BOR N
1775
K ING ’S HIGH SC HOOL FOR G IR LS
Emma Loveridge (Year 13), 29er Ladies World Champion and UK Youth Sailor of the Year
LA NDO R
King’s High
News
Summer 2016
Head Master’s Introduction
I am delighted to introduce the summer edition of our newsletter:
This term has highlighted our girls’ diverse range of interests, skills, and achievements, many of which are documented in this publication.
The spirit, determination, and sheer joy in learning both inside and outside the classroom demonstrated by our girls is deeply inspiring, as
is their commitment to enhancing our school community.
From participating in our new House system, to music ensembles, sports teams, and local and national competitions, our girls
thrive on collaboration. This determination to work together towards shared common aims is also reflected in the collaboration across
our Foundation.
I am sure you will join with me in celebrating the richness of the girls’ experience at King’s, at the end of what has been another extremely
successful year for our school.
You can read Mr Nicholson’s Blogs by visiting the Home Page of our website at www.kingshighwarwick.co.uk. Go to Head
Master’s Welcome, and click ‘Read More’.
Key Dates
A Level Examination results Thursday 18 August 2016
GCSE Examination results Thursday 25 August 2016
Autumn Term 2016-2017
Staff Inset
Staff Inset and new Year 7 and new Year 12
Term Begins
Half Term
End of Term
2
Thursday 1 September
Friday 2 September
Monday 5 September (all staff and pupils)
Monday 25 October – Friday 4 November inclusive
Friday 16 December (12.15pm)
Spring Term 2017
Staff Inset Term Begins
Half Term
End of Term
Monday 9 January
Tuesday 10 January
Monday 20 – Friday 24 February inclusive
Wednesday 5 April (3.45pm)
Summer Term 2017
Staff Inset Term Begins
Bank Holiday
Half Term
End of Term
Monday 24 April
Tuesday 25 April
Monday 1 May
Monday 29 May – Friday 2 June inclusive
Wednesday 12 July (12.15pm)
News: Achievements
and Events
King’s Welcomes: Landor Dining Society – Global Security
A Senior Government Advisor on
Security was Guest of Honour at the
second Landor Society Dinner, who
spoke about the multiple challenges
of terrorism threats in a fast-changing
world. The girls engaged with some
very complex topics, discussing the
changing dynamics in global security.
The Landor Dining Society provides
an additional forum for our senior girls
to talk to acknowledged experts on a
range of contemporary issues.
Head Master’s Lunches
Oxford Pro
Vice-Chancellor
We welcomed Dr Rebecca Surender, Pro ViceChancellor of Oxford University, to speak about
the challenges facing the Health Service. Dr
Surender compared our own National Health
Service with research she is leading in South
Africa, where she has been examining the
politics, implementation, and outcome of
proposed new National Health Insurance reforms.
At this very well-attended talk, girls from a range
of disciplines, including sciences and geography,
enjoyed a lively discussion on the depth of the
challenge facing our NHS.
Professor Damian Griffin
Continuing the Head Master’s Lunch series, where Mr Nicholson invites
experts in their field to talk to senior girls, we welcomed Professor
Damian Griffin, who spoke about his career as a leading surgeon, and
the exciting new developments in surgery, especially in his specialist
field. Damian Griffin is the Professor of Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery
at the University of Warwick. Hip surgery in younger people is a rapidly
expanding new subspecialty of orthopaedics, and the last few years have
seen new thinking in the diagnosis and management of soft tissue and
early wear and tear of the hip. Professor Griffin is at the forefront of the
practical application of hip arthroscopy to address problems in young,
active or athletic patients. He shared his passion for surgery with the
girls – including one of his daughters, pictured here. Professor Griffin said
there were certainly not enough women entering surgery, and made a
compelling case – ‘Why You Will Want To Be A Surgeon’ – that included
a fascinating, graphic overview of the history of surgery, and highlighted
the range of opportunities, including varied work; travel, and a chance to
make a huge difference to peoples’ lives, and be at the heart of groundbreaking developments in science.
3
House News
Thank You, Dr Cheetham
Our new House System was launched
earlier this term. Following working
parties comprised of girls and staff,
the whole school voted to choose
the names of the four Houses. The
inspirational British women chosen are:
Dame Judi Dench, Audrey Hepburn,
Emmeline Pankhurst, and J K Rowling.
House staff and pupil leaders have been appointed, creating a
wide range of leadership opportunities throughout the age range.
King’s High Birthday
We have had a chance to formally thank Dr Cheetham, much-loved
Head of Key Stage 3, and celebrate the work she has done, guiding
so many girls over the years, but Key Stage 3 girls seized the chance
to say their own Thank You at the Key Stage 3 Celebration Assembly.
The girls did a lovely speech, and gave Dr Cheetham hand-made
cards from her Year Groups, signed by all the girls. They presented
her with a Peony plant (because, they said, the recent rain had
destroyed hers), and a plant they chose named Arizona – ‘to remind
you of happy memories on the King’s ranching trips.’
Duke of Edinburgh
British soldiers fought at Rorke’s Drift, Pirates of Penzance
was performed for the first time, John Henry Newman was
elected Cardinal, and the first female students were admitted
to Oxford, in the year King’s High opened its door to girls, in
1879. Celebrating King’s High’s Birthday in a special Assembly,
Mrs Jenny Edwards, former Governor, and King’s High Old Girl
(as was her daughter, Hannah, and her late sister), spoke of
our rich history. She included some fascinating nuggets of
information, such as: The ‘King’s’ of our name refers to
Henry VIII. Our first Headmistress, Janet Fisher, was just
22 when she started the school. A later Headmistress, the
dashing authoress Eleanor Doorley, used her fluent Norwegian
to work with Secret Operations in World War Two. On our
137th birthday, our first Head Master, Richard Nicholson
welcomed Mrs Edwards and some of our current girls to his
study to cut the official birthday cake, before all of the girls
and staff celebrated with delicious cakes baked in our
own kitchens.
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Over 30 girls have successfully completed their Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award Practice Expeditions. On their Silver Award
practice, eleven girls took on everything the Peak District threw
at them – rain, sleet, hail. They stayed cheerful, navigating
themselves 16k up and down hills, each carrying a 15kg bag,
before setting up camp in very soggy fields. They shared some of
their thoughts:
‘Who knew you could get sunburn in 5˚C?’
‘A few slips and slides, face-planting into mud.’
‘It was a shocking step up from Bronze, but I enjoyed the
challenge.’
‘The teachers were fabulous, and made us hot chocolate when it
was hailing heavily at lunch times.’
‘It snowed, hailed, sleeted and rained, but we’re still alive.’
Girls cheer Aviva Women’s
Tour through Warwick
Awards at The
House of Lords
Year 7 girls cheered the women cyclists of the Aviva Women’s Tour
on their way, when the Champions’ race sped through Warwick. The
Aviva Women’s Tour is Great Britain’s leading international womens’
cycle race. Our girls lined the route outside school, waving Aviva
flags, holding up inspirational messages, and chanting: ‘YouCan-Do-It!’ Their excitement was fever-pitch well before the race
came through, as dozens of police motorcyclists stopped to wave
to them, while passing cars hooted their support, and tourists
took pictures of our girls. When the cyclists approached, the Race
Organiser car blared: ‘Thank you, King’s High!’ As 90 cyclists
flashed past, the girls’ cheering was deafening. Of course, it was
all over in a blink, but seeing top international athletes at such
close quarters was a huge thrill for the girls.
King’s High Artists and
Historians took a journey
that led them from the
Centenary of World
War One, to the House
of Lords. The Never
Such Innocence charity
educates young people
about the First World War,
its global impact, and
legacy. Girls from across
our year groups were
inspired by this to produce
work that fused art, poetry
and history for Never Such
Innocence’s Art and Poetry
Competition. This competition attracts thousands of entries from
around the world, from America to New Zealand, so Miss Carney
and Mr Jarvis were delighted when Alex Borras and Leah Townsend
won 2nd and 3rd places, respectively. Amber Bellamy and Maya
Dhillon (Year 7) were also highly commended, and Lottie Quinn just
missed out on a place in her age group. Leah and Alex travelled to
Parliament with their parents, to receive their awards at the House
of Lords. Lady Lucy French, Founder of Never Such Innocence
(and great-granddaughter of Field Marshal Sir John French,
who commanded the British Expeditionary Force), said: ‘We are
incredibly proud of what the children produced for the competition.
They are creating a fantastic legacy for generations to come.’
National Awards Galore
We have celebrated a sweep of National titles and awards over
the past few months. Our Clay Pigeon Shooting Team successfully
defended their title – for the second year running – at the British
Schools Championships. Our U14 Netball Team competed with great
spirit and flair at the National Schools Netball Finals. Our musicians
scooped Platinum Awards at the National Concert Band Finals. The
U13 Water Polo team came fourth in the UK at the National Finals.
Girls have won numerous prizes in Art and Photography competitions,
and were shortlisted in the National School Photography Awards.
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French Spellers
Extraordinaire
A Woman Of Her Time:
Sixth Form Award
Mrs McRoberts and Mrs Pearce took five Year 7 girls to Aston
University in Birmingham for the Regional French Spelling Bee
Competition. All the girls had taken part in class and school
competitions, and had practised assiduously with Mrs McRoberts
every Monday lunchtime. Purdy Blane, Taryn Young, Kiera
Purewal, Amy Power and Emilie Linfoot did brilliantly, competing
with hundreds of children. We were delighted when Emilie won
the Regional Competition, and brought the cup back to King’s.
She is off shortly to compete in the National Final, in Cambridge.
Alice Chandler was delighted to receive the Mary Dormer Harris
Award. Mary Dormer Harris was a Warwickshire historian. Born
in 1867, she steadfastly fought her way through the barriers that
faced women of her time. Mr Brown, of the Mary Dormer Harris
Memorial Bursary, gave a moving Assembly, where he spoke
about the laws that held women back, explained the difference
between Suffragettes and Suffragists, and brought Mary Dormer
Harris – who was loved as much for her sense of fun, as for her
achievements – to life. Each year, a generous Bursary is awarded
to one Sixth Former, chosen from 15 Warwickshire schools. Alice
says: ‘What impressed me most about Mary Dormer Harris is that
she did everything she wanted to do, even when everyone said
she wouldn’t be able to.’
King’s High Baccalaureate
Oxford Film Competition
Among the many – if exciting – challenges Sixth Formers face is
this: How do you stand out, to universities and future employers?
Mr Nicholson has launched The King’s High Baccalaureate, to
broaden our girls’ Sixth Form experience. He says: ‘From new
leadership opportunities and involvement in our enrichment
programme, to recognising the contributions made to the school
and wider community, the breadth of skills the girls will acquire
whilst working towards the King’s High Baccalaureate will set
them apart. This is a truly unique and exciting opportunity. It
will ensure that each Sixth Former who chooses to study for our
Baccalaureate has a broad, balanced and varied experience,
which will not only equip her for university and the workplace, but
also be a great deal of fun.’
Roxy Francombe has been awarded a special commendation in the
Oxford University French Film Competition this year. She was only
one of a few pupils in the country to receive this, having written an
alternative ending to the French Film Tomboy.
The King’s High Baccalaureate (not to be confused with the IB,
or International Baccalaureate – this is unique to King’s) will be
optional, and sit alongside our A Level provision. Each girl can
devise her own unique programme over eight core elements:
Academic Scholarship, Communication Skills, Cultural Pursuits,
Knowledge for the Work Place, Leadership, Personal Development,
Physical Endeavour, and Service to Others. The qualification will
be submitted for accreditation by an awarding body recognised by
the Joint Qualifications Council, and girls will receive graduation
certificates at Speech Day at the end of Year 13.
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6
Computing and ICT
Girls took part in the Worldwide Hour of Code. They honed their
programming skills, building galaxies in Star Wars and new worlds
in Minecraft, and creating snowflake patterns with characters from
Frozen. During exam week, girls progressed their programming
skills with a device called Codebug. They experimented with
different emoji symbols, created a programme to send Morse code
messages to each other, and even discovered they could connect
their headphones to the CodeBug and play music through it. Year
7 were also introduced to the BBC Microbit. When these arrive
in school, Year 7s will be able to take them home. And, we have
opened a Technology Museum. Such is the speed of technology,
the museum demonstrates to the girls the origins of the devices
they are using today. There are four sections – Storage, Mobile
Phones, Entertainment and Gaming, and Computers.
Shell’s Bright
Ideas Challenge
Fiona Boyle, Millie Edgar-Price, Sophie Foster, Holly Simms and
Jemima Solt embraced Shell’s Bright Ideas Challenge. For the
competition, they had to design a house which would be ecofriendly and energy efficient for the future. The girls designed
a house packed with ingenious ideas: inter-seasonal heating
storage; pop-up solar panels, and a greenhouse that would use
carbon dioxide to produce crops on the roof. Sophie built the
model, which won Runner-Up in Shell’s competition. Their house
was exhibited at Make the Future London – a four-day Festival of
Ideas and Innovation at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Wicked Young Writer
Awards
Jessica Anderson won Highly
Commended – second place
– in the long-running musical
Wicked’s Young Writer Awards.
Jess wrote a poem about
bullying, Billy and I, written from
the bully’s perspective. She was
one of 20 finalists in her age
group, and travelled to London
to meet the Judges, Michael Morpurgo and Cressida Cowell. Cast
members from Wicked performed songs from the show, and read
out the winning poems, including Billy and I, which has been
published in a book – making Jess a published poet.
Zero to Lottery Odds:
Maths Talks
Five girls took up the invitation from Mr Wild to embark on some
independent mathematical research on a topic of their choosing.
This culminated in Elys Healy, Molly Gibbins, Annabelle Husband,
Sarah Chapman and Eleanor King-Turner giving presentations to
invited guests in the Hall. Everyone was most impressed, as Elys
gave a brief account of the history and mathematical oddities
concerning the number zero. Eleanor expanded our horizons by
considering how four and more dimensions can be represented
using mathematics. Annabelle convinced us all that we should
not rely on retiring on lottery winnings by examining the probability
of winning the jackpot. Sarah looked at the mathematics of
moments, and Molly gave an introduction into the magical world
of primes.
Sixth Form Rag Week
Girls in Science
Café Scientifique’s Sarah Chapman, Elys Healy and Lucy Shields
gave a rousing call to arms on National Women in Engineering
Day. They gave a fabulous assembly on Engineering, scotching
myths (‘It isn’t all men in hard hats posing by iconic buildings’),
reminding girls the texts they send each other are down to
Engineering, and asking why women Engineers account for
only 7% of the profession in Britain, as opposed to over 25% in
Europe, and 50% in India. The sobering fact, they revealed, is that
by the age of 14, most girls in the UK have opted out of science.
Not at King’s High, where 79% of our girls study the STEM
subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at
A Level, with 7% of our Sixth Form doing Physics (as opposed to
1.8% of girls nationally), and not if Café Scientifique has anything
to do with it. This informal society, run by the girls for the girls, has
been a great success, bringing in visiting speakers, and hosting
discussions on everything from Gravitational Waves in Space, to
the Purple Sock Fish (who knew?) in our oceans, and the future of
Driverless Cars.
Sixth Form Rag Week provided a welcome light moment in the
seriousness of exams season. The whole school enjoyed the
ingenuity, creativity, and sheer fun of Year 13’s series of wonderful
costumes. We had Warwick School Boys, Hippies, Pink Ladies,
Jelly Fish, Electricity, The 1980s, a Cowgirl and her Horse, and
The Cotswolds. Darcy Poole came as – what else – the Blue
Door. There were some surreal sights, including a skateboarding
Horse, an eerily look-alike Mr Wood double and the Ferrero
Rocher discovering that she couldn’t open any doors. The Group
prize must go to the girls who transformed an Amazon bulk-order
of laundry baskets into Starbucks drinks – Vanilla Macchiatos,
Caramel Lattes and Hot Chocolate, complete with marshmallows
and cream. Being enterprising King’s girls, they took themselves to
Starbucks, where delighted staff posed for pictures with them, and
handed out half-price drinks.
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7
Arts
Joint Junior Production: Oliver!
The West End came to Warwick, in a fantastic run of Oliver!
King’s High and Warwick School’s first-ever joint Junior production
of Oliver! had everything one would hope for from a West End
smash: Hit song after hit song, and a stage packed with terrific
performances. Cecilia Morel, with her velvet voice and sweet
bravery, was a heart-breaking Nancy. Maya Evans gave a
deliciously comic performance as Widow Corney. Euan McGarr was
an adorable Oliver. Nathan Woolley was a charmingly rakish Artful
Dodger. Josh Simango was a magnetic, and properly terrifying, Bill
Sykes. The production did not flinch from the raw side of Dickens’
immortal story – the scenes of Nancy being battered by Sykes
were appropriately dark. Lightness came from the fabulous songs,
and sheer energy and enjoyment of the entire cast. Girls and
boys shared all parts between them, from loveable urchins and
polished townsfolk, to Lighting, Sound and Crew. A sensational
band, comprising musicians from King’s High and Warwick schools,
accompanied the evening throughout. So good were they (and
since they played behind the curtain), some audience members
were convinced they were a professional recording from a CD
of Oliver! It was a monumental undertaking and a triumph for
all concerned, especially Miss Price, Head of Drama, and Mr
Smallwood, Head of Music.
People’s Choice Award
Isabelle Middleton’s stunning photograph won the People’s Choice
Award at the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Focus
on Society photographic competition in London. More than 850
students from across the UK took part, and the Judges included the
Head of Pictures at The Independent, i and The Independent on
Sunday. The ESRC is the UK’s largest funder of research on social
and economic questions. Students aged 14-18 were invited to take
a thought-provoking photograph – with a camera, phone or tablet –
from a social science perspective. Issy explained: ‘The idea for my
photograph, to fit the theme of Green and Pleasant Land, was that
as the global population grows exponentially, consuming more and
creating more waste, the temperature rises. Humans love to holiday
– the hotter, the better. All of the people in my photograph seeking
the sun have driven here, their emissions warm the air and heat
the seas and it is this that they drive here for. I warped this image
on Photoshop to imitate Earth, representing the wider population to
which this is applicable and therefore highlighting the severity and
scale of the problem.’
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National School
Photography
Awards
Two amazing photographs by Shubhangi
Bhatt (above) and Esme Fergusson
(below) were shortlisted in the National
School Photography Awards 2016.
Thousands of schoolchildren from around
the UK submitted photographs on the
theme ‘Aspirations’. Their photographs
were judged in three key areas: impact
of the photo, creativity of the image in
meeting the theme and the technical
ability of the entrant. Judging consisted
of two rounds.
The Judges represented a cross section
of the world of photography: Ian Savage,
Learning and Development Manager at
Jessops Europe Limited; Tony Hardacre,
the Times Education Supplement
Photographer; John Robertson,
Photographer for The Guardian and
Daniel Baxby, Vice Principal at the Wrenn
School.
LAMDA Success
We were thrilled with our recent LAMDA results. All our LAMDA
students received Distinctions or Merits, with two pupils gaining
100% in their exams. LAMDA exams in Acting, Public Speaking,
and Verse and Prose were taken by 168 King’s girls. Between
them, they achieved 118 Distinctions, and 50 Merits. This year, we
had 74 pupils achieve over 90%, and 21 achieve over 95%. For
the first time ever, India Wellman and Clarissa Griffin gained 100%
in their Grade 7 Acting. An excited Mrs Marshall, Head of LAMDA,
said: ‘Excellence is living, at King’s! In 46 years’ teaching, I have
never seen anyone gain 100%. Well done and congratulations to
all the pupils, and thank you to all the staff for supporting them.’
Tales from the Library
A very enthusiastic group of Years 7 and 8 girls took part in the
Warwickshire Book Award. Each girl read a total of six books,
discussed and commented on them, then voted for their top
three. The girls attended an awards ceremony, where all six
authors spoke about their writing. The girls were then able to
speak to their favourite authors, including the overall winner Sarah
Crossan, who received the most votes from the schools taking
part, for her book Apple and Rain. Some avid Year 8 readers
have been shadowing the judging process of the Carnegie Medal,
and enjoying the eight shortlisted titles. The new Book Chat and
Craft Club has been great fun, sharing interesting book facts,
recommendations, and doing some serious gluing and sticking!
Greetings cards, book marks and flowers crafted from recycled
books have been our creations so far.
An exciting redevelopment of our library is due to take place over
the summer holidays. Plans for a mezzanine, together with a
collaborative working space, new shelving and seating areas will
bring the library up to date, creating a superb working environment
for individuals and classes together with reading for pleasure
areas. There will be a new specialist Sixth Form Library located in
the Sixth Form Centre housing resources for the A Level subjects.
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King’s Collaboration
Young Enterprise
CCF Visits Warwick Prep
Our Young Enterprise companies won five of the six awards at the
Central Warwickshire Young Enterprise Awards Evening at IBM, and
then went on to win more awards at the Coventry and Warwickshire
Young Enterprise Finals. Twenty-four King’s Sixth Formers joined
boys from Warwick School to form three teams: Alacrity, Ascent
and Elevate. Alacrity developed PopAProp – an accessory that can
be attached to any mobile or tablet, to keep it in place – and sold
over 700 products. Team members plan to continue running the
business independently, once the Young Enterprise trading year
has finished. Ascent put in a tremendous amount of work with
their advertising booklet, promoting local businesses and charities,
which they distributed to homes in the local Warwick area. Elevate
produced the ‘Joey’ (as in baby kangaroo), an adhesive pouch
which will stick to the back of phones to store money, credit cards
and earphones, that proved very popular with customers.
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Some of our Senior Cadets from the Combined Cadet Force went
down to Warwick Prep School to help teach their Year 3 girls to
march, so they could take part in a celebration of the Queen’s
Birthday. Our girls had a lovely time, and soon had the Prep pupils
putting their best foot forward.
Singing with a Master
Years 7 and 8 girls joined with Warwick Prep pupils
for a singing workshop with a Master. Bob Chilcott,
who The Observer calls ‘a contemporary hero of British
choral music’, made time for us in between a visit
to Buckingham Palace, and flying out to the USA, to
record with Katie Melua. Bob Chilcott conducts choirs
all around the world, and he is one of the most widely
performed composers of choral music. Most recently,
he wrote The King Shall Rejoice for the service at
Westminster Abbey, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of
the Coronation. Our joint King’s/Prep choir enjoyed his
expertise and famous warmth, when they sang pieces
from his own composition, Jazz Songs of Innocence –
jazzy, choral works, set to the poems of William Blake.
After the workshop, the girls performed for parents at
the Bridge House Theatre.
Warwick Prep Language
Taster Morning
Clare College, Cambridge
Partnership
As part of our outreach
within the local
community, King’s
High has developed a
partnership with Clare
College, Cambridge.
The college is keen
to develop links with
primary schools,
continuing a very
successful scheme it has in London, and we are working together to
develop a programme in Warwickshire. King’s hosted over 40 local primary
schoolchildren for the first in a series of five workshops run by Clare’s postgraduate students. The next events will take place at King’s and Warwick
School in September, with the children going to Cambridge in October.
The French Play
The French theatre company
Onatti performed a play in
French for girls in Years 8-10,
and 20 boys from Warwick
School. Their hilarious comedy,
Les Garçons, kept everyone
entertained through the
afternoon. Pupils commented
how much they loved the
experience of listening to French in a live context. Afterwards, the actors gave a
question/answer session about their acting careers and life in France.
Debating with the ESU
King’s High’s Modern Foreign Languages Department
welcomed forty-eight pupils from Warwick Prep for a
morning of language activities. As the girls had just
returned from a trip to Normandy, King’s High staff were
delighted to hear them put their skills to use. Activities
included a French Café, singing in French, and an
interactive quiz about French Culture. The girls joined in
with great enthusiasm, and the French patisseries went
down very well, too.
Warwick Prep girls
in Middle Two joined
Year 5 children from
local primary schools
for a series of 5 for 5
workshops at King’s
High. A cheerful cohort
from the Prep showed the way in An Introduction to Debating, led by the English
Speaking Union (ESU). The girls played games based on expression, delivery,
rebuttal, and argument development, learned about the ‘Mace Formation’, and
formed into teams for a series of debates. Ideas sparked, there was some lively
debating, and a great day was had by all.
This workshop was the first in a series of five workshops including Debating,
Gifted and Talented Drama and Sports mornings, a Choral Day planned
for the autumn term and a day in July devoted to STEM to STEAM, which
focused on the integration of art in to the STEM subjects.
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Careers
A Taste of Sixth Form
Year 10 Sixth Form Taster Lessons have been in full swing, with girls enjoying the opportunity to try out a whole variety of subjects,
many of which are new to them. From Business Studies to Psychology, and Economics to Religion and Philosophy, a brief snapshot
revealed girls discussing English philosopher, Jeremy Bentham; novelist, Kate Atkinson, and how Race Relations apply to Economics.
The day enabled our girls, in their first year of their GCSEs, to temporarily put aside their blue uniforms and dress in Sixth form attire
while exploring the depth of the academic offering in our Sixth Form. Year 10 girls have been invited to Tea & Toast, during one of two
breaks, by our Year 12 girls. The girls meet in the Sixth Form Common Room where the younger girls gain more insight into life in the
Sixth Form, beyond the tea, toast and biscuits.
University Applications
GCHQ Opportunities
Ms Nancy Braithwaite,
Academic Director of
Pembroke College Oxford,
came to King’s and talked
girls through the Oxbridge
application process. She
provided extremely useful information on the procedures involved, and advised
that long-term preparation is key, when embarking on such a competitive
process. She enthused the girls with her descriptions of both university and
college life, touching on the academic and extracurricular opportunities, and
she extolled the virtues of the tutorial system, whereby students benefit from
one-to-one/small group seminars with world-leaders in their fields.
Expanding the horizons of our girls with regard to
opportunities in the workplace is a feature of our
Careers programme. This term, we were fortunate
to welcome Old Girl Helen Brebner, who spoke
with Year 9 and 10 girls about Cyber Security,
and opportunities at GCHQ, ranging from Summer
work experience at their Cheltenham base, to
sponsorship through University (if you choose
a STEM subject), Apprenticeships, and work
placements. The girls were interested to
learn of the range of experiences and jobs
available at GCHQ.
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A Celebration of Sixth
Form Leavers
Thank you and Good Luck from us all at King’s High!
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Music
Summer Concert: Musical Magic
The Summer Concert at St Mary’s Church in Warwick is one
of the musical highlights of the year. The Church filled with
music and light, as the audience enjoyed performances from
the Senior Choirs, Senior Orchestra, String Orchestra, String
Quartet, Windband, Wind Ensemble, the Trumpet and Clarinet
Ensembles, and Bella Capella. It seems unfair to single anyone
out; however, tears were spotted in the audience during Martha
Allen-Smith’s luminous performance of Massenet’s Meditation.
Off to the West End
Katie Burrows (Year 7) will be performing in The Secret Garden at the Ambassador’s Theatre, London from
July 27-August 31. Katie shared her audition process with us:
‘For the first audition, I travelled to London to go into a room, sing half of Somewhere over the Rainbow,
then leave. This process was very short, and if you didn’t have the right voice, you would not get any further.
At the ‘call-back’, I went to London again. We all went into a room and learned a short dance. The group
was then split into two. The first group performed the dance a couple of times and some people were sent
out of the room. We didn’t know if this was good or bad. The second group did the same, then all the
people who had been sent out were told they had a second call-back. Sadly, the others did not make it
through.
The final call-back was also in London. We performed the same dance routine; some were picked out and
others went home. Those who had been selected learned a new song which we had to sing, one after
another. The Director then either told us to stay standing, or sit down. Again, we didn’t know if this was good
or bad. Those who had been told to sit down were put into groups and headshot photos were taken. By this
point, we still didn’t know if we were in or not. After a few days of waiting, an e-mail came through to say that I had got in. We were given details
of all the rehearsals and performances and now I just have to wait to begin my West End show.’
14
Key Stage 3 Summer
Concert: Musical Mastery
Such is the richness of musical talent in our Years 7-9, it was a
real challenge to choose performers for the Key Stage 3 Summer
Concert. The Music Department’s dilemma was the audience’s
gain, and they were treated to Guitar, Cello, Oboe, Clarinet, Piano,
Violin and Vocal Solos from Rebecca Wein, Jemima Solt, Anna
Turner, Florence Lloyd, Amy Power, Matilda Harvey, Alexandra
Williams and Taryn Young, and performances from the Brass
Group, the String, Trumpet, Woodwind and Cello Ensembles. It
was a particular treat to see – and hear – so many Cellos perform
together. Taryn Young reports: ‘‘Wow!’ – that was my Nan’s
comment, as she left the Hall after the KS3 concert; a fantastic
evening, celebrating the variety of music-making undertaken by
the younger students at King’s High. The Junior Choirs were out in
full force, as was the Junior Orchestra. It couldn’t have happened
without the support of all of our peripatetic teachers,
Mr Smallwood and Mrs Wallace’s musical mastery.’
Kenilworth Castle Concert
National Concert
Band Finals
After winning a Platinum Award at the Regional Finals in
November, the Foundation Wind Orchestra (FWO) were invited to
attend the National Finals in Manchester. Following hot on the
heels of a Brussels tour, the FWO took a coach up the M6 to the
Royal Northern College of Music, for the finals of the National
Concert Band Festival (NCBF).
The tour had obviously helped with rehearsals for the NCBF,
and the camaraderie between the members was evident in their
excellent performance. King’s High girls from Years 7-13 were
involved in both tour and festival, with Lucy Evans (Year 12) taking
many of the flute solos during the programme. Isabella Abbot
Parker (Year 11) and Jessica Anderson (Year 8) were amongst
the brass players, and Daisy Jones (Year 10) was the only female
saxophonist. The FWO gained high praise from the examiners, and
won yet another Platinum Award.
As part of the Jazz Lab entry by Warwick School, Wendy Miles
reprised the solo, Summertime that she sang at the Gala Concert.
Jazz Lab were awarded a further Platinum Award. All in all an
excellent few days’ work, and congratulations to all who took part.
Participation in the Foundation Wind Orchestra is open to all
woodwind/brass players at King’s High who have achieved Grade
5 or above in a woodwind/brass examination. Rehearsals are held
on Tuesday evenings after school.
Musical Notes:
The Wind Ensemble and Senior String Quartet played at Kenilworth
Castle for the International Dinner of Surgeons. Grace Harvey (Year
8) reports: ‘The ensembles played in the beautiful gatehouse, in a
cosy and candlelit room. The String Ensemble started the evening
and the Wind Ensemble followed by playing a fantastic set of
pieces. Then, we played a beautiful traditional folk song called I
Gave My Love an Apple, which sounded beautiful in the castle. We
finished the performance with two jazzy numbers: the lively Rialto
Ripples and a bouncy Maple Leaf Rag, followed by a hearty round
of applause. I really enjoyed the evening. The venue was stunning
and I had never played anywhere like it before.’
Anna Turner (oboe) will be taking part in the under 12’s National
Children’s Orchestra in the summer, with a week at Port Regis
School in mid-August followed by a final concert at Symphony
Hall, Birmingham. Mrs Williams’ daughter Izzy, who was a pupil
here, and has just completed her Music degree at Manchester
University, will be one of the helpers at this summer course, as
she was in the spring.
Sarah Chapman is going to take part in the Eton Choral Course
in July.
15
Sports Round Up
County Championships
Netball
Netball
U18 Champions (Aut 15)
U16 Runners Up (Aut 15) / Midlands Semi-Finalists
U14 Champions (Aut 15) / Midlands Runners Up, competed at Nationals
U13 Champions (Spr 16)
U12 Champions (Spr 16) & Level 3 School Games Champions
National Schools Netball Finals
Hockey
U14 Champions (Aut 15) Midland Zone Winners, Midlands Finals
U15 Champions (Spr 16) Last 8 of ISHC
U13 Champions (Spr 16)
U13 Mini Champions – 7 a-side (Spr 16) – Semi Finalists at Midlands
U12 Champions (Spr 16) – Runners Up at Midlands
U18 Runners Up (Aut 15) – Semi Finals at Midlands Finals
U16 Runners Up (Aut 15) – Midlands Zone
Tennis
U13 Midlands Finalists (last 16 in the Country) (Aut 15)
U13 & U15 Aegon County Champions (Sum 16)
Cross Country
Junior Team County Champions
Swimming
ESSA National Finals – Made both Medley and Freestyle relay finals
Waterpolo
Semi-Finalists – National Finals. Won all matches at Midlands Qualifier
Athletics
Yr 7, 8, 9 & 10 teams all Mid-Warwickshire Champions
Junior Team – County Champions at Combined Events
Junior Team – Runners up County Track and Field – 4th at Midlands Finals
Inter Team – County Champions – 3rd at Midlands Finals
Riding
Highest placed in Warwickshire
Katrina Woodhead won a trophy for the highest placed Warwickshire
pupil at the Princethorpe College and Kingsley School Two Day
Event. She also came second in her class individually (winning
a beautiful glass trophy), and second in a school’s team. She
had a super dressage score and was clear show jumping and
cross country. She finished bang on optimum time in the cross
country, a very rare achievement!
Water Polo
U13s are 4th in UK
Congratulations to our U13 Water Polo Team – Semi-Finalists at
the National Finals, and fourth in the UK. They played extremely
well on the day. In the Semi-Final, they played Manchester
High in a nail-biting match. At full time, the score was 2-2,
with King’s having a goal disallowed in the final minute. It then
went to penalties and unfortunately, we lost by 1. It was a
great achievement from all the girls. When they qualified for the
National Finals, it was the first time they had ever competed
together as a team. They played wonderfully, and have a lot to
take away from the day to practise for next year.
16
Our U14 Netball Team did themselves, the school, and their
parents proud at the National Schools Netball Finals at Roedean,
just before term began. The girls deserved every moment of
their day, having won their way to the Finals for the first time in
15 years. Miss Gilbert, Head of PE, said: ‘With fantastic support
from parents, the girls played the top teams in the Country and
were never overawed or outplayed. They battled hard in many
very closely fought games and showed tremendous spirit and
skill. The whole team performed so well throughout the long day
and learned a great deal from the experience. They can’t wait to
start acting on what they have learned and get back to the Finals
in future years. Well done!’
Regional and County Call-Ups
More of our Netball players have received the call for County and
Regional than ever before. Nine girls will be playing for Warwickshire
from September, while Sophie Blake and Penny Islef have been
selected for Regional U19s, and Maddie Bromwich, Rhian Thomas,
Martha Sandford and Freya Islef for Regional U15s.
Tennis
County Champions
The U13 and U15
Tennis A Squads
have had a fantastic
season, both winning
their County league
in the Aegon Tennis
Championship, and
progressing to the Midland knock-out rounds next term.
The U13s – Milly Fenwick, Bella Tomlinson, Sophie Foster
and Cecily Thompson – defeated Princethorpe, Twycross
House, Kenilworth and Stratford Grammar, dropping just
2 sets out of 24. The U15 team – Eva Healy, Francesca
Hurley, Milly Truman, Leah Francombe, Esme Fergusson,
Lily Hawking and Maddie Richardson defeated some tough
opposition. Their final match against Rugby School went to
a Championship tie break, but the girls pulled through to win
10-8. Congratulations to all the girls who took part.
Midlands School Girls’ Tournament
King’s High entered two pairs
in the Midlands School Girls’
Regional Tennis Tournament.
The First Pair, Year 9’s
Francesca Hurley and Eva
Healy, won all but one of their
group games and just lost to their nemesis, Dean Close, in the
Final. The Second Pair, Elys Healy and Harriet Connel won five
of their six pool games, and were also just narrowly defeated by
Dean Close, to come Second overall in their competition.
Clay Shooting
Athletics
National Champions
Midlands Track and Field Cup Finals
Our crack
Clay Pigeon
Shooting Team
defended their
Championship
title to win the
National British
Schools and
Young Shots
Championships – for the second year running, and the
second time in the history of King’s High. Schools came
from around the British Isles to compete, but our young clay
shots were in storming form, beating Millfield, Strathallan and
Rendcomb College. Our A Team won the Championship trophy
and our B Team came 4th. Their proud coach said: ‘To win
the Championships the first time was fantastic – to win two
twice is the icing on the cake, and we are now in training for
the hat-trick, next year.’ The National Championships followed
a triumphant season, including the Oxford Gun Company
competition, where our team narrowly lost out to a team of
university students from the Royal Agricultural University,
Cirencester; the Rugby School Challenge Competition,
which we won; the Warwick Challenge Competition, where
our teams came 1st and 2nd, and the Bredon School
Challenge (Won). Congratulations to Amy Borland, Charlotte
Goulbourne, Chloe Goulbourne, Jemima Clark, Madeleine
Thomas, Cordelia Marcus, Sophie Davies and Emily Quinn.
The girls were fantastic representatives of King’s High at a wet
and windy Midlands Track and Field Cup Finals, and achieved
several personal and season’s bests. Katie Rankin led the
way with a 26 point Javelin throw in the Inters (Year 9-10)
competition, and Lucy Smith scored 40 points individually. The
rest of the team really showed strength in depth, despite some
injuries, and the girls finished in fourth place. The Years 7-8
team excelled themselves, winning many more points than they
had in the County round. Gabby Walker scored an incredible
30 points in a single event (Javelin) and Lizzy Pocknell scored
over 40 points in the Hurdles and Long Jump. With so many
strong performances from the rest of the team, the girls won
themselves a Podium finish – third place.
County Championships
The U12 Hockey team were runners-up at the Midlands
Hockey Finals at Cannock. They played some tough games
against Oakham, Northampton, Moreton Hall, Newcastle
under Lyme, St Martin’s and Loughborough High School, and
despite their best efforts, were beaten in the final by RGS
Worcester. It was a fantastic achievement for them all to
finish second in the whole of the Midlands.
Both our Junior and Inters teams convincingly won their
age groups at the Years 9-10 Mid-Warwickshire Athletics
Competition. Following this, Lucy Smith, Francesca Hurley,
Lauren Morley, Maddie Bromwich, Rhian Thomas, Maya Evans,
Isabel Meeke, Catrin Treharne and Katie Rankin were all selected
to represent Mid-Warwickshire at the County Championships.
At the Championships, the girls excelled in the 100m, 800 and
1500m, Javelin, Shot, Triple Jump, Hurdles, Discus and Long
Jump. Isabel Meeke was County Champion in the Long Jump.
We have now finished our Athletics season with a clean sweep,
as our Years 7 and 8 teams have also just become
Mid-Warwickshire Champions.
U13s Midlands Semi-Finalists
County Combined: Gold Medal
The U13s Mini Hockey were Joint County Champions
and went on to represent Warwickshire in the Midland
Finals where they reached the Semi-finals. An incredible
achievement, to finish in the top four in the Midlands.
Congratulations to all of the girls who represented King’s at
the County Combined Events Championships. With the sun
blazing and over 45 athletes in both minor and junior girls,
competition was tough. However, the Year 7 trio of Purdy Blane,
Jenny Nwosu and Sofia Bloor all performed well in their first
competition for King’s – finishing in 11th, 18th and 19th places.
Maddie Bromwich and Lucy Smith (members of last year’s
victorious Junior team), were joined by Lizzy Pocknell. All three
performed consistently well across the five events, with Maddie
taking a place on the podium in 3rd, Lucy finishing 6th and Lizzy
finishing in 7th place. All their hard work was rewarded with a
gold medal in the team competition.
Hockey
U12s Second in the Midlands
Regional Call-Ups
An incredible 10 girls have been selected to attend England
Hockey Junior Regional Performance Centres over the
summer, following their outstanding performances for their
County. Well done, Alyssa Mildenstein, Holly Smith, Lauren
Rigby, Holly Bolger, Katie Rankin, Jenny Marsh, Ally Keays,
Maddie Bromwich, Lucy Smith, Millie Fenwick.
17
Sports Awards Evening
Cricket
Amy Williams MBE
Cricket has arrived at King’s!
Think summer evenings, green lawns and the sound that can only
be from the crack of a willow bat...Cricket has arrived at King’s!
Open to girls in Years 7-9, our Cricket Club is the brainchild of
one of our girls and Miss Gilbert, Head of PE. The Club meets on
Wednesday afternoons and welcomes new members.
County Development Squad Captain
Amy Williams MBE, our Guest of Honour at the Sports Awards
Evening, gave an inspiring talk on her Journey to Olympic Gold
in 2010. Amy hurtled into the public eye when she won the
Women’s Skeleton event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
It was GB’s only medal of the Games, and the first Gold won
by a woman in an individual event in 58 years. We watched
her thrilling run once more, as Amy described the lengths
she had gone to, in order to ensure that on the start line
she knew she had given everything, and had no regrets.
She presented Colours and Awards to many girls, including
the following:
• 1st XI Hockey – Martha Hayes
• 1st VII Netball – Alice Chandler
• Swimming Captain – Sophie Hodgson
• Team of the Year: The U14 Netball team.
•Key Stage Awards for Excellence, Endeavour and
Commitment went to Maddie Bromwich, Alyssa
Mildenstein and Sally Rankin.
London Marathon
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards, who left
King’s High last summer,
ran the London Marathon.
She says: ‘It was fantastic.
I finished the 26.2 miles
in five hours six seconds.
A once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity ticked off my
bucket-list. It was totally
worth my feeling rather
sore and stiff afterwards.
Altogether, I raised £2500
for Action for Southern
Africa (ACTSA) in memory
of a late friend. I am
immensely proud of this
contribution for charity.’
18
King’s cricketer, Laura Bawden has
been named Captain of the County
Development squad at U13 and will
be coached by Warwickshire Women’s
Captain, Marie Kelly. She plays
Women’s Cricket in the local league
and is now playing in the Leamington
Boys team, opening the bowling, and
returning the tightest bowling figures
over any of the 10 boys who bowled.
Talented Athletes
Programme
Performance Sport Mentoring
Thirty-four current pupils have been selected to join our
Talented Athletes Programme (TAP), which was launched by
our Patron, Emma Beddoes. Emma is an old King’s High girl,
England Squash Player, and Commonwealth Games Medallist.
The Talented Athletes Programme will nurture and support our
talented sportswomen and is open to pupils from Years 7 to
13 who meet the sporting criteria. The Programme includes
Performance Sport Mentoring, workshops, academic support,
University visits and talks from professional athletes. So far, we
have welcomed Matt Taylor, former International Hockey player,
and girls have had a Movement Analysis session and advice from
a Physiotherapist.
Stop the Presses… The TAP Tennis coaching sessions
scheduled for 27 June had to be postponed for the very good
reason that their coach, Marcus Willis, world ranked 772, was
playing at Wimbledon and defeating his opponent who was
ranked 54th! At the time of printing, Marcus is due to play Roger
Federer in the second round. Our congratulations and best
wishes to our TAP coach!
Please contact Caroline Gilbert via the School Office on
[email protected] for more information.
Trips Near & Far
Berlin, Munich and Nuremburg
Friday 1 April…a group of 17 girls and 2 bleary eyed staff arrived at St Nicks to begin
a 40 hour first day that would encompass arrival in Munich, emergency coffees, an
unforgettable and moving trip to the former concentration camp of Dachau, walking
the route of Hitler’s attempted Putsch in 1923, visiting the sites of the Nazi Party
Headquarters in Munich and finally, a much needed pretzel & sausages in the world
renowned Hofbrauhaus!
The girls were fantastic and to say we were all moved, angered and indignant on
our arrival at Dachau does not capture the depth of our emotions. The stark reality
was that this camp was on the outskirts of a residential and affluent suburb and
yet prisoners were worked to their deaths on its doorstep. How could this have
happened? How do we ensure that this can never happen again? These were just
some of the many questions posed throughout our morning.
Moving onto Munich, the weather was cold and grey, but frequent coffees and hot
chocolates got us all through! Walking in the fateful footsteps of Hitler, both in his
failed coup of 1923 and his eventual taking of power in 1933 was unnerving and
incredibly interesting. We were so fortunate to have our guide for a fifth year; his
knowledge covered the breadth of history and the locations of the best cafes.
The second day dawned in Nuremburg Castle where our rooms were part of the old
town walls and castle complex. Nuremberg is a truly stunning town, completely rebuilt
in the Medieval-style following the destruction of WWII. We visited the Documentation
Centre dedicated to education on the proliferation of terror under the Nazi regime
and how the world can prevent such an occurrence ever happening again. We also
walked around the party’s rally grounds and were overwhelmed by the scale of Hitler’s
totalitarian vision.
Our final two days were centred on the brilliant and buzzing capital, Berlin including
the Olympic Stadium, the Reichstag with its Norman Foster dome, the Holocaust
Memorial, the people, Treptow Park and the scale of the Soviet Victory Memorial
and, finally, the site of the Berlin Wall and the incredible Stasi Prison. Our visit was
enhanced by the insights of our guide, Jorg, who shocked us all when speaking of the
prisoners’ experiences under the Stasi and East German rule.
The trip was quite simply brilliant. The girls were fantastic and have gained a
tremendous amount of knowledge for use in their exams and also in their wider
understanding of humanity and the world around us.
19
A Blog from Iceland
We landed in Iceland to see the plane at the gate next to ours being
boarded by the Foundation Ski Trip group. We arrived at the greatly
anticipated Blue Lagoon where we took a luxurious dip in the warm,
mineral rich water. Many of the girls enjoyed the complimentary face
mask treatment as they paddled around the geothermally heated
lagoon. Next, we set off for the hotel, driving across the barren, mossdraped, lava fields through the swirling mist at dusk; it was positively
Bronte-esque. Day two, began with a visit to the geothermal hot
springs with a lovely mid-morning snack of eggs boiled in the hot
springs and 24-hour steam-baked rye bread whilst leaning about
how the community uses the hot springs in various domestic and
commercial ways. The girls thoroughly enjoyed this tectonic treat.
We headed to the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Visitor Centre to learn about
the 2010 eruption that halted global air traffic, told from the point
of view of a local farmer and his family. The breath-taking Skogafoss
Waterfalls were next. After copious selfies, we clambered back on the
coach to go and meet our Icelandic ponies. We channelled our inner
Viking to trot across the grassy plain in the shadow of a table volcano.
A visit to Sólheimajökull Glacier, where we geared up with our
crampons, harnesses and ice axes for the morning’s adventure
marked the beginning of Day Three. We explored the glacier and
around the ice caves, crevasses, moulins and moraine. Our GCSE
Geography topic of glaciation really came to life as we crunched over
the ice, thinking about the mighty, slow-moving river of ice beneath
our feet. We learned about the supervolcano, Katla, buried beneath
the thick layer of ice, and how it is due for another eruption. The
afternoon was spent touring around the coastal area of Vik, taking
in the majestic features carved out of the volcanic basalt by the
powerful North Atlantic waves. We capped off the day with a magical
walk behind the stunning Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.
20
On Day Four, we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones as
we descended beneath a lava field through 2000 year old lava
tubes. Sliding down a bank of snow into the cave opening, we
were transported into a mysterious basaltic underworld. We went
on to Parliament Plains, where Iceland held its first Parliament, in
900, and met there every summer. This ancient meeting place was
nestled between the largest freshwater lake in Iceland and the rift
between tectonic plates.
Almost certainly, the favourite stop of the day was a dairy farm
serving homemade ice cream made of the milk from the cows there
on the farm. Energised, we continued along the famous Golden
Circle to Gulfoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. Our final stop was
at the Strokkur geyser and hot springs area.
On our last morning, we headed for Reykjavik, excited to explore the
northernmost capital in the world. Our first stop was at Reykjavik
Cathedral, where the architect modelled the sweeping flanks of
the buildings on basalt columns found along Iceland’s coastline.
Our final stop was the iconic Perlan building, where the city’s
geothermally heated water is stored before distribution. As we took
in the 360° views, we said, ‘Bless’ (goodbye in Icelandic, and apt in
English, as well) to this enthralling island.