King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's or KCS Wimbledon, is a selective independent school in Wimbledon, southwest London, England. The school was founded in 1829 as the junior department of King's College London and had part of the school's premises in Strand, prior to relocating to Wimbledon in 1897.
It is a member of the Eton Group of schools. King's is predominately a boys' school with it accepting girls into the sixth form. In the sixth form pupils can choose between The International Baccalaureate and A-Levels.
History
A Royal Charter by King George IV founded the School in 1829 as the junior department of the newly established King's College, London. The School occupied the basement of the College in The Strand.Most of its original eighty-five pupils lived in the City within walking distance of the School. During the early Victorian Period, the School grew in numbers and reputation. Members of the teaching staff included Gabriele Rossetti, who taught Italian. His son, Dante Gabriel, joined the School in 1837. The best known of the early masters was the water-colourist, John Sell Cotman. Nine of his pupils became practising artists and ten architects. By 1843 there were five hundred pupils and the need for larger premises eventually led to the move to Wimbledon in 1897.
The school was progressive in its curriculum in many areas and appointed its first Science Master in 1855, at a time where very few schools taught science. The first Head Master, John Major, served the school 1831–1866. Ninety-nine of the school's pupils from this period appear in the Dictionary of National Biography.
Until the 1880s, the school flourished. In 1882, only Eton College surpassed the total of thirty Oxford and Cambridge Board examination certificates obtained by pupils at KCS. But the school's teaching facilities were becoming increasingly inadequate as many competitor schools moved to new sites with modern facilities and large playing fields. In 1897, falling numbers of pupils prompted the move to the school's present site in Wimbledon, a fast-growing suburb well served by the railway lines from Surrey and south London. A separate junior school was opened on the same campus in 1912.
In World War I, many letters were written to the school, including some from the Battle of the Somme. During World War II, the school's Great Hall was damaged by bomb shrapnel, and some of the damage can still be seen on the outside of the hall.
The only remaining link between KCS and its former parent is that one of the KCS Board of Governors is nominated by King's College London.
Today
Listed in The Sunday Times Parent Power 2019, King's College School was once again named the top-rated boys' or co-educational school in the UK. Retaining the title for the second consecutive year, this also followed on from being given the Sunday Times award for the top London independent secondary school in 2017. In fact, King's College School achieved the best combined A-Level, IB and GCSE results of any boys' or co-ed school in the whole of the UK.King's College School is one of the highest academically performing schools in the UK historically and to date, placing 5th in The Times GCSE Results league table in 2014, and 3rd in its results table for A-Level, IB, and Pre-U. In the 2015 edition of Tatler Schools Guide, it was commented on that "No wonder Oxbridge loves KCS pupils: more than 150 places in the past three years." On 21 November 2014, King's won the title of Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year.
All sixth-formers at King's currently study either the IB Diploma or the A-Level course. In 2015 14 pupils obtained the maximum IB score of 45 points, equivalent to 7 A grades at A-Level. All pupils take IGCSEs, with 85% of all grades attaining A* in 2015. In the last year of all-IB, 2014, 86.9% of higher level grades were at 6 or 7, with 53% of grades at 7. Out of 190 students, 116 pupils scored 40 points or more. In the Daily Telegraph and the Times - when gauging success in A level, IB, and Pre-U results all together placed King's as the second highest ranking sixth form in the UK in 2012. King's was also named Sunday Times IB School of the Year in 2009 and 2012.
GCSE summary: last five years
A level summary: since reintroduction in 2014
International Baccalaureate Results: last five years*
- 2014 was the last year that the school had a full cohort of students taking IB examinations. For comparison, in 2014 there were 190 students that sat the IB exams, whereas, in 2017, this figure fell to just 55 pupils.
Exit
Oxbridge offer statistics are as follows:Number and Percentage of each year receiving offers from Oxbridge: last few years
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| 39 | 34 | 29 | 42 | 55 | 54 | 53 | 58 |
| 28% | 23% | 20% | 24% | 30% | 28% | 27% | 30% |
Tatler's current review observes: What really sets KCS apart is head Andrew Halls's forward-thinking leadership. Since joining King's from Magdalen College School, where he was Master until 2007, Andrew has introduced a highly successful co-educational sixth form, he reintroduced A levels as an option to complement the International Baccalaureate diploma programme, and in 2014 he announced plans to open a school in China. Most recently he announced the opening of a new lower school for pupils aged 11, with a clear focus on widening access, supported by a fundraising drive to expand bursary opportunities. Like his predecessor, Tony Evans, he received Tatler's best headmaster of a public school award in 2011.
The school is located on Southside, Wimbledon Common, on a site, with the main building being the 19th century Great Hall. The school has 20 Science laboratories and a demonstration laboratory, alongside the 1st XV pitch. The buildings include the Q-block, College Court, South Hayes, the Cavan Taylor Wing, the new classroom block, the Reeve School of Art & Design, and the Sports Hall, as well as the Junior School, which has its own buildings, and Rushmere house. There are four rugby pitches on the main site for use by the Senior School, with Colman's field providing additional pitches for the Junior School. There are six tennis courts on site, three squash courts, a 33m swimming pool and a sports hall.
There are two additional playing field sites, in Raynes Park and at Kingsway in Motspur Park, which provide two fully lit astroturf pitches as well. A new pavilion was opened at Kingsway in September 2011 to replace the old changing rooms. The school is currently seeking to transform the on-site sporting facilities with the construction of a second sports hall, a new six lane swimming pool and an enhanced fitness suite.
In March 2016 the Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Education opened a new classroom block incorporating a school hall, six new classrooms and much needed science corridors that unify the existing buildings. The construction of a new music school, including a 200-seater auditorium was completed in May 2018.
Sport
The main sport for the boys during the autumn term is rugby, in which the school fielded 13 sides during the 2015–2016 season. The fixture list for 2015-2016 included St. Paul's, Reed's, Dulwich, Eton, Wimbledon College, Berkhamsted, RGS Guildford, Skinners, Reeds, St George's Weybridge, St. John's Leatherhead and Tiffin. The 1st XV and the U15As enter the National NatWest Cup, and reached the Quarter Finals of the U18 Cup in 2006 and 2007 and the semi-finals of the U15 Vase in 2008 and 2009. The school went on a tour to South Africa in 2010, 2013 and regularly head to France, and this year Portugal for a pre-season training camp. The 1st & U16 VII also play a number of sevens tournaments in the spring term. In 2014, the 1st VII narrowly lost in the final of the Rosslyn Park Festival. A good number of boys have represented the county, Independent School Lambs and divisional teams.The school is always well represented in the Varsity match at Twickenham, with a significant number of Old Boys turning out for Oxford or Cambridge in recent years. Most recently, Matt Janney was victorious in 2015 having been matched up in the centre against Wales and British & Irish Lion Jamie Roberts. The school were lucky enough to have Jonny Wilkinson run an outstanding guest session with one of the teams in November 2015 and has also been visited by the likes of England players Toby Flood and Jason Leonard in recent years. Alongside this, King's regularly benefits from expertise of premiership players and coaches from Harlequins, London Irish and Wasps.
Football at the school continues to flourish with the school fielding 18 sides in 2016. The most notable success in recent years was when the school reached the Final of the Trinity School's Cup in 2010. However, the teams also enjoy much success on a strong fixture list that includes Hampton, Dulwich, Wilson's, Wimbledon School, Epsom College and Latymer. Football also enjoys a successful touring programme and in 2014 they headed to Brazil and Argentina during the summer holidays.
The Spring term also sees the boys compete, playing schools including nationally recognised hockey schools such as RGS Guildford, Kingston Grammar School, Reeds and Trinity. The 1st XI side use their tour of Barcelona at Christmas each year as a pre-season. The superb new astroturfs at the off-site Kingsway facility are also shared by 2014-2015 Premiership Hockey Champions Wimbledon Hockey Club. The school has also benefited from having current and former international players on their staff including Ben Marsden, Richie Dawson-Smith and Dirkie Chamberlain.
In the summer, the main sport is cricket with 13 teams representing the school in 2015. The 1st and 2nd XI play their cricket in the 50 over South London Schools League against Hampton, RGS Guildford, Reeds, Tiffin, Trinity, St Paul's and St George's. The 1st XI still manage over 20 scheduled fixtures a season despite the pressures of examinations. The remaining fixtures consist of teams including Dulwich, The MCC, visiting touring sides, St John's Leatherhead, Trinity, Reigate Grammar School and Epsom College. The past two tours have been to Sri Lanka with two sides enjoying much success in difficult conditions.
Cricketing figure Sir Viv Richards visited the boys in 2012 and gave the cricketers some valuable advice. A number of boys represent Surrey County Age Group sides each year and Ruari Crichard and Alex Hunt played for Cambridge at Lords in the Varsity Match in 2015, the former also making his 1st Class debut for the same side in the 2015 season in fixtures against Northamptonshire CCC and Leicestershire CCC.
Wimbledon has a reputation for tennis and with the school situated approximately a mile from the Wimbledon Club the sport continues to thrive. Old Boy Ross Hutchins opened the new courts and Martina Navratilova came to the school to deliver an assembly for the boys and girls in 2012. The School competes at a high level of tennis including cups, leagues and local derby matches against Reeds. The players prepare for the season with an annual training camp to Majorca.
Rowing is a popular sport throughout the year. The boat club races in the regatta season, culminating with Henley Royal Regatta, where it reached the second round of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014. The 1st VIII also race in the National Schools Regatta, having won the Child Beale Cup in 2004 and 2012, with silver in the same category in 2015, and reaching the final of the Championship 8s category in 2013 and 2014. Boats also participate in the School's Head of the River Race, achieving a gold medal in 1st 8+s in 2013, and the National Junior Sculling Head.
The school boathouse is used by the Cambridge University Boat Club in their preparation for and participation in the University Boat Races. In 2016 Charlie Fisher helped Cambridge win the race. In the Autumn of 2015 the boat club toured the USA having been invited to race in the Head of the Charles, Boston. King's rowers have also represented Great Britain at a Junior level and Director of Rowing Patrick Duggan was flown out to Rio to help coach the GB youngsters in 2015.
Since girls joined the school in September 2010 the girls' sport has gone from strength to strength. The girls follow a programme of hockey, netball, rounders and tennis and play on a competitive fixture list with regular midweek and weekly Saturday fixtures. The girls have recently had representation a national level from pupils in hurdles and Under 18 National Age Group hockey. Fixtures consist of strong local opposition including Cranleigh, Epsom College and St George's Weybridge. The girls have also made excellent progress on the river and are well supported and coached throughout their two years in the sixth form.
Other team and individual sports are also of high importance. The school plays regular matches and tournaments in squash, badminton, fencing, basketball, water polo, athletics, cross-country and table tennis. 2014 leaver Max Mondelli arguably the most notable recent athlete, who won an Athletics Scholarship to train and study at Harvard.
Houses
There are six houses in the Senior School, each named after a previous headmaster or notable old boy. Boys wear a standard red and blue school tie until they achieve 6 house points, at which point they are awarded the right to wear a house tie of navy blue with thin stripes of the following colours:- Green: Alverstone house, named after Richard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone
- Blue: Glenesk house, named after Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk
- Purple: Kingsley house, named after Henry Kingsley
- Red: Layton house, named after Walter Layton, 1st Baron Layton
- White: Maclear house, named after George Frederick Maclear
- Yellow: Major house, named after John Richardson Major
Other ties include the House Prefect's tie, School Colours, the School Prefect's tie, and the Senior Prefect's tie. Girls receive badges as an alternative to ties.
The Senior Prefects consist of the Captain and Vice-Captains of School and the Captain and Vice-Captains of each house. In addition, each house typically has about 8 School Prefects.
King's College Junior School
King's College Junior School is the preparatory school for King's College School located in Wimbledon, London, is on the same campus as King's College Senior school. It was established in its own right in 1912, and educates boys from ages 7–13.In 2019 enrollment in the junior school totalled 436 boys, divided into six-year groups. The first two years are collectively referred to as 'Rushmere', while the final four years are called 'Priory'. Fees were £6,250 per term for years 3–4, and £6,730 per term for years 5–8 in 2019–20. The headmaster is Dr G A Silverlock.
The uniform is a red blazer with the emblem in blue on the right chest pocket. Every boy wears a white shirt and grey shorts or trousers. The ties are similar to the Senior School ties, and prefects in the top year wear Senior School ties.
The Junior School has featured in national competitions too - they were National Rugby Champions at U13 level in 2009. In the same year the Junior School ran away with the team prize on its return to the national Townsend-Warner Competition for History and had twelve pupils qualify for the UK Junior Mathematics Olympiad. They went on to win the Townsend-Warner Prize again in 2010 and 2011.
All boys are allocated to one of the school's four houses when they join :
China – King's supports Shanghai-based education provider Dipont in establishing schools in China. The first two schools, RDFZ King's College School Hangzhou and Nanwai King's College School Wuxi opened in September 2018. The educational concept brings together schools RDFZ Beijing and Nanjing Foreign Language School from China and King's College School Wimbledon; both schools cater for local Chinese and international students aged 3–18.
Thailand - King's College School Wimbledon has signed an agreement with Thai partner to establish King's College International School Bangkok. King's College International School Bangkok will be situated in the Ratchada-Rama 3 area of Bangkok, with easy access to the financial district and the city centre. The facilities will include a sports complex with an Olympic size swimming pool designed with natural light and shade, a 600-seat auditorium and specialist science, music and art resources. The school will cater for local Thai and international pupils aged 2–18 and will open in August 2020. Their webpage is www.kingsbangkok.com.
Head Masters of King's College School
The following have been Head Masters of King's College School:| Name | Years as Head Master |
| The Revd John Richardson Major | 1831–1866 |
| The Revd George Frederick Maclear | 1866–1880 |
| The Revd Dr Thomas Henry Stokoe | 1880–1889 |
| Charles Bourne | 1889–1906 |
| Douglas Smith | 1906–1910 |
| Herbert Lionel Rogers | 1910–1934 |
| Hubert John Dixon | 1934–1960 |
| Frank Shaw | 1960–1975 |
| Christopher Wightwick | 1975–1980 |
| Robin Reeve | 1980–1997 |
| Tony Evans | 1997–2008 |
| Andrew Halls | 2008–Present |
Other notable masters
- Gary Butcher
- Bob Hiller
Notable Old Kings
19th-century births
- Colonel Francis Marcus Beresford M.P., Conservative Party politician and Colonel in the 7th Surrey Rifle Volunteers
- Sir Monier Monier-Williams K.C.I.E., oriental scholar
- George Devey, architect
- Arthur Cayley, mathematician
- William Ince, Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford
- Jacob Wrey Mould, architect, renowned for designing Central Park
- Alfred Barry, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney
- William Burges, Victorian art-architect
- George William Kitchin, M.A., D.D., F.S.A., theologian and the first Chancellor of the University of Durham
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Pre-Raphaelite painter
- Edward Dutton Cook, dramatic critic and author
- Henry Parry Liddon, theologian
- Sir Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk, J.P., journalist and Conservative Party politician
- Charles Harbord, 5th Baron Suffield, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., P.C., J.P., D.L., Liberal Party peer and Master of the Buckhounds
- Henry Kingsley, novelist
- Frederic Harrison, jurist and historian
- Henry Jones, writer and authority on tennis and card games, instrumental in establishing the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
- Henry Fawcett, blind British economist, statesman, academic and campaigner for women's suffrage.
- Felix Stone Moscheles, painter, peace activist and advocate of Esperanto
- Sabine Baring-Gould, Hagiographer, antiquarian and hymn writer, the best known of which is Onward, Christian Soldiers
- Sir William Henry Preece K.C.B., F.R.S., electrical engineer
- Sir William Grantham M.P., Conservative Party politician and High Court Judge
- Walter William Skeat F.B.A., philologist
- Charles Culliford Boz Dickens, geographic dictionary compiler, and son of the author Charles Dickens
- John Wogan Festing, Bishop of St. Albans
- Sir Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard, K.C.M.G.,, British colonial administrator
- Major-General Edward Robert Festing C.B., F.R.S., Army officer and first Director of The Science Museum
- Ingram Bywater F.B.A., classical scholar
- Alfred Charles Freiherr de Rothschild C.V.O., Director of the Bank of England
- Richard Everard Webster, 1st Viscount Alverstone, G.C.M.G., P.C., F.R.S., Attorney-General, barrister and Conservative Party politician
- Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer K.C.M.G., C.I.E., F.R.S., F.L.S., Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens
- Sir William Purdie Treloar, 1st Baronet Treloar, Lord Mayor of London
- Sir William Henry Mahoney Christie F.R.S., Astronomer Royal
- Leopold de Rothschild C.V.O., banker and thoroughbred race horse breeder
- George Edward Batesman Saintsbury FBA, writer and critic
- Henry Sweet, philologist
- Henry Kemble, actor and member of the famed Kemble family
- John Milne, geologist and mining engineer
- James George Drake, Australian politician
- Frederic Henry Chase, academic and Bishop of Ely
- Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner, K.G., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., P.C., Liberal Party statesman and colonial administrator
- Gordon Smith,, barrister and philatelist
- Sir Sidney James Mark Low, journalist and historian
- Andrew Watson, the world's first black association football player to play at international level
- Sir Jeremiah Colman, 1st Baronet, D.L., industrialist, Chairman of Colman's Mustard
- Walter Richard Sickert R.A., R.B.A., English Impressionist painter, suspected of being Jack the Ripper
- Brigadier General James Edward Edmonds C.B., C.M.G., official British historian of World War I
- Reginald McKenna, Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Sir John Martin-Harvey, actor
- George Whitefield Hillyard, tennis player, olympic gold medallist, Middlesex cricketer and naval officer
- Charles Sanford Terry, historian and musicologist
- Ernest Henry Starling C.M.G., F.R.C.P., F.R.S., physiologist, discovered hormones, developed the 'law of the heart', and involved in the Brown Dog Affair
- Rowland Blades, 1st Baron Ebbisham, G.B.E., Conservative Party politician and Lord Mayor of London
- James Lynwood Palmer, painter of racehorses and carriage horses.
- Sir Skinner Turner, Chief Judge of the British Supreme Court for China
- George Holt-Thomas, aviation pioneer and founder of Imperial Airways
- Percy Edward Newberry, Egyptologist, introduced Howard Carter to Egypt, and served on staff Tutankhamun excavations
- Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Field G.C.B., K.C.M.G., First Sea Lord
- Henry Poole R.A., sculptor
- Ellis Martin, map cover illustrator for Ordnance Survey
- John Barrymore, actor and member of the famed Barrymore family
- Walter Thomas Layton, 1st Baron Layton, C.H., C.B.E., statesman and editor
- Major-General Gilbert Savil Szlumper C.B.E., T.D., General Manager of the Southern Railway
- Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore GCMG, KStJ, British Governor of Sierra Leone, Kenya and Ceylon
- Sir Victor Ewings Negus M.S., F.R.C.S., laryngologist, surgeon and comparative anatomist
- Sir Henry Martyn, surgeon-apothecary to the royal household at Windsor
- Group Captain Frederick Beresford Sowrey D.S.O., M.C., A.F.C., World War I flying ace
- Richard Walther Óscar Darré, Nazi ideologist and long-serving Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture
- Robert von Ranke Graves, poet and novelist, who mentions his brief spell at the school in his autobiography Goodbye to All That
- John Godolphin Bennett, mathematician, scientist, technologist, industrial research director, and author
- Brigadier Edwin William Conquest Flavell D.S.O., M.C. & Two Bars, T.D., D.L., military commander
20th century births
- Khalid Abdalla, actor and star of United 93, The Kite Runner and Green Zone
- Angus Allan, comic strip writer
- Clive Aslet, writer and former editor of Country Life
- Tom Audley, Rugby Union Player for London Welsh
- Robert Ayling, former CEO of British Airways
- Ben Barnes, actor and star of and Stardust
- Tom Basden, comedian
- Roger Lockyer, 1927–2017) historian
- James Binney FRS, astrophysicist
- Andrew Black, founder of Betfair, an internet betting exchange
- Sir Cyril Black, MP and financier
- Tom Browne, broadcaster and actor
- Sir James Bottomley, diplomat
- Raymond Buckland, author
- Michael Cardew, master potter
- Roger Casale, MP for Wimbledon
- Christopher Challis, cinematographer
- Sir Neil Chalmers, former Director of the Natural History Museum
- John Cloake, former Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Bulgaria
- Sir Ralph Cusack, High Court judge
- Sir John Vivian Dacie, haematologist
- Nick D'Aloisio, entrepreneur and youngest person to have raised VC funding in the world
- Guy de la Bédoyère, writer and broadcaster
- Nigel Don, SNP MSP for Angus North and Mearns
- Jimmy Edwards, 1950s British radio and television comedy actor
- George S. J. Faber, television producer
- Ed Gamble, comedian
- Sir Victor Goodhew,, politician, Conservative MP for St Albans
- Nigel Green,, actor
- Conal Gregory,, politician, MP for York
- Cifford Hall, painter
- The Right Reverend David Halsey, former Bishop of Carlisle
- Frank Robinson Hartley, Chemist, Vice-Chancellor Cranfield University 1989–2006
- Robin Holloway, composer
- Peter Horrocks, former Director of BBC World Service
- David Hughes, novelist
- Ross Hutchins, professional tennis player
- Robert Jay, Counsel to the Leveson Inquiry, and now High Court Judge
- William Joyce, nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, hanged for treason
- Alvar Lidell, BBC radio announcer
- Ben Lovett, musician and member of the band Mumford and Sons
- Mark Lowen, BBC Athens Correspondent and former BBC Balkans Correspondent
- James Mitchell, professional poker player, took part in the Irish Poker Open.
- Jonathan Montgomery, British legal scholar who specialises in health care law.
- Peter G. Moore, British soldier, actuary, academic and statistician
- Simon Conway Morris FRS, evolutionary palaeobiologist
- Buster Mottram, professional tennis player, who achieved a highest world ranking of fifteenth.
- Marcus Mumford, musician and founder of the band Mumford and Sons
- David Nokes, literary scholar and biographer.
- Richard Pasco CBE, stage, screen and TV actor
- Roy Plomley, broadcaster and creator of the BBC radio programme Desert Island Discs
- Andrew Powell, musician
- Gaby Rado,, television journalist
- Sir Stephen Richards, High Court judge
- Prince Alexander Romanov, great nephew of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II
- Ronald Sandison, psychiatrist, pioneered the clinical use of LSD in the UK.
- Michael Scott, classicist, author and broadcaster
- David Shaw, politician, former MP for Dover
- Dan Smith, lead singer of indie band Bastille
- Joby Talbot, composer
- Simon Treves, actor and writer
- Mark Urban, journalist, author & Diplomatic Editor of BBC's Newsnight programme
- Stuart Urban, film and television director
- Chris van Tulleken, Doctor and TV presenter including CBBC series Operation Ouch!, brother of Alexander
- Patrick Wolf, né Patrick Apps,, singer-songwriter
- Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-on-Avon
Victoria Cross holders
- Mark Sever Bell, VC, Ashanti War, awarded the Victoria Cross
- William George Cubitt, VC, Indian Mutiny, awarded the Victoria Cross
- Philip Salkeld, VC, Indian Mutiny, awarded the Victoria Cross
- Squadron Leader Arthur Stewart King Scarf VC, World War II, awarded the Victoria Cross
- Robert Haydon Shebbeare VC, Indian Mutiny, awarded the Victoria Cross
Alumni associations
King's College School Lodge number 4257 is the masonic lodge associated with King's College School. It is governed by the United Grand Lodge of England and administered by the Metropolitan Grand Lodge. Meetings are held four times per year at the school. The Warrant of the Lodge was issued on 23 February 1921 and it was consecrated at Freemasons' Hall, London, on 3 May 1921.