A Level, AS and BTEC Results Day
On Friday evening we hosted one of our major set piece musical events, the Summer Concert, and it was a truly wonderful occasion, as well as an emotional one for many of our leavers (and their parents!). As ever, the range on offer was as exceptional as the quality, and it was also highly promising to see so many talented performers from the 3rd and 4th Form, showing that we have a strong pipeline of musicians coming through the school. While we have our Leavers' Concert on Monday evening, for those pupils leaving at the end of this year it was the last time they would be performing in a 'full' concert alongside all of the school's musicians, and as such emotions ran high at the end of the night. As Xander and Lottie, more than ably supported by the fantastic Big Band, brought the evening to an end with rousing versions of 'My Way' and 'Is you is or is you ain't my baby', the tears began to flow, as pupils and parents alike were swept along by the significance of the occasion. More than one parent afterwards spoke to me of how the evening had led them to think back to their child's first ever concert, and of their pride at how that nervous 5-year-old had turned into the impressive young adult we had just watched perform. It is hard not to be moved when you put things in those terms. My huge thanks, and congratulations go to all of those who performed, as well as to Mr Marshfield and all of the staff who supported, and played, on the evening itself. The Leavers' concert starts at 8.00pm on Monday evening, in the Hauser & Wirth Recital Hall, and you are all warmly invited to attend.
We have a busy week ahead of us, too. As well as the trips and activities, and the end-of-year set piece events, this is also the time when we say goodbye to those staff leaving us, as well as host the first formal welcome day for those joining King's in September. It is important that we do each of those things well. The staff at King's, support and teaching alike, are hugely dedicated to the school, and the pupils, and we simply wouldn't be able to provide the quality of education that we do - both in the class and outside - if it weren't for them. We will be saying goodbye to some of these staff over the course of the next week, and I hope that they know that the thanks we offer them, and the gratitude, is genuine. We will also be starting the induction process for the new staff joining the school, and as well as the 'important but not very exciting' information on systems, timetables and the like, I hope that these staff will come away from their day feeling excited: excited to be joining a warm, supportive and happy community, and one with wonderful pupils and staff, but also to be joining a school that feels it has energy, and purpose. I think we have all of those in abundance, and I am looking forward to welcoming new these new members of staff next week.
I am sure a good number of you will be coming to Prize Giving next Saturday, and I look forward to seeing you then. If the forecast is right it promises to be a warm one! Parents are invited to drinks in Boarding Houses from 12.15pm, and to picnic in the grounds after. The presentation of Governors Prizes begins at 2pm (with a request that everyone is seated by 1.50pm). Tea is then served on the Paddock lawn straight after the prizes, followed by the Upper 6th Leavers' Ball in the evening. It is shaping up to be a super end of term, with the backdrop of some excellent weather, and I look forward to sharing it with you.
Finally, a reminder that there will be no newsletter next weekend, as it will be replaced by my usual end-of-term letter.
Headmaster
