AD ASTRA 2023-24 Senior & Sixth

AD ASTRA

Being this year’s Head of School has been an incredible experience which I am so grateful for. In connecting with our fantastic student body, I have learned so much and been able to develop on a personal level, while having heaps of fun!

Sixth Form, in particular, has been the perfect ending to my time at STAHS, where I was honoured to be able to give back to the STAHS community which has meant so much to me over the past seven years. Whether it was a charity bake sale, a careers workshop or a silent disco, I will really miss all the fun happening in Sixth Form!

Following tradition, Year 13 had their chance to decorate some classrooms and the main school corridor, this year following the theme of ‘Retro’. In just three hours, classrooms became a Studio 54-style disco, an 80s diner, and a jazzercise class. However, the ‘DeLorean’ parked outside didn’t quite manage to take us ‘back to the future’!

AD ASTRA, 2023-24

Editor’s note

With so much having happened during 2023-24, it was hard to decide exactly what to include in this latest edition of Ad Astra. This volume covers many of the most significant events at STAHS during the last academic year, as well as providing a window into the worlds of everyone from Rev Rosie to a group of staff alumni.

We’re also pleased to include several students’ own voices in this edition; thank you to the girls who contributed pieces on everything from clubs and trips to Young Enterprise and the 10X Challenge. Thanks also from the STAHS Marketing team (Jo White, Dom Fox, Anna Noack and I) to all the teaching staff who shared news from their departments. Jane Howdle

Ad Astra

Welcome to your new yearbook!

Following the creation of the St Albans Education Group earlier this year, I am delighted to write as Principal.

The Class of 2024 were in Year 9 when I joined as Head in September 2019, and it has been lovely to see their progress since then and a joy to celebrate their achievements at Valediction in May.

Our Class of 2024 attained impressive academic success at A level in August, a satisfying reward for every individual, after years of learning and study. I wish them all well as they move forward with their STAHS ‘education for life’ and take their next steps for which they are very well prepared. Their various university courses and destinations reflect a wonderful range of interests and in a few years’ time, after further study, they will no doubt progress to an exciting range of futures.

This new volume of Ad Astra highlights so much of what was attained in 2023-24; I hope you will enjoy revisiting the STAHS community’s most memorable moments, from trips to Borneo and Iceland to wins in everything from the National Choral Competition to the Independent Schools Football Association Girls’ Trophy.

Change is perpetual and as we embrace it, we will continue to support and encourage STAHS Senior students to thrive and reach great heights.

With best wishes

Amber Waite

Principal of St Albans Education Group Head of STAHS, 2023-24

A particular highlight which has stood out for me was our Harvest Festival assembly in October, where our donation bags were once again bursting for Herts Young Homeless, our chosen charity. Thanks to STAHS pupils, many young people in our local area moving into hostels were supported with starter packs and toiletries. We also performed the annual skit, this year following a Barbie theme, entitled Stahsbie The evil ‘Kens’ – the School Officers – had stolen the donations from the ‘dream houses’ of the ‘Barbies’ – the House Officers. The race back to ‘Stahsland’ definitely provided some light entertainment and comedy!

In addition, our charity officers, Jess and Carys, hosted a bake sale in support of Magic Breakfast. Their range of treats quickly sold out, which is an immense achievement for this incredible charity, promoting children’s health and learning.

Shortly after the Easter holidays, Years 11 and 13 celebrated their last days of school with a range of special activities, including the annual Muck Up Day.

As part of my efforts to improve STAHS’ sustainability credentials, I launched a beehive sponsorship project with Highgate Honey, a family-run business local to our school. Our STAHS beehive will be kept and maintained by the Highgate Honey team on their apiary in north London, whilst the honey produced will be sent back to us! I launched a school-wide design competition for the hive, and the aim is to install the bees later in the year. Tune into the Spotlight newsletter for updates on our bees!

All in all, I feel extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to lead the School with the help of my fantastic School Officer team. Despite my bittersweet goodbyes to the STAHS community, which has given me so much, I am excited for the future, as I head off to university. I can’t wait to hear about all the exciting achievements and events taking place next year, and I am certain Eleni and her team are doing a fantastic job of serving the School.

Sophie Beighton Head of School, 2023-24

WELCOME

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Alice Boon Jess Mountain Pippa Willis Carys Toland

Ella Tyldesley Sienna Aggarwal Olivia Rust

Opi Majekodunmi Scarlett Hadley Lotta Gates

Ebe Standen

Sophie Beighton Tishe Afolayan Joan Alabi

Kirsty Fuge

Madeleine Whyman Emma MacArthur Fiona Cairns

House Officers

PARTNERSHIPS

MATHS

Our Royal Institution Primary Maths Masterclasses continued this year, led by Maths teacher Danielle Lewis with support from Year 12 students. The sessions were attended by Year 5 children from four local primary schools, and topics ranged from graph theory to games and probability.

MUSIC

The Music Department was delighted to host another Orchestra Workshop Day for seven to 11-year-olds in September 2023, attended by around 60 pupils from a huge variety of schools. Our Year 10 and 11 Music Scholars helped lead sectionals throughout the day and worked side-by-side with the primary school children who attended.

Music teacher Julian Smith – now Acting Director of Music

– continued his partnership work with our neighbours at Alban City School during 2023-24; his weekly visits were a huge hit with the Year 2 and 3 choir, who sang and danced along with great enthusiasm!

Our Vocal Partnership Day in June was a huge success, thanks to award-winning composer and vocalist Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, who worked brilliantly with pupils from Aboyne Lodge, Alban City, Maple and STAHS Prep. All the school choirs performed pieces themed around the important issue of protecting our planet in a special concert to parents, friends and family.

DRAMA

A level Drama students had a great partnership day at Townsend School in St Albans in January, getting stuck into a shared workshop led by award-winning theatre company The Paper Birds.

Students worked to develop some great scenes with the practitioner and ended the day on a high, extending invitations to each other’s final exam performances later in the year.

ART

The Art Department has maintained a strong partnership with our neighbours at Maple Primary School over the years, and we regularly fire their clay work in our kiln.

This relationship continued in May, when 30 Year 3 pupils from Maple visited our Art studios to design jigsaw puzzles inspired by the sunflower paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. A group of Year 9 students supported the group, sharing their knowledge and experience about painting with acrylics.

In June, the STAHS Art Department delivered another street art workshop to Year 6 pupils from Maple, let by a group of Year 12 A level Art students. The group used spray paints to create a street art-style mural on the outside of one of Maple’s buildings, using the school’s maple leaf logo as their theme. The Year 6s explored making stencil painting artwork and worked with Year 12 to compose the final mural. There was lots of collaboration between year groups and expressive use of coloured designs in what proved to be a great afternoon of art-making in the local community.

Alban City School choir

Orchestra Workshop Day

Vocal Partnership Day

CHARITY WORK

SUMMER CHARITY FAIR

The whole school spent a July afternoon off-timetable for the first ever STAHS Summer Charity Fair. Organised by our School and House Officers, the fair involved a staff football tournament, a ‘sponge the teacher’ event, traditional stalls including ‘guess the sweets in the jar’, plus a very popular ice cream van. The £7,592 raised will go towards building a new Children’s Cancer Centre for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

HARVEST FESTIVAL COLLECTION FOR HERTS YOUNG HOMELESS

Our Harvest Festival celebrations were as memorable as ever, thanks to a Barbiethemed film created by our Officers. Aptly named Stahsbie it saw the School and House Officers standing off as Kens and Barbies with cameos from a number of amenable teaching staff, plus Mrs Waite’s dog, Ziggy. This year, School and House Officers supported Herts Young Homeless, and asked for donations of starter packs and toiletries for young people moving into hostels.

BAKE-OFF AND MUFTI DAY FOR MACMILLAN

STAHS went green for Macmillan in September, raising more than £1,000 via a mufti day, bake sales and a staff vs Sixth Form bake-off, which was won by a highly competitive PE team!

MUFTI DAY FOR YOUNGMINDS

STAHS was a sea of yellow for one day in October, as staff and students embraced the ‘Hello Yellow’ theme of World Mental Health Day, raising more than £500 for YoungMinds.

ADVENT CALENDAR COLLECTION

With support from Miss Grimmel, Lily Hart and Pia Panchal from 8P1 invited Year 7 and 8 students to donate advent calendars to St Albans & District Foodbank. An impressive 208 calendars were donated!

SANTA DASH FOR HERTS YOUNG HOMELESS

Year 7 and 8 students braved the chilly December weather to take part in a timed fun run in support of Herts Young Homeless. Students had 20 minutes to complete the Santa Dash by any means, including jogging, hopping or even cartwheeling their way around a marked track on the STAHS Astro.

CHRISTMAS GIFT COLLECTION FOR HILS

Mrs Kader and her Year 8 tutor group organised a Christmas gift collection in aid of Health & Independent Living Support (HILS).

Thank you to the many staff and students who donated everything from boxes of chocolates to scarves and adult colouring books.

PARKRUNS AND COOKING FOR OPEN DOOR

In June, 7J2 completed an epic charity event in support of the Open Door homeless charity. Students raised £192 by participating in sponsored parkruns, and used £92 of this to buy ingredients for pasta bakes and bread and butter pudding, which they cooked together at school. Mr Boyce took the cooked food to Open Door in St Albans that evening and it was served to guests, with the remaining £100 raised donated directly to the charity.

MUFTI DAY FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

Sixth Formers wore their pyjamas to school in return for a donation to the BBC’s Children in Need appeal in November. The rest of the School wore mufti, raising more than £600.

SKILLS FOR LIFE 10X CHALLENGE

Our Year 10s put their entrepreneurial skills to the test during Trinity term by taking part in the 10X Challenge. Part of the Skills for Life PSHE programme, the national challenge invites young people to turn a £10 pledge of start-up capital into profit by founding a business.

Students set up a wide range of initiatives, from baking cookies and washing cars to making friendship bracelets and throwing sponges at teachers. Profits varied from a few pounds to almost a hundred, with Sweet Treatz coming out on top with their cookie business. Here, Annabelle Wade of Sweet Treatz shares the secrets of her team’s success ...

The 10x Challenge is designed to teach young students entrepreneurial skills which they can carry with them throughout their lives. These skills include learning how to make a profit, learning how to run a business and learning how to be a team leader and player.

I was the project manager of the most profitable group, called Sweet Treatz, where we had a total intake of £105 and a profit of £97. Originally, my team had settled on an idea of a pick ‘n’ mix stall, however, after plenty of research and deliberation, we came to the conclusion that this was not the most profitable stall, and that we should switch to a bake sale.

By switching, was able to buy a larger bulk of stock at a lower price, meaning that we could sell more, therefore we would have a higher intake which would result in a much higher profit margin.

The stall itself was a great test of working under pressure, working efficiently, coming together as a team in stressful moments and making sure that every customer was satisfied with our service. My team and I really enjoyed the process of this

challenge, as it was a fantastic eye-opener into the world of business.

I strongly believe that this challenge is a fantastic way for young people to test themselves, to develop skills that set them up for their future, and to have a tiny taster of a career in business.

These types of projects are very enjoyable and can be really exciting when your entire team pulls together, as a unit, to create something special.

An additional bonus is the incredible opportunity to donate money to those less fortunate than ourselves, which was a personal highlight of mine. I am so proud to be able to donate £97 to the School’s charity for this academic year, Herts Young Homeless. It’s wonderful to know that all my group’s hard work has helped a young person get off the streets and find safety.

Thank you everyone who came and supported this cause at our stall, we could never have done this without all of your donations.

By Annabelle Wade

Annabelle (far right) with her team

Student Voice

Here’s how our students have been making their voices heard this year ...

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Staff and students marked International Women’s Day on 8 March, celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness about discrimination and encouraging our wider community to take action to drive gender parity in a range of inventive ways.

We held a special assembly, in which STAHS alumna Hiba Khan addressed students on the influential women in male-dominated STEM careers and the importance of the female voice in AI. Mrs Waite talked about her own experience in male-dominated industries, and Head of School, Sophie, spoke about her interpretation of the day and its values.

There was also a chance to vote for the STAHS Woman of the Year 2024 from a list of student-selected nominees, and a personal pledge during form time to forge women’s equality.

STAHS NEURODIVERSITY AWARENESS WEEK

We celebrated neurodiversity in April with a week of special events, including a fundraising bake sale, a ‘colours of the spectrum’-themed lunch and a special book club with a neurodiverse theme.

Led by Nurodivergency Club, STAHS Neurodiversity Awareness Week also included staff and student quizzes and a vibrant mufti day in support of two Hertfordshire-based charities, Up on Downs, and Space.

LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH

Our LGBTQ+ History Month celebrations in February began with an assembly by Pride Club members led by Margaux Hill (Year 12). The group covered everything from the history of LGBTQ+ celebrations in other countries to how to refer to LGBTQ+ people in other European languages. Highlights of the month included a rainbow-themed mufti day in aid of the Kaleidoscope Trust, a student-run book club exploring LGBTQ+ characters in literature, and special LGBTQ+ sessions in teacher and pupil-run clubs.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Deputy Head of School Joan Alabi launched Black History Month in assembly in October, backed by a group of younger students focused on celebrating all that is good in Black culture today.

As part of this year’s theme of Saluting our Sisters, students were invited to choose from a shortlist of four inspirational Black British women and vote for the one they’d most like to meet: Mary Seacole, Dr Samantha Tross, Olive Morris or Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon. Mary Seacole was the winner, with 58% of the vote.

There was a lunchtime screening of Random Acts in which DJ Dev Griffin introduced five exciting films by cutting edge Black filmmakers, and students also submitted ideas for our special Afro-Caribbean and African lunch menu, which we all enjoyed on 31 October, as Black History Month drew to a close.

Hiba Khan, Mrs Waite and Sophie Beighton

MFL

TRIPS AND VISITS

The MFL Department organised countless trips during 2023-24. Year 8 German students embraced all things festive during their overnight trip to Aachen Christmas market, Year 11-13 French students travelled to Paris for a study trip in December, and we hosted Year 9 and 10 pupils from our partner school in Fano, Italy, for the first time in March.

STAHS FESTIVAL OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

STAHS marked the rich diversity of its community in style in February with a weeklong celebration of language and culture.

Organised by the Modern Foreign Languages Department, the Senior School’s Festival of Language and Culture included Spanish and French plays performed by native actors, workshops in Chinese dance and Japanese language and writing, and a Poetry Slam competition, which saw groups of students delivering poems in French, German, Spanish and Mandarin.

The STAHS Catering team produced a series of themed lunch menus during the week, offering everything from Austrian and Chinese to Welsh and Pakistani cuisine. These special menus were created following consultation with students, who were invited to share details of dishes their families enjoy.

The week drew to a close with a vibrant Cultural Fashion Show, with more than 40 staff and students showing off their traditional attire on a specially installed catwalk. This was followed by Chinese ribbon dancing and a routine from the student-led Fusion Dance Club, which celebrates all forms of South Asian dance.

The fashion show was organised by Year 13 students Nethaya Bulathsinhala and Joan Alabi; Joan acted as MC during the event, while Nethaya performed with Fusion Dance Club, which she founded.

Mrs Waite said: ‘The Cultural Fashion Show was a fantastic show of the strength of our community here at STAHS and a great way of celebrating the diversity of cultures within our staff and student body.’

German Exchange pupils in Years 9 and 10 spent a week in the historic city of Lüneburg over the Easter holidays; the group visited their exchange partners at the Herderschule, travelled to Berlin, took a ferry trip on the Elbe in Hamburg, and explored local attractions in a Lüneburg city tour. Strong bonds were developed further when the Herderschule students came to STAHS in June.

There were also study trips to Paris (for French students in Years 11 to 13) and Cantabria (for Spanish students in Years 8 and 9), with plenty of sightseeing squeezed in around language lessons.

A level French, German and Spanish students also took separate trips to the British Film Institute in London during Michaelmas term, while Year 10 Mandarin students spent an enjoyable day in Chinatown in February.

Young Enterprise

Our two Year 12 Young Enterprise teams competed against 18 rival businesses in the area final in May, with both of them picking up a prize.

Craftopia won the Regional award for their ‘pitch to the panel’ and Tote-ally walked away with the award for best ‘marketing and trade stand’. Craftopia sold wildflower Christmas cards and bracelets made from recycled T-shirts, while Tote-ally sold tote bags branded with empowering messages. Both teams submitted excellent company reports ahead of the final, displaying their products on trade stalls, and presenting their journey in front of the judges, other teams and invited guests. Team Tote-ally’s Harriet Lucas shares her experience ...

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

Well done to all of our DofE participants – around 160 students – who worked so hard towards their awards during 2023-24.

Bronze participants battled quite apposing weather conditions this year within their practice and qualifying expeditions, but showed a great deal of perseverance and teamwork to successfully complete the demanding expedition section of their award.

The Silver students used their acquired skill sets well on a new route for STAHS, that proved to be slightly longer than expected to navigate! The teams worked well together though and persevered by supporting each other to all victoriously complete their expedition element of the award. Well done!

Particular congratulations are due to our 12 Gold participants who strongly completed their expedition section over the summer. The organisers were particularly impressed with their navigation skills and teamwork, especially when faced with worsening weather.

Arya Patel (Year 12) said the group’s survival skills were ‘really put to the test’ during the five-day expedition. ‘While we faced multiple challenges from hiking rocky mountains to the natural phenomenon which is the English weather, we survived and despite the struggles, we were still smiling by the end of what we would say was a memorable adventure.’

Tote-ally was a Young Enterprise team made up of 17 Year 12 students looking for business and leadership experience. We sold tote bags with original designs printed on them and made personalised giftware for our peers, including T-shirts. We learnt a lot from the experience as we held weekly meetings to discuss our ideas, progress, and future plans.

We visited Harpenden Christmas Market, Milton Keynes, and competed at the area final. We won an award for marketing at the final, which celebrated our biggest achievement as a company: partnering with Ancestry DNA to make bags with their logo. With such a large team, coordination was sometimes complicated, and we made a few errors along the way. When we started printing our Valentine’s Day bags, the design was flipped and the text was not readable; this somehow took us 10 bags to notice! We also intended to visit a third market but left crucial equipment at school so had to cancel last minute. However, we were always quick to solve our mistakes, so ran a sale and fundraiser at school to combat our potential losses.

Overall, we made a great profit which we divided among team members as per the shares policy, which was another great piece of learning. I personally found this to be a very rewarding process and if I were to set up my own business in the future I am certain that this project will have prepared me well.

Arya (bottom middle) and her Gold expedition team

Well done to all the Bronze and Silver participants that have now completed their skill, volunteering and physical section as well in order to complete the level and we look forward to seeing those who have signed up for the next level. We are also looking forward to hearing about all the Gold students’ visit to the palace to collect their completed awards.

By Lorna Constable, DofE Manager

By Harriet Lucas

Aachen

Team Craftopia

Harriet (third from right) with team Tote-ally

Paris

German Exchange

CLUBS FOCUS

With around 100 clubs on offer, the challenge is often working out how to fit them all in. Here, students who lead or take part in some of our most popular co-curriculars explain what their club is all about – and why they love it so much ...

YEAR 7 AND 8 DEBATING CLUB

I have always enjoyed debating issues with my family and was lucky to join the Debating Club at the start of Year 7. It has been a really enjoyable club and I have learned a lot from it.

Firstly, we learnt about how parliamentary debates (formal debates) are held, for example, what is a point of information or what is a rebuttal, and which people have which roles. This helped us prepare our speaking style and phrase our speeches.

Additionally, we spent a lot of time on gathering, analysing and fact-checking evidence, which has helped significantly in our speeches as it allows a point of view to have a greater impact and to be more robust. Next, we spent time on constructing our speeches. Learning how to frame a speech really helps when making an argument.

We also spent a great deal of time on practice debates, which are the glue that holds it all together. They were also beneficial when learning how to speak in public debates with clarity.

Towards the end of Year 7 I was lucky to take part in the Debating Club competition. The motion my team had to debate was ‘Should the voting age be reduced to 16?’. We were in teams of three: first speaker; second speaker and third speaker. As third speaker, I had to summarise the speeches made by my two fellow debaters and answer questions. It was lots of fun and we won the motion. For anyone in Year 7 or Year 8, I would encourage giving debating a go!

By club member Alice Cahill,

Year 7

TEXTILES CLUB

Three of our very skilled Textiles A level students passed on their passion to younger pupils during Year 7 Textiles Club, which they ran. Izzy Davies, Sadie Nicholls and Kirsten Done from Year 12 taught the younger girls how to make a stuffed toy animal; in the process of making, the girls practised their sewing machine and handstitching skills and learnt how to follow some complicated pattern instructions.

Izzy said: ‘I have really enjoyed the experience of leading Year 7 Textiles Club this year. We have been met with so much enthusiasm and it has been lovely to get to know the Year 7s and to watch them build their skills and confidence in Textiles. I hope that everyone has enjoyed this experience and that they are encouraged to continue with Textiles in the future.’

Sophia Roberts in Year 7 said: ‘It is always fun at Textiles Club; we are a small sewing community and everyone is really friendly!’

Minni Winnan, also in Year 7, added: ‘I loved Textiles Club, it was super fun and everyone was really nice. I also learnt new things and felt very supported.’

Student PUBLICATIONS

A diverse mix of publications has been produced by students this year, with varying levels of staff support. These are just some of them ...

YEAR 7-10 MAGAZINE CLUB

Year 7-10 Magazine Club is the perfect place for keen young writers who want to delve deeper and write about topics that are of interest to them. We meet every week, and during those sessions we go from brainstorming ideas to interviewing a variety of people, and then providing support in writing the article.

We had 10 students who regularly took part in this club during 2023-24 and produced four digital magazines, including topics from fast fashion to AI. Not only does the club allow the students to express their views through writing, it also allows them to communicate with other members, which leads to some very thought-provoking but mostly entertaining discussions.

We, the students and Mrs Phillips always had an amazing time (and continue to do so this year, supported by Miss Curtis); we really enjoy running Magazine Club.

By club leaders Arya Patel, Caitlin Prendergast, Heidi Long and Charlotte Kan, Year 12

L’ESCARGOT ROUGE

This edition of French magazine, L’Escargot Rouge, has a focus on scandals, covering sensational stories of fashion, food, art, music, cinema and celebrity across the French-speaking world. Well done to the Year 12 and 13 contributors for all their ideas, debate and writing, and thank you to French Assistants Taïna Juliard and Emma Meignen, for their creative design and editing expertise.

LA CHISPA

Run by students in Years 11 to 13, La Chispa aims to spread awareness about the Hispanic world and its history and culture. This ninth edition saw students exploring the theme of ‘mysteries of the Hispanic world’, revealing stories of everything from assassinations to abandoned cities, plus so much more.

DER WENDEPUNKT

‘Protest culture in Germany’ was the theme of the fourth issue of STAHS German magazine, Der Wendepunkt Produced by students in Years 10 to 13, the magazine’s focus is on cultural and historical aspects of Germanspeaking countries, rather than linguistic knowledge. It includes articles such as ‘The fight for women’s rights in East and West Germany’ and ‘Women’s protest through clothing in sport’.

THE PAGE TURNER

A STAHS English magazine that reviews and explores the themes and ideas in literature that shape the world around us, The Page Turner’s focus this year was the theme of ‘endings’. Edited by Romy Davies (Year 13) and Lucy Harris (Year 12), this edition offers a mix of biographical, analytical and creative writing which highlight the variety of endings that impact literature as a whole.

HOW WE GOT TO NOW

The July publication of STAHS History and Politics magazine How We Got to Now was ideally timed to coincide with the General Election. The Year 12 team of Flo Dye, Lizzie Wadham, Emily Withnell and Sadie Nicholls, led by editors-inchief Aadya Rajesh and Anoushka Sood, worked very hard on this 73-page bumper edition, which aims to inform readers of the historical roots of contemporary geopolitical and domestic issues.

MEDVETDENT

The second MedVetDent Magazine launched in March, and included a collection of articles written by STAHS students who are aiming to pursue Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and Dentistry at university. Edited by Heidi Long and Sabrin Osman in Year 12, it’s designed to appeal to all, not just prospective MedVetDent students.

Alice Cahill

6

I never do loungingabout holidays –I’d get restless!

2. HE WENT TO A GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND WAS ‘A RIGHT GEEK’

My school was similar to STAHS in many ways, but not private. I was such a geek at school! I loved languages and I had the most amazing German teacher. Her name was Mrs Stevenson and she very much taught beyond the syllabus and wanted us to enjoy the subject. We got the chance to go on the most amazing exchange and I’m still in touch with my exchange partner.

I did all sorts of things like stage lighting and sound at school – we got to put up the scaffolding ourselves and climb up it. There was no health and safety in those days! I was very much involved in DofE and got my Gold award and also played the flute (very badly) in the orchestra. I must be sounding like a right geek now!

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT

Mr Marshall

Jonathan Marshall joined STAHS in September 2020 as Assistant Head Academic Development and teacher of French and German. He tells us about competing in All-Ireland championships in race walking, his time at Oxford, and how he almost became a journalist ...

1. HE COMPETED IN ALL IRELAND NATIONALS

I ran 5,000m and 3,000m; it was cross country as well, so there was a bit of mud. I started running at about 11 but my biggest thing was race walking: I came first in All-Ireland race walking several times. But I never got anywhere near that for cross country. My PB for half marathon was when I was 22: 1 hour 28 minutes 21 seconds. I’ve never managed anything like that since! I still run – 10k is my favourite distance. I’m really not that competitive, however!

4. HE SPENT A YEAR IN FRANCE AND GERMANY AS A STUDENT AND NEARLY BECAME A JOURNALIST

During your third year of university doing languages you basically have a free choice to go anywhere in the world; you can study, be a language assistant, or do work experience. I did some time as an assistant in Le Havre, France and went to Bonn to work as an intern for Deutsche Welle, which is a bit like the BBC World Service. I worked in the English department, producing threeminute radio features in English, which were played on the lunchtime news and broadcast to different parts of the world. I did some stuff on popular science as well, including a report on teenage sleep. It was a really good experience.

Originally, I was going to go into journalism, creating what today is called ‘inquisitive speech radio’ features on current affairs. But I’d really enjoyed the language assistantship and got the bug to go into education. So, I came back to the UK, finished off my degree, then went and did a PGCE.

3. HE STUDIED MODERN LANGUAGES AT OXFORD

I came out of my interview thinking I had not got a place; I was astonished that I did. I just loved languages and also liked literature and reading, and the course there is very much based on that. I didn’t go for a traditional Portland stone college, I chose St Hugh’s College, one that had a mixed intake, including from state schools and different parts of the UK. I chose wisely and felt that I very much fitted in there. But it doesn’t really matter what college you go to – there’s such a diverse range of people and that’s what makes the place so interesting.

My time at Oxford was spent doing lots of orienteering, a bit of student journalism, and lots and lots of studying. I made the most amazing friends and still meet up with three of them.

My advice to STAHS students considering Oxford today would be to make sure you research the course really well, and that you love the subject you’re going for. Also, read really widely, get involved in all the opportunities in school like Stretch and the Mary Lucey Research Prize, and go into it thinking ‘this is an opportunity’.

I’m very much entrenched in education now; this is the job for me. But journalism was fascinating, and I would urge any student to go and do something like that in their year abroad. It was an amazing thing to do. I learned so much about society, about groups of people I’d never met before.

5. HE LOVES A HOT CHOCOLATE

I’m quite partial to hot chocolate, and that is one of my ways of relaxing. I can’t stand marshmallows and whipped cream, it’s got to be pure hot chocolate, the stuff that isn’t really made of milk – it’s like chocolate sauce, the kind of stuff you get in boulangeries in France. That’s my kind of thing. I’m in love with hot chocolate.

6. TREKKING HOLIDAYS ARE HIS FAVOURITE

I was and still am very outdoorsy. For our holidays, my partner and I like to go trekking in the mountains in Austria and Germany. I like going down south, beyond Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald on the Austrian-German border. We do a lot of German-speaking, we eat nice food and occasionally we hire mountain bikes.

There are lots of really good cycling routes in the valleys and we try and summit a few peaks. These areas of the Alps are not that popular in the summer – you won’t see a lot of people, if anybody at all. It’s proper wilderness, which is really nice. We’ve also been fortunate to visit Chile recently. There we trekked through the Torres del Paine National Park which was an absolutely stunning experience. At times we felt we had reached the end of the world! never do lounging-about holidays – I’d get restless! – but we sometimes do a cultural holiday to a city in Europe or somewhere else in the world. We really pack in the sights and museums, we don’t like to sit still!

Holidaying in Wettersteinspitze, on the border of Germany and Austria

Chile

Competing in Rostrevor, 1997

SCHOOL OFFICER 101

As one of our Deputy Heads of School for 2023-24, Tishe Afolayan relished the opportunities her role presented. She reflects on the challenges she overcame to secure and carry out the role, and what she learned from these experiences ...

As a younger student, what did you think of the School Officer team?

When I was younger, I thought the team looked very cool with their gowns and I looked up to them (literally)! As I made my way up the school, I started to really think more about what it would feel like if I were to become an Officer. The idea of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying to see if I would be suited to the role stuck with me and ultimately led me to applying.

What made you decide to put yourself forward?

I had a strong feeling that becoming an Officer would be something that I really enjoyed and would be good at. I also wanted to improve my personal leadership and teamwork skills, to name a few, so thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to focus on that. I did have some intrusive thoughts before applying as I began to doubt if this was something could do; however, my sister was super encouraging as she reminded me of all the reasons that I wanted to put myself forward in the first place.

What was the application process like for you?

I found the process to be very well-structured and clear. At each point, from writing my application letter to presenting to Mrs Waite, Miss Eddison and Mrs Monighan, to sharing my manifesto at hustings, I was confident on what I needed to do and how much time I had to do it. It also gave me a chance to really think about how I wanted to present myself and look back on the amazing things I’ve been able to achieve over the years. Getting through each stage of the process was really motivating and I felt very proud that I was eventually considered for the Head of School position.

What was the hustings process like?

The hustings process involved all three candidates preparing a manifesto which was sent to Years 11, 12 and 13. Once this was done, we had to prepare a speech for hustings where we pitched our ideas for the upcoming academic year. After the speeches, students and teachers were given the rest of the school day to decide and vote for

who they would like to be the next Head of School. During the run-up to the results being announced, I was definitely nervous however I also felt reassured because I knew that whoever became Head would be fantastic at the role.

What was your year as Deputy Head of School like?

It was amazing! It was so exciting to work with lots of different people and learn so much from them. The role was as I expected and more as I was able to also learn more about myself and what leadership style I have. The autonomy and independence that comes from being Deputy Head, as well as serving within the team as a collective, gave me lots of determination to pursue whatever I desire to. Some of the unexpected bits have included having to jump in the school swimming pool at 7.30am to film a fight scene for Harvest!

What specific responsibilities did you have?

Most of my responsibilities involved public speaking in some form, such as presenting an assembly for World Mental Health Day. One of my first responsibilities was speaking at the annual alumni reunion, where Sophie and I spoke about our experience at STAHS so far and what school is like for us as current students. Other parts of my role included coming up with creative ideas for things like Harvest Assembly, which required lots of collaboration as we also worked very closely with the House Officers.

What was the most challenging aspect of your role?

Learning how to balance my role with my other commitments. A very important skill that I’ve refined has been time management and this has helped me to block out time for the different tasks at hand.

Which bit did you most enjoy?

I really enjoyed the vast opportunities to meet and talk to so many people and learn how to work well within a team. From alumni to parents, engaging with our wider community has been a genuine privilege and I’m proud of the work that I’ve been able to do within my role and the fun that I’ve had along the way. Working closely with Mrs Waite, Miss Eddison and Mrs Monighan has been a real joy and I’m very grateful for all their help and support. Learning about each other’s strengths within the team has been enlightening and helped me to grow as a person too.

What did you learn from the experience?

I’ve learnt that it’s so important to try new things as much as you can and believe that you can do what you set your mind to. Putting yourself out there, as embarrassing or scary as it may feel, is so rewarding and will help to improve your confidence both within and outside academia.

What advice would you give to anyone considering applying to become a School Officer?

My number one piece of advice for anyone considering applying to become an Officer is to be yourself! Take advantage of the fact that your school experience is your own and take pride in having the opportunity to sell yourself as best you can. Also, think carefully about the different ideas you would like to implement into the School. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to see or do, this is the perfect chance to make those dreams a reality. Lastly, have fun with the process no matter where it takes you and remember to enjoy yourself along the way.

How do you think your Deputy Head of School experience will benefit you in the future?

My experience as Deputy Head has been invaluable and, as mentioned, there have been a vast range of things that I’ve learnt along the way. I’m really excited for what the future holds and how I’ll be able to apply the skills I’ve gained in my role to future opportunities. I hope to continue to pursue more leadership positions and work with an even wider range of people from different walks of life.

Putting yourself out there, as embarrassing or scary as it may feel, is so rewarding

What have been the highlights of your time at STAHS in general?

Many of the highlights from my time at school have been from House events, such as House Dance, which Julian were able to win this year! Sports Days have also been lots of fun in the sun with friends at the end of the school year. Travelling to New York for the Drama trip was incredible as we were able to visit many places such as the Empire State Building, 9/11 Memorial Museum and the Statue of Liberty. Playing the lead role of Deloris Van Cartier in our production of Sister Act was a fantastic opportunity to work with such talented cast and crew-mates. The experiences I’ve had over the years have been unforgettable and I’ll truly cherish them. What advice would you give a new Year 7 who’s just beginning her time at STAHS?

I would encourage a new Year 7 to embrace as much of secondary school life as they can. It may feel daunting and can take some time before you feel settled in, but once you do, you’ll feel comfortable and more confident to try new things. There are always things on offer that you can get stuck into and if you decide you don’t like something, that’s fine too! Utilise the breadth of opportunities that are available to you and always remember to have fun!

What do you plan to do after leaving STAHS?

I’m heading to King’s College London to study Pharmacology. I’m excited to continue fostering my love for learning at university as well as experiencing what life is like as a university student. I then hope to enter the pharmaceutical and healthcare communications industry to begin my career.

With fellow Deputy, Joan, left, and Head of School, Sophie

School Officers

We’re a sporty family; one of us will run the 8.5 miles to work, the other one will run home

Mrs Johnston’s

FITNESS JOURNEY

Laura Hicks joined STAHS as Second in Physics in 2016. She was promoted to Assistant Head –Co-Curriculum in 2019 and became Mrs Johnston in 2023 after marrying STAHS Performing Arts Technician, Alex Johnston. She tells us about representing Great Britain in cycling, her passion for parkrun, and owning 20 pairs of trainers ...

As a child I was much more musical than sporty I did loads of music – flute, singing, piano. I enjoyed sport, but never really had time to put into it. I was on the B team for netball, did a bit of athletics, and was on the cross country team, but wasn’t very good.

In 2014 I got a ballot place in the London Marathon. I thought I’d better learn to run! So, I joined a running club and that was that. I’ve run London almost every year since and raised over £5,000 for local charities.

I told everyone that I just wanted to finish the marathon, but secretly I wanted to go quicker than 3.45 and get a ‘good for age’ time. I did 3.43 and that’s what allowed me to keep doing it year after year. Last year I came back after having my son Charlie, who’s now three, it almost felt like starting all over again with far less time to train. I ran this year in 3.08 and beat my PB by four minutes, my first official PB since Charlie!

It took longer to get back to any kind of fitness after having Charlie than I ever imagined. It probably took about 12 months before I could run and think ‘this feels OK’. But I’m a lot less hard on myself now that I’ve got other things to worry about!

We’re a sporty family; one of us will run the 8.5 miles to work, the other one will run home. It’s a great run to do! Charlie has Little Kickers on a Sunday so one of us will run there and the other will drive him, then we’ll swap over. We make it work. It is harder, naturally – we can’t just go out whenever, and Alex and I probably wouldn’t train to both do a marathon at the same time as we’d never see each other.

Alex and I are both members of the core team of volunteers at Jersey Farm parkrun and were part of the team that helped set it up It’s such an amazing free community event, where every Saturday we run or marshal a 5k, then catch up with friends and family in the café. After taking my dad to his first parkrun at the age of 60, he has now completed over 250 and is in the best shape of his life!

I’m faster as a woman compared to other women than Alex is compared to other men, but if we’re racing each other, he would always win We didn’t used to be able to run together at all because he’d always annoyingly run slightly in front of me, but we’ve got better now and can actually enjoy a run together.

I carried on running while pregnant, but nowhere near as much as I’d hoped to. I did my last pregnant parkrun at 33 weeks, then I walked one on the day Charlie was basically born. Maybe that’s what made it happen! He was born on the Tuesday, and we were there saying hello to everyone at parkrun on the Saturday, so that was really nice.

We first met when we were sevenyear-old choristers at St Albans Cathedral. We didn’t see each other from about 16 until mid-late 20s, when we re-met at parkrun and St Albans Half Marathon. I asked him if he would give me a lift to cross country and that was that!

I usually run four times a week Typical marathon training would be some sort of interval session on Tuesday, a longish run of about eight miles on Thursday, then parkrun on Saturday (Charlie goes round in the buggy). Sunday is the long run day and I have people I go with – it’s our chance to catch up, running at a slow enough pace to comfortably talk.

We’ve got a little STAHS running group now: Rev Rosie, Drew [ThomsonJones], Henry [Cullen], Jonathan [Marshall], Chris Nicholls, Chris Bhantoa, Hazel Harper, Rachel Fletcher, Stephen Thorne. It’s nice to be able to go for a quick run after school with people.

I represented Great Britain in cycling I won a 67-mile qualifier race, the Tour of Cambridgeshire – I didn’t expect to win it at all – and went to Poland in 2019. It was a 90-mile race and there was a big crash within about 15 miles. I did finish, but with a rather broken bike and a few cuts and bruises.

I was also selected to represent GB for duathlon, but it never happened because of Covid It was a shame as I was in the peak shape of my life. It was an amazing thing to be a sporty person during Covid, though. The things you were allowed to do were the things I loved, and the weather was amazing. Alex and I spent all our time cycling and running. We got very, very fit!

All of my big successes came at a point where I was training to do an Iron Man-length triathlon. I’ve done quite a few triathlons, but I’m not sure I’ll go back into that; I don’t enjoy swimming enough. For my first Iron Man, I got a coach and I properly trained. I don’t have the time to train three sports anymore!

Running’s a really good mental release while I often struggle to motivate myself to get out for a run, especially if it’s cold, dark and raining, I know that the energised feeling afterwards will be worth it. I sometimes find myself running home from School and planning a lesson or wondering about some weird physics problem, and when I get home, I’ve solved it. During a race it can get quite tough mentally, but I often remind myself how lucky I am to be healthy enough to run in the first place and this spurs me on to the end.

When runners get injured it’s horrendous Nine weeks before my first marathon I twisted my ankle horrendously.

The physio said I wouldn’t run for months but I refused to listen and about two weeks later I got running again. I’ve done that same ankle quite a few times. It stopped me running the Amsterdam Marathon one year, because I twisted it again. I’m clumsy!

I’d love to go back into ultra running I did my first in about 2017, a 45-mile run from Wendover to Paddington called the Country to Capital. Ultra running’s amazing, because you see a hill and you walk it, and you get to eat lots – it combines two of my favourite things, running and eating! It’s a very different atmosphere,

you’re really just testing yourself against yourself and you often do it with friends.

One day I’d like to do a multi-stage event over a number of days and have to navigate and bring in all of that side of it as well.

One of my best moments was beating not only all the women but all the men in a 12-hour race There’s a local race called St Albans Stampede that goes around Heartwood Forest in four-mile loops for 12 hours. I just never came off the course! I had one lap to go, and it was nearly 9pm and dark and they said, ‘if you do this final lap and you get back in time you’ve beaten the boys’, and was like ‘I’ll give it a go!’. That was pretty awesome.

I must have at least 20 pairs of trainers You should see the shoe rack in our house! They’re all different types – trail shoes, spikes, easy training shoes, racing shoes. I’ve got absolutely loads, and so has Alex. We have an incredibly large shoe rack! You’ll find me on stopwatch duty every Sports Day I love the sense of House spirit and how there is so much support and cheering whether you run an 800m in two minutes or 10! One of my proudest moments was being promoted to chief timekeeper in 2023 – and I naturally take the staff relay incredibly seriously!

I really enjoy encouraging others to run and exercise and in the future would like to get a run coaching qualification. This would allow me to coach sessions at my run club, coach the young athletes at the athletics club and give back to the sport I love. Basically, combining my love of teaching and running!

Competing in the staff relay at the 2023 Sports Day

St Albans Stampede 2017

St Albans Half Marathon 2017

Christmas parkrun 2023

Laura’s dad’s 250th parkrun

Over half term I read a book a day. It was delightful

Rev Rosie

5

THINGS

Rev Rosie joined STAHS as Chaplain at the start of Michaelmas term 2023. Here she shares the five physical things that best sum her up ...

MAGGIE THE MAGNIFICAT

The beautiful cat that I own or am owned by! I got her in December 2020 when I had just started my curacy, the on-the-job training part of ministry. Her name is a thoroughly Anglican Church of England pun: the magnificat is a bit of liturgy that we say in evening prayer every day. When I discovered that this was a thing in Anglicanism, I was like, great: whenever I get a cat, I’m going to call them Maggie the Magnificat. And finally, I have!

Maggie is very snuggly; she will spend most of the night either lying on top of me or snuggled right in, which is very cute. She was a Covid kitten, so she doesn’t really like other people, though I currently live with my sister and one other person, and she has decided they are an acceptable addition to the household.

She doesn’t like the Hoover, and whenever the doorbell rings she will instantly stop whatever she’s doing and run and hide. But she does like playing with shoelaces and enjoys eating spider plants. She’s also a good one for making me sit down on the sofa and not do anything. Absolutely would recommend!

2

DARTMOOR

Something that I have loved doing for a really long time is getting out and walking. I went to uni in Exeter and also worked for the NHS and did my curacy in Devon. Dartmoor was my closest bit of wilderness and it’s something that I miss; Hertfordshire’s beautiful but it’s not the same.

I started my curacy during the Covid pandemic and it was all lockdowns and no socialising, which was really hard. But what you could do is go out walking on your own, so I did a lot of that. There are 223 tors on Dartmoor, which are massive chunks of granite. I challenged myself to climb every single one, which I managed to do two weeks before I finished my curacy.

I’m the sort of person who can get stuck in their head, so it’s really good for me to be reminded that actually I am really, really small and the world is really, really big. And in the grand scheme of things, the stuff that’s going on that I’m finding tricky is not the end of the world. Wild spaces remind us that the stuff that we often think is life and death really isn’t.

Dartmoor is a really beautiful place but the weather is often horrendous. One time I was walking in an area called Fox Tor Mire and I sank up to my knees in a bog. I was just standing on the spot laughing to myself! I’m not a camper; I really like knowing that if I get soaking wet and fall in a bog then I can come home and get dry and warm!

4

CAR KEYS

3

STOLE

Often when people are ordained they get given stoles as a present and my white stole was made for me by the church that I grew up in.

It was embroidered by a lady called Christine, who got everyone else from the church to put a few stitches in. When I wear it, I know that I’m carrying the love and support of all those people with me.

I grew up in a Baptist church, rather than in the Church of England, so, bless them, making a stole is absolutely not their tradition. Even though they were a bit confused by the path that I’ve chosen, they love me and wanted to support me, which is really lovely.

Christine put the design together; it’s got blue wavy lines of embroidery thread going across both sides, signifying water, and embroidered wheat sheaves and plants. It’s drawing on a passage in Isaiah, Chapter 35, that talks about the way God will always restore the things that are dry or dead in our lives. That is what I would call the core of my faith: even the things that are hard and feel like they’re dying and broken are never dead with God; everything that God brings to us is life and resurrection and hope for the future.

I grew up in Northamptonshire, and have lived in Leicestershire, Exeter, Coventry, Durham (where I went to theological college), Tavistock and now here. I’ve got really used to living in different places, places where often friends aren’t, so it’s really important for me to be mobile and able to recharge with people who know me. My car is my means of travelling to see people that I love. When you’re in ministry there’s often an expectation that you will be the person who’ll have it all together and actually being with people who know you beyond that is really, really important.

St Albans is horrendously expensive, but my aspiration is to move here and also to buy rather than rent. I live in Watford at the moment and really like going home. I am an introvert – a very chatty introvert, but actually I recharge away from people. Sometimes I just need to go home and lie on the sofa with Maggie.

5

BOOKS

I read a lot and love a library. When I was a kid we had a weekly trip to the library and it was the best thing. I’m a really fast reader and whenever I would go to buy a book I’d have read it within a day. So the library – where you get books for free – is amazing.

I’m a total fantasy nerd. love magic and dragons and creativity and being reminded that we’re capable of amazing things. I absolutely love Naomi Novik, and recently reread her Scholomance trilogy, which is set in a school where kids learn to use their magic, all the while fighting off the monsters who want to eat them. It’s about using your skills, dealing with the challenges of life, but also

about privilege, politics and human identity. Fantasy lets you think about real questions and issues that we have in the world today; because they’re removed from real life it’s easier to have our perspectives shaped and challenged. Terry Pratchett does that amazingly. I also have a deep love for Tamora Pierce who writes lots of beautiful feminist fiction about people fighting through adversity and making the world a better place, which is totally my jam.

I have been enjoying going to the library at STAHS and Jo [Foster] the librarian knows my love of young adult fiction – my guilty pleasure. I think adult fiction is often less hopeful about the way the world is, whereas a lot of young adult fiction has that turn towards goodness and renewal, which is also

part of my faith. Whether that just means I haven’t grown up yet I don’t know!

I read one book a week during term time, but over half term I read a book a day. It was delightful, I had a lovely time ... on the sofa with Maggie!

ALUMNI

Annabel Lowe

Annabel Lowe, our 2021-22 Head of School, left STAHS for Harvard with 11 Grade 9 GCSEs and A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Economics and Computer Science A levels. She explains why she rejected Cambridge, what she misses most about the UK, and the part STAHS had to play in her success ...

How would you describe your time at STAHS?

I had an incredible time at STAHS and made some of my best friends and favourite memories there. was exposed to so many different opportunities which became transformational to my life, whether that was trying lacrosse in Year 7 or choosing Computer Science in Year 9. I definitely wouldn’t be half as confident and willing to try new things if I hadn’t gone to STAHS!

How did the School help you achieve your potential?

The encouragement from teachers at STAHS to try and keep at lots of different activities led me to be where I am today. I definitely was told that I was trying to do too much at times but with the support of teachers was able to balance everything I wanted to achieve academically and extracurricularly!

You were Head of School: what was that experience like for you and what did you learn from it?

I loved being Head of School. It taught me so much about public speaking, managing people and personalities, and improved my organisational skills exponentially. It was definitely a learning curve as we went into Michaelmas term whilst trying to also apply to universities, but I came out with skills I will use forever.

What are your fondest memories of your time at STAHS?

My times on the lacrosse team definitely were some of my absolute favourite memories at school. A particularly special occasion was getting to captain the first team alongside Thea to a top eight finish in the country for my last Nationals.

What made you choose Harvard over Cambridge?

I had a place to study Computer Science at Cambridge but ultimately chose Harvard for a couple of reasons. The first was that I love the liberal arts system and had struggled choosing between studying CS and Economics originally for the UK. Choosing Harvard meant that

I could keep breadth in my studies and try lots of different classes. Another big part for me was the emphasis on getting involved with extracurriculars, which has led me to be in lots of different clubs, such as the Tour Guide programme and Women in Business. Last but not least, I love to travel and not only do I get to live so close to Boston but I’ve also had the chance to visit lots of different states, from Colorado to New York to California, and stay with friends in all of them, which has been awesome!

What are you studying?

I’m studying Computer Science and Economics with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies! The liberal arts system in the US really gives me a chance to try lots of different classes and I’ve been trying my best to stretch myself across different departments. Can you describe the process of applying to a US university?

The US application process is very different from the UK; during the application the US is really trying to get an understanding of you as a person and what makes you tick. There’s one main essay and then each college usually asks for supplemental essays, and these can be on anything. I wrote my main essay about how bad I am at art, so it’s not like the UK personal statement which is purely academic! There also might be interviews but these are just another opportunity for the college to learn about who you are as a person and whether you’d be a good fit for their institution.

How does the US university experience compare to the one your peers are having in the UK?

I think the main differences have been the range of people I’ve been able to meet and the different classes I’ve been able to take. The student body at Harvard represents every state in the USA and over 140 countries, which means I’m in classes with extremely diverse experiences and thoughts. Despite being a CS and Economics student I’ve taken classes called ‘The Role of the Government’, ‘Why is there no cure for Health?’, and ‘Afrikaans’ to name a few. These are also taught by awesome professors who are at the top of their field; some have even won Nobel Prizes!

What advice would you give to any current STAHS students considering studying in the US?

Go for it! This was the best decision I have ever made and although it might seem like a big jump it’s been so rewarding and I’m so glad I did it. And if anyone has any questions about applying I’m more than happy to help answer them!!

What are the British foods/shops/behaviours that you miss the most?

I definitely miss my mum’s Sunday roast dinners the most. I didn’t even realise most Americans didn’t know what roast dinner was until I told them!

What ‘British’ things do you say and do, according to your American friends?

The ones I always get picked up on is saying ‘cheers’ instead of ‘thank you’ and ‘jumper’ not ‘sweater’. I’ve become a bit American though according to my British friends but the Americans still say I’m extremely British. I’m in a weird limbo but trying to stay as British as possible.

How diverse is the student community at Harvard? Are there lots of Brits?

The student body at Harvard is extremely diverse and something I’m super grateful for. At Harvard there’s about 110 Brits at any one time and this academic year international students comprise around 16% of undergraduate students. I’ve loved being able to meet people from all corners of the globe and get to learn about their culture whilst sharing mine.

How often do you come home?

I spend the majority of the year in the US and come home normally three times a year, for Christmas and then at the beginning and end of summer. I love going home and catching up with my family and friends from STAHS. I’m also fortunate that my family comes out to visit Boston usually for a weekend every year!

Do you plan to stay in the US after you graduate?

At the moment I think I want to stay in the US immediately after graduation and either stay in Boston or move down to New York. Long term I have no clue but it will probably be between London, Boston and New York!

What are your career goals?

I’m hoping to do something within finance; this last summer I did an investing internship but next summer I’m trying investment banking. I’m just trying to try as much as possible to figure out what I want to do before I go into full time.

I definitely wouldn’t be half as confident and willing to try new things if I hadn’t gone to STAHS!

Annabel as Head of School 2021-22

Annabel at Harvard

Lizzie Mawston

STAFF ALUMNI

Olivia Dixon

When did you attend STAHS? 2011-18.

What kind of student were you?

A good one, I hope! You’ll have to ask my teachers (they’re still here!). What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

I was involved in various choirs throughout school, Debating (funny that) and I was a Deputy Julian House Captain in Sixth Form. This was loads of fun, but it also meant that I had no choice but to put myself forward for House Swimming.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

Particular highlights include running the 300m in a chilli pepper costume on Sports Day, getting on the wrong subway in Washington with Mr Mew, and (embarrassingly) crying during the last Shine Jesus Shine in Year 13.

What was your proudest moment?

Definitely being a Deputy House Captain – what a privilege to have that role in such a lovely community!

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

I didn’t leave very long ago so, yes, most of them. I still haven’t called Mrs Ray by her first name.

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I studied English at Bristol for both my BA and my MA. When did you join STAHS as a member of staff? 2022.

Many former STAHS students enjoyed their time at the School so much they found work here as adults. These are just six of the current staff who also went to school at STAHS ...

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

It felt strange but exciting, for sure. Being in full school assembly really makes me feel like I never left!

How has the School changed since you were a pupil here?

I work in a building that didn’t even exist when I was here, so structurally it has changed a lot. But the Harvest Festival plotline is still the same, so, not that much.

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

It’s been a real rush to be allowed into the staff room of my own accord. And it’s great to learn from teachers in a different way.

If you weren’t a research tutor or librarian, what would you be?

My subject is English, so perhaps a novelist. Or an English teacher!

Anna Noack

(was Tombs) Marketing Officer

When did you attend STAHS?

I was here from 1988 to 1999, from seven to 18.

What kind of student were you?

Talkative and happy. I remember one of my subject reports in year 7 said I was very quiet, and my parents knew instantly they’d got me confused with someone else.

Director of PE (Prep)

When did you attend STAHS? 2004-09

What kind of student were you? A try-hard!

What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

All the sports teams and an orchestra (briefly). School Sports Captain.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

Sixth Form Common Room memories; all of the fancy dress days and Muck Up Day where we turfed the lower corridor – it was some sort of caveman theme! I think some of the turf was then sold to one of the music teachers at the time.

What was your proudest moment?

Getting voted in as Sports Captain; I was terrified of doing the speech in front of everyone and nearly pulled out.

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

Yes! I work with a few in the PE Department now. And most of my A level teachers are still here – thank you Science and Maths Departments! Mrs Galea, Mrs Whiting, Mrs Davies, Ms Sumner, Mr Duddles, Dr Legg, Mrs Jallport, Mrs Thomson, Mr Ramsbottom, Mrs McSherry [now Miss Woods], Mrs Taylor...

All fabulous teachers!

Where did you go to university and what did you study? I went to the University of Birmingham to study Sport and Exercise Science.

What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

I really enjoyed Drama at school and loved the trips I went on to Stratford-upon-Avon. I remember the Diving and Synchronised Swimming Club well! There were far fewer clubs on offer when I was a pupil here.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

My fondest memories are of friends; my school group are still my best friends now, over 30 years later.

What was your proudest moment?

Getting my A levels and getting into university was a big thing obviously but I remember smaller things too, like a teacher in Junior House when I was about nine asking me to stand up in front of the class to congratulate me on my politeness!

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

Dr Legg was here briefly whilst I was here, and Mr Chandler, who taught me DT in Year 7. I saw him in the Prep staff room on my second day in the job!

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I went to the University of Southampton and studied Psychology.

What inspired you to become a marketing officer?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after university, so I went to a careers fair and found out about PR and communications, which appealed as I’d always enjoyed writing and I wanted to do

What inspired you to become a teacher?

My PE teachers and my Mum (STAHS teacher alum too!). My mum was Mrs Mawston – she taught RS/History/Careers/Sixth Form. She only taught me on my taster day, but she taught most of my friends! When did you join STAHS as a member of staff?

September 2016.

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

Excited and nervous. Familiar friendly faces really helped! How has the School changed since you were a pupil here? It’s really grown!

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

Growing as a teacher; I have gained so much confidence and experience. I’m not sure I’d recognise the person I was back in 2016.

Rejoining the Paris family is a particular highlight!

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Most likely I would’ve joined the Police. I want to be able to help people ... and I like rules.

something with people not numbers. I worked in a PR agency and then for two charities before freelancing at home after children. I enjoyed it but missed working face to face in a team.

When did you join STAHS as a member of staff?

I joined in November 2023.

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

Really positive, I was happy here and have stayed in touch through the Alumni Advisory Group. I can’t believe it’s been 25 years since I left.

How has the School changed since you were a pupil here?

It’s doubled in size. The main corridor is still the same and some of the bits of the main building, but the site with Michael House and the Rotunda is so different – it was the ‘primary’ part of the School when I was here. The school playing fields are much improved and there’s no longer an outdoor pool with outdoor changing cubicles!

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

There’s always so many things going on in the School that it makes my role incredibly varied. The Marketing, Admissions and Development team are lovely and have been very welcoming.

It’s a fun and dynamic place to work.

If you weren’t a marketing officer, what would you be?

My degree was in Psychology, and I’m still fascinated by it and people in general, so I think it would be something related like a child psychologist.

Sixth Form Research Tutor and Librarian; Head of Debating

Hannah Hunt (was

When did you attend STAHS?

2000-07.

What kind of student were you?

Mostly involved in music and badminton. I also loved art. What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

All choirs, was in Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, I played badminton and was Badminton Captain for my last two years.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

I enjoyed Activity Week, which is what we called Enrichment Week, and the various concerts.

What was your proudest moment?

I sang the Once in Royal solo twice in the Carol Service when at the School. I sang the Pie Jesu solo Fauré’s Requiem in the Joint Schools’ concert in the Abbey when I was in Year 10. I also played Rutter’s Suite Antique on the flute with the Chamber Orchestra and competed in the Music for Youth Competition in Birmingham. We may have come second but I don’t remember.

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

Yes, quite a few! Definitely Geography by Stephen Ramsbottom and Mrs Thomson. Claire Turkington taught me Music in Year 13 and she was brilliant; I loved harmonising Bach Chorales with her teaching.

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I studied the flute, singing and composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for my undergraduate degree in Music. I then completed my Master’s in the Flute at the Royal Academy of Music, and later completed my PGCE in Primary Education at the University of Hertfordshire.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

Coming from a family of teachers – my mum also taught at STAHS for 11 years. She was Mrs Watts and taught French (and sometimes German) and was Verulam Housemistress for many years. She never taught me, but covered one Latin lesson once and she didn’t notice I was in the class for a while as I had slid so far down in my chair from embarrassment.

When did you join STAHS as a member of staff?

September 2015.

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

It’s a bit different for me as I never attended the Prep, although a lot of my friends did. When I’m up at the Senior School each week taking music groups it is nice to be in familiar surroundings, although it has changed quite a lot since I was at school and I do get lost around New Hall!

How has the School changed since you were a pupil here?

The buildings are all quite different now, in particular it feels strange not having the old school hall and library. The departments are quite a bit bigger also. The new swimming pool was built when I was in Sixth Form, so swimming lessons were always outside.

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

The pupils and staff are very lovely and are a pleasure to work with and teach.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

In a dream situation I would paint portraits.

When did you attend STAHS?

I joined in Year 3 in 2003 and stayed until Year 13 in 2014.

What kind of student were you?

On the whole I was pretty hard-working in the subjects I enjoyed. In the subjects I found less enjoyable, I was probably a bit of a distraction!

I was always running around playing lots of different sports, which helped to keep me busy and get rid of some energy.

What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

I was always involved in lots of different sports including netball, tennis, lacrosse, athletics and rounders. Drama and music were definitely not my calling! I captained a number of different teams throughout my time at STAHS and in Sixth Form I became School Sports Captain.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

A lot of my most memorable moments come from school trips and sports tours. I can still remember the hot chocolate on the Year 8 trip to a German Christmas market and the safari on a netball tour to South Africa.

What was your proudest moment?

Although it’s now a common occurrence(!) our U14 netball team was the first team to ever make it to the Regional Finals of National Schools, which was very exciting.

Ellie Curtis

Teacher of English

When did you attend STAHS?

I started Year 7 in September 2005, and left at the end of Sixth Form in May 2012.

What kind of student were you?

Chatty! I absolutely loved school, and loved learning, but I probably drove my teachers insane with the amount I talked during lessons. I’m definitely getting my comeuppance now that I’m dealing with chatty students myself!

What clubs/extra-curricular activities were you involved with, and what (if any) leadership roles did you take on?

I was a bit of a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ when it came to extracurricular: I did ‘the usual’ variety of sports and music but wasn’t an athlete or virtuoso by any means. Duke of Edinburgh was a real highlight – I did my Gold award on a school trip to Ecuador –and I also loved getting involved with Model United Nations, Young Enterprise, school magazine, that sort of thing.

What are your fondest memories of your time here?

It’s a predictable answer, but school trips were always incredible and definitely make up some of my fondest memories. Another memory that sticks out was when my year group did a surprise ‘flash mob’ performance of Stick to the Status Quo from High School Musical in our final week of Year 13 – I’m aging myself here, but flash mobs were all the rage back in the early 2010s – and that was loads of fun.

What was your proudest moment?

Mandeville winning anything!

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

I was taught in Year 8 by Mrs Ray and from Year 10-13 by Ms Willmott, both of whom I now work alongside in the English department! There are a few other teachers who also taught me when I was a student, including Mr Ramsbottom, Mrs Thomson, Mr Mew, and Dr Legg, among others … none of whom have aged whatsoever!

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I got my BA in English form the University of York and my MA in Gender Studies from University College Dublin.

Were you taught by any of your current colleagues?

Quite a few ... Mrs Galea, Mrs Monighan, Mrs Whiting, Mr Ramsbottom, Mr Mew, Miss Marsh, Mrs Trenor [now Ms Ling]. Mrs Taylor, Mrs Thomson and Mrs Turkington all taught me at some point during my time at the Senior School.

What university did you go to and what did you study?

For my undergraduate degree: Biology at the University of Bath. And postgraduate degree: Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Topical Medicine.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I really enjoy helping people to learn, develop and improve. There’s a sense of satisfaction you get from the job that I couldn’t find in my previous career in public health research. Even if you have the same lessons week-on-week, each day is different which keeps things very entertaining. I helped out at STAHS doing a bit of coaching whilst doing public health research and much preferred working at STAHS.

I loved being outside, working with the students and working as part of a team. I went back to university this September to do my PGCE on the job whilst working at STAHS simultaneously.

What inspired you to become a teacher?

I hate to admit that sort of ‘fell into’ teaching by accident – but a very happy accident! I took a part-time job in a school whilst figuring out what I wanted to do post-MA. Initially, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but after about 1.5 days at my first school I totally fell in love with teaching. I quickly abandoned the idea of law (which, after working in a school, suddenly seemed kind of boring) and have never looked back.

When did you join STAHS as a member of staff?

April 2024 – I’m very new!

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

Honestly, the school has changed so much since I left that it didn’t really feel like ‘returning’ at all. The only parts of the school that are recognisable are upper and lower corridor, the Library, and some parts of Michael House and Ringwood. The rest is brand new, so it genuinely feels like a different school. That said, it’s lovely seeing some familiar faces, though very weird transitioning to calling my old teachers by their first names!

How has the School changed since you were a pupil here?

Physically it’s changed enormously, but the spirit still feels the same. Something new that has really tickled me is teachers wearing academic gowns to assembly – very Hogwarts.

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

The entire experience has been great. All the staff are incredibly welcoming and supportive, and the students are great fun to teach! Also I feel I should shout out the Catering team – the school lunches here are delicious.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Definitely not a lawyer … maybe an editor? I always saw myself ending up in education eventually, so perhaps I was always destined to teach. In a total fantasy world, I’d have loved to be an astronaut!

When did you join STAHS as a member of staff?

I joined in April 2023.

How did you feel about returning to your old school?

I felt slightly nervous, but there was a nice comfort to it as well.

I think I can relate to the pupils well because I’ve been in their shoes, which definitely helps.

How has the School changed since you were a pupil here?

It has changed quite a lot – many new buildings, bigger year groups, a 3G pitch, a longer school day, and much better lunches!

What have you enjoyed most about working here?

I love working in the PE Department, it’s a fantastic group of people to work with who make the day-to-day a lot of fun. I’ve had some fantastic classes who have made my first year here very enjoyable.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Probably still working in public health research going slightly stir-crazy behind a computer screen!

Watts)

Director of Music (Prep)

Sophie Carter

Teacher of PE/Head of Cricket

DRAMA

THE 39 STEPS

Our Senior School play, The 39 Steps, was warmly received by audiences in the Jubilee Hall during Michaelmas term.

Margaux Hill (Year 12) took on the lead role of Richard Hannay in Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock classic, with support from more than 40 fellow cast-members and a huge creative team.

The 39 Steps

MATILDA JR.

The Jubilee Hall was rocked by rousing performances of Matilda Jr. during Lent term, as our Lower School production was shared with our community. The crowd-pleasing likes of Revolting Children, Naughty and When I Grow Up were delivered in show-stopping style to delighted audiences, including a special matinee performance for students of STAHS Prep, Manor Lodge and Maple Primary School.

This was a huge team effort, with 59 students in Years 7 to 9 involved as either cast or crew, or as part of the technical team. The production was directed by Drama teacher Chris Bhantoa –now Director of Drama – who was supported by a team of Year 10 Assistant Directors and four crew mentors from Years 11 to 13.

He said: ‘I am so proud of the Matilda company. This was an ambitious production with huge dance numbers, difficult harmonies, and complicated scene-changes – not to mention four cast members flying above the audience’s heads on swings!

‘Throughout the entire process the cast and crew were enthusiastic, creative and resilient. Students from different year groups became friends; laughed; played; problem-solved; and worked together to produce a spectacular show. It was easy for me to forget that the cast and crew were not professionals, but 11-to-14year-olds. I will sorely miss the silliness and happiness of each rehearsal, and will never forget the final performances.’

Matilda Jr.

REBELLIOUS WOMEN

STAHS Theatre Company’s production of Rebellious Women shone an aptly-timed light on the suffragette cause, with the final performance taking place on International Women’s Day on 8 March.

Commissioned by the School as part of the Write the Girl initiative and created in partnership with the professional playwright Beth Flintoff, Rebellious Women explored the story of Wimbledon suffragettes

Rose Lamartine Yates and Edith Begbie. It revisited events such as the 1911 suffrage ‘No Votes, No Census’ protests and explored some challenging themes, such as police brutality and forced feeding.

The matinee – performed to Year 9 Drama electives and Arts Award students – was followed by a Q&A with Beth Flintoff, which was recorded and shared as a podcast. This was followed by a second performance in the Jubilee Hall, and a finale at the Barn Theatre, which served as the School’s entry to the Welwyn Garden City Youth Drama Festival.

Former Director of Drama Holly Whymark said: ‘As a director I have been so impressed by this most talented company. They really invested in their characters, undertaking detailed research into the events of the play and the lives of these important women. The audience remarked on their powerful performances and sensitivity to the themes explored.’

By performing at two venues, the cast had to adapt their performance to suit the different staging arrangements: the performance at STAHS was immersive, being performed on a traverse stage, while the Barn Theatre has a traditional proscenium stage.

Mrs Whymark added: ‘This was a big challenge but one the company met with gusto. I am very proud and feel privileged to have worked with this wonderful group.’

RebelliousWomen

ART Artist in Residence Week

Students were treated to an inspirational visit from award-winning portrait artist Tom Mead, who spent a week at STAHS as our Artist in Residence in Michaelmas term.

Tom won the London Graphic Centre Art Prize in 2023 and was a finalist in Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year in 2019, which he balanced with his final year of study in Fine Art: Painting at UAL Wimbledon.

During his residency, Tom gave bespoke workshops to Years 10 to 13 and delivered a lunchtime talk about his art practice, career and time on the Portrait Artist of the Year TV show.

Years 7, 8 and 9 had lessons inspired by his artwork and produced some exciting and skillful drawings and paintings. During his time in our studio he worked on two paintings, which students watched develop in real time throughout the week.

Tom Mead

ART ACHIEVEMENT

Year 8 student Sophia Alekseyev’s painting, One Step at a Time, was selected for the Royal Academy of Art Young Artists’ Summer Show. Sophia’s piece featured in both the online exhibition and the in-person show at the Royal Academy from 16 July to 11 August – a huge achievement!

A Level Exhibitions

Our GCSE and A level Art students produced some outstanding work this year. Here is a selection from their stunning end of year exhibitions ...

Eve Holdstock

Cara Sweeney

ART GCSE Exhibitions

Alyssa Kobylyanskaya

Isabella Ross

Ayomide Olomolehin

Rebekah Tembra

Mariam Mirza

Rosemary Faiz

Grace Elgey

Sienna Warden Bella Kelly

Mackenzie McGowan Molly Pearson

MUSIC

BARNARDO’S NATIONAL CHORAL COMPETITION FINALS

Our Senior Chamber Choir enjoyed great success this year, being crowned National Choral Champions 2024 at the Barnardo’s National Choral Competition Finals.

The choir performed Gustav Holst’s Ave Maria an a cappella motet written for double choir as well as Ain’t No Grave, an incredibly rhythmically complex gospel song under the direction of Emma Price, Director of Music.

The choir competed against five other school choirs from across the UK in the Senior category of the competition, which took place at Birmingham Symphony Hall in March; the standard was incredibly high with only one mark between the top three schools.

The 28 girls involved in Years 9 to 13 were delighted with the win, which followed months of hard work, having started learning the pieces back in January 2023.

LADY RUNCIE MEMORIAL MASTERCLASS

Katherine McAuley (Year 10) and Daria Stetsenko (Year 13) delivered outstanding performances in the Lady Runcie Memorial Masterclass, which took place at St Albans School in February. They joined two pupils from the boys’ school to play music by Korn and Rachmaninoff at the event, which is all about encouraging young pianists.

The masterclass was followed by a short performance from renowned pianist Rolf Hind, who has previously given recitals at Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House.

This annual piano masterclass takes place every year in memory of Lady Rosalind Runcie, who taught piano at both STAHS and St Albans School. As ever, we were very grateful to the generosity of her family for making this event possible.

STAHS MAESTROS MUSIC MASTERCLASS AND RECITAL SERIES

We were visited by four outstanding musicians last year, as part of the STAHS Maestros Music Masterclass and Recital Series. Esteemed cellist

Pal Banda delivered a Strings masterclass, visiting soprano Monica McGhee focused on singing, and the Woodwind Masterclass came courtesy of renowned flautist Ian Clarke. Finally, Letty Stott, Head of Performance at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, gave a lecture-recital on ancient horns, which students were able to experiment with, making for an informative and entertaining session.

Monica McGhee

Letty Stott

Monica McGhee

Pal Banda

STAHS YOUNG MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Xanthe Babcock in Year 11 was crowned STAHS Young Musician of the Year 2024 back in May.

Xanthe – who was recognised for her performances on both piano and French horn –received the Mary Gough Scholarship as her prize, which equates to a year’s worth of music lessons. Second place was shared by Kitan Oyetunde (Year 13) and Clara Suss-Francksen (Year 12), while Avery Hewitt (Year 12) and Nicole Xenophontos (Year 10) were Highly Commended.

More than 220 Prep and Senior students entered the competition, the largest number to date. The competition was divided into five categories by musical family, from Grade 1 and below to Grade 8 and above.

The winners in each category were invited to perform in a special concert at St Peter’s Church in June to celebrate their achievement.

JOINT SCHOOLS’ CONCERT

STAHS joined forces with St Albans School to deliver our 54th Joint Schools’ Choral Society Concert, which took place at St Albans Cathedral in March. The Joint Schools’ Choir and Orchestra bring together students, staff and parents of both schools, as well as members of our local community, and this time focused on two choral works: Rutter’s Magnificat and Fauré’s Requiem

Around 300 adults and pupils took part in a truly stunning and uplifting evening of music. Special thanks to Emily Rowley Jones, who sang the soprano solo in Rutter’s Magnificat, and to Joan Alabi and John-Ellis Wallace from Year 13, who sang the solos in Fauré’s Requiem

Xanthe Babcock

Young Musician of the Year finalists

STEM

STAHS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023

Congratulations to Emilia Calleja from Year 7, who was crowned STAHS Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023. This year’s competition saw the largest participation yet – over 400 entries in total – with Emilia named Portfolio Award Winner and Overall Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023.

Congratulations, too, to the following category winners:

Mammals – Paloma Lee, Year 10

Birds – Alice Baddon, Year 12

Plants and Fungi – Ruby Wigg, Year 10

Other Vertebrates – Aarya Chander, Year 7

Invertebrates – Alice Finnie, Year 11

Foundation first place

SCIENCE WEEK

Winner

Intermediate first place

In March, five days of explosions, dissections and fun-packed plantathons made Science Week one to remember for all the many students who got involved. Further highlights included an Astro-nuts lecture on ‘The Physics of Time’, a Physics problems workshop with Professor Lewis Dartnell for Year 12, and the chance to make crystal gardens for pupils in Years 7 and 8.

ROTARY TECHNOLOGY TOURNAMENT

Our 3D Design students in Years 9 to 13 achieved success across the board in the Rotary Technology Tournament in March. Teams were challenged to design and manufacture a prototype to solve an engineering task, and had to present their planning, analysis and design development to the judges. Congratulations to the following students: Foundation: first place:

Anaya Bassi (Year 9)

Lily Wakeford (Year 9)

Bibi Fisher (Year 9)

Sara Kimura Carvalho (Year 9)

Intermediate: first place

Alannah Michael (Year 10)

Eloise Stefanutto (Year 10)

Monica Castle (Year 10)

Isla Forster (Year 10)

Intermediate: second place

Anais Rajasingam (Year 11)

Isabel Dunbar (Year 11)

Lucy Niu (Year 11)

Advanced: first place

Eleena Hearne (Year 12)

Matilda Griffith (Year 12)

Emily Latto (Year 12)

Harriet Lucas (Year 12)

Advanced: second place

Lucca Shirley (Year 12)

Raissa Vickery (Year 12)

Charlotte Kan (Year 12)

Advanced first place

DT SUCCESS

3D Design students Mattie Thomas (Year 13) and Ava Gardner (Year 11) were nominated for prestigious Young Furniture Makers Awards, which recognise excellence in design. Both were invited to exhibit their designs at the Young Furniture Makers Exhibition in Michaelmas 2024; Ava exhibited her collapsible table and was commended on producing work of such a high standard. Organised by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the event showcases the very best furniture and furnishing design talent, from GCSE students to recent graduates.

Emilia Calleja (portfolio images)

Alice Bladdon

Paloma Lee Aarya Chander

Ruby Wigg

Alice Finnie

Ava Gardner

ACADEMIC Scholars

THE APPRENTICE CHALLENGE 2023

In Michaelmas term, Year 7, 8 and 9 Atkins Scholars were tasked with coming up with a TV advert in a foreign language with which to market British products to customers abroad. Adverts ranged from advertising Jaffa Cakes in French, wellies in German and crumpets in Spanish. The quality of entries was particularly high. Congratulations go to the winning team for their commercial on wellies: Anna Lucia Gonzalez Blankenship (Year 7), Tabitha Hall (Year 9), Olive Baldwin (Year 9), Senuli Gamage (Year 8) and Aarya Chander (Year 7).

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

The Year 12 De Beauvoir Fellows held a Model United Nations conference during Michaelmas term, in which they took the role of different countries and tried to resolve the problem of migrants losing their lives whilst crossing the Mediterranean. All participants put themselves in the shoes of the countries they were representing, and a number of excellent resolutions were passed. Certificates for Highly Commended Delegate were awarded to Noah Angus (Canada) and Gladys Lam (Norway). The certificate for Outstanding Delegate was awarded to Romy Davies, representing South Korea.

THE FIX

Our largest ever cohort of entrants tried their hand at government policy-making in March in a project called The Fix. A De Beauvoir Fellows initiative open to all of Year 12, it tasked entrants with coming up with solutions to the UK’s trickiest social problems. The winning team of Margaux Hill and Gladys Lam particularly impressed the judges with their pitch for creating affordable homes in Luton. The runners-up were Maya Herchel, Harriet Lucas and Romy Davies for their solution to zero hours contracts. Also runners-up were Charlotte Kan, Eleni Hadji-Savva and Chloe Petevinos for their proposal to reduce youth vaping, and Imogen Myatt, Anoushka Sood and Olivia Hudson for their policy to prevent clone towns.

HOW DO ENGINEERS SAVE LIVES?

Using a variety of materials provided by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Hodgkin Scholars began an investigation into the ways in which engineers save lives. To do so, they used a number of problem-solving challenges and STEM activities based on the scenario of establishing an emergency camp in the aftermath of a disaster. The group remained engaged throughout this task and came up with an impressive range of responses.

SCHOLARS’ TRIPS

Atkins Scholars’ trip to

Oxford

The Atkins Scholars had a fabulous few days in Oxford at the end of October half term. The group enjoyed visiting the Pitt Rivers Museum and Blenheim Palace, tackled an escape room and went on a ghost tour, among other activities. The group was pleased to meet up with alumna Emily Stevenson who gave them a tour of New College, where she is currently studying.

HODGKIN SCHOLARS HIT THE AIRWAVES

In September, pairs of Scholars began creating podcasts centred on an academic discipline that personally interested them. They learnt skills to improve eloquence, then selected and extensively researched their topics, which they loosely scripted, before recording and editing their work. The process enabled Scholars to learn more about their chosen subject and hone the skills needed to articulately voice their thoughts in an engaging conversation.

De Beauvoir Fellows’ retreat to Bristol

Our Year 11 De Beauvoir Fellows learned about the UK’s colonial past and Britain’s role in it during a February half term visit to Bristol. The group admired Brunel’s engineering feats, visited the SS Great Britain and hunted out Banksy’s street art, in what proved to be an enjoyable and informative overnight trip.

Hodgkin Scholars’ trip to Amsterdam

Our Year 9 and 10 Hodgkin Scholars spent a busy two days in Amsterdam in June. The group visited the Anne Frank House, NEMO Science Museum and Van Gogh Museum. Amongst all the thought and discussion, they also relaxed at the A’dam Lookout, where they had the chance to try out what’s believed to be Europe’s highest swing!

MARY LUCEY RESEARCH PRIZE

Congratulations to Emily Feather, the winner of this year’s Mary Lucey Research Prize. Emily’s impressive entry on click chemistry saw her succeed in the face of strong competition from about a third of all Year 13 students to claim the £500 prize.

Runners-up, Olivia Pearson and Mattie Thomas, were recognised for their entries on modern tragedy in the theatre, and the Tokugawa period in Japan respectively. Joan Alabi won the popular vote for her entry on game theory and social norms.

Named after the Head of STAHS between 1966 and 1982, the competition invites Year 13s to investigate a question of their choice and write up their findings in the form of an essay and academic poster, before presenting their research in person at a symposium.

Now in its third year, the event concluded with a special dinner for entrants and their families, and the presentation of awards.

EPQ

STAHS DIPLOMA

There was another round of outstanding Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) results for our Year 13s during 2023-24, with 21 A*s and eight As being achieved. Sixth Form students gathered in September 2023 to listen to our Year 13s’ impressive presentations for this standalone qualification, which requires in-depth exploration of a topic of personal interest, alongside their A levels.

Project titles included ‘To what extent should biomimicry be used to develop new materials?’ and ‘Did Romanticism, particularly Naturphilosophie, contribute to the quick acceptance of Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species in Germany more than other factors?’

Year 13 became the second cohort of Sixth Formers to complete the full STAHS Diploma programme, with 14 Distinctions, 58 Merits and 15 Passes being achieved. Working towards the Diploma during Years 12 and 13 helps to prepare students for life beyond school and university, as per our Teach to 25 philosophy. Showing evidence of accomplishing the Diploma’s four pillars – Academics, Skills for Life, Service and Leadership, and Making the Leap – ensures well-rounded personal development, intellectual growth, and so much more.

Weekly Diploma Hour is a compulsory and integral part of Sixth Form life, and many of this excellent cohort’s portfolio submissions were deservedly rewarded at Valediction. Congratulations to the following students who achieved both a Distinction and a Diploma award of £600 in recognition of their efforts: Fenella Rennie, Isabella Hill, Tasnuba Lamia, Nethaya Bulathsinhala and Mattie Thomas.

SUPERCURRICULUM AWARDS

We celebrated the fantastic projects and presentations of our Year 8, 9 and 10 students during our first ever SuperCurriculum Awards in June.

The STAHS SuperCurriculum is a bespoke programme for each year group which takes students beyond the boundaries of the syllabus. In Year 8 and 9, students were tasked with researching a piece of art, architecture, design, music, or an artefact, and presenting to an audience for around five minutes.

In Year 10, students completed an interdisciplinary project culminating in a final piece of research material displayed in our Gallery Day. These projects included Myths Across Time: The Art of Storytelling, which was a combination of Classics and MFL, and The Future of Food, a Food Technology and Biology collaboration.

The top students in each group in Year 8 and 9 presented to Mr Thomson-Jones and Mr Cullen, and the top students in each group in Year 10 presented to Mr Thomson-Jones and Mrs Darbar. They chose a top three from each year group who presented live to our audience at the SuperCurriculum Awards.

Thank you to the panel of judges, Head of Art Miss Badger, Assistant Head Academic Development Mr Marshall and STAHS governor and alumna Lara Bernard.

The quality of presentations was outstanding and all those involved deserve praise. Particular congratulations go to the following students as the winners in each year group:

Year 8 STAHS Articulation Prize: Isobel Snelling for her presentation on Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

Year 9 STAHS Articulation Prize: Leila Rose Chinn for her presentation on Cildo Meireles’ Babel.

Year 10 Interdisciplinary Project: Alice Withnell for her presentation on her Art and Biology project exploring microscopy, sculpture and octopi.

Alice Withnell, Leila Rose Chinn and Isobel Snelling

Olivia Pearson, Emily Feather and Mattie Thomas

Academic achievements

These are just some of our students’ most significant academic achievements of 2023-24 ...

BIOLOGY

• All Year 8 students prepared a poster on neglected tropical diseases for the 2024 MiSAC competition (Microbiology in Schools Advisory Committee). Ten posters were submitted and Sanduni Cooray was awarded joint second place nationally in the Key Stage 3 category.

• Year 10 students Darcey Foster, Angie Yeung and Orla Burner achieved Gold in the Biology Challenge, while Finley Francis and Charlotte Kan (Year 12) were awarded Gold in the Intermediate Biology Olympiad.

CHEMISTRY

• Twenty Chemistry students from Year 12 entered the very difficult Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, where students have 90 minutes to answer four extended questions relating to undergraduate degree level Chemistry. All entrants are to be commended for their tenacity and commitment, with prizes awarded as follows: Copper awards: Katie Foster, Eleena Hearne, Isabelle McLauchlan, Nyah Mistry, Komachi Paine, Chloe Petevinos, Emily Sanderson and Freya Wright Silver awards: Olivia Dorey and Amy Hutchinson Gold award: Charlotte Kan

MATHS

• Forty Year 7 and 8 students achieved a Gold certificate in the United Kingdom Mathematical Trust’s (UKMT) Junior Mathematical Challenge. Twenty-seven of them qualified for the follow-on Junior Kangaroo round, with nine achieving the highest grade of Merit – a record result for STAHS! Congratulations to Hashmy Gajadevasangary (Best in Year), Anna Lucia Gonzalez Blankenship and Cariana Lewis from Year 7, and Sanduni Cooray (Best in School), Lauren Chen, Keira Dubb, Karra Lee, Hannah Li and Isobel Snelling from Year 8.

• The Mathematical Olympiad for Girls is a gruelling 2.5 hour written national exam, where students have to solve very challenging problems and write out their proofs fully. Seven students achieved the highest grade of Distinction: Divyasri Kothapalli (Year 11), Harriet Lucas, Imogen Crooks, Annabelle Wong, Romy Davies and Amy Hutchinson (all Year 12) and Kiran Trivedi (Year 13).

• Twenty-six girls achieved Golds in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge, four of whom went on to achieve a Merit in the follow-on Pink/Intermediate Kangaroo. A Merit is the highest grade available for this competition and is very difficult to achieve. Well done to Angie Yeung (Best in Year) and Isla Forster from Year 10, and Aneesa Patel (Best in School) and Zara Bhatti from Year 11.

HISTORY

• Anoushka Sood (Year 12) won the Versus History Essay Prize, a global contest for students in Years 11 to 13 (or equivalent), which aims to promote history as an academic discipline and popular pursuit among the next generation of historians.

• Olivia Hudson (Year 12) came second in the Foundation for the History of Totalitarianism 2023-24 Essay Prize Competition, on the topic of Nazi repression. There were 125 submissions in this year’s essay prize, so it is a significant achievement.

• Alice Finnie (Year 11) was one of three winners in the Year 10-13 category of the Historical Association’s Write Your Own Historical Fiction competition 2023. Maddy Conway (Year 9) was Highly Commended in the Year 7-9 age group.

PHYSICS

• Harriet Lucas (Year 12) succeeded in winning a prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship. The Smallpeice Trust’s highly regarded programme is designed to inspire the best and brightest future leaders in engineering, supporting scholars through their A levels (or Scottish Highers) and encouraging them to pursue careers in the field. More than 1,000 students applied for this year’s scholarships, and fewer than a third were successful. We’re proud to add that Harriet is our third successful candidate in four years.

• Mattie Clinch (Year 7) was the first ever STAHS student to enter the ‘If you were an engineer what would you do?’ competition. Mattie gained a Distinction for her entry and was also shortlisted for the regional finals. Her entry was called ‘The little box of calm’ and is designed to help people with autism.

• Isla Forster, Katherine McAuley, Alannah Michael and Emily Wallace from Year 10 triumphed over 20 other teams to win a special Physics competition in celebration of International Women’s Day. They competed in an experimental challenge, a calculations race and a Physics escape room (in which the girls got the fastest time of five minutes 36 seconds, smashing the previous record of nine minutes).

PSYCHOLOGY

Katya Barraclough in Year 12 received an Excellence Award in the Psychology Olympiad. The Olympiad received thousands of entries, including from overseas.

Results & Leavers’ Destinations 2024

LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS

Tishe Afolayan King’s College London – Pharmacology

Sienna Aggarwal Loughborough – Geography with Economics

Joan Alabi Oxford – Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Freya Barton Gap year

Sophie Beighton Durham – Geography

Matilda Bell Nottingham – Chemistry and Molecular Physics

Mila Bhatt Portsmouth – Criminology and Forensic Studies

Matilda Biggs Nottingham – History

Yemisi Blenkins-Adebayo Durham – History

Arshya Bommaraju Oxford – Classics and German

Alice Boon Edinburgh – International Relations

Katie Borlin UCL – Biological Sciences

Louisa Brown Cambridge – Philosophy

Nethaya Bulathsinhala Anglia Ruskin – Biomedical Science

Fiona Cairns Edinburgh – Economics

Amelia Campbell Newcastle – Psychology

Charlotte Chapman Manchester – Biology with a Modern Language

Sophie Dingle Durham – Geography

Nicole Dodge Sunderland – Medicine

Emilia Dunn UCL – European Social and Political Studies

Lara Eccleston Bath – Politics and International Relations

Maya Eid Imperial – Mechanical Engineering

Robin Elwin Arts University Bornemouth – Film Production

Emily Feather Cambridge – Natural Sciences

Leonie Field Bath – Psychology

Kirsty Fuge Oxford – Geography

Brahashmy Gajadevasangary UCL – Economics

Charlotta Gates Nottingham – Geography

Maryam Gheasuddin Manchester – Psychology

Zoe Gibbons Liverpool – Veterinary Science

Isabel Gokcek Cambridge – Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Olivia Gomez Leeds – Social Policy, Sociology and Crime

Clara Grayson Nottingham – Medicine

Scarlett Hadley Exeter – Psychology

Isabella Hill Oxford – Classical Archaeology and Ancient History

Eve Holdstock Exeter – English

April Houten Leeds – Theology and Religious Studies

Aiysha Hussain King’s College London – Economics and Management

Itohan Imasogie Sheffield – General Engineering

Mimi Jacques Leeds – International History and Politics

Kavya Jayan UCL – Geography

Jemima Jemide Southampton – Psychology

Alexandra Jennings Southampton – Law

Reyhan Karakas UCL – Biochemistry

Soraya Kardooni Leeds – Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Tasnuba Lamia UCL – Medicine

Jasmine Luget Warwick – Economics, Psychology and Philosophy

Emma MacArthur Edinburgh – History

Opi Majekodunmi Nottingham – Psychology and Philosophy

Yasna Malik City – International Politics

Matilda Maries Gap year

Mahi Mittal Gap year

Jessica Mountain Nottingham – Veterinary Science

Elizabeth Nash Cambridge – History

Elizabeth Noble Birmingham – International Relations with Economics

Lara Nolan Durham – English Literature

Sophia Oakton Google apprenticeship

Poppy O’Regan Warwick – Politics and International Studies

Olaoluwakitan Oyetunde LSE – Law (Bachelor of Laws)

Lily Patino Nottingham – Veterinary Medicine

Olivia Pearson Cambridge – English

Grace Pepper Exeter – History and Ancient History

Fenella Rennie St Andrews – Computer Science

Olivia Rust Exeter – Flexible Combined Honours

Sima Shokri Leeds – International Relations

Isabelle Skaliotis Liverpool – Psychology

Imogen Smith Nottingham – Film and Television Studies

Elizabeth Spiri Durham – Modern Languages and Cultures

Elizabeth Standen Durham – Sport and Exercise Sciences

Isabella Stefanutto Exeter – Geography

Daria Stetsenko King’s College London – Psychology

Cara Sweeney York – History

Mia Tennant Nottingham Trent – Product Design

Matilda Thomas Edinburgh – German and History

Carys Toland Nottingham – Natural Sciences

Kiran Trivedi Birmingham – Computer Science with Digital Technology Partnership (PwC)

Hoi Lam (Emily) Tsang York – Law

Ella Tyldesley Gap year

Maya-Charlise Ubesio King’s College London – Business Management

Habisha Vigneswaran Gap year

Bethan Wallis Cambridge – Natural Sciences

Georgina Walter Leeds – Psychology

Isla Weir Nottingham – Sport and Exercise Science

Saffron Wheeler Nottingham – Cancer Sciences

Madeleine Whyman Bristol – Geography

Pippa Willis Durham – Sport and Exercise Sciences

Sophie Wong Newcastle – Biology

Izzy Woolcott Sheffield – Law and Criminology

Aneesa Patel, Zara Bhatti, Isla Forster and Angie Yeung

Round-up

It’s been another outstanding year for sport at STAHS, with significant success across multiple disciplines, including football, netball and lacrosse. Director of Sport, Polly Glover said: ‘It has been a splendid year of sensational individual and team performances. Sport truly has become interweaved in the fabric of STAHS and I’m incredibly proud of the tenacity, effort and sporting ability of our students in a myriad of sporting endeavours. The talents of our students will never cease to amaze me.’

LACROSSE

We saw a string of excellent results in lacrosse this year, with our U15 team being crowned National Schools Lacrosse Champions 2004; they came out on top in Division 1, beating Marlborough in the finals. The U13 and U14 teams also put on outstanding displays of teamwork and tenacity, resulting in the U14s reaching the quarter-finals and the U13s making it to the semis, where they narrowly lost out to Guildford on a golden goal. There were brilliant results from our U19 A and B teams, too, who both finished in the top 16.

We have had some fantastic achievements in the County tournaments this year, with wins for two of our teams. The U15s defeated Bedford to become County champions, while the U14s beat Berkhamsted to secure victory (their golden goal was a testament to their skills and determination).

The Senior teams delivered outstanding performances, too, with the Second team advancing to the third/fourth playoff and the First team coming second.

We had three lacrosse teams competing in the U13 County tournament; all played extremely well with some fantastic results. A big well done to the C team, getting into the final against St George’s and winning the C tournament overall!

The First team also qualified for the South East Schools finals, beating St Catherine’s to come third overall – a fantastic achievement.

We have also had pupils getting into Super Counties, the National English Lacrosse Academy and representing Ireland at Senior Sixes in Portugal; what an excellent achievement to be selected from such a large pool of strong players.

CRICKET

More than 70 students took part in School cricket clubs during 2023-24! The U12s, U13s and U14s all participated in fixtures against Berkhamsted, remaining unbeaten throughout the season. Special mention goes to Anoushka Verma (Year 8) for her fantastic performance.

Our U14s came fourth in the County Cricket Tournament, with Emelia Murray (Year 8) being voted STAHS’ best batter and Anushka Shah (Year 9) best bowler!

Ebe Standen - School Sports Captain, and Netball Captain

Carys Toland - Swimming Co-Captain Kirsty Fuge - Swimming Co-Captain Charlotte Chapman - Football Captain

Gina Walter - Tennis Captain Isla Weir - Aesthetics-Gymnastics Co-Captain Leonie Field - Aesthetics-Gymnastics Co-Captain

Lotta Gates - Lacrosse Captain Olivia Rust - Athletics Captain Sophia Oakton - Aesthetics-Dance Captain

U14 County champions

U13 Herts County C team winners

U12s

U13s

U14s

NETBALL

We soared to new heights in netball this year, with both our U14 and U16 teams making it to the Sisters n Sport National Netball Cup final at Loughborough University. Both squads put on tremendous displays and finished second and third respectively.

The U14s lost by just two goals to a very strong Cheadle Hulme School. The U16 team – who also won the County league – found themselves in the third/fourth playoff after a tough first game. The team stepped up to play some incredible netball, finishing with a 24-17 win over Newton Abbot College and bronze medals.

The U14s went on to secure a top six finish at the National Schools’ Finals – an incredible result, having only just missed the semi-finals.

The U14 A and B teams also won the District league this year, with both teams being crowned champions at their District tournaments, and our C team making the semi-final of the B tournament.

It has also been a busy and extremely successful year for our other netball players and teams.

The U12A team have been undefeated in the district and were crowned District champions in the Cup and District Tournament.

Both the U13 A and B teams won the District league this year, with some extremely convincing wins, and both teams were crowned champions at the District tournament. The U13A team were runners-up in the County Cup, winners of the County league, and, for the first time for this age group, they reached the quarter-finals of the National Cup.

The U15Bs ended their season beating Roundwood Park School with only six players. Their season has been a true reflection of talent and determination as they entered the A league and beat many schools’ A teams. They were also runners-up in the A team tournament, losing to the STAHS U15A team who were crowned District champions. The U15A team also won the District Cup, County league and County Cup final.

The Senior netball team were champions of the District league and District Cup and runners-up in the County league and County Cup competitions this year. Well done to all for their commitment and determination whilst juggling Sixth Form work, duties, and other sporting endeavours.

Finally, we had Coco Williams (Year 11) being called up to make her international debut this year, representing the U17 England squad!

U12 A, B and C teams after U12A won the District Tournament

FOOTBALL

Football continued to develop during 2023-24, with well over 100 students regularly turning up to training sessions. We can reflect with great pride on the progress made across all ages, in terms of provision, infrastructure, student commitment, and player performance.

Our biggest success came from the U15s, who won the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) Girls’ Trophy in May – a national competition and a huge achievement. The team beat Ardingly College 3-1 at the Herts FA County Ground, with POM going to Alice Gates (Year 9) for her two goals and for putting constant pressure on the opposing players.

Controlled and measured in possession, and often ruthless in attack, the U15s also reached the semifinal of the District Cup, narrowly missing out on the final after a 2-1 loss.

Our U18s also had a strong year, reaching the semifinal of the ISFA Trophy and just being pipped to the post by Surbiton High.

Our Year 7s showed superb commitment to training, with over 25 girls regularly attending practice, come rain, sleet, or occasional sunshine. They have gained valuable 11-a-side match experience against other local schools and can take great pride in fielding both A and B sides in the seven-a-side District tournament we hosted for six other schools in March, with the B team coming fifth, and the A team narrowly missing out on first place by one point, having remained undefeated for the entire tournament.

Our U13 team again impressed with their District Cup run, making it to the semi-final, while the U14s made it to the quarter-final of the Sisters n Sport Football National Cup.

Congratulations, too, to Millie Lindsay (Year 9), who was selected for U15 ISFA England representation!

U13 team

U12 team

STAHS IFSA U15 Trophy winners

SPORT

SWIMMING

In swimming, the national success continued with our Inter and Junior teams making the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) National Finals at the Commonwealth pool in Birmingham back in November 2023. The team of Maddy Conway (Year 9), Alex Nurney (Year 9), Martha Clinch (Year 10) and Verity Fuge (Year 9) also won the Juba Trophy during Michaelmas term, which recognises the most successful swim team in Hertfordshire.

This was followed by a fantastic performance from four of our fastest swimmers, Kirsty Fuge (Year 13), Ebe Standen (Year 13), Verity Fuge and Alex Nurney, who represented STAHS at the Bath and Nalson relays at the London Aquatics Centre in March. After an intense swim-off, we finished in the top 10 schools in the country!

AESTHETICS

The 2023 Independent Schools Gymnastics Association (ISGA) competition in November saw more STAHS gymnastics success, with the Over 13 team retaining their title as National champions, as well as achieving a clean one, two, three individual sweep: Leonie Field (Year 13) was crowned National champion, followed by Isla Weir (Year 13) and Naomi Smith (Year 11) in second and third place respectively.

The Under 15s finished third, with Sophie Campbell (Year 9) placing second, and the Under 13s finished fourth, with Charlotte Wood (Year 7) placing first.

The Trampette and Tumble competition in October also saw lots of success, with STAHS gymnasts obtaining the top three overall highest scores. Meanwhile, Regional trampolining saw stiff competition, but excellent results: the Seniors placed third overall, the U15s placed third and the U13s placed fifth. Special mention to Rebecca Smith (Year 9) who placed second individually and Isla Weir who placed fifth, with both making it to the Zonal trampolining finals.

Finally, this year saw the launch of the STAHS Senior School Gymnastics Competition in December. Well done to all those involved, especially overall champion Isla Weir, plus Sophie Campbell who came second, and Katie Foster (Year 12) who came third.

Aberdare Cup team

SKIING

The STAHS ski team, which is led by parents, has had a very successful season, competing at the British Schoolgirls’ Indoor Races at the Milton Keynes Snowzone. The A team – Katya Murace (Year 9), Cassie Peters (Year 11) and Issy Hawks (Year 10) raced into 11th place overall out of 39 teams.

Our skiers then competed in the English Schools’ Ski Association (ESSKIA) British Finals in Hillend, Scotland on 26 November. Katya, Issy, Cassie and Gala Chen (Year 8) fended off some fierce competition to finish seventh in the UK!

TENNIS

What a great season it was for tennis, with many girls representing the School. Our Aberdare Cup team reached the Regional final, narrowly missing out on a place in the National finals in Nottingham. Well done to the Year 10 team of Katie Chen, Emily Potts, Alannah Michael and Isla Forster.

An unlucky loss in the final of the U18 County Doubles tournament for Alannah Michael and Emily Potts meant they finished as runners-up. Not a bad result considering they were U15!

There was success for Sophie and Sara Kimura Carvalho from Year 9, who were crowned U14 County Doubles champions. Congratulations also go to the Year 7 and 8, and Year 9 and 10 Division 2 teams, who both reached their respective County finals, finishing as runners-up.

ATHLETICS

Trinity 2024 was a fantastic term for athletics! The U12 and U14 teams competed in the Herts District league, going on to place fourth in the District Championships, while the U13 and U16 girls made it through to the County League’s Plate final.

In the national English Schools’ Athletic Association (ESSA) competition, the Junior girls finished in seventh while the Seniors came eighth.

There was some great STAHS talent on display at the Herts County Championships in June: well done to all involved, especially Issy Hawks (Year 10) who came first in the U16 javelin.

Wednesday 12 June was the Inter girls’ ESSA Track and Field Regional B Final, with STAHS placing sixth overall.

This was followed by the District Athletics Championships, a big day of heats and finals, with a lot of our girls winning medals. Congratulations to the following students who came first in their events:

Year 7: Charlotte Douglas – 800m

Year 9: Alice Gates – javelin; Millie Lindsay – discus Year 10: Issy Hawks – javelin

Finally, there was the ESAA Track and Field Regional A Final for Inter girls, with STAHS coming eighth overall. A great year for our athletes!

Senior School Gymnastics Competition winners

U15s ISGA

U14 County Doubles champions

U13s ISGA

Senior School Gymnastics Comp

U13s ISGA

Bath and Nalson relays team ESSA National Final

U18 County Doubles runners-up

District Athletics Championships

EVENTS& VISITS

PRIZE GIVING

Our annual Prize Giving celebration, which is usually held at the Alban Arena, was held at St Albans Cathedral this year for the first time. The event, which took place in June, also saw Prep pupils being recognised for their achievements – another first for this event.

Congratulations to all of our prize winners and thank you to our guest speaker, structural engineer Roma Agrawal, who inspired students with her excellent talk, in which she focused on the five moments in her life where she felt like a superhero.

CAROL SERVICE

STAHS families filled St Albans Cathedral on 12 December for our annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. This special carol service was led by the Dean of St Albans Cathedral, the Reverend Doctor Jo Kelly-Moore – who is also a STAHS governor – with support from Rev Rosie. Our five choirs and the Senior Brass Ensemble made a significant contribution to the beauty of the service, and our student readers impressed us enormously with their clear and confident delivery of the ancient Christmas story.

Special mentions need to go to three Year 11 students: Libby Graham, who performed on the organ before the service, Xanthe Babcock, who accompanied the Year 7 Choir, and Hailey Mo, who accompanied the Middle School Choir. Ten Year 13 students gave stunning solo performances, with Lizzie Nash opening the service with the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City from the organ loft.

Lizzie Spiri, Tishe Afolayan and Mattie Thomas shone as the three kings, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, and Arshya Bommaraju, Kitan Oyetunde, Grace Pepper, Louisa Brown, Lara Eccleston and Joan Alabi all gave emotional renditions in the The Holly and the Ivy

The final anthem was a spirited rendition of The Sussex Carol with Joan Alabi leading the choir in her solo verses. As always, the choirs led the worship with their enthusiastic singing of the carols with the traditional descants, while the Senior Brass Ensemble wowed with their rendition of the Willcocks’ fanfares in Hark the Herald and O Come, All Ye Faithful alongside Mr Miles on organ and Mr Holling on snare drum.

FOUNDERS’ DAY

We marked 135 years since the foundation of St Albans High School for Girls with a special Founders’ Day celebration in March. The service at St Albans Cathedral included readings and performances by students, including three of our choirs. There was also the symbolic handing over of gowns between Sophie, our Head of School for 2023-24, and her successor, Eleni, and their teams of Officers. The service was followed by a special tea in the School Dining Hall.

This year’s theme was ‘respect’, and our charity collection was in aid of Stop the Traffik, which seeks to prevent human trafficking by educating at-risk communities and increasing awareness of the signs of modern slavery. Ruth Dearnley OBE, CEO of Stop the Traffik, delivered a passionate address in support of the charity; thank you to everyone who gave so generously.

Roma Agrawal

EVENTS & VISITS

VALEDICTION

Our Year 13s ended their last day in style, with a special celebration of their contributions and achievements in the Jubilee Hall.

Award-winning journalist, author and content creator Sophia Smith Galer returned to STAHS as guest speaker, and delivered an address on gender inequality in the workplace, something she said her time here had given her the confidence to challenge.

Forty prizes were awarded for everything from enterprise in extracurricular activities to epitomising High School spirit, with music by Vivaldi, Rachmaninoff, ABBA and Billy Joel performed beautifully by our Year 13 musicians.

YEAR 13 LEAVERS’ BALL

Our Year 13s marked the end of their A level exams in style with a spectacular Leavers’ Ball in June. Students celebrated with the Sixth Form team and other staff at the Old Palace, Hatfield House – a truly memorable evening for all!

GYMNASTICS AND DANCE DISPLAY

A huge well done to the students who took part in our District Gymnastics and Dance Display in March. Gymnasts and dancers from Katherine Warington, Roundwood Park, Sir John Lawes, St George’s and St Albans Girls’ School joined us for an evening of outstanding performances in our Sports Hall. From Zumba, contemporary dance and hip hop to cheer, trampette and trampolining, this event had it all. Our own Fusion Dance Club’s Bollywood mash-up was a particular highlight, in what was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for all. Thank you too to everyone who donated to our chosen charity, Stop the Traffik.

EVENTS & VISITS

SPORTS DAY

Students spent a very sunny Sports Day at Westminster Lodge in June, with School records being broken and fabulous House spirit being displayed. Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to the overall winners, Julian!

Records broken

Year 10 javelin (School and Year record): Issy Hawks, 33.76m (previous record was 32.81m)

Year 9 hurdles (School and Year Record): Millie Lindsay, 12.30sec (was 12.31sec)

Year 9 shot put (Year record): Bibi Fisher, 9.90m (was 8.75m)

Year 8 high jump (Year record): Eloise Thomas, 1.46cm (previous record of 1.45cm was set in 1986!)

Cups

House Jumping Cup: Mandeville

Junior Sports Day: Julian

Senior Sports Day: Mandeville

Overall Sports Day Cup: Julian

Eloise Thomas celebrating her record-breaking jump

Eloise Thomas

Millie Lindsay

Issy Hawks

SPORTS AWARDS AND BADMINTON MASTERCLASS

Former Olympian Gail Emms MBE delivered a badminton masterclass to students in April, before being our guest of honour at the annual Sports Awards ceremony. Gail won a mixed doubles silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics alongside Nathan Robertson, with whom she also took gold at the 2006 World Championships in Madrid. She delivered a powerful speech to students in the Jubilee Hall before handing out dozens of awards. Congratulations to the following Year 13 students who were rewarded for their contribution to sport at STAHS with the evening’s four main prizes:

Senior Sports Personality of the Year: Lotta Gates

The Widest Contributor to STAHS Senior Sport: Kirsty Fuge

The STAHS Most Improved Senior Performer of the Year Fiona Cairns

The STAHS Senior Sportsmanship Award Carys Toland

Lotta Gates

Kirsty Fuge

Fiona Cairns

Carys Toland

ENRICHMENT WEEK

Enrichment Week activities for students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 were as varied and engaging as ever. Here’s what each year group got up to in the penultimate week of the academic year, culminating in Friday morning’s House Challenge ...

YEAR 7

Students wore their camouflage gear as they got stuck into Rainforest Day, a Bowland Maths initiative designed to boost their teamwork, leadership, communication and problem-solving skills. They also put their own creative slant on our School and House Officers’ headshots, took part in an impressive choral showcase, and spent a day at Whipsnade Zoo.

YEAR 8

Year 8 began Enrichment Week with a mindfulness and wellbeing morning and an afternoon careers event. They also took part in One Day Film School, a creative day of film-making during which they learned fight choreography, camera skills and screenwriting techniques in the morning before putting what they’d learned into action in the afternoon.

This was followed by a History trip to London for a guided tour of the Royal Courts of Justice, a supervised visit to the Science Museum to learn about the Industrial Revolution, and a walking tour of the City of London.

YEAR 9

A busy day of first aid training and team-building was among the Enrichment Week highlights for our Year 9s. Students spent half a day learning about everything from chest compressions and the recovery position to bleeding, bandaging and burns, and the other half going wild in go-karts during a team-building session on the Patch.

They also learned some self-defence skills, and explored Kew Gardens’ incredible greenhouses, in a visit that was integral to the KS3 Geography unit on Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts, and is also part of the GCSE course.

YEAR 10

Seven alumni returned to STAHS to speak with Year 10 students as part of the Next Ten event, providing valuable insights into their own experiences since leaving STAHS, from A level choices, university and career journeys, and current job roles.

Nineteen groups of students then braved baking temperatures to navigate their way to Tolmers Scout Camp in Cuffley for their DofE Bronze expedition. The teams impressed with their resilience and culinary skills, with all successfully navigating the route.

The Year 10s not taking part in DofE were joined by students from St George’s School in Harpenden for a Youth Model United Nations conference at STAHS. Students each took on the role of an ‘ambassador’ for one of 45 countries to the United Nations, investigating their country, researching the issue being discussed, forming alliances with other like-minded countries, and writing a formal UN ‘resolution’ to suggest solutions to the problem. They then debated for and against the resolution and, finally, voted on it, in what proved to be an interesting and lively conference.

HOUSE CHALLENGE

Students worked together in their House Families to win points in the House Challenge event. They were tasked with completing 28 missions, from creating and performing a new House Family song, solving a series of Dingbats and completing a scavenger photo hunt.

Congratulations to the top three performing House Families: Moon from Verulam in third place, Dory from Paris in second and Heart from Julian in first.

The overall House results were as follows: Verulam in fourth place, Paris in third, Mandeville in second and Julian in first!

YEAR 12

Our Year 12s prepared for life after STAHS with a visit to the UCAS Fair in Birmingham. The UCAS Discovery event offered insights into traditional degrees, apprenticeships, careers, and more, with the chance to speak to hundreds of universities and colleges, plus careers advisors and UCAS experts.

This was followed by a personal statement writing workshop, plus Culture Day, where they visited museums and other sites of cultural merit.

TRIPS

PARIS

Year 10 to 13 Art students spent an eventful few days in Paris at the start of February half term. They saw Monet’s largest water lily paintings at their very best during a visit to the Orangerie Museum, and saw the world’s largest display of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist work at the Orsay Museum.

The Rodin Museum was a real highlight of the trip; students had a tour of the main works, which include The Burghers of Calais, The Gates of Hell, The Thinker, and Rodin’s controversial sculpture of the poet, Balzac. A fabulous few days!

BETWS-Y-COED

Our first cohort of A level Environmental Science students took part in their inaugural field trip at the end of April. The group travelled to Betws-y-Coed in Wales for four days of field studies led by specialist staff, which covered all the required practical and fieldwork content for the Environmental Science course.

GREECE

Classics students in Years 10 to 13 enjoyed a fun five nights in Greece during October half term. Highlights included a visit to the spectacular National Museum in Athens, the stadium at Olympia (birthplace of the Olympic Games), and the beautiful sanctuary of Delphi on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The group also visited the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, the superb theatre at Epidaurus, and the Bronze Age citadels at Tiryns and Mycenae.

BERLIN

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the German Resistance Memorial were all visited by Sixth Form History students during their October half term trip to Berlin. The group also took in the Allied Museum, Olympic Stadium and Topography of Terror during the three-night stay, which also included a walking tour from Alexanderplatz to the Reichstag, the Berlin Wall Museum, lunch in Potsdamerplatz and dinner and shopping at the Mall of Berlin.

ICELAND

The Northern Lights were just one of many highlights of the Geography Department’s four-night trip to Iceland with Years 10 to 13 over the Easter holidays. Ellie Hinkins shares why the trip was so special ...

Iceland has been an unforgettable trip that will stick with me for a lifetime. It was packed with all the country’s breathtaking features, and I loved spending invaluable time with my peers, making new friends and strengthening current friendships.

We had an excellent guide, Michelle, that talked us through Iceland’s culture in addition to the physical and human geography of the country, so we had a well-rounded education of Iceland. Similarly, all the Geography teachers were amazing at creating a light-hearted and fun atmosphere that really made the trip.

There were some funny moments, too. At one of our hotels, there was the option to get in the outdoor hot tubs to have a break from the -5C temperature. We all thought that getting to the hot tub would be the coldest part, until we plunged into the water for it be even colder than outside! It’s safe to say that quite a bit of screaming followed!

Another funny highlight was when we were exploring the lava tunnels with our amazing guide, Alex, who turned off all the lights; as we were left in the pitch black, he claimed that the Icelandic lore of a cave monster was coming towards us. Again, this resulted in more screaming – a bit of a running theme! As he turned the lights back on, we were all quite embarrassed to see him laughing whilst making a shadow puppet of a ‘monster’ …

As for the sights that we had the great privilege to see, the list is endless. The Northern lights, countless stunning waterfalls, hiking on Sólheimajökull glacier, swimming in the sky lagoon, experiencing the 1,200C heat of real lava, traditional Icelandic horse riding, geysers, and even just the views from the bus. Each of these activities had so much to offer, and each will have a special place in our hearts for a long time.

Last of all, I have overheard many girls saying how lucky we are to have experienced all of this in a week, when others may never in their lifetime. I think this really sums up the magic of this trip, and the lasting impact it will have on us into our adult lives. Many thanks to Mr Mitchell for organising a trip of a lifetime.

By Ellie Hinkins, Year 12

ITALY

The Symphony Orchestra embarked on a tour to Verona, Italy, in July. During their visit, they performed at the Cremona Summer Festival, the Verona Festival at Villa Mosconi Bertani, and in Lazise. Beyond the concerts, the students immersed themselves in Italian culture. They were fortunate to visit the International School of Violin Making in Cremona, enjoy day trips to Sirmione, Verona, and Lazise, watch a performance of Aida at the Verona Arena, and spend a fun-filled day at Gardaland Theme Park.

The orchestra’s repertoire featured pieces such as Beethoven’s March for Military Band Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate: Alleluia (with soloist Joan Alabi, from Year 13), the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Haydn’s Cello Concerto (with soloist Milly Naish, Year 12), Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye the finale from Holst’s St Paul’s Suite, the first movement of Dvorak’s Wind Serenade, and Bizet’s Farandole. Congratulations to everyone for three outstanding concerts in the very warm Italian weather!

BATH

Year 8 Latin students learned how the Romans changed life on this island 2,000 years ago during a fun and informative overnight visit to Bath and Caerleon in June. The group saw how the Romans adopted local customs and practices while controlling the local population, studied well-preserved remains of the Roman occupation and enjoyed visiting the world-famous thermae in Bath, which are fed naturally by hot springs.

YEAR 7 BUSHCRAFT

Our new Year 7s headed to beautiful Blenheim Woods in Oxfordshire for a two-day bushcraft adventure in September. Some of our students braved the great outdoors by sleeping out in their shelters, while many more cooked their own barbecue lunch on the fires that they’d made – a challenge that the teachers were also keen to embrace!

YPRES

Year 9 History students visited the First World War battlefields in Ypres, Belgium, in June. Highlights of this epic day trip included Tyne Cot Cemetery, Langemark German Cemetery, an exciting visit to original WWI trenches, including, for the brave, the secret, very dark, tunnels. Finally, a visit to the historic town centre of Ypres enabled all to sample some Belgian chocolate!

BORNEO

This summer, 25 Year 11 to 13 students embarked on a three-week adventure to Borneo. Here, Issy Snape and Flo Dye describe their trip highlights ...

Our experience in Borneo during the summer was incredible! After organising several fundraising events, from movie nights to quizzes, our team left Heathrow with huge backpacks and headed for Malaysia.

Our first destination, the vibrant city of Kota Kinabalu, saw us plan for the rest of the trip, getting to grips with the budget and booking hotels and transportation. Although this was difficult at first, working as a team allowed us to find the best methods for booking, which we benefitted from throughout the trip. After KK, we moved further into the jungle to Sepilok, staying in nature lodges while visiting sun bears and orangutans, and trying a variety of local dishes.

Moving across the island to Tenom, we had the opportunity to work on a farm in return for discounted accommodation and food. This aided the local coffee economy, which had once brought revenue to the area but had recently been neglected. Before leaving Tenom, we visited two coffee farms, learning about local production methods and sampling different types of coffee.

Next came our highly anticipated challenge, climbing Mount Kinabalu. Sitting at 4,095m, we prepared for a two-day hike to the summit. Despite it being the most physically enduring challenge many of us had ever faced, a speaker with some good music and supportive messages helped us complete it. The relief upon descending was unexplainable!

The final part of the trip was spent in a restful rainforest lodge, where we enjoyed activities like Batik painting and river cruises, spotting native wildlife such as pygmy elephants. Finally, we returned to KK and spent our last day on a small tropical island. We are so grateful for this experience and highly recommend it to younger students.

By Issy Snape and Flo Dye, Year 12

BRUSSELS

Our Year 12s enjoyed a whirlwind overnight trip to Brussels in November as part of their welcome to Sixth Form. In addition to free time spent shopping and sightseeing, the group visited Concept Chocolate for a praline demonstration and chocolate workshop and took part in some optional visits of the sites, such as a murals hunt organised by Ms Jost.

JAY PEAK, USA

An energetic bunch of STAHS skiers from Years 8 to 13 enjoyed a fun-filled week at Jay Peak, Vermont, over the Easter break.

Besides skiing lessons, our group of 34 students watched a local men’s hockey league match, tried their hands at climbing, and visited a water park. They also squeezed in a day of shopping and sightseeing in Boston before their flight home. An unforgettable trip!

ASHRIDGE

A group of Year 8 students enjoyed the great outdoors during their overnight outward-bound trip to Ashridge in June. The sun shone as the group tackled a teambuilding challenge course, got stuck into archery and den-building and put their navigation skills to the test, in what proved to be a great fun couple of days.

It’s been another fun year of House events, with Mandeville, Paris, Verulam and Julian going head-to-head in everything from Drama to Trampolining. In the end, the winners of the two biggest prizes – the Clark and Chapman Cups – remained unchanged, with Paris and Julian retaining ownership for another year.

CHAPMAN

1st: Julian (605) 2nd: Mandeville (535) 3rd: Paris (500) 4th: Verulum (480)

JULIAN

House Swimming (Junior and Senior)

House Netball (Senior)

House Football (Senior)

House Trampolining (Junior)

House Dance

House Lacrosse (Inter)

House Cricket (Inter)

House Maths (Junior)

Junior Sports Day

Overall Sports Day Cup

House Challenge

All House events: first place and winner of the Chapman Cup!

In the 2023-2024 academic year, Julian House has demonstrated exceptional skill across a diverse range of events, securing victories in numerous categories. The House excelled in Swimming, clinching wins in both the Junior and Senior divisions. This success was complemented by triumphs in Senior Netball and Senior Football, showcasing Julian House’s strength in team sports. In individual disciplines, the House also achieved notable success, winning Junior Trampolining and securing the House Dance title (finally).

Julian House continued its winning streak in House Lacrosse and House Cricket. Julian’s mathematical skills were equally impressive, with a victory in the Junior House Maths competition. The House’s dominance extended to broader events as well, with victories in Junior Sports Day and the Overall Sports Day Cup.

Finally, Julian House showcased its overall excellence by winning the House Challenge, further cementing its status as a leading House in both academic and athletic domains. This remarkable series of achievements highlights Julian House’s versatility and dedication, marking it as a standout House throughout the year that other Houses need to look out for. It has been a pleasure to be House Captain for Julian in such a successful year and I am sure that our successes will continue.

By Opi Majekodunmi, Julian House Captain, 2023-24

MANDEVILLE

House Lacrosse (Senior and Overall)

Sports Day (House Jumping Cup)

Senior Sports Day

House Cricket (Junior)

Sixth Form Christmas Tree Decorating Competition

Mandeville had an incredible year, with several wins and some near misses. The Mandeville spirit shone on Sports Day as everyone dressed in green with plenty of face paint! We won both the Senior Sports Day competition and the House Jumping Cup.

Later, we performed an amazing adaptation of Hades and Persephone for House Drama. The energetic dance battle, carefully choreographed by the directors, was a highlight that the audience loved. While many felt we were robbed of first place, the cast and crew were brilliant throughout.

Our sustainable approach to the Sixth Form Christmas Tree Decorating Competition led us to winning the trophy. It was a very collaborative and engaging experience as we worked together to create decorations such as tinsel with Brussels sprouts!

Another highlight was House Song, where we performed a lively Bruno Mars compilation with dance moves and harmonies that had the audience singing along.

Mandeville went and conquered the pitches in House Lacrosse, with the Seniors winning every match they played in and the Juniors dominating their matches, leading to an overall win for us. The Juniors also triumphed in House Cricket!

Well done to everyone involved in this year’s House competitions!

By Sienna Aggarwal, Mandeville Deputy House Captain, 2023-24

PARIS

Year 7 Olympics

House Drama

House Badminton

House Officers’ Christmas Quiz

House Quiz

House Song

House Tennis (Junior and Inter)

House Maths (Senior)

House Points: first place and winner of the Clark Cup!

Paris reclaimed some of their formal titles this year as winners of House Badminton and House Song for consecutive years. We were all on the edge of our seats whilst watching Theseus battle the Minitour (who looked remarkably like a cow) in House Drama and out of them completely and ‘step, clapping’ during a critically acclaimed rendition of Man in the Mirror for House Song.

In addition to sporting and musical ability, Paris demonstrated our general knowledge in our victory in House Quiz as well as our House Officers proving their worth in a University Challengestyle quiz.

Paris’s future looks bright with our win in the Year 7 Olympics, and we look forward to many years as successful as this one has been!

VERULAM

House Debating

House Swimming (Inter)

House Netball (Junior)

House Football (Junior)

House Trampolining (Senior and Overall)

House Lacrosse (Junior)

What a fantastic year it’s been for Verulam! We’ve showcased our talents across a variety of competitions, excelling in ways that highlight our exceptional teamwork, talent, and sportsmanship. Our debaters nailed it in the House Debating competition, impressing everyone with their compelling arguments and quick thinking. However, it is safe to say that our talents are most evident in our sporting achievements. Our Junior sports teams have been unstoppable, securing wins in Football, Netball and Lacrosse. We soared our way to victory in Trampolining, gaining both the Senior and Overall titles. Our success even extended to the swimming pool, where our Intermediate team made a big splash with their fantastic win. Overall, this year has been filled with incredible successes and unforgettable moments for Verulam. We’ve had so much fun and achieved so much together. We’re already looking forward to what next year will bring, ready to take on new challenges and add even more wins to our name!

By Madeleine Whyman, Paris House Captain, 2023-24

By Izzy Woolcott, Verulam House Captain, 2023-24