TheKingsleyNews - The Kingsley School

TheKingsleyNews
ISSUE 30
SPRING 2013
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE KINGSLEY SCHOOL, ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
RENOVATION OF SIXTH FORM CENTRE
PARALYMPIC
STAR VISITS
TOP TALENT
P14
INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF
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THE GIRL
P11
CHRISTMAS
REFLECTIONS P12
EXCITING PLANS FOR SIXTH FORM
Work will start soon on the first phase of an exciting
programme of major refurbishment in the Sixth Form
Centre.
The improvements include:
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installing a fitness suite
new facilities
refurbished science laboratories
improved classrooms and common room
an upgrade of the A Level food technology
room
• internal and external enhancements to the
fabric of the building
• new entrance hall and exhibition space
• redesigned garden area
Plans beyond this include further work to the
Prep and Senior School buildings where
significant improvements to facilities have
already been completed in recent years. The
three Victorian buildings which house Sixth
Form, Senior School and Prep have been
extended over many years to accommodate
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growing numbers of students and meet the
needs of modern learning. However, there have
been fewer changes in the Sixth Form Centre
which is why Governors have approved the
refurbishment work.
teacher Ms Owens says: “We are moving with
the times to provide a 21st century education
and to prepare girls for life at university and
beyond but not changing the atmosphere of the
school which makes Kingsley so unique.”
Current Sixth Form students are taking part in
focus groups to give their input into designs
for the new gym and ICT suite, which should
both be completed in time for the start of the
2013/14 academic year in September.
“Kingsley is entering another exciting phase in
the development of the school and the
improvements that are being made to the Sixth
Form Centre will ensure our older students get
the best learning experience possible. Our
excellent academic and pastoral care with small
classes and new facilities is a powerful
combination to ensure excellence.”
The fitness suite will be housed in the
basement of the Sixth Form Centre and, if all
goes to plan, contractors are expected to start
working there during the May half term holiday.
The warm and friendly feeling of a home that
exists at Kingsley is a vital part of the school
and the refurbishment will not alter this. Head
PREP SCHOOL
PONDERINGS...
We had another super start to the academic year
in the Prep School; the boys and girls continue to
tackle everything they do with boundless
enthusiasm and the Prep School has flourished
throughout the winter months. This is because
Kingsley continues in the traditional way we all
value; maintaining the principles of excellent
teaching, strong pastoral care, a family atmosphere
and the provision of the best all round education.
In the run-up to Christmas, the Prep School hosted
a variety of events. Especially well received was
our Foundation, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
nativity play, Children of the World, performed to
a large audience which included the Chairman of
Warwick District Council and the Town Mayor of
Royal Leamington Spa. We all thought the
children performed magnificently, due in the most
part, to the input and expertise of our Prep
teachers.
Open Morning in November was a great success
– we were delighted to be joined by so many
current parents to support us and spread the
Kingsley word. As usual, the children were
tremendous ambassadors for the school and we
were extremely proud of them. Thank you for your
support.
There was more than a hint of excitement when
snow showers started to fall in mid January. Prep
boys and girls were delighted to come to school
on a Friday morning to discover that the
playground had been untouched over night. A
blanket of crisp white snow lay on the ground and
the children were buzzing with excitement at
playtime! They had a great time making snowballs
and snowmen of various sizes.
Participation in Sport, Music, Drama, the extracurricular clubs and activities, has continued to
increase and our netball match results show the
great commitment the pupils and staff made
through the winter season. Sport and outside
interests are such an essential aspect of a good
education; we are so pleased to be able nurture
these talents.
As well as reflecting on the past, we look forward
to preparing our Kingsley children for the future,
whatever exciting opportunities it may bring!
Educating Prep pupils to have open and curious
minds will ensure they are happy in their learning
and confident to face the challenges ahead.
Anne Hornsby Head of Prep School
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Food was the focus in Prep School when the annual harvest festival and a special Spanish
breakfast took place in the same week.
The theme of the Prep School harvest celebration was
“we care, we share’’. In a special assembly, Mr Bailey
from Year 2, talked to the boys and girls about the
importance of sharing our resources and everyone
enjoyed the wonderful and humorous message within
his assembly. A large amount of produce was donated
by Prep families and given to the Salvation Army to
help their work feeding homeless people and needy
families in the Leamington area.
The national day of Spain, the Fiesta Nacional de
España, was marked with a special breakfast for pupils,
parents and staff who enjoyed delicious chocolate con
churros: a thick drinking chocolate with long tubular
doughnuts. The morning was a great celebration and
an opportunity for everyone to try out some useful
Spanish phrases and greetings. There was a very
vibrant atmosphere with Flamenco music, sombreros
and flags, making it a fabulous start to the day.
MASTERING NEW SKILLS, LEARNING ABOUT DIWALI
Foundation and Reception pupils took time out from
their classroom to do some clowning around – a fun
way to test their hand/eye co-ordination and
balance! They took part in a circus skills workshop
at the Playbox Theatre in Warwick where, as well as
having their faces painted as clowns, they juggled
with scarves, walked on stilts and balanced plates
whilst standing on one leg – quite a feat! Back in
school, all Prep pupils found out about Diwali, the
Hindu Festival of Light when Year 6 parent Mrs
Boltlagudur took a special assembly. She and
several Year 6 girls dressed in traditional Indian
garments from some of the many different states of
India. The boys and girls learned about family
celebrations, diyas, Rangoli patterns, the story of
Rama and Sita and how good can triumph over evil.
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RACING CHAMPION
GETS PREP UP TO SPEED
FOR CHARITY DAY
PREP PUPIL DESIGNS
CIVIC CARD
Prep pupils designed their own cars with the
help of a former British Rally Champion as part
of an initiative to raise money for the year’s BBC
Children in Need appeal.
The 2012 Christmas card sent by the Town Mayor of
Royal Leamington Spa was designed by a Prep pupil
at Kingsley.
Coun Yvonne Moore invited the boys and girls to paint
or draw a picture to be featured on her civic card. She
was spoilt for choice when the entries arrived at the
Town Hall and eventually picked a traditional view of a
snowy landscape through a window by Emily Mortimer
(Y4) as the main winner, with a design featuring two
jolly penguins by Ben Putt (Y2) as runner-up.
Justin Dale was a rally driver for Peugeot UK and
now works as a product trainer at the company.
He visited Kingsley to hold a Pudsey’s Dream
Wheels Experience Day, which was staged in 60
schools around the UK.
Kingsley girls and boys were able to create their
own designs by customising parts of a car –
from back bumpers and bonnets to wheels and
windscreens. They could then see what their
vehicle would look like on a special website.
Both children received a prize and certificate from Coun
Moore during the ceremony when she switched on the
town’s Christmas lights in the town centre. Prior to that
they were invited to visit her in the Mayor’s Parlour
where they saw the mayoral gowns and chain and
viewed the Royal Charter presented to the town by
Queen Victoria in 1875.
“Pudsey’s Dream Wheels not only gave our
pupils an insight into some of the challenges
facing car designers today but raised the profile
of the Children in Need charity in the run up to
our own fundraising activities in school,” says
Miss Hornsby.
Coun Moore has attended several events at Kingsley
during her year in office, including being guest of
honour at the school’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations,
Prep School sports day and nativity play.
On Children in Need day Kingsley Prep pupils
gave a donation to the charity to attend school
wearing an item of spotty clothing with their
school uniform. These ranged from scarves and
socks to ties and T-shirts. The children also
organised their own themed activities at playtime
to raise even more cash for the cause.
She said: “I was very impressed with the standard
of work submitted by the Kingsley pupils for the
Christmas card design and it was very hard to choose
a winner. I am very happy with my choice and am
confident it will be well received by many people, all
over the world.”
BULB PLANTING IN THE PARK
Many little hands made light work of planting crocus
bulbs in the park alongside Kingsley School when
Reception and Foundation children took up an
invitation from Warwick District and Leamington
Town Councils to be part of a community initiative
in Christchurch Gardens.
They helped plant some of the 16,000 bulbs in a
huge drift to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee and
create a stunning display this spring.
Local authority gardeners had prepared the planting
holes and our children helped put a handful of bulbs
into each one. We were told by Jon Holmes, WDC
Green Space Development Officer that the crocus will
be purple, white and yellow when they flower in April
and will be a great source of nectar for insects.
VIKING DAY
Year 4 were fascinated and repulsed by Viking stories during a workshop led by
Erik the Viking, which gave a fascinating insight into Viking times. With his vast
array of reproduction home life artefacts - from cooking pots and utensils to
combs and helmets – the girls learned what was expected of them 1,200 years
ago. The day culminated in a ‘hands on’ session where pupils were able to try on
chainmail and helmets and to consider the advantages and disadvantages of
different styles of swords and shields.
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SERVING UP
SUCCESS
CHILDREN OF THE WORLD
Foundation, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 made their parents and teachers very proud when they presented their
nativity play to an invited audience. A packed house of family and friends was entertained by a host of angels, a
trio of shepherds, Australian surfers and Irish dancers – to name but a few of the cast - during the production of
Children of the World. It was a charming start to the Christmas season and got everybody in the festive mood.
FOOTBALL FIRST
Sporting history was made in Prep School when Year 2 played their first ever football match. Unfortunately they
lost but performed well and are looking forward to their next game.
Year 6 girls organised a café at lunchtime for
Prep Staff. On the menu were delicious pizzas,
egg muffins and home baked cakes and
biscuits. The cafe was part of Miss Miller’s
GEMs (Girls Enjoy Maths) initiative looking at
data handling, problem solving and budgeting
skills.
The girls had to plan and serve the lunch to
teachers and support staff. They did an excellent
job taking all the lunch orders and were
delighted to discover afterwards, when they had
completed the accounts, that they were in profit!
CROSS CHANNEL
CHARITY CYCLE
Prep teacher Mrs Machin is in training for a
charity bike ride from The Eiffel Tower in Paris
to the Houses of Parliament in London – a trip
of 340 miles. Accompanied by four friends, she
hopes to complete the two wheeled challenge
in just three days to raise money for MND, the
Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Inspired by the legacy left by the 2012
Olympics, the group are hoping that their ride
will raise awareness of sport and kick start a
series of local events that involve children and
families participating in cycling and community
activities. The MP for Royal Leamington Spa
Chris White is supporting the charity bike ride
and it is being sponsored by John Atkins
Cycles, which is based in the town.
ART MASTER CLASS
Log on to www.justgiving.com/teams/
quarrystreetcycling if you would like to
sponsor Mrs Machin’s fantastic effort.
Abstract artist Sukhbir Hothi visited Kingsley to give a
painting master class to Years 1 and 2 Prep pupils. The
children had previously seen examples of his large,
brightly coloured pictures when they visited a recent
exhibition he staged in Royal Leamington Spa. Mr
Hothi demonstrated how he creates his designs by
using his iPad for preliminary sketches before painting
on canvas. He then challenged the Prep children to
produce their own abstract picture with the theme of
“playground” .
“When we looked at everybody's finished work, we were
amazed at the very different interpretations and results.
That was just what Mr Hothi had wanted us to achieve.
Everyone commented how quickly the time went. We
all experienced that art is fun!” says Year 1 and 2 teacher
Mrs Hall.
GOING GREEK
Year 3 girls ended their project about Ancient Greece with a special Greek
afternoon during which they dressed in appropriate costumes, took part
in ancient Olympic sports and enjoyed a feast. Miss Miller’s class have
learnt a lot about this period in history – it wasn’t all Greek to them!
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BEAUCHAMP HALL HAPPENINGS
KINGSLEY GIRLS CAN BE TOMORROW’S LEADERS
Message from speaker at Senior Prize
Giving:
There isn’t a better time than now to be young and
female, one of the country’s leading business women
Jo Cameron told students at Kingsley’s Senior Prize
Giving ceremony. The founder of The Achievers
Academy for Women and former candidate on TV
programme The Apprentice was speaking at the
November event which celebrates the achievements
and success of students who took A Level and GCSE
exams the previous summer, many with top grades.
She said that social media, the Internet and changes
in the law are playing a big part in opening “millions
of doors” for women and because there are so many
opportunities now for women to progress in the world
of work it is “a fantastic time to be a young woman.”
Ms Cameron told the audience of current and past
students, parents, governors and staff at Royal
Leamington Spa Town Hall that as long ago as
Ancient Egyptian times there were women in
leadership, however today in the UK there are only
two female Chief Executives in the top 200
companies and only 18 per cent of politicians are
women. She urged Kingsley girls to see themselves
as leaders and aim high and told them to:
• Stand up (tall, strong and for what you believe in).
• Shut up (those around you who are distracting or
discouraging).
• Think up (better, bigger, higher and more
enthusiastically).
“See yourselves as leaders, remember these three
tips and ring me up and tell me when you make it to
the top!” she said. Ms Cameron is pictured above
during her speech.
PRIZEGIVING AWARD WINNERS
Y11
• Art
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Business & Communication
Studies
• Chemistry
• Child Development
• Dance
• Design & Technology - Textiles
• Drama
• English
• English Literature
• Food Technology
• French
• Geography
• History
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physics
• Physical Education
• Religious Studies
• Science
• Spanish
• The John Machen Award
for Excellence at GCSE
Sarah Jones
Zoë Robinson
Gabriella Moss-Lawton
Olivia Atherton
Zoë Robinson
Sarah Stevenson
Anya Brown
Georgina Sheard
Lydia Kelly
Áine Dods
Claudia Valler
Georgina Sheard
Anya Brown
Ellen Gibson
Áine Dods
Amy Fearn
Brontë Askwith
Amy Fearn
Emma-Jayne Macleod
Zoë Robinson
Alice Edwards
Gabriella Moss-Lawton
Gabriella Moss-Lawton
• Y11 Prize for Excellence
at GCSE
• The Kingsley Rose Y11 Award
• The Penny Birt Prize for Maths
Y12
• Mr Busch’s Memorial Prize
for Progress in Y12
• The Lucy Hayes Prize
for Business
• The Kingsley Rose Y12 Award
• The Kingsley School Old Girls’
Debating Award
Olivia Atherton
Zoë Robinson
Fern Scrivener
Emily Huxtable
Sophie Oldfield
Holly Shuttleworth
Sophie Hiorns
Sophie Habboo
Victoria Inchley
Isabel Pickard
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Y13
• Art
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• Drama
• Economics
• English Language
• English Literature
• Geography
• History
Hae Rym Chun
Francesca Moss-Lawton
Lucy Page
Claudia Bowen
Imogen Parker
Laura Martin
Rebecca Deeming
Lily Hall
Isobel Lane
Alice Stevenson
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Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Psychology
Religious Studies
Textiles – Product & Design
Head Girl’s Prize
Warwick Avon Rotary Award
The Massie Award for
A Level Success
The Grunau Prize for
Perseverance
The Emma Cowlin Memorial
Prize for Art
The Kingsley Award for Service
to the School
The Hammond Prize for
Promoting the School
Victoria Airey Prize for Service
and Initiative
The Kingsley School Y13
Rose Award
The Christine Mannion Watson
Award for Performing Arts
Service to Sport
Claudia Bowen
Charlotte Davey
Ellie Sagrott
Lily Hall
Sophie Been
Lucy Page
Imogen Parker
Isobel Lane
Claudia Bowen
Francesca Moss-Lawton
Gursimar Gill
Ellie Sagrott
Hae Rym Chun
Francesca Moss-Lawton
Amber Woodward
Lily Hall
Hannah Williams
Charlotte Davey
Hannah Williams
Rebecca Deeming
MIRREN WIN HOUSE PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION
Four teams representing Mirren, Holmes, Sharman and Roddick houses competed in a fast and furious annual
public speaking competition during an assembly in November. Members of Year 10 helped to prepare and rehearse
their house teams which consisted of pupils from Years 7 to 10. The topics considered were, Gangnam style, the
death penalty, self-confidence and the development of technology. All the participants spoke with confidence and
presented thoughtful and perceptive arguments. The prize for the best main speaker went to Emma Heritage in
Year 9 whose exploration of technology in the modern world was wide ranging, intelligent and well-structured and
the winning team was Mirren whose relaxed and amusing presentation fully engaged the judges and audience.
SENIOR MATHS CHALLENGE
Congratulations to the following Year 12 and 13 students whose mathematical skills have been recognised by the UK Mathematics Trust. Emily Huxtable (Y13), Anna
Laws (Y13) and Jasmine Tooke (Y13) achieved Silver Awards and Victoria Oxley (Y13) a Bronze Award in the 2012 Senior Maths Challenge, which is a tough multiple
choice test. A special mention to Tilly Worlidge (Y11) who also achieved a Bronze Award – a year early!
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THINKING OF OTHERS
COOKING FOR KINGSLEY
Year 8 student Georgia Lloyd has been presented
with a certificate by the charity Sense for helping
raise £700 for deafblind people. She gave up her
free time to sell raffle tickets and give out
information about the charity as a volunteer at The
Stratford Food & Drink Festival. Georgia was
presented her certificate in assembly by Ms
Owens who congratulated her for being so
selfless and thinking of others.
Year 9 student Maddy Baskerville represented Kingsley
in the local heat of the national FutureChef competition
at Birmingham University. Maddy was selected to
represent the school after her delicious chicken and
leek pie with rocket was voted as the best dish at the
preliminary round of the competition held in Kingsley’s
Food Technology Room last term. At Birmingham she
managed to keep her cool in the kitchen whilst
completing the challenge of preparing and cooking a
hot main course and a dessert for two people in 90
minutes with a budget of just £7 but, unfortunately
wasn’t selected for the regional heat. Afterwards
she wrote:
feedback. I am very glad I was given the opportunity by
Kingsley and Mrs Le Poidevin to enter the competition
as a way to improve my meals and enhance my cooking
ability.”
FutureChef is a four-staged nationwide culinary
programme which aims to help young people aged 12
to 16 to learn to cook. It inspires them to explore food
and cooking as a life skill, helps develop their culinary
talent and informs them about entry routes into the
hospitality industry.
“FutureChef was brilliant! I felt it was a wonderful
experience and I learned a lot. It was in a professional
kitchen which was very hot and strange compared to
the normal kitchen you would work in. I cooked hake
infused with orange and lemon on a bed of sautéed
spring greens with pancetta, onion and a citrus sauce.
I created this dish myself as I love pancetta and fish.
For pudding I made lemon puddings and homemade
custard. This recipe is really tasty and the lemon really
compliments the custard. The competition was rather
stiff and the winner had some sophisticated flavours. I
learned a lot from the competitors as well as the judges
who were so friendly and gave me some constructive
HISTORY VISIT TO
ASHBY ST LEDGERS
Year 7 girls visited Ashby St Ledgers, an
attractive village near Daventry, to look around
the medieval church and to learn more about the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605. They took part in
special study sessions about aspects of the
church and religion and enjoyed a variety of
activities including brass rubbing and playing the
organ. The church is very special as it has a
number of medieval wall paintings and its pews
also date from that time. The manor house next
to the church is where Robert Catesby and other
Catholic conspirators planned the 1605
Gunpowder Plot. The girls were entertained and
informed about this by Robert himself,
authentically re- enacted by Mr Nigel Townsend.
Head of History Mrs Waterson says: “We had a
very enjoyable and informative morning and
would like to thank all those from the local area
who once again contributed their time.”
TOP PASSES IN LATIN EXAM
Congratulations to the Year 10 girls who all passed the OCR Entry Level Latin exam last year and achieved the
highest level possible. They are: Saskia Beasley, Ellie Carter, Ellie Coldicutt, Charlotte Colley, Helen Freer, Caroline
Furey, Georgie Goode, Annabel Hill, Anamica Sanghera, Joanna Stanley, Anna Westley. This consists of two
language tests and one ‘internal assessment task’. The girls researched topics such as the Eruption of Mount
Vesuvius or Gladiators, and wrote about it under supervision. Head of Classics, Mrs Palmer says: “The Entry Level
Certificate in Latin is offered by OCR, a highly respected examination board, and it rewards girls for the work they
have done in the subject. If they include it on their CVs it makes them stand out from others who have not studied
Latin.”
PONY TREKKING IN WALES
After a long bus journey and a walk up an incredibly
steep hill, 20 Kingsley girls were very relieved to see
Cadarn Trail riding farm, in the Brecon Beacons. After
being shown to our rooms, we were all eager to meet
our ponies and to know which ride we were in. All the
ponies were tied up in the yard waiting for us; there was
a mixture of different colours and breeds. We set off in
our rides for a test to see if we were in the right groups.
After riding in the woods surrounding the Brecon
Beacons for an hour, we returned and untacked.
Hungry and a bit stiff, we all slowly walked down to tea,
ate a good hot meal and then went to settle down in
bed, looking forward to the day ahead. We woke up very
tired, some of us feeling the effects of going to bed late
and an unaccustomed ride the previous day! However,
we all did morning chores and fed the ponies. We
tacked up our steeds and set off for an all-day ride
which included a stop for a picnic. There were some
unexpected near disasters with two of our companions
having to go to A&E, but not due to ponies! We had a
gorgeous morning in the breathtaking beautiful Brecon
Beacons, enjoying the excitement of someone falling
off! A few eventful hours later we made it to our
welcoming destination, complete with our lunch. After
tending to our ponies, we collapsed onto bales of straw
and gratefully ate! After recapturing our ponies, most
of whom were loose with their tack on, we remounted
and rode off into the hills once again. Plenty of gallops
later, we tried unsuccessfully to get some sleep.
Waking up for one last short ride, we dressed and
mounted, having a relaxing ride round the local
woods. We boarded the bus having packed with many
moans, and were considerably quieter than we were
when we set off! All in all, we recommend this trip to
anyone and everybody, even if you’ve never ridden
before!
Amy Newcombe & Isabelle Rhodes Y8CD
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A new book of poetry – a copy of which will be kept at The British Library – will include the work of 58 Kingsley students.
Years 7, 8 and 9 girls have been told that their poems are to be included in The Poetry Games publication, which comes out
in April. The publishers Young Writers received thousands of entries for the competition to be included in the book from all
over the UK and overseas. “Work has been selected for publication based on perception, imagination, expression and creative
use of language. This is a great achievement and one that you and your pupils can be proud of,” says the Editor of the book
Jenni Bannister. All the successful Kingsley students now have the chance of being selected as one of 12 finalists to be featured
in an online vote for the most popular poem, which has a first prize of £1,000. Here are four of the poems being published:
CARNIVAL OF CULTURE
This is my street, but it could be any street.
Last season’s Hollister walks hand-in-hand with Newlook,
Replacing conversation with texting and tweeting.
The Burberry capped oversized lad struggles to control his undersized bike.
A small boy with a shaved head walks a large dog – his only fashion
accessory.
A raven-like figure discusses video games with his Goth companions.
A pack of urban hyenas stalk their teenage prey.
Ironic as it seems, groups of ‘individuals’ herd together.
Cliques of girls littering the streets with their glitz and glamour,
Hiding behind their tans and eyelashes.
A small boy puts 10p in a charity box, while his tattooed friend steals poppies
from the tray.
I hear the faint whispers of One Direction from a girl in front.
A fat lad on a bench makes rude noises to attract the attention of passing
lovelies.
A pretty young girl helps an old dear across the road.
A young man with stubble thrusts Big Issue under the noses of the more
fortunate,
Clutching at the glimmer of a hopeful future.
This is my street, but it could be any street.
This wonderful spectacle, a carnival of culture.
The Facebook and Twitter generation.
This is my generation.
By Olivia Sinclair Hall
7
YOU PROMISED US
We are promised opportunities
But where to look?
We can’t find the happy ending
Did we read the right book?
We are promised careers
Medicine, music and law
But when we knock there’s no answer
They’ve already locked the door
We are promised security
A house, a home
But who will keep the bank away
When we can’t repay the loan?
We were promised the earth
But the planet’s a disaster
The future’s getting away from us
We can’t run any faster
They’ve murdered the ozone and poisoned the trees
The forests are choking
The earth’s on its knees.
By Georgia Henry
THEY HOLD IN THEIR HANDS
THE YOUTH OF TODAY
Destroying,
Detaching,
Disappointing,
Deserting.
Masked by hoodies, hands held to their face,
Late nights, loud shouts,
Standing in the shadows of the light in the alleys,
Hiding like the city fox rummaging in their rubbish.
Drink in one hand, cigarette in the other. Littering the streets,
Littering the future they hold in their hands.
Young people, young people
All around our land.
Do these wretches need a kick,
Or to be taken by the hand?
They loll around our streets,
Just waiting to attack,
So immature and juvenile,
They’d give anyone a whack.
Smiling,
Supporting,
Singing,
Surprising.
Walking through town with friends,
Smiling in the park.
Loud laughs, loving family.
Hugs and smiles being shared,
Frustrated with the image of their generation.
Sporting athletes, young geniuses,
Learning about the future they hold in their hands.
Violent and disappointing,
To the public eye,
Many think of young people,
And then they heave a sigh.
Media and papers,
All their talk is doom,
Young people need examples,
Not this constant gloom.
What of our Olympians,
Daley, Trott and Ennis?
Such an inspiration, and
Let’s not forget the tennis.
London riots, such a shame.
No sympathy for why
They didn’t have a reason,
So it made the public cry.
Well, we all have in us good and bad,
That is, what they all say,
But what you believe, you can achieve,
So let the Youth find their way.
By Maddy Baskerville
By Milly Bracher
Congratulations to all the other girls whose work is being
included in the book. They are:
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Simran Kaur Khela
Jessica Newsome
Ellie Sinclair
Rachael Chambers
Katie Loudon
Sophia Godfrey
Charlie Webster
Felicity Whelan
Annabel Stock
Ambe Reid
Katy Cant
Lottie Wright
Evie Nairne
Beth Russell
Sophie Barlow
Libby Guillamon
Lily Holbrook
Eliza Brown
Megan Levis
Charlotte Dennison
Emma Gwynne
Larissa Hobson
Hannah Parsons
Abbie Maris
Erica McCallum
Lauren Wood
Felicity Murray
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Natasha Lamyman
Isabelle Rhodes
Tanya Saunders
Sophie Pearson
Georgia Lloyd
Tilly Owen
Olivia Connelly
Stephanie Robinson
Emily Pettigrew
Millicent Hobson
Freya Eaton
Olivia Inchley
Alice Kimpton
Emma Heritage
Abi O’Meara
Jess Harper-Radley
Alice Meixner
Hannah Pope
Ella Jackson
Alexx Parkin
Felicite Pace
Megan Steel
Elisa Olexa
Kathryn Lavery
Hannah Gardner
Chloe Walsh
Lizzie Westley
8
SIXTH FORM NEWS
present to the United Nations demanding equal
educational opportunities for girls everywhere.
Kingsley Head teacher Ms Owens said she is very
proud of all students for the support they have shown
to less privileged girls and she congratulates the
Sixth Form Leadership Team for organising the
charity day, which she described as “a fabulous way
to raise awareness – a lot of fun but most of all
moving, thought-provoking and at times humbling”.
SIXTH FORM CHARITY DAY
Sixth form students organised a charity day to raise awareness about human rights
issues for girls and worldwide inequality in girls’ education.
They have chosen to support Plan UK’s Because I am
a Girl campaign which aims to support four million
girls to stay in education and fulfil their potential.
include walking distances of many miles every day
to collect water and having to make homes and
clothes out of items of rubbish.
Kingsley’s Sixth Form Leadership team set fellow
students a number of challenges during the day to
help them understand the realities of life in Third
World countries for girls of their own age. These
In opening the charity day, Head Girl Victoria Inchley
said that Kingsley students are “extremely fortunate
girls with the world at our feet” and she urged
everyone to sign a petition that Plan UK is going to
VISITING PARLIAMENT
All year 13 A level students visited Parliament as
part of the Sixth Form extra-curricular programme.
They were given guided tours of the whole of the
Palace of Westminster and were able to witness at
first-hand what previously they had only seen on
television news reports.
A group of five History/Politics students were also
lucky enough to go on a visit to 10 Downing Street
where they were photographed outside the famous
black front door.
To make the most of the day in London, girls also
spent time in one of the Kensington museums
before rounding off the trip with a visit to Harrods.
FUND BOOSTED - TOTAL NOW £3,000
The Kingsley Sixth Form’s charity fund has been
boosted by over £1,000 thanks to the generosity of a
Midlands commercial vehicle dealership. Mr Steve
Hunt, Managing Director of Intercounty Truck & Van
Ltd was so impressed with, and moved by, a
presentation at a school concert given by Sixth Form
students about the Because I am a Girl campaign that
he invited them to repeat it at two events to launch the
new Mercedes-Benz Citan van. On consecutive
evenings Kingsley girls spoke to dinner guests about
the work of Plan UK’s Because I am a Girl campaign
which aims to support four million girls to stay in
education and fulfil their potential.
9
Their poised and confident speech about the charity
impressed the audiences who donated £846.50. Mr
Hunt, who has a daughter in Prep School, added
another £200 on behalf of his company and pledged
their support for the rest of the year. To date the Sixth
Form has raised £3,000 for Because I am a Girl –
enough to provide a year’s education for 33 girls
in Uganda.
Pictured with Mr Hunt are the four Sixth Form students
who spoke at his launch events (left to right): Zara
Heathcote, Holly Shuttleworth, Isabel Pickard and
Sophie Habboo.
UN INTERNATIONAL DAY
OF THE GIRL
Two Kingsley students were invited to take part in the first-ever UN International
Day of the Girl staged at the Southbank Centre in London.
Holly Shuttleworth (Y13) and Alice Meixner (Y9) were among 300 girls who
took part in debates and workshops and listened to talks focused on the choices
girls face in all areas of their lives, both in this country and abroad.
Inspirational women and young people from all walks of life spoke and
performed during the day-long WOW Girls event. The global festival aims to
help girls progress in education, career opportunities and freedom from forced
marriages and celebrated the power and potential of girls everywhere.
One in three girls around the world is denied an education by poverty,
discrimination and violence and while they were in London Alice (left) and
Holly added their signatures to a giant book highlighting the importance of
education for girls.
GREEK GODDESS GIVES
NAME TO INITIATIVE
The Minerva Programme - named after Minerva, the
goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, science and
trade - encompasses the whole breadth of the
curriculum and beyond and provides opportunities
for enrichment. There are few boundaries, except
time in the school year. Whether a child shows a high
level of ability in English, mathematics, humanities,
science, fine arts, sport, or public speaking and
entrepreneurial skills, we value and celebrate these
talents. At Kingsley we endeavour to support the
continuous development of the whole pupil.
The Minerva Programme is an inclusive initiative to
ensure that pupils with talents and high learning
potential at Kingsley are challenged within and
beyond the curriculum and given ample
opportunities to explore and develop within and
outside school. It is not about over-loading our
pupils with more work, but enriching and expanding
their learning by structuring tasks both in the
classroom and for homework in a way that employs
their higher-order thinking skills, creativity and
initiative. Kingsley believes in providing each child
with a suitable level of challenge. Our pupils are all
unique and we strive to accommodate their
differences whilst having high expectations for all.
The Minerva Programme is also an evolving one. We
are constantly seeking out new and exciting
opportunities for our pupils to enable them to reach
their potential. While challenge is built into
differentiated lesson plans on a day-to-day basis,
pupils may also be invited to join in workshops
linked to their area of interest and ability, or
encouraged to enter internal or external competitions.
A huge range of activities such as the Maths
Challenges, critical thinking workshops, Amnesty
International, Ancient Greek, Mandarin Chinese,
LAMDA, various sporting competitions, musical
performances and many more already take place; we
are also planning new enrichment opportunities in a
variety of areas and have internal competitions such
as Kingsley Artist, Writer and Musician of the Year.
As we are a selective school and our girls and boys
have countless gifts and talents, we hope that all of
our pupils will be involved in some aspect of the
Minerva Programme.
Jo Harper, Minerva Coordinator
STRETCHING THEIR MINDS
Two girls have successfully completed an online Oxford University course
(OLP) designed to “inspire tomorrow’s great minds”. Sophie Hermitage (Y5)
achieved a Distinction in Philosophy and Critical Thinking and Jess HarperRadley (Y9) achieved a Distinction in Thinking It Through: Critical Thinking.
They both gave up their spare time in the holidays to complete a series of tasks
via the internet. These included written assignments, research activities,
learning quizzes and group discussions. At the end of the course they received
individual feedback on their work from an Oxford University tutor.
OLP is an online programme to improve intellectual confidence in able students
to help them reach their full potential. It consists of a series of short four day
courses designed to give students a solid foundation in the following specific
areas: Critical Reading; Critical Thinking; Creativity; Philosophy and Special
Interest. Having done so well both Sophie (pictured) and Jess have been invited
to join The Da Vinci Group, an online intellectual membership community
which brings together the brightest and most creative youngsters (aged 8
upwards) from around the world.
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THE KINGSLEY COMMUNITY
TRIPLE GOLD PARALYMPIC RIDER
VISITS KINGSLEY
Triple gold medal winner in the London Paralympics
Sophie Christiansen MBE -whose freestyle dressage
routine to patriotic music was the riding equivalent of
the Last Night of the Proms and one of the highlights of
the Games - visited Kingsley to talk about her life and
success as one of the world’s top Paralympic riders.
Accompanied by Ed Bracher, Chief Executive of Riding
for the Disabled (and a parent) – a charity supported by
the Prep School at Kingsley – Sophie inspired students
with her talk about overcoming cerebral palsy to win a
total of five Paralympic gold medals. Sophie (25) began
riding as a therapy when she was six years old and
joined various Riding for the Disabled Groups. At the
age of 13 she started riding competitively and three years
later won a bronze medal at the Athens Paralympics. She
went on to compete at the Beijing Paralympic Games,
winning two gold and a silver medals, and became
European and World Champion.
“2012 has been the most difficult year of my sporting
career. It made me dig deep and my hard work was
rewarded by three gold medals. I couldn’t have done it
without the people who help me and so the medals
don’t just belong to me but my support team,” Sophie
told a special assembly held in her honour. She urged
Kingsley students to think about the people who help
them fulfill their dreams and remember to thank them
for their support.
“Your dreams might be personal to you but you need
teamwork to help you get there,” she said.
Kingsley Head teacher Ms Owens said that Sophie is a
fantastic role model and her message to students
“reinforces Kingsley’s ethos of supporting girls and
meeting their individual needs whilst fostering a strong
work ethic to achieve their best”.
casts. There were also activities to give children the
opportunity to learn about basic anatomy, hygiene and
healthy eating as well as face painting, colouring and
a best dressed teddy competition, which was judged
by Head teacher Ms Owens.
PUDSEY POWER
As well as the Prep School activities on Children in
Need Day, which raised £130, girls in Year 9 organised
a sponsored event and collected £90. Pudsey Bear also
made an unexpected appearance at the Senior Prizing
Giving event at Royal Leamington Spa Town Hall – held
on the night of the charity appeal - where guests put
£113 of loose change into his bucket. The power of
Pudsey lives on at Kingsley!
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The Kingsley School took part in the annual
Service of Remembrance organised by The Town
Council of Royal Leamington Spa on November
11th. Head Girl Victoria Inchley and Prep School
Head Girl Helen Lavery laid a symbolic wreath at
the War Memorial, along with representatives
from other local organisations and associations.
Prep School pupils and students in the Senior
School and Sixth Form attended special
assemblies on the theme of remembrance and
poppies were sold in school. Also in Prep School,
Year 5 pupil Sophie Stewart got permission from
The Royal British Legion to decorate poppies with
glitter to make them more appealing to young
people. She had seen TV personalities wearing
similar poppies and thought it would be a good
idea to make some for fellow pupils. She was right
– they sold like hot cakes on the playground!
HAIR TODAY GONE
TOMORROW
TEDDY BEAR HOSPITAL
A special “hospital” for teddy bears and other soft toys
was once again held at Kingsley in October. Organised
in conjunction with medical students from Warwick
University, the Teddy Bear Hospital helps children
overcome any fears they may have about hospitals
and doctors through role play and, at the same time,
provides trainee doctors with the opportunity to
improve their communication skills with the younger
generation. The event featured a fun, friendly and
relaxed programme of activities to introduce
youngsters to various aspects of medicine and
healthcare using their teddy bears as patients -from
consultations and immunisations to x rays and plaster
KINGSLEY REMEMBERS
A girls-only school isn’t the most obvious
location for moustache growing, however at
Kingsley nine male members of staff stopped
shaving for a month and raised £500 for
Movember. Before they removed their upper lip
hair growth, the men donned silly hats for a photo
to mark the end of the” hair raising” experience.
During the charity fundraising month the school’s
Daily Bulletin, compiled by Deputy Head teacher
Ms Dyson, featured a different picture of a famous
person with a moustache as a way of reminding
the predominantly female staff of the initiative to
raise vital funds and awareness for men’s’ health
issues, particularly prostate cancer.
A HAPPY KINGSLEY CHRISTMAS
Christmas is a special time at The Kingsley School with
Beauchamp Hall decked with boughs of holly, the Prep
post box overflowing with cards and our Sixth Formers
spreading joy by visiting a special school to sing
carols, play games and distribute gifts. Our Kingsley
Christmas started with a wonderful fayre organised by
The Friends of Kingsley parents’ group. It was the
perfect place to buy presents, amazing decorations
(some made by Prep pupils) and treats for our own
family celebrations. The choir sang, the kitchen staff
served turkey rolls and mince pies and we all got into
a festive frame of mind. Our school mini bus driver
Mike Ramsden took on the role of Santa when he
delivered 125 boxes of gifts for under privileged
children in Third World countries to a charity based in
Yorkshire. They couldn’t come to Kingsley to collect
them as their volunteer driver broke her wrist and was
unable to drive. Silver Kingsley Christmas trees and
candle lights sparkled in the main hall for our Victorian
Christmas soiree featuring performances of A
Christmas Carol and The Importance of Being Earnest.
A few days later the hall was the setting for the Prep
School nativity play Children of the World, which told
the story of angels visiting different countries to see
how they celebrate Christmas. Special guests at the
performance were the Chairman of Warwick District
Council, Coun Mike Kinson and the Town Mayor of
Royal Leamington Spa, Coun Yvonne Moore, who
chose a design by Kingsley Prep pupil Emily Mortimer
for this year’s civic Christmas card. Girls from
Kingsley's Art Club took part in Leamington's Lantern
parade, where hundreds of hand-made lanterns lit up
the night sky. Heads turned as Year 7 students, Lily
Hodges and Grace Whitley, proudly held their elephant
creation up high for all to see. It is important to Kingsley
to be involved in local community initiatives, especially
at Christmas, and this event really created a festive feel.
On the same evening, the school hall was packed for
the annual Christmas concert featuring seasonal music
and singing by girls from Prep to Sixth Form. It was
another joyous Kingsley occasion. We shared a
traditional Christmas lunch together, pulled crackers,
decorated and wore Christmas jumpers, sung carols
at our annual service in Holy Trinity Church, put a
tree on the Head teacher’s balcony and in other
locations around the school, decorated classrooms,
raised money for charity and – most importantly smiled a lot.
LIBRARY AWARD FOR KINGSLEY
The Kingsley School is one of the first schools in Warwickshire to be recognised for the quality of its library
and the role it plays in the education of students. Warwickshire Schools Library Service has announced that
the Learning Resources Centre at Kingsley has met the required standard to achieve a silver School Library
Award. Access to IT, the book stock, promotion of reading, the role of the librarian and use of the library are
among aspects of the day to day function of the LRC that were assessed for the Award. Kingsley is now working
towards achieving the gold standard of this prestigious new award.
BOOK REVIEW
Deputy Head Ms Dyson reviews a recently published book about a former Chair
of the Council (Governing Body) at The Kingsley School:
The Diary and Scrapbooks of Cordelia Leigh 1914 –
1919.
In August 1914, Cordelia Leigh decided to keep a
“short record of this time of war”. She referred to
herself as “a private individual living at Stoneleigh
Abbey”. She was the eighth and youngest child of
William Leigh, 2nd Baron Leigh who was the first
chairman of the council of this school. Much more
significantly, during the war in 1916, Cordelia herself
joined the Council and later became vice-chair and
then Chair in 1935. She eventually retired from her
service to the school in 1945 because she “felt the
time had come… as she was approaching the age of
eighty”. Miss Sweet, headmistress at the time wrote
“I find it very difficult to express in any way
adequately my personal gratitude to Miss Leigh for
her unfailing interest and encouragement.”
Born in 1866, Cordelia never married but was
involved in village life in Stoneleigh. She was always
interested in education and was a teacher at the
Sunday School from an early age. In her twenties she
began a Young Naturalists Club, encouraging
children to observe nature. When war broke out she
started actively encouraging the young men on the
estate and in the village to join the army. The book
shows a copy of the recruiting leaflet she produced
and the letter of thanks she received from Lord
Kitchener. However the main fascination of the book
lies in the eclectic mixture of her experiences of
everyday life during the war; from an August day in
1917 in North Wales where she cannot imagine a war
is happening, apart from the sight of so much felled
timber to the experience, a few days later, of an air
raid in London. She records the news from the Front
from a wide range of friends and relatives and her
own ‘old boys’ from the Sunday School and nature
club. She corresponded affectionately with many of
these young men. The photos of the men of
Stoneleigh who died can still be seen in the village
church. She even paid for a cross to be put on the
grave of one of her ‘boys’ who died in Egypt. She may
have been a ‘private individual’ but she led a life full
of commitment to her faith, her community and
education. This book provides an interesting window
into that lost world.
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PERFORMING ARTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
CATS PART IS PURR-FECT FOR DANCER KATY
Life is “purr-fect” for aspiring Kingsley dancer Katy Cant (Y9) as she has
been selected to take part in a national production of the musical Cats,
which is being staged to mark the 25th anniversary of the performing arts
school Stagecoach. To prepare for the show at the NIA, Birmingham in
March, Katy is attending a residential course during February half term.
“We will be dancing every day from 9.30am to 6pm which is a dream
come true for someone like me who loves to dance!” she says.
Katy has been a member of Stagecoach for nine years and attends the
Leamington Spa group every Saturday. At Kingsley she has appeared in
many performances, including playing the lead role of Aladdin in a Prep
School show. As well as dancing she loves to sing and play the trumpet
and violin.
ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSIC EXAM SUCCESS
Kingsley girls performed well – literally – in the Royal
Schools of Music exams at the end of term. They all
passed with Distinction or Merit! Congratulations to:
Distinctions:
• Jessica Ellis (Y4) - grade 2 oboe
• Helen Lavery (Y6) – grade 1 piano and flute
• Lauren Mcdermott (Y10) – grade 1 piano
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
The hills were alive with the sound of music for Katie
Maxwell (Y11) who spent part of the October half
term playing one of the von Trapp family in the Spa
Opera Group’s production of the classic musical.
Katie is pictured dressed for her part of Louisa. She
wasn’t the only person from Kingsley in the show as
Head of Performing Arts Mrs Walton took the role of
the Mother Abbess.
She says: “I thought Katie did a fabulous job and
clearly showed a genuine talent for the musical
theatre stage and indeed the show was extremely well
received by all who came to see it. Some staff also
attended and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.”
Merits:
• Katy Cant (Y9) – grade 4 violin
• Cecilia Goldwin (Y4) – grade 1 cello
• Jess Harper-Radley (Y9) – grade 3 trombone
• Isabelle Rhodes (Y8) – grade 4 trumpet
• Bethany Russell (Y9) - grade 1 piano
• Freya Warner (Y5) - grade 2 cello
• Anna Westley (Y10) – grade 4 piano
CHRISTMAS PRODUCTIONS
Christmas was a busy time for performing arts at
Kingsley with the annual Christmas Concert and
productions of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being
Earnest and A Christmas Carol by Dickens. There was
a varied programme for the concert with musical
performances by the brass, wind, recorder, string and
guitar ensembles; a flute trio and the school orchestra,
whose rendition of Bizet’s Toreador’s March was so
well-received by the audience it was played again as
an encore. The musical items were complimented with
seasonal songs sung by Cantus Amoris, the Combined
and Senior Choirs and Bronte Askwith (Y12), who
performed a beautiful solo of Panis Angelicus by Cesar
Franck. A Christmas Carol featured a cast of over 30
girls, headed by Becky Inchley (Y10) who played
Scrooge and the string ensemble provided the musical
accompaniment. Seven Sixth Form students performed
13
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and
impressed the audience with their delivery of some of
the most famous and amusing lines in theatrical history.
There was a 100 per cent pass rate in the recent
LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic
Art) exams with 20 distinctions and 14 merits. Ten
girls have achieved a bronze medal for acting.
SPORT
TOP TALENT
NATIONAL HUNTER TRIALS
Kingsley sportswomen making their mark at National and
Regional level:
The future looks bright for riding at Kingsley after a
novice team of Imogen Forster (Y7), Emma Heritage
(Y9), Hollie Jones (Y7) and Steph Robinson (Y8)
came sixth out of 16 teams at the Winchester House
National Schools’ Hunter Trials. It was Emma’s first
competition for Kingsley and she came 12th out of
the 101 competitors in the class, with Steph being
placed 20th. Congratulations to Annie Gasson
(Y11) who competed as an individual and after a
clear round was placed sixth out of more than 30
riders in her class.
Year 8 rider Amy Newcombe and her horse Mouse did the school
proud when they competed in the individual show jumping class at
the National Schools’ Equestrian Association Championships. They
jumped a clear round to win a place in the evening final where they
were placed 6th overall - after another clear round against the clock
and some of the top ponies in the UK.
Year 9 student Freya Eaton has been selected for a national school
squad training camp being held in Geilo, Norway by the English
Schools’ Ski Association during February half term. Talented skier
Freya has been a member of the national squad since 2009. One of
the aims of the camp is to prepare teams to compete in the World
Schools’ Championships in 2014. Freya manages to combine life at
Kingsley with the demands of being a top sportsperson. She trains
and races with the British Ski Team in Telford and has to be very well
organised to fit school work in with all the travelling and preparation
for skiing.
Prep pupil Emily Mortimer (Y4) has been selected for the East
Midlands Regional Gymnastics Squad – the first stage in possible
selection for the 2020 Olympic Games. She will be training with other
talented young gymnasts and coaches, who will ultimately select a
squad of girls from across the UK to represent Team GB at the 2020
Games, which will be held in either Istanbul, Tokyo or Madrid. Emily
has been doing gymnastics for three years and is a member of the City
of Coventry Rhythmic Gymnastics Club. She was recently voted their
Gymnast of the Year and presented with a glass “Star” trophy. The award
is given in recognition of performance, improvement, training ethic and
support for other club members and is voted for by fellow gymnasts.
Caroline Furey (Y10) and Laura Burlton (Y12) both won bronze
medals at the Warwickshire Cross Country Championships at Hatton
Country World. They now qualify for the National Cross Country Finals
in Derby on March 15th - a first for Kingsley!
KINGSLEY SPORTS DEPARTMENT
ANNOUNCE TWO FIRSTS
DEBUT SUCCESS
The newly formed KS3 badminton squad recorded a resounding 13-2 victory
against Myton School with Grace Whitley, Chloe Esom, Katie Subhani and
Holly Austin (all Y7) playing competitive badminton for the first time. Other
winning team members were Emily Pettigrew, Charlotte Dennison, Emma
Chamberlain, Erica McCallum (all Y8) and Tabatha Sinclair (Y7).
Sports teacher Mrs Close says: “Our girls played with great competitive
spirit, winning some very tight matches. Congratulations to Chloe, Grace,
Katie and Holly on an impressive debut performance.”
• A new Sports Scholarship has been introduced for the 2013/14 academic year.
Twelve girls contested the first-ever award with the standard of application being
very high.
• Girls keen to be selected to represent Kingsley at tennis, rounders and athletics
are invited to attend first team trials – a new initiative – which are being held at
the school playing fields in Sandy Lane, Royal Leamington Spa during the Easter
holidays. Make a note in your diary for Friday 12th April. Prep trials in the morning
and Seniors in the afternoon.
TERM DATES 2013 - 2014
Summer Term 2013
Autumn Term 2013
Spring Term 2014
• INSET Day - Monday 15th April
• INSET DAY - Monday 2nd/Tuesday 3rd September
• INSET DAY - Monday 6th January
• Term begins - Tuesday 16th April
• Term begins (Prep/Y7/Y12) - Wednesday 4th September
• Term begins - Tuesday 7th January
• Bank Holiday - Monday 6th May
• Term begins (all other years) - Thursday 5th September
• Half Term - Monday 17th to Friday 21st February
• Half Term - Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May
• Half Term - Monday 21st October to Friday 1st November
• Term ends - Thursday 11th July (12.40pm)
• Term ends - Wednesday 18th December 12.40pm)
• Term ends - Friday 4th April (3.50pm Prep,
4pm Senior School)
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2nd March – Prep School Open Morning
5th March – Taster Day (Reception and 7+)
12th March – 7+ Scholarship Test
27th April - Taster Morning (Y7 entry 2014)
13th May – Prep Open House
3rd July - Senior School Open Evening
5th October – Entrance Exam for Year 7
September 2014
7th October - Scholarship week
15th October – Sixth Form Open Evening
9th November – Prep School Open Morning
& Senior School Open Afternoon
Musings from the Head’s Office
As I write this, Beauchamp Hall and our historic buildings currently look like a snow scene on a Christmas card; but it is
already late January and the festive season has passed.
No-one does Christmas like Kingsley and I am sure
everyone in the Kingsley family will have enjoyed at
least one of our heart-warming events: the stunning
sixth form performances in ‘The Importance of Being
Earnest’; our charming lower school adaptation of ‘A
Christmas Carol’: the excellent ‘Christmas Fayre’,
organised by ‘Friends’, our PTA, and – not least our absolutely stunning Christmas Concert at which
so many superb musical performances left the
audience demanding more - the school community
orchestra’s version of Bizet’s Toreador’s March being
played as an encore; this rapidly expanding group
now includes Kingsley pupils from Prep and Senior
School as well as staff, parents and even Old Girls.
There was definitely no ‘Bah Humbug’ that night! It
was an amazing evening and I was so incredibly
proud of our girls.
And despite the white stuff, January exams went
relatively smoothly and without too much disruption,
thanks to the commitment not only of those taking
them but also to several staff who braved the
elements to ensure all went well. The safety of pupils
and staff is always paramount and I am grateful to
them all and to parents for their reason and
understanding during the difficult snowstorms.
15
Written and edited by The Kingsley School
So here we are already more than one twelfth into
2013. The snow was a welcome distraction to some
who had any inkling of the January blues. At
Kingsley, being blue means something quite
different and in assemblies we have celebrated the
support that comes from belonging to such a
small supportive community and our Kingsley
cornflower blue is something we wear with pride –
to maintain our usual happy atmosphere we even
shared jokes and jelly babies in our Prep assembly!
There has certainly been lots of laughter from the
girls and I never tire of hearing this as they go about
their daily business past my open office door.
So as 2013 gets underway we have so much
to look forward to: continued improvements to
facilities for our deserving girls to enjoy; based on
my reading of our new style reports and UCAS
references, more academic success this summer;
countless trips, including another ski trip, Pompeii
and an Iceland adventure; more musical and
dramatic productions and performances and lots
more smiles and laughter in the uniquely happy
place that is The Kingsley School.
One thing which has created a buzz has been the
announcement of the exciting plans to develop our
Sixth Form facilities as described in the lead article
on page 2. We are now starting to involve the girls
and before we finalise the plans, staff will be
organising focus groups such as sixth form girls
helping to make decisions about ICT facilities. Now
that detailed architects’ plans are finalised, we will
be consulting the girls about décor - and making no
secret of my love of the Kingsley cornflower, I have
told the girls they can choose any colour as long as
it is blue!
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