Mr Pavis' Video Newsletter: Friday 16th January

It’s been another exciting and inspiring week here at Kingsley — one filled with brilliant achievements, community celebrations, and plenty of energy both in and out of the classroom.

We’re thrilled to announce that Kingsley has officially been named among the Top 100 UK Boarding Schools for A-Level results and academic achievement. Out of over 500 boarding schools nationwide, Kingsley ranks in the top 20%, a remarkable recognition of our students’ effort, our teachers’ dedication, and the continued strength of both our core and expansive curriculums. It’s a proud moment for everyone — students, parents, and staff alike.

This week we also celebrated an incredible milestone for Chris Jewel, who marked 40 years of service at Kingsley and formerly Grenville College. Known and loved by so many in our community, Chris has given four decades of care and commitment to our students, families, and school life — a truly inspiring achievement.

On the academic front, we were delighted to see record numbers of students reaching and even exceeding their target grades in last term’s reports — proof that the hard work is paying off. Congratulations to all our students for their progress, especially those now achieving their aspirational targets. Looking ahead, good luck to everyone taking part in the Biology Olympiad next week.

A special mention goes to Eva, Elizabeth, Tom, and Astrid in Year 7 for delivering a powerful and insightful whole-school assembly on neurodiversity and dyslexia — an inspiring reminder of the importance of understanding, empathy, and celebrating our differences.

This week also saw our Year 9 Options Evening, where we launched two exciting new courses for September: iMedia, a creative and tech-forward alternative to Computer Science, and Outdoor Education, a GCSE-equivalent qualification aligned with our Coastal Adventures programme. Meanwhile, our Year 8s led by example during their beach clean at Instow — living out the school’s values through action.

Music and drama have been in full flow too. Yesterday’s Concert on the Bridge showcased some fantastic student performances, while rehearsals continue for Mary Poppins, with cast members returning for weekend sessions. Our A-level Drama students also performed Antigone in the theatre today — a brilliant showcase of talent and dedication.

This week, our sports scholars attended a sports nutrition workshop, learning from professional nutritionists about how to optimise performance and wellbeing — a vital addition to their training. On the pitch, our U13 football team showed great spirit despite defeat, while the U15s celebrated a fantastic win against Shebbear, with Izzy named player of the match. The Senior Football team, still top of their National League, lost narrowly to Richard Huish College in a tense game — Riley taking player of the match honours.

In rugby, the Senior team battled Exeter College in a thrilling match, losing by just three points — Dalton named player of the match for his standout performance. Our netball teams also faced strong opposition from Blundell’s this week, showing real determination and growth. Congratulations to Lily, Grace, Kerenza, Izzy, Mia, Ruby, and Willow — all recognised as players of the match in their respective teams. And a big well done to our Year 7 and 8 netballers, who both won their fixtures against St Joseph’s — with Olivia and Rosie taking top honours.

As we head into the weekend, students are heading off for a packed few days: our Judoka are competing at the Welsh Open, Ten Tors teams continue their training, our Surf Academy is chasing waves, and our boarders are enjoying a murder mystery evening in Belvoir House and a splash session for Longfield.

A brilliant week from start to finish — congratulations to everyone for their hard work and achievements. Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week!