Weekends and Events
AUTUMN TERM 2026
Notes on the Weekend Programme All Cathedral services are open to families Sports fixtures are listed online; see the website or full calendar details Events can be booked by visiting the school box office here: https://thekingsschool.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows
House Socials Saturday evenings in Houses are extremely busy with events such as film nights, quizzes, bingo, fire pits, baking and karaoke. Interhouse socials are organised for all boarding pupils twice a term and year group socials are throughout the year. Sunday activities are organised for all new pupils on the first two weekends of the Autumn Term.
Welcome from the Head We are pleased to present our ‘Weekends and Events’ booklet for the first term of the new academic year. We are delighted to welcome new pupils to the school in September, but for all of our pupils a new academic year represents an opportunity for a little reinvention and a chance to explore new interests. I hope that this guide will provide inspiration for the term ahead, and that pupils will seek to take advantage of as much as they can.
Full details of all of the events of the term can be found in the school calendar, accessible via the News and Events tab on the school website. Events which parents can attend have been marked with an Asterisk* in this booklet. As ever, parents are warmly invited to join us at various events this term. We wish our community a positive, productive and exciting time.
Jude Lowson Head
August/ September
Wednesday 2 Sep Shell Induction starts 09:00
6bs arrive in Houses 09:30-10:30
New Pupil Induction day 09:30-18:00
New Remove Pupils arrive in House 13:00-15:00
Friday 28 Aug World Scholars Cup Global Round trip departs to Bangkok 08:00
Tuesday 1 Sep Shells arrive in Houses
Term starts 18:00
Friday 4 Sep World Scholars Cup Global Round trip returns from Bangkok 10:30am
from 16:00
Saturday 5 Sep
Sports Fixtures
Morpurgo House Grand Opening*
Girls Hockey 1st XI v U16 Girls Canterbury Hockey Club (home)*
12:00-13:00
18:30 *Parents welcome
Sports Fixtures (5 Sep) Hockey Girls - 1st XI, GirlsU15A v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (home)*
Monday 7 Sep Activities Fair The Shirley Hall 17:15-18:15
Aftenoon, time TBC
Hockey Girls - 1st XI, Girls 2nd XI v Birleys 6s Tournament (home)* 13:00
Hockey Girls-U15A v U15 6s Tournament (home)*
Wednesday 9 Sep Interhouse Cross Country Birley’s 14:30-16:45
13:30
Parent Webinar: Introduction to the Remove Year* 12:00-12:30
Friday 11 Sep
Parent Webinar: Introduction to the 6b Year*
Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital*
13:00-13:30
Evensong* Nave 19:30-20:15
The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Cranmer Society: Christianity – good news about a King The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
August / September
Sunday 6 Sep
Saturday 12 Sep School Open Morning* Green Court 10:00-13:00
6b BBQ St Augustine’s 18:00
Bailey House Charity Open Air Cinema Bailey Garden 19:30-22:00
Sports Fixtures Tennis Boys-U18A, BoysU18B v Canterbury Tennis Club (away)* 13:00
Hockey Girls-U15B v Cranbrook School (away)* 13:30
Hockey Girls-U15A v Cranbrook School (home)* 13:30
Hockey Girls - 1st XI, Girls - 3rd XI v Felsted School (away)* 13:30
Rugby Union Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Cranbrook School (home)* 14:00
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U16A v Cranbrook School (away)* 14:00
Hockey Girls-U14A v Cranbrook School (away)* 14:30
Badminton Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B v Tonbridge School (away)* 14:30
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Felsted School (away)* 14:45
*Parents welcome
Sunday 13 Sep
Monday 14 Sep
The Great Southern Charity Walk
Fifths Geography Fieldtrip: Rivers/Coastline
Chartham 10:00-15:00
08:30-17:00
Birley’s 11:00-14:30
Evensong with Admission of King’s Scholars (Crypt Choir)* Nave 19:30-20:30
The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:00
OKS Talk - Ross Wingfield presents “From King’s to Kingfishers: Becoming the tallest man in rewilding”* The Science Auditorium 19:15-20:00
Sports Fixtures
Tuesday 15 Sep
Sailing Mixed-U18A v KSSA (home)*
Fifths Geography Fieldtrip: Rivers/Coastline
08:30am
08:30-17:00
Drama Trip: A Tale of Two Cities, Marlowe Theatre 19:30-22:00
September
Carlyon Two Generation Tennis Tournament and BBQ*
Chapterhouse Lecture programme
Wednesday 16 Sep
Saturday 19 Sep
US University Consultant Visit
6b Parents Higher Education Webinar* 12:00-13:00
Thursday 17 Sep Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls - 1st XI v Mel Clewlow Cup (home)* 10:00am
Friday 18 Sep Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital* The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Cranmer Society: The King who restores The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
Mitchinson’s Shell Social Mitchinson’s 18:00-21:00
Interhouse Socials All Boarding Houses 19:30
Sports Fixtures Sailing Mixed-U18A v EKYA (away)* 07:30am
Lacrosse Girls-U18A, Girls-U18B, Girls-U18C, Girls-U15A, Girls-U15B v Claremont Fan Court School (away)* 09:30am
Hockey Girls - 3rd XI v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (away)* 13:30
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (home)* 13:30 *Parents welcome
Sunday 20 Sep Matins - Fifths & 6a (Crypt Choir)* Quire 09:30-10:15am
Morpurgo House Rounders and BBQ*
14:00
Rugby Union Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Caterham School (home)* 14:00
Hockey Girls-U14A v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (home)* 14:45
Hockey Girls-U15A v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (away)* 14:45
Hockey Girls-U15B v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (away)* 16:00
Meister Omers 90th Anniversary Celebration* MO & MDH 11:00-15:00
Galpin’s Garden Gig Acoustic Session Galpin’s Garden 14:00-16:00
Broughton & Tradescant Quiz Evening* The Sixth Form Centre 19:30-21:00
Monday 21 Sep 6b Geography Fieldtrip: Devil’s Kneading Trough 08:30-16:00
September
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U16A, Boys-U16B v Caterham School (away)*
11:00-14:00
Tuesday 22 Sep Maths Olympiad for Girls Schoolroom 09:00am
Wednesday 23 Sep 6b Introduction to Higher Education The Shirley Hall 08:35-10:10
Theology Society Talk The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:00
Thursday 24 Sep Shell Canterbury Afternoon 13:00-17:00
National Youth Music Theatre Workshop Day 10:30-18:00
Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls-U14B v U14 T3 7-a-side Tournament (home)* 10:00am *Parents welcome
Football Boys-1st XI, Boys2nd XI v St Edmund’s School, Canterbury (home)* 14:30
Golf Mixed,-U18A v Tonbridge School (home)* 14:30
Hockey Girls - 1st XI v St Edmund’s School, Canterbury (home)* 14:45
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v St Edmund’s School, Canterbury (away)* 14:45
Friday 25 Sep Home Clothes Day Friday Festival Competition Girls’ Hockey/Boys Football Birley’s 08:30-13:30
Purples’ Leadership Training Day Gilbert Room 09:00-13:00
13:05
Meet the Mentor event for Parents* Mentor Group venues 14:00
Houses close 18:00
Saturday 26 Sep Sports Fixtures Sailing Mixed-U18A v KSSA (away)* 07:00am
Sunday 27 Sep Houses open 17:00-21:30
End of Fixed Exeat 21:30
Monday 28 Sep Chapterhouse Lecture Programme 17:00
Senior Interhouse Debating The Science Auditorium & Schoolroom 19:00-20:15
Tuesday 29 Sep CCF 6b Exercise departs 08:00am
Wednesday 30 Sep CCF Remove Exercise departs 08:00am
CCF 6b Exercise Returns 17:00
Fifths Geography Pub Quiz The Sixth Form Centre 18:30-19:45
September
End of lessons - Fixed Exeat begins
October
Friday 1 Oct CCF Remove Exercise returns
Mitchinson’s Family Quiz Night* Birley’s 19:00-21:30
17:00
Sports Fixtures
Friday 2 Oct
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI, Girls 3rd XI v Eastbourne College (home)*
Cranmer Society: The King who speaks The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
Crypt Choir concert* St Mary’s Church, Goudhurst 19:00
Saturday 3 Oct Fifths Parent Webinar: Supporting your child through GCSEs* 12:30-13:00
12:30
Hockey Girls-U15A, GirlsU15B v Eastbourne College (away)* 13:00
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Worth School (home)* 13:30
Rugby Union Boys-U16A, Boys-U16B, Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B v Worth School (tbc)*
Saturday Smarties
14:00
Science Labs 12:30-15:00
Hockey Girls-U14A, GirlsU14B v Eastbourne College (away)*
6a Parent Webinar: Supporting your child through A-levels* 13:15-13:45
14:15
Lacrosse Girls-U18A v Haileybury (away)* 14:30
*Parents welcome
Sunday 4 Oct
Tuesday 6 Oct
Galpin’s Charity event: Hoops for Hope
King’s Council
Galpins’ Garden 08:00-18:00
All Houses Trip to Margate 08:00-16:00
Drama Feeder Schools Workshop
The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:15
Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v U18 T3 Tournament (home)* 10:00am
12:00-16:00
Linacre Charity Lunch* Birley’s 12:30
Harvest Evensong (King’s Chorus)* Nave 19:30-20-30
Monday 5 Oct Senior Interhouse Debating
October
Science Auditorium & Schoolroom 19:00-20:15
Wednesday 7 Oct
Thursday 8 Oct
CCF Fifths Exercise departs
6a Chaucer Walk
08:00am
Senior Maths Challenge The Shirley Hall 09:00am
13:15-17:30
CCF Fifths Exercise returns 17:00
Jervis Charity Event
Talk on the 1791 Haitian Slave Rebellion
The Sixth Form Centre 16:00-18:00
The Science Auditorium 19:00
Sports Fixtures Badminton Boys-U18A v Maidstone Grammar School (home)* 14:30
Badminton Girls-U18A v Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (home)* 14:30
*Parents welcome
Friday 9 Oct Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital* The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Cranmer Society: The King who deals with Death The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
A-level and GCSE Monologue Showcase Evening* The Malthouse 19:00-21:00
OKS Talk: Mark Dowie CBE*
October
The Science Auditorium 19:15-20:00
Saturday 10 Oct Head’s Parent Forum* 12:00-13:00
Sports Fixtures Sailing Mixed-U18A v KSSA (away)* 07:30am
Lacrosse Girls-U18A, GirlsU18B v Abbot’s Hill (away)* 10:00am
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Mayfield School (home)*
Badminton Girls-U18A v Epsom College (neutral)* 14:00
Hockey Girls - 3rd XI v Mayfield School (away)* 14:00
Rugby Union Boys-U16A, Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B v Eastbourne College (away)* 14:30
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Eastbourne College (home)*
13:00
14:30
Hockey Girls-U15A v Ashford School (away)*
Sunday 11 Oct
13:30
Hockey Girls - 1st XI v Ashford School (home)* 13:30
Hockey Girls-U14A v Kent College (away)* 13:30
Hockey Girls-U15A v Kent College (neutral)* 13:30
*Parents welcome
Matins (Crypt Choir)* Nave 09:15-10:00am
King’s Association: Afternoon at the Movies* The Malthouse 14:00-16:00
Monday 12 Oct
Friday 16 Oct
Fifth and Sixth Form Classics trip to the British Museum
Art & Photography trip departs to Venice
Wednesday 14 Oct 6b Parent-Teacher Meetings* Online 08:00-18:00
Fifth Form Subject Fair Shirley Hall 13:00-14:00
Thursday 15 Oct 6b Parent-Teacher Meetings* Online 08:00-18:00
House Song Competition The Shirley Hall 19:00-21:00
08:00am
Varese Rowing Camp trip departs to Italy 08:00am
6b Parent-Teacher Meetings* Online 08:00-13:00
Classics, RS & Italian trip departs to Rome 08:35am
Lessons end 12:20
King’s Association: Head’s Tea Party for 6b Parents* The Sixth Form Centre 13:15-14:00
6b Parent-Teacher Meetings* The Shirley Hall 14:00-16:00
Half Term Break Begins 18:00
October
08:30-16:30
Sunday 17 Oct Spetes Sailing Regatta trip departs to Greece 08:00am
DofE Autumn Gold trip departs to the Lake District 08:30am
Houses close 10:00am
Sunday 18 Oct MFL trip departs to Seville 10:00am
October
November
Monday 2nd Nov
Wednesday 4 Nov
Green Careers Week begins
Oxbridge and MMI Mock Interview Afternoon
Staff Inset Day The Sixth Form Centre open for pupils returning early
12:30-18:00
All Souls’ Service Memorial Chapel 17:30
09:00am
Senior Interhouse Debating
Houses open
The Science Auditorium 19:00-20:15
17:00
End of Half Term 21:30
Tuesday 3 Nov Drama Trip: Sylvia Marlowe Theatre 19:30-22:00
Friday 6 Nov Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital* The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Cranmer Society: The King who serves The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
*Parents welcome
Saturday 7 Nov
Sunday 8 Nov
Galpin’s House Dinner*
Service of Remembrance (Crypt Choir)*
St Augustine’s 19:00-22:00
Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls - 1st XI, Girls - 2nd XI, Girls - 3rd XI v Senior Inter-House Hockey (home)* 12:30
Hockey Girls-U15A, GirlsU15B, Girls-U14A, GirlsU14B v Junior Inter-House Hockey (home)* 14:30
Rugby Union Boys-U16A, Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B v Sevenoaks School (away)** 14:30
Memorial Court 10:45-11:30am
CCF Remembrance Service Tea* The Sixth Form Centre 11:30am
Sports Fixtures Sailing Mixed-U18A v BSDRA (away)* 06:30am
Monday 9 Nov Senior Interhouse Debating The Science Auditorium 19:00-20:15
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Sevenoaks School (home)* Rugby Union Boys-U16B, Boys-U15C, Boys-U14C v Sevenoaks School (tbc)* 14:30
November
14:30
Tuesday 10 Nov
Friday 13 Nov
Vocal workshops with Roderick Williams
Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital*
The Peter Stone Room 14:00-17:00
The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Schubert ‘Die schöne Müllerin’ performance, with Roderick Williams*
King’s Association Quiz Night*
The Peter Stone Room 18:30
Wednesday 11 Nov
Birley’s 18:30-21:00
Cranmer Society: The King anointed The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
Theological Society The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:00
Thursday 12 Nov Crypt Choir Sings Choral Evensong (parents are very welcome)* Cathedral 17:30
Saturday 14 Nov Interhouse Socials All Boarding Houses 19:30
Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls - 3rd XI v Sevenoaks School (away)* 13:00
Hockey Girls-U15A, GirlsU14B v Sutton Valence School (away)* 13:00
*Parents welcome
Hockey Girls-U15B, GirlsU14A v Sutton Valence School (home)*
Badminton Boys-U18A v Sevenoaks School (neutral)* 14:30
13:00
Sunday 15 Nov
13:00
Robert Rose Society Members’ Lunch*
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Sevenoaks School (away)*
Main Dining Hall 11:30-15:00
13:45
Badminton Boys-U18A v Epsom College (away)* 14:00
Hockey Girls-U15B, Girls-U14A, Girls-U14B v Sevenoaks School (home)* 14:00
Hockey Girls-U15A v Sevenoaks School (neutral)* 14:00
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U16A, Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School (home)* 14:00
Chamber Orchestra Concert* Clagett Auditorium 14:30
Evensong (King’s Chorus)* Nave 19:30-20:15
Sports Fixtures Squash Boys-U18A v Epsom Independent Schools Comp (away)* 08:00am
Monday 16 Nov Purples Guest Supper St Augustine’s 18:30
November
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Sutton Valence School (neutral)*
Wednesday 18 Nov Remove Parent-Teacher Meetings* Online 08:00-18:00
Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo (Maths) Schoolroom 09:00am
British Maths Olympiad Round 1 Schoolroom 09:00am
Thursday 19 Nov
Friday Festival Competition - Boys’ Rugby Birley’s 08:00-13:30
Lessons end and Fixed Exeat begins 13:05
King’s Association: Head’s Tea Party for Remove Parents* The Sixth Form Centre 13:15-14:00
Remove Parent-Teacher Meetings* The Shirley Hall 13:30-15:30
Houses close
Remove Parent-Teacher Meetings*
18:00
Online 08:00-18:00
Sunday 22 Nov
Friday 20 Nov
The Sixth Form Centre open for pupils returning early
Remove Parent-Teacher Meetings* Online 08:00-13:00
09:00am
Houses open 17:00-21:30
End of Fixed Exeat 21:30 *Parents welcome
Monday 23 Nov
Friday 27 Nov
6b History of Art Study Day in London
Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital*
08:00 TBC
The Peter Stone Room 17:15
Chapterhouse Lecture Programme The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:00
Cranmer Society: The King who dies The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
Wednesday 25 Nov
School Play: The Ghost Train*
A-level RS conference for 6a and 6b
The Malthouse 19:30-21:30
Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, London WC2H 8EP 08:00-18:00
Thursday 26 Nov School Play: The Ghost Train*
November
The Malthouse 19:30-21:30
Saturday 28 Nov Saturday Smarties Science Labs 12:00-15:00
School Play: The Ghost Train* The Malthouse 19:30-21:30
Sports Fixtures
Hockey Girls-U15A, GirlsU15B v Lancing College (home)* 14:30
Badminton Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B v Tonbridge School (home)* 14:30
Hockey Girls - 3rd XI v Lancing College (away)* 15:00
Hockey Girls - 1st XI v Lancing College (away)*
Hockey Girls-U14A v Lancing College (away)*
13:00
15:30
Rugby Union Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (away)* 14:00
Rugby Union Boys-U18A, Boys-U18B, Boys-U16A v Duke of York’s Royal Military School (home)*
Sunday 29 Nov All Houses Trip to Bluewater 08:00-16:00
Advent Carol Service (Crypt Choir)* Nave 19:30-20:30
14:00
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI v Lancing College (away)* 14:00
Monday 30 Nov Senior Interhouse Debating The Science Auditorium 19:00-20:15
*Parents welcome
November
December
Tuesday 1 Dec
Wednesday 2 Dec
MUN Conference
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Benenden 09:30-16:00
King’s Council The Science Auditorium 17:00-18:15
GCSE Drama Devised Performance
The Sixth Form Centre 20:00-21:30
Thursday 3 Dec OKS Christmas Drinks*
The Malthouse 17:00-18:30
City of London Club 18:30-21:00
Sports Fixtures
Friday 4 Dec
Badminton Girls-U18A v Interhouse Badminton (home)* 14:30
Lacrosse Girls-U18A v Senior Interhouse (home)* 14:30
Badminton Boys-U18A v Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys (home)* 15:45
Fridays@5.15 Informal Recital* The Peter Stone Room 17:15
King’s Association: Wreath Making Workshop* The Gateway Chamber at St.Augustine’s 18:30-20:30
Cranmer Society: The King who lives The Sixth Form Centre 19:00
*Parents welcome
Saturday 5 Dec Sixth Form Subject Choices Webinar for parents of Fifths* Online 12:00-13:00
First Team Sports Dinners 19:30-22:00
Sports Fixtures
Badminton Girls-U18A, Girls-U18B v Benenden (away)* 14:30
Lacrosse Girls-U18A v Benenden (away)* 14:30
Hockey Girls - 1st XI v Sutton Valence School (home)* 14:45
Sailing Mixed-U18A v Hernebay SC (away)*
Sunday 6 Dec
13:15
The Snowman Concert and Christmas Concert rehearsal
Hockey Girls-U15B, GirlsU14A v Sutton Valence School (away)*
14:00-17:00
13:30
Christmas Concert*
Hockey Girls - 2nd XI, GirlsU15A v Sutton Valence School (home)*
The Shirley Hall 19:30-21:00
Rugby Union Boys-U18B, Boys-U16A, Boys-U15A, Boys-U15B, Boys-U14A, Boys-U14B v Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys (Home)* 13:45
December
13:30
Monday 7 Dec
Tuesday 10 Dec
House Christmas Dinners
Congratulatory Assembly
Sports Fixtures Lacrosse Girls-U15A v Junior interhouse
16:30
Christmas Carol Service* Cathedral 20:00-21:00
14:30
Tuesday 8 Dec House Christmas Dinners
Sports Fixtures Hockey Girls - 1st XI v Staff XI (home)*
Friday 11 Dec End of term - Houses close 10:00am Saturday 12 Dec
6a Economics trip departs to New York 08:00am
15:00
Wednesday 9 Dec House Christmas Dinners Home Clothes Day (Christmas Jumper Day)
*Parents welcome
Thursday 17 Dec 6a Economics trip returns from New York 17:00
December