Kestrel No 27 FINAL

01 KESTREL } AUTUMN 2014 } ISSUE 27
Top for academic success
2014 has been a very exciting year in many ways for the School but on the academic front, we’ve had an abundance of news to share.
Return of A-levels
In July we confirmed that after a four-year absence,
King Edward’s would be reintroducing the option to
study A-levels at the School in September 2015. Our
decision follows the Government’s reform to A-levels
which will see a return to the more rigorous study of
subjects in depth over two years. By offering the new
A-level it means that for those pupils who wish to
specialise early, or whose aptitudes don’t necessarily
suit the International Baccalaureate (IB), we will provide
a choice of paths to achieve success and an alternative
route to University. Our decision also reflects that
there is a small number of subject combinations that
pupils might wish to study that the IB does not allow
but which are provided for by A-levels. For example
there is the scope to take all three Science subjects at
A-level, which is not permissible within the IB. Whilst
the School still regards the IB as the best choice for
the majority of students for its depth and breadth,
pupils at King Edward’s who decide to follow the new
reformed A-level courses will still benefit from some of
the valuable components of the IB programme such as
the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge, as well
as undertaking worthwhile community and social work
responsibilities as part of the CAS (creativity, action,
service) programme. This will give them the best of
both worlds and will continue to distinguish them from
the crowd in terms of their university applications.
Outstanding IB results
This summer we were delighted with the 100% pass
rate achieved by our Sixth Form pupils in their IB
Diploma exams. An impressive 75% of grades in the
exam were at the equivalent to A-level A*-B grades
and the average score was 33.6 points, which is well
above the international average and represents our
best result since 2009.
Hannele Burmeister scored 43 points (out of 45),
Denys Natykan and Anton Sharapov both scored 42
points – the worldwide average score for IB students
is 30 points out of 45. Denys has taken up a place
at Cambridge University to read Computer Science,
while Anton is studying Aerospace Engineering at
Imperial College, London. River Clarke achieved 41
points, which provided her passport to study History
at Bristol University and Charlie Beckwith secured his
place at Edinburgh University with a score of 38 to
read History and Politics in 2015. Congratulations to
all of our Sixth Form pupils on these excellent results!
GCSEs: King Edward’s bucks the national trend
Hot on the heels of our Sixth Form pupils’ success in the IB, our
5th Form pupils celebrated exceptional GCSE results this year.
Bucking the national trend for falling higher grades, almost a fifth of
grades achieved were the top A*, which represents a new record
in the School’s history. The 2014 results also reflect the best A*-C
pass rate for five years (92%) and the second best ever. Personal
triumphs included day pupils Josef Moore from Milford (7A*, 4A)
and Anya Hoffmann de Visme from Godalming (6A*, 3A).
ISSUE27AUTUMN2014
The newsletter of King Edward’s Witley
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E
Buzz of the Square Mile 2
Barcelona football tour 10
Chocolate guru
sweet talks pupils
4
GCSE triumphant duo Anya and Josef
IB superstars River Clarke
and Charlie Beckwith
This issue of Kestrel comes to you with
input from the Sixth Form journalist and
photography teams.
@keswnews TOP TWEETS
• After a hard fought summer contest for #KESWtour #Teamwakefield
were the victors winning pizza for the whole house!
• King Edward’s Culture Club success! 53 pupils, parents & staff
enjoyed the Philharmonia at Royal Festival Hall.
• Roll up for our fantastic demonstration of how to make a crepe
suzette by our Head Chef @HolroydHowe
• Extremely proud of the cast & crew of ‘The Tempest’ @SSF_UK last
night #KESWDrama
A62000 King Edwards Kestrel AUT_P4.indd 1 27/11/2014 15:46

ACADEMIC
Business and Finance Centre grand opening
Buzz of the Square Mile
Alderman Sir David Wootton, Lord Mayor of the City of London in HM The Queen’s Jubilee
Year and Vice President of Bridewell Royal Hospital, officially opened King Edward’s brand new
Business and Finance Centre on 25 September.
The launch of the Business and Finance Centre
marks the arrival of an innovative resource designed
for pupils following Economics and Business Studies
options. It will be used primarily by those studying
at IB and A-level but will also be pivotal to the
introduction of financial and business education
throughout the School. The latest stage in a multi-
million pound investment into the School’s facilities,
the Business and Finance Centre, which was
solely funded by the School, provides a learning
environment which mirrors the business world rather
than a school classroom.
Work was completed on the Business and Finance
Centre in time for the start of term and involved the
conversion of the top floor of an existing teaching
block, transforming it into a state of the art business
centre. Key features include a boardroom which
seats 24 with full conferencing facilities and multi-
media screens; two glass-walled meeting rooms
(seating 16) that can be opened up to create a further
large meeting room also incorporating conferencing
and projection facilities, and a departmental office that
can also function as a breakout room.
Commenting on the opening of the Business and
Finance Centre, the Headmaster, John Attwater, says
“We are delighted to be honoured with Sir David
Wootton’s presence today. As a leading figure in
the City, but also Vice President of Bridewell Royal
Hospital, which is the School’s parent foundation, it is
particularly fitting that Sir David is here to witness the
next exciting development in King Edward’s Witley‘s
rich history. The new Business and Finance Centre
is a strong reminder of the School’s celebrated links
with the City of London, which stretch back to our
foundation 460 years ago. We intend to build upon
our City heritage, along with our excellent network
of contacts in the world of business and finance,
to evolve as a centre of excellence for business
education. Effectively, we want to introduce a little bit
of the buzz of the modern Square Mile into school
life to help our pupils prepare for the increasingly
competitive world of work that awaits them when
they leave King Edward’s.”
German exchange
pupils welcomed
to Surrey
With our own pupils visiting North
Rhine-Westphalia in Germany during
the Easter break, in June King Edward’s
played host to pupils from the Emsland-
Gymnasium for the return UK leg of the
annual German exchange programme.
The older German pupils took on work experience
roles in local schools and one worked in a café.
They were joined by the King Edward’s exchange
partners and by their teacher, Paul Meistermann,
who takes up the story.
On the first day, after a typical English breakfast,
the hard work started for the six work experience
pupils of Sixth Form age. One of the German boys
worked in a café in Guildford, two girls headed
to Hambledon Nursery, another went to Witley
Infant School, whilst two other pupils were busy at
Chandler Middle School in Witley. Although their
new roles were a bit unfamiliar at first, the pupils
got into the swing of things soon enough. The
weekend saw the group take an exciting trip to
London, with shopping, sightseeing and relaxation
on the agenda.
For the group of 14 year old German pupils,
there was a week packed full of activities. Monday
saw a trip to Portsmouth to see the Historic
Harbour, they visited the main London attractions
on Tuesday, on Wednesday King Edward’s pupils
joined their German counterparts in a great day
out to Thorpe Park and on Thursday the German
pupils were treated to a shopping trip to Guildford.
Finally, on the Friday, all the visiting pupils from
Emsland-Gymnasium experienced the school day
at King Edward’s. After lunch, it was time to say
goodbye to King Edward’s and our new friends,
as we headed back to Gatwick to fly home. We
would like to say a big thank you to Mr Forster and
Miss Brown for arranging this trip and who helped
us enjoy our stay in England enormously.
Sixth Form pupils

KESTREL } AUTUMN 2014 } ISSUE 27 03
ACADEMIC
Release your inner public speaker
Following the resounding success of the Presentation Skills Workshop with the Upper Sixth last November, Daniella Gibb (actress, freelance
writer and LAMDA teacher) returned to run a similar workshop with the Lower Sixth. Presentation skills are important in many parts of the
IB Diploma and are essential for interviews and many careers require them. Mrs Alison Saunders, Head of Sixth Form, reports.
Over three evenings in May, groups of pupils
from each Senior House were introduced to
breathing exercises, practised voice projection and
modulation. Some excellent tips were also given
about how to prepare for presentations. Apparently,
banging on your chest and pretending to be Tarzan
helps release your inner public speaker!
Under the positive guidance of Daniella, the pupils
practiced a variety of techniques, then they were
asked to prepare and present a short advertisement
of their own choosing. The group advertisements
were inventive, informative and often hilarious. Most
importantly, they clearly demonstrated the skills the
pupils had learnt in the course of the evening.
The final activity of each evening involved three
brave volunteers, who were each given a topic and
a few minutes preparation time before presenting
to the rest of the group. We were all amazed at the
quality of the brief presentations. The volunteers
impressed us by demonstrating the tips and
techniques they had learnt in the session, delivering
well-structured speeches.
At the end of the evening, the pupils returned to their
Houses having learnt new, or re-visited old, skills.
All, however, left feeling positive and a little more
confidence about making presentations in the future.
CSI Witley
In the Summer Term, some light hearted fun was had with
the fake but no less gruesome murder of Miss Watt, Queens’
matron, who was found “dead” on 17 June just outside Queen
Mary House.
After an initial briefing by Detective Inspector Emsley and following three
weeks of intense scientific investigations using psychological profiling,
handwriting analysis and even DNA testing, on 3 July a major court case
took place as eight teams of 3rd Form budding detectives and barristers
took to the Lecture Theatre to present their cases. Remi Trovo picks up
the story.
The atmosphere was tense as the respective teams attempted to prove
that their clients were either innocent or guilty of the murder of Miss
Watt. Each team frantically pieced together the final pieces of evidence.
The aim was to convince the Right Honourable Justice Pugh to either
convict or release their respective client. After the subsequent debates
considering all available evidence, Mr Day, Edward House Master and
a former trained assassin, was found guilty of the murder of Miss Watt,
beyond all reasonable doubt.
The day was immensely exciting. Remi’s advice to next year’s CSI Witley
team would be: “Keep calm, consider your evidence, case, and most
importantly nail your man if you can!”
Sleuth and a resurrected Miss Watt
Hannah Grealish
21 year old former King Edward’s pupil Hannah Grealish from Milford, Surrey joined the academic elite, having
achieved a first class degree in Land Economy, from The University of Cambridge.
Hannah, who studied at King Edward’s as a day pupil for seven years, moved to Murray Edwards College, Cambridge in 2011, to
follow the UK’s only Land Economy degree course. “Of course I am delighted, particularly as I wasn’t really expecting a first”, says
Hannah, who as well as achieving considerable academic success at King Edward’s also showed great prowess on the sporting field
during her time here, especially in football, netball, rowing and cross country. Mr Andrew Wyciechowski, Girls Football Coach, recalls
“Hannah captained the girls U14 to their first every trophy in 2006 and the U16 in their second trophy win in 2008. She was the
driving force behind girls’ football and, thanks to her, the legacy lives on.”
Hannah has now headed off to London to take up a Project Management role for Turner & Townsend, the construction company.

CO-CURRICULAR
Chocolate guru sweet talks pupils
Pupils and staff at King Edward’s were in for a real treat on 10 October, when cocoa farmer and chocolate guru Duane Dove visited the School.
Duane delighted pupils and staff speaking about his entrepreneurial journey to set up the first and only single estate chocolate created from
100% Tobagonian grown cocoa beans. Pupils were able to see real cocoa pods opened in the traditional way by machete, taste fresh cocoa
beans and learn the whole bean to bar process of chocolate making.
Duane Dove is a Tobagonian born sommelier with a
passion for chocolate, whose quest to find the perfect
accompaniment to complement his rum and wine
tastings led him to discovering that chocolate and rum
represented the ultimate combination. Armed with
this knowledge, he set out on a journey to position
Tobago once again as one of the big five cocoa
producers, growing and supplying the world with the
finest chocolates using cocoa from Tobago termed
‘Tobago’s Black Gold’. His vision led him to establish
Tobago’s first ever single estate chocolate from scratch,
starting with clearing a plot of land and planting cocoa
trees in 2004. After five years and over 56,000 man-
hours, Duane Dove made history by launching the first
chocolate bar made from 100% Tobagonian grown
cocoa beans.
In addition to hearing the fascinating story detailing the
challenges faced and overcome to bring the award
winning Tobago Estate Chocolate to market (the
chocolate has just been acknowledged as a 3 star
product in the prestigious Great Taste Awards 2014,
the highest accolade awarded by the London Guild of
Fine Foods), pupils and staff also tasted five different
chocolates from around the world including Duane
Dove’s very own chocolate made just last month from
the recent harvest. One Sixth Form pupil, Claudia
Bakare, commented, “I found it inspiring as I do
Business Studies as a subject. He was very interactive
with us, it was really fun and was a whole new tasty
experience!”
Scrap Heap Challenge
Over a very fast paced weekend on 15 June, the annual eco-friendly Scrapheap
Challenge took place. The Houses were judged on four categories: cookery, art, fashion
and film. Points were awarded to the teams that managed to use local ingredients,
recycled materials and execute their informative video with panache.
The competition sparked a whirlwind of creativity, particularly in the kitchen, with notable
entries such as mini-burgers from the Ridley boys, and chocolate-coated strawberries
from Queens’.
The cookery contest was followed by the premiere of the short films produced by
each House, and a fashion show. The films were impactful, communicating strong
messages about environmental issues, whilst retaining a comic streak. The fashion show
was a brilliant showcase of creative talent, with outstanding creations, such as the ‘Four
Element’ collection from Wakefield and Elizabeth being modelled on the catwalk.
To wrap up the competition, the pupils put on an art exhibition. All the exhibits were
inspired by the theme ‘Sea Pollution’. The result was a selection of emotive pieces, all
created by the pupils.
The victorious teams were from Wakefield and Elizabeth, scoring an incredible 403 and
390 points apiece. The weekend was an all-round success, allowing the pupils to work
together, producing an incredible array of work, whilst enjoying
themselves immensely.

Marvellous Marwell Zoo
In the Summer Term, King Edward’s 3rd
Form pupils got the chance to head to
Marwell Zoo, set in 140 acres at Owslebury
near Winchester, Hampshire for a fantastic
day out. Whilst a day at the zoo is rather
fun, King Edward’s pupils had some
important lessons to learn. Head of Science,
Mrs Ann Hill, reports.
The day was filled with promise, as we set off, with
the British weather smiling on us. On arrival, we took
part in a conservation workshop. We considered the
effects of the exotic pet trade, deforestation, hunting
and pollution on diversity in nature.
Next, we dived into the tropical world, and were
fascinated by a display of leaf cutting ants. Our
observation of these insects allowed us to examine
and interpret the different roles in the ant colony.
After lunch we spent lots of time with the playful penguins, watched a cheetah
attempt to stalk a young giraffe (happily there was a fence in the way), and had a
great day looking at animals that were either being conserved (through captive
breeding programmes) or were there for our interest. The 3rd Form were
a pleasure to take out, being both interested and very polite.
CO-CURRICULAR
Jeremy Hunt MP visit
King Edward’s was delighted once again to welcome Rt Hon
Jeremy Hunt who addressed pupils as part of the Bridewell
Lecture series. The Member of Parliament for South West Surrey
and Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt visited King
Edward’s for his biennial visit on 3 October. Sixth Form pupil,
Matthew Reed, reports.
Convening after break in the newly refurbished Selborne Room, a quiet excitement
descended among the 120 Sixth Form pupils present and we listened keenly as the
MP spoke eloquently about his life and roles in parliament followed by a hard-hitting
question and answer session.
Jeremy Hunt began his speech with stories of his prior career routes and explained
to the assembled Sixth Form how he had become a politician. He talked about his
involvement first in the corporate sector before heading into politics and gave advice
on how important it is to have perseverance when facing obstacles - a valuable
inspiration to us all doing our IB Diplomas.
Another main focus of his talk was on the importance of giving back to society and
he was challenged by one pupil, “What do you do to help society?” Remaining
constantly calm under pressure, the MP spoke about how the privileged, as King
Edwards’s pupils are with a quality education, must try and give back to society as
he has done with his career in politics and business ventures alike. He also set up a
charity to help AIDS orphans in Africa in which he continues to play an active role.
We are very grateful to Mr Hunt for once again taking time out of his busy schedule
to visit King Edward’s.
Duke of Edinburgh Peak
District trip
On 17 October a group of Sixth Form pupils travelled to the Peak
District for a five-day expedition. Emma Willett, a Sixth Form
pupil, reports.
Some pupils experienced Duke of Edinburgh for the first time doing their
Gold practice expedition, learning navigational skills and putting them into
practice by walking across the Peak District without help from the teachers.
Others showed what they were made of on their assessment, having already
climbed Ben Nevis in Scotland during the summer holidays. They showed off
their skills and perseverance, navigating the harsh slopes that the Peak District
has to offer.
The whole trip was a great success despite temperamental weather conditions,
including heavy storms and hail. As well as learning basics skills needed to complete the
Duke of Edinburgh Award they learnt about the history of the area, visiting the sight of
a WWII plane crash and the reservoir that was used in the development of the famous
bouncing bomb. The Upper Sixth group now look forward to completing the Gold
Certificate with the Lower Sixth going on their expedition in the Summer Term.
Emma recalls, “It was an amazing trip; I learnt a lot of new things about the area and
map reading. Everyone had a great time; even if we did get cold and wet we all got
through it together. I look forward to doing it all again in the summer”.
This year has seen a record number of King Edward’s pupils partaking in the award at
all levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. In June the School organised a challenging 16km
Lower School hike, followed by a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh assessment hike to
Tilford for 4th Form, and a Silver assessment in the New Forest, to name but a few.
Hot on the heels of this most recent Duke of Edinburgh trip, the Headmaster was
present at St James’s Palace to see seven ‘Old Wits’ being introduced to HRH the
Duke of Edinburgh and collecting their Gold Awards in October. We are proud of
you all!
D of E Survivors!

Street Child,the story of Dr Barnardo
Street Child is the story of events leading up to Dr Barnardo (played by Solomon Thomas)
setting up his Ragged School in the East End of London in 1867, shortly followed by homes
for orphaned, homeless children. In late June, the Lower School Theatre Company of King
Edward’s Witley directed by Mrs Kerry Wilson painted a graphic picture of inner city Victorian
slum-culture for us. Mrs Sharon Gleave reviews the play.
A simplistic set design with dim and moody lighting
helped to portray the grimy streets of the East End,
and the whole company, bedecked in soiled and
tattered garb, told the stories of extreme poverty,
deprivation and cruelty that the poorest people had
to endure in those dire times.
Talvin Blake expertly portrayed likeable urchin, Jim
Jarvis, who is central to the storyline, becoming an
orphan after his mother is forced by circumstances
to place his two sisters into service, and becoming ill
herself, dies in the workhouse. The audience were
visibly moved by Ma (Beth Awojobi’s) heart-rending
rendition of Amazing Grace, as she departs her
mortal coil.
Jim becomes the first orphan Barnardo takes in,
and his wretched story is the catalyst for Barnardo’s
philanthropic work, that continues to this day, a
story which he retold in pamphlets to persuade his
peers to raise funds for his homes for orphans.
Barnado listens intently to Jim’s story as it bobs and weaves
across the docklands, introducing over 60 characters,
played by 35 Lower School pupils. You cannot fail to
be shocked and impressed in equal measure by the
deplorable conditions these people survived, against all
odds, and their resilience of character is emphasised by a
dedicated cast.
There are many cameo roles worth mentioning: Shrimps
(El’Noam Afe-Aidelojie) a boy full of life one day, struck
down by illness and death (most probably consumption)
the next; Rosie (Emily Trappen) who tried to offer shelter
to young ‘Skippy’ Jim, only to be thwarted by mean
Grandfather (Kai Walcott) who ‘sold’ him to violent bully
Grimy Nick (Harrison Martin).
Some welcome glimpses of humour within this largely gritty
drama was provided by Grandmother (Willow Davies),
and Ma and her two daughters (Shannon White and
Rebecca Wallis Downham) gave us a convincing framework
at the beginning of the play, setting the scene beautifully.
ART,MUSIC,DRAMA

Commonwealth Musician of theYear,HuwWiggin
On 24 September, King Edward’s hosted first a pupil masterclass and later an evening concert as part of their Culture Club series by
acclaimed musician Huw Wiggin (praised by The Times for his ‘liquid gold tones’). As Commonwealth Musician of the Year, First Prize and
Gold Medal winner of the 2014 Royal Overseas League Annual Music Competition, Huw Wiggin is one of the most popular saxophonists of
his generation.
During the masterclass, Huw listened to pupils performances, gave tips on
stage presence, expression, communication with the audience and general
musicianship. An array of budding musical talent from King Edward’s was
expertly critiqued by Huw from voice (Emily Trappen, Henry Hampshire and
James Wood), piano (Keith Wong) and euphonium (Felix Rockhill).
During the evening concert, which included music by Bach and a stunning
arrangement from West Side Story, Huw, accompanied by up and coming
musician James Sherlock whose mother Rachel is in fact an ‘Old Wit’, held the
audience in the palm of his hand.
Commenting on the concert, Director of Music, Mr Stasio Sliwka says “it
was an incredible privilege for King Edward’s Witley to welcome such an
accomplished musician to the School. The Culture Club series represents an
exceptional opportunity for parents, pupils and people in our local community
to enjoy a top rate musical performances here in the county of Surrey. We
thank Huw very much and we look forward to the next concert “A Recital of
English Songs” with pianist Iain Burnside and mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley on 4
February.
Composer Karl Jenkins visits
On the evening of 8 October Karl Jenkins, the world’s most performed living composer and one of Wales’ most multipurpose and critically-
acclaimed musicians, visited King Edward’s music department to meet some of our IGCSE and IB pupils.
He was accompanied by his wife, composer, lyricist
and music education specialist Carol Barratt.
Upon arrival, pupils were waiting in the Music School
to welcome the guests, and put an array of musical
questions to our visitors. Sixth Form IB pupil, Caitlin
Riley, was able to play her own composition in our
music Mac suite to Mr Jenkins, who in return gave
Caitlin and the other budding young composers tips
for their own compositions.
Making his mark initially in jazz, Karl Jenkins is also
well known for composing the Adiemus album series,
which was used for the famous Avatar movie trailer
and for the credits at the end of the movie. Much
closer to home and King Edward’s, 16 October saw
the world premiere of ‘The Healer’ at St Luke’s
Church in Grayshott performed by the Excelsis Choir
who rehearse at the School.
It was a real honour for King Edward’s pupils and
staff to meet the composer and a great credit to King
Edward’s that he chose to visit.
ART,MUSIC,DRAMA

OUTREACH
Junior Netball Tournament
King Edward’s Witley’s newly refurbished netball courts were put to great use at the start of term with our annual Junior Netball Tournament.
We were delighted to welcome almost 200 Year
5 and 6 girls from local prep schools for this ever
popular event.
The day began with a warm up session led by Amanda
Davis, Surrey Storm player and Community Coach,
who was able to stay a while and support the teams
in their opening games, passing on some handy advice
and sharing stories of her time competing with Surrey
Storm in the Netball Superleague.
Following last year’s disappointing cancellation due
to bad weather, this year’s tournament seemed to
be blessed with glorious sunshine as the girls began
their first matches. Unfortunately storm clouds soon
gathered, but the girls were not deterred, voting
unanimously to continue the tournament!
In a change to previous years, this year’s round robin
format kept all teams involved right to the end and able
to participate in the prize giving, where all competing
players were presented with a King Edward’s Netball
Tournament pennant, and prizes awarded for 1st,
2nd and 3rd place in each category. This year’s U10
victors were Hoe Bridge School followed by Thomas’s
School Clapham and The Study School, Wimbledon.
Retaining the U11 trophy for yet another successive
year, Thomas’s School Clapham were closely followed
by their Fulham couterparts with Tormead coming in
3rd place. We look forward to hosting the event again
next year.
Maths and Science
Challenge Day
Our programme of activities for pupils from local prep and junior
schools continued in the Summer Term with our annual Maths and
Science Challenge Day. Eleven schools took part in this year’s event,
each sending six Year 5 pupils to compete in this friendly competition.
Each school was split into two teams of three, with each participating in a half day of
Maths Challenge and the other in our science laboratories carrying out experiments.
The Maths Challenge saw the pupils faced with a series of 40 fun puzzles, testing
not only their arithmetic, but also their powers of logic and deduction.
The Science Challenge gave the pupils the opportunity to turn detective as they
become forensics experts. Taking their bag of evidence they were guided through
a series of experiments to deduce who tragically murdered Ronald MacDonald,
through examination of evidence left at the crime scene.
Gemma Mitchell, Head of Mathematics at St. Hilary’s Preparatory School, said
“Thanks for such a fantastic Maths and Science Challenge Day…. the girls had such
an amazing day”.
World Arts Carnival Week
Boys from Aldro Preparatory School joined us for some of the
workshops as part of our inaugural World Arts Carnival Week. During
the week King Edward’s Witley ran a series of events in celebration
of the Arts in all their various forms and encompassing cultures from
across the globe.
The group of Year 8 boys joined our own pupils in an African Drumming
Workshop. By the end of the 2 hour session all the pupils were playing, singing
and evoking the true spirit of Africa, leaving them enriched and energised at the
amazing sound they had created.
Later in the week, Aldro joined us again to take part in a Stage Combat Workshop,
discovering how actors make a fight look convincing without getting a bloody nose.
Using a combination of carefully planned choreography and a variety of props, the boys
recreated famous fight scenes from the movies. From King Edward’s to Hollywood!
Stage combat workshop

James Hole
Mr James Hole has taken up the post of Deputy Head (Academic)
from September. Mr Hole was previously at Cheltenham Ladies’
College where he worked for ten years, the last six as Head of Sixth
Form and previously as teacher of English, in charge of debating
and Head of Critical Thinking / Theory of Knowledge.
An English specialist, Mr Hole holds a BA in English and American Literature
and an MA in English Literature. Throughout his teaching career Mr Hole has
coached public speaking and debating, preparing teams for a variety of regional
and national competitions and has a keen interest in this area.
Mr Hole says, “I feel privileged to be joining the staff at King Edward’s and look
forward to building on the great work already in place. I believe my appointment
will be instrumental in continuing to raise standards and providing pupils with an
outstanding education. I hope the experience gained throughout my career will help
me play an influential role in the next chapter of the School.”
We are very pleased to welcome Mr Hole to the senior team. He brings a
wealth of experience and intellect to the role and is joining the School at an
exciting time for us as we develop our plans for the future.
Stasio Sliwka
Mr Stasio Sliwka was appointed as Director of Music from
September. Mr Sliwka previously taught Music and directed the
choir at Downe House School, where he worked for 20 years. A
Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, he has a BMus degree
from Cardiff University.
Mr Sliwka says, “I am delighted to have joined the Music Department
team at King Edward’s in September. Having taught for twenty years in
a large Music Department at Downe House in Berkshire, I am relishing
the new challenge and leading a team of gifted musicians. As an organist,
I am keen to continue in building upon King Edward’s fine tradition of
choral music. I have also been struck by the breadth of instrumentalists
at the School and am excited to further develop and expand the many
possibilities for instrumental ensembles at King Edward’s.”
We are delighted to welcome Mr Sliwka to King Edward’s. Music is a
hugely important part of life here and we look forward to seeing how
the opportunities for education, personal growth and fun which learning,
performing and hearing music provides develop under his leadership in
the years to come.
PROFILES
Sheila Butler
Mrs Sheila Butler joined the School as Head of Learning Support and SENCO
(Special Educational Needs Coordinator) in September.
Mrs Butler studied History at the University of Cardiff before following a PGCE at Exeter University.
She takes up the role at King Edward’s Witley having held a Deputy SENCO position at Canon Palmer
Catholic Academy, in Ilford, Essex. Mrs Butler brings extensive experience of working directly with
pupils who might require specialist attention to help them meet their learning goals and is currently
finalising her Masters of Education: Inclusion and Special Needs.
Commenting on the new position, Mrs Butler says “King Edward’s enjoys a strong reputation for its
exceptional commitment to welcoming pupils from a broad range of academic, social, economic and
cultural backgrounds and providing the necessary guidance to ensure each student has the opportunity
to achieve their personal best. My role is essentially to enable all students to maximize their enjoyment
of the academic opportunities open to them via the varied programme of studies on offer at the School.
My decision to join the team here was greatly influenced by clear evidence of the nurturing culture that
pervades the School and the compassionate community that has been created for any child attending
King Edward’s Witley. I am delighted to be playing a pivotal role in King Edward’s pioneering approach
to bringing valuable learning support to the independent school sector.

Sports Day
We were fortunate to have a beautiful
sunny day for this year’s Sports Day. Pupils
competed in their Houses in athletics, track
and field events.
The Senior Houses produced outstanding
performances in particular from James Frudd for
the boys’ 1500m and Bola Abayomi for the girls’
1500m. Awards for the boys went to Jake Miller
for inter field events, and Nathaniel Wicks and Ben
Kisala for the senior field events. For the girls, top
sprinter Lianne Lafreniere broke the 1986 school
record for the 800m in 2 minutes 31.16 seconds
and Malika Cholwe collected the award for inters,
senior girls’ field events and the gold award for
shot put. As scores were counted, tallied up and
re-checked everyone held their breath for the final
result. Wakefield won overall for the boys and
the girls were dramatically tied with joint winners
Queens’ and Elizabeth.
Sports Day awards for the Lower School went to
Adam Boult for 1500m, Shannon White for 800m,
Luke Harmsworth for boys’ field events and
Sophie Cummings for girls’ field events. Overall for
the Lower School, Wight House triumphed for the
boys and Teresa for the girls.
Sports Day was notable for the presence of the
Meath Epilepsy Trust, our chosen charity for the
term, for whom £1130 was raised.
Ironman Swim
Not for the faint-hearted, two King Edward’s pupils,
George Gregory and Gemma Swan, recently swam
the River Arun over the classic Ironman distance of
3.8km from Ford to Littlehampton.
With over 350 competitors, mostly adults, this was
going to be a difficult race for the King Edward’s pupils,
neither having taken part in such an event before. To
put this into context, 3.8km is equivalent to 152 lengths
of the school pool, or in terms of distance roughly from
the School to the outskirts of Godalming. This in itself
is tough enough, but the start involves the competitors
getting into the water and when the timekeeper blows
the horn everyone starts at the same time.
The event is a pure act of speed. No concessions are
made to age or gender, it’s simply who has the fastest
times. It is therefore to their credit that Gemma came
111th out of 350, and George 124th. Well done to
the pair of them. We hope that their success may
encourage more pupils to take part next year.
SPORT
Barcelona football tour
Over the autumn half term, the School took the U16
boys’ football squad for a ‘warm-weather’ training
camp in Barcelona. The camp included three training
sessions, two ‘mental fitness’ workshops and two
matches. Despite the heat, Director of Football, Mr
Dan Abraham didn’t let the boys off lightly and they had
to work hard in their training sessions!
Away from the football field, the players had a guided
tour of Barcelona which included visiting the Olympic
Stadium, a walk through La Rambla and had a tour of
Nou Camp Stadium, home of Futbol Club Barcelona
since 1957 and Europe’s largest stadium. On 18
October, the players experienced a great evening
watching the Spanish La Liga game Barcelona v Eibar,
the match finishing 3-0 to home side Barcelona.
King Edward’s U16 squad played two matches. The
first game was against PB Cinc Copes, a talented youth
set-up based in the City Centre. Both teams played
some good football but both also defended well and
the game ended 0-0.
The second game was against English opponents,
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, which King
Edward’s won 3-2 in an exciting end to end match. It
was a pleasing end to the tour, although the players
were less pleased when they had to have iced baths
after the match!
Triumphant Ironman swimmer George
King Edward’s U16 squad with P B Cinc Copes
Lianne breaks school record
Brand new
fitness suite
Amongst the great many refurbishments and
improvements that were made to the School over
the summer holidays, we are delighted to unveil
our six new floodlit netball courts and brand new
fitness suite and weights room in September.
Previously in two rooms, the fitness suite and
weights room now make up one large gym.
Supervised by sports staff and open each morning,
evening, during the day time and on weekends,
it has instantly become one of the most popular
places for free time activities. The fitness suite
is equipped with over twenty new pieces of
equipment including cardiovascular machines
with cross trainers, treadmills, bikes and rowing
machines as well as functional trainers, leg presses
and free weights.

OLDWITLEIANSAND
DEVELOPMENT
IB pioneers return to Witley
to celebrate 10Years of the IB
A celebration to mark the 10th anniversary of King Edward’s running the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma was held on 27
September. Old Witleians from the earliest through to the most recent cohorts joined current and former staff for an evening of dinner,
dancing and special guest speeches in the newly refurbished Selborne Room.
Almost 100 Old Witleians returned to Witley for the event from as far afield
as Germany, Italy and Singapore. They were joined by IB pioneer former staff
including Robert Uffold, Brian and Jenni Tuner, Jan Millington, Richard Meanwell,
Richard and Suzanne Bird and special guest, former Headmaster Kerr Fulton-
Peebles, who had travelled with his wife from Australia for the event.
In his speech Mr Fulton-Peebles emphasised the value of the IB and how the
success of his former pupils before him was testament to that. IB Old Wits have
gone on to train as lawyers, bankers, engineers, film makers and teachers and many
are still studying at university in the UK and overseas.
Mr Fulton-Peebles’ toast was returned on behalf of the Old Wits by Lennart
Boerner, Wakefield 2005-7, who paid special thanks to Christine Meharg, Director
of the IB at King Edward’s, who has driven the success of the programme and
whose retirement next year we also celebrated. Christine surprised guests with her
own special Head Girls’ Prologue, which was both moving and funny, and which
preceded an excellent dinner by our caterers Holroyd Howe.
In our video interviews at the event Rebecca Gray, Tudor 2001-8, and former
Head Girl, reflected “I loved how IB brought new people into the School: different
backgrounds, different nationalities”. Anna-Lena Theobald, Elizabeth 2005-7,
said “King Edward’s was like having a family. We had left our families, we grew up
together, we have a connection”.
When guests were asked where they see themselves in 10 years’ time, this reply
sums up almost all of the answers, “We hope to be still in touch, coming back to the
School, here for another reunion”.
See you in 10 years, if not before!
How many of you remember the ‘old Selborne Room?
Looking different after a major refurbishment this summer!
2009 cohort with Mr Stephen and Mrs Sandra Pugh
Robert Uffold, Jenni Turner, Bettina Waters and Brian Turner
2006 IB pioneers: Emily von Eschwege, Sophie Neuhann,
Lara Thomas and Dinazad Tutcuoglu
2011 cohort: Thomas Jarvis, George Fawcett, Storm Lindenberg,
Massimo Lo-Muto and Ben Evans

D I A R Y D A T E S
Friday 12 December 2014
Bridewell Fellows’ Lunch & Christmas Carol
Concert, Witley (by invitation)
Tuesday 10 March 2015
Bridewell Service, St. Bride’s, and lunch at
the Guildhall, London (by invitation)
Thursday 19 March 2015
1553 Guild & 1867 Society joint event,
Witley (by invitation)
Saturday 27 June 2015
Old Witleians’ Annual Summer Reunion, Witley
Wednesday 8 July 2015
King Edward’s Golf Day, Venue TBC
For more information contact
oldwitleians@kesw.org
Keep up to date with news and events at
www.kesw.org/owa
OLDWITLEIANSAND
DEVELOPMENT
Pledging a
legacy to the
Bridewell
Foundation
In March this year we organised the inaugural
event for members of the 1553 Guild for those
who have pledged a legacy to the Bridewell
Foundation. Guests enjoyed an afternoon tea
and the chance to preview the IB Art exhibition
of works by Upper Sixth pupils.
We are grateful for every gift to the Bridewell Foundation which
supports King Edward’s School. Donations can be made in a
number of ways.
• By posting a cheque or CAF voucher
made payable to ‘King Edward’s School Witley’
• By credit card
at www.kesw.org/support-us/bursaries-fund
• By bank transfer or standing order
through the Development Office
• By the sale or transfer of stocks and shares
• By a gift in your will of cash or property
If you are a UK tax payer, we can reclaim gift aid at 25% on
your gift. If you are a higher rate tax payer, gifts to charity can be
deducted on your tax return.
Donors in the United States may give tax efficiently to King
Edward’s School Witley through the British Schools and
Universities Fwoundation, Inc, at www.bsuf.org.
For further information on how to give and a gift form,
please contact:
The Development Office
King Edward’s School Witley, Godalming, Surrey GU8 5SG.
T: 01428 686773 E: development@kesw.org
Bridewell Royal Hospital Foundation Registered Charity No. 311997
Making
a gift
The 1553
Guild -
Pledging
A Legacy
Legacies to the Bridewell Foundation
have been vital to our founding mission
over the centuries, enabling us to
provide bursaries for children in need of
a boarding school education and pastoral
care. This need continues today at King
Edward’s School Witley.
John Attwater, Headmaster
SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL’S FOUNDING MISSION
Please consider a legacy to the Bridewell Foundation and
join the 1553 Guild of legacy pledgers. 1553 Guild members
receive a certificate from the Headmaster and invitations to
special events throughout the year.
As a registered charity (no. 311997) a legacy to the Bridewell
Foundation is in most instances tax free and if you leave 10%
or more of your taxable estate to charity then you will qualify
for a reduced rate of inheritance tax.
For further information and advice about pledging a legacy
please contact the Development Office:
T: 01428 686773 E: development@kesw.org
I want to be sure
that my legacy
will be used for
a cause which is
meaningful to me.
Chris
Cooper
OW 1977
Old Wits’ annual summer reunion
It was a great pleasure to welcome Old Wits and
their guests to the Annual Reunion on 28 June.
Despite a mixed day weather-wise, our spirits
weren’t dampened and the full programme was
able to take place with only one variation – we
had to move hastily back indoors for the group
photograph! Two high spots were the usual
excellent lunch and a thoughtful and inspiring
Chapel service, which included singing from
a combined King Edward’s and Old Witleans
Association choir. See the Old Wits’ section of the
School website for full event report and cricket and
tennis match reports at www.kesw.org/owa
Thanks to everyone who contributed to making
this such an enjoyable and happy occasion,
with particular thanks to Marilyn Wilkes, School
Archivist and OWA Heritage Ambassador, for
a superb archive presentation, display and
discussion. Marilyn has also been busy creating
memorial articles in remembrance of Old
Witleans and staff who died as a result of World
War 1. These and an article on the original
Wormald-Filgate WW1 memorial are now in the
In Memoriam section of the Old Wits’ section of
the School website.
Football: King Edward’s 2 Old Wits 1
Mixed hockey: King Edward’s 0 Old Wits 5
Autumn sports reunion

Kestrel No 27 FINAL

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