Kingshill Newsletter - 20 Jun 25
Learning, leading, and living our values — the Kingshill way, every day.
Dear Parent/Carer,
As I am about to write ‘another jam-packed week’, I do have to ask if there is any other type of week here at Kingshill? I find myself constantly marvelling at the way our students transition from the dedication and commitment required in their lessons to the fun and adventure that is held beyond. On Tuesday, 52 of our athletes competed at the Prince of Wales stadium in Cheltenham. In a fine example of the true spirit of a Kingshill student, Year 10 students were even seen revising in the stands in between events in preparation for their mock exams that began on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday evening, 3 of our students competed in the Rotary public speaking competition showing huge ambition and maturity in their speeches. We were all thankful to Lottie’s charity day today as we were able to wear cooler clothes in the summer heat we are currently enjoying. I have to say that I was a little concerned that some may forget that we are still in school and not at the beach, but the responsibility shown in the choice of non-uniform clothing to represent a working day in a school was truly impressive. It also reminded me of the diversity and individuality that we experience here in our school community, which will again be celebrated in another non-uniform day next Friday to mark the end of Pride month! It is always a real joy to see our staff and students feel able and comfortable to be themselves. Today’s Fast Track Friday winners were our Y7s for their fantastic attendance this week!
A thank you to our enthusiastic and supportive parents who attend our Parent Forums. I value enormously the opportunity to share our school journey but to also ask questions for feedback that only you, as parents and carers, can answer. It is through these forums that changes can be suggested and then implemented to improve the service you receive from your child being at our school.
Today was also an important day for 8 of our future colleagues who will be joining the team in September. They enjoyed their first day with us learning about our Active Minds, STEPs and behaviours culture – I'm sure they left with their heads whirring but equally in a better place to hit the ground running in September. We look forward to formally introducing the new team to you in our September welcome letter.
Assembly for International Refugee Week
For international refugee week, we marked the occasion with assemblies highlighting the plight of displaced people across the globe. We reflected on what made people refugees and why they would leave their homes to face often dangerous and uncertain journeys. Sharing the experience of a young Afghan refugee who crossed the English Channel, students were asked to consider how we could use our Kindness STEP to show compassion to other young people less fortunate than ourselves.
Why do we Celebrate Pride?
In preparation for our first Cirencester Kingshill Pride Picnic, students attended assemblies last week focused on the question: “Why do we celebrate Pride?” These linked to our School Steps—Responsibility, Ambition, Respect, Kindness, Pride, and Resilience.
Students explored the significance of Pride for the LGBT+ community and reflected on how to be allies, including the importance of inclusive language and kindness. The assemblies also introduced the concepts of equality and equity, helping students understand why Pride is still necessary today. Student feedback has been thoughtful, with many expressing greater awareness and a desire to be more mindful in their everyday actions.
We’re all looking forward to next Friday’s Non Uniform day where we will gather for a Pride Picnic and will share an update soon!
September 2025: Our Staggered Start
You only get one September start to get it right, each and every year. We are determined more than ever, that this year, our students will arrive fully equipped with the knowledge of what it means to be an excellent learner, an excellent student and have an awareness of what to do within a range of circumstances from lunch times, when feeling sad, when feeling unwell or even when to fill up a water bottle.
To equip our students with this knowledge, we made a collection of videos with the help of our Y10 student leaders so that we can be explicit in our expectations and the support we offer from the very beginning of the school year. In order to do this well, and with the right mix of: collaborative team building activities and House events we are going to open the school differently in September.
We understand this is a change but we believe this is an important change that will allow our Y7 and Y8 students to settle quickly, allow the buddies and leaders to support the Y7 students without it detracting from their own needs and will provide the time and space for us to introduce study skills, revision techniques and leadership opportunities for our Y9-11 students. We thank you for your support in this venture.
Y10 Cadbury World
Last week, the Year 10 BTEC Enterprise students enjoyed an educational visit to Cadbury World in Birmingham. The day began with a focused marketing lesson aligned with their coursework, providing valuable insights into Cadbury’s marketing strategies and future business plans. This session was both informative and engaging, helping students connect classroom theory to real-world application.
After the lesson, students explored the rich history of chocolate and learned how Cadbury became the UK’s leading chocolate brand. They then took part in various interactive activities throughout the attraction, which were not only fun and immersive but also came with the sweet bonus of free chocolate bars!
Overall, the trip offered a fantastic opportunity to learn about business concepts in a dynamic and enjoyable setting, making it a truly memorable experience beyond the classroom.
Mr. Karunaratne
Lord of the Flies
On Tuesday, 50 Year 9 and 10 GCSE Drama students were invited to experience a powerful and thought-provoking devised performance based on William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The performance, created and delivered by Year 12 Performing Arts students from Cirencester College, used Golding’s hard-hitting novel as a starting point for their devised project. The piece explored what happens when rules and structure break down—mirroring the descent from order to chaos on the once-idyllic island in the novel. The cast’s strong performances and use of imaginative theatrical techniques left a lasting impression on the audience and sparked a lively discussion during the post-show Q&A.
Our Year 10 students, currently working on their own devised component, were especially keen to ask about the challenges of artistic collaboration and sought tips to support their own creative development. Year 9 students, who studied Lord of the Flies in Drama last term, enjoyed seeing the novel brought to life in such a vivid and unsettling way. This was a fantastic opportunity to share and celebrate creative work within our Expressive Arts community—and a proud moment to see former Kingshill students thriving at the college and inspiring the next generation of performers.
Rotary Club
On Tuesday evening, Cirencester Kingshill School was proudly represented by Frankie, Eliza and Isabelle at the Cirencester Rotary Public Speaking Competition. They competed against students from Deer Park, Farmor’s and Sir William Romney and showed enormous ambition and resilience by speaking in front of a crowd.
Frankie spoke knowledgeably and eloquently about the potential benefits and hazards of chat-bot Artificial Intelligence programs, while offering informed opinions on how to manage these hazards. Eliza spoke about mortality and the processed a deceased body undergoes, but injected her speech with so much enthusiasm and good humour that the audience were chuckling the whole time, while actively learning something! Isabelle gave a sobering but charismatic speech about the doomsday clock and how younger generations have been adversely affected by modern technology. Her connection with the audience was palpable and she proved herself a skilful rhetorician.
All of our competitors received a certificate and a £20 Amazon gift card, and they should have immense pride in their efforts!
District Athletics Championships – Student Highlights
Some of our students recently took part in the District Athletics Championships and achieved some excellent results. While we are still waiting on the full list of placements, here are a few standout performances we can celebrate:
Year 10/11:
Molly R – 1st place in the Triple Jump – an outstanding result
Ollie C – Joint 2nd in the High Jump with a jump of 1.56m
Luziana W – 3rd place in the 80m Hurdles with a time of 15.7 seconds
Luziana W – 4th place in the 200m
Year 8/9:
Eliza B – 6th place in the 800m with a time of 2:41.1
Ruby R – 7th place in the 800m with a time of 2:41.6
Well done to all students who represented the school – your hard work and determination are greatly appreciated.
Cirencester Kingshill Shines at Prince of Wales Stadium Athletics Meet
On Wednesday, we had the pleasure of taking 52 pupils to the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham for a full day of athletics — and what a day it was! From start to finish, our students represented Kingshill with pride, enthusiasm, and exceptional sportsmanship. Whether they were on the track, in the field, or cheering from the sidelines, every student contributed to an unforgettable day of competition.
A special mention must go to our Year 10 students, who impressed us not only with their athletic abilities but with their determination and focus. With their mock exams beginning the following day, they made the most of every moment—spending their time at the top of the stadium revising with books open, then coming down to compete and support their peers. Their commitment is a clear reflection of their ambition and maturity.
We also want to highlight the resilience and team spirit shown by many students who stepped up to fill in for events at the last minute or overcame nerves to compete with courage. It was inspiring to witness students encouraging one another, taking on challenges, and demonstrating what it means to be part of the Kingshill community.
Match Highlights: U13 & U15 Tennis Teams Show Skill and Resilience
It has been a busy week of tennis for our U13 and U15 Tennis teams with games taking place against Thomas Keble on Monday and Farmors on Wednesday. All games are played in a doubles format, best of two sets with a championship tie break should teams end one set all.
On Monday the U15 team impressively won 3 out of 4 of doubles matches resulting in an overall win, the U13’s lost their games but had some very competitive rallies. A special well done to Josh P and Xavier E-H who won both sets in convincing fashion, and also Joe and Robbie S who despite loosing the first set came back to win the second and the tie break!
On Wednesday the U15’s competed against Farmors with one student standing in last minute to make up the full team. Half of the games were eventually decided through a championship tie break and although the result was not exactly what the gentleman involved wanted, the resilience shown during every match was absolutely superb. We continue to move forward with ambition to future games already scheduled. A reminder to all students that recreational tennis takes place on Tuesday after school and Team Tennis runs each Wednesday. Come along and develop your skills!
Kingshill Year 7 Cricket Team Shine in a Dominant Double Victory Over Deer Park
In very warm conditions, our School Year 7 cricket team displayed immense pride and ambition as 17 players took part in two thrilling pairs matches against Deer Park on Thursday. This young and developing squad showed fantastic depth and teamwork, with every player contributing with both bat and ball. Kingshill secured convincing wins in both games — the first by 61 runs (96/3 to 35/8), and the second by 52 runs (113/3 to 61/5), resulting in an outstanding combined victory margin of 113 runs.
Jacob P was a standout performer, taking an impressive 5 wickets across the matches, while several strong batting partnerships surpassed the 30-run mark, highlighting the team’s confidence and togetherness at the crease. The commitment, skill, and sportsmanship on display were a credit to Kingshill School, and this dominant performance reflects the team’s good standards and ambition to do well. A truly proud evening for Kingshill cricket once again.
We now look forward to the next game against Thomas Keble on Tuesday (24th June) next week. Well done Team Y7 Cricket, keep up the brilliant work.
Mr Hamblin
Making Waves: First Hansa National Sailing Championships
One of our Year 10 students, Sophie B recently took part in the Hansa National Sailing Championships in Weymouth. It was a fantastic opportunity to develop confidence, independence, and resilience on open water. Here's her reflection on the experience:
Last week I had the privilege to go to the Hansa National championships in Weymouth. This was an amazing sailing experience for me as it was my first time sailing on the sea by myself. On the Friday, there ended up being no racing due to the lack of wind, I tend to do better when the wind is lighter, so this was a shame for me. On the Saturday, the wind was completely the opposite, very strong. Racing did go ahead on Saturday, however the conditions were extremely challenging for me. Finally, on the Sunday the wind was still strong, but the waves weren’t quite as choppy. Overall, I didn’t get on to the podium, but this didn’t really bother me as I still had such a great time and the whole event was an amazing experience. I look forward to doing more sailing competitions in the future.
Sophie B, Y10
Paris Trip next week
A quick reminder about our Y8/Y9 Paris trip next week. Please ensure your child arrives at the school no later than 11.45pm on Sunday evening. We look forward to an exciting and eventful trip for all those attending.
We Will Rock You – Tickets On Sale Now
Tickets are running out fast! Grab yours now by clicking here - this is a show that promises to rock the house!
Holiday Free School Meal Voucher Scheme – Summer 2025
Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) would like to make eligible families aware of the holiday Free School Meal (FSM) voucher scheme that they are currently offering. Applications for FSM vouchers for the summer holidays 2025 will be open from midday on 24th June 2025 until midday on 8th July 2025. Voucher emails will be sent from week commencing 14th July. Please remember to check your junk/spam folders during this period as sometimes the vouchers end up there. If you have not received your vouchers by 21st July, please submit a query HERE
This summer holiday, GCC will provide families in receipt of Free School Meals, who sign up to this offer, with vouchers to assist with food costs during the school holidays. The scheme is for children in reception to year 11 who receive Pupil Premium (benefits-related) free school meals and attend a school in Gloucestershire.
Families who have signed up to the scheme or who are already registered will receive a total of £15 per child per week for two weeks.
To find out more about the scheme and to apply, parents can visit FAQs | Gloucestershire County Council
Families who have signed up previously do not need to re-register for the summer holiday vouchers. Families that have previously signed up will need to contact GCC with any changes to their circumstances (e.g. if the number of children eligible increases or decreases). To ensure GCC reach all those who are eligible, they are encouraging parents that have not previously signed up, to sign up as soon as they can. GCC check eligibility for the scheme by cross-referencing with the term-time free school meal register, so please make sure you are registered beforehand- visit the apply for free school meals page.
Using vouchers – vouchers need to be used will only be awarded once the parent has registered for the scheme and cannot be backdated. Vouchers are valid for 6 months, although should be used in the holiday period in which they are awarded. If vouchers are not claimed and have expired, they cannot be re-issued. Vouchers not received should be queried via the Microsoft Form HERE by the end of the holiday period.
For any parents wishing to update details of an existing application, please submit an update existing details request via the Microsoft Form HERE so GCC can update your account, as details are not automatically updated.
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 will provide you with details of how this will affect you via ParentMail.
Closing Remarks
The week ahead sees the end of Mock Exams for our Y10s, an exciting trip to Paris for some of our Y8 and Y9 students, an OFSTED feedback assembly for all of our students on Friday morning and House assemblies on Friday afternoon, along with us planning for some exciting events as we move towards the end of term.
Go and enjoy the weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone on Monday morning.
Mrs Jo Lindley
Headteacher
Returning Week: Week B
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