Making a Real Difference Report & Review 2015
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Report & Review 2015 The King’s School The King’s School, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2ES 00 44 (0)1227 595501 www.kings-school.co.uk Design: White Gate Design Printed in the UK by Pureprint Photography: John Brockliss, environmental printing technology Report & Review 2015 using vegetable inks throughout. Matt McArdle, Roddy Paine Pureprint is a Carbon Neutral company. Both the manufacturing mill and the printer are registered to the Environmental Management System Making a real difference ISO14001 and are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certified. Welcome to the Report & Review of The King’s School, Canterbury King’s Report The Chairman’s Vision 2 The Very Reverend Dr Robert Willis Making a real difference 4 Headmaster A place of strength 6 King’s Financial Year 7 A Governor’s perspective 8 King’s Academic Report A King’s education 10 Academic results 12 King’s Review The heart of tradition 14 Refreshing our identity 16 Partnerships 18 Outstanding performances 20 Legends and symphonies 22 Stalls, lights, people 24 King’s Week 2015 26 Opinions and perspective 30 The big issues 32 Rock star to IT wizard 34 The genuine all-rounder 36 Maintaining community 38 Junior King’s report 40 King’s Foundation Great plans for a great School 42 King’s Legacy Club 44 Acknowledgements, donations and pledges 46 Governing Body and Committees 48 King’s Report The Chairman’s Vision The Very Reverend Dr Robert Willis As I write this foreword to this colourful and “To read this Report and Review attractive Report and Review the world seems to be full of decisions which have yet to be made. In the is to enter a world of amazing United Kingdom we are approaching a very creativity in every aspect of significant referendum on the European Union on 23 June, and no one can forget that the United human life” States is in the middle of making a decision about the person who will be the next President. At the same time the nations of Europe themselves are You will read that the Governors have approved facing hard decisions about the reception and care developments in every one of our sites which will of refugees and migrants in huge numbers. The improve them for those living and working there. world seems more than ever to be a place of rapid The details of these plans are readily available and change and of significant danger. To read this some of them are described and set out in this Report and Review is to enter a world of amazing report. It has always been the task of the King’s creativity in every aspect of human life, and of a School to prepare those learning here for their life tradition and rhythm stretching back for hundreds and work in the world. We are confident that this of years which seem precious commodities in such a subtle blend of tradition and imaginative change world as ours. will effect just that. A few weeks ago Pope Francis made a comment on how it is better to build bridges 2015 was a wonderful year for King’s and every rather than to erect walls. The equipment which the article and photograph gives a flavour of that. We life of King’s Canterbury gives to every member will, would be wrong though to imagine that this we believe, help them to be bridge builders in their stability means that everything stays exactly the life and in their work whatever that may be, so that same and nothing ever changes, for each article our world may be a better and safer place and so speaks of visionary and often radical change in the that they themselves might find fulfilment. context of the longstanding traditions of both the Cathedral and its school. 2 3 4 King’s Report Making a real difference A message from the Headmaster As one of my distinguished predecessors as “I invite you to become involved Headmaster, Canon Anthony Phillips, liked to observe, every day at King’s provides us with a and share in the excitement of vibrant and different experience. And the past year making a real difference” has very much justified that claim. A year which has included very special moments such as the Spring visit of Her Majesty The Queen The ISI Boarding Inspection report of November and the Duke of Edinburgh to the Cathedral amidst 2014 confirmed that King’s, besides being a welcoming gathering of King’s pupils, the compliant with all National Minimum Standards for acquisition of the historic Dominican Priory on the boarding schools, is one of the flagships of boarding banks of the Stour now named Beerling Hall after with the Inspectors being hugely impressed by the its custodian the late Don Beerling, the opening in way that all staff, under the leadership of Liz September of The Lady Kingsdown House to Worthington (Senior Deputy Head) and Tanya Lee become the seventh girls’ boarding House, and only (Deputy Head, Pastoral), are always prepared to go this January on a cold but dry morning the splendid that ‘extra mile’ for the happiness, welfare and opening ceremony to herald the arrival of the safety of all pupils. Herbert Music School at Junior King’s. This review of the King’s year also looks to the These stories – along with many more future. The Governors have announced an achievements and notable moments – are described ambitious development plan that includes a new in this 2015 Report & Review, the third annual Mitchinson’s day house in St Radigund’s, which in edition of what is an unfolding story of progress turn frees up space in the Mint Yard to create a at King’s. modern Science Centre. It is a project which will command extensive support from the King’s Our excellent exam results have seen King’s pupils community. I invite you to become involved and take up offers at a wide range of universities at share in the excitement of making a real difference home and overseas, fuelled by the creative to a King’s education for future generations. dynamism generated by our forward thinking academic departments, so ably led by Geoff Cocksworth (Deputy Head, Academic). Peter Roberts Headmaster 5 King’s Report A place of strength Mark Taylor, The Bursar The beginning of the 2015-16 school year was marked by great energy and high expectations. The first School meeting received the news that 25 major and minor School projects had been undertaken throughout the summer holiday break with most areas of both Schools having benefited. The largest of the projects were: I Kingsdown House – This follows the purchase of the Diocesan Payne Smith School in Broad Street and the Governors’ decision to convert the listed original Victorian Butterfield designed building into a fabulous girls’ boarding house. Phase 1 is complete and Phase 2 including landscaping work completes in July 2016 I Junior King’s new Music School (complete and operational from October 2015) Mark Taylor, The Bursar I Tradescant House upgrade and incorporating the Housemaster’s accommodation within the “Overall I am delighted that Boarding House our finances remain firmly I Birley’s – drainage of 4 pitches on target.” I St Alphege refurbished and converted to house the school shop Despite careful scrutiny of the annual budget and I New classrooms created from within the old ensuring that we try to mitigate costs as much as we school shop accommodation can, there remain many challenges: recent research I Refurbishment of Luxmoore, Harvey and has indicated real concerns regarding parental fee Bailey houses affordability as generally school fees have had to rise faster than inflation and salaries. In addition to The School’s financial result for the year has led to the day to day costs, the additional expense of us being in a very strong position. Not only did we operating out of the Precincts also has an impact. hit our agreed budget but both the fundraising and investment returns have ensured that the financial Our firm financial base puts us on a sure footing year end result has been the strongest for many from which to launch our ambitious Masterplan years. The measure that we have set ourselves was which will involve a complete transformation of to aim for a 13.5% surplus as a % of net fee income; Science in the Mint Yard, expand dining and we have ended up at 16.77%. refurbish a substantial number of classrooms. 6 King’s Report King’s Financial Year Year to Year to 31st August 2015 31st August 2014 Total funds Total funds Income £,000 £,000 2 Gross school fees receivable 32,104 30,692 Scholarships and bursaries (1,666) (1,605) 1 Other educational income 1,393 1,265 3 Other ancillary income 295 299 4 King’s School Enterprises Ltd (KSEL) 588 611 Investment income 378 367 7 5 Total income 33,092 31,629 6 Expenditure (£,000) (£,000) 1 Teaching costs 57% Teaching costs (17,368) (16,842) 2 Welfare 16% Welfare (4,850) (4,359) 3 Premises 19% Premises (5,863) (6,126) 4 Support costs 4% Support costs (1,550) (1,406) 5 Subsidiary expenditure, Subsidiary expenditure, financing and governance 2% financing and governance (452) (730) 6 Trading costs –KSEL 1% Trading costs – KSEL (309) (338) 7 Development costs 1% Development costs (264) (284) Total expenditure (30,656) (30,085) Net income 2,436 1,544 Foundation – donations and legacies 1,373 565 7 8 King’s Report A Governor’s perspective Nick Lyons, Vice Chairman of the Governing Body The financial and fiscal environment has created many challenges for independent schools and for parents wishing to provide their children with an excellent education.