We never go out of style!
Find out what really goes on at a fashion show.
Read MoreWeekly News
The buzz in Sixth Form only grew as our Friday and Saturday performances of the Croydon High and Whitgift Fashion Show were getting closer, and we hoped all of our hard work would pay off. And it did!
Backstage was crazy with people running around trying to make it in time for their catwalk, inflatable dinosaurs panicking because they didn’t have a battery for their costumes, and everyone being reminded to smile on stage.
The shows really brought the two year groups of Croydon High and Whitgift together as our shared stresses and panics about various catwalks or cues floated through the sixth forms. There were even a few tears as Whitgift presented the head girl team with a card signed with small messages from all the boys, and Iβm sure the staff were so relieved that they no longer have to worry about where our costumes are, or even where we are when weβre supposed to be on stage.
The relief we all felt when walking off the stage for the last time on Saturday night was nothing compared to the excitement and joy we had experienced from performing for everyone over the two nights.
Overall, we raised an incredible Β£5,000 for our two charities, Winstonβs Wish and Young Minds, and we are hoping these donations will keep coming in as we prepare for the Sixth Form charity netball matches later on this year.
Rebecca G
Lower Sixth
On Monday 6 November, our fantastic Year 9 pupils headed into London for a Geography trip to support their topics of Sustainable Cities and Inequality in London.
Read MoreIt was the first time we had visited the New London Architecture (NLA) centre at The Guildhall, to look at the scale models of London and complete a sustainability workshop. We also visited Spitalfields and Banglatown to undertake surveys to determine whether inequality exists in the area. Pupils were encouraged to use their own ideas for data collection, such as choosing their categories for their environmental and building surveys, to help develop their independence in fieldwork decision making. The pupils worked in groups and were a real credit to the school, with the staff at the NLA and some pedestrians commenting on how keen and well behaved they were. Well done, Year 9!
“I learnt a lot about London during the workshop. I enjoyed looking at the mini scales of London and getting an outside perspective on the buildings and how many green spaces there are. I liked walking around Brick Lane because It was fascinating looking at the graffiti art and the difference between the homes there.” –Isabel 9G
“I really enjoyed our trip to Brick Lane as I found it really informative and fun. I enjoyed going with my friends to collect data because we all noticed different things and it was nice to hear others’ opinions apart from my own. We had a bit of freedom when doing research and when we gathered for lunch got to explore the many fast-food places too! I liked the workshop in particular because I enjoyed working with my friend to present our ideas about how we can make London a better place. I really enjoyed the trip today and hope we can do more like it in the future!” –Naima 9F
“As a year group, we headed out to Brick Lane, a place known for the Jack the Ripper murders and the mosque, which was once a synagogue, and before that a church; the cultural diversity within Brick Lane was clear as we completed activities in a booklet while we walked around the area. After having lunch at Liverpool Street Station, we went to New London Architecture (NLA) who hosted a workshop for us where we saw detailed scale models of Greater London, Royal Docks and the City of London. Overall the day was really interesting and we had a great time!” –Arwa 9D
“I really enjoyed walking around and observing the sustainability of the different parts of London as I think that it helped to see it in real life.” –Luna 9D
“I enjoyed going around London and looking at all the different shops and buildings and making a tally of them because I found it quite interesting seeing the different kinds of shops in all the different areas.” –Chloe 9G
Why not take a visit to the NLA to explore the models we saw on our trip.
Mrs Alice Mollison
Head of Geography
Understand the benefits of Forest School and what it looks like at Croydon High.
Read MoreForest School is a unique, inspirational learning process which takes place in a natural setting and is based on each individual child. Through regular sessions, and by focusing on learner inspired and hands-on experiences, it offers opportunities for holistic growth and the development of self-confidence and self-esteem. It supports play, exploration and risk-taking in a controlled environment to enable the child to use these skills in future unknown environments.
Forest Schoolβs roots can be dated back many centuries within the UK, however it is strongly based upon the open-air culture seen as a way of life in Scandinavia. In 1993, the first Forest School was established in the UK and it has grown from strength to strength ever since.
At Croydon High School, our overall aim is to provide academic challenge, extensive enrichment and a unique education for remarkable girls and our Forest School programme helps deliver that by:
At Croydon High School, girls across the Juniors have access to our onsite Forest School as either a weekly lesson, through joining Nature Club, or as part of our Perpetuam programme. The experience of the girls will differ depending on their age.
In the Early Years and in Nature Club, the emphasis is on observation, exploration and investigation. It provides the basis for the girls to create a meaningful connection with the world and to understand their place within it. Activities include minibeast hunts, building bug hotels, creating patterns and art, as well as gardening amongst others. The girls have the chance to explore all the seasons and experience the challenges and potential of the natural world around them.
Throughout the rest of the Junior School the girls participate in a wide range of activities such as den-building, woodcraft, cooking, and fire lighting. The activities that take place are chosen by the girls and are learner inspired so differ depending on the interests of the individual and the group. The approach to risk during activities that take place in Forest School enables learners to solve real-world problems, build on their self-belief and develop resilience. By overcoming adversity, the girls become more resilient, creative and independent. The idea of sustainability is also embedded throughout all sessions.
Since leading the Forest School curriculum at Croydon High School it has been a pleasure to see the girls being involved in a vast array of activities. Itβs wonderful to see them interacting outdoors in a completely different environment to the classroom and working together. There is no pressure at Forest School and the girls can challenge themselves independently which has led to some very exciting outcomes. It is also fantastic to hear the girls getting so excited about their sessions throughout the week and looking forward to their turn in Forest School.
Mrs Emily Wragg
Reception Class Teacher
Science Coordinator and Forest School Leader
This new calm space is open for all Junior pupils to take a break from situations and decompress.
Read MoreThis term in the Junior School, we have opened our new Wellbeing Room. Situated in the Discovery Zone by the library, this is a calm room where girls can take a break from situations that are overwhelming them and decompress. Mrs Crossfield uses the room to spend one to one time supporting girls with a whole range of pastoral issues and leading conversations about wellbeing and mental health. There are helpful books to read, games to play, and comfy seating to relax on. It is a safe space in which to raise concerns, thrash out ideas and talk about life away from the classroom. The Wellbeing Room is also used by our occupational therapist and others involved in the care of our girls.
Mrs Nikki Crossfield
Assistant Head (Pastoral and Outreach) of Junior School
Huge well done to all the Year 6 electives who put themselves forward to be Junior School House Captains - we are very proud of you all!
Read MoreThe elections for Junior House Captain took place on Tuesday 7 November. We had 20 electives who stood in front of their house and presented their speeches on why they should be chosen for Junior House Captain. From pledging to run charitable events to being a listening ear to their peers, it was very inspiring and all are great role models.
The Sixth Form House Captains joined the event and listened intently to each candidate.
We are so proud of each and every candidate who took the stage in front of their peers and did a brilliant job convincing then why they are the right person. It will not be an easy vote, that’s for sure!
The candidates were:
Curie House
Maahi J
Sophie L
Siya M
Ria P
Shanaya A
Florence S
Exploring the trajectory of Ashvi Ilot's career, from humble beginnings to orchestrating groundbreaking missions, unveiling her profound impact in the realm of space exploration.
Read MoreWimbledon High alumna, Ashvi Ilot, visited Croydon High on the 8 November to talk about her pivotal role at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). Ashvi’s trajectory in the space industry has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. As a systems engineer for the Rosetta Mission and a 3D CAD designer for the International Space Station, she laid the groundwork for her later successes. Venturing into propulsion procurement and spacecraft control, she delved deep into the intricate workings of space technology.
Her stint at the Spacecraft Control & Operations Facility and the Skynet 5A mission honed her operational finesse, preparing her for international collaborations with the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. In her current role, leading the Lunar Pathfinder Mission and the Moonlight mission, her endeavours promise to illuminate the enigmatic dark side of the moon, unravelling its mysteries for humanity.
The workshop gave us the opportunity to ask questions and discuss how we can ensure the success of our own satellite launch (as part of Mission Pegasus) which we are all very much looking forward to and are busy planning for already! We will provide lots more information in the weeks to come – stay updated by following our YouTube channel and Instagram!
Ashvi’s unwavering dedication to unravelling the celestial mysteries has propelled her to the forefront of the space industry. Her journey epitomises perseverance, innovation, and a profound commitment to advancing humanity’s understanding of the cosmos.
Anaiya S
Year 9
Crew Operations & Resources Engineer
This week's Alumnae Spotlight focuses on class of 2003 alumna, Millie Mensah.
Read MoreMillie is an author and freelance graphic designer working with charities and nonprofit organisations to deliver purposeful messages via print and digital design. As a former local government employee (youth offending), she understands the importance of working with hard-to-reach and marginalised groups. She continues this way of working via creative design with an ethical approach. Millie has also just finished an 18-month work contract at Apple. Millie enjoyed working for the biggest tech company in the world and was inspired by their brand and core values being in line with her own work principles.
During the pandemic, Millie took up a voluntary role and joined charity Period Reality as the Design Team Lead. Period Reality aims to share stories from around the world about the reality of some people in terms of managing periods. They work with businesses and organisations to make them more inclusive, playing into employeesβ strengths at any point during the month.
Period Reality are pushing the envelope on women’s health and well-being, educating young women and girls about gender equity and equality, women’s empowerment, gender development, women in leadership, employee enablement and inclusive societies by educating about and advocating for living in sync with your cycle. These are all messages close to the heart of Croydon Highβs Period Project philosophy.
Millie fulfilled a wish last year when her book Migration: Journeys Through Black British History was published. Milliesβ book is part of the Black Curriculum series, where the reader learns how migration has shaped Black British History. The book contains incredible untold stories of people, places, and journeys recognising that migration has been part of British history right from the start.
For example, did you know Black people lived in Britain during Roman times? Or that there was a Black trumpeter in Henry VIII’s court? Millieβs book shares the stories of Black British people who campaigned to abolish slavery in the 18th century, like Olaudah Equiano. It explains what brought people to Britain in the 20th century and what life was like for them. The book highlights how migration is important to Britain’s identity and history and how it continues today.
We were lucky enough to be joined by Millie in our Junior School in October. She led the Culture Day assembly, showed us her book, and explained what it was like to write it and how important it is to learn about Black History as an integral part of all British History, from Roman History to the present day.We caught up with Millie this week for a Q&A session:
Going to school every day to see my friends. The friendships I made at school are so important to me and have shaped me as an individual, and I still maintain some of those friendships today. Itβs been a privilege to be part of their lives and to see how much weβve all grown and continue to grow.
I believe that being a friendly and outgoing person was something that I naturally aspired to. I was always keen to learn (especially history) as best as I could, but I think being a kind person was just as (if not) more important to my time there.
Attending Croydon High gave me that quiet encouragement to strive for more, even though I didnβt always know what that looked like. There were many students with ambition, and I believe my peers inspired me to consider that there is a whole world outside of school and I would eventually find my feet.
Iβm very proud that I wasnβt afraid to change my career in youth justice to graphic design. At the time of the transition, many people said I was βbraveβ, but my instincts knew it was the right path to take. Doing so has opened many doors, and I have learnt so much about myself. I used to think, βWhy didnβt I become a designer years ago?β but realised that this was how things were meant to be, and I have no regrets.
To continue to do my part to keep learning (academic and non-academic) about the world and, share that knowledge, and raise awareness, whether itβs through design, writing or teaching.
I believe that everyone has the right to the benefit of education regardless of their background.
Keep smiling, be more curious and stand up for yourself when something doesnβt feel right.
Thank you Millie; we hope to see you again soon at Croydon High!
Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager
Croydon Citadel Corps - The Salvation Army have sent Croydon High a thank you letter for providing food parcels to families.
Read MoreDear All
Re: Harvest Donations 2023
Once again, we write to thank all those involved in donating food to us this year.
This ongoing support helps us provide food parcels to families who are struggling to make ends meet. They are often referred to us by Social Services, G. Pβs, and other such professional support agencies.
If any of the girls would like to come and see where and how their donations are distributed, we would be happy to arrange this. (We could facilitate 2 pupils)
We always like to give feedback and so far, this year we have distributed over 2,550 parcels. Once again, a heartfelt thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Russell-Redman
Community Support
Our School Minibus service offers an efficient and flexible option designed to help families with journeys to and from school. Minibus travel is offered to pupils in Year 3 and up.
The service is managed on our behalf by Vectare, a specialist school transport management company. All bookings for our school bus routes are made via our online booking system, which can be accessed atΒ croydonhigh.vectare.co.uk.
The website allows you to book travel 24/7 from anywhere, meaning that if you need to leave early for work one morning or are running late and you would like one of our students to travel on a school bus as a one off, you can make a booking right up until the route is due to depart. Payment for the school bus service is made at the time of booking, so there is no need for pupils to carry cash.