Celebrate Issue 42

Celebrate 

Our students - their stories 

SUMMER 2018 ISSUE 42 

King Edward VI School

Headlines 

Welcome to Issue 42 of Celebrate. 

It is wonderful to be able to share with you 

a selection of the activities our students have 

been involved in this term, and I feel confident 

you’ll enjoy reading about them. We aim to 

equip young people with the knowledge and 

skills they will need in order to thrive in the 

future. We are committed to helping them become 

the kind, caring and responsible adults 

this world needs. 

Celebrate serves as a reminder to us all of 

quite how impressive our students are. The 

breadth of activities they throw themselves 

into is staggering, and the dedication, altruism 

and talent they display cannot fail to inspire 

you. Our students deserve this special recognition. 

This issue features our newly-formed Head 

Student Team. I hope that by reading their 

short autobiographies you feel like you have 

got to know a little of their personalities, their 

passions and also their priorities regarding the 

lives of your children - our students. 

My sincere thanks go to all my colleagues 

who continue to provide their time and support 

to ensure these activities happen, and to 

those who write about them for you. I wish 

you all a very happy summer. 

With very best wishes, 

Lee Walker 

Headteacher 

Cover - Zaima Imam, Year 11 

Submissions - celebrate@king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk 

Editor - Zoë MacLachlan 

Design - David Gower 

Contents 

Page 3 - The Love of Language 

Page 4 - A Showcase of Talent 

Page 6 - Head over Heels 

Page 8 - Walk this Way 

Page 9 - An Eye for Design 

Page 10 - The Three Trebles 

Page 11 - Race for Life 

Page 12 - Gaining the Edge 

Page 13 - Boccia 

Page 14 - Back to Basics 

Page 16 - Lucy Cooper 

Page 18 - Josh Watkins 

Page 20 - Laura Lingwood 

Page 22 - Henry Frost 

Page 24 - In Brief 

Page 26 - Inter-college Athletics 

Page 28 - A Fond Farewell 

Page 30 - College Awards 

Pages 31 - This Girl Can 

Page 32 - Summer Soirée 

Pages 34 - Discovering the Past 

Page 35 - Armed Forces Day 

Page 36 - Healthy Competition 

Page 37 - Battlefields 

Page 38 - Our Sports Day 

Page 40 - Service above Self 

Page 42 - Wartime Promenade 

Page 44 - The Courtyard Garden 

Page 46 - Sixth Form Health Conference 

The Love of Language 

The ‘Language Leader Award’ is a nationally 

recognised award accredited by ‘Routes 

Into Languages’, a Higher Education Funding 

Council programme designed to promote the 

take-up of languages. 

Our students spent over a year working on 

their awards, and acting as ambassadors for 

language learning. They helped to organise 

and run a number of events including European 

Day of Languages, a European Christmas 

Celebration and a languages quiz. They taught 

Year 6 Transition and Year 7 European Day of 

Languages lessons, as well as helping out at 

the school’s Open Evening. 

Emma Rush, Teacher of Languages 

Congratulations to the following students: 

Millie O’Driscoll, Kate Hopwood, Sophie 

Henshaw, Elektra De Sola, Anna Dickinson, 

Harvey Tilley, Martha Lebentz, Aru Sinha, 

Samuel Vernon, Anton Avis, Ella Frost, Tom 

Henson and Marshall Farthing-Kiff. 

‘I was so happy to be given this 

opportunity. I absolutely loved 

teaching a lesson which I had 

written myself to Year 6 

Transition students. 

Me encanta hablar español’. 

Millie O’Driscoll, Year 10 

3 




Our students - their stories

A Showcase of Talent 

In contrast to our termly whole-school concerts 

- during which the full range of our musical 

ensembles performs - are our informal 

‘Open Mic’ nights. Students are given the opportunity 

to perform music of their choice in 

front of their friends. 

It was a pleasure to hear such a wide range 

of performances, including an acoustic rendition 

of Cher’s ‘Believe’, some famous show 

tunes, an a Cappella vocal group and a Year 

8 rock band (complete with an impressive entourage). 

‘Open Mic night was really enjoyable, and 

the PAC was almost completely full! No-one 

was being competitive and there was loads of 

love and support in the room. I performed an 

original song with my ukulele called ‘Infinity’. 

Everyone was so positive and kind.’ 

Lily Spooner, Year 8 

Well done to everyone involved, and thank 

you to Year 8 student Harry Frost-Smith for 

the wonderful photos. 

Alex Fouracre-Smith, Head of Music 

4 

5 





Head over Heels 

My Artistic Gymnastics career began when 

I was just three years old. In the pre-school 

class we would run and jump around as instructed 

by our coaches. Even at this young 

age they saw my potential and so I moved up 

to Development classes when I was aged four. 

The first competition I ever took part in was a 

friendly at our own gym club. I was very nervous, 

but I was excited about showing everyone 

what I could do! I am now an Elite gymnast 

(the highest level for a competitive gymnast), 

and I train for more than 22 hours a week. 

‘You only realise how far you’ve come 

when you look back at how much you’ve 

been through.’ 

As I grew older, the point of the competitions 

changed. It was no longer about winning. The 

experience, the size of the venues and the atmosphere 

on the competition floors made me 

want to compete. You cannot prepare yourself 

for how big and loud the crowds can be until 

to you are there, in the moment, competing. 

Aged 11, I took part in my first major competition: 

the English Artistic Championships. I 

met many of my idols, and was very chuffed 

to be in the arena competing. It was so exciting 

that it opened my eyes to what the sport 

is all about. Unfortunately, I’ve been very unlucky 

with injuries throughout my career; but 

I remind myself why I do gymnastics in order 

to keep me strong. 

My club introduced Tumbling: eight linked 

somersaults down a 25-metre track. I was never 

all that interested in Tumbling as it wasn’t 

my main discipline, but I’m happy I carried on 

because I’ve gained many opportunities from 

it. I started at National Development Plan level, 

and medalled at Levels 5, 6 and 7 at the 

National Finals. 

Last year I competed at the British qualifying 

events and qualified for the British Tumbling 

Championships in Liverpool at the Echo Arena. 

This was my biggest competition ever, so I 

had no idea where I was going to be placed. In 

spite of this I was placed 10th in the country 

in my age group! 

I’ve qualified again this year and have some 

new goals in mind. My ultimate dream was to 

get into the England squad, as it would mean 

I would be able to train alongside gymnasts 

from all over the country. And finally… my 

hard work paid off. As a result of last year’s 

results, I was selected for the England squad 

and I couldn’t have been happier. 

Milly Richards, Year 9 

6 7 





Walk this Way 

An Eye for Design 

This year’s crop of Year 11 Design and Technology projects was very pleasing. Photographed 

below are four of our students’ final pieces, which were designed and built from scratch. 

Peter Newson, Head of Design Technology 

Child’s pull-along toy with interchangeable parts. 

Created from a variety of timbers. 

(Charlie Marchment) 

Antique iroko-topped coffee table. 

(Cameron Adam) 

I was inspired to set myself a really 

huge challenge as part of my PiXL Edge 

award, and so on Saturday 16 June I took 

part in the London Marathon Hike; all 

26.2 miles of it! 

I decided to raise money for the British 

Heart Foundation because, sadly, members 

of my family have died from heart 

disease. 

The hike began at Southwark Park at 

8.30am and along the route we walked 

past many of London’s famous landmarks 

including The Shard, the Tower of 

London, Big Ben and the Globe Theatre. 

As well as seeing these sights, I really enjoyed 

talking to other walkers along the 

route. 

At the 16-mile mark I hurt my knee, but 

I carried on because I was determined to 

finish the challenge. The total amount I 

have raised by completing this challenge 

is £1,169. I am delighted with this. 

‘9 hours 55 minutes, 26.2 miles, 

65,595 steps and 3 blisters later I 

crossed the finish line (feeling very 

proud of myself!).’ 

Tameeka Coulson, Year 8 

8 

Hardwood and brass phone charging station. 

(Joshua Parker) 

Hexagonal modular shelving unit from Birch plywood 

and aluminium. 

(Nicole Mulholland) 

9 





Photo: Bury Free Press 

The Three Trebles 

Year 7 students Tudor Weyers, Ashley Brinkley 

and Logan Williamson have each passed 

their ‘Bishop’s Chorister’ exam. The challenging 

exam required the choristers to sing, 

complete aural tests, sight-read and answer 

tough questions relating to the liturgical calendar, 

the Bible and sacred choral music. 

Dedicated St Edmundsbury Cathedral choristers, 

the boys sing five services a week, as 

well as seven rehearsals. 

Tudor, Ashley and Logan - congratulations. 

Your dedication, talent and skill are remarkable. 

‘To become a Bishop’s Chorister you have to 

sing three pieces: a psalm, a Magnificat and 

Nunc Dimittis and an anthem. You also have 

to answer questions about church services and 

the church calendar. I chose to speak about 

Advent - why we celebrate it, what hymns we 

would sing and the content of the special services 

during this time. 

Being a Bishop’s Chorister requires a lot of 

practice and dedication. I really enjoyed the 

process and the challenge of the exam, and 

it’s great to be able to wear my purple medal.’ 

(Ashley) 

‘Being a Bishop’s Chorister carries a big responsibility, 

and I feel proud have completed 

such a gruelling exam. The life of a chorister 

is long and tiring, but full of great surprises. 

We take part in national and international 

tours to countries such as Romania, Portugal 

and Germany, and perform live broadcasts for 

BBC radio. Being a Chorister is an incredile 

opportunity that I feel lucky to have had the 

pleasure of experiencing.’ (Tudor) 

‘Every chorister dreams of, one day, being 

Head Chorister and being a Bishop’s Chorister 

brings singers one step closer to that 

dream. The steps are as follow: Colt, Probationer, 

Chorister, Bishop’s Chorister, Deputy 

Head Chorister and Head Chorister’. (Logan) 

Zoë MacLachlan, Teacher of Music 

Race for Life 

Wyken College Leaders organised a team 

across the whole school to take part in the 

yearly ‘Race for Life’ event in Nowton Park. 

A total of 49 girls and six members of staff 

signed up for the event. The team’s spirit during 

the day was fantastic. We raised awareness 

of cancer, and funds for Cancer Research 

UK. In total, the King Edward VI team raised 

£4209.14 through sponsorship. Well done 

girls - I couldn’t be more proud! 

Penny Hunt, Head of Wyken College 

I joined the King Edward VI team to help raise 

money for Cancer Research UK. I also joined 

because my grandpa died of cancer about five 

years ago and, as a result, I only got to spend 

my early childhood with him. I thought that 

this might be a nice way to remember not 

only him, but the other people who are fighting 

cancer and the people who have sadly lost 

their fights. I also did it to challenge myself 

and try something that I’d never tried before. 

I completed the race in less than one hour and 

I felt proud of myself for persevering even 

when I felt like giving up. 

Imani Robinson, Year 7 

10 11 





Gaining the Edge 

Boccia 

Congratulations to Year 8 students Kamilla Kalman, Annabel Henson, Grace Valentine, Amy Lingwood, 

Molly Jones and Emma Akhaei for gaining their PiXL Edge Apprentice Awards. 

Each one of them completed ten different activities aimed at developing leadership, organisation, resilience, 

initiative and communication skills. 

Kamilla Kalman 

Annabel Henson 

Grace Valentine 

Amy Lingwood Molly Jones Emma Akhaei 

We were thrilled to host a ‘Boccia’ competition 

this term. A Paralympic sport with no 

Olympic equivalent, Boccia is based on targets 

and is played indoors with soft leather 

balls. It is full of intriguing tactics and nailbiting 

tension! 

Four teams comprising of hearing-impaired 

students from across Suffolk came together to 

play. Zach Clegg, Joshua Filby and Isabelle 

Cannon represented our school wonderfully, 

and finished in third place overall. 

Well done too to our ‘Play Unified’ ambassadors 

who did a fantastic job throughout the 

day. 

‘I have played Boccia with my 

family before, but not with my 

friends. It was great fun. I was 

really pleased to receive a certificate 

at the end, and I have played it 

again since.’ 

Zach Clegg, Year 7 


Find out more at www.king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk/pixl-edge 


12 Danny Burton, Director of Community Sport 

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Back to Basics 

For three days in late June, 80 of our Year 7 

students left their creature comforts behind 

and headed into the sunny woods of Hertfordshire… 

‘As we stepped off our hot and sweaty bus, 

we were greeted by our Bushcraft leaders who 

escorted us to our camp for what turned out to 

be the experience of a lifetime. Our first activity 

was fire making and before we could start 

a fire, we needed fire wood so off we went to 

collect it! 

We soon started to build the fire for cooking 

our lunches…burgers!! During our lunch we 

were taught some songs. 

We did a lot of singing during this fun and wild 

adventure and most of us had lost our voices 

by the end of it. After we had finished our delicious 

burgers we were put into four different 

tribes and disappeared off to build our bases 

and shelters. 

For our final activity of the day we explored 

deeper into the woods and played some hide 

and seek style games. We lay in bed wondering 

what Day 2 might have in store... 

In the afternoon we learnt how to collect water 

and how to build traps before wilderness 

exploration…that evening we ate delicious 

stir fry and sang more camp songs around the 

fire. 

Day 3 started with American-style pancakes 

(which were amazing!). Soon after it was time 

to learn how to skin a rabbit and a salmon! 

Some very ‘lucky’ people had the opportunity 

to eat a salmon’s eyeball! 

When we had recovered from the animal skinning, 

it was time for our assessments to see if 

we were eligible for the title of a ‘Bushcrafter’. 

We were assessed on the things we had 

been taught on the previous two days. Happily, 

we all passed!’ 

We were woken at 6am for a Full English! 

Next it was forest first aid, during which we 

learnt how to stop a cut from bleeding, how 

to put someone in the recovery position and 

Joseph Laycock, Year 7 

how to transport someone from one place to 

another if they were unconscious or injured. 

14 15 





Lucy Cooper: Head Girl 

Photo by Jasmine Godfrey 

When I joined King Edward VI aged 13, I was 

inspired by the motivated and ‘Wise’ student 

leadership team. They apparently had everything 

sussed out. They seemed grown up and 

friendly - like true leaders. When applying for 

the role almost four years later, I remembered 

how impressive these students were. I certainly 

don’t feel as if I am like these superhuman 

figures I once looked up to, but I dream of the 

chance to make a difference to the school, and 

of the opportunity to inspire the younger students. 

Being able to wear the ‘Head Girl’ badge, and 

having the opportunity to leave a lasting impact 

is very exciting. Especially in a school I 

love. The one which has shaped me into the 

person I am today. You might recognise me 

from the forefront of the Question Time audience 

in Bury St Edmunds - my frizzy hair was 

pretty hard to miss! 

I study Maths, Politics and History (the combination 

of which tends to provoke grimaces). 

But it’s a combination I love, and gives me 

plenty to do (as well as plenty to read!). 

Perhaps the thing for which I am most known 

in the Sixth Form (apart from the time I came 

dressed up as Donald Trump, complete with 

small hands, for Halloween) is being the Editor 

of ‘The Iconoclast’: the Sixth Form magazine. 

I took over the reins in September, and 

since then have turned it into an integral part 

of Sixth Form life. It provides an opportunity 

for everyone to delve into exciting issues, and 

to get their name in print. 

I am excited at the prospect of taking The 

Iconoclast to new heights next year with both 

a new team, and a wealth of experience under 

my belt. You can keep up to date with The 

Iconoclast on Twitter and Instagram- @iconoclastbse 

Other than making new posters for the magazine 

and keeping up with school work, I have 

been trying to keep up with my running (stamina 

over speed, naturally…). I am also learning 

to drive, so hopefully you’ll eventually 

see me on the streets (let’s just say it won’t 

be a first time pass…). I like coloured denim, 

vintage shops and ‘Call the Midwife’. 

I sense that this coming year will be very exciting. 

I hope we will have more fun, and I 

want to oversee a great Sixth Form Committee 

to keep the dress-up days and charity events 

flowing. It is also important to prepare for the 

Sixth Form relocation which offers plenty of 

projects to get our teeth into. 

I hope to improve the provision of extra-curricular 

clubs available to absolute beginners 

only. This may or may not be inspired by my 

dream of being a backing dancer, even though 

I have little-to-no concept of the beat. 

I applied for the role of Head Girl not just 

for the shiny badge (which I will wear with 

pride), but also for the opportunity to lead the 

school and make changes. Being Head Girl 

means more than a fancy spread and photo In 

Celebrate heralding my successes could ever 

show. I hope I do the role justice; I hope you 

can look back in a year and think ‘Wow, she 

was good’. I hope that the school can be an 

even better place in a year. I hope that this 

year will be special. 

16 17 





Joshua Watkins: Head Boy 


Hi, my name is Josh Watkins. I’ve been a 

student here since Year 9 when I joined from 

a secondary school in West Sussex, having 

moved to Suffolk. 

In Year 9 I was introduced to the wide range 

of GCSE subjects available to students, and 

chose Computer Science, Music, Geography 

and German. Despite enjoying these subjects 

in Years 10 and 11, I went on to choose Maths, 

Chemistry, Biology and Physics for A Level. 

I consider Biology to be one of the greatest 

and most fascinating aspects of life (no pun 

intended), and the greatest practical application 

of Chemistry. It is also a very valuable 

subset of atomic structure in Physics which, 

in turn, creates the requirement for the existence 

of Maths to allow quantitative analysis 

of everything that exists. 

Further into my school career, came opportunities 

for leadership, which I took up with 

great enthusiasm. By the end of Year 9 I was 

a Wyken College Leader. In Year 10 I signed 

up to become a prefect, and at the end of Year 

10 applied for, and was granted, the position 

of ‘Senior Student Leader’. This gave me the 

skills and experience necessary to later apply 

for, and become Head Boy. 

However, at the start of this year I found myself 

alone. I was asked by the Senior Leadership 

Team to try to get the quiz up and running 

as quickly as possible. So, with smooth 

operation in mind, I found a group of people 

to run, and a member of staff to supervise, the 

quiz committee. This became one of the most 

active parts of the school council through the 

hard work and dedication of the students involved. 

I pledged, whilst working towards my position 

as Head Boy, to encourage communication 

between students in the same year, students in 

different years and even students from different 

schools. I hope this will lead to healthy relationships 

being both formed and maintained 

in this school year, and into the future. 

I am inspired by the legacy left by previous 

senior students, their hard work and dedication, 

their kindness and compassion. I truly 

believe that if we all uphold these values then 

together we can build a better society for this 

changing world. 

I am thankful for the opportunity presented to 

me and I plan to use it to the best of my ability. 

In Year 10, I was invited to join the team which 

wrote and organised the weekly inter-college 

quiz. Once in Year 11 I became one of the core 

members of the group, learning the mechanics 

and responsibilities for a publication seen by 

every student and most of the teaching staff in 

the school. 

18 19 





Laura Lingwood: Deputy Head Girl 


I am incredibly pleased to be undertaking the 

role of Deputy Head Girl alongside such a superb 

team of students. The precious time we 

have remaining within the King Edward VI 

community will be well-spent addressing the 

students’ suggestions, representing the school, 

and maximizing the opportunities open to us. 

I began here in Year 9. Fourteen-year-old me 

with my oversized jumper and rucksack (both 

of which almost reached my knees), arrived in 

the Lower Hall to begin ‘big school’. I have 

seen four Head Boy and Girl teams during my 

time here. They have been role models; there 

for you when you’ve needed assistance and 

importantly, they’ve amplified school life. I 

have been fascinated by the collaborative aspects 

of the role. In previous years, we have 

been able to see how the teams have thrived by 

working together and making decisions that 

have benefitted the entire school community. 

Throughout my GCSEs, I discovered my passion 

for Law and, in particular, Human Rights. 

I have found that this has been reflected in 

my everyday academic studies such as Government 

and Politics and Sociology. It filters 

into my interests outside of school, and also 

to current affairs. This is also reflected in my 

strong interest and my very strong will to be 

an advocate for the fight against Period Poverty. 

We need to be active at a local level and 

we were very successful in obtaining sanitary 

products to be donated to the shelters of Bury 

St. Edmunds. Another passion that has been 

developing since I was in primary school is 

charity fundraising. 

I want to make sure that as a school community 

are doing our upmost not just to help our 

local community, but to support charitable 

issues on a wider scale, such as the Teenage 

Cancer Trust and MIND. 

I am sincerely dedicated to the mental health 

of my fellow students at King Edward VI 

School. Education, as we know it, can bring 

many different emotions and pressures. Using 

the platform I now have within our community, 

I will continue to promote the positive 

mind-set of discussing emotional wellbeing. 

In recent years (and particularly within the 

Sixth Form) the number of extracurricular 

activities, e.g. charity dress-up days and trips 

has been on the decline. It is vital that we allow 

such rewards to take place as they help to 

define our Sixth Form, and to relieve some of 

the pressure which builds. 

One event which is always an absolute pleasure 

to be a part of is the school’s inclusive 

Sports Day. We get together, work as a team, 

and allow ourselves to have some fun. This is 

vital within any educational setting. It is a true 

spectacle of the Summer Term. 

To say that we are determined to make this a 

brilliant year is an understatement. We have 

four very strong-willed and passionate team 

members, all of whom will collaborate to enhance 

the school environment and continue to 

build upon the King Edward VI legacy. 

20 21 





Henry Frost: Deputy Head Boy 


It is a privilege, and quite humbling, to be selected 

to be Deputy Head Boy at King Edward 

VI and I look forward to working with the rest 

of the Head Student Team to make a difference 

around the school. 

I joined King Edwards in September 2016 as 

an external student from Newmarket Academy, 

looking for a fresh experience and perspective 

on student life, and a chance to meet 

new people. The truth is that joining a new 

school at this stage was harder than I had 

thought it would be and the first few months 

of Sixth Form life were difficult - to say the 

least. 

But I have grown up and become a better person 

for it and the challenges and difficulties 

have made me more resilient. Being a part of 

the Head Student Team means a lot to me as it 

allows me to improve and change the school 

that has become my home. I hope that my experiences 

as an external will help me to have 

a different view of the challenges the school 

will face in the coming year. 

During my time here I have discovered my 

ambition to pursue a career as a Corporate Solicitor 

after University. This has grown out 

of my passion for my subjects: Politics, Economics 

and Philosophy. This goal consistently 

motivates me to work hard in all my subjects. 

Outside of school I play for Newmarket Hockey 

Club against other teams from around the 

East of England (including Bury St Edmunds 

- a slight conflict of interest!). I find playing a 

sport outside of school is a great way to relax 

and de-stress, something which all students 

will attest to as being of vital importance. 

Within the school I hope to move forward with 

the ideas and initiatives from all the student 

applicants for these Head Student Team roles. 

For example the drive for greater focus on the 

mental health and wellbeing of students during 

this stressful and formative period in their 

lives. Also reforms to the School Council enabling 

it to have a greater impact and higher 

student numbers. Lastly - to find a solution 

to the difficult question of keeping the special 

school atmosphere of King Edward VI when 

the new site opens. Oh, and purchasing a kettle 

for us Sixth Formers. This is very important. 

Trust me. 

Furthermore, I couldn’t be happier to work 

with such a highly motivated and passionate 

Head Boy and Girl team which is already 

proving to be an absolute pleasure to be part 

of. I hope that together we will leave a real 

and lasting impact on the school, one which 

leaves something substantial behind for future 

Head Student Teams to build upon. I believe 

that the coming year will present both challenges 

and opportunities for us and as a team 

we shall tackle them together. 

To conclude, I would like to thank the school’s 

Senior Leadership Team for this opportunity. 

I will work hard to leave a kettle. 

22 23 





In Brief 

Forming the Future 

Our Year 8 students contemplated their journeys 

to employment in June as we welcomed 

‘Form the Future’ to King Edward VI School. 

During an action-packed, investigative and 

competitive morning they quizzed ten different 

employees about their jobs and the routes 

they had taken after leaving full time education. 

‘It was great to find out what everyone in the 

room did for a living. It widened our knowledge 

of the different jobs available to us, from 

astrology to zoo keeping.’ 

Project 5 Primary Dance 

Lucy Bursford, Year 8 

Individual Maths Challenges 

This year, 360 students from across the school 

took part in the ‘UK Mathematics Trust Maths 

Challenges’ at Junior, Intermediate and Senior 

levels. Results were very encouraging 

with four students qualifying for the followup 

paper. 

A special mention goes to Year 7 student Kaylee 

Wisner who gained a Certificate of Merit 

in this. Overall students from the school 

gained 10 Gold, 52 Silver and 106 Bronze 

certificates. 

We have really enjoyed working with Year 5 

& 6 children from Risby, Ickworth Park and 

Sexton’s Manor primaries this year. All the 

children worked hard with our dancers on choreography. 

Congratulations to Risby Primary 

who performed theirs as part of our Wartime 

Promenade performance. 

Poetry Festival 

Year 8 students recited poems by Simon Armitage 

and Carol Ann Duffy as they came together 

to celebrate the power of poetry. They read, 

recited and rapped the words of poets past and 

present. 

Year 12 students joined the event as students 

recited poems they had written in class, as 

well as material that had inspired them to become 

poets themselves. Congratulations to 

everybody involved. 

Music Examination Results 

Annabel Henson – Gr. 1 Bassoon (Dist.) 

Michael Moore – Gr. 3 Cornet (Merit) 

Caroline Austin – Gr. 8 Clarinet (Merit) 

Eloise Richardson – Gr. 6 Flute (Dist.) 

Ellie Weyers – Gr. 7 Voice (Dist.) 

Freddie Rose – Gr. 5 Drum Kit (Merit) 

Isabelle Koci-Edwards – Gr. 5 Voice (Merit) 

Tudor Weyers - Gr. 6 Voice (Dist.) 

Anton Avis - Gr. 6 Double Bass (Dist.) 

Hannah Kennedy - Gr. 6 Voice (Merit) 

Toby Johnson - Gr. 6 Drums (Dist.) 

Royal Ballet School – Primary Steps 

Congratulations to all the primary school 

children who attended Primary Steps at King 

Edward VI. Children from Years 3 to 6 participated 

in Ballet and Creative lessons each 

week. Many of them enjoyed a performance 

at The Royal Ballet School, Covent Garden. 

Lunchtime Concert 

Local Year 5 students were treated to a entertaining 

musical lunch on a recent visit to 

us at King Edward VI School. They enjoyed 

performances by Little Band, Eddie’s Instruments, 

Eddie’s Voices and No Girls Allowed. 

Issie from Great Whelnetham Primary School 

said she enjoyed how Eddie’s Instruments 

got faster and louder throughout their performance, 

which really sounded like Peter was 

running down the mountain away from the 

evil troll! 

Maths Roadshows 

Year 8 Maths Leaders took part in a program 

to promote Maths in local primary schools. 

They developed leadership skills while sharing 

their enthusiasm for the subject. They 

taught the children Maths lessons which they 

had prepared themselves. The preparation 

involved thinking of learning outcomes, and 

creating fun tasks and appropriate resources. 

Nina Cushing, Year 8 

Artist of the Month 

Poppy Thomas (Year 12) 

July 2018 

24 25 





Photo by Harry Frost-Smith 


Inter-college Athletics 

‘After six years of being the Head 

of Wyken College, I am extremely 

proud to see the Wyken Athletics 

team win the Athletics Cup this 

year for the first time. What a great 

team of students we have!’ 


26 27 





A Fond Farewell 

28 29 





College Awards 

This Girl Can 

ELIIE ALLEN 

Ellie has been a remarkable student. She is the sort 

of student who makes her teachers’ days joyful. I 

have no doubt that she will do exceptionally well in 

her GCSEs this year as she has worked very hard 

indeed. She plays a lot of sport and has represented 

us on several occasions. In 2016 she travelled to 

Shanghai on the Advanced Leadership Exchange. 

There I saw her at her best, doing amazing work representing 

King Edward VI and leading both her peers 

and the Chinese students in daily activities. She’s 

also really friendly. Next years’ Year 11 have a lot to 

live up to. 

Matthew Elliott, Head of Elveden 

MADELEINE HAMILTON 

Watching Hengrave students perform in ‘Phantom’ 

was a real treat. Up there with the best of them was 

Madeleine Hamilton: Hengrave’s Year 11 College 

Award winner. She has been involved in dance shows 

throughout her time here at school, as well as maintaining 

regular commitment to her London-based 

dance company with whom she rehearses and performs 

at weekends. Madeleine is diligent and committed 

fully to her subject studies across the board. 

She is a lovely student who is thoroughly deserving 

of this award. 

Kirsten Evans, Head of Hengrave 

CHARLIE BROWN 

A great many things have impressed me about Ickworth 

Year 11 College Award winner Charlie Brown. 

First and foremost, he is incredibly conscientious. 

He thrives to complete all his work to the absolute 

best standard he can achieve. This is helped by the 

fact that he is hugely ambitious. He has participated 

in a lot of extra-curricular sport, and his most notable 

contribution has been to the Year 11 Football 

team. In spite of his achievements and successes, 

Charlie maintains a low profile, always demonstrating 

kindness and an excellent attitude to school life. 

Andrew McLellan, Head of Ickworth 

ASA SUMNER-KEENS 

The Kentwell College Award was awarded to Asa. Asa 

has been an exemplary member of Kentwell College 

this year. He has supported me in a range of activities 

as a College Leader, such as the Year 6 Transition, 

charity activities and sporting events. Both in and out 

of school, Asa is a keen sportsman who has represented 

the school a number of times. During school 

hours he is a hard working student who has quietly 

excelled this year. I wish Asa all the best as he opens 

his results, and for the summer (of tennis!). 

Hannah Scarlett, Head of Kentwell 

OLLIE COTTON 

Ollie has made a superb contribution to the school as 

a whole and to Melford College. He is an all-round 

nice guy, who works hard and gets involved in many 

aspects of school life. Ollie has performed in school 

shows and concerts, travelled to Shanghai on the Advanced 

Leadership Exchange and played in sports 

teams. As a College Leader he has supported charity 

events such as the Melford Walk. Ollie - I am extremely 

proud of all that you have achieved. Well 

done. 

KIRSTEN O’BRIEN 

Rebecca Taylor, Head of Melford 

Kirsten has had an impressive school career. She became 

a College Leader in her first year, helping to run 

a number of intra-college events and to raise money 

for charities. At the end of Year 10, Kirsten became a 

school prefect and went on to become Lower School 

Head Girl in Year 11. She has continually represented 

the school in a variety of sports and has been a positive 

role model within Wyken College. I have been 

especially proud to be her Head of College and wish 

her all the best for her very promising future. 

Penny Hunt, Head of Wyken 

‘I’ve always loved riding my bike and so it 

wasn’t long before I wanted to start racing it. 

I took part in my first mountain bike (MTB) 

race in 2011 when I was eight years old. After 

this I went on a few trips to Wales riding the 

trails with my dad, which gave me the confidence 

to try some of the extreme climbs and 

drops. 

Over the past 18 months, I have been racing 

nearly every weekend as I had decided to 

have a serious attempt at seeing what I could 

achieve. Last year I tried a new discipline in 

the form of ‘Cyclocross’, and after just one 

season I came away the 3rd U16 girl in the 

Eastern Region. 

I am currently half way through this year’s 

MTB season and have taken part in the HSBC 

British Cycling National series. I travelled up 

to Yorkshire and took 11th place there. 

‘My best result so far on 

the national scene has been 

6th place, which I am really 

pleased with.’ 

I thoroughly enjoy racing. I love the challenge 

of each new course, and pushing my 

limits. I especially love the mud of a cylcocross 

course! This summer I have been doing 

my first Road season, which is a completely 

different way of racing. I hope to peruse this 

sport as a career.’ 

Martha Lebentz, Year 10 

30 31 





Summer Soirée 



The Music Department rounded off its year 

with a wonderfully warm evening of music. 

Showcasing all our musical ensembles from 

little to large, the evening was varied and 

inspiring. Several audience members commented 

on the diversity of musical styles our 

students are able to experience. 

It was really lovely to see how far some of 

our younger ensembles have come over the 

past two years. Both Little Band and Eddie’s 

Instruments played fantastically well, and are 

demonstrating more confidence each time 

they perform. 

Ex Silentio, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Band 

and Soul Band showcased some of their repertoire 

for their upcoming tour to France. 

Sadly, it was time to say goodbye to our faithful 

Year 13 musicians, and this was our message 

to them… Every one of you has been an 

invaluable member of the music department 

over the years, and we appreciate all your dedication 

and hard work, as well as your passion 

for music. We wish you all the best in your 

future endeavours and look forward to seeing 

what the future holds for you. 

Alex Fouracre-Smith, Head of Music 

32 33 





Uncovering the Past 

Armed Forces Day 


Twenty Year 8 students took part in the Cambridge 

University ILAFS education programme 

in March. 

The ‘Independent Learning Archaeology 

Field School’ programmes promote further 

academic study for students from a range of 

backgrounds. 

Initially our students were based at St Botolphs 

Bowls Club, Rickinghall where they had to 

excavate a meter square pit using bona fide 

archaeological techniques. With fair weather 

favouring them, the students learned how to 

mattock, trowel, record data, wash artefacts 

and sieve for finds. 

The finds varied in both quantity and material: 

from sizeable, old rusting pieces of iron 

to fragile pieces of pottery dating back to the 

1300s. 

The four students worked hard across each of 

the seven pits excavated, and they all loved 

finding their own “piece of treasure”. Not so 

much joy was shown when, at the end of day 

two, they had to backfill the hole that they had 

dug. 

The third and final day was spent at the University 

of Cambridge. The students attended 

lectures on archaeology, they toured a college 

and they had lunch in the refectory before 

touring the archaeology museum. 

Finally, they were given the task of writing 

an archaeological report on their findings. All 

the data and images were made available to 

the students to write their reports, which they 

did avidly. The reports were assessed by university 

staff and each student has been given 

an equivalent GCSE grade for their reporting 

skills and a certificate from the University of 

Cambridge. 

David Price, Teacher of Mathematics 

Photo by Ruby Decent 

On 29 June 2018 we celebrated Armed Forces 

Day at King Edward VI School. I remain 

amazed that a single email I sent to Mr Walker 

resulted in the whole school celebrating 

Armed Forces Day. We had a Petty Officer 

(P.O.) from the Royal Navy, and an Airman 

from the Royal Air Force. Students who are 

Cadets from Sea, Army and Air, and also those 

in St John Ambulance, came to school in their 

respective uniforms for the day. 

My fellow Sea Cadets helped me to collect 

money for the SSAFA, the leading Armed 

Forces’ charity. The charity supports families 

who are (or who have been) involved in the 

forces in one way or another. They help with 

accommodation, rehabilitation, finances and 

mental health problems such as Post-Traumatic 

Stress Disorder. 

Paige Cameron, Year 8 

‘Being a Sea Cadet, and an ex-military 

child, it was very important to 

me that we celebrated this event to 

honour our service personnel.’ 

34 35 





Healthy 

Competition 

Battlefields 

I’m proud to have witnessed some great tutor 

group team spirit within Wyken college. The 

Egg Challenge saw each of our tutor groups 

participating in a range of challenges testing 

different skills including: an egg and spoon 

race (for those with poise, balance and speed), 

egg decoration (for our creative artists) and a 

short story about eggs (for our creative writers). 

Winners of the Egg Challenge were HH, otherwise 

known as Haley’s Heroes. Anna Haley 

was at the fore pushing her tutor group to success. 

BY Blasters, as they are affectionately known 

in Wyken, have had a year of success in the 

intra-college tournaments. Colin Bailey’s enthusiasm 

and belief that his tutor group are the 

greatest has certainly helped them! 


Not only did they win the Tug-o-War in the 

Autumn Term, but they won the Fantasy Football 

league in the Spring Term and now, in the 

Summer Term, they have smashed it yet again 

by winning the bench-ball tournament after a 

heated head-to-head match with Haley’s Heroes 

in the Finals. 

Well done to all of the tutor groups for their 

participation in the tournaments. It builds a 

great sense of team spirit in tutor groups and 

provides the foundations for a remarkable college, 

of which I am enormously proud to be 

the at the helm. 


After a brief coach journey (of an eternity or 

so), we arrived at Waterloo in Belgium. We 

had a look around the Memorial 1815 museum 

and the nearby Wellington Museum, both 

of which had a boatload of history to dig in to: 

guns, maps, clothes and assorted paraphernalia. 

It was all very interesting. 

The next day, we returned to Waterloo and 

took a guided tour of the Lion’s Mound memorial 

and the Hougoumont Farm, the latter 

of which was a key battle location. This concluded 

the Napoleonic segment of our trip, so 

we ventured south to France. 

The Ulster Tower and Pozières Cemetery gave 

us a chance to gauge the scale of the Somme, 

and to pay our respects to Captain Nash, a former 

King Edward VI student. 

On 1 July, precisely 102 years on from the 

start of the Battle of the Somme, we looked 

at the Devonshire Regiment cemetery, and the 

Lochnagar Crater - both hugely poignant locations. 

We also had the chance to see the huge Thiepval 

Memorial, just as a 102nd anniversary 

ceremony was taking place. We once again 

paid our respects to two former King Edward 

VI School students who had died in the Battle 

of the Somme. 

Beaumont Hamel was next, a preserved Newfoundland 

battlefield onto which 80% of the 

Newfoundland Regiment fell in one single 

advance. Finally, we ventured to the German 

cemetery. It proved a stark contrast to the 

huge British Imperial monuments we’d seen 

previously, with its drab grey crosses for some 

45,000 dead soldiers. 

And on that rather sombre note, we were 

homeward bound. 

Toby Wood, Year 12 

36 

37 






Our Sports Day 

Inclusivity Redefined 


38 39 





Service above Self 

Finn is a dedicated Mentor to several students 

in the Lower School. She meets her mentees 

most mornings during registration and helps 

them with their GCSE class work and revision. 

Her patience and empathy has helped 

Lower School students to have more confidence 

and to embed their subject knowledge. 

Finn is a serious campaigner and having become 

a blood donor she took it upon herself to 

recruit more donors from our Sixth Form cohort. 

As such, she organised an assembly with 

the Blood Transfusion Service which (along 

with a couple of fainting episodes) resulted in 

a number of Sixth Formers becoming regular 

blood donors. Finn has also been a dedicated 

Soprano in Ex Silentio, and her voice as matured 

beautifully during her time in the choir. 

This is all very commendable in and of itself, 

but Finn has extra responsibilities at home 

which make her achievements in school even 

more remarkable. 

After school Finn also cares for Mum, taking 

her to appointments, looking after her and 

cooking the family meals. Last year life became 

even more challenging when her Dad 

broke his leg and Finn was the sole member 

of the Baxter family able to drive. As previously 

stated Finn is a great campaigner and 

one of her passions has been to raise awareness 

of the needs of children with special 

needs, especially Autism. Finn contacted the 

Riverwalk School and has subsequently made 

several visits. 

Finn has also raised the profile of Young Carers. 

She realised that for some students being 

a carer can be an isolated experience and 

one that is often not understood by others. She 

contacted the Young Carers Association and 

helped to run an assembly on the topic. She 

followed this up by making contact with other 

Young Carers in the school and has been providing 

support and friendship for them ever 

since. 

Fionnuala Baxter joined King Edward VI 

School as a Year 9 student in September 2012 

and has contributed widely to school life ever 

since. Her kind and caring nature has shone 

through in every interaction she has had, be it 

with teacher or peer. 

Finn has played an active role in the life of her 

college, Elveden. She has organised regular 

Bake Sales in order to raise money for various 

charities including the Teenage Cancer 

Trust and Leukaemia UK. She makes a terrific 

chocolate brownie. 

Finn has been an enthusiastic participant 

in the inter-college competitions including 

dodgeball, basketball and the infamous Disney 

Quiz. During her time in the Sixth Form 

Finn really blossomed. She is a role model 

and Student Leader in Biology and Chemistry 

and has helped out with many events including 

the Science Fair. She helped the primary 

school children settle in and actively shared 

her passion for all things scientific and, in particular, 

the solar system and reptiles. 

‘For a number of years, Finn has 

been a Young Carer. Initially for 

her autistic little sister, Phoebe and, 

in more recent years, for her Mum 

too since she became seriously unwell.’ 

Before she comes to school each morning, 

Finn has to get her sister up, help her get 

dressed and give her breakfast. She then 

makes sure that both Phoebe and her Mum 

have had their medications and are set up for 

the day. Finn drives her sister to school before 

beginning her own school day. 

Finn has worked extremely hard for her A 

Level exams. Her dream is to become a Veterinarian 

and will be reading Chemistry at 

University, before a post-graduate degree in 

Veterinary Science. 

For all these reasons, and more, we were delighted 

to nominate Finn for the Rotary Club 

of Bury St Edmund’s ‘Service above Self’ 

award. She entirely personifies someone who 

- every single day - puts others’ needs before 

her own. 

What is more, she does it with a smile. 

Abbi Thorpe, Sixth Form Co-ordinator 

40 41 





WARTIME 

PR MENADE 

Brutality, peace, humour, love, death, life 

and hope… just some of the powerful themes 

communicated through the mediums of dance, 

spoken word and song in the beautifully creative 

‘Wartime Promenade’. 

Eighty students took part in the commemorative 

performance, marking the centenary of 

the end of World War One. It was stunning. 

Well done to everybody involved. 

The Production Team 

42 

43 





Head Gardener: 

Robert Compton 

Gardeners: 

Muhammed Ali 

Kamilla Kalman 

Harry Bulpitt 

Megan Hinton 

Ariana Jevtusenko 

Rosie Starling 

Caitlin Brame 

Kirsty Sharpe 

Ashleigh Bolton 

Shannon Bolton 

Daciana Das Neves 

A wonderful transformation has occurred in 

our Courtyard Garden which is situated in the 

middle of our main school building. Once 

grey, drab and empty save a memorial tree 

in the centre, the garden is now a very pretty 

space; a sensory garden overflowing with colour. 

We are immensely grateful to the following 

companies for their sponsorship: Sainsbury’s, 

Tesco, Waitrose, Fornham Timber, Travis Perkins, 

B&Q, Meika Ltd, Marlows, Glasswells, 

Wilko, Katie’s Garden, Woolpit Nurseries, 

The Range, Paugers Plants and B&M. 

Thank you too to Caretaker James for building 

the raised beds, and to the rest of the caretaking 

team for assisting with the installation of 

the water butts. Our Sixth Form Environmental 

Committee also raised money for us, and 

FOKES (Friends of King Edwards School) 

too supported us with funds. 

Bernadette Pitt masterminded the incredible 

transformation and the whole school community 

is thankful to her and her team of student 

gardeners for creating this beautiful space for 

us all to enjoy. 

Beverley Tucker, Deputy Headteacher 

The Courtyard Garden 

44 

45 





Sixth Form Health 

The guest speaker for this year’s Sixth Form 

Health Conference was Olympic Volleyball 

player Rachel Laybourne. Rachel delivered an 

inspirational and entertaining speech to kickstart 

proceedings before answering questions 

about health, fitness and lifestyle. The Sixth 

Form then spent the day learning about, and 

engaging in, activities such as yoga, fitness, 

reflexology, massage and personal protection. 

‘The personal protection session was really 

good. I know now what I should do if I ever 

find myself in danger in order to be able to run 

away. We practised defensive moves and I 

feel confident that I could protect myself considerably 

better than I could have done before 

the session.’ Olivia Gunn, Year 12 

‘My massage session was really 

relaxing. We focussed on dealing 

with the kinds of stress and tension 

we find ourselves facing while 

studying for our A Levels. I know 

about how to avoid and treat tension 

headaches, hand pain from 

typing and lower back pain too.’ 

Zack Smith, Year 12 

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