I was honoured to attend my last London Lunch as Headmaster on Friday 6th December, particularly as my wife, Helen, attended as a guest of the OBA and my two Old Brutonians daughters, Anna and Natalie, were there with many of their OB friends.  Each London Lunch I have attended has been memorable for different reasons, but seeing over 20 of our younger Old Brutonians attend their first ‘OB’ event was particularly special for me.  The Old Brutonian community is a strong one, with a clear passion for the School and I would urge any OB looking for advice or support on their career path to consider using the Old Brutonian mentor scheme – there is a wealth of talent and experience out there, waiting to help fellow OBs along their way.

This term has been another successful one for King’s and the Schools reputation continues to build. The school musical ‘Chicago’ was a resounding success, the 1st rugby XV and girls’ hockey XI both had excellent seasons, all four of our indoor hockey teams reached the Regional Finals, while The Chapel Choir were impressive at choral evening in Portsmouth Cathedral last month.

Naturally, many OBs have asked how the recent budget will impact the School.  King’s is in good shape and our pupil numbers going forward look strong.  School fees will have to rise as a result of VAT, and for some families this will mean fees become unaffordable.  Where possible we will try and offer financial support to minimise the disruption to the child’s education, but we know this won’t be possible for every family.  I was very moved that an Old Brutonian has offered to help one such family by covering the VAT element of the School fees, enabling the child to conclude their education at King’s.  I have seen these acts of generosity repeatedly through my time as Headmaster; The Queen Elizabeth Music School, the COVID relief fund and most recently, welcoming over 25 Old Brutonians and Honorary Old Brutonians to the 1519 Legacy Society.  Whilst there certainly will be challenges for King’s to face in the future, I am confident that with the exceptional staff and committed Old Brutonian community, King’s will continue to thrive under Matt Radley’s headship.