Facilities at King's Senior

When Michael Baker (OV) gifted the money for a purpose-built boathouse, he wanted it to be a building that is fit for purpose, and one that will last long into the future. The Michael Baker Boathouse won the RIBA West Midlands Award in 2013 but, more importantly, quickly fulfilled both of its two main functions: to provide a modern and spacious base for the Boat Club, as well as be a space in which school events could be held. Visitors remark on the beautiful views from the boathouse, over the river and across the gardens towards the cathedral and beyond to the Glover’s Needle.

The Keyes Building is named after former Headmaster, Tim Keyes, and opened in June 2015. It incorporates a sports hall and fitness suite, a three-storey indoor climbing wall, studios for drama and for dance, an outdoor sculpture gallery, meeting and seminar rooms, and extensive new teaching facilities.

With views across the city, it holds a central site on the school campus, with one of its curved walls designed to follow the line of Bronze Age defences. It was built with energy efficiency in mind, including solar panels and passive heating.

The Art Department occupies a magnificent, purpose-built, Art School designed by the award-winning architect John Christophers, of Associated Architects, which incorporates some of the former Royal Worcester Porcelain Works buildings.

Built over three floors, the light and spacious building offers five studios, workshops, offices, the Sir Terry Frost Gallery, an art library, and ICT work areas.

The extensive playing fields, located across the river from the main school site, follow the River Severn southwards from the edge of Worcestershire County Cricket Club towards the Diglis weir.

Home to rugby, football, cricket, netball, rounders, and tennis, the fields and courts lie in the shadow of Worcester Cathedral. The Peter Iddon Pavilion overlooks the 1st and 2nd XI cricket pitches and also plays host to The Old Vigornian Cricket Club in the summer.

There can be few finer views from any school cricket pavilion anywhere in the country. Two further pavilions provide changing facilities for girls and boys with the ‘Green Pavilion’, providing a viewing area for the 1st XI football pitch.

Hockey, and occasionally football, is played on the school’s all-weather surface at Bishop Perowne High School, midway between the Senior School and King’s Hawford. Shared with BPHS, this facility is used exclusively by King’s in the afternoon and after school and is a valuable addition to the school’s sports offering.

King’s has its own 25-metre, heated, indoor swimming pool.

Located on the King’s St Alban’s site, the pool is used by pupils of all ages and offers an on-site facility unavailable to any other school in the city. Very much a community facility, the school is happy for it to be used by local swimming groups.

The John Moore Theatre is a purpose-built 300-seat theatre within the school’s campus. It is named after a former Headmaster, John Moore. As well as concerts, plays, musicals, quizzes, and lectures, it is used for assemblies and larger meetings. It has been used to host events involving other schools, and even BBC TV’s ‘Question Time’.

The theatre has a professional technical gallery and has a full-time staff of a Theatre Manager and a Theatre Technician.

The Dance Studio is located in the Keyes Building. It is equipped with a sprung floor, large mirrored walls, and an integrated sound system.

Our award-winning Library is located at the heart of the school and is very popular with pupils and staff, who enjoy studying and reading here. It is a beautiful space housed over two floors with a choice of study areas and is extremely well resourced with frequently updated books, magazines and online resources. It is also appropriately equipped with computers and printing facilities. The Library aims to provide a broad spectrum of resources, not only to support the academic curriculum but also to support pupils’ wider interests and well-being.

The encouragement of reading for pleasure is a central focus. The inclusive and diverse range of fiction varies from graphic novels and manga to classics, with a wide range of best-sellers and literary award winners. There is an emphasis on contemporary young adult fiction and providing as much choice as possible. It provides a range of activities to encourage pupils to develop a love of reading, starting off every September when all Year 7 pupils take part in the Booktrust’s BookBuzz initiative.

The Library is open throughout the school day Monday to Thursday from 8.00 am until 5.50 pm and on Friday from 8.00 am until 5.30 pm. During lessons, pupils visit either as Sixth Formers, working independently, or as classes, either researching curriculum topics or choosing fiction. The Library is a popular place for homework after school; Sixth Formers have their own study space.

The Library is staffed by two professional librarians.

The gym, named The Jones Gallery after an OV, houses a wide range of modern equipment enabling our pupils to follow a full fitness training regime. The facilities include a 25-metre sprint track, used for a wide range of athletic and explosive training.

Outside of curriculum sports, The Gym is also home to our Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coach, who runs daily Gym & fitness sessions as well as specialist injury management and rehabilitation.

The McClatchey Climbing Wall is dedicated to Robert McClacthey who is a Governor of the school, and an OV. It is over 12 metres high and has an abseiling gallery at the top. The school has an active Climbing Club, which regularly uses the wall.

The school gardens, located at the side of the River Severn, were established in memory of Margaret Creighton, wife of Headmaster, Cuthbert Creighton. They feature a striking fountain, topped with a small statue of Sabrina, Goddess of the River Severn.

The gardens offer an oasis of calm for staff and pupils alike as they go about their daily business. They also make a wonderful setting for special events during the summer months, including open air concerts, and professional performances from travelling theatre companies.

The Old Chapel, near Crickhowell, has been used as a base for outdoor activities and team building weekends for over fifty years. Many current and former pupils remember their visits with real fondness and reminisce about playing in the woods, swimming in the stream, and having that rare feeling of remoteness away from home.

It is used extensively by King’s St Alban’s, King’s Hawford, all pupils in Year 9, those involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Himalayan Club, and some Sixth Form House Tutor groups.