Kingston Grammar School A GSG School

Curricula

Cambridge Pre-U - an alternative to A levels, with all exams at the end of the two-year course.

Sports

Rowing

Fencing

Shooting

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head master

Since 2014, Stephen Lehec, previously head of Aylesbury Grammar School. History and English degree from Southampton, PGCE from Oxford and, most recently, a plethora of pre-MBA qualifications from Harvard Business School. Handy for the half head, half CEO role he finds himself in as school embarks on ambitious expansion plans, both locally and internationally, to ‘take advantage of the demand’.

Beyond the hard hat, he’s clearly still a teacher at heart. Gets to know all pupils from the off by delivering year 7 history lessons, as well as leading ‘totally inspirational’ whole-school assemblies. ‘I’ll never not go on the year 7 residential,’ he adds. No wonder we found this open and authentic head conversing so naturally with pupils, who are clearly relaxed in his company, describing him as ‘a very funny guy’ and ‘a principled and warm man’.

State school educated, this altruistic yet business-savvy head is dedicated to using the school’s robust financial sitting to open up private education. He plans to double KGS’s bursary offering in the next five years (having already grown it to £10m during his headship) and expand existing partnerships with local primary and secondary schools. ‘We’re not an oasis in Kingston, we’re a hub with tentacles reaching out to benefit the wider community,’ he says.

Teachers praise his courage and vision and love that ‘he makes bold decisions for the school’. Parents say he is ‘phenomenal’, describing him as ‘kind’ and ‘charismatic’ and a big deciding factor in them choosing the school. ‘He’s like the pied piper, everyone is drawn to him,’ said one. ‘It’s our biggest fear that he’ll leave,’ admitted another (he assured us he has no plans to!).

Lives locally with his wife and two daughters – one former, one current KGS pupil. He is a cricket umpire, football fan (Crystal Palace) and theatre go-er in his spare time.

Entrance

Academically selective, with tests in English and maths but no VR. Main entry points are 11+ and 16+, with small numbers at 13+ and an option to sit a 10+ deferred entry exam in year 5 to secure a place in year 7. Over 200 sit this test for around 20 places. Those that don’t make it aren’t penalised if they wish to apply again the following year at 11+, when around 1,000 sit for up to 150 places. More or less equal number of boys and girls. School looks for ‘positive personalities’ and students who are ‘not extra-ordinary, but good at something’ at interview stage.

Around 150-200 applications at sixth form, when anywhere between 40-55 join. Both they and existing students need at least four grade 7s at GCSE, including a 6 in maths and English. A grade 7 is needed in any subject to be studied at A level (a grade 8 for maths and 9 for further maths). Applicants also provide a personal statement and are interviewed.

Exit

Vast majority (all but 15 students in 2024) stay on into sixth form from where around 85 per cent secure their first choice of course and institution, studying a broad range of disciplines from dentistry and aerospace engineering to global sustainable development and illustration. Durham, Imperial, UCL, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham all popular. In 2024, seven to Oxbridge and five medics, plus several to prestigious creative arts courses and several overseas – to the USA and the Netherlands in 2024. A number of students in recent years have achieved full academic and sporting scholarships to top North American universities.

Latest results

In 2024, 85 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 75 per cent A*/A at A level (95 per cent A*-B). In 2023, 90 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 67 per cent A*/A at A level (89 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

At year 7, five (soon to be six) forms of around 25 pupils, dropping to an average of 16-18 in GCSE groups and even smaller for A level groups. Results excellent across the board. Respectful attentiveness evident in all classes we saw, and most noticeable in an ethics lesson where a boy was sharing his family’s Passover traditions.

Diverse curriculum ensures lessons inspire and engage. ‘There’s not one subject my daughter dislikes’, said a parent. Contemporary texts by Nigerian authors are read alongside classic canons in English, whilst in the sciences Christmas trees are made from salt candles and candy canes dissolved in solvents. Chemistry teacher’s molecule of the month and weekly chemistry jokes are widely anticipated across the school community. ‘The teachers blow our minds with all the experiments we do,’ said a pupil. No wonder pupils and parents say science and maths are strengths – the latter is school’s most popular A level, with AS and A level in further mathematics offered too. In total, some 57 per cent of students study maths to 18. Setting only in this subject from January of year 7, with the most able groups given specialist extension lessons plus the offer to take additional maths alongside the iGCSE.

Photographic collages of fun-filled trips to Paris, Barcelona and Venice – along with European flag bunting – are draped from the ceilings, makes for a buzzing MFL department. In a Spanish lesson, students were practising their vocab via a rap, supported by an effervescent Spanish teacher. Pupils choose two languages to study from French, German, Spanish and Italian in year 7. In year 9 they specialise in a minimum of one and can pick from Latin and Greek too at GCSE, and Mandarin as a co-curricular option.

At A level 26 subjects are on offer, including economics, business studies, government and politics, computer science, classics and psychology. The latter is school’s other most popular A-level course.

Parents say teachers are ‘delightful’ and ‘really know’ their children. ‘If things slip, they are on it,’ said one mother. Encouragement rather than pressure to succeed. A few grumbles that sometimes work goes unmarked and test results are slow on the return.

This is a popular London school for NQTs to cut their teeth and one parent commented, ‘There’s a lot of young teachers, but they know their stuff’. School offers subsidised staff accommodation in neighbouring houses and lots of professional development opportunities, plus the teachers’ pension scheme which school remains committed to.

Learning support and SEN

‘I joined the school because the learning support is amazing,’ one pupil told us. Currently 12 per cent of pupils on the SEN register, with numbers rising year on year. ADHD and autism predominate but school also open to those with aural, visual and mobility impairments, and it is adept at dealing with SEMH. 'Culturally, this is very inclusive, non-judgemental school,’ the SENCo told us. The small team (in addition to the SENCo, there’s a learning support teacher, a qualified NASENCo and two SLAs who specialise in visual and physical impairments) currently works out of a small study skills room helping pupils one-to-one or in small groups, but head revealed he plans to transform the current swish sixth form block into a dedicated learning support space so it’s no longer ‘tucked away’. However, head of SEN said she was unaware of the specifics of the plans when we met.

The arts and extracurricular

When a former teacher is famed for devising the theme tune to Eastenders, you’d expect great things from the music department. Yet school and parents readily admit it still doesn’t quite hit the top notes. ‘It’s fine but not rigorous,’ said one parent. That said, new leadership, focused investment and a school-wide commitment to the subject is starting to pay off, with increasing numbers taking it through to GCSE and A level and even more enjoying a variety of choirs, ensembles and clubs. Facilities are impressive – including three dedicated music classrooms, a recording studio and two space-age colourful pods, where some of the 200 weekly private lessons take place. Pupils rave about music tech lessons: ‘They’re such fun.’

Drama plays a leading role, with musical productions hailed as being ‘West End quality’ by school’s impressive performing arts alumni and parents. The Michael Frayn Theatre (named after the acclaimed playwright, one of school’s many theatrical alumni) is the centrepiece of school’s performing arts block and encompasses a sprung floor studio space with tiered seating and fabulous sound and lighting control gallery, plus adjoining green room and café bar. It’s a celebrated NTLive venue. Every year 7 pupil performs in an end of year showcase and there are three major productions annually, as well as the Kingston Revue, House Dance and a bi-annual trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of the KGS Theatre Company. Aforementioned ex-teacher devised the pop musical Smike at the school in 1973 and this is now performed at schools and amdram societies across the UK, though never with more gusto than at KGS. Good numbers study through to GCSE and A level. Department led by an ex-actor with the support of its own ‘actor in residence’ from The Archers.

Glass-walled art gallery at front of the school proudly displays its creative wares to passers-by and the buzzing Kingston one-way road system. Former head called it ‘the biggest shop window in Kingston’. Vast in size and deep in intellect, the varied oil, acrylic and charcoal works displayed there are indeed traffic stopping. Photography, film-making, etching and screen printing also offered at A level. Just over a quarter take the subject at GCSE. Head of department just celebrated his silver anniversary at the school and is clearly as passionate as ever about his subject. DT arguably even stronger. One of school’s most popular GCSEs, department is a buzzing hive of activity, with workshop style classrooms book ending a bright, airy corridor displaying fabulous creations and a suite of computers where pupils were busy designing.

School famed nationally for its co-curricular offering. Over 100 clubs all underpinned with school’s character education ethos that drives teamwork, leadership, creativity and resilence. In science club pupils told us they played maggot football. ‘It was something to do with light sensitivity,’ they explained. ‘There’s so much going on it’s any wonder they have time for lessons,’ said one parent. Pupils only complaint was missing out on being picked for sports teams if they wanted to diversify their interest into other areas.

So many trips that it’s a wonder school doesn’t employ a travel agent. From Iceland for geography to Pompeii for classics, there’s also South Africa, Portugal and Spain for hockey, football and rowing respectively and New York for art and drama. Not to mention language exchanges and local jaunts to theatres and galleries in the capital. A hardship support fund seeks to assist those in need.

Sport

School has produced the third most Olympians of any UK school, with Sophie Hosking and James Cracknell among its rowing gold medallist alumnae. Over 80 KGS pupils have represented Great Britain. One pupil recently went to Harvard on a full rowing scholarship, having never rowed before joining KGS. School has dedicated coaches and its own boathouse set on the Thames.

Hockey and cricket equally impressive, with more than 400 hockey fixtures played in a regular season and 28 cricket teams fielded. Football on the up, with coaching by former international and professional players, though one parent said, ‘it could be higher regarded, it’s hockey, hockey, hockey’. All students are given the opportunity to represent the school competitively in their first year. Around 80 per cent take up among pupils for Saturday and after-school sports. One parent said, ‘There’s no cliques or agendas within the teams, all the children are supportive of each other.’ Too many trophies to list here, but success is abundant.

Majority of the action takes place a short bus ride away at Ditton Fields, a 22-acre school owned site overlooked by Hampton Court with numerous perfectly maintained netball courts, cricket squares and nets, tennis courts and football pitches. There are also two Olympic-standard astro hockey pitches, a long jump pit and a pavilion, plus quaint coffee van for parents, some of whom say they ‘spend entire weekends down there’. Director of sport insists the short bus journey ‘gives time to put the academics aside and shift into a different gear’; some taxi service parents grumble, ‘it’s not ideal but you get used to it’. On-site there’s a decent gym, plus ‘the cage’ which encompasses two soft courts and, according to one parent, ‘the place to be at break times, they love it!’ Our guide rolls off the obligatory tour joke, ‘don’t worry, we don’t lock children in there’.

Core PE lessons until year 11, but no PE GCSE. Games afternoons at Ditton Field continue into sixth form. Small numbers take the subject at A level. Note no rugby.

Ethos and heritage

School can trace its roots back to 13th century but was officially founded by Royal Charter in 1561 and became known as Kingston Grammar in 1904. Girls joined in 1978 and the most recent dot on the school’s history timeline is the opening of the Mountain Kingston Bilingual School in Suhzou in 2022. It is funding from this venture, together with a generous and well engaged alumni, that allows for school’s bountiful bursary offering.

In recognition, some notable former pupils feature on a 23-metre frieze displayed along the ‘shop window’ at front of the school. They include RC Sherriff (of Journey’s End fame), Andy Sturgeon (imaginatively roped in to help with the reshaping of the school’s landscape), a founder of Not On The High Street Sophie Cornish MBE, and Hotel Chocolat’s Peter Harris, as well as Ian Fortune, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (RAF version of the VC).

School is spic and span, though not shiny; fully equipped but not flash. Inviting library with collaborative working spaces and endless shelves of books. Pleasing traditional red brick buildings rub shoulders with the contemporary three storey Queen Elizabeth II structure (opened by its namesake in 2005) which resembles a smart residential development with plants trailing over metal balconies. It houses performing arts and music facilities and fabulous sixth form centre and classrooms, plus the deli-style Hawkes sixth form café. A small canteen and much larger school hall, complete with shiny parquet flooring and grand picture windows, are where the rest of the school lunch. Food is restaurant standard in both flavour and presentation. Freshly baked cookies at breaktimes and grab-and-go baguettes for those trying to cram in as much of the co-curricular as they can at lunchtime.

Three main outside areas: the aforementioned ‘cage’, plus the junior quad with canopy shading, shrubs and picnic benches and the senior quad (which is similar but slicker with concrete planters and vibrant yellow tables and chairs). Pupils sometimes head over to neighbouring Fairfield Park in the summer.

Smart red and grey uniforms ‘rain down on Kingston’ as pupils enjoy all the bustling town centre has to offer after school hours. No school bus, with the majority of pupils using public transport to get to and from school – they ‘are all the better for it’, reckon parents.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

The pastoral system delivers on the latter side of the school motto, ‘work well, be happy’. A strong house system, with vertical mentoring, makes every student feel part of ‘a family within the school’. From the ‘blue ribbon events’ across the sports and performing arts to bake-offs and tug of war, there’s an abundance of occasions to foster fellowship and healthy competition. ‘They help you feel like you belong straight away,’ one year 7 told us, adding they’d enjoyed ‘at least six events before we even joined’. As the school continues to grow, a sixth house is to be added. ‘I hope this time we can name it after a woman of significance, but it’s the pupils’ choice,’ says head.

School has recently appointed an EDI governor and staff leads, undertaken an external 360 review on discrimination, de-colonised the curriculum and scrutinised it for gender bias. Enhanced PSHE programme includes assemblies and lessons on consent and relationships plus year 10 boys take part in the ‘Good Lad’ initiative that engages boys to overcome all forms of discrimination. Pupil forums, surveys and ‘stand up and speak out’ student groups have been set up too.

Robust buddy, prefect and mentoring system fosters friendship across the years, and there are plenty of positions of leadership among pupils, including older ones mentoring younger ones. Two counsellors. Pupils feel supported and tell us of the anonymous reporting process for any issues they face. ‘The school cares about us, they’re not just churning us out,’ said one.

Discipline barely an issue, though head not naïve: ‘There’s vaping and drug use in cities such as London, of course, but we make sure it’s not happening in school.’ Parents hard pressed to recall any serious behavioural issues. We witnessed a teacher having a stern word with a student he’d removed from his lesson. Less than six detentions issued per week, though, with the focus on rewarding positive behaviour. Pupils tell us, ‘If you get a detention you talk about why that behaviour happened.’

Pupils and parents

‘Straightforward’, ‘normal’, ‘unentitled’ and ‘engaged’ are how school’s parents describe themselves. The apples don’t appear to fall far from the trees either. Students are a sparky, charming and humbly ambitious bunch. A good ethnic mix and, due to the scholarship and bursary provision, the social demographic is broader than you’d expect. From over 100 primaries and preps, with some 60 per cent from state schools. Most travel from a three-mile radius although increasingly from Clapham and central London. School encourages plenty of parental involvement and there’s a thriving PSA. ‘It wouldn’t suit a blingy, big of ego, hands-off parent,’ one mother said.

Money matters

Mid-range on fees, though of course it is within close proximity to strong grammar offerings in the locality. Scholarships typically worth 10 to 30 per cent of fees available at all entry points for art, music and sport, with drama and DT available at 16+. Generous bursary provision is worth a serious look if finances are tight, but offspring are bright. School aiming to fill 10 per cent of places this way with up to 100 per cent + available.

The last word

All that a modern metropolitan independent education should be: a truly balanced co-ed experience combining solid academics with broad, progressive enrichment. ‘We do what we can to ensure everyone leaves having had a lovely time and goes out into the world with the skills to make a positive difference,’ says head.

Special Education Needs

All pupils are screened on arrival and may be added to a register of those requiring special attention from subject teachers, who will receive detailed advice on how they can help pupils appropriately in class. If necessary pupils are withdrawn from a lesson weekly to have a special class with the SEN teacher, either individually or in a pair/small group. Pupils are allowed to use laptop computers should this be deemed necessary by an educational psychologist. 09-09

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