PRIZE GIVING 2018 Our annual Prize Giving was a very special occasion as it was only our second as a member of the King Edward VI Foundation and King Edward VI Academy Trust and we welcomed the Foundation Bailiff, Mr Barry Matthews, to present the prizes. We also welcomed Professor Joe Biddlestone, former Chair of Governors and Charity Trustee as our Principal Guest and speaker. He spoke about the opportunities a School like ours affords its students and encouraged them to get involved in all that we have on offer such as the house system, sport, drama, debating and music. He was delighted to note the progress made at KEVI HGS over the past year. He highlighted the need for perseverance, careful planning and support from family and school so that if and when a setback occurs it can be effectively overcome. He also asked the students what they wanted their world to look like in thirty years time which is the amount of time he has served as a Governor. He provoked much thought about issues such as pollution and plastic waste and how we need solutions to such pressing issues. The School is very grateful to Professor Biddlestone for his dedication and unwavering support over the last three decades. It was a lovely event and I enjoyed meeting so many families as we celebrated the success of our School community. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT My name is Olivia McKnight and I am Deputy Head Girl. I joined the school in September 2017, having previously been home-schooled with my brother and sister. Although this was a sharp contrast from what I was used to, the students here were very welcoming and quickly made me feel at ease which really helped. I study Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at A level, and I hope to study Medicine at university. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at HGS so far, and I am thankful for the support I have received from this school to help me reach my goals. This school is known for its outstanding academic results, and this article will update you on some of the school’s achievements this past year. Despite changes to the specifications and grading systems, HGS has enjoyed an excellent set of GCSE results. Approximately 50% of all entries were at 9-7 and overall 99.5% were at 9-4; this is a significant achievement as the national figures for boys is more than 30% lower. Twenty students attained ten or more 9 and 8 grades, and twelve exceptional students achieved straight 9s. Our LAMDA students achieved nine merits and seven distinctions in their Acting and Public Speaking exams. One Year 7 student earned an impressive 100%. At A level thirteen departments secured a 100% pass rate. Over 98% of all entries were passes, and more than 50% of these were at A*-B grade. Ten students received straight A* and A grades in their subjects. Our previous Year 13s have gone to top universities such as Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester, Warwick and Queen Mary’s. Two of our students are now at Cambridge University – Amritpal Kullar is reading History, and Rahul Patel is reading Natural Sciences. One student in my year, Mohammed Aziz, has also obtained a place at Cambridge University to read Mathematics. In my experience, the goal of HGS is to produce a person who not only excels academically, but is also well-rounded and confident. This is demonstrated by the wide variety of clubs and activities that are encouraged – from technology and engineering to keeping tropical fish! The Music Department has done extremely well in the last year, with twenty six students passing a music practical exam. Robert and Karl Frater passed achieved Grade 8 in Classical Guitar with a merit and a distinction respectively, and Camara Talburt received a distinction in Grade 8 Jazz Saxophone. As a member of the Debate Club I took part in a tournament called Debating Matters last summer where we narrowly missed out on a place in the final. I still consider this to be a great achievement, considering that this had been our first outing, and the club had only been formed in the spring term of that year. Participating in this club has helped me to develop my ability to quickly create points for a discussion and present an argument effectively. I have seen my teammates grow in confidence as they practice spontaneously putting forward their ideas in front of a small audience. HGS has been a wonderful experience overall. Although preparing for exams can be stressful, my time here has been enhanced by meaningful friendships, exciting experiences, and excellent support from staff. I feel that HGS has helped me to prepare for the future. When I leave later this year, I will miss it – but I also know that I’ll always be proud to have been a member of this fantastic school. Olivia McKnight PERFORMANCE 8