AD ASTRA 2024 - 2025 Senior & Sixth

AD ASTRA

Welcome to the 2024-25 edition of Ad Astra!

It gives me great pleasure to introduce this new yearbook, which perfectly captures the spirit of STAHS.

From the first ever House Performing Arts to not one but two netball teams reaching the national finals, plus another round of outstanding GCSE and A level results, there was an enormous amount to celebrate during 2024-25.

I hope you also enjoy reading my story on page 19, which includes a few pictures from my personal archive! While I may have ticked the Oxbridge box, my state school background in the Welsh valleys means I’m far from a typical independent school head. As I say in the piece, I owe everything to my education and I believe that not having the background that people would expect brings more value to my role.

Before I joined as Head of Senior in April, the previous two yearbooks gave me an excellent insight into what life here is like. I’m pleased to say this new volume captures the same sense of fun, not to mention the many success stories from across all areas of the School. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I have.

With best wishes

Ann Massey Head of STAHS Senior

Being the Head of School this past year has been such an honour and taught me so many valuable lessons. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities it gave me to connect with different members of the STAHS community and support some incredible charities.

Considering all the fun and incredible memories I made with the staff and my fellow classmates, I always knew moving on from STAHS wasn’t going to be easy. As an institution, STAHS has so many amazing things on offer for us students, especially in Sixth Form, and I am so thankful that by becoming Head of School I was able to give back to the school that shaped me into the person I am today.

One of my fondest memories has to be the Harvest Festival, where we collected an abundance of food and various goods for the charity we chose to support that year, St Albans and District Foodbank. Every Harvest it’s so touching to see how the STAHS community comes together to help those less fortunate. And of course, what’s the Harvest Festival without the annual skit. For 2024 we opted for a High School Musical theme, and I have to say that Miss Eddison and Mr Thomson-Jones gave Oscar-worthy performances as Troy and Gabriella. Mr Mitchell, however, stole the show with his performance as Sharpay Evans.

This past academic year, STAHS also partnered with St Albans School to raise money for Herts Young Homeless. The Head Boy and I organised a quiz with Mr Bhantoa as our very charismatic host, and everyone enjoyed the chance to connect with some new people outside our regular school communities.

To continue STAHS’ efforts to be sustainable we also hosted the School’s first ever thrift shop. Students were encouraged to bring in clothing they no longer wore for other students to purchase. Not only did this help bring some new life to people’s wardrobes in a sustainable fashion but it also helped raise money for Crisis.

Shortly after the Easter holidays, Year 13 celebrated their last day of being at the High School with our annual Muck Up Day. For 2025, Muck Up Day was coined ‘STAHS Gone Wild’ as the corridor was transformed into an exotic jungle. Students journeyed from Pride Rock to the watering hole whilst seeing which member of staff topped the food chain (it was Coral of course!).

To summarise, it’s been such an incredible experience to lead the student body over the last year with the help of all the School and House Officers and I would like to express my gratitude for everything STAHS has given me. Being part of STAHS for the past seven years has helped me create so many beautiful memories and taught me lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, especially as I journey off to university. I can’t wait to hear about all the wonderful things happening at STAHS and I wish Maddie and her team the best of luck for all their future plans.

Eleni Hadji-Savva

Head of School, 2024-25

WELCOME

TRIPS

58 Carol Service

Founders’ Day 59 Valediction

60 Prize Giving 61 Year 13 Leavers’ Ball 62 Sports Day

Italy (Skiing)

Verulam

Italy (Classics)

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

SCHOOL OFFICERS

Head of School – Eleni Hadji-Savva

Deputy Head of School – Clara Suss-Francksen

Deputy Head of School – Amy Hutchinson

School Sports Captain – Cara Chennells

School Officer – Finley Francis

School Officer – Olivia Hudson

School Officer – Imogen Myatt

School Officer – Anoushka Sood

YEAR 7 SIXTH FORM PREFECTS

Anya Ahuja

Tomisin Akindele

Seyram Ameadah

Naomi Arowolo

Alice Baddon

Shari Bassi

Juliette Beswick

Damilola Erinle

Ione-Rose Fleming

Silvana Gokcek

Lucy Harris

Eleena Hearne

Maya Herchel

Ellie Hinkins

Heidi Long

Jessica Mairs

Nyah Mistry

Sadie Nicholls

Joanna Ogunsakin

Lauren O’Reilly

Sabrin Osman

Samia Osman

Chloe Petevinos

Caitlin Prendergast

Emily Sanderson

Isobel Snape

Raissa Vickery

Alliah Warden

Eleni Hadji-Savva

Finley Francis

Amy Hutchinson

Cara Chennells

Clara Suss-Francksen

Olivia Hudson

Imogen Myatt

Anoushka Sood

School Officers

JULIAN HOUSE OFFICERS

House Captain - Lizzie Wadham

Deputy House Captain - Lucca Shirley

Sports Captain - Poppy Mountain

PARIS HOUSE OFFICERS

House Captain - Arya Patel

Deputy House Captain - Harriet Lucas

Sports Captain - Maggie Soulsby

MANDEVILLE HOUSE OFFICERS

House Captain - Charlotte Kan

Deputy House Captain - Holly White

Sports Captain - Emily Latto

VERULAM HOUSE OFFICERS

House Captain - Kirsten Done

Deputy House Captain - Florence Dye

Sports Captain - Georgina Hugo

PARTNERSHIPS FEATURES

Orchestral Partnership Day

The STAHS Orchestral Partnership Day on 29 September was a huge success, with over 70 pupils participating from local primary schools.

The children enjoyed learning some fantastic music, including the main theme from John Williams' Star Wars, and showcasing their impressive performance of Offenbach's A Can-Can Festival

The pupils were well looked after by our catering team and their parents enjoyed a lovely concert at the end of the day.

Alban City Choir

Julian Smith, who was Acting Director of Music during 2024-25, returned to Alban City School in March to help the Year 3-5 children. The group demonstrated how a typical rehearsal works and concluded with performances of You Raise Me Up, Let's Go Fly a Kite and The Bare Necessities. It’s been two years since Mr Smith started working with the Alban City Choir, and he’s loved seeing the children's confidence grow during this time.

Vocal Partnership Day

Senior School choristers joined forces with choirs from the Prep and local primary schools for a fabulous Vocal Partnership Day on 29 June. The themes of this year’s day, which was led by Holly Clark, the Director of Love2SingUK, were 'speak your truth' and 'step into your power'.

It was a fantastic day full of singing, which culminated in solo recitals from the various choirs and a lively 'tutti' performance of Power in Me to an audience of parents.

Maths Masterclasses

Year 5 pupils from several local primary schools were again able to benefit from a series of Royal Institution Primary Maths Masterclasses at STAHS. Led by Maths teacher Danielle Lewis, with support from Year 12 students, the engaging sessions covered topics including magic squares, plotting straight lines, and using powers of 10 to represent very large and very small numbers. There was also a visit from a member of the Royal Institution, who presented a masterclass on the mathematical beauty of curve stitching.

CHARITY ROUND-UP

Bake-off and

mufti

day for Macmillan

STAHS went green for Macmillan in September, with staff and students wearing mufti and buying cakes and cookies in support. The annual Staff v Sixth Form Bake-Off also raised funds, with teams battling it out to be crowned creators of the best-decorated Swiss roll! Congratulations went to the Year 13 team whose outstanding offering took first place in this hotly contested competition.

Harvest Festival collection for St Albans and District Foodbank

Our Harvest Festival celebration was a huge success in October, with the School and House Officer film being a particular highlight. Their version of High School

Musical starred Miss Eddison and Mr Thomson-Jones as lovebirds Gabriella and Troy, plus cameos from countless other teachers, including Mr Mitchell in a blonde wig as Sharpay. Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously to our collection for St Albans and District Foodbank.

Mufti day

for Children in Need

Staff and students supported Children in Need with a special mufti day fundraiser. Led by Charity Officers Finley and Olivia with support from Rev Rosie, uniforms were abandoned as Year 7 to 11 students came to school in their own clothes, while Sixth Formers wore pyjamas in return for a donation.

Fundraiser for YoungMinds

Students were encouraged to wear yellow socks, scarves and hair accessories in return for a donation to young people's mental health charity, YoungMinds. The Hello Yellow fundraising campaign was boosted by a special assembly where students were encouraged to think together as a school about how we care for our mental health. Well done, too, to Abeni Orangun in Year 11, who held a craft sale on the same day to raise money for YoungMinds.

Collection for Baby Basics

Annabelle Wade in Year 11 led a week-long charity collection for Baby Basics, a Milton Keynesbased charity that supports families in need by providing them with newborn necessities. Thank you to all of the STAHS families who supported this initiative so generously by donating babygrows, formula, nappies and blankets.

Charity Talent Show

Organised by a Year 13 team, the Charity Talent Show was great fun, with acts ranging from tap and Bollywood dancers to musical theatre and a magic show. The event raised close to £1,000 for Save the Children and STAHS' partnership charity, the Savannah Education Trust. Judges Mr Thomson-Jones, Mrs Monighan, Mr Bhantoa and Mr Tickner provided quick-witted commentary and brought a touch of glamour to the occasion with their fabulous attire. The quality of the acts confirmed that STAHS has talent, with Ash Adams in Year 11 a deserving winner with her moving rendition of Radiohead's Creep

Summer Charity Fair

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis bake sale

Well done to Freya Hardyman and her friends in Year 9, who raised an incredible £704 in a special charity bake sale. Freya's fundraiser was in support of Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis, a charity that works with those who suffer from the disease and their families. Freya said: 'This is a charity very close to my heart because over the summer I lost my dad to this horrible lung disease for which there is currently no cure.'

Collection for KidsOut

Families of Year 10 to 13 students kindly donated children's toys to our School Officers' collection for the KidsOut charity. KidsOut is dedicated to supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable children across the UK, especially around Christmastime.

The sun shone on the second annual Summer Charity Fair in July, as School and House Officers hosted our NSPCC fundraiser at the Pavilion. Events included a Staff v Staff football tournament, a 'Sponge the teacher' event, and traditional games like ring toss, ‘Guess the number of sweets in the jar’, and a coconut shy, plus cold drinks, sweet treats and ice cream.

Black History Month

Student Voice

STAHS students are always keen to have their voices heard. These are just some of the ways they achieved this during 2024-25 ...

STAHS marked Black History Month with a special celebration on 3 October. Hosted by the STAHS African Caribbean Society, the event included music, dance, and spoken word performances and presentations, as well as themed catering – all centred on the theme of Black Excellence. The powerful and uplifting event gave STAHS students and their families the opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black individuals and communities, both past and present.

Neurodiversity Awareness Week

International Women’s Day

STAHS marked International Women's Day on 7 February with a poll to select our Woman of the Year, with former US Vice President Kamala Harris coming out on top.

Students were also invited to paint their nails purple, eat purple cupcakes at lunchtime and either take part in a debate with a feminist motion or research feminist icons.

This was followed by a talk from cancer survivor Felicity Ashley, who shared her inspirational story of courage in the face of great adversity with students.

The Senior School community considered what it means to be neurodivergent during Neurodiversity Awareness Week from 17 to 21 March.

Highlights included a celebration of diverse minds during a special assembly, a Neuro Egg Hunt, a Colours of the Spectrum-themed lunch, a staff quiz on neurodiversity, and a Wellness Walk with Mrs Waite’s dog, Ziggy. The week drew to a close with a mufti day, in which students wore red for Comic Relief, plus their jazziest socks in support of the Lots of Socks campaign (to promote Down’s Syndrome awareness and inclusivity in our community).

School Council

Around 40 students from Years 7 to 11 are involved in the STAHS School Council; one member is elected from each form, and they meet every half term to share ideas for improvements to the school community.

This year, for the first time, working parties were formed and suggested improvements were presented to Mrs Massey, Miss Eddison and Ms Scott. Each group – containing a pupil from each of Years 7-11 – worked on a costed solution to a difficult problem, harnessing student voice and their own research.

Here Livia Thind in Year 11 explains how being a member of the School Council has allowed her to have a genuine impact on our community here at STAHS ...

This year, being in School Council gave us the opportunity to make a real difference within our school. In September, we were placed into mixed year group working parties, each focusing on key areas such as food, uniform, homework, etc. It was great to collaborate with people from different year groups and share ideas we might not normally hear. During Michealmas term, we created a whole school survey to gather a multitude of opinions, which really helped us understand what students wanted to see improved. From there, we worked together to develop solutions and prepared presentations for the SLT, which we delivered in the Trinity term. Presenting our ideas was amazing as we truly felt that our voices were genuinely listened to. More importantly, we had the chance to propose real changes ourselves, which made us realise just how much thought and teamwork goes into shaping our school.

By Livia Thind, Year 11

MFL

TRIPSandVISITS

This year’s MFL trips began over October half term, when Year 10 and 11 French students spent five days in Antibes, in the heart of the French Riviera. When not sightseeing, they were absorbed in an immersive learning experience, attending lessons conducted entirely in French.

Year 8 German students enjoyed a fantastically festive overnight visit to the German town of Aachen at the end of November. The squares and alleys around Aachen’s town hall were packed with stalls offering gifts, crafts and festive foods, and students were able to practise their German in the very special atmosphere of the Weihnachtsmarkt.

GCSE and A level German students immersed themselves in German history and culture during their Munich study trip in December. Highlights included a tour of Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein Castle, rumoured to have inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty castles, and an Austrian cookery class in Salzburg, where they learnt how to make traditional apfelstrudel and vanillekipferl biscuits with live demonstrations all in German! Students were further immersed in German through educational guided tours of the Dachau concentration camp, and parts of Munich’s historical old town. In addition, there were Christmas markets galore in both Munich and Salzburg, which gave pupils plenty of chances to hone their shopping skills in German, followed by hearty traditional German meals out at Bavarian-themed restaurants.

Seventeen Year 9 and 10 students made the trip to the Herderschule in Lüneburg over the Easter break, a relationship between our two schools that's now in its 52nd year. The German Exchange is open to all students studying German in Years 9 and 10, and the group enjoyed trips to Berlin and Hamburg as well as time in school with their exchange partners. STAHS families returned the favour in June.

The Year 8 and 9 study visit to Cantabria in Spain over Easter was an enjoyable and enriching experience, with Spanish lessons in the mornings and cultural activities in the afternoons. Students visited the famous Altamira and Soplao caves, with the ancient paintings and sparkling rock formations, and Cabárceno, where they went on a cable car ride to see all the cute animals.

The Mandarin trip to China is on page 71

Aachen

Berlin

Cantabria

Aachen

The Antibes group travelled to Cannes

STAHS Festival of Language and Culture

From the displays of STAHS' favourite foreign words to the Chinese New Year decorations throughout the School, and the launch of the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, this year’s Festival of Language and Culture was an all-encompassing experience.

It gave students the chance to embrace varied languages and cultures in new and engaging ways, with a week of lunches from French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese-speaking countries inspired by students' favourite recipe submissions.

These were some of the other standout moments ...

Year 7 attended a Religious Studies trip to Bhaktivedanta Manor where they spent the day learning about the Hare Krishna religion, culture, and cow protection movement. Highlights included an interactive storytelling workshop (with highly entertaining performances from the students), a traditional dance workshop, feeding the cows and face painting.

Students in Years 9-13 engaged in some interesting language and culture-themed Debating.

Year 8 got involved in a Poetry Slam competition, which allowed students to show how hard they had been working on their poetry performances, incorporating poems into the languages they study.

Year 9 had a special Multilingual Poetry Slam, with each House's session led by one of four poets: Michaël Vidon, Keith Jarrett, Elida Silvey and Steve Larkin. Students had the opportunity to write in French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, or any other languages they speak at home.

Year 10 Mandarin students had a fantastic study trip to Chinatown in London. The group learned a brief history of the area, walked around looking for signs of Chinese New Year celebration, visited a specialist book and gift shop, bought East Asian snacks in a supermarket and bakery, and enjoyed a delicious dim sum lunch. They even mastered some Chinese table manners!

CLUBS FOCUS STAHS

Co-curricular clubs are a huge part of life at STAHS. Here, members of STAHS Radio, Food Artistry and Science, and Greenpower Go-Karting share their experiences ...

STAHS Radio is a student-run club that produces radio shows for the school community to enjoy. Each episode has a specific theme, which guides both the song selection and topics of discussion. Members gain experience in sound editing, audio production, teamwork, and thinking on their feet while recording. For special episodes, such as the Christmas episode, staff members are put head-to-head in friendly competitions to see who will be crowned the ultimate STAHS Radio champion. Episodes are usually played in the Dining Room on the day of the event, helping to create a lively and relaxed atmosphere. The club enables students to explore pop culture, share their interests, and entertain the school community.

By Sophie Albert, Year 12

FOOD ARTISTRY AND SCIENCE RADIO

Food Artistry Club was the highlight of my week! Each session was a surprise, and I was always excited to find out what we would be making. In one lesson, I learned how to use a piping bag for the first time to decorate cupcakes; it was definitely trickier than it looked, especially if you didn’t want the bag to burst! Another time, we made honeycomb using just two simple ingredients, and I was amazed to discover that it didn’t contain any honey at all.

My favourite activity was baking red chocolate chip cookies for Valentine’s Day. I had planned to save one for my sister, but they looked and smelled so scrumptious that I ended up devouring them all myself!

The club is a brilliant way to develop your creativity in baking while learning new skills. Working in pairs also meant you could get to know your friends better.

By Carlotta Hoene, Year 8

Carlotta

Sophie, left

GREENPOWER GO-KARTING

Being a part of this club was a sensational experience that I will remember forever. I particularly enjoyed constructing the Greenpower kart as I love building things, but of course driving it was just as rewarding! Although you can control the speed of the kart, hitting the top speed is phenomenal as you can just focus on the track with everything flying past you in a blur. This club has also improved my team-building skills through working together to assemble parts and helping each other set up to ride the kart. I feel very fortunate to have the privilege to be a part of this club as it’s a rare opportunity most schools don’t offer.

By Cheuk-Ling Ma, Year 10

STUDENTPUBLICATIONS

These are just some of the many fantastic student-led publications that were produced during 2024-25 ...

THE PAGE TURNER

STAHS English magazine

The Page Turner provides a forum for Year 11 and 12 students to explore literature in greater depth. Edited by Aanya Apte, Bella Kelly and Hailey Mo from Year 12, the most recent edition had a theme of ‘connection’ – from the link between writers and their work to the power of TikTok in publishing.

HOW WE GOT TO NOW

The 2025 issue of STAHS’ History and Politics Magazine How We Got to Now offers an historical long view of contemporary geopolitical and domestic issues, from UK foreign policy via prison reform to women’s football. Well done to editors Tolu Afolayan and Aanya Apte and their team of fellow Year 12s: Hailey Mo, Sofia Stevenson, Tabitha Kenny and Poppy Walkington.

EARTH’S ECHO

The first STAHS Eco and Geography magazine launched in February, edited by Stephanie Cross and Aneesa Patel from Year 12. Designed to keep us informed of what is happening in our environment, this issue featured many insightful articles, including an interview with Mr Thomson-Jones about sustainability at STAHS.

MEDVETDENT

Led by Aneesa Patel and Raaghavi Sivaganesh from Year 12, the latest edition of our STAHS MedVetDent magazine focused on the theme of ‘the future’. While the magazine is of particular interest to prospective Medicine, Veterinary Science or Dentistry students, its articles on where science could take us also have a broader appeal.

DER WENDEPUNKT

The most recent edition of Der Wendepunkt saw students exploring festivals and traditions in the Germanspeaking world. Led by German Language Assistant Julia Schmyrew, students from Years 7, 9 and 12 contributed articles on everything from Oktoberfest to the Berlin International Film Festival.

国色天香 GUÓ SÈ TIĀN XIĀNG

The second edition of the STAHS Mandarin magazine had ‘a taste of tradition’ as its theme. Editors Darcey Foster and Annika Gunn from Year 11 explored the heart and soul of Chinese food, celebrating both the ingredients and techniques that define Chinese cooking and the cultural exchanges that have made it beloved around the world.

Meet Mrs Massey

From her schooldays at a ‘comp in the Welsh valleys’ to STAHS Senior via the University of Oxford, Ann Massey’s journey to headship has not been a predictable one. She shares her story so far, and her high hopes for the School ...

While Ann Massey says she has traits of a ‘typical’ headteacher – ‘I’m quite bossy and I like telling people what to do!’ – her background is far from the independent sector norm.

She grew up in the Welsh valleys, in an ex-mining village about 10 miles from Port Talbot. After excelling in her GCSEs (‘at a local comp – it's closed now’) she took her A levels at the nearby sixth form college, becoming her school’s first ex-pupil to secure a place at Oxford. ‘I had an excellent A level History teacher who persuaded me to sit the entrance exam,’ Ann says. ‘When I got an offer I thought, “Why not?”’

She studied Modern History at St Anne’s College on the outskirts of Oxford – not ‘one of the Harry Potter style city centre colleges – I couldn't have dealt with that’.

She adds: ‘It would have been far too much of a culture shock for me to land in a closeted quad environment. It was a steep learning curve in terms of the social etiquette, and my lived experience was very different to that of many of my peers.’

Ann’s dad was a bricklayer, and her mum worked as a secretary in the office of her former secondary school. Neither had gone to university, so Ann’s Oxford offer was ‘a bit of a shock’, she says. ‘They're very proud. I think initially they were quite fearful that I would never go back home again. But I pop down to Wales as often as I can.’

Reflecting on her schooldays, Ann says: ‘My school couldn't be further removed from the STAHS experience. I landed at Oxford with a bump with very little cultural capital and not quite knowing what I was doing. I reflect now on three years that were challenging, but also hugely formative for me, and really shaped my life – not least because I met my husband there.'

Ann’s husband, John, is currently Assistant Chief Constable for Cambridgeshire Constabulary and they have two children, Isabel, who’s studying BioMedical Sciences at Cardiff University, and Matthew, who’s reading French and Spanish at Exeter College, Oxford. The family home is a renovation project in the Hertfordshire market town of Buntingford, which they moved to from southeast London two years ago.

Ann and John, who’s now her husband, at

Starting at STAHS

Ann joined STAHS as Head of Senior at the start of Trinity term 2025, seven months after being appointed to the role. But the long wait – due to the notice period required by her previous school, Eltham College, where she was Deputy Head Pastoral for eight years –turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

‘It gave me very valuable learning time, time to begin to understand the institution and all that goes with it,’ Ann says. ‘Watching the School from a perch for two terms gave me some useful thinking time.’

STAHS being part of the St Albans Education Group (STAEG) brings many benefits, according to Ann: ‘One of the nice things about this role is the business management tasks are done at group level. That gives me the opportunity to be present, immerse myself in the pedagogy of the teaching and learning and really get to know the individuals in the community. That helps me add value and develop our community. From what I’ve heard from parents at the Head’s Breakfasts, that’s what they really want too.’

The popular series of Head’s Breakfasts has been continued by Ann as a means of meeting and connecting with as many parents as possible. ‘I think that there's always an interest and indeed an anxiety around the community when you get a new head,’ she says. ‘It was hugely informative for me to listen to the views of our parents and to understand their experiences.

‘I wanted the breakfasts to be a conversation and not a formal question and answer session, where you feel as if nobody’s getting what they want. Parents are very entitled to their opinions and if I don't hear them then I can't respond to them. I think that dialogue with parents is enormously important. And in many respects, that's

an indulgence for me because meeting and talking to people is where I’m happiest.’

The thing that made STAHS stand out to Ann initially was the Teach to 25 philosophy. ‘I think that's really exciting,’ she says. ‘Looking at how we can continue to equip our girls with the skills and values that they need to face the world is really important. We need to keep abreast of a rapidly changing educational landscape, too; the zeitgeist around technology has changed considerably.’

She adds that looking at AI and how we can really use that to enhance what goes on in the classroom is key. ‘I think that there is a role of helping staff work smarter in terms of their own organisation, so that they are investing their time in that important business of teaching and learning and not doing the admin.’

I owe everything to my education

Time to teach

Ann had planned on becoming an NHS manager but abandoned this idea in her final year of university, heading to teacher training college in Lancashire instead. Her placements at comprehensive schools in the northwest were challenging: ‘it taught me that teaching is about so much more than History. I arrived with very purist attitudes about how I was going to teach, and it certainly knocked those edges off me.’

Once qualified, Ann took a teaching job in Greenwich before moving to JAGS (James Allen’s Girls’ School) in Dulwich, which is where everything fell into place. In an academically selective girls’ school environment Ann found she could really enjoy teaching History and Politics, and relish ‘that joy of shaping those bright minds. I thought “this is it”. I didn't know I was going to teach forever until I arrived at JAGS.’

It was around this time that dreams of a headship began to form.

‘When I saw the leadership at JAGS, I thought, “I want to do that, and I think I can do that”.’

The future’s

bright

Ann is now embracing her ‘amazing’ role at STAHS. ‘I feel privileged to be here. STAHS is a fun, exciting, vibrant place where girls get great academic outcomes, and also really enjoy coming to school and being themselves. Maintaining that balance is critical.

‘I'm very mindful of the responsibilities on my shoulders, and the impact that my decisions have upon so many people. Ensuring that I act with integrity and consider the consequences of my decisions is extremely important to me.’

Ann adds: ‘I owe everything to my education and to those who have supported me. That motivates me to ensure that we provide the very best education for young people.

‘I believe in the power of education because of my lived experience. I don’t have the background that people would expect, but I think that brings more value. I've had to become accustomed to communicating and interacting with people from a huge range of backgrounds through my life. It wasn't always easy, but I've learned a lot from doing it.’

Ultimately, Ann is looking forward to a long and happy future here at STAHS: ‘I can think of no better job than to be surrounded by nearly 800 bright, engaging young minds and staff who are also at the top of their profession,’ she says. ‘It's an exciting and inspiring place to be.’

Ann and her sister, Karen

What was your first impression of STAHS when you visited as a Year 11?

On both of my visits to Sixth Form open evenings, it was obvious to me that both staff and students were very passionate about life at STAHS. Teachers knew their curriculum thoroughly and could answer any questions I had about how the A level would differ or be similar to GCSE – which was especially helpful having done different exam boards and being worried that I may be at a different stage because of this. The great thing about A levels is you only study subjects you truly love, and it was clear from my visit that STAHS students had a strong interest in and enjoyment of their studies. As someone who has zero interest in maths, the student giving me my tour of STAHS made her four STEM A levels sound intriguing to me due to the passion she showed when describing her time studying them at STAHS.

Why did you choose STAHS over other schools?

One big reason I chose STAHS was because of the ability to start with four A level subjects. I wanted to try out Psychology and did really enjoy my first term of it but decided to drop it at Christmas as four A levels and an EPQ was too heavy a workload. However, without the ability to start with four subjects I never would have got to experience doing Psychology and learn that it is something I might like to go back to in the future.

How many external students joined the School with you in Year 12?

Only six people joined STAHS alongside me and no one else from my secondary school. This was quite daunting, but it did mean that all six of us had that initial connection as we were all in the same boat. Although we did not all stay friends, it was nice to have people around at the start that could also understand what it was like to be settling into STAHS.

SIXTH FORM FOCUS

Avery Hewitt joined STAHS from Abbot’s Hill in September 2023. This is their experience of being new to the School in Sixth Form ...

How did the School help you settle in?

The Sixth Form team – Mrs Monighan, Ms Jost and Mrs Helm –have been absolutely amazing across both Year 12 and Year 13, not only just helping external students settle in, but making sure they are coping well with both the academic and social side of school. They are always very happy to chat to about anything you might need some help with; there is no problem too big or too small for the Sixth Form team!

There are a lot of things going through your brain as a new student as you try to juggle your classes, clubs and, social life, all on top of finding your way around the maze of STAHS. I have found that teachers and students alike have always been willing to stop and help me find where my classrooms are and introduce me to new members of staff/students that I need to know. Although, I still don’t think I’ve ever turned up to a lesson in Michael House on time ... where on earth is M114?

Did you find it easy to make new friends?

To be completely honest, at first it was not easy at all. When people have known each other for five-plus years it can be very hard to figure out where you belong, especially if you don’t already know anyone. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother! I found that joining extra-curriculars was a great way to meet like-minded people from all year groups, whether your thing is music (like me!), art, drama, sports or something else entirely, there is something for everyone!

Avery at Valediction

An important thing to remember is that one best friend is better than 100 acquaintances. Once you have made those friends it is important you don’t let them go; make sure you are making time in your day to look away from your study books and grab a hot chocolate from Coral’s cafe to have a catch-up with them!

Are there any positives unique to joining from elsewhere?

Having the experience of being in another secondary school means that you can bring fresh ideas when it comes to being part of the student voice for the School. You can take on board ideas from your old school that you loved and leave out the ideas that you would rather avoid this time! Changing schools from secondary to sixth form helps you to be ready for when you move to university/the workforce.

Most importantly, in Year 13 you get to be there for the new externals in the year below. Helping them settle in, showing them around the School, telling them everything you wish you had known, and writing articles like this are all very rewarding moments that let you use your knowledge and experience from joining from elsewhere.

Are

you glad you came to STAHS?

Yes! I would be lying if I said it wasn’t hard, but if I hadn’t joined STAHS my life would look totally different. I wouldn’t have been able to take Drama A level at another school as I didn’t take it at GCSE, but the amazing STAHS Drama Department kindly let me join them and now I’m off to study Drama alongside English Literature at university! I also never would have met my best friends! I have met some amazing people in my time here at STAHS and I can’t imagine experiencing Sixth Form without their friendship, kindness and support.

If you could have your time here again, is there anything you’d do differently?

I would aim to put myself forward more in the first few weeks of Year 12. I regret not signing up to more House events and applying to more clubs as a way to meet new people. Also, you have much less time to get involved in things in Year 13 so make the most of it in Year 12!

I really wish I could go back and tell Year12 me not to be embarrassed about things I didn’t know and just ask for help. My class was told by a teacher at the start of Sixth Form that if we were ever struggling with classwork to come to the office and ask for help. As a new student I had absolutely no idea where the office was, and when I didn’t understand what we had learnt in class I was too embarrassed to ask where the office was because I felt like this was something I was silly for not knowing. In hindsight I realise how ridiculous this is, but in the moment it can be scary to ask for help on something that for every other student is a complete given, but I promise it doesn’t have to be as everybody is super supportive!

Avery’s tips for new STAHS Sixth Form students

1. Talk to as many people as possible

You don’t have to be best friends with everyone that you meet, but you will never find the right group if you don’t chat to anyone!

2. Ask for help

The Sixth Form team are always there to help you when you have a question; they are welcoming and have an answer to just about everything! Almost every member of staff at STAHS has an opendoor policy, so if you are struggling, make sure you reach out to someone that you trust.

3. Join clubs

Sixth Form can be stressful and going to clubs is a great way to give you some time to relax and do things you truly enjoy without the stress of an exam at the end!

And finally ...

When A levels (inevitably) begin to take their toll, make sure to give yourself some credit! You have made it through the rigorous process of getting into STAHS Sixth Form and now you are taking A levels – which are hard enough. But to do it all whilst settling into a new place, making new friends and joining new clubs? You are amazing, don’t forget it!

As Marius in Les Misérables

Goodbye, Mr T-J

Drew Thomson-Jones spent nine years at STAHS, as Head of Science, Deputy Head Academic and Acting Head. He told us about his many highlights, including onion jousting, being Ken to Miss Eddison’s Barbie, and co-creating the Habits of an Effective Learner study bible ...

Where were you before joining STAHS?

I was Head of Science at a co-educational state school – a very, very different environment. Some people tried to put me off moving, saying, ‘oh, it’s a girls’ school’. All these terrible stereotypes and preconceptions, and my word it is not like that. I think it’s an amazing place to be as a teacher, but also as a student.

Obviously, it’s a very selective school. I was at an almost completely comprehensive school before; all the brightest buttons at my previous school are basically replicated here times 10. They’re in every class in this school. I’d taught top kids before, but not so many of them!

Was there an assumption that it would be easier for you as a teacher in a private girls’ school than it would be in a co-ed state school?

People that badly advised me were more worried about behaviour or cattiness and ‘girls being girls’, which just isn’t the case at all. Or giving new teachers a hard time. New teachers that join us don’t have that experience; the classes are really kind, really thoughtful. The kids are supportive of each other, supportive of teachers. You do have to be sharp at your subject as a teacher!

You’re leaving to join Forest School in London as Deputy Head Academic. What inspired the move?

It’s a new opportunity. I have ambitions of being a head, and by staying a deputy in one school for a long time, there’s a risk that it doesn’t develop me enough to go on and be a head. Going to a new school in a totally new environment, even though it’s still as deputy head, just gives me a whole lot more experience. A whole

different leadership team, a whole different group of staff, different challenges with the kids and the community. I’ll be better prepared if I did want to go on to be a head.

Did your couple of terms as Acting Head give you a taste for headship?

It did; it’s such a fascinating role being a head, it’s so wide ranging it’s ridiculous. The diary of a head can be pretty exhausting because you have academic discussions, safeguarding discussions, talk about catering, marketing – all sorts. And being able to strategically lead across such a diverse portfolio of elements is exciting. The role of head has changed and grown and developed so much over the years as well, especially in the independent sector where you’re considering so much of the business side of things as well.

Are there any funny memories that stand out from your time here?

The one thing that sticks in my memory from the second or third year that I was here is Verulam’s tradition of onion jousting. It involves a teacher and a student, each with a spatula and an onion, and you’ve got to try and keep hold of the onion whilst the other person is fighting to try and get rid of it. It’s a big competition. You’ve got the whole House – 200 kids – watching and cheering and getting excited. That will genuinely live in my memory forever!

You’ve also been involved in several Harvest Festival films ...

I’ve really enjoyed the Harvest stuff, like STAHS-bie, which had Miss Eddison as Barbie and me as Ken. It was good fun, but so far out of my comfort zone. I’m so conscious of my lack of talent when it comes to any kind of acting. I can do being on stage in a band, though, I can pick up my bass guitar and play music. That allows me to sit in the background, but being part of the whole, which is good!

Did you always want to be a teacher?

No – I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I went through school and studied things that I kind of liked, and that I was good at, which is the advice we give kids here: ‘If you don’t know what you want to do, just study what you enjoy and what you are good at.’

I really came to love physics and maths, so just kept going with that and did Astrophysics at Edinburgh. In my final year there was a science tour of secondary schools in Scotland; we went and did science shows in schools. That was in 2007, and that was the first time I felt, ‘oh, this could be for me’. So I did teacher training and here I am.

I’ve loved it and it’s such a rewarding career because there’s such variation. You could stay in the same position for a decade and every year would feel and be different. There are so many opportunities to develop. In my first school I introduced GCSE Astronomy in my second year, so I got to be Head of Astronomy. There are so many things like that that you can do. It develops the quality of your teaching so you can be the best teacher you can be, as well as the best at whatever other responsibilities you might have. Once I got that taste for it, it was very much locked in.

Did you go to private school?

No, state school. And I trained in state schools, taught in state schools and then came here.

The Habits of an Effective Learner document is one of your contributions to academic life at STAHS. Have you seen the impact it’s had in school?

Yes; if you go into a revision lesson, you’ve got kids doing blurting, which I don’t think as many of them really would’ve known about and used consistently before. Really importantly, you’ve got far fewer just writing notes, highlighting, underlining stuff. That is really ineffective as you don’t have to think that hard to do it. So, we’ve seen that shift to students recognising that actually, ‘if I think hard, I’m probably revising better’.

Were you an effective learner as a student?

I was just a practice question type person. Which is not very effective! But it got me through to a high enough level and I think I was intelligent enough to just pick up on enough stuff to do well. I got 69% or something in my degree, which is a 2:1, but

if I’d had slightly better learning habits it would’ve been a first. If I’d just done slightly better,1% better, I’d have achieved better. It wasn’t a thing back then, really. You didn’t have teachers saying, ‘oh, make sure that you study in these ways’.

You’ve been part of the STAHS staff running and football community; have you made lots of friends during your time here?

Yeah, I have. And lots of friends that I’ve played board games with. Somehow I’ve managed to span cool and uncool at the same time!

I didn’t really run until I joined STAHS; Laura Johnston in Physics is a big runner and she basically convinced me and Andy Tickner to run. We were so slow to start with, but then just got better and better. Now I run and listen to podcasts. I’m trying to get my way through the Empire series, which is so long. I think I’m on episode 80 out of 2-300.

How will you look back on your time at STAHS?

It’s been wonderful. The kids are amazing. There are lots of success stories of students doing really well and students who had been struggling, but for whatever reason, through support from the School, from me, from my team, have smashed it. And that’s the most rewarding bit of the job.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEEXPLORED

Environmental Science was launched as a new A level at STAHS in 2023, alongside Philosophy. Heidi Denning, a member of the subject’s first cohort, tells us what her experience of studying this new (to STAHS) subject was like, and how doing so helped her to secure offers from top universities ...

Why did you choose Environmental Science as one of your A levels?

I already had an interest in conservation and I believed that it would support my work in Biology A level.

Did you have any reservations about choosing a subject that was new to the School?

I was worried that I may not be fully prepared for exams at the end of Year 13 as no one had ever completed the course at our school. This was soon shown to be otherwise, with our class remaining ahead of schedule throughout the two years whilst also having time to complete experiments or more fun lessons.

What qualities are needed to excel in Environmental Science?

Some qualities that could be useful would be a proficiency in maths for statistical tests and the ability to go beyond the course and research further case studies outside of lessons to help support your knowledge.

What would you say to anyone considering Environmental Science as one of their A levels?

Take it. It is such a varied subject that most people would find there is a topic that they would enjoy. I also believe that it provides a lot more freedom in course content than most other A level subjects.

FACT FILE

NAME Heidi Denning

OTHER A LEVELS

Biology

and History

UNIVERSITY DESTINATION

University of Leeds

What are you going to study at university?

I have decided to continue studying Environmental Science at Leeds University as I have enjoyed it so much over the last two years.

Do you think that having Environmental Science among your A levels helped you secure this offer?

I wouldn’t have discovered that I liked the subject enough to continue to university without Environmental Science beginning to be offered at STAHS. Though I could have got onto the courses I applied to without it, studying Environmental Science at A level has helped me narrow down what specific areas I am most interested in. I also was encouraged by my teachers to pursue related projects out of lessons, including competing in the UK Junior Water Prize, completing a CREST Gold project and publishing an article with Curriculum Press, which I believe may have helped me get the offers I had.

What are your future ambitions?

I currently think I would be interested in research on water pollution and solutions after university.

GOING FOR GOLD

The Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award requires Year 12 and 13 students to take part in a five-day Residential, in addition to the usual Physical, Volunteering and Skills sections, plus a four-day Expedition. Here’s how Emily Latto from Year 13 did it ...

Completing my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Each section pushed me to grow in different ways and gave me a real sense of achievement.

For my Volunteering, I helped at my local Cub Scouts for 12 months, supporting children with an array of activities. I learned how to communicate more clearly, be patient, and take initiative

when assisting the leader. Seeing the progress the Cubs made over time was really fulfilling, and I felt proud knowing I was making a difference in their time there.

In the Physical section, I committed to improving my gymnastics. Although training was a large commitment, I remained consistent, allowing me to see success in future competitions shown by winning Regionals. This section helped me improve both my physical health and my mental resilience.

For my Skills section, I aimed to improve my musical ability, especially in flute. I had weekly lessons and played in the school orchestra. During this time, I completed my Grade 8, which was a long-term goal for me.

The Expedition was the most physically demanding part. We had two trips, a practice and qualifying. The practice was over four days in the Brecon Beacons; my team and I navigated through tough terrain, carrying full packs and camping overnight. Despite harsh weather and occasional setbacks, we worked well as a team and supported each other through. The qualifying expedition in the Lake District was much more rewarding; utilising the skills we had developed we were very efficient, and the weather was much more forgiving. The time away created good memories and was a nice contrast to usual life.

For my Residential, a section unique to the Gold level, I joined a rock-climbing course in the Peak District, where I stayed with people I’d never met before. We scaled tough climbs and learnt many new techniques.

Making new connections with people across the UK was cool and a good insight into university life.

Overall, the Gold DofE Award helped me become a more confident, independent, and well-rounded individual. Each section brought its own lessons, and I’ve gained lifelong skills, experiences, and memories I’ll always value.

Following completion I was invited to Buckingham Palace; the day consisted of inspiring talks and recognition for what we had achieved. I would highly recommend others to complete Gold DofE as it was truly an enriching experience.

DEBATING

Tolu Afolayan and Maddie Mitchell from Year 12 had great success in Harrow School’s Nehru Debating Cup on 2 March, winning the Silver final. They competed in five debates across the day, beating some fierce opposition and missing out on the Gold final by only one point. Here Maddie and Tolu share their experience of the day here ...

Tolu: This was a really exciting day; it was more like a university-style debate competition, consisting of four debates and tiered finals. We started off strong, narrowly missing out on first place by only two points in the debate ‘This house would (THW) allow the option for secondary school students to learn remotely’. We took this opportunity to implement the feedback and went on to win the next two debates (‘This house believes (THB) the NHS should charge for avoidable injuries’ and ‘Assuming the possibility that a world where lives could be traded could happen, THW enable a market for people to buy and sell years of their life’).

My favourite debate of the day was the third motion. It was an extremely interesting topic and since it was an actor motion it was fun to focus on a hypothetical reality and the perils that could exist there. As well as this, I was the whip speaker for the debate which is my preferred position as finding ‘points of clash’ within the debate ensures that I stay fully involved in every speaker’s speech. It was also nice to win this debate because we had the same judge as our initial debate and clearly we implemented his feedback, which was very encouraging.

The fourth debate

Maddie: The last debate before the finals was ‘THW introduce a “not proven” verdict in criminal trials’. This was the debate I struggled with the most; I found it particularly challenging as I lacked a large information basis about the topic as the law is not a topic I have previously paid much consideration to. However, this is why I love debating; it develops your general knowledge. Even though I did not have masses of information about the ‘not proven’ verdict I was still able to craft an argument about parts of the court system that I do have knowledge about – and, luckily, I was whip speaker so largely my role was just to summarise Tolu’s speech.

Tolu: The fourth debate was my least favourite. I was the third speaker/ Member of the Proposition, which I always find the hardest since the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister tend to take the points that have more obvious analysis to them. My main point of feedback was to ensure we made clear to the judges why our points were more important than the points of the other teams.

We were feeling very optimistic that if we did well in the final debate we would be able to break into the Gold final. Unfortunately we placed fourth, which was quite disheartening. Maddie and I certainly left that debate feeling disappointed, so we were very surprised that we managed to break into the Silver final. However, coming fourth in that debate had its benefits as it made us very aware of the things we needed to work on going into the final, which we were ultimately able to win.

The Silver final

Maddie: My favourite debate was when we were opening opposition for the motion given in the Silver final, ‘THW abandon the UK’s special relationship with the USA’. At first, I was panicked. Fundamentally, I morally disagreed with the side I would have to argue. My main arguments were that ultimately the USA has not abandoned their NATO commitments (as of the time of the debate) – even when France and Germany both have by falling behind on their defence spending obligations. Throughout history we can see that the UK has needed to rely on the USA (seen in World War Two and the cold war) and has benefitted through cooperation with the nation (as seen by Blair’s cooperation with President Bush to quickly respond to the crisis of 9/11). Finally, I pointed out that the chaos of the Trump presidency will be over in four years – ‘it’s a short term pain for a long term gain’ – and we cannot abandon this special relationship due to the actions of one rather ridiculous president at the risk of jeopardising future relations and trade deals once he is out of office.

The fact that we were still able to win while arguing a very controversial and timely motion to which we both inherently disagreed with our given side on, shows that debating is about constructing sound arguments with sufficient evidence, presenting such ideas in an engaging way, and being able to exercise quick-thinking so as to overcome hurdles (much like that I faced when challenged with a position I could not myself agree with).

Tolu: Overall, I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to attend this competition and extremely proud of how Maddie and I did. It was a very long day with around 10 hours of debate, however, I took so much from it. My key takeaways were definitely to focus on analysing my points even further and proving why my point is important rather than right. Hopefully next year Maddie and I will be able to go back and do even better!

I am really grateful that I had the opportunity to attend this competition and extremely proud of how Maddie and I did

Tolu’s debating notes

ALUMNI Gaby Jerrard

No laughing matter

Since leaving STAHS 22 years ago, Gaby Jerrard has pursued a career in PR, working alongside the likes of Graham Norton and Whoopi Goldberg. She explains what’s needed to succeed in this highly competitive industry, which may not be as glamorous as it seems ...

You left STAHS in 2003 with A levels in Art, Maths and Economics. What are your fondest and funniest memories of your time at the School?

My fondest memories were probably all to do with studying art. The Art Department encouraged me to continue down that route and apply to art school.

The funniest memory was when I was studying for my GCSEs; I took the liberty of not going to a Geography GCSE revision lesson to do my Art coursework in the Art Department. My Geography teacher (Mr Ramsbottom) got wind of me being in the Art block and attempted to find me. My Art teacher gave me the heads-up that he was looking for me and snuck me out the back door. He found me the other side of the courtyard attempting to get through a window of my friend’s free period and brought me back to the Geography lesson.

How did the School help prepare you for adult life?

The School fostered a strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and a passion for learning that has stayed with me. The encouragement from my teachers, especially in the arts, gave me the courage to take risks and explore unconventional career paths.

Is there anything you’d do differently if you were able to re-live your school days?

I would probably have studied more and I would’ve handed in my Economics homework on time to escape Mrs Loffler’s wrath.

After leaving STAHS, you did an Art Foundation at Wimbledon College of Art, followed by a Fine Art degree at Central Saint Martins. What made you choose PR over the art world?

I wanted a more secure job than becoming an artist. My intention was always to work in PR; when I did work experience whilst at school, one of the members of staff at the PR company told me she was an artist and moved into PR and you can study anything at university, but in order to get a role in PR, do a lot of work experience. So, choosing to go down the art route was because I loved art and didn’t want to give

it up. Although I had a place at UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology), which is the polar opposite to art, I decided to give that up to follow my artistic dreams.

You founded Gaby Jerrard PR in 2013. What made you take the plunge and set up your own business?

After working for various companies over the years, two producers took me out separately and asked me to set up my own company with them being my first clients. One of them was John Lloyd (creator of BBC2’s QI and producer of shows such as Blackadder, Not The Nine O’Clock News and Spitting Image, to name but a few), and the other was Mick Perrin who promotes Suzy Eddie Izzard, Alan Davies, Ross Noble and many other highprofile comedians.

What exactly do you do?

My role is to attain press coverage for clients, whether they be individual comedians or theatre productions or radio and television shows. This includes interview coverage online, in print media, on the radio and on television shows such as BBC Breakfast or ITV’s Lorraine

How would you describe the world of comedy PR?

It’s vibrant, fast-paced, and deeply personality-driven. Comedy PR requires relationships with entertainment and culture media – editors, journalists, podcast hosts, festival curators – many of whom expect press materials that are not just informative, but make sure the show comes across as funny. The best comedy publicists know how to pitch a set list, a tour or a festival debut with flair, while being alert to the sensitivities of comedy’s often risky or subversive subject matter.

Describe the challenges you faced in setting up on your own ...

Setting up your own PR company – especially in a niche like comedy or entertainment – is thrilling but demanding. It’s not just about having great media instincts; it’s about building a business that is financially stable, creatively respected, and operationally efficient. This is a challenge in itself as the arts do not pay as well as brands, but to grow you need to invest in staff and offices. So the main challenges were to grow but remain profitable.

You set up GingerBread Agency in 2019. How does this differ from Gaby Jerrard PR?

GingerBread Agency was set up to work mainly with brands, but it now also is a leading theatre publicity agency. Clients we have worked with include Southwark Playhouse, Patreon, immersive theatre experience The Gunpowder Plot at the Tower of London, non-alcoholic drinks brand STRYYK, Kensington and Chelsea’s arts festival and a Twitter (now called X) activation at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

I have a few career highlights, including being part of the teams that won the Edinburgh Comedy Award with Richard Gadd and subsequently Rose Matafeo. Or working with legends such as Graham Norton and more recently Whoopi Goldberg. Or one of my funniest and most memorable highlights would be when I looked after Basil Brush and took him to guest edit the Daily Mirror; I came out of the editorial meeting to find the entirety of the staff queuing up to take pictures with Basil Brush. We were there for hours.

You’ve worked with a lot of celebrities and must have plenty of stories to tell ... please share some of the most glamorous moments you’ve been a part of!

Some of the most glamourous, exciting moments have been taking a client down a red carpet at the NME Awards, where they were due to present an award, or attending Channel 4’s Comedy Awards, or running the press night and red carpet for The Commitments West End show. However, this job is generally not that glamorous – we spend a lot of time on our laptops.

The most ‘pinch-me’ moment I have had has actually been when I wasn’t working – when I have been side of stage watching my favourite bands or meeting one of my favourite bassists by accident (Duff from Guns N’ Roses). Or actually, I had to hold a press day for Queen at the We Will Rock You theatre (The Dominion at the time) and it ran over – they were in the auditorium when the doors were opening and we had to get Roger Taylor and Brian May to the other side of the building without the audience knowing they were there. That was the craziest dash I have ever made and the most exhilarating.

The School fostered a strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and a passion for learning that has stayed with me

In retrospect, is there anything you’d do differently career-wise?

I think I would have taken more time to gain more corporate and consumer experience before setting off on my arts and entertainment journey as there are more opportunities in that side of the industry.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about the world of PR?

Despite my answer above, people think that PR is glamorous, when in actual fact we spend the majority of the time in an office behind a computer emailing and looking at spreadsheets.

What advice would you give anyone looking to pursue a career in PR?

I would say get as much work experience as possible and explore digital PR and journalism. These days you need to be able to find the hook or think out of the box to gain the coverage that clients require. Anyone who wants to work in the industry would need to network, be prepared to go above and beyond to climb the ladder – go out for drinks, coffees and lunches to make connections with journalists as they are ultimately who you need to be able to call on for a favour when needed.

What are your remaining career goals?

My remaining career goal is to get back into West End theatre publicity as well as building up GingerBread Agency, aligning brands with culture.

Gaby returned to STAHS this year as guest speaker at Valediction

DRAMA

Year 7, 8 and 9 students delighted audiences in March with their take on children’s classic, Emil and the Detectives

Based on the 1929 book by Erich Kästner, the story of 10-year-old Emil’s quest to catch a thief –with a little bit of help from his friends – was one to remember. Well done to all the students who were involved in the Lower School production, as cast, crew and as part of the technical team.

Emil and the Detectives

The STAHS Theatre Company cast delighted audiences with two outstanding performances of In The Watcher’s Eye, a tale of witchcraft set in the nave of St Albans’ atmospheric St Peter’s Church.

Specially commissioned and written for our students by playwright, actor and director Paul Pfeiffer, this gripping supernatural drama provided intrigue, and a haunting atmosphere that lingered long after the final curtain fell.

Well done to the wonderful cast and crew who brought this chilling production to life!

In the Watcher’s Eye

Les Misérables

Audiences were wowed by our whole school musical production of Les Misérables, which debuted in the Jubilee Hall to great acclaim at the end of November.

Led by Director of Drama Chris Bhantoa, Head of Academic Drama Anna Coxon and Acting Director of Music Julian Smith, this ambitious production brought together 141 students in its cast, crew and orchestra.

Mr Bhantoa said he chose Les Mis because ‘it’s an epic show, entirely befitting of our students’ ambition’, adding ‘the music is iconic, the characters are deep and complex, and the story touches on universal emotions and struggles that resonate with people of all ages. It also has incredibly demanding technical effects, and I wanted to challenge our students in Stage Crew. I felt Les Mis

would be a perfect opportunity for the cast, crew and orchestra to dive into an emotional and transformational experience.’

The production was not without its challenges, however – its sheer scale being the most significant. ‘It’s a big show with a huge cast, complex set pieces, and intricate music,’ said Mr Bhantoa, who thanked co-directors Ms Coxon and Mr Smith, and Performing Arts Technician Alex Johnston, for their support.

Not surprisingly, the show’s eye-catching revolving stage was technically demanding, with Mr Bhantoa explaining it was ‘definitely a challenge, especially from a technical perspective. ‘There are a lot of scene changes in Les Mis, and the revolving stage is integral to maintaining the flow of the

show and creating the illusion of a seamless journey through different locations. For each revolve cue we needed to program the acceleration, speed, direction, deceleration and angle of rotation. Timing this with the action on stage and the tempi of the music was a big challenge for the cast and stage crew – but the effect was beautiful, and allowed for visually stunning scene changes.’

He added: ‘I am so proud of the cast, crew and orchestra – all from different year groups, and with lots going on academically – for coming together to create such an ambitious, intricate production. The three standing ovations that the students received were hard-earned, and when the entire company took a bow at the end of the final performance I was very proud.’

Award-winning performing arts!

Our Senior School Drama and Music Departments’ outstanding work was rewarded in July with a prestigious performing arts award.

The teams triumphed in the face of exceptional competition to win the Dynamic Performing Arts award in the 2025 Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards.

Now in their third year, the Best Schools Awards received entries from more than 500 schools countrywide. While the judges were impressed by all of the submissions, they felt that STAHS’ entry stood out for its ‘originality and attention to detail’.

Director of Drama Chris Bhantoa said: ‘We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this award, which recognises the creativity, ambition, and hard work of our students and staff. At STAHS we are deeply committed to providing rich, high-quality creative opportunities for every student. It’s a real privilege to lead such a dedicated and inspiring team of Drama Department staff who bring their passion and expertise to every project.’

Acting Director of Music Julian Smith said: ‘We had a lot of fun shaping the scenes in Les Misérables and instilling the confidence in the performers to seek their absolute best. The lead roles were particularly demanding, requiring flexibility to navigate the wide vocal ranges. We were fortunate to have young singers who rose to the challenge, putting themselves beyond their comfort zone, to achieve a remarkable product.

‘Similarly, the orchestral parts were demanding due to the frequent key and time signature changes; everyone worked hard to make the score come alive. Behind the scenes we had an army of staff who assisted with vocal coaching and orchestral playing. A project like this required a “whole school community” spirit, and STAHS has that in abundance!’

STAHS Maestros Masterclass and Recital Series

This year’s STAHS Maestros Series brought three outstanding musicians to the School. In October, we had an afternoon of Vaughan Williams, Vivaldi, Ravel, Kabalevsky and Koussevitzky, led by STAHS alumna and professional violinist Ellie Fagg. This was followed in November by Musical Theatre with West End star Nic Greenshields. Nic appeared in the international tour of Les Misérables, and also featured on the movie soundtrack’s recording, making him ideally placed to advise our Les Mis cast. In March, Harry the Piano coached the Prep Jazz Group and three pianists from the Senior School, teaching them about rhythm and improvisation, followed by a recital in which he improvised on requests from the audience and demonstrated his virtuosic piano playing.

MUSIC

Congratulations to the amazing STAHS musicians who performed so brilliantly at the final of the Pro Corda Chamber Music Festival for Schools in March. While Steinway Trio (comprising Sixth Form students Milly Naish, Clara Suss-Francksen and Xanthe Babcock) and Prep musicians Szeryng Quartet weren’t named among the winners this time, they certainly did themselves and STAHS proud.

Barnardo’s Young Supporters Concert

Our Senior Chamber Choir travelled to the Royal Albert Hall in November to take part in the Barnardo's Young Supporters Concert, where they delivered a breathtaking performance of John Lennon’s Imagine. The concert brought together more than 900 young people from across the UK to sing alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As well as being an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all involved, the annual concert also helped raise money for this important charity's Christmas Poverty campaign.

Pro Corda

Joint Schools’ Choral Society Concert

The annual Joint Schools’ Choral Society Concert took place at St Albans Abbey in March – a wonderful concert and a fitting memorial for the boys' school's beloved Director of Music, Mick Stout.

This latest collaboration between pupils, parents and staff from STAHS and St Albans School featured stunning performances from our Senior Choir and the Joint Schools' Orchestra. Well done to all of those that got involved: you made both schools proud.

STAHS Acting Director of Music Julian Smith said: 'The concert was the culmination of months of preparation. The musicians sang and played with poise and energy, navigating their way through Brahms and Parry, before a final rousing rendition of Beethoven's epic Symphony No.9. The concert was a wonderful occasion to celebrate the life and work of Mick Stout.'

Runcie Masterclass and Recital

Always a highlight of the STAHS musical calendar, the annual Lady Runcie Memorial Fund Masterclass and Recital took place to great acclaim in February. Internationally renowned pianist Pavel Timofeyevsky delivered what Acting Director of Music Mr Smith described as ‘a masterclass in masterclasses’, engaging brilliantly with the four young pianists – Jessica Li (Year 12) and Khiyana Shah (Year 8) from STAHS and two of their peers from St Albans School.

STAHS Young Musician of the Year

The STAHS Young Musician of the Year 2025 Winners’ Concert took place in St Peter's Church in June, with the various category winners from both Prep and Senior delighting listeners with their performances.

Milly Naish in Year 12 was this year’s winner, followed by Lucy Alexander (Year 10) in second place and Mary Castellani (Year 12) and Nicole Xenophontos (Year 11) in third. Milly received the Mary Gough Scholarship as her prize, which covers a full year of music lessons.

There were more than 150 entries to this year's competition, which is testament to the amount of musical talent and enthusiasm we have at the School. The competition was divided into five categories by instrumental family: Category 1 – Grades 1 and below; Category 2 – Grades 2-3; Category 3 – Grades 4-5; Category 4 – Grades 6-7; Category 5 (Mary Gough Scholarship) – Grade 8 and above. Those who competed in Category 5 particularly impressed our external adjudicator, Nigel Springthorpe, and our Vice Chair of Governors, Carol Jewell, with both their musical skills and their passion for music, which came across at interview.

Valediction Concert

May's Valediction Concert was a fitting occasion to celebrate the music making of our Year 13 and Year 11 leavers, who gave so much to the Music Department during their time at STAHS.

The first half of the concert involved performances from the Concert Band, Brass Ensemble, Senior Chamber Choir and the Year 13 Choir. The second half was dedicated to the orchestras, and in particular our Year 13 Music Scholars: Abi Holmes, Clara Suss-Francksen and Komachi Paine, who each played a movement from a solo concerto with orchestra. They all performed beautifully, and leave behind a strong legacy.

Finalists Nicole, Lucy, Milly and Mary

Artist in Residence Week

The Art Department welcomed Ian Murphy to STAHS in October as their Artist in Residence for 2024. Year 11 to 13 Art students, and the Art Scholars, were off timetable for a day to participate in a bespoke workshop with Ian, who aims to inspire, challenge and support young artists. They were able to put any work produced in the workshop into their coursework projects, taking forward skills and techniques into their upcoming exam projects.

ART

This is just some of the outstanding work produced by our A level and GCSE Art students, which they shared in their end of year exhibitions ...

SEYRAM AMEADAH

A LEVEL ART

SOPHIE CHANG

MATILDA GRIFFITH

Alice Withnell

Angie Wong

Charlotte Thompson

Diyara Weeraratne

Eli McDonald

Emily King

Holly Denning

GCSE

Charlotte Thompson

Diyara Weeraratne

Diyara Weeraratne

Emily King

Emily Wallace

Esme Ridout

Holly Denning

STEM STAHS WILDLIFE

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to the winners of the STAHS Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition, especially overall winner Liza Wunde.

These are the winners of the various sub-categories:

PLANTS

BIRDS

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS

Milly Naish (Year 12)

Izzy Bates (Year 12)

Amelia Simons (Year 7)

Nikita Kotak (Year 7)

Anaïs Rajasingam (Year 12)

Ameliya Khan (Year 10)

Evie Nolan-Cook (Year 7)

Alice Baddon (Year 13)

Liza Wunde (Year 7)

Tara Gunn (Year 11)

SCIENCE WEEK

STAHS celebrated British Science Week in style in March with five days of fun, interactive activities. Following the national theme of 'Change and Adapt', students got stuck into a Physics problems workshop, enjoyed a visit from Garg's Animal Encounters, made telephones, completed a Science quiz, and took part in a frog dissection session.

There was also a partnership event with Year 5 students from Killigrew Primary School, a talk from Ayesha Meredith-Lewis from the Linnean Society of London, and an Atkins Scholars' car racing event, in which students designed their own cars on CAD, which were then 3D printed!

Rotary Young Chef competition

Reya Shah in Year 9 progressed to the District round of the Rotary Young Chef competition, after her outstanding Korean paneer and lemon posset saw her win round one in St Albans in November.

In round two in Bedford in February, Reya was again tasked with producing a two-course meal for two people in 90 minutes for less than £18. While she unfortunately did not place in this heat of the competition, the judging chef gave some incredible feedback saying it was the best vegetarian dish he had tasted and that he wanted to get the recipe for it.

Well done to Reya for all the hard work and determination that she put into entering the competition!

Scholars

Hodgkin Scholars’ TEDx event

Over the last few weeks of Michaelmas term, our Year 10 and 11 Hodgkin Scholars delivered a series of TEDx-style presentations on topics of contemporary academic interest. Their five-minute speeches were wide-ranging, with titles including 'Are microbes the future for food?', 'Power and greed through the lens of Greek mythology' and 'Is it ethical to use psychological manipulation in marketing?'. The standard was incredibly high, with Lucy Havercroft from Year 11 being named the winner for her presentation on when revolutions go wrong.

The Fix

Three groups of Year 12s shared their take on government policy making in March as part of The Fix, an annual de Beauvoir Fellows initiative open to the whole year group. Students were asked to come up with original solutions to intractable social problems, and did not disappoint, giving us potential resolutions to the following: overcoming the stigma faced by children in foster care, improving the UK's housing crisis, and breaking the cycle of food insecurity.

The winning team comprised Sofia Stevenson, Aanya Apte, Hailey Mo and Sophia Adams, whose pitch for tackling food insecurity particularly impressed the judges.

Winner Lucy Havercroft

F1 at STAHS

The Atkins Scholars worked hard all year on their F1 at STAHS project. Teams designed their own cars using CAD software and their final products were 3D printed. They also designed their own brand and completed a portfolio and presentation. The runners-up, Operation Apex, were pipped at the post by the overall winners, Fusion F1. This team consisted of Isobel Snelling (Year 9), Senuli Gamage (Year 9), Anna Lucia Gonzalez Blankenship (Year 8), Divyangi Gupta (Year 7), Lily Qian (Year 7) and Freya Hardyman (Year 9).

TRIPS

Atkins Scholars’ trip to Cambridge

The Year 7 and 8 Atkins Scholars enjoyed a residential trip to Cambridge at the start of the October half term break. On the first day the Scholars carried out educational activities at the university's Botanic Gardens, took a punting trip along the River Cam and a 'ghost tour' of the city sights in the evening. On the second day they explored the artwork in the Fitzwilliam Museum and took a tour of Clare College. They also found time for some shopping and sampled the free fudge on offer!

De Beauvoir Fellows’ retreat to Bristol

Our Year 11 De Beauvoir Fellows had a fabulous overnight trip to Bristol at the start of February half term, taking in sights such as Edward Colston's plinth, the SS Great Britain and Clifton Suspension Bridge. They also enjoyed tackling an escape room and taking part in a self-guided treasure hunt in what proved to be a wet but fun trip!

Mary Lucey Research Prize

Congratulations to all of the Year 13 students who entered the Mary Lucey Research Prize, which reached its conclusion in November 2024 with a special Symposium and Awards Dinner. This voluntary competition saw the highest number of entries ever in the history of the prize, with over half of the year group taking part.

Congratulations go to winner Emily Withnell, who posed the question: 'How does Clytemnestra's portrayal in Aeschylus' Agamemnon compare to the traditional role of ancient women, and why she is best represented in Collier's 1882 painting "Clytemnestra"?'

Runners-up Amy Hutchinson and Eleni Hadji-Savva were also deserving finalists: the judges were impressed by the originality of their questions and the depth of thought that went into their entries, and Emily's. Congratulations also go to Charlotte Kan, who received the highest number of votes from fellow students for the quality of her poster.

The judges commented that the clarity of the students' arguments was strikingly strong this year across the board – well done to all of the entrants!

EPQ

Congratulations to our Year 13 Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) students, who have secured the School’s strongest set of results ever. Of the 41 that took the qualification, 37 (90%) achieved an A* while four secured an A.

The EPQ is a stand-alone qualification, in which students explore a topic of personal interest in great depth, alongside their A levels.

Year 13 students presented their EPQ to their teachers and peers during a special event in September, with project titles including ‘Is embryo gene selection a viable and ethical strategy for preventing the inheritance of cystic fibrosis?’ and ‘Could wasps potentially provide more benefits to humans than bees?’.

Drew Thomson-Jones, who was Acting Head of STAHS at the time the results were shared, said: ‘I am hugely proud of the Year 13 students’ achievements in the EPQ – they should be delighted with the level of success they have had and the clear demonstration of their intellectual curiosity and agility. This was our largest cohort of EPQ pupils to date and our greatest ever set of results.’

STAHS Diploma

It was another year of high attainment in the STAHS Diploma, with 16 distinctions, 52 merits and 13 passes being achieved by our Year 13s.

The Diploma helps prepare students for life beyond school and university by requiring them to provide evidence of having accomplished its four pillars: Academics, Skills for Life, Service and Leadership, and Making the Leap.

A compulsory part of Sixth Form life, the weekly Diploma Hour supports students on this journey and helps boost their personal development, intellectual growth and more.

Congratulations to the following students, whose portfolio submissions resulted in them winning a £600 award in addition to their distinction: Komachi Paine, Eleanor Hinkins, Margaux Hill, Sabrin Osman and Maggie Soulsby.

Emily

Eleni, Emily and Amy

Charlotte

SuperCurriculum Awards

The 2024-25 SuperCurriculum drew to a close in July with a special awards evening in the Dining Room.

This was a fitting conclusion to this year’s projects where, in Year 8 and 9, students were given carte blanche to select and research an object which they would put into a virtual museum all about the world since 1889, the year when the School was founded. Students in Year 10 carried out the interdisciplinary project, which pupils completed in a variety of media, including plays, artwork, essays, websites and posters. They had a menu of options:

Biology and Food: The Future of Food

• History and Science: The History of Scientific Discovery

• Languages and Culture/Drama: Bringing Languages to Life

• Art and Biology: The Observation and Recording of Nature

• Classics and Languages: Myths Across Time: The Art of Storytelling

• Philosophy and Science: Philosophy of Science

• Computer Science and Textiles: Surface Design using CAD and CAM

The very best students in each of the Year 8, 9 and 10 groups presented their projects to various members of the Senior Leadership Team, who chose three finalists from each year group to present at the SuperCurriculum Awards. Year 10 students also presented a research poster in two special gallery days.

And the winners are ...

Year 8 STAHS Museum Project

Chloé Jouzdani – Winner, brought the Sony Walkman into the STAHS Museum.

Finalists

Lara Ghosh

Arissa Suri

Semi-finalists

Lara Hall

Persephone Jones

Evelyn Llewellyn

Annabella Spearman

Minni Winnan

Year 9 STAHS Museum Project

Freya Hardyman – Winner, brought the Women of Britain Say ‘Go!’ First World War recruitment poster into the STAHS Museum.

Finalists

Rosie Caras

Lily Hart

Semi-finalists

Ayesha Ahmad

Aishani Markandu

Ayesha Mazhar

Sophie McDonald

Isobel Snelling

Bea Tai

Year

10

Interdisciplinary Project

Aashi Parikh – Winner, used AI to turn client preferences for fabric designs into electronic versions, and sublimation printing to turn them into authentic, printed fabrics.

Finalists

Sahana Shee Kishore

Rebecca Smith

Semi-finalists

Adesola Alalade

Leila Rose Chinn

Rose Gee

Amelia Gilbert

Eleni Goodman

Tabitha Hall

Anissa Zhang

Academic Achievements

Of students’ many academic achievements during 2024-25, these are some of the most significant ...

CHEMISTRY

• Fifteen Year 12 students entered the Royal Society of Chemistry’s prestigious Chemistry Olympiad, which tests participants’ knowledge and problem-solving skills through complex questions that go beyond the curriculum. Silver: Sophia Adams, Jessica Li, Jenna Forster and Libby Graham. Bronze: Grace Elgey, Rosie Faiz, Grace Hybel, Sabrina Kailainathan, Milly Naish, Aneesa Patel and Raaghavi Sivaganesh.

• Year 12 Chemistry students also entered the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, a high-calibre competition designed to push participants well beyond the A level syllabus. Gold: Milly Naish (only 9.75% of all entries were awarded Gold!). Silver: Sophia Adams, Jenna Forster, Libby Graham, Jessica Li, Aneesa Patel and Jiah Ramchurn (22% of all entries were Silver awards). Copper: Grace Elgey, Ana Ferdinands, Grace Hybel, Sabrina Kailainathan, Grace Logan, Raaghavi Sivaganesh and Zoe Xenophontos (28% of all entries were Copper awards).

BIOLOGY

• Year 8 participated in the national MiSAC (Microbiology in Schools Advisory Committee) competition, designing a poster on human fungal diseases. Omaira AmarasekaraSomaratne, Karin Tolentino and Lois Johnston were awarded a Commendation for Hand Drawn Originality, and Maya Crown came third, winning a cash prize for herself and the School!

• In Year 10, all students entered the annual Biology Challenge and six of them achieved a Gold Award, placing them in the top 5% of students nationwide: Alice Ashley, Alexis Lam, Ankie Wong, Rebecca Smith, Tabitha Hall and Maddison Pugh.

• Year 12 Biology students entered the 2025 British Biology Olympiad. Four students earned a Silver Award, placing them in the top 10% of students nationwide: Sophia Adams, Ana Ferdinands, Libby Graham and Jess Li.

• Lillia Hunter (Year 12) came 35th out of 914 entrants in the Cambridge Biology Challenge essay competition, where she had to discuss how Biology could explain a ‘mysterious thing’.

PHYSICS

• Two Year 11 students succeeded in winning coveted Arkwright Engineering Scholarships: Abeni Orangun and Alannah Michael.

• We had three winners in the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do?’ competition, which was aimed at Year 7: Ella Pinder and Niamh Shakinovsky (joint) for their under-sink generator and Elodie Jenkin for her smart sort bin.

• In the British Physics Olympiad Online Challenge, Grace Ferguson received a Gold certificate, while Neha Jayawardena and Abeni Orangun achieved Silver (all Year 11).

• In the British Physics Olympiad Intermediate Physics challenge, Isla Forster (Best in School) and Neha Jayawardena received Silver certificates (both Year 11).

HISTORY

• Mary Castellani in Year 12 made the shortlist of the Sidgwick Prize, a prestigious Cambridge University essay competition. Her essay explored the question ‘Are political revolutions always caused by economic discontent?’.

MATHS

• Thirty-two Year 7 and 8 students achieved a Gold certificate in the United Kingdon Mathematical Trust (UKMT) Junior Mathematical Challenge (JMC). Of these, 19 qualified for the follow-on Junior Kangaroo round. Noemi Adedayo (Best in School) and Lara Hall in Year 8 achieved Gold, while six students achieved Silver and seven achieved Bronze. Particular congratulations to Eliška Murray (Year 7) who scored so high in the JMC that she qualified for the Junior Olympiad. Of the approximately 700,000 entrants to the JMC, only the top 1,000 are entered for the Junior Olympiad!

• Five students achieved the highest grade of Distinction in the UKMT Mathematical Olympiad for Girls: Katherine McAuley and Angie Yeung from Year 11 and Imogen Crooks, Maya Herchel and Harriet Lucas (Best in School) from Year 13.

Eight students achieved a Gold certificate in the Senior Mathematical Challenge: Isla Forster, Katherine McAuley, Alannah Michael, Abeni Orangun and Angie Yeung (Best in School) from Year 11, Mary Castellani from Year 12, and Imogen Crooks and Maya Herchel from Year 13. Angie and Imogen also achieved the highest grade of a Merit in the follow-on Senior Kangaroo (this is very difficult to achieve, no one got one in 2023-24!), with Angie also Best in School.

Nineteen students achieved a Gold certificate in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, 13 of whom qualified for the follow-on Kangaroo round. Amelia Gilbert (Best in School) from Year 10 and Darcey Foster and Isla Forster from Year 11 all achieved Silver on the Pink Kangaroo.

Results and Leavers’ Destinations 2025

Leavers’ destinations

Anya Ahuja Gap year

Oluwatomisin Akindele Warwick Biomedical Systems Engineering

Seyram Ameadah Bristol Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

Noah Angus Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Theatre and Production Technology

Naomi Arowolo Nottingham Criminology

Alice Baddon Warwick Economics

Katherine Barraclough Durham Psychological and Behavioural Science

Shari Bassi Exeter Law

Juliette Beswick Exeter Modern Languages

Sophie Chang Manchester Metropolitan Animation

Cara Chennells Newcastle Biology

Isla Corp Cambridge Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

Imogen Crooks Bath Mathematics

Romy Davies Oxford English Language and Literature

Isabel Davies Nottingham Trent Fashion Design

Heidi Denning Leeds Environmental Science

Grace Dersookiasian Leeds Philosophy

Kirsten Done Queen Mary University of London Drama

Olivia Dorey Newcastle Medicine and Surgery

Florence Dye London School of Economics and Political Science Social Anthropology

Oluwadamilola Erinle Manchester Geography

Jessica Fereday Edinburgh Astrophysics

Ione-Rose Fleming Edinburgh Architecture

Katie Foster Bath Biomedical Sciences

Finley Francis UCL Biological Sciences

Matilda Griffith Manchester Metropolitan Fine Art and Art History

Eleni Hadji-Savva Nottingham Law

Lucy Harris UCL English

Eleena Hearne Bath Biomedical Sciences

Maya Herchel St Andrews Mathematics

Avery Hewitt UEA English Literature and Drama

Margaux Hill Gap Year

Eleanor Hinkins Leeds Geography

Abigail Holmes Cambridge Veterinary Medicine

Olivia Hudson Durham History

Georgina Hugo St Andrews Geology

Amy Hutchinson Durham Physics

Anya Jallport Warwick Politics and International Studies

Nathari Alannah Jayamanna Warwick Biomedical Science

Charlotte Kan Gap Year

Vanesa Kushi Birmingham Politics and International Relations

Gladys Lam Cambridge History

Emily Latto Leeds Medical Engineering

Heidi Long Nottingham Aerospace Engineering

Harriet Lucas Cambridge Engineering

Jessica Mairs Exeter Psychology

Zoë Meredith London Contemporary Dance School Conservatoire for Dance

Isabelle McLauchlan Leeds Natural Sciences

72

92 % % of all A levels awarded were at grades A*–B in 2025 of all A levels awarded were at grades A*–A in 2025

85% of all GCSEs awarded were at grades 9–7 in 2025

Nyah Mistry Birmingham Dentistry

Poppy Mountain Leeds Geography

Imogen Myatt Durham History

Sadie Nicholls Cambridge History

Amelia O'Callaghan Liverpool Law with Criminology

Joanna Ogunsakin Warwick Global Sustainable Development

Lauren O'Reilly Northampton Geography

Sabrin Osman Plymouth Medicine

Samia Osman York University, Toronto Political Science

Komachi Paine Cambridge Veterinary Medicine

Arya Patel Durham Combined Honours in Social Sciences

Chloe Petevinos Durham Natural Sciences

Caitlin Prendergast Nottingham Economics

Aadya Rajesh UCL History, Politics and Economics

Rhianna Robinson Leeds Economics and Mathematics

Emily Sanderson Nottingham Criminology

Trisha Sengupta Manchester Computer Science and Mathematics

Zulaikhaa Shaffi Gap year

Lucca Shirley York Human Geography and Environment

Isobel Snape Manchester Politics and Modern History

Anoushka Sood Cambridge History

Maggie Soulsby Durham Combined Honours in Social Sciences

Clara Suss-Francksen Durham Liberal Arts

Rosan Trisic Oxford Psychology and Philosophy

Raissa Vickery Cambridge Land Economy

Elizabeth Wadham Durham Modern Languages and Cultures

Alliah Warden Leeds Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Thought

Holly White Exeter History

Emily Withnell Nottingham Ancient History

Annabelle Wong Warwick Economics

Andrea Wong Goldman Sachs Degree Apprenticeship

Freya Wright Sheffield Materials Science and Engineering

SPORT Round-up

Once again, it has been a phenomenal year for sport at STAHS, with success across many disciplines. Outgoing Director of Sport Polly Glover, who left STAHS at the end of Trinity term, said: ‘It has been a remarkable year for sport at STAHS and a winning culture has been fully established. This is reflected in the tenacity, effort and sporting ability of our students across the board. The talents of our students will never cease to amaze me, and I am proud to have been the Director of Sport at such an incredible institution. I have no doubt that our students will continue to amaze and impress us next year.’

School Sports Captain Cara Chennells

Netball Captain Isla Corp

Athletics Captain Olivia Dorey

Aesthetics Co-Captain Katie Foster

Lacrosse Captain Finley Francis

Badminton Captain Charlotte Kan

Aesthetics Co-Captain Emily Latto

Dance Captain Harriet Lucas

Football Captain Poppy Mountain

Lacrosse Vice-Captain Clara Suss-Francksen

Swim Captain Raissa Vickery

Netball

This season has been one of the most successful in STAHS netball history, showcasing the talent, determination and spirit of our players across every age group. With fixtures stretching from A through to F teams, it has been fantastic to see so many pupils proudly representing the School and contributing to our ever-growing netball programme.

The highlight of the season came from our U14 and U16 squads, who both made history by qualifying for the National Schools Finals – the very first time STAHS has had two teams at Nationals in the same year. The U14s impressed with their composure and fight to finish third nationally, while the U16s battled through fierce competition to secure fourth place. Both teams were also crowned County and Regional champions, reflecting their consistency and dominance throughout the season.

Success wasn’t limited to Nationals: the U12s enjoyed an incredible debut, finishing third in the Sisters n Sport Cup final, while the U13s fought hard to claim fourth place in the Plate final. These results underline the strength and depth of our younger squads and promise an exciting future ahead.

Closer to home, we celebrated a clean sweep of victories in the County leagues, with our U14, U15, U16 and U19 teams all crowned champions. These achievements demonstrate not only the quality of netball at STAHS but also the resilience, teamwork, and ambition of every player involved.

Perhaps most importantly, this year has seen a huge number of fixtures across all levels, giving opportunities for players of every ability to develop their skills, enjoy competitive matches, and embrace the values of sport.

We are incredibly proud of everything achieved this season – our progress, our teamwork, and our historymaking moments. STAHS netball continues to go from strength to strength, and the future looks brighter than ever.

U14 National Schools final

U14 County Champions

U13 SnS final

U16 National Schools final

U12 SnS final

U15A County Cup champions

U16 County champions

Lacrosse

This year's lacrosse season has been one of determination, skill and teamwork. Across every age group, we have witnessed remarkable progress and outstanding performances. From our youngest players to our senior squads, the passion and enthusiasm displayed both on and off the pitch have made for an exceptional year. The development we’ve seen in both individual players and entire squads is a true testament to the hours of hard work, commitment, and perseverance shown throughout the year.

We have had successes across all the year groups, and it has been wonderful to watch the players grow in confidence and ability. There have been many highlights to celebrate, such as the U12s’ win at the Heathfield Tournament and the U13s’ triumph at the Abbot’s Hill Tournament. Both of these squads displayed great teamwork and tactical awareness to secure the win.

The success didn’t stop there. Our U14, U15, and Senior teams all qualified for the Championship Division at the National Schools Lacrosse Championships – a significant accomplishment that placed them among the top teams in the country. Each of these squads demonstrated high-level play and resilience throughout the season, with their performances at Nationals underscoring their talent and dedication.

Across all teams, we are incredibly proud of the collective spirit and unwavering support demonstrated by our players, as they navigated challenges together with unity, resilience, and a strong sense of teamwork.

As we look back on this outstanding season, we are immensely proud of what our teams have achieved. We look forward to building on this success in the seasons to come.

Cricket

The cricket season saw our first U12, U13 and U14 T20 fixture against Brentwood and our first Senior cricket fixture against Berkhamsted. Highlights included impressive performances from Ambia Naik and Aarya Raval (both Year 8) at the U13 County Tournament and Leelya Kariya from Year 9’s outstanding bowling in the Senior match against Berkhamsted. We look forward to building on this progress during 2025-26.

U15 at National Schools

Second team at National Schools

U14 at National Schools

First team at National Schools

Friday Night Lights 2024

U12 team

U14 team U13 team

Cross Country

The girls competed in District, County and Regional competitions during 2024-25, with our Year 7s getting things off to a strong start with a team trophy win at the District Mob Race in September.

The Junior, Inter and Senior teams did extremely well throughout the District League. Students competed in the English Schools’ Athletic Association (ESAA) County round at Queenwood and progressed through to the Regional round at Dulwich College. Our Junior runners finished 12th overall, with Emma Sofronov securing our top individual placing (14th), while the Inters finished 19th.

There was further success at the Hertfordshire Schools Athletics Association (HSAA) Cross Country Championships at Westminster Lodge, with Mimi Boxill-Roope from Year 7 coming fourth and securing the highest individual placing for STAHS across all year groups.

Finally, Mimi Boxill-Roope and Ella Pinder went on to represent Hertfordshire at the National Primary and Year 7 Cross Country Final in March, helping Herts secure an incredible second place!

Football

Football continued to flourish at STAHS, with numbers attending weekly training sessions reaching record highs. Teams were entered into a multitude of competitions, from District, to County and National, across all age groups, with some teams progressing further in County and National cups than ever before.

Our U13 team showed tremendous promise and squad depth, making the later stages of the Sisters n Sport (SnS) National Cup and narrowly missing out on a place in the quarter-final in a very close match against Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School. Notable wins came against Bedford Girls’ School and Wycombe Abbey, with Orla Henry (Year 8) ending the season as our Top Scorer, Anna Stokes (Year 8) as Most Improved, Players’ Player going to Mimi Boxill-Roope (Year 7), and Player of the Season going to Belle Laing (Year 7).

Our U15 team were once again the beacon of STAHS football, with extended runs in the SnS National Cup, County Cup and District Cup – despite multiple injury disruptions – which the team should be proud of. Memorable wins against Samuel Ryder (in torrential rain), a victorious trip to Southend and a home win against a very strong Sandringham School in the National Cup were all part of the journey.

Being narrowly beaten in the quarter-final of both the County Cup and SnS National Cup, as well as losing on penalties in the final of the District Cup, show how close this team were to unrivalled success. The team should be proud of the togetherness and galvanised spirit created between the two years groups, with many Year 9 students playing up a year. Notable performances from Year 10 students Verity Fuge, Millie Lindsay, Shivani Shah, Alexa Johnson and Alice Gates reflected how much progress they have made over the past few seasons.

Senior football continued to develop at STAHS and is now set to be as competitive and rigorous as all other age groups, with solid foundations set this season across different tournaments, utilising a wide range of players with various levels of experience.

Standout commitment and performances from captain Poppy Mountain (Year 13) were ably supported by others such as Lucca Shirley (Year 13), Zoe Clifton (Year 11), Emily Latto (Year 13) and Holly Gamble (Year 12), to name a few. We look forward to further developing our impressive pool of players across all age groups!

U15 team

Ella at National finals Inter team

Junior team

Year 7 District Mob Race winners

Aesthetics

This year has been a phenomenal one for aesthetics, with our gymnastics squads achieving some excellent results. The Michaelmas term started with the fun and excitement of the District Trampette and Tumble Competition and the high levels of skill displayed at the annual National Independent Schools Gymnastics Association (ISGA) Floor and Vault Competition. Our Senior team of Katie Foster (Year 13), Lucca Shirley (Year 13), Naomi Smith (Year 12), Anna Weir (Year 12) and Evie Kasoulis (Year 11) retained the National title, with special congratulations to Naomi for finishing in joint first place overall – an outstanding achievement!

Our trampolining teams have also had an exceptional year, narrowly missing out on a medal position at the British Schools Gymnastics Association (BSGA) National Finals in March. A huge congratulations to Katie Foster, who also reached the final as an individual, and her team of Naomi Smith, Evie Kasoulis and Sophie Campbell (Year 10) for their remarkable contributions at the finals. Further success followed into the Trinity term with the Schools Floor and Vault competition, where our teams debuted choreographed routines and earned the winning trophy for the highest school score, along with numerous team and individual medals. A special mention to Charlotte Wood (Year 8) and Stephanie Hadfield (Year 7) for winning their categories.

Tennis

The season concluded with another high point at the Evolution Schools competition, where we took home the trophy for the highest team score. Congratulations to Elana Roberts and Avika Bhagawati from Year 7 for winning their categories and a special mention also to Avika for winning the trophy for the highest vault score of the day!

Tennis continues to grow at STAHS with many students representing the School at various levels. Our Senior players of Isla Forster, Katie Chen, Alannah Michael and Emily Potts (all Year 11) and Xanthe Babcock (Year 12) reached the Senior students’ Regional finals to finish as runners-up.

The Aberdare Cup team of Sophie Kimura Carvalho (Year 10), Sara Kimura Carvalho (Year 10), Leela Kariya (Year 9) and Xanthe Babcock reached the Regional semi-finals, only just missing out on a place at National finals.

The County tennis teams have played some excellent tennis against strong opposition with the Year 7 and 8 Division 2 team reaching the semi-finals.

Our U12, U14 and U15 District teams also won their league to play in the County final, with the U14s winning and the U15s finishing as runners-up.

Finally, the annual school tennis tournament was played in beautiful sunshine and saw the largest number of players in recent years, with medals awarded in both the Cup and Plate competitions.

ISGA Floor and Vault Competition winners

Evolution Schools competition

ISGA Floor and Vault Competition winners

Aberdare Cup team

Schools Floor and Vault

Gymnastics Competition

Swimming

This season our swimmers put on an excellent performance across the multiple galas in the league. Our Juniors finished third, Inters first and Seniors fourth, with individual wins in the final. We also entered the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) relay competition; the swimmers finished sixth overall, narrowly missing out on the Juba Trophy. Our swimmers also had a great day at the London Aquatic Centre in March, competing in the Bath and Nalson Cup alongside 65 other teams.

Athletics

This year saw yet another busy season of athletics, with both Junior and Inter teams making it through to the first round of the Regional Finals. There were more than 20 fixtures overall in a very busy term, with all students being very committed throughout and multiple PBs being achieved.

U14 and U16 squads

Badminton

There was success for 10 of our students in one of the District badminton tournaments, with the Juniors placing second and the Seniors winning all their matches and coming first. Both teams progressed to the County round at Hertfordshire Sports Village: the Junior team worked hard against some challenging opposition and the Senior team finished fourth overall.

Skiing

The parent-run ski squad had another fantastic year, with a number of successes: the girls won two cups for the School and there was an increasing number of first and second places.

They squad took part in both indoor and dry slope racing across a number of competitions including the English Schools’ Ski Association (ESSKIA), the National Schools Snowsports Association (NSSA), British Schoolgirls’ Indoor Races (BSIR) and the Eastern Region Snowsports Association (ERSA).

Well done to Katya Murace (Year 10), Gala Chen (Year 9), Charlotte Russell (Year 8), Hayley Tse (Year 8), Annabelle Du (Year 8), Amelia Saunders (Year 8), Sia Srivastava (Year 7), Jenny Bain (Year 7), Mathilda Curnow (Year 7), Stephanie Hadfield (Year 7) and Emily Cleveland (Year 7).

Senior team

Bath and Nalson team

EVENTS& VISITS CAROL SERVICE

Our school community came together on 12 December for our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Albans Cathedral. Always a highlight of Michaelmas term, we shared carols, prayers and readings at this special service in the historic Abbey. Thank you to everyone who donated to our charity collection, which this year was in aid of Herts Young Homeless.

Our community marked 136 years since the founding of St Albans High School for Girls during a Founders' Day service at St Albans Cathedral on 1 April. The celebration had the theme of 'lives of consequence', with readings and programme art created by students with this in mind.

As is tradition, the ceremony saw the formal exchange of gowns between our 2024-25 School and House Officers and their 2025-26 counterparts.

This year's collection was in aid of Earthworks St Albans, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities to manage 3.5 acres of eco-gardens. Thank you to all of our families that donated so generously.

VALEDICTION

Our Year 13s were given a wonderful send-off in their Valediction ceremony on 2 May.

Dozens of students’ efforts were recognised, with prizes for everything from independence and initiative to outstanding public speaking, as well as many subject prizes.

Thank you to guest speaker – and STAHS alumna – Gaby Jerrard, who left STAHS in 2003; students loved hearing about her successful career running one of the UK’s leading comedy PR agencies. You can find out more about Gaby in our feature on page 30.

PRIZE GIVING

Our community gathered at St Albans Cathedral on 4 July for our annual Prize Giving ceremony.

This whole school event brought pupils from the Prep and Senior schools together to celebrate some of the most outstanding achievements of the academic year.

Thank you our guest speaker, historian Helen Carr, and the many STAHS musicians who sang and played so beautifully.

Our Year 13s celebrated the end of their exams with a glamorous Leavers' Ball at the Old Palace, Hatfield House on 27 June. Students were joined by Mrs Massey, Mrs Monighan and many other members of staff, who gathered to mark the end of their time at STAHS in style.

YEAR 13 LEAVERS’ BALL

SPORTS DAY

The sun shone on Sports Day on 8 July, and students in Years 7 to 10 and Year 12 were out in force at Westminster Lodge to represent their Houses.

Congratulations to Julian who were this year’s overall winners, and the following students who have found themselves in the School record books ...

Records

Year 8 1500m: Anna Stokes, 5:25

Year 8 triple jump: Charlotte Wood, 9.90m

Year 8 high jump: Amelia Alade, 1.47m

Year 9 high jump: Eloise Thomas, 1.49m (joint with 2022)

Year 12 300m: Sienna Rust, 43.11sec

Cups

House Jumping Cup: Julian

Junior House Cup: Julian

Senior House Cup: Mandeville

Overall Sports Day Cup: Julian

Amelia Alade

SPORTS AWARDS

Congratulations to all of our Year 11, 12 and 13 sportswomen who came together to celebrate a year of outstanding sporting achievements on 25 April. Guest of honour at this year's Sports Awards was former track-and-field athlete Sally Gunnell, who won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 1992 Olympics.

Special Awards

Widest Contributor: Finley Francis (Year 13)

Sportsmanship Award: Olivia Dorey (Year 13)

Most Improved Senior Player: Lucca Shirley (Year 13) Senior Sports Personality: Poppy Mountain (Year 13)

Finley Lucca

Olivia Poppy

Gymnastics and Dance Display

Our amazing dancers and gymnasts from Years 4 to 13 came together in March for another unforgettable STAHS Gymnastics and Dance Display. The Sports Hall was abuzz with music and movement, as students proudly shared their latest routines with their families and friends.

There was a huge range of dance and gymnastics styles on show, from modern, contemporary, commercial and South Asian dance to cheerleading, musical theatre and trampolining. A joyful evening that was loved by all!

Enrichment Week

From fun day trips to interactive on-site events, Enrichment Week in July was as entertaining as ever. Here are some of the highlights ...

Year 7

The Biology Department ran an enjoyable day trip to Whipsnade Zoo at the start of Enrichment Week. The day complemented Year 7 students’ Classification and Conservation topic and included an opportunity to watch the Birds of the World display and attend some of the scheduled daily talks.

Later on, students honed their teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills during Rainforest Day – a Bowland Maths initiative – followed later in the week by Art and DT workshops.

Year 8

Year 8 Drama students had a brilliantly interactive time getting stuck into their One Day Film School. The day began with training in fight choreography, camera skills and screenwriting techniques, which they were able to put into action with their own short film projects.

They also visited the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a town during the Industrial Revolution. Students walked down a mine shaft in the dark, and were taught a school lesson as it would have been in Victorian times, which gave everyone an appreciation of the challenges, joys and hazards of life in the past.

Year 9

Year 9 Geographers spent the first day of Enrichment Week exploring Kew Gardens’ incredible greenhouses, a trip that was integral to their unit on Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts.

Later in the week they participated in self-defence workshops run by Action Breaks Silence, an educational, non-profit organisation. This was followed by some first aid training, and a go-karting team-building session.

Year 10

A Next 10 careers event saw Mrs Parton explaining the ins and outs of job applications to students. Later in the week, Year 10s not taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition got stuck into a two-day Youth Model United Nations conference, alongside students from St Columba’s and St George’s.

Year 12

Year 12 began Enrichment Week with a personal statement writing session, while their highlight of the week was a teambuilding trip to Go Ape.

These are just some of the trips students were lucky enough to experience this year ...

TRIPS Sestriere, Italy

Forty students had a fantastic ski trip to Sestriere in Italy during the Easter holidays. In addition to five days of skiing lessons they had a brilliant quiz night with some very challenging questions about the teachers, feasted on crepes, went swimming and performed in a memorable talent show. An unforgettable week that was thoroughly enjoyed by staff and students alike!

Betws-y-Coed

In Trinity term, Environmental Science students visited Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia to work on the course’s practical and fieldwork skills. This included assessing the ability of forests to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, surveying local rivers for the effects of pollution, a trip to the beach to study sand dune ecology, and a visit to a working wind turbine to study noise pollution and evaluate the effects of wind farms on local human and animal populations.

Washington DC

During October half term, 24 students went on a fascinating trip to Washington DC to see the history and politics of the USA for themselves. The US Capitol and US Supreme Court introduced students to the political system, while visits to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the American History Museum helped them explore the historical background of today’s politics. The trip ended with a visit to Ford’s Theatre Museum, the site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and then, on a lighter note, the International Spy Museum. A great time was had by all, helped by the weather, which was a balmy 27C!

Australia

A group of Senior School netball players enjoyed an unforgettable trip to Australia this summer.

A total of 47 students took part in the two-week netball tour, which included five competitive fixtures against local schools alongside visits to some of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, including Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach.

A highlight was snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, where students came within touching distance of turtles, fish and beautiful corals. Some lucky students even spotted whales and dolphins breaching the surface on the yacht journey to the reef!

The trip was filled with adventure, culture, and sport, with students showcasing great teamwork and resilience, and making Aussie friends along the way.

Assistant Head Co-Curricular and Operations Chris Bhantoa, who led the trip, said: ‘Students behaved impeccably throughout, and represented the School with pride. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, filled with laughter and adventure, and one which we will never forget.’

Bushcraft

Our Year 7s got back to nature during their overnight trip to Boughton Woods in Northamptonshire in September. The group built shelters and dens, cooked on their own campfires, learned first aid, and had a great time getting to know each other in a fun and relaxed setting.

Italy

The Classics Department spent a chunk of October half term leading a group of 38 pupils from Years 10 to 13 around the classical highlights of Italy. They spent three days on the Bay of Naples, where, among other things, pupils enjoyed walking the streets of Pompeii and imagining what life was like before Vesuvius erupted.

It was then on to Rome for a further three days, where the group visited some of the most iconic remains of the Roman world, such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Forum. Gelato, pizza and pasta were consumed in abundance, and a good time was had by all.

Brussels

Year 12 enjoyed their induction trip to Brussels in September. They took part in a chocolate workshop and a self-guided street art treasure hunt, and enjoyed plenty of free time for waffles, shopping and cultural activities in the centre of Brussels. New friendships were born and it was fantastic to see Year 12 bond as a year group in their first few weeks of Sixth Form.

A group of Mandarin students spent 10 nights in China during October half term. Emily Bloch in Year 10 shares her trip highlights ...

The China trip was undoubtedly the best trip I have been on. It exposed us to the incredibly rich and beautiful culture, from the range of cuisine options such as the meat and vegetable dumplings I couldn’t get enough of, to various fun-packed and engaging activities, such as doing Chinese calligraphy, and learning about Chinese pop culture and traditional tea-making. It also exposed me to squat toilets which definitely make you work up a sweat!

As well as this we got fantastic views of a collection of China’s most idyllic landmarks, like the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Bird’s Nest Stadium, used in the

Beijing 2008 Olympics, which was breathtaking at nighttime.

The Siberian Tiger Park was an unforgettable experience for me as a tiger lover, and the Great Wall was the most surreal experience and one truly etched into my heart!

The itinerary was filled to the brim and every single one of the 10 days enabled me not only to grow tighter bonds with my friends, creating a small China trip family, but improved my Mandarin skills by speaking in public and meeting so many kind individuals along the way in both Beijing and Harbin!

China

Emily,

CERN, Switzerland

Year 12 and 13 Physics students spent two nights in Switzerland at the start of October. The group learnt about chocolate making at La Bonbonniere chocolatier, then went to the United Nations where they were given a guided tour and sat in on some live human rights conference discussions.

The next day the group visited CERN, where they learned about the history of its research and how data is processed. They also saw the antimatter factory, where experiments on the gravitation of anti-hydrogen are conducted. Finally, students enjoyed the History of Science Museum and some time exploring Geneva.

Cardiff

Ninety-two Year 11 Geographers headed to Cardiff in October to undertake their GCSE fieldwork. In challenging conditions and with a few overtopped wellington boots when they were wading through the river, they spent three days collecting and analysing data on regeneration in Cardiff and the changing characteristics of the River Ogmore. The students were commended for their enthusiasm and good humour throughout; they truly threw themselves into the fieldwork and were the reason it was such a successful field trip.

Disneyland Paris

Students had a fantastic netball tour to Disneyland Paris over October half term. We’re proud of our overall U14 tournament winners, plus the girls who placed third, fifth and seventh out of 22 teams!

HOUSES Round-up

It’s been a big year for House events at STAHS, with House Art making its inaugural appearance, and the mighty House Performing Arts debuting in place of House Dance, Song and Drama. The competition was tight, but this year’s winners of the Clark and Chapman Cups were Paris and Verulam – with Paris retaining the Clark Cup for the seventh successive year!

CHAPMAN CUP

(HOUSE CHALLENGE – ALL HOUSE EVENTS) 1st - Verulam (475 points) 2nd - Julian (470 points) 3rd - Mandeville (420 points)

4th - Verulam (6,648) 1

4th - Paris (410 points)

CLARK CUP

(HOUSE POINTS ONLY) 1st - Paris (7,668)

2nd - Julian (6,970)

3rd - Mandeville (6,786)

JULIAN

Netball (Junior, Inter and Senior)

Lacrosse (Senior)

Football (Junior)

Maths

Sports Day (Junior)

Swimming (Junior and Senior)

Julian has had an incredible year this year. We have excelled in nearly every team sport, winning House Netball across the board and scoring highly in Lacrosse and Football.

We have won the Overall Sports Day Cup again (Julian dominating in individual sports too of course).

Julian has not only succeeded in sports, but also in the first House Performing Arts, achieving a commendable second place with an amazing adaption of The Crucible

It has been a pleasure to be Julian’s House Captain in such a successful year and I’m sure the successes will keep on coming.

By Lizzie Wadham, Julian House Captain, 2024-25

MANDEVILLE

Badminton

Football (Inter and Senior)

Sports Day (Senior)

Debating (joint with Paris)

Tennis (Junior)

House Art

Mandeville has had an amazing year, showcasing our strengths in different fields. We’ve shown tremendous House spirit, bringing us to victory across a range of events (and coming very close in others).

We demonstrated our sporting capabilities by securing wins in both the Inter and Senior divisions of House Football and dominating in House Badminton. Our sporting excellence did not stop there, with Mandeville achieving first in the House Tennis Junior division!

With unmatched creativity and a magical touch, Mandeville’s teamwork and resilience continued to shine in winning House Art, as well as our debaters’ powerful arguments and confidence bringing us a joint victory in House Debate.

Our dedication and talents have led us to many successes this past year, and we’ve all had so much fun in the process. The future is bright (and very green), and we’re excited for even more Mandeville wins in the coming years!

By Charlotte Kan, Mandeville House Captain, 2024-25

Paris has had an amazing year once again! Throughout all of the events that have happened this year, Paris’s House spirit has shone through in each and every one of them.

We have shown our talent throughout a wide variety of events. We started off strong by winning House Debating with our fantastic arguments that captivated not only the audience but the judges as well. Our Intermediate team then soared to victory in House Swimming, showing off their sporting abilities, which were also seen in House Tennis.

House Performing Arts was the icing on the cake for Paris. The amazing theatre production that was led by our directors and assistant directors left the audience in awe and with their skill and talent we claimed the trophy and are officially the first House to win this event, demonstrating the talent that Paris has.

Finally, to round off the year, Paris claimed the Clark Cup for the seventh year in a row, showing just how spectacular Paris truly is. We can’t wait to see all of the successes that Paris will have in the future because the future looks very bright indeed!

By Arya Patel, Paris House Captain, 2024-25

PARIS

House Performing Arts

Swimming (Inter)

Debating (joint with Mandeville)

Tennis (Inter and Senior)

Verulam has really smashed it this academic year. We started off strong with the new generation of Year 7 Verulam students coming first in the annual Year 7 Olympics. Verulam continued to sparkle and shine bright, winning the Form Boards competition and the House Quiz. We’ve proved ourselves consistently in sporting events, coming first in both House Cricket and Lacrosse and on the brink of victory in Netball, Football and Swimming.

Similar success was found in one of the newest events, House Art, where we showcased our skill and creativity, coming a close second. Overall, fantastic performances from everyone who took part in House events this year and we are so proud of every single achievement.

With Verulam’s fabulous spirit and teamwork displayed this year there is no doubt that we will stay united and continue to go for gold.

By Kirsten Done, Verulam House Captain, 2024-25

VERULAM

Year 7 Olympics

Form Boards Quiz

Lacrosse (Junior and Inter)

Cricket (Junior and Inter)

Sixth Form Christmas Tree Decorating Competition