King's School Rochester Weekly News

Friday 27th March 2026

Selena Secures a Place at RADA


We are so proud of Selena R (U6) who has been offered a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to study costume design.

We caught up with Selena to congratulate her and find out more:

'I feel incredibly grateful and, honestly, a bit shocked. Studying costume design at RADA is something I’ve worked toward for a while, but I never truly expected it to happen. I am just so thankful for the opportunity.

'The truth is, I almost didn’t apply. I simply assumed I wouldn’t get in, but the support at school changed everything. My teachers encouraged me and helped build my confidence when I couldn’t find it myself. Having the chance to be involved in productions and take on real responsibility made a huge difference in my preparation. I especially want to thank Mrs. Hebden, Mr. Bailey, and Miss Roux for believing in me, even when I wasn't sure of myself. Their encouragement truly made the difference.

'While I’ve spent time both on and off the stage, I’ve found myself drawn mostly to the world backstage. There is something so rewarding about helping everything come together and supporting the performers. I’ve always felt that you can never fully get into character without a costume. I remember watching the transition during rehearsals for Les Misérables; seeing the difference between the cast performing without costumes and then finally stepping into them was a massive shift. That transformation has always been one of my favourite parts of performing'

King’s Celebrates Success at the World Scholar’s Cup Regional Round


King’s is proud to celebrate an outstanding achievement at this year’s regional round of the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC), a globally recognised academic competition that challenges pupils across a wide range of disciplines. Competing under this year’s thought-provoking theme, “Are We There Yet?”, our pupils demonstrated exceptional curiosity, teamwork and intellectual ambition.

The World Scholar’s Cup is a multidisciplinary event designed to inspire a love of learning beyond the classroom. Pupils take part in a variety of challenging and engaging activities, including collaborative debates, essay writing, a team quiz known as the Scholar’s Bowl and the Scholar’s Challenge - an exam testing knowledge across subjects such as science, history, literature, art and current affairs. Emphasis is placed not only on academic ability but also on critical thinking, communication and collaboration.

King’s Rochester entered one Year 7 team and four Year 8 teams into the competition, with all pupils representing the School with enthusiasm and determination. We are delighted to announce that all of our teams performed to such a high standard that they have qualified for the Global Round this summer, where they will compete alongside pupils from across the world. This is a remarkable accomplishment and reflects the dedication and talent of every participant.

The pupils involved are:

• Year 7: Milan D, Abba B and Ugonna U.
• Year 8: Gurtaran B, David P and Benedict B; Aryan P and Austen W-G; Ava S, Maya I, and Tara Ama J; Roman G, Helena A and Zain B.

In addition to this exciting qualification, our pupils earned a number of impressive accolades across the different events, reflecting both individual excellence and strong team performances.

The World Scholar’s Cup club at King’s Rochester was founded by Ms Bower, Head of Geography, whose passion and expertise have been instrumental in the programme’s success. Ms Bower brings a wealth of experience to the club, serving as a debate judge for the WSC and having previously been honoured with the prestigious World Top Coach award.

Our thanks also go to all staff involved in the organisation of this trip. We are incredibly proud of all the pupils who took part in this year’s competition. Their dedication, resilience, and intellectual curiosity embody the very best of King’s Rochester. We wish them all the very best as they prepare for the Global Round this summer.


Les Misérables


Last week, audiences were captivated by the extraordinary talent of our pupils performing in Les Misérables.

A thank you from the Director of Drama to all those who attended and showed their support.