Friday 23 January 2026
Welcome to 2026. It is with excitement and optimism that I write my first King’s Connect message to our community.
Moving onto the King’s campus in the past week has given me an insight into the pride, sense of belonging and aspiration that our students will experience as they join us this year. I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the College and look forward to building on the legacy of Mr Simon Lamb and the staff and students who have helped to shape such an outstanding school.
A particularly warm welcome goes to all our new students and parents who will be joining King’s this year. I look forward to learning more about the school traditions, history, and systems alongside you as we begin this new chapter together.
Academic Results
A great school places academic achievement at the heart of its purpose, and I am delighted to share the excellent results of our Year 13 cohort of 2025. Our University Entrance pass rate of 96% for students sitting Cambridge examinations and a 93% NCEA University Entrance pass rate are exceptional achievements. These outcomes reflect the knowledge, skills, and hard work of both students and teachers. We will share more detailed information once all assessment awards have been finalised.
2026 Head Students and Prefects
Congratulations to the 44 Senior Prefects, Senior Sacristans and School Prefects who will lead the school student body in 2026. These leaders will each have responsibility for setting the tone and culture of the school and role modelling the values and aspirations of the King’s College community.
The team will be led by Sammy Bamford (Year 13, Major) and Georgia Tierney (Year 13, Marion Bruce) as Head Boy and Head Girl. They will be supported by Deputy Head Prefects Tyler-Rex Samasoni-Tukuitonga (Year 13, Averill), Leeora Wu (Year 13, Marion Bruce), Zoe Driscoll (Year 13, Middlemore) and Ben Woodhams (Year 13, Selwyn).
King’s College Values
I have enjoyed meeting Senior Staff this week to plan how we will incorporate the updated values developed during the strategic consultation last year. We have high hopes that these values will add to the rich culture of the College and work alongside our Anglican foundations providing a moral compass for our students. You can see our values here.
Student Pastoral Care
Our team of pastoral care experts are looking forward to working with our students in 2026 and continuing to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment where everyone can thrive.
If any student experienced any difficulties over the summer break, or if they are finding the return to school challenging, please know that support is available. Our Pastoral Care team is here for you - we advise any students who need support to talk to their Housemaster, our counselling team or the Chaplain. We are all ready to listen and help.
2026 New Staff
I am pleased to be joined by the following new staff members who we are delighted have chosen to join King’s this year:
Andrew Browne – Teacher of Mathematics
Ngaire Boyes – Teacher of Latin & Classics
Sarah Robertson‑Bickers – Teacher of Biology
Jonathan Bay – Teacher of Technology
Joel Inglis – Health and PE University Student Placement
Ivy Dong – Visual Arts University Student Placement
Jeff Robertson – Outdoor Education Specialist (Ahuroa Venture Camp)
Paul Krause – Outdoor Education Specialist (Ahuroa Venture Camp)
Caitlin Cox – Digital Marketing Coordinator (Professional Staff)
As new members of staff, we have all been touched by such a warm welcome and are eager to contribute to our school’s vibrant culture and continued academic success.
King’s Institute and Property Development
The campus has been a hive of activity over the summer break, with large community groups hosted on sight with great success. Six classroom renovations have taken place in various parts of the school, with new provisioning offering the best environments for teaching and learning. Work began to upgrade facilities at Marion Bruce and planning is well underway for the new classroom block to be situated near the Clubhouse. Every effort will be made to ensure that students, staff and any visitors to the College are safe while these projects are taking place. We are looking forward to the students seeing these new learning environments.
As we begin this new year together, my vision is for King’s to be a place where every student is known, challenged, and inspired to pursue personal excellence in all areas of life. Together, we will continue to honour our proud traditions while embracing innovation that prepares our young people to thrive in an ever‑changing world.
I look forward to working with you all to ensure King’s remains a community of character, purpose and aspiration.
Virtus pollet – Good character prevails.
Patrick Gale - Headmaster