Post on 28-May-2020
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SpokesmanKing Edward’s School Newsletter Summer 2016
KING EDWARD’S SCHOOL
B I R M I N G H A M
Inside...Exhibition commemorates Battle of the Somme p3
£10m campaign for Assisted Places is completedIn one of the most successful fundraising campaigns ever run by an
independent day school, King Edward’s School, Birmingham has
achieved its goal of raising £10m for Assisted Places.
The Assisted Places 100 (AP100) Campaign has raised over £10m in the
last six years and will fund 100 Assisted Places in the School, doubling
the number of Assisted Places available and making King Edward’s one
of the most accessible independent schools in the country.
John Claughton, Chief Master, said: “This campaign is one of the most
successful fundraising campaigns ever undertaken by an independent
day school. However, it isn’t about numbers. It is about boys and their
lives. Now we have achieved our goal, 100 boys from a wide range of
backgrounds and communities in Birmingham and beyond will receive a
life-changing education. I had such an education here 40 years ago and
it did that for me – and so many of my contemporaries.
“None of this would be possible without the remarkable support we have
received from our alumni and other supporters. Those donors give in
gratitude for the education which they received and to offer other boys the
chance they had. There are over 1,500 donors and over 30 alumni are
funding individual boys through the School, a remarkable commitment.
“King Edward’s School is now the most socially and ethnically diverse
independent school in this country and this campaign has been the best
and most important thing to happen to this school in the last 50 years.
As I leave after a decade as Chief Master, I am immensely proud of what
we have all done together and boys from this school will go on to do
great things for their communities, this city and this country. This really
is a wonderful achievement, but it is only a start and the drive for
accessibility will remain central to King Edward’s School in the future.”
The School celebrated the completion of the AP100 Campaign
with a special event on Saturday 11 June hosted by Lee Child, a
former pupil, one of the world’s bestselling authors and the creator of
Jack Reacher.
2 2 3 School news School news
A brief word from...
The Chief MasterThe school day runs officially from
8.45am to 4.00pm and you may notice
that almost nothing that you see
recorded in this publication occurs
during these official hours of play.
Since that is so, I want to use my final
200 words not to congratulate the boys
on all their wondrous achievements or to
tell you all what a wonderful school this
is, but to thank all the staff for making all
of this possible. Their service takes many
different forms at many different times.
There are those who, winter and summer,
rain or shine or intermittent drizzle,
set forth with sports teams. There are
those who give up their holidays and
abandon their families to take tours
and trips and expeditions, to the Arctic
Circle and the jungle and many places in
between. There are those who rehearse
for concerts and plays deep into the
evening and the weekend. There are
those who take boys to the theatre
and to the Model United Nations and
debating and to Schools’ Challenge
and Maths Challenge triumphs.
It does not have to be this way, but it is
the most precious thing that it is this way
and I’d like my final words to be thanks
to all the staff whose unfailing efforts fill
these pages term by term, year by year.
John Claughton Chief Master
The AP100 Campaign: reaching our target
Hampton Court bike ride On Wednesday, 4 May 2016 King Edward’s School officially opened the second phase of its First World War exhibition, originally opened in 2014, to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
The School’s Tolkien Lecture took place on
the same evening with a talk on the Battle
given by Sir Hew Strachan, the world’s most
eminent historian of the First World War. This
was preceded by the first showing of a film,
produced by two former pupils, on the life
and letters of Robert Quilter Gilson, who died
on the first day of the Battle. Robert Quilter
Gilson was the son of the Headmaster, Robert
Cary Gilson, and the closest friend of JRR
Tolkien, who also fought in the War.
Over 1,400 former pupils of King Edward’s
School served in the First World War and 245
lost their lives, 52 of which during the Somme
campaign of 1916. The new exhibition in
the School’s memorial chapel explores the
Somme campaign in greater detail and tells
the individual stories of former pupils who
fought and died in the campaign. Visitors are
Exhibition commemorates Battle of the Somme
E-safety seminar
June 2016 saw King Edward’s School achieve its AP100 fundraising target of £10m, a
full year ahead of schedule, enabling us to fund 100 Assisted Places for talented boys
from across the region in September 2017.
This is a truly historic milestone and testament to the vision of Chief Master John
Claughton, who launched the AP100 Campaign in 2014. In reaching this ambitious target,
the School is contributing to social mobility across the region, whilst ensuring that KES
boys are part of a diverse community reflective of the city in which the School is based.
A celebration event took place on 11 June in the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, in which
Old Edwardian and creator of the Jack Reacher books, Lee Child, spoke movingly of the
transformative impact Assisted Places can have on recipients.
The Development team would like to thank everyone who has supported the Campaign
to date, and looks forward to sharing further campaign updates as we look to sustain
this level of provision into the future.
Lindsey Mepham
On Sunday 6 June, a group of 13 boys, parents and teachers cycled from King Edward’s School to Hampton Court Palace in London, the birthplace of the School’s founder King Edward VI.
Setting off from Edgbaston at 6.15am, the cyclists rode in initially cool, but later hot and sunny,
weather through the Cotswolds and the Chilterns, past Heathrow Airport and then beside the
Thames to the picturesque grounds and ancient buildings of the Palace. Moreover, their efforts
generated sponsorship of over £1,600 for the charity Breast Cancer Now in memory of Lindsay
MacDonald, a former teacher at KES who died last year.
KDP
In June, over 40 teachers from more than 30 primary schools across Birmingham attended an e-safety seminar at King Edward’s School.
E-Safety Coordinator, Chris Boardman,
passed on his experience on a wide
variety of issues including how to
educate primary-aged children and their
parents about online safety, and how to
manage internet usage in the primary
school environment. Delegates were also
given a talk by Henry Platten, founder of
eCadets and winner of a Nominet Award
for ‘Making the Internet a Safer Place’.
It was a pleasure to host a forum where
primary and secondary educators could
learn from each other and share best
practice on such a rapidly evolving
educational topic. Those who attended
went away with new ideas and an
increased knowledge and understanding
of the area, including the organisers!
LAR
also able to browse through biographies for
each of the 245 pupils who died in the First
World War, and whose names are listed on
bronze memorial plaques within the chapel,
via a virtual roll of honour.
The exhibition is open to the public on
Friday afternoons and is free to attend
but visitors must register in advance at:
www.kes.org.uk/great-war-exhibition.
4 4 5 School newsSchool news
The following Old Edwardians all lost their lives between 1 May and 31 August 1916. The onset of the Somme offensive on 1 July 1916 saw the death toll rise at an alarming rate, with 11 Old Edwardians dying on the first day of the battle alone. The space here is too short to be able to tell all that we know about the lives of these young men but more can be read at the second phase of our exhibition in the School Chapel.
Captain Alexander Basil Crawford.
Killed in the line by shell burst on 10 May
1916, aged 24. Crawford played first class
cricket, representing Warwickshire and
Nottinghamshire before war broke out.
Lieutenant Commander Granville Murray-
Browne. Killed at the Battle of Jutland, his
ship being sunk by the Von der Tann, on
31 May 1916, aged 31.
Lieutenant John Colin Larkins. Killed,
alongside six other men, whilst sheltering in
a dugout in Arras when it was hit by an
11-inch armour-piercing shell on 4 June 1916,
aged 22.
Second Lieutenant Frank Dudley Evans.
Killed in a flying accident while working
towards his Wings on 9 June 1916, aged 18.
Lieutenant Ralph Adams. Last seen leading
his men into the third enemy trench on
1 July 1916, aged 23. In January 1916 he was
awarded the Military Cross and in September
1916, he was awarded a bar to his MC.
Lieutenant Trevor Arthur Manning Davies.
Killed when acting as artillery liaison to the
advancing infantry on 1 July 1916, aged
23. As with so many Forward Observation
Officers, Trevor was killed while attempting to
relay information back to his guns. His body
was never found.
Second Lieutenant Frank Aldridge Fawcett.
Missing in action during an attack with his
Regiment near Gommecourt on 1 July 1916,
aged 19. After a short spell in Egypt, Frank
went to France with his unit where he worked
as a battalion Bombing Officer.
Commemorating our war deadLieutenant Harold Egbert Foizey. Killed in
action on 1 July 1916, aged 31. After service
in Egypt and Flanders, Harold was deployed
to France as a Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Robert Quilter Gilson. Fatally
wounded whilst leading his men out of the
trenches on 1 July 1916, aged 22. Rob, son
of the Headmaster of King Edward’s School,
Robert Cary Gilson, was an undergraduate
at Trinity College, Cambridge, when war
broke out.
Lance Corporal Keith Forster Graham.
Killed at Gommecourt on the Somme on
1 July 1916, aged 26. Keith’s body was
never recovered from the battlefield.
Second Lieutenant Cyril Vernon Hadley.
Killed at Albert on 1 July 1916, aged 20.
Cyril’s three Old Edwardian brothers, Edgar,
Edward and Geoffrey, all served in and
survived the war.
Second Lieutenant Hubert Franklin
Madders. Killed on 1 July 1916, aged 35.
Second Lieutenant Reginald Vincent Rose.
Killed leading his men into battle on 1 July
1916, aged 19.
Second Lieutenant William Worthington
Sanby. Killed attacking La Boisselle on 1 July
1916, aged 21.
Second Lieutenant Cyril James Tart. Killed
by a shell in an attack on the German line on
1 July 1916, aged 26.
Captain Ferdinand Eglington. Killed by a
bullet when cutting through German barbed
wire at Gommecourt on 2 July 1916, aged
31. Ferrie was wounded in 1915, receiving
shrapnel to his head, and again in 1916 prior
to being killed on the Somme.
Platoon Commander Alec John Partridge.
Killed on 3 July 1916, aged 23. After leaving
School, Alec had intended to take up Holy
Orders but instead applied for a commission
on 12 July 1915.
Captain Henry Lynn Shaw. Killed while
leading his men into action at La Boisselle on
3 July 1916, aged 44. After leaving School,
Henry worked for his family’s firm, Henry
Shaw & Sons, a nail and chain manufacturer,
eventually becoming the senior partner.
Second Lieutenant Albert Theodore Vardy.
Killed at Mametz Wood while helping a
wounded officer of his own battalion on
4 July 1916, aged 27. Albert was the son
of Reverend AR Vardy, Headmaster of King
Edward’s School, 1872-1900.
Private Felix Desmond Macswiney.
Wounded in the left shoulder by enemy
machine-gun fire on 3 July 1916, and died
three days later, aged 22. Felix’s brother,
Denis (OE and School Captain, 1909-10)
served with the Royal Air Force as a Second
Lieutenant during the war.
Lance Corporal Frederick Cecil Franklin.
Killed in a raid for which he had volunteered
on the Somme on 10 July 1916, aged 18. His
childhood sweetheart, Elsie, was devastated
by his death. She married after the war, but
kept a photograph of Cecil on her sideboard
until she died in old age.
Second Lieutenant Isador David Marks.
Killed on 10 July 1916, aged 20. His brother,
Cecil (OE), served with the Royal Marine
Artillery and survived the war.
Acting Captain Cornelius Vincent Suckling.
Killed during an attack on Ovillers-la-Boisselle
on 17 July 1916, aged 32. After leaving KES,
he became a solicitor and later partner at
Robinson and Suckling Solicitors, London.
Captain Thomas Sidney Wathes. Killed
while leading his men close to the enemy
trenches on 19 July 1916, aged 28. Thomas
served alongside his brother, Captain Charles
Wathes (OE), who survived the war.
Lance Corporal Frederick Cecil Franklin
Second Lieutenant Frederic Clifford Alabaster
Captain Ferdinand Eglington
Private Leigh Streetley Latham Butler.
Killed in action on 21 July 1916, aged 18. At
just 16, Leigh enlisted with the 1st Birmingham
Pals Battalion on the outbreak of war. His
brother Clifford, also an OE, served in and
survived the war.
Private Frank Isaac Jonas. Killed at Ypres
on 21 July 1916, aged 23. Frank worked as a
precious stone dealer in the Jewellery Quarter
before enlisting in the 26th Royal Fusiliers.
Lance Corporal Brian Christopher Power.
Reported missing, presumed killed, on
21 July 1916, aged 20.
Flying Officer Rowland Murray Wilson-
Browne. Wounded during a bombing raid
and captured by the Germans, dying at a
German dressing station on 21 July 1916,
aged 19.
Corporal Noel Edward Jones. Declared
missing, presumed killed, on 22 July 1916,
aged 24. Noel’s younger Old Edwardian
brother, Maximillius, served with the Royal
Fusiliers and survived the war.
Lieutenant Jeffrey Wentworth Lythgoe.
Killed on the Somme by machine-gun fire,
alongside almost 500 men from his battalion,
on 22 July 1916, aged 26.
Lieutenant Ralph Stewart Payton. Killed
leading his men into action on 22 July 1916,
aged 22. Ralph’s older brothers Wilfrid (OE,
School Captain and member of JRR Tolkien’s
circle of friends) and William both survived
the war.
Private Robert Cecil Treglown. Killed
in action on 22 or 23 July 2016, aged 29.
Robert’s body was never recovered.
Private Sydney Anderton. Reported missing,
presumed killed, on 23 July 1916, aged 24.
Sydney’s body was never recovered.
Private Percy Groves Dingley. Killed in
action on 23 July 1916, aged 25. Percy joined
the 1st Birmingham Pals Battalion in 1914
after undergoing an operation in a private
hospital to ‘fit him for public acceptance’.
His only brother, Alan, was wounded in
the conflict.
Private Harold Wheale Garratt. Killed on the
Somme on 23 July 1916, aged 20.
Private William Leslie Onions. Reported
missing at the Battle of the Somme on 23 July
1916, although his death was not confirmed
officially until December of the same year,
aged 22. William’s body was never recovered.
Private William Ernest Stubbs. Reported
missing, presumed killed, on 23 July 1916,
aged 20. William enlisted in 1914 and spent
his entire military career in France.
Second Lieutenant Arthur Poynting. Killed
in action near Pozières, France, on 25 July
1916, aged 34.
Captain William Evelyn Wansbrough. Killed
by a shell on 28 July 1916, aged 22. Evelyn
was wounded at the Battle of the Aisne on
11 October 1914 and returned to England,
where on 31 December 1914 he married his
sweetheart, Gladys. Gladys was in the last
months of pregnancy when her husband’s
death was reported, and their son, also
named William Evelyn, was born on
11 October 1916.
Private Howard John Hutchinson. Killed in
France at High Wood, a site of particularly
intense fighting during the Somme Offensive,
on 30 July 1916, aged 20.
Private Arthur Edgar Johnson. Killed in
the first wave of the attack on Delville Wood,
on 30 July 1916, aged 30. Prior to the war,
Arthur was Director of JB Brooks Ltd, a
leather goods business which, to this day,
manufactures leather bicycle saddles
and accessories.
Private Frank Joseph Dalton Warwood.
Killed at Delville Wood on 30 July 1916, aged
24. Frank’s body was never recovered.
Private Horace John Walker. Died from
wounds he sustained on 4 August 1916,
aged 20.
Private Beryl James Pretious. Killed at
Pozières on 22 August 1916 after being
wounded by a bullet through the head and
then being buried by a shell, aged 30.
Second Lieutenant Randolph Russell
Lawrence. Killed at Delville Wood on the
Somme on 24 August 1916, aged 21.
Second Lieutenant Frederic Clifford
Alabaster. Severely wounded at Hébuterne
on 25 June 1916 and died of his wounds in
London on 25 August 1916, aged 29. Clifford
was one of five Old Edwardian brothers to
serve in the Great War, the rest of whom
survived. The family jewellery firm, Alabaster
& Wilson Ltd., is still a thriving business in
Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
Second Lieutenant Malcolm Keys. Severely
wounded in action at Thiepval on 29 August
1916, and died the following day, aged 20.
Keys left school in 1912, and emigrated to
Australia where he entered Hawkesbury
Agricultural College, Sydney. On the outbreak
of war, he returned to Britain and obtained a
commission as Second Lieutenant with the
10th Border Regiment in October 1915.
AW
6 6 7
An incredibly strong and proud performance was given by the
two teams that were entered into the Biology Big Quiz 2016 at the
University of Birmingham in March.
Rayan Kamal, Raunak Jain, Arun Ramanathan and Rohit Kale were
the winning team outcompeting 57 teams from approximately 40
Birmingham schools (including King Edward’s Five Ways, Camp Hill
and Aston). They did exceptionally well, especially as a number of the
questions were about GCSE topics that these Year 10 boys had not yet
covered at school.
Neelesh Prasad, Anyi Wang, Ashrit Chohan and Yifei Chen came in at
third place and received a Spot Question Prize for working out how
many nucleotides fit into a bacterial chromosome.
It is the second year in a row a team from KES has won this event, so
we are now officially the team to beat.
HAF
Academic news
Biology Big Quiz
Academic news
Study Overseas Fair
Over the last two years KES Mentoring Society has gone from
strength to strength, and is now the largest society in the School,
with over 107 Senior mentors working with boys from Shells
to Fifths.
Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes, boys gather in
the Study Centre to participate in mentoring. Younger boys, known as
‘mentees’, are paired up with a mentor from the Sixth Form, usually
in an academic subject they would like additional help with, but
sometimes to help provide advice on organisation or other aspects of
school life. The pair, mentor and mentee, then spend the lunchtime
going over topics of their choice on a one-to-one basis.
I myself benefited hugely from mentoring in Latin when I was in Upper
Middles, and this was one of the main reasons why, upon entering the
Sixth Form, I decided to become a mentor in Physics. I hope all the
mentees who have benefited from a mentor this year return the favour
to younger boys when they enter the Sixth Form, and choose to
become mentors.
The Society would not be possible without the help and support
provided by Mr James, and I, along with all the younger boys who have
received help from Sixth Formers, would like to thank him for all the
time he devotes to it.
Elliot Barber
Mentoring Society
Junior Schools’ Challenge
Dr Amann, in collaboration with The Student World, held the
inaugural Study Overseas Fair, in Big School in March 2016.
The fair was a resounding success with over 200 parents and
pupils attending as well as delegates from universities in Europe,
America, Canada and Japan. Studying abroad is starting to
become a more popular option and this year we have had two
successful applications to the prestigious Columbia University in
the USA, with one candidate gaining a substantial scholarship.
Any boys wishing to study abroad should start the process early
(Year 12) and can be guided and helped by Ms Ferguson and
Dr Amann.
HAF
Physics OlympiadCongratulations to all KES students who took part in
The British Physics Olympiad and Challenge competitions
this year.
Nathen Chung achieved Gold in the Olympiad and Edwin Bahrami
Balani, Jules Desai and Lucas McCollum were awarded Silver.
There was Gold for Toby Jowitt in the AS Challenge and Silver for
Lokesh Jain. In the GCSE Challenge, Daniel Yue was awarded
Gold and Miles McCollum, Dougie Dolleymore, Gabriel Wong and
Aydin Hodala all achieved Silver.
DLT
After our victory against KEHS in the Regional Round, we progressed
to the confusingly-named Semi-Inter Regional Round where we played
The King’s High School for Girls, scooping up a 600-point win thanks to
our quick buzzing and team conferring on the bonuses.
Then at the start of the summer term, we were faced with the Inter-Regional
stage. We knew success here would lead us to Hereford Cathedral School
and the National Finals, however no such thing happened; instead I
endured the most tense, horrifying and mentally-challenging half an hour
of my young life!
We began badly; the professional and efficient Nottingham High School
boys managed to secure a 100-point lead. Then, through frantic buzzing,
we caught them up and managed to overtake them, to lead by an
impressive 200 points. We were within minutes of the end and surely victory
was ours, but how wrong could I be? In the space of a few soul-destroying
questions, we managed to accidentally lean on a buzzer, forget what Baa
Baa Black Sheep produced and where composer Sibelius was born and,
as a consequence, the opposition were able to snatch victory by just 20
points; 580-560. Who wants to go to Hereford anyway, that’s what I say.
Tom Allen and CRB(L-R) Ben Wharton, Nahom Lemma, Tom Allen and George Roberts
(L-R) Rayan Kamal, Rohit Kale, Raunak Jain and Arun Ramanathan
8 9 8 Performing artsPerforming arts
The Pied Piper of Hamelin and The Last Resort
600 children sing in harmony for Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Summer Concert
This year has seen opportunities for each of the lunchtime Drama Clubs to perform to their parents and friends – the final two showcases for KES talent stormed to the Ruddock Hall stage in April; no other space was big enough for the cast, their audience of adoring fans, or the exuberant talent on display.
The Removes (along with the L4 from KEHS) presented a mashed
up version of the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin. The Brothers
Grimm met contemporary playwright Martin McDonagh with
disturbing and entertaining results.
The UMs and Fourths (with the U4 and L5 from KEHS) showed us a
typical day at the English seaside in Chris Owen’s hilarious The Last
Resort. Contrasting families, the groups of lads and lasses, and the
joys of donkey rides and murderous old ladies were vibrantly
brought to life.
As with all of the Drama Club performances we’ve seen this year,
both casts threw themselves into their shows with real passion,
energy and commitment. The work of these weekly Drama Clubs
is invaluable in developing and nurturing boys’ talent, and building
confidence in presenting themselves. Many congratulations to all
who have been involved this year!
MJB
As part of our Outreach Programme, over 600 children from primary schools across the city sang together in a special concert to raise funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
The children, who are from 16 primary schools, were accompanied by
the KES and KEHS Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Romany
Wood at Birmingham Symphony Hall on Friday, 24 June 2016.
Romany Wood is a 45-minute musical for children’s voices, narrator and
orchestra, and is aimed at introducing classical music to young people.
Over 120 rehearsals took place across the city, and for many of the
children involved it was their first opportunity to take part in such a
large concert.
The narrator for Romany Wood was the Chief Master, John Claughton.
The concert was a fitting tribute to John, whose commitment to
accessibility over his decade at the School has had a significant impact
on both the School and education in the region.
On 25 April, all of the two schools’ ensembles performed in Symphony Hall. With the repertoire including works by Lauridsen, Karl Jenkins, and Beethoven it was an evening of variety and excitement.
Highlights included the return of Old Edwardians Joe Thompson, as
soloist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Adam Phillips, and Roberto
Ruisi, soloists in Bach’s Concerto for Violin and Oboe. The KES and
KEHS Symphony Orchestra ended a memorable evening with Danzón
No.2 by Márquez.
MDL
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
The Last Resort
10 11 Extra-curricularExtra-curricular
The School has a big trebuchet; actually we have a lot of
trebuchets but just one big one.
English Heritage loves it as it has an enviable reputation for
accuracy and reliability. If they want to shoot a flaming projectile
80 yards over the 30-foot high castle wall and land it within six
feet of the dustbin in the corner of the keep, then they ask us. Its
accuracy can be attributed to the axles and bearings machined
by Ron Gardner in the Design Department workshops.
All flesh is grass and after seven years of busy besieging, it
needed refurbishing. As part of her Arkwright Scholarship
application, Cerian Jones (KEHS), with the help of Richard
Simpson, our resident consulting engineer and former KES
mathematician, redesigned the arm to increase its efficiency,
both lightening and lengthening it. The arm is made from a
single piece of ash fitted out by Rick and the guys at
Traditional Oak Carpentry.
After a lot of work by members of the group – especially Tim
Jones and Marcus Howl, sanding, painting, removing and
refurbishing the metalwork, counterweight bucket, frames and
rope work – we have a machine which is easier to assemble and
has a performance that is about 25% better. Whether we ought to
have a trebuchet and whether we ought to be shooting cabbages
at other people’s castles is a moot point but for the moment let it
hurl, let it hurl, let it hurl. It probably explains why we have £30m
of public liability insurance.
JPD
It’s a truism in re-enactment circles that you can wait for an
event for months and then three – or in our case four, five or
six – come along at once.
Although depleted numerically by exams, we have managed to
besiege Chepstow and Prudhoe castles and garrison Tretower
Court and Castle already this term. We still have to shock and
awe the massive audience at Tatton Park’s Medieval Fayre with
our firepower demonstration and then attend the International
Medieval Congress at University of Leeds, where we will
be the only re-enactment group entertaining and educating
medievalists from around the world. After the end of term, the
Outreach Summer School will be experiencing the sound and
fury of some of our more exotic hardware and, last but not least,
after besieging Dover Castle, we will be spending a fortnight in
Denmark, working at The Medieval Centre for the fifth and very
(very) definitely the last time.
As the only outfit in either of the two schools that specifically and
almost exclusively works with (thousands upon thousands of) the
general public, it is nice to receive unsolicited testimonials from
satisfied customers. This was sent to the Chief Master recently:
“I met your Living History pupils at Tretower this weekend, and
I cannot tell you how impressed I was with them. …All of your
pupils were a pleasure to speak to – it was fabulous to see their
love for the period and their incredible knowledge.
“These pupils…are an absolute credit to the school. I hope that
when my daughter gets to that age she can talk with such ease
and confidence with strangers.”
In 2017, if they are to carry on, the boys and girls will need a
new leader – any takers?
JPD
We have had numerous guest speakers
this year who have allowed pupils
glimpses into their world of work and
educated them on possible career paths in
a wide range of areas.
Highlights have been a visit from two Old
Edwardian (OE) entrepreneurs George Grant
and Paul Delamere, who are now running
their own brewing company, ShinDigger
Brewing Co., an incredibly popular talk which
filled Big School from OE Peter Tyrer on the
‘Parity of Self-Esteem for Mental Health’, OE
Andrew Mendoza who educated us on ‘Start-
ups, consultancy and the new economy’
and parent Dr Mark Velangi, a Consultant at
Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
If you would be interested in volunteering
to give a career talk, or know of anyone
who would be, contact Ms Ferguson at:
haf@kes.org.uk.
HAF
Between January and March, 14 Shell
and Rem Bookworms challenged
themselves to read all six books
shortlisted for the Warwickshire
Secondary Book Award 2016.
The books were an eclectic mix of the
very best children’s books published in the
previous year and created much discussion
at the regular Bookworm meetings. At the
beginning of March, the Bookworms had
11 10
The customer is always right?
Let it hurl, let it hurl, let it hurl!
Careers Club
Bookworms on tour
the difficult task of choosing and voting for
their favourite three. The votes were collated
and sent off to Warwickshire Schools Library
Service to be combined with the votes from
all the other schools taking part.
On 14 March we took the Worms on tour, as
we headed off to the Bridge House Theatre in
Warwick for the results ceremony, where the
ultimate winner of this prestigious award was
to be announced. We were spoiled in that all
Small boy, big key, massive door – Chepstow 2016
Paul Delamere and George Grant of ShinDigger Brewing Co.
six authors were present and each spoke
about themselves and their writing. The
KES vote winner was for Close to the Wind
by Jon Walter, but it was Sarah Crossan’s
Apple and Rain that came out on top
overall. The Worms had the chance to then
meet the authors in person and get copies
of their own books signed.
KAFB
12 13 TripsTrips
Spanish exchange to Mallorca
13 12
It can come as a shock to learn that there are schools where the pupils work harder than those at KES.
At Institut d’Educació Secundària Son Pacs,
on the island of Mallorca, the senior pupils
prepare for both the IB and the Spanish
Bachillerato at the same time. The school
shares our vision of creating ‘a better and
more peaceful world through intercultural
understanding and respect’. That’s what
school exchanges are about; not just a
chance to practise hard-won language skills
but to live and breathe a different culture for
a few days and perhaps start to understand it
from the inside. When your hosts are as warm
as ours at Son Pacs, there is also the sense
of being welcomed into a family.
So it was that a group of Divisions and their
teachers touched down in Palma on Sunday
20 March at the start of a week rich in
discovery, hospitality and linguistic challenge.
We studied history, poetry and philosophy
and learned how to make ‘pa amb oli’. We
toured the highlights of the capital on foot;
were welcomed into the house of the poet
Robert Graves by his son and composed
Spanish verse at the great man’s tomb in
Deia churchyard; and explored picturesque
Valldemossa. We discovered that, after all
that study, we really could speak Spanish
well enough to negotiate daily life and to
relax with friends.
More than just the icing on the cake of the
IB Spanish course, a trip like this sows the
seeds of confidence, creates opportunities
and hints at possibilities. If you get the
chance to go, take it!
DJA
Staff hillwalking
GCSE Science Live
Divisions’ German work experience exchange to Lampertheim
One weekend, at the beginning of the summer term, a group of teachers travelled to the Lake District for the third annual staff hillwalking trip.
We decided to tackle England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, on the first day and, despite
the long walk in and the almost never-ending ups and downs, we reached the summit in cheerful
mood and were rewarded with clear skies and exceptional views of the whole of the Lakeland
panorama. James Butler cooled off with a display of back stroke and butterfly in the freezing
waters of Angle Tarn during the descent, and then we all settled into a lovely pub for an
evening meal.
The following day we climbed a couple of the Langdale Pikes, including Pavey Ark, via an
impressive and airy scramble called Jack’s Rake, before heading home in the minibus, tired
but very happy.
IJC
A group of 40 Upper Middles visited the Symphony Hall in Birmingham for a day of lectures on topics ranging from embryology to time travel.
The enthusiastic and expert speakers on the day included Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Professor
Alice Roberts, Professor Andrea Sella, Dr Simon Singh and Professor Robert Winston.
DLT
At the end of March, five brave Divisions boys set off to Germany with me. Brave, because not only were they going to take part in an exchange, but more importantly, they were also going to attend a work experience placement.
The placements ranged across a variety of
industries: Tim Jones worked in a tool design
and manufacturing business, James Bell
learned about the ins and outs of working
on a large farm and Ashley Smith gained an
insight into a debt collection company. In
addition, Will Handy experienced a variety of
departments in a large logistics and business
consulting company and Gabriel Yoong
worked with DNA samples in a microvascular
biology research laboratory.
Our host families were most accommodating
and I am sure potential life-long friendships
have been formed. Dinner at an Italian
restaurant gave everyone the chance to catch
up halfway through the week, some of the
boys got a taster of how German teenagers
celebrate birthdays, and some were shown
the picturesque town of Heidelberg by their
exchange partners.
Overall, we all had a fantastic week, and are
very much looking forward to welcoming our
German exchange partners in Birmingham at
the end of June.
AXH
14 15 15 14 14 Sport
Fourths German exchange to DorstenOn Monday 6 June, a group of six boys from the Fourths embarked on a journey to Dorsten, to meet their German exchange partners.
Monday evening was spent sampling German food with their host
families, while on Tuesday, we visited Münster, where the KES
boys explored the city by means of a GPS treasure hunt. They
were delighted to discover that their treasure chest contained a
multitude of German sweets, which would last us for days. The
following day was spent with our German exchange partners at
the local theme park, which provided the pupils with a valuable
opportunity to learn more about each other and bond further.
On Thursday, the boys experienced half a school day in the
St.-Ursula-Gymnasium where the teachers made good use of
them in their English lessons. Our boys were a particular favourite
with the Year 5 class. After a quick lunch, we made our way to the
Veltins-Arena (home to football club Schalke 04) where we enjoyed
a guided tour and some free time in the Schalke museum and
shop. In the evening there was a barbecue for all, kindly hosted
by Familie Vienenkötter, where the boys introduced the German
pupils to rugby.
On Friday it was time to make our way back to the UK, but
not before spending a couple of fun-filled hours at the local
water park.
We could not have had a better time in Germany and this year
a particularly strong friendship formed which I hope will last for
many years.
AXH
Berlin
“I am surprised that you are four minutes late for our meeting at the appointed time and place”, said our obsessively punctual guide at the Olympic Stadium.
We urgently scrambled to the appropriate meeting place before we
lost any more time or incurred further wrath from the ruthless efficiency
of German officialdom. We needn’t have worried: Tim proved to be
a marvellously informative, witty and hilarious guide, gently mocking
typical Teutonic stereotypes with wonderful irony.
By coincidence, our guide at the House of the Wannsee Conference
was also a Tim. There was none of the sardonic humour, but a passion
and sincerity befitting the place where the Nazi hierarchy set the
Holocaust in motion. We spent a serious, thought-provoking and
fascinating afternoon in his company, just as a dramatic thunder storm
broke in momentous fashion over this tragic setting.
At the Stasi Prison, we were disappointed to be guided by a Jan, not a
Tim. A Dane, as it turned out, with more than just a touch of the Viking
about him. He vividly brought to life the ingenious psychological torture
that the wretched prisoners of the Communist regime had to endure.
Similarly daunting was our visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp;
a place that carried a deep impact for our increasingly shocked and
silent boys.
All this and so very much more as we walked many miles through the
streets of Berlin, sustained by a steady supply of strawberries and
chocolate. We saw Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz in the pouring
rain, found Engels and Marx, and traced the ghosts of the Third Reich.
The Berlin Wall loomed large, Imperial palaces rose from the ashes and,
of course, we caught frequent, fleeting glimpses of the Siegesäulle.
Once experienced, never forgotten; we will return to Berlin. But next
time, we will try to be on time.
EJM
Getting active with OutreachOutreach launched the first Primary Teachers Netball Training day in May, which was attended by schools from the Midlands and beyond. Run by Sophie Masterson at KEHS, the course kept teachers moving to get first-hand experience of how to teach netball in their schools.
We also ran a similar successful cricket course for the second time. On a sunny day in May,
teachers got into the swing of the game and were given plenty of batting and bowling ideas
to take back to their children.
These courses are invaluable for sharing our incredible facilities and expertise in sport and we
hope to do more of these in the future.
SPD
KES again entered five teams into the Birmingham and District Junior Chess League this year and all teams played very well throughout the season.
The first team won Division 1, whilst the
second and third teams both played up a
Division, having won their respective leagues
in the previous season. Against stronger
opposition, they both raised their game to
finish runners-up in Divisions 2 and 3. The
U12 Shells team also won their league and
showed great promise for the future.
Additionally, KES won the members’ trophy at
the U14 Rapidplay tournament held at Queen
Mary’s Grammar School in March. Well done
to everyone who took part in chess this year.
DLT
Chess League results
As a latecomer to the Great Britain U19 Water Polo Squad, I was overjoyed to hear that I had been selected to represent GB at the European Games Qualifying round in Antalya, Turkey.
Having previously been involved with the U18 Squad but denied international experience as the result
of a knee operation, I now had my first opportunity to play on an international stage. Standing in front
of a crowd singing the national anthem arm-in-arm with my teammates, who have supported and
pushed me over the past year, will no doubt be a memory that will stay with me forever.
We faced tough opposition in our group: Montenegro, Turkey and Belgium. In order to qualify for the
next stage of the competition, we needed to beat two teams. Unfortunately, we did not qualify, losing
to Montenegro and narrowly to Turkey, but we travelled home on the back of a win against Belgium
with high spirits.
I hope to take the momentum of my training with the U19 directly into the next stage of my career with
the U17 GB Squad.
Matt Madden
U19 Water Polo
16 Sport
King Edward’s School, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2UA Tel: 0121 472 1672 Email: office@kes.org.uk @KESBham /KESBham
Registered Charity No. 529051
www.kes.org.uk www.kes.org.uk
KING EDWARD’S SCHOOL
B I R M I N G H A M
16
Congratulations to the U16 hockey team on gaining the runners-up spot in the England Hockey National Finals.
The team won their group stage in the
National Finals held at the Olympic Park
on Thursday, 21 April 2016. They went on
to play Repton in the final and lost 3-0 to
come runners-up.
Josh Dowdeswell has been selected for the Warwickshire U18 Squad for the 2016/17 season. This is a great achievement and a refreshing reminder that the channels to gaining representative rugby honours are not solely limited to academy selection.
Josh, a combative back rower, had been
selected for the Warwickshire Rugby
Development Training Squad in April and
subsequently made it through trials and
training games until the main playing squad
was whittled down. Having got this far he has
also been selected for next year’s squad and
is looking forward to the considerable training
U16 hockey team are National Runners-up
Divs pupil selected for Warwickshire U18 Squad
commitment over the summer period that is
part of the criteria for squad membership.
This achievement deserves our
congratulations and I look forward to
seeing Josh progress further throughout
next season.
GPB