Issue 4 | Winter 2016
Being true to yourself An interview with Clare Sumner CBE (Class of 1990), Chief of Staff at the BBC and former Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair
Alumnae in the newsroom A glimpse at the careers and achievements of our Alumnae working in News and Current Affairs
Politically empowering our youth n interview with Olivia Cappuccini A (Class of 2009), Founder and Director of Scenes of Reason, an independent production house bringing social and political issues to the youth of today
a note from... Welcome to our fourth edition of Profile in which we meet Alumnae who have pursued careers in news and current affairs broadcasting; their profiles are fascinating and reveal the variety, challenges, opportunities and rewards of a lifetime spent uncovering and reporting what is going on in the world. The success that St Helen’s Alumnae have enjoyed in such a competitive profession is all the more impressive because women are under-represented in this industry. A report in 2014-15 by the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications revealed that women are seriously underrepresented both on and off-air in news and current affairs programmes, with male reporters outnumbering females three to one on flagship news programmes. The poor representation of women is considered by many to be particularly significant because such programmes have an authority and importance in shaping public opinion. At a time when we once again have a female Prime Minister and when the most influential European politician is Angela Merkel, it is anomalous that there are relatively few female political correspondents and commentators. We are therefore grateful to our contributors for giving their time to discuss the journeys they have taken since leaving St Helen’s and sharing their insights into the professional lives of broadcasters. At St Helen’s we encourage the girls’ interests in the wider world, as it is crucial to the future of the UK that women play an active and interested part in understanding and shaping political life. As a whole school we held a general election in 2015, ran a Brexit referendum in June (which did not reflect the final outcome of the national referendum!) and welcomed Sir John Randall, former Deputy Chief Whip (and father of an Alumna), to speak in Senior School Assembly as part of Parliament Week. I am confident that you will enjoy reading this issue of Profile and would like to end by wishing you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Dr Mary Short, Headmistress
dates for the diary Please contact the Development Office or visit www.sthelens.london/Events for more information.
Inaugural Alumnae Ambassadors’ Dinner Invitation only – Thursday 5th January 2017, 7.00pm-9.00pm – St Helen’s School A dinner and drinks reception to mark the launch of our Alumnae Ambassadors’ Circle.
Futures Evening: Careers in Business, Banking and Finance Thursday 9th March 2017, 6.00pm-8.45pm – St Helen’s School Parents and Alumnae working in business, banking and finance are invited to meet our Year 10 to Year 13 students interested in a career in this field.
Oxbridge Luncheon Thursday 23rd March 2017 – The Mint Café, St Helen’s School An invitation to our Alumnae currently at Oxford University and Cambridge University to join our Year 12 students for lunch and offer them an insight into the application process and university life.
Alumnae vs Girls Netball Match Tuesday 23rd March 2017, 5.30pm-7.30pm – St Helen’s School
Alumnae Easter Reunion Friday 7th April 2017, 8.00pm onwards – The Gate Pub, Northwood
Old Girls’ Day Saturday 13th May 2017
Afternoon Tea Thursday 8th June 2017, 2.00pm-5.00pm – The Centre, St Helen’s School Alumnae from the Class of 1970 and before are invited to join us for tours of the school and afternoon tea with old friends.
Spot Lunch for Year 10 Thursday 22nd June 2017 – St Helen’s School An invitation to our Alumnae currently at university to join our Year 10 students for lunch and offer them an insight into university life.
Futures Breakfast TBC June 2017 – RBH, St Helen’s School Alumnae and parents are invited to have breakfast with our Year 12 students to talk to them about careers and enable the students to practise their networking skills.
Arts and Creative Industries Reception Date and Venue TBC Networking for parents, Alumnae and friends of St Helen’s who are working in the arts and creative industries sector.
Fun Day Sunday 25th June 2017, 11.00am-4.00pm – St Helen’s School
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Being true to yourself
An interview with Clare Sumner CBE (Class of 1990), Chief of Staff at the BBC and former Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
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Alumnae in the newsroom
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Alumnae in current affairs
Politically empowering our youth 10 An interview with Olivia Cappuccini (Class of 2009), Founder and Director of Scenes of Reason, an independent production house bringing social and political issues to the youth of today.
From our students 12 Encouraging active citizenry
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From the Development Director
uilding Our Vision 16 BInnovation and development at St Helen’s
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Alumnae in the news
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School news
© ITV News
cover photo Cover image of Penny Marshall (Class of 1981). Penny Marshall is now the Social Affairs Editor for ITV News, covering home and foreign news on screen for the ITV news bulletins. Turn to page 6 to find out more about Penny’s career to date.
Feature story
Being true to yourself Clare Sumner began her career in the Civil Service as a Press Officer, where her passion and integrity enabled her to move quickly to the heart of British political life at No 10. Clare then spent five years in No 10 as Private Secretary to the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, during years that were both significant and controversial. Clare was awarded a CBE in the 2004 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her outstanding contribution to government. Since 2014 Clare has been at the heart of another major British institution as Chief of Staff at the BBC, working alongside the Director General, Tony Hall. Clare is not only an incredibly successful professional woman with a huge sense of commitment to serving the British public, but she also juggles these responsibilities with raising a young family. Q: How would you summarise your career path? A: I began my career as a civil servant working in the Home Office as a Press Officer for Michael Howard and the Conservative government. Following the 1997 general election the Blair government came in and I found myself working for Jack Straw as Private Secretary. I was working on some fascinating projects looking at bringing about increased protection for people, human rights and greater freedom of information. From there I went to No 10 and worked for the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, for five years. My role at No 10 was brilliant. I prepared the Prime Minister for Question Time every week, prepared the Queen’s Speeches and worked with others to support the implementation of the government’s legislative programme through Parliament. No 10 is like working in Alice in Wonderland’s house. It looks tiny from the outside and then you open the door and can’t believe how big it is and how much is going on. It’s like working in a museum whilst history is happening around you.
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Clare and Director General Tony Hall meeting Angelina Jolie
From there I went on to the Court Service which was very different again. The advantage of having a Civil Service career is that you do lots of different things and you build up skills and expertise as you go. After that I broke off to have a family and returned to work at the Ministry of Justice as Director of Law and Rights supporting the then Conservative and Liberal Democrat government. One of the things I am quite proud of is that I am impartial and I am not political in any way. Working in the Civil Service and now the BBC, you have a duty to be independent, impartial and fair to any political party. Q: What is your current role at the BBC? A: As Chief of Staff I support Tony, the Director General, with the running of the BBC. It’s a big role and my experience at No 10 is probably why Tony was interested in me for the position. What is interesting is how you build your career. I didn’t just sit in No 10 and think, “my next job will be at the BBC”. Some of it is accidental but I think you are really driven by your passions and interests. At the time I came to the BBC we were campaigning for its future with the government for our Royal Charter and I wanted to be involved in that process. I am a great believer that if things are important to you then you will want to do them and you will find a way of getting them done. Q: How did you feel being made a CBE? A: I was honoured as a CBE for services to the PM’s office, which I am of course very proud of. It is a strange process and is kept very hush-hush. The PM writes to you to ask if you are willing to accept an honour whilst at the same time swearing you to secrecy. Then you wait for the formal documents to arrive, after which it slowly dawns on you that you are being awarded an honour. Q: What do you still struggle with now? A: Time management. There is never enough time in the day to do everything I want to do. Q: How do you deal with negative criticism? A: I think you have to work out what is just media coverage and speculative and what is real criticism. It’s not great being criticised in the press, I could definitely do without it, but equally it’s not personal. It is, however, different from constructive feedback where you should reflect, take it on board and change your behaviour. I was criticised for trying to get the PM a bigger role in the Queen Mother’s funeral, which just wasn’t true, and the press coverage around this went on for about six weeks.
space. For me, respect is key. You need to have the courage to say to people if they are not respecting you, your position or others, “hang on, we need to get back to first principles”. Q: Do you think there are any particular challenges for women working in current affairs and politics? A: In today’s environment it’s challenging for everybody. This is the most unique period in politics that I have lived through. I saw a meeting between Teresa May and Nicola Sturgeon where they both commented on how fantastic it is to have women in both their roles. They have some really difficult questions and issues to address and for me it’s not about who can resolve these issues according to their gender but more about how a person conducts themselves. Q: What are your thoughts on work-life balance and how do you achieve this whilst also being successful? A: I am very lucky, my husband and I have always looked after the children together. I have two children and my son, aged eight, has special needs and obviously needs a great deal of additional support. In the past I have taken a period out of my career to look after them, but then so has my husband. It is definitely a continuous juggling act and sometimes it can be very difficult, especially if your child is ill. That said, compared to when I was at No 10, with a pager the size of a brick, working from home is now much easier. Ultimately, it’s important to try and get the right balance so that you can fulfil your own potential and have a family. Q: What advice can you give to those wanting to pursue a career in politics and current affairs? A: Work out what you like doing and what you are good at. The other thing to remember is that there aren’t really jobs for life anymore. Make sure you get solid foundations and training as you can pick those skills up and take them with you wherever you want to go. Remember that your career path can change, so go with it and follow opportunities that come your way if they feel right for you. Clare Sumner CBE, Class of 1990, Chief of Staff, BBC, BA Law and History, University of Cambridge
Interviewed by Anastaseia Talalakina (Year 12), Juenelle Muge (Year 13) and Hannah Rose (Year 13)
Q: Was it hard being a young female in Whitehall? A: I always believe that you have to be authentic and professional in how you present yourself. I have often found myself being the only woman in a group of men, in various professional scenarios, but I didn’t feel at any time that I wasn’t respected or valued in terms of the contribution I was making. It is always important, no matter who you are, to be careful about the contribution you are making, what you are saying and to think about what your job is in that
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Alumnae in
the Newsroom Penny Marshall Class of 1981
Penny reporting in Bosnia with Fikret Alic, who she discovered in a concentration camp during the Bosnian war
BA History, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Social Affairs Editor, ITV News I am currently the Social Affairs Editor for ITV News, covering home and foreign news on screen for the ITV news bulletins. I’ve been working in TV news for three decades now and it’s been tough at times, but it has been an absolutely fascinating career motivated by my wish to give voice to those who can’t be heard. I want to understand as much as I can about why we make the choices that we do, as nations and as individuals, whilst I still can. Sometimes I feel I am being paid to do things I would pay someone else to let me do. I watched Nelson Mandela walk free from prison, I stood in Moscow and watched the red flag come down from over the Kremlin to mark the end of the Soviet Union, and most recently I’ve been covering the American Elections and have seen America elect its 45th President. But I’ve also seen some terrible things: a genocide in Bosnia, violent Mujahadeen threatening women in Afghanistan, and hungry children in the Sudan. For me, being a TV news reporter involves being an eyewitness; writing the first draft of history if you like. It also involves working in a team, writing under pressure, travelling at short notice and, where possible, holding those in power to account. I knew I wanted to work in TV News whilst I was still at St Helen’s. It was the height of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race. My History teacher took me to see a banned film about nuclear war in a local church hall, and I was hooked. From then on I wanted to find out stuff I wasn’t supposed to know and tell others about it. After university I went to work on a local newspaper and the husband of another teacher at St Helen’s (Pippa Hurd) helped me to get my first job at ITN where he was working in 1984. Most of those who started with me ‘back in the day’ were men who had wives who ran their homes for them and took care of their children. Today, women of my age who have had children and are still working in TV news are rare. I survived by taking a career break when my children were small, and working part-time. In a House of Commons Select Committee, investigating the lack of women in TV newsrooms in 2014, I described myself as one of the ‘last women standing’. But I’m pleased to report it is now much easier to flourish, and I would encourage any woman with the right qualities, stamina and drive to choose it as a career. Many of today’s most successful foreign correspondents are mothers and most of the younger mothers today work full-time, as the traditional family structures and expectations which held them back have been challenged. The newsroom environment has changed too as more women have risen to senior roles. We haven’t got there yet – there are still issues over equal pay and representation – but I believe parity is within reach and I’m determined to see it achieved in my lifetime.
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© ITV News
Arti Lukha Class of 1992 BSc combined honours in Politics, Law and Environmental Studies, University of Leicester Post graduate degree in Journalism, University of Central Lancashire Senior News Editor, ITV News It is more than 30 years since I pulled on the St Helen’s green socks for the first time and next year will be 25 years since I left. School for me was not just about learning and passing exams; it was about building confidence, developing ambition and being resilient. I was lucky, I always knew I wanted to become a journalist. I had my first article published in the Harrow Observer when I was 12 and on my final Speech Day in 1992 I was inspired by Penny Marshall, a St Helen’s Old Girl, who is an award-winning journalist and a colleague at ITV News. I took the old-fashioned route to get to where I am now. I started out in local newspapers covering stories that often made national headlines. I had my fair share of tedious stories too, from cheque presentations to broken fences and graffiti. Looking back on it now, trying to make a front page splash out of a row at the village hall was almost as difficult as trying to explain how Brexit will work! After almost ten years working on papers, I made the move into television news as I wanted a new
challenge. I started out as a trainee producer and was promoted to news editor within five years. In my current role I’m in charge of overseeing newsgathering and the resources for both domestic and foreign news coverage. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel all over the world with my job, covering some of the biggest stories – the US presidential election, the vote to leave the European Union and the capture of Osama Bin Laden, to name a few. Working in journalism sounds glamorous, and in some ways it is. I’ve been to the Oscars in LA and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Brad Pitt and Helen Mirren, but I’ve also witnessed murder trials which have left me with nightmares. It involves working very long stressful hours, often at low pay, and you are expected to give your life to the job. However, once you have established yourself this dedication does bring benefits. After having a baby I was lucky enough to be in a position to return to work part-time, something not easy to do when news is 24/7. I love the variety the job offers, whether it’s interviewing politicians, chasing news lines on a breaking story or trying to find someone in a war zone who is willing to speak on camera. I can honestly say I am always learning something new. You have to be a self-starter, you have to be good at networking and developing good contacts and standing up for what you believe in. My advice for anyone looking for a career in the media is ‘don’t take no for an answer’. When I was in Pakistan many years ago covering the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, one of the senior army generals said of me: "that girl, she does not give up until she gets what she wants."
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Alumnae in
Current Affairs Luisa Baldini Class of 1992 Modern Languages – French & Italian, University of Exeter Currently setting up a media training business Three years ago I moved to New York with my husband’s job and resigned as a correspondent at the BBC. Due initially to not having a working visa and then enjoying my time with the kids, I have not been working. Indeed, as I ferry the kids around to activities or supervise playdates, I look back on my broadcasting career and pinch myself that it was actually me! It wasn’t until university that I realised I wanted to become a journalist, but I remember at St Helen’s having a feeling of invincibility; the world was our oyster and anything boys could do we could do better! I did a post-grad in broadcast journalism and doggedly sent faxes and made phone-calls until a London radio station took me on board doing unpaid shifts. From there I made my way via Euronews in France to ITN, Channel 5 News and then the BBC for 12 years. Luisa, March 2013, St Peter’s Square
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I had to prove myself on BBC Breakfast News before being moved onto the One O’clock news then the Six and then the Ten. By the end, I was working across all the output. Speaking Italian gave me an edge and I was often deployed to Italy on big stories. Never will I forget being amongst the crowds in St Peter’s Square for that historical announcement ‘Habemus Papam’ as the new Pope Francis walked onto the balcony. I will also never forget covering the first two Amanda Knox verdicts in Perugia. The first when she was convicted (it was zero degrees, pouring with rain and I was three months pregnant when the verdict came through at midnight!) and the second when she was released on appeal. By then, Amanda Knox had become box office news. Having covered the first trial, I knew how complicated Italian verdicts are and I knew someone was going to get it wrong and it couldn’t be the BBC. I woke that morning nauseous, knowing that, if I got it wrong, years of hard work would have been for nothing. I was broadcasting all day in the run-up to the verdict, and with the help of my producers reported the correct verdict before broadcasting into the night and again on BBC Breakfast the next morning with a very husky voice! I won’t deny that being on location and dealing with the stress of broadcasting became difficult with the lack of sleep and constant ailments when the children were small, and that I haven’t missed it these past years. So in anticipation of my return to the UK next year, I am setting up a media training business with another BBC broadcaster for companies wanting to train their staff in how to deal with the media and presentation coaching. But then I look at another Old Girl, Penny Marshall, who took ten years out to raise her children before returning to ITV News and I think “Maybe, who knows, one day…”
Alex Milner Class of 1986 MA Modern Languages, Cambridge University World News Duty Editor, BBC As an Editor specialising in global news and current affairs at the BBC, I manage and direct the stories and work from overseas-based correspondents reporting the news. The best thing about my job is that no two days are the same. One day I’m sharing audience insights into the struggles of migrants and refugees. Then I’m reporting paradigm-shifting events – like what a new Trump Presidency or Brexit means, or the conflict in Syria. More recently, I’ve been developing digital talent at the BBC. This year I launched a big season of programmes called ‘Identity’ (#BBCIdentity), which has already collected its first award – for outstanding achievement in digital video – at the 2016 Lovie Awards. Persistence and luck got me my first break in news. After graduating, I gambled my student savings to fly to New York, and the next morning I landed an apprenticeship with CNN where I learnt the ropes. Later, I set my heart on working for ITN and for three months I pestered a senior Editor on the phone to give me an opportunity, until eventually he offered me my dream job as a producer on Channel 4 News. I went on to work overseas in Europe, spending almost three years with my feet more in the air than on the ground, before returning with the glory of two industry awards in my pocket. A couple of years after joining the BBC, one of the most dramatic moments of
Angela House (née Balakrishnan) Class of 2002 my BBC career occurred. I was deployed to Afghanistan during the post-9/11 US invasion. While Kabul was being liberated, I was the only BBC producer to get to Mazaar-i-Sharif, where a Taliban fortress riot was being crushed in a British and American Special Forces operation. It was one of the bloodiest post 9/11 battles and the incredible footage we obtained remains one of the rarest examples of Special Forces captured on video while in combat. My career in international TV and video journalism has satisfied my three big passions – my questioning mind, my gift for languages, and my talent and eye for pictures! At school I was active in Art – stage designing House plays, art editing the School magazine, and drawing. I always knew I wanted to travel – the magic key was my gift for languages. My inspiration comes from the people I interview and I have loved serving alongside brilliant cameramen and journalism giants – such as ITN’s Bill Neely, Old Girl Penny Marshall, and the BBC’s John Simpson and Jeremy Paxman. A wise person once reminded me that journalism is just the first draft of history, so it’s constantly evolving and that’s what I find exciting. Work-life balance is always a challenge and without the support of my incredible family network I could never manage the unpredictable and long hours my career involves, but being a mother to a young boy is a great way to keep things in perspective! I think the biggest challenge for those thinking about a career in this field is keeping up with changes in technology and the evolving ways audiences consume information. So to consider this for a career, you have to be positive and creative and someone who thrives on change!
BSc Economics and Economic History, University of Warwick Deputy Head of News, Department for International Development (DFID) I help manage a team of communications officers who are focused on ensuring that DFID’s work – to tackle extreme poverty – is promoted and defended in the media. On any given day I work with my team to provide real-time monitoring of what is happening in the news, trying to pre-empt the direction of stories, deal with journalists to brief them about our work, rebut negative stories and keep on top of issues they may be covering, set up and handle interviews with government ministers and use digital and social media to maximise coverage of our news. News is consumed in so many different mediums today that the challenge for anyone who wants to work in this field is having the skills to use a range of communications channels to reach the right audience on a 24 hour basis. I love seeing how the work DFID does is making a huge difference to the lives of the world’s poorest and how highly regarded and respected the UK is in this field. My biggest achievement has been working on the UK’s response to tackle Ebola in Sierra Leone, which involved a stint working in the country at the height of a deadly disease outbreak. Our communications team won a Civil Service Award as a result of our work and I got to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Other highlights for me have included leading the communications on the UK’s response to the earthquakes in
Nepal last year and our work on the Syria crisis where, earlier this year, we hosted an event which raised more than $12 billion in pledges to help Syria and neighbouring countries. It was the largest amount of money raised by the international community in a day for a single crisis, and the communications in the lead-up to the event were vital in bringing the issues to light. In the early days of my career I found it intimidating to put my views across when when sitting in a room full of men. However, from my days at St Helen’s to working at DFID, I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by amazing, motivating women who are leading the changes in their field. Be it friends, family or colleagues at work, I think this support network has been vital in my career journey. It has taught me a great deal and helped me to expand into new areas.
I have to be very clear with myself about what is important in my life, then I can be clear with others about my boundaries. I appreciate there are times when I will be working a lot, but I try to balance this out by making the most of quiet periods to switch off properly. As I keep telling myself, it’s PR not ER! St Helen’s instilled in me the spirit of learning and the desire to achieve. I love the way the school championed hard work and success and introduced me to a wide range of activities. It’s made me want to do my best and continuously seek out new challenges.
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Feature story
Politically empowering our youth In 2015 Olivia Cappuccini (Class of 2009) started Scenes of Reason (SoR), an independent production house and platform dedicated to storytelling issues of a social and political nature. SoR has made and sold content for a variety of platforms, and in 2016 produced a critically acclaimed documentary, The Haystack, about surveillance and the Investigatory Powers Bill. Q: What is SoR? A: Scenes of Reason is an independent production house, producing films of a social and political nature in order to create impact. When I started SoR it was just before the general election in 2015. Online video news wasn’t really a thing so I spotted a big gap in the ‘millennial market’. We took advantage of the opportunity and produced a video series that broke down each of the political parties in what we perceived to be an impartial way and then put the videos out there. This got us a lot of press. We were seen as being a new organisation trying to engage with young people, combat first time voting apathy and change the way news was presented and consumed. Q: Why did you decide to start SoR?
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A: When I was at school politics wasn’t compulsory and neither was citizenship, so I wasn’t really exposed to politics, nor did I acknowledge just how much it related to how the world works. It was only when I got stuck in the middle of a game with some friends and embarrassed myself, due to a lack of basic political knowledge, that I realised there was a need for an online news service for young people that didn’t assume a certain level of understanding and that was both engaging and accessible.
Q: What project has been your most successful? A: A documentary released in April this year, called The Haystack. It investigated surveillance in the UK and the Investigatory Powers Bill. I feel that whether people liked it or not they are affected by this, and anyone who owns a smart phone or goes on social media should have the opportunity to understand their privacy rights. By clicking to accept a company’s terms and conditions, which obviously no-one ever reads, companies are able to sell your data to government agencies. Nine times out of ten government agencies don’t do much with it, but it is the fact that they have it that matters. We analysed this Bill, did an investigation and the film did really well. Snowden even endorsed it and it has been screened in ten cities in the UK. It has had 100,000 views and we are even thinking about selling the rights to a broadcaster. So it is something that is ongoing, like a digital artefact. Q: How do you ensure that the news service you are providing is impartial? A: It is always a challenge. Even with The Haystack, when you watch it you get a sense that it’s one-sided. We had so many privacy experts and civil liberties activists who had a lot to say and we only had two people represented on the other side. We tried to get in touch with people from the Government Communication Head Quarters (GCHQ) and the Home Office but they didn’t get back to us, which is of course to their detriment. Q: What first interested you in current affairs journalism? A: I think it’s the fact that journalism is a microcosm. What interests me the most is how a story is packaged up. You can have one story manipulated in four or
Olivia Cappuccini, a former St Helen’s girl from the Class of 2009, is passionate about bringing current affairs and social issues to the youth of today and encouraging social impact.
five ways, and targeting four or five audiences – this is fascinating but also toxic, especially when the general public are basing their decisions on what the media churn out without seeing through the bravado and hysteria. Case in point: Brexit and Trump. Saying all this (and why I have some hope), I think that in this digital age the world is your oyster. Anyone can contribute to journalism: you either need to be in the right place at the right time, or have the persistence to go after a story that you believe is worth telling.
say over our content or any advertisers dominating or pulling strings.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
A: Very important and really difficult. Introductions go a hell of a long way. Most of the work we have done and the meetings we have managed to get have been through someone vouching for us.
A: The directing and the filming of the content, as I have always enjoyed creative things. I think that’s why the business has also shifted, as I was trying to raise money with investors to build a media company while my team were dealing with the content – I began to resent it. Q: Have you ever received any negative criticism of your work? A: Yes. When we produced The Haystack we sent the final copy, as a courtesy, to the ex-Director of GCHQ and he came back and slammed the documentary for manipulating every single word he had said. That’s just something you are always going to get; if someone comes off looking bad then they are always going to get defensive. Q: How has social media helped your career? A: It has launched my career. When we started initially we got quite a lot of coverage in mainstream media, like The Huffington Post, Sky and The Independent, which put us on the map, but this coverage is not consistent. That’s where social media comes in. Of course we always pitch our content to the mainstream media platforms, but if they choose not to buy it then we put it online anyway and it is still watched. It means we have been able to build an entirely independent platform without anyone having any
Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges for young female journalists today? A: I hate that I have to say it, but sexism, and it does exist. I was always adamant that it didn’t, but going through the investment rounds and the fact that 90% of the people I speak to or have meetings with are men, it does affect the decisions that are being made. Q: How important is networking?
Q: What advice would you give to someone wanting to be a current affairs journalist? A: Start early. Start reporting on things in your local area. There are so many blogs. Medium is a great platform for freelance journalists as they can distribute their work through the platform. Also reading is vital. Read lots, not just papers but books. Q: What are your most memorable moments from your time at St Helen’s? A: Winning House Arts! I directed it with two other girls, it was my directing debut! We put so much work into it, took it so seriously – and we won! Olivia Cappuccini, Class of 2009 www.scenesofreason.com Founder & Director, Scenes of Reason BA English Literature, University of Loughborough
Interviewed by Bethany Brown (Year 12) and Anaya Patel (Year 12)
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From our Students
Encouraging active citizenry Co-curricular options are a key part of the Politics Department’s efforts to encourage St Helen’s girls to become socially engaged and globally aware.
Politics is a crucial academic pursuit when trying to understand the problems of our complex world. In addition to offering American and Global Politics courses in the Sixth Form, our co-curricular schedule is designed to widen horizons. For the younger students, the Junior Model United Nations (MUN) is a challenging but fascinating introduction to issues that require a genuinely global response. Older students participate in the Model UN weekend at Haberdashers’ Boys’ School. We try to show them the interconnectedness of the political and legal worlds through our PSCHE Political Literacy strand, while contemporary issues are examined in detail each year during our annual Parliament Week activities. We have also been glad to welcome two new co-curricular clubs to the school community – the Feminist Society and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Club, both reflective of the increasing currency of identity politics. We hope above all that these activities give the girls the confidence and steel to chase their dreams with integrity and with a sense of a wider social purpose. Mr Phil Whalley, Government and Politics Department
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In October 2016, a group of Year 8 and 9 students travelled to Princess Helena College to compete in a Model UN event. In a Model UN, students represent a country on a range of global issues. Meeting in committees, the aim is to pass a UN resolution on which all member states can agree. The three issues discussed at this Model UN were deforestation of tropical rainforests, nuclear disarmament and child labour. Working in teams of three, St Helen’s represented four countries: Brazil, Malaysia, Israel and New Zealand. All four teams made a full contribution to successful resolutions within their respective committees, but special mention must go to the Israel delegation, in which both girls won prizes and one took home the Outstanding Delegate Award for her committee.
A group of Year 8 Students made the news in March 2016 when they took part in BBC News School Report This year the girls researched and reported news items which included local views on how to keep local parks clean and green and the topical debate on the value of single-sex education.
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From the Development Director Zoe Baines
Zoe Baines, Class of 2000 I am delighted to have this opportunity to report on the growth of our Development Office programme, made possible by our enhanced connections with our wider community of Alumnae and parents. As a result of these connections, we have been able to offer ever more support to our younger Alumnae as they enter Higher Education and the world of work, whether through our university networks or by linking individuals with members of our wider community who might be able to offer advice, internships and further professional connections. As the job market is becoming more and more competitive, the networks and support that our Alumnae have access to are invaluable. We have continued our joint business affinity events with Merchant Taylors’ School, and in September jointly hosted again the City Networking Reception, this time at Deloitte’s London offices. I am pleased to say that the event was sold out almost as soon as the booking system went live, and the Alumnae and parents I have since spoken to have reported back on the array of positive connections made during the evening. We now
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Alexa Marenghi – Sixth Form Lecture
look forward to our joint Arts and Creative Industries event next year. The value of our networks does not, however, stop there. Through these enhanced connections we are also now able to offer increased support to our current students as they make important decisions about their education and careers. In conjunction with the newly-established Futures Department, we are now able to call upon our professional networks of Alumnae and parents to support us in hosting careers-related events for our students. In September we welcomed our young Alumnae to the annual Spot Lunch with Year 11 girls to provide our students with a glimpse of life beyond St Helen’s. In November we hosted our second Futures Evening, this time focusing on careers in the public and not-forprofit sector. We welcomed over 200 parents and students to listen to and network with our Alumnae and parents working in a variety of roles, from the Home Office, Foreign Office and NHS to Policy Advisors and those working high up in national charities. It certainly was a lively and informative affair! Moving to the social side, we hosted our annual BBQ for recent leavers in September and saw the Alumnae Lacrosse Team play our St Helen’s first team and again secure the trophy.
Mira Meisuria
Well done to our Alumnae, some of whom hadn’t played in quite a while! In October we invited old Phabbers from the last five years to celebrate Paddy’s 21st Birthday with us. Paddy is one of our longstanding guests and it is safe to say it was an emotional moment for those who joined us for this momentous milestone in his life. As this issue goes to print we are preparing to mark ten years since our fantastic Sports Complex was opened in 2006. To celebrate this remarkable and truly transformational project, we have invited back our former parents, Alumnae, Governors and staff who generously supported the campaign and made what was once just a dream into a reality. As I hope you can see, our networks really are invaluable to all members of our School community and we thank you for all that you are doing to support them to develop. Whether you have contributed to our publication, offered careers advice, attended an event, or donated to our School’s Development Fund your support is greatly appreciated. Please continue to stay in touch, and encourage your friends and contacts to do the same. Wishing you all the best over the festive season and a wonderful year ahead.
Susan Miles – History Lesson
Jo Lawlor – History Lesson
Summer BBQ
Paddy 21st Party
ception
City Network Re
Spot Lunch
Summer BBQ
Alumnae V
Girls Lacros se
Spot Lunch
Summer BBQ tion
City Network Recep
Spot Lunch
Guest speakers Thank you to Alexa Marenghi née Glick (Class of 2006), Sarah Hyde (Class of 2002) and Angela House née Balakrishnan (Class of 2002) for coming back to St Helen’s to speak to the Sixth Form as part of the Sixth Form Lecture Programme. Alexa, who currently works at Microsoft, spoke about women in technology, while Sarah, as Global Brand Director for Mahiki Night Clubs, spoke passionately about thinking outside of the box and following a career you love. Angela gave us a glimpse of her career and current role as Deputy Head of News with the Department for International Development. Thank you to Susan Miles née Simpson (Class of 1953), Penelope Smee née Wright (Class of 1993), Teresa Betts née Massey (Class of 1961), Marie Chesterman née Tollit (Class of 1940), Joanne Lawlor née Twining (Class of 1994) and Rohan Thornton née Auld (Class of 1987), for giving up their time and coming back to St Helen’s to talk to our Year 7 students about their time here. Year 7 find this type of oral history very helpful when completing their projects on the History of St Helen’s.
Sarah Hyde – Sixth Form Lecture
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Building Together Over the last 14 months, the St Helen’s site has undergone a major transformation as the new Junior School has taken shape in the heart of the School and School House has re-opened with its impressive spacious reception area. These projects not only transform our School for all members of its community but are also the first projects of this magnitude to take place at St Helen’s since our Sports Complex was constructed and opened ten years ago with the generous support of our alumnae, parents, staff and governors.
New Junior School
New Reception
Piano
School House
Despite facing tough economic decisions and rising costs in many areas, we are determined to continue to invest in the quality of our Estate to enable every girl to have the opportunities to stimulate and develop her personal talents and interests. St Helen’s has always been a school with state-of-the-art facilities: even in the 1930s we were one of the first schools to install an outdoor swimming pool, and now in the 21st century we are striving to ensure that we maintain our standards and our facilities, not just for our girls today but for the wider Northwood community. The more our School flourishes the more we, too, will benefit from our connections with St Helen’s. Rather than commence building in a piecemeal fashion, the School has worked with its architects to create a long-term Masterplan for the Estate that will provide a development framework for the next 15-20 years that will enable us to upgrade existing buildings and maximise the potential of the School’s outstanding 21-acre site. In formulating the Masterplan, the School has considered both its current priorities to deliver the Vision and, as far as possible, potential future requirements.
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The next phase of work focuses on reclaiming the former Junior School buildings for use by the Senior School, and involves: • A renovation project to provide a new Sixth Form and Futures Building in the Mackenzie Building • A project to convert Lund into a suite of examination halls • Replacing Claremont with a purpose-built Music School • The installation of an artificial all-weather pitch on the lower lacrosse pitch adjacent to the RBH Beyond this package of works, later priorities include the provision of enhanced library and learning resource facilities in Senior School, expanding the PE and Sports facilities, expanding IT provision and modernising the Science facilities.
Supporting Development
Long Jump
Accelerated Reading Programme
St Helen’s School was not founded with a large endowment and does not benefit from any government funding. We therefore rely on the continuing support of our alumnae, parents and the wider St Helen’s community to help us to achieve our Vision and provide an outstanding academic education.
This summer we launched our Development Fund, established to support the School’s Vision through three broad areas: 1. Student Support Fund. This will allow us to increase the number of bursaries we are able to offer. 2. Student Enrichment Fund. This will fund projects that will increase our students’ access to the best possible equipment, experiences and facilities. 3. Buildings and Facilities Fund. This will invest in the School’s facilities and infrastructure as laid out in the Masterplan. Many of our leaving Class of 2016 parents generously donated their deposits back to St Helen’s in aid of our Student Enrichment Fund.
These funds, along with alumnae gifts this year, have been used to support the following projects: • the purchase of a new baby grand piano for the Music Department and • the implementation of the Accelerated Reading Programme for Years 7 and 8. The Accelerated Reader is a piece of software that will enable our girls to record their independent reading history and test rigorously their understanding of texts, with over 29,000 titles on offer. We are still raising funds to support the creation of a high jump facility as part of our drive to enhance the provision of athletics. We are confident that we will be able to begin construction of this project in the coming year.
As we continue to invest in the School and its development we hope that so too will our community of Alumnae, parents and friends of the School. We have ambitious plan for our School, its development and our students but we cannot realise our Vision alone. We believe investing in today is investing in our tomorrow, so we thank you for your continued support. There are a number of ways you can support us, including making a regular or single gift donation. You may also like to consider leaving a legacy to St Helen’s in your Will. For more information on how to support us, please contact the Development Office or visit our website www.sthelens.london/support-us
New Junior School
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Alumnae in the news
Paula Nickolds
Emma Rosen
Congratulations to Paula Nickolds (Class of 1991) on her appointment as Managing Director for John Lewis.
Emma Rosen (Class of 2010) is embarking on challenging herself to experience 25 jobs before she turns 25 years old. Emma has been featured in The Telegraph as a result of her ambitious quest to try out 25 different careers before she turns 25 next August. It’s an extraordinary concept and far from the traditional thinking around careers, but well worth a read.
Paula will be the first female MD the company has had since it was established 152 years ago. To view the full story please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37763549 Paula Nickolds was featured in our summer issue of Profile, where you can find out more about her journey with John Lewis on their graduate training programme all the way to the top. This issue can also be viewed on our website via www.sthelens.london/publications
The aim of the project 25before25 was created by Emma to help her to figure out which career, or careers, she would be best suited to and enjoy the most. However, Emma also intends for 25before25 to go further than this, and inspire others to have the confidence to make a career change where they are unhappy, whilst also striving to promote more diverse careers education and advice for young people. To view the full story please visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/work/ why-im-trying-out-25-jobs-before-i-turn-25/
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School news 2016 Examination Results Congratulations to the Class of 2016 for their impressive A Level results this summer. Continuing our strong track record of academic excellence, 20% of all A Levels awarded were A*s, while an impressive 86% were graded A*-B. Our recent leavers have gone on to embark upon the most competitive courses at the most prestigious universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and Yale. We have no doubt that they will go on to become leaders in their professions and communities. We are also proud to announce that this year we celebrated the School’s best-ever results in GCSE and IGCSE examinations. Almost 60% of all grades awarded were A*s, while 88% of grades were A*s or As. A Level Results
Morocco WBE
Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition to Morocco This year the Gold DofE expedition took place in Morocco, where we experienced for the first time the wonders of North African urban and rural life. The expedition was a cultural learning experience and the trek immensely challenging. Setting off from the village of Tacheddirt, we began what was a four-day trek across the Atlas Mountains. The resplendent views of the Moroccan landscape were incredibly worthwhile and, despite our incessant complaining, we all agreed that our teamwork, determination and the remarkable locations in Morocco had made this the best school trip of our time at St Helen’s. Jessica Graydon, Year 13
School Fun Run raises over £8500 in aid of The Sick Children’s Trust
Biology trip to the Galapagos This July, 10 girls from Years 11 to 13 took part in a 12-day trip to Quito and the Galápagos Islands. Staying mostly on Isabella and Santa Cruz Islands in the Galapagos, the group learned all about the native wildlife and vegetation. The girls loved seeing sea lions, giant turtles, manta rays, sting rays and reef sharks in their natural habitat, and were even lucky enough to see blue-footed boobies and Galápagos penguins. It really was a trip of a lifetime! Galapagos
Fun Run
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St Helen’s School Development Office Eastbury Road Northwood Middlesex HA6 3AS +44 (0)1923 843327 development@sthelens.london www.sthelens.london