On Friday 7 November, we welcomed the Class of 2025 and their families for our annual Awards Evening – a celebration marking their transition into our alumni community, as Old Edwardians.
Held in the Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, the evening, as always, was a lovely occasion for our most recent Old Edwardians to return to school to celebrate their achievements at KEHS. It was wonderful to see so many reconnecting with each other and catching up after their first months at university or gap year activities. Amidst this, the class of 2025 still managed to find time to chat to many of their former teachers who had helped shape their success.
The evening celebrated the Class of 2025’s outstanding A Level success – marking another record-breaking year and highlighted their many contributions to school life. Head of School, Dr Paul Arnold, opened the ceremony with many words of congratulations.
The ceremony featured a musical performance by Karen (Lower Sixth) who immersed the audience with her violin, playing ‘First Meeting: Souvenir’ by Eric Coates. This was followed by the presentation of certificates.
We were privileged to welcome Emily Andrews (OE 1998) as the keynote speaker. Emily spoke on how KEHS equipped her for her career and gave her the strong foundations to become as successful as she is now as a royal commentator and journalist.
She reminisced on the many highlights of her time at KEHS, including not only the highs but the challenge of having to re-sit one of her A Levels – a pivotal experience that taught her the invaluable lesson of resilience.
It was lovely to hear that Emily still has some strong established friendships from her time at KEHS (two of which were able to join her as guests), noting that each of them has taken a very different path since leaving school. Her message was a powerful reminder to the newest cohort of Old Edwardians that success does not follow a single, linear route and that it is ok to create your own path.
She went onto reflect on her professional journey thus far, and her love for her job as a royal journalist. She treated the audience with behind-the-scenes stories about the royals, offering a glimpse into that they are truly like. It was inspiring to see how her experience at KEHS shaped this path and laid the foundations for the successful career she now leads, particularly with her love of classics.
In closing, she shared that KEHS has helped facilitate amazing achievements and opportunities but also a lot more than that; curiosity, resilience, collaboration and friendship.
Aanika concluded the formal proceedings by presenting Emily, a Creak Memorial Prize winner herself, with a bouquet of flowers and delivering a heartfelt vote of thanks, expressing her gratitude to governors, staff, and their families.
The evening finished with a reception in the Dining Hall, where refreshments were served, providing a relaxed environment for students, parents, and staff to celebrate together. It was certainly a memorable night.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025 – we look forward to seeing you at future events!
