M A G A Z I N E
Annual Reunion
Saturday 14 June 2025, 2pm
We are delighted to welcome former Walthamstow Hall pupils back to School for our Annual Reunion in June. All are welcome with a special invitation extended to those who left in the years ending ‘05 and who are celebrating a significant anniversary.
There will be the opportunity to revisit old haunts, see the School archives and catch up with friends over a cup of tea and cake. To give us an idea of numbers, and to enable us to contact you easily should there be any changes to the event, please RSVP using the QR code or any of the other routes below:
Book online: www trybooking com/uk/72899 or use your smartphone to click the QR code below
Email: alumnae@whall.school
Write to:
Camilla Jenner, Walthamstow Hall, Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 3UL
Please include your contact details, year of leaving, and any access or dietary requirements.
2025 Summer Reunion RSVP WELCOME
The
President, Claire (JARVIS) Sunnucks
Editor, Camilla Jenner
NEWS
News of our Associates
Alumnae in Print
Back to School
Senior School Production, Guys & Dolls
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Welcome to the Class of 2024
Dates for Your Diary - 2025
2024 Reunion
Tributes to Jackie Lang
Notices and Obituaries
NEWS FROM SCHOOL
News
Welcome FROM THE HEADMISTRESS
It is such a joy to read this year ’ s Alumnae magazine! Wherever you are, whatever you are doing now, reading it should transport you to the heart of the School. All those involved in its creation have infused their reports with the warmth of our community and huge thanks are due to the Editor, pupils and alumnae who have distilled so many fabulous things into this edition Today’s girls continue to enjoy the breadth of learning opportunities that this wonderful school offers, in the classroom and beyond it. Every girl at Walthamstow Hall should feel that she is known by her teachers as an individual who absolutely can aspire, flourish and go on to set the world alight. As you can see from the enthusiasm and achievement filling these pages, this is an aim that has been visibly lived out by pupils past and present throughout the year
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Alumnae reunion in June!
With all good wishes.
Ms. Louise Chamberlain Headmistress
Students receiving the first of the ‘Academic Endeavour’ certificates in Prayers in recognition of their hard work
Welcome FROM THE PRESIDENT
I couldn’t believe it when I realised recently that I’ve been President of the Walthamstow Hall Association (formerly W.O.G.A.) for nearly eight years. According to the Terms of Reference, I should be stepping down after a second four-year term but, for now, I’m staying on as we ’ ve had a lot of change on the committee of late. It really is a pleasure, so I’m not complaining, and there’s still work to do!
I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of my former Headmistress and stalwart member of the Association’s committee and you can read my tribute to her along with other tributes later in the magazine I miss her presence on the committee, although I try to channel her when we discuss any new ideas, particularly anything that might not be welcomed by the older members of the Association whom she so ably represented.
When 1986 Leaver and bundle of energy Sally Pelling announced she was stepping down as Director of Marketing after 15 years, I couldn’t imagine that anyone could fill her shoes. So many of the actions from committee meetings fall on the person in that role and we are very dependent on them for delivery of events and other activities, not least producing and editing this great magazine. I’m so pleased that the school managed to hire someone as capable as Camilla Jenner who’s had a great first year and brings fresh ideas and new approaches to engaging our alumnae.
I was very sad to hear that Jayne Adams is stepping down as Chair of Governors. As an association, we owe Jayne a huge debt of gratitude for all the work she did on the merger of W.O.G.A. with the school, particularly the painstaking detective work she did to get clarity on the various funds that make up our finances, some of
which were established in the middle of the last century! We will miss Jayne’s wise counsel on the committee and wish her every success in her new challenge.
I am so grateful to the committee, both longstanding and newer members, for all their support We would love to welcome more Association members to get involved in our work. In particular, we ’ re looking for an Association member who left school between 1960 and 1980 and a member who left school in the 1990s to join the committee Our meetings only take place three times a year and I can honestly say they are always good fun! Do get in touch if you’d like to join us.
With best wishes, Claire (Jarvis) Sunnucks claireasunnucks@gmail com 1987 Leaver
Welcome FROM THE EDITOR
I can still remember this time last year when I was handed the 2023 edition of the magazine by my predecessor, Sally Pelling, thinking to myself, “How am going to produce something like this next year?” Thankfully, I had a few months to settle in and temporarily forget about all things alumnae magazine.
During that time, I was fortunate to meet and connect with many of you via email, phone, post (how lovely no one else sends me hand-written letters these days) and at School events like the reunion.
When it was time to start working on this year ’ s magazine, I found that the pages filled up quickly and with little effort. Such is the community here at Walthamstow Hall there’s no need to go out searching for stories; someone will always take the time to share what’s happening, both inside and outside of school. So, thank you to everyone who has welcomed me and helped to bring this issue together. I would also like to thank Nina Baker, who has been instrumental towards creating this issue and Olivia Cornes for her editorial expertise and proofreading. I hope you enjoy it!
Camilla Jenner Director of Marketing & Alumnae
News of our Associates
Rosemary (BAKER) Hewlett
1935-
Recently, one of the School office team found a School year-book in the archives dated 1947. One of our Governors, Micaela West, took it to Rosemary Hewlett who attended school during the 1940s as she thought it would be nice for her to have a look at it.
Rosemary is in her 90s and has dementia. She no longer speaks, and her husband, was very happy to take the book and go through it at leisure with his wife. She started at Wally in 1935 and was at school when it was evacuated to Shropshire during the War She went to Cambridge, to study English, and that’s where they met. He studied Engineering.
Rosemary came back to Wally as an English Teacher in the late 50s early 60s. Her husband later became Chairman of the Governors and is now Emeritus Chairman. Sadly, Mrs Hewlett can’t make herself understood, but Mr Hewlett fills in all the gaps! They are looking forward to sharing the book with their family.
Jane (FIRTH) Knott 1952-1962
Jane visited the school in August 2024 whilst staying with family in Kent Jane brought with her her photo album which shows a small glimpse of life here at Wally in the late 50s/early 60s. She writes:
"I started boarding at Walthamstow Hall when I was just eight years old and left when I was nearly eighteen. My mother and her sisters were also missionary daughters there, as was my grandmother too, and I think it's likely that my great grandmother, Jane Elizabeth Coles, could have been at the School as well! The parents were all missionaries in South India. It's so interesting to contemplate that I had some lived experience of that whole period of my country's political, religious and social history. It's quite unnerving to look back on how we boarders just accepted as normal the long separation from our parents! We enjoyed ourselves a lot. When I visited this summer, I was aware of what wonderful opportunities were there for today's students."
News of our Associates
A few photographs from Jane’s album showing life in school in the late 50's and early 60's
News of our Associates
Christina (WEST) Burgess 1962-1969
Now retired, the former Head of Science at a Sixth Form College, writes:
“
I’m enjoying retirement, with more time for my five grand-children. After attending Durham University, I had a challenging but rewarding career in science education. I worked in Cheshire and in Botswana. Throughout my life music has always been important and I still sing and play piano and organ. ”
Victoria Harrison, (1984-1993)
Ambassador to Slovenia
Congratulations to alumna Victoria Harrison who was appointed HM Ambassador to Slovenia – becoming the first blind person to be appointed to the role of British Ambassador.
Victoria was a boarder at Wally from 1984-1993, spending her first two years in the Junior School before moving up to the Senior School 1986-1993. Victoria and her guide dog Otto took up the post in Ljubljana in August.
Born with normal vision, Victoria developed a condition that meant her eyesight gradually worsened throughout her teens. She eventually lost her sight after university.
She says her interest in foreign diplomacy was sparked in her teens by TV news reports on the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Being a trailblazer is not new for Victoria; before becoming the first blind British ambassador, she had been the first blind person to join the Foreign Office and the first blind diplomat to be posted overseas. You can read more about Victoria in this BBC News article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-68761897
News of our Associates
Bryher Pennells
1968-1975
We were delighted to hear that Bryher Pennells was awarded the MBE in this year ’ s New Year’s Honours list, for services to Children and Young People with SEND. Bryher has been teaching in the Special Needs area of education since 1992 and has been working at Charlton Park Academy, which caters for young people with complex conditions, in Greenwich since 2009.
Her degree was in Anthropology and she gained her PGCSE in 1983. Before switching to Special Needs education, Bryher taught RE and Maths in mainstream secondary schools.
Bryher has strong family links with Walthamstow Hall; her mother Joy Pennells, who celebrated her 99th birthday in January 2025, attended the School, leaving in 1946 We love seeing Joy at our Alumnae event every June, selling strawberries for charity. Bryher’s sister Zoe also came to Wally, (1974-1981).
Amelia Childs 2013-2021
Amelia is studying International Development with Economics (BSc), a four year course at the University of Bath She’s currently part way through her industrial placement at IBM as a Business Consultant, where she’s helped to build a strong community and recently organised and led a charity run for the NSPCC in Greenwich Park.
Elsie Atkinson 2016-2022
Elsie is a Graduate Apprentice working in Operational Optimisation at Barclays whilst studying Business Management at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
News of our Associates
Amelia Pepper 2012-2019
Amelia completed her Classics degree at the University of Exeter and then her Law conversion at Nottingham Law School. She has recently moved to Sydney to work in a law firm She has also continued her love of lacrosse and played for Nottingham Trent University, reaching the BUCS Championship Semi-Finals, and represented Ireland in the European lacrosse tournaments alongside her studies.
Dolly Carter 2011-2019
Since leaving in 2019, I obtained a First Class Honours in English Literature with Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, became Crime Correspondent for two regional daily newspapers and now work in investigations for BBC News. I've also been privileged enough to win a few awards along the way, most notably Young Regional Journalist of the Year at the Media Freedom Awards in 2023.
I enjoyed my time working in papers, but branching into broadcast journalism by joining the BBC has been a wonderful experience Most recently, I've been involved as an operative in undercover filming, producing documentaries for iPlayer and working on a range of investigations exploring topics such as drug smuggling, modern day slavery and care home abuse. I adored my (albeit brief) time at Wally and I’m finding my career in journalism incredibly rewarding.
News of our Associates
Anna Butler 2013-2019
Anna became interested in international affairs during Lower Sixth, when she joined Wally’s debate team for a Model United Nations at the London School of Economics. As delegates, they spent a few days debating global issues, and she was part of the committee working on a resolution for neo-colonialism in Africa - a topic she later revisited during my undergraduate degree.
This motivated her to study International Relations at the University of Exeter. Anna graduated with First Class Honours while overcoming the challenges of dyslexia The perseverance she developed at Wally played a key role in this achievement, she gained the confidence to spend her third year in the Netherlands, where she studied political science building lasting friendships across Europe
After graduating, she interned with Invest Africa, where she helped facilitate trade partnerships between the UK and Africa. Working with organisations like the British High Commission in Kigali and the Rwandan National Agricultural Export Board, she supported efforts to connect British businesses with Rwandan exporters
She is now back at LSE, pursuing an MSc in Development Management (Political Economy), building connections with international students from all over the world while deepening her understanding of international trade and diplomacy.
Alongside her studies, Anna is working with the Inter-American Development Bank on research into AI global governance and staying involved with societies like LSESU Women in Business, continuing to draw inspiration from the values she gained during her School years.
Alumnae in Print
Frances (GILLISON) Clemmow 1938-1950
Our thanks to Frances who has kindly gifted a copy of her memoir ‘Memories of a Girls’ Boarding School in Wartime’ to the school library recently.
She was born in China and moved to the UK in 1938 when she was six where she and her elder sister joined Walthamstow Hall as boarders. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War her parents and younger brother returned to China. She was not to see them for more than six years.
Her story of a family separated by global events and the turmoil of war is depicted in her letters and memories, and describes the impact on her as a young girl growing up in turbulent times, whilst sharing the joys of school life here in Kent
“Miss Euphemia Ramsey, known to us by her nickname, ‘the Ram’, was Headmistress. French was her discipline and she was a bubbling, very enthusiastic Francophile. She had a surprisingly gentle way with small children, and although her figure was imposing, I do not remember feeling intimidated
She was an eccentric whose imagination could enliven even a very ordinary school day. Hallowe’en, was celebrated with an evening of bobbing for apples and enjoying toasted marshmallows and toffee apples in the Lecture Room, which we, from the nursery were allowed to attend wearing our dressing gowns and pyjamas. Every year Miss Ramsay also told the story of the ghost of the school cook who lost her frying pan. She claimed that the mournful lament of the ghost could only be heard at Hallowe’en and only if you were standing in the ‘Frying Pan’, an area at the end of the school drive where there was an outdoor stage. The story was accompanied by dramatic sound effects and eerie vocalisations at which Miss Ramsey excelled, but how the cook came to lose her frying pan was never revealed.”
In her later school years Frances was a Prefect, one of twelve selected by the staff. The Head Girl and her Deputy were elected by the rest of the school, and each proudly wore their tie pin of the School’s ship emblem.
Alumnae in Print
“The role of the school Prefect was to back up and support staff wherever necessary. They had the authority to supervise a boarder’s homework study group, or to substitute for a member of staff at the head of a dining table at meal times. A Prefect was expected to develop her leadership skills, and should be ready to offer practical help wherever it was needed in the day to day running of the school. In this photograph, the Head Girl, Gillian Northfield (on the right), appears to be conducting a meeting and although I was present, after seventy-five years, I cannot tell you what was being discussed so earnestly.” Frances (GILLISON) Clemmow
From left to right, a few classmates that Frances remembers: (standing) Gillian LEGG, (seated) Fran GILLISON Clemmow, (standing) Meg HENDERSON, (on floor) Alison BROWN, (with pen) Pat BURRELL, (standing) Johanna Stuyck, (seated) Meg Perfect, (standing) Daphne Shipman and (seated with book) Gillian Northfield, Head Girl.
Alumnae in Print
Susan (GAVIN) Baker
1965-1978
Susan took a degree in English Literature at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and did her teacher training in English and Drama at Nottingham University. She shares her news:
“I left the School in 1978 after happy years spent there! I read English at Cambridge (having been inspired by Miss Audrey Third, whose name I suspect lives on at the school) and trained as a secondary school teacher of English. I have always been most grateful for the education I received at Walthamstow Hall I am still teaching, currently at a large comprehensive school in Hull.
I have recently fulfilled a lifelong ambition of writing, and have found a publisher for a young adult novel. My first novel, Calm was published in September 2024 and is available to purchase online and at other great bookshops.”
Alumnae in Print
Claire (HATCHER) Hatcher-Smith 1977-1984
Congratulations to Claire, a speech and language therapist now turned author who lives in Victoria, Canada, as her children’s novel The Mizzy Mysteries was published in February 2025 with Farshore-HarperCollins
She tells us a little about the story: “Mizzy Maypole, a young detective with Down’s Syndrome, has a talent for sniffing out mysteries no one else has even noticed and, although she's prone to crashing to conclusions and is constantly being underestimated, she's determined to prove to her cousins that she's actually a very brilliant detective So, when she unearths her great aunt's long-lost diaries locked in the spare room wardrobe and discovers that, instead of dying in her sleep Great Aunt Jane might actually have been murdered, Mizzy leaps at the chance to prove herself to her cousins and the world.”
Back to School
Careers Day 2024
Many thanks to all our visitors, parents, alumnae and friends, who came in and shared their work wisdom with our students in July. Hearing enthusiastic, successful people describe their varied career paths, what they enjoy and what they have learnt along the way was compelling listening for our Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 students.
We had six alumnae join us on the day; Tanzy Kelley (class of 2019, Year 11), working with Dyson, Lauren Fortune (class of 1998) working with Scholastic Children’s Books, Louise Denning for Montagu Private Equity LLP, Nicole Manning (class of 1998) for Deutsche Bank, Anna Brewin (class of 1990) for Amanya Design and Annabel Carter (class of 1998) who runs the award-winning local Bradbourne Bakery.
Emily Rimmer, Apprenticeship Advisor
Back to School
Careers Day 2024
Clockwise from top left: Lauren Fortune, Louise Montagu, Annabel Carter, Nicole Manning
Back to School
Catherine Mowat 1973-1978
Many thanks to alumna Catherine who, last January, contributed to our Horizons lecture series for Sixth Formers about working in nature conservation and protection. Catherine shared her own passion for the outdoors and being connected with wild spaces before touching on some of her work with the Field Studies Council, the Somerset Wildlife Trust and now with Natural England, which is part of Defra She highlighted different ways of working in nature protection: specialist field surveying, developing technical GIS mapping, training, children's outreach and policy-making
Daisy Campbell 2011-2018
In November we welcomed alumna Daisy Campbell to the Ship Theatre to talk about her university and early career experiences. She was joined on the Ship stage by three Sixth Form students: Amy, Bella and Daniella, who were curious to know how University life in Nottingham and Cambridge differed, and about her work in a male-dominated environment.
Daisy is currently working as a researcher for a Conservative MP, working on energy policy, and recently wrote his speech on the Budget. Her route to the House of Commons was fairly unconventional as her degree was in Criminology, not Politics. She loves how in her role she makes an impact and helps people every day. Her top take away was to remind our students that “ your A Levels don’t define you, having worried myself about what I might do next, there are always more options available to you ” .
Back to School
Several of our younger alumnae have returned to school via video calls by invitation of Head of Key Stage 4, Mrs Katie Franzen. They’ve shared their experiences of university and beyond to inspire our GCSE and A Level students. If you’d be willing to share your experiences please email Mrs Franzen (kfranzen@whall school)
Eleanor Lingard
Eleanor left Wally in 2020 to study Biosciences at Durham University with an industrial placement year where she worked at Reckett, who own brands Strepsils, Neurofen and Lemsip. She really enjoyed working in a lab and gaining valuable workplace skills. Despite her sciencebased course she has changed direction and is now on a graduate programme at Deloitte
Imogen Stoddart
Having studied Maths, PE and Biology at A Level, in 2023 Imogen began her Biomedical Sciences at Cardiff University. She has continued with the sports she loved at Wally, swimming and lacrosse, and is looking to either do a Masters, or a Sales and Marketing Course to eventually work in that area for a biomedical company.
Nina Sherwen
Left in 2022 to study Sports and Exercise Science at Nottingham University. She’s still enjoying lacrosse, playing for the first team who won BUCS, she’s also in the Senior England development squad having Captained the U19 England Team.
Olivia Sherwen
A 2016 graduate, she trained in Medicine for five years at Bristol University and is now a resident doctor in Newcastle. Olivia is currently teaching medical students alongside working as a doctor whilst pursuing a career in Haematology.
Senior School Production, Guys & Dolls
“We had a FAB evening! We thought the show was brilliant!!” Elizabeth (DAWSON) Jarrett, 1948-1954
It was a pleasure to welcome alumnae to The Ship Theatre in November to enjoy a pre-show drink in the auditorium and witness the cast, band and crew preparing for their imminent performance. Several of the cast members from the 2013 production also joined to raise a toast to their counterparts of leading characters and reminisce with the Drama team, looking at the original production photos from 11 years ago.
Thank you all for your well wishes to the team and for supporting the performers in what is always a highlight of the School autumn term.
Back row, cast of 2013, left-right, India Crawley, Amy Burnett, Louisa Partridge, Elizabeth Fitz-Patrick, with front row, second from left, Bebe Barry, with the 2024 cast of Guys & Dolls
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
The DofE Awards are very much a key part of life in the Senior School with many girls starting their DofE journey in Year 9 with the Bronze Award. It comprises four elements: an expedition, physical training, volunteering and learning new skills over set timescales Last year we had 28 complete their Bronze Award, six complete their Silver Award and three complete their Gold.
Between April 2023 and March 2024 students from Walthamstow Hall spent 1,989 hours volunteering at local organisations, bringing a huge benefit to our local community. The social value of these hours is equivalent to over £10,000. We are immensely proud of the girls’ dedication and efforts and they thoroughly deserve their awards.
Congratulations to four of our alumnae, Leané du Toit, Isabelle Baxter, Charlotte Johnstone and Chanté du Toit, who received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Buckingham Palace in Spring 2024 whilst in their third year of University
CLASS OF 2024
CLASS OF 2024
Welcome to the Association
Last June we wished our 2024 leavers the very best of luck as they said their final goodbyes to staff and friends at School to embark on their next steps. The vast majority of students secured places at their first-choice university, with 56% heading to Russell Group universities.
Traditional courses remained popular: Physics, Maths, Engineering, Law, English, MFL and Politics. Newer subjects included: Digital Film technologies, Games Development, Film & TV production and Sustainable Development Both our Oxbridge students were offered choral scholarships.
In the time-honoured tradition, the girls dressed up as their childhood career ambitions for their ‘Our Ship has Sailed’ photo. Ballerinas, a farmer, chefs, a unicorn, a hippy, a police officer and a show jumper were all top of the job list when this cohort were younger. It was an emotional period of goodbyes, but we very much hope that they have had a superb first year at university, or a gap year full of experiences and fun.
CLASS OF 2024 LEAVERS CEREMONY
CLASS OF 2024
We are delighted to share the news that the A*/A grades achieved by this cohort of Year 13 leavers represent the best A Level examination results since at least 2017 Highlights of the results include:
33% of all grades are A*
63% of all grades are A* or A
40% of the cohort have achieved all A*/A (20 out of 50 students)
Seven students have achieved all A*s
All medics secured their university places
This is compared to the national average of 9.3% achieving A* and 27.6% awarded A* or A.
Students, parents and teachers gathered on results morning to celebrate at the Lang Sixth Form Centre. Headmistress Ms Louise Chamberlain, said “this group of students have achieved very impressive results and are set to head off to destinations which chime well with their individual aspirations. It was so lovely to see the girls’ delight in the achievements of their friends as well as their own I am extremely proud of them and of the fantastic staff whose excellent teaching and pastoral care has enabled them to attain these superb grades”.
The Science Department had fantastic results with 77% achieving A* or A in Biology and over 50% A* in Physics. “I am especially pleased with this year ’ s Science results. We wish all the students good luck in their future” Dr Emma Doyle, Head of Science
Olivia, who is going to the University of Birmingham, to study International Relations and Development said “It feels surreal, but in an exciting way, I feel really proud. All the hard work has paid off.”
We are thrilled that to report that 79% were awarded their first-choice university place and 100% were offered their insurance or an alternative course.
Read on to see where a handful are going as they share their reasoning for their course choices.
Where next?
Ella Kutova Engineering Mathmatics, University of Bristol
A Levels: Maths, Physics, Fine Art
In the open day for Engineering Maths at Bristol they had a venn diagram of Astro Physics, Computer science, and Maths and this course was the joining bit in the middle. It’s the broadest option, because I
don’t really know what I want to do. I think my application was really strong because of my links between the two It adds another perspective I like the freedom of doing what I want to do in Art. In Maths and Physics, there’s one right answer, but in Art you can focus on your own strengths. I joined Wally in Little Shipmates, when I was three and I stayed because I loved it!
Imogen Witton Law and Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh
A Levels: Philosophy, English Literature, Drama
Philosophy is probably my favourite subject, it’s intellectually challenging and that’s what I enjoy, there’s not a right or wrong answer. Always pushing you to question things. My degree choice is more than just wanting to study law. It’s very important to know your rights. The most important thing you can have is knowledge.
The Drama at Wally has been really good, I have loved being in all the plays: Coram Boy, Peter Pan and The Sound of Music As Quebec House Captain it was so nice to interact with all the year groups and it’s fun to be the leader!
Where next?
Lara McMahon Business Management, Ecole Superieure de Comme
A Levels: Maths,
Economics, Spa
This course in Paris allows me to do my second year in Madrid and my third year in Berlin. I want to explore other cultures when I’m young and this will allow me to do internships in French, Spanish and
A Levels: Art, Photography, Business e d
ire the younger years and help them have a
Amy Bourgeois Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
interested me, they explain how the body works e some work experience with a GP who’s an exrthopaedic surgeon at Pembury Hospital, we
Peer Mentor to the younger years It’s been great talk to people. I joined a couple of weeks into Year 9 and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had here. I’m going to collect me Duke of Edinburgh gold at Buckingham Palace in May!
Dates for Your Diary - 2025
Looking ahead through the year we are excited to meet you at our upcoming events. Save these dates in your diary, further details are available from the Alumnae office
Annual Summer Reunion - Sat 14 June
All alumnae are welcome to every reunion and this year we extend an extra special invitation to all those who left School in a year ending in a 5, such as 1955, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015.
To give us an idea of numbers, and to enable us to contact you easily should there be any changes to the event, please book at: www trybooking com/uk/EDVV
We also always welcome Alumnae to our current whole school events, join us for:
Wally Pop! - Fri 16 May, 6.30pm Summer Concert - Fri 4 July, 6.30pm
Reach out to the alumnae office for further details and to book tickets
2024 Summer Reunion
We were delighted to welcome so many of you to our Summer Reunion last June.
The Hub was buzzing with former Wally girls greeting each other for the first time in years. The 1974 leavers’ cohort had an especially strong turnout, with former pupils from Australia and Germany making the journey to mark their 50th anniversary
After watching a show reel of School life from over the past year and listening to a welcome talk from Louise Chamberlain, guests were free to enjoy the delicious tea and then take a wander around the School.
As ever, it was lovely to have 1943 leaver Joy Pennells selling strawberries in the Hub and there were groups of leavers from every decade since then.
Three of our 1954 leavers
Above, our 1964 leavers - below,1974 leavers
Above, our 1984 leavers - below, 1994 leavers
Tributes to Jackie Lang
From Claire Jarvis (1980-1987)
Many of you knew Jackie Lang very well as a family member, close friend or colleague. Your memories of her will be very different from mine. All my memories of her come from my interactions with her at school, as a pupil, an old girl and over the past few years as President of the Walthamstow Hall Association, formerly W.O.G.A.
I was 14 when Mrs Lang joined as headmistress in January 1984. I was in what used to be known as Lower Fifth. I formed an early impression of her, which didn’t really change during the rest of my school years She had an incredible presence This was the era of the UK’s first female prime minister and I remember thinking that Mrs Lang had a similar strength and steeliness, as well as a great intellect. She was always immaculately turned out, too I looked up to her and admired her She set an example and I wanted to be that kind of woman.
Two years later in the summer term of 1986, a month or so before my 17th birthday, I was elected head girl and only the second who’d been elected since she became headmistress Our main interactions were walking together to assembly and to lunch. The prefects and I would help settle the girls and then I would go and collect Mrs Lang from her office. We would chat but the relationship was still quite formal I was a 17-year-old girl and she was my headmistress
After leaving school, over the years, I saw her at a couple of reunions and we were always pleased to see each other and we’d catch up over a cup of tea. When I told her what I was doing, I remember her reminding me that she’d told my parents that she knew I’d do well in life. She told me she’d always been a fan, which was lovely to hear from this impressive woman who had inspired me as a girl.
I did well enough in life to be invited to come back to school and speak at Senior Prize Giving in 2015. It was a formal occasion and, as guest speaker, I sat on the stage throughout the event and spoke towards the end of proceedings. A funny thing happened. The headmistress, Jill Milner, was speaking and welcoming people and suddenly I heard her welcoming Mrs Lang. I hadn’t spotted she was there.
Tributes to Jackie Lang
At that point, my heart jumped and I don’t remember exactly what went through my head but would summarise it as, “Oh my goodness, Mrs Lang’s here. I’ve got to do a great job. I can’t mess this up. ” I’ve told that story many times since then. That was the impact she had on me. And it wasn’t born out of fear. It was born out of deep respect.
The following year, I was invited to become President of what was then W O G A starting my first term of office in 2017, 30 years after I’d left school. Jackie had loyally served on the committee since she’d stepped down as headmistress. Again, I felt a sense of trepidation chairing my first meeting with not only the current headmistress Mrs Milner on the committee but also my headmistress, Mrs Lang. But it wasn’t long before I realised what an asset Jackie was to that committee, particularly in the way she represented the older generation of old girls making sure we always considered their needs alongside the needs of the more recent leavers. And it was then I got to know Jackie, the former pupil and the woman rather than Mrs Lang, the headmistress. I got to know her warmth and great sense of humour, as well as her devotion to the school. She cared so much about this place. The last committee meeting Jackie attended was in June 2023 She was on great form and, as ever, adding value As a committee, we’d rather tied ourselves in knots trying to rename W.O.G.A. at the previous meeting to remove the reference to old girls and make it more inclusive She had cut through and us not to be too
clever by renaming W O G A to something that needed explaining with a complicated acronym. Renaming it the Walthamstow Hall Association was her idea –genius in its simplicity and inclusivity.
It's hard to say my last few words without getting emotional. Thinking about school will always remind me of Jackie. I will always miss her and think of her fondly.
Tributes to Jackie Lang
From Sonya Timms
(1984-1991)
I met Mrs Lang in January 1984 when I took the Walthamstow Hall entrance exam. During my interview with her in her study she asked me about my favourite book. When I told her it was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott she asked me which character I was most like and I replied 'Jo'. She looked at me with an expression of approval and I left the interview thinking that she probably identified with the character of Jo too.
When I joined the Third Form in September 1984 my year was her first full academic year since she became Headmistress. One of my earliest memories of Mrs Lang is of her accompanying the junior choir trip to Nice and applying suntan lotion to those of us who had foolishly burnt themselves by the swimming pool Over the following years she was a constant presence as Headmistress in morning prayers and as a French teacher to many of us.
Sonya Timms, kneeling far left, with prefects and Jackie Lang, standing
Tributes to Jackie Lang
Fast forward to June 1990 and I was called to Mrs Lang's study where she told me I had been elected Head Girl This was when I got to know her better as a Headmistress and as a human being. I remember carrying her folder from her study to the Hall for morning prayers, prefects' meetings in her study, School council meetings in the library and top table in the dining hall
I realised in the Upper Sixth that Mrs Lang valued every member of the school community equally whether you were a pupil, teacher, domestic staff or gardener. My friends and I thought she was firm and fair. I also fondly remember her sense of humour and the constant twinkle in her eyes
Mrs Lang did so much for the school beyond her role as Headmistress, from spearheading the development of The Ship Theatre to supporting the Friends & Parents' fundraising efforts. She was elected Chair of the Girls' Schools Association where she championed girls' education and empowerment more widely.
After I left WH in 1991 Mrs Lang invited me back to talk to pupils about my experience as a Samaritan volunteer She also encouraged me to join the WOGA committee. My friends and I enjoyed seeing her at WOGA reunions. She had a remarkable ability to remember details about her pupils many years after they had left the school
Reflecting on Mrs Lang's legacy I am reminded of the school motto 'Non palme sine pulvere' which loosely means no reward without effort. This aptly summarises Mrs Lang's approach as Headmistress, teacher, colleague and friend. I have encountered many women I consider to be role models in my life and career but Mrs Lang was undoubtedly the first.
From Eileen (PORTSMORE) Chapman (1947-1958)
I was in the Junior school, a year or so senior to Jackie who was a new girl in Kindergarten. On her first day at school, the Headmistress of the Juniors, then Miss Wickham asked in Assembly “if there were any questions?” Jackie’s hand shot up and she enquired “When are we going to have lunch?”.
Tributes to Jackie Lang
From Sophie Agrell (1985-1992)
Mrs Lang (I never thought of her as anything else over almost 40 years, despite repeatedly being told to call her Jackie) transformed my experience of school. I arrived for my interview before joining third form as a previously bullied ten-year-old “all glasses and teeth under a floppy sunhat”, as she wrote in my leavers book, and found someone who understood. Like me, Mrs Lang had been a precocious, clever little girl –we both got into Oxford aged 16. Her husband had been in the same year as my father at Oxford. Both had read Classics. Her time at St Anne’s had overlapped with both my parents’ Oxford years. We shared idioms, outlook and expectations and found ourselves on the same wavelength from the outset
I got to know Mrs Lang rather better than did many of my contemporaries. My facility for adult conversation meant that my classmates bribed me with chocolate or rescued from my maths homework to take their turn on Top Table at lunch, an ordeal for them but a delight for me. There I also discovered that Mrs Lang and I had a shared fondness for school rice pudding as we polished off most of the bowl allocated to the table while almost everyone else said a polite “ no, thank you ” .
I also always went along when volunteers were requested, for flower arranging for school occasions. Seeing Mrs Lang ‘out of school’ and relaxed as we worked together to gather flowers in her ‘picking patch’ and produce arrangements for Speech Day or Open Morning gave me an early awareness of her delight in colour and flowers, her sense of style, her enthusiasm for everything she did. Even as a teenager, I gravitated to this, together with her intelligence, warmth and humour.
And there are the daily memories – the distinctive sound of her slightly teetering high heels on the tiles in main school, being sent to take Mrs Lang a message and tracking her through the corridors by the scent of Rive Gauche, the pearly pink nail polish she always wore, her fondness for William Morris prints whether on the cushions in her study or the folder she took to Prayers. Alongside these I remember the principles of honesty (“borrowing without permission is stealing”), service to others, equality and generosity of spirit that she passed on from her years at Walthamstow Hall to us, her girls. I hope she realised that hundreds of us have taken the principles that made us “Wally girls”, principles we have in common with Wally girls going back to my personal
Tributes to Jackie Lang
knowledge to 1918, into the hearts of our lives. I am blessed to have had her friendship Later, we had huge fun together as she prepared me for the Oxford entrance exam. As a teacher, Mrs Lang was a delight – rigorous, lucid, interesting and interested. She made my mind sparkle. Those sessions, invariably accompanied by tea and biscuits, paved the way for a friendship that lasted the rest of her life, a friendship characterised by Mrs Lang’s unfailing generosity with her time and attention, by her consistent preference for smiles over tears even when discussing the most serious of subjects and by her warmth and interest in every aspect of life. She had true joie de vivre.
For thirty years, Mrs Lang was a friend I could count on when life was tough, someone who delighted in every happiness and achievement that came my way. I always left her company feeling energised and confident that I could face whatever difficulty I had confided in her. My move to Scotland meant that we did not meet often but now I have decades of letters to look back on, recounting her travels with Andrew, her delight in her daughters and grandchildren, her house in Rye, life’s myriad joys.
My last memory of Mrs Lang comes from the summer of 2022, when I came down from Scotland for my 30 year reunion. It was my first reunion since leaving the WOGA committee in 2017. I was standing in the hall, looking at the photo boards, when Mrs Lang saw me Her face lit up and she rushed up to me and enfolded me in a huge hug before taking me for a cup of tea and a catch-up. I am blessed to have had her friendship.
From Anne (HALLAND) Kaye (1943-1951)
I was sorry to read of Jackie Lang's death. She was a pupil at Wally after I had left, though I knew her elder sister Maureen slightly. I came to know Jackie through the Girls' Schools Association, when we were both Heads and met on committees and at conferences, and I had a great respect for her Clear-sighted, purposeful and tactful she brought out the best in everyone and left a flourishing and forward-looking school. I was pleased to have her as a friend and ally in the fight for girls' education, and proud that we were both products of Walthamstow Hall.
Obituaries
Our thoughts and love go to the families and friends of Walthamstow Hall alumnae and staff lost in recent years.
Carole Rosa (ALLEN) Hills, 1947-1955
Her daughter Lucy writes to inform us of the death of Carole, born in December 1936.
Carole won a scholarship and started school at Walthamstow Hall in 1948. She quickly settled in to the school routine and was soon involved in all that was offered to her. Her closest friends were Brenda, Christine, Gillian and Valerie. Some of her favourite lessons were Domestic Science, biology, French, art and needlework. In the Sixth Form she became a prefect and after leaving school she was a faithful member of WOGA attending meetings at school in the summer and in London in the winter and for a number of years was secretary of WOGA.
As she always lived in or near Sevenoaks she kept in touch with all that was going on at school and with many friends. She had Alzheimer’s over the last couple of years and sadly passed in September 2024. Her funeral was held at Chevening church.
Eleanor (BOX) Barker, 1946-1952
A message from Eleanor’s husband, David Barker
My wife Eleanor died peacefully in December 2022. Her parents were missionaries in China and the family was interned for more than three years by the Japanese during the Second World War. After the war ended Eleanor’s parents returned to China to continue their work and she, with her older sister Phyllis, joined the school as boarders.When she left school Eleanor trained as a nurse at Great Ormond Street Childrens’ Hospital and worked there, at Westminster Hospital, at the University of Kent, and as a practice nurse. She was a very kind, thoughtful person with a lovely smile and is greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.
Patricia Head, 1968-1985 (STAFF)
Pat sadly passed away in March 2023, having been born on 8 March 1931 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Her mobility and health deteriorated in late 2022 and she was admitted to hospital. She was discharged in January 2024 and spent her last days at Weald Heights Care Home, Sevenoaks.
Obituaries
Kathleen Charlotte (HENDERSON) Plumtree 1952-1959 A message from Margaret (HENDERSON) Cheer, Kathleen’s sister.
I was 8 when my sister Kathleen was born. I was delighted to have a baby sister and I loved spending time with her. She soon became known as Charlie; later others knew her as Kathleen or Kay. She was offered at place at Walthamstow Hall at aged 11, where she made some good friends.
In Sixth Form Kathleen visited Sevenoaks School every week to study sciences and then went to Durham University to study maths and physics. It was while at University that Kathleen first became interested in rowing, an interest that continued throughout her life. Kathleen moved to London for work where she joined United University’s Women’s Boat Club and went with them as a reserve to the 1964 European Rowing Championships She was one of the first women to join Twickenham Rowing Club, where she later became a lifetime Vice President and supported the Club in many roles right up until the end of her life.
Kathleen worked at Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) for over 20 years. She worked on the early stages of computing and in 1974 she wrote an article for the WOGA magazine about computers. She was so right when she wrote ‘computers are here to stay, and today’s young will grow up accepting computers and all they imply’. She went on to work for some years teaching computing at the local education institute, helping to make technology more accessible to those who were much less confident.
She lived in Teddington and married George Plumtree, a well-known rowing coach. She enjoyed life and was always interested in new things and new ideas. Despite being diagnosed with MS in her late 40s, she remained fiercely independent. She was a good friend to many people, always interested in and generous towards the wider family and always willing to help others.
After George died, Kathleen moved to a retirement development where she spent several happy years playing a central role in their community. We were delighted that she attended my 90th birthday party in October 2022. Sadly, after a minor infection she did not fully regain her normal strength and vitality and died on 30 November 2022.
Obituaries
Shirley (TURK) Cook, 1947-1952
A message from Sarah Micklewright, Shirley’s daughter
Shirley grew up in Sevenoaks and was lucky enough to win a scholarship to Walthamstow Hall at 11 and attended as a day girl from 1947 to 1952 Upon leaving school, Shirley joined Lloyds Bank and went to work in Threadneedle Street, and through her banking career of 16 years she worked in Orpington, Sevenoaks and Lydd airport branches. In this final branch she met her husband, John, Cook and they were married in 1968 at St. Nicolas Church in Sevenoaks. They remained in Kent, firstly living in River near Dover for a couple of years and then moved to Wingham near Canterbury. Shirley loved being a wide and stay-at-home mum to their two children and threw herself into village life. Unfortunately John contracted bowel cancer and died suddenly in 1981 leaving Shirley a widow at 45 However, Shirley cherished her role as mum, and now dad, to her 12 year old son and her 10 year old daughter and did an amazing job of bringing them up. Shirley also went back to work for Lloyds Bank and worked at the Canterbury branch until her retirement at 60.
Shirley loved to travel and visited all over Europe, Canada, America, Kenya, Singapore and Australia. She also travelled extensively in the UK and it was whilst on a boat trip with her children in Devon that she recognised a lady who had taught her many years previously at Walthamstow Hall Shirley approached the lady who confirmed that she had indeed taught Shirley there and, by the end of the trip, had persuaded Shirley to join the ‘Old Girls Association’. Over the next few years Shirley attended reunions both at the school and in London, meeting up with friends from her time at the school. As she got older she enjoyed keeping in contact with those old school friends that she’d connected with.
Shirley made the decision to relocate to Cheshire at 65 to live closer to her daughter and to help with her twin grandsons She made a busy life for herself over the last 22 years but sadly her health deteriorated over the last four years and she died peacefully surrounded by her family last September.
Shirley had many fond memories of Walthamstow Hall and was very proud to be a “Jolly Wally”!
Obituaries
Nicola Evans (1969-1980) daughter of Jennifer (DILL) Evans (1943-1955), sister to Karen Evans (1966-1977) and niece of Judy (DILL) Thomas (1943-1949)
A message from Nicola’s sister, Karen Evans (1966-1977): I was a pupil at the school. As was my sister Nicky. Our mother Jennifer (died 2005), and her sister Judy. A family affair! I moved to Australia in 1989, settling happily in the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of our beautiful, beloved sister Nicky, who passed away on 16th May 2023, following a short and unexpected illness. She was only 59.
Nicky lived an extraordinary life, gifted with adventure, laughter, and love. She travelled extensively in her young adult life, including some years living and working in Hong Kong She made many trips to Australia which was wonderful for me, and we shared countless hours riding the waves at our local beaches. Upon her return to England, she moved to Bristol, where she had attended Uni, ultimately settling in Henleaze. Her home was her sanctuary, and she spent subsequent years renovating both house and garden, a lot of which she did herself with great enthusiasm and dedication. She remained in touch with many of her school buddies, and attended a WOGA reunion just a few years ago. She was in the prime of her life and it is impossible to imagine life without her.
I also announce the sad passing of my aunt Judy on 17th May 2024, in her 91st year. Judy suffered with severe, crippling arthritis for most of her life. But despite her frailty, she had the heart of a lion. And the most extraordinary memory. Having been born and raised in Sevenoaks, she lived in South Africa for many decades, spending the last few years in Cape Town with her son Sheldon. She had endless great stories to tell of her time at school, including the war years, and kept in touch with many of her class mates all her life. One highlight of her year was receiving the annual WOGA magazine. We miss her enormously
My mother, Jennifer, died in 2005. We enjoyed a gazillion happy stories during their time at Wally, and the school had a profound affect on her and her sister Judy.
News From Across the School
GCSE results in August 2024
Senior School staff welcomed students and parents as they collected an outstanding set of GCSE results in the Hub in August with our Year 11 students.
Highlights included:
74% of all grades are 7 to 9s
34% of all grades are 9s (the top grade)
57% of all grades are 8s and 9s
Nine students were awarded nine or more grade 9s
All those studying Latin or Greek received grade 9s
All girls studying Additional Maths were awarded an A (this is the top grade, Additional Maths is a higher level qualification than GCSE)
Sophia, one of the nine students who was awarded nine or more grade 9s said “I’m just feeling so grateful for all the work I’ve put in and all my teachers’ work and how it really paid off, I’m still in shock! Thank you to Wally for helping me. ”
Teachers were on hand to share their students’ enjoyment of their results. Louise Chamberlain said at the time “It’s a lovely buoyant atmosphere in School this morning, with girls, parents and staff celebrating the outcome of their hard work together.”
New Staff
We were thrilled to announce that Nick Castell was appointed as the new Senior Deputy Head at Walthamstow Hall.
Mr Nick Castell has been working at Walthamstow Hall for over 10 years, most recently as Director of Music.
Mrs Elizabeth Walsh joined the School as Bursar in 2024, creating an all-female leadership team with Headmistress Louise Chamberlain and Chair of Governors Mrs Jayne Adams.
Miss Couch has been a Middle Leader in secondary schools for 16 years and has joined the fantastic Pastoral Team at Walthamstow Hall to help Key Stage realise their potential and succeed in all aspects of their lives.
Elizabeth Walsh
Hannah Couch
Head Girl Team Interview
In the Summer the incoming Head Girl Emily and her deputies Líle and Ella met the current team, Head Girl Sarah and her deputies Abby and Olivia, to ask about their experiences of holding a leadership role within the school.
Líle: What’s been your favourite part of being in the Head Girl Team?
Sarah: Being able to watch how decisions get made, it’s been great to learn how to lead and be part of a team. I think it’s good that you get to work on your own ideas and bring on other people’s ideas and watch them grow. Also, delegation was something that we learned because people tend to be much happier if they have a job to do.
Emily: The Head Girl Team now attend the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meetings on a Wednesday. How did this come about and what has it done for school democracy?
(The SLT comprises the Headmistress, Deputy Heads, Directors of Studies/Operations/Digital Services and Heads of Key Stages 3, 4 & 5)
Sarah: It's something that Ms Chamberlain was keen on as one of her first changes coming into Wally. She wanted us to be a direct link between the student body and SLT so that we can bring ideas every week.
Olivia: I think it prevents really good ideas from getting stuck and not going anywhere and it brings different stakeholders together so we can achieve things efficiently.
Abby: It provides a slick line of access from the bottom of the school right up to the top.
Líle: Has anything significant to the students arisen from these meetings?
Sarah: We got funding for the benches on the front lawn, for students to eat outside on but also as a bookable space for teachers, so students can have some of their lessons outside
Olivia: One of our aims this time last year was to encourage integration between the year groups and what better way to do that than create a multi-purpose space that can be used for so many different things and the Friends and Parents Association really took that onboard
Sarah: A massive job in the first term was helping reshape the student leadership roles We discussed what we thought would work and how it should be structured
Abby: We helped appoint the five committees for next year. A few are already pretty established and we wanted to work on the others, in particular Space2B and Healthy Living. The one that has grown the most this year has been the Arts and Culture Committee: they have done a fabulous job.
Ella: Any tips that you can give us?
Sarah: Be organised. Make sure you know what you want to cover in your prefect meetings because it’s easy to chat and go off on a tangent. Also, remember what it was like to stand in the younger years ’ shoes and how they look up to us. Consider your actions accordingly, and by setting an example people will be inclined to follow that.
Abby: It will get tricky at times, especially around exams, so rely on each other and communicate well If something is not working then get it out in the open so everything is transparent.
Science
Year 12 Biology students carried out three A Level practicals on a residential trip to Juniper Hall Field Studies centre in Surrey.
Our Wally Greenpower Car was used in Year 9 Physics lessons to demonstrate Newton’s Laws of motion and for plotting distance-time graphs. Lots of girls had the chance to drive it.
Science Week
Science Week 2024 was about space. Fun challenged were open to everyone in the Science labs at lunchtime show students how important Space is in every day life.
This photo of the sun was taken at Walthamstow Hall on 7 May 2024 on our Seestar S50 telescope with built-in camera The sunspots in the image are larger than the size of the Earth and were ultimately responsible for us being able to see the Aurora Borealis three days later on 10 May 2024.
Psychology
This new A Level is the most popular subject for our current Sixth Formers.
Teacher Mr Goffredi believes this is because his subject "is really interesting and applies to everything; anything that involves humans involves psychology at some level. Why do people think, behave and act in the way that they do?".
They recently visited the London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brian Bank at King’s College London.
Sport
Our competitive teams played brilliantly to win national gold and silver medals as well as countless awards at county and regional levels over the year. Here are a few of their successes.
The U15 Lacrosse team finished in the top 16 schools in the National Lacrosse Schools Finals, only losing to the eventual winners.
Every year group: U12, U13, U14, U16 and Seniors won medals at the Kent County School Netball Finals. The U19s and U16s reached the regional finals.
Gold medals for the U15 cricket team as they were County Champions in both Indoor and Outdoor Eights competitions, also winning our School “Team of the Year” at our Wally Sports Awards.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were won at the Kent Secondary School’s Individual Swimming Championships.
Creative Arts
A vital part of school life, students at GCSE and A Level can study Art, 3D Design, Creative Textiles and Photography.
GCSE and A Level work by (clockwise) Textiles Design by Esme, pink light drawing by Claudia, ceramics inspired by the sea by Sophia, fine art painting by Martha
Drama
Year 13 Drama students' final examined performance was of Brief Encounter. Six drama students took on multiple roles and then performed either a monologue or dialogue as part of their A Level.
In the enchanting setting of Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Ratty, Moley, Badger and the preposterous Toad entertained the audience with a host of other animals in The Wind in the Willows. 90 pupils were involved in the cast, crew and staging of this classic tale of the riverbank.
Music
From Wally Pop to opera, whole-School singing in Prayers to Music Scholar’s concerts via House Music, there is a place for all girls to join in and enjoy musical life of the School.
Blessed with talented sopranos in the Sixth Form and musicians from across the School, the Music Department presented Mozart’s The Magic Flute
Model United Nations
Researching a brief, public speaking in front of strangers, learning about diplomacy and international relations; taking part in the Model United Nations is a big learning curve! Five Year 12 students went with Head of Politics Ms Windle to the London School of Economics for this three day event. They had to represent a country and solve problems with other student delegates from around the world. Amid all this, they found time to write a diary, which you can read on our website.
Community
Year 11 hosted guests from Rockdale sheltered housing. As well as serving tea, students prepared a quiz, musical and dramatic performances, and a singalong.
We were delighted to receive our third Green Flag from Eco-Schools, recognising our efforts to promote and protect our environment.
Pictured are the Eco-Committee leaders from Year 13, Elizabeth and Ava.
Year 11 student Alice was selected from over 600 swimmers to participate in the 100th relay crossing of the English Channel to raise money for Aspire. She is the youngest swimmer to have swum the channel for Aspire.
Excellent Value Add Scores
In September we were delighted to receive our Value Added scores at both GCSE and A Level.
In 2024, at GCSE, Walthamstow Hall was placed 29th out of 283 independent schools nationally for Value Added. Our Latin scores at GCSE made us the top independent school for this subject in the country. Maths, Drama and Biology also achieved Value Added scores that put us inside the top 10% of independent schools nationally.
Last year ’ s A Level results put us in the top 7% of independent schools nationally.
Value Added is the independent measure that maps a student’s predicted academic achievements – based on Cognitive Ability Tests taken at Year 7 and at Year 12 –against the actual grades they achieve in Years 11 and 13. Any improvement between the two gives the Value Added score. The analysis is carried by out by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Cambridge University (CEM).
These scores once again show that the curriculum and the quality of teaching at Walthamstow Hall enable our girls to perform to the best of their academic ability
Awards
The School is very appreciative of the Awards which it is able to offer Sixth Form students through the Walthamstow Hall Association funds set aside for this purpose. Congratulations to student Olivia Dyckoff who was awarded the Science Award in 2023.
The Lantern Art Award is administered from the legacy of Miss Blackburn (Headmistress 1946-1970), Miss Mitchell and Miss Deed. To be considered, candidates submit a portfolio of artwork which is reviewed by the Headmistress and Head of Creative Arts The two student beneficiaries are Freya Adams for 2022 and Jess Manning in 2023. Congratulations to Jess and Freya on your great work.
Join the Alumnae Committee
We are looking for new members to join the Walthamstow Hall Associates Committee.
The degree of commitment required is to:
• Attend three meetings a year and events as possible
• Conduct one half-day visit approximately every 2 years.
For more information, or to apply, email: alumnae@whall school
Write to:
Camilla Jenner, Walthamstow Hall, Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 3UL
Please include your contact details and year of leaving.
Legacies
A legacy gift is the perfect way to recognise the part that Walthamstow Hall has played in your life and will make a significant difference to the lives of future pupils here Such a gift is unique.
A legacy gift costs nothing in your own lifetime yet has an impact that is felt by many in the future. Legacies of all sizes enable Walthamstow Hall to further enhance the education it offers and also to build the bursary fund which makes the School accessible to pupils whatever their family’s financial circumstances. The School Bursary fund includes Founders’ Bursaries which fund nearly 100% of fees. It has also enabled us to offer places to 11 Ukrainian students over recent years
Leaving a percentage of your Estate helps protect your gift from inflation and even 1% can be significant As a charity we are unable to offer financial or legal advice and recommend that you contact your Legal Advisor or Wealth Manager before drafting or updating a Will or making other plans for your estate; the information offered here is offered for guidance only.
UK registered charities, such as Walthamstow Hall, are exempt from Inheritance and Capital Gains Taxes so a gift to a charity in your Will does not count towards the nil rate band, reducing the taxable value of your estate. Furthermore, leaving a gift of 10% or more of the net value over the IHT threshold to charity can reduce the rate of Inheritance Tax payable on your estate from 40% to 36%.
Without the generosity of previous of previous generations of Walthamstow Hall alumnae, the experiences of current pupils would be significantly poorer; if you would like to ensure an inspiring education for future Walthamstow Hall pupils by leaving a gift in your estate, please contact our Bursar who will be able to discuss your intentions bursar@walthamstow-hall.co.uk
Thank you.
The Fund of Help
The Walthamstow Hall Old Girls’ Association has a long-standing, dedicated fund to be used to give small grants, of up to £250, to former Walthamstow Hall staff or old girls who find themselves in need. The grants are small but might be just the job for fixing a broken washing machine or paying an unexpected bill, for example.
If any old girls know of a former staff member or fellow Old Girl in need who could benefit from such a gift then please get in touch with President, Claire Jarvis claireasunnucks@gmail.com
Subscriptions and Gifts
As you will know from past magazines, we no longer charge a membership subscription for the Old Girls’ Association, preferring instead that all former students of the School are automatically members.
Not having a subscription does not affect the provision of the magazine. Whilst all ‘ new ’ members will automatically receive a digital copy of the magazine, members who have previously received a paper copy of the magazine will continue to receive it in this form unless they opt or have already opted to receive a digital copy.
We are still receiving a number of regular donations to the Old Girls’ Association. We are delighted to receive these but wanted to point out that they are no longer needed as a subscription.
If you currently have a direct debit or standing order set up to pay for your subscription to the Old Girls’ Association and would like to cancel it (as we no longer charge subscriptions) please feel free to do so. This will not affect your receipt of the magazine or invitations to reunions etc. If you would like to continue to give to the Association in this way, our heartfelt thanks. These gifts will be used for our general charitable purposes, including, for example, Old Girls’ prizes, like the Lantern Art Award, and the Science Bursary.
Contact Us
If you have a query or ideas, would like to attend an event, get involved, get in touch with old friends or pass on your news for the next magazine or www walthamstow-hall co uk, please contact the relevant committee members below.
If you would prefer to send a letter rather than email please write c/o Alumnae, Walthamstow Hall, Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 3UL
We look forward to hearing from you.
President
Mrs Claire (JARVIS) Sunnucks claireasunnucks@gmail.com
Headmistress
Ms Louise Chamberlain headmistress@whall.school
Magazine, website and social media channels, reunion and networking event organisation alumnae@whall.school
Committee Members
Mrs Katie (KEVIS) Franzen kfranzen@whall.school
Patron
Mrs Jill Milner Headmistress 2002 - 2017
The Accounts are now included within the Walthamstow Hall auditing process and so the post of Treasurer is no longer required. The President and Committee retain authority over how funds are used.
Your Data and a Digital News Sheet
The introduction of General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) in May 2018 prevented us from publishing the names and addresses of W.O.G.A members in the News Sheet that year
GDPR requires all organisations that hold customer or member data to update the consents they hold for the way in which they store and use personal data.
The consents which W O G A previously held for members are not sufficient for us to publish members’ names and contact details in the annual News Sheet, as has happened in the past, and for this reason the directory of member addresses were not included in the 2018 edition.
To ensure that we adhere to the new GDPR guidance we ask that members, who have not already done so, complete the following form and send it to Alumnae, Walthamstow Hall, Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks, TN13 3UL.
We reinstalled the contact list in the 2019 and this edition with the details of those members who have given us permission to do so by returning this form.
Also included on the form are tick boxes for how you would like to receive your News Sheet in future. We appreciate that many members look forward to their paper copy and this will not change but if you would prefer to receive your copy via email do let us know.
To safeguard the security of the Old Girls’ Association members’ data from June 2018, it has been stored at Walthamstow Hall Senior School rather than by the Old Girls’ Association Membership Secretary. The data will be protected under the school’s Data Protection policy. A copy of which can be found at www.walthamstow-hall.co.uk.
Walthamstow Hall and/ the Walthamstow Hall Old Girls’ Association will never sell your data and we promise to keep your details safe and secure at Walthamstow Hall.
You can change your mind at any time by emailing alumnae@whall.school
For further details on how your data is used and stored please visit www.walthamstow-hall.co.uk
Please complete the form inserted with the magazine if you haven’t submitted one before.
www.walthamstow-hall.co.uk/old-girls/