Dear Parent/Carer
Headteacher’s Message
It feels like each week I write to tell you that we have experienced a week like no other – this week has been no exception! It has been a week of welcoming future students to our school alongside celebrating the exceptional talent of our students both on and off the stage at We Will Rock You. Neither floods nor heat were able to put a stop to our proceedings. We have welcomed over 100 families to our school during the Open Mornings and our Buddies and Student Leaders were nothing short of outstanding as they spoke with pride and passion about their school and the experiences they enjoy here. Having seen the school in action over Tuesday and Wednesday morning, many of our Y5s returned on Thursday to experience a day at Kingshill for themselves. As for ‘We Will Rock You’, this is now my third season of shows at the school and each and every time I have thought they couldn’t get any better. If you ever wonder what an inclusive school that creates a sense of belonging, at the same time as showcasing enormous talent looks like – just go and book your tickets for next year. Ms Stones and her team are simply phenomenal; the students are beyond fabulous – it's the third time watching the performance for me tonight and I cannot wait!
Sports Day & Uniform expectations for the last week of term
Due to the continuing high temperatures forecast for next week, we are holding Sports Day on both Monday and Tuesday morning to ensure no students are in the high temperatures for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, students will be in PE kit on Monday until Wednesday, Thursday sees the Longevity Games and Charity Fair and so students are encouraged to wear non-school uniform active wear and finally on Friday, our last day of the academic year, students are to attend in non-school uniform with no payment needed – it is a thank you from all of us to celebrate how brilliant they have been each and every day.
Y5 Taster Day
On Thursday, 138 Year 5s arrived at Kingshill for their taster day. As they were welcomed by the Buddies there was a great buzz of excitement. After Mrs Lindley had challenged them to embrace our STEPs, they set off for PE games led by Mr Hamblin and Sports leaders and a Maths competition. A range of lessons followed including DT, Science, MFL and Humanities. The Buddies remained with them all day and became very adept at answering their questions, taking them to the toilets, re-filling water bottles and entertaining them during the very hot lunch-hour! Just before collection, the Year 5s completed a review of the day. These confirmed they had thoroughly enjoyed the day and learned a little more about being at secondary school. All left with big smiles and hopefully some very happy memories.
Mrs D Christopher, Deputy Head and DSL
St Ives
When Year 9 students went on the St Ives residential at the end of April, they were tasked with the challenge of completing a project called My Cornwall. This was depicted by the photos they chose to take of their different experiences and subsequently include in a display.
On Monday, Parents and Students enjoyed drinks and nibbles as they looked at the exhibition of work. The creativity, detail and time given to this project was shown in the high-quality work produced. After lengthy consideration, Christopher Clarke received the award for his project.
Mrs D Christopher, Deputy Head and DSL
English trip to Westonbirt Arboretum with Year 8
As part of their current work on nature poetry in English, Year 8 visited the National Arboretum at Westonbirt on Monday. Students had the chance to explore Silk Wood, the Old Arboretum and the spectacular Tree Top Walkway as they searched for inspiration for their own nature writing and poetry. Surrounded by 2500 different types of tree and shrub, the setting provided perfect inspiration for creative ideas, and it was a joy to see our students lounging in the dappled shade of the trees, with their pens furiously scribbling away. We look forward to seeing the fruits of their labour as they submit their finished poems before the end of the school year.
Our Day of Charity, Thursday 17th July – Update as a reminder
This week marks the launch of what promises to be a brilliant penultimate day of term, featuring The Longevity Games in the morning, followed by our much-anticipated Charity Fair in the afternoon.
All the details about these events have already been shared in a separate letter, and students can also view the assembly slides published on their Edulink accounts.
We encourage you to support your young person in their fundraising efforts by sharing their House QR code as widely as possible with family and friends. Don’t forget to include your child’s name in any supporting comments you make — this helps us track who is gaining the most support and raising the most funds!
Thank you for helping to make this day a great success for everyone involved.
Mr J Morland, Assistant Headteacher, Character Development
Activities Day: catches, cupcakes and catapults
Activities Day in school was a celebration of sport, cupcake baking and catapult making. Students moved around a carousel of activities which involved sports such as badminton, bench ball and tennis; making and decorating cupcakes - many of which will now be sold for charity; and building catapults from marshmallows and wooden skewers. The weather was beautiful and we made the most of the space we had around the school.
I Can, I Am Bus
Last week the whole of Year 8 and a select group of 10s and 7s were invited to join the team on the "I am I can" bus. This amazing charity has been coming to Kingshill for the last two years and the facilitators were particularly impressed by our young people, particularly their kindness and resilience.
The students spent time reflecting on all the things that they are good at and have achieved in their lives. They looked at where they belong, the support they have and how they have overcome obstacles in their lives so far. The founder of the charity is James Shone who, following a 16-year teaching career and having been offered a job as Headmaster in 2012, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Following 27 hours of brain surgery James unfortunately lost the majority of his sight. However, James is a man who embodies a positive attitude to life and a determination to turn setbacks into springboards and he was determined not to give up.
The workshops helped the Kingshill students to focus on their bounce back ability!
Y9 Options letters
Our year 9 students have been issued with their confirmed key stage 4 option choices during their tutor time today. I hope that these are what you expect and I want to thank you all again for your engagement in the Option Process.
If there are any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to get in touch with your Y9 tutor in the first instance and they will direct these to the person best placed to deal with them.
Mr Stillman
DofE
Congratulations to the Year 10 students who completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award expeditions at the start of June. They showed resilience and ambition to achieve their goals despite the blisters and some classic British summer weather. Over the next few weeks we expect to see a record number of students complete their Bronze Award. These will be presented with a huge amount of pride in September.
Y11 Prom
As promised, please see below pictures from the Year 11 prom!
Year 8 Rounders Season Finale: A Thrilling Victory to End the Year
In their final rounders game of the season, our team displayed fantastic team spirit and resilience, securing a hard-fought win. The match was closely contested throughout, with both sides giving their all, but our girls’ excellent performance under pressure made the difference. Hollie D was awarded player of the match for her outstanding bowling, consistently keeping the opposition on their toes with accurate and strategic deliveries. Lexi A earned batter player of the match, impressing everyone with her great hitting and tactical running on the bases.
The whole team has worked incredibly hard all year, showing great commitment both in training and on match days. The progress they have made is truly impressive, and this final victory is a testament to their dedication and teamwork. Well done to all the players — a fantastic way to finish the season!
Year 7 Rounders vs Thomas Keble – Final Game of the Season
Result: Kingshill Win 18 – 17
Our final fixture of the season was a thrilling encounter against Thomas Keble, and what a way to finish! It truly was a game of two halves, with every player giving their all in a close and competitive match.
A huge thank you to Lucy, Lily, and Ruslana for stepping in to support the team – your contribution was invaluable. The first innings saw our Year 7s at their best, showing determination, confidence, and excellent decision-making. Their risk-taking at the bat paid off, with powerful hitting and clever placement leading to a phenomenal 12.5 rounders, our highest-scoring first innings of the season! With Thomas Keble trailing on 7, we entered the second innings with a strong 5-rounder lead.
Our fielding was sharp, with well-placed players and quick thinking under pressure. It was a performance that left Mrs Barton smiling as she moved on to umpire the Year 10 match!
The second half, however, tested our nerves. With only 5.5 rounders added to our total and a few uncharacteristic errors in the field, the pressure mounted. Thomas Keble fought back hard, but our team dug deep and managed to hold on for a nail-biting one rounder victory.
Special mentions go to Grace and Ruby for outstanding performances, but every single player deserves recognition. Your commitment, effort, and team spirit this season have been exceptional. It’s been an absolute pleasure to coach you – well done, Year 7!
Year 10 Rounders vs Thomas Keble – A Game to Remember
Result: Kingshill Loss by 1 Rounder
In their final game of the season, the Year 10 rounders team took on Thomas Keble in what turned out to be an incredibly close and hard-fought match. With just one rounder separating the sides, it was a thrilling contest right to the final ball – a game to remember.
From a batting perspective, the girls showed great consistency and composure, making confident contact with the ball and placing it beautifully to challenge a sharp TK fielding side. Their awareness of the backstop and first post threat was excellent. Sophie receives a special mention for her superb batting performance, scoring consistently throughout the game.
In the field, Kingshill were disciplined, accurate, and showed fantastic teamwork. A special mention goes to Lara, whose bowling and fielding were outstanding – consistent, accurate, and calm under pressure. The whole team demonstrated excellent communication and quick decision-making, making it a real pleasure to watch.
Although the result didn’t fall in our favour, the performance was full of heart, effort, and determination. You represented Kingshill brilliantly – well done, Year 10!
Early Closure – Bus Schedule
A reminder that at the end of the Christmas and Summer term, we close the school at 1.20pm. The morning will be lessons as normal followed by a whole school celebration assembly in the Sports Hall before we say farewell for the summer holidays. For those students travelling by bus, we have provided details via Parentmail. Please find confirmation below.
The following bus companies have confirmed that they can collect early and so students who use the following school transport will be collected at 1.20pm:
Ellisons B2134 for Ashton Keynes & Latton
Barnes Coaches C339CD to Nettleton, Elkstone, Winstone, Duntisbourne & Daglingworth
Pulhams Coaches C339CC Preston, Ampney Crucis, Fosse Close and Chedworth
Pulhams Coaches C339W and C339BW to South Cerney will run, with one run leaving at 1:20pm and another running as soon as the first has completed its journey
Unfortunately, some of the bus companies are not able to do an early collection on that day. Where students come on school transport using the following services, please could we kindly ask that you arrange for your child to be collected at 1.20pm on Friday 18th July 2025:
Pulhams Coaches C339CB (565) via Deer Park to Coberley
Cotswold Green service C339CF (563) via Deer Park to Fairford
Closing Remarks
With one week to go and so much going on next week – we need everyone in school, every day to make sure we can close the year off as one community. We are really looking forward to awarding the House Trophies for each of our STEPs in the final assembly of the year next Friday – we want all of our students there to join in the celebrations !
Mrs Jo Lindley
Headteacher
Returning Week: Week A
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