Mr Showell's Reflections
The unavoidable gift of Change. Change is woven into the fabric of our lives. It comes in countless forms—subtle and dramatic, expected and sudden. For young people in particular, change can feel like a constant companion: shifting friendships, academic pressures, growing independence, identity formation and the transition into adulthood. These are not small adjustments; they are defining moments that shape who we become. Yet change is not always welcomed. For many, it is something to be feared. The unknown can feel unsettling, even overwhelming. There is comfort in what is familiar—in routines, in relationships, in places that feel safe. When these things are disrupted, it can provoke anxiety and uncertainty. At the same time, others learn to embrace change, seeing it as an opportunity for growth, discovery, and renewal. Both responses are deeply human and most of us move between these two states throughout our lives. One of the most challenging truths about change is this: it often arrives without warning. A conversation, an outcome, a decision, or an unforeseen event can alter the course of our lives in an instant. We rarely feel fully prepared. And yet, even in those moments, I believe something deeply important: everything happens for a reason. Even the changes we resist - the ones we didn’t ask for, don’t understand, or wish we could undo — carry meaning. They can shape us, strengthen us, and sometimes redirect us toward something we could not have imagined. Nowhere is the impact of change felt more deeply than within families. Family life is a place of love, security and connection, but it is also a place where change can be particularly painful. Separation, conflict, loss, or shifting relationships can leave lasting marks. These experiences can be heartbreaking for all involved, especially for young people trying to make sense of it all. And yet, even in these moments, there is a thread of hope. As expressed so memorably in Mrs. Doubtfire, families may not always look the same as they once did, but love does not disappear. It adapts, it remains and it finds new ways to be present, even when circumstances change. Amid all this uncertainty, there is one profound truth for those of faith: God does not change. In a world that feels constantly in motion, where everything can seem fragile or temporary, the love of God remains steadfast. It does not shift with circumstances or falter under pressure. No matter what it may look like from our perspective, God’s presence is constant. Jesus himself acknowledged the reality of life’s challenges when he said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” These words do not promise an easy path, free from change or hardship. Instead, they offer reassurance that we do not face these things alone. Jesus stands as a constant, unchanging in his grace, unwavering in his love. His presence provides a foundation that is secure, even when everything else feels uncertain. His grace, too, is unchanging. It does not depend on our success, our strength, or our ability to navigate change perfectly. It is given freely, consistently and without condition. In a world where so much shifts and fluctuates, that kind of steadfastness is a powerful source of comfort. As we reflect on change, we turn our thoughts to our Upper Sixth leavers. You stand on the edge of a significant transition, coming to the end of your A Level examinations and preparing to step into the next chapter of your lives. Whether your path leads to university, work, or further training, this moment marks a profound and exciting change. It may feel daunting. It may feel exhilarating. It will almost certainly feel like both. As you leave KC and move forward, carry with you the knowledge that change, though sometimes difficult, is also full of possibility. Trust that even the uncertain steps have purpose. Remember that you are not alone and that there is a constant — unwavering love and grace - that goes with you wherever you go. We wish you all the very best in this next stage of your journey. As we reflect and consider what change looks like for us personally at this time, let's try to face change with courage, embrace it with hope and walk confidently into all that lies ahead. Wishing you a relaxing weekend.
A thought on school uniform
As a school community, we all want the same outcome for our students: for them to feel confident, comfortable and able to focus fully on their learning and activities. Uniform plays an important role in creating that environment—but it’s worth reflecting on how small details can have a big impact. One such detail is skirt length. While style and personal preference can influence how a uniform is worn, shorter skirt lengths often bring unintended challenges. Many girls report feeling continuously conscious of how they move—whether they’re walking down a corridor, sitting in a classroom, or participating in school activities. Instead of feeling at ease, they may find themselves adjusting their clothing or worrying about how it looks, which can be distracting. This constant awareness, even if subtle, can take attention away from what truly matters: engaging in lessons, contributing ideas and enjoying school life. Confidence doesn’t just come from looking smart—it comes from feeling secure and comfortable in your environment. For parents, this is an opportunity to support and guide. Talking openly about uniform expectations, comfort and practicality can help students make choices that allow them to feel relaxed throughout the school day. For students, it’s about recognising that uniform is there to support you, not distract you. Choosing an appropriate length isn’t about restricting individuality—it’s about helping you move freely, sit comfortably and concentrate fully on the experiences and opportunities around you. By working together, we can help ensure that school remains a place where every student feels at ease, confident and ready to focus on what really matters: learning, growing and enjoying their time as part of the community.
Sport News
Athletics Club
It has been a busy week for our Athletics teams. On Thursday, our junior and inter girl’s athletics squads competed in the regional final for the track and field cups. Despite the rainy conditions, our students did incredibly well! Earlier today, our athletics teams from Years 5 – 8 travelled to Ashford to compete in the Kent Schools IPS Athletics Championships. The athletes have been giving their all on the track and in the field and we look forward to hearing how they got on. Well done to everyone who represented the school!
Cricket News
The U-10 and U-11’s had cricket matches against St Michaels on Wednesday. The U-11 A team had a close match unfortunately loosing by 26 runs. A special mention to Megan, who took 3 wickets during the match! The girls worked really hard as a team! The U-11 C team had an exciting away match! KC batted first and scored 300 with no-one losing their wicket. All players contributed to the big score with Frances (player of the match) and Janelle in particular batting superbly. KC then restricted St Michael's to 260 with 5 wickets taken by the bowlers including 2 excellent catches by Hanna! Well done team on a thumping win! Our under 10/11 B&D team had home matches where both teams played extremely well. The teams showed immense improvement, focusing on improving their communication and fielding skills. The D team won their match, scoring 298 runs! Well done everyone.
Scholars Focus
This week’s Scholars session for Years 7-12 focused on developing their aerobic capacity, speed endurance and effective pacing through a structured interval training workout. Students completed a series of timed running intervals that challenged them to maintain a consistent intensity while recovering efficiently between efforts. Throughout the session, students were encouraged to monitor their effort levels, maintain strong running mechanics and develop an understanding of how to pace themselves during prolonged periods of work. These skills are essential for athletes competing in sports that require repeated high-intensity efforts, sustained concentration and the ability to perform under fatigue. To finish the session, students completed a 3-minute maximum-distance time trial. This challenge tested both physical and mental resilience, requiring students to balance speed with sustainable pacing in order to maximise the distance covered. The activity provided an opportunity for students to benchmark their current fitness levels and identify areas for future improvement. The fitness qualities targeted throughout the session including cardiovascular endurance, recovery efficiency and pacing strategies, which are highly transferable to all the students’ focus sports. Whether competing in team sports, racquet sports, athletics, swimming, or other disciplines, developing these attributes helps athletes maintain performance levels for longer, recover more effectively between efforts and execute skills with greater consistency during competition. It was pleasing to see students approach the session with enthusiasm and determination, demonstrating a strong work ethic and a willingness to challenge themselves as they continue their development as scholar-athletes.
Year 7 Art
This term the students have been studying Angie Lewin, a British print maker and artist that focuses on botanicals. The students have been busy creating their own responses to the artists work and have now designed their own print using references from Angie's artwork. We are incredibly proud of all our fantastic artists and thank them for being a joy to work with.
Art, Photography and Textiles Exhibition
It was wonderful to welcome so many visitors to our Art, Textiles and Photography Exhibition, celebrating the outstanding creativity, talent and dedication of our students throughout the year. The exhibition showcased a diverse and inspiring collection of work, reflecting the creative journeys undertaken across Art, Textiles and Photography. Visitors enjoyed exploring sketchbooks, developmental studies, experimental pieces and final outcomes, gaining a valuable insight into the processes behind each student's work. From striking photographic projects and innovative textile designs to ambitious fine art pieces, the exhibition highlighted the breadth of talent within the department and celebrated the progress, resilience and artistic growth demonstrated by our students over the course of the academic year. It was a pleasure to share and celebrate a fantastic year of creativity, innovation and artistic excellence with students, families and the wider school community. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the event such a memorable success.
Drama News
On Wednesday, we were delighted to welcome a large number of Year 5 and 6 students from Lady Boswell's School to the Countess of Wessex Theatre for a Drama and Dance workshop, led by our talented Year 8 Bronze Arts Award students. Students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the session and Year 8 students shone brightly as exceptional leaders, demonstrating strong communication, problem-solving and collaboration skills throughout. We were truly impressed by the quality of the work produced by all involved and very much look forward to welcoming them back in the future.
Dance Championships
Last Saturday, some of our dancers took part in the 'Dance Championships' at The Stag Theatre, where they competed against a very high standard of performers from other secondary schools within Kent. We are incredibly proud of all our Dance Scholars, Exhibition students and everyone who represented the school. Their hard work, commitment and enthusiasm were evident throughout the competition. A special congratulations goes to Isobel I, who achieved an outstanding 2nd place in the Under 14s Solo category. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to her dedication and talent. Enormous congratulations to all those who took part. Your dedication, perseverance and progress have truly paid off. You should be extremely proud of your performances.
Juliet's Dancing Success
The Dance Department would like to congratulate Juliet M on her fantastic achievement in reaching the South East Regional Final of AED. Competing against a strong field of talented performers, Juliet presented herself with confidence, professionalism and determination. Reaching the regional final is a significant accomplishment at such a young age and reflects the hard work and commitment Juliet has shown throughout her training. We are incredibly proud of her efforts and the way she has showcased her talent on such a prestigious stage. Well done Juliet on this wonderful achievement. The school look forward to following your continued success in the future.
Our International Ambassadors
Under the umbrella of Global Citizenship and the Kent College ASPIRE topic for this term, our International Ambassadors and Mrs Field worked in collaboration with Farringtons School (a M.I.S.T school based in Chislehurst) and our partner school in Poland providing students the opportunity to deliver short presentations to visitors, both in person and online, sharing their work, ideas and perspectives. This year's theme, "Belonging – We Are All Part of This World," encouraged students to explore a range of important topics. Presentations focused on different countries and cultures, equality and inclusion, wellbeing, and environmental issues, highlighting the many ways in which people can connect with and support one another. Some students also linked their presentations to significant global events, including World Environment Day on 5th June and World Oceans Day on 8th June, demonstrating their awareness of current issues and their commitment to making a positive difference. Recognition should be given to everyone who invested significant time and dedication in preparing for the events, which took place on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning this week, during the middle of the examination season. Despite the demands of revision and assessments, they all demonstrated remarkable commitment to the opportunity. We would also like to acknowledge our Year 11 students on study leave, who made a special effort to come to school and present on a day when they did not have examinations. Their willingness to contribute and represent the school reflected both their maturity and their sense of belonging to our community. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students' achievements and reflect on the importance of belonging in our global community. "It was a nice experience to meet new people. I enjoyed it" - Susie in Year 10
" I enjoyed it. It was fun learning about how other people belong and meeting new people." - Josie in Year 8 "I found it interesting to hear about other countries and from other schools." - Annabelle in Year 8 "Very fun and interesting to hear different people's opinions." - Sophie in Year 7 "I enjoyed presenting in front of the others and I loved the parts that we interacted with each other." - Enye in Year 8
Student Voice
Hello! My name is Claudia and I’m really happy to be the new Head of Danes! I joined Kent College in Year 9 and I am currently studying Economics, French and Textiles at A-Level which I’m really enjoying. As Head of Danes, I see my role helping our house during school events and encouraging students to take part and to come together to feel like a team. I would also love to make sure we support our chosen charity as much as possible. My aim in this role is to make sure that everyone feels included and enjoys their time at Kent College. I had my first house assembly last term, which I really enjoyed. Currently, the other house reps and I are working on planning lots of exciting activities in the future! I am really looking forward to getting to know everyone more and am really excited for further events!
Student Spotlight - Celebrating Success Beyond the Classroom
We are delighted to celebrate our students’ achievements beyond the classroom. When your child has enjoyed success in sport, music, drama, dance, art, academic competitions, volunteering, leadership, or any personal accomplishment, we would love to hear about it. Please use this form to share achievements with us.
What's On at Kent College
Opera Gala
Friday 26th June at 6.30pm, Old Pembury Church
It will be a whirlwind tour of the most famous operas through the ages with narrator, solos and chorus. If you would like to know a little bit more about opera, this is the perfect opportunity! From Carmen to the Pirates of Penzance, this proves to be a fun evening with some exceptional singing from Years 6 to Lower Sixth. We also have two professional opera singers performing along with our students who have sung at Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera House: Rory O'Connor and Olivia Safe. Refreshments will be available at the interval in the Organ Room and the concert is expected to end at around 8:30pm.
Tickets are £15 each for adults and £5 for students and can be purchased here: . Dress is black tie (or just smart, if you don't have a tux!) for the audience with refreshments served afterwards.
The Railway Children
Monday 22nd to Tuesday 23rd June at 6.30pm, Countess of Wessex Theatre
“Set in and around a country railway station at the turn of the twentieth century, the plight of the railway children grappling with their new environment is imaginatively brought to life for a modern audience while losing nothing of the original spirit of humour, tension, adventure and the final triumph of good over evil.” Performances will take place on Monday 22nd June and Tuesday 23rd June at 6:30pm in our Countess of Wessex Theatre. The show will run for approximately two hours, with a 20-minute interval for refreshments. Our students and staff have worked incredibly hard to create, what promises to be, a fantastic performance and we are sure you will thoroughly enjoy it. Ticket prices are £15 for adults and £10 for students.
Save the Dates
Sports Day - Wednesday 8th July
The excitement is building for Senior School Sports Day as the Dane, Celt and Saxon houses go head-to-head in a day of competition, teamwork and house spirit, come along and cheer them on!
Speech Day - Thursday 9th July
We are delighted to invite you to Speech Day, where we will celebrate the achievements of our students and welcome Olympic gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold as our guest speaker.
Parent Toolbox
Prep Sign-up Links
Free Prep A homework sessions take place in the library everyday after school (1 hour 15 minutes), providing a focused and supportive environment for students to complete their work. To help maintain concentration, phones are not permitted, and students are encouraged to bring a book to enjoy once their homework is finished. A late bus is available, with sign-out at 5:25pm. Parents collecting their children should come to the main school office. You can find the sign-up links for 2025–26 below:
Prep B sessions (1 hour) are designed for students staying beyond 5:30pm and take place in Boarding and the Dining Hall. Students also have the option of enjoying supper (additional charge applies). The sign-up links are below:
All sessions must be booked in advance for safeguarding purposes.
Second Hand Uniform Shop Opening Dates
Our Second Hand Uniform Shop is a wonderful opportunity for families to purchase good-quality pre-loved uniform items at affordable prices while also supporting sustainability within our school community. Whether you are preparing for a new term, replacing outgrown items, or simply looking for spare uniform pieces, we encourage you to come along and browse the available stock. We look forward to welcoming you at the upcoming opening dates listed below.
Friday 26th June: 3:00pm to 4:15pm. Tuesday 30th June: 8:30am - Induction Day Please email kcseniorshop@gmail.com if you cannot make these dates and would like to arrange a visit.
60 Seconds with Mrs Gillings, Head of Sixth Form
Tell us a bit about yourself...
I feel very fortunate to have worked in secondary education for most of my career and I’ve taught at KC for ten years. Although a great deal has changed since I first stepped in front of students in Vienna in 1994, some things never really do — not least, exams! Recently, I completed a two-year horticulture course, which gave me a real reminder of what it feels like to sit exams again. Sitting in a large room with my candidate number, a clear water bottle and a loudly ticking clock, I was suddenly taken straight back to that pressure. I still feel a slight sense of panic thinking about trying to recall all those Latin plant names! It was challenging and it really brought home what our students experience during GCSEs and A Levels. Alongside teaching English, I have the privilege of leading KC’s Sixth Form and our Sixth Form Centre. Tilley, is a busy and fun place to work! These two years are such a pivotal and exciting stage in a young person’s life. I love seeing students take on new challenges, grow in confidence and independence and start to shape who they want to become. Supporting them through this time is a big responsibility, but also one of the most rewarding parts of my role.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
For me, it always comes back to the books. Although I really value my role as Head of Sixth Form, there is something incredibly special about being an English teacher and reading together. If you think about memorable teachers in films or books, they’re so often English teachers! While I can see the benefits of setting reading in advance, I’m always a little reluctant to do it. There’s something quite special about experiencing a text together in the classroom - sharing the twists in the plot, getting to know the characters and not quite knowing how things will turn out. The only challenge is making sure no one watches the film at home before we’ve finished! Of course, exam skills are important, but that shared experience of reading is often where real engagement and lasting understanding begins.
What top advice would you give to students studying your subject?
My advice is twofold. Firstly, read widely. Encounter stories from different cultures, perspectives and voices. Our students study Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk The Danger of a Single Story, which captures this idea beautifully: a limited perspective restricts understanding, while multiple stories deepen and enrich it. Secondly, seek out experiences beyond the classroom, whether through volunteering or work experience. There is growing recognition of the importance of this. For example, the University of Manchester has recently announced its intention to embed meaningful work experience into all degree programmes. While this intention is encouraging, such opportunities should begin much earlier and form a core part of all young people’s education. At KC, this is central to our approach. As part of our ASPIRE framework, we encourage students to be purposeful citizens, engaging meaningfully with their communities and pursuing experiences that challenge and inspire them. These opportunities help students make informed and confident decisions about their futures.
What are the department highlights and upcoming events?
One of our favourite moments each summer term is celebrating with students in the Sixth Form Centre after their Lower Sixth exams — a chance to recognise all their hard work and enjoy some time together. We then look ahead to the rest of the term, with students heading out on work experience placements. These opportunities give them a real insight into life beyond school and help to build confidence, independence and a broader perspective. I will then make sure I have chosen some good books to read over the summer
Lunch Menu For Next Week
Summer Holiday Clubs
Camp Beaumont
To celebrate this summer's Football World Cup, Camp Beaumont is launching a special World Cup-themed Flash Sale from Thursday 11th June until Wednesday 17th June (11:59pm). For a limited time, you can save 20% on Summer Camps and programmes by using the code CBWC26 at checkout. As an added bonus, every booking made during the flash sale will automatically be entered into Camp Beaumont's World Cup prize draw, with the chance to win a range of fantastic prizes including branded football shirts, footballs, and water bottles. The more days you book, the more entries you'll receive, increasing your chances of winning. Need flexibility? Add Flex to your booking for just £4 per day and enjoy the freedom to make changes right up until the last working day before your booking. Families can also spread the cost by paying in three instalments or delay payment for 28 days using Klarna.
Raw Skills
Come and join Raw Skills Hockey academy this summer, with international player coaches present on both camps, this is the perfect opportunity for bespoke hockey coaching and fun in the sun.
Half a wonderful weekend
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