Welcome to Kensington's December newsletter edition of the academic year 2020/21.
What a year!
In so many regards it has been the most challenging period in the 54 year history of the school. The resilience, commitment and determination of everyone in our small community has been tested; parents, pupils and teachers. But, let there be no doubt, the way in which the Kensington community has faced the difficulties, and successfully managed them, has left us all stronger and more united than ever in our overriding purpose of providing a first-class education to all those young people who attend our gem of a school.
The Spring Term started very well and quite conventionally. There was so much vitality in the school both inside and outside the classroom and the mild mediterranean climate allowed all activities, whether indoors or outside, to flourish as normal. We all have personal memories from different terms but for me the three evening drama performances in our theatre were the highlight of that period with so many proud Kensington families enjoying a sense of real achievement following the wonderful stage shows.
In a strange way it also finished very well. I will never forget the way our children and teachers adapted amazingly quickly after March 12th to online teaching. I think we all surprised ourselves. The school technology worked splendidly although in the beginning many children and adults were somewhat anxious about the logistics of remote learning. The successful two weeks prior to the Easter vacation gave everyone the confidence upon which to go from strength to strength in the summer term.
Due to the school owners´ investment in our ICT system the technology was highly reliable and gave us all the opportunity to continue high quality teaching and learning throughout the long lockdown period which eventually took-in the whole summer term. The large number of unsolicited positive emails regarding the quality of our online provision was wonderful and it was very kind of parents to convey such positive feedback to our teachers.
Late August was a stressful time for our exam candidates, and their worried parents, but ultimately our predicted grades stood with all students being treated fairly. It was so delightful to see so many of the upper sixth begin their new lives at top ranked universities despite the disrupted time they had endured during their final months of study. This was also a demanding time for our COVID-19 staff committee as they prepared so many new ways of operating to comply with the "new normal". Could the school community successfully adapt to such an unusual modus operandi?
We should not have worried. The pupils were so cooperative, so mature and so determined to make it work that the term now finishing has been remarkably purposeful and, despite everything, really enjoyable. Our teaching team has been really flexible this term in giving our students, whether aged 3 or 19, a splendid term of learning and unforgettable experiences right up to the final days. For me the highlight was again drama but this time virtual rather than on stage - the longstanding tradition of our very own Kenny Show. To have 11 presentations from pupils was wonderful and how delightful it was to see both junior school and senior school teachers collaborating in a production for the first time ever. Their hilarious presentation of Jack and the Beanstalk will live in the memories of our pupils for many years to come.
We all look forward to less challenges in 2021 but we can all reflect with considerable and justifiable pride on a year during which our Kensington family was really tested - and passed with flying colours.
Well Done Everyone!
Do have a safe and relaxing break and we look forward to welcoming you all back in January.
I am sure you will join me in congratulating the staff and pupils for making the best of the situation, following the new routines respectfully and continuing the teaching and learning throughout the term.
Mr Steve Evans
Head of Junior School
It has been the most unusual term for us all in which the staff and children have worked harder than ever before. December has been the strangest month of all. Rehearsals for our Christmas concerts would disrupt our daily routine and the sounds of festive songs would fill the school in preparation. This has probably been the most disappointing restriction for the children who always look forward to performing in front of the paparazzi of parents. Furthermore, our beautiful new hi-tech theatre remains unused! However, the children have recorded a selection of songs and they have enjoyed their adapted Christmas activities.
Thanks again to the K-parents for their wonderful ideas and all those who took part in Christmas videos and festive jumper day.
I am sure you will join me in congratulating the staff and pupils for making the best of the situation, following the new routines respectfully and continuing the teaching and learning throughout the term.
A very Merry Christmas to you all and here's to a healthy and prosperous 2021.
Nursery go to space! Making flying saucers, junk model rockets and designed their very own astronaut suits.
We haven't been able to celebrate Christmas across the school as we would have wished, but it didn't stop us from having covid friendly Christmas parties in the classroom! A variety of activities have taken place across the Early Years classes and we have loved filling the department with Christmas decorations and colours!
On 10th December, J2 visited the lighthouse in Vilanova as part of their English project based around the The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch and other stories by David and Rhonda Armitage.
Students went on a guided tour of the port with Angels from the lighthouse who told them about the different kinds of fishing boats. We saw a fishing boat returning with it’s catch and a fisherman repairing the nets.
A beachside picnic lunch was enjoyed by all before returning to school.
Merry Christmas from Junior 3 who have been making Christmas cards in the style of a Roman mosaic. They used collage technique and plasticine to make a cross section of a volcano.
F3
En Form 3, los estudiantes de español como segunda lengua han estado estudiando los derechos humanos y las ONGs este trimestre. Han elegido una ONG de su interés y han creado un póster.
J4
In Junior 4, students have been learning the shops in Spanish and they have done a poster designing a main street in a town where they have included the shops and a description of what you can find in the street.
J6
In Junior 6, students have been learning about Christmas traditions and the cakes we eat in Spain during this festive period. They created posters about the cakes and sweets they eat in their countries at Christmas.
Junior 5 students have been making pop-up books for the Nursery class to enjoy in Art. This has been a project they have been working very hard on, planning the story and then making the book with moving parts. Marina made a brilliant pop-up book which Ms Jenny then read to the Nursery pupils, who loved hearing the story.
I attach pictures of Marina with her pop-up book and also pictures of Ms Jenny reading it with the Nursery pupils.
Students then used the skills they had learnt in art to make pop-up Christmas cards for their friends and family.
The pupils were so cooperative, so mature and so determined to make it work that the term now finishing has been remarkably purposeful and, despite everything, really enjoyable.
Mr Michael Bayes
Headmaster
As is our Christmas tradition, the children from the Junior School put the first decorations on our tree and a big thank you to our K Parents who finished decorating it beautifully.
We are so pleased that this year the tree is right at the entrance so that everyone can see it and share in the Christmas spirit with us.
Everyone was encouraged to upcycle existing jumpers if they did not already have a festive sweater and many let their creativity loose and there was real sense of cheer around the school.
Junior 6 students had a Christmas Pyjama party in the theatre! They watched Christmas Chronicles 2, enjoyed some popcorn and had a jolly time indeed.
Junior 6 students wrote and submitted video footage of their convincing speeches, telling their fellow students why they should be the house captain. This year the speeches were filmed at home and the videos were shown across the junior classes who were then invited to voted for their favourite candidate.
The elected house captains for this school year are:
MIDDLESEX: OLIVIA & BARZIN
VICTORIA: MIRA & GUILLERMO
LANCASTER: CLOE & DIMA
As we come to the end of a challenging, but ultimately very successful term, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to keeping Kensington a safe and happy place where our students have carried on their learning with the minimum of disruption.
Viv Canwell
Head of Senior School
As we come to the end of a challenging, but ultimately very successful term, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to keeping Kensington a safe and happy place where our students have carried on their learning with the minimum of disruption. From the Management Committee, office staff, teaching staff, to the cleaners, the caretaker and the canteen staff – all have played their part. And of course I also want to recognise the quite significant role played by our wonderful students and their families.
I was so encouraged reading many positive comments on the students’ reports that they have taken home at the end of term; they should be feeling very proud.
This Christmas holiday is a chance for the older students to reflect on what will be a busy year ahead with GCSE and A Level exams to look forward to. It is also a chance for everybody to have a well-deserved rest.
I wish you all a very relaxing holiday and look forward to welcoming the students back to online lessons on the 7th January, and back in person on the 10th.
English
As part of their War Poetry Unit, Form 3 English students were introduced to the concept of propaganda, both as a neutral term which describes an organisation's attempts to persuade people to follow its beliefs, and as a pejorative term implying deceptive publicity.
After analysing a variety of propaganda posters, students were invited to produce their own propaganda posters. The best ones are selected to go on display in the classroom.
See if you can spot which of this year's winners are more and which are less deceptive in their attempts to persuade!
Art
F3 students completed these self-portraits as part of a unit of work based on street art and graffiti. They researched well known artists, in particular Shep Fairey and Banksy. To create the portraits, students made a stencil based on a photograph, prepared a background and finally spray painted their stencil.
Whilst we were unable to go on our annual Christmas cinema trip this year, we were able to adapt our annual Gymkhana to fit the COVID rules. It was great to see so many students enthusiastically competing for their houses in activities such as Pictionary, French Christmas Riddles, Taboo, Charades, Maths Puzzles, Physics Ping-Pong, Who Am I?, Stop The Bus, Quizzes and Mr Goodman´s mystery No Clues game.
Everybody thoroughly enjoyed it with Victoria Housing finishing as the overall winners.
I think we can all agree that the autumn term started with much uncertainty and mixed emotions. The way it finished though was with an absolute highlight: the first ever 'digital' Kenny Show. The newity of it being digital this year gave rise to the unique opportunity for students to contribute in new ways and to have both junior school and senior school teachers collaborating for the first time ever.....And what a show it was!
Nine diverse acts from art, to magic, PE, drama, science and ICT. Eleven Kenny awards in which each department nominated and chose a winner for the student who has most improved in their subject.
Thanks to the courtesy of Ms Coffee, a nostalgic drama performance from this year's Upper 6 when they were still in Year 9 and last but not least the broadway competing staff performance under the artistic guidance of Mr Mellon.
I would therefore like to thank all participating students and staff members for making the first ever digital Kenny Show such a memorable success.
Winner: Aya
Runner-up: Jessica
Runner-up: Marat
We are delighted to share the news that Kensington School's Executive Head has been appointed Acting Head of the Mallorca International School.
We hope you enjoy our Digital Christmas Card featuring this years Christmas Card design winners, Eunseo Choi J1, Miu Endo J3 and Pashmina Soni Hassani F3.
A thank you to our staff for their consistent hard work and support in everything Kensington offers. Merry Christmas to you all and we hope you have an enjoyable, well deserved break!
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