1

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