King's School, Chester

Academia

In September 2011, King's adopted a new curriculum alongside its shift from an eight-period to a five-period day. This involved substantial changes, introducing 'enrichment' lessons and replacing the GCSE courses with IGCSE.^[5]

Extra-curricular activities

The school's pupils engage the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. The King's School's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a voluntary contingent within the CCF. It consists of the mandatory Army Section, with an additional RAF Section.^[6]

Publications

The Herald is the school's magazine and is published on a termly basis for parents and pupils. Its articles are about current pupils, teachers and former pupils.^[7]

Hockey

In 2011 King's appointed hockey coach, Simon Egerton, who is a member of the England hockey team.^[8]

Rowing

The school's boat house is situated on the River Dee in the centre of Chester.

Previous headmasters

• 2007–2017 - Chris Ramsey, linguist
• 2000–2007 - Tim Turvey, biologist
• 1981–2000 - Roger Wickson, historian

A full list of previous headmasters are engraved on a board displayed in the school.^[9][10]

Post-1900

• Godfrey Ashby, former Bishop of St John's, South Africa
• Michael Axworthy
• Hagan Bayley FRS, scientist and Head of Chemical Biology at the University of Oxford^[11]
• Graham Benton, British and World Indoor Rowing Champion^[11]
• Michael Burdekin OBE, FREng, FRS, civil engineer and Emeritus Professor of the University of Manchester^[11][12]
• Sir John Carroll, mathematician, physicist and former Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen^[11]
• Rob Leslie-Carter, Engineer
• Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton, former Commandant-General, Royal Marines^[11]
• Rob Eastaway, mathematician and ex-puzzle writer for New Scientist^[11]
• James Fair, England and Great Britain hockey goalkeeper^[11]
• Nickolas Grace, actor^[11]
• George Guest, organist and choirmaster at St John's College, Cambridge^[11][13]
• Matthew Hancock, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, former chief of staff to George Osborne, and Member of Parliament for West Suffolk^[11][14]
• Phillip Hallam-Baker, computer scientist, mostly known for his contributions to Internet security
• Tom James, Olympic gold medal oarsman^[11][15]
• Sir Glyn Smallwood Jones, colonial administrator and last Governor of Nyasaland^[11]
• Trevor Kletz, safety engineer and author on industrial safety^[11]
• Steve Leonard, television vet and BBC presenter^[11]
• Martin Lewis, financial journalist and founder of the MoneySavingExpert.com consumer finance website^[11][16]
• Hugh Lloyd, comedy actor^[11][17]
• Patrick Mercer, Member of Parliament for Newark^[11][18]
• Mike Parry, journalist and radio presenter^[11][19]
• Ronald Pickup, actor^[11]
• Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent with Sky News
• George Drewry Squibb, lawyer^[11][20]
• David Whitley, Author of The Midnight Charter^[11][21]
• Olivia Whitlam, Olympic rower^[11]
• Arnold Frederic Wilkins OBE, radar pioneer^[22]

Pre-1900

• Randle Ayrton, film and stage actor, producer and director^[11]
• Lord Bradbury of Winsford GCB, civil servant and chief economic advisor to the government during World War I^[11]
• Thomas Brassey, civil engineer^[11][23]
• Edward Brerewood, mathematician, logician and antiquary^[11]
• Charles Burney, music historian, musician, composer and philosopher^[11]
• John Byrom FRS, poet and developer of geometric shorthand^[11]
• Randolph Caldecott, illustrator^[11]
• William Chaderton, academic, clergyman and former Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge^[11]
• John Churton Collins, literary critic and former Professor of English Literature at the University of Birmingham^[11]
• Piers Claughton, clergyman and former Archdeacon of London^[11]
• Thomas Legh Claughton, first Bishop of St Albans and former Oxford Professor of Poetry^[11]
• George Cotton, clergyman and educator, known for establishing schools in British India^[11]
• Sir Peter Denis, 1st Baronet, naval officer and Member of Parliament^[11]
• John Downham, clergyman and theologian^[11]
• Joseph Everett Dutton, pathologist, physician and tropical medicine specialist^[11]
• Thomas Falconer, clergyman and classical scholar
• Thomas Francis, physician, former president of the Royal College of Physicians and former Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford^[11]
• Christopher Goodman, clergyman and writer^[11]
• William Lee Hankey, painter and illustrator^[11]
• General Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill, former Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces^[11]
• George Lloyd, clergyman^[11]
• Bert Lipsham, England International footballer and FA Cup winner with Sheffield United in 1902.
• George Ormerod, antiquary and historian^[11]
• Sir Ralph Champneys Williams, colonial Governor of the British Windward Islands and Newfoundland and Labrador^[11]
• Thomas Wilson, clergyman^[11]

The Chester Association of Old King's Scholars (CAOKS), founded in 1866, exists to maintain links between former students. It is one of the longest established alumni associations in the country. The school has recently established OAKS (Organization of Alumni of The King's School) to maintain relations with former pupils. OAKS is free to join and open to all alumni.^[24]