"Having missed the open morning, we were given a personal tour of the school by the Head of Prep at the time, Mr Whymark. As we were shown around the school, we were immediately struck by how the pupils interacted - with each other, with us when we asked a question, and with Mr Whymark. They all spoke confidently and respectfully and several shared a joke with their Head - not a given in every school we felt! We knew right away that this was the school for Alex.
 
"With nobody else from his school moving to King's, we did worry about how he would settle in but these fears soon proved to be groundless. The first few days were packed with activities and he had soon made friends and settled right in. We noticed the difference immediately, as he started coming home from school excitedly telling us about what he had been learning that day, rather than feeling deflated and as if he had wasted his day.
 
"The academic provision has continued to shine during his time at King's. No matter how much he learns, there are always new challenges presented to him. What has most impressed us is that he has learned to really work hard and take pride in pushing himself to new heights. This is never beyond what he is capable of or comfortable with, but rather has shown him how much he can achieve with hard work - in short, he is achieving his potential. The learning is not just in the classroom though. In the Senior School, Alex has enjoyed attending the series of Round Table Lectures, where visiting speakers give talks on a wide range of different topics. Similarly he has enjoyed attending talks at the History Cafe, where many subjects are covered, and he is a member of the Da Vinci Society - an after school engineering club, where he is currently building a robot to compete in a competition! In Year 10, Alex was encouraged to work towards an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), an independent research project worth half an A-Level. He was given such great guidance by the school in choosing a topic, in conducting his research, and in how to write up his results. He has enjoyed this immensely, and it has only deepened his desire to pursue his academic studies at university.
 
"However, there has been far more to Alex's time at King's than academic study. He took guitar lessons through the school, and after a while felt that the default ensemble for guitar players, Rock Band, was not quite for him. We asked if something different was available and instantly a slot was created for him in the Jazz Band. He really enjoyed performing with the band, playing at Ely Market Place, in the Cathedral, and various other locations. Having played and enjoyed rugby and tennis during his time in the Prep School, in the Senior School Alex was given the opportunity to try rowing and he has not looked back! He is on the water or the rowing machines six days a week and really enjoys both the physical discipline and the camaraderie experienced on the many trips away to compete in events with his squad.
 
"There has been so much fun too. Skiing in Italy, watching a volcano erupt on a trip to Iceland, taking part in exchange trips to Germany and France (the return aspect of which was something the whole family enjoyed). The first few days of Year 9 are devoted to a camping trip and he enjoyed this so much that he signed up for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a hillwalking and navigation trip to the Peak District, and a spectacular week hiking the Camino Trail in northern Spain. On a less grand but no less enjoyable level, there have been evening games of hide and seek across the whole school, and paintballing trips to Thetford Forest, organised by his House.  
 
"The House system has provided a really solid structure for the pastoral side of school life. There is a very diverse community of pupils at King's, which has made it easy for Alex to find his "tribe" and make friends, but belonging to a House gives another layer of belonging to something a little smaller within a bigger school. From the House cheese toasties at break times to the study areas for small groups of pupils, it feels like a home away from home. Much effort is put into the annual House Song Competition, including practising dance routines and the putting together of costumes, which has proved a real highlight of the year! As a House Prefect, Alex has enjoyed being able to give something back by helping out with welfare for the younger pupils.
 
"When the time came for choosing a school for our younger son, we did not have to think twice - indeed he was so much looking forward to joining King's having heard all the great stories from his older brother that we would not have been able to make any other choice, even if we had wanted to! We know that he will thrive there just as his brother has, will reach his full potential in whatever direction that may lie, and will squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment and fun out of childhood. We could not ask for more."