2024
Purn • a Magazine!
It was wonderful to see so many of families at our very special Speech and Prize Giving Day in July, which brought to an end my first year as Head at this wonderful school. A moving and uplifting celebration of the talents, achievements and thoughts of our pupil community, Speech Day demonstrated the power of an education rooted in unity, love and courage, enabling our incredible young women to speak from their hearts and with passion.
This magazine opens a window further into the past academic year and highlights just a selection of our pupils’ endeavours, supported and empowered by our dedicated team of expert teaching and support staff. Aiming for their own personal best in all they do, our pupils give generously to others, sharing in triumphs and supporting one another through challenges.
I am honoured to be leading the school into our 50th Birthday year, and at a time when it feels more important than ever to celebrate our shared humanity, I am proud to be part of the incredible St James community.
I hope you enjoy this year’s magazine.
Emma Bell Head
LAUNCH OF Leiths Professional Cookery Course School News
Exciting news for aspiring chefs!
Our school is proud to announce the introduction of the Leiths CTH Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery, a hands-on, practical course accredited accredited by the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality.
This five-term course will offer Sixth Form students comprehensive training in cooking, food preparation and wine pairing, tailored by experts.
Participants will gain hands-on experience through practical lessons to prepare them for professional culinary careers or higher education in the field. The course also includes valuable certifications in Food Hygiene and Allergen Awareness, adding a professional edge to the students’ qualifications.
Whether for personal enjoyment, university preparation or a future career in the food industry, this is a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills in our state-of-the-art Teaching Kitchen.
OPENING OF Courtyard Café & Study Space
We are delighted to announce the opening of our new Courtyard Café and Study Space starting in the Autumn Term 2024.
The space will not only welcome parents and staff to a cup of tea or coffee, but also serve as an open study space for our older pupils.
We look forward to the opening of this brand-new convivial hub in our schools’ courtyard, and for opportunities to form device-free connections!
A Farewell to Mr Alastair Horsford
We have bid a fond farewell to Mr Alastair Horsford, Deputy Head, at the end of this academic year.
Alastair's outstanding commitment to the school over the last 10 years, as teacher of Geography, football coach and most recently as senior leader has been greatly appreciated by staff, families and pupils past and present.
Alastair leaves us to join Hurtwood House as a teacher of Geography, allowing him to spend more time with his young family. We will all miss him, but are excited for his next step.
St James is excited to see the launch of personal devices for pupils in September, a significant step in the schools’ Digital Transformation Journey.
This initiative aims to expand pupils’ horizons by incorporating technology into their learning environment, thereby fostering essential 21st-century skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.
After a successful upgrade to the schools’ technological infrastructures, teachers received training to get familiar with their new device and learn how it can enable inclusive and agile learning, as well as collaborative platforms for seamless teamwork and lessons.
The devices will provide pupils and teachers with access to a wealth of educational resources, and a thorough digital literacy programme will empower pupils to navigate the digital world safely and make informed decisions online.
Families are integral to this journey, with opportunities to learn about the devices, internet safety, and supporting their daughters’ learning at home through various events.
This initiative extends our ability to open our hearts and minds to the world around us and provides an exciting opportunity to enhance teaching and learning for our pupils, equipping them with vital digital skills for the future.
As we look forward to our first academic year on this journey, the schools continue to uphold their unique educational values, integrating technology in a way that complements traditional learning methods.
Explore Your Future...
This academic year, the Careers and Futures team were excited to launch our Explore Your Future programme.
The purpose of Explore Your Future is to help give pupils a flavour of the world of work by providing a mentor who can provide bespoke mentorship experiences.
Professionals from our ever-growing alumni network volunteered their time to speak to Year 11 pupils who had previously expressed their interest in potentially working in fields such as Medicine, the Creative, Humanities, STEM or Business.
At the initial meeting, the pupils were a credit to the school, showing passion and enthusiasm for their chosen fields of interest. Mentors commented on the pupils’ drive and determination when discussing their potential future pathways.
Charlotte said, “as someone who is interested in the medical field, I found it insightful to see how diverse the field of medicine is and how a career could take many different paths.”
Maya also shared positive feedback on the event and said, “the first mentorship session was really interesting. We got to hear about careers in the creative industry, which is the field I want to work in.”
In the second session, pupils continued to discuss their aspirations and looked to further foster a working relationship with the mentors. Malaika, a budding humanities enthusiast, said, “the mentoring workshop was not only an immensely useful opportunity to form life-long connections with those in a range of professional fields, but was also reassuring and encouraging, informing us of all the different career options available to us and how no doors are ever really closed, as long as we don't want them to be.”
...Experience Your Future
The pupils and mentors had their final session in June. It saw the mentee and mentor relationships continue to flourish, and encourage independence and professional curiosity in the pupils.
The initial programme has been an immense success, and we are excited to refine, develop and get our Year 11 cohort even more involved next year, as we continue to work hard to support pupils to develop key professional skills.
Chaplain to St James Schoolsbeing alongside the school community
My association with St James Schools started just before the new millennium when the Prep School was located across the road from St Augustine’s Queen’s Gate in Kensington where I was parish priest.
I have continued to serve the three schools as School Chaplain alongside my other work and ministry ever since.
The Collins dictionary defines the role of a chaplain as “a member of the clergy who does religious work in a place such as a hospital, school, prison, or in the armed forces.”
As Chaplain to St James Schools, I see it more as being alongside – as a friend, a support, someone people can hopefully rely on – as well as praying for and supporting pastorally all staff and pupils.
St James has a philosophical foundation drawing on sources from eastern and western wisdom. But it inevitably wrestles with big theological truths too: love, light, goodness, strength. The aim is to give the best start to life for all its pupils.
I have been asked questions about this many times. A regular one is “Why does a school with such strong philosophical foundations take the name of a well-known Christian saint who was the author of the New Testament Letter of James?” Another is “what about the famous scallop shell associated with another St James (the Great) who attracts thousands of pilgrims every year on the Camino route to Santiago de Compostella where his remains are said to be buried?”
(See https://www.pilgrim.es/en/routes/)
The author of the fascinatingly challenging New Testament Letter of James is believed to be James “the brother of the Lord”. He eventually became Bishop of Jerusalem before being martyred at the hands of Annas the High Priest. He was deeply spiritual, open, practical and honest.
In 1975, those who founded St James were so taken by the teaching contained in James’ letter, they named the schools after him. They celebrated the King James Bible and embraced the simplicity of the teaching the Lord’s Prayer as a fine guide to modern living. You did not need to be a Christian to appreciate the wisdom here.
St James wrote that faith without action is dead (means nothing) and that we should be true to the words we speak. This dovetailed perfectly with the philosophical framework undergirding the day-to-day life of the then new schools.
The schools have always welcomed people of all faiths and none. That is my starting point as School Chaplain.
People visiting the schools, whether staff, pupils or visitors, always note the sense of calm reflection and acceptance of others. In a world of constant noise and friction, a pupil of St James is urged to focus on the inner self which is common in many faiths including Christianity.
At the start of every academic year, I always look forward to what lies ahead.
A series of regular assemblies each term forms the backdrop to a series of special events including a beginning of year service for all schools, harvest, remembrance, Christmas, Easter and leavers’ services.
The pupils are encouraged to face daily living by reflecting philosophically on why the teaching of St James the brother of Jesus is still relevant for today. My own theological reflection on the same has helped me enormously in this role.
It is a great honour to serve St James Schools. The Prep School children never fail to brighten my day. The Senior boys and girls are mainly eager to chat and talk about a wide range of things from sport to media and a whole range of things in-between.
I hope all at St James feel that I am a person they can talk to, and some seek me out to do that. I am always encouraged by how articulate many of the pupils are in expressing themselves to others.
The staff are also so welcoming and accommodating.
For sure, as St James says, we need to be true to the words we speak. And we need to do what we can to make the world a better place by reflecting on the eternal truths in a world in which so much is transitory.
Fr Rob
The Revd Canon Dr Rob Marshall Chaplain, St James Schools. February 2024
Fr Rob has had a broad career with stints as a Director of Marketing for St Mary’s University, working in PR consultancies, and is a regular BBC Radio Broadcaster.
Reflections Head Girls’ Reflections
Zara L
14 years at St James have moulded me into the person I am today. Seeing the quote “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” hanging up in the Chemistry lab in Year 9 altered my outlook on life and St James offered me a place to explore myself. St James has taught me not only the unique skills of meditation and mindfulness, but its safe, communal environment has allowed me to grow and learn about myself and interests.
I’m forever grateful for continual support from my teachers who have allowed me the space and support to push myself. I’m indebted to my classmates who challenged me at each turn and constantly made me strive to be better.
I’m especially thankful to Ms Saunders and Dr Craven for their guidance and encouragement. I feel confident and excited to see what life beyond St James has in store for me, however I will deeply miss the strong sense of camaraderie at St James.
Saying goodbye isn’t easy, change is never easy, however, words pale in expressing my gratitude to St James for supporting me in becoming the person I am today. Nevertheless, after spending the better part of my life at St James, I believe I have been given the skills and mindset to confidently discover life beyond St James.
Anika
D
Senior school life should be a journey of growth and preparation for adulthood. What I found noticeable in my 10 years at St James is that I could feel with each step not only my personal growth but also the growth of my peers, from one year to the next. Alongside my studies for GCSEs and A-Levels, it was as if I was learning a set of new life lessons each year.
My prep school years taught me to be adventurous and curious to learn new things.
My early senior school years taught me to think creatively and explore my interests. From meeting new people over a variety of clubs to academic enrichment projects, the freedom I felt at St James allowed me to discover more about myself.
My GCSE years taught me to be more confident, in both academics and public speaking, trying my hand at debates or English presentations. The value placed on potential empowered me. My teachers who believed in me and friends who cheered me on made me realise I was capable and learned to have more faith in myself.
In my final years at St James, I learned resilience, independence, and leadership under pressure. It was an opportunity to adopt strategic thinking, particularly in my meetings with Zara and senior staff. It was also a time of difficult decisions and planning for exciting futures.
Now, going out there, I can treasure the lessons I’ve learned, the teachers who guided me, and the friends who supported me for years to come.
Sixth Form Leadership Team
We look forward to seeing our Sixth Form leaders in action in the coming year!
Sophia B Head Girl
My vision: I want to ensure a cohesive and unified school community, which nurtures everyone as individuals.
Anjali S
Academic Lead
My vision: I want to make sure academics are fun and inviting for everyone.
Skyla R Community Action Lead for Fundraising
My vision: I want to raise as MUCH money as possible for our chosen charities.
Charlotte C
Pastoral Lead
My vision: I want to ensure that this school continues to grow as it is through honesty and community by developing many things we already have in place!
Manon W
School Ambassador
My vision: I want to promote the school online and in-person at events, as well as promoting collaboration with our other St James Schools.
Zelda S Community Action Lead for Partnerships
My vision: I want to promote wider collaboration with the local community and other schools.
Rosalind D Head of Houses
My vision: I want to make our vertical Houses more visible and interactive, to create a community within them.
Vasylysa Y
Academic Prefect
My vision: I want to ensure the academic programme is entertaining and diverse.
Dahlia S
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Prefect
My vision: I want to ensure a supportive and inclusive environment that emphasises the importance of moral values, cultural appreciation and political awareness.
Moon R
Creative and Literary Arts Prefect
My vision: I want to create more events, competitions and creative outlets for the whole school.
Shreya P
Sixth Form Director
My vision: I want to support Year 11’s transition to Sixth Form and help run the Sixth Form Centre.
Lilliana M
Ethos Prefect
My vision: I want to make the school ethos more prominent within the school.
Sarah L Maths Prefect
My vision: I want to weave enchantments from numbers, embark on epic quests with equations, and chart treasurefilled maps using graphs to ignite the spark of mathematical wonder in every pupil.
Olha H
Economics and Current Affairs Prefect
My vision: I want to promote awareness on current political, social and economic affairs and promote economics as a subject.
Anete M
Year 7 Prefect
My vision: I want to ensure Year 7 are settling well and happy, as well as grow our Buddy System.
Naomi S
Science Prefect
My vision: I want to inspire enthusiasm for science and promote science-related events and opportunities.
St Margaret Captain
St Genevieve Captain
St Catherine Captain
St Helena Captain
Immersed in the enchanting world of the Greek tale, the joint St James Senior Girls’ School and St James Preparatory School’s production of “The Odyssey” was a mythical journey to remember!
Huge thanks to our audience for joining us on these performances of epic proportions. To our talented pupils who channeled the spirits of heroes and deities – your performances were divine! And of course, none of this would have been possible without the colossal hard work of our amazing Heads of Drama, backstage crew and staff members. Thank you for making this Homeric adventure a reality. Until the Fates weave our next tale, thank you for being part of this legendary production!
Time BUDDY
At St James, we take pride in our dedicated Buddy Times: where older classes pair up with younger classes to form friendships across the years!
On Thursday afternoons, pupils played, read or enjoyed free play with Nursery children in their outside area!
All in all, Buddy Time has been a great success this year!
SUMMER Concert
We are incredibly proud of our rich musical tradition at St James, and our Summer Concert is the opportunity to present some of the finest performers and ensembles from all three schools. With performances exploring across centuries and genres, from baroque to romantic, from sonata to rock, the 2024 edition brought together a quintessential British summer garden party, traditional concert and vibrant rock gig, all rolled into one.
Lectures Senior Schools’
For our first joint Senior Schools’ Lecture of the year, we were delighted to welcome Jonathan Swain from Good Morning Britain to speak about his time as a News Correspondent for ITV. He delivered an engaging speech, which got the pupils thinking about their potential futures in journalism.
The second edition unfolded as an intellectually enriching and collaborative day.
Commencing with a delightful buffet lunch, students from both schools had the opportunity to connect, fostering a sense of camaraderie that set the tone for the day’s activities.
Watch Here
In breakout rooms, spirited debates echoed through the school as students delved into the complex question: “Will the development of AI be harmful or beneficial to humans?” The discussions, marked by diverse perspectives and thoughtful analysis, prepared students for the main event: our lecture and Q&A session with Sonia Sodha, Chief Leader, Writer, and Columnist at the Observer, and Deputy Opinion Editor at The Guardian.
Sonia demonstrated her expertise in politics by illuminating the intricacies of AI, the environmental crisis, housing crisis, and gender pay gap in the United Kingdom. Her views spurred contemplation and left a lasting impact on students and staff attending - especially the £50 roast chicken anecdote!
Overall, the collaborative spirit and intellectual discussions brought by our Senior Schools Lecture series created memorable events that enhanced classroom learning.
The forest walk was very relaxing.
I enjoyed making the paper flowers.
HARMONY Day
Year 7 were delighted to be invited to the Senior Boys’ School to take part in nature-centred activities with Year 7 boys for our annual Harmony Day.
They planted over 200 British tree seedlings provided by the Woodland Trust, got creative crafting flower arrangements out of paper, and enjoyed a nature walk with a quiz which included identifying leaves and looking for insects under logs – the large centipede was especially exciting!
Many thanks to the grounds team at Ashford for their hard work preparing the ground for the trees and to all the other staff who made the day so enjoyable for us all.
It was a fun experience to plant trees.
Zoe
Eiana
Hana
History of Art
For their History of Art A Level, students visited the National Gallery and the Tate Britain. It truly was an invaluable trip.
Students could see the final products of the casting and carving techniques of bronze and marble respectively as taught in class. They could experience the true size and scale of paintings, as well as study the intricate detail and lustre of oil paint: aspects that can only be fully appreciated at first hand. Students made comparative judgements and appreciated just how daring the spontaneity of Impressionist works were in comparison to the academic style of the Old Masters.
The two visits also highlighted the importance of the visual arts in chronicling humanity’s attempt to understand itself; the varying interpretations of historic events and how personal motives behind commissioned works affected their appearance. It was a wonderful day; much was learnt, and much fun was also had by all!
This academic year, Year 7 also explored how perspectival devices have been used in optical illusions, anamorphism and trompe l’oeil. They enjoyed learning about the Age of Enlightenment through art, Marxism through Realist paintings and classical mythology through sculpture. The fun quizzes always brought a competitive streak to each session and their class contributions and discussions were well above their age group. After analysing and discussing Matisse’s style, aims and key paintings, pupils produced their own 10-minute “Matisse” portrait sketches of each other. Their artwork beautifully captured his arbitrary use of blocks of unblended colour, strong outlines and simplified forms.
SCIENCES
Throughout the year, we have held exciting STEM Days. Not only providing science and mathematical concepts, STEM helps to discover real-world applications, spark creativity and develop essential skills including productivity, social, communication, flexibility and initiative.
Our new assembly initiative, ‘Science Now’, has enabled our pupils in all year groups to find out the latest developments in science and to hone their presentation and public speaking skills. Our Year 12 pupils took part in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, and, in Zoology Club, our passionate
pupils had the opportunity to do lots of hands-on learning with our school pets: Raja the corn snake, Aragog the desert tarantula, Koko the dwarf hamster and stick insects.
The club also offers opportunities for research and collaboration, with pupils engaging in their own research projects of the species of their choice and the chance to ‘bring your pet to school’ day. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed meeting and learning about their peers' pets, including quails, rabbits and lots of lovely dogs. These activities foster a deeper understanding of zoological sciences and the protection of biodiversity.
Library
It was a privilege to take part in the national Poetry by Heart competition and to share performances in the spring with Year 7.
From the quietly moving to the laugh-out-loud funny, they really got stuck into finding joy in poems that spoke to them.
Year 7’s Shakespeare Project entries showcased a smorgasbord of creative responses to Shakespeare’s life and works, from a massive cake of the globe complete with historically accurate decorations to a dramatic stop motion animation video of Romeo and Juliet.
All four of the library-run clubs share some common themes, namely enthusiasm, good conversation and biscuits! Through these ingredients, a love of books, reading and writing is nurtured in an inclusive and fun space where pupils of all ages can be themselves and share their interests.
Classics
There have been fantastic Classical-themed trips and events throughout the year, from the timetravelling Roman soldier who came to visit Year 7, to a performance of Virgil’s Aeneid, with scenes dramatically enacted in the original Latin - luckily with surtitles!
Trips to Bath and St Albans gave pupils a taste of the depth of history in this country from pre-Roman times through to the present day. Lastly, Classical Society have been extremely creative, retelling myths by making and photographing plasticine models, then building a detailed model of the Parthenon, for which they had to work out how to translate the instructions from Greek. Three recent alumnae are currently studying Classics at university and it was a pleasure to receive one of them, Ailbhe Samson, who spent a few days with pupils, sharing her insights into university life and her love of Classics.
Drama
This year, Year 7 looked at Mime, created their own puppet theatres and enjoyed a workshop performance of “James and the Giant Peach”, while also covering the basics of Drama performance.
In Year 8 and 9, exciting projects included work on improvisation skills, Shakespeare and Stanislavski (particularly “Given Circumstance”), and Year 10 and 11 created in-depth work using “Frantic Assembly” as their main practitioner, but also received master classes from current theatre directors (including Amy Milburn, Associate Director for the “The Play That Goes Wrong” and “Guys and Dolls”) which enhanced their skill base to industry-standard levels.
Food Preparation & NUTRITION
It has been another busy year for the Food Preparation and Nutrition department, particularly for the students in Year 11 who have undertaken their two Non-Exam Assessments.
The first NEA saw the cohort grappling with the chemical and nutritional properties of root vegetables and the ingredients used in biscuit production. Students conducted research before developing a hypothesis which they would test through a series of experiments before drawing conclusions. The students set about the task admirably with great determination and curiosity.
During their second NEA, the students developed dishes which used seasonal ingredients. Products ranged from tacos to pasta, ramen and Lebanese platters. The standard was truly breathtaking, and all the students should be incredibly proud of their efforts.
The new Year 10 cohort have also impressed producing a range of dishes which complement their learning in the theory element of the subject. The highlight was undoubtedly producing their own pasta dish; alongside their studies in Food Nutrition and Health, Food Science, Food Safety, Food Provenance and Food Choice, the pupils should be very proud of their achievements this academic year.
We can’t wait to start offering the Leiths Level 3 Certificate in Professional Cookery to our Year 12 cohort from September as the department grows.
Geography
For their residential trip to Juniper Hall Field Studies Centre, our GCSE geographers collected lots of great data about the changing course of the River Tillingbourne and also a counter-urbanisation study in Brockham and Ashstead.
The data was then analysed on their return to the classroom in preparation for their GCSE exam. Pupils still had time for team games on the lawn and a campfire with marshmallows!
It has been a busy year for our Year 10 and Year 12 pupils as they have worked hard to complete their Bronze and our inaugural Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
Many fulfilled their volunteering section by reading and playing with younger pupils! A wide range of skill activities were completed, including developing debating skills in Junior Lawyer Club and building interview skills through the Young Journalists of UNESCO programme. Physical activities included football, horse riding, dance and rowing, while expeditions took them hiking and camping in the Chilterns, South Downs and Dartmoor. We are so proud of their determination and resilience. Congratulations to all.
Sanskrit
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT TRIP TO MALTA
Seven pupils studying IGCSE Sanskrit visited Malta in February for an academic enrichment visit.
The overall theme for the trip, chosen by one of the pupils, was a philosophically challenging verse from the Bhagavad Gita IGCSE set text, which can be translated as 'One whose every undertaking is free from desirous intentions, and whose actions have been burnt up in the fire of knowledge, that person the enlightened call wise.'
Pupils enjoyed the trip and found it had both broadened and deepened their understanding of the IGCSE Sanskrit syllabus!
Watch Here
SPORTS DAY
Monday 1 July was breezy but dry for our Sports Day Festival. This year, pupils showed their athletic prowess with impressive performances in track and field events, but they also had an opportunity to gain extra points for their Houses by participating in inclusive and fun competitions.
Events included clothing dash runs (putting on a new item of clothing every 20m before crossing the finish line), egg & spoon races, wheelbarrow races and a sponge relay which was definitely a favourite!
Thank you to the PCCs for providing refreshments and for always supporting sporting endeavours.
Many records were broken, great fun was had by all, and a big congratulations to Helena House who took the overall cup!
Sports Week
Sports Week is a regular fixture on the St James calendar and helps pupils try a discipline they’ve never done before as well as have some fun with their classmates outside of the normal school environment. We hope it helps them discover a lifelong love relationship with sport!
This year’s was another succcess. Year 7 tried their hand at rock climbing, while Year 8 attempted a range of sports at Surrey Sports Park. Year 9 went off to a padel session at the courts in Chiswick, and Year 10 headed for the golf driving range to test out their swing. We were lucky to be joined by two inspiring speakers: Rachel Pavlou, FA Women’s Development Manager, and Gemma Frizelle, Welsh rhythmic gymnast and 2022 Commonwealth Games winner. They shared their personal and professional journeys as well as great insight into their respective sport, and we were also lucky to have Gemma lead a rhythmic gymnastic session.
Highlights
It has been a busy year for sporting clubs. The St James Lacrosse teams have enjoyed playing various schools throughout the season. A special mention goes out to the U13 team, who have been successful in 80% of their fixtures.
Our Year 8 team also became the London North Regional ISA Netball Competition Winners! Congratulations to all that played, and to Gina in Year 11, their assistant coach.
The final football session of the year saw a fun house competition, which was won rather decisively by Helena! After this, pupils were given the chance to have a coaching session with Alo Iriarte, the goalkeeper for the Puerta Rican U20 national team who has competed against countries including the USA and Spain! There were a few drills run to begin with, followed by some shooting and a chance to take a penalty against Alo – Sienna in Year 7 was the only striker who managed to sneak a goal past her!
Enrichment Academic
This year, our Academic Enrichment provision offered some excellent professional lectures delivered through our Minerva Society Talks series, memorable Extended Project Qualification submissions by Year 13 and some amazing Horizons presentations from students in Year 8-10. Here’s to more inspiring work next year!
Minerva Society Talks
Organised at various points during the year and open to all our pupils, parents and alumni, these talks offer amazing opportunities to learn about areas beyond the curriculum.
Special mention and thanks to the amazing team of Minerva Reps, who helped with a range of tasks, such as presenting or thanking the speaker, serving refreshments, helping with the posters and more!
Our guest speakers and their areas of endeavor were:
Ms Emma Bell: “Is our future determined by the way we talk about our past?”
Dr Martin Dachsel: “Is Mathematics important for life? Lessons from Medicine”
Dr Lucy Mason: “How can a footprint define the difference between the past and the future?”
Mr Tony Mann: “The Mathematics of our calendar” - Special event on Thursday 29 February about Leap Day!
Mr Tim Boddy: “Strategy in the age of Artificial Intelligence”
EPQ
Presentations
Our Sixth Formers' Extended Project Qualifications presentations took place over two evening events this year due to the growing numbers of students taking on this amazing qualification!
Unlike taught A-Levels, students get to research a topic that they are curious about and develop a variety of independent learning skills.
The sheer variety of their topics was impressive and demonstrated the incredible diversity of our Sixth Form. Well done to all!
Anika: “Can Simulation Technology Trick Our Brains?”
Nianxi: “Do Parallel Worlds Really Exist?”
Evie: “Does Tracey Emin’s art reflect the female experience in 20/21st century?”
Stephanie: “Is the Music Industry Corrupt?”
Hazel: “Who is responsible for Gun violence in America?”
Anna: “Has censorship gone too far in social media?”
Isabelle: “Can money guarantee success in football?”
Anoushka: “Futuristic and sustainable architecture - is it feasible and will it have a lasting impact?”
The Horizons Projects
This year's Horizons group worked tirelessly and put in hours in addition to their regular schoolwork to investigate an area they were intrigued by. They developed a strong reference list that allowed them to argue many different viewpoints, building towards a strong conclusion to their research question.
Iris: “Parasocial Relationships – are they really relationships?”
Beata: “Can music alter your brain chemistry?”
Sabrina: “Is time travel possible?”
Anya: “Do religious rituals affect marriage in Hinduism now?”
Clara: “How does Social Media influence our decisions?”
Inaya: “Should Stand-up Comedy be Taught in High Schools?”
Carla: “Does Marvel use physics to explain what happens?”
Teresa: “Will AI replace Teachers?”
Lilly: “Does Science always benefit Sport?”
Amirah: “Can psychopaths be good people?”
8 Year Art
Year 7
Tynne H
Rawaa M
Anika R
Cindy L
Paper Sculptures
Polina B
Year 9
Lucy B
Elisabeth B
Zara B Safiya A
Sabrina O-R
Eloise W
Jiachang Z
Violet S
GCSE
Maya F
Pia H
Beatrix McF
Emily B
Amelie C
Chloe C
Olivia P
Pearl R
Laila L
A Level
All works by Eve G
COMMUNITY Action
The Community Action team, who met fortnightly and represented all year groups, organised many events such as Culture Day, Christmas Jumper Day and bake sales to raise money for different charities.
This year, we have supported the Tanzania Development Trust and Tumaini Open School, which opened in July 2023 to provide secondary education for young girls who have had to leave school because of becoming pregnant, usually through no fault of their own.
We also supported associations providing aid for children impacted by conflict, a cause close to all pupils and the St James community.
Speech Day
Our Speech and Prize Giving Day, held at the Royal Geographical Society, was yet again a brilliant celebration of our pupils’ achievements and a true testament to our school. With a performance from our choir, and inspiring speeches from pupils and from our guest speaker, alumna Aishwarya Chidambaram, this day brought a great sense of community. Read about our Alumnae on page 48.
Music Night SIXTH FORM
From rock bands to opera performances, the Sixth Form Music Night was an evening full of superb acts from the Sixth Form and from the upper school with our Year 10 band. The Year 13 group piece was a highlight, with students taking part in a choreographed number to “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John.
Even the intermission was far from dull, with Sixth Formers running a silent auction. It included items such as tickets to Buckingham Palace, a selection of wines and beautiful artworks from our community. Thank you to all the staff and guests who contributed and well done to our Sixth Form for such a well-run event!
SIXTH FORM
Leaver’s Poem
In true St James Sixth Form tradition, Year 13 enjoyed a Leavers’ Breakfast on their last day, where they were read their very own poem, inspired by Invictus, by William Ernest Henley.
For the unconquerable class of 2024!
Out of the weeks that lie before you
With mind intent on your goal
Thank whatever strength is within you
For your unconquerable soul
Hazel, Hinduism will not thwart you
Louise, sociology will not defeat you
Skye, art history will not deter you
Em, biology will not confuse you
Paint a world more beautiful, Evie
Change society for the better, Milli
Converse in French with flair, Izzy Bea, you make history look so easy!
Beyond this place of financial ill, Zara, Stephanie and Anna master bonds
It matters not how many quotes, Keto and Odile
Your love of poetry your fear dissolves
Shruti, intent on your future in dentistry
Anabela, unperturbed by reactions in chemistry
The menace of further maths, Anoushka and Nianxi Finds, and shall find, you unafraid – you’ll see!
Anika, you will not hesitate
No matter how dense the code
You are the master of your fate
You are the captain of your soul.
Leaver’s Ball
Amazing Alumnae
Can you tell us about what you do?
I work as a management consultant specialising in commercial, economic and strategic advisory within the transport sector, focusing primarily on rail projects, including reforms with the Department for Transport, the Elizabeth Line and European train services. My role involves building commercial, economic, and financial models, corporate structure advisory and customer strategy work. As the first employee at a new boutique firm, I also handle marketing, EDI, resource planning and data capability.
What do you find most challenging about your work?
Being often the only woman or person of colour in the room can be daunting in a male-dominated field like this. However, I’ve received tremendous support both within my company and the wider sector. Last year, I joined the UK rail industry’s EDI charter working group to help create a more inclusive environment, which has been very rewarding.
What do you love most about it?
It’s fulfilling to see the tangible results of our projects, like improving customer experiences on trains. Personally, growing in skill and confidence, especially as a woman in this field, has been incredibly satisfying.
You have been a great advocate for encouraging female students to pursue studies in Mathematics and STEM subjects. Could you tell us about how important this is?
Having been in male-dominated environments, I understand the challenges women face in these fields. It’s crucial to encourage young women to pursue STEM despite the lack of representation, as diverse talent is vital for innovation and progress.
Did your time at St James help you in your work or life?
St James helped me gain in confidence through diverse extracurricular activities, which has been essential in my career.
What is your fondest memory of St James?
My fondest memory is the last few days of sixth form, filled with various activities and a memorable students vs teachers netball match, which we won!
Interview with Aishwarya Chidambaram
Can you tell us about what you do?
After working as a secondary school Maths teacher, I now work at The Advocacy Academy, a youth organising movement in Lambeth, as the Partnerships and Events Lead. We equip young people from marginalised backgrounds with skills in civic engagement and campaigning. My role involves managing relationships with external organisations. A significant project I'm currently focused on is fundraising £50,000 to develop a new youth centre in Brixton. I'm also pursuing an MA in Social Justice and Education at UCL.
What do you find most challenging about your work?
Managing a wide network of relationships requires organisation and flexibility. Unexpected events, such as arranging or attending urgent events and meetings, are common.
What do you love most about it?
I appreciate The Advocacy Academy’s commitment to both youth and staff wellbeing. The organisation practices what it preaches, supporting employees in standing up for their beliefs and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Our meetings often start with creative check-ins, which foster a strong team spirit and provide joy amidst work pressures.
Do you have any words of advice for someone looking to get into teaching?
Teaching was a rewarding early career with many transferable skills. I recommend the TeachFirst Programme, which places trainees in under-resourced schools. This route covers the PGCE costs and provides a salary. TF focuses on addressing educational disadvantages and shaped my career path, despite being the toughest years of my life.
Did your time at St James help you in your work or life?
St James provided a supportive environment and instilled a sense of community and sisterhood. Learning to find stillness amidst chaos has been invaluable. The friendships formed there remain my closest and most supportive relationships.
What is your fondest memory of St James?
My fondest memories involve laughter with my best friend, Genie, and creating skits in Drama class with Mrs De Mattos. These moments were filled with creativity and joy.
Interview with
Farah Elemara
COMMUNITY
It has been wonderful to welcome more and more parents and carers to activities at the school, and a huge thank you to all for your support and dedication to our school events this year. We know how hard it is to juggle school life when working full time and so it is much appreciated!
Thank you to our wonderful Parent Class Coordinators for making sure the events throughout the year were a success.
This year’s Alumni Christmas Drinks were held on site, giving the Old Girls a chance to come back and relive their school days, sitting in the biology lab and taking over the stage in the Assembly Hall. The Class of 2013 used this as an opportunity to celebrate their 10-year anniversary and were delighted to see some of their former teachers.
It’s also been a pleasure to welcome back alumni who were so generous with their time, speaking at the Year 12 and 13 dinners and offering their help and advice on careers, universities and interviews to our current pupils.
Quiz Night
Alumni Reunion
PCC Sports Day Stand
Bursary Fundraising
As we approach our 50th Anniversary and we look towards the future of the schools, we want to put bursaries at the heart of our fundraising.
St James has a long history of providing bursaries, which both enrich the school community and give children access to a high-quality education that their parents would not be able to afford otherwise.
By focusing on bursaries, we hope that children who would flourish at St James have the opportunity to do so.
Receiving the bursary has been life-changing for our family.
The bursary award given to my daughter has positively changed the trajectory of her whole life and it is such a privilege to see her flourishing in such a vibrant and welcoming school. We are so very grateful to everybody who has helped this to be possible and the bursary award that enables her to attend this wonderful school means so very much to both of us.
Parent of a current bursary holder
Parent of a current bursary holder
Year
7
Year 7, what a wonderful first year at St James! Everyone settled in beautifully, taking part in a wealth of clubs, with Zoology being the most popular as usual, and forming new friendships.
It has been an exciting time for trips too, with an initial trip to Waterperry and later an amazing residential in the fields of Nanpantan. Year 7 embraced new subjects, new surroundings and new teachers with kindness and enthusiasm!
From Miss Davidson Head of Year 7
I’m sure you will all make a wonderful Year 8 cohort and will only flourish moving forward at St James.
Year 7 enjoyed a wonderful adventure to Nanpantan Hall in Leicester. They spent the first day excitedly playing team games on the lawn, climbing trees and using the tree swing.
The following day, they visited a local farm and had the chance to cuddle some adorable baby lambs and goats, which was only interrupted when the resident goat named Billy came to explore their pockets for snacks! They also practised felting soaps and got the chance to build shelters and fires, practising their wilderness skills.
Next, everyone set forth on a quest to reach a viewing peak. Year 7 trampled through fields and across streams, all while enjoying their natural surroundings. A bit of a chill sent them back to the house for hot chocolates, marshmallows and a bonfire.
The final morning was spent making clay sprites adorned with leaves and feathers, which pupils either took home or left in the forest for next year’s cohort!
NANPANTAN HALL
Year
8
There was a real buzz amongst Year 8 pupils this year. Teachers regularly stopped me in the corridor to comment on how much they engaged with their learning, describing fabulous project work and questioning in class that brings to the fore their curiosity. They worked amazingly together and brought out the best in each other.
We loved watching the wide variety of talents that Year 8 pupils developed outside of their classroom. I really enjoyed watching their Blues and Jazz music composition and The Odyssey production was a particular highlight, with many Year 8 in the cast both on and off stage.
Their sporting achievements were particularly impressive, and I loved the assembly showcasing their love of Lacrosse! I am excited to see how they develop as independent learners in coming years.
I hope you live the St James motto “speak the truth, live generously, aim for the best” and watch how this feeds forward into a virtuous cycle of positivity, bringing benefits to yourself and those around you.
From Ms Riley Head of Year 8
Dorset
TRIP
From rock climbing to an exhilarating sloppy mud trail, the Year 8 trip to Dorset was an unforgettable experience for all!
We completed various obstacle courses, pushing our way through hip-height mud water and going down from a slide into a pool of mud. The air was filled with tons of laughter and frequent shrieks as our shoes were absorbed by a vortex of mud. Quite a lot of trust was needed during this activity, as we were pulling each other out of the mud and encouraging everyone to “take a leap” and make new soggy memories from every perilous step. A very popular activity was the crate stacking, where we had to descend a very unstable stack of crates in the shape of stairs. We had to keep stacking more crates until we were suspended in the air by harnesses and clutching onto our partner for dear life, when all the crates were suddenly kicked from under our feet!
The Buddens challenge tested our physical and mental limits. Working as a team, we located various areas on a map and completed challenges for different amounts of points. It was a true test of determination, trust and teamwork.
Lilly
9 Year
I have been fortunate enough to be with this year group from Year 8. Over the past two years, I have seen them grow, take on challenges independently, both academically and in their personal lives, and seen them thrive in both aspects.
It has been an honour to see each one flourish into the confident, independent, determined, caring young people they have become.
The Year 9 and Nursery buddy programme was definitely a highlight of the year. It was wonderful to see the relationships blossom between the buddies and how well the Year 9 pupils stepped up to that big sister role. They displayed their support, guidance and nurturing side to our younger community at St James, for which I felt really proud.
Year 9, I hope you always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart for all those who cross your path. Find joy and laughter in the small things and don’t take life too seriously!
From Lauren Berridge
From Ms Berridge Head of Year
9
Year 9 had an excellent time on their Sicily trip. They explored the town of Catania and enjoyed the Sicilian dish, ‘Pasta Norma’ for lunch, which is aubergine in a traditional tomato sauce. Climbing Mount Etna was a huge achievement for everyone and despite the hard walk up, the views were breath-taking.
It was incredible to see one of the craters and the heat rising off the ground whilst it was snowing. It was also incredible that pupils still had the energy to enjoy a refreshing dip in the hotel pool in the evening!
The following day, they explored the Alcantara Gorge and walked through the bitterly cold water while enjoying the sun. They explored the town of Taormina, visited some shops and learnt about the Greek and Roman history relating to the town. They visited the Greek theatre, enjoyed some Italian gelato and then went on to make their own pizzas at a local restaurant. All thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the broad discovery of Sicilian culture!
Sicily TRIP
10Year
Year 10 had a year in which they began to come closer as friends and classmates. They also began all their GCSE courses in earnest, realising that work is beginning to matter.
But of course, there is always time for fun and building new friendships. Ms HoughtonBarnes offered them a wonderful theatre trip to see Sister Act which was definitely a great hit. Activity Week was also cited as a highlight, with some pupils exploring Iceland and its waterfalls, geysers, glaciers (and pot noodles!), while others enjoyed trips to Thorpe Park, the British library and the Science Museum.
From Mrs Childs
Head of Year 10
You are all certainly ready for the challenges Year 11 will bring!
ICELAND TRIP
Our Year 10 trip to Iceland was an extraordinary opportunity to explore the beauty and stunning nature of the world around us. Upon our arrival in Reykjavik, we did a brief tour around the city before going to our first accommodation to rest. Over the next two days, we explored some of the best sights Iceland had to offer; we were all left shocked and impressed by the Strokkur Geyser which erupted 20-30m high every 5 minutes! We also hiked to the Sólheimajökull Glacier and were left awe-struck by the beauty of some of Iceland’s 60m high Gullfoss Waterfall. We visited the Seljalandsfoss waterfall as well - although these visits left us wet and cold, the incredible views were worth it. Although it wasn’t all hiking and exploration, we were also able to have fun souvenir shopping and relax in the geothermal hot springs that Iceland had to offer. This was a truly incredible trip with lots of unforgettable moments and once in a lifetime opportunities.
Year
11
Year 11 were a group of vibrant, honest, thoughtful, funny pupils who have had difficult times but faced them together.
Our highlights included handing out golden egg awards for high attendance and excellent manners (with sweet treats), visiting the trampoline park and watching them laugh; their energy was electric. The beginning of study leave party was excellent fun and included polaroids, costumes and games such as guess the baby picture and 2 truths, 1 lie with teachers. The evening culminated in a rap and karaoke session when the pupils were in full voice.
Year 11 knuckled down very well to the GCSEs; they got through exams with confidence and hope in equal measures.
I shall miss being your head of year because you are such a likeable group of people who are communicative and entertaining.
From Mrs Childs Head of Year 11
Sixth Form
This may have been a small Sixth Form cohort, but students have been huge in stature! Every single Sixth Former has held a position of responsibility and made a real difference in their role. Their love of the school is palpable!
They have delivered multiple assemblies, spoken at Open Events, led the school council, written a new code of conduct, mentored younger pupils, volunteered in the wider community, run clubs, formed an awesome jazz band and held an incredibly successful fundraising Music Night!
You are an incredibly powerful group of people. When we have quiet time together, I can feel this tangible potential. Just be yourselves! Together, you are frightfully awesome, and individually, wherever your path may lead you, you will be true leaders and a real force for good.
From Mrs Saunders Head of Sixth Form
