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A message from the Head, Jude Lowson
The expression ‘living your best life’ probably gets overused – but there was no better way to describe the cast and audience at last week’s performances of ‘Show Time’. It was so infectiously joyful, and everyone who had the pleasure of being able to be part of it was swept along by its magic, carried by the sheer talent and energy on display. Alongside the joy and fun this has also been a half term of graft and determination, with the Fifths navigating the challenges of the mocks and 6as beginning to see the reward for their hard work as an exciting raft of university and higher education offers begin to roll in.
This is a familiar balance in school (and indeed in life..!): periods of hard work where the reward or recognition feels distant, followed by moments of celebration, where the challenges are forgotten and the fun takes centre stage. The reality though is that the two are often more intertwined. I always feel at King’s that we take our fun seriously. If we’re going to do something we love, be that sport, music, drama, debating – we’re going to work hard at it and give it our best. But equally when we are working hard there is plenty of joy to be found and fun to be had alongside friends and peers and with the community behind us.
King’s pupils are very adept at holding ambition and enjoyment in balance. And it is this balance, and the fact that the two sit side by side which allows them to hit the wonderful heights seen on stage last week, or which leads to the excellent higher education offers so many of our pupils our now receiving. Perhaps that is what ‘living your best life’ comes down to; a little graft, a lot of joy, and the confidence to embrace both.
I do hope you enjoy reading more about the many achievements and activities of our pupils this term, and I am hugely grateful to my colleagues who have supported them so brilliantly through this busiest of periods.
Drama & Dance
‘Show Time: A Night at the Musicals’, our all-singing, all-dancing celebration of musical theatre, brought together almost 100 pupils from across our three schools and brought the house down across four sold out nights. From show-stopping numbers to heartfelt solos, it was a spectacular showcase of talent, energy and dedication. It was a delight to see such a large cohort of Junior King’s pupils taking to the stage, many of which we hope to welcome to King’s in the coming years. From the Shells’ joyful renditions of Fat Sam’s Grand Slam and Spotlight to the older pupils’ slick performances of All That Jazz and Buenos Aires, the show never lost momentum. The evening reached its finale with a spectacular company performance from The Greatest Showman, leaving the audience buzzing long after the final note.
We went behind the scenes at the technical rehearsal to give a glimpse of what was to come and all the hard work and effort that goes into making such a production come to life. You can watch the short video below.
University news
The early part of the year is a busy period for our 6as as they navigate applications for Higher Education and other routes beyond King’s.
We are delighted to share that King’s pupils have again received offers from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. So far, pupils have received 14 Oxbridge offers (the best outcomes here in recent memory) several pupils have also received early offers for US Universities (Brown and NYU) and one pupil has received a clean sweep of offers from top London Conservatoires. More broadly, we are celebrating over 300 offers from Russell Group Universities, including 47 from Durham and more to be announced after half-term. This current cohort look set to see their hard work rewarded with a superb selection of offers from leading institutions in the UK and abroad.
Young Enterprise success
Eight pupils from the School’s Young Enterprise company recently travelled to Tartu, Estonia, to take part in in an international student company meet-up. During the visit, they participated in a student trade fair, selling their products in a local shopping mall, and later represented the School in a pitching competition. They achieved outstanding success, winning Best Pitch out of 26 student companies.
Throughout the experience, pupils developed valuable skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving and entrepreneurship, gaining first-hand experience of marketing, sales, and presenting to an international panel of business leaders and County Council members.
Talks and Workshops
We continue to expand our programme of visiting speakers and enrichment talks and workshops and have welcomed an array of experts to King’s in recent weeks.
In our Monday’s Expert series, Mr Mostert talked us through ‘The Great Art Heist: Does AI steal to create?’ and our Deputy Head (Academic), Mr Key spoke on ‘Napoleon Bonaparte; Architect of the Modern World?’.
Our historians joined the annual Lyle lecture by the Historical Association to hear ‘A City Fit for the Queen: Elizabeth I’s visit to Canterbury in 1573’, whilst our Geographers heard from Robert Stansfield (Development Director Iraq from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) on International Development.
Our Girl’s Potential Project for girls involved in sport and fitness is a series of talks focused on supporting girls and teenagers in sport. Our first talk, led by Miss Wayman, focused on ‘Overtraining and Under-fuelling’ and we welcomed Katie Grover, a Mind Body coach, who talked about ‘Nutrition and Mindset’. Further talks planned for next half-term include ‘Bulletproof Knees’ by Mark Jones (knee specialist and orthopaedic surgeon) and ‘Physio/Injury Prevention’ by our Physiotherapist, Max Ganderton.
Our Unichats programme has got off to a flying start, giving pupils direct access to OKS currently studying at leading universities in the UK and overseas. These live, interactive Q&A sessions allow pupils to hear first-hand what university life is like, academically, socially and culturally. So far, we have been joined by OKS from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Brown, Caltech, Duke, Bocconi, Exeter, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Durham, alongside other leading Russell Group institutions.
🎨Our Junior and Senior Art Scholars have enjoyed two inspiring workshops at Rock Paper Scissors, a local creative studio. Pupils explored the studio, learned how to ink up plates, and created beautiful, embossed prints from their collagraphs using the professional printing press.
Music
The musical highlight of this half-term has to be the open-soloist competition, which saw thirteen of our most talented musicians go head to head. With renditions across violin, tuba, viola, oboe, cello, flute and trumpet, it was a dazzling display of musicianship. Our congratulations to Felix, whose performance of Weber Bassoon Concerto in F major, Op. 75: Allegro ma non troppo took the win.
The Concert Band lit up the Shirley Hall with a selection of pieces from the silver screen, including music from Mary Poppins, The Muppets and Puttin’ on the Ritz.
Our Carol Service, always a highlight of the school year, was watched by over 2,000 people from around the world via the live stream on YouTube. It is a joy to know that our service is cherished by so many.
Our Friday’s@5.15 series has continued throughout this half term, with performances on piano, clarinet, pipa and a heavy leaning towards voice, demonstrating the incredible variety of our talented musicians.
Anticipation is growing ahead of the newly formed King’s Association Chorus’ performance alongside The King’s Chorus of Poulenc’s Gloria in the Shirley Hall in March. We hope to see many of you there.
Sport
Our 1st VII Netball team have started the term in fine form, going unbeaten with wins against Beech Grove, Cranbrook, Canterbury Academy, Kent College, Canterbury Christ Church University and St Lawrence College. They have lost just one game all season, a pre-season game against Canterbury Christ Church University back in November. The 2nd VII picked up wins against Simon Langton Grammar School, Cranbrook, Kent College and St Lawrence, with just one narrow loss, to Duke of York's A team, the only mark on their copy book.
In Football, Bayo (6b, the Grange), hit a hattrick in a superb performance against Eastbourne College for the 1st XI. The U15A team secured convincing wins over Brighton College and Bede’s, whilst the U15B team are unbeaten with three wins from three.
Congratulations to Artemiy (Re, Tradescant), Oliver (Fifth, Tradescant), Ivan (6a Mitchinson’s), Michael (Fifth, School House) and Masha (Shell, Carlyon), who have all achieved the county qualification standard in swimming.
Nine King’s pupils raced at the Kent Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Dartford, with Darius (Shell, Mitchinson’s) finishing a very credible 13th in the Junior category and Ewan (6a, The Grange) finishing 23rd in the Senior category. Darius’ position qualifies him for the next stage of the championships, whilst Ewan has been shortlisted for a potential spot.
Our badminton teams completed a clean sweep of wins over Haileybury, with the boys’ 1st team winning 7-2, boys’ 2nd winning 6-3, and a dominant performance by the girls' 1st winning 12-0. The pick of the bunch is the girls 2ndVI, who remain unbeaten having defeated Kent College and Benenden this half term.
Our 1st XI boys’ hockey team have advanced to the third round of the National plate following a 4-1 win over St Lawrence College in round 1 and a nail-biting sudden elimination ‘shuffles’ win over Sutton Valence in round 2.
The Fencing squad has done incredibly well again at the South East Championships. In the U16 boys’, Miles (Remove, The Grange) finished second and Adrian (Fifth, School House) third. In the U18’s, Alfred (6a, The Grange) became South East Champion. For the girls’, Berrak (International College) became South East Champion in the U16 category. They are joined by several other King's fencers in qualifying for the British Championships.
⛷️ Kenzo (6a, School House) recently represented Japan in an international FIS slalom race in Graubünden, Switzerland. Competing against international skiers, national teams, and rising stars, Kenzo showcased incredible skill and determination on the slopes.
The annual Interhouse Rowing Competition was held, showcasing fantastic energy, camaraderie, and house spirit. Congratulations to Mitchinson’s House as the overall winners for the girls and Linacre House as the overall winners for the boys!
In sailing, eleven King’s Sailors competed in Round 2 of the Youth Icicle Series at Bough Beech in a 55 boat fleet. Standout results included Athena (6a, Walpole) finishing 10th in Race 4, Cindy (International College) 24th, James (Shell, Linacre) and Anders (Shell, Galpin’s) tied 32nd, and Faris (Shell, Linacre) 34th. For many, it was their first major event away from home waters and a brilliant afternoon of racing with plenty of top half finishes.
Other academic highlights
21 of our senior Biologists took on the British Biology Olympiad in January, with a whopping seven awards for King’s. Three gold awards for Anson (6a, Galpin’s), Amy (6b, Jervis), and Maegan (6b, Kingsdown) and four bronze awards for Petro (6b, Tradescant), Julius (6b, Galpin’s), Kai (6b, Galpin’s) and Anita (6b, Luxmoore).
We are proud to share that the team behind the short film, 'The Fantastic Footwear' won 'Best Cast' (10-12) in the One Day Film School Awards and picked up 2nd place in the 'Best Film' Category. The One Day Film School, is part of the Young Film Academy, the UK’s leading provider of film education for young people aged 6-19, and the awards recognise filmmaking excellence in over 150 UK & International schools. A special screening of 'The Fantastic Footwear' took place at the Walt Disney Company to celebrate their achievement.
Our Interhouse General Knowledge Quiz, with each House’s team comprised of pupils from every year group is well underway and we look forward to the semi-finals and final when we return after half term. The Senior and Junior School General Knowledge Teams have progressed to the third round of the National Schools’ Challenge Competition. Questions ranging from former Prime Ministers and the etymology of US States to Football Ground names and English Idioms have seen them progress through the competition well, a competition that the Junior Team made the National Finals for last year. All very exciting news indeed!
Debating at King's continues to thrive with its busy calendar. External competitions have included school competitions run by the unions of Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, KCL, UCL and Imperial. This includes some events only for our junior debaters, such as ICYD, the International Competition for Young Debaters.
Partnerships, Outreach and Charity
Pupils from local primary schools joined the King's Science Department for the latest instalment of our Saturday Smarties outreach sessions. Pupils stepped into the shoes of forensic scientists, using their detective skills to solve a mystery. From matching soil samples to testing ink with chromatography, they carried out real experiments, followed the evidence, and successfully caught the suspect. Saturday Smarties aims to broaden pupils' experiences of science in lab settings and give them an immersive feel for the various science subjects. Running for over ten years, more than 500 pupils have been part of the programme, with feedback showing that many have been inspired to consider studying science at university.
The boys from Tradescant House braved the inclement weather and camped out at St Augustine’s to raise funds for The Ronald McDonald House Charities, a charity that helps families with seriously ill children stay together by providing free accommodation. With a fire pit, food, and snacks to keep spirits high, they faced the cold night together and raised an impressive £6,500 for this incredible cause. Well done to all involved for their resilience and generosity.
The annual Walpole Carnation Café has once again filled the School with warmth and cheer, offering flowers, an array of homemade delights, from tiramisu to matcha treats and mochi, and even the chance to purchase limited-edition Valentine’s socks, all in support of charity. A joyful and uplifting occasion, it proved the perfect antidote to what has, weather-wise, been a rather grey half-term.
Our FREDIE team, alongside Mrs Young and Ms Rothwell, ran a hugely successful Lunar New Year celebration, with pupils making and serving over 200 boba teas as well as a selection of dumplings. An arts and crafts area saw pupils making lanterns and decorating zodiac masks and the chopstick competition proved a big hit. The event ended with hours of karaoke with a large group of pupils singing along.
House events
It has been a vibrant and action-packed half-term across our Houses and year groups, brimming with social events and memorable occasions. Highlights have included the much-anticipated Prefects’ and 6aOJKS Dinner at Junior King’s, alongside a wonderful series of House concerts in Bailey House, Carlyon and Broughton, and Tradescant, with even more to look forward to after the half-term break.
Trips & Excursions
Over the Christmas break, our Economics pupils enjoyed an action-packed trip to New York city. Immersing themselves in one of the world’s leading financial hubs, they visited some of the city’s most iconic sights, including a walking tour of the Financial District and views from the top of the Empire State Building. Alongside this, pupils gained valuable real-world insight through fascinating talks with New York State judges, UN associates and professionals from the financial sector, including a visit to the Morgan Stanley trading floor. With snow falling across the city, the trip also took on a wonderfully festive, Christmassy feel.
At the same time, our Sixth Form geologists were in Tenerife for a week-long field study exploring the evolution of volcanic systems on the island. Despite recent snowfall on Mount Teide, the heaviest since 2007, pupils examined lava flows in unforgettable conditions and even found time to build a snowman. The trip also included a visit to Cueva del Viento, one of the largest lava tube systems in the world, where pupils explored how pahoehoe lava flows travel through extensive underground tunnels. And there was still time for them to go whale watching off the coast of Los Gigantes.
Our Remove CCF cadets enjoyed a three-day residential camp full of practical training, teamwork and fun. Pupils took part in communications training, cyber skills, and skill-at-arms sessions, as well as enjoying social activities. The camp was a great opportunity for cadets to build confidence, resilience and teamwork while reaching an important milestone in their CCF journey.
Flexi-Boarding - a reminder to book for next term
A reminder to parents about our flexi-boarding provision. Flexi-boarding is available to day pupils on any school night, with stays ranging from one-off bookings to regular weekly nights or half-term blocks. The provision also extends to exeat weekends, when traditional boarding houses close. Up to 30 beds are available for boarders wishing to remain at school, with meals, study time and activities all included. We are now taking bookings for the Summer term. For further details and booking enquiries, please contact flexi@kings-school.co.uk as availability is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
OKS and The King’s Association
In January, we hosted the annual Boat Club Dinner, welcoming a record number of OKS, staff, parents and pupils to Birley’s to celebrate rowing at King’s. Guest speaker, Jacob Dawson, an Olympic and World Champion who most recently won gold in the mens’ eight at the Paris 2024 Olympics shared his inspiring journey to Olympic glory, discussing personal setbacks, the importance of teamwork and the bonds within a rowing crew. We were honoured to welcome Vicky Spencer (MT 1992-94) as our keynote speaker. She shared invaluable insights into her role as Olympic Transition Coach for U19-U23 with GB Rowing and inspired our pupils with the potential the sport offers for their future. We were also delighted to host a special naming ceremony for the new boats recently acquired by the Club, made possible by the generosity of our community and the success of the recent Boat Club Fleet Appeal. It was a pleasure to have so many of our donors in the room to celebrate this significant milestone. We were especially pleased to welcome Chris Culverhouse-Hall (WL 1985-90) and his wife, Katie, as our guests of honour.
The King’s Association and the Friends of Junior King’s School (JKS) collaborated for the first time to host a coffee afternoon for JKS parents. The Friends of JKS is the Junior School's parent-teacher charitable association. Run by a volunteer committee, they aim to bring the community together through events and activities, also raising money for the School and local organisations. Similarly, the King’s Association connects the wider King’s community, past and present, across all three Schools. United by shared goals of fostering community and engagement, this first joint event gave parents the chance to meet and build connections across the King’s network.
Lucy Procter (JR 2017-22) has continued her incredible performances in Hyrox. In the Elite Women's category in Melbourne, she achieved 2nd place (doubles elite) and 3rd place (elite women). This marks Lucy's first major podium and a place in the world championships.
Tom Hunt (SH 2011-16) attempted to set a record for the fastest solo and unsupported ski to the South Pole, which saw him try and make the 1,130 km journey from Hercules Inlet to the pole in little over 22 days. For 16 days he was ahead of record pace. On day 17, he developed kidney failure and by day 26 he had run out of food. And on day 34, he reached the pole. Whilst he may not have broken the record, his amazing determination has etched his name into history.
We are excited to share an update on Fraser Morrison (TR 2008-13), who was featured on the front cover of the OKS Magazine in Spring 2025. Fraser has successfully completed the 'World Toughest Row' across the Atlantic! After 36 days of rowing, he has crossed the finish line, winning the pairs category and coming 6th place overall.
School Transport
A reminder for parents that we operate a fleet of branded minibuses, enabling local pupils to travel safely to and from our Schools.
All our minibus drivers are King’s School employees with advanced DBS checks, offering parents peace of mind knowing that their children will arrive at school safely and on time.
Pick-up/drop-off points include: Ash, Bridge, Canterbury West Train Station, Deal, Dumpton, Faversham, Herne Bay, Lydden, Margate, Minster, Sainsbury's Coach Park, Sarre, Whitfield, Whitstable and Wingham. To find out more and make bookings, please visit - School Transport Service
To support families with pupils returning to the School after a weekend or exeat at home, King's have partnered with Vectare to offer a weekly bus service from locations in Kent and London.
We are running two services every Sunday evening. One from Clapham Common and one from Tunbridge Wells.
