Ski trip 2025: a student (and teacher’s) perspective!

This year’s annual ski trip saw a group of 40 KAS students travel to Val di Fiemme in the Dolomites, Italy, for five days of fun on the slopes, accompanied by five teachers. Below you can read two accounts – one by a student, the other by a teacher – of the trip, and also see some pictures.

Marnie E-O (Year 8) writes…

The 2025 ski trip was one of the most fun holidays I have ever been on! I had never been skiing before so it was a great introduction, and I can now confidently go down many slopes. We skied every day, getting put into groups based on our ability, which helped tremendously.

The hotel was really nice and was right next to the slopes, which meant we could ski for longer. Every night we did an activity, from a treasure hunt to a room inspection. My personal favourite was the quiz (which my team should have won!).

I got much closer to my friends on the trip and also gained some new ones. All the teachers were lovely and looked after us very well. Overall, the ski trip was my highlight of the year – and perhaps my whole KAS experience.

Deputy Head Al McConville writes…

Five lucky staff were able to join the skiers in the Dolomites: Henri, Chelsea, Hannah, Al and Captain Jeff. Providence was at work. It had snowed the week before, and then the sun came out to stay. People were shedding layers, slapping on the factor 50, topping up their tans.

The kids were delightful. Cheerful, positive, indefatigable. Honestly, a pleasure to be with.

The main event, of course, was the quiz. Question 1 was the same as it has been for 30 years: “What does the ‘T’ stand for in Captain James T Kirk?” Increasingly anachronistic, but Captain J T Harlow insisted.

The kids knew a lot, and imparted some of their knowledge to us: who knew, for example, that King Alfred defeated [current Head of Year 9] Alex Wahnon in the 10th Century, and that he couldn’t cut the cupcakes, or that Bolivia bordered Switzerland? One in five was able to correctly spell [Head Teacher] Robert’s surname. Maybe it was the altitude, but there’s room for growth…

See more pictures in the gallery below. The annual ski is just one of many  Upper School co-curricular opportunities on offer at The King Alfred School, designed to nourish freedom, play and the enjoyment of education.