KHS Summer Newsletter 2023

Summer Term Issue | July 2023
Chemistry Olympiad…03 Duke of Edinburgh…06 Science in Tenerife…09 Summer Sport…10
Visiting Beaumont-Hamel memorial site
Trenches on Ypres Salient
86 pupils on the trip from Year 8 to Sixth Form Paying our respects at Newfoundland Park
Battlefields and Bunkers
Words by Mr Hale, Head of Humanities
After a 3-year break, the History tour to the First World War battlefields of
France and Belgium returned on an epic scale. A group of 86 pupils from
Year 8 to Sixth Form travelled for a four-day tour of the historic sites that
would go on to shape the 20th Century.
Pupils followed the path of men and women from the warring nations
across key battles along the Western Front. They were able to walk in the
footsteps of those that would go over the top on the 1st July 1916, delve
Kew House School is part of the deep into the tunnels of the Australians in
Arras and enter the bunkers of the German
troops that lay siege on the town of Ypres.
Continued on page 3...
Jonah & Ethan representing KHS at the Menin Gate Ceremony

Welcome to our
Summer Term
newsletter.
I am delighted to welcome you to the summer newsletter. As we prepare for our tenth
anniversary, starting in September 2023, it is a momentous occasion that reminds us
of the incredible journey we have embarked upon together.
Over the past decade, Kew House School has evolved into a vibrant and nurturing
community that provides exceptional education to our pupils. Our unwavering
commitment to academic excellence, combined with a holistic approach to personal
development, has consistently empowered our pupils to thrive both in and beyond
the classroom.
Throughout the years, we have cultivated a culture of curiosity, critical thinking, and
creativity. Our dedicated teachers have continued to inspire and challenge our pupils,
nurturing their talents and encouraging them to reach their full potential. The passion
and expertise of our teachers have been instrumental in shaping sporting, musical,
academic, dramatic and artistic success.
Our mission remains to provide an education that not only equips our pupils with
the necessary knowledge and skills but also instils in them a sense of responsibility,
empathy, and resilience.
YEAR 12 MATHS TRIP
Words by Alex R, Year 12
This outing to the Science Museum was extremely intriguing! Seeing how
other mathematical questions (and their subsequent answers) benefit us
and after being shown what prime numbers actually mean (including the
Riemann Hypothesis), I now understand that they are some of the most
important numbers in the mathematical world.
The lecture sparked my interest in number theory and in actually
understanding how mathematics works: the numbers behind the
scenes. The Q&A at the end of the lecture was extremely interesting as
we heard some very weird and wonderful questions; including “Will we
ever get to prove the Riemann Hypothesis with the existence of Gödel’s
Incompleteness Theorem?” and “Would intelligent life on other planets
have completely different versions of mathematics, less or more efficient
than ours?”
Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all members of the Kew House
School community - our pupils, parents, staff, and supporters - for their unwavering
commitment and trust in our vision. It is your collective efforts and collaboration that
have enabled us to reach this momentous occasion.
Wishing you all a rejuvenating and enjoyable summer break.
Best wishes,
Will Williams
Headmaster
From left to right: Samuel J (Bronze), Clio P (Silver), William M (Bronze)
Chemistry Olympiad
Words by Ms Cassini, Head of Chemistry
Congratulations to all Year 12 Chemistry students, who sat
the Royal Society of Chemistry’s UK Olympiad. The exam’s
questions are designed to challenge and inspire, giving
students a chance to test their problem-solving skills and
chemical knowledge in new real-world situations.
This year’s paper featured questions on topics ranging
from rocket fuel to the reactions involved in vape liquid
and cheese making. We are thrilled to celebrate the welldeserved
success of three of our cohort who achieved
award certificates.
Battlefields and Bunkers Continued...
Jonah and Ethan from Year 8 were selected to take part in the Menin Gate ceremony, a nightly service to honour the war dead.
1000s of visitors gathered to watch the service and they witness ambassadors of Kew House do a sterling job in paying tribute. It
was a particularly poignant moment for Jonah and his family as they have a relative on the Menin Gate.
The evidence of war was all around, whether that was the remains of trenches or mine craters, or indeed when Mr Hale found
bullets and artillery fragments in the fields. The highlight for many on the visit was being able to visit the names of graves of their
relatives, which in most cases was the first time a relative was able to visit.
A big thank you goes out to Ms Holley, Mr Cook, Mr Eves, Ms Jones, Mr Jones, Ms Burt, Mr Phelps and Mr Hudson who made
the visit possible.
2 3

SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
Words by Mr Gardner, Head of Music
The music department celebrated the summer solstice with their annual
Summer Festival and BBQ on 21 June. More than 80 pupils from across the
school performed over two hours of live music for the informal outdoor gig;
bringing together musicians and singers from Years 7 to 13, KHS alumni as
well as our outstanding visiting and class-based music teachers.
The 26 different performances represent a new record of gig material, ranging
from Mozart’s Sull’ Aria sung by Jasmine D (Year 11) and Miss Ní Mhathúna,
to the senior choir performing the entire version of Bohemian Rhapsody,
complete with Brian May’s guitar solo played by Matthew S (Year 11).
Notable standout items were the junior string ensemble being joined by ten of
our Year 9 and 10 singers to open the show with One Day Like This (by Elbow);
Paul Ibberson (our specialist woodwind teacher) creating a remarkable mash
up of the Charlie Brown theme for the junior woodwind ensemble, Amelie G
(Year 11) showing why she has gained a place at the BRIT school by putting
an astonishingly powerful vocal for Somewhere over the Rainbow over our
18-piece jazz big-band, directed by specialist bass teacher Max Kahn.
The Soul Band’s Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, and the coolest slow-jazz-soul
version of I Want You Back sung by Lucy L (Year 11) was an inspiration to all
our aspiring rock, pop, blues and soul singers.
Speaking Up in English
Words by Ms Milgate, Head of English
Pupils in Years 8 and 9 have relished the opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills this term. After learning about
the perils faced by stranded boys in Lord of the Flies, Year 8 pupils explored a character or theme of their choice and delivered
interesting presentations to rapturous applause from their peers.
Similarly in Year 9, pupils used their knowledge of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers to deliver mature speeches on a diverse range of
topics, from Britain’s class system in the 1970s, to whether Edward and Linda’s relationship can ever be forgiven. Congratulations
again to Year 8 and 9 for all their hard work and for facing their public speaking fears this half term; we look forward to next year
already!
The First KHS D&T Exhibition
Words by Miss Hall, Head of Design & Technology
The first Design & Technology Non-Exam Assessment (NEA)
Exhibition was held in the workshop during the evening of 25th
April to showcase our GCSE and A-Level work. For the first time
since 2019, the exam board have reinstated the assessment and
marking of practical skills and the pupils were keen to celebrate
this and show off what they had been making.
Most parents visited the event and enjoyed looking at the variety
of exciting and innovative projects on display. The pupils proudly
talked about their work with the parents and received many
compliments on their high level of making skills.
Food Glorious Food!
Words by Mrs Earle, Head of Food and Nutrition
It has been a busy, productive term in the Food and Nutrition department. GCSE and Sixth
forms pupils completed their practical assessments and moved on to revising theory for the
summer public examination series.
Year 10 pupils have been getting to grips with how to carry out a food science investigation;
experimenting with artificial sweeteners to see whether it is possible to reduce the sugar
content in cakes without adversely affecting the result. Year 9 have completed core content
on nutrition and food science as well as further developing their preparation, cooking and
presentation skills and techniques.
In KS3, Year 8 have embarked on the Enterprise Challenge to develop products for sale
at the end of year fair. The baking club continues to be popular a choice to enjoy sweet
products which only feature in moderation in the main curriculum.
4 5

DUKE OF EDINBURGH
Words by Ms Cassini, Head of Chemistry
This term saw pupils in Years 9 and 10 develop their camping, hiking and navigation skills on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. The
Year 9 group braved some very wet conditions in the Surrey Hills at the end of April to gain the Bronze level of the award. The
Year 10 group faced some demanding terrain and muggy weather in the New Forest at the end of June to achieve their Silver
expedition. Despite the challenging conditions and some painful blisters, all groups demonstrated excellent teamwork and kept
morale high.
Congratulations to all Bronze and Silver participants who completed their qualifying expedition, and best of luck to the students in
Year 12 who are embarking on their Gold expedition at the start of the summer holiday!
British Library Trip
Words by Harry, Isaac and Emily - Year 7
On 23rd June, a group of librarian assistants went
on a trip to the British Library as a reward for our
hard work this year. Once we arrived, we split into
groups of three and searched around.
While most of the exhibits were off limits to under
18-year-olds, we still saw some amazing stuff such
as the real Magna Carta in the Kings Library.
Formula 1 Work Experience
BLOOD BROTHERS
Words by Ms Milgate, Head of English
Year 9 were fortunate enough to have a Blood Brothers workshop in English this half term. The workshop gave pupils a chance to
explore the complex world of Blood Brothers with Mike, an actor who has played Sammy for 11 years in the West End. He guided
pupils through the various skills performers require to be successful on stage and shared tips and tricks about how to achieve a
believable Liverpudlian accent. Despite some questionable new voices/accents from our pupils, it’s safe to say the year group still
had lots of fun; a wonderful way to end an enjoyable unit of study.
Words by Paloma, Year 10
In June, I had an incredible opportunity to join the Alpine F1 Team for a week of work experience. I spent three days in the
Aerodynamics Department learning the basics of Catia 3DX design software and working on a project to redesign various
aerodynamic components of an F1 car. I worked with another student and we formed a great team, constantly giving feedback on
our designs. We presented our work to the Aerodynamics Department after days of hard work, which was nerve-racking but very
exciting.
I spent the following two days in the Model Shop department, where I had the task of building a model of Fernando Alonso’s 2006
R26 championship car. It was a lot of fun, and I learned about rapid prototyping and the processes involved in model-making to
prepare components to be sent for wind tunnel testing. Spending a week at Enstone with Alpine confirmed my desire to become
an F1 engineer. I gained valuable skills, and my aspiration to work in Formula 1 has grown.
Later, we had our lunch outside and took a detour
to a shop called Forbidden Planet and had lots of
fun. After that we went to the largest Waterstones
bookstore in London to read and buy books.
Levelling out Year 13 History Revision
Words by Mr Cook, History Teacher
Before half term, the Year 13 historians explored some local history
visiting the battlefield of the Battle of Turnham Green (1642) and the
site of the Putney Debates, St Mary’s Church, Putney. By varying their
revision, the history department wanted to highlight to our students the
possibilities for review right on our doorstep.
Whilst standing on the remnants of Turnham Green we discussed the
extreme significance of Charles I’s failure to capture London in 1642,
the year the first English Civil War began. Prior to this we consolidated
our knowledge of the Leveller movement and their influence within the
New Model Army visiting the site of the Putney Debates, a famous
episode in the political history of Britain, back in the winter of 1647.
Year 13 enjoyed the refreshing change to conventional revision and
commented on the value of seeing first-hand the places, plaques and
fields associated with the English Civil War and Revolution (1642-1660).
LAMDA Exam Success
Words by Ms Mannion, Head of Drama
Congratulations to our pupils who successfully passed their LAMDA examinations this
year. We are so proud of their achievements – particularly the 19 Year 7s sitting their first
ever exams. Overall, 17 Distinctions and 10 Merits were achieved. Special mentions
must go to Ava, Year 11, awarded distinction in Grade 8 Acting; Daniel, Year 13 - Merit
in Grade 8 Acting; Kira and Seth, Year 9, both awarded distinctions in Grade 6 acting;
Monty, Year 9 - Merit in Grade 6 Acting; and Isis, Year 9 – merit in Grade 5 Acting.
LAMDA continues to go from strength-to-strength at KHS under the tutelage of Mrs Anita
Borge, who works tirelessly across all four schools in the group. We are so grateful for
her unfailing support of our pupils.
Seth (Year 9) - Distinction in Grade 6 Acting
6 7

Glastonbury Festival Delight
ART SHOWCASE
Words by Ms Hodgson, Head of Art
The art department was joined by pupils, parents, and staff to celebrate yet another incredible
year for our always ambitious pupils. The outstanding accomplishments of our GCSE and
A-Level art cohorts were combined into a dynamic display of painting, sculpture, film and
sound.
Almost all our A-Level cohort are continuing their art studies through foundation degrees,
film schools, and fashion design courses. We couldn’t be prouder of them and wish them all
the best of luck! Bring on next year, with the largest number of Year 11 pupils so far choosing
to take the subject on at A-Level with us here at Kew House. We can’t wait!
Year 11 pupils Eli and Freddie, and their band Askew, have become the youngest band to
ever play at Glastonbury Festival. Performing at the Rabbit Hole on Friday night, Askew
faced a much larger crowd than they were used to, “we’ve only played in a pub in front of
around 50 parents, so to play at Glastonbury is a big step up.”
SCIENTISTS IN TENERIFE
Words by Christine & Dakota, Year 12
A group of Year 9, 10 and 12 pupils travelled to Tenerife for a spectacular science trip. We
began with a trip to the Institute for Technology & Renewable Energy where we learnt about
the future of Wind and Solar energy in Tenerife. We toured a Bioclimatic village where a
collection of ‘passive houses’ had been built using techniques that work with the landscape
to naturally cool and heat houses.
A highlight of the trip was going up the island’s main volcano named Teide, to learn more
about astronomy. We took a cable car up and explored volcanic lava tunnels below ground
to learn about the effect of different magma compositions and flows on various geological
formations. We admired the beautiful scenery as the sun set and listened to a talk on
astronomy, observing many stars including the constellation of Leo. We used professional
telescopes to observe the moon and different stars. We were privileged to see the beautiful
island from the sea during a boat trip around the coast and luckily, we spotted some
common dolphins namely, Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, and Pilot Whales. We finished the
boat trip with a much-anticipated swim!
A few months prior, Eli appeared on a BBC Breakfast interview
in which he spoke about the genetic condition he lives with,
Duchenne muscular dystrophy as well as mentioning his love
of music. “I said out of the blue that my dream was to play at
Glastonbury. Lots of people saw it and tagged Emily Eavis
(the organiser of the festival).
After the buzz died down, my mum emailed Jon Turner at
Island Records because he’s a Dad at our school. At first
we didn’t hear anything, but then he saw us play at a school
talent show and got in touch with someone who knew Emily
Eavis and that’s how we got our slot.”
German Trip to the BFI
Words by Jake, Year 9
Our Year 9 German class got to experience a once in a life time
opportunity this term at the BFI IMAX cinema, the biggest cinema in
the UK. When we arrived at Waterloo we could immediately see the
massive building of the BFI. Whilst we were enjoying our coffees
and snacks we looked at the booklets we’d been given to see what
the day had in store for us.
We did lots of different activities involving German movie trailers, for
example we watched a trailer from Lessons of Dreams and we had
to write about what would happen after the man had taught them
how to play football. After lunch, we watched Berlin 36, a film about
the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The story is about two high jumpers
called Marie and Gretel but Gretel is Jewish so the German team
didn’t select her for the team. I loved my day out at the BFI cinema!
Words by Mr King, Head of Science
While visiting a cave formed by volcanic lava flows, our pupils took our guide aback
by being utterly unphased when he asked why the cave was so nice and cool. “Caves
maintain a constant ambient temperature, which is why they have historically been used
for accommodation and storage” replied one of them as the rest sagely nodded. They had
learnt all about caves as natural passive houses at the bioclimatic village the day before.
The trip showed the amazing ability of different areas of science to link together, alongside
the incredible diversity of experience available to those who study it.
Shakespeare Workshop
Words by Ms Milgate, Head of English
Year 10 were given the unique opportunity to explore
Shakespeare’s Macbeth with two RSC actors. James and Ffion
from StageED travelled across London to give us an insight
into their rehearsal process, and what an afternoon it was. The
workshop gave pupils the chance to develop their knowledge of
their GCSE text with some interesting portrayals of key scenes
by members of Year 10 themselves. Zach W, Katie B and Rose
C’s interpretation of the witches was certainly a moment none
of us will ever forget! After a long half term of assessments and
essay writing, an afternoon enjoying the play as it was intended
was a wonderful way to end a successful year.
8 9

SPORTS DAY
Words by Mr Gregory, Director of Sport
After beginning the event with all our 100m semi-finals, it was time for the boys across all year groups to participate in their
remaining track events, while the girls competed in their field events, a tug of war competition and goal ball - a Paralympic sport
that was led by Year 12, sport prefect, Isla S. After a well-earned lunch break, the girls took to the track and the boys moved to
the field and their other activities. As we brought the day to a close, we saw some incredibly close races in our 100m finals and
the house 4 x 100m relays. Throughout all sessions we saw some incredible performances and records broken. The effort shown
as individuals along with the pupils’ absolute commitment to their houses was a joy to watch and showed just how many fantastic
athletes we have at KHS.
FAT SAM’S GRAND SLAM
Words by Ms Mannion, Head of Drama
For the first time at KHS, pupils in Years 7 to 10
had the opportunity to perform in a professional
working theatre at Watermans Art Centre.
After weeks of rehearsal, our talented young
performers wowed their audiences on both
nights with toe-tapping, sing-along favourites
including ‘My Name is Tallulah’, ‘Bad Guys’
and the titular ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’. The
students thoroughly enjoyed their experience,
some members of the cast commented:
Athletics
This season has seen a raft of incredible performances in a wide number of events. With record numbers of District medals,
Middlesex Schools qualifications and ISA National Final medals, it is clear to see that athletics continues to grow as one of the
most successful and competitive sports at KHS.
Many of our athletes were chosen to represent Hounslow Borough
at the Middlesex Championships, a fantastic achievement:
Year 7 – Celine C, Bella O
Year 8 – Zach M, Ali A, Bella C, Lara M, Leila H,
Year 9 - Roxana A, Jake D, Josh C, Arlo L
Year 10 – Louis M, Charlie D, Ozzy C, Ollie B
Year 11 – Jude J-M
Cricket
Words by Mr Kinsella, PE Teacher
This term our pupils have performed admirably in their cricket
fixtures, producing brilliant results against well drilled teams. Notable
performances include victory for our Year 7 team against London Oratory
with Ollie H leading the charge into the next round of the Middlesex
cup. Our Year 8 A team, against all odds, picked up a creditable draw
against Harrodian. Jack S and Ethan T’s partnership was one of the
best innings I have seen at KHS. Our Year 9 side have worked very
hard during training sessions, looking at key technical aspects to
develop their cricket. Oli, Oscar and Jake are always on hand to help
guide their teammates during matches and training. Finally, our Year
10s drew with Radnor, won two against Maida Vale and Portland Place.
Special mentions go to Benny, Jesse and Lance. These pupils are
always driving the standards and when the pressure is on.
With 3 of the 4 pupils returning with a medal from the ISA
National Athletics final in Birmingham, it was a superb
performance from all:
U17 1500m – Gold – Louis M
U17 400m – Bronze – James B
U17 4 x 100m relay – Bronze – Charlie D and James B
U15 100m and 4 x 100m relay – 4th place – Jake D
Year 7 win against Latymer School
Inaugural Celebration Dinner
Words by Mr Gregory, Director of Sport
We were excited to host our first Sport
Celebration Dinner at Brentford FC
Community Stadium. Award nominees
and their parents were invited to the blacktie
event along with the whole school
community. We celebrated and recognised
our most committed, talented and best
performing sports people over the year.
We were joined by a special guest for the
evening, England and British and Irish Lions
Rugby Legend, Will Greenwood. We would
like to offer our sincerest thanks to Will for
his time, sharing his inspirational words and
advice with our pupils and presenting all the
awards on the night.
“It’s the best show I’ve ever been in! It was fun
to work with people in different years, and I
made a lot of fond memories during rehearsal.”
Seth (Bugsy Malone)
We all felt so happy when the final curtain fell,
and the audience just kept applauding! We all
really connected and made such good friends
in different year groups.”
Kira (Lena Morelli / Tillie)
“I’m usually nervous for shows but I wasn’t
nervous for this one as we had such a good
community, everyone was so supportive of
each other.”
Charlotte (Dotty)
10 11

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