King's School Rochester Weekly News
Friday 6th March 2026
A World of Words and Wonders
World Book Day was a spectacular celebration of storytelling that saw King’s transformed into a living library. This year, we introduced a creative twist to our dress-up traditions: our Junior pupils arrived dressed as a specific vocabulary word—bringing everything from "Elements," "Stethoscope," and "Bang" to life—while our Senior pupils took on the mantle of their favourite literary characters. Not to be outdone, staff also fully embraced the spirit of the day.
Beyond the fantastic costumes, the day was packed with activities designed to foster a lifelong love of reading across all year groups. Pupils of all ages came together to connect through stories, whether it was Year 4 pupils sharing their favourite tales with Reception, Year 7 with Year 3, or our Sixth Formers visiting Junior lessons to inspire the younger generation. Professor Severus Snape (Mr Killoran) finally caught up with his arch-nemesis Harry Potter (Toni S) when Year 6 visited Year 2 for Buddy Reading to celebrate World Book Day. Sparks flew!
Other activities included collaborative poetry, a live CBBC World Book Day lesson, bookmark design online with author and illustrator Rob Biddulph, book swaps, House reading, and Senior School Book Club at lunchtime—proving that whether you are three or eighteen, there is nothing quite like the magic of a good book to bring people together.
Four Division Wins for King’s Rowers
What an incredible day of racing on Sunday! Despite the challenging weather conditions, our crews rose to the occasion to deliver truly astonishing results across the board.
Competing with immense determination, the team dominated all four divisions. We recorded the fastest times in both Division 1 and Division 2, secured the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in Division 3, and achieved the 2nd fastest time in Division 4—an outstanding collective performance.
This success is even more impressive given that we have been "red-boarded" recently, preventing river training. With only two water sessions leading into the race, our athletes showed remarkable resilience. The results speak for themselves:
Fastest Crew of the Day (1st Place & Pennant): OpJ18 4x+ (Chester, Laurence, Silas, Taylor; cox: Alex M.)
1st Place: OpJ17 4x+ (Ben, Reuben, Alex S., James; cox: Violet)
1st Place: OpJ16 4x+ (Matthew H., Tristan, Arthur, Alex M.; cox: Dylan)
1st Place: Op 2x (Mr P. & Silas)
Beyond the medals, every crew demonstrated excellent rowing skill, composure, and sportsmanship. Those who did not top the podium still represented the school with pride and competed with tremendous heart.
As our first race in some time, these results are a vital stepping stone. The foundations are strong, and the potential for the season is exciting. My thanks go to David Trace and Hannah Catlett for their help on the day, and to all the parents and teachers for their continued support. Well done to all!