Headmaster's Report
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Headmaster's Report n September, we were saddened by we have remodelled our approach news of the death of Ron Birkett, to GCSE, to enable the majority of Iformidable Head of the Junior students to take an additional quali- School from 1968 until his retirement fication. The new school day that in 1986. Ron’s time at King’s was neatly underpins our review, will consist of enveloped by the Headship of Alan six periods, rather than the current Cooper, whom we lost in February. five, and this will provide increased Alan’s two decades at the helm from curriculum time for departments, 1966 to 1987, was a period of enor- along with a more balanced day for mous societal and cultural change pupils. and presented the school with some In a year in which we have seen significant financial and structural record academic results at A and challenges. It required someone of AS level, against the backdrop of Alan’s tremendous calibre to navigate tightening national standards, I this period successfully and the school am delighted to report that this will remain forever in his debt. The achievement has not diminished fulsome tributes paid to Alan at his the vibrancy of our music, impaired memorial service in Wells Cathedral, the quality of our theatre, or dam- bore eloquent testimony to the stature aged the record of our sport. The of one of our greatest headmasters. musical highlight of last year was Alan was my Headmaster and, the wonderful Maria Theresa Mass, typically, he was amongst the first to performed to a full church in the write to me when I was appointed. Puginesque splendour of St Albans. He knew the challenges of headship, Jo Beesley demands much from her but he also reminded me of its op- performers, and neither the choir, portunities and the absolute need to nor her exceptionally talented group look to the future, whilst working in of student soloists, let her down. The King’s School in Macclesfield the present. I am sure that he would Alison Lea and Soulla Richardson have been delighted with the pro- thrilled audiences with the Year 6 gress the school is making towards production of Honk!, the musical re- our 2020 Vision for King’s on a single telling of Hans Christian Anderson’s Contents site. The inclusion of the school in Ugly Duckling, with more routines the Local Plan, marks another step and costume changes than you will along the way and crucially offers us see in the West End. Little wonder Headmaster’s Report 1 reassurance that the project will be that the Junior Choir swept the financially viable. At the same time, board last year at the Alderley Edge I hope he would be pleased to see Musical Festival. And, for a change of Hail & Farewell 3 continued investment in our current mood, theatre-goers needed to look facilities. Work is now well underway no further than Donald Forbes’s on the Westminster Road develop- intensely dramatic staging of Timber- Academic Departments 10 ment and the first stage of our ICT lake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Strategic Plan has been achieved with Good. the completion of the single network At the same time, our sportsmen Events & Activities 38 across the Foundation, a new enter- and women enjoyed another impres- prise standard WiFi system and the sive year. The 1st XV’s unbeaten launch of Microsoft 2010. At Fence season and national second place in Infant and Junior 51 Avenue, the Upper Junior School the Daily Mail’s rugby ranking, was has been refurbished and we have the product of the same dedication, completed the transformation of the teamwork and leadership that we Rugby 56 canteen. Thanks to the generosity of have just noted in music and drama. the Friends of King’s, the Infants have Last year’s boys’ hockey season added a new play area to the facility was amongst the most successful Hockey 63 we opened for the Juniors last year. on record, with the 1st XI reaching Development, of course, is not just the NW finals and the U16 and U13 about buildings and facilities. Dur- teams reaching the North of England Cricket 65 ing the last academic year, we have Finals. Our U11 football team won conducted a review of our curricu- the Reliance Sevens tournament to lum, with the help of staff, students carry off the largest trophy I’ve ever Other Sport 69 and parents. The Education Commit- seen. And, not to be outdone, the tee approved the changes in October U11 netballers were crowned Mac- and we have now started to plan for clesfield and District Champions and Awards & Prizes 76 implementation in September 2014. winners of the Terra Nova tourna- As well as introducing Critical Think- ment. Our cheerleaders grabbed ing and P4C (Philosophy for Children) four out of five national titles, at Cover photograph by Michael Patey-Ford to pupils in Key Stage 3 (Years 7 - 9), the National Schools Cheerleading 1 Headmaster's Report Championships, and in trampolin- ing, Rowena Moores was crowned U15 national champion whilst our U13 Elite boys’ team also came first. For once, our cricketers were blessed with sunshine, chalking up ten victo- ries against some worthy opponents including MGS, Stockport, King’s Chester and Bolton. Results like these (and there are more!), are the product of the combined efforts of the teaching and support staff at school and, of course, our pupils. Without a dedicated and supportive staff, no school can flour- ish. So let me thank my colleagues for all that they have achieved over the last year, whether inside or outside the classroom. We expect a great deal from our staff and I continue to staggering £25,000 has been raised in the following pages. I hope it is be impressed by the huge range of across the Foundation to help good sufficient for me simply to record our opportunities they facilitate for our causes. This includes a remarkable gratitude. pupils. £3,000 at King’s Sings for Syria and I should also record our appre- We are also fortunate as a school, £1,200 at the Girls’ Division’s ‘Raid ciation to a number of Governors to have so many parents who are my Wardrobe’ event. Fundraising, of who retired from the Board last year prepared to become involved and to course, sits alongside other charitable including Mr Mike Forbes and Cllrs help us extend the range and number work, including the laying of a water David Neilson and Alift Harewood. of opportunities for our pupils. There pipe for a village in South West Africa Mike was instrumental in launching are, of course, too many to mention (pictured above), completed as part the Quincentenary Bursary Scheme in by name, or to include all of those par- of this summer’s Namibia expedi- 2002 which, to date, has raised over ents who give so freely of their time to tion, and the service programmes £500,000 and enabled 50 pupils to help the Friends of King’s, but perhaps run through the Duke of Edinburgh join, or continue, in the Sixth Form. you will forgive me if I pick out a few Award Scheme. Again, it would take His keen golfing interests make him a other individuals. Andrew Ireland has too long to identify all that we do, but stalwart of the Bursary Fund Golf Day, effectively run our chess club for the I want to offer our acknowledgement now an annual event raising around past four years, using time off work to and thanks to all our artists, fundrais- £2,000 a year. We are profoundly grate- coach and inspire the pupils. Alison ers and volunteers. ful. I should also record our thanks Moores not only helps coach the Year The new academic year is a time to Cllr Harewood who served on the 6 netball team, running practices on for welcoming new colleagues and for Governing Body ex officio as Mayor of Thursdays and Monday lunch times, recording our thanks to those who Macclesfield. The nature of the may- but is also one of a number of extraor- have left us. Last year saw the retire- oralty makes the appointment transi- dinarily committed parents who have ment of a number of long-serving tory by nature, but I would like to helped propel our cheerleaders and colleagues, including Mark Harbord record here our appreciation of Alift’s trampoliners to national success. Rob and Geoff Shaw, who taught me when interest in and commitment to the Thorneycroft is a constant fixture at I was at King’s, in the 1970s. The school. Indeed, I suspect she was pre- school matches, has generously spon- school also said farewell to our Senior sent at more school events last year sored our rugby players and helped Teacher for Staff Development, Val than I was. Cllr Harewood’s successor refit the Cumberland Street weights White, whose 19-year King’s career is Cllr Lloyd Roberts and, as a close room. To these, and all our parents, I saw her rise from one of the first neighbour, it is a pleasure to welcome want to offer heartfelt thanks on behalf teachers in the Girls’ Division to Vice- him to the Board. Finally, I would like of the school. Principal, and finally to the Senior to record our thanks to Mike Strutt There are two other areas of school Management Team. Other retirees for taking on the chairmanship of the life that I must touch upon. The first included Alison Powell, our unflap- Bursary and Fundraising Commit- is the work of our artists.