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A SPECIAL EDITION

Issue 59 November 2021

Editor’s Note History. Each dictionary that I consulted as I attempted to pinpoint more precisely the meaning of this word threw up several definitions of both countable and uncountable nouns. History. A Ph.D. thesis delving into the issues of disarmament in British defence and foreign policy awarded by King’s College London; a history teacher and eminent ‘Father of the House’ departing King’s College Junior School after completing 97 terms of service; the shared human history of 109 years of Junior School boys aged seven to 13 and their families passing through our great school during this period. History. This magazine naturally evokes much of the many and varied goings on that take place over the course of a school year here at King’s. It has also often been a place for reflecting further into the past, and this year’s edition is no exception. In the absence of a fuller programme of events, due partly to the fact that we were once more somewhat hamstrung by the pandemic, unique sections commemorating the school’s history are to be found alongside what remains a very healthy volley of annual reviews. It seems to me that as one moves through the chapters herein, the themes of storytelling – and in particular history – become increasingly explicit. So, then, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the theme of history as you thumb the pages of this special edition. Firstly, by taking in what has been yet another truly exciting and fun-filled year in the life of a KCJS pupil. Secondly, in looking back over the history of the Junior School in preparing boys up to age 13. And, lastly, by looking to the years that lie ahead; to the history and histories that have yet to be recorded and told at King’s College Junior School. Nick Jay

CONTENTS

PRIZE GIVING

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VA L E T E 2 0 D R G E R A R D S I LV E R L O C K : CLOSE U P

KING’S COLLEGE JUNIOR SCHOOL: A RETROSPECTIVE

ACTIVITIES AND E VENTS

LOCKDOWN LIFE

H O U S E S 61 C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G

ART & DE S IG N E NG I N E E RI NG

M U S IC 109 D R A M A 12 3 S P O RT 12 7

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

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Headmaster’s Speech A very long time ago – I think it was in July 1989 – I joined other members of staff in the garden of the Headmaster’s house at Lord Wandsworth College to mark the end of the academic year. It was a beautiful summer’s evening and we were all very relaxed as the reports were written and the pupils had all gone back to their homes. What I did not realise, as the garden party began, was that, by tradition, all the leaving staff gave speeches. Two of them had each been in the school for some forty years and they gave very lengthy speeches looking back in some detail over all that time. They spoke about people and events which most of us knew absolutely nothing about. I remember thinking then that, when the time came for me to give a retirement speech, I would not inflict so many words on my listeners. Please do not worry because I am keeping to that private promise made more than thirty years ago. When I spoke to prospective parents at my first Open Morning, I referred to the importance of boys in the school having fun and I was a little surprised then and since that parents have apparently not expected a Headmaster to attach such significance to fun or speak about it publicly. I have to say, though, that what I shall remember most about my time here is having fun. It has been such a pleasure to be with the boys and staff of King’s College Junior School engaged in the all-important business of education. It has been amusing, sometimes laugh-out-loud entertaining, stimulating, enlightening and rarely anything other than great fun. I realise, of course, that I should be offering final advice to you, the boys, but I have nothing to say that I have not said before. You are all very bright but it is your parents who deserve the credit for that, not you. You will deserve great credit, however, if you make something of your natural gifts and that, of course, will require effort and determination. Even though this is hard, try not to compare yourself with others as there lies the road to unhappiness as there will always be someone who can be perceived as better than you.

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Remember, too, that if you cannot think of anything kind to say or do, say nothing and do nothing. Other than those words of advice, all that I would urge you to do is go on having fun and being fine company to your friends, family and teachers. You know your parents far better than I ever will and they have not, I hope, always done what you wanted them to do! They have made considerable sacrifices to send you here, though, and the school as a whole and I, in particular, have been fortunate to have such strong support from them. It is important that you appreciate them as much as I have done since I first came to King’s in September 2006. I am sure that there are things I have done or said with which they might not always have agreed but I can think of few occasions when parents have not accepted the school’s position. They merit your appreciation and mine. I am sure you will understand, however, if I reserve my final words for those with whom I have worked most closely. I am delighted that Mrs Pat Reed-Boswell has been able to join us this year as the principal guest. She was the governor responsible for the Junior School for my first eleven and a half years here and she was a wonderful critical friend with huge affection for the school. She visited regularly, joined lessons, attended plays and concerts, asked perceptive questions and made equally helpful and intelligent suggestions. Pat was so much more than this, though, because she had real and very obvious affection for the school. She has become the very best of friends and in a few moments I shall ask her to speak to us. I was once asked by a prospective parent what is the most important thing I do. I have no doubt that my key task is appointing the teachers for it is they who make the school what it is. As I leave, I am proud that we have such an excellent Common Room with caring, committed and intelligent teachers who enjoy the boys’ company and do all they can to enrich their experience of King’s College Junior School. You, the boys, and I are very lucky indeed to have them and I wish each and every one of them all the very best for the future. I have benefited hugely from the support, advice and hard work of my PA, Mrs Suzie Richards, the Deputy Head (Academic), Mr Jones, and the Assistant Head (Mr Hipkiss). They are highly professional but excellent company and they have made my job incomparably easier than it would

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

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otherwise have been. I wish especially to emphasise my debt of gratitude to Mrs Morren. She is unfailingly modest and selfeffacing but highly intelligent, conscientious and kind. I have always valued her advice because it has been given honestly, openly and with the best interests of the boys in mind. I could not have asked for a better senior management team and I certainly could not have asked for a wiser senior deputy head. Warm thanks to them, to all the staff, to you the parents and especially to the boys. Good luck in all that you do.

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GUEST SPEAKER

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Guest Speaker: Pat Reed-Boswell I am delighted and honoured to be able to address Prize Giving this year, albeit at a distance from you all. I know how well the boys and their teachers have managed to maintain their focus throughout a challenging year and achieve the excellent results we celebrate at the end of this term. My relationship with the school began in 1998 when I was privileged to become the governor with a special interest in the Junior School. Over the course of the next twenty years I was a frequent visitor to Rushmere and Priory, observing lessons, meeting subject department teams, and shadowing a pupil to feel the pulse and energy that runs through the school on a daily basis. These visits gave me valuable insight into the quality of teaching and learning, so I congratulate the prize winners and their teachers on their outstanding achievements in 2021. We have further cause for celebration this year as we come to the end of an era and a special period in the history of the school. In September, the structure of King’s changes to accommodate the Lower and Upper Removes into Years 7 and 8 at the Senior School. Now is the time to reflect on the Junior School’s journey from being a respected ‘local’ school in the Wimbledon area to become one of the most soughtafter prep schools in the U.K, attracting applications from over a hundred state and independent schools across London and an ever-expanding catchment area in Surrey. In a highly competitive market, King’s College Junior School has frequently been the first choice for families, ahead of its rivals in the top tier of London schools. In 2012 I spoke at the school’s Centenary celebrations, drawing attention to the fact that King’s would be a much poorer place without the boys in red blazers. The Senior School has benefited enormously from the academic, sporting, and artistic talents of boys in the Remove Forms when they enter the 4th Form at thirteen. No other school has achieved as many scholarships to King’s and there is ample evidence that Junior School boys have enhanced and improved the fortunes

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of KCS academically, in sport, music, and drama, to name but a few. On a personal level, it has been immensely rewarding to witness that special period in the lives of pupils as they progressed from Transition to Upper Remove. What a joy it was to attend drama productions and musical performances that showcased the talents of our youngest pupils, and then see how they flourished years later, becoming accomplished actors and musicians at thirteen. And it didn’t end there: I enjoyed spotting them as leaders of orchestras or taking starring roles in Senior School plays too! I don’t have Dr Silverlock’s gift for remembering all their names, but I did once recognise a Rushmere boy at a dinner with students from King’s College London: he was twenty at the time. I am particularly pleased that staff who previously taught the Remove Forms will continue to provide lessons for boys when they move to the Lower School, such is the breadth of knowledge and specialist skills in the Junior School Common Room. Junior School boys have competed, and been victorious, in both National and County Prep School tournaments in rugby, football, and cricket, bringing great distinction to the school. They have won Chess tournaments well beyond their age group and supported numerous charities at home and some overseas. They have travelled to Ypres, to Japan and to South Africa. The Remove Forms have also been able to engage with an array of distinguished speakers in the Cavan Taylor Society, expanding their intellectual, cultural, and social horizons. On the many occasions I met parents, they frequently said how happy their sons were at school. The boys really enjoy their lessons! This does not surprise me, however: how many schools have a website that quotes the headmaster asking the question, ‘Did you have fun at school?’ I know that they do, and I count myself among those who wish they had received the same education as their sons. I remain convinced that the school itself secured the greatest prize in 2006 when Dr Silverlock became the new headmaster. In the past fifteen years, Dr Silverlock has played an important role in every area of King’s development and its current status at national and international level, but it is

GUEST SPEAKER

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the Junior School that has developed so strikingly under his leadership. His reputation as an outstanding headmaster was apparent when he was elected Vice Chairman of the IAPS, an honour he certainly merited and a source of pride for our school. Dr Silverlock has been innovative and visionary in taking the school into the 2020s, with an understanding of the pressures the school might face at any given time. Indeed, we have seen how calmly and expertly he has led the school through the current pandemic. His successor inherits a school at the peak of its performance and whilst changes are inevitable, the school is built on very firm ground indeed. Having worked closely with the Headmaster, I have pondered how best to define the impact he has had on the school. If I were a politician looking for a soundbite on News at Ten, l would say without hesitation that Dr Silverlock’s years have been a Golden Age in the history of the Junior School. He has not only shaped the lives of hundreds of boys at a critical stage in their childhood, but he has also taught his boys to become responsible, caring members of society at large, ready to embrace the challenges they will face with resilience and compassion. Pastoral care is a real jewel in King’s crown and the quality of relationships between pupils and their teachers remain a defining character of the school: inspections in the past fifteen years have frequently commented on the strength of the school in this regard. It is my great pleasure to pay tribute to the Headmaster as he takes his leave from King’s, though I fear that I may fail to do him justice in the time available to me. Nevertheless, you will all have your own memories of him that will be recalled for years to come. Everyone remembers an inspiring Headmaster and a wonderful teacher. Dr Silverlock will be sadly missed but always remembered with tremendous affection and admiration. For my part, I have enjoyed an excellent, professional relationship with him, and I thank him for the warm welcome I always received whenever I came to the school. I now look forward to an ongoing friendship with the school’s most successful headmaster and his family.

H E A D B OYS ’ S P E E C H E S

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Oscar Cleveland URPB Hello! I was going stand in front of you and talk about all the various and detailed experiences I’ve had at King’s – but I realized we might be here a while and you might get bored! So I have tried to summarize my time at our school into just three words. Firstly… Hard working: Whether it be having to study hard for tests or end-ofyear exams; trying to do your best in lessons; practising an instrument to learn a new piece; or training for sporting events – there is always the motivation at King’s to work hard and to do your best – but just as importantly, to be inquisitive and enjoy yourself. This leads me on to my second word … Joyful: Why joyful? My time at school often feels like a second home – with the great friends that I have made; with all the facilities we have both academically and musically; and the wonderful sports grounds we get to play on and enjoy every day. Our lessons can be hard but are often interesting, enjoyable and make me think differently – and this leads me onto my third point. Variety: School life is never boring – my life at King’s is never dull – simply because we have so much variety and receive so many opportunities to explore and be inspired. Owen Lawrence URCM Walking in on my first day at Kings I had an oversized cherry red blazer and butterflies in my stomach. I remember thinking that I had gone to the wrong place due to sheer size of it, from the stunning sports pitches to the amazing music facilities.

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However, all places need a soul. And the energetic staff and students provide that perfectly. We have been taught to express ourselves and pursue a range of interests. This is due to the quality of teaching in every subject and also all the clubs on offer. But the best thing is the sense of community and inclusion – whether it’s for being good at sport or just being enthusiastic everyone is celebrated and made to feel a part of the school. And that, along with the great extra-curricular activities and pastoral care, is what makes this school so special to me. So, on behalf of the Head Boys, I would like to thank all the staff who make the school so brilliant and our special guest, Mrs Reed-Boswell, who has provided such valuable insights. And, of course, to Dr Silverlock who hasn’t just been a wonderful headmaster but someone who has been so dedicated to his role. He has gone above and beyond from turning up to cricket matches at the weekend to seeing the coaches off for our Normandy trip at 5am as well as much, much more. He hasn’t just been a great Headmaster but the life and soul of King’s College Junior school. Thank you. Rudyard Haggist URCM I love this school. I have been here for five years and have been welcomed and accepted. I have been guided towards the path I should take and now, five years later, I can safely tell you that I am a full-blown drama queen. The teachers are all understanding and kind. They do their best to help you grow in their subject, whether it is taking time out of their lunch or nudging you forward with a slice of homemade cake. During Covid, they worked especially hard, with cameras and mics not working and still managed to keep us learning at a smooth pace. One of the things I love most about King’s is that there is always someone for you. There is a pair for every interest, a match for every talent. Whatever you like, from football to Dungeons and Dragons, there is always someone to have fun with and share your knowledge. My fondest memory at the Junior School will always be the first time I got up on Collyer Hall stage to perform. It was the first time I had been on a proper stage, with lighting and

H E A D B OYS ’ S P E E C H E S

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props. It is most memorable to me because, on both nights of the performance, my wig managed to either fall, or flip around the wrong way. Life is full of change and sometimes it can be a little frightening but it is also an opportunity to get out of our comfort zone and try something new. So, I really wish Dr Silverlock a very happy change. I have loved being in the Junior School. I have loved being Head boy.

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PRIZE GIVING

H E A D B OY S Autumn term Oscar Cleveland Spring term Rudyard Haggist Summer term Owen Lawrence SCHOOL PREFECTS Saksham Agrawal Nikolas Andrijanovs Luke Belderbos Arvind Benedict Patrick Bouch Marco Castelvetri Oscar Cleveland Benjamin Court Charlie de Vise-Craig Antoine Dubreil Alfie Edmondson Robert Geijtenbeek Rudyard Haggist Owen Lawrence Amaury Miklichansky-Maddocks Safin Sheikh Raoul Tull Henry van den Bosch Veer Venkatesam Patrick Zarraga

Y E A R G RO U P P R I Z E S TB Tim Gao Benjamin Gussago Ved Neoliya TDM Oliver Bath Oscar Hinxman Charlie Russell TWL Nikita Evseev Rohan Kapila Sebastian Weetch 1BP Rehan Basu

Felix Kent Leo Semiletov 1CM Vedant Khera Victor Kou Kian Suri 1HM Agastya Namas Benjamin Richards Oscar Ross 1W Ethan Hull Tomáš O’Leary Luca Sandroshvili Second Form Sebastian Arney Gabriel Desaedeleer Hugo Dierickx Aarav Gupta Ted Hunter Matthew Ingham Harry O’Hare Nathan Thomas Ashvin Waegner Joshua Wang THIRD FORM SCHOLARSHIP AWA R D S Herbert Rogers Scholarship Gyaan Johal Sanjit Kumar Alex Oussedik Arthur Cayley Scholarship Batu Buyuksolak Alec Gilligan Winston Qiu Harry Walker Charlie Zha Music Scholarship Gabriel Harper Music Exhibition Charlie Zha

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Sport Scholarship George Butterworth Barney Rawlinson Sport Exhibition Luka Cory-Wright THIRD FORM P RO G R E S S P R I Z E S Theodore Bhuia Maks Blicharz Marcello Boldrini-Diamond Rocco Castelvetri Sammy Hull Keeran Jithendra Milo Lennon Oliver Lovett-Turner Joshua Taylor-Marsh Danny Thomson LOWER REMOVE SCHOLARSHIP AWA R D S Major Scholarship Aarya Chandrasekharan Ishaan Chinoy Scholarship Matteo Crisafi Tim Hannah Xander Insall Matteo Lanza Ritik Mukherjee Aneesh Rao Sport Scholarship Jack Turner Sport Exhibition Harry Klein Max Malan LOWER REMOVE P RO G R E S S P R I Z E S Joshua Benjamin Otto Collins Xavier Critchlow Oliver Dunnett Adam Fazlanie

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Harry Hull Shayan Patel Thomas Savege Archit Sharma Oscar Tostivin SPECIAL PRIZES Transition Prize for Art Christian Conroy First & Second Form Prize for Art Tom Buckney Third Form & Lower Remove Prize for Art Harry Jones Third Form & Lower Remove Prize for Design Engineering Sebastian Nicholson First & Second Form Prize for Information Technology Matthew Han Third Form & Lower Remove Prize for Information Technology Marcello Boldrini-Diamond Rushmere Prize for Music Nicholas Ellinghorst Rushmere Singing Prize Leo Ogungbemi Priory Singing Prize Alfie Edmondson Woodwind and Brass Prize Ethan Yan Frank Hole Prize for Piano (Rushmere) Alp Kucukyildiz Frank Hole Prize for Piano (Priory) Ethan Yan

John Evans String Prize (Rushmere) Leo Ogungbemi John Evans String Prize (Priory) Natan Sarkar

Mathematics Gheorghi Castelli Alp Ciceksever Keith Levy II Religious Studies Alp Ciceksever Patrick Zarraga

Michael Smith Prize for Priory Science Antoine Dubreil

Science Antoine Dubreil Scott Hawkings

Carter Prize for Second Form Mathematics Joshua Wang

ADDITIONAL UPPER REMOVE PRIZES

Pythagoras Prize for Third Form Mathematics Charlie Zha Lower Remove Cayley Maths Award Ishaan Chinoy Lindon Speaking Cup Aryan Vedhara SUBJECT PRIZES IN THE UPPER REMOVE English Luke Belderbos Patrick Bouch French Antoine Dubreil Amaury Miklichansky-Maddocks Geography Edward Pedropillai Nemmat Tebandeh History Alexander Annesanti Joshua Caplan Latin Luca Buanne Arvin Kinigama

Cecil Venner Music Arvin Kinigama Art Nikolas Andrijanovs Greek Antoine Dubreil Spanish Saksham Agrawal Italian Cameron Cobb Mandarin Oscar Cleveland Design Engineering Arvin Kinigama Fulford English Literature Patrick Bouch SPECIAL PRIZES IN THE UPPER REMOVE Progress Endymion Goh Debricon Ben Lane Rui Nabeshima Top of Transfer Exam Saksham Agrawal Luke Belderbos Patrick Zarraga

PRIZE GIVING

School Community Award Marco Castelvetri Benjamin Court Charlie de Vise-Craig Owen Lawrence Old King’s Club Award Jed Bennett George Champion Antonio Cortese Leo Dickinson Deyan Patel Charlie Thomas Hampton & Sons Leadership Head Boys’ Award Oscar Cleveland Rudyard Haggist Owen Lawrence UPPER REMOVE SCHOLARSHIP AWA R D S

Sport Scholarship Max Rawlinson Ben Torrance I N D I V I D U A L AWA R D S The Hennessey Cup for Best Batsman Max Rawlinson Best Bowler Bertie Aspinall Best All-Round Cricketer Jethro Eley The Knox-Murray Cup for Best Rugby Player Ben Torrance The Cresswell-Evans Cup for Most Promising Rugby Player Barney Rawlinson

Major Scholarship Antoine Dubreil

Best Soccer Player Max Rawlinson

Scholarship Alexander Annesanti Arvind Benedict Patrick Bouch Luca Buanne Alp Ciceksever Edward Pedropillai Ethan Yan

Most Promising Soccer Player San Lee

Music Scholarship Ethan Yan

Tennis Cup George Cadbury-Gosling

Music Exhibition Arvin Kinigama

Bolt Cup Rudyard Haggist

Drama Scholarship Rudyard Haggist Safin Sheikh

Swimming Cup Alec Gilligan

Art Scholarship Nikolas Andrijanovs

Best Golfer Max Rawlinson Douglas Tennis Plate Luka Cory-Wright

Ortiz Water Polo Cup Oliver Coleman Chess Prize Sanjit Kumar

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Vikram Singh English Prize Xander Insall Day Grammar Cup Xavier Critchlow Carter Library Prize Karthik Prasanna Acting Cup Harry Jones Luddington Cup for all-round contribution to Sport in Rushmere Nicholas Ellinghorst Weston Cup for most promising Cricketer in Rushmere Vedant Khera The Ricky Bartlett Prize for Sport Max Malan The Samir Sheikh Cup for all round contribution to Sport Max Rawlinson The Nicholas D’Aloisio Montilla Cup for Technical Innovation Scott Hawkings HOUSE CUP House Championship Tudor House

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THIRD F O R M B OY S Douglas Adams Mouktik Adhage Marlo Alberti Shahyan Ali Ayden Amin Joaquin Amir Faisal Philip Andreottola Grigory Bachurin Kian Bhanji Theodore Bhuia Maks Blicharz Marcello Boldrini-Diamond Aaron Brown Giulio Buanne George Butterworth Batu Buyuksolak Rocco Castelvetri Zac Castillo-Bernaus Harry Chase Nicholas Chen Arran Clay Luka Cory-Wright Stanley Cottrell Leo de Corbavia Enrique Del Rio Virseda Charlie Dey Thomas Duret Rory Fraser Samuel Garner James Geijtenbeek Alec Gilligan Jakob Gordon Devansh Gupta Alessio Halfon Edward Hamblin Gabriel Harper Joel Hene Sammy Hull Arthur Irvine Keeran Jithendra Gyaan Johal Harry Jones Thomas Keck Cameron Kipps Galvin Kitchen Deniz Kocayusufpasaoglu Sanjit Kumar Harry Lane

Scott Lee Milo Lennon Senan Loth Oliver Lovett-Turner Toby Muzalewski James O’Donnell Alex Oussedik Daniel Panna Zain Patel Jake Poghosyan Karthik Prasanna Winston Qiu Barney Rawlinson Danyal Sayed Hari Singh Ryu Sjogren Zander Slimmon Eli Sorrell Joe Stacey Peter Stockil Samvrit Subin Joshua Taylor-Marsh Danny Thomson Kuzey Unlu Arda Urganci Devan Wadhera Harry Walker Edward Wawra Henry White Leonardo Wood Kirill Zakharyan Charlie Zha LOWER R E M O V E B OY S Philip Acaia Miron Ananyev Omar Ansari Maxim Axentiev Joshua Benjamin Orson Billington James Callaghan Arya Chandrasekharan Ishaan Chinoy Ibrahim Choudhry Oliver Coleman Otto Collins Matteo Crisafi Xavier Critchlow Miguel De Lacerda Ruiz Casaux

Oliver Dunnett Sebastian Edwards Adam Fazlanie Pennley Fujiwara Joseph Galligan Dhruv Ganesan George Gibbs Oliver Gray Marcus Greenhalgh Tim Hannah Matteo Herbst Luke Hicklin Nicholas Holder Robbie Holdsworth James Hughes Harry Hull Xander Insall Umesh Kandeepan Arun Kapila Christian Kerr Harry Klein Josh Kuropatwa Konstantinos Kyriazis Matteo Lanza San Lee Yuki Lefevre Keson Lin Isaac Liow George Macklin Charlie Maguire Max Malan Teager Meddleton Ritik Mukherjee Ruhaan Nagda Arjun Nair Rohaan Narula Sebastian Nicholson Oscar O’Byrne Zayn Pasha Shayan Patel Nikhil Raizada Aneesh Rao Theodore Rolfsen Mujahid Saeed Thomas Savege Taran Sekhon Archit Sharma Arnav Sharma Christian Short Harry Taylor Oscar Tostivin

P R I Z E G I V I N G : L E AV E R S

Jack Turner Osman Valiyev Alastair van der Meer Jan-Willem Van Loon Aryan Vedhara Akira Vleming Harry Wallwork William Watson Hamish Whelan Odran Williams Thomas Winter UPPER R E M O V E B OY S Saksham Agrawal Nikolas Andrijanovs Alexander Annesanti Andrew Arden Albert (Bertie) Aspinall Arjan Basran Alexander Beharry Luke Belderbos Arvind Benedict Jed Bennett Patrick Bouch Luca Buanne Luke Burton George Cadbury Gosling Joshua Caplan Gheorghi Castelli Marco Castelvetri George Champion Alp Ciceksever Oscar Cleveland Cameron Cobb Callum Colraine Antonio Cortese Benjamin Court Matteo d’Allance de Melo Nikhil Dalton Charlie de Vise-Craig Leo Dickinson Matteo Dreesmann Antoine Dubreil Fionn Duggan Alfie Edmondson Jethro Eley Robert Geijtenbeek Endymion Goh Debricon Alexander Golder

Callum Grantham Rudyard Haggist Scott Hawkings Wilfred Hill-Wood Omar Hirji Bryn Jones Arvin Kinigama Ben Lane Owen Lawrence Keith Levy II George Lovett-Turner Kiyan Lukha Tanush Malhotra Amaury Miklichansky-Maddocks Alexander Munro Rui Nabeshima Alexander O’Carroll Tobin O’Donnell Deyan Patel Sen Patel Shaan Patel Edward Pedropillai Daniel Pereira Edward Planche Christopher Preston Dillon Rai Max Rawlinson Freddie Risley Daniel Scruton Safin Sheikh Nicholas Shibiko Benjamin Slattery Nemmat Tabandeh Charlie Thomas Ben Torrance Raoul Tull James Turner Henry van den Bosch Veer Venkatesam Harvey Webber Joe Winser Ethan Yan Jonas Yu Patrick Zarraga

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VALETE

VA L E T E

James Fowler

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James Fowler arrived at King’s to take on the role of Head of Drama at the beginning of September 2020. He was full of wonderful ideas and boundless enthusiasm for a production that would surely gladden the hearts of every budding hobbit in the school. Even when the dreaded pandemic put a stop to the big scale performances that he had planned, James was not to be disheartened, and he remained as cheerful and upbeat as ever, inspiring boys with his expertise, his energy and his good cheer. James made an immediate impression on the boys at King’s, and he enthused his classes even as he aimed to do the impossible: teach virtual drama through Teams! Seemingly, nothing could dampen his positivity, and his sunny nature will be missed by students and colleagues alike. As an English teacher, James steered his Upper Remove through the rigours of the Transfer Exam, preparing all his classes for the new set of challenges that lie ahead of them, be they in the Senior School, the new Lower School or for their final year in the Junior School. James was with us for a year, much of which was remote, but he certainly made his mark, and we send him off to his new role as Head of Creative Arts at Crown House Prep School with much fondness and the very best of luck for the future. CPM

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VA L E T E

Eliot Watkins: History

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Eliot Watkins arrived at KCJS Wimbledon in 1988, fresh from Clifton College Prep School in Bristol. Over the next 32 years he would achieve iconic status at the Junior School through his remarkable enthusiasm for and knowledge of his subject. His supreme gift for story telling enriched the subject for hundreds if not thousands of pupils of all ages – seemingly all known just by a procession of amazing nicknames all invented by the man himself! He would not have been out of place, and still, as a TV presenter of History documentaries. Perhaps this is the next challenge! I arrived at King’s in 1992 and Eliot could not have been a more supportive and helpful Head of Department. I do not believe in our time together we ever had a cross word, unless of course the pork pies ran out on the Hastings trip! Indeed that trip for the Second Form gained legendary status. His ability to add a different anecdote about the battle every year was remarkable. It was one of so many historical trips that Eliot took part in both at home and abroad and his knowledge of the topics was second to none. For me the more recent visits to Ypres were special but I was only sorry that I could not have spent more time then listening to him recount so many fascinating and well researched stories. His considerable knowledge of History in all eras was never more evident than when preparing groups of boys for the Townsend Warner History Prize, in which KCJS achieved great success over many years. It is clearly not just through History that Eliot contributed massively to the life of the school. He took part in numerous other trips and I will never forget the remarkable wide games he organised during our summer visits to Switzerland. He was a stalwart member of Tudor House whilst his running of the school Debating Society and his hosting of the school’s Mock Elections will live long in the memory. He also directed many school plays with great skill and ran the cricket 3rd XI for many years. There is no doubt at all that KCJS is losing one of its most legendary teachers – there is that word again but never was one so appropriate. Eliot is a

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true gentleman and will be sorely missed but I am sure he will continue to enjoy his love of History in the years to come. Ian Morris — “Battle of the Bosworth, 1485!” still rings through the ears of all the pupils who have been taught Medieval Britain by Mr Watkins. The chanting, the nicknames and the stories from the throne form part of the most clear and memorable lessons that we each experienced during our times as King’s students. The joviality of the lessons was always seamlessly balanced with expert historical knowledge making Mr Watkins’ classes unmissable. When we are asked by fellow ex-pupils what it is like to be working at King’s, being ‘behind the scenes’, the usual questions come up around which members of staff are still working at the school and how they are doing etc. However, from the cohort of boys from the Junior School, the teacher most fondly asked after is always Mr Watkins. It is a shame that from now onwards we must tell our former classmates that he has left the school and retired, though after some thirty odd years of teaching boys like Ollie and me, it is perfectly understandable. Not only were Mr Watkins’ lessons unforgettable, but he was also responsible for organising one of the most memorable trips we went on – to recreate the Battle of Hastings. Donning our homemade shields and swords, we took to arms on the battlefield, which was brought to life through the stories of Mr Watkins. His talent for giving life to history is unique and without doubt, one that the History Department and the school as a whole will greatly miss. LRW is the one form group experience that remains indelibly etched on our brains, and will no doubt remain a timeless reminder of the stressfree, pre-university, pre-work joys that school entailed. Form time in LRW was when the quick wit and nicknames were in full flow, something which any ex-LRW member will be able to vividly recall. However, it was also in these form periods that Mr Watkins moulded and developed young boys into mature adolescents, teaching key values and morals which many of us still carry today. A huge thank you to Mr Watkins for perpetuating this

joy throughout his time at King’s. Albeit for only a term, Eliot made a lasting impression on us as a colleague and as a friend. On our first day back at school, he seemed rather surprised that we were both in the Common Room rather than in his classroom and in our work suits rather than our cherry red blazers. However, after getting know Eliot on a personal level, it is clear that whoever you are his kindness and humour transcends. After school one day before Christmas, he even treated us to his impression of another member of staff and we both cried with laughter due to its accuracy. It is a shame that, due to Covid, we did not both get to spend more social time with him outside of work, and hopefully this is something that we can rectify in the near future. GD and OJR —

When Eliot Watkins arrived as the youngest Head of History in the Junior School in 1988, who could have imagined what an impression he would make on the thousands of boys who have had the privilege of being taught by him? With Ian Morris, they made a formidable team of two in the History Department for 28 years. Eliot leaves the school as one of the most beloved teachers ever; a funny, warm and caring teacher; an esteemed colleague; and one of the great characters of KCJS. He ran the History Department for an impressive 97 terms. Eliot’s passion for history is legendary, and his unique style of teaching inspired generations of boys with a love of history and

VA L E T E

learning. His supreme gift for storytelling and recounting anecdotes has enriched the subject for thousands of pupils. Not only did he teach history, but he also taught English and Latin as well. Boys loved chanting ‘do dare dedi datum, sto, stare, steti statum’ to a catchy ditty, but there’s so much more to Mr Watkins than just teaching three academic subjects. Over the years, his annual Second Form Hastings trips became legendary. Mr Watkins had a remarkable ability to add different anecdotes about the battle every year. Giving boys the opportunity to recreate the battle in costumes and shields, running down the hill towards the bottom to fight was brilliant! It must be every 10-year old’s dream! 80 boys charging down the hills towards each other was quite a sight. When Upper Remove boys are asked to list their JS highlights or to identify their best school trip, Hastings is often the one they cite first. And then there were the renowned Ypres trips to commemorate World War 1. Tourists from other countries and many nationalities would gather round and listen in, as transfixed as the boys, when Mr Watkins was telling the Ypres stories at the Menin Gate after the Last Post ceremony. It was impressive that between 2014 and 2018, every boy in the Junior School had the opportunity to visit Ypres and hear Eliot and Ian impart their incredible knowledge. When the French Department would ask boys what their favourite subject was in an oral exam, the overwhelming response was ‘je préfère l’histoire car le prof est très amusant.’ Eliot has been in Tudor for his entire King’s career and a Lower Remove teacher for most of it. It is often forgotten that he also took the 3rd XI cricket team for several years. Eliot has been fully involved in drama productions over the years. It is such a shame that with the onset of the Covid pandemic, his final play ‘Daisy Pulls it Off ’ that he had rehearsed for months was cancelled with less than a week before opening night.

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He has led the Debating Club which was so popular that boys were squeezing in at the door and standing on the tables. Boys as young as nine, were celebrated when delivering their maiden speeches to the house, getting a rousing ovation of banging on the tables. He has organised mock UK elections throughout the years with boys being given the opportunity to try their hand at public speaking and others hanging on every word he says. KCJS’s success in the Townsend-Warner competition, which is nationwide, is phenomenal. Set up in 1885, the history exam papers are designed ‘to provoke interest and delight in historical reading, facts and analysis.’ Every Christmas, around twenty to thirty boys would sign up voluntarily to revise over the holidays and take part in this competition. Under the reign of Mr Watkins, there have been six individual winners from KCJS and the overall KCJS team has won an impressive nine times. His loud, booming and distinctive voice could often be heard as he made his way around the school and down the corridors: in church, from the gallery in the Great Hall at final assemblies, as he walked up the stairs to the Common Room. His legendary throne in his classroom has bitten the dust. It is the end of an amazing era and George Baird has enthusiastically taken on the historical mantle. Mr Watkins was one of a kind, loved by boys and teachers alike! The school’s loss is the world’s gain. Mr Watkins is a true gentleman and a quintessential prep schoolteacher: lovably eccentric. His warmth, good humour, quirky anecdotes, his nicknames that boys love and staff try to decipher, his singing, his bubbly personality, his sense of humour and warmth and his inspirational teaching combined to make him one of the most colourful and larger than life characters of King’s. VJA

D R G E R A R D S I LV E R L O C K : CLOSE U P

D R G E R A R D S I LV E R L O C K : CLOSE UP

Dr Gerad Silverlock

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Dr Gerard Silverlock retired this summer after 15 years of outstanding service and contribution to KCJS. Gerard had previously taught at Millfield School and Lord Wandsworth College where Jonny Wilkinson had been one of his pupils, before moving to Aberdour School in Tadworth as Headmaster. During this time, he obtained his doctorate in “Issues of disarmament in British defence and foreign policy 1918-25” from the King’s College London, War Studies Department. Sorry boys but the Good Dr was never going to help you with your sore throat! The one word which best symbolises his time at KCJS is inclusivity. Every boy was offered the chance to play sport for the school, there were open sports clubs for all and many opportunities in choirs and musical groups. Perhaps, though, the two highlights of his time here were the Centenary Gala at the Wimbledon Theatre which saw every boy on stage starring in sketches written and produced by members of the Junior School Common Room; the other was the decision to take every boy in the school in 2014, over a four-year period, to Ypres to commemorate the centenary of the Great War. There were many successes in sport: national champions at rugby at various ages including the most prestigious Under 13 category, county success in cricket including the Surrey Prep Schools’ U13 cup and countless winning performances at chess. There is no better school in the country for its age at chess. Gerard was present at them all. He showed dizzying and undimmed energy levels during every day of his 15 years’ headship. He was most proud of the boys whom he admitted and the staff he employed. Having overseen a change to the admissions process, the numbers of prospective pupils increased enormously every year – an outstanding achievement in the school-crowded SW London area. The JS would normally welcome almost one hundred new boys every year. It took him no time to know the names of every boy and very soon

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after, he was able to greet every parent by name. In addition, he seemed to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of what each parent did for a living. For those of us who secretly kept seating plans hidden under the desk for our sets of fifteen boys, this was the skill of a magician.

have been granted those opportunities. He would, however, never have felt that he was owed these events. He was always far too self-effacing, but for such a people-person, the farewell events which never happened would have been even more special.

The Junior School Common Room, almost exclusively appointed by Gerard, has for a long time been a team of wonderful people. Almost uniquely, there were no cliques, no gossip corners and no mutterings. All the members of staff have been open, friendly, intelligent, humorous and kind people – in fact, the same qualities as Gerard always showed to his staff. So many of us owe so many friendships to Gerard’s successful appointments. It is, in addition, very fitting that Ted Lougher who has replaced Gerard was himself one of Gerard’s appointees.

The retirement of Gerard marked the end of the Junior School being a 13+ prep school. How lucky it was to have had him as its last headmaster. DJ

Gerard was also a fundamental member of the group which oversaw “the masterplan” which was the 10-year plan to renovate and build within the school campus. This saw the re-opening of the Senior School entrance under the Great Hall, the building of the new Music School and of the new sports complex as well as the extensive landscaping around the site. The masterplan was finished two years early; something to which Gerard’s ability to sort the wheat from the chaff no doubt contributed. Outside school, Gerard had a huge fondness and knowledge of all sport and a surprising love of rock music; he once had to walk from Camden to his home in Hounslow in 1971 when a Rolling Stones concert finished after the last train and bus had departed; even more surprisingly, he was fairly certain that he had seen Black Sabbath play in 1973 on the same tour as Andrew Halls, former Head Master of the Senior School, had seen them! He was also hugely committed to his family, with two of his four children having been pupils at KCJS, to his dog walking and to his catholic faith. It is a huge shame that the last year or so has been so horribly hit by the pandemic. If ever there was a man, a teacher and a headmaster who deserved to hear and feel the accolades of pupils, both present and past, staff and parents, then Gerard should

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Heads on Head: The Interviews Our three Head boys ask the questions to which we have all been dying to know the answers

Rudyard Haggist What has been your favourite moment during your time as Headmaster? GAS There are honestly so many but the evening at the New Wimbledon Theatre with the whole school on stage singing the school song to mark the school’s centenary must be top. What is the most adventurous thing you have done in your life?

Leaving the Spanish border to go on day trip in Morocco with a guide we had met just a minute before. GAS

What would your family say is your most annoying habit?

GAS RH

Being smug, apparently!

What is your all-time favourite movie?

GAS

Robin Hood with Errol Flynn as the hero.

Do you have a trick to remember everyone’s name or is it just a great memory?

No trick and I have never sat down to learn the names with photographs as I need to see people moving and hear their voices in order to remember them. I think I must be fortunate with my memory. GAS

Your children all possess acting talent; do you have a secret talent we do not know about?

I have to disappoint you. I have acted but I cannot dance, sing or play a musical instrument

GAS

Apart from supporting Arsenal, what is your most enjoyed hobby?

GAS

Reading.

What is your most cherished possession and why?

I think it has to be my wedding ring because of what it means and what it has led to. GAS

What fictional character do you most identify with?

I do not think I identify with any fictional character – although I would like to be James Bond, of course – but Matthew Shardlake in the CJ Sansom series is very interesting as he strives to manage religious belief in sixteenth century England and shows great strength of mind despite his natural human weaknesses and fears. GAS

As a child what was your favourite subject at school? History.

— Owen Lawrence What interested you in becoming a teacher/ Headmaster? GAS I come from family of teachers so it seemed natural and I applied to become a Headmaster when my wife told me I needed to run my own school! What was your favourite moment as a Headmaster?

The evening at the New Wimbledon Theatre with the whole school on stage singing the school song to mark the school’s centenary in 2012. GAS

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If you had three words to describe your time at King’s, what would they be?

If you weren’t a teacher, what job would you like to do?

Stimulating, rewarding, fun.

GAS

A political journalist or a sports journalist or a politician. GAS

If you had three words to be remembered by, what would you like them to be?

OC OL

What is your favourite sport?

I find it hard to distinguish between football and rugby.

GAS

What do you like to do in your free time?

GAS

Read, watch films, watch sport, go fishing, walk the dog. GAS

Which person would you say has had the biggest effect on you in your life?

Honest, intelligent, wise.

What was your favourite sporting event while you have been Headmaster?

When the U13 rugby team won the National Prep Schools’ Trophy for the first time. GAS

GAS OL

My mother.

What is your favourite quote?

GAS

If in doubt, both feet out (from my mother)

What is the best thing about being Headmaster?

GAS

If you could change your career in any way, would you and what changes would you make?

GAS

Which three words would you use to describe yourself?

GAS This

is an unfair question! Calm, cheerful, friendly.

By and large, people are very kind to me.

I am very happy with what has happened to

me. What are you most looking forward to doing when you are not Headmaster?

I am not really sure but probably being able to spend more time with my family. GAS

Which person influenced you the most in your life?

GAS See OL

my answer to 6.

What is your favourite poem or story?

GAS Wuthering

Heights.

If you could change King’s in one way, what would it be?

Oscar Cleveland What is the worst thing someone has done in your time as Headmaster? GAS The best and the worst are flip sides of the same coin: Mr Jones telling jokes. What is your happiest memory at King’s?

Watching the U11 football team win the Surrey Cup with my son playing in goal. GAS

Listen carefully to advice, do what you think is right and have fun. GAS

—

If you could give your successor some advice, what would it be?

It would be wonderful if Kingsway were attached to the school on Ridgway.

GAS

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King’s College Junior School: A Retrospective

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Bernard Wood-Hill 1912 to 1938 Cecil Venner 1938 to 1955

J R Diver 1955 to 1965

Colin Holloway 1976 to 1998

John Evans 1998 to 2006

Peter Gibbs 1965 to 1976

Dr Gerad Silverlock 2006 to 2021

KC J S : A R E T RO S P E C T I V E

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109 years of King’s College Junior School educating and enriching the lives of boys up to 13 years old has come to an end, as Lower Remove and Upper Remove boys stream into the Lower School for the 2021/22 academic year. Cabbages looks back at the Junior School’s history in relation to world events to mark this end of an era. In 1959, the 35th US President John F Kennedy spoke in Indianapolis to endorse the cause of the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) – an organisation that still to this day provides scholarships for black students in the US. In his speech, he promoted the idea that opportunity can be born from a crisis, famously (albeit inaccurately) stating that the Chinese word for crisis contained two symbols – one for danger, the other for opportunity. Today, the world is facing two monumental crises: climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. The former of these the UN has deemed “widespread, rapid and intensifying”; the social upheaval of the latter, some have compared to the domestic impact of the World Wars. However, many have also seen the pandemic as an opportunity to reset and “build back better”, to take stock and improve. The NHS, an institution that has been praised and celebrated by the public with even keener applause in the last two challenging years, was born in an era of welfare concerns for a population recovering from the damage caused by a devastating war. It is no coincidence that the founding of the Junior School in 1912 came out of a crisis at King’s College School itself; indeed, it may very well have ensured the survival of the school as a whole. In 1897, the school moved from the basement of the Strand campus of King’s College London to its current location in Wimbledon at great expense. This, coupled with a trend for sending boys to newly-founded boarding schools in healthier rural areas away from the city smog, meant that pupil numbers were dwindling. The 18th centurybuilt South Hayes House and six acres of land, which had been bought for the once great sum

of £17,000, required urgent improvements and adaptations to make it fit for educational use. A 1907 inspection of the school deemed the school buildings too ‘unsatisfactory’ and ‘inadequate’ to ‘provide a detailed record of their defects’. Staff salaries were cut, leading to a fall in morale and recruitment; pupil intake continued to fall. An out-of-touch and ineffective school committee, overseen by the Council of King’s College London, failed to act; bankruptcy and/or closure seemed imminent. When Herbert Lionel Rogers was appointed as the new Headmaster in 1910, he saw an opportunity in this crisis. He managed the smooth transition away from KCL and into independence – a process instigated by the 1908 King’s College London (Transfer) Act, which saw the college become part of the University of London; implemented a grant-aided scholarship scheme funded by Surrey County Council, thus improving the finances of the school; and finally in 1912, founded the Junior School. Sound finances have enabled the school to generously promote its bursaries and scholarships to this day.

1912 Junior School pupils

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Credit for the school’s ability to survive and thrive after this crisis has also been attributed to the founding of the Junior School, as Graeme Cranch wrote in King’s College School: The First 150 Years (1979), it ‘guaranteed the eventual recovery of the school and assured its progress towards outstanding academic and other achievements.’ Broader crises were being felt across the country at the time. A crisis in welfare led to the introduction of National Insurance contributions. A constitutional crisis led to the Parliament Bill of 1911 – an act that reformed the powers of the House of Lords and reduced the term of an elected prime minster and his government to five years, down from seven. Emily Davidson, who died fighting for the enfranchisement of women at the Epsom Derby in 1913, and her fellow suffragettes began a campaign of protests, window smashing and chaining themselves to Downing Street railings. Led by Emeline Pankhurst, this campaign would escalate and eventually bring about the Representations of the People Act of 1918, the enfranchisement of women. The Great Labour Unrest saw a greater level of action and organisation amongst members of trade unions, the effects of which would be felt through the 20th century, peaking during the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. However, an even greater crisis was brewing across the English Channel in Europe in the early 1910s. “When it came in August 1914, [the war] seemed to have taken most people by surprise. […] Young men everywhere flocked to join up, including the whole Sixth Form at K.C.S.” author, historian and former KCJS teacher Mark Hichens wrote in K.C.J.S 1912-1987 A Historical Survey. The 162 names on the school’s First World War memorial show the great sacrifice made by the school’s alumni in this devastating period of history. In 1915, Bernard Wood-Hill, KCJS’s first Headmaster, took temporary leave from his role to join the war effort. He was an Edwardian gentleman throughand-through, believing in hard-work, discipline and self-reliance. His firm leadership has been credited with the success of the Junior School in the years to come. Wood-Hill started with a school of 80 boys and three masters in 1912; numbers had risen to over two hundred boys and ten masters by the time that he retired 25 years later.

During the Great War, nationwide rationing diminished the quality of the offerings at the tuck shop and the greater appointment of women to roles traditionally held by men extended to the Junior School with the introduction of three female teachers, replacing young male staff who valiantly headed off for war. Aside from the above, the Junior School itself was more or less unchanged by what was, for the most part, a war that raged across the sea on the continent. Remembrance Day has been marked by the school ever since; one of the first of these was attended by OK P. K. Gerhold, who spoke to Mark Hichens in 1987: “This was only a few years after the war in which most masters and some of one’s own male relatives had been engaged, and many Old Boys had been killed or wounded. The atmosphere with its silence, the sounds of the maroons and the bugle-calls, the laying of the wreaths and the hymns […] were unbearably moving, even for a nine-year old without personal memories.” An ever-burgeoning middle class in the suburbs of London during the interwar period led to greater stability for the Junior School. Pupil intake had doubled by 1920 and fees had reached a high of £13 per term; subsequently, a host of building and expansion took place, notably the acquisition of Kingsway Sports Ground on West Barnes Lane in 1924. A whimsical school-life of hymns, prayers,

1930s JS Pupils outside the Tuck Shop

roast beef, rote learning, mischief and corporal punishment was overseen with meticulous detail by Wood-Hill until his retirement in 1937. A year later, the Munich Crisis saw Neville Chamberlain triumphantly return from Germany after talks with Adolf Hitler, waving the Anglo-German Declaration of “peace for our time”. This was a short-lived and

KC J S : A R E T RO S P E C T I V E

in hindsight ill-judged opportunity born out of the crisis provided by the threat of Nazi Germany in Europe; the country was once again plunged into war a year later following Hitler’s invasion of Poland.

1937 JS Silver Jubilee Programme

Taking the helm of the Junior School in 1937 was Cecil Venner, who had been at the school since 1922. Writing in the 1962 King’s College School Jubilee Magazine, he spoke highly of his predecessor but less so of the school’s infrastructure of the time: “Over this shabby school B.W.H reigned with wisdom and justice, and if we as masters worked hard it was his enthusiasm and love of the Junior School that inspired us to work as hard as he.” Chamberlain’s Munich Crisis led to Mr Venner’s own crisis just a year into his headmastership. “I remember that sunny morning, arriving in my car to find a crowd of naturally anxious parents outside the School. ‘What are you going to do?’ they cried. ‘I don’t know yet, wait and see,’ I replied.” Senior leadership of the school in recent years can probably relate to this level of parental anxiety and need for decisiveness in the face of changing national and international events. In this case, Mr Venner set off for the Cotswolds, where the school was nearly temporarily moved to a country house for safety. In the end, the house was let out to expecting mothers-to-be from London and the crisis had been temporarily halted by Chamberlain’s appeasement. Many boys did eventually leave London, evacuated in great numbers during Operation Pied Piper, which saw three million people evacuated to the relative safety of the countryside. The Daily Mail put a positive spin on the operation. “Evacuation of schoolchildren from London went without a

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hitch. The children, smiling and cheerful, left their parents and entrained for unknown destinations in the spirit of going on a great adventure. ‘I wish all our passengers were as easy to manage,’ a railway official said. ‘The children were very well behaved.’” This optimistic interpretation of a mannerly departure hints at the overwhelming and traumatic experience faced by children, who were separated from their families with the prospect of total war looming ever closer. The Junior School remained open to a significantly diminished cohort (137 down from 206) with eight air raid shelters at the ready. KCJS’s office staff of today will sympathise with the emergence of gas masks in the lost property room. The so-called “Phoney War”, an eight month period in which little fighting took place, led to many boys gradually returning to school, only to be sent off again with the initiation of the Blitz in September 1940. Venner remembers this unimaginably difficult time well. “At the first warning of sirens, down we would go to the shelters and carry on with our lessons in somewhat cramped quarters. Sometimes we even had to serve dinner in the shelters and I needn’t stress the discomfort of having to eat in them, and for us masters the unpleasant job of having to carry food across from the kitchens. So used did we get to the noise of gunfire that I remember once during a terrific thunderstorm at dinner time blowing my whistle for silence and telling the boys that the noise wasn’t guns or bombs but thunder. Fortunately, in most cases, the School was empty before the night raids began, but many of us in the mornings were very tired after sleepless, rather terrifying nights.” It certainly puts remote learning, mask-wearing, one-way-systems and well-ventilated classrooms into perspective. Schoolmasters Mr Tomlins, Mr Last and Mr Gibbs left to “join up” and staffing became difficult; even Bernard Wood-Hill came out of retirement to lend a hand. University College School in Hampstead and King’s were the only big London schools not to move to a campus in the countryside. Mr Venner continues: “We kept the school going as normally as was possible.” In January 1944, a Luftwaffe raid levelled the gym and the assembly room, and the main buildings received some damage. Evidence of this damage can still be seen in the shrapnel

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scars on the south side of the Great Hall, whose windows were blown out with the explosion. On the 13th June 1944, the first V1 “doodlebug” missile (an unpiloted flying bomb put into production late in the war by Germany and utilised as Vergeltungswaffen, or vengeance weapons in retaliation for D-Day a week earlier) landed in Clapham. A year-long campaign of V1 and V2 bombing ensued and due to the unpredictability and damage caused by these weapons, King’s finally closed. Mr Venner wrote: “One crashed on the old Major cricket pitch, and I remember so well the leafless trees, and the smell of sap. At the same time my study ceiling came down once more, and many windows of the school were again broken. We closed the School.” This hiatus did not last long as the school reopened again in September 1944, just six months before VE day. Less historically important but no less important to King’s, on this same day, the governors also decided that the school should become fully independent in the wake of the 1944 Education Act. The school rose ever stronger from the devastation of the war, acquiring the Priory, a new gym, a music school and a little hall. Mr Venner wrote: “The Junior School, as far as buildings were concerned, could be proud of itself ”. Mr Venner himself retired in 1955 and was remembered fondly by Old King’s boy and author, Ronald Charles Mason: “He was everyone’s favourite but never traded on it; and for many like me he provided a revelation that has lit their lives.”

1953 JS schoolboys

In the following years, the Junior School continued to grow under the leadership of John Diver. A 70-strong Junior Choir emerged, and the

Dramatic Society laid the seeds for the future theatrical prowess of the school. It is with Mr Diver that the thread of fun and enjoyment at KCJS was double-stitched into daily life. Writing in the aforementioned Jubilee Magazine, he himself saw this enjoyment as starting with Bernard Hill-Wood who set the enduring tradition that “everything to be done, learnt, played, written or read about, has to be done willingly, efficiently and enjoyably.” He then credits Mr Venner with bringing a “wider, warmer and more gentle touch” to the Junior School as well as “his ready sense of fun”. However, it must be with post-war Britain that the fun truly started. Post-war austerity and rationing gave way to hopeful abandon. London became the capital of the Swinging-Sixties and a popular culture revolution. Rushmere House, before it was acquired by the school, hosted visits from Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles thanks to its then owner, the sculptor David Wynne. 1957 saw the opening of the cricket pavilion, the Junior School’s first football match and a memorable production of “The Italian Straw Hat”. Two years later, a new art school was built. Despite the optimism and burst of creativity of the time, it must be remembered that an existential threat of nuclear war hung over the country, the peak of which came with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The aftermath of this crisis saw an opportunity for the easing of tensions between the two great superpowers of the USA and the Soviet Union; a Moscow-Washington Hotline was set up and the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed, although the Cold War would continue well on through the latter half of the twentieth century. The magazine boom of the early 1960s was not missed by King’s, with the first edition of Cabbages and Kings published in 1963, introduced by then head of English, Cyril Thurlow, who had served in the RAF during the war. This article itself goes against the initial vision for the magazine, which Thurlow had intended to be written as much as possible by the boys. Indeed, the magazine would evolve from a small literary publication to the official Junior School magazine over the years; the editor of the 50th edition of the magazine in its centenary year wrote: “As these pages testify, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.”

KC J S : A R E T RO S P E C T I V E

1963 First edition of Cabbages & King’s

A year before the England football team won its only international competition in 1966, a new Headmaster took the helm. Peter Gibbs faced the difficult balancing act of maintaining the traditions of the school with the advancements in educational practice. He had been at the Junior School for 30 years prior to his appointment and his dedication to the school is evidenced by his attendance statistics – just three occasions of absence in 41 years, once for mumps, once for war service and once when his house was bombed. He also set in motion a huge redevelopment of the school which was to be overseen by his successor Colin Holloway.

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in and around the premises of a community busily at work posed a succession of administrative, technical and human problems.” He noted the dedication of the Clerk of Works, Bill Whitehead, and his team, but reserved his highest praise for staff, whom he compared to “nomad tribesmen, their cardboard boxes ever at the ready” to move classrooms, and for the boys who “took a great interest in all the development and the care and pride which most boys took in their new surroundings were rewards in themselves”. This work culminated in Collyer Hall in 1988, named after the Chairman of the Governors, Mr K A Collyer who, in the words of Holloway, “like Moses armed with the stones of the Law, the planning report and several miracles up his sleeve steered the pilgrims from their early hardships through the wilderness of rebuilding to the promised land.”

1980 23rd May Official Opening of JS by Earl Jellicoe

1968 July JS Climbing trip to Snowdonia

1984 JS trip to Big Pit Mining Museum

The country’s clamour for home ownership in the 1970s and the Barbour boom of 1973 saw King’s look to extend its own home, finally beginning a huge programme of works, after much planning and fund-raising, in 1977. This was a huge undertaking as Holloway wrote: “The construction of a school

The 1980s also saw an end to Saturday school and a considerable investment in technology as the school moved with the rest of the country into the digital age. Over the Atlantic Ocean and across a whole continent, Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs were making strides with the first Macintosh home

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computer sold by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak’s Apple in 1984, and the introduction of the Windows operating system by Bill Gates’ Microsoft in 1985. Who could have foretold the power and influence of the companies emerging from this primordial soup of microchips and technological innovation?

1990s From prospectus leaflet

At the start of the next decade, Tim BernersLee created the World Wide Web and King’s College Junior School made its own development, the acquisition of Rushmere House and the introduction of Transition class in September 1993. Margie Hamilton, one of the first Rushmere teachers, wrote of the uncertainty of admitting boys so young in the 1994 edition of Cabbages: “How would these youngsters cope in such a large school? How would we test six-year-olds? What shall we teach them? Who wants to teach them? Are they out of nappies?” However, these reservations were allayed as Hamilton continues: “Fortunately, the group of seven-year-olds who graced the newly converted building of Rushmere proved to be a welcome addition to the School and their ability to cope astounded us all.” The country’s fortunes were turning around after the disastrous Black Wednesday of 1992 and “Cool Britannia” ruled the waves, or at least the air-waves, with Britpop and the Spice Girls. John Major proudly boasted in 1996 that "Our fashion, music and culture are the envy of our European neighbours. This abundance of talent, together with our rich heritage, makes 'Cool Britannia' an obvious choice for visitors from all over the world." He was to be succeeded by Tony Blair’s Labour government a year later.

The following year, a changing of the guard took place at KCJS too; John Evans, who had been a master at the Senior School for 28 years, succeeded Colin Holloway as Headmaster of the Junior School. Evans bolstered the school’s extracurricular offering. His passion for drama and the arts is evidenced by his own involvement in them, singing in the Chamber Choir and even starring as Fagin in his inaugural year in the Junior School’s production of Oliver!. He was praised by Gavin Stebbing, who was taught by Evans in the 1970s before his own sons went through the Junior School under Evans’ leadership. At the Junior School Leaver’s Parents Lunch in Evans’ final term at the school, Stebbing said: “I first met John some 32 years ago in September 1974… Little did I know all those years ago that the man taking roll-call in front of me every day would become the daytime surrogate father to my sons a generation later… John was a warm and encouraging teacher, and his appointment as Headmaster of the Junior School did not change him. I know that John commands great respect and devotion from his boys and teaching staff alike without losing his warmth and friendliness.” Dr Gerard Silverlock, who has just ended his 15 years as Headmaster of the Junior School, took over in 2006. A Junior School newsletter of the time managed to capture the essence of his time at the school very early on: “Nobody who has met Dr. Gerard Silverlock during the last four weeks or so can be in any doubt about the fact that he is really enjoying his new role as Headmaster of King’s College Junior School.” It has been Dr Silverlock’s infectious enjoyment that has been the bedrock of the school since his appointment; the newsletter continues: “Although KCJS is most successful academically and is interested in attracting very bright boys, it is a friendly community which is committed to providing a broad, balanced education based on strong moral values and a real sense of fun. Dr. Silverlock is convinced that this is the best way to prepare the boys for their time in the Senior School.” Around half-way through Dr Silverlock’s tenure, Britain was on a high. 2012 saw an outpouring of positivity with the London Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. In this significant

KC J S : A R E T RO S P E C T I V E

year, King’s College Junior School had reason to celebrate too. The school had now been in existence for 100 years and it was marked in style. A special Christmas Carol Service in the Sacred Heart church was, according to Dr Silverlock, “a wonderful occasion at which all our boys and some four hundred parents and friends came together for a lovely service of readings, prayers and carols.” This was followed in the spring term by the Music Department, led by Mr Stevenson, providing a “superb Gala Centenary Concert at Guildford Cathedral” which was “certainly appreciated by the six-hundred strong audience.”

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reciprocity and strength of the King’s community. The 2010s are notable for their political turmoil; the Brexit referendum of 2016 saw the UK on a course to leave the EU by the end of the decade, and across the pond, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America. At King’s however, Dr Silverlock maintained his steady and graceful handling of the reins until his retirement earlier this year. This grace has been all the more remarkable given the challenges faced by the school as a result of nationwide lockdowns. The pandemic, first documented in Wuhan, China in December 2019, took the whole world by surprise. The school has had to close, limit its numbers, or force some into isolation on numerous occasions over this frustrating last year and a half or so. This has presented boys and staff with numerous challenges, but again, a few new opportunities. Microsoft Teams, which was utilised so creatively by boys and staff, and other online platforms and resources may not be favoured by everyone, but these new forms of technology will undoubtedly play an increasingly greater role in education, and the wider world, in the years to come.

The end of the celebrations was marked by a Gala Performance at Wimbledon Theatre. Dr Silverlock was “delighted that every boy in the school [was] directly involved in entertaining us”. The performance, titled Through their eyes, saw boys and staff produce ten sketches, each covering one of the decades of the school’s first one hundred years. Dr Silverlock went on to praise the dedication of the boys and staff involved in the project, arguing that “it is their commitment and enthusiasm which makes our school the very special place that it is.”

In July 2020, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer published promising results from clinical trials of their Covid vaccines, providing the means to haul the world out of this crisis and instilling cautious optimism for the future. In the same month, @KCSWimbledon announced: “We are delighted today to announce that we have appointed Mr Ted Lougher as Headmaster of King’s College Junior School with effect from the 1st September 2021.” The same optimism can be heard in Dr Silverlock’s welcome on the School’s website: “Did you have fun at school? I want all our boys to look back on their time at King’s College Junior School and answer this question with a resounding ‘yes’.”

Defying the Global Financial Crisis of the previous decade, the good times continued with a huge 10-year infrastructure programme, starting with Kingsway Pavilion in 2011 and culminating in the Music School and Sports Centre in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The work would not have been possible without the generous donations of hundreds of King’s families, highlighting the

The cessation of Lower Remove and Upper Remove has already provided staff with a greater opportunity for collaboration and continuity between the Senior and Junior Schools. Many look back on their time as staff or pupils in the Junior School with great warmth and affection. Many also look to the future of King’s College and see a great opportunity, indeed, as a parent

2012 Gala Concert programme

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of a King’s bursary pupil called it, “a life-changing opportunity.” Could it be that current or future cohorts of King’s pupils take the opportunities presented by today’s world crises and provide the solutions for mankind’s continued prosperity? Perhaps this very magazine will be celebrating these achievements in another 100 years. CN

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

ACTIVITIES AND E VENTS

DHRUV BOOK BUS Dhruv started a book review page called ‘Read, Let Read’ to raise money for a charity called ‘The Book Bus’. ‘Read, Let Read’ is a book review platform for children by children that aims to encourage children to read and summarise their thoughts in the form of a book review. ‘The Book Bus’ works with schools in Zambia, Malawi and Ecuador, delivering books and working with teachers and volunteers to help get more children reading. They featured Dhruv as their honorary October Ambassador in appreciation of his work and efforts. Dhruv Jain 2B

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esteemed panel of experts, and prizes were awarded to an impressive number of boys from First Form to Upper Remove. Huge congratulations go to prize winners Harry O’Hare, 2J and Keeran Jithendra, 3A. Keep writing boys – there’s surely a novel in each of you! CPM

M A KO V U N I P O L A In the week beginning 18 January, we were delighted to invite England and British & Irish Lions rugby star Mako Vunipola to speak to pupils, staff and parents regarding his outstanding career to date. Mako touched on a number of important aspects, explaining how his rugby playing journey began, the challenges he faced transitioning from schoolboy rugby through to the professional game, whilst

BOOKFEST Many KCJS boys spent part of their locked-down Easter holiday writing poetry or stories to enter into the Wimbledon ‘Bookfest’ competition. It was fantastic to see how much creative writing is done outside the classroom by our budding authors and poets and teacehrs really enjoyed reading the submissions, which all had to adhere to this year’s theme: The Secret. Judging was done by an

reiterating just how important team cohesion is in achieving success. It was a real pleasure to have Mako speak candidly to us, on life both inside and outside of rugby. A true legend of the game, thank you, Mako! DAC

CHRIS BRADFORD W R I T E R TA L K Second and Third Form boys had a virtual visit from author Chris Bradford on Wednesday 18 November, and through the wonders of Zoom, he transported them to Japan where he brought the world of his ‘Young Samurai’ series to life, and then on to the glamorous world of the rich and famous to talk about ‘Bodyguard’. Second Form learned about the nine different martial arts in which Chris trained in order to learn enough to write his Samurai series, and they also faced the sharp point of his lethally sharp samurai sword, learning

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how to treat the weapon with respect. Third Form learned that the best bodyguards are the people that nobody notices, and Chris talked them through the inspiration behind his Bodyguard series and how a young boy would never be suspected as a bodyguard and therefore would make the perfect choice. In both talks, boys were captivated – enthralled, simply by a face on a screen – and his presentations made the teachers realise that remote learning could be much improved by the addition of some music, a few atmospheric backgrounds, and a Samurai sword! CPM

E U R O P E A N D AY OF L ANGUAGES On Thursday 24 September, the Junior School celebrated European Day of Languages. Boys started off with a quiz all about languages in their forms. They very much enjoyed debating the answers and it led to some great discussion about languages in general but I think boys might most remember the word in Caribbean Spanish for a ‘cotisuelto’ (a man who takes pride in his untucked shirt!). Pupils and teachers also embraced dressing up in a variety of creative headpieces

which represented languages and countries across the globe. Throughout the day, boys then enjoyed teaching the words or sentences that they had learned in the language of their ‘hat’ to their fellow classmates. It was a wonderful celebration of languages and cultures – thank you to pupils, parents and teachers for making the day such a success. HFMM

ACTIVITIES AND E VENTS

HASTINGS Although unable to take part in the usual yearly pilgrimage to Battle Abbey, the boys in 2B were ready to do battle like Harold Godwinson and William Duke of Normandy 954 years ago. GSWB

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RUSHMERE OBER A SCHOOLS’ PROJECT

WILD LEARNING: 1S T F O R M

The Obera Schools Project in Kenya continues to build classrooms with the money raised by the boys of Rushmere. Here you can see the plastering of the 19th classroom the project has built since 2005. Schools in Kenya closed in March 2020 due to Covid and were not due to reopen until the following January. However, upon their return, the children were able to have safe and well-built classrooms to enjoy.

The First Form enjoyed their trip to Wimbledon Common on Thursday 24 September. We were glad to be able to take part in a ‘Wild Learning’ adventure and escape to the woods. It was a wonderful day involving den building, team building and plenty of laughter as well as a little time for relaxation and reflection. It was very good to enjoy the outdoors together and to build and strengthen friendships. CSM

Just before the October half-term, the boys of Rushmere held their annual sponsored spellings and tables event in aid of building classrooms in Kenya. The boys raised a magnificent £11,223, which with Gift Aid should total around £14,000. This will be enough to build three more classrooms to add to the 19 already built in three different schools in south-western Kenya over the last 15 years. In a special assembly, the boys watched a video of the Headmaster in Kenya, Mr Kisaka, showing last year’s classrooms and where the new buildings will be constructed. AB

ACTIVITIES AND E VENTS

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WILD LEARNING: TRANSITION Wimbledon Common was the classroom for our new Transition boys on Thursday 10 September 2020 as they swapped desks and pencils for a forest setting and had a wonderful day of adventure. It was lovely to see boys working in teams, facing challenges and obstacles, sharing ideas with new friends and finding solutions in their groups. The teachers were all encouraged by the boys’ imaginations and saw some excellent examples of perseverance and resilience throughout the day. We were reminded of how lucky we are as a school to be situated so close to so much nature and were very grateful for the team from ‘Wild Learning’ who led the boys through all their activities. AB

W O R L D B O O K D AY This year’s World Book Day took place on Thursday 4 March, and in the Junior School was centred around celebrating actual physical paper books, the very things we had to ration since libraries and bookshops were closed during lockdown. For some, bookshelves were now groaning under the weight of all the new Amazon purchases, whilst others had been loading the Kindle, sparing the shelves, but foregoing the pleasure of turning real pages. After a book-themed assembly featuring ‘The Masked Reader’ and some of the JS teachers sharing details of their favourite books with the boys, English lessons saw boys curating their

bookshelves in weird and wonderful ways, making reading dens and listing their top 10 desert island books. A small group of the key worker boys were asked to read to residents of Queen’s Court care home, and they both shocked and delighted their audience with a lively reading of Roald Dahl’s revolting version of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Thank you to Third Form boys Alex Oussedik, Cameron Kipps, Sammy Hull, Sanjit Kumar, Karthik Prasanna and Zander Slimmon for giving the residents a most entertaining ten minutes. CPM

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WRITER IN RESIDENCE: M AT T D I C K I N S O N In the week beginning 8 February, the Second and Third Form boys enjoyed a virtual creative writing workshop run by Writer in Residence, Matt Dickinson. Working in groups, the boys prepared a story based on the idea of cause and effect; the idea that every action sparks a chain reaction, leading to rising tension and ultimate chaos at the end of the story! Boys shared ideas that culminated in alien invasion, getting stuck in a video game, being attacked by an escaped polar bear and hurtling towards certain doom in an out of control car chase on the M25! Each boy made full use

of his epic imagination to add something to his group’s collaborative story, and with the planning completed, the boys were challenged to move on and to write 8 completed sections of their story independently before Matt’s return after half-term. We were so grateful that Matt was prepared to brave the vagaries of Teams in order to give the students this wonderful opportunity and we were all very excited to discover what would happen next in the boys’ extraordinary stories inspired by the butterfly effect.

In the week after we returned from half-term, Matt Dickinson was back on screen with the boys of Second and Third Form, hearing their Mortal Chaos inspired stories. As well as telling us more about his adventures, including his expedition to Antarctica, Matt spent much of the afternoon providing feedback for the boys, to help each group polish their final drafts for submission and judging the following week. To have their work critiqued by a best-selling children’s author is a privilege indeed, and to hear their work praised so highly was immensely gratifying for the whole English Department, not to mention those young writers who had worked so hard on their epic stories. Matt told us that he had once been approached by MI6, and that he had been very close to accepting a role within the secretive organisation!

During the week beginning 5 October, the Junior School welcomed writer Matt Dickinson as Writerin-Residence for the year. He began his time with us in the Great Hall, speaking about his ascents of Mount Everest and how these experiences inspired him to write ‘The Everest Files’ trilogy, whilst also featuring widely in his multi-narrative ‘Mortal Chaos’ series. Every boy in the school had the chance to hear Matt’s amazing stories of climbing to the summit of the world’s highest peak, and we all took inspiration from his description of the dreams he had as a young boy that led to such an incredible accomplishment. His message was clear: we can all achieve anything if we have the ambition and the commitment. It was wonderful for the boys to have a live visit from such a motivational speaker and, as he said himself, he was delighted to be back in a school at last, and in front of such a receptive and enthusiastic audience! CPM

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AF HARROLD TDM On 12 February, AF Harrold joined the Rushmere end of half-term meeting. We joined the assembly and found a big bushy beard waiting! This was a big surprise because we did not expect AF Harrold (famous for his beard!) to join the meeting. TDM have been learning about AF Harrold and we found out that he is a funny poet and can turn absolutely anything into comedy. In the assembly he read some hilarious poems and we asked him some interesting questions. We also learnt about his childhood and learnt how he can make such ridiculous poems. Sholto White, Joseph Bouch and William Durrleman TDM

PERSONAL PROJECTS: R N L I A N I M AT I O N

B A K E O F F 1B P Sachin Gilchrist, 1BP, organised and ran a ‘Bake-Off’ session over the course of a weekend in January. The boys thoroughly enjoyed this social event and were excited to show off (and eat!) their splendid cakes.

B A K E O F F 1C M 1CM had a bake off on the weekend of the 6 and 7 February. They were invited to make their favourite foods and here is what they came up with. Just looking at them made all of our mouths water! CSM and JCB

During the summer of 2020, I had an amazing experience whilst on holiday with my mother in Swanage, Dorset. My mum’s cousin Becky is a volunteer crew member for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) lifeboat in Swanage and is heavily involved in the annual Lifeboat Week during Swanage Carnival. Because of the Covid restrictions, Lifeboat Week this year was a virtual online event. I am a big fan of creating stop motion videos using Lego mini figures and Becky asked if I would consider doing a short animation of a lifeboat rescue for their Twitter and Facebook channels. I was very happy to help and took my inspiration from seeing Becky’s lifeboat pager go off just as we were about to eat in a restaurant. The animation took me 36 hours to produce – with 806 separate photos. Becky loved the animation and it quickly went viral on Twitter and Facebook, gaining over 100,000 views for Swanage RNLI in a very short space of time. The lifeboat crew were delighted and I was pleased that I had helped out. I thought that would be the end of it but BBC Radio Solent picked up on the story and asked Becky and me to do an interview on their morning Breakfast show. The interview was live so it was a little bit scary but a great experience. The next thing that happened was that BBC TV South heard the broadcast and we were then asked to do a TV

LOCKDOWN LIFE

interview – luckily not live this time! BBC TV then produced a 5 minute feature using the interview and parts of my animation. This was broadcast twice on BBC TV South – once at 6.30pm and again at 10.30pm. Two days later the video appeared in the “must watch” section on the main BBC website and for one day was the third most watched video on the site! After this, it appeared on Newsround and can still be found on the BBC website by searching “Lego”. I was very pleased to be involved in helping share the great work that the RNLI do every day and am very proud of Becky and the rest of the Swanage lifeboat crew. Christian Short LRA

CHILDREN’S MH AWA R E N E S S W E E K As part of ‘Children’s Mental Awareness Week 2021, which took place in the week beginning 1 February, TWL were given the opportunity to participate in a ‘screen free’ activity for 45 minutes. Each chose a challenge they would enjoy from an extensive list given to them. The boys thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to break away from online learning and baked, jogged, juggled, made/ tested paper airplanes, built models of famous landmarks, read poetry books, listened to music in a homemade den and took spectacular photos on Wimbledon Common. There were lots of smiley faces which in turn made their teachers very happy too! SJW and JCL

I B R A H I M LRW N H S During half-term in February, I volunteered to help at a Covid vaccination surgery in London, Tower Hamlets, with one of the highest numbers of BAME (Black and Asian Minority Ethnic) populations in the area. It was an incredible experience to be able to assist the surgery in administering the vaccine during a pandemic and contribute to helping improve the situation for the country. I helped patients fill in compulsory consent forms so that surgery staff knew if there were any problems for the patients. I watched some people take the vaccine, some were nervous and needed support, some couldn’t read or write English and

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even wanted me to get photos of them taking the vaccine! One of the important jobs, yet difficult as well, was navigating the patient through the process. Some of them found it hard to complete the forms, some couldn’t read, and some couldn’t write, so I had to offer to do it for them whilst they would tell me the details (if they weren’t able to do it themselves). Some were very nervous and anxious, especially one woman I remember, who I did my best to reassure, and she seemed relieved after I helped her out. Afterwards, I read that the BAME population are not only at highest risk of catching Covid, but also suffering from it most adversely. However, this is also the population for whom it is the most uphill struggle to convince them of the benefits of the vaccine. Therefore, the time I spent with them, cheering them up, would hopefully have caused some ripples of increased confidence through the patients in having the vaccine itself, within this population. I just wanted to say, that it was quite an experience: very memorable, and unforgettable. Ibrahim Choudhry LRW

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JAMES’ NHS BISCUITS During the February half-term, James Koutsovasilis, 1HM, spent the best part of a whole day baking 100 biscuits for NHS staff. When baking was complete, James took the biscuits to his local hospital and gave them to NHS staff members working in the ICU. HACM

MOT TE & BAILE Y H A R RY 2 J

LEE HOUSE 1W L E T T E R S 1W had been learning about writing informal letters at the beginning of the Spring term. They wanted to write with purpose and so they reached out to Lee House residential home in Wimbledon. Hoping to raise the spirits of residents and help anyone who might be feeling lonely during the lockdown, the boys worked hard to produce fine letters. RHW

During lockdown, many of the boys took up the challenge of creating a model of a Motte and Bailey castle as part of their history studies. Here is what Harry in Second Form wrote about his modelling experience: Motte and Bailey castles were castles with a ditch or moat surrounding the bailey, which was a small complex, almost like a village which had barracks, stables and a place for some of the Normans to live. If you managed to get over the ditch or moat you still weren’t into the bailey as there was a fence surrounding it. Next to the bailey was a hill (the motte) with a keep on the top, which was usually where the more important people lived. Motte and Bailey castles were mainly made out of wood and could be constructed in just two weeks. They were built by Normans to keep enemies out! Harry O’Hare 2J

KC S P O S TA L S E R V I C E In the second week of the Spring term, and after several hours in the postal office packaging the boys’ books (well done Mr Davies and Mr Rance), it was time for the departure of the KCS postal service (Mr O’Sullivan and Mr James). Looking more like ‘Only Fools and Horses’ than a delivery service they departed for the streets of SW19 and

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SW20. The van was filled with 140 packages to deliver and, with an email having gone out to staff from Mrs Morren telling them the parcels would be with the boys that day, the pressure was on. To say we underestimated the time it takes to deliver a parcel would be an understatement. With the radio on and Mr James singing awfully in my ear, there was only one goal in sight – to get the job done. Two and half hours in and only 30 parcels delivered, it was time for reinforcement in the form of Mr Rance and his very fancy Audi. As it got darker the job only got harder. If there is one thing I would ask all parents to buy it would definitely be a light outside the house as seeing the numbers or names of the houses became a guessing game.

TWL MUSEUM VI RTUAL TRI P

As the time was flying by so the parcels were flying to their destinations. Mr James was all by himself with no phone battery so it was time for the old-fashioned spot the road and hope. He managed to finish his box with no idea of where he was or where to go next. Mr Rance and I were on a mission as I had told him I would neither be knocking on doors nor putting parcels through post boxes any later than 8:00pm. After a nice, socially distanced chat with a couple King’s parents, it was time to get our heads down and finish. We managed to deliver 120 out of 140 packages with the last delivery being at 7:59pm! Next morning we woke up in time to finish the job. With a whole day’s experience behind us and the route mapped out by Mr James, we were off and ready to go. 20 done in less than an hour and a half, we started to think that if our careers were not to pan out in the way we had hoped, then roles as delivery drivers could well be on the cards. It was certainly a fun experience and getting a chance to see some of the boys was brilliant. LOS

On Wednesday 20 January, TWL went to the British Museum on an Art ‘trip’. They took a virtual tour around the museum’s Egyptian sculpture gallery, hunting for Ancient Egyptian symbols. They sketched their findings and on their return to the ‘classroom’, learnt about the symbols’ meanings. This inspired TWL to embellish the Egyptian god portraits they have been working on this term. They designed borders decorated with symbols and patterns and even wrote names in hieroglyphics SJW and JCL

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PY THON PROJECTS SNAKE PROJECT D A N YA L 3 A Danyal Sayed, 3A, made this great little snake game using the Python Programming language. It took us all back to the Nokia days! PPT

KEER AN 3A In early February, Keeran Jithendra, 3A, created a space invaders game using the Python coding language. When I was in the equivalent of Third Form, I probably paid £20 for this game and it did not look anywhere near as good as this… PPT Keeran Jithendra 3A

Danyal Sayed 3A

AN ANTHOLOGY OF CREATIVE HOUSES WRITING: PRIORY

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AUTUMN TERM It was an eventful first term for Norman, with an informal House cricket tournament kicking the term off in great fashion. It was very different this year to have cricket taking place in the first term. After this we had House football, a brilliant competition across all years with the U10s coming out victorious. This is always my favourite event of the House calendar as everyone can take part and contribute massively and there is always great team spirit. However, away from the sporting field, many more events and activities took place. We chose our charity which was ‘Keep Britain Tidy’: a charity aimed at keeping litter off the streets and a great charity all of Norman, were very happy to support. An action-packed House origami session followed during one of our Teams assemblies, which led to many wonderful designs! The term finished off in style with an amazing Christmas bingo. I would like to say a big thank you to all House staff for making the term just as good in these challenging times with the virtual settings, especially Mr O’Sullivan for coming up with great ideas. Owen Lawrence URCM

SPRING TERM Around the first week of term, we had our first House meeting when the House Captains were announced. I was ecstatic to be chosen. The next House meeting, held virtually and at home, was with a special guest who was a Zumba teacher. She got us all dancing around our rooms at home which was good exercise before a day’s work. This was great to break up the boredom of working at home. Another house meeting when we returned to school involved a fun quiz set by Mr O’Sullivan. The prize was a large Easter egg and everyone enjoyed competing for it. We also took part in a House challenge organised by Mr O’Sullivan: ‘Norman’s Got Talent’. Each boy in Norman had to make a 2-minute video about a hobby of theirs. Mr O’Sullivan chose ten boys to be in the final and

NORMAN HOUSE

during the last House assembly of the term, the boys watched the finalists and chose their winner. On 18 January, the Battle of the Titans was announced and the first challenge was to see how much exercise you could do? After week 1, Norman were in first place with Tudor and Windsor close behind. Week 2 had 5 challenges and we had to enter the results into Microsoft Forms. At the end of this week, Norman were still leading the pack! Week 3 had 5 different harder challenges and by the end of this week, the leaderboard still looked the same. Week 4 saw us having to complete the same challenges as the week before, giving us a chance to improve upon our previous scores. The final results after the whole month were Norman in first and Tudor second, closely followed by Windsor and Stuart. When we got back to school, we were able to compete in the House football tournament. We had lots of 2nd and 3rd places but it was the U10s who came 1st in their event. Very well done to them. Thank you to Mr O’Sullivan for organising the House assemblies and events this term. James Turner URHM

SUMMER TERM

Although the summer term was our only full term at school, Norman House made the most of it! We enjoyed House assemblies, competed in House competitions such as House cricket and House art and even took part in a Sports Day. Our House assemblies were held online in different classrooms. However, there was one exception to this: our annual ‘Beat the Teacher’ assembly. It was held in front of the cricket pavilion, with each year socially distanced. The pupils won, of course, but I’m sure everyone loved it. Furthermore, we were able to compete in House competitions, with some amazing entries for House Art. I would like to thank everyone who entered, ALL of your entries were so inspirational. Also, special mention to the U13 Norman cricket team, who came first in their age category, and the U9 Norman cricket team,

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who came joint second. Sports Day was more fun than ever. I know that I speak for everyone when I say a big thank you to the sports teachers for organising it. Norman came 4th overall but I’m sure this was a freak result(!) Good luck to the Norman pupils in all three years going into the Senior School! You will all do brilliantly! I would like to say one last thank you to Mr O’Sullivan, for leading Norman House from the front, and to all the teachers for organising House events and assemblies. It has been a real honour to be House Captain of Norman. Robert Geijtenbeek URHM

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AUTUMN TERM Despite an unprecedented term, Stuart House has had a great and enjoyable start to the year. We began by selecting our chosen charity for the year, ‘The Alzheimer’s Society’, which is an organisation that campaigns for change, funds research to find a cure and supports people living with dementia today. Although some of the House results may not reflect it, there were some excellent performances by Stuart, and we kept our heads high throughout the term! House football may not have been our strong point, however, on more than one occasion we narrowly missed out on victory, having to settle for second place. Crosscountry was our strength, consistently securing 1st and 2nd places across all year groups. There is no doubt that Stuart house displayed great fighting spirit during the House events. Well done to all! As the finish line of the Autumn term drew nearer, and in the spirit of remote-learning, an online Christmas quiz was arranged on the final day that was enjoyed by all. It has been a pleasure to lead Stuart House as House Captain. Luke Belderbos UREB

SPRING TERM Due to the unfortunate nature of this year, the spring term saw little action when it came to House events. Nevertheless, Stuart made the best out of the time that we had both in and out of school. We competed strongly in the House football, as well as in the ‘Battle of the Titans’ exercise marathon when we were online. Although we may not have come out on top in these, I can say that all year groups performed admirably and

I’m sure House rugby would have been terrific were it to have taken place. Despite the obstacles that we faced, Stuart House assemblies went ahead with Mr Brady’s online Kahoot Quiz on London and my end of term Bingo. I am honoured to have led Stuart as House Captain this term. Arvind Benedict UREB

SUMMER TERM Stuart had an extremely solid summer term, equalling points with Norman and only trailing 3.5 points behind Windsor. Our sport was excellent, with outstanding performances by the Lowers and Uppers in athletics, along with a tied victory with Norman in the Upper Remove House cricket competition. Along with this, Stuart won Priory Sports Day, a huge achievement which everyone worked towards and contributed to. However, our achievements are not all sport related. All our contributions to House art were outstanding, made by some of the finest artists I believe the Junior School can offer. As well as this, we saw some of our great musicians stand before a huge virtual audience and play their hearts out, as part of the Priory Young Musician finals. We all went through a great many ups and downs this year, and I think Stuart’s dedication and perseverance through the challenges we faced was extremely admirable. It was a great honour to be Stuart’s House Captain for the term. Patrick Bouch URPB

STUART HOU SE

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AUTUMN TERM What a strange term to be House Captain! Despite the ongoing pandemic our House pulled together to make the best of a very difficult term. Although many events had to be cancelled, there were still some great competitions. In House football, Lower Remove did brilliantly, storming into first position with San Lee and Adam Fazlanie as top goal scorers in both A and B leagues plus Transition and First Form also kicking Tudor into first position. The Tudor spirit shone through again when Transition raced into first position in the House cross-country and with many Tudor boys finishing in the Top 10, Mr Baker noted what a strong year group they are. Away from sport, I presented a socially distanced House Assembly via Teams, entitled “From Failure to Success”, which the boys seemed to enjoy. I’d like to say a big thank you to the House Prefects who did a great job with their charity presentations again with the added challenge of them having to be presented virtually. As we said goodbye to 2020 it was also my pleasure to give a virtual “Thank you and Goodbye” speech as a farewell to our dear Mr Watkins. All the Tudor boys gave their best this term and as a House Captain I could not be prouder of every single one of them. Safin Sheikh UREB

TUDOR HOUSE

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SPRING TERM

SUMMER TERM

The Spring term was a very strange term for everyone, as for the majority of it we were at home taking part in online classes. However, even in these circumstances a variety of House events still took place, which were very exciting to be a part of – especially since we had not seen our friends for a long time. Tudor did exceptionally well in all House events winning both Upper Remove and Lower Remove House football, when we did return to school towards the end of term, and we earned the most distinctions overall also. Not only this but in the House cross country, four out of the six year groups came in first place, with Nikita Evseev, Nick Ellinghorst, Oliver Watt and Rudyard Haggist all winning their age groups. The highlight of the term was going back to school, seeing friends and playing sport as everyone had missed that human interaction. House assemblies have also been peculiar this term as some have been in school and some online including a quiz. However, I hope that as things return to normal, we will have more assemblies. It has been an honour to be House captain. We made the most of a bad situation, going back to school and continuing with House events, and I hope that next term will be even better. George Champion UREB

2021 has been a sports-packed year, and what better way than to cap it off than with a great Sports Day for the house! There were many standout performances. In Rushmere, Tudor excelled winning overall in Rushmere. Both Transition and First Form convincingly won their year groups, which gave Tudor a huge boost of points. Other stand-out performances included Oliver Watt in Second Form who took the gold medal for the high jump and Leo Wood confidently won the 800 metre race. Lower Removes did not disappoint either: Charlie Maguire won the 800 metre race and Jack Turner was crowned the victor of the high jump. One of the most remarkable feats of the day was also completed by the Tudor boys in Lower Remove running in the 1,500 metre race as they finished with 5 top ten places. In Upper Remove, once again there were several sterling efforts; Ben Torrance showed his strength by beating the 600 metre record with an emphatic win. Rudyard Haggist won the 1500 metre and 100 metre races, winning the Victor Ludorum in Upper Remove. The valiant efforts made by every single boy in the House were outstanding and I’m sure all are proud to say that they are a part of Tudor house. House music was cancelled but we did very well in House art, claiming first place overall. Special mention must go to Harry Jones and Charlie Maguire for their great contributions to that competition. As House Captain I have had the privilege to see everything that the boys have achieved this term and year and I’m very proud of how we’ve conducted ourselves, not only in sports but in our day-to-day school life. Well done to all the boys in Tudor. Patrick Zarraga UREB

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AUTUMN TERM This term really wasn’t the one we were expecting by any means – a mixture of online learning for some boys while everyone also being limited to bubbles – but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great term. Windsor produced some amazing sporting results in House football and cross-country which set us off on the right path towards winning this year’s House trophy. We also chose a House charity which is ‘Tommy’s’. The staff and House Prefects really managed to make this term a very interesting and exciting one with all the House assemblies such as drawing activities and quizzes that brightened the mood. Regular House meetings also made us closer as a House and made everyone more hopeful for the future. It just goes to show that anything is possible with creativity and happiness. I joined Kings in First Form and started my journey with this incredible House from then on to the end of Junior School. I’ve always seen this House as more than just a group of boys, but more like an inseparable group and a community of hard-working, interesting pupils. My brother was Windsor House captain when he was in the Junior School and I’ve always wanted to follow in his footsteps and be a key part in everything this House does. I’m so glad that I did get the opportunity to do this as it taught me how to be a good role-model for younger pupils and how to be a leader for others, which I will be sure to carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m a bit sad that I didn’t get to do much in this term due to Covid, but nevertheless I’m very thankful for this opportunity. Veer Venkatesam URCM

WINDSOR HOUSE

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SPRING TERM

SUMMER TERM

Going into this term it was rather like going into the summer term of 2020. We were all online and we knew that we weren’t going to get many House events at the start of the term. After what felt like a very long and tiring first half of term of logging on to Teams every day and joining calls, we finally got out the other end and we got to have several weeks of school, where we managed to fit lots of House events in. These included House football and cross-country. In cross-country, Windsor came first in Third Form with a great performance from Harry Lane who was the fastest in his year. Transition and Upper Remove unfortunately came last this year, whilst Second Form and Lower Remove came second and First Form finished third. Overall a sound performance of which we can be proud. In House football, in the U8, U9 and U10 matches, the teams all came second while the U11s showed their expertise on the sport field by winning their tournament. The U12s and U13s both came last but still had great fun while playing in their matches. It has been a great to be House Captain this term. Scott Hawkings URCM

The last term before the end of the academic year. The summer term, known for having the largest plot twists at KCJS. This year could have had one of the biggest ever but, unfortunately, we weren’t given much chance to show the determination our House has, due to Covid and social distancing bubbles. Nevertheless, the Third Form showed how good Windsor are capable of being, claiming first place in their year group at Sports Day! Transition and Second Form also did extremely well, coming second in their year groups. The Upper Remove and First Form finished in third place and the Lower Remove came fourth. However, everyone showed great determination and perseverance as well as sportsmanship, helping and supporting each other whether they in Windsor or not. I am extremely proud of how we conducted ourselves in Windsor house. I am also very thankful for the opportunity to lead the best house at KCJS! I am, and always be, a “Windsorian”. GO WINDSOR! Amaury Miklichansky-Maddocks URPB

AN ANTHOLOGY OF CREATIVE WRITING: RUSHMERE

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Taken from 50th Anniversary Jubilee Magazine, 1962

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : R U S H M E R E

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TRANSITION

Swimming

Sound Poems

This week I achieved something that before was rendered impossible: 2 widths of a pool backstroke with arms, no float.

The craziest sound in the world must be My bed collapsing as I jump on it with glee. Bryan Lin TB

Push off: T+0

The loudest sound in the world must be An ambulance wailing right next to me. Benjamin Gussago TB

Forget your fear. Concentrate. Everything matters

The silliest sound in the world must be A clown blowing a huge wet raspberry. Viaan Chaturvedi TB

Probably the fastest part. You speed through the water, waves echoing on the shore behind you. Stare up at the ceiling. Your legs and arms kick into action.

The loudest sound in the world must be Fighter jets swooping over me. Hadi Ridge TB

Power: T + 2-10 seconds

Away from the shore: T + 1-2 seconds

The angriest sound in the world must be My furious teacher shouting at me. Luke Gherghetta TB

Waist up. Kick faster. Your arms push through the water like oars. The ceiling rolls away behind you. The lane is silent. You hear only the splash of water and your deep breathing. Almost halfway. Keep going.

The most calming sound in the world must be The wind blowing into my face from the sea. Christian Conroy TB

Halfway there: T + 10-20 seconds Your legs slow down. Half-gliding past the halfway mark. Rest. Some new energy. Power. Keep going. You can do it. You’ve done this before. Confidence. Believe in yourself. Thoughts were rushing through my head. Keep calm. Nearly there: T + 20-30 seconds Almost there. Keep the energy going. You prepare to hit the wall. Slow and steady. You can do this. Be patient. Check around you. …Finally: T + 30-35 seconds You glide towards the wall. You stop moving your arms and legs. Let yourself wash up onto the shore like a board. Climb out. Done in ≈ 35 seconds. All was worth it. Sheldon Chen TDM

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Evidence of a Goblin poem

The Forest

Last night was noisy, Sounds of roaring from the sky, Dogs scared and whimpering, And my pet parrots squawking non-stop.

It was early July and it didn’t surprise me in the slightest to feel the ticklish bluebells at my feet. The tall, towering trees loomed over, shielding me from the blinding sun. The birds sang sweet songs and the insects hummed along with them. The smell of oddly shaped flowers entered my senses. Picnic blankets spread out across a vast opening. Butterflies and bees fluttered around my head whilst dog walkers walked down faint dirt tracks. In a nearby pond, a fish leapt out of the water as if to escape, only to dive back in again. I walked back home smiling. Eashan Treanor 1CM

I woke up in the morning, Soaked in sweat and a thumping heart, Thinking it was a nightmare, But then I ran downstairs, Rotten steak was scattered everywhere, Large scratch marks on the floor, And giant mud footprints next to the open fridge. I looked inside and all the juicy sausages were gone! I turned around and the window was smashed, With blood and slime everywhere, There was also a stinky smell in the air. By now, I knew something strong and majestic, had come to my house last night. Can you guess who? Solution? A lion goblin! Anmol Bhatia TWL

FIRST FORM Senses Relief is light blue: It smells like lavender in a pouch, It sounds like a triumphant orchestra, It tastes like a chocolate cake, It feels like the sun is coming out. Rehan Basu 1BP Anger is red: It smells like super-hot chilli, It sounds like a raging, snorting bull, It tastes like a burnt marshmallow over a rising fire, It feels like a burning cauldron. Abhay Karna 1BP Happiness is yellow: It smells like lavender, It sounds like a world famous choir, It tastes like Yorkshire Pudding, It feels like hot summer sun. Cormac Power 1BP

The Funfair The park, once dreary and dull was now a blur of light with vibrant colour everywhere you looked. Ferris wheels as big as mountains painted gold and red, bumper cars that were every colour that you could think of. But best of all there was a roller coaster that swung all around the funfair, moving up and down, left and right and even upside down! Children were everywhere on every ride you could think of with parents standing under parasols which shaded them from the scorching heat of the sun. Tom Buckney 1CM

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : R U S H M E R E

Countdown Poetry Countdown Poetry

Checking out my rocket, feeling so amazed. Scanning my controls, getting very dazed. Looking forward – can’t wait for my journey to begin. Briefly double checking if I’m properly strapped in. I hope my family will be alright. Breathing deeply, holding tight. Thinking about what I’ve actually signed up for.

Listening nervously to the steady growing engine roar. Oh no! What if something goes wrong?!

Too late now! BLAST OFF!! Whizz, Bang, Bong!

Aiden Mawani, 1HM

Aiden Mawani 1HM

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Boudicca Her hair was a burning crimson flame, She was a raging bull eyeing up the Roman soldiers, A fearless and brave warrior, seeking revenge, A strong magnet to danger. After Prasutagus’ death, she was a lonely shepherd, A woebegone puppy, left in the litter, A sad orphan, A match with no flame. The Romans starved her like a dog, Whipped her like an unwanted circus animal, She revolted the Romans, She was vermin to them. Her speech turned her to top dog, She inspired the Celts to make a stand, She was the leading bird of migration, No more being beaten black and blue. She fought like an over-excited child, A shaken fizzy drink, Dynamite waiting to explode, A feral dog. The Romans challenged like cunning foxes, Strategised like killer whales, Energised batteries, They were assassins on the battlefield. Boudicca was defeated, She was a bear ready for hibernation, Like a car halting to a stop, She was ready for the end. She now stands strong, guarding parliament, A spirit written in the stars, Always a hero, Forever queen of Celts. James Slattery 1W

AN ANTHOLOGY OF CREATIVE WRITING: PRIORY

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Approach to the Priory

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : P R I O RY

SECOND FORM When When you look at the night sky, Do you see plain black Or pretty planets? When you look at a river, Do you see pollution Or a lovely reflection? When you look through the curtain, Do you see darkening mud Or twinkly stars? There is no light or darkness; They are only formed together In our hearts. Jensen Kerr 2B The Pied Piper of Hamelin: What happened next? Together we skipped into the cave, Happy that we did not have to behave Exactly as our parents would say, Not allowing us to say nay. Following the Piper, we didn’t look back, But on we went into the black, And then we came into a land, With beaches of beautiful, golden sand. And there we stood, frozen in awe, Staring at the sweets galore, For instead of a normal, boring tree, A candy cane was what you could see. Instead of water in lakes and rivers, There was enough Fanta to give parents shivers! And instead of waterfalls, which are usually clear, There was chocolate, which seemed rather queer. Then the Piper said, ‘Enjoy!’ And every single girl and boy Rushed forward with glee And started eating joyfully. But then I saw a massive shop, Completely filled right to the top With every single sweet and drink, Of which you could ever possibly think. And even though I remembered the past, I decided that I was happy, at last. Matthew Ingham 2H

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Light is Joy Light is Joy, Which redeploys my happiness, Hope is poured through my skin as my face becomes a golden win. The sparkles fall, The positivity rises, There’s brightness which keeps my head up high, As I reach and reach to touch the sky! I show the thankfulness in my attitude, And warm the people with some gratitude, Stay strong and never quit as someday you will be a beautiful gift. Aadi Jhawar 2R The joys of light Every morning, when I wake up, Light gives me warmth and hope, That this day will be positive. Light is pulsing and glowing with energy, And brightens my day. Light illuminates my path and soul And makes me love and enjoy the things I do. It sometimes makes multi-coloured rainbows, Which are circles of beauty. Light comes in many forms, Such as beauty and fun. Light is kind, And is the key to being kind, happy and good. Nathan Thomas 2R

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THIRD FORM The Vengeance Walking along the cliffs was I, When to my surprise I found. A pale and sickly elderly man, Who to a stone was bound. His beard was long, his eyes were grey, And long and grey was he. He shook his head and widened his eyes, As if he was crazy. I watched him as he screamed out loud, Into the stretching sea. I then sat down right next to him, As he spun his tale to me. “The vengeance” was a giant ship, Sailing across the sea. Until the crew had a fiery crash. But that’s not the true story. It did set sail across the sea. That part is indeed true. But what happened on the ship that night, Only the sailors knew. . . The ship was on the Indian Sea, Sailing to a far, far land. And on the water covered deck, The captain, he did stand. He was a thick and burly man, With a beard as long as his leg. And instead of another leg, He had a metal peg. One day when the storms were rolling in, Through the fog the captain saw, A young and thin and pale boy, Who was far away from the shore. The boy climbed up onto the ship, And smiled a beautiful smile, And everyone started to laugh. With the pale and sickly child. Then they heard something that day, A tremor from the sea. A tremor caused by thousands of slugs, Who all the crew did see. But they all kept on laughing, Possessed by the young boy. As the slugs crept up onto the ship And the crew they did destroy! Screams and wails came from the crew, As blood poured onto the deck.

And then the creatures’ giant teeth, Crushed all the crew to death. . . The last thing the poor captain saw, Was the young boy sailing away, On his tiny black canoe, Away, away, away. The old man stopped and looked at me, Having finished his tale, And continued staring into the sea, Leaving my face so pale. But then I saw something quite strange, On his frail leg, But then in horror I realized, It was a metal peg. Deniz Kocayusufpasaoglu 3G The Fox and the Crow – Revolting Rhyme You’ve probably heard of the Fox and the Crow, And think there’s nothing else to know, But when you hear the real story, You’ll realise that it’s much more gory. That’s why I’m here to tell you today, What happened on that summer’s day. Whilst searching for a bite to eat, The fox noticed some tasty meat, A crow was sitting on a tree, And in her mouth – a piece of cheese. The crow saw Foxy down below, And rudely told him to “Leave!” and “Go!”, But Foxy’s tummy continued to rumble, He desperately needed a tasty Crow Crumble. He called out to crow “O, you beautiful thing, Surely you should be able to sing.” The crow took this personally, and there on the spot, She began to sing, and the cheese did drop. Fox caught the cheese and gulped it down, Then turned to head way back to town, But crow was having none of that, She wanted to get her cheese right back. She spread her wings and flew at him, But then there was an awful din, As fox turned round and with a crunch, The crow had now become his lunch. Now you should understand the moral, And promise me – please do not quarrel, Don’t stand up to anyone stronger than you, Otherwise you’ll be dead like crow too! Marcello Boldrini-Diamond 3MH

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : P R I O RY

The Sea The sea is a roaring lion, Gargantuan and grey., He prowls on the beach all day, With his gnashing teeth and powerful jaws. Hour upon hour he hunts, The shaking moving land, And when he roars, He strikes with his agile power. And when the wind roars, The moon shining through the stormy clouds, He leaps to his feet and roars and sniffs, Shaking water over the cliffs. But when the sun comes out, When the winds calm down, He sleeps on the lapping waves, So calm, so quiet, you can hear him breathe. He gently laps the shores, leaving shells and happiness behind, He is strong and powerful, never submitting and always expanding, He never dies, and is never conquered, His salty breeze stinging the air. He is pleasant and calm, His rolling waves smelling of salty air. His soothing, tranquil water, caressing your mind, As he licks your hand. He is the destroyer of the waters, His waves foaming, towering tsunamis, Destroying innocent yachts and boats, Taking away lives without mercy. Daniel Panna 3OH

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LOWER REMOVE Magna Carta Poem There once was an awful king called John, As Soft Sword he was also known Hated by barons and feared by monks, He embarrassed our country’s throne! John’s older brother didn’t help, He spent too much on his crusades The barons got a taste for power, So they and John crossed blades. John got greedy and put up taxes, At an extremely high rate. He bossed around the church, And filled the people with hate. In 1214 he lost quite badly, At the Battle of Bouvines Now the people could all see, That he was weak as well as mean. The year after that he’d been so bad, The barons had all had enough. They made him sign the Magna Carta. Now he didn’t look so tough! This Charter made the rules more fair: The church was suddenly free, Taxes were brought under control, And the Barons cheered with glee. In 1216 at Newark Castle, John died in an embarrassing way He caught a deadly stomach bug, Which finally took his life away. Now he’s remembered as our worst king ever And Lackland really was a fool, But if all this changed our country for the better, Then perhaps he’s not bad after all. Thomas Winter LRA

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : P R I O RY

Anger Anger is a sharp metal used to slice objects. Anger is a sour food burning the inside of your mouth. Anger is a venomous animal which strikes you painfully. Anger is a dark gas waiting to poison you. Anger is a burning wildfire which destroys people. Anger is a lethal weapon able to hurt people. Anger is a person which stays with you at all times. Anger is an open wound with blood flowing out. Jack Turner LRA Anger Anger is a coiled rope of scales That’s poised behind the eyes. It flicks and darts ruthlessly and hisses to you lies. Its wicked tail thumps the ground in an eternal search for power. It slithers through neural door searching every hour. It opens wide its razor teeth poisoning your thoughts. It slithers its way through your mind and begins the treacherous onslaughts. It finally coils up to sleep not intruding into your dreams. It settles itself with a final hiss thinking about its schemes. Ritik Mukherjee LRA ‘If ’ Parody If you can put up with screaming kids, And their nonsense for 60 mins, If you can explain everything 10 times, And keep up with their cheeky crimes, If you can mark 121 books quicker than a fly, And can tell when the most convincing boy is telling a lie, If you can scream louder than 80 youths, And when it comes to lost items: be a sleuth, If you can tolerate untucked shirts and messy food stains, And can contain yourself when someone complains, If you can wag your finger when kids misbehaves, And still be nice during the moody phase,

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If you think a cup of tea will fix anything, And to the sacred purple pen cling, If you can perform assembly without a fright, And be the peace-maker in a school fight, If you can tell when a boy is watching Netflix in class, Or if he’s searching up the answers in a test, If you can make sure a boy is well-dressed, Then you’ll be a teacher my son, The glue that holds the school together, The job that in one day of bliss, Will allow you to tell your son this. Arjun Nair LRB Cannon Fodder Proud men we are, fighting for our country, Towards France we march gallantly, Patriotic, brave and strong, Oh how we would be proved wrong. We charged forwards, through the mud, Rifles at the ready, the vicious bayonets ready to stab, Each soldier’s clothes are caked in mud and blood, The gas’s evil tentacles are slowly choking and blinding soldiers, Help, Help, HELP! A poor man cries, His hands desperately flailing, Writhing in the mud, Blinded by hell’s blanket of death, Fingers shaking as I put my gas mask on. We staggered on while men beside me fall like matchsticks in the breeze, Death, blood and terror, Fear was taking it’s terrible hold over me, And I realized what we were, Food for the Cannons, Cannon Fodder. Aneesh Rao LRF

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UPPER REMOVE The Turning Point: An alternative ending for ‘Animal Farm’ Napoleon stood up casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball and uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before. At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. “Napoleon! Why do you do this to a fellow comrade? Is it not true that all animals are equal? Let it be known that you have forced a fellow animal off this farm purely because his ideas are different to yours. He is Snowball, a brave fighter who led us to victory in the battle of the cowshed. This is not Animalism. This is dictatorship!” Napoleon turned suddenly, with a look of hatred on his features, to face Old Benjamin. “What do you mean, comrade? This, this is not a hero! This pig wants us to toil for many years to build a windmill. Why, comrades, should we have a windmill when we do not need it? A windmill is a human creation. Animals rely on the food that we eat. Why choose his disgustingly atrocious plan over mine! I shall bring prosperity to Animal Farm and we shall once again live in our utopia! I shall bring prosperity to Animal Farm and we shall once again live in our utopia! But this, but this traitor does not deserve to live on our perfect animal farm. He has proposed to build a creation that directly forbids the Seven Commandments! We cannot live in peace with him on our farm.” Napoleon turned red with rage. The dogs had successfully chased Snowball off Animal Farm, through a hole in the fence. The dogs were fast, but snowball was faster, and running in a way that only pigs could run he fled away to be seen no more by the other animals. The dogs came back to Napoleon, snapping at his heels. Napoleon directed his gaze to Old Benjamin and the dogs followed suit. The nine dogs behind him made Napoleon a small but stout figure seem like a terrible opponent. The

dogs growled lowly in unison at Old Benjamin. He cowered in terror, but his expression was firm. As they pounced Boxer rode up in front of Old Benjamin, his hooves meeting sharply with the dogs’ heads. They retreated quickly, playing by their master's side. Napoleon’s visage contorted in anger. “What are you doing Boxer!?” he said in fury. “Comrade Napoleon! This is not the way. Are you forgetting our most important principles? All animals are equal and must be treated as such. I beg of you, Napoleon, to see the error in your ways. Snowball Is not the enemy. To prosper on our beautiful farm, we must work together.” Old Benjamin bounced up suddenly, with great speed, in defiance to his age, “I do see it fit, Comrade Napoleon, to hereby relinquish you from your post as leader of Animal Farm.” Napoleon glared at them, while the other animals in the counsel hid behind each other, not eager to get in the way of a potential fight. “Right now, I have other matters to attend to. I shall not be so lenient to insubordination in the future.” With that said he shuffled pompously off, with the dogs attending his trotters. Luca Buanne URCM

A N A N T H O L O G Y O F C R E AT I V E W R I T I N G : P R I O RY

Our Little Band of Brothers: Inspired by Carol Ann Duffy In our little band of brothers, We were safe, In our little band of brothers, We were happy In our little band of brothers, We were friends. But as middle school came to a close, We would be torn apart. It felt like the end for us, For our friends, Our life, Our stability was leaving us as boys were drafted off, To one school or the next. The final bell rang at the end Of the year. And we abandoned: Our little band of brothers But as we moved on, To our own new schools, We made new friends, And we grew, it’s true. As months passed by, With our friends by our sides We were happy once more, In our own little bands of brothers. Matteo Dreesman URCM I Know a Man I am the song that sings the bird. I am the leaf that grows the land. I am the tide that moves the moon. I am the hive that leads the bee. I am the wood that grows the tree. I am the blue that reigns throughout the sky. I am the light that creates the sun. But you, you are the person that makes me who I am. Robert Geijtenbeek URHM

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A View of Things What I love about crisps is their saltiness. What I hate about hamsters is their chubbiness. What I love about hurricanes is their destructive power. What I hate about Mexico is its aridness. What I love about London is its originality. What I hate about the Tower of Pisa is its perpendicularity. What I love about my friend is his humour. What I hate about Will Smith is his arrogance. What I hate about love is its iron grip. What I love about resentment is its fiery power. What I love about the world is it simplicity. Antoine Dubreil URHM Is It His Foolishness? Is it his foolishness? Is it his courage? Is it his happiness? Is it his flourish? Is it his recklessness? Is it desire? Is it his happiness? Is it his fire? Ben Lane URHM

ART & DESIGN ENGINEERING

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TRANSITION Addison Kane TB

Christian Conroy TB

Alexandros Vanezi-Saffrett TWL

Domas Dapkevicius TWL

William Durrelman TDM

A R T: T R A N S I T I O N G A L L E RY

Oscar Hinxman TDM

Rohan Papadakos TB

Sebastian Weetch TWL

Stanley Chen TB

Sheldon Chen TDM

Tim Gao TB

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FIRST FORM Benjamin Richards 1HM

Bentley Fry 1CM

Casper Zee 1BP

Eashan Treanor 1CM

Dylan Chohan 1BP

Ethan Huang 1HM

Tom Buckney 1CM Victor Kou 1CM

A R T: S E C O N D F O R M G A L L E RY

Cormac Power 1BP

Ethan Hull 1W

Freddie Lennon 1W

Nicholas Ellinghorst 1W

James Koutsovasilis 1HM

Lachlan Malan 1HM

Felix Kent 1BP

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SECOND FORM Aadi Jhawar 2R

Aaron Hu 2H

Alfred Soulier 2R

Alp Akdere 2B

Akshay Sahay 2J

Ned Hawkins 2B

Archie Whitaker 2R

James Etienne 2H Oliver Watt 2B

A R T: S E C O N D F O R M G A L L E RY

Laurie Gawley 2B

Eric Hu 2J

Joshua Wang 2J

Sunny Wu 2B

William Ritchie 2J

Yannis Paschopoulos 2J

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THIRD FORM Arthur Irvine 3MH

Barney Rawlinson 3MH

Daniel Panna 3OH

Barney Rawlinson 3MH Mouktik Adhage 3OH

Enrique Del Rio Virseda 3MH

A R T: T H I R D F O R M G A L L E RY

Hari Singh 3A

Harry Jones 3OH

Thomas Duret 3MH

James O’Donnell 3A

Harry Lane 3A

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LOWER REMOVE Arun Kapila LRW

Arun Kapila LRW

Ibrahim Choudhry LRW

James Hughes LRW

Oliver Gray LRF

Otto Collins LRF

Oliver Gray LRF

A R T: L O W E R R E M O V E G A L L E RY

LRA and LRB

Luke Hicklin LRB

Oliver Dunnett LRA

Oliver Dunnett LRA Otto Collins LRF

Maxim Axentiev LRW

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UPPER REMOVE Alp Ciceksever UREB

Leo Dickinson UREB

George Champion UREB

Joshua Caplan UREB

Alex Beharry URHM

Arvin Kinigama URPB

Nikolas Andrijanovs URPB

Leo Dickinson UREB

Luke Burton URMH

A R T: U P P E R R E M O V E G A L L E RY

Daniel Pereira URPB

Endymion Goh Debricon URHM

James Turner URHM

Jonas Yu URPB

Marco Castelvetri URHM

Rui Nabeshima URPB

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THIRD FORM Devan Wadhera 3G

Danyal Sayed 3A

Enrique Del Rio Verseda 3MH

Devansh Gupta 3MH

Leo de Corbavia 3MH

Sammy Hull 3A

Thomas Duret 3MH

DESIGN ENGINEERING

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LOWER REMOVE Archit Sharma LRB

Arnav Sharma LRF

Christian Short LRA

Joe Galligan LRB

Matteo Lanza LRB

Hamish Whelan LRF

Thomas Savege LRF

Keson Lin LRA

Seb Edwards LRB

Max Malan LRF

Odran Williams LRB

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LOWER REMOVE Oliver Gray LRF

Omar Ansari LRW

Shayan Patel LRB

Thomas Winter LRA

Xander Insall LRB

Xavier Critchlow LRB

Akira Vleming LRA

DESIGN ENGINEERING

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UPPER REMOVE Alex Golder URHM

URPB Dragsters

Charlie Thomas URHM

Edward Pedropillai UREB

Henry van den Bosch UREB

NORMAN HOUSE

STUART HO U S E

TUDOR HOUSE

WINDSOR HOUSE

A R T: H O U S E A R T

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MUSIC

JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

‘You never know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ is a well-used idiom and one often quoted when reflecting on a period of time gone by. This idiom comes to mind when recalling the freedom we had with the boys in rehearsing, meeting in large numbers and being able to invite audiences into the Concert Hall. As a department we have adapted, reconfigured and re-thought both what we do and how we do it. In this instance, and looking back over the past year and a bit, ‘a change is as good as a rest,’ is not an idiom that has rung true…for now. The 21 music ensembles had to be reconfigured to adhere to bubble policy, resulting in a slimmed down 11 ensembles, ensuring each pupil could continue to partake in a music ensemble. Choir rehearsals, where possible, had to be doubled or tripled to cater for year groups, and most of the boys’ performances had to be sterilised through the lens of a camera. Visiting Music Teachers have continued to teach through a year of lessons both in person and online; in many cases gaining greater insight into the practice habits of their pupils and increased communication with parents. This has made some aspects of teaching, such as the flow of communication or demonstrating technique, more challenging but has allowed for more concentrated focus in other areas of study. Enormous thanks go to Mrs Mather-Johns, the timetabling equivalent of Paganini, who continues to arrange and oversee the nearly 300 instrumental lessons in the Junior School. The thought of entertaining the logistics of such an operation is best not entertained. The joy and ease of the ‘mute all’ button does not compare with the sense of achievement experienced by gaining the boys’ attention the hard way: by being in class. The enjoyment of teaching boys once more in person; seeing their faces (sans hoodie and long hair) and gauging their responses has been a long time coming. Over the past many months, both boys and staff have been thrown into more technology, including music software programs, with increased immediacy, and we intend to emerge with the best of both worlds.

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A glimpse into the past saw the year with its usual peppering of Rushmere and Priory Soloists’ Recitals, for which the boys were equally willing to sign-up. ABRSM examinations were able to be hosted, despite a handful of isolating cases in the autumn, but with another bumper crop of entries in the summer. Piano Masterclasses and the Beethoven Recordings took place online. The Voice and Piano concerts went ahead during which the beauty of the Steinway concert grand had to compete with smaller voices. The Beginner Group scheme continued with a couple of home visits to replace bows and tune instruments. Audio systems were upgraded in teaching classrooms and new software programs rolled out. At this point I would like to mention Mr Parker who has digitally carried the department through every recorded performance, among his other responsibilities. I am sure that the words ‘can we do that once again?’ are now as widespread as the terms ‘self-isolate’ and ‘bubble’. It would be remiss of me not to mention and express my sincere thanks (as echoed by many parents) for the Junior School Music Department linchpin that is Mrs Fleming. I note that the function of a linchpin is to prevent a wheel from sliding off the axle upon which it is riding. More apt an analogy I cannot think of as Mrs Fleming ensures the music cart progresses forwards. Turning to the musical future, planning continues to ensure that Junior School pupils transition to Senior School with ease, ensuring that academic content is progressive and extra-curricular music provision is the best we can offer. We look forward to live music, live learning and live mistakes (infinitely more forgiving than recorded ones), a reconfigured Junior School, greater collaboration with the Senior School, and a honing of skills and knowledge for pupils by all staff. Onwards, upwards, and forwards too! RW

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P R I O RY YO U N G MUSICIAN Heats for the Priory Young Musician took place in the autumn term with 83 boys auditioning and 15 finalists chosen. This event, like many others, had to be put on hold until we were able to run the conclusion of the competition on 17 June. The adjudicator was Mr Luis Parés, the Venezuelan-Italian pianist and Head of Keyboard at Dulwich College in London. He is also an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music with an international career as a soloist and chamber musician. Mr Parés has previously adjudicated the piano competition at King’s and his return to adjudicate once more was warmly welcomed. RW

The 15 finalists and their pieces are detailed below: Natan Sarkar Overall Winner (violin) Alfred Soulier First Runner-Up (piano) Ethan Yan Second (clarinet) Runner-Up Alfie Edmondson Highly (voice) Commended Arvin Kinigama Highly (piano) Commended Charlie Zha Highly (flute) Commended Alexander Finalist Annesanti (saxophone) Batu Buyuksolak Finalist (violin) Endymion Goh Finalist Debricon (violin) Nathan Han Finalist (saxophone) Gabriel Harper Finalist (cello) Milo Lennon Finalist (voice) Rui Nabeshima Finalist (piano) Nathan Thomas Finalist (piano) Ethan Yan Finalist (piano)

Sonatine, 1st movement Op 100 – Dvorak Nocturne in E flat major, Op 9 No 2 – Chopin I Got Rhythm – Gershwin How Beautiful are the feet – Handel Sonata in D minor, K 141 Scarlatti, and Dr Gradus ad Parnassum, No 1 from ‘Children’s Corner’ – Debussy Che farò senza Euridice – Gluck Yardbird Suite – Parker Chanson triste –Tchaikovsky Allegro 1st movement of Concer to in G – Vivaldi Black Sheep of the Family – Nor ton Sonata – Breval O for the Wings of a Dove – Mendelssohn Prelude in G minor, Op 23 No 5 – Rachmaninov Little Prelude No. 6 in E minor BWV 938 – Bach Prelude from ‘Pour le Piano’ – Debussy

JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

RU S H M E R E YO U N G MUSICIAN The most anticipated and fiercely fought competition in Rushmere took place in the summer term this year. I daresay we were incredibly fortunate to be able to welcome an audience back to our splendid Concert Hall, although we could only accommodate the First Form boys this year so the competition was also live-streamed into the Transition classrooms. The level of talent on display was astounding, but it was also a pleasure to see three boys in the final who were performing on two instruments to a superbly high standard. I certainly did not covet the task of our wonderful adjudicator, Claire McKenna from Ricard’s Lodge, who had the unenviable task of picking our winners and runners-up. After much deliberation, the winner who raised the silver cup of victory this year was Alp from 1BP – a much deserved win after demonstrating flair and technical prowess on the piano. Well done, Alp! IRP

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RU S H M E R E YO U N G MUSICIAN COMPETITION 2 0 2 0 R E S U LT S Alp Kucikyildiz

Winner

Piano

Leo Ogungbemi

Runner Up

Violin

Ethan Huang

2nd Runner Up

Piano

Bryan Lin

Highly Commended

Violin

Rian Tian

Highly Commended

Piano

Sebastian Weetch

Highly Commended

Piano

Charlie Ding

Finalist

Piano

Nicholas Ellinghorst Finalist Victor Kou

Finalist

Voice & Piano Piano

Max Lin

Finalist

Piano

Leo Ogungbemi

Finalist

Voice

Cormac Power

Finalist

Harp

Leo Ogungbemi

Finalist

Voice

Casper Zee

Finalist

Cello & Piano

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BEGINNER GROUPS At the start of September 2020, Rushmere boys had the opportunity to have 11 different instruments played to them in separate Strings, Woodwind and Brass demonstrations in the Concert Hall. 29 boys signed up for the opportunity to learn an instrument on the Beginner Group Scheme. Covid inevitably impacted the scheme, with many lessons having to be remote, removing the group learning element. We have been able to form a Strings group for Transition boys (see photo) and First Form beginners had the opportunity to join our First Form Strings Ensemble. We hope that the boys continue to enjoy learning their instruments and look forward to seeing them participate in our ensembles.

A B R S M R E S U LT S ABRSM music exams were cancelled in Summer 2020 and Spring 2021. We were very pleased for the 78 boys who sat their exams in December 2020 whilst the rest of the school moved to remote learning. There were 10 Distinctions, 30 Merits and 36 passes. A special mention to Arvin Kinigama (URPB) who achieved a distinction in grade 8 piano and a merit in grade 8 theory.

KE YBOARD Another end to a challenging year, but the King’s pianists have continued to prosper, improve and expand their horizons, ably assisted by their hugely dedicated piano teachers, at King’s, at home and at Junior Music Colleges. The popular sight-reading classes resumed in the autumn term and again after the second lockdown in the summer term too, with Mrs Wepener and Mr Raginia leading them. Three groups were also able to learn piano duets and record these for the end-of-term summer concerts. Our annual piano project was to celebrate the towering German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. 2020 marked 250 years since his birth and to commemorate this significant milestone, we assembled an impressive list of pieces, both solo and chamber, for what was to have been a

three-hour recorded concert in late November and early December. Unfortunately, the school closed just before we could record the second part of this marathon, but most of the remaining pupils recorded the solo and duo works from their homes, whilst an eventual video of these performances was released in June. Sadly, the larger chamber works had to be abandoned. We did, however, end up with an impressive list of three sonatas (Pathétique, Moonlight and Op 90), the Six Bagatelles, Op 126, Andante Favori, Variations in A major, ‘Rage over a lost penny’, the Egmont Overture arranged for piano duet and several songs, as well as a flute and piano duo. Many participants had also enjoyed a stimulating masterclass on Zoom on the weekend of 7 and 8 November, connecting from our Concert Hall to the studio of Professor Anton Nel in Austin, Texas. This was a wonderful experience – with highspeed internet on both sides, as well as excellent microphones, the sound was crystal clear – and Prof Nel was full of interesting insights and superb demonstrations; what a beautiful sound he has. His manner was extremely positive and encouraging to all. A memorable experience indeed! MLN The following Junior School pianists were involved: Alfred Soulier 2R

Sonata No. 14 in C sharp Minor Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’, 1st movement

Ethan Yan URCM

Rage over a lost penny, vented in a caprice, Op. 129

Arvin Kinigama URPM

Nos 1 and 2 from Six Bagatelles, Op. 126

Rui Nabeshima URPM

Nos 3 and 4 from Six Bagatelles, Op. 126

JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

Junior Novices Category Hugo Tremayne Commended 7K Ben Torrance Commended URCM Alastair van der Meer Runner-up LRW Tom Gilbert Winner 8C

The 2021 King’s Piano Competition took place in March and April. Over 70 Junior School pianists submitted a video for the first round at the end of March. The final round of the Junior section took place on Monday 26 April. 30 Junior and Lower School pianists were chosen for the Junior finals which took place in the concert hall and was broadcast to parents and teachers via Zoom. This was a great success, and all pianists introduced their pieces with interesting facts and performed with real polish, commitment, and personality. Mrs Hanja Bantock (Head of Piano at Bedford School) was extremely impressed with all our pianists and gave valuable, encouraging advice to all. The standard and variety of works performed was truly wonderful, particularly as the majority of the preparations took place via Zoom lessons in the spring term, meaning that this was the boys’ first public appearance in many months. Congratulations to all involved and particularly to Ethan Yan who was awarded the overall winner’s prize for the third year in a row!

JUNIOR SECTION R E S U LT S Rushmere Category Casper Zee Commended 1. Mozar t – Rondo in C major 1BP 2. Burgmuller – By a limpid stream James Gibbs Commended 1. Arens – Moonbeams 1HM 2. Wedgwood – Shark Sou Nicholas Ellinghorst   Runner-up Prokofiev – Tarantella 1W Alp Kucukyildiz Winner Bach – Fantasia in C minor, 1BP BWV 906

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Burgmuller – La chevaleresque Jobim – Water to drink 1. Farrenc – Étude in A minor 2. Lutosławski – Rektor Gillock – New Orleans Nightfall

2nd and 3rd Forms Category Grigory Commended 1. Kuhlau – Sonata in G major Bachurin 3OH 2. Pachulski – Prelude Gabriel Harper Commended 1. Kabalevsky – A short story 3MH 2. Heller – L’Avalanche Danyal Sayed Runner-up 1. Telemann – ivace from 3A Fantasia in G minor 2. Samuel – The therapy of moonlight Alfred Soulier Winner 1. Schumann – Von fremden 2R Ländern und Menschen and Kuriose Geschichte from Kinderszenen, Op 15 2. Chopin – Waltz in C sharp Minor, Op 64 No 2

Lower and Upper Removes/Years 7 and 8 Category Oscar Tostivin Commended 1. Ellington – Take the LRW A-Train 2. Kosma – Autumn Leaves Arvin Kinigama Runner-up 1. Scarlatti – Sonata in URPB D minor, K 141 2. Debussy – Dr Gradus ad Parnassum, No 1 from ‘Children’s Corner’ Rui Nabeshima Runner-up Rachmaninov – Prelude in URPB G minor, Op 23 No 5 Ethan Yan Winner 1. Rachmaninov – Etude URCM Tableaux in C minor, Op 33 No 2 2. Mendelssohn – Song Without Words in G minor, Op 53 No 3

Best spoken introduction in the Junior Section Arvin Kinigama URPB Overall Winner of the Junior Section and cup Ethan Yan URCM

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JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

Pianists were also treated to two further masterclasses in the summer term of 2021. On Monday 14 June Graham Caskie, a concert pianist and teacher at the Royal Academy of Music and Royal Welsh College of Music, gave a five-hour masterclass to those not involved in the Beethoven masterclass for advanced pianists in November. This was designed for our younger, in some cases less experienced but still enthusiastic, pianists. He had a most encouraging and personal manner with every one of the pianists and clear improvements were discernable in each. Duets are always included in this masterclass, but due to several boys having to isolate at home, only one was able to take part in person on this occasion. The following Junior School pianists took part: Nathan Thomas 2R Alfred Soulier 2R Gabriel Harper 3MH Mouktik Adhage 3OH Danyal Sayed 3A Grigory Bachurin 3OH Oscar Tostivin LRW and Alastair van der Meer LRW (duet) Arvin Kinigama URPB Rui Nabeshima URPB

JS Bach: Little Prelude No. 6 in E minor BWV 938 Chopin: Nocturne in E flat major, Op 9 No 2 Tarrega: Adelita Burgmuller : La Chevaleresque Rhian Samuel: The Therapy of Moonlight Tchaikovsky: ‘October’ from The Seasons Grieg: Norwegian Dance

Debussy: Gradus ad Parnassum, No 1 from Children’s Corner Rachmaninov: Prelude in G minor, Op 23 No 5

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On Tuesday 29 June, six junior and senior jazz pianists enjoyed a two-hour masterclass from the exciting young British jazz pianist, Elliot Galvin. He had a lovely, encouraging way with every student and spent a lot of time with them exploring how texture (how many or few notes are played at the same time) could be explored and varied in the accompaniment of a tune. He also worked on ways to improvise on a melody, particularly exploring how to pick favourite corners and how to develop these ideas further. He demonstrated beautifully and often throughout, and it was inspiring to watch each pianist respond when he made up riffs for them to improvise over. This was the first ever masterclass for jazz pianists at King’s and we hope to continue this in years to come. Special thanks go to Mr Merriman, our excellent jazz piano teacher and a seasoned performer in his own right, for preparing the pupils so well. RW The following Junior School boys took part: Oscar Tostivin LRW Arvin Kinigama URPB Ben Torrance URCM

Duke Ellington’s: Take the A-train George Gershwin: A Prelude No 1 Charles Mingus: ‘Nostalgia in Time Square’

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JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

WOODWIND AND BRASS This has been a strange year. However, in the Woodwind and Brass Department we have tried to carry on despite all the difficulties. Lessons carried on either on Zoom or live, and when we were in school we made sure that every student got the chance to play in a ‘bubbled’ ensemble. We also managed to run our Beginner Group to great success, and we now have some promising new wind and brass players coming through. Quite a few of our visiting music teachers are back playing with orchestras and bands, so the hope for us for next year is to return to live concerts to showcase all the talent we have in the department. NEB

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STRINGS In a very challenging year for music, I am very proud of what our string players have achieved. Another crop of beginner pupils have begun their musical journeys, and we have had great fun together in our Monday afternoon group sessions. Many other pupils have participated in our various string ensembles, some playing in ensembles for the first time. Despite the challenges of providing larger ensembles, we have been able to run four string quartets for Junior School pupils (from Second Form upwards). During lockdown, we also enjoyed violin and cello masterclasses from Nicole Wilson and Nick Trygstad; two wonderful musicians who both really inspired our pupils. Despite the challenges they have faced, I am really pleased with the achievements of all pupils, including some fantastic ABRSM examination results (despite some frustrating cancellations of exams due to Covid in the autumn term), and excellent performances in Rushmere and Priory Soloists’ performances. Earlier this term, Leo Ogungbemi finished as Runner-up for his wonderful performance in the Rushmere Young Musician finals. Special mention, however, must go to Natan Sarkar for winning the Priory Young Musician of the Year with a remote performance of Dvorak’s Sonatine. Up against such an extremely talented group of pupils who all gave fantastic performances, to achieve this ‘live’ would have been impressive enough, but to win through a remote performance, playing to a recording of the piano part made by his teacher, Mrs Dearing, is a huge achievement. Congratulations Natan (and Mrs Dearing), and well done everybody for all your hard work and individual achievements this year. I’d also like to thank our wonderful string teachers for all their hard work in supporting all of our pupils throughout the course of the year. TJS

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SINGING MASTERCL ASS On Thursday 25 February, three Junior School pupils – Safin Sheikh, Alfie Edmondson and George Macklin – and I were lucky enough to have Anita Morrison, a professional soprano, run a Trebles Masterclass for us via Zoom. Anita gave us all inventive and helpful tips to improve our singing and performances, which I am sure everyone will take on board. Anita has written a guide to high performance singing entitled ‘The Chorister and the Racing Car’ and our singing teacher Mr Bannan regularly uses her suggested warm-ups from the book during our singing lessons with him. Thank you to Anita for such an informative session which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Nicholas Holder LRA

VIOLIN MASTERCL ASS It was amazing to attend the virtual Violin Masterclass with Simon Smith on Thursday 11 February. Simon Smith is a String Coordinator at Wells Cathedral School. Some Senior School students played brilliant pieces on their violins and Simon gave them feedback on ways to improve their playing. I enjoyed listening to the different pieces that were performed. The masterclass taught me how to improve my posture while playing the violin. Toby Muzalewski 3G

JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

FLUTE MASTERCL ASS On Thursday 4 March I was lucky enough to take part in a Flute Masterclass led by Daniel Pailthorpe, Principal Flute of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Interestingly, Daniel plays on a wooden flute (made in 1921, so the flute is celebrating its 100 birthday!) made from Cuban cocuswood which Daniel feels produces a mellow, warm sound. Daniel first studied in Paris and then went onto Cambridge to read music; he joined the English National Opera as co-principal flute in 1990 and then 10 years later joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra. My friend Charlie was the first to play; his Allegretto by Benjamin Godard was superbly played. Daniel commented on the rich, lovely sound and suggested a little more legato and more contrast in the dynamics. Daniel mentioned how it’s harder to decrescendo but that this can be achieved by changing the embouchure. Finally, we were treated to two pieces played by Daniel himself. The first was ‘Polonaise and Bourrée from Suite in B minor’ composed by JS Bach, which had an amazingly rapid pace, and second was ‘Divertimento’ by William Alwyn – also superb. The masterclass taught me the importance of embouchure, and hopefully I will be able to improve mine when I practise. Rohan Papadakos TB

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DRAMA

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DRAMA

This year has been an especially challenging one for the Drama staff and boys at King’s, but I believe that the usual determination and optimism, so engrained in the school’s spirit, has helped everyone adapt to the unusual circumstances in which we have all found ourselves for the larger part of this academic year. Sadly, the necessary restrictions on having a live audience, or mixing year group bubbles, curtailed the vast majority of the usual Drama events that would have taken place. We were fortunate to go ahead with a handful of assemblies and The Lindon Speaking Cup. Many thanks to Brent Roth and his team for their assistance with the lighting, staging and sound for the Remembrance Day assembly in particular, and very well done to the boys of LRF who delivered a poignant and moving performance to the rest of the school.

L AMDA E X A M I N AT I O N S It was very pleasing to be able to go ahead with the LAMDA examinations in the autumn term 2020. A huge thank you to all the staff involved in preparing the boys for their examinations; the time and care involved in this was hugely appreciated. The feedback from the examiners was extremely positive and this was evident in the results: 1 Pass, 35 Merits and 10 Distinctions. Congratulations go to all the boys! JFF

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LINDON SPEAKING CUP The Lindon Speaking Cup 2021 was a hybrid model, with a virtual audience of Upper and Lower Remove classes supporting their peers. The eight finalists stood in the intimate setting of the JS library and presented to judge Matt Dickinson a poem of their choice and a speech they had written themselves. The time and effort that went into planning speeches and choosing, then learning, the poems was evident; all eight boys spoke with a confidence and clarity that made Matt’s job very tricky indeed. After some deliberation, however, Matt was delighted to award Alfie Edmondson’s beautiful rendition of ‘The Cricket’ and his speech on ‘Voices’ a strong runner-up, and then Aryan Vedhara, with a powerful performance of the poem ‘Beethoven’ and a speech that gave a slightly different take on ‘Voices’, was announced overall winner of the cup. It was wonderful that we were able to go ahead with this important competition, and huge congratulations to all boys who were selected to go through to the second round and the final. It must be acknowledged that it is not easy to speak in front of an audience, and when you are being beamed out to that audience through a laptop, it doesn’t make it any easier! However, the boys did a fantastic job, and all the students and teachers who watched the competition commented on the extraordinary poise and eloquence that they witnessed. Well done to: George Cadbury-Gosling URHM, Scott Hawkings URCM, Owen Lawrence URCM, Shayan Patel LRB, Keson Lin LRA, Umesh Kandeepan LRF – and, of course, Alfie Edmondson URHM and Aryan Vedhara LRW. CPM

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Taken from 50th Anniversary Jubilee Magazine, 1962

SPORT

S P O R T: A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

SEPTEMBER CRICKET After missing out on the summer term last academic year, we used September as an opportunity for the boys to participate in cricket. The boys couldn’t have been more excited to be back to school sport after a long period without any group sessions or competitive fixtures. Due to Covid restrictions, we were unable to compete in any inter-school fixtures or tournaments. However the presence of an ever-exuberant House scene allowed us to keep the competitive element in games lessons. Each year group played a roundrobin style, informal competition between the four Houses. The enthusiasm, desire to win and level of performance the boys showed was testament to the boys and staff alike.

AUTU M N S P ORT As the weather turned and the FA guidelines for Covid were further along the pathway than the RFU for rugby, a decision was made for the whole of the Junior School to play football in games sessions. This was an exciting opportunity to see the football programme from U8s through to U13s in the same term. We started off by using the first few weeks to arrange the boys in ability teams as per usual, with the possibility of inter-school fixtures taking place. However, all fixtures and tournaments had to be cancelled and therefore we used the House system once more to get the boys excited about competitive football. Each age group had a training session and a House match each week. This allowed boys to develop their skills and then put them into practice in a competitive situation. The absence of fixtures provided a unique opportunity to re-focus the boys on the fundamentals. We looked specifically at individual progress and athletic development. Kieran Tuck, who is Head of Strength and Conditioning, introduced fundamental movements and body weight loading exercises into sessions that were football-specific. This developed the boys

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athletically for all sports but also helped to reduce the chance of injury by exposing pupils to the highest demands of football in a controlled environment. The swim squad continued to train throughout the term in the run up to IAPS National Qualifiers in the spring term. Hockey club witnessed record numbers on a Thursday night, which was run superbly by our Junior School Assistant Ollie Rance. Thank you to all the boys for their efforts in making the autumn term fun, exciting, and for bringing team spirit back to King’s after a period away. Each boy can be very proud of his application and desire to improve in what was, at times, a frustrating term in respect of fixtures. Their performances not only technically but also socially, and their on-pitch professionalism improved and impressed immeasurably. JJB

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S P O R T: S P R I N G 2 0 21

S PRI NG S P ORT Despite the spring term being very different to those previous, our boys thrived. Remote learning was certainly been something for both pupils and staff to adjust to, however, despite not being able to learn and progress ‘face to face’, there was plenty to celebrate. Throughout the term, the boys were kept busy competing in virtual fixtures against other schools, with challenges such as a one kilometre run, bodyweight exercises and throwing/catching skills, allowing pupils to develop and test their abilities against pupils of similar ages. Across the term, the Junior School took on schools such as Cranmore, Dulwich Prep and St Paul’s, who matched our year group demographics, allowing our pupils to continue to enjoy school fixtures, albeit virtually. In addition to this was the ‘North vs South’ fixture: three schools from the South of England (King’s, St Paul’s and Dulwich Prep) took on three schools from the North (Giggleswick, RGS Newcastle and Ashville College) in a series of events such as running, cycling, and walking. A great initiative to combine the Junior and Senior School, whilst giving boys the opportunity to connect with pupils from schools that they would not necessarily encounter on their regular fixture circuit. This term also saw the whole school compete in a virtual run/cycle event against pupils and staff from Wimbledon High, along with a Trinity School CrossFit challenge, a parent/pupil 3km Run and the ‘ISM Hold On’ challenge with the International School of Monaco. It’s safe to say that boys have been kept extremely busy. Over the half-term break, the Junior School was invited by Ashville College to take part in the Catteral Shield virtual cross-country event, a great way to keep the pupils engaged and active over the holiday break. We were delighted to have four boys finish in the top five across all schools, showcasing the talent King’s has to offer in this department. To keep the spirit of House competitions alive, each week the boys were encouraged to complete a series of challenges and build as many participation points for their House as possible. This allowed us to continue with House events, as

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pupils had missed out on House rugby during the spring term. We were also delighted to finish off the House cross-country events from the autumn term when we were able to be together again. Having finally been given the go ahead to return to school for the remaining three weeks of the term, the boys had the opportunity to play a small amount of rugby. It was great to see so much excitement surrounding the sport following its long absence. We certainly hope to see rugby returning to normal for a longer season next year. DAC

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C R I C K E T: U8 OPPOSITION

W: 20 L: 4 D: 0

U8A

U8B

U8C

King’s House

290 230

334 211

272 192

N/A

282 274

283 247

N/A

Shrewsbury House

290 319

253 268

317 283

326 318

328 281

279 250

291 283

King’s House

268 233

264 190

N/A

262 249

257 207

N/A

270 257

Rokeby

280 243

255 241

267 285

292 280

294 236

262 211

246 247

WCPS

Cancelled

Despite only having a short season, the U8s took brilliantly to what was a very new sport for them. As you can see from the results, the boys had an outstanding season. Every single pupil that represented the school demonstrated a superb work ethic throughout. The development and progression from start to finish was outstanding, and this was demonstrated by a great set of performances across the season. Yet again the boys applied themselves fabulously to all sessions and attended after-school club in great numbers. What better way to start the season than with a fixture versus King’s House? Despite it being their first game, the boys attacked the match brilliantly, executing some great ‘tee’ shots as well as very accurate bowling. There were great wins across the board, and it set a superb standard from which to develop. The next block saw the boys come up against Shrewsbury House. Despite finding themselves in great positions, the A and B teams lost out, while the rest of the teams remained unbeaten with some fantastic performances and results. The boys remained positive and continued to improve at club, during games and at PE sessions. After school club was certainly thriving, with over 40 boys attending, making the most of the coveted diamond cricket bonanzas, as well as some two pitch cricket.

U8D U8 Leopards U8 Lions U8 Pumas

Then it was time for a rematch. The boys were excited to travel on their first away day to King’s House. Their behaviour and standards were exceptional, given the occasion and battling with temperatures on a big Edward Thomas coach. All teams secured back-to-back wins. The last fixture of the season saw the boys line up versus Rokeby School, another away trip. It was a superb morning as the weather was on our side. The boys approached all matches with freedom, scoring lots of runs and taking an abundance of wickets with great fielding performances. The positive results followed with five out of the seven teams securing great wins. A special mention must go to the U8D, Leopards and Lions, who remained unbeaten across the season. BDJ

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

U8A

U 8 LEO PARDS

U8B

U8 LIONS

U8C

U8 PUMAS

U8D

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C R I C K E T: U9 OPPOSITION Shrewsbury House

W: 27 L: 3 D: 0

U9A

U9B

288 216 260 264

U9C 277 221

U9D U9 Leopards U9 Tigers U9 Pumas U9 Lions 306 280

St Paul’s Junior School Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled

110 48 Cancelled

263 241

253 223

316 269

Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled

Rokeby

280 227

276 204

N/A

282 274

325 227

N/A

Shrewsbury House

266 214

272 245

266 219

N/A

338 260

307 299

N/A

250 227

King’s House

310 231

237 99

N/A

284 239

281 238

N/A

245 227

N/A

Cranmore

250 239

N/A

271 265

266 240

N/A

226 245

The U9s enjoyed an excellent term, and it was great to see all the pupils out playing sport again. Enjoyment, participation and progress were highlighted as three key areas. As you can see, the results were overwhelmingly positive, however the most pleasing part of this term was watching the pupils improve individually and as a team. It was clear that the few weeks of cricket back in September had created a positive starting block, and this was evident as we returned to competition with some remarkable performances against Shrewsbury House. The pupils improved throughout the term, with the bat, ball and in the field. It was great to see pupils so eager to improve at all three aspects of the game of cricket, as they are all of equal importance. The U9s played fixtures against Shrewsbury House, St Paul’s Junior, Rokeby, King’s House and Cranmore, putting in positive performances in each of these blocks. It was encouraging to see movement between the teams; pupils being prepared to work hard in training sessions and fixtures. The U9As finished their term with a hard ball game against Cranmore, which was a tightly contested game, and it will be great to see some of the other teams play hard ball over the coming years. BDT

256 262 267 243

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

U9A

U9 LEO PARDS

U9B

U9 TIGERS

U9C

U9 PUMAS

U9D

U9 LIONS

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C R I C K E T: U10

W: 20 L: 1 D: 0

OPPOSITION

U10A

U10B

Northcote Lodge

177 – 2 67

150 – 7 77

264 262

301 244

325 265

N/A

St Benedict’s

152 – 2 40

Cancelled

303 210

N/A

St Paul’s

75 – 4 61

79 – 6 58 – 7

247 234

269 260

247 254

289 245

N/A

Cranmore

Cancelled

N/A

Cancelled

Danes Hill 6-a-side

Cancelled

N/A

Cranmore

Cancelled

N/A

Cancelled

N/A

Cancelled

153 – 2 79

189 – 3 108 – 7

Cancelled

N/A

306 298

N/A

374 258

163 – 4 98 – 8

168 – 2 39

N/A

339 326

314 270

Northcote Lodge Rokeby

U10C U10D U10E U10F U10G

There is no doubt that this term has not been what we would expect from our summer cricket program in the U10s, with coronavirus and the weather affecting what should have been a jampacked fixture schedule. Despite the difficulties that we have faced, the boys as a year group managed to play 21 games against opposition schools, which brought about only one loss against St Paul’s. In the first fixture for the boys all year, the ABCDE teams donned their masks, sanitised their hands, and boarded the buses bound to Northcote Lodge. The A and B team hit huge targets of 177 and 150 respectively, which was enough to take the wins. A special mention to Thomas Tijerina for a fast half-century. There were also comfortable wins for the D and E teams with a total of 325 (starting on 200) set for the Es. There was also a close fought encounter for the C team, running out winners by four runs. Next we faced opposition from west London in the form of St Benedict’s School. With the ABC teams due to play, one of the opposition teams unfortunately had to pull out, meaning that the Bs missed out. The As had another fantastic performance with the bat scoring 152 for just two wickets lost and a second 50 of the term for the team from Vidhan Vedhara. The Cs also won convincingly with a victory margin of 97 runs. Next up were St Paul’s with all but the G team battling it out. There were close–fought encounters and slender wins for the ABCD teams,

and the F team also brought about a win in the form of a 44-run victory in their first game of the season. Unfortunately, in our only defeat of the season the E team suffered a seven-run loss. In our penultimate block of the season, we hosted Northcote Lodge in the reverse fixture to our opening game. The A team won by a 74-run margin with Messrs Tijerina, Baljee, Whitaker, and Vedhara all scoring strongly to put them out of reach of the opposition. The B team topped that, however, posting a mammoth total of 189 with half-centuries scored from Zaal Owen and Theo Knowles. Here, the E team won their second game of the season whilst the Gs scored 374 in their pairs fixtures, winning by 116 runs. In our last fixtures of the season, the boys put in some stellar performances once again and managed to bring home four victories against Rokeby. The A team posted another strong score, with 163 from their 24 overs of batting and won by 65-runs. Another special mention must go to Vedhan Vedhara who scored his second halfcentury of the season from 49 deliveries. The B team also won, ending the afternoon with an advantage of 129 runs. The F and G teams completed the set, finishing strongly with a pair of wins. All the coaches from the U10 cohort, would like to thank the boys for their fantastic attitude throughout this disrupted term of cricket. Well done to you all! GD

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

U10A

U10 E

U10 B

U10 F

U10 C

U10 G

U10 D

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C R I C K E T: U 11 OPPOSITION

W: 18 L: 10 D: 0

U11A

U11B

Cumnor House

76 77 – 1

116 – 6 79 – 7

N/A

381 374

284 281

N/A

King’s House

80 – 3 79

80 – 0 79 – 9

N/A

245 237

346 251

N/A

374 306

St Paul’s

110 – 4 106

87 100 – 7

357 332

N/A

303 312

N/A

Northcote Lodge

109 149 – 8

85 86 – 4

N/A

295 360

350 255

N/A

356 370

106 – 9 127 – 4

89 – 6 90 – 2

248 236

293 238

266 207

N/A

Shrewsbury House

Cancelled

Danes Hill

59 61 – 2

106 – 7 105 – 10

276 210

296 283

350 250

N/A

Cranmore

Coming into the summer term there was plenty of hope that the U11s would have the opportunity to play competitive fixtures against other schools for the first time this academic year. After a month of cricket in September where we did plenty of work on the technical side of the game, the focus shifted to getting the boys prepared for match situations both mentally and tactically. Bowling has always been a strength of any King’s team, so a real focus was placed on batting. With 18 wins and only 10 losses, it has been an excellent term for the U11 age group. After only a week’s preparation, the first block of the term saw King’s travel to Cumnor House on a glorious afternoon. The B, E and F teams all had very good wins. However the A team were bowled out convincingly by a very strong attack. A special mention must go to the E and F teams who both held their nerve to win in two very close contests. The second fixture was against King’s House for ABCF teams. The A team had a fantastic performance bowling King’s House out and knocking the runs off for the loss of three wickets. The G team also had a fantastic win by 68 runs against the E team from King’s House. The third block of the term was against St Paul’s for the ABCG teams. The standout performance was the U11C team who restricted St. Paul’s to 332 runs and ended 25 runs ahead. We then hosted Northcote Lodge in a very tough block for the ABDEG teams. The E team had an emphatic win by 95 runs, against a strong Northcote Lodge year group, to continue their unbeaten run.

U11C U11D U11E U11F U11G

After the half-term break the U11s came up against Cranmore with home advantage seeming to not help either school. It was a great set of wins for the CDE teams. The D team bowled superbly well restricting Cranmore to only 238, remembering that they started the game on 200 runs. Unfortunately, the Shrewsbury house block was cancelled, leaving us with a Danes Hill in the final block of the term. In some very damp conditions, the BCDE all had great wins, with the B team showing great nerve to chase down 105 in difficult batting conditions after bowling Danes Hill out in emphatic fashion. The U11A team had a busy term of cricket entering two cup competitions and one tournament. In the Surrey Prep Schools Cup, they were unfortunately knocked out in the first round against Northcote Lodge. The game went all the way down to the last ball with us needing two to win and one wicket in hand. We were unfortunately bowled out without scoring off the last ball (KCJS 11310, Northcote Lodge 114-4). In the Verney Cup competition the U11A team had a bye through the first round. They then lost to Trinity after being bowled out for 85. The U11As bowled valiantly to take it late into the match, however, couldn’t stop Trinity getting over the line. Unfortunately, the St. Paul’s sixes was cancelled due to wet weather, which would have topped off a great term for the U11A team. I want to thank all the players and staff personally for a highly enjoyable term and wish them all good luck next year. JJB

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

U 11 A

U 11 E

U 11 B

U 11 F

U 11 C

U 11 G

U 11 D

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C R I C K E T: U12 OPPOSITION

W: 13 L: 6 D: 0

U12A

U12B

N/A

100 – 7 99 – 5

52 53 – 3

N/A

27 28 – 0

25 26 – 0

N/A

93 155

103 – 7 184 – 1

77 – 9 110 – 7

239 293

115 105

Shrewsbury House

Cancelled

62 – 8 61 – 10

Cancelled

N/A

Reeds

Cancelled

100 – 9 122 – 6

52 107

78 113

N/A

146 96

N/A

Cancelled

N/A

93 92

Cancelled

N/A

Reigate 6s

Cancelled

N/A

St Paul’s

Cancelled

N/A

Dulwich College

91 92 – 5

120 – 6 121 – 4

107 143

N/A

Yately Manor Wimbledon College Ibstock Place

Whitgift St James’ Boys Hampton School

U12C

U12D U12E

106 43

The U12 year group were unfortunate with the number of fixture cancellations in the summer term, all of which were out of our control. In the fixtures that were able to go ahead, the boys displayed plenty of talent and skill. Yately Manor were King’s first opponents, with the U12Cs coming away with a straightforward victory. The U12Bs gave it their best shot, but their total proved to be too little to match a strong Yately Manor A side. A week later, Wimbledon College took on the AB teams and there were comfortable wins for both King’s sides. At this point, we were able to host our first year group fixture, against Ibstock Place, fielding five strong teams A to E. It was a great opportunity for everyone to get a game and to experience competitive cricket at this level. The U12 ABCD teams managed to pull off some excellent victories, with displays of fine bowling, batting and fielding. Shrewsbury House were next on the fixture list, but unfortunately due to poor weather we were only able to play our U12B team. This one went down to the wire with Shrewsbury House narrowly sealing the win in the final over. Whilst the U12As had their match against Reeds cancelled, the U12 BCD teams were able to go ahead and they worked hard to bring back three

very impressive wins. On the day, the U12D team managed to build a serious run rate that Reeds struggled to keep pace with. This was a prime example of the depth of quality in this year group. Whitgift is always a match that people look ahead to and the U12As found themselves drawn against Whitgift in the third round of the cup. In a 25 over game, both teams showed consistency with the ball and bat, as well as putting their bodies on the line in the field. However, it was Whitgift who came away with the victory on the day. Credit to all the King’s boys who played in a 25 over match on a sweltering day; a great experience for them. The U12As came up against Hampton a week later, keen to get back to winning ways. This was probably the match of the season with Hampton looking like they had the game in the bag. But with a strong bowling performance by King’s, the U12As managed to pull it back. In the final over Hampton needed seven with two balls remaining, a calm, cool-headed Hampton player managed to hit a boundary, securing their win. A bitter outcome for our boys, but the enormous amount of heart shown by them in the fixture instilled an overwhelming sense of pride in spectators and coaches alike. The final fixture block to go ahead was against Dulwich College, as we fielded four U12 teams

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

ABCE. Whilst the U12Es were unable to contain a strong Dulwich D team, there were wins for the U12 ABC boys.

U12 D

A great season off the back of a difficult break away from sport in general; the boys should be proud of what they have achieved, and we cannot wait to see them develop as they move into the Senior School next year. DAC

U12 A

U12 B

U12 C

U12 E

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C R I C K E T: U13 OPPOSITION

W: 14 L: 7 D: 0

U13A

U13B

Cancelled

156 – 5 107 – 6

N/A

Reigate Grammar School

92 – 8 95 – 4

178 – 4 104 – 4

145 135

112 97

Rutlish High School (Cup)

193 – 5 29

N/A

Wimbledon College

169 – 6 49

234 – 3 70

N/A

221 – 2 34 – 4

N/A

Dulwich College Cranmore School (Cup)

King’s House School (Cup)

U13C U13D

Match abandoned

Shrewsbury House

127 – 6 128 – 7

97 – 5 99 – 2

169 – 1 111 – 7

N/A

Ibstock Place (Cup)

184 – 4 59 – 5

N/A

St James Senior School

146 – 6 43 – 10

192 92

N/A

Whitgift School (Cup)

121 – 7 105

N/A

Cancelled

111 – 7 109 – 9

158 – 4 105 – 10

119 61

N/A

131 – 1 84

115 – 7 116 – 7

106 – 6 63

N/A

Reed’s School Hampton School St Paul’s Junior School

‘There can be no summer in this land without cricket,’ wrote Neville Cardus. After a year in the wilderness we have been fortunate to enjoy a long, largely dry, and fruitful cricket season. The U13s have been an excellent year group to coach, and I was particularly pleased when a Covid-hit, much-depleted year group pulled together to put out competitive teams in the second half of the season. Whilst 14 wins out of 22 games is very impressive, my definition of success is to ensure that all the boys enjoy their cricket, that they have been pleased with their level of progress, and that they want to continue to play or follow cricket in the years to come. After a good victory for the A team in the Surrey Prep Schools Cup against Cranmore School, the first block of the term saw King’s host Reigate Grammar School. The A team’s six wicket win was their performance of the season, after an impressive display with the ball and bat against a very strong Reigate side. There were also good victories for the C and D teams, with the B team learning some valuable lessons about the need to bowl fuller! Sizeable victories for the A and B teams followed

against Rutlish High School (Watcyn Evans Cup) and Wimbledon College, before a reality check was delivered to the A team against a very strong King’s House team in the Surrey Prep Schools Cup. Fortunately, rain saved the boys’ blushes, and the match was abandoned with the team 187 runs adrift of the target. Further successes for the B and C teams came against Shrewsbury House, although the A team lost a very close game having nearly defended five runs off the last over. Despite impressive wins again for the A team against Ibstock Place (Watcyn Evans Cup) and for the A and B teams against St James School, narrow losses became the story of the final third of the season. A Covid-depleted A team put up an astonishing fight against a strong Whitgift team in the quarter finals of the Watcyn Evans Cup, falling just 16 runs short of an improbable victory. I will forever wonder what might have been had lady luck been on our side that week… A block against Hampton School followed and three losses did not tell the story of the day. On a grey morning, a spirited group of King’s boys

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

arrived, determined to give their very best, with many boys playing one or two teams higher than usual. The A team were unlucky to fall just short of an unlikely win, losing by two runs, with the B and C teams both losing by 53 and 58 runs respectively. The final block of fixtures against St Paul’s Junior School saw two impressive wins for the B and C teams, leaving Mr Butcher and Mr McCluskey very pleased and optimistic about the strength in depth this year group will provide in the Senior School. The A team were unable to correctly apply the fundamentals of their game in their fixture, but it was a competitive and enjoyable game nonetheless from start to finish. An excellent season all round. EJMB

U13 A

U13 B

U13 C

U13 D

U13 E

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TENNIS

OPPOSITION

W: 26 L: 6 D: 5

U10

Cancelled

St Paul’s Junior School

N/A

6 – 6

6 – 2

Shrewsbury House

6 – 6

4-6

Cancelled

8–1

Rokeby

N/A

7 – 2

3 – 3

2 – 4

Cranmore

7 – 2

6 – 3

8 – 1

4 – 2

6 – 2

Cancelled

4 – 2 6 – 0

N/A

3 – 1

N/A

4 – 0

3 – 1

4 – 0

N/A

Harrodian Surrey League

N/A

3 – 6

N/A

Reeds Surrey League

N/A

7 – 2

Amesbury Surrey League

N/A

3–6

Hampton Surrey League

N/A

2–7

5–4

Thomas’s Battersea

N/A

3–0

N/A

4 – 0

N/A

Kingsway Tennis Festival

Winners

N/A

King’s Champions Junior

N/A

Champions

4th in their group

3rd in their group

Danes Hill

ISL Doubles Trophy Cumnor House & Hawthorns

U11 U12 U13

Surrey League Triangular St George’s Junior School Surrey League

Surrey League Milbourne Lodge Surrey League

Shield: Dulwich & St Paul’s Surrey League Overall Champions

Champions Champions of their group

What a fantastic season of tennis, wins aplenty and improvements in abundance. The perfect record was yet again nearly achieved in friendly fixtures, encountering several tricky opponents. Mr Nicholas, Ms Allberry, Mr Rance and Mr Yates drove the programme forward with fun, vibrant sessions, and with doubles tactics at the forefront of our minds. The buzz around the tennis courts and during fixtures was fabulous, and the boys went from strength to strength in developing formidable partnerships. The U9s had a particularly successful campaign, winning all but one of their friendly matches convincingly. We played host to many fixtures and entered the Surrey League for the first time at this age group. Motivation to represent the school,

and to be involved in the sport, was certainly at its highest as numbers attending the weekly club soared. It was clear to see that this age group was talented, as Nicholas Ellinghorst and Vedant Khera won the U9 King’s Festival at Kingsway and the U9 squad of Nicholas Ellinghorst, Vedant Khera, Oscar Ross, Raphael Smith, Max Lin and Leo Ogungbemi conquered all to become the winners of the Surrey League. The U10s grew stronger as the year went on. After a good draw with St Paul’s they had a spring in their step, securing promising wins against Rokeby and Cranmore and only narrowly losing out to a strong U11 Shrewsbury House team. Despite not being too familiar with the doubles game, the boys took to the format well as they

S P O R T: T E N N I S 2 0 21

were entered into a strong group in the Surrey league. Yet again, it was the first time the U10s had competed in this competition, and they really flourished as they came out on top in all their matches against Milbourne Lodge, Thomas’s Battersea, and St George’s, to finish up top of the pile and Surrey League Champions. Well-done to Zaal Owen, Archie Whittaker, Nathan Han, and Thomas Millar for their prominent performances. I can see some strong partnerships developing in this age group. What a term the U11s had. It was a flawless campaign for this very talented year group. They started off with convincing friendly wins against Rokeby and Cranmore. This was followed by a superb win over a strong St Paul’s Junior School side. The highlight was winning all their Surrey League games and being crowned Surrey League Champions. This year group, led by Luka CoryWright, Douglas Adams, Samuel Garner and Kirill Zakharyan, has depth in abundance. The U12s battled hard this season. They came out second best on many occasions, but it was encouraging to see so many of the boys get involved both at the weekly club sessions. Despite struggling to land a blow in the Surrey League they did not stop trying, securing a well-deserved win against Cranmore and a couple of good draws against Rokeby and St Paul’s. Special mentions must go to Theodore Rolfsen, Oscar Tostivin, Hamish Whelan and San Lee. The U12s have a great hunger to compete, and I am sure they will continue to try hard for many years to come. Despite the U13s not having a Surrey League finals day this year, the boys were still motivated to finish their Junior School tennis careers on a high. It was fabulous to have so many U13s involved in fixtures and they really held their own, securing great friendly wins against Shrewsbury House and Cranmore, as well as a fabulous Surrey League victory versus Hampton, coming from behind to secure a famous comeback victory. The enthusiasm for tennis in this age group was simply brilliant, and we saw many boys represent the school in the sport for the first time. Special mentions must go to Alexander Annesanti, George Cadbury-Gosling, Benjamin Slattery, Safin Sheikh, Harvey Webber, and Henry Van den Bosch for their outstanding

Page 145

efforts throughout their time in the Junior School. On 19 June history was made as the U11, U12 and U13 age groups secured the first ever victory in the St Paul’s and Dulwich Triangular. What an amazing effort from everyone involved. The boys displayed a sensational standard of doubles as they faced St Paul’s and Dulwich. Special mentions must go to Nicholas Ellinghorst and Vedant Khera who played for the U11s two age groups up, and to Nathan Han and Zaal Owen playing for the U12s also two age groups older. I would like to thank the U13s for their superb efforts as they have driven the programme forward, displaying great standards and acting as brilliant role models. It was simply brilliant to see so many supporters attending fixtures when restrictions were eased. We hope to keep this feel-good factor in tennis for years to come. BDJ 2021 TENNIS S Q UADS U13 Squad: Alexander Annesanti, George Cadbury-Gosling, Keith Levy II, Safin Sheikh, Ben Slattery, Henry Van den Bosch, Harvey Webber, Nikolas Andrijanovs, Ben Torrance, Arjun Basran, Alfie Edmondson, Luke Belderbos, Robert Geijtenbeek, Charlie de Vise-Craig, Marco Castelvetri, Joshua Caplan, Matteo Dreesmann, Jed Bennett and Rui Nabeshima. U12 Squad: Antonin Kotak, San Lee, Teager Meddleton, Theodore Rolfsen, Harry Taylor, Arnav Sharma, Oscar Tostivin, Hamish Whelan, Thomas Winter, Osman Valiyev, Ritik Mukherjee, Charlie Maguire, Harry Hull, Konstantinos Kyriazis, Pennley Fujiwara, Omar Ansari, Nicholas Holder, Xavier Critchlow, Matteo Crisafi, Miron Ananyev and Miguel De Lacerda Ruix Casaux. U11 Squad: Dougie Adams, Luka Cory-Wright, Samuel Garner, Kirill Zakharyan, George Butterworth, Ayden Amin, Sanjit Kumar, Senan Loth, Oliver Lovett-Turner, Harry Walker, Leonardo Wood, Enrique Del Rio Virseda, Charlie Dey, James Geijtenbeek, Arhur Irvine, Cameron Kipps, Sanjit Kumar, Aaron Brown, Rocco Castelvetri, Leo de Corbavia, Karthik Prasanna and Alex Oussedik. U10 Squad: Zaal Owen, Nathan Han, Archie Whittaker, Thomas Millar, Ashvin Waegner, Felix Cooke, Leander Offerhaus, Yannis Paschopoulos, Thomas Tijerina, Ned Hawkins, Alex Brabazon, Henry Minson, Theodore Vladimirov, Finn Moore and Jay Ren Lee. U9 Squad: Nicholas Ellinghorst, Vedant Khera, Oscar Ross, Raphael Smith, Max Lin, Leo Ogungbemi, William Lowe, Henri Stehn, Risheet Asthana, Kush Patel, Eashan Treanor, Alex Panna and Tomas O’Leary.

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AT H L E T I C S

U12 Claremont Athletics 200m Thomas Savege 800m Harry Klein Hurdles Thomas Savege, Harry Klein, George Macklin & Oliver Coleman Discus Jack Turner Javelin Charlie Maguire Long Jump Oliver Coleman

3rd 1st 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd

U13 Claremont Athletics 100m Rudyard Haggist 200m Alexander Beharry 300m Rudyard Haggist 800m George Champion 100m Rudyard Haggist Hurdles Ben Torrance 1x 100m Relay Antonio Cor tese, Ben Torrance, Alexander Beharry & Rudyard Haggist Discus Leo Dickinson Shot Put Leo Dickinson Javelin Max Rawlinson Long Jump Antonio Cor tese

1st 3rd 1st 3rd 1st 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

J U N I O R S C H O O L AT H L E T I C S 2 0 21

Understandably, the full programme of athletics events for the summer term was cut short but we were fortunate enough to have both the U12s and U13s represent King’s at the Claremont Athletics competition on Thursday 24 June. The boys did not disappoint as the U13s came away with the gold overall, whilst the U12s deservedly finished in bronze medal position. The table highlights just how successful the boys were in their track and field events, however, even more impressive were the performances of boys who had only just recently taken an interest in a particular event. Notably Jack Turner (LRA), who recently picked up discus and earned a silver medal for his efforts at Claremont, whilst Max Rawlinson (URHM) decided to try his hand at javelin, finishing with a gold. Rudyard Haggist (URCM) put in a superb performance in both the 100m and 300m, claiming gold in both, along with Leo Dickinson (UREB) who took gold for both discus and shot put. In addition to this, Harry Klein (LRB) took gold in the 800m whilst Antonio Cortese (URCM) came first in the long jump. We certainly hope for the athletics calendar to be back to normal by summer 2022, but would like to congratulate all the boys who represented the school. Well done! DAC

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U13 Claremont Athletics: King’s finished 1st overall. U12 Claremont Athletics: King’s finished 3rd overall. 2021 ATHLETIC S S Q UADS U12 Squad Oliver Coleman, Harry Klein, George Macklin, Charlie Maguire, Thomas Savege and Jack Turner. U13 Squad Alexander Beharry, George Champion, Antonio Cortese, Leo Dickinson, Rudyard Haggist, Max Rawlinson and Ben Torrance.

With all boys eager to show off what they had learnt in athletics this term, we had some excellent performances in both the track and field.

SPORTS DAY

S P O R T S D AY

On Tuesday 22 June we saw the whole school come together down at Kingsway for a remarkable event. Sadly, parents were unable to attend, however the enthusiasm and determination shown from boys was palpable. With all boys eager to show off what they had learnt in athletics this term, we had some excellent performances in both the track and field. In Rushmere, we had boys scoring in the target throw, leaping to success in the standing long jump and working together in their Houses to race in the relays. Across the field at Priory Sports Day, boys showed a spring in their step in the high jump, power in the shot put and speed in the 100m heats. As events unfolded, many boys put in strong individual performances, with the outright highest points scorers going on to claim the coveted Victor Ludorum Cup for their respective year groups. These boys were Sholto White (TDM), Nicholas Ellinghorst (1W), Theo Knowles (2H), Alec Gilligan (3OH), Oscar Tostivin (LRW) and Rudyard Haggist (URCM). As the day ended, all were eager to find out the winning Houses for Rushmere and Priory Sports Day. The scores were collected and counted with Tudor coming top as Rushmere House winners and Stuart as Priory House winners. Congratulations to everyone who took part on the day, as well as the staff who helped make the day run so well. DAC

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Winning Houses 1st

Stuart

2nd

Tudor

3rd

Windsor

4th

Norman

U11 Winners 100m

Alec Gilligan

200m

Alec Gilligan

600m

Alec Gilligan

800m

Leonardo Wood

1500m

Luka Cory-Wright

Long Jump

Alec Gilligan

High Jump

George Butterwor th

Shot Put

Alec Gilligan

Vortex

Oliver Lovett-Turner

Victor Ludorum Alec Gilligan

Champion House Windsor

U12 Winners 100m

Oscar Tostivin

200m

Oscar Tostivin

600m

Oscar Tostivin

800m

Charlie Maguire

1500m

Harry Klein

Long Jump

Harry Klein

High Jump

Jack Turner

Shot Put

Jack Turner

Vortex

Charlie Maguire

Victor Ludorum Oscar Tostivin

Champion House Stuar t

U10 Winners

U13 Winners

100m

James Etienne

100m

Rudyard Haggist

200m

Theo Knowles

200m

Rudyard Haggist

600m

Leo Wood

600m

Ben Torrance

800m

Theo Knowles

800m

George Champion

1500m

Oliver Watt

1500m

Rudyard Haggist

Long Jump

Toby Rees

Long Jump

Antonio Cor tese

High Jump

Oliver Watt

High Jump

Ber tie Aspinall

Shot Put

Zaal Owen

Shot Put

Leo Dickinson

Vortex

Thomas Tijerina

Vortex

Max Rawlinson

Victor Ludorum Rudyard Haggist

Victor Ludorum Theo Knowles Champion House Stuar t

Champion House Tudor

S P O R T S D AY

Page 151

Introducing the new Junior School Headmaster: Mr Ted Lougher

The Junior School welcomes (back!) Mr Ted Lougher as its new Headmaster. Many of us will remember Mr Lougher from his previous stint, departing just three years ago as a then Assistant Head and Head of Modern Languages. We wish him all the very best in his new role.

Image credits Gillman & Soame Pages: 133 – 143 These photographs have been reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame © Gillman & Soame Photographs can be re-ordered by visiting www.gsimagebank.co.uk Liz Gregg Pages: 152 © 2021 Liz Gregg Marcus Ginns Pages: 2, 5, 10, 13, 14, 27, 28, 31, 32, 48, 70, 86, 104,105, 108, 110, 116, 118, 122 © 2021 Marcus Ginns Photography School Spor ts Photography Pages: Cover, 6, 61, 63, 65, 128, 148, 150, 151 SchoolSpor tsPhotography.co.uk © 2021 School Spor ts Photography Publication design Samuel Ager Jay Paper used Cover : Amadeus Silk 300 gsm Inner : Amadeus Silk 130gsm Made from FSC® cer tified and traceable pulp sources Printed sustainably in England by Pureprint Group Limited

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