We are so proud to announce that The Royal Astronomical Society’s 2024 Award for Secondary and Further Education Award has been awarded to Mrs Karteepan.

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) was founded in 1820 so is even older than Croydon High and encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science.

This award, made to Mrs Karteepan, recognises particularly noteworthy contributions to astronomy or geophysics by secondary or FE teachers, for example, by significantly improving attainment, the innovative use of astronomy or geophysics across the curriculum, or by engaging students in extra-curricular projects – all of which Mrs Karteepan does brilliantly!

Congratulations to alumna Camilla Bowry OBE

Croydon High alumna Camilla (CJ) Bowry was awarded an OBE for services to young people, education, and the environment in the King’s New Year’s Honours list. CJ is the founder of the charity Sal’s Shoes, which redistributes footwear to children in poverty worldwide; in the last decade, they have found new feet for over five million pairs of shoes in 61 countries worldwide, including increasingly here in the UK.

The charity, named after her son, began in 2013 after CJ collected a bag of her son’s outgrown but not outworn shoes. Reluctant to throw them away but unable to find a suitable charity to take them, she sent them to a friend overseas who delivered them to a children’s oncology ward.

At the end of each summer term, as a school community, we support this worthy cause by donating shoes of all sizes. The Senior Reception area bursts with many bags and boxes of donations.

Feet in shoes are protected feet; feet protected from injury and infection.

CJ was a GDST Alumna of the Year finalist in 2021 and often refers to the friendships and the learning experiences that she feels have shaped her, saying, “No other 7-year period has gone on to have had such a positive impact on my life than my time at Croydon High.”

CJ is very much a part of our school community and we are incredibly proud of her!

Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager

Can you tell us about your role?

My role is Teaching Assistant in the Junior School. I am a KS2 Assistant covering Years 3 and 4. I am responsible for supporting the classes and the fantastic teaching staff you have here in both an educational and pastoral capacity. This means motivating and encouraging the pupil and undertaking any job as directed by my teacher in a positive and efficient way whilst being adaptable to any given situation.

As we believe that our pupils should and can aspire without limits at Croydon High, what are your key aspirations in this new role and what is your vision as a Teaching Assistant?

I love that fact that at Croydon High the sky is the limit, the pupils are encouraged to realise their dreams and goals no matter how big they may seem! I aspire to take a leaf out of their books and explore new methods and ideas here at Croydon High and learn and grow myself, making a difference each day. I’m reminded of the quote, “Little girls with dreams, become women with vision”, so I want to encourage all the children to be their own champions in life and I will be their cheerleader as they go on their individual journeys.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

Well, I can tap dance but I’m not sure how useful that is now I’m a bit older although, it could cause a stir in the cheese aisle in Sainsburys I suppose. I love drama and theatre and enjoy performing with local groups when I can.
I enjoy gardening although I’m no Monty Don, hmm, and I cant stand marzipan! So that’s filled in a bit of background for you as Julie Walters would say. Oh yes, I am a huge Victoria Wood fan!

What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?

Trust yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to.

Share a memorable time where you felt proud, empowered, aspirational or have shown kindness to others or kindness was shown to you.

My children make me proud every day, I am so lucky to be their mum and I get to watch them grow into the amazing young women they are becoming.

I guess the last time I felt proud of myself was when I got the job here, it was a moment I won’t forget, and everyone has been so kind and generous with their time since I joined that I know I have found a very special place to work. That in itself is empowering and aspiring, so a huge thank you to everyone.

Mrs Claire Connery
Junior School KS2 Teaching Assistant

Can you tell us about your role?

I have joined the school as Head of Classics which means I lead the provision of Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation throughout the school.

As we believe that our pupils should and can aspire without limits at Croydon High, what are your key aspirations in this new role and what is your vision as Head of Classics?

I believe that Classics is for everyone as it is such a broad subject encompassing language, history and culture. My hope is to inspire confidence in pupils to engage in the ancient world and enjoy what it teaches us about life and ourselves.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

My favourite thing to do on the weekends is visiting art galleries and museums. I did History of Art A Level when I was at school so I particularly enjoy looking out for classical details on buildings or classical references in paintings and sculptures.

What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?

That it’s okay to make mistakes; in fact, mistakes are positive if you see them as a learning opportunity.

Share a memorable time where you felt proud, empowered, aspirational or have shown kindness to others or kindness was shown to you.

I feel proud every time I see pupils making progress in my subject, whether mastering a new tense or drawing links between Greek and Roman culture. But one particularly memorable time was in my first teaching job in a boarding school where I led a chapel service on the topic of ‘role models’. I described my grandfather who came to boarding school in England from South America in 1946 aged 13. I was able to pass on his wisdom, most importantly, to play fair and be honest.

Ms Grace Whittingham
Head of Classics

Can you tell us about your role?

I am currently an MFL teacher for KS3-KS5 (maternity cover) and it is an exciting opportunity for me to continue doing that which I am passionate about.

As we believe that our pupils should and can aspire without limits at Croydon High, what are your key aspirations in this new role and what is your vision?

I am very passionate about students opening their cultural horizons and engaging with the world outside of their own remit. This involves incorporating aspects of multiculturalism in my lessons (highlighting Latin American, Caribbean & African speaking populations) as well as enrichment activities where students discover more about global cultures.

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?

I am currently a singer in my church gospel choir, and I also enjoy performing solo or in groups for other musical ventures.

What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?

As someone who had dealt with anxiety about the future… I would tell her to focus on one thing at a time, and only on what you can do. There is power in dealing with the present and it is a much more peaceful and productive place to be. No one can add more days to their life by worrying!

Share a memorable time where you felt proud, empowered, aspirational or have shown kindness to others or kindness was shown to you.

I have experienced so much kindness in my own life from all sorts of people, for which I am grateful daily. An occasion I remember using my kindness to empower others was during a school trip where I used my skills as a Mental Health First Aider to help a student to deal with a panic attack while in a foreign country. They were able to recover safely and centre themselves, and I was pleased to see them enjoy the remainder of their holiday with their peers.

Ms Anita Azams
Modern Foreign Languages Teacher

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, 12S has kindly collected food to donate to the Vine Foodbank, which is run by the Salvation Army. Each member of the form contributed two items each week to support those in need. We donated a variety of items, from tinned fruit and vegetables to Angel Delight; items most requested by the foodbank. We hope that our collective efforts will have made a positive impact this Christmas to those who live close to us. 12S would like to thank Miss Seal for her creative and generous idea.

Gigi C
Lower Sixth

Farrah Jaufuraully, Class of 1996

Farrah is a Television Producer and Director with over 20 years of experience. She started as a researcher in Children’s TV and now works mainly across Factual Entertainment with credits for the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Discovery, Sky and Channel 5. She has directed crews and self-shot throughout the UK, Europe, India, and the USA. As a tenacious and go-getting Location Director, she camped outside Westminster Abbey with a Royalist, charting their story during the Royal Wedding of William and Kate. She has secured interviews with the Indian Special Forces, dressed in scrubs to follow world-famous surgeons and developed good working relationships with well-known presenters.

Farrah has a strong track record as an Edit Producer, writing entertaining and factually engaging commentary (that is voiced by a presenter) and structuring narratives across multiple edits on fast turnaround projects including Love Island, I’m A Celebrity, Britain’s Best Woodworker, Junior Bake Off, Ibiza Weekender, Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, Dinner Date, Dickinson’s Real Deal, The Only Way Is Essex and A Place in The Sun: Home Or Away. She is currently working on the heartwarming prime TV programme The Repair Shop.

Farrah is extremely well-travelled and has backpacked alone across six continents. Adventures include avoiding head-hunters in the Borneo jungle to meet an orangutan and climbing Chile’s knee-popping Torres del Paine.

Farrah is a great supporter of Croydon High School, having attended many career events and inspired countless pupils. During our lockdown version of Arts Week in 2020, Farrah gave our young reporters a crash course in journalism (whilst working on Grow Your Own with Alan Titchmarsh!), sharing her top ten reporting tips. She was the guest speaker at one of our Prize giving celebrations where she demonstrated the example of a Croydon High girl who has really gone places, showing that with hard work and resolve, as well as talent and the benefits of a good education, the world of work can be a fascinating place.

Farrah is also a Volunteer Responder for the British Red Cross.

We caught up with Farrah recently for a Q&A session:

What aspects of Croydon High School did you enjoy and find most rewarding?

School trips away were amazing bonding experiences, and I’m still friends now with girls I only really got to know on those field trips. We were really pushed to work hard and excel and although I wouldn’t say I liked school all the time, I received a brilliant educational discipline that, looking back, I can’t really fault. My GCSE and A Level teachers were also very nurturing and passionate about their subjects, which certainly rubbed off on our learning and enjoyment. I have absolutely no idea what Mrs Tiltman was on about during French Literature classes on ‘Le Château de Ma Mere’, but her chuckling and huge zeal made me embarrassed not to find out and apply myself more.

What did you aspire to whilst at school?

I didn’t believe I could produce TV shows until I started to delve into the industry while at university. But at school, I was a daydreamer and absolutely obsessed with the movies. I would bring VHS recordings of films that had been on TV late the night before to watch in the careers library at lunchtime – I remember Mr McVicar caught me watching the crime thriller, ‘Badlands’ once! I knew I wanted to tell stories and always wanted to write. Or act. However, I didn’t get far with Drama – I think I lacked confidence – but Mrs Sharpe, Mrs Shackel, Mrs Loewe and Mrs Duggan (I had to ask an old classmate her name!) instilled in me an unexpected love for Shakespeare and also fostered my enthusiasm for creative writing, which has helped in my career. I did end up dabbling in acting as an adult. I had a wonderful time working with Oliver Stone and Colin Farrell on the movie, ‘Alexander’, but I decided that my life was better played behind the camera. Getting paid to do what I do is a dream come true.

How did Croydon High School empower you for your future?

Wow, in more ways than I realise. All those essays and learning how to summarise (A Level English!) were definitely good grounding for finishing my degree and then for writing series and directorial treatments. I very much left school knowing not to accept anyone’s negativity. I think my tenacity does come from my time at Croydon High, and I’m certainly someone who will always find another way in and argue my case and keep pushing for answers. People I met after Croydon High always comment on my ‘good education’ and what a ‘high achiever’ I am, sometimes with jealousy but usually always in awe. I am often called a ‘strong’ woman, and I think a sense of ‘this girl CAN’ was birthed during those Croydon High years.

What has been your proudest moment?

At school, definitely being part of the School Magazine committee – I returned after sixth form to accept a prize for my involvement! Also, getting all those GCSEs and A Levels at grades A*-C. I didn’t think of myself as academic, so that was nice! Professionally, I’ve maintained a career that I absolutely love, and I never tire of seeing my name in the credits. I’ve worked on shows, such as ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ and ‘The Joy of Teen Sex’ where I have personally helped people make a real difference in their lives, and I love that I have been part of their journey. In my real life, there are so many moments I could tell you about, ranging from big things like overcoming trauma to small things like making a grumpy person smile today, but those are stories to regale you with another time!

What are your hopes for the future?

Where to begin? Can I hope for world peace? Career-wise, I hope to keep working in the face of an industry-wide slowdown and make engaging programmes that people want to watch. Personally, I hope to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can. I suffered a perforated appendix only seven months ago, and the fallout – sepsis and kidney failure – nearly killed me. It was a massive blow to my health that nobody could have foreseen – Please never ignore a stomach ache! I’m incredibly lucky to have fully recovered and to be here. I was already in a place where I liked myself and my life, so I hope to keep living life and to be able to remember it all with a big smile!

What would you say to your younger self?

• Freeze your eggs as soon as you are financially able to and really get those heavy periods looked at – I was almost 40 and on my first round of IVF before it was confirmed that I have Stage 3 adenomyosis and endometriosis, two debilitating conditions that have wrought havoc on a successful pregnancy outcome. It turns out I’m still fertile for my age, but there’s too much going on in my womb ever to grow my own child. Had my painful periods been taken seriously sooner in my life, things could have perhaps been different.
• Speak up for yourself. I was shy at 15 and too scared to say things even when I knew I was right!
• Don’t allow worry to create shadows in your life. Only in my early 30s did I learn mindfulness and how to stop worrying about things that would never happen. I think I always had a strong sense of sense and was always OK with people thinking I was weird, but I wasted so much time overthinking things.
• Don’t get involved in anybody’s drama except Shakespeare’s!
• All shall be well – it really will be.

Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager