King Edward VI School Southampton

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Chair of Governors, Geraint Davies. With a deep connection to the school, Geraint brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for education.

Geraint shares, "I feel incredibly privileged to take on the role of Chair of Governors at King Edward’s School, a place that has always held a special place in my heart. I am excited to work with the Governors and the school’s leadership to maintain and enhance King Edward's position as a leading independent school..."

To read more, please visit our website: https://senior.kes.school/135/latest-stories-at-king-edwards/post/77/king-edwards-school-welcomes-new-chair-of-governors

Have you noticed the brighter moon this week? Jacky, one of our brilliant Sixth Form students, has generously shared these stunning moon photographs taken Tuesday evening using their own telescope. 🌕✨

Using a Celestron Nexstar 8SE and a polarising moon filter set to 10% light transmission (since the moon was as bright as a streetlamp!), Jacky captured these wonderful images.

Jacky explained, “This week was 中秋节, which translates to the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Chinese calendar is lunar, so the moon holds great significance in Chinese traditions and agriculture. It’s a harvest celebration, also known as ‘The Mooncake Festival,’ where families come together to admire the moon’s beauty. We play a game called Lantern Riddles and display colourful lanterns to pray for good fortune.”

Thank you, Jacky, for sharing these wonderful photos with us.

A big thank you to our incredible students! 🌟Last year, our Charities Commission raised an amazing £2000 for UK Heartbeat through a non-uniform day and cookie sales. 🍪

The funds will go towards supporting a dedicated nurse at the Wessex Cardiac Unit, helping teens navigate their challenges. We were honoured to welcome representatives from the charity to our school, who came to personally thank our pupils for their incredible support.

We’re so proud of everyone who contributed to this cause. Together, we’re making a difference, thank you.

A selection of our favourite behind-the-scenes moments from yesterday’s school photo day

Inspiring a love for the outdoors, the Outdoor Learning Programme at King Edward's has officially begun!

Year 8 students are leading the way at Woodmill today, taking on high ropes and canoeing. Through activities like these, our programme nurtures key skills such as teamwork, resilience, problem-solving, and independence, all while promoting wellbeing and a growth mindset.

We had a delightful afternoon at our Ceremony of Admissions, warmly welcoming our new students into the KES Senior School community as they embark on their academic journey with us. 🤝

As we prepare for a new academic year, we can't help but reminisce about the incredible experiences from this summer’s Operation Wallacea Expedition to Indonesia.

At the start of the summer break, 24 KES students embarked on a journey to the Southeast Sulawesi region of Indonesia, where they spent the first week at a remote rainforest camp on Buton Island. Working alongside local and international scientists, they surveyed the vibrant rainforest habitat and its diverse wildlife, learning more about the importance of the biodiverse region.

The expedition continued in the second week as the team moved to Hoga Island in Wakatobi National Park. Here, they had the opportunity to dive on some of the most biodiverse coral reefs on Earth while taking part in a coral reef ecology course to learn more about the threats and preservation of these vitally important ecosystems. They also snorkelled in mangrove forests and visited the local village of Sempala, a home of the Bajau people who rely on the reefs for their livelihoods.

This unique trip gave our pupils an opportunity to experience Indonesian culture in a region rarely visited by tourists, as well as the experience of the beauty and biodiversity of the rainforest and coral reefs. 🌍✨

We are already looking forward to the next Operation Wallacea trip in Summer 2026. Launching this November.

🌟 Unlock Your Full Potential! Join Our Lecture Series with Renowned Child Psychology Expert, Lorraine Lee

Are you ready to discover the secrets to success at school and home? Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field, Lorraine Lee!

📅 Wednesday 16 October
🕒 7pm
📍 King Edward VI School

Lorraine will be diving into some fascinating topics that will change the way you think about success:

🧠 Your Incredible Brain: Explore the wonders of your brain and its limitless potential.
🔋 Brain Cells Unleashed: Learn how to harness the power of your brain’s cells for optimal performance.
🌟 Embrace Encouragement: Discover the art of accepting praise and encouragement gracefully.
💻 Tech Savvy: Master the art of making technology work for you, not against you.
💡 Emotional Intelligence: Navigate emotions, especially anger, with resilience and grace.
🎯 Seize Opportunities: Be ready to grab new opportunities and thrive!

This lecture is perfect for students, parents, and educators looking to make a positive impact. Don’t miss out—reserve your spot today!

🔗 Tickets Available here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/keslectureseries

This summer, our Summer Camp Team took 17 local young carers on a camping trip in the New Forest. We are incredibly proud of our sixth formers who completed fundraising events throughout the year in order to completely fund the camping, activities and food during the trip.

The young carers enjoyed visiting Longdown Activity Farm, Moors Valley, Paultons Park and the beach! Highlights of the trip included roasting marshmallows over the campfire, the annual Summer Camp Talent Show and getting to hold the chicks at the farm!

Our lower sixth students are already looking forward to meeting up with their young carer buddies at events throughout the year and at next year’s camp.

What a fantastic week! Thanks for the memories Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association 🫶

🎉 We are thrilled to share our outstanding 2024 exam results at King Edward VI School! 🌟

A huge congratulations to our pupils for their hard work and dedication. An incredible 71.4% of grades were 9-7 (A*-A), with 86.3% at 9-6 (A*-B), and 98.1% at 9-4 (A*-C)! 👏

We are particularly proud of the 49 pupils (32.4%) who achieved 10 or more 9-7 (A*-A) grades, showcasing the exceptional talent and commitment of our pupils.

Izzy from Year 11 said, “I’m super happy with my results! All the hard work has paid off and I can’t wait to start Sixth Form at KES!”

Head, Neal Parker, added: “These results reflect our students’ resilience and ambition, backed by fantastic teaching and a positive learning environment.” 🌟

📣 Attention all language teachers working in Hampshire schools.

Join us at KES on 24 September for an all-day training session with the renowned Joe Dale, focused on integrating AI into language education. This event is a must-attend for language teachers, education leaders, and anyone passionate about innovative teaching practices.

Who is Joe Dale?
Joe Dale is an internationally recognised languages consultant with an impressive track record of transforming language education across the globe. With experience working with organisations such as British Council, BBC, Microsoft, The Guardian, and more, Joe is at the forefront of language technology.

Described as an “MFL guru” and “the man behind the ” by The Guardian, Joe’s expertise covers the full spectrum of language education and technology.

How to Register:
If you’re interested in attending, please email [email protected] to secure your spot. Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!

We are proud to announce that 91% of our students achieved A*-C grades in this year’s A Levels with just over 30% of the entire year group securing three or more A* or A grades, their accomplishments are a source of immense pride for King Edward’s.

Michael, who achieved a sweep of three A*’s in Biology, Chemistry and Maths who will be heading to Oxford to study Medicine said “This school has been like a second home to me and the sixth form truly feels like a family”

Our students’ achievements this year have been nothing short of extraordinary. With so many continuing their academic journeys at leading universities including Edinburgh for Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Warwick for Philosophy, Politics and Economics, St. Andrew’s for Medicine and Cambridge for History and Spanish. Meanwhile, others have plane tickets in hand as they prepare to embark on adventures across Australia and Asia.

Mr. Parker has congratulated everyone for their hard work: “These results reflect the dedication of our students and staff.”

Well done to all our students, and best of luck in your future endeavours! 🎓👏

Would you like to find out more about our School?

Join us in the Autumn Term for our annual Open Evening on Friday 4 October.✨The evening will give you the perfect opportunity to explore our school grounds and facilities. You will have the chance to meet our teachers and students from all year groups, including the Sixth Form, and see what it is like to be part of the KES community.

📅 Friday 4 October
⏰ 6pm-8.30pm
📢 To register, please complete our Open Evening Enquiry Form - https://senior.kes.school/187/open-events
➡️ Once we have processed your form, we will send you an invitation to book your free tickets for our Open Evening.

See you soon.

Our Lower School students embarked on an enriching three-day residential journey in the vibrant heart of the capital city. This excursion offered a broad spectrum of musical experiences, blending education and entertainment in a unique way. The students were captivated by the solemn beauty of the choral evensong at the historic Westminster Abbey, immersing themselves in the rich traditions of sacred music. A visit to the residences of two music legends, Jimi Hendrix and Handel, provided a fascinating insight into the lives and creative processes of these iconic figures. The exploration continued with a tour of the renowned Globe Theatre, where the home of Shakespearean drama in its original setting. The trip was further highlighted by two spectacular West End shows: the revolutionary musical narrative ‘Hamilton’, and the dazzling spectacle of ‘The Moulin Rouge’. This trip not only broadened the students’ understanding of music and theatre but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and shared experiences. This unforgettable trip was a perfect blend of learning, discovery, and fun.

Our Lower Sixth Psychology students visited Marwell Wildlife to conduct observations of animal behaviours. They recapped their Research Methods and Behaviourism topics during an interactive conference before carrying out and presenting their observations. They had a great time, and said the highlights were observing the giraffes and the monkeys! 🦒🐒🌿

Our students and staff had a wonderful time before the summer break, when our friends from Portsmouth DSA joined us for a Games Evening here at KES🎈⭐

Thank you for joining us Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association see you again soon 👋🏻

Would you like to find out more about life as a student at King Edward's?

We are delighted to invite you to join us at our Open Evening on Friday 4 October, 6pm-8.30pm. The evening will give you the perfect opportunity to explore our school grounds and facilities. You will have the chance to meet our teachers and students from all year groups, including the Sixth Form, and see what it is like to be part of the KES community.

📅 Friday 4 October
⏰ 6pm-8.30pm
📢 To register, please complete our Open Evening Enquiry Form - https://senior.kes.school/187/open-events
➡️ Once we have processed your form, we will send you an invitation to book your free tickets for our Open Evening.

We look forward to welcoming you to our School soon.

Our Year 10 Geographers spent two days carrying out river and coastal fieldwork before the end of term. Half of the year group went to Barton-on-Sea to study coastal erosion and management and then onto Studland Bay to look at the impacts of tourism and sand dune profiling, with the other half going to various sites from the source to the mouth of the Lymington River, carrying out measurements along the way. They swapped the next day, gaining the full fieldwork experience!

The Eddies Drama Festival took place before the end of term 🎭 It was a wonderful evening where audiences were able to enjoy a fantastic range of Theatrical genres. From passionate Musical Theatre to comedy to creative, original physical theatre to some dynamic Shakespeare.

Well done to four of our students who competed in the 420 Open European Championship in Slovenia recently. All four boats have also been selected to attend the Junior 420 European Championship in Greece at the end of July. Sabine (pictured in the first photo) will also be going to the ISAF Junior World championship in Lake Garda, Italy which started on Friday. This is a great achievement, well done! ✨👏🏼

The winners of the Allen Grant trophy on King Edward's Sports Day 2024 were... Watts House🎉👏🏼👏🏼

Congratulations Watts! Sports Day 2024 was fantastic with plenty of fun for all to get involved with, well done everyone.

Happy summer holidays ☀️👋🏼

Today marks the end of the academic year at King Edward's and what an excellent year it has been! We wish everyone in the KES community a happy summer. See you in September!

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A big congratulations to a group of KES students who have absolutely excelled this year with the number of credits they have earned.👏🏻🎉

Ayden, Harvey, Laura, Norah , Robbie, Sesika, Timo are the only students in the School to have reached more than 180 credits this academic year. This is a remarkable achievement and one they should be extremely proud of. Mr Parker proudly presented them with their awards this week.