Nearly 100 pupils from Thames Ditton and Weston Green currently attend Kingston Grammar School, which, for the past 40 years, has had its sports facilities at Ditton Field. In the 1970s the school wanted to totally resite to Thames Ditton but this proved impossible. The school has had a royal connection since Elizabeth I visited to grant a charter in 1561. Queen Elizabeth 1I visited Kingston Grammar in 1961, 400 years after her namesake, and this year revisited to name and open a new wing. Here, Thames Ditton schoolgirl, Jessica Ive, captures the moment:
Photo courtesy of the Kingston Informer
On Friday the 4th of November 2005 Queen Elizabeth II made history by visiting my school, Kingston Grammar. She came to open the new building, which she agreed to have named as the Queen Elizabeth II Building. In 1561 Queen Elizabeth I had visited and the school was originally named Queen Elizabeth's School for her.
The new building includes a new drama complex with a high tech theatre and dressing rooms. It also incorporates new music facilities; two music rooms with practice rooms and offices along with a room full of computers and keyboards. There are Geography, RS, English and Maths classrooms with their own departmental offices. A state of the art sixth form centre has been added which has a cafe called Hawkes and study room. On the London Road side there is also an art gallery designed to be visible by passers by. The whole building is three floors and all of the classrooms look onto one central courtyard with a link bridge to the original building.
On the morning of 4th November the Queen arrived at the front of the building at 11 0' clock. Some of the first years (year 7) were there to greet the Queen at the door, before she went in through the front doors of the new Queen Elizabeth Building. She was then led to meet some 6th former and shown some of their artwork. After this the Queen was led through to the courtyard where the entire school was gathered. Many guests were in the courtyard including the Mayor and his wife.
Her Majesty was then taken into Hawkes where she was greeted by the entire 6th form. After she came out of here there was a round of applause for the Queen and then she entered the special IT and Music room. Here she met several students composing music using the new facilities.
After this the Queen went into to the music classrooms where she listened to the School Cantorum sing. Next there was a visit into a geography room showing the 3rd year's work on earthquakes.
Queen Elizabeth was shown a short extract from the musical Smike co-written by former teacher at the School Simon May (composer of the "Eastenders" theme tune amongst many others). Over fifty cast members ranging over the entire school performed it. The musical number performed includes almost the entire cast with a band and dancing. Maggie Hannan who is the drama teacher at school directed this. I was a member of the singing chorus. The play is about a class of modern day pupils who go back in time with their English teacher to the world of Nicholas Nickleby. We were amused by the fact that the cast members were wearing the exact shade of purple as the Queen.
After the musical number the cast members lined up and several people were spoken to by the Queen. We had been told that if she spoke to us we were to address her initially as 'Your Majesty' and subsequently as 'Ma'am' to rhyme with 'spam'. The Queen then emerged from the theatre where she was greeted by another round of applause from the School. Before leaving the Queen unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit and then the school captain called for three cheers. It was a very exciting day for me and all of the School.
Jessica Ive Kingston Grammar School