INTERVIEW If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice going into the job, what would it be? Her answer is something we both agreed should be a rule for life: Stand up for what you believe in, stand up for it right from the outset and DO NOT CRY because you believe in it. Would you go back and change anything if you could? Reluctantly, she answers “leaving” and as a rejoinder to her impulsively yet refreshingly honest answer is that she should keep more to herself. I must disagree with her there as I believe this to be one of her greatest strengths. There is an authenticity behind every conversation and every hug. Her ability to be honest creates a caring environment which allows others to come into their own and nurture all the best parts of themselves. Kenzo’s door is always open, not just the door to her office but the door to her home. Possibly that is why the Mackenzies have decided to embark on another adventure as we the girls have slowly invaded the family’s personal space. I think that fact speaks for itself: we don’t look to avoid her, but we seek her out, whether it be because we need her as a maternal figure for a hug, a cup of tea and some worldly advice or because our world is ending, and we need her to fight a battle for or alongside us.
accomplished as both housemistress and mother and there is a constant desire to do both the best she can. She’s enjoyed learning so many different things about the world through all her girls since a lot of the boarding community is international. What’s the most scandalous thing you’ve had to deal with? The scandalous crimes have become less prominent; the consequences just aren’t worth it. Girls used to sneak out of a window at the back of the house to get to dinner early. It sounds like something out of Malory Towers . What would be your advice for people coming into the college and for people leaving? Say yes. Be kind and take the initiative. If you could have three people for dinner who would they be? The first thing to come flying out of her mouth was “only three?”. After going back and forth between authors, actors and actresses, singers, philanthropists, athletes and activists I received a late-night email with this list: Daniel Craig (I mean, who wouldn’t: have you seen those baby blues?), Maya Angelou,
Claire Tomalin, and Chris Martin from Coldplay. Both Mrs Mackenzie and I started out reluctant to interview and be interviewed, but soon enough, cups of tea in hand, cats at our feet roaming round her office, we quickly settled into what felt like a casual mid-afternoon chat. I speak for everyone when I say Laura Mackenzie will be deeply missed and forever treasured as the endearingly chaotic, forever passionate, go-getting School Housemistress we have all grown to adore. Loveday Rowlands, Yr13 School House
You’re a mother to three boys. Do you think that being a maternal figure for so many girls changed your parenting at all? The balance in this job is wrong. She finds the more time she spends with the girls, the more she realises she should spend with her own children. She feels she is unable to feel completely 17