Former KES pupil Steve Moorhouse returned to Stratford as Vice-Admiral of the Royal Navy
“I SUSPECT my teachers would be rather surprised to see me back as an admiral,” Steve Moorhouse joked as he returned to landlocked Stratford to inspire students at his former school. “Though,” he continued, “perhaps Mr Browning, my maths teacher, who is the audience tonight, is less surprised it took the Navy and 40 years to instil some discipline into me.”
Vice-Admiral Moorhouse was at King Edward VI School speech day just a few weeks after being made fleet commander of the Royal Navy – the person in charge of developing and deploying the country’s ships, submarines and Navy aircraft. It’s a role that is outranked by just a very few Navy personnel (and perhaps the KES headmaster).
“It’s taken me nearly 40 years to get onto this stage. I never made it here as a pupil, so this is possibly the longest detour in school history,” he continued.
VAdm Moorhouse told the students how KES had provided a number of key skills for his journey to commanding Navy ships: Curiosity, resilience, camaraderie, language and expression.
He explained: “I didn’t leave school flawless or fearless, but I did leave with the confidence that setbacks are temporary if you keep pushing forward.
“On operations, that resilience is tested in very real ways – whether it was live operations in the Middle East, riding out storms in the South Atlantic, or dealing with the pressure of making a decision that will affect hundreds of lives.
“What matters is not pretending you never fall, but showing that you always get back up.”
He added: “Those qualities carried me into the Royal Navy, through long deployments, hard decisions, and the privilege of leading extraordinary people.
“Today, as fleet commander, my role is about ensuring the Royal Navy is combat-ready, credible to our allies, and a force for security in a turbulent world. And I can say with complete honesty that the foundation of that role was laid right here, in these buildings long before I ever wore this uniform.
“You may not believe me right now as you prepare to leave school desks in Stratford. But I can assure you, the habits formed here are exactly what give you the strength to make decisions under pressure, to lead others, and to serve something greater than yourself.
“You are entering a world of constant change. Technology is rewriting the rules. Wars in Europe and the Middle East remind us that peace and freedom can never be taken for granted.”
Headmaster Bennet Carr, as with tradition on speech day, highlighted the school’s and pupils’ achievements – including GCSE results which saw KES ranked as the third highest boys’ grammar school nationally and being named as the country’s joint-happiest secondary school by the Sunday Times.
The past academic year also saw sporting success, including Zak Rush who won the U13 title at the National Cross-Country Championships and a bronze medal in the 1500m at the English Schools Athletics Championships. There were sporting tours to Japan and Dubai and recognition for the school’s commitment to cricket.
Students have been on trips to the Azores, helped mentor primary school children, played in concerts and won the British Shakespeare Association Innovation Award… among many other achievements.
Mr Carr concluded: “The school can trace its origins back proudly to May 1295 and we genuinely cherish and champion our traditions. There is no contradiction, however, in simultaneously embracing the past whilst seeking to promote meaningful change. You do not safeguard the past by hitting the pause button on progress. Rather, you serve those who have gone before by being endlessly ambitious for the future and by ensuring that the young people in your care are provided with the very best opportunity to live happy and fulfilling lives.”