The King's School annual reports 2009

THE KING’s SCHOOLHeadmaster’sAnnualReport20091

fortiter et fideliterA family in Christchurch, New Zealand was scolded by social workersrecently for allowing their children to play unsupervised in a local schoolplayground. The family was told that the days of children playing in parkssafely by themselves have gone. The psychologist and author, NigelLatta, responded by writing:Newsflash: those days never existed. It has never been safe forchildren to play in parks. Ever. Here is just a small list of some of thehazards that children playing alone in parks have always faced: falling,slipping, general unsteadiness, mean kids, sticks, stones, name calling,broken bottles, ant bites, bee stings, plane crashes, sitting in chewinggum, bird pooh to the head, prickles in the grass, dog bites, little kidbites, scratches from stray kittens, meteor strikes, crazed gunmen,religious cults, being kissed by politicians, abduction by organ traffickers,muddy shoes, swine flu…The business of raising children is really about running the numbers.Is it possible that your children could be abducted from a park? Yes. Is itlikely? No. Is it more likely now than it was when we were children? No. Isit possible they could fall off something? Yes. Does gravity work the sameas it did when we were children? Yes. Do wounds heal and bones mendmuch the same as they always have? Again, yes.Latta went on to write of “The New Childhood”: It’s colourful, non-toxic,has no sharp edges and is non-allergenic. But it just sucks.A survey of 48,000 young people recently conducted by MissionAustralia suggested: The nation’s youngsters are scared to ventureoutdoors – fearing assaults and violence… A generation of anxiousAussies has been created… Despite crime rates falling, a quarter ofyoung people are still fearful they will become victims of violence.During the recent HSC Studies in Religious Exam, a prominentindependent school had to give its students an hour to composethemselves after tears were shed because of an unexpected questionon their exam paper. Commenting on this, Jane Caro writes: Surely, farfrom causing hysterics, an “unexpected” question should be grist to thereally well-educated person’s mill? No matter how much money, careand attention may have been lavished on these young girls’ education,what use will they actually be in the real world, where unexpectedquestions pop up all the time?Not long ago, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that: Being bulliedat school has left almost seven out of 10 adults suffering from low selfesteemand a lack of assertiveness.This is a staggering claim…seven out of 10 adults crippled bylow self-esteem and a lack of assertiveness due to negative schoolexperiences! Can it be true that our resilience as a nation has sunk tothese depths, or our bullying has risen to such heights? No one shouldcondone bullying. No one. But really…seven out of 10 now needingthe psychiatrist’s couch!Over past months I’ve had conversations with several parents who, withgimlet eye, have wanted their child to experience the consequences ofill-judged behaviour, only to be prevented from doing so due to a fear ofpromoting depression. Without wanting to trivialise the very real scourgeof depression in our society, I do wonder whether the child-centredupbringing enjoyed at home and at school is yielding a product thatcan only be described as feeble.Yes, we must nurture, we must give proper care, but over-protection is,in my opinion, a form of child-abuse and I worry about the consequencesof over-protection on us as individuals and as a nation.Every now and again I am comforted that there does remainsome grit in our young men. Our guest speaker at Speech Night lastyear, Governor-General Quentin Bryce, presented the Victoria Cross toTrooper Mark Donaldson earlier this year: Over two hours in south-easternAfghanistan last September 2, Trooper Donaldson, 29, repeatedly foughtalone in open ground raked by accurate and heavy Taliban machinegunfire to allow his wounded comrades to be dragged to safety.Deliberate exposure to draw fire away from the wounded wouldhave been enough for a Victoria Cross recommendation, but TrooperDonaldson then sprinted 80m over the same killing ground to save thelife of a seriously wounded Afghan interpreter.Under furious enemy fire Trooper Donaldson moved rapidly betweenalternative positions engaging the Taliban with his M4 carbine and66mm and 84mm shoulder-fired rockets.The youngest Victoria Cross winner ever was 18 year old PrivateJohn Jackson, who rescued many wounded soldiers in 1916 whilstunder heavy enemy fire. Despite his arm being blown off, he returnedto rescue several more soldiers before allowing himself to have his armproperly amputated.It is my fond hope that not many Kingsmen get caught in a hostile firefight.However, I do not doubt that a Kingsman will encounter other trialsthat will test his mettle. He may encounter institutional bullying on winterweekends when boys from St Joseph’s College, with a remarkable lackof civility, will knock him to the ground, take his football and run away withit. In summer other frightening boys will appear from places like Riverviewand Newington, and will throw things at him. We call it cricket.Schools must act as a bridge between the pillowed life of the homeand the hard edges of the real world. For this reason it is important thatour sons experience the discomfort of not having their beds madefor them on Cadet Camp, and run the risk of blisters by trekking upthe unforgiving slopes of the Brokenback Range. It is important theyencounter the dizzying challenge of going over the edge of a cliff onan abseiling rope.Good schools will devote themselves not just to the task of preparinga boy for his HSC exams. A good school will devote itself to preparinga boy for life, and life brings with it a requirement to operate in anenvironment which only grudgingly gives adulation. It is important for aboy to experience an audience that will only clap if it is deserved. It isimportant for a boy to be told he is behaving like an idiot, particularly ifhe is behaving like an idiot.A King’s education must be one of warmth, encouragement andsecurity. Its teachers must be kind and they must be honest. Thosetwo qualities do not always sit well together, for there will be timeswhen a teacher must bruise a boy’s presumptions by suggesting hehas imperfections. There are times when a teacher must challenge3

assumptions of virtue. There are times when a discerning school must runthe risk of damage to a boy’s emerging psyche by not selecting him toplay in the 1st XV or making him a Prefect.A King’s education is designed to strengthen not just academic abilitybut also character. It is designed to disturb with new possibilities and tosuggest standards that might hitherto be thought difficult, demandingand even dangerous.Hara Marano suggests: There are some who are going to ludicrouslengths to take the lumps and bumps out of life for their children.However well-intentioned, hyper-concern and micro-scrutiny have thenet effect of making kids more fragile… The Director of “Play Wales”, MikeGreenaway, states: “Children should not be exposed to unnecessarydangers and hazards, but we (need) to balance the potential risks againstthe potential benefits.” Lady Allen of Hurtwood puts it more succinctly: “Itis better to risk a broken leg than a broken spirit.” John Eldredge writes:Adventure, with all its requisite danger and wildness, is a deeply spirituallonging written into the soul of man. The masculine heart needs a placewhere nothing is prefabricated modular, non-fat, zip lock, franchised,on-line, microwavable. Where there are no deadlines, cell phones, orcommittee meetings. Where there is room for the soul. Eldredge goes onto suggest there are three desires in the heart of a boy:• a battle to fight• an adventure to win• a beauty to rescue.More than anything else, a boy needs to discover who he is. Heneeds to be tested, to find his strengths, even his destiny. This may be thegreatest tragedy of our time, boys not knowing who they are. Contentto cultivate their courage only in computer games, they drift through lifeuntested, unsure and unaware of who they are.Compare this with the character, Maximus, played by Russell Crowein Gladiator. Maximus was a much loved Spanish general who was totake over as Emperor from Marcus Aurelius. However, the son of MarcusAurelious, the evil Commodus, murders his father, crucifies Maximus’wife and son and sells Maximus as a gladiator. Maximus survives andeventually gets to fight in the Coliseum in Rome. On winning, Maximus iscongratulated by Commodus. The scene goes thus:Commodus: Your fame is well deserved, Spaniard. I don’t believe there’sever been a gladiator that matches you. Why doesn’t thehero reveal himself and tell us all your real name? (Maximusis silent). You do have a name?Maximus: My name is Gladiator (he turns and walks away).Commodus: How dare you show your back to me! Slave! You will removeyour helmet and tell me your name.Maximus: (Slowly, very slowly lifts his helmet and turns to face his enemy).My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander ofthe Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyalservant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius, father to amurdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will havemy vengeance, in this life or in the next.We have to use our homes and we have to use our schools tostrengthen our boys so they can survive a world when they are not goingto be provided by a constant stream of undiluted success. If a boy isgoing to crumple because he does not get his hourly fix of praise, then hemay not last long in the real world. Self-esteem needs to be built up butnever to a stage that ordinary performance is exalted as extraordinary.“Warm fuzzies” are good but so too are words of correction, if they areshared with wisdom and understanding.A boy should not depend on a constant diet of adulation.Disappointment happens, discouragement happens, distress happensand thus some inner courage is required. It might be as well to remindsome that if the world didn’t “suck” they would fall off, and that someresilience is needed against “the slings and arrows of outrageousfortune”. Fate plays with us all and can cause us to laugh and cry. Someemotional and physical courage is required. As it is said, we are all bornnaked, wet and hungry and things then get worse. Fortunately things alsoget better because life, for most people, is a constant journey throughhigh points and low points. The foundation of resilience rests in:− A realistic understanding of ourself.− A realistic understanding of others.− An ability to cope with the strengths and weaknesses in ourself.− An ability to cope with the strengths and weaknesses in others.The King’s School has become renowned for many things. Ouracademic results over the past few years have placed us as one ofthe top non-selective boys’ schools in the State. Of the 22 GPS sportingcompetitions, we are champions in half of them. Our enrolmentshave never been stronger, nor has our building program ever beenso ambitious. Music and drama have become areas of excellenceand the School’s contribution to educational debate, particularly inthe area of boys’ education, leadership and boarding, is now ofinternational significance.But all this counts for nothing if we produce a boy who is unable tocope with life’s many challenges. This does not mean our product mustbe hard and unfeeling. We need King’s men to be generous of heartand warm of soul. But we also require a Kingsman to show grit, the sort ofgrit talked of by Winston Churchill when he spoke to a nation during thedark years of the Second World War: Even though large tracts of Europeand many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the gripof the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall notflag or fall. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shallfight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidenceand growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever thecost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landinggrounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in thehills. We shall never surrender.This might be translated as:“fortiter et fideliter” (bravely and faithfully)which is our School motto.Now there was a man who knew who he was!We need to give our young men experiences that help them to findout who they are. At King’s we endeavour to do this by adding adventureand challenge to our educational offering.Dr Tim HawkesHeadmaster4

Stu d e n t s a t Th eKin g ’s Sc h o o la r e a l s o c h a l l e n g e da n d e x t e n d e d b y t h eSch o o l ’s i n v o lv e m e n tin a l a r g e n u m b e r o fSt a t e a n d Na t i o n a lc o m p e t i t i o n s .growing accountabilityUnder the current Federal Government, Australia is moving into anera of greater transparency and greater accountability in relation toschooling. The National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy(NAPLAN) test score for every school in Australia will be made public onthe Yourschool website which be activated in early 2010. The NAPLANscores for each school will be compared against State averages, andthey will also be compared against a group of about 60 like schoolsfrom around Australia. These schools will be grouped according tosimilarities in socio-economic status.There has been vitriolic debate about to the value of such reportingwith many educators expressing concern about the possible use ofthis data to create national “league tables” for schools. Experiencein Great Britain and in other places overseas has indicated that thepublication of league tables can result in a contraction of educationalto the preparation for the test, rather than preparing students for life.I must add my concern that schools may lose sight of their broadmission of realising the potential in all areas of a student’s social,emotional, spiritual, physical and academic life. Having said this,there is much about the Federal Government’s initiative which is to becommended. There is no question that schools will now give greateremphasis to literacy and numeracy, and that the current complacencybrought on by minimal accountability that exists in many schools willnow be shaken.At The King’s School, we welcome the increased stringency placedon us by the Federal Government and will do all that we can to ensurethat our students achieve appropriate results, not only in their NAPLANtests in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, but also in their School Certificate andHigher School Certificate. However, we will not content ourselves withthis aim, for we will go further and maintain our traditional areas ofstrength in the development of good character.academic initiativesAccordingly, I have been delighted by the many initiatives put inplace throughout 2009 to enrich our academic program. The EnglishDepartment has sought to improve the English skills of its students inYears 7 to 9 by issuing students with a “basic skills workbook” and bycontinuing to run the “Drop Everything and Read” (DEAR) program. A“storylines” program has also been introduced for students in Years 7and 8 which is designed to introduce our students to good literature.Other initiatives have included putting in place a writer in residence.The author, Mr Scot Gardner, joined Year 9 students for three days andwas the dinner speaker at the School’s inaugural “Writers’ Forum”.excelsior programExemplifying the School’s commitment to high academic standardshas been the Excelsior Program. This program is designed to caterfor the needs of gifted and talented students. The major expressionof this program is the establishing of scholars’ classes in Years 5 and6 in the Preparatory School and also in Years 7 through to 10 in theSenior School. These classes provide a “hothouse” of learning wherebygifted students can challenge and extend each other and engage inlearning tasks which are commensurate with their abilities. In essence,this enables The King’s School to offer all the advantages of a selectiveacademic school whilst also providing that breadth of education notalways found in such schools.Augmenting the Excelsior Program are the many activities associatedwith the Mary Burns Society which caters for gifted and talented studentsin Year 7. The boys in this society gather to discuss intriguing questionssuch as social prejudices and pathological phobias, and issues relatedto the formation of values.Students at The King’s School are also challenged and extendedby the School’s involvement in a large number of State and Nationalcompetitions, and by establishing close links to the GERRIC organisationat the University of New South Wales, which is the major body in NewSouth Wales which looks after the needs of gifted and talented children.Other activities engaged in by our gifted and talented students includethe publication of The New Rambler which is a peer reviewed studentjournal of opinion published by boys in Years 8 and 9. This is an intriguingjournal which explores health and science, the arts, contemporaryculture, and politics.8

• Of 177 HSC students, 101 obtained at least one Band 6 result.• TKS secured a spot in the top 50 schools in NSW. As most of the schools inthe top 50 are academically selective, this is an excellent result for King’s.• 15 boys gained a place on the State Honour Roll, for securing a score of 90or more in every one of their ten units.academic mattersThe academic program at The King’s School has been enriched bythe ongoing use made by the “Yourtutor” program which is an onlinetutoring program available to all King’s boys. Each student is givena log-in and password to access a service which enables him tocommunicate with tutors during out of school hours.In addition to the above, the School has been pleased tocontinue its tutoring program in the Centre for Learning andLeadership, with gifted Old Boys joining with members of staff toprovide one-on-one tuition to students requesting assistance.the 2009 HSC resultsThe 2009 Higher School Certificate (HSC) results were very good withKing’s, once again, securing a spot in the top 50 schools in New SouthWales. When it is remembered that the great majority of schools in thetop 50 are highly selective in their intake, The King’s School results areeven more commendable. We were ranked 46th in the State.Of particular note were the 15 Kingsmen who gained a place onthe State Honour Roll for recurring a score of 90 or more in every singleone of their ten units of work. This was the best result of any of the nonselectiveGPS schools. These students were:Conor BatemanMax BennessJason ChoiMichael CroftJoseph De La HoydeAjeet HansraHenry LinWilliam MaherJason MounseyAnthony PennaVinay RanjanJack ReidAlexander RogersJack SingleVale SloaneThe performance by the School in Mathematics is always strong andit remained so in 2009 with Mathematics presenting the School withmore Band 6 (a score of over 90/100) results than any other subject.Of particular pleasure was the School’s results in English with King’sperforming better than any other non-selective GPS school in thissubject. In most subjects in the HSC, the School secured scores wellabove the State average, which is very pleasing. Also worthy of notewas the record number of students who obtained at least one Band 6result. Of our candidature of 177 students, 101 obtained at least oneBand 6 result.academic awardsThose achieving full colours for academic proficiency in 2009 includeConor Bateman, Max Benness, Duncan Boyd-Jones, Jason Choi, MichaelCroft, Joseph De La Hoyde, Henry Lin, Jason Mounsey, Anthony Penna,Vinay Ranjan, Shaun Sabapathypillai, Jack Single, and Hemant Vijaykumar.Those obtaining Honour Colours for academics in Year 12 were:Ajeet HansraMishaal PatelVale Sloanethe primary years programIn September 2009, The King’s School Preparatory School was fullyauthorised as a Primary Years Program (PYP) School. The PYP program is,in my opinion, the best primary school curriculum available anywherein the world. It is an enquiry based learning system developed by theInternational Baccalaureate Organisation which offers a curriculumthat features:• Enquiry• Collaboration• Connectiveness• An international perspectiveI pay tribute to the staff in the Prep School for their professionalism anddedication in guiding the School through the accreditation process.11

Per h a p s m yf a v o u r i t e m u s i c a le v e n t o f t h e y e a r ist h e Ni g h t o f Mu s i c a lExc e l l e n c e w h i c h isa s h o w -ca s e o f t h eb e s t m u s i c a l ta l e n tin t h e Sc h o o l .debatingDebating continues to develop a growing interest at The King’s School.Conor Bateman acquitted himself well by coming second in theLawrence Campbell Oratory Competition which pitted him against thebest debaters in all other GPS schools. Two of our other debaters, AjeetHansra and Vale Sloane, were selected in the GPS Debating side. TheSchool also performed admirably in the History Debating Competitionwinning the competition in both Years 10 and 11.chessI have been delighted by the number of gifted chess players withinthe School. Charles McMahon, Benedict Tan and Henry McMahon areparticularly gifted and were all chosen to represent the GPS schoolsagainst the CAS schools. The GPS team went on to win this competition.In the Richard Yeend intra-school Chess Competition, this year’s winnerwas John McMahon with Benedict Tan finishing runner up.musicOne of my great delights has been to witness the growth of the MusicProgram in the Preparatory School and in the Senior School. Underthe direction of Jonathan Todhunter, the Prep School musicians andchoristers have achieved a significant reputation, winning a numberof eisteddfods and entertaining the School community in great stylethroughout the year.In the Senior School, the energy and leadership of our music staffhas resulted in an ongoing advancement of musical excellence. TheMarching Band performed with distinction on Anzac Day and at a varietyof other functions throughout the year including the memorial servicefor Sir Marcus Loane at St Andrew’s Cathedral, and at the memorialservice on the White Oval for Major Glenn Murphy. The Stage Bandand Concert Band have been particularly active this year as has ourOrchestra. However, it is in choral work where the School continues toshow the most significant development. Our Senior Choir now numbersabout 85 boys. This choir joined with the Methodist Ladies’ CollegeSchool Choir to perform in the Sydney Opera House this year. Their worksincluded Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Verdi’s Triumphal Marchfrom Aida. Throughout 2009, the School hosted a number of visitingmusicians including the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Orchestra, andPeter Sculthorpe, the iconic Australian composer. Also arriving was adouble manual Flemish-style harpsichord, which was procured by theFriends of Music. This 18th Century replica is a significant addition to theMusic Department.Perhaps my favourite musical event of the year is the Night of MusicalExcellence which is a show-case of the best musical talent in the School.The standard of music was outstanding with Roger Kong (Year 10), havingjust been awarded two Licentiate Diplomas in Piano with Distinction andan LMusA from the Australian Music Examinations Board being one ofmany who entranced the audience.I pay particular tribute to the Captain of Music and Captain ofOrchestra, Matthew Chua, to the Captain of Concert Band and StageBand, William MacInnes, and to the Captain of Choir, Cameron Gough,for their outstanding leadership throughout the year.dramaDrama continues to grow in popularity at The King’s School to the extentthat the School has had to invest in building a significant extension toour existing Theatre. The new Drama Centre, which will be opened atthe end of Term 1, 2010, will incorporate a “black box” theatre whichwill seat about 150 people. It will also incorporate a green room,changing rooms, prop room and classroom.In 2009, The King’s School was treated to a visual and auditoryspectacular with the production of the Gilbert Sullivan comic opera TheGondoliers. Together with our friends from Tara and under the watchfuleye of our Director of Theatre, John Haigh and his team, the 2009musical was a triumph. The colour, energy and professionalism of theproduction made it difficult to believe that it was the work of students.Another cultural delight in the King’s calendar is the presentationof HSC Drama Works. Under the heading of Curtain Call 09 the HSCDrama Works were performed before a hugely appreciative audience.Over the last few years at The King’s School, it has been particularlypleasing to see how the standard of Drama has improved with theresult that we frequently get students nominated for “OnStage”, whichis the annual showcase of exemplary HSC Drama performances. Thisyear’s nomination for “OnStage” was Michael Dalleywater, whoseperformance of an adaption of the play Accidental Death of an Anti-Christ by the Italian playwright Dario Fo, was mesmerizing.12

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We need to disturbour students withnew possibilities and causethem to wonder. It is onlywhen we humble ourselveswith doubt do we equipourselves with certainty.15

Of pa r t i c u l a rp l e a s u r e w a st h e notification t h a tt h e Sc h o o l h a d n ol e s s t h a n t h r e es t u d e n t s n o m i n a t e df o r Ar t Exp r e s s a n df i f t e e n n o m i n a t e d f o rt h e InTec h d i s p l a y .visual artsPlans are being drawn up to build a new Visual Arts Centre. It isanticipated that this project might commence towards the end of2010 or in 2011. This very significant facility will give due recognitionof the strength of Visual Arts within the School. Those members of theSchool community who were able to view the HSC Art Exhibition onFriday 11 September in the Art Centre would not need reminding of thestrength of artistic excellence within the School.Of particular pleasure was the notification that the School had noless than three students nominated for ArtExpress, which is the showcaseof the best Visual Arts work produced by the 2009 HSC students. Thesestudents were:Michael CroftRyan NguyenKingsley Mayindustrial artsagriculture clubThroughout 2009, the Agriculture Club has remained active and hasparticipated in a number of agricultural shows throughout New SouthWales. Perhaps the most significant was the Sydney Royal Easter Showwhere the Club exhibited 10 steers. Of the 250 steers from 45 schoolsexhibited, the School obtained 1st place in the Middle-weight SchoolsCompetition with the Square Meater steer,clubs and societiesOne of the features of The King’s School is the many clubs andsocieties available to students. Some of the societies are by invitationonly and are typically the intellectual societies such as The Twelve Club,The Cartesian Club, and The Scipionic Circle. Others are open to anystudent who is interested and range from the Mileage Marathon Clubwhich uses environmentally-friendly technology to power one-personand two-person cars, to wood and metalwork societies, and a wholerange of sports clubs.On the same night of the HSC Art display, the Industrial Arts Departmentshowcased the HSC works made by those students doing wood or metalwork, or engaging in some other form of industrial technology. I nevercease to be amazed at the ingenuity and skill shown by our students,and by the devotion and commitment to excellence shown by staff. Theworks included camping trailers, wooden boats, tables, beds, tippingtrailers, and much more. Therefore, it was not surprising that the followingstudents were nominated for the InTech display of the best HSC work.Alex MacAlpineJames GuestCharles HarrisLachlan Girling-ButlerHeath DowlingMatt ArmourSimon KensitCharles BoyceMitchell HorrocksMax PageDaniel Norton was also nominated for DesignTech.16

We h e r e m u s t h i g h ly r e s o lv et h a t t h e i r l a b o u r n o t b e inv a i n , t h a t t h i s s c h o o l u n d e r Go ds h a l l d i s p e n s e p r o p e r l e a r n i n g , a n dt h a t e d u c a t i o n o f t h e s t u d e n t s b yt h e t e a c h e r s f o r t h e pa r e n t s s h a l ln o t p e r i s h f r o m t h i s p l a c e .King’s Herald extract / 5 June 2009:Gettysburg Revisited: Some years ago I stood in the gardensof an American city which was calming itself after a day of work.Among the evening lights that came on to give dignity to WashingtonDC were those at the Lincoln Memorial. The great man’s marbledfeatures stared seriously at me, and my soul was stirred by his lifeof pain, self-doubt and sacrifice. This man’s wisdom helped heal afractured nation.I borrow from Lincoln’s oratory in order to remind ourselves thatwe can still find fractures in society and attacks upon those idealson which The King’s School was founded.One hundred and seventy seven years ago, our fathers andmothers brought forth on this continent a new school, conceivedin hope and dedicated to the proposition that young gentlemenshould learn.Now we are engaged in a change, testing whether the schoolso conceived and so dedicated can long maintain its quality andpurpose. It is for us the successors to be dedicated here to theunfinished work, which they who served here have thus so far noblyadvanced.It is for us to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us,and that from these honoured traditions of sound scholarship, wetake increased devotion to that cause to which others gave theirtime. We here must highly resolve that their labour not be in vain,that this school under God shall dispense proper learning, and thateducation of the students by the teachers for the parents shall notperish from this place.”You will know immediately that I have based my lines on Lincoln’sGettysburg Address. I am mindful of the presumption there is incustomising another’s words, however, I do so to celebrate thepoetry of a great man and to acknowledge the sacrifice of paststaff and scholars of the School. They have given themselves in awar against ignorance and for the unification of the mental, thespiritual, the emotional, the social and the physical in our quest forthe complete man at peace with himself, at peace with others andat peace with God.It is as well to remind ourselves of our mission which is to be:“a Christian community that seeks to make an outstanding impactfor the good of society through its students, and by the quality of itsteaching and leadership in education”It is also important to remind ourselves of the fragility of ourreputation and of the immense care needed to avoid anybehaviours which might bring the School into disrepute – not justnow, but in the future.18

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It h a s s e e ns t u d e n t s visitingl o c a l a g e d -ca r efacilities, h o s p i t a l sa n d s p e c i a l s c h o o l s ,a n d e n g a g i n g inp r o j e c t s t h r o u g h o u tNew So u t h Wa l e sa n d o v e r s e a s.community outreachThe community outreach program has enjoyed in a vibrant year ofservice. The option of allowing students to engage in communityservice rather than stay on as a member of The King’s School CadetCorps provides a choice which allows many boys to give expression totheir compassion for others. I commend all students and staff involvedwith the program. It has seen students visiting local aged-care facilities,hospitals and special schools, and engaging in projects throughout NewSouth Wales and overseas. We have had students building extensionsto AIDS orphanages in the Watoto Village in Uganda, assisting withsocial service programs in Hong Kong, and assisting families in ruralareas such as at Coladdi Station near Tambar Springs.charitiesMany thousands of dollars have been sent to Bangladesh in order tosupport our school which now provides education to 400 children onthe Island of Bhola in the Bay of Bengal. This school has now beenrunning for eight years, and its total construction and running costs aremet by students of The King’s School.King’s also continues its close connection with the Watoto Children’sOrphanage in Uganda, and it was a particular pleasure to welcomethe Watoto Children’s Choir to the School in August. They performedwith their usual colour and exuberance to a hugely appreciative Schoolaudience. Every two years, students from The King’s School visit theorphanage and engage in a building program to extend its facilities.Early in 2005, the country was shocked by the bushfires in Victoriawhich resulted in over 200 deaths and more than 1,800 homes beingdestroyed. The Student Representative Council took on this cause,and were instrumental in raising many thousands of dollars for thebushfire appeal.The Student Representative Council also raised many tens ofthousands of dollars to assist the wife and family of Glenn Murphy (1975-2009) the Commanding Officer of the School Cadet Corps who diedat the age of 34 from oesophageal cancer leaving behind a widowand four children. In addition to a charity concert, there were raffles andthere was also a memorable dinner-dance. The generosity of so manyreminded me of the magic there is in the School community and itswillingness to protect those they care for. Something of this King’s spiritwas evident with the tragic death of Amelia McGuiness, sister of Lachlan,William and Hamish. Amelia died at the age of 16 in an accident on thesnowfields of New South Wales. Again, the compassion and generosityshown by the School towards the McGuiness family was inspirational.In addition to the events described above, various Houses haveengaged in raising monies for their selected charities with trivia nightsbeing run, collections being taken up for charities such as Redkite anddonating blood, with the Red Cross Blood Bank van once again visitingThe King’s School. Another great charity event is the annual “Relay forLife” which involved many students, particularly those in Burkitt House,running or walking the most unimaginable distances within a 24 hourperiod in order to raise money for cancer research.chaplaincyThe Chaplain and his team adopted “Are you connected?” as theirtheme in 2009. This theme was expanded upon during Christian FocusWeek held from 12 to 19 February when the Chaplaincy team wasjoined by some Old Boys and friends of The King’s School who formedthe “God Squad”. During the week, some 26 Bible study classes werevisited and a spiritual survey was completed. Other activities includeda “Big Brekkie” and a range of sporting competitions. On the final dayof Christian Focus Week, the School was visited by the “God’s Squad”Christian motorcycle group who shared with the boys something oftheir own faith journey.One of the initiatives this year has been the establishing of theChaplain’s Support Section (CSS) which is a new group of students whoform part of the TKS Cadet Corps.21

22The King’s School

A Kingsman maynot consider himselfeducated unless he has sungwith exaltation, trekkedto exhaustion and exploredthe limits of his academicpotential.23

He l e av e s b e h i n dm e m o r i e s o f al a c o n i c , q u i c k -wi t t e dc o l l e a g u e w h o l o v e dt o t e a c h .King’s Herald extract / 8 May 2009:glenn murphy (1975-2009): The King’s School lost a giftedteacher with the death of Glenn Murphy on 22 April, of oesophagealcancer. Glenn has been supported by many family and friendsover the last two years since his dreadful diagnosis, but the mostsignificant support has come from his wife, Alison. This remarkablemother of four children, Eilish, Ewan, Ciara and Hamish (all underthe age of seven), has been heroic in the care of a dying husbandand of a demanding young family.Glenn was only 34 years old when he died. He leaves behindmemories of a laconic, quick-witted colleague who loved to teach.A gifted communicator, Glenn had a passion for history, particularlymilitary history. After distinguishing himself as an Instructor in theNSW Squadron – Air Training Corps, it was not surprising that Glennshould choose to involve himself fully in The King’s School CadetCorps. In 2004, Major Murphy was appointed Commanding Officerof Australia’s oldest Cadet Corps after having served it in the role ofAdmin and Training Officer.Glenn loved the camouflaged uniform. He revelled in solvingthe logistical problems of commanding 550 cadets, their officersand associated support staff. He liked adventure and he was neverhappier than when he was enjoying camaraderie and easy chatteraround a camp-fire at Cadet Camp. A shrewd and critical observerof life, Glenn could see humour in the most unlikely situations whichmade him fun to be with. At times irreverent and challenging in hisobservations, he was able to offer an interpretation of life whichwas searching and insightful.Glenn was fully involved in the life of the School and served asa boarding master in Harris, Waddy and Forrest Houses. He lovedhis sport and was particularly passionate about basketball andfootball. In short, Glenn was not just a teacher, he was a schoolmaster, involving himself in the nurture of his boys with a devotionthat marked him as a gifted educator. We will miss him hugely.sir marcus loane (1911-2009): Another great loss to The King’sSchool community was the death of Sir Marcus Loane. Sir Marcuswas an Old Boy of the School and had served his alma materin the role of President of the TKS Council for many years. Hisenthusiastic support of the School never faded and he remaineda great ambassador for King’s throughout his life.The death of Sir Marcus, at the age of 97, saw the passing ofone of the great Christian leaders in the land. A prolific authorof books who was still publishing material well into his nineties,Sir Marcus advanced a balanced Anglicanism which did muchto heal divisions within the Church. Among his many positions ofleadership, Sir Marcus included the appointments of Archbishopof Sydney and Anglican Primate of Australia. A public memorialservice for Sir Marcus was held in St Andrew’s Cathedral on 13May 2009.24

26The King’s School

under 16sThe King’s School continues to support the Under 16s, those veterans ofWorld War ll who volunteered for active service whilst under the age of16. Their memories and their stories have been captured and are nowpart of a permanent display in the CLL.On Anzac Day, The King’s School supported the Under 16s on theirmarch and were invited, together with Under 16s, to a reception lunchheld by the Lord Mayor of Sydney, the Hon. Clover Moore. Later on inthe year on Remembrance Day, the School hosted the Under 16s at achurch service in the Chapel and again at a School Assembly.cadetsThe King’s School Cadet Corps is one of the largest units in the landand is certainly the oldest. Our Corps training program is an essentialpart of our Leadership Training Program whereby students are givenan opportunity to engage in problem-solving tasks and to take partin activities which reveal, extend and develop character. Ably led bythe Adjutant, CUO Tom Dewhurst, and the Regimental Sergeant Major,Michael Van Zuylen, and their team of Cadet Under-Officers, theCadet Corps has maintained the very highest tradition of excellencein character and skill-development throughout 2009.Something of the value of the Corps experience is recognised bythe School requiring all students to participate in the program in Years9 and 10. Thereafter, involvement with the Cadet Corps becomesvoluntary.The two highlights of the Cadet Corps year are Camps Week, whereover 500 boys are catered for on a green field site in the PokolbinState Forest region of the Hunter Valley. The exercise of camp craft skillsis augmented by abseiling adventures and by extensive treks in theBrokenback Range.The other significant Cadet activity is the Passing Out Parade andassociated dinners. The 2009 Passing Out Parade was held on 3 Julywith Lt General Peter Leahy reviewing the parade. General Leahy hasrecently retired from the ADF after eight years as Chief of Army. Theparade was a visual spectacular and a fitting climax to the Corpsactivities of 2009.One of the initiatives this year has been the establishing of theChaplain’s Support Section (CSS) which is a new group of students thatforms part of the TKS Cadet Corps.duke of edinburgh awardThe Duke of Edinburgh Award system provides another expression ofleadership and an opportunity to develop the values and characterexpected of a Kingsman.The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award is engaged in by all studentsin Year 9. Thereafter, the ongoing involvement in the Award is voluntary.The Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award involves two three-day expeditionsincluding a mountain biking expedition in the Blue Mountains.The Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award characteristically involves a nineday sailing adventure in New Caledonia. During the 2009 expedition,students experienced storms and had to engage in a number of nightsailing exercises which were a real test of character. Prior to goingon the expeditions, students are required to study navigation and avariety of other associated topics including safety at sea. It is significantthat the exhilaration felt on these voyages remains one of the mosttreasured memories that students have of their time at King’s.27

One o f m yh i g h l i g h t s o ft h e y e a r is t o i n s p e c tt h e e n t e r p r i s ep r o j e c t s a n d t os e e t h e s k i l l a n di n g e n u i t y o f o u rYea r 6 s t u d e n t s.student leadershipThere are many expressions of student leadership at The King’s School.One of the most impressive is the Enterprise Project undertaken byYear 6 students in the Preparatory School. In many ways the EnterpriseProgram is a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Programis as unique as it is effective in challenging students to learn life skillsand take responsibility for developing new skills. One of my highlightsof the year is to inspect the enterprise projects and to see the skill andingenuity of our Year 6 students.I pay tribute to the student leaders of the Preparatory School andthank them for the example they have set throughout the year.In the Senior School the 2009 Monitorial Team was led by SchoolCaptain, Vale Sloane, and Vice-Captain, Tom Dewhurst.The complementary skills of these two outstanding young menproved effective in guiding the student body throughout the year.I extend my warm appreciation to both of them and to their teamof monitors. Reference has already been made to the many greatinitiatives undertaken by the Student Representative Council (SRC).This Council is made up of representatives from each Year level in theSenior School. They engage in a range of fundraising initiatives as wellas implementing a number of changes in School policy and practice.I commend this SRC for their energy and devotion throughout the year.Another area where leadership is exercised is in the Year 7 House ofGowan Brae.School CaptainVale SloanePrep School CaptainKieran JayasekeraSchool Vice CaptainTom DewhurstPrep House CaptainsJames El-RassiDougal CameronJustin PennaRhys MillarSchool MonitorsConor BatemanNicholas BillsJames CarlingSam CollessRegan CooteTas CostiHenry CranneyMichael DalleywaterTom DewhurstScott FerrisLachlan Girling-ButlerJackson GrayAjeet HansraTom HennesseyScott HubbardLuke JokovicMaddison JoyceMax LoxtonLachlan McInnesWill MacInnesNathan MiddletonHugh MillerDaniel NortonKunashe ParwadaMishaal PatelAnthony PennaTom QuartermaineSam RaymondNick RutherfordChris SheatherVale SloaneDuncan SutherlandMichael Van ZuylenHemant VijaykumarGordon WhiteToby WilliamsGowan Brae CaptainsMaxwell LoxtonAnthony PennaGowan Brae Vice CaptainsKunashe ParwadaVale Sloane28

30The King’s School

oardingDespite the global economic crisis and the ongoing incidence ofdrought in our country, boarding numbers at The King’s School haveremained strong. This said, it needs to be acknowledged that a numberof parents have been assisted with their boarding fees. The Council ofThe King’s School has been pleased to help because it recognises thecrucial part played by boarders in shaping the character of the School.The King’s School is a national leader in boarding. The School continuesto act as an adviser to Federal and State Government on boardingmatters. Duty of Care, the King’s training course for boarding staff, is nowused throughout Australasia and overseas. This course was extensivelyrewritten in 2009 and the new version will be available early in 2010.I commend the untiring support of Mr Ben McCloghry in helping toproduce what will become the main professional development coursefor boarding staff in Australia.Something of the leadership role that The King’s School has inboarding is recognised by the success of Mr Brad Papworth, Housemasterof Hake Harris, in securing a significant government grant to “Explorethe effects of a boarding school on academic and non academicoutcomes: a longitudinal study of boarding in day students.” This willbe the most significant piece of research into the efficacy of boardingever undertaken in Australia.The King’s School also remains active in the work of the AustralianBoarding Schools Association (ABSA), supplying this organisation with itsChairman and hosting regional ABSA meetings.2009 also witnessed the first parents of boarders “roundup” function.This initiative builds upon a number of country gatherings already inexistence and is designed to foster friendship and collegiality amongstboarding parents. I thank the Director of Boarding, Mr Malcolm Powys,and Mrs Bronwyn Taylor, for their assistance in organising the firstboarders parents’ roundup.Another significant undertaking throughout the year was a surveyof opinion amongst boarding parents. This survey was undertaken byMMG Education and allowed full and frank feedback by boardingparents in relation to the School in general and boarding in particular.This feedback has been invaluable in helping us to shape our futureplanning of boarding at The King’s School. I thank all those parents whocontributed to the survey.the king’s school 30th art showOne of the great highlights of 2009 was the running of The King’sSchool 30th Art Show by the Prep Fathers’ Association. With art by DavidBoyd, Pro Hart, Norman Lindsay, and Robert Dickerson, the Art Showwas always going to be a great success. Not only was there somesignificant art for sale, there was jewellery, craft stalls and a fairgroundto entertain visitors. The Art Show ran from Friday 28t to Sunday 30tAugust and concluded with a massive car rally involving some 1200vintage British cars. The winner of this year’s acquisition prize was GloriaPetyarre. Her painting will be a welcome addition to The King’s Schoolart collection.I commend all members of the Prep School staff and Prep Schoolparents’ community for their help in making the Art Show such a greatsuccess. The value of the Art Show rests not only in the raising of manythousands of dollars but also in fostering community spirit.31

32The King’s School

Good schools willdevote themselves notjust to the task of preparinga boy for his HSC exams.A good school will devoteitself to preparing a boyfor life.33

34The King’s School

t h e l a s t t i m eKin g ’s h a d w o nt h e Se n i o r a n d t h eJun i o r c o m p e t i t i o n s a tt h e s a m e t i m e w a s in1931. Th i s w a s a y e a rin w h i c h Gh a n d i w a sin p r i s o n a n d Ch a r l i eCha p l i n w a s s t i l lm a k i n g f i l m sKing’s Herald extract / 22 May 2009:Athletics: It is not often that King’s has to wait 78 years betweenvictories, but that was the case in our pursuit of a double victoryin both the Junior and Senior AAGPS Athletics Championships heldon 16th May this year. Although the 114th Annual AAGPS AthleticsChampionship saw King’s going for its fifth victory in the Seniorcompetition in ten years, the last time King’s had won the Seniorand the Junior competitions at the same time was in 1931. Thiswas a year in which Ghandi was in prison, Charlie Chaplin wasstill making films, the Spanish Republic was proclaimed, the Nazimovement was growing, Kemal Ataturk was re-elected Presidentof Turkey, the Chinese Soviet Republic was proclaimed by MaoZedong and Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison fortax evasion.We always thought that we might have a good chance towin the Juniors, but standing between us and “the double” was avery strong Riverview squad. With war cries rolling across the trackfrom the sky blue and white crowd, our athletes performed withgreat courage and determination. It was also a day of drama –a controversial disqualification of one of our senior runners anda tragic double break by a Riverview athlete. The win in theSeniors was only being confirmed after the very last race of theChampionshipsI pay tribute to Mr Ben Gavan (MIC Athletics), Mrs Stacey Quitzau,Mr Anthony Benn and to a wonderful group of gifted coaches, forthis remarkable victory. However, it is the athletes themselves whopaid the price of pain to secure the win. So to Brent Taylor (Captain)and Sam Raymond (Vice Captain) I say “fortiter et fideliter”, bravelyand faithfully done. To the King’s supporters, parents and friends whobrought our athletes home with their cheers and encouragement,I say thank you. Finally to the other GPS teams and especially toRiverview, I say “thank you” for making the Championship such amemorable day.One of my favourite moments of the day was when Brent andSam led our athletes over to the Riverview athletes to thank themfor providing such thrilling competition. It was delightful finish to awonderful day.The King’s School remains one of the strongest track and fieldschools in Australia. Not only were we fortunate to secure a raredouble in winning both the Junior and the Senior AAGPS AthleticsChampionships in 2009, we were successful in having a numberof athletes go on to represent their state and country. I congratulatethe Captain of the Senior Athletics team, Brett Taylor, on a wonderfulseason. The winners of the Age Champions in the Senior Schoolswere the following studnets:Opens – Brent TaylorUnder 17s – Brad CurtisUnder 16s – Nicholas HoughUnder 15s – Elliott LangUnder 14s – Chamath HerathUnder 13s – Jackson LeeIn the New South Wales All Schools State Championships2009, Elliott Lang was placed 1st in Discus, Shot put and Javelin.Chamath Herath gained 1st place in the 100m Hurdles, 2nd placein the 200m Hurdles, and 3rd in the Triple Jump. Nicholas Houghwas placed 1st in the 100m, 1st in the 110 Hurdles, and 3rd inthe 200m. Will Sacilotto gained 3rd place in the Shot Put. JackStapleton was placed 1st in the 3000m and 3rd in the 1500m.Harrison Gregson came 3rd in the 3000m, and Josh Hall came3rd in the 1500m.35

tennis2009 was a vintage year for The King’s School in tennis, with the Schoolwinning both the GPS Firsts and the GPS Seconds tennis competition. Iwill never forget the last afternoon of tennis against Shore when in thelengthening shadows of a golden summer’s afternoon, the School justmanaged to complete the last match and secure a narrow win to takeout the Championship.Special mention must be made of our number one player, JoeySwaysland, who is an outstanding person in his own right and anexcellent tennis player. Something of his skill in tennis was recognisedwith him being selected to play in the Australian Junior Davis Cup Teamwhich went on to win the Junior Davis Cup for Australia.cricketThroughout 2009, The King’s School maintained its reputation as beinga strong cricket school, with its 2nd Xl winning the GPS Premiership, andthe 1st Xl becoming runners up.The dominance that The King’s School has had in GPS cricketcontinues unabated and remains particularly strong in our 2nd Xlwhose skilful and devoted coaches worked with the team to secure yetanother GPS Premiership. Mention must also be made of the 3rd Xl whocompleted an undefeated season.The 1st Xl were ably led by Nic Bills who was selected in the GPSCricket Team along with Mitch Horrocks, Liam Robertson and Tim Wales.It has been particularly satisfying to witness a growth in the standard ofcricket at The King’s School and I pay tribute to the Master in Charge ofCricket and to all the coaches, and in particular to Mr Tony Farrell andMr Trevor Chappell for their contribution to another successful season.team of coaches, can take credit for the ongoing growth of basketballwithin the School and a refining of skills to the extent that the School isconsistently competitive within the GPS basketball competition.swimming2009 saw The King’s School win the GPS swimming competition for thefirst time in many years. The Captain of Swimming, Michael Van Zuylen,encouraged the School to support the swimming squad in its lastmeet at the Homebush Swimming Centre, but even he did not expectthe massive turnout by Kingsmen to come to cheer their swimmingchampions. It was a privilege to witness the scene as several hundredKingsmen walked in to the Swimming Centre to lend their voices to thatof many devoted parents in bringing our swimmers “home”. The AgeChampions for Swimming were:Under 13s – John MurphyUnder 14s – Nathan WatsonUnder 15s – Tom LysaghtUnder 16s – Justin MatthewsUnder 17s – Josh HollardSeniors – Heath DowlingOne of the many outstanding swimming performances throughoutthe year was that of Josh Hollard who broke swimming records thathad stood for twenty years at The King’s School in the Under 17s 50mBackstroke, 100m Freestyle, the Open 200m Freestyle, and the 200mIndividual Medley. He also broke the Under 17s 50m Butterfly record.basketballIn the Senior School our Basketball teams have remained competitivein the GPS competition. The Club was delighted to share its new sportsfacilities with the Australian Men’s Basketball Team, known as “TheBoomeers”, during the July holidays.Our basketballers also undertook a tour to the USA at the start of theyear, playing games in San Francisco, Reno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,San Diego, and Honolulu. The Senior Team coaches, Delmas Green andAndrew Strong, aided and assisted by a devoted MIC and a wonderful36

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The b o y s , t h e i rm e m o r i e s m a d ef i c k l e b y y o u t h a n de a s y d i s t r a c t i o n, w i l lr e m e m b e r f o r o n lya f e w d a y s t h a tp e r f e c t k i c k.rowingOne of the great features of rowing at The King’s School in 2009 was thegrowing strength of rowing in the junior crews. This was reflected in theGPS Head of the River regatta held at Penrith on Saturday 28 March 2009.In fine and sunny conditions and with a crowd of over 10,000 people,The King’s School won five of the eleven races on the day. The third lVwon the Father Gartlan Trophy, and the fourth lV won the Penrith CityCouncil Cup. Later in the year, some within The King’s School communityengaged in corporate rowing. This not only proved to be a successfulfundraiser for the club, it did a great deal to reveal something of thededication needed to excel in what must be the most quintessentialteam sport in existence. With the School now in full possession of threeproperties at Putney, we have had the ability to reorganise the RowingShed and make use of the newly acquired facilities, including a shed onthe beach which will be used to repair boars and to house the speedboats. I commend all members of The King’s School Boat Club for theirdevotion and service throughout a successful year of rowing.King’s Herald extract / 4 September 2009:winter sport: And so another winter season ends. The studdedboots clumping purposefully to combat, the steam from thehaunches of overheated gladiators, and the tunnels formed forheroes will, for a time, disappear.The coaches, who have alternated between agonisedimpotence during matches to animated strategists in training,can now reflect on the multiple injustices and the extraordinarygood fortune that has dictated the success of their season. Theboys, their memories made fickle by youth and easy distraction,will remember for only a few days that perfect kick, thatimperfect tackle, and that run they made when they weavedpast their opposition.Some of these exploits might possibly be recalled atbarbecues and cocktail gatherings in several decades time,but quite properly, these reflections will have become quiteunreliable in terms of remembered failure and vividly clearin terms of remembered success. It has been a good winterseason for King’s. We have been strong in all sports. Crosscountry,football, skiing and rugby have witnessed the sky-blueand white live their motto … Fortiter et Fideliter.There are not many arenas today wherein a boy mightenjoin in physical combat. Designed and programmed to run,hunt and fight, the contemporary boy has been gelded andbridled by an age that is frightened of risk and unable to bearpain, so we watch and press buttons in our play and hope thatin our war, all we have to do is to watch and press those samebuttons.Sport provides an outlet for a boy to test himself. It:• Improves the cardio vascular system and the generalefficiency of a boy’s physical frame with enhancedcirculation, good muscle definition and strength, andresistance to disease.• Compels a student to mix with others, to be part of a teamand to enlarge their circle of friends.• Provides one of the few areas, particularly for a boy, where astudent may express emotion where they might cheer, cry andscream with excitement without arousing the alarm of others.• Provides a boy with an alternative area to succeed in. Noteveryone can be gifted academically or artistically.• Assists the brain to function more effectively. The mind canbecome energised and be more creative if non-excessiveamounts of exercise are undertaken.• Provides an arena for the battle of good and evil. Participantsexercise choice in deciding to operate within the rules or not.We love our sport at King’s and I am glad of this, for sport, ifplayed properly is good for a boy.39

footballIn 2009 The King’s School Football Club continued to grow in numbersand although the School did not win any silverware in the GPSCompetition, it witnessed a significant growth in skill level and the winlossratio continues to improve year by year. I commend the Masterin Charge of Football, his staff, and the boys for the enthusiasm andcommitment shown to Football throughout the season.A number of senior students have done particularly well in Footballwith Sam Walker and Will Campbell selected for the 1st Xl in the GPS repteam with Will as Vice-Captain, Ryan Blaker selected for the 2nd Xl, andSam Raymond for the 3rd Xl. The 1st Xl was made up of:Brett Armstrong, Josh Baissari, Ryan Blaker (V. Capt), Will Campbell(Capt), Tiernan Christensen, Travis Cooper, Matt Helou, Ben Kuner, BillyPasco, Sam Raymond (V. Capt), Sam Walker, Arthur Wilson.Such has been the growth in Football at The King’s School, theSchool has had to build yet another football field. This will provide theSchool with one of the largest number of football fields of any schoolin Sydney.rugby2009 was a fine year for The King’s School in rugby. Throughout theyear we had no less than three Old Boys playing for the Wallabies,Stirling Mortlock (Captain), Dean Mumm, and Benn Robinson. It wasalso pleasing to see the large number of Kingsmen playing first graderugby and Super 14 rugby.At schoolboy level, the 1st and 2nd XV had outstanding seasons.Nonetheless, everything came down to the last two games whichwere held against two great rugby schools, St Joseph’s College, and StIgnatius’ College, Riverview. The 1st XV, having lost one of their gamesto The Scots College, needed to win both games in order to share theGPS Championship. The 2nd XV had remained undefeated throughoutthe season but needed to continue in that vein in order to secure theChampionship.The School was fortunate in being the host to both these games,and in front of huge crowds, the School secured wins in both the 1stsand 2nds against both schools. The matches will long be rememberedas being in the best traditions of GPS sport. Particular commendationmust be given to our adversaries for putting up such spirited and skilfulcompetition.In addition to the 1st and 2nd XV there were many other outstandingperformances in several of the junior sides which indicates that thefuture of rugby at The King’s School remains strong.cross country2009 was a strong year for Cross Country with the School placing in thetop three in the Juniors, Intermediate and Opens GPS Competition. TheSchool is blessed with many outstanding Cross Country runners resultingin 21 Kingsmen competing in the CIS Cross Country Championshipson 28 May. Jack Stapleton won the Under 14s 4,000m with a newcourse record. Josh Hall obtained a third in the 6,000m in the Under16 age group, and Michael Todd was placed third in the Under 176,000m. This resulted in the Under 14s, Under 16, and Under 18s KingSchool Cross Country teams obtaining wins at the CIS Cross CountryChampionships.At the National Cross Country Championships, Michael Toddobtained a fourth place for New South Wales and was first in his team.Jack Stapleton obtained sixth place and came first in his age group.In the Team’s event, The King’s School came third. Josh Hall also ranwell and was selected as a reserve in the National Team for the WorldChampionships. I congratulate Captain Sam Colless and Vice CaptainAnthony Cortis for the leadership they have given throughout the CrossCountry season.equestrianMany Kingsmen have their own horses and love to ride. Opportunityis given for them to represent their School in equestrian activities at arange of events including the North West Equestrian Expo. At this expo,the King’s team was successful in all disciplines, winning numerousribbons and awards. The most successful were Sid Pye who finishedas the Under 16 age Champion, Archie Bell who won the ReserveChampion Rider in the 14-15 age group, and Sam Barton who was theReserve Champion Showjumper in the Under 12s Competition.40The King’s School

42The King’s School

I w a n t t oa c k n o w l e d g et h a t t h e r e a r en e a r ly a s m a n y s t a f fin n o n -te a c h i n gr o l e s w h o h a v e b e e ni n s t r u m e n t a l inm a k i n g 2009 s u c h ag r e a t s u c c e s s .shootingThe King’s School Shooting Team, led by its Captain, RobertJenkins, achieved a stunning victory by becoming joint winners ofthe GPS Shooting Competition in 2009. After a week of training atthe Belmont Range in Brisbane, our team orchestrated a “comefrom-behind”win at the GPS Shooting competition held at theHornsby Range. Lachlan Wheeler was then selected to shoot in theCombined GPS Team.I extend my warmest congratulations to the team and myprofound thanks to the Master in Charge of Shooting, and to allcoaches and supporters who helped to make the 2009 shootingseason at The King’s School such a great success.remained active throughout the year. I thank them for their faithfulsupport of the School and also the members of The King’s SchoolParents’ Association who have done much, not only to raise monies forthe School, but more particularly, to engage in activities designed tostrengthen friendships between parents in the King’s community.The King’s School Foundation has also had a busy year and hascontinued to manage its resources in difficult times. The fiscal talentand wisdom on the Foundation Board is such that the School retainssignificant resources which will be used to augment the quality of theeducational offering given to our students. I thank all members of theFoundation for their wise and effective service throughout the year.the preparatory schoolThe Preparatory School has had an excellent season of sport andits 1st Xl Football Team remained undefeated throughout the year.One of their best performances was to come from a 4-0 downsituation against Knox to level the game at 4 all.Another outstanding achievement was in Snow Sports with thePrep Skiing Team winning no less than 21 trophies, two silver medals,and three school plaques in a period of four days at the Inter-School Snow Sports Competition. Worthy of particular mention werethe first places obtained by Ben Felig, Ben Saleh, and Lachlan Nyein the Moguls and the Skiercross. As a result of this performance,no less than 13 boys from the Prep School were invited to go on tothe State titles.ancillary organisationsThe King’s School continues to be blessed by a number of supportorganisations. Not least amongst these organisations is The King’sSchool Old Boys’ Union. The Old Boys have had a profound impactupon the history of King’s and have served it faithfully and well, notonly by continuing to provide the School with students, but also servingthe School in practical ways such as running a careers night for SeniorStudents and by serving on the Council of The King’s School. I would liketo thank the President, Mr Grant Bonner, for his years of faithful service tothe Old Boys and for his personal support over many years.Mention has been made of the Prep Fathers’ Association who havestaffThe King’s School is enriched by a devoted and professional staff whocharacteristically go the extra mile in order to ensure that thefull potential of their students is realised. I was reminded of thiswhen I invited the Senior School Common Room to join with me inresearching material for a “Manhood” project for Year 10 students in2011. The reaction of the Common Room was enormously supportivefor which I am grateful.In the Preparatory School we are similarly blessed by devotedstaff who have remained positive and constructive as they haveput in place a new PYP curriculum. It is no small thing to change thecurriculum of a school, and yet the Preparatory School have done sowith great professionalism.I want to acknowledge that there are nearly as many staff in nonteachingroles who have been instrumental in making 2009 such agreat success, whether it be administrative staff, maintenance andgrounds staff, dining hall and kitchen teams, all have played a partin the success of the year. The support staff are the ones who makeeffective teaching possible through the generous commitment theymake in their service to the School. I extend to them my sincere andwarmest thanks.44

46The King’s School

I n e e d t o p u t o n r e c o r d t h a tit is t h e g o v e r n a n c e b y Th eKin g ’s Sc h o o l Co u n c i l a n d t h ew i s d o m it h a s s h o w n in decisionm a k i n g t h a t h a s c o n t r i b u t e dsignificantly t o t h e c u r r e n t h e a l t ho f t h e Sc h o o l .councilAt an address early in the year, the Chairman of The King’s School, theReverend Martin Robinson, was generous enough to describe The King’sSchool as experiencing “a golden period”. Although in suggesting theorigin of this strength as coming from the School Executive, I need toput on record that it is the governance by The King’s School Counciland the wisdom it has shown in decision making that has contributedsignificantly to the current health of the School. I thank the Chairman inparticular and all members of Council for their untiring devotion to TheKing’s School and for the support and encouragement they have givenme throughout the year.school executiveThe leadership of the School rests in the School Executive. This giftedgroup of colleagues is possessed of that breadth of skills necessary tomake a school successful. Members of the Executive characteristicallysurrender a huge amount of their own time to help run the School.This is the group I frequently call upon for early morning and latenight meetings. I want to thank them for their dedication and forthe faithfulness in which they executed their duties. The contributionsmade by the Executive team to the health and vitality of the School issignificant, and thus my gratitude is profound. Members of the SchoolExecutive were:Members of the School Council for 2009 were:The Most Reverend Dr P Jensen (President)The Rev M B Robinson (Chairman)The Venerable K P AllenMr W McI CarpenterThe Rev Canon Dr D ClaydonThe Rev Dr Hugh CoxMr R DavisMrs B GordonMr J D LaneMr B R LarkingDr R MacKayMr A E D MobbsThe Revd Canon B H MorrisonMr P E RobertsThe Hon Justice Waddy, RFDMr M J WebeckMrs Belinda BaxterMr Bruce HilliardMr Rob ChandlerMr Clive LoganMr Keith DalleywaterMr Graham McGregorMr Geoff DornanMr Malcolm PowysThe Rev Stephen Edwards Mr Peter RaineyMr Peter GrimesconclusionAs can be readily appreciating by reading this Annual Report, 2009 hasbeen a good year for The King’s School. However, I am mindful thatsuccess is an ephemeral thing and that a School can never becomecomplacent. For this reason, I, together with the School Council andthe School Executive, will continue to look at ways and means wherebythe educational offering at The King’s School might be improved. Anyschool that is not restless in its search for improvement is a school whichis condemned to atrophy.In conclusion, I would like to thank my wife, Jane, and my family fortheir love, help and support throughout the year.Dr Tim HawkesHeadmasterDecember 200947

Th e Ki n g’s Sc h o o lAcademic excellence with character development48The King’s SchoolThe King’s Schoolwww.kings.edu.au, (61 2) 9683 8555Pennant Hills Road, North Parramatta NSWPO Box 1 Parramatta NSW 2124