KC News Round Up Friday 22nd March 2024

Following on from the visit to KC from staff at Oakley School, KC pupils from Years 10 to Upper Sixth visited Oakley on Thursday to meet their students and start planning their joint Art project. We are looking forward to seeing how they all progress!

Thank you so much for coming to Oakley School today, all my students were so pleased to meet yours. They are often nervous about meeting new people however your pupils were so kind and put ours at ease. Sarah Rogers, teacher at Oakley School

I had such a great time at Oakley school today and I am so greatly looking forward to seeing the students there again. I felt so welcomed by everybody and I hope they will all feel the same when they come to see our school. I will admit I was a bit nervous at first as I was unsure about how it would go, but I'm so glad I went, I now feel so close with the students even after only meeting them once as their presence is so enjoyable and funny. Emily, Year 10

Year 10 English Trip

Year 10 English pupils went to see a modernised version of Romeo and Juliet this week, which they are studying as part of their GCSE English Literature course. The performance told the story of the star-crossed lovers in 2024 London, imagining the Montagues and Capulets as two rival gangs. The many lives lost in the play were used to make a poignant comment on teenage knife crime and the devastating effect this has, particularly on mothers.

I've always wanted to go and see a play at the Globe and the production of Romeo and Juliet we saw was such a great first. I loved the way the costumes and staging was modernised to help a younger audience engage and understand the story. The inclusion of BMX tricks was genius and added to the modern, yet timeless interpretation. The production was simply amazing; I can't wait to go and see many more plays at the globe. Sarah, Year 10

On Tuesday we went to see a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet at the Globe. The Globe was amazing because I have never been there before and it was exciting to see the stage and watch from the benches.

The set had little details to modernise the play, such as graffiti on the walls with key themes of Romeo & Juliet (‘Hate’ and ‘Civil’). There was also a sign that came down, that read ‘The Cell’ whenever Romeo was talking to Friar Lawrence which I thought was a really good detail. Also there was a balcony for Juliet that had been painted and looked very nice. The costumes also reflected the modern version of the play. Romeo and Juliet were both wearing tracksuits and all the characters had phones, which was an interesting spin on the story.

Although Romeo and Juliet has a sad ending, this play managed to include some humour while still maintaining the tragic story of the two star-crossed lovers. The acting was engaging and each fight scene had a lot of action, which made it very exciting to watch! My favourite part of the play was the balcony scene as I liked reading it in class and the actors really brought it to life on stage. I also enjoyed the use of bikes in the gangs, with one performing difficult tricks on it, which also added to the drama of the play. Overall I really enjoyed going to see Romeo and Juliet and it has helped me to further understand the play. Sophie, Year 10.

Art

In Art, Year 9 have been building animal sculptures to display in the foyer at the forthcoming concert 'Carnival of the Animals'. (Ticket information at the end of the newsletter). They have used wire frames, cardboard and newspaper padding, before coating them with mod roc and painting them. We’re looking forward to seeing the finished results!

Annual Piano Concert

Teachers, pupils and their families were joined by 20 soloists and groups on Tuesday to enjoy a celebration of many genres of music, with pupils performing a wide range of pieces from Vivaldi to Taylor Swift, on different instruments.

The concert will become an annual showcase for instrumentalists and will be followed in the summer term by a similar celebration of vocal talent, when the singers' concert will include everything from the 18th to the 21st Centuries.

Computer Science

Poppy, Harriet and Emily in Year 9 came eighth nationally in the Cyber Explorers Cup this year. This innovative competition is designed to ignite passion for cyber security. Hundreds of pupils took part in this competition and we are proud of their success.

Year 11 Classics and Dance Trip

Classics and Drama pupils took a journey to the underworld yesterday, when they were treated to a superb performance of Hadestown in London’s West End. Pupils witnessed two mythical love stories collide in ‘an epic celebration of music, togetherness and hope.’ A sensational performance enjoyed by all.

Lower Sixth Business Studies

Led by our Lower Sixth Business pupils, Year 6 pupils from Staplecross Primary School in Robertsbridge were treated to a fun filled day of entrepreneurship and wellness. Sixth Formers helped these budding entrepreneurs make their own signature smoothies. From brainstorming sessions to hands-on activities, Year 6 pupils gained invaluable numeracy, communication, teamwork and entrepreneurship skills. Year 6 pupils then presented their ideas, showcasing their healthy smoothies with their costing, brand name and logos. It was a fantastic day.

“Planning and leading the workshop was an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only did it help me develop my organisational and leadership skills, but it also allowed me to see the direct impact of all our efforts on the younger pupils' learning. It was great seeing their enthusiasm and engagement throughout the workshop.” Pippa, Lower Sixth

Thank you so much for this wonderful project. I think everyone loved it. I hope you get a reward for being so kind. Amelie, Year 6, Staplecross Primary School

Prep School Debate Club

This term, Lower Sixth pupils Poppy, Primrose, Matilda, Sophie and Annabelle have run a Debate Club for Years 5 and 6 Prep pupils. This week was the final club and the debate was on climate change, and Prep pupils were treated to cakes made by Poppy.

I love running debate club as I love being around the Prep School children because they are so sweet and funny. I love having their insight on various matters in the world - they never fail to make me smile. Primrose

I have thoroughly enjoyed running debate club and having a connection with the Prep School children. Every week I look forward to seeing them and discussing what they have to say. Poppy

Catering Team Success

Kitty Whiteley, Head Pastry Chef in our Catering Team, displayed her amazing talents in the Elior Culinary Awards 2024 this week.

Elior, who are the parent company of Lexington Independents, KC's Caterers, hosts an annual award for the best chefs throughout their whole business. Kitty was a finalist in the nationwide competition amongst top chefs from all over the country and took part in the live finals in Edinburgh last week, where she came second in her category, with a dish called "Rice and Shine." She also won a special award for producing high quality food at the lowest cost. Huge congratulations Kitty!

PageTurners Book Awards

Year 8 have been reading the shortlisted books for this local award on the theme of 'Turning the Page to Tomorrow'. They have enjoyed reading books covering topics such as climate change, migration, AI and robots and voting for their favourites.

The PageTurners Book Awards took place on Thursday evening at Weald School. Some pupils entered the Creative Response competition with brilliant cakes, videos, artworks and poems, using the books as inspiration. Congratulations to Mabel who won the runner up prize at the awards, with her video entry using Lego, inspired by Sophie Cameron's 'Our Sister Again'.

Watch Mabel's video entry here.

Mabel also won the first prize in the KC competition with Sofia and Chiara as runners up.

Home Clothes Day for World Book Day

Pupils and teachers across the school came dressed as their favourite book characters. From Smurfs, Matilda, fairies, Thing One and Thing Two to a Cat in the Hat and Dolores Umbridge. This was in support of our school charities, Apopo, Folly Wildlife and Action for A-T.

Easter Cake Competition

The Soroptimist Club are holding an Easter Cake Competition and Bake Sale next Tuesday 26th March at break time in the Dining Hall. There will be Easter egg prizes plus baking implements up for grabs for the three best cakes, judged by Miss Handford, Mr Hall, Mrs Waller and Miss Humphreys.

If you would like to enter, please bring cakes to the Dining Hall for judging, along with a full list of ingredients.

Cakes will be sold at break time and all proceeds will go to Hospice in the Weald.

Dance Showcase

Come along and support the pupils and the KC charities at this year's Dance Showcase. Please find details and booking link below.

Carnival of the Animals

Rehearsals are well underway for the 'Carnival of the Animals' and it is sounding fantastic! Our choirs, band and orchestra are working hard on their animal-themed repertoire and the Art is coming on apace! Make sure to buy your tickets as soon as possible - they are selling fast…

The Wellbeing Hub

These upcoming events and resources may be of interest:

• Nutrition for concentration and performance with Tina Lond-Caulk, Author Speaker, and Nutritionist. Wednesday 24th April, 6:30pm. Book here to join.
• Is your child struggling with negative body image? Body image is not how you look. Body image is how you think and feel about your body, your appearance, or your looks. Discover empowering tips to enhance their body confidence right here.

Easter Holidays

Music Theatre Workshops