NHEHS Alumnae Newsletter 2022

Sky's the limit Eva Keen

BAFTA Success Nicky Sargent

Two Takes on Tokyo Alumnae at the Olympics

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Old Girls' Association Newsletter 2022

Upcoming Events 2022 An Evening Talk from Baroness Wheatcroft Wednesday 26 January An NHEHS community event open to all alumnae.

NHEHS Senior School, Main Hall.

More details to follow.

Inspiring Each Other Alumnae Networking Event April 2022 Leadership in a changing world Hear from two expert published alumnae at this free panel discussion with Q&A session.

More details to follow.

OGA Annual Reunion Tea Party Saturday 17 September 2pm-5pm All alumnae are welcome. It is a reunion year for those who left in: 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017.

Tickets are £12 with optional extra £3 donation to the bursary fund.

If you would like to be involved in any of the above events, or would like more information, please email: alumnae@nhehs.gdst.net or visit the alumnae section of the NHEHS website.

Notes from the Editor Welcome to the 2022 Newsletter. Despite the recent challenging times it has been another very busy year for all things alumnae at NHEHS. One of the best parts of this role is meeting alumnae who have followed a fascinating range of different paths since leaving NHEHS. Thank you to all the alumnae who made time in their busy schedules for me to interview them for this Newsletter, which I hope you will find both inspiring and nostalgic.

Thank you also to all the alumnae who took part in the alumnae networking events this year; 'STEMinism: how to succeed as a woman in STEM' and 'Creativity is the Future', as well as those who have spoken at the Careers Spotlight sessions for Sixth Form, the Sustainability Forum for Year 11, the NHEHS Medical Conference for aspiring medics, the Economics Breakfast Forum for Sixth Form, as well as academic experts such as alumna Suzanne Bardgett, Head of Research and Academic Partnerships at the Imperial War Museum who shared her knowledge about wartime London. The success of these events depends on alumnae of all ages and stages kindly giving their time and expertise. If you feel you have any ideas for future events and/or can take part please do let me know via alumnae@nhehs.gdst. net.

Thank you again to Liz Broekmann, the NHEHS Archivist, for her piece about the evolution of the buildings at NHEHS in light of the pending redevelopment of Redlands and Swallowfield. Many of us are sad to see these buildings go but, as ever, time moves on. And thank you to Jill Sands (NHEHS 1960) for her school memories from 1946 - 1960.

Please do continue to send me your news, old photos and memories as well as new projects and adventures at alumnae@nhehs.gdst.net. I promise to get back to you as soon as I can.

And finally, a big thank you again to Creative Services Manager, Sam Raybone, at the GDST and the NHEHS Marketing Team for their assistance with this publication.

Contents 3

Head's Review Mr Shoults

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A few words from the OGA Chair Zosia Thackray

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BAFTA Business Nicky Sargent

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NHEHS 150th Birthday Bursaries Appeal

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Two Takes on Tokyo Katie Smith and Rebecca Lowe

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Sky's the Limit Eva Keen

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Steering a Startup Ella Merriman and Amelia Powell

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Entrepreneurial Spirit Louisa Preskett

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Peak Sporting Performance Dr Nicola Keay

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Snapshots from the OGA Tea Party

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Evolution of the Buildings at NHEHS Liz Broekmann

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Memories, 1946 - 1960 Jill Sands

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Thank You Alumnae

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Alumnae News

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Former Staff News

Charlotte Truman

(NHEHS 1997) Alumnae Relations Officer NHEHS OGA Newsletter 2

HEAD'S REVIEW Of the many efforts of the Notting Hill & Ealing community to maintain its traditions despite the impact of the pandemic, some special moments were not possible to replicate in any suitable “virtual” form in 2020, and one was notable: the OGA Tea Party. So it was a joy to welcome our alumnae back earlier this term for the afternoon, alongside former staff (including Susan Whitfield and Jane Fitz), and to reconnect after such challenging times.

Not that our alumnae have been absent: you have continued to support current students even if remotely. I am particularly grateful to those who have supported our Careers Spotlight series, speaking to groups of Sixth Form students virtually to share your career paths since leaving NHEHS, and adding to our established careers networking events. We know from speaking to students, and also from research, that role models play a major part in encouraging young women to feel more confident in following their career aspirations. For this reason, we hope to reach out to you in the year ahead, to see what further mentoring opportunities might be possible to inspire and support our Sixth Form students.

Despite, or perhaps because of the pandemic, the students have shown themselves to be brilliantly public spirited and entrepreneurial over the last year. Hannah, one of our Year 13s, organised a letter writing project so that every employee of Ealing General Hospital (numbering around 1,000) received a handwritten letter of thanks from an NHEHS student.

Morven, in Year 9, organised a 3

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“scarecrow stroll”, with residents of Ealing accessing a scavenger hunt route around the borough, to visit scarecrows in families’ front gardens. Year 8 students set up enterprise companies, with one, “Paws for the Planet”, selling so many sustainable dog products that they were runners up in a national business competition run by Peter Jones of Dragons’ Den. Not long after the OGA Tea Party, the whole community was also out on the streets of Ealing, as we entered a more normal term, to cheer on the staff and parent team of 40 runners in the Ealing Half Marathon, as we raised over £6,000 for the Log Cabin, a local charity (alumnae will be welcome in our team next year!).

Although this term has seen the most marked return to normality, in some ways we started to emerge towards the end of the summer term. By operating with strict controls (in the style of the West End theatres), we were able to host end of term concerts and plays in July, alongside our Leavers’ Ceremony for Year 13. These events made clear just how important a physical presence is to our students’ confidence and sense of joy. It was for this reason that in September we held a drinks reception for the Class of 2020, returning from very mixed provision at university; we will continue to host events for our more recent leavers.

The year 2023 should of course have a great resonance for any alumna, as it marks our 150th birthday ( just one year after the same anniversary of the GDST’s founding). We are already starting to make plans for this celebration, which will be marked from September 2023. We aim to mark the anniversary by the opening of our new Junior School building, but also by a host of other events to draw together current and former students.

As our landmark approaches, we

want to have a focus on our Bursaries Appeal. We will be building on a history stretching back to NHEHS’s earliest days and we hope, with your help, to support more girls who have the talent but not the means to access the inspiring and supportive education we provide.

We are keen to connect with alumnae who wish to help in our anniversary and bursary appeal planning. Please contact either Charlotte Truman, our Alumnae Relations Officer alumnae@ nhehs.gdst.net, or Molly Tollit, our new Development Officer development@nhehs.gdst.net; they look forward to working with you to celebrate our past 150 years and look forward to the next.

Finally, I would like to thank Zosia and the OGA Committee for their continued support, and wish you all a very Happy New Year.

Matthew Shoults Head

A FEW WORDS FROM THE OGA CHAIR Happy New Year. Welcome to the OGA Class of 2021!

For our most recent alumnae, the Year 13 Leavers, I would like to wish you much courage, joy, fun, purpose and reward in your new ventures – whether they be further studies, joining the world of work, travel or other undertakings. This can be both an exciting and nervewracking time in your lives, with the possibilities of independence and exploration in your sights. Do reach out to the school, and the Alumnae team, for advice and support if you need it. Good luck!

The past year has been turbulent for many, with health concerns, loss and continued uncertainties in many areas of our lives as we endeavour to navigate the pandemic. I hope

that, if you felt safe and able to do so, you were able to begin to enjoy the small luxuries in life again as restrictions eased and leisure facilities re-opened.

Many of you felt comfortable enough to join us in person for the combined 2020 and 2021 OGA Reunion Tea Party in September. It was joyous to be able to welcome you back to the school and observe the conversations, shared memories and plenty of laughter. We had some quite large groups from a few of the year groups, as well as a few people who confidently attended despite there not being any others from their year. Many of you were not able to attend this time, for a variety of reasons – do take a look at a selection of photos later in this Newsletter and also on the NHEHS Alumnae Instagram and Facebook pages.

At the Tea Party, we were honoured to present Mrs Critcher (Maths teacher) with a certificate of appreciation from the OGA for her 30 years of service to the school.

She was plentiful in her thanks for this gift and how much it meant to her to be recognised by the

OGA. We were also able to offer tours of the Junior School this year, including the old Redlands building, in advance of its upcoming redevelopment. This was poignant for many, as they had not revisited this part of the school since leaving NHEHS and it brought back many fond memories of friends and favourite teachers. Thank you to Liz Broekmann, the Archivist, for her wonderful display at the Tea Party showing the evolution of the school buildings over time.

The date for the 2022 Reunion Tea Party is Saturday 17th September 2022, 2-5pm. Do make sure it’s in your diary and start contacting your classmates to encourage them to attend. If you’re able to help a particular year group, please get in touch. It is always lovely to see everyone, whether your year group has a reunion or not.

Thank you to all the alumnae who have given their time and expertise to support NHEHS and other alumnae over the last year, both inperson and virtually, and especially to Charlotte Truman, Alumnae Relations Officer, for all her work creating this Newsletter, running the events programme and connecting alumnae with current students.

I wish you all a healthy and fulfilled year ahead and look forward to meeting some of you at one of the Alumnae events or the Tea Party in September.

Zosia Thackray (NHEHS 1994) OGA Chair

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BAFTA BUSINESS Nicky Sargent left NHEHS in 1981 to read English at the University of Bristol. After an initial career in advertising and magazine publishing in the early 1990s, Nicky moved into the burgeoning television post production sector. In 1998, after several years as MD of a leading company in the sector, Nicky and her business partner Vikki Dunn co-founded The Farm Group, a multi-award winning broadcast post-production company that has grown to over 350 employees in the UK and US, delivering creative editing and sound post production to the international TV industry.

The Farm has contributed to many hundreds of thousands of primetime programming hours both in the UK and USA, with an Emmy, nine RTS awards, seven BAFTA TV Craft Awards and four Broadcast Awards for Best Post Production House for its high calibre of work.

Nicky’s huge success led to a BAFTA Special Award, one of the Academy’s highest honours, in the summer of 2020, in recognition of her exceptional career and dedication to the field of television post production across a wide range of genres.

What are your favourite memories of your time at NHEHS? The Boars’ Head Carol was absolutely magical. It was only the Upper Sixth who were involved and I remember the excited feeling and the link to tradition. It is a special memory totally unique to school. And I remember having a lot of fun and playing.

I also clearly remember the feeling the school gave that girls could do anything. Unfortunately, forty years on I don’t think the world has got much better in terms of the progression of women in the workplace, but forty years ago I was as passionate about having a proper career as any girl would be leaving school now. However, I think it is much harder for girls leaving school now as they are expected to be Instagram stars plus surgeons plus everything, and we didn’t have that pressure.

Did you have a favourite teacher or subject at NHEHS? I remember being imbued with a great love of literature 5

NHEHS OGA Newsletter

and politics. I loved our English teacher Mrs Hamlyn, she was Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society, and she had a huge, massive effect on my self-belief and that I could go on and study English. I am still in irregular touch with her now and I think very, very highly of her. She was so inspirational.

I was part of the Magazine Committee and our year started BLOT (Books, Literature or Talk) with Mrs Hamlyn.

I was also in school plays, on stage, as there wasn’t really any backstage, nothing like the facilities there are now at NHEHS. I also remember Mrs Smith for Politics and Mrs Sergant (no relation!) for French who were both great.

How do you feel NHEHS instilled a ‘girls can achieve anything’ mindset during your time at school?

I think the best thing was that it was not explicit, we were just treated as people as there was no comparison in the classroom to boys. I did not know that some people thought then, and some still do now, that women aren’t quite as good as men for certain jobs. I literally did not know that until I left the school, which was good as it was empowering.

We did have one year of sewing lessons but we were mercilessly unkind to that poor teacher and she had a bit of a breakdown and left the school. There were no more sewing lessons after that. There wasn’t cookery or anything, you went straight into a physics lab or politics session or whatever. There was no concept of subjects being ‘female’ or ‘male’.

How did you start your career in post-production?

After university I worked in an advertising agency which was part of Saatchi & Saatchi in Bristol for a year and

then I wanted to move back to London. In London I got my first job in a magazine and ended up launching a business-to-business magazine called Television Week where I got to know a few people in the TV industry.

After that I wanted a change so I applied for a job as Sales & Marketing Manager at a company that was very well known at the time, but had a few issues, called Molinare. I got the job despite knowing nothing and noone in the industry, I think because no-one else would have worked there at that time which I realised when I arrived!

I also met my business partner, Vikki Dunn, at Molinare and we loathed each other on sight! We were also initially pitted against each other by the powers that be, as can happen to women. But after 3 weeks or so of staying very much to our own corners we decided to go out for a quick drink to see if we could get on. And after admittedly more than one drink, we decided to join forces. We learnt a very interesting life lesson! We then stayed at Molinare for seven or eight years and built it up to be the biggest company of its type. However, the ownership kept changing and we didn’t like the ethos of the new owners so we decided to set up our own business. It was a great decision as it gave us more control, we had more fun and we got to work with the people we wanted to work with.

I would say to anyone out there looking for their field, if you find a field you love you will be good at it. I ended up being extraordinarily lucky as I was in an environment that suited me and I loved it. When people come to me for career advice now, I often say it is not about what you do, as many jobs require us to do similar things, but choosing the environment that suits you and that you enjoy is really important. I knew I didn't want to wear a suit, work nine-to-five or work in a very hierarchical environment. I love being with creative people, I am not creative but I really enjoy being with creative people and, therefore, I know how to get the best from them.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Personally, I get the most pleasure from seeing the name of someone on screen I remember from when they were seventeen and we gave them the opportunity to literally make a cup of tea or coffee! Whether they were straight out of school or out of university with a First class degree, it didn’t matter as long as they had the right attitude. To see them go on to have a career, to be able to afford a mortgage, start a family and win a BAFTA or an Oscar themselves is fantastic. That is what motivates me more than anything else.

The Farm has an alumni network of nearly 3000 former employees that we keep in touch with and they now populate the TV industry. They are heads of departments at Netflix, the BBC etc and they have won their own awards. They permeate the TV industry and

I am overwhelmingly proud of that because I hope our ethos as a company has always been that we do not see gender, race, sexuality, disability, or class but we do see attitude.

How did you feel receiving your BAFTA Special Award?

I felt truly, truly honoured. We had no idea it was coming.

We knew that as a company the Farm and our people win awards, but for Vikki and I as individuals we had no concept that we would win a BAFTA. There aren’t that many awards for what we do in the industry. We had won a Women in Film and Television award previously but the BAFTA was so unexpected.

At the BAFTAs there are performance awards and craft awards for editors and sound mixers for example, but no category for management or people who start companies, which is why it was a ‘special’ award that was presented to us and, therefore, we had no idea it was coming.

What has been your toughest moment to date?

One of my toughest moments was many years ago when we used to transmit satellite channels and one of our contracts was for the Sci-Fi Channel. I had just bought a brand new convertible MGF car and I was driving up and down the Kings Road feeling really great when I got a call from the office saying there had been a power cut for the whole area and there was no power.

The UPS back-up batteries had also failed. So I spoke to an engineer and asked 'what is a UPS and where can we get another one?' I found out a UPS battery is essentially a car battery, so I said ‘Hang on!’ and drove straight to the office and the channel was kept on air by my MGF car battery! The car was never quite the same again.

What are your top tips for anyone considering a career in your field?

Definitely do it! There are lots of jobs for lots of different types of people that will give you a decent career, friends for life and if you don’t want to work nine to five it could well be for you.

It is worth noting that London especially, and also Bristol and Manchester, are huge areas of expertise in this field and have international reputations, so you can easily access this huge pool of talent and learn from the best.

I would say though you do have to start at the bottom, but if you engage well with people, you work hard and you can think outside the box, you can move on really quickly.

Nicky is happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of a career in television post-production to get in touch either directly, or via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

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150TH BURSARIES APPEAL At Notting Hill & Ealing High School we have been educating girls since 1873 to reach their potential. Our students are aspirational but grounded; our community is strong yet open-minded; our Alumnae go out into the world with good hearts as well as fine minds. September 2023 marks our 150th anniversary, a significant milestone in our history. As we reflect on our past and look to the future, we are committed to enabling more girls whose financial circumstances would otherwise prevent it, the opportunity of a transformative education at NHEHS. From our earliest years, there were past and present parents, staff and governors who recognised that provision needed to be made for those talented girls for whom an NHEHS education was beyond reach.

Thanks to the generosity of some of you, financial support for such students has enabled them to move on to higher education and embark on their futures careers.

How can you help?

We are asking for your help, whether that be through your time, contacts or resources or all three. If you received financial support during your time at the school and would be happy to share your story with us we would much appreciate hearing from you. There will be many ways in which each of you can be involved in this campaign as it evolves. The next couple of months will be spent doing detailed planning led by our new Development Officer, Molly Tollit, who would particularly appreciate any initial reactions, thoughts and contacts. She can be contacted via development@nhehs.gdst.net and is looking forward to getting to meet you.

Meet Molly Molly is a GDST girl (Wimbledon High, Class of 1992) who warmly remembers her school days there, the security it provided and the inspirational and forward-thinking words of her Headmistress, Mrs Smith, who she recalls in an assembly when she was 6 years old asked them to put up their hands to tell her how they were each going to change the world! Molly is known to the pupils here as Mrs Tollit as she is also teaching Classics at NHEHS so is getting to know the school from all angles. With both her parents having run nationwide charities, it is perhaps no surprise that she recently moved from the classroom into fundraising, raising £2.5million for a community-use theatre. She looks forward to getting to know you over the coming months.

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I had a wonderful 7 years at NHEHS, better than I ever thought possible. I learnt all my subjects from incredible teachers, who taught with passion and dedication and supported me every step of the way. I was told to aim high and work hard to achieve my dreams. I was given amazing opportunities to explore my interests - play new sports, learn a musical instrument, and challenge my academic ability. Without the bursary, I wouldn’t have been able to attend Notting Hill & Ealing High School and none of these experiences would have been available to me. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. For that, and so much more, I will forever be grateful.

Erin Malinowski, Class of 2020.

Studied Physics at the University of Oxford

My seven years at Notting Hill & Ealing High School helped mould me into the person I am today and helped me access opportunities I never would have thought possible. The school nurtured me from a young age, both academically and pastorally, and I have made friends and support networks for life. Without the bursary, I would never have been able to attend Notting Hill & Ealing High School, I would not have got the grades required for university, and I would not have felt so confident moving forward into higher education. Now I have graduated from Oxford and am undertaking my Masters at LSE, I’m thrilled with the continued support and communications from staff, and of course access to the Alumnae Network! I am eternally grateful to have received the bursary.

Ayesha Sehgal, Class of 2018.

Studied History and English at the University of Oxford, class of 2021. Studying Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, class of 2022.

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TWO TAKES ON TOKYO Alumnae reporting from the Olympic Games

Katie and the Paralympics Agitos outside the Olympic Stadium

Katie Smith (NHEHS 2013) is a journalist with BBC Sport. She works mainly in radio as a sports reporter on BBC World Service and Radio 5 Live.

While working at the BBC Katie has covered a number of major events for radio including the Women’s World Cup, the Athletics World Championships and the Paralympics.

What was your role for the BBC in Tokyo at the Paralympics?

My role was to cover the athletics action at the Paralympics for radio, so for the majority of my time there 9

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I was stationed in the magnificent National Stadium. Every day on BBC World Service radio we had an hour long show dedicated to live Paralympic action and rounding up the stories of the day. So my role within that was providing live race commentaries from inside the stadium as well as reporting on other things that had gone on that day, and interviewing some of the big global stars we had been looking out for.

Due to the pandemic there was no crowd able to watch the racing live so I felt incredibly lucky to be one of the few who could and, therefore, had an important responsibility to bring that to life

for our listeners around the world.

Radio commentary is all about painting pictures and bringing your audience with you in the dramatic sporting moments so I enjoyed the heightened responsibility of that within the pandemic context. I was also able to attend the brilliant Opening Ceremony and brought live coverage of that to BBC Radio 1, 2, 4, 5 and World Service. It was surreal but exciting to speak to so many different radio stations as the greatest show on earth began!

Had you been to Japan before?

How did you find it?

I’d never been to Japan before and had been really excited to have an

opportunity to explore the country.

Unfortunately, but necessarily, we had a lot of restrictions on our movements and activities while we were there so there was no opportunity to go to other parts of Japan or do much within Tokyo.

However, my brief highlights were visiting Tokyo Tower and also seeing a number of the awesome sports venues. It was so humid and hot and we had to wear masks inside and out so walking around was tough at times. The people though are lovely, incredibly helpful and I would love to go back in the future.

What impact did Covid have?

Unfortunately everything we did was tainted with changes brought about by the pandemic. Getting into the country required double vaccination, several PCR tests, several official signed documents and various apps and GPS trackers so our movements and health could be checked at any time. Once we were there we had to do spit tests

almost every day, plus we were not allowed to be in contact with the general public or use public transport. That being said, the actual sporting action was almost unaffected and the quality of the racing was the best it’s ever been.

What was the highlight of your time in Tokyo?

I got to interview several huge Paralympic stars and listen to a number of inspiring, heart-breaking, wonderful stories of tragedy but also perseverance and courage.

Plus I was at the aquatics centre when Japan won their first gold of the Paralympics and that felt hugely special. Despite there being no crowd present, there were hundreds of local volunteers who really made up for that by making noise and getting really excited.

For me it showed that regardless of Covid, sport can really bring people together and shine brightest in the darkest times. Additionally a career highlight for me was doing live

commentary of Jonnie Peacock’s 100m race on the flagship 5 Live Saturday Sport programme.

What was the strangest/funniest thing you saw at the Olympics?

For me it all revolved around the food in Japan! I would say I’m not a fussy eater but because not many people speak English there, choosing meals became a bit of a guessing game. Now I’m not saying I don’t love an adventure, but there’s definitely a few things I tried that I will swerve going forward. One day I bought a pot of noodles on the go thinking it looked fairly harmless… turns out it was sitting on a bed of black congealed jelly. I pushed through because it was all I had but I later found out it was supposed to be microwaved before being eaten!

Never again! Another food related discovery is that in Japan they wrap peaches in individually knitted woollen jumpers, very cute!

Katie working from inside the Olympic Stadium NHEHS OGA Newsletter 10

Rebecca with US swimmer Katie Ledecky

Rebecca Lowe (NHEHS 1998) is a television presenter and anchor working for NBC and NBC Sports in the US as the lead studio host for the network’s weekly coverage of the English Premier League.

She has also been the Daytime host at NBC for both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games since 2014.

was allowed out, the show had got really busy which required a lot of prep and I needed to sleep so badly to be on form to host such a long network show that I never got to see really anything of the country. The one thing I would say is that the Japanese people I came across were incredible. I’ve never met people so polite, gracious and happy. The world would be a better place if we all adopted those traits.

What was your role for NBC? I was the Daytime host for NBC. So if you were watching in New York I was on 12 noon - 5pm on weekdays and 8am-6pm on weekend days. But of course with the time difference that meant the nightshift for me in Japan.

I never got used to it and it certainly made the job harder.

What impact did Covid have?

A massive one in terms of not having a ‘normal’ Olympics experience.

I worked hosting shows in Sochi, Rio & Pyeongchang and got to see events every day after my show. Not in Tokyo - I couldn’t see anything which was such a shame because that’s really where the memories are made. I couldn’t see much of the country either sadly.

The constant testing and a ton of paperwork and at least 3 apps in your phone related to Covid were draining at times. But the positive was that Team USA officials did allow athletes who’d won medals to be interviewed in person so getting to talk to athletes every day in the studio was amazing.

Had you been to Japan before?

How did you find it?

I’d never been to Japan before and to be honest in a way it doesn’t really feel like I’ve been even now.

The restrictions were so strict that I was on soft quarantine for 14 of my 22 days and that meant I was only allowed in my hotel room or studio. For the final 6 days when I 11

Rebecca with US gymnasts Jade Carey and Suni Lee

NHEHS OGA Newsletter

What was the highlight of your time in Tokyo?

It had to be the interviews. Suni Lee who won the All around Gold in female gymnastics after Simone Biles pulled out came to chat along with teammate Jade Carey. They were true superstars so that was fun, but Katie Ledecky was also a real highlight. She was weighed down with medals! But perhaps even better were the interviews I did with athletes nobody had heard of before the games…every single one had overcome adversity so that is an interviewer’s dream!

What was the strangest/funniest thing you saw at this Olympics?

It’s not really strange - it’s actually lovely. But just unusual to us in the West…every single time you pass anyone in Japan they nod, bow or say hello. It means a lot of greetings every day but it really does put a spring in your step. The atmosphere is straightaway one of pleasantness. I’m not used to that I’m used to the London Tube or the streets of New York where it’s “head down and don’t look at anyone!”

Katie and Rebecca are happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of a career in journalism to get in touch either directly, or via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

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You never know when an old photo will bring memories flooding back!

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SKY'S THE LIMIT Eva Keen (NHEHS 2018) studied Maths, Physics and Theatre Studies at A level and after NHEHS went to L3Harris (previously known as CTC Aviation). She was based in Bournemouth, Southampton, New Zealand and Gatwick throughout her training. In New Zealand Eva obtained her commercial pilot licence (CPL) aged 20 in spite of the extra challenges of all the Covid lockdowns. Aviation is historically a very male dominated field and even in 2020 a mere 5% of pilots were women, and a tiny 1.42% of all captains were female.

A childhood dream come true The earliest I can remember wanting to be a pilot was in year four at school and I have never shut up about it since! For my fifteenth birthday my grandparents gave me my first ‘trial flight’ at a local aerodrome which I loved. I was also lucky enough to be hired at the same aerodrome over the school summer holidays for work experience.

I vividly remember telling a friend’s dad that I wanted to be a pilot when I was younger and he laughed at me and said ‘why would you want to be a glorified bus driver?’. Hearing this at the time angered me but looking back at it now it definitely spurred me on to pursue this dream.

The training has been demanding, as you would hope and expect! To qualify as a commercial pilot I had to pass 14 written exams in six months, complete 200 hours of flying time, 80 hours solo and a flying skills test. In addition to this I also had to complete an Instrument Rating which qualifies me to fly at night and in bad weather, including thunderstorms, flying only by instruments with no outside visual reference.

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In April 2021, I finished flight school after completing a final course in jet orientation, airline pilot standard and multi-crew in a full motion A320 simulator at Gatwick which is where I learnt the standard operating procedures to fly passenger jets.

Passing my CPL exam in New Zealand has definitely been a career highlight so far, as well as achieving the highest grade possible in all 9 subjects in my final exam at flight school. One of my favourite things about flying is also making friends for life who share the same passion as me. However, things were really tough when I first finished flight school. I felt lost as there were no jobs available due to the impact of the global pandemic on aviation so I got a job in retail in the interim. On the upside it has helped me with my customer engagement and customer service skills so it has not been wasted time.

School memories & reflections One of my favourite memories from my time at NHEHS is presenting a whole school assembly with Alyna Shamsi on females in aviation. I also really loved performing in the Crucible as Reverend Parris which was our school play in Sixth Form, as well as lifeguarding for the Junior

School with Mr Bent. Mr Bent was one of my favourite teachers at NHEHS. He taught me throughout Junior school, Senior school and Sixth form, and he always made you laugh and you could easily spend your entire lunch break chatting with him.

NHEHS definitely taught me about female empowerment which has been crucial in my field. Aviation is a very male dominated industry and at times, being one of the only two females in a class of twenty five males in Southampton or in New Zealand being one of ten females in a school of one hundred males, it can get overwhelming.

EVA KEEN

Top tips for a career in aviation For anyone considering a career in aviation I would definitely say you need a real passion for it. You really do need to want to actively do extra work behind the scenes to keep your skills sharp. Also, everyone thinks that you must be excellent at maths and physics in aviation - a basic knowledge is all you need (you do not need to do them for A Levels) so do not be put off!

Eva is happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of a career in aviation to get in touch either directly, or via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

NHEHS also taught me about perseverance and resilience, when I did not even realise it, and I really relied on those qualities in the moments at L3Harris when events did not go my way. In particular, I remember one point in flight school where I struggled with a navigation lesson which is where you are trying to go from A to B using a map, a compass and a clock. Without having had the experience of being at NHEHS I probably would have given up. However, I remember being taught that you can’t be excellent at anything at the first try and, eventually, in the second lesson I started to get better and better.

NHEHS OGA Newsletter 14

Steering a Startup

Ella Merriman and Amelia Powell (both NHEHS 2013) are co-founders of start-up MERRI Intimates. MERRI Intimates design and create sexy, comfy, cotton underwear that help prevent UTIs and thrush.

After leaving NHEHS Ella studied for an Art Foundation at Falmouth University before studying Architecture at Newcastle University. She dropped out after two months to focus more specifically on her love of design and making. She received a First Class Honours degree in Furniture and Product Design in 2018 and went on to work at many design studios in the UK and Europe before setting up MERRI Intimates.

Amelia went to Durham University after NHEHS to study Biomedical Sciences. After she graduated in 2016 with First Class Honours she joined the Barclays Graduate Scheme. She is now a Relationship Director in Barclays Corporate bank where she has responsibility for a portfolio of Healthcare clients, combining her background in science with interest in business. MERRI Intimates is something that Amelia does alongside her current job.

What are your favourite memories of your time at NHEHS? E: I have so many it is hard to choose from! I loved singing in the choir and was part of the Chamber Choir from Year 6 to Year 13. We often got to sing in the chapel at Windsor Castle and that always felt very special.

Amelia and I were both altos and would always stand

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next to each other in the pews! However, some of my all-time favourite NHEHS memories are from travelling to swimming galas with Mr Bent and the team in the minibus. The best trips were when he would buy us McDonalds on the way home.

A: I agree, there are so many. Ella and I were looking back at photos whilst preparing for this interview and it really brought smiles to our faces. I had forgotten how many fancy dress days we had - from Noah’s Arc and 101 Dalmations to Goths and Geeks! Some of my highlights were probably on DofE. It's amazing how quickly you forget how cold and wet we got and just remember all the laughs we had instead! Christmas traditions were also great - the classroom decorating competition, the Boar’s Head Carol and the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Did you have a favourite teacher or subject at NHEHS? E: I have always loved Art and History and they were my favourite subjects throughout school. Miss White was my absolute favourite teacher - I just thought she was so cool. I also loved Mrs Maynard who was always so fair and kind.

A: Biology, Maths and Drama were always my favourite subjects. We had a great laugh in all these lessons with various teachers. It's weird to look back and think that Maths lessons were fun but they really were. I did Further Maths A level so my last year in school was pretty much spent in the Maths Department but Ms Peric-Matthews, Mrs Critcher, Mr Porter and Mr Quarmby made it all worth it. Drama was a creative outlet!

How did you come up with the idea for Merri Intimates?

E: It was when I experienced my first UTI, sitting in the

NHEHS library complaining about how much pain I was in. I was reading up about the infection on the NHS website after a friend diagnosed me and realised that cotton underwear is recommended to help prevent infections. I couldn’t believe that no-one had told me this before but also couldn’t find any cotton underwear that didn’t make me feel like I was having a Bridget Jones moment. And so, I came up with the idea for MERRI intimates.

A: I have to admit, Ella came up with the idea, but as soon as she told me about it I was convinced that there is a gap in the market and wanted to be involved. MERRI really offers something that other brands don’t. Women shouldn’t have to compromise on looking and feeling great to protect their intimate health - our pants offer both.

How do you feel NHEHS instilled a ‘girls can achieve anything’ mindset during your time at school?

E: I think the main thing was that we were rarely told no, and if we were, we did it anyway and that was sort of accepted.

A: For me this is more of an unconscious thing. The way we were at school and were taught, meant it didn't really cross my mind that we were any different to our male counterparts. We were given so many opportunities and space to be ourselves. It was pretty ingrained that the world was our oyster and we could make of it anything that we wanted. I think there were some things that Ella and I got involved in which really sparked an entrepreneurial mindset. We were the stage managers for various plays throughout our time in school so spent a lot of time with Ms Craggs and Ms Whitmarsh who gave us complete ownership over budgets and the productions. There were days we would run around Ealing trying to source props and then be back at school designing sets and organising logistics.

What has been your biggest/toughest decision to date whilst launching Merri Intimates?

E: Starting the business and making myself believe that it could be real was definitely the toughest. It took me

Ella and Amelia in the NHEHS Recital Hall

8 years from having the idea at 18 to actually attempting to make some pants because I wasn’t sure I knew enough - and then I woke up one morning and decided that I would never know enough so I may as well start somewhere!

A: A few things for me. As a start-up there is constant pressure on the resources we have - whether that be time or money. There are so many ideas we have but prioritising with limited funds is really difficult and the decision making around that is even harder. The other thing I find tough is spinning so many plates at once.

There are constantly things to do and as a small team there is no one else you can rely on to get things done other than yourselves. It's a constant juggling act with so many competing priorities (as well as a full time job!)

What is your favourite part of running Merri Intimates?

E: I love the design process - listening to product feedback and improving my designs. It makes me so happy when someone puts on our pants and goes “wow these are so comfortable!”. I also love the fact that we are all constantly learning about different areas of business that I would never have thought about before.

From patents and care label laws to fabric compositions and customs duties.

A: I love that it is so dynamic and we can get things done quickly. We will be together and have an idea and the next day we will be working on making it a reality. The piece around ownership and being able to influence direction and strategy is so important to me too. Ella and Holly (our other co-founder) are fiercely talented and we compliment each other well in skills and also challenge each other in the right way. That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree on things but I think this makes it more likely to get to the right decisions. It is a lot of fun!

What are your top tips for anyone considering launching a start-up?

E: Firstly, work with people who you respect and who share your vision. Secondly, always celebrate the small wins. They are all important and it’s really good to keep stepping back and acknowledging how far you’ve come. And finally, you will never know enough and it will never be the right time, so you may as well get on with it because it is the most exciting and rewarding thing you will ever do.

A: Do it! You can always tell yourself that ‘now isn’t the right time’ but I’m not sure there is ever a right time. It’s hugely scary but also hugely rewarding. You’ll make mistakes along the way but that is what life is about as you learn from them. I would say my main piece of advice though would be surrounding yourselves with people who compliment your skills, that you can bounce off and that you can have fun with.

Ella and Amelia are happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of starting a business to get in touch via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

NHEHS OGA Newsletter 16

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Louisa Preskett (NHEHS 1998) read English at Newcastle University after which she moved to New York to work in fashion communications and then for Goldman Sachs in the Executive Office communications team. After returning to London, Louisa set up Polar Black Events in 2009. Polar Black Events produces events and designs creative campaigns for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Dom Perignon, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Veuve Clicquot as well as for private clients including politicians, musicians and the Royal Family. In 2019 Louisa’s entrepreneurial spirit led to her launching Maison Margaux, an online brand selling homeware goods and luxury tableware, with an additional service renting to events and weddings.

I come from a family of self-starters. My father is a musician and he worked for himself out of a studio in our home. He would often tell my sister Nicola (who is also an NHEHS alumna) and me how lucky he felt to do what he loved and also be at home to be with his family.

I really wanted the same setup if I was lucky enough to be able to make it work. Family has always been my priority. I have three children, and when I was working at Goldman Sachs many years ago I couldn’t see how I was going to have children and see them/watch them grow in the way I wanted to.

Around 2007 I saw a real gap in the market for a bespoke, creative and service-driven events agency. I had spent years organising events in-house for major companies and brands where I had to rely on external agencies for support. I always felt let down by the service level, attention to detail and quality of work I received and I just knew there had to be a better way.

I also think I’m probably a person that takes risks and that’s just part of my nature. Sometimes it works and I succeed, and sometimes I fall flat on my face. But it’s all a learning. If you want to do something for yourself, and you’re passionate about your idea and what you’re doing, you have to get used to rejection and failure and keep moving forward. If you work hard and don’t give up it always gets you to where you want to be.

I absolutely love what I do as I meet and work alongside so many different people including artists, musicians, politicians, Michelin starred chefs and designers. It is an amazing cross section of talented people doing amazing things.

There have been some very challenging moments along the way, for example, when Polar Black did a big charity event with Bill Clinton and there was a major

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security breach in the venue. It was very scary as part of London was shut down and we had to decide whether we would keep going with the event or get him out of the building. And we/he decided to keep going. It was the most surreal moment, standing with him and his security guard in a tiny room and making that decision.

And fortunately everyone was safe.

More recently, the global pandemic has been a huge challenge and it has not been easy, but we survived!

Maison Margaux really took off during Covid because everyone wanted homeware and to re-decorate their homes. It was not just in the UK, but in the US and Europe also and because we are an online retailer we reach a big global market.Polar Black weathered the storm and things are looking really good again now we are returning to in-person events.

School Memories My favourite memories are definitely of my friends, especially Laura Kesner and Emily Gilkes. We were incredibly close and still are. Most of our other friends lived in Ealing but we grew up in Chiswick and Kew and so not only were we best friends but also neighbours.

I loved walking up Castlebar Hill together, holding our folders with our bags on one shoulder (not good for posture!). We had a wider friendship group with Becky Lowe, Karen Proudlock and Dani Pascoe too.

I also loved being involved in so many things from orchestra with my friend Titch to school plays. A level Art with Mrs Hurd and Miss Plowden will always hold a special place in my heart! I loved those classes. And finally, our school trips to Ypres, Florence and Charney Manor - good times.

One of my favourite teachers was Miss Mercer. I was at Notting Hill Junior School and left for a few years to go to my local community school in Chiswick. I went back to Notting Hill at age fourteen but I felt like I was behind and didn’t have much confidence in my academic ability at that age. Miss Mercer always told me I could do it and I was clever enough. And it stayed with me because she was also quite tough on us all! She made me believe in myself and I went on to do really well in my GCSEs, which surprised me and a few of my teachers I think!

I remember there was such a brilliant drive at Notting Hill. The female teachers always made us feel that we would work one day and be successful if we wanted to. Looking back at 1998 there were a lot of other girls’ schools that weren’t giving that message. Music was a huge thing for me as my Dad is a musician and Notting Hill had an incredible music department. It was an all-round school, you didn’t need to fit a mould, there were girls from all backgrounds and families and it felt, certainly in our year, that everyone was supportive of each other. The message really was that we could achieve anything if we worked hard enough. That’s

Louisa on the NHEHS Art Trip to Florence and Venice in 1998 NHEHS OGA Newsletter 18

Louisa as part of the cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream, after a rehearsal in 1998 genuinely what I heard, and it stuck.

School was a lovely environment but it was also very academic and you needed to work really hard. You also wanted to work hard, I don’t know how the teachers instilled that in us but they did. In our year it was ‘cool’ to do well and get the best results. It wasn’t like that in some other girls’ schools. The culture was also to get involved in lots of things, so I was always incredibly busy. Being busy has stuck with me, it makes me face challenges and situations/try new things that I’m not very good at and overcome them. And I truly believe when you do that, put yourself out there, try something new, get good at it, you build confidence in yourself.

Advice for entrepreneurs If you want to set up your own business, be prepared to fail. Be prepared to get a lot of ‘no thanks’ initially but be humble, work really really hard and keep going.

That’s really the only difference between a business that survives and one that doesn’t. If you work hard enough, you will succeed. You will stumble along the way but you have to leave your ego at the door.

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It is also key to treat your employees well and to harbour a kind and respectful environment in your office. I dislike it when people say ‘it’s not personal, it’s business’, because really I think everything is personal because we are all people. Treat people well because relationships and getting colleagues and clients to trust you, like you and want to support you are 70% of what makes people successful in startups in my opinion. So treat people well, help people when you can, never get above your station and the rest will fall into place.

Louisa is happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of a career in events or starting a business to get in touch either directly or via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

Peak sporting performance Dr Nicola Keay is a Sports and Dance Endocrinologist. Nicky left NHEHS in 1983 and after a gap year read Medicine at the University of Cambridge.

She qualified as a doctor in 1990 and went on to gain membership of The Royal College of Physicians in 1993.

Her career has taken her to Australia, Switzerland and many places in the UK. Nicky is now working in the field of exercise endocrinology.

This involves clinical work with exercisers, athletes and dancers.

She is medical advisor to The Scottish Ballet Company and Chief Medical Officer of Forth which offers blood testing with medical explanation and advice.

Nicky is also involved in research as an Honorary Fellow of Durham University, with recent studies in cyclists and dancers.

Nicky presents webinars at various conferences and universities and supervises research students in the UK and abroad.

What are your favourite memories of your time at NHEHS? I was at NHEHS for all my schooling and remember doing my entrance assessment in Redlands. I have so many fond memories of friends I

made at school, playing sport and dancing in school plays such as The Silver Curlew.

I loved “musical movement” in Redlands, and clearly remember dancing to 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' by Grieg. I loved improvisation from an early age. I continued to dance outside school at the Miss King School of Dance near Eaton Rise and they were brilliant.

Although we did not have the extensive sports and drama facilities that NHEHS has today, I loved sport at school. Miss Chapman was our PE teacher and although I loved individual sports such as

Nicky in her school days

gymnastics, tennis and swimming, I was not great at netball and hockey.

But Miss Chapman was really lovely and supportive and saw that I had ability in tennis at least!

For gymnastics we had Miss McBurney who I met up with at a school reunion a few years ago.

I have great memories of swimming for NHEHS at St Paul’s Girls’ School and being amazed they had their own pool. They also had a diving board and I was asked to take part in the diving competition which I had never done before!

I also remember pressing the buzzer outside Ms Percy’s office for distinction signing and waiting for the light to go green. The headmistress was very accessible and there was a real feeling of community.

Did you have a favourite teacher/ subject at NHEHS? I don’t remember having a bad teacher at NHEHS; they were all excellent and it made it really hard for me to pick my A levels! In the end I took Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Zoology. I was inspired

by Miss Jolowicz (even though I found her slightly scary!), the Biology duo of Mrs Brown and Mrs Smith and for Chemistry, Mrs Cleasby and Dr Court.

The science block was being built when I was there and it was state of the art at the time which was really NHEHS OGA Newsletter 20

inspiring. I loved Mrs Brown, the biology teacher, and all the science staff. I took science A levels and thought about engineering briefly, but knew being accepted to read medicine was even more of a challenge (which appealed to me!) and I loved the idea of being able to apply science to humans. I also had at the back of my mind that because dance and sport were important to me it may be a way to maybe tie my interests together. Although it took me a while to achieve that in the end!

How do you feel NHEHS helped foster your abilities and talents and give you the confidence to be successful in your chosen career?

Throughout my time at NHEHS having excellent and inspiring teachers was crucial, particularly in science. I loved that the atmosphere wasn’t just about learning the syllabus and passing the exams, but that we were there to be trained to be inquisitive thinkers and good scientists. Mrs Brown always told us to add at the end of our reports on practicals what we would need to investigate further and that still applies now when I write my papers for publication. Mrs Brown’s voice is still in my head even today.

NHEHS definitely encouraged us to try everything and helped us believe we could achieve whatever we put our minds to. Part of the reason I applied for medicine was that everyone said how hard it was and how long the training was, and I think it was a reflection of NHEHS that I was determined to try. I felt really well prepared academically for my first year at Cambridge, which not all my fellow students did, and I believe that was down to the excellent teaching at NHEHS which really stretched us.

The whole structure of NHEHS encouraged and supported each individual to achieve their personal best. This included all the pupils, supportive of each other with a touch of friendly rivalry which helped us all achieve more. Having all female teachers was definitely 21

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inspiring too.

Medical training is extensive but during my training in the late 1980s I knew I wanted to focus on dance and sport medicine. As my elective at medical school I went to Geneva Hospital to study endocrinology in young gymnasts. It was during this time that I realised that hormones were the missing link in sports performance. At the time sports medicine was mainly focused on injuries and rehabilitation. However, my focus was looking at hormones which are really complicated and a challenge to investigate.

In the late 1980s Australia was the place to be for sports medicine as they were way ahead of everywhere else. I knew I wanted

to get out there and that was what drove me to independently arrange time in Australia for my professional development and I attribute my time at NHEHS for giving me the confidence to make things happen for myself.

What has been your career highlight to date?

For me the highlight has been developing a totally novel way for women to understand their hormones throughout their cycle and their lifetime.

What I do now is the culmination of all the training, research and hard work. Understanding what happens to a woman’s hormones during her menstrual cycle, and throughout her

Nicky as part of the NHEHS Tennis Team 1980

Nicky as part of the NHEHS Gym Team 1980

Nicky in her lab wearing an estrogen molecule necklace life, means you have to understand the most complicated hormone system there is. Every monthly cycle is different and as a woman has children and gets older, the hormones continually change. You cannot do just one blood test and know what is happening.

The perimenopause is an area of female health that has been neglected until recently and is highly significant for women as the ovaries start to wind down. There are many symptoms that can significantly impact on a woman's quality of life.

It is now possible for women to live for 30 years in the menopause due to increased life spans, which is a large proportion of a woman’s life.

Support and information is lagging behind what is happening now as part of the normal physiology of women.

What has been your biggest/ toughest career decision to date?

Not working full time in the NHS. At the time it seemed like a dramatic decision to leave my position as a Specialist Registrar which I loved, although it definitely was a good decision as it would not have enabled me to follow my passion and carry out specialist research in the way I wanted to. This means I have been able to focus on areas of health and preventative medicine, rather than disease, that have always interested me and provided my original motivation for studying medicine.

What is the best part of your job?

Every day working with dancers and athletes to guide them to optimal health and performance is very rewarding. I want to help people understand their bodies for them to achieve their goals by understanding their hormones.

I also want to reassure perimenopausal and menopausal

women that they are not going crazy, it is their hormones! It is a normal part of physiology and I love what I do now as I have the time to really get to the underlying cause of the problem.

What are your top tips for anyone considering a career in your field?

In medicine there are so many possibilities and the best thing is to keep your mind open to many different routes and paths. You have to do your basic training but follow your interests and what you are curious about. Don’t be scared of stepping off well-trod paths to explore different routes.

Nicky is happy for any other NHEHS Alumnae thinking of a career in sports medicine to get in touch either directly, or via the Alumnae Relations Officer.

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Snapshots from the OGA Tea Party 2021

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NHEHS OGA Newsletter 24

FROM THE ARCHIVES Evolution of the buildings at NHEHS

By E.Broekmann One of the recurring themes in the history of Notting Hill has been ‘space’ – or lack of it! As a successful school, there have always been pressures on the space for classrooms and the lack of suitable playground space has frequently been lamented in school magazines and inspection reports throughout the history of the school.

For most of its life, the school has occupied renovated houses which, even with alterations, have not always been suitable for teaching and learning. Now Notting Hill’s Junior School is to get a new home on the existing site. The proposed state-of-the-art building on the Redlands/Swallowfield site will be welcomed by both teachers and students, who will benefit from a spacious venue which meets the educational and physical needs of a modern, successful Junior School.

Notting Hill High School first opened its doors on its original site in Norland Square on 16th September 1873 with 10 pupils ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. The numbers in all age groups increased steadily from day one so that by 1874 there were enough younger girls to justify setting up a kindergarten class with Miss Lord as their teacher. However, with the number of applications to the school as a whole continuing to increase, it was not long before space for the older girls was at such a premium that Miss Lord was persuaded to take the younger children and set up a separate kindergarten at 9 Norland Place in 1876.

Miss Harriet Jones, the first Headmistress of Notting Hill, agreed that children from Miss Lord’s school who had reached the required standard would be given priority for admission to the High School and by the end of the 1880s, 14-15 girls were transferring each year.

However, the increase in numbers in the high school meant that this arrangement could not be sustained.

Therefore, Miss Lord’s kindergarten remained separate and a preparatory section was added to create an independent junior school. In about 1899 a new kindergarten was started at the High School and, for the 25 NHEHS OGA Newsletter

first time, a handful of boys were admitted!

In 1931 when the High School moved to Ealing, the Junior School, which had 60 pupils, remained in Notting Hill but it moved to 54 Holland Park which was a more suitable venue. Its garden, however, was very small so Princess Louise kindly allowed the children to play in a field at Kensington Palace.

Meanwhile, a new Junior School was established in Ealing when the High School moved. It shared the building with the High School pupils and, with 136 children under the age of 11 being enrolled in the first year, it was not long before the Ealing buildings reached

capacity. By contrast, numbers at the Holland Park school were dropping steadily. In 1933 there were only 38 children, including 13 boys who would only stay one to two years. Therefore, the Trust decided to close the Holland Park school and in 1934, the remaining children were transferred to Ealing.

The number of young children enrolling at NHEHS, combined with the extra juniors coming from Holland Park, meant that the issue of overcrowding raised its head once more. To solve the problem the Trust bought Redlands in 1934, a house to the rear of the High School, to accommodate the children from Kindergarten to 2L. Miss Beames, who had been in charge at Holland Park, was appointed Head of the Junior School.

Renovations at Redlands were completed in 1935 and 108 pupils aged 5 to 9 were moved out of the building they shared with the older girls and into their own new space. Miss McCaig wrote in her 1935 report: ‘I should like to say how much we are enjoying the space and comfort due to the removal of over a hundred of the younger children to Redlands. This house has been most skilfully altered by Mr. Ashby to make a really charming Preparatory School.’ Not only did Redlands provide much-needed classroom space, but the grounds surrounding the building provided the largest playground the Junior School had ever had.

Redlands, however, was almost immediately at capacity and the 38 kindergarten children at that time had to be split into two groups, one using the assembly hall as its classroom.

As with the High School, the numbers in the Junior School continued to grow in the 1930s and 1940s and

Ealing, Main School Entrance in 1951

Redlands driveway in 1961 once more, accommodation became a problem. In 1936, there were 133 children at Redlands, a building designed for 110! Commenting on this in her 1936 report, Miss McCaig attributed some of the problem to the continued presence of boys and expressed her frustration by saying ‘I am beginning to doubt the wisdom, with our present accommodation, of continuing to admit little boys who fill up a vacancy and often stay for a very short time.’ Despite her pleas, small numbers of boys remained until 1949!

While Redlands provided vital classroom space for the NHEHS juniors during peacetime, it served a very different role during the War when, for a while, it was a temporary boarding house for girls who lived some distance from the school. By the end of the autumn term of 1940, 25 girls were boarding. During this period, all Junior School classes had to move back into the main senior school building, greatly adding to the already existing space pressures.

In 1943, there was such a big increase in the number of pupils that the main school building could no longer hold both the junior and senior schools so at the end of the Spring Term, boarding ceased and the Junior School moved back to Redlands.

However, Redlands was bursting at the seams and something had to be done urgently to alleviate the situation. Fortunately in 1946 the decision was made to purchase Skipton House, where the West Wing now is, for the 2 Upper and 3 Lower classes, the final two years of junior school. The house had been lived in by a former student at NHEHS called Miss Skipton, and it was previously called Mount Shadwell, but on becoming part of NHEHS the house was renamed Skipton House.

In 1987, yet another building, Swallowfield, (the house next door to Redlands) was purchased by the Trust to provide the extra space needed for the still-growing lower school.

Mrs Fitz, the Headmistress at the time, wrote in 1987 NHEHS OGA Newsletter 26

Redlands (late 1990s)

Skipton House (circa. 1995)

“This year another long cherished dream is becoming a reality. The Trust has bought Swallowfield, the charming detached house next door to Redlands. We are anxiously awaiting news of the planning application for change of use, but in the meantime we are enthusiastically making plans for all the girls in the Junior school to be on one site. This will mean, of course, more space for all the girls in the school. Interestingly Swallowfield was built by the original owners of Redlands when they wanted a smaller house, so perhaps it is appropriate that it is now part of the school.”

This enabled the girls in Skipton to be reunited with the rest of the Junior School and the expanding High School could gain some much-needed space. It took until 1992 to physically link Redlands and Swallowfields, to create one ‘united’ Junior School. At the time, Hilary Mellows, Head of the Junior Department wrote “Since September

1991 the junior school has been a building site, a place of hard hats, heavy machinery and drills which are all too reminiscent of a dentist's chair. It is exciting to watch our school growing bigger but we look forward to tranquillity again when the banging has stopped and the dust has disappeared. By September we shall have seven new form rooms, a wonderful light and airy hall and a huge CDT room. We shall have parallel forms from Year 1 (Preparatory) to Year 6 (3L) and 272 children altogether. Our present difficulties are dramatic but we are convinced that it will be worth all the inconvenience.”

And now a new chapter begins to ensure NHEHS can continue to offer a first-class education, despite an inevitable period of ‘inconvenience’ in the interim.

Classroom inside Skipton House 27 NHEHS OGA Newsletter

SCHOOL MEMORIES 1946-1960

By Jill Sands (neé Collins) Notting Hill and Ealing High School was the educational establishment I attended for 14 years, and reading the alumnae magazines today shows me how much has changed since those early days.

I began my academic career at the age of four in Redlands, a converted house. At that time the school was made up of two old houses (Redlands and Skipton) and the main senior school building on the site. I remember Miss McCaig with affection as the first headmistress of that part of the school. I started in Lower Kindergarten but was swiftly moved to the next class as I seemed to be bright but it was hard. My friend Susan and I literally moved our desks from one class to another.

We received a quarter pint of milk each day. The toilets were designed for toddlers with low seats and hand basins. Transition was the next class with Miss Viper who I recall loved pepper and discipline. I remember the navy knickers we wore which we called Harvest festival pants (all is safely gathered in!)

Assembly happened each morning and rest after lunch. One girl wet her knickers, oh the shame to be told to admit it in front of the class!

Those were the days. She is still a great friend forged in those times. In assembly I also remember

standing still for the announcement of the death of King George VI in 1952. I used to stand on my bible to see over the other girls. Our school hymn was 'Thy Hand, Oh God, has Guided' which we belted out at the end of each term.

Then I moved to Skipton which was another transformed house at the other end of the plot. Here I failed the 11+ twice, once early and then later the next year. However, I progressed to the main school and my parents had to pay, oh the shame.

My mother kitted me and my two sisters out with our uniforms in a shop in Ealing each term and we had lace up shoes in the winter (two pairs, one on and one off) and sandals in the summer with our dresses. We had panamas in the summer and berets or a cloth hat in the winter. My mother used to compete with my friend Celia’s mum to see who produced the whitest Aertex shirt for games. My mother always thought she won.

We used to ride our bikes to school when old enough. I was banned for a week when caught carrying a passenger. Little did we know that the headmistress had spotted us careering down a hill!

We used to go to the public baths in Ealing for swimming lessons and to an out-lying hockey pitch where I was a back. We played netball

and I was a shooter. I managed to obtain my Gym colours at some point and sport, English, Latin and play time were my favourite lessons.

Often I was in disgrace and the punishment was to sit on a wooden elephant outside Miss Merrifield’s office so all could see you had been so called naughty. We had to learn the psalms and I grew to love them as the psalmists seemed to be relating to my own predicament!

However, despite my difficult struggle at school I managed to gain 5 O’levels which allowed me to enter a nursing career at the Royal Masonic Hospital. I stayed in nursing for many years including Family Planning clinics when my children were young, and then for 15 years in Mental Health.

Despite being told I could not sing at school and nor could I ever excel at art. I have sung in my church choir for many years and am in a singing group too. My naïve art probably leaves a lot for the critics to laugh at but for me it acts as therapy and my friends love it.

I am grateful for my schooling days and still stay in touch with a few friends. In my 50's I obtained a 2:1 degree. It’s not too late to learn.

NHEHS OGA Newsletter 28

All NHEHS alumnae are part of the 70,000-strong GDST alumnae network which is one of the largest of its kind, anywhere in the world – a community of women from all walks of life and around the globe, who are there to support and inspire each other.

GDST Life is the gateway to this community.

Visit gdstlife.aluminate.net

Mentoring

Courses and events

Finding School Friends

GDST Life allows you to easily find and connect with someone who can give you fresh insights and perspectives, and will be on hand to offer advice as your professional life develops. It's also very easy to become a mentor yourself - to share some of what you have learnt since leaving school.

With courses added regularly and an extensive digital library you can sign up to participate in workshops, discussions and interactive sessions designed to inform and equip you in your career.

Lost touch with some of your school friends? As more alumnae sign up to be a part of the NHEHS Alumnae group you will be able to see who was in your class and reconnect with them.

29 NHEHS OGA Newsletter

Alumnae who have given time to help in school during 2021 A huge thank you to all NHEHS Alumnae who were such an inspirational part of school and alumnae events in 2021 – the following alumnae have provided career advice, taken part in alumnae events, talked to Sixth Form about university life and helped in many other ways. The door is always open to any alumnae who feel they have something to offer current students, so please get in touch with the Alumnae Relations Officer at alumnae@nhehs.gdst.net Jess Low Vidhi Kohli Immi Sandhu Rosie Glenn Rinda Naresh Uma-Johanna Shah Alice Wells Anika Dhawan Tamarah Asassa Natasha Sharma Leah King-Cline Freya Hodgkinson Eleanor Williams Lucy Moss Gowsi Sriskantharajah Suky Gahunia Emily Bolton Connie Goring-Morris Rosie Colthorpe Hannah Williamson Emily McParland Chandni Kaneria Irene Reguilon Chole Coates Elisabeth Matthews Grace ter Haar

2021 2020 2020 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2018 2017 2017 2016 2016 2015 2014 2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2011 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009

Georgie Altman Persa Shadnia Sophia Djili Sugha Murugesu Charlotte Griffiths Antonia Kraskowski Julia Bushby Chrissie Kounoupa Kira Gilbert Divya Shah Rebecca Lowe Laura Adams Vern Wheeler Carrie Hartnell-Grundy Jo Stella-Sawicka Pooja Dassan Nirupa Murugaesu Charu Desodt Danielle Allen Marie-Helene Collins Sarah Cohen Gaby Cove Josie Day Kathryn Flett Nicky Sargent Suzanne Bardgett

2008 2008 2008 2007 2003 2002 2000 1999 1999 1998 1998 1997 1997 1997 1996 1995 1995 1994 1994 1994 1993 1992 1986 1981 1981 1974

NHEHS OGA Newsletter 30

ALUMNAE NEWS

Marion Nocchi (née Hands) (1950) I'm 89 and still going strong.

My husband is disabled so I have to take care of him.

Fortunately I can still drive.

I am so grateful to live in a wood in the country during this pandemic.

The Red Cross did my shopping for me when we were on lock down. Now that we have had our jabs we are more or less free again. I have my green pass so I can go where I like.

It is lovely to be able to go out to dinner again. My best wishes to anyone who might remember me.

Hilary Joyce (née McKenzie) (1965) Alongside various agerelated complaints I continue to run a small organic farm in Dorset including a flock of 30 sheep, a few hens and a holiday accommodation cottage. Our family farm has been organic since 1973 and there is a wealth of wildlife, flowers and insects.

I also chair the Char Valley Parish Council which is active in lobbying for climate change and environmental improvements. In spare 31

NHEHS OGA Newsletter

moments, I very much enjoy botanical painting and making occasional ceramics.

Vickie Ward (née Hudspith) (1965) Three friends, Sue Race, Janet Scott nee Bright, and Carol Taylor nee Buttifant, and her husband, travelled from Hampshire, Kent and Dorset respectively, so that we could meet here in West Sussex for a get-together with myself and my husband.

We left NHEHS in 1965 and have been meeting up latterly, initially every 3 years, but now that we are all in our 70’s, we decided in 2019 that we should try and meet every year! However, as we know Covid intervened last year, so thought that we must meet this year. A lovely day was spent reminiscing about school and generally catching up with each others news.

2021 after a full 18 months in operation. The scheme attracted over 100 volunteers who fetched and carried for those unable to get out and about because of the pandemic. The generosity of spirit shown was heartwarming and resulted in an award from Buckinghamshire County Council. In my second career as an actor, I was able to work from home during the various lockdowns, recording audio dramas. Now that things are returning to something close to normal, the freedom to make family visits is a joy.

I am still very active at The Questors Theatre (having joined in 1964) and would urge any with fond memories and a little spare cash to consider buying tickets or making a donation as unavoidable roof repairs need to be undertaken at an estimated cost of £500,000.

M a g g i e Tu r n e r ( n é e Vaughan) (1965) I set up a coronavirus help group in my locality of Amersham in March 2020 and was finally able to close the project in September

Julie Stafford (1985) I’m still enjoying my life living in Sydney, Australia. Working as Participation Manager for Cricket NSW, developing opportunities for more people to play cricket. Always torn

ALUMNAE NEWS

about who to support when it comes to The Ashes. Love catching up with long time friends via Facebook and when I’m in London. Love to chat to anyone planning a trip Down Under!

Susan Coleman (née Page) (1993) Having worked in social care for the past 17 years, most recently within the field of Chaplaincy I have recently finished this work and begun training for ordination with the Church of England. I am studying with Trinity College Bristol whilst also on placement in my church in Bournemouth.

Fran Hathaway (née Hammond) (1994) I've had an interesting year - bought a house (finally!), moved jobs in August, thought better of it in September and moved back to Singleton Hospital in October! My eldest has started A levels and the twins have begun their final year of primary school - time flies! And excitingly, at the weekend I sang my first live concert in 21

months, amazing to be back!

Sending love to all of Class of '94 - according to our leavers' top, "probably the finest women in the world'!

Helena Pearce (2009) I have spent the last 10 years managing content for Amazon, Samsung and now PlayStation and I have recently created an online course to share my content marketing skills. I am very much enjoying passing the torch and would be delighted if any NHEHS alumnae would like to get in touch.

Rachael Biggart (2009) On 14 September 2021 I married my husband Alexander Ridgway at St Catherine's in Hoarwithy, Herefordshire. Whilst we were signing the register, we had an acapella choir made up of family and friends- carrying the choir were 7 old members of our NHEHS madrigal choir!

Sopranos: Juliette Ivie, Farnaz Motamedi, Catherine O’ Riordan and Altos: Ailis Duff, Rachel Haynes, Katherine Hooley, Alice Hudson. They sang 'I would Be True' by

Howard A Walter, an old favourite from our school assemblies at NHEHS! I feel very blessed that NHEHS gave me such a fantastic and firm set of very talented friends to call upon at times like this. I'm also very grateful for the good start that NHEHS gave me in life. I'm now working as a Haematology registrar, whilst Alex my husband is completing his urology registrar training, both in Bristol. I would have enjoyed sharing our wedding choir video with Mr Bushby, and was so saddened to hear about his death. He was a wonderful teacher and a great loss so young.

NHEHS OGA Newsletter 32

FORMER STAFF NEWS

Mrs Grabowska's 3Lower class in the summer of 1990

Jo Grabowska

Tony Emmerson

Thank you for your kind invitation to the NHEHS OGA Tea Party. I would have loved to come but I was travelling in the Balkans. I am keeping busy in my retirement with family, friends and importantly, grandchildren. I keep in touch with education through my role as Treasurer on the Nursery Management team for St Richards in Chichester. I have also been involved with the Institute of National Remembrance in Poland, researching and archiving documents of The Grabowski/Chlusewicz Family. My husband's family have been recognised as war heroes and the institute is helping research the family history.

Tony is still at the English College in Prague, where after 10 years as Head of Science has spent the last 5 as Senior Deputy Head. He has recently created Teaching Together in Europe, a scheme where UK-based trainee teachers will have placements in schools in Rome and Brussels as well as Prague. Returns to the UK are few - usually either to speak at conferences or to watch cricket - but he is always happy to meet former colleagues and students and catch up on their news.

To reply to any of these contributors, or to send your news, please email alumnae@nhehs.gdst.net 33 NHEHS OGA Newsletter

In Memoriam we fondly remember

Ruth Sowton (nee Secrett) (NHEHS 1954) died at the end of 2020.

Miss Margaret Ann Hall, a former teacher at NHEHS died on 15th February 2020.

Edward Towne, a former history teacher at NHEHS died in April 2021.

STAY IN TOUCH 2 Cleveland Rd, West Ealing, London W13 8AX 020 8799 8400 alumnae@nhehs.gdst.net www.nhehs.gdst.net/alumnae

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Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy throughout the newsletter, we hope you will please forgive any minor errors and please inform us of any major ones!