The North Londoner 2019

SPORTS

1

The North Londoner NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL | SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

2019

HIGHLIGHTS

The magazine of North London Collegiate School

WELCOME

2

School 2019 magazine

WELCOME TO THE 2019 EDITION OF THE NORTH LONDONER MAGAZINE.

B

ringing together in one magazine the many activities, events, drama productions, sporting events, speakers and trips is no mean feat. We are in awe of the vibrancy and creativity shown by both staff and students on a daily basis, and we are delighted to be able to share this with you.

Covering the wide variety of sports activities and events this year has certainly kept us busy. From Lacrosse Tournaments to Gymnastics Competitions, students have thoroughly immersed themselves in sporting pursuits, demonstrating determination and resilience.

We have enjoyed some stunning musical and dramatic entertainment including the Old House Concert Series and the outstanding performance of Sister Act, featuring more than 70 students.

Students have travelled the globe with trips and exchanges to more than 15 countries, including Belize, Russia, France, Costa Rica and Iceland. Many thanks to all the staff involved in organising these invaluable trips, forming memories for many years to come.

Minimising our carbon footprint is something that we feel very strongly about and as a School, we are committed to

EDITORIAL TEAM

becoming carbon neutral by 2030; you can read more about our new ecological initiatives in our Eco feature.

In the Autumn term, we held commemorations marking the end of the First World War that included planting a new cedar tree in the grounds and a commemorative bench, surrounded by a bed of poppies. It was wonderful to see the poppies in full bloom in the Spring.

Mrs Clark’s theme for Founder’s Day this year was internationalism. Since our School’s foundation, NLCS has been conscious of its position in the world. Miss Buss herself was an avid traveller, giving frequent and informative magic lantern shows about her expeditions to the students and staff at the School. Later Headmistresses travelled the world seeking fresh educational ideas and making lasting alliances with schools across the globe. Most recently, of course, Bernice McCabe, oversaw the opening of NLCS Jeju and NLCS Dubai, taking our international ethos onto a truly global stage.

Last year also saw much reflection within the School community. We were all deeply saddened at the loss of Bernice McCabe OBE, former Headmistress, who died of cancer in February. In October, the school held a fundraising event for the National Brain Appeal in support of Mrs McCabe. It was heartwarming to see so many members of the NLCS community involved. The School also thanks everyone who has sent in such wonderful tributes for Mrs McCabe, and to those who have donated to the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund.

Finally, we would like to thank students who have contributed to the magazine for their enthusiasm and commitment, and to all our staff contributors; in particular, Mrs Fotheringham, who is perhaps the most talented wordsmith we have ever had the pleasure to work with.

Inma Emberton (Year 13) Mia Lane (Year 13) Larraine Bristow, Marketing & Communications Manager

The North Londoner North London Collegiate School Canons Drive, Edgware, Middx HA8 7RJ www.nlcs.org.uk Cover photo: The Adventures of Pinocchio

by Bob Workman

3

CONTENTS 4

HIGHLIGHTS

12

FOUNDER’S DAY

26

TRIPS

34

48

SPORTS

VALEDICTORY

MUSIC

56

VALETE

62

DRAMA

74

ARMISTICE

40

50

58

68

CHARITY

78

ARCHIVE

80

COLOURS / PRIZES

ENRICHMENT

ART

ECO NEWS

18

79

BIG SIX

84

IN MEMORY - BERNICE McCABE

88

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT

HIGHLIGHTS

4

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

HIGHLIGHTS

SUMMER FESTIVAL

W

hen Leonardo da Vinci died on 2nd May 1519, at the age of sixty-seven, the world lost one of the greatest geniuses who has ever lived – the ultimate ‘Renaissance man’. Although he is probably best

The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding Leonardo da Vinci

known as an exceptionally talented artist who produced iconic works such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, he had a brilliantly versatile mind, an immense curiosity about the world in which he lived, and a seemingly insatiable thirst for knowledge. His sketchbooks and notebooks are full of meticulous drawings, diagrams and written observations about a dazzling array of subjects – detailed studies of the human body, experimental sketches of flying machines, calculations about astronomy and his own, often highly original, thoughts about geology, engineering, botany, zoology, sculpture, architecture, literature, maps and music.

He darted between and across all kinds

of disciplines, identifying connections rather than divisions, always asking questions and seeking to understand more.

In our Summer Festival this year, we wanted to honour this extraordinary individual by capturing a little of his creative genius and encouraging students and staff right across the Senior School to experience the exhilaration that Leonardo found in learning and discovering. Every department contributed towards a vibrant and varied programme of events, which accurately reflected the insatiably adventurous and inquisitive mind of the celebrated Renaissance genius.

TEAM MATHS CHALLENGE

O

Events during the week were organised by some of our Senior Societies with two keenly-contested debates - one on the question of who should fund art galleries and the other on whether sciences are dependent on the humanities. For adventurous spirits (with strong stomachs), there was a chance to watch the live dissection of a heart and the Medical Ethics group invited us to join in their investigation of surgical systems established by Leonardo. Later in the week, Pure Science Society and Art Society joined forces to provide a biological illustration workshop inspired

by Leonardo’s meticulous sketches.

In a great kaleidoscope of activities, Year 7

HIGHLIGHTS

5

ur NLCS team of two Year 8 and two Year 9 students competed against teams from across the UK in the National final of the ‘Team Maths Challenge’ on Monday 17th June, after winning the Regional

Final. Over 1700 schools entered the competition and 88 qualified to take part in the final. The girls worked hard and efficiently, getting almost full marks in the cross number round and ranked in the top 50%.

created and tested robots and explored the history of medicine or got involved in engineering activities, Year 8 built models based on Leonardo’s designs, Year 9 explored ‘Space and Time’ through English and Philosophy, while Year 10 enjoyed a multi-lingual treasure hunt around the school trying to work out who had stolen the Mona Lisa by solving clues in Classical and modern languages. For the Year 12s there was a chance to look at the celebrated Golden Ratio in Maths and to take part in a Drama and Music collaboration based on Leonardo’s life.

In case spirits were flagging as the end of term approached, three giant jigsaws based on Leonardo paintings presented

both students and staff with a daunting challenge – to get the puzzles completed by the end of term.

Leonardo would, I think, have approved of the many imaginative and collaborative ways in which we have celebrated his extraordinary life and many achievements during our Summer Festival. He may have died five hundred years ago, but, as we have all discovered over recent days, the sheer power of his personality and intellect is as strong and infectious as ever.

Mrs Fotheringham, Assistant Head (Communities)

HIGHLIGHTS

6

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

‘I LOVE YOU, MUM’ - DSM FOUNDATION

W

KINDNESS WEEK

I

n the Spring term, we launched the first annual NLCS Kindness Week encouraging everyone at School to focus on the impact of their own words and actions on those around them and to participate in acts of kindness.

The School was flooded with different ideas and activities on this theme.

Highlights included special form times and PSHE lessons with a kindness focus, debates on kindness motions and

displays of kindness mobiles, books and messages between staff and students.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Society coordinated talks and handed out helpful tips about how to be kind to yourself, the Middle School Science Club investigated the hormones of being happy, and students discussed kindness quotations in classic literature. It was a wonderful week, and we will continue to encourage kindness in daily life at North London.

e were delighted to welcomed back the Drugs Awareness charity, Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation for a day of workshops with Year 10 and a special performance of their play ‘I Love You, Mum’, which revisits some of the key messages from the workshop and provides important information to enable them to make safe choices for themselves.

The play was written by award-winning playwright Mark Wheeler and performed by the StopWatch Theatre Company.

This emotional and powerful story gave students and parents the opportunity to encounter Dan, his friends and family, through their own words and the creative staging of the story.

CHESS CHAMPIONS

N

LCS had fantastic chess success at the National Girls Championships in April. The Under 19 A team won their first ever title, a fitting way to end the NLCS chess careers of Elizabeth and Emmanuelle, who both move on after representing the school for many years. The Under 11 A team found things a little tougher.

However, they recovered to win the title,

This performance was followed by a question and answer session with Daniel’s parents Tim and Fiona SpargoMabbs, founders of the charity, who offered advice about making better and informed choices, how to talk with young people about the issues surrounding drugs and gave strategies to help when things go wrong.

The School has been working closely with the charity over the past couple of years, educating and guiding our Year 9-13 students about Drug Awareness in a supportive and engaging way. The Foundation has also worked with our parents to help them to understand how teenage brains work, and how adolescents are influenced by peers and friends.

SUMMER BREEZE

I

t was lovely to see so many parents at our Summer Breeze party held in the grounds on the last Saturday of the Summer term. It was certainly the ‘hottest night’ of the year. This was a wonderful community event, with parents and staff enjoying an evening of food, dancing, music and even magic! We are delighted that the event raised over £2000 for the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund, and we give a big thank you to everyone who helped organise the event, and to those for their generous prize donations.

with Tejaswini surviving to draw the very last game to win. The B team came in an excellent second place, while all 4 NLCS teams came in the top 5 places! With three Under 19 teams and four Under 11 teams, all the girls played their best in very tough competition against some of the countries top girl’s schools.

HIGHLIGHTS

7

HIGHLIGHTS

8

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

SCIENCE WEEK

I

t was an eventful year for Science Society, which ended on a high with Science Week. The theme was ‘collaboration’, as we wanted to emphasise the importance of working together in an increasingly connected world.

The excitement of the build up to Science Week was heightened by a visit from Professor Steve Jones, an eminent public scientist and a thoroughly engaging speaker. His talk discussed the fundamental question of what makes us who we are: the genes contained within our DNA, or our upbringing in connection with environmental factors? Professor Jones persuasively demonstrated that it is the collaboration between nature and nurture that makes us who we are.

Throughout the week, many different school societies hosted collaborative discussions, and we were thrilled to see so many girls get passionately involved in such debates. These included collaborations with Classics, Philosophy and Mental Health Society to name but a few. Many girls also entered the essay competition which ran throughout the week, and wrote responses on a wide variety of topics, including the human genome, the dinosaur extinction, and the

importance of our microbiome.

The science fair was a tremendous success with many girls and teachers discovering the excitement of science beyond the classroom. The fair featured a range of experiments and demonstrations that are linked to science, such as solving the Rubik’s Cube, Architectural Origami and a Guess the Specimen competition which included real animal skulls! One highlight was the demonstration of 3D printing - a new technology which is sure to be a formidable force in the future.

In science enrichment, Year 12 girls pondered over intellectually stimulating hypothetical scenarios. They were asked “What if...?” questions about life as we

know it and provided and presented a range of ideas and answers. In the fair, the “What if…?” thinking continued and girls could write their questions on a piece of card and hang it up - these will form the basis of a dramatic new display on the science floor. Some of these questions really got us thinking, including “What if we lived in darkness?” and “What if humans never existed?”

Following Science Week, we were honoured to welcome Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, to talk about the NHS and its prospects for the future. It was a privilege for the girls to hear from such a powerful figure in the healthcare service.

S

tudent wellbeing and pastoral care remain at the heart of our practice at NLCS. This term we welcomed eight therapy dogs into School as part

of our farewell activities for the senior students embarking on study leave. The pets ranged from a stoic and peaceful Golden Retriever to a gorgeous French

HIGHLIGHTS

9

PETS AS THERAPY

Bulldog. Pets as therapy animals have been shown to be wonderful at reducing stress and we hope that they provided a delightful antidote to their end of year examinations.

In addition to this, we have launched a weekly Relaxation Club, a new initiative from our pastoral team in the Senior School. The lunchtime sessions open to all girls in Years 7-13 have included mindfulness, yoga and listening to birdsong in the grounds.

LAUNCH OF NLCS (SINGAPORE)

I

n the Spring term, we were delighted to announce the official launch of our third NLCS International School in Singapore.

The launch event was held on 25 April at the British High Commissioner’s Residence, Eden Hall, in Singapore.

The event was hosted by His Excellency Mr Scott Wightman, British High Commissioner to Singapore, and was attended by numerous distinguished guests including Mr Kim Jong Moon, Deputy Chief of Mission & Consul General of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea; Marcus Daas, Director of Human Capital, Economic Development Board, Singapore; Ajay Rajendran, Chairman, SOBHA Group – Education Division; Bernard West, Managing Director, SOBHA Group – Education Division; Rohan Bhaskar, Director, SOBHA Group – Education Division; Ian Callender, Chief Operating Officer, NLCS (UK) and Paul Friend, Principal Designate, NLCS (Singapore) “This is an exciting time for the NLCS family of schools. The Singapore campus is part of our international vision of bringing the NLCS ethos of ambitious education,

scholarship and love of subjects to students in this region,” said Paul Friend, Founding Principal of NLCS (Singapore).

NLCS (Singapore) opens to students

in August 2020 subject to obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals. For more information, please visit or contact www.nlcsinternational.co.uk

HIGHLIGHTS

10

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

NATIONAL LACROSSE CHAMPIONS

T

his year, NLCS were very successful at the National Schools Lacrosse Championships, with many teams reaching the farther stages of the competition and making it one of the best years for North London.

The firsts battled games against tough competition making it to the knockout

rounds in first place. The first round saw NLCS beat Uppingham 9-0, but the quarter and semi-finals were far harder.

The team, under the brilliant leadership of Hannah, deservedly beat Birkenhead High School and then continued to be victorious over Mrs Clark’s old school, Queen’s School, Chester in a nail-biting semi-final to progress to the final against Marlborough School. They conducted themselves with composure and flair, which led to another 9-0 victory, making

the NLCS First Team the Division 2 champions of 2019.

Throughout the entire two days of tournament play the flair, creativity and control of our Sports Captain, Sofia provided an inspiration to the whole squad. Congratulations to every player who competed for NLCS throughout the competition this year and reached new highs.

MEMORIAL GARDEN

I

HIGHLIGHTS

11

n order to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the ending of the First World War in November, we planted a new cedar tree near the South Courts and also dedicated a bench there, inscribed with the words of the poet, Edward Thomas. Over a thousand perennial poppy plants were planted in freshly-created borders and we looked forward to seeing the garden grow and develop over the rest of the academic year.

In late winter, snowdrops and crocuses brought delicate colour to this corner of the grounds and then, as summer approached, we watched as buds gradually appeared and grew on the poppies. By early June, as we commemorated another World War with the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day on 6th June, the poppies were in full flower – a great swathe of crimson blooms. Students, staff, parents and vistors came to see the garden, to admire the poppies and to pause for a while and remember the sacrifice of those who, in two great conflicts, selflessly gave their lives in order to give us the freedom which we enjoy today.

In Canons’ grounds the poppies blow…

Mrs Fotheringham

We were delighted to bring together students, parents, universities and professionals with a shared interest in Visual Creativity, looking at fields as diverse as Architecture, Graphic, Product and Theatre Design, Architecture, Art History and Curation.

RECORD NUMBERS GO TO USA

T

his year, NLCS students in Year 13 received a record number of offers from the best universities in the US, including Harvard, Princeton, Yale (x2), Stanford, UPenn, Duke, Brown, UCLA (x2), University of Michigan, Washington University, UC Berkeley, Chicago and a full academic scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill.

Of particular note is that one student has an offer from Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and Stanford - this is a record set of results for one student. One of our parents said “My daughter wasn’t ready to study just one subject. She wanted the freedom to explore academically and a US degree provides this opportunity”.

CAREERS IN THE ARTS

I

n the Autumn, we held the first ever NLCS Creative Careers symposium, organised by Year 13 student Coral Harding, which focused entirely on careers and further education in the Visual Creative Arts.

The evening was opened by keynote speaker, Michál Cohen, an award-winning architect, who spoke about her journey from school to her chosen career in the design industry. Guests also heard from Kate Scully, from the University of the Arts London; Rachel Aloof, graphic designer for Cancer Research UK; Kira Gurmail-Kaufman, a practising artist, currently working at Sotheby’s; Aimee Nathan, a senior coordinator at TV production company Fulwell 73, and Grace Venning, a performance designer and contributing writer for Blue Pages, the journal for the Society of British Theatre.

It was a fabulous evening providing students with inspiration and advice about pursuing careers in the visual arts.

FOUNDER’S DAY

12

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

FOUNDER’S DAY

O

ur annual Founder’s Day celebrates the founding of North London Collegiate School on 4th April 1850, its founder Frances Mary Buss, its subsequent Heads and benefactors, and the school’s traditions and illustrious history. Founder’s Day is also celebrated at our international schools in Jeju and Dubai.

Each year on the last day of the Spring Term, students and staff are joined by Old North Londoners (ONLs), Governors and friends of the School for the celebrations. The day begins with a formal service with readings, psalms, hymns and the Headmistress’ address. The daffodil was Frances Mary Buss’s favourite flower, and since the 1880s the entire School has participated in a daffodil procession to conclude the service, and the flowers are donated to a local nursing home.

Following the service students provide a wonderful programme of entertainment

Miss Buss and her pupils (1877)

for guests which explores further the history of the school and showcases the musical and theatrical talents of Year 13 students.

Throughout the day, the spirit and values of North London Collegiate School are remembered and celebrated in a tradition which remembers and honours the past and which also looks forward to the future. This year Headmistress, Sarah Clarks’ address was entitled ‘NLCS on the World Stage’ and explored the ways in which the School, through its governors, staff and students has made

an impact on people, societies and institutions around and across the globe.

In addition, Mrs Clark spoke of Bernice McCabe, who, through the introduction of the International Baccalaureate to NLCS, her championing of international pupil and teacher exchanges, as well as her determination to spread the values and aspirations of NLCS’s ambitious educational provision to schools around the globe, continued the vision of Frances Mary Buss into the 21st century.

Founder’s Day Address 2019: NLCS On The World Stage NLCS was always a very internationally minded school. From its first beginnings NLCS offered its academic education to girls irrespective of their national background and religion and therefore cultural understanding was a shining golden thread that ran throughout the NLCS ethos. From the very beginnings of the School, Jewish and Roman Catholic students were admitted without demur – a rare experience for young people from those communities at the time. Miss Buss firmly believed that prejudice would lessen in society if understanding of other religions and cultures deepened, and from the start she was determined that her students would rise above the ignorance and prejudice of the day in order to become future leaders and influencers in society.

There is evidence in our admissions registers that the School welcomed pupils from a range of nationalities. In the early 1870s the daughter of a Jamaican merchant entered the School – later, in

embracing the ideas and approaches that she encountered. the 1900s, there are records of Egyptian and Indian girls joining the School and during the 1930s Miss Drummond welcomed German refugees from all backgrounds. Today, more than fifty languages are spoken here by students and teachers at the School, and our School is one of the most diverse communities in London. The spirit of internationalism is now imbued in our Founder’s Day celebrations – students in their final Founder’s Day often attend the service wearing fine clothes and beautiful gowns that reflect the diversity of their own heritage.

Miss Buss was a great traveller – taking her love of Geography and her innately curious nature on any number of international expeditions and visits during her time as Headmistress. Dame Kitty Anderson in her biographical essay on Miss Buss said “she seemed to keep the receptiveness of youth and the enthusiasm of the explorer.” Miss Buss would return to school armed with photographic evidence of her adventures, and gave talks and lectures illustrated by magic lantern shows. Miss Buss was a tremendous advocate for travel and for

Ludwigsburg exchange… now…

Miss Buss and Miss Bryant believed in encouraging their students to reach out beyond the confines of their normal lives to touch the lives of others. Pupil exchanges were not possible in the early years of the School – but pen pals were encouraged. Emily Hambloch and Ethel Langdon wrote a joint letter about NLCS that was taken to Japan in 1902. Miss Toshi Tsumura’s reply was published in the School Magazine. “I studied English history which I like very much,” she writes, “We can study the past history for any

country by books but present living history now only by papers. So please tell me everything…”

Today our school has active exchanges for our students with Germany, France, Spain, Australia, and of course our sister Schools in Jeju and Dubai. Students here at NLCS in London go on trips literally around the world, from Costa Rica to Russia, China to Italy, Iceland to Nepal – there are so many ways for our students to experience life and culture in another country.

NLCS Jeju, NLCS Dubai and SCEGGS student exchange

and then…

FOUNDER’S DAY

13

FOUNDER’S DAY

14

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Miss Buss insisted on a challenging and outward looking curriculum that would inspire her students to embrace ambitions that they previously might not have even thought possible, and she challenged her staff to do the same.

On her death in 1894 the School, in conjunction, with The Clothworkers’ Company, established Travelling Scholarships “so that many a worn and jaded teacher may thus derive from foreign travel the rest and refreshment which so often sent Miss Buss herself back to work with renewed vigour”. These scholarships enabled

The game here is basketball…. And I do not care at all for it, as it seems very rough.

Gertrude Longbottom ONL, 1898

a number of teachers to travel to Europe and the United States of America to study teaching methodologies and techniques in design, science, languages and the humanities. Today we still encourage our teachers to travel, providing opportunities for sabbatical terms and the chance to undertake exchanges with our partner schools around the world.

studies abroad, even more chose to work there. In the Magazine from 1880 Miss Buss wrote: “What our girls do after they leave school is far more important testimony to the success of their school education than anything they may do while they are still with us.”

A number of ONLs became headteachers, following directly in Miss Buss’ and Miss Bryant’s footsteps.

By the 1880s and 1890s the School magazine was full of reports from across the globe from ONLs Edith Aitken, founding headmistress of Pretoria High School from 1902 - 1923 who had been inspired by their teachers and Headmistress to For example, Miss Walker left Britain study, work and travel around the world. in 1885 to become Headmistress of “The game here is basketball,” wrote a school in North East China, and ten years later Mary Robertson left NLCS to become the Headmistress of the King’s School in Bangkok. Perhaps the most distinguished of these pioneering headmistresses was Edith Aitken, who was the founding headmistress of Pretoria High School in South Africa from 1902 to 1923. When Edith arrived in South Africa to take up her position she found a country still reeling from the effects of war, three staff, no children and virtually no equipment. Undeterred, Miss Aitken set about crafting a School modelled explicitly on her own alma mater, North London Collegiate School.

From the School motto – “We Work In Hope”, through the broad and balanced curriculum with its emphasis on academic endeavour alongside the creative arts, physical education, debating and a real commitment to toleration and the need Gertrude Longbottom in 1898 who for dialogue between different cultures. held a fellowship at Bryn Mawr College Her obituary notes that Miss Aitken’s in Pennsylvania, “played by two opposing “character, founded on justice and teams on a ground with a goal basket at generosity, made her pupils, Dutch and each end, mounted on a pole about eight British, respectful and tolerant of each feet high. The ball is thrown from one to other and Pretoria High School a fusing another, and the object is to get it into centre of the races”. your own basket. I have seen it played two or three times, and do not care at all Making a difference for others in need for it, as it seems very rough”. is a compelling principle of our School.

If many ONLs chose to pursue further

Our Founder’s Day prayer “Thou dost

require much from those to whom much is given” exemplifies this. A sense of social responsibility is felt through the ages. There was a significant missionary movement in Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and a number of brave, thoughtful and compassionate North Londoners sought to bring relief and practical support to those in developing countries. Mary Pailthorpe left Cambridge, the second Girton graduate to achieve first class honours in Mathematics and then attended the London School of Medicine from 1881, becoming the first ONL to qualify as a medical doctor. Determined to use her talents and knowledge beyond the boundaries of the UK, Mary travelled to India and worked for 27 years there as a medical missionary.

The 20th century brought huge challenges to the world as Total War was inflicted on Europe and the East twice in the space of thirty years. NLCS certainly played its part in offering support for displaced individuals and peoples. In 1960, World Refugee Year, Dame Kitty Anderson reflected on North London’s commitment to supporting those who had fled war and conflict until that point, form the Macedonian refugees of 1903 to those from the Kindertransport fleeing the rising Nazi party in German society to those displaced by the Second World War and subsequent conflicts. “Refugees … are people from all walks of life who, through no fault of their own, have been plunged into misery and despair… it’s up to us, the younger generation who have so much, to face the challenge of the World’s hungry and homeless … {the problem] remains with us until it is solved.

We cannot escape or forget it. The responsibility is ours.”

ONL Stephanie Lee, the founder of Fantasy Fashion, was much like the medical missionaries of the 19th century, who brought a particular blend of humour, courage and a desire to offer opportunities to others to help them to build their own lives without moralising or evangelising overtones. Stephanie sought to work with the Karenni people to promote their self-determination and development. I am so proud that 22

view of the world. Like many of her predecessors, and in the spirit of Miss Buss herself, Mrs McCabe was a prominent figure in the national debate about education. In terms of her views on the curriculum, Mrs McCabe was very clear. In her address to the Prince’s Teaching Fantasy Fashion

years after Stephanie’s sudden death we continue to raise funds to support her work and that we continue to shoulder this responsibility as a School community.

And so to Mrs McCabe. Bernice McCabe exemplified the same pioneering spirit in educational matters that characterised Miss Buss and other Headmistresses of our School, especially in the field of internationalism and her

Stephanie Lee, ONL. Founder of the KSDP and Fantasy Fashion…

The Kindertransport – children escaping the rise of Nazism

ONL Medical Missionaries in India

FOUNDER’S DAY

15

FOUNDER’S DAY

16

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Institute’s Summer School in 2011 she said: “the underlying purpose [of the PTI] was to reassert the importance of subject knowledge and the excitement of intellectual challenge at a time when educational orthodoxy was tending to promote the ideas of relevance and accessibility and to favour the teaching of skills through thematic material; a utilitarian approach which had the effect of stifling imagination and inspirational teaching, especially with linked to a system of examination and assessment which rewarded the safe answer and did nothing to encourage wider reading or independent thought.”

“The quality of a school is directly related to the quality of teaching in it; and good teaching requires wide subject knowledge as well as enthusiasm and

pedagogical skill.” In 2004, under Mrs McCabe’s leadership and guidance, NLCS introduced the International Baccalaureate, an alternative programme of study to A levels and the Pre-U, which embodies in itself the spirit of internationalism.The IB’s Mission Statement begins: “The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.” The IB Diploma is an obvious fit for our School, requiring the students to study a range of subjects, in conjunction with a core studies programme that consists of independent research, creativity, action and service, and Theory of Knowledge – a philosophical course that encourages

the students to reflect on the nature of knowledge itself and how we know what we claim to know. NLCS rapidly established a reputation for excellence among IB World Schools and this came as no surprise – after all, the essence of a North London education challenges our students to think widely, develop independent research skills and be ambitious in their subject choices, all essential features of the International Baccalaureate.

Mrs McCabe’s leadership of the School will perhaps be best remembered for the development of our international schools, the foundation of which lay in her often voiced desire to “build bridges of mutual understanding rather than accepting boundaries that breed intolerance”. Many students and staff

own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

That spirit of interconnectedness – the understanding that we are all global citizens - lies at the heart of our school and it always has done. In the face of the great challenges of the day, the governors, staff, parents and pupils of North London Collegiate School have sought to meet them with energy, compassion and resourcefulness. Despite the extraordinary benefits that the Internet has brought to us, society appears to be increasingly polarised. The world is ever more connected … and yet we are ever more insular, uninformed and defensive.

We must continue to address this issue – in the words of Mrs McCabe, that need to “reach out and build bridges rather than walls”, to address and engage with views and attitudes that stem from fear, prejudice and hatred, rather than ignore them or try to push them away so that they can continue to fester and grow.

We must continue to strive for peace and understanding in the World, to accept the responsibility that comes with democratic citizenship, whether on a national or global stage. More than anything we must continue to build bridges between us, to deepen our understanding of other peoples and cultures. To stand up for those less fortunate than ourselves and to step forward to help whenever and wherever we can.

In doing so, we will be truly honouring the legacy of both our Founder and her successors, following directly and unerringly in the footsteps of Mrs McCabe herself – women who unfailingly brought leadership, wise counsel and a global vision to our School.

Sarah Clark, Headmistress

members here in London have had the opportunity to visit our sister schools, and we are proud to host all new staff training and the recruitment of senior staff here at Canons. In this way we hope to share with all of our colleagues who will be leading and working in the international schools that same ethos of a liberal arts education, which celebrates independence of thought, mutual understanding and a spirit of service engrained within the curriculum and the extra-curricular programme.

The poet and cleric John Donne once wrote: “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine

Sarah Clark with the Senior Committee on Founder’s Day

FOUNDER’S DAY

17 NLCS Jeju

ENRICHMENT

18

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ENRICHMENT YOUNG ENTERPRISE

A

t the start of the academic year, 35 students in Year 12 formed three teams to participate in the Europe-wide competition that challenges groups of students to set up and manage their own business to develop and launch an innovative product or service. 1Cup developed a reusable, recyclable, ecofriendly collapsible cup, whilst Ingenuity Books designed and made a children’s

1Cup

book promoting literacy improvement and a love of reading. Global Palate forged relationships with London-based chefs to create a London-themed cookbook. Having established their companies and developed their product ideas in the Autumn term, the three companies began fundraising activities both in and out of school – a plethora of bake sales as well as selling other items such as earphone wire clips– and began selling their products at YE trade fairs.

Each company is supported by an inspirational and experienced Business Advisor, bringing a wealth of knowledge, insight and experience, which proved to be of great benefit to the student companies. Two members of each team also attended a workshop hosted by Disney to help them to develop digital brand and marketing skills. This year there was greater emphasis on digital marketing, and each team excelled in this area, utilising the YE online marketplace to

Global Palate

ENRICHMENT

19

Ingenuity Books

generate sales and using a range of social media platforms and technologies for marketing purpose, to great effect.

The first round of the competition was the chance for the NLCS teams to show the judges what they had achieved so far.

Each team received a Harrow and Brent finalist trophy, and in addition, Ingenuity Books won the standalone award for ‘Best Marketing’. The judges put all three teams through to the West London final, where their passion for their products and their tremendous team ethos shone through.

All three teams took home silverware:

Ingenuity Books won the Disneysponsored Creativity award, 1Cup won Best Presentation, and Global Palate won Best Marketing.

The three companies are now winding down and closing shop after what has been a busy, exciting and productive couple of terms. The competition continues to prove to be a hugely valuable and rewarding experience for NLCS students.

Mr E Cobb, Young Enterprise Coordinator

ENRICHMENT

20

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR THE IB DIPLOMA

2

018 marked the 50th year since the birth of the International Baccalaureate Diploma. 2017 was a landmark year for NLCS, with a record score (the best in the world) and the largest ever cohort taking the IB, starting this September.

The IB now has high profile endorsements from the President of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, and a transformed landscape of University Admissions, and the future looks bright for the programme. With all this mind, we held a fabulous party to celebrate, with IB ONLs coming back to catch up with old friends and share recollections with current IB students, who gave a series of short talks to provoke thought and discussion.

N

ature and Nurture are often presented as opposing forces in shaping our personalities and health, but as Professor Steve Jones made clear in his talk when he visited Canons in January, they are much more closely linked than initially appears. Through anecdotal examples, Jones explained that both nature and nurture are essential in shaping the lives we lead. Isolating either factor, however, is often misrepresentative and unhelpful.

Jones began by discussing Francis Galton, one of the founders of eugenics in the 19th century. Galton believed that genius was an entirely heritable

characteristic, as was evident by the trend of academic achievement through generations of some families, whilst others faced unemployment and poverty. He stated that it was “easy to show that the criminal nature tends be inherited” by observing these societal patterns. Although this theory completely disregards the influence of upbringing and educational opportunities on success, it was instrumental in developing research into heritability. As Jones explained, Francis Galton’s mistake was believing that behaviour had a measurable inherited cause, which is understandable given the limited knowledge of biology at the time.

But whilst our understanding of genetics has developed hugely since his lifetime, the concept of having a ‘gene for’ any characteristics is still surprisingly common.

Another key idea that Jones explored was how the dependency of a gene on its surroundings is often only visible in extreme environments. The II polymorphism of the ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) gene, for example, improves the body’s metabolism and ability to function with limited oxygen compared to the DD version. Both alleles are common in individuals, but their impact is only noticeable in strenuous physical activities. Cycling and high altitude climbing are more manageable for those with the II allele; in fact, the correlation is so strong that no winner of the Tour de France has ever had the DD morphism.

As this highlights, genes influence our performance in specific activities which

ENRICHMENT

21

‘NATURE, NURTURE OR NEITHER’ - SCIENCE CAFE TALK GIVEN BY STEVE JONES, GENETICIST

are determined by our environment. It is therefore misleading to assume that they ‘code for’ a behaviour, regardless of the situation.

Finally, Jones presented statistical data comparing the prevalence of crime, violence and death in men and women in order to emphasise the danger of focusing too heavily on ‘nature’. In all the listed categories, men were significantly more likely to cause harm, or to be harmed than women. Whilst these negative characteristics strongly correlated with the higher levels of testosterone present in men, Jones described how ludicrous it would be to attempt to resolve the situation by suppressing testosterone. Instead, he argued that more weight should be placed on improving the education and social surroundings of these individuals so that they do not need to resort to violence. It is often so much simpler to adapt the environmental conditions rather than tampering with the genetics.

The talk given by Steve Jones, then, impressed the great importance of treating nature and nurture as part of the same spectrum; in picking ‘one side’, it is difficult to draw an accurate causal link between the data, and even more difficult to find a practical solution to social problems. Only by acknowledging their combined importance, is it possible to gain a clear understanding of our biological roots.

Science Society

ENRICHMENT

22

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Lily Ebert, Holocaust Survivor

Dr Paul Mulholland, Consultant Oncologist

“WHAT IF THE MOON WAS MADE OF CHEESE…?” – SENIOR SOCIETIES

T

his was another stellar year for Senior Societies Thursday lectures.

The keynote lecture was delivered

by James Harding, former Director of BBC News. James’ passionate speech about journalism thrilled, inspired and challenged the girls’ perceptions of the media. His theme – media culpa – urged

Dr Raj Persaud, Psychiatrist

girls to accept that over the last decade the media have not been infallible, but, rather than feeling powerless to change this in the future, they should take the lead and empower themselves utilising the influence of the internet.

Subsequent lectures were no less enthusing, with forty-one different events taking place by the end of the Autumn term alone, from Mathematics, Economics and Astronomy Societies to AfroCaribbean, environmental Awareness and Animal Welfare Societies. Of particular note was Dr Paul Mulholland’s Science

Society lecture about his research into glioblastoma and the difficulties associated with its effective treatment.

Dr Mulholland, consultant oncologist at UCLH, gave a candid discussion about medicine’s struggles to treat such an aggressive disease, but his comments on the promising results from clinical trials into immunotherapeutic agent use, which Mrs McCabe was advocating so passionately for, were particularly encouraging.

We have welcomed a number of particularly inspiring women to these

ENRICHMENT

23

James Harding, Journalist & former Director of BBC News

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

sessions, such as International Affairs Society speaker Tina Fordam, Managing Director and Chief Global Political Analyst at Citi. Her talk included allusions to gender economics and students were given a clear insight into why Ms Fordham was appointed to the UN’s High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment in 2016.

Jewish Society hosted Lily Ebert, a Holocaust survivor, to talk to the girls as part of our Holocaust Memorial Day remembrance; her challenge to hatred and intolerance was a poignant message

to our girls of her hopes for the future of mankind. LGBT+ Soc welcomed Professor Dan Healey (University of Oxford), to discuss Russian homophobia from Stalin to Sochi. Science Society hosted a student-led series of short “What if…?” presentations to coincide with Science Week; a particular highlight was the presentation on “what if the moon was made of cheese…?”, and Animal Welfare Society Skyped an ZSL zookeeper to hear about the conservation issues and challenges in a zoo setting

Not to be outdone, a regular programme of lunchtime and after-school activities linked to Senior Societies ran throughout both terms. A particular highlight included Science Society welcoming Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of the NHS into School.

Mr Waddington, Assistant Head (Enrichment)

ENRICHMENT

24

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

A

keen group of experienced Sixth Form MUN delegates requested to formalise NLCS-MUN this year. The girls met with a large and keen cohort of their peers from Year 10 and above. Meeting weekly, the pupils were whittled down to 3 delegations of 6-7 girls who represented the School at HABSMUN in March 2019. The selection process included speaking activities to build confidence and resilience under pressure, while delegations were requested to include both novice and more experienced girls to ensure development of MUN skills for the future.

From 15th-17th March, three delegations of students from the Upper School and Sixth Form attended the annual Model United Nations conference held at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School. The weekend was a great success with all students demonstrating eloquence and confidence in debating some of the world’s most complex issues.

A number of individual awards were bestowed upon our girls including five ‘highly commended delegate’ certificates, six ‘distinguished delegate’ certificates and the most prestigious ‘best delegate’ award.

A special award for was awarded to Kezia Levy, for her level of debate in the Security Council (the most advanced and elite of all committees) and overall NLCS were awarded the ‘best delegation’ for the group representing Honduras.

Clearly this was an exceptional year for MUN, and excitingly the future looks incredibly bright, with positions of responsibility for MUN formalised within Year Twelve and a lot of talent and enthusiasm within the younger year groups going forwards.

Mr Waddington & Mr Macklin

NICHOLSON LECTURES

O

ur Nicholson Lectures started exactly seven years ago and are named after Dr Kay Nicholson who was a member of the NLCS Physics department. Kay had a real sense of academic curiosity and, when she died suddenly in December 2008, a lecture series inviting staff and students to share their own interests – however quirky – seemed the perfect way to celebrate Kay’s life. Over one hundred and fifty lectures later, the programme is still going strong.

Margaret Fotheringham (Classics) opened the new season of Nicholson Lectures with an exploration of how Greek and Roman referred to colour in their works, focusing on why Homer repeatedly referred to the (very blue) Aegean sea as ‘wine-dark.’ She went on to explore the wider question of whether our perception of colour is actually shaped by our verbal ability to describe it, singling out the Himba tribe who have thirty words for ‘green’ but no separate word for ‘blue.’

ENRICHMENT

25

a leading American philosopher, William Lane Craig, who came to Harrow School as part of his UK tour. Familiar to the girls from IB and Pre-U Philosophy courses, this week he leaped out of the textbooks and spoke to them in the flesh.

Mr Waddington (Geography) gave a talk whose title was beautifully simple, yet compelling, as he set out to prove that ‘Ice is Cool.’ Drawing on his long-held interest in all things glacial, he spoke with insight, erudition and sheer passion about the majestic and mysterious world of glaciers and ice sheets.

Ms Hutchinson (Mathematics) stepped out of her familiar world of numbers to convey her passion for the theatre.

Her talk, enticingly called ‘How theatre changed the world (and, less importantly my life)’, began with her own introduction to drama when she went, as a very reluctant Year 10 to a production of ‘The Crucible’ and left the theatre ‘changed forever’.

Ms Copin (Mathematics) enticed a large audience to her Maths lecture with an intriguing title ‘Mean Girls’ and a dazzling poster which promised to fuse the worlds of film and numbers. She looked at what the arithmetical world of averages actually means (the pun was entirely deliberate) and, with some dazzling juggling of figures, suggested that every student in the room had the potential to be a ‘mean’ girl, too.

Thank you to all our speakers for such a wonderful and sometimes rather obscured range of talks.

Mrs Fotheringham

PHILOSOPHY DEBATE WITH HARROW SCHOOL

I

t is normally impossible for students to ask questions of their intellectual heroes in person, whether it is Plato, Nietzsche or Simone de Beauvoir. However, this term, Year 12 Philosophy students were able to participate in a discussion with

Some students asked excellent questions which pressed him on his arguments about the existence of objective morality, whilst others challenged Dr Craig to account for the randomness of quantum events within his theistic cosmology. After the talk, heated debates among the girls continued. As a result, they have lots of food for thought and will continue the discussions about William Lane Craig’s arguments in class.

TRIPS

26

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

TRIPS

British Museum

Costa Rica

O

ver the summer holidays, a team of over 20 girls, set off from Heathrow airport to travel to Belize on the North Eastern coast of Central America for a challenge of a lifetime. After a very long flight of more than 15 hours we made our way to the Yaxche Jungle Camp, our home for the next few days. After a hearty breakfast the next morning we set off into the Jungle to start our trek. The weather was very humid, and the walking exhausting.

27

TRIPS

Belize

To end the day we had to set up and sleep for the night in hammocks and mosquito nets. It was very weird sleeping in a hammock for the first time, and rather difficult to get comfortable. The following morning we woke bright and early. The second day of the trek was by far the hardest because as soon as we set off there was a steep hill to climb which tired us out before the day had properly begun! On one of our breaks we found a termite’s nest and our leader encouraged us to eat them - I personally did not give that a try! We returned later and set up our hammocks for another night in the jungle. The next day we started to head back to Yaxche Jungle Camp for a well-

deserved shower. It was very hot when we left the shelter of the jungle but it was nice as we could finally see the sky. After returning to the Jungle camp we all had the opportunity to explore a local cave and went cave tubing - it was great fun. A few days later we travelled to San Ignacio on the banks of the Macal River for the second part of our challenge. After some sightseeing that included a visit to the historical Mayan Temple Ruin, we met the local project leaders who explained the work we would be doing with the

Belize World Challenge Trip Summer 2019

local community. We planted seeds in the garden so that the locals could make food with the vegetables and provide it to the homeless. We went around the town collecting litter from the streets and tidying up. It was great to visit the San Ignacio Preschool, where we painted the walls, decorating them with flowers, numbers and the alphabet. On the final day of the project we completed the decoration of the preschool by painting the tables and chairs. Some people in our group also painted a mural at the school based on the solar system. After four exhausting days we took a boat from San Ignacio to Caye Caulker for our welldeserved R&R! We swam in the sea and explored the beautiful island. It was an amazing trip and it is an experience that will last with me forever.

By Poppy Mann (Year 10)

TRIPS

28

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Madrid Exchange

Madrid

I

n the October half term, a group of Year 10 students went on a sevenday Spanish exchange trip with SEK El Castillo, a school in Madrid. During the week, we were able to soak in the Spanish culture and history in many ways.

We toured the historic city of Toledo and explored El Escorial, a Spanish monastery and palace on the outskirts of Madrid.

We paid a visit to ‘Valle de Los Caídos”, a catholic basilica conceived by Francisco Franco to honour those who died in the Spanish civil war in which he is buried too. We saw beautiful artwork by Spanish greats, including Goya and Velazquez at the El Prado museum. Finally, we went shopping in Gran Vía and ate churros at one of the most famous chocolaterías in Spain. We enjoyed spending time with our host families; some travelled outside of Madrid to places such as Bilbao and Granada. It was amazing to stay with a family from Madrid as it enabled us to see and participate in a typical Spanish lifestyle. We have also all become more confident in our Spanish speaking, and have made friends for life.

Anjali and Elina (Year 10)

Chambery Exchange

China

TRIPS

29 Fontainbleau Exchange

SCEGGS Exchange, Australia

A

group of 15 Year 11 to 13 students travelled on the French leg of the annual exchange trip to Fontainebleau, a town southeast of Paris. Students were delighted to be reunited with their exchange partners.

The weekend was spent in full immersion with the host families who organised different outings. Some students went to

Fontainebleau Exchange Disneyland, another student was taken to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and some even managed to do a spot of shopping on the Champs Élysées!

During the week we had the opportunity to visit many places in Paris and the surrounding area including L’Assemblée Nationale, the Jardin des Tuileries, Avenue des Champs Élysées and even took a steep climb to the top of the Arc the Triomphe from where we had a breath-taking 360 degrees view of the French capital.

Western Front

We had a guided tour of the Musée Fragonard (perfume museum), had lunch in a French Brasserie and visited the Palais de Justice. We were extremely fortunate to be allowed to sit in on a trial in the most famous courtroom in the house. Students were fascinated by the difference in court proceedings and the bilingual approach. The accused has now been jailed for 22 years!

TRIPS

30

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Ski Trip Italy

Lunch with exchange students from

NLCS Dubai Exchange

TRIPS

31

NLCS Jeju Exchange

m Dubai, Jeju, SCEGGS

Classics trip to Sicily

Sicily

D

uring October half term, classics students from Year 10 to 12 spent five days in Sicily, exploring the incredibly rich culture and classical history that the island has to offer.

We visited a multitude of sites and towns over the duration of our stay: Syracuse and Ortygia, Taormina, Catania, Piazza Armerina, the Valley of the Temples, Heraclea Minoa and Selinunte. Clearly, our teachers managed, rather admirably, to pack our short stay full of intriguing activity.

We were all stunned at the magnitude of the amphitheatre at Syracuse, which has been very impressively well preserved; and the stretch of ruins

overlooking the sea at Selinunte will be hard to forget. However, the site that stands out in my memory is Piazza Armerina, where we were given the opportunity to explore the Villa Romana del Casale, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. I found myself stunned by the expanse of mosaic flooring that seemed to sweep seamlessly through each room- it was one of the few sites in which I could imagine ancient Roman life really took place. Though time had left the colours faded, each room struck me as full of character; and the longer I stood, the more I found I discovered about the story each mosaic told.

By Emilie Jung-Andersson (Year 11)

TRIPS

32

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Chinese cultural trip to China Town

DofE - Bronze Expedition

Year 7 trip to Warwick

33

Year 8 Bath & Bristol residential trip

DofE - Gold Expedition

ART

34

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

GCSE ART

1

2

3

4

5

1. Amelie Mitchell 2. Amina Jiwa 3. Ariella Grossbard

4. Anastasia Malugin 5. Shairi Punatar

6

9

7

8

10

6. Yahvi Karia 7. Vaissavi Amirtharajan 8. Roshni Kumar 9. Thelaxini Reginold 10. Poppy Pope 11. Defne Ozdenoren

11

ART

35

ART

36

12

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

13

14

16

15

12. Olivia Saunders 13. Loewe Lim 14. Ella Davey 15. Eve Gilmartin 16. Priyanka Shah

17

18

19

20

17. Axelle Groothaert 18. Coco Cresswell 19. Kelly Toh 20. Philippa Van Oordt 21. Charvi Jain 22. Emilie Jung-Andersson

21

22

ART

37

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL | SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ART

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

38

SIXTH FORM ART

1

2 1. Hannah Buluwela 2. Hana El Chamaa

3. Honi Pein 4. Coral Harding

3 Chedid 5. Cara 6. Mathilda Mattich

7. Claudia Chiew

1. Hannah Buluwela 2. Hana El Chamaa

4

6

3. Honi Pein 4. Coral Harding

5. Cara Chedid 6. Tilly Mattich

5

7

7. Claudia Chiew

ART

39

SPORTS

40

F

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

SPORTS

rom the pitch to the pool, it has been a fantastic year for sport at NLCS. There has been excellent participation in all areas and an extensive range of achievements throughout the year groups.

Swimming and Water Polo

Lacrosse

Swimming has experienced recordbreaking participation, with over 70 new Year 7s trialling for swim squad.

In October, a team of 14 girls across three age groups competed in the ESSA Secondary Schools Team Championships.

It was a great competition, with our Junior Team securing themselves a place at the National Schools’ finals. In water polo, the highlight of the season was the U15 team competing in the English Schools Swimming Associations National Championships. The girls fought valiantly against fierce opposition and came 3rd overall.

The Lacrosse teams have benefited from our recent Elite Athlete Mentoring Programme as they have bespoke programmes of strength and conditioning for the older students and all ages have accessed Lacrosse masterclasses throughout this term. Attendance at Year 7 lacrosse club has increased week on week, and over 50 girls have been involved in practices and matches. The Year 12s have played smart and strong, while the athleticism brought by the Year 11s pushed everyone to improve.

Netball This was the first year that NLCS entered two differing National Cups for all age groups in Netball. We had considerable success in the Independent Schools Netball Cup, while in the SnS National Cup the U14s and U12s produced some exhilarating performances. The A team had significant achievements in the Middlesex Cup, and in the National

Preliminary tournament, they finished a credible 2nd, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the Nationals.

Indoor Athletics Our U13 indoor athletics team have yet again had a fantastic season. They won the first round of the Indoor Athletics competition by a large margin and went on to represent Harrow in the

SPORTS

41

second round, which they again won comfortably. As a result, the girls, all in Year 8 progressed to the London Youth Games final and managed to come away with bronze medals after some incredibly tough races against some of the country’s top athletes in their age group. This is the first time any team at NLCS has medalled in the London Youth Games athletics.

The girls showed such determination and fantastic sportsmanship.

SPORTS

42

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Artistic Sports It has been a memorable year for the artistic sports squads: gymnastics, dance, cheerleading and trampolining. Highlights include the National 2-piece ISGA competition, where the senior gymnastics squad competed phenomenally well.

The Over 13 team won a Bronze medal as a team, with one student placing first in the individual category. There were many notable performances from the U15 squad that saw them secure the best results they ever have in this age category and went on to compete at the National Finals. The Cheerleaders have been

achieving some challenging new skills and participated in their first competition in December.

The annual gym and dance display provided the perfect opportunity for the squads to showcase their hard-work, determination and skill. There were fantastic performances from all students.

SPORTS

43

Football Football is increasingly successful this year, with girls across all year groups taking part. The U15 team finished a notable second place in the Harrow Borough tournament against some highly competitive schools. It is with great excitement that we have had three girls selected to represent Watford Football Club in the Premier League Kicks National Cup.

SPORTS

44

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Cross Country We had a fabulous Cross Country season, especially with the exciting news of the new XTrail installed in the grounds. Best team performance goes

to the intermediate Girls who achieved a credible 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the Harrow Borough Schools Cross Country.

In addition, 15 girls from across Years 7 to 13 were selected to represent Middlesex,

and two students were selected for a second successive year to compete in English Schools Cross Country!

SPORTS

45

Tennis

Lacrosse Success It was a very successful year for some of our Lacrosse players outside of their school commitments. Sofia Johanson was selected for the England U19 A Squad and Izzy Brand for the England U19 B Squad. Several students were

Skiing As current National Champions, seven NLCS skiers returned to France to defend their title at the 60th anniversary of the British Schoolgirls’ Ski Races. The teams performed outstandingly, with some fabulous wins. The overall team competition was again won by the NLCS A team consisting of Giselle and Cerys Gorringe and Anastasia Malugin. The B team also had success winning the B team competition. The team consisted of Lilyella and Cordelia Stevens, Caroline Utermann and Schuyler Daffey. A fantastic performance by all the girls.

also selected to represent the South East London North Region at the Inter-Regional Lacrosse Tournament.

Congratulations to Isobel Williamson and Sienna Parekh for the U15A team, Sadie Zenios and Saba Hashemian for the U15B team and Zara Dodhia for the U17B team.

It was a wonderful summer of sports, with many girls trialling for the elite and development tennis squads. We have entered four teams into the British Schools Team Tennis competition as well as playing many friendly fixtures. The Pamela Flower tournament culminated during the Summer Festival and was enjoyed by all who took part and made up the considerable crowd for the finals.

SPORTS

46

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

SPORTS CELEBRATION EVENING

A

fter a hugely successful season of both individual and team performances, there were many prizes to be won at this year’s event, with trophies being awarded for outstanding sporting achievement, dedication and teamwork.

This year ‘The Players’ Player’ award was presented to a girl in each year voted by her peers to acknowledge her positivity and team spirit.

This year’s guest speaker was Kadeen Corbin, English netball player who was part of the England squad that won the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In her inspiring talk, she discussed the importance of resilience in the face of physical and emotional setbacks and stressed the value in accepting criticism.

After an incredible season showcasing their talent and commitment, the U14 Netball and Lacrosse teams were jointly awarded the trophy for Team of the Year. Finally, the most prestigious award of the evening, Sports Personality of the Year, was deservedly given to our Sports Captain, Sofia Johanson, for her extensive achievements and dedication to sport inside and outside school, most notably her selection for the England U19 Lacrosse A Team.

SPORTS

47

In her inspiring talk, she discussed the importance of resilience in the face of physical and emotional setbacks

ECO NEWS

48

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ECO NEWS

W

ith the climate crisis dominating the headlines, we have seen a real change in mindset in our school community and in response to this, we have launched a range of ambitious environmental initiatives, which have been welcomed by students and staff.

The paper used in School is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the fish we serve is caught in line with Marine Stewardship Council recommendations, and our edible food waste is collected Olio, a charity of local volunteers who redistribute the food to people in Stanmore and the surrounding area. We have also removed beef from our menus after a very well-attended Senior Society talk organised by our Environmental Awareness Society, by Matthew Shribman, founder of the #0beef campaign. This simple change has saved over 200,000kg of carbon emissions, and we have many anecdotal reports of staff and students making this change at home too.

We have also been awarded a grant from

One Carbon World, part of the UN Climate Neutral Now programme. This means that 300 tonnes of our carbon emissions are now being offset through the planting of trees in a forest in eastern Uruguay.

We have beautiful grounds that are full of wildlife and have been looking at enhancing the ecological value of Canons.

We are investigating the possibility of having a beehive on-site and are looking to install bird and bat boxes. The Grounds staff have planted a range of beautiful pollinator-friendly flowers to help halt the decline in populations in the UK. Additionally, a number of areas of the school site have been left as unmanaged wild spaces for nature.

The School’s long-term aim is to become a leading ‘eco-school’ and fully carbon neutral by 2030. To educate and empower students and staff so that sustainability is part of their dayto-day thoughts, and to involve them in decisions and actions, we have set up an Environmental Committee. In addition, a pioneering group of Year 10 students have spearheaded our new recycling scheme. It has been wonderful to see a student initiative become a reality, and we hope this will inspire others to lead change, both in and out of school.

Plastic Hackathon Challenge Sixth Formers from the Environmental Committee travelled to Wycombe Abbey to take part in the first Junior Plastic Hackathon. Inspired by a similar event held at Imperial College London, the day aimed to enable young people, scientists and industry experts to collaborate on finding solutions to tackle the world’s plastic problem. Students were given topics such as fast fashion, toiletries and food and were then free to explore the problems that arise due to the extensive use of plastic in these industries. Inspiration was provided throughout the day, including

a talk by an Oxford University Materials Scientist and an expert in recycling from Veolia. After a period of idea development, teams had to begin preparing their pitches for the panel of experts. Final presentations included solutions that ranged from cellulose sandwich packaging to bamboo-based clothing lines. Overall, it was a hugely interesting day that motivated all attendees to work hard to find solutions to tackle the issue of plastic pollution.

ECO NEWS

49

VALEDICTORY

50

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

VALEDICTORY

O

nce again, we said farewell to our Year 13 leavers, the Class of 2019. The sun was shining on Canons as we welcomed family and friends for our Valedictory Day celebrations. It was a wonderful event, with students sharing stories about their time at NLCS and saying goodbye to staff and classmates. We were delighted to also welcome back Old North Londoner, Teleayo Ogunyemi, who spoke so eloquently in a humorous yet inspiring way about her time at School and her experiences since leaving NLCS.

VALEDICTORY

51

VALEDICTORY

52

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

VALEDICTORY

53

VALEDICTORY

54

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

VALEDICTORY

55

STAFF

56

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

VALETE Lisi Gunzi (Geography: 2002) Lisi joined the Geography department in 2002 and, over the last seventeen years, we have seen her marriage to Jonathan, the birth of each of their four children and now an exciting move to Spain for the entire family. Lisi epitomises that holy grail of modern life, the ideal work /life balance; in school, she is, quite simply, an outstanding Geography teacher, whose subject knowledge is phenomenal, and she is also a wonderfully compassionate and supportive form tutor who has firmly, but gently, guided so many students safely through every stage of their North London careers. Lisi genuinely cares about everyone she meets, warmly nurturing and supporting each student

Ruth Betts (Biology: 1981) Ruth has been an integral part of North London for nearly four decades and so it is almost impossible to think of the School without her. She has been recording her own memories of life at NLCS in the 1980s and posting on the Staff Room board a new instalment each week. It has made for fascinating reading both for younger colleagues who can’t imagine a world where e-mail didn’t exist!

Whenever Ruth’s name is mentioned, it

is always her extraordinary prowess as a creative, imaginative and highly original teacher, which people immediately associate with her. She is a hugely knowledgeable Biologist whose love of her subject has remained undiminished throughout her long teaching career.

However, there is far more to Ruth than simply her magnificent teaching. She single-headedly has shown students and staff how to make the most of every single opportunity at North London – typically, she leads by example. She is

and colleague and generously making time for every personal encounter; one of her current Year 8 form recently said of her, ‘When Mrs Gunzi talks to you, it’s like being given a hug in words,’ Lisi’s husband, Jonathan, has been appointed Head of Hastings School in Madrid. We know that he is a man of infinitely sound professional judgement because one of his very first decisions was to employ Lisi; no nepotism here – Jonathan can simply recognise a teacher of exceptional quality.

We shall miss Lisi hugely – her dazzling teaching in the classroom, those brief, but special, chats over a photocopier or her bright smile in an assembly – but we wish her and the family every happiness in their new life.

one of the regulars at our Nicholson Lectures, she is also a voracious reader, once carting away over twenty books for her summer reading and, when the Grade 1 orchestra was set up, Ruth was the first to sign up. She has embraced the opportunities offered by exchanges with schools abroad and she made excellent use of her sabbatical term to obtain a mountain leader’s qualification.

Ruth loves the countryside and believes that the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme offers a unique opportunity for students to experience the great outdoors. She has given time, energy and countless weekends to the students here and it is largely down to her that North London has a remarkable record of students completing the award right up to the prestigious Gold. We wish Ruth a long and happy retirement, packed with all kinds of exciting projects and new experiences.

Peter joined NLCS eleven years ago as Head of Italian. Peter brought a wonderful mix of great erudition, infectious energy in the classroom and a remarkable ability to sing loudly in assembly, and he quickly established himself as a tremendously gifted teacher, a wise and supportive tutor and a loyal and entertaining colleague and friend. Peter is a natural and instinctive teacher. Although clearly an outstanding linguist who enjoys the intricacies of French and Italian grammar, producing fiendish worksheets for the girls and boldly exploring how cutting-edge technology can best be harnessed to further his students’ subject knowledge, Peter is primarily renowned as a passionate and highly knowledgeable advocate of great literature, vigorously defending its humane and civilizing

Katherine Hedges (MFL: 2005) The days of students giving nicknames to teachers have mostly receded into the distant past, but it is still true to say that, on the occasions when a member of staff is universally known by an affectionate alternative name, it speaks volumes as to how that teacher is regarded. And so, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Katherine is generally referred to by members of the Sixth Form as ‘Hedge the Lege(nd’) or, even more strikingly as ‘The Oracle’. Describing Katherine as ‘The Oracle’ is the clearest possible evidence that, since she joined North London in 2005, she has been regarded by generations of grateful students and their parents as the rock-solid authority on all matters relating to Higher Education – her judgement is remarkable.

Katherine’s role at North London extends far outside her office; she is a superb

potential, and promoting an approach to the text that draws out its aesthetic beauty and moral significance.

Over the past eleven years, Peter’s determination to show students and colleagues alike that fine music, literature and art should be all around us has best been seen in his superb contribution to all kinds of academic extra-curricular programmes and courses: Liberal Arts - Peter never quite reconciled himself to calling them ‘Esoterica’, Wednesday afternoon enrichment sessions and, in particular, the Nicholson Lecture programme which he launched in 2012 and to which he has contributed so generously, giving, over the years, a hugely impressive eight talks. Peter is a true connoisseur of opera, of art, and of film, and the gusto with which he talks

STAFF

57

Peter Langdale (MFL: 2008)

about these things, is no less in evidence in private conversation than it is at the lectern. We shall miss Peter very much, and wish him a very happy future.

linguist and a brilliant teacher of French, of German and of Latin; she effortlessly balances the demands made on her by two separate departments, generously sharing her time and talents between Modern Languages and Classics. Katherine delights in the sheer art of teaching and, however busy she is with UCAS forms or a long queue of Sixth Formers snaking along the corridor, she prepares every lesson with professional zeal.

Katherine is also a superb tutor who has supported so many girls throughout the Sixth Form. She is a wonderful colleague and friend and has been a key member of any Classics trip abroad, cheerily chivvying girls at the end of a long trudge around Pompeii and then feistily doing battle with hotels who pretend not to understand the concept of a vegetarian meal: ‘In what sense would you describe chicken as meat-free?’ she will ask the unfortunate

waiter, fixing him with a Paddington stare over the top of her glasses. No contest.

Katherine will be hugely missed at North London and she leaves a huge gap in the lives of so many of us here.

At the end of the summer term, we also said thank you and farewell to the following members of teaching staff: NADIA BLACKSHAW (Physics: joined in 2018) moves to Bristol to start a Ph. D.

NAOMI TAYLOR (Geography: joined 2018) takes up a post at Highgate School

AMY BRANDIS (English: joined in 2018) leaves to pursue a writing career

DANIEL POPE (Classics: Joined in 2017) moves overseas

LOUISE DAVIS (Economics: Joined in 2018) to start up her own business HUGO MACKLIN (History: joined in 2018) moves to Oxford and a post at Magdalen College School

ALEX HEARMON (Maths: Joined in 2016) moves to a teaching post at Magdalen College School.

GEORGE SALIMBENI (Maths: joined in 2016) leaves to pursue other interests JESSE TAYLOR-WEST (Maths: joined in 2015) moves to Bristol to begin his Ph.D

MUSIC

58

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

MUSIC

A

t North London, there is a wealth of musical opportunities across all levels and styles. The Concert Orchestra has given girls in the Middle School the opportunity to foster a love of playing in a large ensemble, and the Symphony Orchestra have been tackling Sibelius’s Finlandia, as they seek to give pupils experience of playing ambitious symphonic repertoire.

The Music Department continue to forge close links with the musical profession, providing enriching experiences that will inspire pupils with a deeper love of music. A particular highlight was a visit for our Wind Orchestra and Brass Ensemble to RAF Northolt, in which pupils played alongside members of the RAF Central Band and took part in a studio recording, an unforgettable experience for them all.

Later in February, inspirational conductor Peter Stark (well-known from the BBC Maestro series) came to work with our Year 12 students and the Symphony Orchestra. In March, our Year 7/8 Choir were invited to participate in a concert entitled ‘Folksongs and Spirituals’, hosted by professional choral outreach group Horizon Voices.

The School is a founding member of the South East School’s Chamber Music Festival along with Wycombe Abbey School and Harrow School and continues to shape the direction of this important initiative to promote chamber music playing in schools. We were delighted that two of our groups – a Middle School String Quartet and an Upper School Flute Quartet – were selected to play in the prestigious Festival Concert at St John’s Smith Square in

March. Prior to this, several of our girls benefited from coaching from renowned chamber musician Mr Richard Ireland, a Violin Professor at the Royal Academy of Music. Our chamber groups featured in our String and Wind Concerts, and other opportunities for groups were provided in external concerts at St George’s, Hanover Square, and St Lawrence’s Stanmore. The latter was a fundraising concert for St Luke’s Hospice, and we were delighted we could help support such a worthy cause.

This year Music Society launched “Lunchtime Live”, as a platform for popular music for Sixth Form Students in the Athenian Café. Our successful Old House Lunchtime Concert Series also brought a variety of performances right into the heart of the School.

We have enjoyed a Flute Concert, a special commemorative Remembrance Concert, and a Piano Concert. A particular highlight was the Chandos Singers performing at a service of Choral Evensong in conjunction with the Chapel Choir of King’s College London.

As well as the efforts of the Music Society, the number of student-led initiatives never ceases to amaze.

Alongside our student-run Gospel and

RAF Central Band

Saxophone Ensemble

MUSIC

59

St Lawrence Church

A Capella Choirs, we have seen the formation of a Carnatic Ensemble. The Year 13, the Bella Voce choir has also continued to take music-making into local hospitals and care homes, which is incredibly heartening to see.

A number of new students have also taken up conducting lessons. Workshops led by a professional conductor have helped to develop their musicianship, communication skills, and self-confidence.

In a field dominated largely by men, we have been delighted that so many new students have wanted to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

St Lawrence Church

MUSIC

60

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Winter Concert

Winter Concert

Lunchtime Live

MUSIC

61

Fundraising Concert at St Lawrence Church

We continue to celebrate a wealth of student musical successes, including the awarding of a Cambridge Organ Scholarship and an Oxford Choral Scholarship. Several girls have been successful in their auditions to join national orchestras, including two students being selected for the highly competitive and prestigious National Youth Orchestra.

Thank you to all our musicians and music staff for entertaining us with such wonderful performances throughout the School year.

Mr Ham, Director of Music Summer Concert

DRAMA

62

Glimmers

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Emil & the Detectives

Sister Act

Emil & the Detectives

DRAMA

63

DRAMA

I

t has been another outstanding year for the performing arts at North London, full of top class productions and musical delights.

Students in all years have had the opportunity to dance, act and sing in wide variety of plays and performances, many written and directed by the students themselves.

After the success of West Side Story in 2017, it was difficult to imagine what could follow. It had long been Director of Drama Deborah Gibbs’ dream to stage Sister Act, and when the rights finally became available, she jumped at

the chance to do so. Another highlight of Drama at North London this year was Sensation, a 24-hour improvisation that raised money for The National Brain Appeal. Over 200 students were involved and between them raised £21,000.

The commitment, determination and dedication displayed by all was truly outstanding.

Performing in three different venues, the cast of Glimmers in Promenade delivered songs, monologues, duologues and group pieces from a whole range of plays, including those of Shakespeare and Molière. The evening was an exhilarating end to a busy half-term.

Led by a Year 11 student, we held our second ‘Playwriting Showcase’, involving students from Years 7 to 12. The girls wrote and performed their own scenes, presenting an exciting opportunity to create new work and take those first steps towards realising ideas in performance.

DRAMA

64

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Sister Act

Sister Act

Sister Act

they felt like they were watching a performance in the West End

A talented cast of Year 8 and 9 students treated us to the Middle School performance of Emil & The Detectives.

With a vibrant dance sequence, a thrilling car chase and even a pet mouse, the production featured moments of comedy

as well as some touching naturalistic work. The students certainly rose to the challenge of this exciting text and creating a truly unique production.

For this year’s physical theatre piece Go Go Global, poetry from around the

DRAMA

65

world provided the stimulus for dance work. Using a range of styles and physical theatre techniques, students performed solos, duets, trios and large group pieces exploring the moods and themes of the different poems. This was a highly original

DRAMA

66

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Pinocchio

evening showcasing the talents of both readers and dancers.

The Year 7 and 8 production of The Adventures of Pinocchio played to full audiences in the Performing Arts Centre. Featuring over 60 performers, this was a wonderfully entertaining production revealing the students’

flair for the traditional Italian style of Commedia Dell’Arte. Using physical theatre, puppetry, and revealing superb characterisation and comic timing, it was hard to remember that these students were only in Years 7 & 8.

At the end of the Summer term, a cast of 26 Year 10 students performed

The House of Bernarda Alba. With such a wealth of talent in the year group, the decision was made to double cast this production, meaning that girls had to work even harder to rehearse double the amount in a shorter timeframe. This talented cast of performers beautifully preserved Lorca’s sense of boiling tension

Pinocchio

Go-Go-Global

and impending tragedy, whilst adapting the famous characters to shed new light on this classic text.

superb characterisation and comic timing

The House of Bernarda Alba

DRAMA

67

CHARITY

68

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

CHARITY

E

mbedded in the School ethos is the importance of giving back to society, and girls are encouraged to participate in many charitable activities.

During their time at North London, students have the opportunity to take part in many philanthropic ventures, such as visits to care homes and special-needs schools, participating in fundraising events and even travelling to support projects overseas. This year, girls have been extremely busy raising money for different charities with activities, including cake sales and dress-up days and organising events such as Fantasy Fashion. In addition to this, girls have volunteered their time at residential care homes and special-needs schools for children in the local area.

FUNDRAISING Canonaid is the schools fundraising committee and this year each form appointed a Canonaid Representative who helped their form in fundraising activities throughout the year. They also introduced a new pledge system to boost our collections. In Summer Term, we introduced charity committees for each year group, and it is wonderful to see students across all years becoming involved in fundraising. Canonaid supported three charities this year: Doctors Without Borders, Wateraid and a period poverty charity, Hey Girls, with fundraising activities a Christmas Raffle and a staff v. students rounders match.

In addition to this, a number of girls throughout the School have, through their own initiative, formed groups to raise money for United World Schools, The Albert Kennedy Trust, victims of the tsunami in Indonesia and a local homeless charity.

In addition to fundraising activities and our weekly collections, we have run three individual campaigns this year; we raised enough money to buy 124 toilets for the Karenni families of Burma, we held a toiletries collection for The Hygiene Bank, who distributed the items to those who cannot afford them in the local area, and organised a gift collection for Eid, in which we donated 25 Eid gifts to teenagers in a refugee camp in Greece. The Eid collection was started in response to a visit from Old North Londoner, Amy Rushton, who gave an inspirational talk to Year about her role as a volunteer and coordinator of Project Elea, a community of international volunteers working from Eleonas Refugee Camp in Athens. These campaigns have been a fantastic way to engage our whole School community in donating to charity and making students feel like they are making a difference.

COMMUNITY PARTIES In December, we hosted our annual Community Christmas Party inviting residents of local care homes. Guests and students ate together and watched a fantastic pantomime organised by the drama department. Each form prepared

a gift for a resident, and we were able to give a gift to each of our guests. As a fitting end to the Summer term, we once again invited residents of local care homes to our Community Summer Party, that included Bollywood dancing, singing and bingo.

CHARITY

69

CHARITY

70

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

CHARITY

71

CANONAID EXTRAVAGANZA

I

n October, Canonaid held a major fundraising event in aid of the National Brain Appeal, a charity which raises funds to advance treatment and research at The National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery and the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. The event was organised to support the charity following Mrs McCabe’s diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme.

Our three-day Extravaganza began with a Pyjama Day on the Friday, followed by a sponsored 24-hour drama improvisation called ‘Sensation’ in which 200 girls took part. This was

a tremendous way to recognise Mrs McCabe’s passion and contribution to the Arts at NLCS. On the Sunday, we held a family fun-run and students set up fete-style games and food stalls. Despite very wet weather, the total raised was £25,000.

The generosity and support of the School community is both amazing and inspiring.

It was wonderful that Mrs McCabe was able to come to the event with her oncologist, Paul Mulholland. She spoke very movingly as she cut the ribbon and visited the last part of the drama session.

CHARITY

72

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

FANTASY FASHION

O

ur annual Fantasy Fashion Show brought together over 120 students to raise money for the KSDP, a charity founded founded over 20 years ago by ONL Stephanie Lee, who tragically lost her life in a motorcycle accident while working with the Karenni refugees in Northern Thailand.

Designs at this year’s event were based on the theme of ‘Identify’ and included a wide range of creative and inventive responses using or referencing masks, saris, Chinese and Korean traditional dress, finger-prints motifs, flowers including a gorgeous ‘poppy dress’ helping mark the centenary of Armistice, and flags celebrating and bringing together the wonderful cultural diversity of our school community.

Our judges this year included two

noteworthy and talented designers, Stella McCartney, Helen Hutton, and ONL and artist-in-residence, Linda Jenkins.

We were delighted to welcome Beryl Lee, Stephanie’s mother, who gave a moving account of the work of the charity. Guests also we enjoyed a fascinating account by Stella McCartney of the inspirations that take a talented designer into the world of fashion. The show ended with a super charity auction, as members of the audience bid for prizes that included a luxury continental breakfast for one entire NLCS class, sessions with a personal trainer, and tea and a walk with Sarah Clark and her dog, Penda. Thanks to the generosity of parents, staff and students, we are pleased to announce that the event raised a more than £6,500 for the charity.

CHARITY

73

ARMISTICE

74

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

COMMEMORATING THE CENTENARY OF THE ARMISTICE

E

ach November, we have, as a School, traditionally marked the season of remembrance with a special assembly, but, in this particular year, we wanted to include more events and projects right across the NLCS community to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice in 1918.

From the start of term ‘There but not there’ figures appeared in the school buildings and in the grounds – perspex outlines of First World War soldiers, like ‘ghosts’ - with one figure added each week so that, as we approached 11th November, there were eight figures in total, three of whom joined us for our Remembrance Assembly in the Hall on 9th November. Special displays of material from our own archives and from the Imperial War Museum provided a stunning backdrop to events in the Library and a banner with ‘100’ marked out in red poppies drew us all into the season of remembrance. The Music and Drama departments joined forces to present a special programme of words and music from the Great War, showing how men and women of that grim and uncertain time found solace and inspiration in poetry, song and instrumental music, with poignant pieces, all performed with immense skill, insight and respect.

We decided to focus on some of the lesser-known voices of the First

ARMISTICE

75

approached the actual commemoration of the ending of the First World War, was of the huge contribution made by soldiers from across the British Empire, especially India. The writer Shrabani Basu spoke to a large audience at History Society about the role of Indian soldiers in so many spheres of conflict; she made wonderful use of contemporary photographs to suggest how alien this European war was to men born thousands of miles away from the mud of Flanders. Mr Dwyer took up this theme in his Nicholson lecture, rigorously examining the oftenunderestimated impact of the War on India, with villages sometimes losing a whole generation of young men, but India, as a nation, gaining a new-found sense of identity and confidence.

World War, those of women, and of soldiers from far beyond our shores who fought alongside British soldiers in a war so distant from their homes.

The distinguished author and historian, Mark Bostridge, came to give a talk on Vera Brittain, whose celebrated memoir ‘Testament of Youth’ is a searing account of what it was like for a young, academic and spirited woman to live through the Great War and to lose her brother, fiancé and almost every young man she had ever known. The role played by women was also taken up by our Debating Society who revisited a powerful and controversial debate first held by NLCS pupils in 1918, that ‘This House would support the conscription of women.’

A century on, our students looked back to what girls might have said on both sides of the argument exactly one hundred years ago and their arguments and observations, set in the context of 1918, made us reflect on a very different society and world.

The main theme of History and Politics Week which took place as we

Friday 9th November saw the main acts of remembrance within the School.

‘The men, the music piercing that solitude And silence, told me truths I had not dreamed, And have forgotten since their beauty passed.’

(From Tears by Edward Thomas (1878 – 1917) inscribed on the memorial bench)

ARMISTICE

76

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

celebrations. Three Year 9 students who had visited the battlefields near Ypres just before half-term recalled with extraordinary insight and maturity on what seeing the vast cemeteries and hearing tales of individual soldiers had meant to them.

The Hall was decorated with paper poppies made by every student in the Senior School; these were inscribed with personal messages of reflection and gratitude and were interspersed with Latin tomb inscriptions created by students in Years 7 and 8. In our Assembly, Dr Goward spoke movingly about the great silence which fell once the fighting had come to an end and soldiers returned home – men forever changed by their experiences of war, and an immeasurable sense of loss and grief often overshadowing the nation’s

During morning break on that day, the school community gathered in the grounds to mark the dedication of a new cedar tree, a memorial bench, engraved with words by the poet, Edward Thomas, and a thousand poppy plants. Ceramic poppies, made by students, teaching and support staff, were placed among the real plants by individuals representing every part of our school community. The new garden will, we hope, prove to be a tranquil, beautiful and lasting memorial to the generations who have gone before us and sacrificed so much to defend the peace that we now enjoy.

Mrs Fotheringham

THE DESTINATION OF LEAVERS 2019

TOPSIX 18 MEDICINE

AREAS

10 ENGLISH

6

7 LANGUAGES

TOP

7 HISTORY

SUBJECT

13

10 ECONOMICS 5 PSYCHOLOGY

8

11

OXFORD

CAMBRIDGE

13

7 COLLEGE LONDON 8

EDINBURGH

UNIVERSITY

97

DESTINATIONS

STUDENTS STUDYING AT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES

2

86 STUDENTS STUDYING AT UK UNIVERSITIES

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON IMPERIAL

WARWICK

77

the University of Columbia in the City of New York (1), Princeton (1), Stanford (1), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1), UCLA (1) and the University of Pennsylvania (1),Yale (1) IE Business School, Madrid (1), University of Nicosia (1)

Birmingham (3), Bristol (6), Cambridge (13), Durham (1), East Anglia (1), Edinburgh (8), Exeter (2), Imperial College London (7), King’s College London (3), Leeds (1), Manchester (1), Newcastle (1), Nottingham (2), Oxford (8), Queen Mary’s London (1), SOAS (1), St Andrews (1), Central Saint Martins (1), University College London (11), Warwick (13),York (1)

24

students have chosen to take a gap year and will apply for entry to university in 2020.

The impressively wide range of disciplines taken up at Higher Education by the Class of 2019 include; Art & Design, Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry; Classical Archaeology & Civilisation; Computer Science; Cyber Security, Dentistry; Dental Surgery/Oral Science, Economics; Economics & Management; Engineering; English (Language & Literature); English & History; Geography; Hispanic Studies; History; History & Political Science; Human, Social & Political Sciences; Law; Liberal Arts (UK and US); Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Medicine; Modern & Medieval Languages; Natural Sciences; Philosophy & Theology, Political Science & International Relations; Psychology; Psychology and Linguistics; Religion, Philosophy and Ethics; Russian & Spanish; Veterinary Science.

ARCHIVE

78

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

PAMELA FLOWER (ONL)

S

tudents and ONLs will all have heard of, and perhaps even watched or participated in, the Pamela Flower Tennis Tournament,

Pamela Flower was a North London girl during the World War II. “From Pamela, there radiated a friendliness that sprang from the unselfishness that became more apparent as one got to know her” said friend Anna Braga. Braga gratefully recalls how the confident and helpful Pamela aided her, when she was Senior Prefect, to overcome her own more retiring nature. He brother John recalls Pamela “was a fine athlete”; thus, it was no surprise when Pamela was elected School Games Captain in 1943, in the middle of the war.

The war years were not easy for a school based in London. In 1939, the

the highlight of the Summer sports calendar. However, not many know the story of Pamela Flower and the origins of the competition.

School, including Pamela, was evacuated to Luton. The girls were divided among local residents, and the School shared the premises of Luton High School. They were fortunate enough to return to the newly bought and refurbished premises of Canons in the spring of 1940, the site where the School stands today. Yet even there, life was lived in fear of the sirens and the sounds of planes. Mad dashes down to the air raid shelter were the norm, sometimes “with knives and forks and dinner”. However, unsurprisingly for North London girls, “(their) thoughts were more of examinations than of bombs”, for “not even Germany’s newest weapons could stop (them) taking (their) Higher and General Certificates”.

Although some of these exams took place in the cramped and dim air raid shelter, Braga remembers, “how miraculous little (their) surroundings were allowed to impinge on (their)

consciousness”.

Tragically, disrupted exams were not the only consequences of the war. On February 20th 1944, the war became personal to the School when Pamela Flower was killed in an air raid. Irene Leppington, neighbour of Pamela and fellow North Londoner, shared a vivid account of that day: “On the afternoon of the 20th February, Pamela attended a youth Fellowship group accompanied by friends Beatrice Harrison, also a North London pupil, John Hepburn and Neville Thompson. Following this, the four attended Neville’s birthday tea at his parents’ house. Shortly after the meal, the air raid warning sirens began wailing, and Pamela, Beatrice and John began to hurry to their own homes. In the panic and confusion outside, they decided to return to the Thompsons’ house, a decision that was to have devastating consequences.

The house received a direct hit in the raid and five of those present were killed immediately: Beatrice became the only survivor.

As a memorial to her, Pamela’s father made a presentation of a silver cup to the School. And so the Pamela Flower Tennis Tournament was born, in memory of the Games Captain who would forever be a North London girl.

At this year’s tournament, we were delighted to welcome one of our oldest Old North Londoners, Ellen Trilling (ONL 1938). Ellen enjoyed the day meeting students throughout the school and reminiscing about her days as a pupil. We were also delighted that she presented the trophies to this year’s winners.

(Extract from an article by Joelaine Fitch from

Pamlea Flower Tournament 2019, with ONL Ellen Trilling

ONLine, the NLCS Alumnae Magazine)

BIG SIX

E

ARCHIVE

79

ach Spring Term the School appoints a Senior Committee: a team of six Year 12 students who are elected by staff and students.

Our ‘Big Six’ have wide-ranging responsibilities across the School that includes supporting other Sixth Form students, leading activities and events, one of which is the annual Canons Follies

variety show, which involves all girls in Year 12.

We would like to say a big thank you to our outgoing Big Six (Class of 2019): Arabella Zuckerman, Samantha Breslauer,

Kezia Levy, Sophia Johanson (Sports Captain) Megan Greensmith and Tamilore Ogunyemi (Senior Student)

COLOURS

80

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

COLOURS

Autumn 2018

Half Colours for contribution to Art are awarded to:

Senior Colours for contribution to Community Service

Claudia Chiew Jessica Peng Poonam Menger Ingrid Fung Candice Chen Charvi Jain

Coral Harding

Senior Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to: Christine Chung Yuuki Uchida

Senior Colours for contribution to Music are awarded to: Athena Kam Tilly Mattich Cerys Gorringe Biranarvi Kirupakaran Saibhan Bains Arabella Zuckerman

Half Colours for contribution to Community Service are awarded to: Aarushi Marde Tabby Mahjub Neha Bhandari Serena Shah Jia-han Huang Priya Gautam Nikhita Nandi

Half Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to:

Sofia Johanson

Ishi Shah Leyla Kaban-Bowers Eesha Patel Onali Perera Reya Shah Sophie Sheldon Nikita Suri

Senior Colours for Service to the School are awarded to:

Half Colours for contribution to Music are awarded to:

Saksha Menezes Coral Harding Mihika Prakash Georgina Fennessy Cerys Gorringe Sofia Johanson Maria-Sigrid Remme Arabella Zuckerman Imogen Woods-Wilford

Hanishaa Nanthakumar Victoria Adjei Emily Eraneva-Dibb

Senior Colours for contribution to Sport are awarded to:

Half Colours for contribution to Sport are awarded to: Serena Shah Geethana Yogarajah

Half Colours for Service to the School are awarded to: Nadia Massoud Shreya Patel Kaya Gadhia Geethana Yogarajah Aanya Shah Anya-Sabree Thakerarrr

Spring 2019 Senior Colours for contribution to Art are awarded to: Jessica Peng Hannah Buluwela

Senior Colours for contribution to Community Service are awarded to: Alisha Kenward

Senior Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to: Mia Borgese Emily Duchen Daniela Kobrin Mia Lane Romy McCarthy Jessica Pretorious Lily Weston Lara Zakaria

Senior Colours for contribution to Sport are awarded to: Hannah Buluwela Cerys Gorringe Olivia Lake Serena Shah Yuuki Uchida Geethana Yogarajah

Senior Colours for Service to the School are awarded to:

Half Colours for contribution to Music are awarded to:

Saibarn Bains Hannah Buluwela Kate Greenberg Athena Ham Jemima Lane Tilly Mattich

Jermaine Chong Ingrid Fung Giselle Gorringe Aliyah Kassam Isabelle Lever Romy McCarthy Eleonora Nanni Mya Pereira Rosalind Pike Vita Rottenberg Lilyella Stevens

Half Colours for contribution to Art are awarded to: Olivia Payne Georgia Sims

Half Colours for contribution to Community Service are awarded to: Elizabeth Chung Boju Khaw Ella Odutoy Ria Patel Farhia Rashid Pravenaar Sivakumar Luxmi Thayaparan Haomin Yu

Half Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to: Oyinkansola Afe Foppy Akinyede Chloe Bloom Jodie Bloom Charlotte Chang Lara D’Amico Megan Grool Alina Halstenberg Rachel Hodes Sweta Kannan Olivia King Victoria Lee Lucy Linton Poppy Mann Kobika Mohan Sarmbavi Prabhahar Mia Randhawar Esha Shah Lilyella Stevens

Half Colours for contribution to Sport are awarded to: Jadzia Allright Anusha Bulman Holly Goodrick Athena Ham Jenna Jacobs Christie Marlborough Shani Paun Aanya Rajani Keyarrah Risk Shivvanthi Sugumar Anouk Wijeratne Imogen Woods-Wilford Helenka Young

Half Colours for Service to the School are awarded to: Jessica Gbayere Annika Mehta Emma Gasson Mia Yaffes Eve Temmink Madeleine Ferris Romy McCarthy Honi Pein

Summer 2019 Senior Colours for contribution to Community Service are awarded to: Luxmi Thayaparan

Senior Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to: Inma Emberton Aanya Gudka Serena Hart Leah Pettit Sophie Linton Ella Oddutoy Ella Staveley Emily Spungin Millie Tudor-Hart

Senior Colours for contribution to Sport are awarded to: Holly Goodrick

Half Colours for contribution to Community Service are awarded to: Tara De Mel Shangavi Ganeshan Shria Morjaria Timi Obatusin Elnaz Sharifi

Half Colours for contribution to Drama are awarded to: Schuyler Daffey Kasturi Kannan Charlotte Magill Giulia Mezan Anaya Popat Amelie Woodhouse Sadie Zenios Shangavi Ganeshan

Half Colours for Service to the School are awarded to: Maddie Alberg Mia Borgese Rachel Gardner Serena Hart Nitya Kapadia Annika Mehta Kobbika Mohan Ella Oddutoy Ria Patel Aamani Ruparell Aria Banerjee-Watts Lara Zakaria

COLOURS

81

PRIZES

82

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

PRIZES

ACADEMIC PRIZES Dame Kitty Anderson Award for academic excellence KATE GREENBERG Dame Kitty Anderson Award for academic excellence SHREYA PATEL

Sophie Bryant Award for academic excellence IMOGEN WOODS-WILFORD Sophie Bryant Award for academic excellence ARABELLA ZUCKERMAN

MATHEMATICS Bank of America Merrill Lynch Victoria Adjei

SERVICE TO DRAMA Emma Hedges Cara Chedid and Aanya Shah

SERVICE TO SPORT Windsor Cup Megan Greensmith

MFL Betty Hanemann Victoria Adjei

SCIENCE Doris Gregory Wendy Cheng

SCIENCE Webb Athena Ham

UNIVERSITY AWARDS Nicola Goldfarb Girton Book Prize Fiyin Akinyede & Anusha Bulman

SERVICE TO SCHOOL LIBRARIES Olive Wright Hana El-Chamma

SERVICE TO SCHOOL SOCIETIES Maclean-Frazer Memorial Athena Ham

RELIGIOUS STUDIES Alice Lupton Jessica Akuffo

BIOLOGY Nicola Goldfarb Emily Eraneva-Dibb

ART Moy Keightley Coral Harding

CLASSICS Amy Harris Laila Arain

MATHEMATICS L.E. Walter Emily Eraneva-Dibb

SERVICE TO THE ARTS Philippa Threlfall Coral Harding & Kezia Levy

SCIENCE Nachschen Laila Arain

GEOGRAPHY Walton Georgina Fennessy

MATHEMATICS Edith Collet Alexia Huang

RELIGIOUS STUDIES Septimus Buss Beatrice Avanzato

SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL Yvonne Grover Georgina Fennessy & Mihika Prakash

MFL D’Hondt Sofia Johanson

SERVICE AS A FORM ASSISTANT Clothworkers Saibhan Bains

ECONOMICS Joan Brackenbury Lathany Ganesarajah

SERVICE TO SPORT Bradstreet Cup Sofia Johanson

SERVICE TO MUSIC Fanny Green Saibhan Bains

ENGLISH Senior English Emma Gasson

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS Leonard Brooks Athena Kam

ART R.W. Buss Hannah Buluwela

DRAMA Clothworkers Darcey Goldstein

SERVICE TO MUSIC Lucy Welch Athena Kam

SERVICE TO SPORT Alexander Cup Cara Chedid

SERVICE TO MUSIC Enid Hoggan Cerys Gorringe

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY Stephanie Lee Athena Kam

PRIZES

83 MFL Patricia Erskine Zara Khan

MFL Mensbier Nadia Massoud

HISTORY Senior History Serena Shah

MFL Caroline Senator Biranavi Kirupakaren

SERVICE TO MUSIC Agnes Hackney Tilly Mattich

MATHEMATICS Clara Collet Heeral Shah

SERVICE TO MUSIC Frances Mary Buss Biranavi Kirupakaren

GEOGRAPHY Priscilla Frances Sharland Poppy Mullins

SCIENCE Emma Guggenheim Ishani Shah

SCIENCE Kay Nicholson Prize for Physics Jessica Kohli

SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL Commander Corby Tamilore Ogunyemi

SCIENCE Elizabeth Tuckett Heeral Shah

HISTORY Hatfield Miko Konii-Govier

SERVICE TO SCHOOL SOCIETIES Maclean-Frazer Memorial Saachi Pahwa

SERVICE TO THE MAGAZINE Mary Sybill Smith Ishani Shah

MFL Marjorie Muir Olivia Lake

SERVICE TO SCHOOL SOCIETIES Elizabeth Hoskyn Sonali Patel

ENGLISH Sebba Francesca Shaw & Yuuki Uchida

ECONOMICS Ridley Jemima Lane

PHILOSOPHY John Back Honi Pein

HISTORY M E Gossip Lena Stein

GEOGRAPHY Jane Agnes Chessar Jemima Lane

SERVICE TO SCHOOL SOCIETIES Elizabeth Hoskyn Honi Pein

MFL Eleanor Lyndon Eve Temmink

SERVICE TO SCHOOL SOCIETIES Prance Jemima Lane

CLASSICS John Back Farhana Rashid

SERVICE TO CANONAID Miss Gad Patemean Anya-Sabree Thakarar

MFL Brandenburger Kezia Levy

JOURNALISM Alison Eadie Prize Maria Sigrid Remme

MATHEMATICS Buss-Crane Apoorva Verma

SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL Miss Drummond Kezia Levy & Samantha Breslauer

ENGLISH Stella Gibbons Memorial Maria Sigrid Remme & Sierra Goh

SCIENCE Leslie Pauline Leader Anouk Wijeratne

ECONOMICS H D Donaldson Vaishnavi Manivannan

SCIENCE Harker Amy Sankey

CLASSICS Hester Armstead Geethana Yogarajah

GERMAN Heinz Ulrich Lachmann Vaishnavi Manivannan

MEDICINE Louise Sinclair Memorial Prize Sarah Sayers

SERVICE TO SPORT Smallwood Trophy Geethana Yogarajah

ENGLISH Elsie Todd Arushi Marde & Mia Yaffes

SERVICE TO JUNIOR SCHOOL Clara Begbie Sarah Sayers

SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL Dame Kitty Anderson Arabella Zuckerman & Megan Greensmith

IN MEMORY

84

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Bernice McCabe OBE

We were extremely sorry to learn that Bernice McCabe OBE (Headmistress 1997-2017) had died, following her diagnosis with brain cancer in 2018.

Mrs Fotheringham, Assistant Head, shared with us some of her fond memories of Mrs McCabe.

I

t was on Founder’s Day, in 1997, that Mrs McCabe made her first official appearance at NLCS, some five months before she was due to take up her post at Headmistress. Staff, students, governors and guests watched with scarcely concealed curiosity as she walked onto the stage to give a short address to the audience. We were all instantly aware of her poise, her confidence, her presence – and, of course, her footwear; stylish russet, knee-length, suede boots. A new era had begun at Canons.

When I look back on Mrs McCabe’s twenty years at North London, the single word which I think best sums her up is ‘elegance’. We all enjoyed and, more often than not, coveted, what she wore – how we sighed over all those wonderful shoes - but this is to overlook so many other

areas of her professional life in which elegance played such a vital role. Her apparently effortless prowess as a leader is the stuff of legends; I don’t think that I ever saw her flustered or hesitant, even when faced with major challenges. Her way of thinking was crisp, balanced and always well-judged.; even the smallest detail was significant to her, and she never failed to consider how something – however good - could be made even better next time around.

Her love of the English language shone through everything that she said.

Mr James-Williams caught a flavour of her most significant speeches at North London in his recent book, ‘The Sunlight on the Garden,’ where he records how she would frequently turn to her favourite poets and authors to express what she wanted to say, especially in her Valedictory addresses to the Year 13 students as they marked their final day in school.

The strong sense of community was something which she often spoke about

and which she relished and nurtured, taking to heart and putting into practice Dame Kitty’s celebrated mantra: ‘Everyone matters.’

Mrs McCabe’s abiding passion for education lay at the very heart of whatever she did; it influenced and shaped every aspect of her life, and that will surely be her lasting legacy, here at North London, in our sister schools, through the work of the Prince’s Teaching Institute and in every school in which she played a part. Her guiding principle was quite simple – that the best education has the power to change and even transform lives, drawing out the very best in every student, encouraging academic ambition and enabling individuals to achieve more than they ever thought possible. Her beliefs will continue to live on, in the generations of students, colleagues and friends who were fortunate to have studied, worked and enjoyed spending time with her. She will be deeply missed.

The Bernice McCabe

B

Bursary Fund

ursaries hold a very special place at North London. The School was built on generosity and the belief that education has the power to transform lives. Unlike many schools that benefit from an endowment, North London is dependent on philanthropic support to help us deliver a dynamic and inspirational educational environment.

To mark the extraordinary contribution of Bernice McCabe OBE to North London over her twenty years of Headship, the School named the Bursary

Fund in her honour. We would like to increase our current provision so that 10% of girls are in receipt of a full bursary.

As part of our fundraising campaign, we are looking to raise £1,000,000 towards the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund, of which we have raised £450k to date. If you are interested in finding out more, please do get in touch at development@nlcs.org.uk, or if you wish to donate, please visit our website www.nlcs.org.uk/support-us/bursaries.

The Sunlight on the Garden

T

he Sunlight on the Garden was written by Dafydd James-Williams, our Head of English, to celebrate Bernice McCabe’s twenty years of Headship at North London Collegiate School.

Using Mrs McCabe’s Valedictory and Founder’s Day speeches as source material, the book is an examination of what makes North London Collegiate such a unique educational institution in the 21st century. The title, The Sunlight on the Garden, is taken from a poem

by Louis MacNeice, referred to in one of Mrs McCabe’s Valedictory addresses. The poem also alludes quite directly to summer in the gardens at Canons, to the spatial and educational freedom offered to students here and, more indirectly, to the passing of generations

through the School. The book includes a wonderful selection of photographs of Canons including some of our past and present students.

Mrs McCabe was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018, and sadly passed away on 18th February 2019. She was passionate about supporting the first NHS clinical trial of immunotherapy treatment for brain cancer patients, which will be run by Dr Paul Mulholland, her consultant who leads the trial.

Therefore, in our continued support of this special cause, all profits from the sale of the book will be donated to the National Brain Appeal’s Immunotherapy Fund.

This beautiful A5 hardback book is available to buy at £15 per book, and can be ordered via the School Office.

IN MEMORY

85

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

86

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

W

e are always looking at ways to grow our Old North Londoner (ONL) community and this year we carried out our first ever ONL questionnaire to find out what ONLs feel about our events, publications, and their relationship with the School. We had an incredible response rate of 35% and the findings will reshape our ONL programme going forward.

ONL events in the 2018-19 academic year have included a number of reunions.

In September 2018 we were delighted to host the 50 Year Reunion for the Class of 1968 and in May we welcomed back over 200 ONLs from the Classes of 2009, 1999, 1989 and 1979. These events are

Class of 1999

always a wonderful opportunity for ONLs to reminisce and renew friendships.

Our overseas and regional ONL groups continue to flourish with meetings being held in the UK and across the globe.

In December 2018, ONLs attended a drinks party at the home of ONL

Judge Angela Bradstreet in California and enjoyed meeting Headmistress, Sarah Clark, during her trip to Stanford University. In May 2019, ONLs in Hong Kong met senior members of staff from NLCS and we hope this will be the start of a thriving Hong Kong chapter.

Class of 1989

BANK OF AMERICA – TRADING GAME

B

ank of America (BofA), a valued supporter of our bursary fund, hosted a fantastic trading game for girls in Years 11 to 13 in February 2018. Through a simulation involving the trading of chocolate, students were able to experience the dynamic and fastpaced world of financial markets and then heard from representatives from the Bank about the plethora of career options open to them. We are very grateful to Bank of America, and to all supporters of bursaries, for their ongoing support.

NEIGHBOURHOOD DRINKS PARTY

O

ur programme of Neighbourhood Drinks Parties continues to bring together parents living in a local area; during 2018-19, we were generously hosted at homes in Hadley Wood and St John’s Wood. These events provide an informal

way for school staff and governors to chat with parents, and for parents across all year groups to meet each other. Our thanks go to our hosts for these lovely events, and to all those who were able to attend. If you are interested in hosting a drinks party, do let Karen Doyle, Director of Development and Communications, know on kdoyle@nlcs.org.uk.

Class of 2009

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

87

THANK YOU DRINKS

I

t was a pleasure to see so many supporters of the School at Eight Club, Moorgate in June. Thank you to parent Andreas Utermann for giving an insightful speech about his support of the School, and to ONL Deluxsy Elangaratnam for speaking about the impact of being a bursary recipient and how life changing it has been for her.

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

88

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

Frances Mary Buss Fellowship Tea

FRANCES MARY BUSS FELLOWSHIP

I

n October 2018, we welcomed ONLs to the re-launch of The Frances Mary Buss Fellowship at a special tea party.

We were delighted that ONL Carolyn Eadie, Honorary Chairwoman of the FMB Fellowship, joined us and spoke about her time at Canons, and how she benefitted from an NLCS education.

Carolyn has left a gift in her Will to the School, which will endow a bursary in her sister Alison’s name, who tragically died in 2004 from motor neurone disease. We are so grateful to ONLs who generously pledge a gift in their Will to the School. We will host a tea for legators and those interested in finding out more about leaving a legacy to the School on 29 April 2020. If you are interested in attending, please email onla@nlcs.org.uk

Frances Mary Buss Fellowship Tea

55+ Reunion

QUESTION TIME

W

e continued to raise muchneeded funds for bursaries at the School and in May we hosted a stimulating ‘Question Time’ style evening in the Performing Arts Centre with proceeds from ticket sales going to the Bernice McCabe Bursary

Class of 1968

Fund, which was named in her honour to mark the extraordinary contribution of her twenty years of Headship at North London. Our host was ONL Katie Mandel (TV news journalist) and our panellists included Trevor Phillips (former parent, writer and television producer), Nadhim Zahawi (MP), and ONLs Susie Orbach (psychotherapist and writer), Lucy

Class of 2017

Tobin (columnist at the Evening Standard), Lizzie Paton (reporter for the New York Times) and Year 12 student Kristina Kerr for an evening of topical debate. If you wish to donate to the Bernice McCabe Bursary Fund, you can do so via the School website or email development@nlcs.org.uk

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

89

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

90

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ONLA Academic Award Earth Sciences MSci – North Borneo

by Charlotte Caplan (ONL 2015) Leaving NLCS to study Natural Sciences, I intended to specialise in Chemistry. However, during my first year of university, I realised that I much preferred working outside compared with in a laboratory, and thus decided to study Earth Sciences instead. Two years later, I opted to undertake a Master’s in Earth Sciences with a research project involving analysing earthquakes in Southeast Asia in order to further our understanding of tectonic motions in the region.

Therefore, this summer, I travelled to North Borneo to carry out maintenance of seismometers (equipment that records ground shaking) and download previously recorded data. The majority of

Medical team in Thessaloniki

The Maliau Basin

the seismometers were reached by driving along poor-quality roads, but one seismometer was only accessible by boat and one, in the heart of the rainforest, could only be reached by a gruellingly steep, day-long hike that required ladders at certain points. Although this day was the most physically challenging,

and the most terrifying since I became lost on the return leg, it was an amazing opportunity to experience the beauty of the rainforest.

I am exceptionally grateful for the ONLA award which has enabled me to undertake such incredible fieldwork and embark on a master’s degree.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW? NEWS FROM OUR ALUMNAE

O ONLA Travel Award Volunteering with the NGO Advocates Abroad

by Tiara Ataii (ONL 2015) Having volunteered in the past for legal aid NGOs where I worked with refugees in Chios, a Greek island, when I arrived back on the Greek mainland this summer, I was expecting the same complaints regarding the lack of aid, the inhumane conditions of the camps, and the miscarriages of justice that come about as a result of an overburdened

ur Old North Londoners Association (ONLA) is passionate about supporting ONLs in their future endeavours, whatever their stage of life. Each year we offer a number of financial awards to those undertaking projects through either travel or by continuing their academic study that will benefit society. We would like to share with you the stories of our inspiring ONLs who received awards in 2019. asylum system. However, the situation in Thessaloniki was far more desperate than I could have imagined. Due to record high numbers of asylum applications, the Skype hotline in which asylum seekers must register has been out of order for months. As such, asylum seekers, unable to begin their asylum proceedings, find

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

91

themselves sleeping rough and engaging in unsightly activities in order to be able to sustain themselves.

Therefore, my role entailed not only providing information and accompanying clients to the relevant authorities, but also offering moral support. I frequently heard from clients that our twenty-minute conversation was the first time that they had felt listened to in months. Given the frequency of suicide and the deep-seated trauma amongst refugee populations, I felt that this new dimension to my role was perhaps more vital than the information we were providing.

I hope that my work this summer has in some small way served to redistribute the amazing opportunities I was given throughout my fourteen years at NLCS. Further information about the awards and the application process are available on the School website or by emailing onla@nlcs.org.uk.

Tiara (right)

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

92

NORTH LONDON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2019

ONLA Academic Award Plant Biomechanics

by Maddy Seale (ONL 2008) Agnes Arber was the first female botanist to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and it was at NLCS that her interest in botany began due to an inspiring teacher, Edith Aitken, with support from another ONL botanist, Ethel Sargant. My own decision to study plant biology crystallised during an A-level lesson, in which we were taught the

weird and wonderful phenomenon of fertilisation in flowering plants.

My research now focuses on the structure of the familiar dandelion fruit, how it can fly so well, and how it changes shape when it gets wet. As nature can optimise over millions of years of evolution, we can use this inspiration to engineer microstructures replicating the dandelion’s functions for tiny flying vehicles or sensors that respond to water.

The generous academic award from the ONLA, allowed me to

travel to Montreal and give a talk to an international audience at the Plant Biomechanics Conference. This was invaluable as, not only did I gain important feedback on my work, but I am still in discussion with a number of experts I met there that I expect to lead to future collaborations. I am delighted to tread in the footsteps of such important ONLs in my field and am very grateful to NLCS for the support I have received.

ONLA Academic Award – PhD in Neuroinflammation

by Anna Selezneva (ONL 2014) I am starting my PhD in Neuroinflammation at University College London. During my Master’s degree in Pharmacology at UCL my research made me appreciate the high number of areas which require further exploration.

The opportunity to contribute a small piece to every growing puzzle is a great motivation for me to start my research career. During my PhD, I aim to unite the two areas of research I am interested in, neuroscience and immunopharmacology, by working on neuroinflammation, which I believe is a cutting-edge topic that could lead to new advances in the

treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Neuroinflammation is known to play an important role in leading to neuronal cell death in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s diseases and multiple sclerosis. Millions of people are affected worldwide.

Finding treatments and cures for neurodegenerative diseases is a goal of increasing urgency. My research will contribute to the understanding of the neuroinflammation process in a number of neurodegenerative diseases and, hopefully, aid research into stopping their progression. I am incredibly grateful for all the support I have received from the ONLA and the entire NLCS community.

Anna with the research group from UCL Department of Neuroscience

ALUMNAE & DEVELOPMENT NEWS

93

Maddy with delegates at the Plant Biomechanics Conference in Montreal

North London Collegiate School Canons Canons Drive Edgware Middlesex 020 8952 0912

HA8 7RJ

office@nlcs.org.uk www.nlcs.org.uk Charity No. 1115843

Board

C022132