KGS Summer Newsletter 2026

IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER OUTSTANDING TERM FOR KINGSTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL SPORT. OUR ROWERS ENJOYED A SUCCESSFUL REGATTA SEASON, WITH STRONG PERFORMANCES AT THAMES DITTON AND TROPHY-WINNING PERFORMANCES FROM THE J15 BOYS, J16 GIRLS AND SENIOR GIRLS AT BOTH POPLAR REGATTA AND NATIONAL SCHOOLS. IN CRICKET, THE U13 GIRLS WERE CROWNED SHIELD COMPETITION CHAMPIONS AT THE REIGATE 6S, ROUNDING OFF ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE TERM OF SPORTING SUCCESS.

ON THE ATHLETICS TRACK, OUR SECOND AND THIRD YEAR BOYS FINISHED RUNNERS-UP OVERALL AT THE BOROUGH ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WON THE 4 X 100M RELAY.

OPENING AUTUMN 2026

BRIDGEN

SCIENCE CENTRE

THE FINAL PHASE OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BRIDGEN SCIENCE CENTRE IS WELL UNDERWAY, WITH THE REMAINING LABORATORIES ON SCHEDULE TO BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER. THE FANTASTIC NEW SCIENCE GARDEN AND SIXTH FORM STUDY PODS WILL FOLLOW IN NOVEMBER.

OPENING AUTUMN 2026

See more in Kingstonian 2025/26 >> COMING THIS AUTUMN

BRIGHT. YOUNG. [ KGS ] THINGS.

“A show that sparkled with style, intelligence, and theatrical flair.”

“In a world obsessed with television, the pressure to succeed, the hunger for exposure, and the manipulations that sit behind the bright lights, this young company made those themes feel urgent and strikingly relevant.”

Review by the National School Theatre Awards

NEWS FROM AROUND THE SCHOOL...

VEX ROBOTICS

Just before the Easter holidays, I had the incredible opportunity to compete in the VEX Robotics US Open International Competition. To get there, my team and I first had to compete in the Nationals, which was a challenge. It involved intense technical interviews where we had to explain and defend our design, as well as fast-paced robot matches where every second counted.

Over several weeks, we designed and built our robot from individual components, constantly testing and improving it. All that hard work paid off, and we made it to the finals, finishing in second place, earning our spot at the US Open.

The competition took place in Iowa, a 12-hour flight away. Luckily, I was with two teammates, who are also close friends. What makes this competition unique is the teamwork element. In every match, you’re paired randomly with another team, meaning you could be working with either a very strong team or a less experienced one. This makes communication and strategy crucial.

You must quickly build trust, agree on a plan, and adapt if things don’t go as expected. Sometimes your partner team might make mistakes or let you down, but we learned how to stay positive, adjust our approach, and enjoy the experience no matter what.

One of the best parts was meeting people from all over the world including teams from Canada, Thailand, China as well as the US. It was amazing to share ideas, learn new techniques, and experience different cultures, all through a shared passion for robotics.

Natalie I Second Year

YOUNG PHILOSOPHERS

The RP Department are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our First and Second Year students, 19 of whom entered the Independent Schools Religious Studies Association annual essay competition this year, a national event that draws entries from hundreds of schools and is known for its exceptionally high standard.

From this strong group, we are especially pleased that two of our students, Bibi and Hugo, were commended for their thoughtful and perceptive essays. Bibi explored the claim that “War can never be justified, whatever the circumstances,” while Hugo considered whether “Civil disobedience cannot be justified without undermining the rule of law.”

We are hugely proud of them both, and equally proud of the wider group, whose curiosity and commitment reflect a vibrant and growing community of young theologians and philosophers in the lower school at KGS.

Mrs C Williams I Head of Religion & Philosophy

TRANSLATION COMPETITION

We are delighted that several of our students received commendations for their entries to the prestigious Anthea Bell Translation Competition, and have been put forward for consideration for national prizes.

This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the talent, hard work, and linguistic flair of these students. Many congratulations to:

Holly I French

Lilly I German

Natalie I Mandarin

Arlo I Spanish

Sophie I Italian

Marziya I Russian

Named in honour of the celebrated literary translator Anthea Bell, the competition challenges entrants to translate texts with creativity, precision, and sensitivity to language and tone.

To be commended at this stage, with work going forward for national consideration, is a fantastic accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of all six students.

Mr T Diamond I MFL Department

JUNIOR MODEL UNITED NATIONS

A group of engaged Second and Third Year students represented KGS at the Junior Model United Nations. Representing Japan and the USA, our young delegates negotiated with aplomb. We were delighted to come home with eight individual awards for highly commended and outstanding contributions in committees, with the USA group winning the Best Delegation award.

Mrs J Butcher I Head of Politics

SHARING MFL GOOD PRACTICE

It was KGS’s turn to host the annual Trinity Group Meeting for Modern Foreign Languages this term. This is a key event in the calendar, providing Heads of Department with the opportunity to come together and discuss current issues, share ideas, and reflect on developments within the subject. We were delighted to welcome a range of guest speakers. George Van Der Bergh, from This is School, spoke about innovative approaches to MFL learning; Professor Bert Vaux, Professor of Linguistics and Admissions Tutor at the University of Cambridge, offered insights into linguistics and university admissions; Adele Venter, representing the Independent Schools Modern Languages Association, shared perspectives from across the sector; and KGS’s own Anthony Fitzgerald highlighted the importance of languages in future careers.

The day was a great success, with 35 colleagues in attendance from independent schools across the area, as well as several representatives from local state schools. It was a valuable opportunity for collaboration, professional dialogue, and strengthening connections across the wider MFL community.

Mrs T Russell I Head of MFL

PHYSICS OLYMPIAD

9,000 entries to the opening round of the British Physics Olympiad became 1,800 getting through to Round 1... which was whittled down to 69 eligible candidates invited to participate in Round 2, seen as a selection paper for the Oxford Easter Camp. Off the back of his performance in Round 2, Sixth Form student Fraser was one of just 14 students invited to this year’s British Physics Olympiad Easter Training and Selection Camp held in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford. This is a brilliant achievement.

Everyone at KGS was hugely impressed with Fraser’s progress and his success at achieving a place on the UK team as part of the prestigious International Physics Olympiad held in Bucaramanga, Columbia, in July. This is a first for KGS and is a testament to Fraser’s problem-solving skills and physics ability. I am sure he is relishing the prospect of taking part.

Mr I Deepchand I Head of Physics

SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERING

“The brilliant KGS students ...have been so patient in explaining tasks, practising spellings, and mastering times tables with our children.”

“I like playing chess against KGS because I’m competitive and it gives me self-belief.”

“Thanks to the Lunchtime Buddies. It has been fantastic to see a massive boost in overall pupil participation in active sports, with children now eagerly looking forward to hitting the courts each week!”

Congratulations to the Lower Sixth students for their participation in our Service and Volunteering Programme this year.

The fifteen placements offer a wide range of opportunities which our students grasp with real enthusiasm, learning new things and strengthening existing skills. The feedback about them is always so positive and we are really proud of them – thank you and well done!

Mrs K Pinnock I Head of Community Action and Service

CHARITY FUNDRAISING

The Lower School have been hard at work for three of our school charities: BRITE Box, KCAH and DEBRA.

Students in First Year have been learning about the work of BRITE Box, taking part in workshops to try out the recipes – preparing, cooking and eating them! The feedback has been very positive, which is no surprise given how delicious they all looked.

Second Years came together for the inaugural Shelter Build & Challenge Event where they took part in a carousel of team challenges, with friendly House competition and teamwork at the heart of everything.

Working together, teams designed and constructed shelters, then put them to the test against the watering cans – with students inside! The event doubled as our fundraiser for Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness, supporting their vital work in Kingston such as the Winter Night Shelter. Thanks to the generosity of family and friends, students raised an impressive amount in sponsorship, with funds going directly towards helping people experiencing homelessness in Kingston.

Third Year students have worked hard on their fundraising project, born out of last term’s English transactional writing unit. Students were challenged to write persuasive, formal letters to public figures they admire, requesting a ‘money can’t buy’ item to auction in aid of DEBRA. Having researched their chosen recipients, learned the conventions of formal letter writing, they drafted, redrafted and handwrote their letters before posting them. The response has been remarkable. To mark the project, Roxy has designed a range of bookmarks, notebooks and cards celebrating the art of letter writing, which will be sold alongside the auction, with proceeds also going to DEBRA – a charity supporting people living with EB, a rare and painful genetic skin condition affecting thousands worldwide. The Silent Auction will take place in the first fortnight of September 2026. We look forward to sharing further details soon. We are so impressed with the success the Third Year have made of the project.

If you would like to donate any further ‘money can’t buy’ items to be auctioned in aid of DEBRA, these would be warmly received. Please contact Dr Kandemir at bkandemir@kgs.org.uk. Thank you.

Mrs K Pinnock I Head of Community Action and Service

TROOPING THE COLOUR

Trooping the Colour is one of Britain’s most iconic ceremonial occasions, blending more than 350 years of military tradition with royal pageantry.

Dating back to the 17th century, the custom began when regimental flags, or “colours”, were carried through the ranks so soldiers could recognise them on the battlefield. Today, the King’s Birthday Parade is a spectacular display of precision and heritage, with more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and over 400 musicians taking part.

This year’s ceremony saw the King’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, troop its Colour before King Charles III for the first time in 90 years, before the celebrations concluded with the traditional Royal Air Force flypast over Buckingham Palace.

CADET SERGEANT COMARD WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS LONDIST COMMUNITY CADET AWARD 2025, RECOGNISING OUTSTANDING SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND CONTRIBUTION BEYOND THE CONTINGENT

This achievement was marked in May, when she accepted the salute at the Trooping The Colour Review. A high honour indeed.

Major

A Beggs I Contingent Commander

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY

PREPARING SIXTH FORM STUDENTS FOR LIFE BEYOND KGS...

FUTURES WEEK 2026

KGS Futures Week offered Lower Sixth students a wideranging programme designed to broaden horizons, build confidence, and prepare them for life beyond school. Through a combination of expert talks and practical workshops the week encouraged students to think ambitiously about their future pathways while equipping them with the skills needed to succeed

A central focus of the week was supporting students with the start of their personal statements. Sara Pittman from the University of Exeter provided invaluable insight, discussing how to craft a compelling narrative and avoid common pitfalls.

A particular highlight was a talk from KGS alumnus and renowned marine biologist Dr Nathan Robinson, whose career in marine conservation has taken him across the globe. Sharing stories from his work including groundbreaking research and powerful conservation campaigns, Dr Robinson demonstrated how passion and perseverance can lead to meaningful impact.

Students were inspired not only by his journey, but also by the opportunities available to get involved in conservation work themselves. Dr Robinson encouraged students to follow his work online (@drnathanrobinson) and highlighted volunteer opportunities in Costa Rica and Spain which is particularly valuable for those considering a gap year and looking for hands-on experience in marine biology.

“FUTURES WEEK HAS REALLY HELPED ME FEEL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THE PERSONAL STATEMENT WORKSHOPS, LED BY GUEST SPEAKERS FROM UNIVERSITIES, WERE SO HELPFUL. THE TRIP TO LSE WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND ASK SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ABOUT THEIR CAREERS AND BUSINESSES, WHILST GETTING A SENSE OF A MORE TYPICAL STYLE OF LECTURE AT UNIVERSITY.”

Allegra I Lower Sixth

Throughout the week, students also explored a broad range of academic and career pathways. Workshops in areas such as Thinking Skills and Foundation Art encouraged creativity and problem-solving, while tailored sessions provided focused guidance for competitive applications, including Medicine, Dentistry and Oxbridge. Students were also introduced to alternative routes, with advice on assessment centres, US applications and gap year opportunities, helping them to consider a wide range of options.

Emerging and rapidly developing industries were another key theme. A session on careers in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence gave students an insight into the skills and opportunities within these exciting fields, highlighting the importance of adaptability in a fast-changing world.

Experiential learning played an important role in the week, with all Lower Sixth students taking part in a visit to the London School of Economics for the LSE Generate Innovation programme. Here, they explored entrepreneurship through interactive workshops and collaborative challenges, developing skills in teamwork, creativity and problem-solving. Engagement with entrepreneurs Ian Smart (Kingstonian 1980) and Chardee Ezadkhasty (Founder of Persian Kitchen and the Happy Bakery) and a panel discussion on innovation and the future of work encouraged students to think beyond traditional career paths and consider the impact they could have on a global scale. Many congratulations to Philippa and Zara who were awarded a one-day internship at LSE for their excellent engagement.

The week also placed strong emphasis on communication and independent learning. Students presented their EPQ projects, demonstrating both the depth of their research and their ability to articulate ideas clearly and confidently. Opportunities such as the KGS ‘Dragons’ Den’ challenge further developed skills in persuasion, teamwork and entrepreneurial thinking, while a visit to the British Library provided inspiration through exposure to a world-class academic environment.

We hope that KGS Futures Week provided students with guidance, inspiration and practical skill-building at this important time of decision making about their futures.

Ms A Williams I Deputy Head (Pastoral); Head of Sixth Form

WE EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS YEAR’S PROGRAMME. WE ARE ESPECIALLY PROUD TO WELCOME BACK ALUMNI AND TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND STAFF WHOSE EXPERTISE ENRICHES OUR STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCE.

SARA PITTMAN University of Exeter UCAS Personal Statement Launch I

DR NATHAN ROBINSON (Kingstonian 2002) Marine Biology I MR HALLAM Economics & Finance; Personal Finance I DR KENNEDY Oxbridge applications I JONATHAN MOELLER-SCHWARTZ (Kingstonian 2001) Engineering & Building Design I HARRISON TINCKNELL (Kingstonian 2025) AND SOPHIE STELLAR Art & Portfolio Development I DR SHEEHY Thinking Skills I MR CASASANTO US Applications I MURAT SOYSA Cybersecurity, CS & AI Careers I MR MORRIS Assessment Centres ALISTAIR ANTHONY (Kingstonian 2023) AI and Learning I MR FITZGERALD Law & Student Accommodation I DAVID METCALF Humanities, Social Sciences, Medicine & Dentistry I MR DIAMOND Broadcast Journalism I DR JOAN RUTHERFORD Psychology, Law & Medicine I XANDER CHEVALLIER (Kingstonian 2017) Sports Media & Content Creation I LOUISE ANDREW Law Conversion I CLAIRE PARKINSON Student Finance I EMILY-JANE GARDINER Study in Scotland

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: University of Liverpool I University of Birmingham I The University Guys I Projects Abroad I Model United Nations workshop leaders

FUTURES WEEK 2026

“BEING PART OF THE KGS FUTURES WEEK HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL THAT FIRST SET ME ON THE PATH OF A CAREER IN MARINE CONSERVATION.”

Dr Nathan Robinson I Kingstonian 2002

FUTURES WEEK 2026

GETTING FUTURE READY...

Over May half-term, I completed a week’s work experience at InPost Iberia in Barcelona, Spain. InPost is one of Europe’s leading out-of-home delivery companies, best known for its network of automated parcel lockers which allow customers to collect and send packages at any hour of the day. The concept sounds simple, but the business behind it is anything but.

Each morning, I swapped my usual twenty-minute train journey to Kingston for a twenty-minute solo bus ride across Barcelona. Over the week, I rotated across nine different departments including HR, Marketing, Legal, Finance and Network Operations, meaning no two mornings ever looked the same. I observed recruitment interviews, toured local locker sites and PUDOs (Pick-Up and Drop-Off locations), and joined a company-wide monthly meeting where teams across Spain and Portugal shared their progress.

One thing that really stood out, and that no classroom had ever quite captured, was just how much a business runs on collaboration. Every department I visited was in constant conversation with another. Finance needed Marketing. Legal needed Operations.

The business functioned because people talked to each other, constantly and clearly. For someone hoping to study Business at university, the week felt less like work experience and more like confirmation.

Away from the office, I stayed with a host family, helping look after their young children who had absolutely no interest in speaking slowly, which turned out to be some of the best Spanish practice of the week. Between that and navigating nine departments entirely in a second language, picking up fragments of Catalan and Argentinian Spanish along the way, I gained far more confidence in speaking Spanish and in how I carry myself. I arrived back in Kingston in considerably worse weather but having left Barcelona knowing far more about business and myself than when I had arrived. Muchas gracias, Barcelona and InPost Iberia!

Hanna I Lower Sixth

FUTURES WEEK 2026

GLORIOUS WEATHER AND AN EXCITING GAME WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY FOR OUR 20TH YEAR OF STURGEON CRICKET. WE WELCOMED ALUMNI FROM THE CLASSES OF 2025 ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1952, ALONG WITH FORMER STAFF AND PARENTS, BACK TO DITTON FIELD.

CONGRATULATIONS!

R. DEREK FINLAY

1932–2026

Robert Derek Finlay, known to us all at Kingston Grammar School as Derek, died peacefully at his home in Perthshire, on 25th April, at the age of 93, just a few weeks shy of his 94th birthday.

Born on 16th May 1932 in Kew, Derek joined the School from Kew College Prep in the September of 1942. Throughout his time at KGS, he not only excelled academically but on the sports field too. He was a talented sprinter, held the school record for javelin, and captained the 1st XI hockey side. His real passion, however, was rowing, where he also captained the 1st VIII. In his book, ‘Ten to Take Her Home’ – a reference to a cox’s call to cross the finish line – he describes returning from an outing on the water with his crew to see a man, standing beside a white Rolls-Royce, wearing a wide-brimmed fedora, watching them with interest. That man was none other than renowned author and KGS alumnus R.C. Sherriff, who went on to coach the young rowers. After one particularly successful regatta, Sherriff even had the curtain held for the opening performance of one of his plays in the West End so that Derek and his crew could arrive well fed and take their seats with him to enjoy the performance. It was a moment Derek remembered fondly for the rest of his life.

Being captain of both senior hockey and rowing were not the only distinctions that made Derek a hard act to follow. He was made a School Prefect in 1948 and was School Captain in both 1949 and 1950. It was said that the then Head Master, Edward “Jimmy” James, would not enter the assembly hall until Derek had made sure the whole school had descended into silence, which they did in an instant. Derek left KGS in 1950, carrying with him the foundations of a life that was to be defined by leadership, service and global engagement. He went on to read Law and Economics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, before undertaking National Service as a Captain in The Gordon Highlanders, an experience he said shaped his sense of responsibility and purpose.

Derek often attributed his successful professional life to his education at Kingston Grammar School. His long and distinguished career spanned management consulting, global food manufacturing and leadership roles in major transatlantic organisations, from Mobil Oil, through 18 years at McKinsey & Company, to H. J. Heinz Company, first as Managing Director of Heinz UK and later as Senior Vice President at the company’s global headquarters in Pittsburgh. Along with his partner in commerce, Tony O’Reilly, he was responsible for taking Heinz into China, and wherever he went in the world always made sure that Heinz Tomato Ketchup was on the table. It will come as no surprise that this loyalty extended to his UK retirement dinner where the starter course was Heinz Baked Beans on toast. After returning to the UK, ostensibly to retire, Derek spent three years in the textile industry, becoming Chairman of Dawson International PLC. Throughout his career he was widely known for his analytical clarity, strategic insight, and ability to guide organisations through complex transitions.

Outside the corporate world, Derek contributed his expertise in board and advisory roles for numerous cultural and international organisations including the London Committee of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the US-China Business Council, the US-Korea Business Council, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, and the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

Derek remained deeply connected to Kingston Grammar School, and spoke often of the teachers who shaped him, especially those who encouraged him to think independently and to question assumptions, traits that later made him so effective at McKinsey and Heinz. His later life was spent happily in Scotland, where he lived for nearly thirty years, enjoying the beautiful landscape along with tennis, rowing, music and theatre, passions that all had their roots in his school days.

Derek married Una on 30th June 1956, having first met aged only 16 at a school dance organised between KGS and Surbiton High, where Una attended. They were together for 67 years, until Una’s death in 2016, after

which Derek became a benefactor of Cambridge University’s Centre for Misfolding Diseases, and their research into Alzheimer’s, opening the Una Finlay Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility for studying neurodegenerative disorders. This philanthropic philosophy was very much in evidence in Derek’s association with KGS. In 1991 he opened the Finlay Gallery, which to this day remains the vibrant heart of the Art and DT departments. This was followed by the Finlay Hockey Pitch in 2001. We were honoured to welcome Derek back to KGS as a Governor, and the School benefited hugely from his experience, leadership and commitment to excellence.

Perhaps Derek’s most important contribution to Kingston Grammar School was, however, the more recent establishment of the R D Finlay Endowment Fund, that has provided Bursary Awards to dozens of KGS students, with many more to follow. His generosity and determination to, as he put it, ‘give a little back’, has inspired alumni from across the globe to follow suit. Derek always said that if you have a little luck in life, it is your duty to share it. We all know that his version of ‘luck’ was innate ability and enormous amounts of endeavour and devotion.

Those of us who were lucky enough to have known Derek will remember a man of great integrity, of warmth, and of intellectual generosity, who carried the spirit of the school into every chapter of his life: he was curious, principled, outward-looking and committed to making a meaningful contribution to the world. His influence and impact on Kingston Grammar School, as a student, a Governor and a major benefactor, has been immeasurable, and his unwavering support has enriched our school in countless ways. It was a great pleasure and privilege to have spent time with him. His legacy will live on.

Derek is survived by his three children, Fiona, Rory and Jamie, his grandchildren Sarah, Emily, William, Ishbel and Floriana, and his great-grandchildren Isla, Ellie, Henry, Sophia and Rylan. It has never been more true to say that we shall never see his like again; we shall all miss him very dearly.

Mr SR Lehec I Head Master