King's School Rochester bids farewell to Upper Sixth Leavers

Sixth Form leavers at King's School Rochester were able to experience the send-off they deserved this week.

After two years when Covid restrictions scuppered all celebrations, the Upper Sixth could, at last, enjoy their Leavers Service, the formal Summer Ball in a marquee on the Paddock and the first Speech Day and Prize Giving back in the Cathedral for three years. Pupils, leavers, staff, Governors, parents and friends packed the Cathedral for this moving service and were addressed by former pupil, Tom Hourigan, now an award-winning journalist and BBC broadcaster.

The Principal at King's, Ben Charles, said, "The end of the school year is always a time of mixed emotions. Pupils and staff look forward to the long summer break but it is tinged with sadness as we say a final "Goodbye" to our Upper Sixth. Our job here is to prepare our pupils for life beyond school and we take pride in educating the whole person through experiences both in and outside the classroom. We know that happy pupils achieve their best and therefore place as much value on building a love of learning and the development of independent thinking skills as on achieving the best grades. This is our leavers' time to take everything they have learnt at King's out into the world and shine, knowing that they are welcome back here any time and that, as Old Roffensians, they will always be part of the King’s community."