This week we held our third annual KWS Iftar, and we are very proud that it has now become a regular fixture in our calendar.
Our Iftar is a wonderful opportunity for people of all faiths, and none, to come together for an evening of food, reflection and celebration.
Thank you to everyone involved in making it such a memorable evening. We had henna tattoos, word searches, crafts for the youngsters with a special book reading as well as our now-traditional quiz and sweety jar prizes for all to enjoy.
A special mention must also go to Harpenden Community Circle for their tireless work in helping make the event such a success. There was also a collection for St Albans Foodbank, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed keeping the vital element of charity during Ramadan in mind.
Thank you to Raisa, Fares and Uthmaan for their presentations too.
After attending the Leadership Foundations course in the Autumn Term of Year 12, we were given the opportunity to attend the Leadership Foundations Conference on 10th February in St Albans.
Although the event was labelled as one about leadership, it is not solely for those who possess conventional leadership traits; instead the topics discussed can also be applied to your personal life. As STEP is a Christian organisation, most of the seminars were influenced by Christian themes, yet delivered in a way that would definitely benefit everyone.
The seminar I found most useful was titled “Finding Your Tribe”, which discussed the various types of people you should look to include within various circles of life (both close and casual relationships).
Students have celebrated the Lunar New Year with a range of exciting events, and there’s more to come…
Past student Lina Badi scored Grade 9 in her Mandarin GCSE at KWS last year, receiving a full scholarship for her A Levels at Wycombe Abbey School in Hangzhou. Lina came back to share her stories of Chinese food, cultural differences, fencing, debating and horse riding, before hopping on a plane to complete the rest of her studies in China! “Enjoy every moment – life is a once in a lifetime opportunity!” – Lina Badi, 2026
In Celebration Assembly, students were treated to an Audiobook of ‘The Chinese Zodiac Race’ recorded by staff and students at KWS, based on a book I wrote and published last month. The book teaches the names of the Zodiac Animals in Mandarin using rhythm, rhyme and song, and is available for purchase on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GP6W4FS2).
Next week, we have invited Onnati Productions Company to perform a captivating show in Mandarin for all Year 8 students during Period 5 on Monday. If you would like to make a voluntary contribution of £3 per student, please use the School Shop on Arbor.
Wishing you all a very Happy Lunar New Year!
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Zodiac-Race-Front-Cover.jpg7681024Chrissy Dickshttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngChrissy Dicks2026-03-06 10:55:082026-03-06 12:35:35Chinese New Year Celebrations
A busy week next week for our sixth formers as we have two important events taking place in school. On Tuesday evening (10th March), all year 12 students and their parents are invited to our Higher Education Talk. As we launch our university application process, this evening is highly recommended to find out important information about the whole process. 6pm start in the main hall.
On Wednesday afternoon (11th March) our year 13 students who are planning on attending university are invited to the Student Finance talk, to find out important information and updates regarding student loans and student finance generally. 1:20pm start in the main hall.
Please see poster below for information regarding the upcoming year 13 prom.
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Prom-Y13-main.jpg670877Keris McCormickhttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngKeris McCormick2026-03-06 10:54:512026-03-06 14:59:03Sixth form update:
It has been great to host a house badminton competition for each year group every day this week. We look forward to sharing the results of these at a later date.
Netball
Well done to the U13B netballers against Loreto B. They won 9 – 6 and it was a great afternoon of netball in the sun. Player of the match was Eve C.
More success for our girls with the u12 netballers winning the district U12B tournament. Well done to all involved.
Football
A huge well done to the U14 girls’ football team who have made the district cup final after securing a 3 – 1 victory over Roundwood on Tuesday, and winning their group. Special shout out to Jessica K, who was versatile throughout, and played in 3 different positions. A mention to Lucy H and Martha H, who were voted players of the match by the opponents. We look forward to the final on the 24th March! Our opponents are yet to be confirmed.
Similarly, a big well done to the Year 11 boys for reaching the semi finals of the district cup. They managed to defeat Marlborough Science Academy 2 – 1, with a brace from Conor G, who managed to grab the man of the match award. Honourable mentions to Harry S, Finley B and Bailey F too.
Congratulations to the Year 8 football team who are playing their semi final county cup plate game today against Tring School. They have shown great determination and spirit to get to the position they are in, as well as displaying the 3 Rs.
Finally, congratulations to the Year 10 boys’ football squad for progressing to the county cup final with a 5 – 0 win against HABS last Friday. We thoroughly look forward to the final at Harpenden Town FC on Friday 24th April, and welcome the KWS community to come along to show their support.
Karate
Well done to Zaran S in Year 7, who has achieved his brown belt with two white stripes in karate, which means he is now one step away from his first black belt. Great effort!
Exam PE interventions
A shoutout to Darci M, Anyelo HS, Tim B, Lexi F in Year 11, and to Patrick B and Sam C in Year 13 who have attended all interventions in GCSE and A-Level PE respectively. Keep up the hard work!
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_8760.jpeg12001600Chrissy Dickshttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngChrissy Dicks2026-03-06 10:54:412026-03-06 10:54:41KWS Sport
A massive thank you to our new year 10 prefect team, who have led inspiring subject talks this week to year 8 students during form time. They spoke about a range of subjects and gave students a first hand insight into what being a GCSE student in year 10 is like.
This week nineteen of our year 10 students have embarked on the Balliol College Discovery programme, which involves a range of weekly lectures and sessions designed to give students an insight into the Oxbridge experience. Students completed the history session on Thursday and look forward to sessions on mechanics, classics, law, economics and maths over the next few weeks.
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/discovery-group-.png12001600Keris McCormickhttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngKeris McCormick2026-03-06 10:54:202026-03-06 10:54:20Year 10 Discovery Programme in partnership with Oxford University.
The results are being tallied and the marking pens are out, but before we even look at the grades, we need to talk about the attitude! Last week, our Year 11 cohort sat their core-subject mock exams. While mocks are often viewed as a “dreaded” milestone, our students handled the pressure with a level of maturity that truly deserves a spotlight. Be it English or maths, PRE or the sciences, the atmosphere in the exam hall was one of focused determination.
We want to give a special mention to some of the areas where Year 11 truly excelled: punctuality and appearance. It might seem like a small detail, but arriving on time and in full school uniform sets the psychological tone for success. Here is why this matters:
– Stress Reduction: by arriving early and prepared, students avoided the “last-minute panic” that can negatively impact exam performance.
– Professional Mindset: walking into the hall looking the part helps students feel the part. The transition from “student” to “candidate” was seamless.
– Efficiency: because so many followed the rules regarding uniform and equipment, students were able to begin their papers quickly, maximising every minute of the session.
This mock week wasn’t just a test of knowledge, it was a dress rehearsal. By mastering these routines now, the Year 11 students have ensured that the logistics of the final exams in May and June will be the least of their worries. When the formal GCSE season arrives, our students won’t be stressed about where to stand or what to wear – they will be able to channel 100% of their energy into the paper in front of them.
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. Our Year 11s proved this week that they have the discipline to match their ambition.
Well done, Year 11. Keep this momentum going!
Mr Gardener
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kws-logo-1.png12001600Chrissy Dickshttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngChrissy Dicks2026-03-05 11:04:482026-03-06 12:40:48Setting the Standard: A Stellar Mock Week for Year 11!
Join the most rewarding profession and train to teach here at KWS, with Alban Teaching School Hub.
For further details, scan the QR code or contact Amy Francis via email on a.francis@kwschool.co.uk.
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Online-Train-to-Teach-event-March-2026-1.jpg12001600Chrissy Dickshttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngChrissy Dicks2026-03-05 11:04:342026-03-05 11:04:34Train to teach at KWS!!
World Book Day is one of the most exciting days of the school year for the library, with a real focus on reading for pleasure. We’ve been enjoying the fun and creativity that reading can bring, and getting stuck into lots of great activities connected to books and reading. The staff dressed up as characters from their favourite books, and the students had the task of trying to guess who they were. We also had a Book Swap at break, lunch and after school, with lots of favourite books changing hands, and we were delighted that the canteen staff joined in by preparing sweet treats on a bookish theme. Lots of fun was had by all! Every student has been given a World Book Day token at some point over the last week or so, which is valid until 15th March. Full details are on the voucher, so go and get your free books, while stocks last! Also, this week in the library, we have displays of all our books connected to Ramadan, so drop by and pick up something interesting!
https://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/WBD-2026-A4-Landscape.png12001600Chrissy Dickshttps://kwschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/smlogo.pngChrissy Dicks2026-03-05 11:04:262026-03-05 11:04:26The Library celebrates World Book Day
