role of luck, visualisation, and advice from Lacrosse legends. While Lacrosse was at the heart of the discussion, the insights applied to all sports, offering valuable strategies for staying positive and achieving goals.
Thirty of our History pupils, alongside fifty-five from Simon Langton Girls’ School took part in The Wars of the Roses online conference. Focusing on the series of civil wars between the rival houses of Lancaster and York, the day featured six lectures, covering different aspects of the period and concluded with a debate between two of the speakers. Staff and pupils alike greatly enjoyed the event, which we hope to run again next year.
Drama
This term has seen the beginning of rehearsals for all the King’s Week productions taking place in the Malthouse this Summer: Wuthering Heights (whole school); Much Ado About Nothing (senior); The Railway Children (junior); KiDaCo; and Drama Excellence.
Alongside this, we have finished the filming of our Film House project, where pupils have written and performed in their own short films, with the premiere set to take place on May 10th.
Remove pupils were lucky enough to see the wonderful ‘Animal Farm’ at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, and we were happy to welcome Simon Langton Girls' School for a week for their school performance of Les Miserables.
Sport
Our Fencers have continued their fine form this year by being crowned both boys’ and girls’ Public Schools’ Epee Champions at the recent championships held at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre. The boys’ squad improved their previous best score to take the title for a fourth consecutive year and the girls’ became champions for the first time ever, overturning the dominance of Millfield School.
Standout performances from pupils include fifth place finishes in their disciplines for Rocco (GR), Lucas (MO) and Ealye (TR) and a 10th place finish from Sonny (MT) for the boys’ and a runners-up spot for Tina (WL), 10th for Coco (BR) and 17th and 19th respectively for Xylia (HH) and Leah (JR) in the girls’ competition.
Our U15 rugby team won the final of the U15 Kent 7s plate competition held at Dartford Grammar. In the same week, Canterbury RFC U15s were crowned county champions having gone unbeaten in the league. A huge congratulations to Finn (LN), Alfie (LN), Oscar (LN), and Freddie (LN), who play for CRFC, with Thomas (CY) and Micah (MO) also part of the squad.
Well done to our 1st VII Netball team who came fourth in the Brentwood Tournament with good wins against Bancrofts, Kimbolton, Beech Grove and Colchester. This caps a superb term where they won all but one of their weekly fixtures.
The 1st XI boys’ Hockey team reached the quarter finals of the National Plate competition with wins over Kent College, Claremont and Worth before narrowly losing out to a strong Alleyn’s side.
The King’s Sailing team have been gaining some valuable experience out on the water, competing in the March Hare Open at Westbere Frostbite Sailing Association and at the British Keelboat League event, hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club at Queen Mary Reservoir.
Our Badminton players have been taking part in more regular fixtures, with the sport set to be introduced as a junior games option for the first time next term.
In Lacrosse, our players have battled against some severe weather conditions and played against some very strong opposition. However, the spirit of team has shone through at every fixture, leading to a successful win against both university teams at the end of the term.
In a closely fought interhouse football contest, The Grange emerged victorious over Tradescant, holding onto the Fyndon Cup for another term. With results across all year groups keeping the competition in the balance until
the final moments, it was a thrilling display of football from both Houses:
⚽ Shells: The Grange 3-1 Tradescant
⚽ Removes & Fifths: 0-0 Draw
⚽ Sixth Form: 1-1 Draw
The Fyndon Cup, containing the ashes of a painting of the Fyndon Gate, remains with The Grange, securing their title as the Champions of St. Augustine’s!
Meanwhile, the strongest school football team this term was the U14As, who acquitted themselves very well against strong opposition, coming away 4-0 winners against Christ’s Hospital, as well as defeating Sevenoaks and St John’s Leatherhead.
Last weekend, a number of pupils took part in the Smugglers Run 10/5km race at Minnis Bay. Demonstrating both determination and endurance, all those who completed the 10km race did so in under 53 minutes, a remarkable achievement that reflects their hard work and commitment to running.
Among the standout results, Annabella (WL) finished 4th overall in the 10km race, an impressive performance against strong competition. In the 5km race, King’s pupils took top positions, with William (OKS - SH) securing 1st place and Alexander (LN) finishing 2nd. Alma (BY) also put in an exceptional performance, finishing as the first female in the 5km event.
These results highlight the strength of our runners and the dedication they bring to their sport. Congratulations to all who took part in the race and represented King’s so well.
Academic highlights
Our three CanSat teams participated in the regional rocket launches at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome on 12th March. This event is part of a competition sponsored by the European Space Agency and ESERO to promote aerospace engineering.
The three model satellites reached an altitude of 300 metres and landed safely after deploying a parachute. During their descent, they successfully transmitted data to our ground station, completing the mission.
All members of the three teams will be awarded an Industrial Cadets Silver Award for their efforts.
King’s pupils recently took part in NORMAC 9, a simulation of the Arctic Council at Norwich School. Representing Denmark, Iceland, and the Gwich’in Council, they engaged in high-level discussions, contributed to resolutions, and played a key role in leading debate on complex global issues.
Well done to Yuri (TR), Eric (MO), Sharon (JR), Chelsea (MR), Megan & Lilli (BR), and Olivia & Suriya (WL) for representing the School so well. A special congratulations to the Denmark delegation—Megan, Lilli, and Suriya—who were awarded Highly Commended Delegates.
The event also included a formal dinner with a keynote speech from a British diplomat, providing valuable insight into international diplomacy.
Our debaters have again been in fine form with two different pairs qualifying to Oxford and Cambridge Finals Day respectively. Toby (LN) and Celine (WL) qualified for the Oxford Schools Debating Finals Day and the following week we were represented by Uliana (BY) and Julien (IC) at the Cambridge Schools Finals Day. A great experience for both pairs.
In the highly anticipated final of the Interhouse General Knowledge competition, Mitchinson’s emerged victorious over Tradescant, securing the prestigious Tree of Knowledge trophy. It was a brilliant display of teamwork, quick thinking, and in-depth knowledge from the team, who demonstrated both composure and confidence under pressure.
Even more impressively, their success didn’t stop there. In a thrilling follow-up challenge, Mitchinson’s took on a formidable staff team made up of Ms Lowson, Mr Key, Mr Patton and Ms Dolan—and triumphed once again.
6a and 6b Classics pupils attended the Benenden Classics Symposium last week.
They were fortunate to enjoy glorious sunshine, fascinating talks on a wide range of Classical subjects, and, of course, Benenden brownies.
Presentations by our pupils to six other schools from across Kent included Oliver (GR) on Archimedes’ inventions, Holly (MT) on Circe, and Luca (CY) on the Fabian strategy in the Punic Wars. Congratulations also to Bee (MT) for her impressive short story, entered into the Reimagining the Classics competition, which was displayed in the main hall.
Meanwhile, the Chemistry Olympiad produced a crop of exceptional results: Cameron (TR) not only achieved Gold but has been invited to participate in Round 2 over the Easter break – placing him in the top 30 students nationally. Should he progress, he could go on to represent Great Britain in the International Olympiad. He also secured an outstanding Gold in the Biology Olympiad.
He is joined in securing Gold in Chemistry by Nathan (SH), Dora (MT), James (GR) (who also achieved Gold in Biology), and Daniel (GL), whose performances were truly outstanding. Daniel and Sean (TR) also struck Gold in Physics, highlighting the strength and versatility of our scientists this term.
We have also seen brilliant representation in national competitions: James (GR) has been awarded a prestigious prize from the Harveian Society of London, a testament to his scholarly promise. Chelsea (MR), was awarded a prize in the Dulwich College Erasmus Essay Competition for her thoughtful exploration of The Ethics of Charity. And we look ahead with pride as Freddie (MT) prepares to represent the school in the final of the Historical Association’s Great Debate at Windsor Castle on 29 March.
King's Week
As usual, the Summer Term will culminate in King’s Week, a celebration for the whole school, OKS, parents, friends and the local community. Including over 200 events, it runs from 26th June to 2nd July and the website with the full schedule www.kings-week.co.uk will go live on Monday 14th April.
Do have a look and plan your week before the Box Office opens on Thursday 8th May. We look forward to seeing you there!
Thank you to our 1541 Society supporters!
Earlier this term, we officially launched our 1541 Society – King’s Regular Giving Club in support of transformational bursaries here at King’s.
We are enormously grateful to all of you who answered the call. Collectively, you are contributing over £13,000 per year towards inspiring brilliant futures and making a truly meaningful difference to our pupil body. Thank you so much for your support.
If you would like to find out more and join this valued network committed to making a lasting impact, please visit our website or get in touch with the Development Team (Darren Ellis, dje@kings-school.co.uk). Our suggested donation of £15.41 per month is just 50p per day!
King's and Things
As part of our continued 'King's and Things' programme, our 6bs assisted at the Culley Cup at Sevenoaks Prep by refereeing the matches which allowed the coaches and staff to focus on supporting their teams.
Three of our 6b pupils also helped to run and organise a Girls’ Football Tournament at Spring Grove School. Our thanks to Spring Grove for having us and we look forward to returning in the summer for cricket.
Art
Our artists have been busy throughout the term preparing for their summer exams with exhibitions beginning to take shape.
The department have welcomed Shorsh Saleh, a mixed media artist, carpet designer and weaver in for a talk with pupils, hosted a Kilim weaving workshop and were joined by local photographer Emily Parris for a fascinating cyanotype session.
Our Shell pupils have been creating ceramic tiles inspired by the work of ceramicist Lubna Chowdhary. Chowdhary explores the interconnectivity of
objects in the material world across a wide range of cultural contexts. She studied ceramics at the Royal College of Art.
Pupils have been drawing in the school grounds, looking for shapes within the site's architecture. They will experiment with texture, stencil techniques, and patterns before layering underglaze colours. Their final tiles will be exhibited en masse during King's Week.
The results of the hotly contested House Art competition were also revealed this week. The entries were judged by Tom Cornfoot, the co-founder and creative director of A Studio of Our Own. Congratulations to the winners Jervis, with Tom commenting:
“The Art Nouveau styling is impressive, with great attention to detail in the typography, the dress pattern, and the blue tiles in the background. The way the initials run down the right-side ties everything together beautifully, creating a cohesive and thoughtful piece. It’s clear that great care was taken to include everyone in the house, yet the piece maintains a strong sense of unity. Excellent work!”
Join us for two new King's Association events
We are excited to invite you to two brand new King's Association events - wine tasting and afternoon bowls! Come along and meet other members of the King's community - past and present.
Our wine tasting event will take place on Friday 2 May at the Malthouse Theatre at King's, in partnership with Gusbourne Estate.
The event includes an optional behind the scenes tour of the theatre and exclusive rates from Gusbourne, should you wish to order! Find out more here.
Also new for this year is our King's Association Bowls Afternoon on Sunday 11 May. Come along and try something new! This event is free and all equipment and refreshments are provided. Find out more here.
OKS
We were delighted to be joined by 170 OKS and guests at the House of Commons for the recent OKS President's Dinner.
This special event, held once every five years, celebrates the introduction of a new OKS President and sold out in record time. It was a fantastic evening, bringing together OKS leavers from 1950 to 2024 - some traveling from as far as California to join us!
Congratulations to OKS Sarah Knight (LX/JR 1991-96), who has been awarded the Women in Innovation Award from Innovate UK, the government innovation agency.
Sarah is the founder and CEO of The Allergy Team, a company that provides resources, workshops, and information to families and organisations in an effort to promote allergy safety and awareness. Sarah co-founded The Allergy Team with OKS Jen Meakin (née Stubbings, LX 1991-96), who first met as pupils at King’s.
Professor Nick Maynard (WL 1975-79) has been awarded one of the first-ever Humanitarian Medals by His Majesty King Charles III. He was presented the medal at a ceremony on 18 February 2025 at Buckingham Palace.
The medal, first announced in January 2025, is awarded to those in public service and members of humanitarian organisations, such as charities, who respond in support of human welfare during or in the aftermath of a crisis. This includes providing disaster relief or aid provision in hazardous circumstances such as conflict zones.
On 4 February 2025, Mark Dowie (WL 1974-79) was presented with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his charity work.
Mark started his career as Royal Navy officer, then moving into roles in finance before becoming a volunteer for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). He became Chief Executive of the RNLI from 2019 to June 2024 and provided leadership during a particularly turbulent time - the pandemic, cost-of-living crisis, war in Ukraine and small boat crossings in the English Channel.
The International College
The International College buzzed with activity last week as it hosted its highly anticipated annual Culture Fair, a vibrant celebration of diversity and global traditions. With 18 nationalities represented, the event showcased cultural stalls packed with delicious cuisine, refreshing drinks, fascinating facts, and creative presentations, giving attendees an immersive experience.
Students cooked and prepared dishes under staff supervision, ensuring authentic flavours and traditional recipes. As students enjoyed the food and drink, talented performers entertained the crowd from the mezzanine music stage. Throughout the afternoon, solo and duo performances from China, Korea, Ukraine, Russia, and Italy captivated the audience. The 12-piece IC Band delivered a standout set, while traditional instrument performances added an extra cultural touch.
The IC Culture Fair remains a highlight of the year, reinforcing the College’s commitment to cultural understanding and inclusivity.
