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| 20 Oct 2025 | |
| Written by Molly Burgess | |
| School News |
A message from the Head, Jude Lowson:
There is always a special sense of renewal about the School at the start of a new academic year, but that feeling has been more profound still with the opening of a new Day House and with so many new pupils joining our community. It has been a pleasure to see pupils settling so quickly and confidently into the rhythms of school life.
One of the real joys of these first weeks has been meeting so many pupils, whether over breakfast with the new Shells, at lunches with different year groups, or while popping into Houses or events. What always stands out to me is how open, friendly and thoughtful our pupils are: always ready to say hello or stop for a chat, to share their views, and to welcome others into conversation. As I write, I’ve just walked back from a meeting at the International College, a journey back to the Precincts that took far longer than expected because I kept bumping into pupils along the way. They were buzzing with excitement about the trips about to depart or eager to dissect the details of last night’s House Song competition.
All of which makes it clear that pupil voice has been a real theme this term. On a more formal level, the King’s Council (our whole school pupil feedback forum) met recently, and the discussion was thoughtful, lively and full of ideas about how we can make school life even better. How encouraging it is to see pupils speak so confidently and constructively about the community they belong to. In that spirit, this edition of the newsletter introduces our new team of School Captains, who I know will bring real warmth and purpose to their roles in the months ahead. They are wonderful ambassadors for the School, but also eager advocates for its pupils.
King’s has also been in especially fine voice in the musical sense. With our numbers swelled to new highs this year, the volume of the Congers has been remarkable, literally echoing beyond the Precincts and raising expectations that this year’s House Song could be a vintage edition. And so it was: Galpin’s took the trophy after a superb performance, but each House sang with such commitment and flair.
I told the pupils in our final assembly this week just how proud they have made me on so many occasions this term, and House Song is one of the finest examples of that. How good it is that they truly care: they care about working hard and doing a good job, they care about winning, and they care about being part of this wonderful annual tradition. But they also care for each other, for their Houses, their friends, and the sense of belonging that comes from doing something together, wholeheartedly and well. It is that care, more than anything, that has made King’s feel so alive this half term.
In this newsletter:
