Woldingham Magazine 2022

WOLDINGHAM

News and reviews from Woldingham School and Alumnae . November 2022

This year’s magazine was written and edited with support and contributions from guest editor Tilda, Woldingham’s Academic Ribbon 2022-23 and aspiring author. Thank you.

Mother Janet Stuart

HEAD’S WELCOME

Welcome to this year’s Woldingham Magazine, which combines the school’s news from the past year with updates from our alumnae community.

As we look back over recent months, a pattern of positive development has been clear at Woldingham, despite the upheaval that has been evident at times in the wider world, as society strives to move beyond COVID-19 while dealing with war in Europe as well as political and economic upheaval here in the UK.

The constant positivity of our students has seen us into our 180th year with confidence and there is much to read in this year’s magazine which celebrates students’ achievements and their contribution to Woldingham and the wider world.

Part of a healthy outlook is looking outward, seeking challenge appropriate to our abilities and negotiating difficulty with assurance while maintaining perspective through self-reflection. For a headteacher, nothing gives more pleasure than seeing your students tackle challenges which stretch them with the kind of confidence that is borne out of compassion. This has been evident throughout the past year, for example, in the success of our students in public examinations despite COVID-19, on the sports pitches, in the theatre (with some truly remarkable productions and concerts), in a range of service activities and on the high ropes of the new Outdoor Adventure Centre.

We take our children as a trust and train them for eternity.

There is much within these pages that refers to how we enable students to #WriteYourOwnStory at Woldingham, which is partly rooted in the Sacred Heart values that are so dear to us. St Madeleine Sophie Barat’s vision of education, later elaborated further by Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart such as Mother Janet Stuart, was one specifically designed to empower young women to succeed despite any obstacles placed in front of them. A kind of developed individuality that seeks to contribute positively to society, while also developing a sense of spiritual integrity, is at the heart of it. As Janet Stuart put it, “Our education would be quite a failure if we turned out nonentities without colour or character or individuality.” Our new leadership and coaching programmes, designed to foster personal growth for students and staff, are specifically geared towards this aim of a type of positive individuality that contributes to our community as a whole in the broadest sense.

A new Outdoor Adventure & Education Centre has been developed on campus and the new vines for the vineyard on land adjacent to the south drive have been ordered; the vineyard should provide an income stream for our bursary programme in due course, as well as some educational opportunities in a fast-growing industry here in South East England. In addition, we are hopefully now just a matter of a few weeks away from initiating work on the new Sixth Form Centre and Library, and plans for a new sports pavilion, as well as other campus developments, are in-hand. Our students arrived back this term to see a variety of enhanced facilities including the new servery in the Marden dining room, the new Marden nature garden and the refurbished auditorium. As we focus on both human and campus development, looking to the future with confidence, courage and compassion, it is exciting to be at Woldingham in its 180th year.

Dr James Whitehead, Head

Celebrating 180 years of Woldingham

Berrymead, 1846

Roehampton, 1888

Marden Park, 1949

CELEBRATING 180 YEARS OF WOLDINGHAM

As one of the UK’s oldest schools for girls, this academic year is hugely significant as we celebrate our 180th anniversary, as well more than 75 years of being based at Marden Park.

The Sisters who established the UK’s first Convent of the Sacred Heart school in 1842 with six girls could hardly have envisioned the future of the school in 2022 with 625 students (the largest roll in the school’s history), more than 250 staff and thousands of alumnae all around the world.

Woldingham is running a series of events over the 2022-23 academic year to mark the school’s 180th anniversary including a new display on the history of the school, a series of academic talks and a range of events. Alongside this, students are being set a challenge to provide 180 hours of service, reflecting the founding Sisters’ wishes to give back and make a lasting legacy.

A special supplement accompanying this magazine outlines the history of the school from its early days in 1842 in Berrymead, Acton, to its current home at Marden Park, Woldingham.

Celebrating 180 years of Woldingham

MEET THE 2022-2023 RIBBONS TEAM

One of the defining features of Sacred Heart schools, the role of Ribbon was initially given to students for extraordinary practice of all five Goals: Faith, Intellectual Values, Social Awareness, Community and Personal Growth. Now, it is given to students who have shown exceptional leadership skills that demonstrate their ability to inspire others and encourage them to go outside their comfort zone.

This year’s Ribbons team is led by Head Girl Léonie and Deputy Head Girls, Jahnvi, Katy and Nicole. Together, and as individuals, the Ribbons play an important leadership role helping to build and support the Woldingham community and deliver the school’s mission to inspire every Woldingham student to become confident, compassionate and courageous.

There are now 21 Ribbons. A new Art Ribbon was added this year with other Ribbons encompassing a broad range of areas from academics to community and from sport to drama.

Some of this year’s Ribbons share their hopes for the future and what they wish to achieve this year.

Tilda, Academic Ribbon

“Throughout my time at Woldingham, I have actively encouraged others to take every opportunity they can, and I will continue to do so as Academic Ribbon. I hope to inspire others and become a friendly face to all year groups.

Firstly, I would like to create a buddying system between Sixth Form and younger years to help share exam advice and revision techniques. I would like there to be ‘life skills’ lessons available to students, including budgeting, banking and the ability to find credible sources when researching online, so that students feel prepared for life after Woldingham. I am excited to see what this year has in store!”

Isabella, Sacred Heart Ribbon

“My main aim as Sacred Heart Ribbon this year is to help make celebrating faith enjoyable. Although Woldingham is a Catholic school, it is important to me that people from all beliefs and none feel included within our community. I also want to spread the positive messages that can be found within the Bible, such as selflessness and charity, because at the end of the day, Christianity was a religion founded upon loving others more than you love yourself.”

Eloise, Community Ribbon

“I am very excited about the year, and I can’t wait to hit the ground running especially as it will be the school’s 180th anniversary and I am sure our celebrations will get off to a great start. My main goal for the year is to build a network which will increase the support given to students, so that every member of the community will feel they have someone to turn to. It will be wonderful to see students putting themselves forward for this and helping others.”

Millie, Art Ribbon

“There are lots of exciting plans for art this coming year. Firstly, I would love to involve the whole school community in art activities while reaching out to the wider Woldingham community. I hope we can continue running art workshops for Tatsfield Primary School, forge a connection with the Laini Saba School in Kenya to send art materials to create an ‘art exchange’ between Woldingham and Laini Saba students. I am planning to start art GCSE sketchbook workshops to help students in Year 11 boost their portfolios and prepare them for the coming year.

I aim to continue our Art Society with more student sessions and presentations, including our talented art scholars from across all year groups. One of the most exciting plans we have is a collaboration with the Drama and Music Ribbons to produce a show involving all three subjects, creating and designing the set and costumes for the show.”

STUDENTS CONTINUE TO #WRITEYOUROWNSTORY AT WOLDINGHAM AND BEYOND

At Woldingham we help girls decide the future that is right for them, and help them get there, as we support each of our students to #WriteYourOwnStory.

Teachers inspire a love of learning for their subjects, students learn resilience, determination and being brave by performing on stage, being part of a sports team and raising money for House charities, and our wide range of more than 80 extra-curricular clubs allows them to try something new. In addition, our new coaching programme focuses on bringing out the best in each individual student. Every one of our 625 students is writing her own story at Woldingham and in her life afterwards. Here are a few current stories.

Sophie, 2022 leaver and Cambridge undergraduate

Many of our 2022 Upper Sixth leavers achieved incredible things this year, but special congratulations go to Woldingham scholar and Deputy Head Girl Sophie Denny, who has a passion for writing and languages.

Sophie was diagnosed with epilepsy when young but this didn’t prevent her being an accomplished musician, representing the school on the sports field and achieving an outstanding set of GCSE results. She was a role model for other students and a perfect example of a someone who continues to #WriteYourOwnStory. In the Sixth Form, as an active member of the Head Girl team, she launched the House Families programme and initiated a fundraiser for the charity Young Epilepsy. Sophie also edited The Literary Wold, completed her Gold DofE, was awarded a WSHA Leavers’ Scholarship and wrote for the Caterham Independent in her spare time. However, a car accident while revising for her A Levels tested even Sophie’s resolve after she was left on crutches during her last few weeks at Woldingham while also taking her exams.

Sophie

But this latest challenge didn’t stop her, as she went on to accomplish a fantastic four A*s in her A Levels securing a place at St John’s College, Cambridge to study English Literature. Despite the many challenges thrown at her, Sophie remained her happy and smiley self at all times. It will be great to welcome Sophie back to school to hear about her adventures, as well as her achievements, at university and in her future career.

Alex, Upper Sixth

Alex plans to head stateside next year after her A Levels having been offered a place on the hockey programme at Dartmouth, an Ivy League university in New Hampshire. A hockey specialist, who has represented the school throughout her time at Woldingham as well as playing for Sevenoaks Hockey, this offer is a fantastic achievement. We look forward to watching Alex’s hockey playing develop over the coming years. She certainly has a bright future on and off the hockey pitch.

Fiona, Year 10

Fiona is performing her own story, as well as writing it, as an accomplished musician playing both the bassoon and piano. A music scholar, Fiona last year won a place in the National Children’s Orchestra as a bassoonist. We also get to see her perform on stage at school in orchestras and as a soloist. Only in Year 10, we’ll be enjoying many more performances from Fiona in the years to come.

Alex

Fiona

SURVIVOR HOLOCAUST VISITS WOLDINGHAM

Selma van de Perre on her visit to Woldingham in January 2022

Once outside the station I began to tremble uncontrollably and developed a dreadful stomach-ache. This pain was to become a physical manifestation of my fear, and in the coming months I would suffer from it often.

Woldingham School was honoured to host a visit from one of the last surviving prisoners of the Ravensbrück concentration camp in northern Germany, 77 years after the end of the Second World War. A fighter with the Dutch Resistance from the age of 17 when war broke out, Selma van de Perre visited us on 27 January, Holocaust Memorial Day, to tell her remarkable story of suffering and survival at the hands of the Nazis. It was a day that many of the students, listening spellbound in the auditorium, will not forget in a hurry.

Born into a Jewish family in the Netherlands in June 1922, Selma Velleman’s immediate family consisted of her mother, father, two older brothers and a younger sister, Clara. Her brothers both survived the war but her parents and sister all perished in camps at Sobibor and Auschwitz. Selma escaped deportation by going into hiding with Gentile friends and adopting the identity of a deceased nine-month old baby, Margareta van der Kuit, when she joined the Dutch Resistance. No one knew she was Jewish and no one knew her real name. For a long time she carried false identity cards, money for those in hiding and illegal papers throughout the Netherlands and into France and Belgium.

Selma’s luck ran out in 1944 when she was arrested and, after a brief spell in the only SS concentration camp outside Germany, Camp Vught, was eventually sent to Ravensbrück, the one camp exclusively for women. “Nothing in Vught could have prepared me for Ravensbrück. 132,000 women and children were imprisoned there and about 92,000 died as a result of hunger, disease and executions. The cruelty was unimaginable.”

Ravensbrück was liberated in April 1945 and Selma was taken to Gothenburg by the Swedish Red Cross. On the day she left she had a remarkable escape when she lost a struggle with a fellow inmate over the best seat in a truck, next to the driver, so got in the back of another truck.

Moments later the first truck was hit in an Allied air raid when the liberators thought the truck contained German soldiers.

After the war Selma worked for BBC Radio Netherlands where she met her husband Hugo van de Perre and they married in 1955, welcoming their son Jocelyn a few years later. She studied anthropology and sociology at university and taught maths and sociology at the Sacred Heart School, Hammersmith for some years before continuing her husband’s work as a foreign correspondent after he died in 1979.

For years, Selma was ‘too busy living’ to share her story with the world but realised that she needed to play her part in ensuring future generations would not forget the horrors of the Holocaust. Thanks to her incredible memory –she turned 100 in June 2022 - Selma was at last able to write her story and the result, My Name is Selma, was published in May 2021. In addition to giving talks all over the world, Selma also returns to Ravensbrück for a week in April each year to speak to groups of German students about her experiences.

“I had a strong feeling that I wanted to survive – it’s an instinct that is part of my character and has been with me my entire life – but for that to happen I knew you had to have hope. If you gave up hope you could sink into a depression and your chances of survival would disappear”.

Amanda Owens, Woldingham Librarian

Selma, who was interviewed during her visit by Lower Sixth student Sophie, had a strong message for our students: “Do your own research before following leaders and, for goodness sake, use your brains!”

Thank you to parent Sandra van Tiggelen for organising Selma’s visit to Woldingham.

AMBITIOUS GOALS SET FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

A school could hardly ask for a more stunning location. Our 700 acres of beautiful countryside on the Surrey/Kent border is in both an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Now, as we celebrate our 180th anniversary and being based at based at Marden Park for more than 75 years, the school is taking a new look at how we can guarantee the land and buildings we are custodians of are fit for the future from an environmental perspective and how, as a community, we can each make a positive contribution to environmental sustainability through our actions at school and throughout life.

Dr James Whitehead, Woldingham’s Head said: “Environmental sustainability is not only in our five-year strategy, it is also the right thing to do as responsible citizens of the world. It’s an issue many our students feel passionate about. Our wider community, current and future families expect us to be at the forefront of tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues.”

Woldingham’s renewed commitment to play our part in making a positive contribution to environmental sustainability is wide ranging, from educating students in how they can be effective environmentalists to reducing the school’s dependence on fossil fuels and from recycling more to making better use of our land. In the future every decision the school makes will take into account its environmental impact. This will affect the food we eat, the transport we use, the buildings we construct, the energy we consume, the curriculum we teach, the paper we use and much more. Woldingham’s goal is to become net zero, with a bold ambition to make a positive impact by becoming carbon negative in the longer term.

Dr Whitehead added: “Our environmental sustainability plans will work in tandem with our development programme, which includes the construction of a range of new buildings and facilities including a Library and Sixth Form Centre, sports pavilion, vineyard, cookery school and kitchen garden. Not only do new buildings need to be energy and water efficient, but we must build them using sustainable materials.”

UKRAINE

Woldingham responds to Ukrainian conflict with kindness and support

As people around the world watch with despair and disbelief at the conflict in Ukraine, the Woldingham community at school and around the world is raising money and offering practical support to families fleeing Ukraine and those staying at home.

Over the last six months we have welcomed five Ukrainian students to Woldingham, enabling them to continue their studies in a safe and nurturing environment. Two students are staying with Woldingham School families, each hosting a Ukrainian family who had to leave their homes because of the conflict. The other three Ukrainian families are living locally to the school.

L-R (pictured with International Ribbon Alisa): Natalia, Adele, Ella and Miranda, four of our students from Ukraine

As well as welcoming five students to school this year, Hanna and Alex from Ukraine have joined our domestic services team. Since arriving in the UK, having had to leave Ukraine because of the conflict, they have been staying with Mr Vaclav Ceska, Head of German.

“We are delighted to have Hanna and Alex in our team”, said Sandra Amaro, cleaning and logistics manager. “They are making a great impact in helping clean and prepare the school for our students and staff. Their English is improving every day and I hope they feel part of the Woldingham family even though they are not at home right now. I know they are happy to be giving something back to the local community, which is supporting them at this difficult time, and having more independence.”

“We are very pleased to be able to support families who have had to leave their homes and lives in Ukraine. We hope they will be able to return home when it is safe for them but, in the meantime, we hope to be able to enable these five young Ukrainian girls to continue their education here with us,” said Dr James Whitehead.

“Thank you to everyone who has donated to our Ukrainian Bursary Fund Appeal so far. Your selfless acts are having a huge impact on these five students and their families as they try to build lives outside their homeland. Thank you to current students and parents who supported our Summer Festival Fair organised by the Ribbons team as all the money raised has gone towards bursaries for Ukrainian students.”

To learn more about supporting Woldingham’s Ukranian Bursary Fund, please turn to page 51

A dedicated group of last year’s GCSE students, led by Chloe, completed an 18-mile sponsored walk from Woldingham to Clapham Common in March 2022 raising more than £3,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. In the same month the Chaplaincy team organised a special collection and then raised more than £500 to transport practical items needed by families in Ukraine. This was followed in July, when Fr Gerry arranged for a generous donation of £6,500 of new sportswear to be delivered to people in Ukraine.

We are very pleased to be able to support families who have had to leave their homes and lives in Ukraine.

Dr James Whitehead, Head

Hanna, Alex and Mr Vaclav Ceska

SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT

Over the last year, our Woldingham Talks series has educated and entertained, offered insights and inspiration, and opened eyes and minds.

Whether students were wondering how to win a game of Monopoly; keen to unpick the misconceptions and misuse of Spartan history by far-right extremist groups; considering studying computer science at St Andrews, economics at LSE or Spanish and Portuguese at Oxford; or looking even further ahead and asking themselves whether law, engineering or fashion might be their dream career, there was an expert guest speaker on hand to help.

And if students were simply looking for something new to wonder about, peers and staff shared their personal passions and interests with the school community through our regular 20-minute Thinking Big lectures, covering topics as eclectic as what algorithms can teach us about Love Island, the importance of drama in modern society, and why we smile.

Notably, as Woldingham announces ambitious plans for our site and environmental sustainability, the title of the 2021 Dineen Lecture, given by Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UNEnergy, was “Working to leave no one behind: a sustainable future for people and the planet”. Also a Commissioner for the Global Commission to End Energy Poverty, Damilola shared hardhitting information, including that 759 million people, mostly in Africa and Asia, still live without electricity and 2.6 billion people don’t have clean energy for cooking. Though apologising at one point for “all the doom and gloom”, Damilola also brought optimism with data on how greater access to clean energy will lead to better economic, health and gender outcomes and she urged Woldingham students to “Consider your choices”, “Act now” and “Make your voice heard.” Big thinking indeed.

Science at Woldingham is already very strong. I hope all of the events, clubs and activities we host will encourage more of our students to embark on an exciting career in science.

Mr Paul Rickard, Head of Science

STIMULATING INTEREST IN ALL THINGS STEM

This year has been a bumper time for all things STEM. Students excelled in external maths and science competitions, we launched a highly successful Junior STEM Club, hosted a fantastic range of talks by internal and external speakers, including a very popular visit from The Royal Institution, and a high proportion of our 2022 Upper Sixth leavers went on to study a STEM subject at university.

The year also marked our first ever STEM Solutions event hosted at Woldingham and organised by Head of Science Mr Paul Rickard, where Sixth Formers from five leading local schools and Woldingham pitted their STEM knowledge and ideas against each other in a fantastic competition fizzing with ideas and enthusiasm. Experts from the University of Surrey judged the competition.

“We were delighted to welcome Sixth Form scientists from Warlingham, Caterham, Sevenoaks, Whitgift and Old Palace. After a series of challenging question rounds and a construction challenge, each team of four presented ideas to reduce their school’s environmental footprint to experts from the University of Surrey with an investment of £100,000. It was fascinating to see the enthusiasm and creative approaches. I was particularly delighted that our Woldingham team of Léonie, Tona, Annabel and Jahnvi took the innovative approach of not spending any of its £100,000 in coming up with a brilliant range of things we can do to become more environmentally sustainable at school,” said Mr Rickard.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROVIDES BOOST FOR SPORT

Woldingham’s exciting plans for the expansion and promotion of sport are now being rolled out following the sign off of the school’s new Sports Development Plan. As well as new facilities, the proposals, led by Director of Sport Caroline Treacy, aim to increase participation in sport alongside sporting excellence and achievement.

The refurbishment of the sports hall and dance studio last year makes them feel like brand new facilities. The sports hall was renovated with new flooring, lighting and painting and the installation of four indoor cricket nets and a bowling machine. The dance studio was completely transformed with a new sprung floor, mirrored walls and a double barre.

Mrs Caroline Treacy, Director of Sport

“We want every student to have a positive relationship with sport and physical activity. Research shows lifelong wellbeing is clearly linked to sport, both as a participant and a supporter, and we want to establish those foundations at Woldingham. I will know we have been successful when every student leaving Woldingham tells me she has a sport or activity she plans to continue after school”, said Caroline Treacy.

As well as continuing with our traditional sports of netball, hockey, tennis and athletics, we are expanding cricket, not just in the summer term but throughout the year, led by Mr Ladd-Gibbon and Mr Outram, both successful semi-professional cricketers. Alongside this we are expanding our range of sport so there is something for everyone. Badminton on Fridays is proving popular with our boarders and Whoop fitness is loved by many of our older girls, as is yoga. Our House sport events, which run throughout the year, also provide opportunities for fun competition when we focus as much on participation and team spirit as on winning.

I am delighted to be further developing sport at Woldingham.

The new plan comprises three strands: a more diverse and inclusive programme, increased participation, and support for our high achieving young sportswomen to achieve their goals.

Excellence is also important at Woldingham and the school continues to support students to achieve their sporting goals. We were delighted that so many of our students were selected to represent their county in netball and hockey. In addition a Year 11 student represented England at the European Touch Rugby Championship in France and Lara in Year 8 was chosen for the Irish development swim squad. With 10 sport scholars joining Woldingham in Year 7 in 2022, we have high hopes for further county, regional and national success.

Sport scholarship programme

Developing the skills and fitness of our sports scholars is a key part of Woldingham’s sport scholarship programme. As part of this, all our sport scholars have one-to-one support, a personalised programme and weekly fitness sessions with an external specialist coach. We also run other sessions, for instance with professional athletes and sport psychologists, to help our scholars make the most of their sporting potential.

Alongside this we run an Athlete Development Programme (ADP) where students outside of our scholarship programme showing sporting potential have weekly fitness sessions with a member of the PE Department. A number of students on the ADP programme have subsequently been offered sport scholarships.

WRAP WOW MATHS

The halls of the Maths and Computer Science Departments were transformed this summer thanks to a fantastic new wall display. The walls feature images and information about inspirational figures including 4th century mathematician Hypatia, Ada Lovelace, often regarded as the first computer programmer, Alan Turing, the mathematician and computer scientist widely considered the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence, and mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry, who delivered the 2019 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures.

A huge thank you to WPSA (Woldingham Parent Staff Association) for supporting the Maths and Computer Science Departments in realising this vibrant and motivating display.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

AND ADVENTURE

New outdoor education and adventure centre makes the most of Woldingham’s natural beauty

Students from Year 7 to Upper Sixth (and some staff) are enjoying the thrills of seeing Woldingham from up high at our new Outdoor Education and Adventure Centre. Built in celebration of the school’s 75th anniversary at Marden Park in 2021, the new centre is part of the school’s plans to make even better use of our 700 acres.

Along with the zip wires, low and high ropes courses and high-level nature trail, the centre also has a new outdoor classroom. Taking careful account of our unique site, the centre has been built as

Thank you to everyone who supported us to build this new centre, including our generous lead donor and alumna Monica Gerard-Sharp. It’s not too late to get involved. Our target is to raise another £30k to build a 50ft climbing tower. You can also join other parents, alumnae, staff and students in adding your name to a tree or one of our hanging camp hammocks. Contact the Foundation team for more information at development@woldinghamschool.co.uk.

“Students and staff watched the project’s development with eager anticipation, from the initial ground clearance and construction of the welcome hut and training base during the Christmas holidays, through to the final addition of the zip wires in April,” said Dr Whitehead. “I’m really enjoying seeing how much fun our students are having alongside the excellent new educational facilities featuring a bushcraft area, new wildlife habitats and, of course, the new outdoor classroom.”

The Outdoor Adventure Centre is available for groups and families to book for events and parties when it’s not in use by the school. See page 44 for more information.

INAUGURAL

ORCHESTRA DAY BRINGS GENERATIONS OF MUSICIANS TOGETHER

More than 150 musicians from new players aged eight to professionals with more than 40 years of experience spent the afternoon making music together on Tuesday 1 March 2022 for Woldingham’s first ever Orchestra Day. Students from eight primary and prep schools and members of Woldingham’s orchestra played alongside professional musicians from the London Mozart Players for an afternoon of rehearsals followed by a gala concert watched by an enthusiastic audience of parents, staff and students.

Making the event an even more special occasion, the orchestra was conducted by Jeff Moore, who composed the piece the musicians played together, Press Play. First performed in 2021, Press Play was composed for musicians of all ages, abilities and experience, from near beginners to professional players, with graded parts suitable for all.

John Hargreaves, Woldingham’s Director of Music said: “It was a wonderful day. For many of our musicians it was the first time they have performed as part of an orchestra and, of course, it is the only time this particular group of musicians will play together – a truly unique experience for us all.”

Following the success of the first Orchestra Day, a second is planned for March 2023 with the London Mozart Players.

Thanks to a new organ, and the talents of our students, Chapel congregations continue to enjoy uplifting and inspirational music at services.

The new organ, supplied by Viscount Organs in Wales, was installed over the summer 2021 and is played regularly by staff and students. The school has also been gifted a grand piano thanks to alumna Loesje van Hellenberg Hubar in memory of her twin sister Theresia Maria van Hellenberg Hubar (1975).

It was a wonderful day... a truly unique experience for us all

Mr John Hargreaves, Director of Music

New instruments fill the Chapel and Recital Room with beautiful music

STUDENTS EMBRACE PRODUCTIONS RETURN OF LIVE

Students and staff welcomed the return of live theatre and music with gusto last year with a bumper crop of outstanding performances.

Enthusiastic audiences were wowed with the exuberant performances in a revival of 1950s Americana with Grease featuring Leila as Danny and Pippa as Sandy. This was followed later in the year by a stunning performance of the play Emilia and our younger students in Years 7, 8 and 9 showcasing their talents in a wonderful performance of Bugsy Malone

There were wonderful musical student performances across the year from a relaxed Jazz Evening in the Live Lounge in March, a brilliant Face the Music event at the end of the summer term and a superb Scholars’ Concert earlier in the year.

We were particularly delighted with the news that Year 10 student Fiona, who plays the bassoon, was selected for the National Children’s Orchestra, an amazing achievement. We look forward to hearing about her progress over the coming years.

The Slippers

Return of live productions

Bugsy Malone

Grease

Emilia

Jazz Evening

GOODBYE TO

HUGH PATTERSON AFTER 30 YEARS

Admired, respected and loved by students, staff and parents, after 30 years at Woldingham, it was finally time to wish history and politics expert Mr Hugh Patterson a fond farewell in July 2022. Hugh’s encyclopaedic knowledge of not just history and politics but just about everything else too is legendary and will be sorely missed by the whole Woldingham community.

For many years Hugh was Woldingham’s Head of History, and he made a huge impression on students, particularly the Sixth Formers he inspired to study history at university, as well as colleagues he helped train and support to become outstanding teachers like him.

Mrs Katharine Payne, fellow teacher of history, Head of Politics and Kritikos lead, said: “Who can talk about Hugh without mentioning the fact that he knows everything? Ask him about a general election result, a date that something happened, an individual in history, he knows about it. I have always been in awe of how he keeps all this knowledge ready at the forefront of his mind for whenever it is needed. On our numerous trips to Berlin Hugh could regularly be heard muttering under his breath that the guide had said something incorrect. These mutterings would typically become louder the more errors the guide made.”

Not only have students over the years respected and enjoyed his teaching, they have also benefitted by absorbing his wealth of knowledge and his ability to encourage them to challenge their views and explore ideas in new lights.

Alumna Rebecca Goldsmith (2017) said: “Mr Patterson’s passion for history was infectious. He was a role model in the way he took the subject seriously, and encouraged us to do so too, but also found time to show us the fun side of learning history (I remember Bella Ciao playing in the background to some of our lessons on fascist Italy!). He was brilliant at offering encouragement and motivating his students, to be interested in the subject above all, and to try our best. He was a staple figure in my time at Woldingham. It will be hard to imagine the school without him, but I wish him a wonderful, fully deserved retirement.”

From Tonbridge Castle, to the Houses of Parliament, to the Belgian Battlefields and Berlin, Hugh took Woldingham students all over to experience history and politics, bringing the subjects alive for so many students. But Hugh’s impact went much further than the history and politics departments, he coached football and cricket, taught Italian and organised the Italian film club.

Hugh has no intention of retiring for a quiet life. We wish him well in his role as Deputy Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, alongside his parish and local council jobs and running the local cricket team.

FILM WORKSHOP

Students capture the essence of Woldingham

In a new departure for Woldingham, a group of Sixth Formers took part in a film workshop where, in the space of a school day, they produced three videos about different aspects of school life. They finished the workshop with skills useful in a range of careers including marketing, media and production.

After an enthusiastic quiz to start the day, which taught the students a range of skills, from how to conduct professional interviews to getting the perfect lighting, armed with iPads, the students set off to capture the essence of Woldingham in films about sport, wellbeing and life in the Sixth Form where they let their creativity run wild.

The workshop concluded with students editing the footage using professional software including Final Cut Pro and iMovie.

“I learnt a lot from this workshop,” said Tilda who took part. “Filming and editing may seem easy, but this project made me realise just how many components need to be taken into consideration when creating a film, whether it is lighting, background or camera angle. Thanks to Robin from RCM for leading the session and teaching me some very useful skills, which I hope to be able to use in the workplace.”

Sport Ribbon Maddie interviewed for the films during the workshop

LEADING FROM THE HEART

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR NORTHERN SAINTS

At the end of April I had the privilege of attending a three-day gathering with the headteachers from Sacred Heart schools in England. We had the opportunity to meet together, pray together and spend time with the Sacred Heart Sisters on Lindisfarne. We all lead such busy lives in our daily routine in school and this was a chance to think and be still. When we met together there was an opportunity to discuss our shared values and the continued promotion of the Sacred Heart goals, to look closely at good practice and take time to reflect on how we can continue to work together to enable staff and students to live out the values of a Sacred Heart education, where everyone feels welcome, supported, affirmed and encouraged.

In the first session at Lindisfarne, Sister Margaret Wilson RSCJ led us in a reflection on the Northern Saints associated with the island, their spirituality and search for space to pray and reflect, relating it to our own needs, to take

time out for ourselves and make space for God. Sister Margaret spoke of a Chapter Meeting in 2016, which was called to “create the silence” and the need to deepen our interior life, our capacity for contemplation and for listening to the heartbeat of God in ourselves and in our world; to discern in silence and welcome the action of the Spirit that transforms us, energises us and calls us to live our prophetic and educational missions. As St Madeleine Sophie once remarked to the Sisters: “The Interior Spirit compels us to let our living, breathing and doing be only for God.” Staying on the island of Lindisfarne we got to know more of the great work of Saints Oswald, Aidan, Cuthbert and Bede who worked tirelessly to make Lindisfarne the “cradle” of Christianity in the North of England, and how they chose others who were skilled at teaching and able to set up new monasteries using their practical and intellectual skills, which were always centred on prayer. The foundations they set up needed to be strong but they

also needed a deep relationship with God, who guided and directed them. It is fair to say that when these early saints spoke peoples’ lives were changed because their example and witness radiated God’s message of love and service.

Sister Cath Lloyd, Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart (England and Wales Province), shared with us the present themes in the province and the Society, which is related to a Special Chapter regarding their legacy and the way forward. The province is actively engaged in reducing its carbon footprint as the impact of the climate crisis becomes more apparent and urgent. Sr Cath also said that justice and peace and the integrity of creation lie at the heart of the RSCJ Sisters’ mission and spirituality. The Sisters make known the love of Jesus which compels the Order to live out the message of the Gospel in solidarity with those who are poor or feel rejected by the world.

It is always good to “escape” from the noise of everyday life and make a space that works for us as individuals. It helps us to see the world and our everyday mission more clearly and afresh before returning to it with renewed energy, clarity of vision and enthusiasm. We ended our time on the island with the prayer of St Aidan who wrote:

Leave me alone with God as much as may be. As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore, Make me an island, set apart, alone with you, God, holy to you. Then with the turning tide, prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond, the world that rushes in on me, till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

Father Gerard Devlin, Chaplain

The Interior Spirit compels us to let our living, breathing and doing be only for God.

St Madeleine Sophie Barat

EXPECTATIONS GREAT FOR LITERATURE

Aspiring writer and Woldingham Magazine’s guest editor for this year, Tilda, who is now in the Upper Sixth, describes how the school’s love of literature has flourished and developed during her time at school.

A love for literature has continued to thrive within the Woldingham community despite some of the challenges of recent years. Not even a pandemic could stop Woldingham’s literary enthusiasts, with students leading virtual sessions in Literary Society and giving talks on a wide variety of topics, ranging from Romantic literature to WWI poetry. As we returned to school, the talks certainly haven’t stopped. Thinking Big lectures have become increasingly popular this year. Lasting around 20 minutes, talks by Sixth Form students and staff aim to foster a curiosity for learning beyond the curriculum. Recent literature-themed Thinking Bigs included Sophie’s discussion of Jane Austen’s novels and my talk on ‘How to Be a Writer’, which encouraged fellow students to #WriteYourOwnStory and gave advice on how to do so. Dr Whitehead also played his part with a series of Post-Colonial Literature discussions on the work of authors such as Derek Walcott and Andrea Levy, and how they explored the theme of identity through their writing.

We had a plethora of literary competitions over the last academic year. We launched the new Woldingham Journalism Competition, where students were tasked with giving a balanced overview on a current affairs topic, as well as our annual poetry competition. With the theme of Choice, we had 45 excellent submissions with winners including Alice who was in Year 8 and Manon in Year 9. It was a fantastic way to celebrate National Poetry Day.

The Literary Wold, launched in 2021 by three of this year’s Upper Sixth Leavers, Sophie, Milly and Madeleine, enabled older students to hone their literary skills by writing poetry and articles from an academic perspective. Along with Aashvi,

I am taking on the role of editor this year. We have already published an issue dedicated to inspirational women alongside International Women’s Day. Not to be left out, we set up The Junior Literary Wold to inspire other year groups to continue pursuing their passion for literature. It will feature creative pieces from younger years, age-appropriate book recommendations, and, of course, The Junior Literary Wold’s adorable mascot, Moo-cbeth.

Alongside the English Department, Woldingham’s fantastic librarian, Ms Amanda Owens, has been instrumental in cementing a love of reading – both fiction and non-fiction. Ms Owens is brilliant in encouraging students to become avid readers, from a young age. Whether through regularly updated reading lists tailored towards each year group, or the joyous Harry Potter Party, which the Year 7s enjoy every year, Ms Owens aims to make bookworms of us all. But her influence goes further than the Woldingham valley. Last year more than 600 books were donated as part of a book drive organised by Ms Owens in aid of The Children’s Book Project, a London-based charity, distributing books to children who would otherwise have none.

Great expectations for literature

Ms Amanda Owens with Academic Ribbon Tilda

PERSONAL

TAKES CENTRE STAGE GROWTH

Personal Growth is one of the five Sacred Heart values central to our vision at Woldingham and supports our goal to help each student to #WriteYourOwnStory. Within Personal Growth, Woldingham offers a range of programmes, initiatives and activities where, step by step, students and staff can become the person they want to be.

“I am delighted to be heading up this important aspect of life at Woldingham. Expanding our horizons, having a growth mindset, developing leadership skills and being open to change enables us all to become the author of our own life story,” said Mrs Gail Haythorne. Over this academic year each student will have her own Personal Growth Journal to find the space to reflect and record her thoughts and plans as she takes part in the programme. This will include taking part in weekly THRIVE activities and discussions, listening to inspiring speakers,

taking part in coaching sessions and one-to-ones with tutors, and being exposed to fresh ideas from the higher education and careers team. Students will also be able to record how they have developed leadership skills and resilience through taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme or starting and persisting with one of our many extra-curricular activities. Development of character has always been at the heart of a Woldingham education, and the Personal Growth initiative is supporting our mission to develop confident, compassionate and courageous young women.

A renewed emphasis on personal growth for both students and staff is at the heart of work being headed by Assistant Head (Staff Development and Personal Growth) Mrs Gail Haythorne, with support from Mr Chris Kellaway, Director of Empowered Learning and Coaching, and Mr Adrian Ross, in his role as Director of Leadership.

BOARDING GETS THE THUMBS UP

Weekly boarding, which was introduced two years ago, is proving an increasingly popular option with both students and parents.

“It’s a great choice for students who want to focus on school life in the week and family life at weekends,” said Miss Kimberley Chan, Woldingham’s new Head of Boarding. “And because we are so well linked to the rail network and close to the M25, weekly boarding doesn’t mean a long journey home at the start or end of the week.”

While weekly boarding is popular, full boarding where girls stay at weekends remains a key element of life at Woldingham. After

the disruption of COVID, weekend life at Woldingham is buzzing with activity with trips, fun at school, time with friends, as well as time for study.

Students continue to enjoy flexi-boarding, where they stay up to two nights a week.

“It’s a great introduction to boarding, especially for our younger girls,” added Kimberley Chan. “However our students choose to board with us, it helps them learn independence and tolerance and allows them to immerse themselves in all of the opportunities Woldingham has to offer, both in and out of the classroom.”

Miss Kimberley Chan, Woldingham’s new Head of Boarding

FLYING HIGH OUTSIDE THE

CLASSROOM

Woldingham students aim high outside the classroom as well as inside – not to mention riding, climbing and leaping high – as part of the many extra-curricular clubs that take place each week.

In January and February, members of the Physics Society felt they could almost touch the moon during two visits to the Norman Fisher Observatory in nearby Kenley, where they enjoyed viewing the night sky through a professional telescope - a first time experience for many of them - and a chance to delve deeper into their studies by learning about physics in the real world.

Students in other clubs made the most of local facilities on a regular basis.

Horse riding was a very popular choice last year, with both beginners and more advanced riders visiting Kingsmead Equestrian Centre in Warlingham each week. As well as learning new skills, the students enjoyed making friends in other year groups through a shared passion.

It’s great to see students’ confidence building over time and the personal satisfaction they get from completing a tough challenge.

Nick Rae, Climbing Club

Photograph taken by Physics Society member Cici through the telescope at the Norman Fisher Observatory

Riding Club

Woldingham’s Climbing Club headed to a bouldering centre in East Grinstead each week, a fantastic space with multiple walls of different gradients and negative overhangs, which helped them develop technique. As well as offering a good physical workout, climbing helped the students develop problem solving skills by pre-planning their route up the wall. Club organiser Mr Nick Rae commented, “It’s great to see students’ confidence building over time and the personal satisfaction they get from completing a tough challenge.”

Woldingham’s many dance enthusiasts have also been enjoying superb facilities – this time closer to home in the school’s fully refurbished dance studio, complete with a state-of-the-art sprung floor.

In May, more than 30 students from Glee Club, Dance With Attitude and Ballet Club showcased a range of dance styles, including ballet, tap, hip-hop, contemporary and musical theatre, and routines put together at Choreography Club, on a fantastic evening in the auditorium. Their dedication and enthusiasm for dance was a joy to see.

Climbing Club

Dance Show

DOMESTIC SERVICES UNSUNG HEROES

Led by Mr Oscar Gonzalez and Mrs Sandra Amaro, the team has a huge impact on the smooth day-to-day running of the school. Oscar’s role as Facilities Manager covers a range of responsibilities including waste management, supplying and moving furniture and managing the 44 flats and houses on the school grounds. He does this alongside his key role supervising health and safety, carrying out risk assessments and making decisions to ensure the safety of both staff and students while at school, which Oscar endearingly refers to as “a little village”.

A key challenge for the team is timing. While students and teaching staff are away from school over the summer, there is no break for the operations team, which the domestic services team is part of.

“The first few weeks of the summer holidays are great because the team is able to tackle larger projects while the students aren’t around,” said Oscar “but we have to plan well ahead to make the most of the eight weeks available to us. I plan up to a year ahead.”

Cleaning and Logistics Manager Sandra who manages the domestic services team, and whose enthusiasm and energy is legendary, added: “While we look forward to the summer holidays to do the work we can’t do in the rest of the year, towards the end of the summer we miss the buzz and chatter that our students bring.”

Sustainability is one of Oscar’s top priorities. With the school already being zero landfill waste, he has many more plans to make the school even more environmentally friendly. New mattresses are made from sustainable sources, replacement washing machines are energy efficient, and he is working with the student Eco Committee to manage waste, with the hope that organic waste can be reused as compost to maintain the grounds. For Oscar and Sandra, one of the most important things to consider is striking a balance between being cost-effective but also environmentally friendly.

A huge thank you to Oscar, Sandra, and all the domestic services team for their dedication. Despite the challenges faced over the past few years, including all the additional cleaning and sanitising brought by COVID, improvements have already been made and they have exciting plans for a more sustainable future as we celebrate the school’s 180th anniversary.

Guest editor Tilda met some of the unsung heroes of Woldingham, our domestic services team, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the school clean and prepare it each day for lessons, activities and events, and shares what she learned.

Unsung heroes

Mrs Sandra Amaro and Mr Oscar Gonzalez

EMPOWERED LEARNING: WOLDINGHAM’S NEW TEACHING AND LEARNING APPROACH

Since joining Woldingham, nearly five years ago now, the aspects of the school I have loved the most are the sense of community and that there is a place for each individual to thrive. Lots of independent schools have great facilities (from art to drama to sport to academic) but what has always made Woldingham special has been the emphasis on the individual, each student’s journey and how she can flourish. This has been perfectly encapsulated by the school’s award-winning #WriteYourOwnStory narrative. I firmly believe Woldingham is a place full of opportunities for students – and staff - to add their own unique story to the famous fabric of the Sacred Heart where the Sisters did so much for girls’ education all those years ago.

Our new pedagogical approach places empowerment at the heart of all we do so we can inspire our students to change the world for better with courage and confidence as Janet Stuart and the Sisters once did. As teachers we seek to empower and encourage students to love their subject, both inside and outside the classroom. Our definition for Empowered Learning at Woldingham is: ‘a student-centred, teacher-led approach that empowers the girls to be the best version of themselves and achieve their potential. It starts with the question: what can I do to inspire each student to love my subject?’

As we celebrate our 180th anniversary as one of the oldest schools for girls in the UK, this definition was shaped by Janet Stuart, one of Woldingham’s educational pioneers, who said that good teachers start with the individual child and prepare a lesson that will engage that individual so that ‘she will never be the same again’.

Our aim is to inspire each student to love their subjects and be empowered to thrive in the subject they enjoy the most. We do this by:

• Creating independent learners

• Catering for the needs of each individual student

• Inspiring students to love their subject through teachers who love their subject

• Teachers and students using coaching skills to reflect, question, listen and motivate.

Of course, Empowered Learning looks different for our younger students in Years 7 and 8 than it does for our Sixth Formers. Our gradated model places more emphasis on independent learning, as students move through the school, so that they are ‘real-world-ready’ by the time they leave. Our plans for a new Sixth Form Centre, with a range of learning areas, will allow teachers to employ more discursive styles of teaching, such as Harkness, so students can take more personal control, and self-leadership, of their learning.

Mr Chris Kellaway, Woldingham’s new Director of Empowered Learning, shares his thoughts on our fresh approach to teaching and learning.

We ought not to do things for the children which they ought to learn to do for themselves. We want to make them independent of us.

Janet Stuart

SIXTH FORMERS DREAM BIG

After many personal statement sessions and one-to-one meetings with tutors, the rather daunting yet exciting reality of life after school is beginning to dawn on the Sixth Formers due to leave Woldingham in summer 2023.

Lucy is planning to study theology and philosophy at university, and she has taken a particular liking to Cambridge, Durham, King’s College London and St Andrews.

“What I like about theology is learning about the importance of belief in a higher power or God(s) in shaping groups of people and their belief systems,” said Lucy, “I also love, particularly in philosophy, how deep you can go with the subject. You can study one area for your whole life, and you never come to an absolute answer.”

Polly has very different plans and is hoping to study neuroscience, possibly at Bath or Cambridge, to fulfil her passion for psychology, which she is studying at A Level and explored as part of her EPQ. Explaining why she finds the subject so fascinating, Polly said:

“The nature-nurture debate has been around for all of history and to some extent influences every decision we’ll ever make. So why not study both sides of the argument? Psychology discusses nurture, and neuroscience, nature.”

Iona, an avid lover of film making and production, is considering film studies at Royal Holloway, or gaining experience through one of the BBC’s production apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular. Degree apprenticeships allow people to earn while they learn, gaining valuable work experience as well as a degree at the end of their apprenticeship. Alumna Zi, who left the Upper Sixth in 2022, secured a place with Thales,

a multinational company which develops electrical systems for the aerospace sector, where she will work whilst studying for a BSc in digital and technology solutions with the University of Warwick.

Other students plan on securing places abroad. Alex, a sports scholar and physics enthusiast, explains why she is considering university in the USA:

“Firstly, you can apply ‘undecided’,” Alex says. “This means you can apply even if you haven’t made a concrete decision on what you want to study. For your first two years you take more general courses, which gives you the opportunity to explore different areas of study, before deciding what your major will be. This offers greater flexibility because at 17 or 18 it’s impossible to know what you want to do as a career. I’m extremely excited to explore the opportunity of going to a US university. It’ll be great to live in a new country, learn about new cultures and traditions, and meet new people.”

With our 2022 leavers having achieved fantastic results, we are sure this year’s Upper Sixth will follow in their footsteps as they #WriteYourOwnStory both at school and afterwards.

As Upper Sixth Form students prepare to leave the Woldingham valley, this year’s guest editor Tilda shares some of the hopes, aspirations and dreams of her fellow students.

EXCELLENT EXAM RESULTS OPEN DOORS TO EXCITING FUTURES

“I am so proud of the achievements of our students as we returned to exams after two years of COVID disruption,” said Dr James Whitehead. “Our Upper Sixth leavers did fantastically well in their first set of public exams, having not sat GCSEs in 2020, with 55% graded A or A*, 24% graded A*. Woldingham students did particularly well in French and Spanish where all students received an A*.

This outstanding set of results ensured that most Upper Sixth leavers secured a place at their first-choice university. Two students are starting at the University of Cambridge this year and one is going to the University of Oxford. Once again, Exeter was the most popular university choice for Woldingham students, with seven students starting there this autumn. Other popular UK destinations included Durham, Bristol, UCL, Edinburgh and Bath. As always, the range of university

subjects is diverse from neuroscience to HSPS (human, social and political sciences) and from fashion management to French and Spanish. An increased number of students applied to institutions overseas, securing places at prestigious universities, including Parsons School of Design in New York, NYU, Pomona in California, the University of Toronto and Flinders University, Australia. One student chose to follow the degree apprenticeship route with Thales and the University of Warwick.

At GCSE, 33% of all grades were at 9, 58% were 9-8, and 78% were 9-7, the equivalent of A* to A. Six students received at least 10 grade 9s. The grades achieved in all three of the sciences - chemistry, biology, physics – as well as in English language and French were particularly impressive.”

Woldingham students achieved excellent exam results at both GCSE and A Level this summer opening doors to top universities in the UK and overseas as well as exciting future careers.

I am so proud of the achievements of our students as we returned to exams after two years of COVID disruption

Dr James Whitehead, Head

WOLDINGHAM

NOW OPEN FOR BOOKING ADVENTURE

When not being used by students, the wider Woldingham community can now book your very own Woldingham Adventure in the school holidays.

Surrounded by our breathtaking woodland, with an amazing 2,000 sq ft of activity space, Woldingham Adventure offers lots of fun for people of all ages. The adventure begins with the low and high ropes courses and an impressive range of suspended obstacles. Adventurers can then ‘fly’ from tree to tree on the dedicated zip wire course and explore the woodland following our nature trail.

Mrs Faye Scantlebury, Head of Events for Woldingham School Venue Hire said: “Woldingham Adventure will challenge your balance, build confidence and unleash your inner self whilst enjoying our beautiful natural

surroundings. In the longer term Woldingham Adventure will also be open at weekends for parties, team building events, groups and individual bookings. We look forward to seeing you at Woldingham Adventure. To find out more and book take a look at our website www.woldinghamadventure.co.uk”.

You can also contact Faye Scantlebury about booking Woldingham in the holidays for events, such as parties, weddings and work functions. Go to www.woldinghamschoolvenuehire.co.uk to find out more. All profits from Woldingham School Venue Hire are reinvested in the school.

PLUSH NEW SEATING

FOR THE AUDITORIUM

New seats and carpet were fitted in the Millennium Centre’s Dineen Auditorium over summer 2022. As the name suggests, the Mill Centre was opened in 2000 and, after more than 20 years, some of the seats were starting to show their age. By reconfiguring the layout, we have been able to increase the auditorium’s capacity to 630, which means we can still host all-student assemblies.

The auditorium is used every day in term time for classes, rehearsals, performances and assemblies. It’s a fantastic space with West End worthy facilities, loved by all our students.

FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT

Exciting plans to make Woldingham even better

As we celebrate our history and achievements in our 180th year, we are also looking forward to making even better use of Woldingham’s amazing 700 acres in the Surrey Hills and guaranteeing a sustainable future for the school. Our exciting plans include a new Sixth Form Centre, cookery school, reinstating the kitchen garden, planting a vineyard and

expanding our sport facilities, including a new swimming pool and sport pavilion. There are a wide range of opportunities to support our development plans. Please get in touch with Mrs Camilla Mair, Foundation Director at mairc@woldinghamschool.co.uk for more information.

Vineyard planting supports bursaries

Making use of our glorious southfacing slopes and chalky terroir, we will plant two hectares of vines in April 2023 as our vineyard project starts to take shape. In association with Squerryes Wine Estate and funded by external investment, the vineyard will also create an additional revenue stream through the sale of fruit and sparkling wine to fund bursaries at Woldingham.

The vineyard provides an interesting investment opportunity for parents and alumnae. There are a few shares still available if you would like to join those who are already committed to invest. If you are interested in owning your own share in the vineyard at Woldingham, please get in touch with Mrs Camilla Mair, Foundation Director, mairc@woldinghamschool.co.uk

Designs for Sixth Form Centre signed off

As we eagerly await planning permission for our brand new Sixth Form Centre and library, the school is looking for partners, corporate and individual, to help fund spaces in the new building, by naming a room or an element within one of the spaces, or supporting our careers and personal development programme.

The bright and spacious new centre, right in the heart of the school site opposite Marden, will house a new, larger library for the whole school, as well as a dedicated area for our Sixth Form students. The professionally designed interior will include collaborative workspaces, silent study spaces, boardroom-style and multi-functional classrooms, Sixth Form team offices and a café.

“I am thrilled that we are making progress in developing the new Sixth Form Centre and library,” said Dr Whitehead. “The new Sixth Form Centre will be a dynamic transitional space for our senior students where they will thrive, challenge and develop into courageous and confident young women. It marks a step change in the plans I have been developing since I joined Woldingham just over two years ago. If you would like to know more about how you or your company could partner with us to bring it to life, please get in touch with Camilla Mair, our Foundation Director.”

Visual of our planned new Sixth Form Centre and library

Renewed focus on growing and cooking

A new partnership with Leiths and plans to reinstate the school’s historic kitchen garden will see growing awareness and interest in food, nutrition and horticulture at Woldingham.

As part of our new links with Leiths, Woldingham is delighted to be one of 12 pilot schools for its new Leiths Academy cookery courses from September 2022. More than 40 students from across the school are participating in either the Leiths Academy Kitchen 10-week course or the Leiths Certificate: Introduction to Confident Cookery four-term course in our refurbished cookery room. This marks the beginning of a longerterm partnership with Leiths, as we hope to design and build a

purpose-built cookery school within the walled kitchen garden. Not only will these provide academic courses in food and nutrition, students will learn how to cook and cultivate produce, essential lifelong skills.

This year, as part of our 180th anniversary celebrations, we will begin to re-establish the kitchen garden. Guided by plans of the original layout from the 19th century, students and members of the eco and gardening clubs will begin by planting out the slopes at the north end of the garden. This will be followed by additional beds featuring a wider variety of produce that will be used in the cookery school.

For more information about these and our wider development plans, please get in touch development@woldinghamschool.co.uk

LEGACIES

You can offer your support to the Woldingham School Foundation and the bursary programme by leaving a gift in your will. Many of our alumnae have already chosen to make this pledge and we are extremely grateful for their vital support.

Those pledging a gift in their will are warmly welcomed into the 1842 Society. The society celebrates our history and marks our foundation year, whilst looking ahead to our future to secure the bursary programme for the next generations.

70% of legacies to schools are left by women and legacies represent around 20% of total philanthropic income in girls’ schools. They are an effective way to leave a gift free of tax if you are a UK taxpayer, and potentially reduce inheritance tax, whilst leaving an enduring legacy for people and causes that are meaningful to you.

For more information, please contact Miss Clare Brazier, Development Manager at development@woldinghamschool.co.uk

TRANSFORMING LIVES WITH SEVEN YEARS OF THE JAYNE TRIFFITT BURSARY FUND

When the school launched the Jayne Triffitt Bursary Fund in 2016 in recognition of Jayne’s nine years as Head at Woldingham, we hoped the Woldingham community would continue to support this life-changing opportunity in the years to come. Now, seven years later, we are delighted that through the generosity and vision of many parents, alumnae and the wider Woldingham community we were able to offer the seventh Jayne Triffitt bursary award this September. This means that for the first time, we’ll have a student in every year group benefitting from a transformational 100% funded place through the Jayne Triffitt Bursary Fund.

As you may know, Jayne sadly died in 2018 but her legacy lives on at Woldingham through the Jayne Triffitt Bursary Fund making a significant difference to young women’s lives. Jayne’s daughter, Susie, who was Head Girl at Woldingham in 2016, said, “Tom [Susie’s brother] and I are very grateful for all the donations towards the Jayne Triffitt Bursary Fund. Our mum was so passionate about this bursary because of how much her own scholarship helped her achieve in her life. She would be really thankful to all those who have helped these (obviously wonderful) girls go to the school she loved so much. What a beautiful and fitting legacy for her. Thank you so much.”

To help us to continue this life-changing legacy left by Jayne and offer your support for the bursary fund, you can make a one-off donation or set up a regular monthly or annual gift at woldinghamcommunity.co.uk/bursary-fund for more information.

Our mum was so passionate about this bursary because of how much her own scholarship helped her achieve in her life.

Susie Triffitt

Jayne Triffitt at her graduation

Mrs

Expanding our bursary support

“The impact of a bursary to attend Woldingham is lifelong, not just for the student who receives it, but her family and the wider Woldingham community. Many of our Head Girls and Ribbons have attended Woldingham with the support of a bursary,” said Mrs Camilla Mair, Foundation Director.

Our aim is to offer 30 fully fundraised bursary places by 2030 and we are well on our way to this target. We have four Sixth Form students from Poland supported with bursaries – two in the Lower Sixth and two in the Upper Sixth. We also welcomed our first student from the Royal Springboard Foundation to Woldingham this year. Royal Springboard is a charity working with leading UK schools to find day and boarding school places for children in, or on the edge of, care or living in challenging circumstances. Over the last year we have welcomed five students from Ukraine, who had to leave their homes because of the current conflict. You can read more about their story on page 14. We have a separate fund to support our Ukrainian families, and there is more information about this on our Woldingham Community website.

Dr James Whitehead commented: “We are only able to expand our bursary provision with support from our kind Woldingham community so we ask you to pledge your support and make a donation, of whatever size, so that we may continue to widen access to a Woldingham education for deserving girls and young women into the future. A small monthly gift when combined with other gifts of a similar size makes a significant contribution to the bursaries we can offer.”

Please do consider making a small regular gift. For more information visit woldinghamcommunity.co.uk/bursary-fund

Many of our Head Girls and Ribbons have attended Woldingham with the support of a bursary.

Camilla Mair, Foundation Director

CONNECT, NETWORK AND LEARN WITH WOLDINGHAM COMMUNITY HUB

Have you signed up to the Woldingham Community Hub? Launched last year, the hub is Woldingham’s unique online network for parents, alumnae and staff to keep in touch with each other, access all the latest information, news, interviews, photos and book events.

The Community Hub is a great place to network and promote businesses and professions, receive and offer careers advice and guidance, as well as share experiences with students and each other. Members can connect with others in specific sectors through our range of professional networks and the business directory provides a window to share opportunities. There is also a range of exclusive offers.

Members can join a wide range of free groups including regional clubs throughout the world, and clubs for sports, university and special interests. They’re a great way to keep in touch, pursue an interest, get advice and have fun.

Special interest clubs run events throughout the year. So far there have been tutored wine and champagne tasting evenings organised by the Wine Club, Christmas wreath making and floral workshops for the Gardening & Floristry Club, charity golf days run by the Golf Club, virtual bake-alongs by the Food & Cookery Club and a learn to play bridge course arranged for the Bridge Club. There’s a calendar listing all the events and members can book tickets online.

Members can keep up to date with the latest development news, find out more about supporting Woldingham’s Foundation, and shop for exclusive Woldingham products.

CHAIR’S WELCOME

First and foremost, on behalf of the WSHA committee, we hope you and your family are safe and well. I would like to take the opportunity to provide an update on how the committee is working to support you and what to expect over the next year.

Life came back to normal with fewer restrictions due to COVID-19 at Woldingham and we were fortunate to be able to host and attend in person events again during the 2021-22 academic year. These included the WPSA Fireworks Night, the carol service at Westminster Cathedral and Old Girls’ Day, as well as a variety of virtual and in person events designed to bring past students and staff, and parents of girls currently at the school together.

It was fantastic to be able to host various year groups for their milestone reunions, which we had been unable to do the year before. Old Girls’ Day was also an opportunity to showcase the new outdoor adventure area, which is surrounded by trees kindly sponsored by Woldingham families and alumnae. At future events you will have the opportunity to enjoy English sparkling wine from Squerryes, the winery the school has partnered with for the new

vineyard at Woldingham. For those who remember, the vineyard will be opposite the top fields where Sports Day is held and hockey was often played at the crack of dawn. It’s wonderful that profits from the sale of fruit and sparkling wine from the vineyard will support the bursary programme. The first bottles will be ready to drink in seven years’ time.

In December 2022, the school will celebrate its 180th anniversary. There will be activities and events to mark this special occasion throughout the year, many in support of the bursary programme. Alumnae are warmly invited to join a range of events celebrating this important milestone. Details will be shared on the Woldingham Community Hub and via email. Highlights include:

Outdoor Christmas Market

25 November 2022, 3.15-7.30pm, The Quad, Woldingham School

Foundation Day Mass and 180th Anniversary Giving Day

8 December 2022, Woldingham School

Carol Service

12 December 2022, 2.00pm, Westminster Cathedral

Burns’ Night Supper

27 January 2023, Woldingham School

180th Anniversary Concert 21 March 2023, Woldingham School

180th Anniversary Gala Ball 5 May 2023, Hurlingham Club, London

Old Girls’ Day 14 May, Woldingham School

The committee would encourage you to reconnect with the Woldingham School community through the recently launched Woldingham Community Hub woldinghamcommunity.co.uk

If you have ideas for future events or alumna groups you would like us to arrange, do email community@woldinghamschool.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming you back to Woldingham soon.

Joanna Murray (née Jurenko, 1997) WSHA Chair

What is WSHA?

The Woldingham Sacred Heart Association (WSHA) is the school’s alumnae group. Any student who has attended Woldingham becomes a member of WSHA. It runs events, networks, and communications to help students and their families keep in touch with each other and the school.

WSHA LEAVERS’ SCHOLARSHIP

STORIES

labour ward placement. Having always had an interest in foetal and maternal medicine, this was one of the biggest highlights of my first year at university. It allowed me to see the application of medical science in the treatment and care of patients in labour as well as the rapport and cohesion between the healthcare professionals. The scholarship also funded a new iPad, which helped digitise my learning in lectures, seminars and placements and proved a valuable resource in advancing and consolidating my learning throughout the year.

Ria Aihie

Embarking on my journey to study medicine in the middle of a pandemic was one of the most difficult, but satisfying, things I have ever done and the WSHA Leavers’ Scholarship has provided a range of opportunities to enhance my medical education at the University of Southampton.

My journey into medicine was far from smooth. Following three rejections, two interviews and one offer, it was official, I had accomplished a lifelong dreamI was on my way to becoming a doctor with an offer to study medicine at Southampton.

A portion of my WSHA scholarship was used to purchase my first stethoscope, which I have gone on to use in my clinical skills, teaching of auscultating heart and lung sounds, as well as using it to measure blood pressure alongside a sphygmomanometer. This enabled me to apply scientific theory to actual practice by recognising underlying pathologies in these areas.

I’m grateful to have had some face-toface teaching this year that involved direct patient contact and included a

I am extremely grateful to have been awarded a WSHA Leavers’ Scholarship. I hope to evolve and continue my educational and professional endeavours in medicine, as well as help other students fulfil their dream of getting into medical school.

Charlotte Baxter

With the WSHA scholarship, I decided to take a TEFL course so I can teach English as a foreign language to support my volunteering, university course and travel in the future.

The course is mostly online and takes learners through the essentials of teaching English as a foreign language, from lesson planning to resources to help communicate when there is no common language. Learning about alternative ways of communication was my favourite part of the course as it required a lot of creative thinking to come up with ideas to communicate across language barriers. It was amazing to think about how these techniques could be used to teach anyone with any level of English and any language.

Doing the course has not been without its challenges, especially at the beginning of the year with COVID. However, I hope to do the final stage of the course very soon, which is a two day in-person consolidation conference.

I really enjoyed being able to take a practical course and it will be fantastic to have a qualification to use in the very near future. I am currently studying history and Spanish at Durham University and I’m hoping to have a year abroad next September to either Spain or Chile. My plan is to use this qualification to get a job as an English assistant in a school or as a volunteer. I also have plans to travel after university. Being able to teach English will open so many opportunities that would otherwise have been unavailable. Although nothing has been set in stone yet, I would like to go to southeast Asia and teach English. In adventures closer to home, I want to help refugees learn English and acquire the language skills they need to assimilate here. Having TEFL will be a huge help for this.

I am so grateful to WSHA for giving me this scholarship, providing me with skills which I will be able to use throughout my life. The entire course has been so insightful and has given me a new appreciation for my former teachers and all their dedication at Woldingham.

CJ Wallis

I was absolutely delighted to hear that I would receive one of this year’s WSHA scholarships. I’ve found it to be hugely beneficial in adding to my studies at the University of Exeter, where I have been having a brilliant time.

I take a Flexible Combined Honours degree, meaning I get to study biology and classical studies. One of my initial concerns for this course was that the mixture of materials required for each subject would result in a rather costly bill, but this scholarship was able to assuage these concerns and fund my first-year textbook shop. I also was able to fund several trips to museums in London, including the Natural History Museum and British Museum, which have great exhibits for both biology and for classics. For one module in biology, I studied evolution. Part of this involved looking at animal skulls and skeletons to determine what features have evolved over time. When I went to the Natural History Museum, I was able to further my learning by examining the museum’s specimens in the same way. I used the last portion of my scholarship to enrol in the university’s ladies’ cricket club, where I have had an incredible time and made some wonderful new friends. I have always enjoyed sport as an extra-curricular pursuit and fondly remember playing cricket during my early years at Woldingham. To be able to continue this at university, to the extent where I even received an award at the end of the year, meant a lot to me. I continue to be very grateful for the opportunities that have resulted from this scholarship.

IMPACT OF A WOLDINGHAM EDUCATION LASTS A LIFETIME

It’s not just now that we are enabling young women to become authors of their own life story, we have been doing it for 180 years. Woldingham has always been a place where we have supported girls and young women to work out what’s important for them and to help them achieve it with confidence, compassion and courage. We’re delighted to share some stories from Woldingham alumnae from the last 30 years as they pass on advice to current students at the same time.

Hattie Leegood (2014)

Key moments at school create lifetime memories. Hattie Leegood, who was a Deputy Head Girl, retells the significant moment she found out she had been awarded a drama scholarship, the impact this still has today and shares her advice with current Woldingham students. I was a keen drama and music enthusiast from Year 9 right through to Upper Sixth. Having studied drama at GCSE and A Level, I went on to study drama & theatre after school.

While at Woldingham I decided to apply for a drama scholarship for Sixth Form. I cobbled together a portfolio (which I still have), learnt two monologues and then found myself standing in front of Mrs Mann, former Director of Drama, about to perform. I can remember being excited yet incredibly nervous.

A few weeks later, the result letters were in and I had one waiting on my desk in my bedroom above the quad. I had quite a large room, so we managed to squeeze a lot of us in and there were others flowing out of the doorway into the hall… I opened the letter, hands trembling, and read the news that I had received the drama scholarship. I burst into tears whilst nodding. I can remember my friends suddenly filling the room with cheering – it is a memory engrained in my mind never to be erased.

In the Upper Sixth I was fortunate to be voted Deputy Head Girl, alongside Sandy Downs and Lilly Lee, with Kitty Grady as Head Girl. Luckily, I had some experience of performing in front of groups of people but standing up at Open Days delivering speeches gave me valuable public speaking skills, which I still call on now delivering presentations in meetings and liaising with colleagues and clients.

If I were to give advice to anyone thinking about applying for a scholarship, I would say aim high and go for it. Opening my letter to read I was a Woldingham drama scholar is a wonderful memory tucked away in my back pocket.

Rebecca Dillon-Robinson (2009)

A Senior Urban Planner at Ramboll, a global architecture, engineering and consultancy, Rebecca’s passion for art and design, which led to a career in creating sustainable urban places, can be clearly traced back to her time at Woldingham.

At Woldingham I was most often found in the art studios, constructing large mixed media sculptures and, frankly, making a bit of a mess. Allowed to explore an idea from concept through to final execution, I sometimes surprised myself with the end result. Although I don’t physically construct the places I design now, I often have to revisit solutions to make sure that they meet the original vision.

In my role as an urban planner, I work with cities and countries around the world to make sustainable and resilient places. I work at different scales, from designing childfriendly streets in Dublin to writing sustainable development guidance in the Middle East, and transformational neighbourhood projects in Scotland.

After leaving Woldingham I studied architecture, first at Newcastle University and then a masters at Kingston University.

An interest in how landscape and water can provide benefits in our cities for people and nature led me to pursue designing for the urban rather than architectural scale.

The projects I work on are complex, interesting and, I hope, make positive changes for people and nature. The urban design/urban planning profession is relatively new, but it is an exciting sector to work in, very collaborative, focused on positive outcomes and sustainable change.

Woldingham’s mission is to provide an outstanding education that empowers women to change the world. Rebecca is a fantastic example of doing this.

Irene Bloomfield (1990)

Now a career change coach, the Sacred Heart values Irene learned at Woldingham still resonate with her every day and shape her professional and personal life.

I spent seven years of my life at Woldingham, leaving in 1990 age 17. If asked on my last day of school, “What are your values?” I would have looked blank faced.

Values were not discussed when I was at school. They were not discussed during my degree at Exeter University, nor were they discussed for the first few years of my career.

Times have changed. After decades of working in HR, and now as a career change coach, there is not a single day that goes by that I don’t discuss values. Values are now an important part of career conversations.

When I recently looked at Woldingham’s website and read: “Students leave Woldingham with academic results that open doors, values to navigate careers and family life ahead, and friendships that last a lifetime”

I was delighted to see the word values.

It turns out I had learned about values at Woldingham after all. The Sacred Heart ethos has clear values: Faith, Community, Intellect, Personal Growth and Social Awareness.

From the moment girls join Woldingham they are introduced to these values and as they move up the school and into the world beyond these values help to guide them as they develop their own personal values alongside them.

Having clarity about your values as you leave education and take those first steps into your career is crucial. At the simplest level values are your deeply-rooted beliefs. They help guide your behaviour, your actions, your choices, and the decisions you make throughout your life.

Identifying your values is important because they will help you understand what you really want and need from your life. They provide guidance as to what you will enjoy, what will give your life meaning, and what will help you feel fulfilled.

However far an alumna travels from the Woldingham valley, it’s good to know the values learned at school travel with her.

ALUMNAE AND PARENT SUPPORTED EVENTS HELP STUDENTS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES

The insight and advice from Woldingham alumnae and parents to students considering university choices and career options are invaluable in supporting students to #WriteYourOwnStory. Thank you to everyone who shared experiences with students about life at university and the working world at our business and careers events over the last year. Every contributor had a positive impact on expanding students’ horizons and knowledge of the paths available beyond Woldingham.

Our annual programme covers a wide variety of professions and industries, as well as opportunities to mentor and give university advice. Events include Women in the Workplace, careers networking breakfasts and a Higher Education Conference at school for the Sixth Form. We also host a range of online events throughout the year. These include career discussion panels and ‘In Conversation With’ undergraduate interviews, where alumnae share their experience of a chosen subject or specific university.

As we celebrate our 180th anniversary, we aim to expand our network of alumnae, parents and the wider Woldingham community to take part in our face-to-face and virtual events. Please get in touch if you are able to share your skills and experience to support our expanding careers and higher education programme.

WONDERFUL WELCOME BACK TO WOLDINGHAM OLD GIRLS

It was lovely to welcome alumnae from such a wide range of year groups to Old Girls’ Day on Sunday 15 May. Some left as far back as 1964, others as recently as 2019.

Along with many family members, everyone gathered in the auditorium for Mass, which was also livestreamed to alumnae who couldn’t join us at Woldingham this year.

We ran minibus shuttles up to lunch in Marden, to avoid the rain, where Dr Whitehead welcomed everyone and gave an update on all things Woldingham, including our exciting development plans and our fundraising efforts for bursaries and places for Ukrainian refugees.

After lunch, a choice of activities included sessions on our new high ropes and zip wire course, which was a real hit with those who gave it a go. Others joined a rather damp walk around the school grounds, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to reminisce.

The day ended with lots of photos being taken in and around Main House and a wonderful afternoon tea in the Goddard Room. Thank you to everyone who came along and made this such a memorable day.

Old Girls’ Day 2023 will be on 14 May

AMASC ENGLAND REPORT

Since the publication of last year’s Woldingham Magazine, Trish Frisby has stepped down as Chair of the England branch of AMASC (Association Mondiale des Anciennes et Anciens du Sacré-Coeur – the world association of alumnae of the Sacred Heart) and as the AMASC representative on the WSHA committee. Trish devoted much time and energy to AMASC over the years and we give our heartfelt thanks and wish her the very best for the future.

I have ‘changed hats’ from being chair of WSHA, to take over from Trish and endeavour to maintain the very important link between the Woldingham community and the global Sacred Heart network that is AMASC. All alumnae are very welcome to join AMASC. If you are interested in joining, or would like further information, please do get in touch (jennycoote@mac.com).

The England branch of AMASC held its first post-pandemic face-to-face (and very informal) get-together in May in London, where a small number of members gathered to exchange news. Hopefully, there will be more such meetings over the next year.

The World Congress of AMASC is still on hold due to the worldwide health uncertainty. However, the General Assembly will take place in Naples at the end of October, where the new board for the session 2022-2026 will be elected.

AMASC continues to support the small primary school in Bougoudang, Chad. On behalf of AMASC England, WSHA kindly donated £1000 to this appeal. This was gratefully received. AMASC president Paola del Prete sent her personal thanks for WSHA’s kindness. In total, AMASC collected donations totalling just over 43,000 euros from associations around the world. This has enabled the construction of a building with three classrooms, the purchase of tables and benches, the renovation of the borehole bringing water to the school, the construction of a small flat to accommodate the director, who comes from another locality, and the payment of a small salary supplement to the 10 teachers at the small school, who earn only 25 euros per month.

Globally, AMASC is making a push to promote the association to younger generations. Although it is open to all alumnae of Sacred Heart schools and provides a global network affording opportunities for its members to participate in internships, exchanges, collaborations, and with the values and Christian vision of St Madeleine Sophie Barat at its heart, AMASC membership has dwindled in some member countries. AMASC is hoping to produce a video for circulation to Sacred Heart schools, to increase awareness of the association. Another future project (to be spearheaded by the North American branch of AMASC) is to create a global directory of members for professional contacts and exchanges. It is very much ‘watch this space’.

Cor unum.

Jenny Coote (1994), Chair of the England branch of AMASC

A new building is being constructed, next to the existing one (in the background), in Bougoudang, Chad

SACRED HEART REPORT

The lasting impact of COVID-19 meant that we were unable to undertake our visits to the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Roehampton. We are hopeful that in our 180th year we will be able to resume our visits to the Sisters and also the Sacred Heart primary school in Roehampton. It has been a pleasure to be able to meet in person fellow Sacred Heart goals coordinators and chaplains. On the theme of intellectual values students entered an English Sacred Heart schools network poetry and art competition with the ‘theme of through my window’.

The Sacred Heart goals continue to be central to the life and activities of the school. Over the course of the last academic year Woldingham, with other schools in the Sacred Heart English network, focused on the goal of intellectual values. We enjoyed an array of visiting speakers, student and staff lectures. There was a programme of careers events with alumnae members sharing their career insights as well as a series of ‘In Conversation With’, where teachers and students met with a relatively recent school leaver. I had a very engaging session with former Head Girl Susie Triffitt.

Under the guidance of Pun Pun, the 2021-22 Sacred Heart Ribbon, the Sacred Heart reps focused their attention on putting into action the messages of laudato si. They began the academic year with choosing and putting ‘turn off the lights’ stickers on switches in classrooms and the boarding areas. The Sacred Heart reps and Ribbon continued to be active during Mass, working with Fr Gerry and our Chaplaincy Assistant.

Sixth Form leaders were once again given Sacred Heart passports during their leaving ceremony. This passport shows they are alumnae of a Sacred Heart school and, as such, are part of a wider global community of Sacred Heart alumnae. This is an initiative that many Sacred Heart schools across the world take part in. The passports give them the possibility of asking for assistance from a Sacred Heart school should they need it.

It was wonderful to welcome Sister Cath Lloyd, Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart (England and Wales), to Prize Day in May 2022. As the summer term came to an end, the attention of the Sacred Heart reps, coordinator and chaplain turned to planning ahead for our focus on the Sacred Heart goal of Community.

In September a group of 12 students joined with other English Network Sacred Heart schools for Heartfest in Newcastle. This is a biennial coming together of students from Sacred Heart schools that deepens their understanding of being part of a Sacred Heart school.

Mr Adrian Ross, Head of Theology and Sacred Heart Co-ordinator

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Births

Sarah Thum Bonanno (2001) and Morgan Beeby welcomed their son, Oliver Beeby, on 31 October 2021, at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

Weddings

Olivia Freeman (2006) married James Campbell Stuart Grant in August 2021 at St Paul’s Church, Woldingham, Surrey.

Charles and Anna Bond (née Farnes, 1999) welcomed a daughter Matilda Caroline Louise, sister to Georgina.

David and Rachel Vinton (née Bromilow, 2004) welcomed their daughter, Florence Elizabeth Jasmin, on 12 March 2022, a sister to Oscar William Floris.

Engagements

Charlotte Baer (2007)

Emily Oliver (2011) married Hugo Dale on 2 July 2022 in Burnett, Bath.

Katrina Northern (2011) married Jonathon Osborne on 13 April 2021 at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park.

became engaged to Mr Kyle Johnston in Vermont in August 2022.

Annabel Lovegrove (2013) got engaged to Ian Le Poidevin. They have set a date and will marry in May 2023.

Oliver Beeby

Rachel Vinton

Annabel Lovegrove

Olivia Freeman

Katrina Northern

Emily Oliver

Rebecca Dillon-Robinson (2009) married Laurence Wright on 18 December 2021 at St Margaret the Queen, Buxted, East Sussex.

Serena Baer (2010) married Alexander IrvineFortescue on 3 June 2022 at Hooe, East Sussex.

Katie Metcalfe (2006) married Alexander on 21 May 2022 in Limpsfield, Surrey.

Marina Burton (2007) married Tom Ledger on 25 June 2022 in Leigh, Surrey.

Below L-R:

Catriona Lyons (née Arthur), Tor West (née Cardona), Kitty Abel-Smith (née Owen), Vicki Hall, Marina Burton, Georgie Cosh, Lucy Taylor, Jenny Plant, Belsy Yuen

Rebecca Dillon-Robinson

Serena Baer

Katie Metcalfe

Marina Burton

IN MEMORIAM

Clare Crellin (née Nicholls) died in Douglas, Isle of Man, on 13 November 2021.

Angela Patterson (née Mann), a former chemistry teacher and Head of Clitherow (Stuart) at Woldingham, passed away in August 2022. A lovely lady who was much respected by staff and students.

My sister Carola Manchester (née Fletcher) and I came to Woldingham in 1952 and were there for two and a half happy years, during which time we made lifelong friends. Our mother, Kathleen Howley, was a student at Roehampton in the 1920s, so the Society of the Sacred Heart has always been important in our lives.

Carola died in Nova Scotia on 27 March 2022. Much loved wife of Cmdr. William Manchester, she leaves her son, two stepchildren, grandchildren, her two sisters and two brothers.

By Sarah Fletcher

Suzanne Marett-Crosby (née Marett, 1962)

The Woldingham community was saddened to hear the news of the death of Suzie Marett-Crosby (née Marett) earlier this year.

Suzie was born in New York City, and her connection with the global Sacred Heart community started in Peru, where she first went to school at the Sacred Heart convent in Lima. On her family’s return to England, Suzie continued her education at Woldingham, where

she became a much respected Deputy Head Girl before leaving in 1962.

After Woldingham, Suzie went back to Peru, where her father was British Ambassador, then on to Bristol University, where she studied Spanish and Latin American Studies, gaining her degree in 1967. Suzie married and had two children before returning with her family to her Jersey roots, where she became heavily involved in the local life of the Island.

She established the publishing house, La Haule Books Ltd, which published titles by local authors, past and present, in its ‘Jersey Heritage’ series. She was very involved with the voluntary sector: she was a member of the Jersey branch of the Samaritans, Victim Support, the Network to Prevent Violence and Abuse in the Home, and the Probation Service. In 2009 Suzie was elected to the prestigious bench of Jurats in the Royal Court where she served till 2016. As a Jurat, she served on the Prison Board of Visitors and the Greville Bathe and Ann Alice Rayner funds.

Through family ties in England, Suzie became friends with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi whom she supported to the end of her life through many humanitarian charities from the island of Jersey and beyond for health and education in Myanmar.

Suzie is survived by her children Michael and Alexandra, also educated at Woldingham (1989), her son in-law Nigel and grandson Ollie. Her energy, enthusiasm, sense of humour and innate empathy will be remembered by all who knew her.

Michelle Kenworthy-Browne (Millie Curran) died peacefully at home aged 56 in August 2022. She left Woldingham in 1984.

It is with great sadness we report that Victoria Hall (2007) passed away on 2 September after her heroic battle with bowel cancer. Before Vicki passed away, she and school friend Jenny Plant planned a fundraising concert called The Big Sing. With her family’s blessing, the choral concert took place on 11 October. If you would like to make a donation in Vicki’s memory here is the link https:// www.justgiving.com/team/thebigsingforcancer.

Corinna Gordon (née Liddel, 1969) died peacefully at her home in Santa Barbara, California on Sunday 16 October from lung cancer.

Corinna was a talented artist, making her name in California initially as interior decorator to the stars. Later she became a highly accomplished goldsmith designing jewellery worn at the Oscars and Golden Globes.

Her artistic talents included not just drawing, painting and designing, but music. Her classmates recall Corinna’s beautiful voice, which was featured in The Woldingham Folk Mass album composed by classmate Frances Hunter Gordon with help from Corinna, recorded by EMI at Abbey Road Studios, and performed by a small choir of the girls at the school.

Corinna studied in Florence after taking her A Levels at Woldingham. She was married twice and lived initially in London and then moved to California. When married to photographer Larry Gordon, she had homes in Fiji and Big Sur, where she learned her decorating métier, and then settled in Santa Barbara.

Corinna was widely admired for her wit and humour. Many of her funniest postings involved nuns! She was also widely seen as a role model for how bravely and serenely she dealt with the last two years of her life.

Corinna is survived by her stepson Adam Bardach, his wife Lara and his son, her adored grandson Teo, as well as by her brother in England, Mark Liddell.

Everyone whose lives were touched by Corinna felt truly special. She was one of a kind, a jewel in the crown. Rest in peace.

Professor Dr Mary Hallaway OBE (1950) died on 4 June 2022.

My personal memories of Hal by Nadine Kynoch (née Mertz, 1952)

Mary Hallaway, always known as Hal, arrived at Woldingham in the winter term of 1946 when she was 14 years old. She was placed in her appropriate age group but such was her academic ability she was soon moved up, not one year group but two, and settled down to spend the rest of her school life studying among girls two years her senior.

Hal’s curiosity in all things scientific started at an early age. She said that even as a small child she was happiest joining her father in his workshop repairing their car and other household equipment – and taking things apart to see how they worked.

By the time she arrived at Woldingham it was clear she would eventually specialise in the sciences. She was often seen carrying out various experiments outside the classroom. On one occasion the rumour went round that Hal was about to carry out an experiment to determine whether Newton’s gravitational law applies if we swallow food and liquids when upside down. As Hal was not exactly athletic, she persuaded one of the bystanders to stand on her head, while two of us held her steady, so that Hal could pour some water into her mouth. Naturally, when she swallowed the liquid, it travelled uphill! We shall never know whether the Sisters were aware of this somewhat dangerous experiment or had observed it at a discreet distance.

Despite following a syllabus two years ahead of her age, Hal excelled so much that a retired university professor was engaged to teach her advanced physics in preparation for the entrance examinations to Oxford University. She applied to St Anne’s College to read medicine but for various reasons decided to study for a degree in biochemistry instead. As an undergraduate Hal lived at 11 Norham Gardens, one of the St Anne’s College hostels run by the Sacred Heart community.

She continued to live in Oxford to study for her doctorate and subsequently started her teaching career as a lecturer in biochemistry at the university. It was a time when several of us went up to Oxford and although Hal was, by then, very senior to us, she always found the time to come and visit us at 11 Norham Gardens and, if we were troubled, would give thoughtful and wise advice. A skill which she later put to good use when she was appointed lecturer and mentor at Liverpool University.

Hal went on to an outstanding academic career during which she spent several years in Nigeria and subsequently Uganda and Malawi. On her return to England, she was appointed Principal of Trinity and All Saints College in Leeds. Hal’s achievements in the field of biochemistry gained her a global reputation, well documented in other tributes. On a more personal level she was much loved and admired by her students both as a teacher and mentor.

After she retired she returned to Cumbria and settled in a little hamlet some 10 miles outside Carlisle, in a beautifully converted cow barn next to where her brother and sister-in-law lived. (Hal always insisted she was just living in a “barn for cows”!)

Retirement gave Hal the time and opportunity to pursue all her other interests. Among these she studied for a degree in theology (gaining a first); played an important part in the parochial life of the Church (limited by the fact that she was a woman); took an active interest in CAFOD; was an ardent supporter of free trade and indigenous industries in developing countries - and taught herself how to cook.

Throughout her life Hal kept in touch with her many friends from Woldingham, especially when she was in the UK. When possible she would visit us over the years. When I had moved to Oxford she would come and stay with me most summers for a few days during which she could attend an annual reunion of her fellow theology students. We would also call in at Norham Gardens to see Prue Wilson and the other Sisters who we had known from the past.

At times during her professional career Hal had been able to pursue her love and interest in medicine when her expertise as a biochemist was called upon by the medical profession. Always generous with her time, when she had to go to the hospital in Carlisle for various tests, she volunteered to be a ‘guinea pig’ so that when a consultant brought a group of medical students on their rounds they could be tested on their ability to diagnose Hal’s complaint and suggest treatment. There were occasions when Hal, who knew as much as the consultant did about her condition, would discreetly drop a hint to a struggling student.

Sadly as Hal’s sight and hearing deteriorated towards the end of her life, I could no longer keep in touch with her, but fortunately I have many happy memories of a very special human being and friend.

Your example, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world.

St Madeleine Sophie Barat

This magazine is a carbon balanced publication, where the carbon impact of the production and materials has been balanced by the World Land Trust. It has been printed using vegan inks, biodegradable laminate, recyclable foil and packaged in a compostable potato starch wrapper.

Woldingham School, Marden Park, Woldingham, Surrey, CR3 7YA (for satellite navigation please use postcode CR3 7LR)

T: 01883 349431 E: info@woldinghamschool.co.uk www.woldinghamschool.co.uk