Wednesday 18 June 2025
Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,
We have had some magnificent months which we are reflecting on as we head to the end of the term.
There have been so many outstanding achievements across so many sports teams, performing arts groups, choirs and academic pursuits. We continue to be amazed and impressed by the achievements of our young people at all levels in all their pursuits. Saturday’s First XV Rugby team’s win against Auckland Grammar continued that pattern.
What also continues to amaze me, and College staff, is the impact that these achievements have on the wider school body. The culture of the students at the College is that they recognise talent and ability and applaud it whether these teams/ groups/ individual students win or not. This has increasingly become a key feature of life at the College. We note it in assemblies where a string quartet playing Tchaikovsky gleans as much applause and enthusiasm from the students as a First XV Rugby team does in passing the Cooper - Greenbank Cup to the College. I cherish this feature of the students of King’s. As an aside, our return to the Great Hall brings enormous rewards to developing this culture; we are still revelling in the value of being able to gather all our students in one venue for these occasions.
All of this has been playing out while the College has been engaging in the various Annual General Meetings of our affiliate groups. While the meetings themselves are part of a rather unexciting process, it’s a time where we recognise the value that these groups bring to King’s as they give back to the College in so many ways. These committees come along to support all our various activities and events, and they are just as passionate and committed as our staff and students.
During this term, the King's College community have been a feature - there are so many times where events, individuals, groups and teams have galvanised our strong community. Our community is an important feature of the school as we surround our young people in support, in recognition and ambition for their futures.
This feels especially important to acknowledge during National Volunteer Week this week. We rely on volunteers to help run our College events, pre-loved uniform sales, tuck shop and fundraising initiatives so I wanted to personally thank everyone who volunteers at the College and makes it such a fantastic community to be part of.
We appreciated a great response to our recent Open Day, the first time we have attempted one at the College. 140 existing students turned up on a Sunday to host, show welcome and impress 181 potential students and their families. The 540 people visiting the College appreciated these hosting students, all claiming that they each had the best guide! We continue to take students enrolments for 2026 and there has been a flurry of activity following our Open Day. Any families who you know are thinking about King's College for their son or daughter’s education are encouraged to contact Graeme Syms at g.syms@kingscollege.school.nz. 
This newsletter comes to you just a week prior to the end of the term and one where we have enjoyed both the Fia Fia Night and Matariki Celebrations last night, both joyful events to host at the College - thank you to everyone who helped make both evenings such a success. Next week we have our Senior Production of Seven Keys to Baldpate so we are looking forward to seeing more of our student talent on the stage then.
Enjoy the last week and please receive our enthusiastic recognition and appreciation of what everyone – especially our students – have brought to the great term we’ve just had!
Kind regards,
Simon Lamb
Headmaster, King's College
