insideKENT Magazine Issue 122 - June 2022 | Page 194

EDUCATION

KING ’ S WEEK AT THE KING ’ S SCHOOL , CANTERBURY

THE LAST WEEK OF THE SUMMER TERM AT THE KING ’ S SCHOOL , CANTERBURY – ENGLAND ’ S OLDEST SCHOOL DATING FROM 597 AD – HERALDS KING ’ S WEEK , A UNIQUE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC , DRAMA , DANCE , ART , RECREATION AND SPORT THAT HAS OCCURRED EVERY YEAR SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS IN 1952 .
The Kent Gazette on August 1st 1952 reported : ‘ The whole of King ’ s Week , Headmaster Dr . Shirley declared , was a completely mad venture . No other community could do all that and play three cricket matches as well . It was quite mad and entirely successful . It was the finest bit of education the school had this year . Everyone was doing something .’
King ’ s Week 2022 is certainly set to live up to the spirit of that inaugural year . The week hosts over one hundred events in some 30 different locations : Shakespeare ’ s Twelfth Night is to be performed on an outdoor set in the Mint Yard and , rather fittingly , former pupil Christopher Marlowe ’ s Dr . Faustus takes to the stage in the fabulous Malthouse Theatre . A wide variety of musical events take place with concerts ranging from a Fleetwood Mac tribute performing outdoors at the school ’ s St . Augustine ’ s site , Jazz on a Summer Sunset in the Green Court marquee , to the more formal Gala Symphony Concert and a Choir concert in the Quire of Canterbury Cathedral . KiDaCo , the King ’ s Dance Company , treats audiences to a feast of dance , including disco , classical ballet , and street dance and the Serenade set in the Cloisters of Canterbury Cathedral is always nothing short of magical .
In addition to this , there are photography and art exhibitions and a daily diet of debates , lectures , film and poetry recitals . The Lab on the Lawn presents a mixture of interactive activities and short science demonstrations , Paws for Thought offers relaxing reading under the trees of Green Court with four-legged friends , and the King ’ s Week Bake Off is hotly contested . And then there is the sporting action : the rowers competing at Henley Royal Regatta , the cricket week , the swimming gala , fencing , show jumping , and a classic car rally at the Birley ’ s playing fields .
Many schools host art festivals but King ’ s Week can claim to be unique on two levels : the events take place within the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral , and the backdrop of a UNESCO World Heritage Site gives King ’ s Week a very special atmosphere . Also unusual is that the performances are very much pupil-driven : Acoustic Corner , The Sound , The Voice , and the King ’ s Week Lectures are just some of the shows that are organised and performed by the pupils themselves .
A relaxing focus after the intensity of public examinations , King ’ s Week attracts thousands of visitors to Canterbury and provides a glorious conclusion to the academic year .
King ’ s Week 2022 runs from Thursday June 30th to Wednesday July 6th .
www . kings-school . co . uk
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