Putney Perspective 2020

Putney Perspective 2020

It has been a year unlike any other. When we arrived on Putney Hill in September 2019, little did we know that by the Spring Term our community would have been forced to leave our school site for only the second time in its 127 year history, the first being the second world war.

The advent of Covid-19 brought with it particular challenges, all of which we rose to with typical Putney spirit. Our many outreach initiatives were brought into focus as we supported our local community, and our staff and students were able to show off their problem-solving abilities with some fantastic results.

This year’s magazine shows how through thinking differently, embracing innovative technologies, and learning to adapt, our students are not only growing but thriving. They have thrown themselves into a huge range of projects and adventures both at home and abroad, just a few of which you will read more about in these pages.

As the autumn term gets under way, we are back at school, doing what we all do best, and preparing for the future full of confidence and creativity.

Features include 2

PUTNEY SPIRIT

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MASTERCLASS AND BEYOND

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STUDY WHAT YOU LOVE

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ART AND DESIGN

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THINKING DIFFERENTLY

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ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC

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FACING THE DIGITAL FUTURE

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THE CHANGING FACE OF GIRLS’ SPORT

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ENTREPRENEURIALISM FOR THE FUTURE

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PUTNEY ON TOUR

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PUTNEY OUTREACH

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ACADEMIC RESULTS & DESTINATIONS

35 Putney Hill, London, SW15 6BH Tel: 020 8788 4886 Email: putneyhigh@put.gdst.net Website: www.putneyhigh.gdst.net Follow us on: twitter@putneyhigh Facebook: putneyhighschoolGDST Front cover – Iris & Molly/Back cover – Emma. Photography with thanks to Zoe Rowson, Andrew Catterall & Matthew Cattell Editorial & Design Team: Caroline Reed, Samantha Hazlehurst, Nikki Wellspring, Geraldine Dyos Editors reserve the right to edit any contribution. Printed by Impress

Putney Spirit Thriving in Times of Change Looking after one another, and ourselves, has always been at the heart of everything we do at Putney. Good physical and psychological health are fundamental to life in our positive and happy school and the advent of Covid-19 hasn’t changed that. If anything, it has put renewed focus on the importance of wellbeing and the many ways that it must be placed front and centre in our lives.

As autumn 2020 brings the Putney community together once again, it is wonderful to see how well we have thrived, even through the many months apart. The indomitable Putney spirit meant that we all adapted quickly to the challenges posed by lockdown and online learning last term. We saw such enormous creativity and a great deal of good humour as we all got to grips with rapid change and very unfamiliar circumstances (see pages 20–21).

White Orchid: one of the plants in our biophilic classrooms which help to create a calm and healthy learning environment.

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From Mr Castle’s Classics lessons beamed from his green screen Roman Forum, to virtual world tours and Physics trips, online dance club and debating, we all found innovative ways to learn and come together, almost as we were used to doing. And of course, through being apart over the summer term we learnt that connections, albeit via Teams or Zoom, are an essential way to keep spirits up, laughing and chatting with friendly faces, and reminding us of the community of which we are a part.

Putney has always been a digitally innovative school and happily, our systems have more than lived up to the challenge, teaching us new creative ways to embrace technology in the classroom and beyond. From peer mediation and compassionate communication to lockdown ‘Knit-Wits’ club and early morning meditations. Even our online ‘Wellbeing Within’ week was unlike anything we’d done before – and extremely successful. If anything, with so much time being spent in front of our screens, Putney’s annual celebration of all things ‘wellbeing’ (4–7 May) put even more focus on finding a healthy balance with time spent away from them.

Returning to our classrooms this autumn, getting used to our ‘bubbles’ and navigating new one-way systems, the tools we gain from the Positive Schools Programme will be especially useful. As we remember to social distance, these tools also help us with self and social awareness, helping us to normalise our response to stress and navigate the inevitable ups and downs of the school day. We have our new Wellbeing Coach who joins our existing Pastoral Team this year and together we will be continuing to shine a spotlight on how a holistic approach to living healthy and fulfilled lives goes hand-in-hand with our achievements both personal and academic.

It has always been our aim to give students the character and the adaptability to succeed in life. We understand that wellbeing, both physical and mental, are the foundations on which we build, and how brilliantly those attributes are already coming to the fore.

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ACADEMIC

Study What You Love “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.” The famous opening lines of David Copperfield draw attention to the construction of identity through storytelling.

A new book by Will Storr, The Science of Storytelling, delves into the human psyche to uncover the deep links between how we think about ourselves and the urge to tell stories. From infancy, we arrange our experiences into a narrative that makes sense to us and we modify that personal narrative as we grow. The narrative is overwhelmingly positive: we downplay things we’ve done wrong and elevate moments that make us look good. We even reinterpret memories to support a heroic view of ourselves. “Everyone who’s psychologically normal thinks they’re the hero”, claims Storr.

Storytelling is central to human experience in our personal psychological development and in the way it helps us to understand the minds of others. Empathy starts with stories: they are portals into ‘the cause and effect of other people’.

No wonder English continues to be a popular choice for A Level students at Putney. Studying some of the greatest stories ever written is deeply satisfying and helps us develop as human beings.

Moreover, it promotes critical skills, the ability to deconstruct language and to build persuasive arguments. These are skills much sought after by employers looking for people who can adapt and thrive in today’s rapidly changing work environment: “Connecting and communicating. That’s what English majors acquire after years of critiquing and discussing their thoughts

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in group settings”, says Bracken Darrell, CEO of Swiss company Logitech. “There’s a thoughtfulness about culture that isn’t emphasised outside literature and the arts.

This understanding of people plays a role in your influence and leadership skills.”

Interestingly, the ability to tell stories is also increasingly appreciated in the workplace: “The battleground in business has shifted to storytelling, for which few people have real talent”, says former Twitter and Google executive Santosh Jayaram. “That’s why I want to meet your English majors.”

Furthermore, English students have thought hard about what makes individuals and societies tick. This gives them the edge across a wide range of jobs: “The deep cultural knowledge businesses need comes from humanities-driven study of texts, languages and people”, says Christian Madsbjerg in his book Sensemaking.

At Putney we celebrate stories and poetry from the moment students walk through the door in Year 7. Producing a personal poetry anthology, making a ‘book in a box’, and devising a board game or guidebook based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream are just some of the creative projects offered to students across Key Stage 3. Even the GCSE years offer the opportunity for selfexpression with the unique Putney Portfolio Project – an opportunity to investigate a work of literature and produce a creative

response such as a screenplay or an alternative ending. We constantly look to extend the variety and diversity of our set texts and recommended books; our literary celebration of Black History Month last October had students reading texts such as Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi, Fences by August Wilson and Small Island by Andrea Levy. We are proud of our book groups, which are run for each year group by sixth formers keen to share their enduring enthusiasm for stories.

‘Study what you love’, says Mrs Longstaff and in the English Department we agree. Whether they go on to study English or another subject at university, our students are eloquent about the benefits they’ve gained from their two years of A Level study.

“Through exploring works of literature you are able to immerse and transport yourself into a completely

Many leaders of international companies majored in humanities: Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, studied Literature and History; Ben Silbermann of Pinterest was a Political Science major, and the the founders of Airbnb studied Art and Design. different world and its characters, which no other subject allows you to do”, says one former student, now studying at Exeter University. Another, now studying at Oxford, adds: “English gives us access to the past, the present and the future, all through the eyes of the best writers and thinkers the world has ever seen. It has encouraged me to see things from different points of view, and always ask myself why people behave the way they do.”

That it offers such diverse career opportunities down the line is a plot twist English students are bound to appreciate.

Kate Jeffrey Second-in-charge, English

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Thinking differently in uncertain times

According to Heraclitus, ‘change is the only constant’, an adage never more true than in the spring of 2020 when our daily routines, carefully planned schedules and even the way that we interact with our friends and family, were changed beyond all recognition. Thinking and doing things differently suddenly became the order of the day.

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In the rapid response to a pandemic, who would have known that the ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ we champion at Putney would pay such dividends so quickly. Teachers and students brought their problem-solving skills to the kitchen table (quite literally), staying positive when things didn’t initially go to plan and bouncing back with ingenious ways to engage with one another and continue their learning in a brave new ‘virtual’ school.

Reactions to the threat of Coronavirus showed us how a positive state of mind, mental agility and the creativity to problem-solve are invaluable ways to stay ahead.

At Putney, these have always been top of our list. We teach our students to be enquiring, curious by instinct and to explore questions from multiple perspectives. We know that there is rarely only one way of doing things, or indeed one correct answer; it is often through having the courage to challenge and to think differently, that we really make progress. In an era when ‘answers’ can be found in an instant on your phone, being able to cope with uncertainty – to question what may be ‘fake news’ – are an essential part of the learning journey.

In Year 7, our Badge Scheme throws pupils into independently led challenges from the off and a year later, Putney’s ‘BAFTA Awards’ inspire them to broaden their skills and their mindset, responding to topical issues in entirely new ways – writing an article or recording a podcast.

Politics, Philosophy and Economics gets everyone thinking differently in Year 10, and in the Sixth Form, Hot Topics and LEAP lectures prepare students for the more demanding learning style of university.

This kind of intellectual agility encourages young minds to ‘think outside the box’ but it is another phrase, ‘design thinking’ which is its natural evolution, capturing as it does, a more practical approach to problem-solving. A reflection of this is Putney’s creation of an entirely new role: Teacher of Design Thinking (Computer Science/Product Design) a hybrid role to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) all come together to solve complex problems using empathy, imagination and skill. Exploring robotics and the construction of programmable vehicles using pieces designed on computers and made using laser cutters – that is inventiveness in all its forms.

This is the kind of culture that allows risk-taking to really thrive. And when it goes wrong – something which inevitably happens – we learn another important lesson, that failure is not a permanent condition. Learning to fail well, to learn from mistakes and to persevere in pursuit of a goal, are key attributes, especially in uncertain times. It takes positivity to rise above and grit and adaptability to achieve in the long run. Whatever the future holds, we will be ready.

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“I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. It was different to anything I had done before and it was fun to collaborate with new people . . .We furthered our knowledge of a subject I wouldn’t otherwise have learnt about.” Year 9 Student

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VOICE BOX At Putney, we are committed to developing skills and qualities within our students that will help them thrive in their futures and learn without limits. We know that the workplace and jobs available to our students over the course of the next decade will look different from today – your daughters, for example, could be applying to be AI Translators or VR Architects by 2030 – and so we created a project that enables and equips them with the skills to help them to adapt and flourish within our ever changing society.

Voice Box has been designed to bring together students from across five of the GDST schools in London, seeking to develop collaboration, research, digital and presentation skills, specifically within Year 9. Working on a topic of their own choice students spent three months working together to culminate in a TED-style talk, presented to a panel of judges.

A series of training and collaboration days, based at the GDST Head Office in Victoria, saw students participate in sessions developing research and presentation skills, led by subject experts from Putney. Giving presentations on ‘Nothing’ and harnessing their inner ‘Power Pose’ helped build confidence – physically and vocally - as well as giving them an opportunity to work with students from other schools and develop their teamwork skills.

The time between the group collaboration days saw students draw on and develop their digital skills so that weekly virtual catch-ups could take place and progress on their presentations could be made. Overcoming difficulties in communication when not physically face-to-face is always a challenge (for anyone!) and one Year 9 said it had been the biggest but also most rewarding learning curve of the whole process. Sixth Form mentors are assigned to each Year 9 group to help support during the project and provide expert subject knowledge, as well as supporting facilitation meetings between the groups.

Voice Box encapsulates the very ethos of Putney High School – forward thinking, equipping students with skills for life, giving them a voice and teaching them to think differently.

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DIGITAL INNOVATION

FACING THE

The very first girls at Putney would probably have felt quite comfortable working with paper and pen as our students do today, but they would be fascinated by the digital learning tools that today’s girls also have at their disposal. The majority of students in the Junior School were

James Mutton DIRECTOR OF STUDIES AND DIGITAL INNOVATION

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born after the release of the first iPad in April 2010, and it is in this digitally connected world that they are growing up. Putney High School was an early pioneer of 1:1 iPad programmes, introducing the first devices back in 2012. Since then, their usage has developed and evolved with the advances in capability and confidence of both staff and students. Most teachers are now Apple Teachers and Hiten Mistry, Head of eLearning in the Junior School, is an Apple Distinguished Educator. Such expertise allows staff to tailor their lessons and deploy the iPads where they will have the greatest impact on the students’ learning, without just using them for the sake of it. We were able to move school online during lockdown to deliver Guided Home Learning, and continue to innovate with a hybrid model to ensure that all students can attend school and clubs despite whatever Covid throws at us.

I am proud that we have become a certified school with National Online Safety. This is an award given to schools who have demonstrated a commitment to online safety from all areas of the school community,

DIGITAL INNOVATION

DIGITAL FUTURE As parents and teachers, we have grown up in a very different environment to that of the students in the classroom today but examination processes and the final outcomes of it, in terms of GCSEs and A Levels, are only recently beginning to change, hastened by recent events.

including staff, parents and governors. Given that so much of our day to day work life is online, making sure that everyone is as safe as possible is an important part of the whole picture.

We are lucky that we have such a range of students sharing our site because it gives us the opportunity to think about the journey from Early Years all the way to Key Stage 3 and beyond. The Computer Science team have been working on developing an all through curriculum for computing to develop the skills and attributes that our students will need in the workforce when they leave school, regardless of whether they seek a career in, or related to, computer science.

The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2018 highlighted that some roles such as Financial Analysts, General Managers and Telemarketers will give way to Big Data and Digital Transformation Specialists, Innovation Professionals and Data Scientists. More recently, the idea of ‘de-learning’ has gained traction where outdated ways of doing things are disrupted because simply being the way it was always done is no longer an acceptable reason for doing it. This is especially important when it comes to preparing our students for a future that we cannot yet define and is one of the reasons behind the introduction of Design Thinking in the Year 9 curriculum this year, a unique Putney course which combines

entrepreneurship, innovation, computing and robotics. This kind of innovation is a constant process of thinking about a problem, trying a solution, reflecting on it and refining it until the first problem is solved and another one takes its place. Putney is no stranger to innovation. We have replaced most of the ageing projectors and interactive white boards with large screens and Apple Pencils, giving teachers the ability to write on the board from anywhere in the room.

Our 11+ interviews are now completely paperless, so there is no longer a mountain of paperwork to collate, and candidates can get a sense of the of the forward-thinking education that our pupils enjoy.

Pupils lead the way in this, with success last year in the Innovative Digital Enterprise Awards for a number of Year 7 students, and one group of Year 8 students reaching the final in the Amazon Web Services app design competition to solve real-world problems in our local community.

Central to any good innovator is a familiarity with failure and the spirit of entrepreneurship. James Dyson famously made 5126 versions of his vacuum cleaner before he had one that worked, and JK Rowling had her manuscript rejected 12 times before it was picked up by a Putney pupil and, after persuading her publisher father to take it seriously, became the Harry Potter books we know today. These skills of resilience, perseverance and risk-taking are ones which are part of Putney’s DNA and feed into many aspects of school life.

It goes without saying that we are supporting our students to achieve the best exam results possible in their not-so-innovative public exams. But we are also preparing them for an unknown future in a digital world by instilling in them the skills and spirit that their predecessors would also recognise; that of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the idea that the status quo is not a good enough reason to keep doing something if we can make it better.

Central to any good innovator is a familiarity with failure and the spirit of entrepreneurship.

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The majority of students in the Junior School were born after the release of the first iPad in 2010, and it is in this digitally connected world that they are growing up.

Digital Innovation Case Study SINEAD BROWN Sinead is in Year 12 and currently studying Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

WHEN DID YOU START DESIGNING AVATORS/EMOTICONS/APPS? I started graphic design when I was in Year 7; I’d loved art since I was young and I wanted to experiment with a new media. I found an app in the app store called Adobe Draw and from then I started practising until I got better.

HOW DID YOU TURN YOUR DIGITAL SKILLS INTO A BUSINESS?

Sinead designed her own eye-catching ROYALTOONS logo (above).

At first I was just posting my artwork on Instagram and I was mainly drawing well known individuals at the time, until eventually I realised that I could charge people for my work. I was in Year 9 when I finally put a price on my illustrations and from there it became a business (still based on Instagram).

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DIGITAL CHARACTER? I do have some illustrations that I’m most proud of such as my drawing of Rihanna, which I did almost two years ago now, and a recent drawing of Beyoncé. However, my drawing skills are still improving so my favourite is always changing. That being said, I appreciate all of my artwork.

WHAT OR WHO WERE YOUR INSPIRATION? This may sound weird, but I didn’t have a specific inspiration for starting graphic design and becoming an entrepreneur. It was something that happened quite out of the blue because I didn’t make a business plan or have a specific target. I was just doing something I loved and realised I could make money from it.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE? For the future, I hope that my business can continue to grow. Despite having interest in a different career, I do hope to keep graphic design with me because art is one of my passions and to make earn money from it at the same time is convenient.

HOW HAS PUTNEY’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME HELPED YOU TO DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS? Putney’s entrepreneurship programme has been extremely useful. The Entrepreneur in Residence has been very helpful in maximising sales, with marketing and all the other technical things that I didn’t think about before. I’ve learnt a lot, especially how to have balance between everything – running a business and doing A Levels is quite a lot of work.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE GIRLS WHO ASPIRE TO BE DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURS? For any girls who are looking to be digital entrepreneurs: go for it! I believe that we live in an era that makes it much easier to reach a wider range of people (potential customers) especially with the development of social media, so being a digital entrepreneur is such a great thing to do. It’s also manageable. I would say most important thing is to keep your personal profile away from your business profile as it helps with staying professional and clients will take you seriously.

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CAREERS

The most IN-DEMAND and HIGHEST PAID roles increasingly require a VARIETY OF SKILLS, across MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES . . . The ability to INNOVATE, to THINK CRITICALLY, and to PROBLEMSOLVE are hugely valuable skills that we teach in school

Article originally published by Independent School Parent in The School Leavers’ Guide (Spring 2020)

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Where there’s a skill, there’s a way!

Suzie Longstaff

Headmistress

We are living in exciting times. As science fiction rapidly becomes science fact, emerging technologies are out there solving real-world problems and completely reframing the job market.

Instead of having just one career, your working life will probably involve a portfolio of several, and thanks to increased automation, many of those roles will have been freed from the more mundane and repetitive tasks. The doors are open to a whole raft of exciting possibilities, but with the landscape changing at such pace, being adaptable, agile and ready to seize an opportunity, will be key to a promising future.

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ccording to the World Economic Forum, 35% of the skills demanded for jobs across industries will change by 2020.

Of course, the employers of tomorrow will be looking for scientists, and machine learning specialists with digital and technical skills, but they’ll also be looking for the creative visionaries who’ll design the next sustainable buildings and the naturally empathetic, with the EQ to care for our longer-living population.

The new ‘hybridisation’ of jobs is transforming traditional roles; the most in-demand and highest paid roles increasingly requiring a variety of skills, across multiple disciplines. The rise of today’s ‘hybrid’ job presents opportunity for all, but chiefly for those who can keep up, ready to equip themselves with the broad range of skills to succeed. Evidence of change is everywhere you look. Marketing and PR roles today require not just creativity, but a greater understanding of analytics and digital. Similarly, highly analytic jobs, in science or finance for example, already require skills in consulting, visual communications and the ever-important, creative thinking.

Of course, a great set of results and solid subject knowledge are prerequisites for most careers, but don’t underestimate the value of some very human traits. Being interested and interesting, able to ask questions and crucially, knowing which questions to ask, will stand you in good stead at interview and in the workplace.

Be curious and open-minded. The ability to innovate, to think critically and to problemsolve are hugely valuable skills that we teach in school, and that we know employers are crying out for. Leadership and teamwork skills are vote winners in any business, but so is the ability to bounce back when things don’t go according to plan.

Look at any successful entrepreneur and you’ll see that possession of the right ‘frame of mind’ is often a great place to start. Successful business people often demonstrate, originality, resilience and share similar behavioural traits. Being strong on the ‘people’ skills: communication and intuition helps them to literally ‘win friends and influence people’. Putney’s entrepreneurship programme has been showing students that this ‘entrepreneurial frame of mind’ is a precious commodity, whether you’re joining a FTSE 100 company or taking the initiative in your very first Startup. The ‘soft’ skills can be just as important as an impressive CV. They are skills that many of us are born with – although they can sometimes benefit from a little fine tuning.

So which industry should you aim for?

A key message from our last digital technology careers evening, attended by female innovators from Google, Ocado and BuzzFeed, was that only 15% of technology positions in business are held by women, but that looks set to change. Even if technology is not your strength, don’t set limits on your future by ignoring it. Jobs are encompassing technology in creative new ways, combining art and science in new roles that will appeal to every character. “Envisioning Expert”, “Empathologist” and “NUI (natural user interface) Designer”, will soon be common place job titles and all of them will be up for grabs.

Similarly, the creative industries now contribute 100 billion to the UK economy and welcome school leavers from academic and vocational routes in a vast array of roles.

Wherever your strengths and ambitions lie, the opportunities are out there. Take time to find what you’re good at. Seek out a working culture that is right for you and above all, discover what you really enjoy doing.

Passion and enthusiasm go a long way to making opportunities.

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Entrepreneurialism for the Future – in Today’s Classroom I am setting pen to paper (figuratively) in the middle of June, almost exactly three months since school was wound down. Signs of economic and business woe abound – huge state borrowing to support employees; a vertiginous leap in the unemployed and, around us, vacated high streets. Who, I wonder, could possibly want to start a business, or go it alone in the world of employment, in this? Who could possibly be so Panglossian as to even consider such a reckless step? Sitting tight in the most protected of jobs (I won’t name any!) surely has to be the sensible thing – doesn’t it?

And yet from the residue of the post-Covid economy new types of work will evolve.

This is a ball that has been set rolling before the virus: localism, socially-driven

enterprises, and community-based projects will be at the forefront. These will be incubated and nurtured by tech based, online solutions and apps to drive commerce – maybe even barter will find a new lease of life – after all tech makes it straightforward to connect the cast-off with the desired.

The extended supply chains and lean production models of globalisation are moving into reverse gear – and fast. The shutdown and its ensuing complications only accelerates such transition, so what skills and attributes will best support the entrepreneur of the future?

Some are easily identified and teachable – the essential skills-base won’t change greatly: calculating break-even points, forecasting cash-flows, writing business plans, researching demand-based pricing. All will remain part of the business tool kit, but what else?

The school classroom may not be the most obvious place to look but there is plenty in this environment which will inform the competencies of the entrepreneur of the future.

I would suggest a bifurcation here. Firstly come the ‘transversal competencies’1 (soft-skills) of team-working, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking and resilience. Most, if not all, pupils and teachers could point to their own experiences and readily extract examples which could be harnessed to this: presentations, group-work, ‘dual-coded’ resources . . . completing homework when it stands last in the line of desirable choices. Secondly could be added others, more recondite, rarefied and less ‘in the face’: coping with disruptive change, academic alertness, avoidance of perfectionism, ‘bouncebackability’2, honed social awareness, ‘failing successfully’ (seeing it as part of the journey to success), and ‘non-silo’ thinking3 – all will form part of tomorrow’s entrepreneurial

skill-set. It will be a blend of all, the blend’s mix aligned with the need identified.

That entrepreneur will not be deterred by nervejangling economic statistics or by a half boarded-up high street but will, instead, see opportunity. That entrepreneur’s maxim will be cherchez le créneau and from which may be born the next unicorn (in the start-up sense!) or, as importantly, a business that seeks to help all – environment and society as much as self-enrichment.

Elkington’s4 ‘Triple Bottom Line’ with its tripartite focus: people, planet, profit (in that order) may have seemed like an idealistic business model for so long – much less so now. That entrepreneur is needed – and now.

Andrew G Ross Head of Business & Economics

1 B.Cimatti defines soft skills as, ‘All the competencies not connected to a specific task (…) they are necessary in any position’ in ‘Definition Development Assessment of Soft Skills and their role for the quality of Organizations and Enterprises’ in The International Journal for Quality Research 10(1) pp97–130 2 A neologism I credit to our Entrepreneur in Residence 2019/2020, Mr Julian Hall.

3 Learning that is compartmentalised and restricted to the curriculum content required 4 John Elkington coined the term in 1994 – it spawned much of the Corporate Social Responsivity CSR mindset of today

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ARKWRIGHT SCHOLAR

DESIGNING ON THE FUTURE Pooja in Year 13 is currently studying for A Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Computer Science.

She was recently awarded an Arkwright Scholarship.

Here she tells us a little more about the process…

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I was told about the Arkwright Scholarship at my old school and immediately started to research all the opportunities in Engineering. The aim of the scholarship is to inspire and support the UK’s future engineers. The support is offered through mentors, work experience, industry-based engineering experience days and a great network with like-minded students.

How did you apply?

Students submit an application and an original project: mine was my GCSE DT coursework – a balance ball style exercise machine incorporating a maze with a ball bearing that has to be guided from one end of the maze to another. It was made from wood, acrylic and aluminium. I sat the Arkwright scholarship exam – a series of largely engineering questions – and then an interview which took place at the University of Greenwich. I also entered the project for The Big Bang Fair and won an innovation prize for my region.

What does being an Arkwright Scholar meanto you?

I was very happy when I was told that I’d received a scholarship. I was awarded £600 to spend on engineering projects over my two-year A Level course.

You can use it for anything related to your studies: courses, materials or lectures. I have a few ideas already, I’d like to make a robotic arm to improve my programming skills and I may do some more summer courses, which I have enjoyed in the past.

What is it about Engineering that particularly appeals to you?

The potential to integrate new technologies into real life applications and the opportunity to develop practical skills in engineering is exciting and something I want to part of. Engineering plays a more vital role in our lives than ever before. As I look around myself I observe numerous devices that were designed and constructed by engineers.

What are your hopes for the future?

I am currently being sponsored by Weir Group and I’m particularly interested in pursuing software engineering, electrical engineering or computer science.

Who are your heroes/heroines of engineering?

Grace Hopper was a trailblazing software engineer who helped develop multiple computer languages and is considered one of the first programmers of the modern computing age. She dismantled a malfunctioning computer to find that a dead moth was causing the problem. She became the first person to call computer problems ‘bugs’ in the system.

What is your advice to a younger girl who is interested in STEM subjects?

My best advice is to get involved! Do as much as you can to harvest your passion, if that means reading a book about design engineering or if it means building your own robotic arm. Also speak to teachers about your interest, they can really help by suggesting certain things to do for example doing a small piece course (engineering courses aimed at all ages). Even though it is daunting to be pursuing a career in a male led field, it is always important to remember that you should be confident in your interests.

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Putney High

OUTREACH The Outreach programme at Putney is designed to encapsulate the ethos and vision of ‘Breathe’ as a living and breathing community, where students are aware and act upon their social responsibility inside and outside of school. Our central aims are to: • E nsure the local community is benefitting from us (be it on a charitable level or environmental level) • E ncourage the qualities of altruism, gratitude, magnanimity, selflessness and leadership in our pupils, empowering them to make a positive difference in the world • C reate opportunities for real impact in local schools – academically and holistically • D evelop partnerships with entrepreneurship at their heart Outreach generates a cycle of positive benefits flowing from Putney High School to our local community and back again: Firstly our students and staff contribute to community projects through collaboration and volunteering, and secondly our pupils learn from and grow with our community to become enriched in turn.

Then the cycle begins again.

We have 25+ links with local Primary and Secondary Schools and Universities, fostering intellectual agility and partnerships.

These range from the ‘Cool to be Curious’ programme run with Roehampton University and local state primary schools to our ‘Music & Mind’ collaboration with the University of Goldsmith’s Neuroscience Department investigating the connection between musical and extra-curricular engagement and adolescent brain development (see p.34–35). In the last year we donated more than £11,695 to various charities and organisations from various fundraising programmes and House Charity Events, from the marathon and triathlon challenges run by the Sports department to the rainbow baking challenge as part of our House competition series. Our pupils have given 1800+ hours to their local community through volunteering, from reading with Junior School pupils, to teaching drama and volunteering with our local library help as part of the Duke of Edinburgh programme. Overall we have 97 Bronze participants and 11 Gold participants this year and volunteering has become virtual.

Making a Genuine

DIFFERENCE

Over lockdown, there were even more opportunities for making genuine connections with our communities and encouraging our pupils to stretch and challenge themselves in the process, by using their creativity and imagination. We ran the following initiatives in school:

• S crubs with Love – making scrubs, wash bags and hats for local NHS workers, with pupils of keyworkers in school.

To date we have dispatched over 100 items • M essages of Hope – writing uplifting decorated messages for NHS staff, with pupils both in school and at home • W riting to the elderly in Care Homes – pupils inside and outside school contributing to a Richmond Council initiative to combat loneliness in old age Our staff have also made a tremendous difference, by reaching out to partner organisations to offer online teaching materials to Ark Putney Academy and state schools in the West London Partnership, as well as delivering stationery donations to the Wandsworth ‘PlayKits’ project, providing craft and school materials for disadvantaged pupils in Battersea.

On top of that, many of our colleagues made hot meals for local charities and even ran charity theatre productions to raise money for charities during lockdown.

In short, Outreach is a chance for our pupils and staff to learn, grow, give and express their deep connection with Putney and its residents and I can’t wait to see what next year will bring as we grow an even bigger and stronger local network!

Jane Brandon Deputy Head Co-curricular & Outreach

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EXTENDED PROJECT QUALIFICATION

What is the value of recycling in Germany is considered to be the best recycler in the world. The UK is ranked the 10th best in Europe but Wales on its own has the second highest recycling rate in Europe. There is a significant lack of uniformity in the UK’s recycling system.

Why is our recycling rate so low?

• L ACK OF SERVICE: local authorities are legally bound to offer a waste collection service to all households. In regions such as north east England, only 21-30% of household waste is recycled.

Following Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series in 2017, the conversation surrounding plastic waste has grown rapidly, to the extent that ‘single-use’ was the word of the year in 2018. The purpose of my Extended Project was to evaluate the importance of recycling as a method of cutting down on the plastic waste produced by our throwaway society and discover why the UK has a low recycling rate compared to its European counterparts.

• F RAUD AND CORRUPTION: the UK recycling system is corrupt. At least 100 container ships holding plastic waste leave English ports to countries such as Holland, Poland and Turkey on a daily basis.

Recycling is often overlooked as a method of improving the UK’s plastic predicament. The media and other literary sources such as Lucy Siegle’s Turning the Tide on Plastic frequently discuss small-scale methods such as purchasing expensive non-plastic items and decanting groceries into non-plastic containers. I argue that whilst these initiatives are undoubtedly proving helpful, prioritising them is not effective on a national scale as they are socially exclusive. Recycling is something we all have access to, and therefore the easiest thing to get right.

• LANDFILL: the UK’s dependence on landfill is increasing.

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• INFRASTRUCTURE: despite using at least 5 million tonnes of plastic packaging annually in the UK, we only have the potential to recycle 7% of this (approximately 350,000 tonnes). Where the UK particularly falls short in its infrastructure is the absence of appropriate resources which can sort various types of plastic.

• C ONSUMPTION: the amount of packaging and plastic bottles consumed is deeply exacerbating the problem of inefficient infrastructure. Plastic bottles, in particular, are the major contributors to the UK’s plastic pollution quandary.

• H OUSEHOLD RECYCLING BEHAVIOUR: over half of households (56%) across the UK believe they are correctly disposing of an item which they are actually disposing of incorrectly.

• D EPOSIT RETURN SCHEME: the UK doesn’t have one of these systems in place. If it did, the quantity of plastic bottle waste would dramatically decrease. A successful example of this is the Pfand System in Germany.

today’s single-use society and why does the UK’s recycling rate continue to lag behind?

To conclude Whilst there has been recent progression of awareness of and acting upon recycling in the UK, more direct improvements need to be made. These include investment in infrastructure, encouraging active and efficient recycling behaviour, reducing reliance on landfill and reducing consumption. It is undoubtable that these improvements would stimulate effective recycling and waste treatment, as well as uniformity in recycling across the whole of the United Kingdom. Another conclusion I would draw is that these improvements can only be proposed and instigated by higher authorities such as the national government. Whilst the population is responsible for calibrating and improving their recycling behaviour and habits, it is largely the responsibility of politicians and leading manufacturers to evaluate and modify the chemical content of their products which, providing there is improved infrastructure in the UK, can be recycled thoroughly.

Summary of EPQ by Harriet Robson

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DRAMA

MASTERCLASS

and beyond

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It’s been a year of firsts for the Drama Department.

Our first new addition to the extra-curricular offerings were our Masterclass Mondays, started by the brilliantly talented Putney Alumna, Sophie Simnett, who led a Masterclass on ‘Acting for Camera’. Sophie worked with the students giving them a behind-the-scenes look at preparing for a screen test.

She answered the students’ questions about her career – most recently the role of Sam Dean on the new Netflix show ‘Daybreak’. Next in the line-up was Jon Pritchard in our Spring Masterclass. Jon is a talented young playwright and the students had the opportunity to explore with him various script writing techniques for theatre, film and television. We were about to introduce our next Masterclass in April, when Covid-19 struck.

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The masterclass was incredibly informative and created many opportunities for me! I learned many new skills and tips on how to get into the acting industry. Iman Hafeez With adaptability the order of the day, we changed tack to continue our theme of firsts, the Drama Department joining the rest of the school to create resources and lessons online for the students to continue their exploration of the arts. Watching live theatre was suddenly off the menu so ‘Theatre in Lockdown’ was born, a Year 13 elective which specifically explored how the whole world of theatre and the arts were adapting to lockdown. We kept upto-date with recorded performances and the various news, ending this term with an online, interactive theatre performance of a murder mystery show ‘Space: The FATAL Frontier’ where the rest of the school are able to interrogate the suspects and find out ‘who killed Captain Robert Anderson’.

Alongside this elective, our head girl Kitty Goodman has used this time to develop her own one-woman show ‘Celery’, exploring identity and who we are, under the guidance of Mrs Armstrong.

The e-Theatre club ‘Let’s go to the Theatre (from our sofas)’ has been extremely popular, exploring works from the Edinburgh Fringe, National Theatre, Regents Park Open Air and the Donmar Warehouse. The Drama Department are optimistic for the future and the return to school includes a planned line-up of fantastic shows starting with the Year 9 production of ‘Macbeth’ that will be performed through the Shakespeare Schools Festival’s ‘One Night of Shakespeare’ in November, followed by a Year 8 –11 production of ‘Neverland’ and ending with the Sixth Form Theatre Company bringing ‘Legally Blonde’ to our school stages in February 2021.

Whether we audition online or in person in the autumn, the Drama Department will always be creative and the show will most definitely go on!

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A R T & d E S I G N

As the late Ken Robinson, educationist and proponent of encouragement of creativity among children, once said “imagination is the key to everything”. But he also believed that the role of the teacher is to spark students’ curiosity, to light a spark to ensure they will learn.

One of the joys of being Director of Visual Arts at Putney is that I have the luxury, as well as the responsibility, of designing an inspiring, exciting and diverse curriculum for students.

It is vital that the school provides a rich, varied learning experience, not just for our Art GCSE and A Level students but to ensure all our students are engaged and open to new ideas. This learning experience should stretch and challenge students beyond the comfort of the art studio.

ART

Art encourages self-expression and creativity and should build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity. It helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us. As well as teaching and developing skills such as recording, analysis and creation of a visual response to their surroundings, art should make students look at things anew.

I devised an original and highly personal GCSE Art project and introduced students to Japanese culture. Who has not seen the ‘Wave’ – the iconic, bold, graphic image now found on packaging around the world, from bags to iPhone covers? Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa has become a definitive representation of Japanese art and culture and is instantly recognisable. I first discovered this simple yet powerful image of the ocean at the age of 11 or 12, mesmerized by its bold, simplified graphic qualities, the colour and movement and, at the same time, the delicacy about it. Ever since then I have loved it and it has become very important to me, symbolic of the powerful journey we travel through life with its inevitable ebb and flow.

Japanese Art portrays a wealth of styles and influences, from ancient pottery and sculpture, to ink painting, woodblock prints, calligraphy on silk and paper, as well as origami. We are lucky enough to have the V&A gallery on our doorstep, giving our students the opportunity to draw Japanese art and sculpture from observation, to see and experience firsthand a range of artwork produced over centuries. Students study the great printmakers Hokusai and Hiroshige and are introduced to 21st-Century block printing process. They are inspired by such diverse artists as Murakami and Kusama – giving them the ingredients to enable them to design, compose and create their own original mixed media works through this visual journey and experience, communicating with colour, shape and form, In GCSE Art we are here to support and encourage our students to take risks, to build resilience and to learn how to express themselves. It is my view that to be creative you have to self-reflective, self-critical, collaborative and very focused – all part of the skills for life. I believe, very much like Sir Ken Robinson, that teaching is to mentor, to engage and to provoke our young students and their thinking processes into wanting to learn. I think it is clear that we have been able to awaken our students’ imagination through a wealth of Japanese art as well as exploring new skills in their creative education. All this is evident in the extraordinary artwork our Art students produce and in the results that they achieve.

Stella Jennings DIRECTOR OF VISUAL ARTS

Artwork, Left panel: Elena Vlassova Right panel: Georgie Forbes

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Why study History of Art? Why would you not? The name of the subject belies the extraordinary scope of the subject. History of Art is a way of looking at humanity and our place within the universe: a way of understanding the past in order to look to the future. It is also a precious chance to delve into a new A Level subject that draws fascinating connections between art, architecture, history, literature, religion, politics, economics, psychology, philosophy, science and music.

understand, communicate, memorialise and manipulate. It allows us to decode complex messages and to ‘demythologise’ concealed realities as we learn to question and critique.

Academically History of Art has sometimes suffered from being considered a ‘soft subject’, but students quickly realise that this is not the case! Quite apart from the breadth and depth of content covered, History of Art teaches visual literacy: requiring students to look analytically and critically and to present findings in a confident and compelling way. These are invaluable skills and History of Art students go on to be incredibly successful in everything from communication and PR, to law and medicine, to name a few.

I was lucky enough to study History of Art A Level when I was at school and I can honestly say it altered the course of my life.

I have studied and worked in some great institutions, lived abroad, met countless fascinating people and accumulated a worryingly large book collection. For better or worse I will spend the rest of my days on a doomed but wonderful mission to learn and understand the whole history of human endeavour!

The subject engages its students in serious debate surrounding morality, ethnicity, cultural appropriation, class, gender, conflict and environmental issues. In our increasingly divided society, it is a precious means of connecting us to others. The A Level course spans a huge swathe of human history and explores works from outside the western European tradition, allowing us to appreciate diversity across time periods, cultures and religions, whilst ultimately discovering startling similarity in thoughts, beliefs, rituals, fears and desires. It examines the human urge to create, to explore,

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Jacob Lawrence Migration Series

Olivia Dobell, Head of History of Art

Tour of Italy Rome, Florence and Venice The Putney Art and History of Art trip to Italy was a whirlwind grand tour of three great Italian cities: Rome, Florence and Venice.

Beginning in ROME, the Eternal City, we leapt across time, marvelling at ancient Roman engineering at the Colosseum and the Pantheon, analysing spectacular Renaissance artwork at the Vatican and engaging with cutting-edge contemporary art at the MAXXI Gallery. In the evenings we had delicious meals in local restaurants and wandered the beautiful cobble-stoned streets to discover other Roman treasures like the Trevi Fountain.

After the fast-pace of Rome we took the train to FLORENCE, the ‘cradle of the Renaissance’. Here History of Art students saw many of their Renaissance case studies first hand, often in the churches and chapels for which they were originally designed.

We saw Botticelli at the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia and we gazed over the city from the heights of Brunelleschi’s great dome of the cathedral. Art students engaged equally with old and new, wowing the general public with their beautiful sketching in the Bargello Museum of Renaissance sculpture and at the fabulous Marino Marini Museum.

Our final stop of the trip was the inconceivably stunning VENICE, or ‘La Serenissima’ (‘The most serene Republic’).

We absorbed the beauty of this unique city on a walk that took us through winding streets (or calle), through the Rialto trading area to the majestic Piazza San Marco. We saw some gems of Venetian Renaissance art and architecture but also studied fantastic 20th-century art at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. And we were lucky enough to be there for the Venice Biennale, which was a fantastic opportunity to discover some of the best contemporary art being produced by countries from across the globe.

We left Venice in style by hopping into water taxis and speeding off into the night with the lights of the city dimming behind us. All-in-all it was an actionpacked and a completely eye-opening few days looking at the best of old and new in these wonderful Italian cities.

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POETRY

“I chose Ahana’s poem Likeness as the winning poem in this group for its control, the strong imagery and coherence: lipstick and a mirror as a sort of timewarp – and the connection between youth and age, the grandmother and her granddaughter.”

Claudia Daventry, Judge

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Likeness Winner of the GDST Laurie Magnus Poetry Prize 2020

One of the wonderful things about Ahana’s poem is the way in which household objects take on a greater significance. An act of self-contemplation is never just that – here it is an interrogation of the relationship between two competing cultures, between generations of women, between youth and age. With its deft handling of imagery and form, Likeness gently guides us to a conclusion that reminds us of the ways in which the past exists within the present and the composite nature of the self is summed up within our bodies.

Tom McLaughlin English Department

to underestimate the power of hope is to slather the cracks of your skin in your grandmother’s face cream kept, half-open, in front of the rust dusted mirror— scent of english lavender masking thinly the slicing of purple onions, swollen like eyes, tossed with salt and lemon in a bowl next to the aching varnish of the puja. to underestimate the power of hope is to wear your dead grandmother’s lipstick and look yourself in the eye, poking your tongue on the inside of your cheek, so desperate to find the likeness that you scare yourself into finding her face etched in the marrow of your jawline and you are so afraid that you scratch the lipstick from your mouth burning the back of your hand with a sticky plum bruise and you hope you might return to your own body but it is too late. no matter how many times you splash your face with cold water you will never wash away the image of your grandmother, giggling with your dimples and rubbing lipstick on her teeth every time you try to smile.

Ahana Banerji, Year11 Winner of the Years 10–11 category

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All about the Music

Robert Patterson DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

It has been a terrific pleasure to dive straight into the wonderful world of music-making at Putney since starting at the school in January.

My colleagues from previous schools have a uniformly high opinion of THE BREADTH AND THE DEPTH Putney High School music; Part of the excitement is undoubtedly seeing girls of they are not wrong. There is all ages and abilities wanting to create and to perform. it’s in a full scale concert, the Senior School quite simply so much Whether Musical, Year 9 Opera, an informal event or just within musical talent on display lesson time; it seems there is no end to their appetite for across so many genres, and music in all its forms. Whether they are recreating an old classic or putting on a newly composed piece; everything impressive self-motivation and is greeted with the same degree of enthusiasm and commitment from all the girls. clearly nothing is too much of a challenge.

How could I, as a newcomer, THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS describe music at Putney? From double basses to piccolos, organs to synthesisers and

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baritone saxophones to acoustic guitars, the girls really do play everything here. Even the accordion (incredibly well!).

Putney pupils are no strangers to trying new things and with so many opportunities across the academic and extra-curricular spectrum, one might wonder how music could fit in. Well it seems it doesn’t just “fit in”; music really is integral to the life of the school.

THE INCLUSIVITY AND THE MUTUAL RESPECT Whatever the age and ability, there is genuine schoolwide support for all the music-making at Putney and a particular passion for ensemble music-making. The co-operation and leadership by the girls themselves in rehearsals, and House music competitions is something to behold. This is a school with over a dozen a cappella groups alone. As with so much at the school, providing ample opportunity is the key for the continued success of an already exceptional music department. With the creation of a new Head of Performance role from September, I’m excited that there will be someone whose primary role will be to oversee the performing development of every student and be dedicated to building performance opportunities, for every age and level of ability. To expand the breadth of repertoire and to rightly display the talents of the girls both locally and beyond, we can look forward to a greater number of performances at external venues and we will continue to develop the partnerships with other schools which students and staff already find so rewarding.

With recent investment in music IT equipment we have already seen Year 9 become budding DJs and with the eagerly awaited arrival of our purpose-built Music Department, there will be plenty more opportunities to harness Putney’s phenomenal creative force. Exciting times!

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Music really is integral to the life of the school

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Music & Mind MUSIC AND ADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT We have known for a long time that there is a positive association between musical and academic ability, however the nature of this relationship has not been fully understood.

So far, it has not been possible to determine whether musical training has a direct causal impact upon academic achievement in students. It is precisely this question that the LongGold Project, a collaboration betweenthe Music, Mind, and Brain research group from the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths’ University of London, and 10 secondary schools in the UK and Germany, including Putney High School, seeks to answer. This is the first longitudinal study with secondary school students to show how active musical participation (such as learning to play an instrument or to sing) in a naturalistic setting (i.e. without any special music intervention) is connected to academic achievement, but also other important psychological factors, such as general intelligence, psych-social skills, and attitudes towards learning.

As part of this project, running over four years, pupils will complete a fun musical assessment once each year for one hour in PSHE lessons or tutor time. The questions, focusing on musical activity and participation, sporting and drama engagement, personality and listening tasks,will be posed to our students as well as thousands of other young people across the schools in the UK and Germany with the aim of mapping how musical, cognitive, and social abilities develop together during adolescence. So far, we have been running the project for one year and it has involved Year 7, 9 and 11 students.

Additionally, our Sixth Form Psychology students have benefitted from a bespoke seminar about the project and one of the project leads in the

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UK – Dr Nicolas Ruth – has presented the preliminaryresults in a whole-school assembly.

The first research findings suggest that being surrounded by musical experiences (be they structured in lessons or informally through pupils’ own exploration of listening and playing) correlates with higher academic outcomes. It may be that through learning to play a musical instrument, or in perfecting a musical skill, students are recognising that achievement is linked to focused and determined practice. Music is a good model for the plasticity of the teenage brain. Learning to play a musical instrument, or to sing in a choir, places very specific and unique demands on the human nervous system and through neuroimaging we can demonstrate the structural and functional changes that take place in the brain as a result of this kind of skill practice. If students can understand the dynamic nature of their developing brains, we can foster a positive approach to learning a musical instrument and also help them to recognise that musicians are not born brilliant but achieve brilliance through effort, hard work, and practice.

This research demonstrates the motivational power of music and illustrates how music education can genuinely help our students to become more effective learners and to achieve more highly. However, more detail of how music shapes the adolescent brain won’t be known for another couple of years yet. We can’t wait to see what the data analysis will reveal!

Music education can help our students to become more effective learners and to achieve more highly.

Research Collaboration with Goldsmith’s University of London 35

SPORT

The increasingly high profile and crucially, growing popularity of women’s sport on the international stage, has meant that schools are having to move with the times in response to a whole new market for girls’ sports. PE Departments have been upping their game, keen to satisfy increasing numbers of young women who are thirsty to try new sports, to compete at the highest levels, and to follow in the footsteps of a new generation of inspiring sporting heroines. Of course, traditional sports like lacrosse, netball and gymnastics are as strong as ever. At Putney over 250 girls play netball with seven teams across Year 7 alone and 250 matches per year. But for those looking for something different, or who don’t want to play those traditional sports, there are now plenty of exciting alternatives.

When the England’s National Women’s team performed so well at the Football World Cup, igniting a passion for the game in a whole new generation of girls, Putney’s sports department knew that football lessons should be added to the timetable. Women’s and men’s football were once on equal pegging until a ban by the Football Association in 1921. Since that ban was lifted in 1971, women’s football has taken time to rebuild and it is great to see the explosion of interest amongst this generation of girls. The sport is now hugely popular at the school and teams are progressing well under the watchful eye of specialist coaches. Putney has even appointed girls as football “marketers” and “deliverers” on a football committee who are responsible for raising awareness of the game. “We’ve had an amazing response with more girls signing up every week and lots of positive feedback from parents.

Rounders has become a thing of the past at many schools, giving way to the much more popular cricket, which again hit the spotlight thanks to England women’s performance in the World Cup. Everyone seems to want to play. “We first introduced cricket three years ago, Kwik Cricket for Years 7–9, and such has been its success that we have now widened this, launching hard ball cricket for Year 9 upwards,” explained Emma Fraser, Putney’s Director of Sport. Putney competes in the Lady Taverner’s Indoor Competition at Lords and has four teams at Under 12 and Under 13. The Under 14s and Under 15s winter train with cricket coach Alastair Fraser (ex-County for Middlesex and Essex) in readiness for the hard ball season which begins in the Summer.

One of the reasons cricket works well is that everyone can get involved

Rounders has become a thing of the past at many schools giving way to the much more popular cricket – everyone bowls, bats and fields. As well as being inclusive, it delivers for those who want to compete at elite level, there are so many opportunities now for girls within the sport.

Rowing is another popular sport at Putney, and with Mrs Longstaff being a former Olympic Cox this comes as no surprise. Putney has the first ‘girls only’ boathouse on a prestigious stretch of the Thames at Putney Embankment. Supported by an active Rowing Supporters Association, the boathouse provides professional facilities for girls who practise and compete nationally and to international GB level.

There are five squads and almost one fifth of the senior school

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involved in rowing overall with social and performance tiers in each age group.

Mrs Longstaff remembers the days when rowing was considered a male sport. “Great Britain’s success in women’s rowing demonstrates that with clear vision and action, equality can be achieved, with all the benefits it brings in terms of participation, fitness, health and wellbeing as well as sheer enjoyment.” She’s delighted that in 2021, Henley Royal Regatta will for the first time include a Women’s Junior Eights race, a blue ribbon event for schoolgirls to join the one that is already available to boys.

There is no doubt that one of the biggest issues for schools is finding time within the PE schedule. Mrs Fraser evaluates the curriculum every year and tailors the provision according to the interests of a specific year group. “In terms of the challenges of introducing new sports such as cricket, we are fortunate that there is a lot of support available for

Putney champions a culture of getting girls moving and enjoying being active, at every age and level of ability girls and for coaches, within the sports and particularly for us within the GDST which has made the transition easier. For example, Year 8 pupils receive training with community coaches from England Rugby,” she explains.

From rugby and football to cricket, sports that once were the preserve of boys’ schools are now top of a list that includes a huge amount of choice. There’s also athletics, cross country, squash, volleyball, tennis, martial arts, spinning, dance, yoga and Zumba. No excuse for any girl not to find something she enjoys. It really is a case of ‘sport for all’ and for the increasing numbers of talented young students who are competing at county or national level, there is no shortage of specialist support. Helping young, elite athletes to manage their academic studies alongside the demands of training and competition is no easy task and some schools are now offering tailor-made support, like Putney’s Elite Sportswomen Programme, to respond to the specific needs of high-performing pupils. Having a team of professional coaches on hand, from Olympian rowing coach Jess Eddie to England’s Claire Faram, Head of Lacrosse and world champion acrobat Lewis Walker, offers students access to not only some great role models, but a mentor who genuinely understands the demands on their time.

Equality of opportunity is heralding the dawn of a new generation of sporting talent and there’s no sign of these girls dropping the ball any time soon.

The changing face of girls’ sport Girls’ sport has been undergoing a quiet but very welcome revolution

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PUTNEY ON TOUR

A TASTE OF INDIA India is a land of contrast, an assault to the senses.

We were lucky enough to have some wondrous experiences in this stunning country – from visiting one of the Wonders of the World to navigating the busy roads of Old Delhi and trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas. India held for us an enjoyable fusion of inspirational, fascinating and educational activities.

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ur trip was a perfect mix of sightseeing, physical activity, and volunteering – there was something for everyone. One of the many highlights of our trip was visiting the Jain Trust School in Old Delhi and the charity school in Pine Hills. This provided us with a unique experience where we were able to connect with the children and get a very different perspective on education and their lives. The delightful smiles on their faces when we presented them with small gifts and stationery is something not many of us will forget for a long while.

Another highlight of our trip was visiting the Taj Mahal – it was spectacular! Its large pearly white silhouette stood out against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, and intricate marble patterns adorned its façade – every detail painstaking carved by hand. This beautiful monument also came with its own poignant story: it was built in memory of the Emperor’s late wife Mumtaz Mahal. But even beautiful tales have their own share of underlying dark secrets . . .

drenching us in water. This was one of the most enjoyable events of our trip, despite how wet we got!

One of the most exhilarating moments of our trip was when we went white-water rafting – racing down the River Ganges (India’s most famous and holiest river), fighting our way through the rapids as waves came over

My favourite place was Pine Hills with its stunning views, where we had a wonderful stay at an ecocamp at the foot of the Himalayas. There was an atmosphere of calm and tranquility, and we were given the opportunity to take part in so many activities. I won’t forget the campfire singalongs, cricket matches (some teachers were very competitive), the village, and the trekking.

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The markets we visited enhanced our senses, as bright colours burst out from the stores and the heavy smell of spices, like saffron and cardamom, engulfed us. We bought some magnificent gifts for those who could not enjoy this experience with us. As we haggled and bargained, getting the best prices for what we thought were beautiful jewellery and elaborate ornaments, the atmosphere was highly-charged and exciting.

We also visited a Sikh temple in New Delhi and got the chance to learn about the beliefs and traditions of their religion. A core part of Sikhism is volunteering their time and resources to help the poor. We helped out in their kitchens and saw mountains of ingredients, huge pots, and volunteers working tirelessly to provide countless meals for the poor and hungry. It was aweinspiring!

I have visited India with my family several times, but this was by far my best trip. I saw so many different facets of the country, and had so much fun. The India trip is one of the best opportunities at Putney and was a truly amazing experience.

Ananya Sharma

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Rowing Boston Some of Putney’s rowers set off to Boston, USA, in October 2019 to participate in the famous Head of the Charles race.

The trip began with a warm welcome from Radcliffe, Harvard Women’s boathouse, where the girls were boating from. After getting settled, the girls started their training with an ergo session.

During one of the sessions they were lucky enough to meet American Olympic rower Gevvie Stone, who was kind enough to share some of her top tops and racing advice. This was then followed by some eagerly awaited on-water training.

It was great to row on the Charles River, but the group also made time to explore some of the Boston sites.With an eye on the future,

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the girls had the opportunity to take a tour of the Harvard University campus. A couple of students spoke with US college coaches and gained invaluable insights into what potential universities in the States are looking for.

Once the Harvard tour had finished our students went to watch a Boston University ice hockey match which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

During the February half term, our Year 8 students took to the slopes at the Marilleva-Folgarida ski resort. They had the pleasure of staying in a ‘ski to the door’ hotel, opposite the main chairlift and gondola.

With over six days of skiing on a range of blue, red and black runs, there was a lot of pizza and pasta consumption. The more experienced groups did a ski slalom, which was really exciting to watch, and went the snow parks to test their jumping skills.

In their spare time the girls went sledging and created lots of dances on their skis! The top group bought their ski instructor a hat for his birthday and they were all so clearly bonded.

There were also some very entertaining post skiing activities including swimming at the hotel, ice-skating in Male, pizza night in Dai Angoi in Marilleva, and an infamous talent show and quiz led by our very own ski captains, Josie and Maia. On the last day we went to Franciacorta outlet village for some shopping before heading to the airport.

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Overall, both students and staff had a brilliant time.

The skiing was great fun from start to finish. I’ve made new friends and created memories for life.

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?

Teacher to Governor I first joined Putney High School in 1986 as Head of Modern Languages and walked straight into a strong and loyal department.

The buildings looked and felt rather different three decades back. Cromwell, then the main building, still held the atmosphere of a large Victorian house. Our classrooms were tucked under the eaves and felt like servants’ bedrooms.

Our language lessons, then French, German and Italian, were largely carried out here, or in Homefield which still had chalk blackboards. I was dismayed that the boards were so scratched that they bore ready-made French accents causing great confusion.

In the 1990s, Galbraith was built, and Modern Languages now had a suite of classrooms: luxury. No more lugging around of tape-recorders! Each classroom had an overhead projector, and we were able to project pictures on to the beautifully smooth white roller-boards.

Spanish came into the curriculum, and Italian, which had been reserved for Sixth Form students, departed (now on offer again for current students).

Trips abroad were surely my favourite aspect of teaching, but also my biggest nightmare – a girl without a passport, homesickness; and yet the wonderful nocturnal cruises on the River Seine, the roller-skating café in Futuroscope and hot chocolate in the gardens of Versailles.

In humility, we languages teachers know that a language is best acquired in the native culture, best of all in a family. We arranged numerous exchanges to our partner-school in Lyon, and the girls returned to England eager to express themselves, having broken through a linguistic barrier.

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Then came Mandarin in the new millennium, and this brought a whole new dimension to the Department, with tea ceremonies, chopstick skills and the possibility of cooking with a wok in lessons (soon forbidden by Health and Safety). We were quick to find a partner school in Beijing, and the following year, I led a trip with 14 girls to stay in the Old Town of Shanghai. Water-cities, waterchestnuts, eye-exercises in school, a grotto for meditation in the school grounds. All so different.

By now I had tackled several jobs at Putney. I became Senior Teacher in the 90s, playing a key role in Senior Management.

I particularly loved delivering assemblies and a highlight came when the Head, Mrs Merchant, had me acting out the side-kick’s role in Mission Impossible to gales of laughter as I struggled with my outmoded trainers. I also loved the Staff Christmas Panto.

An event at which I did not excel was the Staff Fashion Parade.

I had to model a gold-sequined evening gown and cape and was coached in how to do a twirl, swinging my cape casually over my shoulder. To my horror, the lady who coached us was present, which made me nervous and, of course, my casual pivot nearly made me tumble off the catwalk.

I retired in 2009 from a department looking very different from the one I had inherited in 1986. What a privilege it was to be invited to join the Governing Board one year later. And I have particularly enjoyed my special role with the Juniors. I have attended many lessons with Early Years, indeed all year-groups, sometimes sitting on tiny chairs and cutting dough, or following the development of the pastoral programme now deeply embedded in the curriculum.

A grand moment came when I was invited to open the Log Cabin.

From my first day of teaching at Putney to my last Governor visit to a classroom in 2020, I have found every pupil in the school – from Early Years to Oxbridge students – original, quirky and delightful.

My decades of involvement with Putney have been privileged ones, each girl and member of staff providing rich treasure: thank you everyone, and just enjoy this unique and wonderful school, as I have done!

Maud Matley 43

ACADEMIC RESULTS 2020

A Level A*

A

B

C

D

E

Entries

Passes

Art and Design

4

2

0

0

0

0

6

6

Biology

11

10

6

0

0

0

27

27

Chemistry

8

8

4

2

0

0

22

22

Classical Civilisation

2

1

0

0

0

0

3

3

Drama

3

2

0

0

0

0

5

5

Economics

3

4

1

0

0

0

8

8

English Literature

7

5

1

0

0

0

13

13

French

2

6

1

0

0

0

9

9

Further Mathematics

4

2

0

0

0

0

6

6

Geography

8

6

3

0

0

0

17

17

German

3

0

0

0

0

0

3

3

Government and Politics

3

5

0

0

0

0

8

8

History

12

12

3

1

0

0

28

28

History of Art

2

0

1

0

0

0

3

3

Latin

1

2

0

0

0

0

3

3

Mandarin

4

1

0

0

0

0

5

5

Mathematics

20

13

7

1

0

0

41

41

Music

2

1

0

0

0

0

3

3

Physical Education

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

Physics

3

4

1

0

0

0

8

8

Psychology

9

4

3

0

0

0

16

16

Religious Studies

4

0

0

0

0

0

4

4

Spanish

5

3

2

0

0

0

10

10

Textiles

6

3

1

0

0

0

10

10

TOTAL

127

94

34

4

0

0

259

259

Pass Rate: A* = 49% A*– A = 85.3% A*– B = 98.5% A*– C = 100%

44

GCSE 9

8

7

6

5

4

Entries

9–5

Art and Design

8

8

5

4

0

0

25

25

Biology

52

27

15

7

2

0

103

103

Chemistry

40

21

22

15

4

0

102

102

Classical Civilisation

6

2

1

1

0

0

10

10

Computer Science

5

6

0

2

0

0

13

13

Drama

25

5

1

0

0

0

31

31

English Language

43

30

21

12

0

0

106

106

English Literature

50

30

22

2

2

0

106

106

French

21

6

4

1

2

0

34

34

Geography

25

11

7

0

0

0

43

43

German

11

4

4

0

0

0

19

19

Greek

1

0

1

0

0

0

2

2

History

39

13

13

1

1

0

67

67

Italian

2

2

0

0

0

0

4

4

Latin

7

4

2

0

0

0

13

13

Mandarin

8

7

1

0

0

0

16

16

Mathematics

56

23

22

5

0

0

106

106

Music

6

2

0

0

0

0

8

8

Physical Education

11

1

0

0

0

0

12

12

Physics

42

21

24

12

6

0

105

105

Religious Studies

22

4

1

0

0

0

27

27

Resistant Materials

6

4

3

0

0

0

13

13

Science

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

1

Spanish

21

19

14

7

1

2

64

64

Textiles

11

9

4

3

2

0

29

29

TOTAL

519

259

188

72

20

2

1059

1059

Pass Rate: 9 = 49% 9 – 8 = 73.4% 9 – 7 = 91.1% 9 – 6 = 97.9% 9 – 4 = 100%

45

LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS 2020 NAME Hiba Al Moosawi Coco Amor Lara Arif Phoebe Boardman Aya Boucheneb Alice Bridges Madeleine Canning Stephanie Capp Tiffany Chan Khava Chilaeva Wing Yin Sophie Chow Mia Clark Jessica Collins Anna Coutts

DESTINATION COURSE NAME St George’s Biomedical Science York History University College London Medicine Newcastle Medicine and Surgery Southampton Philosophy and Mathematics Durham Geography Camberwell College of Art Art Foundation Durham Classical Civilisation Imperial College Civil Engineering Gap year

Durham Mathematics York History Kingston School of Art Art Foundation Oxford Classics and English

Chiara Cox Emily Davies Jennifer De Groot Amber de Lisser Ithar Hajar Derdour Sophia Donkin Bethany Downham Madeleine Faulkner Reem Fhail Jana Flaherty Emma Flitcroft Polly Forrester Zoe Geall Jasmine Giri-Wild Kate Glazebrook Katherine Goodman Gillian Gyamfi Ellie Hendry Emily Hindle Sophie Hoare Francesca Horgan Yasmin Howe Georgie Johnston Calla Leverett Allegra Levine Suze Lips Anna Magere Madhuri Mahurkar Isabella Mais Ella Mark Chloe Mather Tatum Meadows Eesha Mehrotra Lara Mohammad Rosie Moorhead Rosie Nathan Alice Newsholme

Oxford Biology Edinburgh Biological Sciences St Andrews Sustainable Development Liverpool Medicine King’s College London Dentistry Leeds Languages, Cultures and Film Studies Bristol Psychology Leeds English Literature Imperial College Medicine Warwick Psychology Exeter Economics Exeter History and Ancient History Cambridge Classics Southampton Psychology Manchester Philosophy and Politics Manchester Politics and International Relations Cardiff Financial Mathematics Courtauld Institute of Art History of Art York English Nottingham Medicine

Gap year Gap year Exeter Drama Leeds Philosophy, Politics and Economics Oxford Geography Oxford German and Beginners’ Italian Exeter Politics, Philosophy and Economics Warwick History and Global Sustainable Development University College London Medicine

Oxford Biochemistry (Molecular and Cellular) Gap year Edinburgh Psychology University College London Engineering (Biomedical) Warwick History and Sociology Durham Biological Sciences Nottingham Religion, Philosophy and Ethics Edinburgh History and Politics

46

Alice O’Flynn Lily O’Riordan Jude Poppy Park Annabel Parker Isha Parvaiz Esha Patel Misha Patel Isabella Penny Sylvie Phillips Lily Picchioni Catriona Powell Millie Rankin Lakshya Ravikimar Mia Reid-Bashir Meera Robins Harriet Robson Daphne Sarkany Amy Small Taiyaba Sohail Sophia Starck Lauren Street Daniela Szynkowska Ophelia Tavares Alice Thompson Rosie Thorogood Jessica Turner Lara Ward Emily Whitehead Lucia Wickham Olivia Williams Eleanor Williams Lily Woodhouse Sava Zeki

Gap Year Bristol History Bristol Civil Engineering Manchester Politics and International Relations King’s College London Physics Newcastle Combined Honours University College London Medicine Bristol Medicine Bristol History Manchester English Literature and History De Montfort University Fashion Design Exeter Modern Languages Bristol English Glasgow Medicine Durham Geography Durham Modern Languages and Cultures University College London Human Sciences Newcastle Combined Honours Royal Holloway Law Gap year

Newcastle Marine Biology Edinburgh French and Spanish Oxford Philosophy, Politics and Economics Gap year Oxford Chemistry Birmingham Medicine Edinburgh Psychology Australian university Durham Geography Durham Modern Languages and Cultures Bristol Medicine Central Saint Martins Art Foundation York Accounting, Business Finance & Management

Post A Level Applications & Destinations Anna Brehoney Kate Buckman Eleanor Hargreaves Georgina Noel Nana Ama Otuo Jennifer Silva

Exeter Modern Languages University College London English Bristol Biology King’s College London Physiotherapy Durham Modern Languages and Cultures Nottingham Aerospace Engineering

47

STAFF LIST, AUTUMN TERM 2019

SENIOR SCHOOL SLT Mrs Suzie Longstaff, Headmistress Mrs Heidi Armstrong, Deputy Head (Pastoral) Mr Rob McMillan, Deputy Head (Academic) Ms Ella Barden, Director of Sixth Form Mrs Phoebe Bradley, Director of Pupil Progress & Academic Enrichment Dr Jane Brandon, Director of Curriculum Development & Co-Curricular Activities Mr Peter Coulson, Assistant Head (Pastoral) Mrs Suzanne Fearon, Director of Communications and Development Mrs Helen Gordon-Smith, PA to Headmistress Mr Alistair Gray, Director of Finance and Operations Mr James Mutton, Director of Studies & Digital Innovation Mrs Pippa Gilbert, Director of Learning, Research and Outreach ART & HISTORY OF ART Miss Stella Jennings, Head of Visual Arts Miss Olivia Dobell, Head of History of Art Miss Amielia Katze Mr Nigel Murray Ms Eleanor Swingler BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS Mr Andrew Ross, Head of Department Mrs Lindsay Patience CAREERS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Miss Sarah Alajika CLASSICS Mr Peter Maskell, Head of Department Mr Tim Castle Mrs Catherine Christie Mrs Angharad Nicoll DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Mr Gregory Woodrow, Head of Department Mr Francis McCrory Mr Stuart McLaughlin, Head of Textiles Miss Elisabeth Buecher DRAMA Mrs Emma Crocombe, Director of Drama Mrs Evergreen Armstrong Mrs Deborah Coulstonn ENGLISH Mr Antony Barton, Head of Department Mrs Lizzie Bailey Mrs Sophie Carter Mrs Sarah Du Toit Mrs Kate Jeffrey Miss Emma Ley Mr Tom Mclaughlin Dr Michael Mellor Dr Miranda Kiek

48

GEOGRAPHY Mrs Liz Matthews, Head of Department Mrs Margaret Beaumont Mrs Sophie Clegg Mrs Penny Freeley Mr James Mutton HISTORY & GOVERNMENT & POLITICS Mr Matthew Pattie, Head of Department Mrs Phoebe Bradley Mr Peter Coulson Mrs Bryony Gough Mr Edward Shawcross Mr Emil Stenberg, Debating and Public Speaking ICT Mr Martin Richards, Head of Computing Mr James Mutton Mrs Diya Bakre LEARNING ENRICHMENT Ms Justyna Sokolowska, Head of Department Miss Danielle Deschamps Mrs Denise Tizzano Mrs Ruth Hope, Teaching Assistant MATHEMATICS Mr George Oliver, Head of Department Mrs Alex Arnold Ms Karen Casterton Mrs Anna Cornacchia Mr Mark Finnemore Miss Laura Gill Mrs Barbara Hawkins Mr Daniel Press Mr Martin Richards Mrs Vicky Tsironi MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES Mrs Jennifer Milne, Head of Department Ms Jenny Holl, Head of Spanish Miss I-Han Huang, Head of Mandarin Mr Simon Watkins, Head of French Mr Peter Yates, Head of German, Acting Head of Department Mrs Fiammetta Allen, Italian Mrs Heidi Armstrong, German Miss Penelope Coate, Spanish Mrs Julie Stoker, Spanish Mrs Wei-Chi Wen, Mandarin Mrs Teresa Back, Spanish Teaching Assistant Mrs Stephanie Butler, French Teaching Assistant Ms Anne Chang, Mandarin Language Mrs Irina Hands, German Language Assistant Mrs Paula Nine-Ladra, Spanish Teaching Assistant

MUSIC Mr Angus Meryon, Director of Music Dr Jane Brandon Ms Jo Nicholls PHYSICAL EDUCATION Mrs Emma Fraser, Director of Sport Mrs Emily Barnes Miss Lucy Hillsley Mrs Kirsty Tanner Miss Lori Westcott Miss Clare Faram, Lacrosse Coach Miss Schyler Neale, Lacrosse Coach Miss Eliza Watson, Lacrosse Coach Miss Yasmin Hodge-England, Netball Coach Miss Dominique McKee, Netball Coach Mr Ashley Carter, Head of Rowing Mr Peter Brewer, Rowing Coach Miss Jess Eddie, High Performance Rowing Coach Mr Oliver Jack, Rowing Coach Miss Rachel Saunders, Rowing Coach Mr Christian Smith, Rowing Coach Mrs Sarai De Morales, Gym Coach Mr Lewis Walker, Gym Choreographer PSYCHOLOGY Mrs Kate Molan, Head of Department Miss Fotini Kalinoglou RELIGIOUS STUDIES Mrs Sarah Tyler, Head of Department Mrs Pippa Gilbert SCIENCE Dr Will Dixon, Head of Department, Biology BIOLOGY Mr Mark O'Brien, Head of Biology Mr Ross Cameron Miss Hannah Lovell Mr Rob McMillan CHEMISTRY Ms Vikki Filsell, Head of Chemistry Dr Denise Henriques Miss Pohsan Wan Mr Jag Walia PHYSICS Miss Helen Carrington, Head of Physics Dr Nicolas Rolfe Mrs Ella Barden Mr Rob McMillan Mrs Rachel Peacock

JUNIOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM Mrs Pippa Page-Roberts, Head of Junior School Ms Isobel Franks, Deputy Head (Pastoral) Mr Andy Miller, Deputy Head (Academic) Mrs Jo Jones, KS1 Assistant Head Miss Abbie Musgrove, KS2 Assistant Head Miss Jo Tew, Early Years Coordinator Mrs Ros Holmes, Secretary to Head of Junior School JUNIOR ADMINISTRATION Miss Jess Jackson Admin Assistant to JSLT Mrs Heather Jenkins Junior School Receptionist JUNIOR TEACHING STAFF: Mrs Emma Hooper, Year 6 Miss Nicola Wood, Year 6 Miss Claire Lucas, Year 5 Miss Abbie Musgrove, Year 5 Mrs Emma Kipling, Year 4 Mrs Anne-Louise Rea, Year 4 Mrs Naomi Stamper, Year 3 Mrs Jessica Roberts, Year 3 Mrs Jo Jones, Year 2 Miss Joanna McCaldin, Year 2 Miss Jessica Dixon, Year 1 Miss Megan Kelly, Year 1 Miss Jo Tew, Reception & Early Years Coordinator Miss Lydia Whitehouse, Reception SPECIALIST TEACHERS, JUNIOR SCHOOL: Miss Rosie Berwick, Head of Junior PE Miss Claire Amiss, PE Miss Emma Halliday, PE Mrs Ena Burgess, Director of Music Mrs Linda Clark Learning Support/SENDCO Mr Hiten Mistry, Head of Junior eLearning Mrs Rachel Wyatt, Science Coordinator Mrs Melanie Konneradt, Head of Junior MFL Mrs Hengameh Razavi, MFL Mrs Lisa Bennett, Junior School Cover Mrs Simi Treanor, Junior School Cover JUNIOR SUPPORT STAFF Mrs Marion Cook Teaching Assistant, Reception Class Ms Mollie Hanley, Teaching Assistant, EYS Mrs Julia Raffety, Teaching Assistant, Year 1 Mrs Vania Samuel, Teaching Assistant, Year 1 Mrs Elaine McCarthy Teaching Assistant, Year 2 Dr Vana Avgerinou, Classroom Assistant, KS2 Mrs Suzanne Rawlinson, Teaching Assistant, KS2

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION Miss Elizabeth Ackie, Head of Administration/ Compliance Mrs Helen Batchelor, HR Manager Mrs Jane Clarkson, PA to Deputy Heads Mrs Morna Cochrane, Examinations Officer Mr Tim O’Connell, Data & MIS Officer Mrs Emma Heenk, Sports Administrator Mrs Helen Gordon-Smith, PA to Headmistress Ms Yvonne Harris, Admin Assistant TRO Mrs Natasha Jackson, Admin Officer Miss Hannah Elleray, Performing Arts Administrator Mrs Susan van der Linden, USA Universities Coordinator Miss Anita White, Senior School Receptionist Mr Richard Wotton, Head Receptionist Mrs Margaret Uzice-Cruz, Admin Assistant to Head of Sixth Form & SLT

COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT Ms Samantha Hazlehurst, Communications Manager Mrs Sarah Adams, Development Manager Miss Annabel Laity, Development Assistant Mrs Caroline Reed, Publications & Design Officer Ms Nikki Wellspring, Publications & Design Officer Miss Zoe Rowson, Digital Marketing Officer FINANCE Mrs Steph Upton, Finance Manager Mr Suraj Gurung, Finance Officer Mrs Alessia Piccinini, Finance Assistant ADMISSIONS Mrs Laura Walsh, Registrar Miss Caroline Bellingham, Senior Admissions Secretary Miss Dinah Hagan, Admissions Assistant LEARNING RESOURCES Mr Stuart Clarkson, Cover Supervisor Mrs Geraldine Dyos, Librarian & School Archivist Miss Dapinder Chahal, Library Assistant Student Welfare: Miss Victoria Walmsley, School Counsellor Mrs Alison Graham, School Nurse ICT Technicians: Mr Hassan Islam, ICT Operations Manager Mr Serg Barstok, ICT Technician Mr Ashley Harryman, ICT Technician Mr Duha Khan, ICT Technician (Jnr)

Technicians: Mrs Telma Oliveira, Senior Science Technician (Biology) Mrs Gloria Alexander, Science (Chemistry) Technician Mr Cordel Blackstock, Design Technology Technician Mr James Blazeby, Science (Physics) Technician Mrs Gail Cook, Art Technician Mrs Karen Howard, Art and Textiles Technician Mrs Shirley Moore, Science Technician Mr Matthew Vile, PAC Technician Caretaking/Grounds: Mr Wayne Jones, Estates Manager Mr Michael Barham, Lettings and Ground Maintenance Supervisor Mr Tyrone Morrow, Estates Site Supervisor Mr Darren Downes, Estates Assistant Mr Matthew Wyeth, Estates Assistant Mr Patrick Cheung, Car Park Attendant / Asst. Caretaker Peripatetic Staff, Drama: Ms Stephanie Miller Mrs Carryl Thomas Mr Andrew Wright Mrs Eve Pearson-Wright Peripatetic Staff, Music Miss Hannah Ashenden, Cello Mrs Emily Baines, Recorder Mr Daniel Benn, Cello Mr Jonathan Clarke, Trumpet Mrs Catherine Coulter, Flute Miss Gwenllian Davies, Oboe/Recorder Ms Juliet Edwards, Violin Miss Sinead Frost, Bassoon Mr Dan Godfrey, Guitar Ms Julie Holland, Clarinet Ms Elizabeth Hosker, Violin/Viola Mr Jack Hurst, Piano Ms Antonia Kendall, Voice Mr Steve Keogh, Trumpet/Trombone Miss Vicky Lester, Harp Mrs Hollie Lukas, Flute Mr Alisdair Macaskill, Piano Mrs Anna Marglois, Voice Ms Victoria Meteyard, Voice Ms Ruth Munro, Voice Mr Tim Murray, Piano Mrs Eloise Riddell, Double Bass Mr Paul Riley, Saxophone Mr Michael Wheeler, Percussion Mrs Penelope Whinnett, Piano Mr Roger Willey, Brass

49

FAREWELL COLLEAGUES

Duha Khan Junior IT Technician

Jo Nicholls Assistant Director of Music

Rachel Peacock Teacher of Physics

Danielle Deschamps Learning Enrichment

Penny Freeley Teacher of Geography

Zelda Marshall Teacher of Music

Anita White Senior School Receptionist

Alison Graham School Nurse

Patrick Cheung Car Park Attendant & Asst Caretaker

50

Nigel Murray Teacher of Art

Angus Meryon Director of Music

Rob McMillan Deputy Head, Academic

Martin Richards Head of Computing

Steph Upton Finance Manager

51

Mia

Rosie

Issey

Tiffany

Lakshya Kitty

STUDENT OFFICIALS

Head Girl: Kitty Goodman (second from right) Deputy Head Girls: Mia Reid-Bashir, Tiffany Chan, Rosie Moorhead, Issey Mais, Lakshya Ravikumar Prefects

Hiba Al Moosawi Coco Amor Lara Arif Phoebe Boardman Aya Boucheneb Alice Bridges Khava Chilaeva Mia Clark Jessica Collins Anna Coutts Chiara Cox Jennifer De Groot

Bethany Downham Jana Flaherty Polly Forrester Zoe Geall Gillian Gyamfi Emily Hindle Sophie Hoare Francesca Horgan Yasmin Howe Georgie Johnston Calla Leverett Suze Lips

Anna Magere Tatum Meadows Eesha Mehrotra Rosie Nathan Alice Newsholme Alice O’Flynn lsha Parvaiz Misha Patel Isabella Penny Sylvie Phillips Millie Rankin Sophia Starck

Ofelia Tavares Alice Thompson Rosie Thorogood Jessica Turner Lara Ward Emily Whitehead Lucia Wickham Ella Williams Olivia Williams Lily Woodhouse

Beryl Burton

Kathleen Ferrier

Audrey Hepburn

Freya Stark

House Captain

Lauren Street

Ella Williams

Sophie Hoare

Emily Hindle

Deputy House Captains

Beth Downham Francesca Horgan

Millie Rankin Jessica Collins

Meera Robins Reem Fhail

Mia Clark Vivienne Bartels

Environment Captains

Katie Kempton Lucia Wickham

Holly James Louise Finegan

Sophie Dulieu Imogen Kennaway

Alice Thompson, Anabella Hudson, Zahra Groves

Music Captains

Suze Lips

Jessica Turner Rosie Thorogood

Coco Amor, Olivia Williams Amani Parvaiz

Daphne Sarkany Sarisha Burt

Games Captains

Gemma Larter Lottie Nathan

Phoebe Shaw Tola Pearse

Megan Miremodi Tia Li

Pauline Brandenburg,Imogen Perring, Stella Dimitroff

Drama Captains

Molly Reed Georgie Claxon

Tertia Hastings Jemima Pearce-Higgins

Alexandra Lemer Isabella Wyatt

Emma Conaghan, Imogen Beale, Ella Barker

Charities Captains

Sascha Levy Verity Free

Ella Beeching, Isha Parvaiz Ophelia Tavares

Joanna Crampton Issie Bark

Lara Arif, Fleur O’Reilly Emily Douglass

52

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