Our First Day Back After 167 Days is One of Happy Reunion

September 2nd 2020

Our first day back after 167 days away from King's. Read what our staff and pupils have to say and view photographs taken during the day.

Ian Wilmshurst - Headmaster
"It has been wonderful to welcome pupils and staff back to ‘normal’ school today at King’s. Everyone has approached this new start of term with a mixture of apprehension and excitement, as we all come to terms with hand sanitiser stations, bubbles, face coverings and social distancing. However, the pupils have returned full of smiles, optimism and positivity, the parents continue to be as supportive as ever, while the staff are showing their professionalism to adapt to this new normal. The School Reopening Guidance is comprehensive and follows the latest government guidance, whilst ensuring that year groups and Houses can function effectively as bubbles.
We aim to build on the success of our remote education last term to ensure ongoing academic progress is underpinned by our outstanding pastoral care. I am very grateful to our SMT, Estates and Domestic managers who have worked tirelessly over the past weeks to enable us all to return safely to school."

Alison Grant - Deputy Head
"The community is our strength, so it is wonderful to see our pupils back and already chatting and laughing, as if they have never been away. They seem to have returned with a renewed sense of purpose and determination."

Dan Cupit - Deputy Head, Academic
"It has been brilliant to welcome pupils back to King’s and to see the King’s community thriving. Friends have been re-united, lessons have commenced and the sound of laughter once more fills the corridors and boarding houses. It has been fantastic to see so many pupils return and to see the difference that 6 months can make! Some pupils have grown considerably, others have started new hobbies and sports and there are a few questionable lockdown haircuts still on display! But seeing all the pupils back after a term away from school is fantastic and I have been so impressed by the motivation, resilience and support that I have already seen from the pupils at the start of this term. I wish all in the amazing King’s Community the very best for the term ahead and I hope that they take every opportunity available to them, support each other and enjoy their time at school."

Will Daws - Deputy Head, Sixth Form
"I am delighted to be able to welcome back the U6^th Form and to welcome the new L6^th Form in person for these formative years in preparing for ambitious futures ahead. The Sixth Form Centre, dormant for 5 months, is buzzing again and a real sense of community has returned!"

Nick Bunday - Blackford Housemaster
"It is such a joy to hear Blackford full once again. We are beginning to understand what the new normal looks and feels like!"

Ashley Marshfield - Director of Music
“It is so good to hear live music again in The Queen Elizabeth Music School!”

Emily Simper - Priory Housemistress
"It is wonderful to hear Priory House full of laughter again."

Bethany Griffiths - Arion Housemistress
"It is so great to hear the house full of noise again - lots of laughter and shrieking! I’ve missed it."

What our Prefects had to say

“Never before have I looked forward to a first day of school, after such a long holiday, so much.”
"I have absolutely loved laughing about everything and nothing with the Priory girls again."
"I am very glad to be back at school and seeing teachers and friends again."
“It’s so nice being able to see people properly again for the first time and have some normality back."
"I have missed school, and I am delighted to have returned and see all of my friends again."
"It’s so lovely to be back, it feels like we never left."
"It’s great to return to some form of regularity and to see everyone again after such a long time away from school."
"It is great to be back in the busy environment that is King's, even in these uncertain times, as it has allowed us to come back to some sort of normality."
"I've loved coming back and being able to laugh with all my friends again, its like no time has passed at all."
"It is so nice to back at school and have the normal-ish routine back. I am really enjoying seeing everyone and there is so much to talk about!"
"It was lovely to see everybody again and I hope everyone's first day went well."
"It's good to be back to some form of normality and I look forward to playing cricket and seeing my friends again."
"It’s great to finally have some normality back to life, I am really glad to be back."
"After a long five months away, it’s lovely to see everyone’s faces in real life rather than on a screen!"
"It’s really nice to return to school life outside of lessons, and be back in the School community as a whole."