An Introduction to the Year

I hope you enjoy diving into this magazine, packed with reflections on such a vibrant year. Whether sporting triumphs (across different areas), a dazzling Romeo and Juliet or the Erasmus scheme across Europe, there should be something to entertain and inspire. In new volunteering schemes, musical performances and a wealth of clubs, the girls have lit up the school community in their endeavours.

The school’s 150th birthday is four years away, making us a more established institution than Brentford Football Club, Ealing Town Hall and even the completion of the House of Commons! Yet we have not always celebrated the school’s history as a restlessly ambitious school for girls’ education. This year we held our first Move to Ealing Day in February, to mark the moment when the school moved from Norland Square in Notting Hill to its current site; at the time Notting Hill was thought to be a rather grotty area (times have changed!) and Ealing was felt to offer a better site, with more room for the school’s ambitions. The ceremony we held celebrated the school’s earliest heads, and I reflected on the life of Ms McCaig, who led the school through the move to Ealing, and on through the Second World War; the short play which followed showed the full esprit de corps of the girls in their portrayal of their educational forerunners.

The school’s emblem has shifted around over the last hundred years, without a real sense of clear identity, something reflected back to me by conversations with students and staff. The new emblem aims to pick up on uniform designs from across the last century, and also to capture the supportive and connected nature of the school. Reading of all that has taken place in the last year, there is so much for the girls to take satisfaction from, and it has reinforced to me the power of ambition in this forward-looking school with a proud history.

I hope that you enjoy delving into this record of a busy and vibrant year!

Mr Matthew Shoults Headmaster

A Word from the Head Girl

As Head Girl 2018/19, I have had the pleasure of organising lots of fun events around school (like the talent show, muck up day and Year 13’s ‘Mission Impossible’ assembly takeover), doing many assemblies and representing the school in many different ways. Although tough at times, I have thoroughly enjoyed being Head Girl and miss NHEHS so much already - I can’t wait to hear about all the amazing things the new Head Girls Team and the school get up to in the coming year, and wish you all luck for the future. I know you’ll do me proud!

Getting to know lots of girls from many different year groups that I wouldn’t otherwise know - for example everyone in school council and those who took part in the talent show. Also, getting free croissants every Monday morning in my meetings with Mr Shoults...

Michelle Obama (does she count as a celebrity?) because she would be so interesting to talk to, and I could maybe also meet her dogs who are really cute.

Its got to be roast chicken with potatoes and gravy - you can’t go wrong. My favourite dessert is definitely either banoffee pie or Rice Krispie cakes.

When we were trying to take the whole school photo this year and the man from the photography company was getting soo stressed and started shouting at Mr Shoults when he was taking pictures of Year 13 at the end - I honestly thought he was going to pass out because he was so worked up.

Frankie Wilson