As we move into the half term holiday, I am reflecting on the wonderful community we have here at Croydon High School. Our pupils are incredibly special and have impressed me throughout this first part of this academic year with their enthusiasm, their fearless approach to learning and their confidence around the school, as well as their boundless energy and ideas.

When considering this, I have been musing over what makes a Croydon High girl stand out from the crowd – because they clearly do. It is likely to start with our founding Headmistress, Dorinda Neligan, encouraging the girls of Croydon High to wear ivy in their hair to stand out as Croydon High girls when they attended the first GDST Prize Giving. This idea of pride and confidence is something that has clearly been nurtured for 148 years and is clearly present in the school today. It is the foundation of who we are and what we stand for.

I see it every day in school life. I have noticed that the girls are keen to offer their opinions and thoughts on a wide range of subjects in lessons and around the school. They can also talk eloquently and articulately to different types of people. The glowing feedback following our recent Open Day and again last night at the Sixth Form Open Evening, was overwhelming. I listened to so many comments about how positively the pupils  interact with their teachers and with one another, and how much they seem to love their school. This clearly impressed the visiting families and it is something that also makes me incredibly proud. The ability to connect, communicate and interact with people is a key skill that all the girls will need as they head into the workplace and they are already demonstrating this in their day to day lives.

I have also noticed that the girls are keen to lead and develop others. Listening to the Prefect Team and hearing how they want to leave a legacy by having an active role supporting our younger pupils, or hearing about the latest pupil leadership opportunities taken up in our co-curricular programme, sends a clear message about the strength of character and determination our girls have to making a difference to others around them.

As Maya Anjelou famously said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel’. This is so clearly evident here at Croydon High and I would like to thank each and every girl for the difference they make every day, to me and to all those around them.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and restful break and look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday 31 October.

Ms Davies
Head

When I left Croydon High in 2015, I attended Sheffield University to study Biology. I didn’t have much of a plan for my career, but I chose a subject I enjoyed and just went for it!

At uni, I spent most of my time in the Sports Department… I played in the first XV team for Ladies Rugby, was in the Biology Netball Team, and the Sheffield Uni Sports Committee. So, when it came to applying for jobs and being unsuccessful in most “normal” grad scheme applications, I went for the same question – what do I enjoy? Obviously, it was sport.

In the summer of 2018, I found the role of a Sports Graduate advertised in various boarding schools. I was successful in getting the position of Rugby Graduate at Marlborough College. I started that September and spent the year coaching students in rugby, netball, athletics, cricket, and any other sport you can find in PE lessons! Having a Biology degree, I also ran and helped in a few Sixth Form Biology lessons. It was a great and fun year, but again, it was not what I wanted as a “career”.

Whilst working at Marlborough, I got an interview (and eventually a job!) to work at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence. The role of Scrum Master was offered to me (yep, I’d never heard of it either! And no, it’s not a rugby-related scrum!), so I packed up my things and moved to Cheltenham. The Scrum Master role is like that of a rugby coach… but rather than for a rugby team, it’s for a team of professional engineers. My role was to help them work together well and to be a more efficient team within the framework they were working in. Simply put, it’s excellent for those interested in understanding how people and teams work, and who like to be organised and helpful.

I spent two years at BAE Systems, working with Software teams in National Security before moving to Dyson.

I’ve been at Dyson for over a year and am currently working in Robotics. Dyson aims to create the UK’s largest, most advanced robotics centre, so there is some pretty cool stuff there! I would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in engineering, robotics, and software – the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. It is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is leaving school and is unsure whether to pick a degree or an apprenticeship in this industry. It is the best of both worlds!

There are now many opportunities for women in STEM and tech or engineering, but I would say that at Croydon High, I felt encouraged to do whatever I wanted. There was never a question of whether it was a male-dominated industry because, at school, we were encouraged to go for what we enjoyed and were lucky to be given the opportunities to do so.

I feel that my time at school played a big part in my confidence and career today, so I’d like to thank Croydon High and, in particular, my Science teachers, Mrs Conrad & Dr Dorgan.

Jemma Upton

This Tuesday saw students from across Years 10 – Upper Sixth enjoy a unique cross-curricular initiative, ‘Beyond the Headlines’, led by Ms Cotton. It was a day of stimulating workshops, each aimed at developing critical media literacy skills in our students. We were extremely fortunate to have experienced journalist Emily Roe joining us online from Rome, where she has been working with Reuters news agency. She joined us for the launch session and then later again for a lunchtime Q&A, giving a fascinating insight to journalism as a career, including her own experiences covering recent events such as the pandemic and the Queen’s funeral.

The day began with a session on ‘Fake News’ with Mr Loveday, highlighting the importance of fact-checking and understanding how headlines shape perception. Next was an exploration with Ms Cotton into the biased representation of celebrity figures in news media, in the workshop ‘Different but Unequal.’ This had a particular focus on the case study of ‘Kate V Meghan’ and the use of binary metaphorical constructs to define women in opposition to one another.

This was followed by a session with Ms Jalali: ‘Be a Lady, They Said’, where participants explored stereotyping around gender and ways in which this is being challenged. Mr Murphy then introduced students to the world of digitally manipulated ‘beauty’ in his workshop ‘Don’t Believe What You See’, showcasing examples of different cultural ideals around beauty and how technology is used to present idealised forms in the media.

The day concluded with the opportunity to creatively respond to the day, with participants choosing between ‘Erasure’ poetry, collage art with Mrs Smith or magazine design with Mr Murphy.

We were blown away by the engagement and perceptive responses of all students, many of whom have come to me today to tell me how much they loved the day – in the words of one Sixth Former: “I’ll never read media texts in the same way again!”

Ms Cotton

Head of English

To celebrate the European Day of Languages in the Junior School, the girls had the opportunity to enter a T-shirt design competition. We received many striking and creative designs which made judging very difficult! Well done to all the girls who took part.

Ms Mannooch

Teacher of Languages

Last week the Croydon High community went above and beyond in again supporting the Vine Foodbank in New Addington. The annual Harvest celebration saw all year groups contribute generously and ensured that the Vine’s stocks were replenished for a short period at least. Visitors from the Salvation Army and the Vine Foodbank spoke to pupils regarding the nature of the support they offer our community and the extra pressures that food banks nationally and families in our wider community are experiencing this Autumn.

Year 7 pupils participated in the annual Harvest Box House competition, with some fabulously decorated boxes on display. Thank you to all of you who contributed so generously. A special thanks in particular to our Sixth Form students for contributing so thoughtfully.

Mr Cowie & Mrs Beck

As the heat of summer retreats, the first hints of autumn arrived at Little Ivy’s Stay and Play. The wind whispered as tots cut, coloured, and crafted kites. Little tot fingers fixed streamers to the fishy tails of kites, ready to set sail against a vivid blue sky. Yellow, orange, red and brown were the autumnal colours adorning the sensory table – a giant pumpkin appeared in the toy farmyard as paper scarecrows played hide and seek, scampering across the straw while the smell of pinecones lingered. Other scarecrows received a tot makeover, now these were no ordinary scarecrows, these were made from spoons, wooden of course – no plastic here! Scarecrow faces were fashioned with felt tip, hair coiffured into a pompadour of blonde wool or an auburn topknot of recycled, textured yarn and crowned with a stylish fedora or top hat. Finally, the scarecrow makeover was completed with an attire of purple or green ‘sleevies’. Little Ivy’s scarecrows were colourful and decorative enough to scare away the boldest of birds.

It was another season at Little Ivy’s Stay and Play; six tables of crafty activities- playdough, painting, puzzles, printing, singing, trucks, trains, dinosaurs; two huge rooms of learning, two huge rooms of fun. The smell of coffee, tots munching on biscuits, adults savouring a slice of homemade chocolate cake, the murmurings of imaginative play, the chat, chat, chatter and the sound of laughter from all. The heat of summer may have retreated but the warmth of autumn at Little Ivy’s had arrived.

Thank you to Croydon High School which started Little Ivy’s Stay and Play 10 years ago, the local community is so appreciative, I am told regularly, ‘It is the best toddler group in Croydon’ and how toddlers when passing recognise the CHS gates and ‘point and wave’ and want to turn in instead of going past. With 573 followers- our Little Ivy’s community is continually growing and has increased by two since I started writing this yesterday!

Little Ivy’s Stay and Play meet on a Mondays and a Tuesdays from 10am until 11:30am during term time.

https://www.facebook.com/littleivys

PS: Thank you to all those who have donated toys to Little Ivy’s – know they are being well cared for by our tots and they too have been joining in with our autumn activities.

Anita Reeves

Little Ivy’s Stay and Play Supervisor

Thursday’s break time was the first of our “awe and wonder” sessions in the senior school. Fallon and Olivia from our Jesus Christ Superstar cast delivered an open rehearsal on the senior hall stage, our L6 Theatre Studies group “flash mobbed” the drama courtyard and our art scholars competed in a House Street Chalk Challenge. It’s fair to say every element was awesome and wonderful and we look forward to a repeat fixture next half term!

This week the Progression and Futures office has been all in a flutter and flurry of excitement with Early Entry UCAS Submissions and PPA meetings for the Year 11s. In the space of one week it has been wonderful to witness the beginning of the process –  discussing, ruminating and figuring out the next steps – as well as the end of the process – when the UCAS submit button is pressed.

Meeting the Year 11s has been an absolute joy. Each meeting holds within it the intrigue of possibility and the magic of conjuring up a future that is fabulous. The most wonderful moments have been seeing faces light up with wide-eyed-wonder when we hit upon a future prospect, project or potential that captures their attention and imagination. Each student has left the office armed with an Action Plan, a smile on their faces and a new found sense of direction and purpose. It has made this week, despite its pace, rewarding and worthwhile.

The early entry Year 13s have been focussed, diligent, organised and keen to succeed. The overwhelming emotions that accompany any UCAS application have oscillated from worry to an energised excitement, strength and decidedness. The sigh of relief as they release their applications into the UCAS ether has come coupled with a smile. They have done everything that they can do and now it is up to the powers that be. I have everything crossed and wish them every success.  

For the Year 11s and Year 12s this week, I urge you to log in to GDST Life and sign up for the GDST webinars that are coming up in the coming weeks and months. These are wonderful in helping guide, learn and decide and I urge you to sign up for whatever makes you smile.

And for the parents of every other student at Croydon High School, please start to talk about the excitement of the future and the possible wonders that it holds. Forging a future should be fun and interesting, not a chore – I’m keen to reiterate that to every student here.

Now I must head back to the hustle and bustle of the job this week. I’m relishing every second of the buzz and excitement that has accompanied it and I hope that all of the students that I have the pleasure to work with feel the same.

Dr Lakha-Kassam

Head of Progression and Futures