The Croydon High spirit was out in full force on Saturday 20 April 2024 for the annual Mini London Marathon. There were smiles, high fives and lots of laughter as the girls ran in the record-breaking 2024 Mini Marathon. More than 12,900 participants took part and our girls were cheered on by families and friends as they took on the one-mile or 2.6k courses around St. James’s Park.

One of the highlights was when the commentator at the finishing line said, “Sports Day at Croydon High must be pretty elite!”

A huge thank you to Mr Wilks, Mrs Botham, Mrs Nembhard, Mr Johnston, Mrs Lee and Mrs Grinham for coming along and supporting the girls. It was such a special day and made me feel so proud of our Croydon High School girls, staff and families. It will definitely become an annual event.

Watch our Instagram Reel for highlights from the event.

It really was such an inspirational and moving day and I had a few tears when I looked at the photos on our Instagram page. Thank you to Mrs Lee (Marketing Manager) for managing to organise an interview for the girls with BBC Sport!

Here are some thoughts from the girls:

“It was really fun to take part in my first ever marathon.” – Janae, 4AJ

“It was quite hard, but I’m super pleased I did it, the atmosphere was amazing.” – Lana, 4DJ

“It was a really fun experience.” – Alana, 3B

 “I really enjoyed running around London.” – Semra, 3B

“It was tiring, but I really enjoyed taking part.” – Angie, 3M

Today, we held a special assembly for our Mini Marathon runners and to say an enormous thank you to Mrs Dexter and Mrs Jenkins for organising the event, designing and supplying the bright green t-shirts which made the girls really stand out!

Miss Pendleton
Head of Junior School

On the afternoon of Wednesday 17th April and Friday 19th April we welcomed alumna Ciara back to Croydon High. Ciara is the co-founder of ‘The Real Project’, a company providing schools and young people with education, information and guidance on the law surrounding relationships and sex. Ciara is a trained teacher and former Detective Constable in the Metropolitan Police, where she worked within the specialist domestic abuse units in South London.

Ciara delivered a one-hour presentation to pupils in Year 10 and Lower Sixth covering the topics:

• Sexual offences, sexual harassment and consent;
• Controlling and coercive behaviour (emotional abuse);
• Harassment and stalking;
• Physical assaults;
• Digital offences including malicious communications (covering trolling) and image based abuse (covering disclosing sexual photos);
• Clare’s Law.

After the session we asked for feedback from the pupils; so far, 100% of pupils were glad they were given access to the presentation and believed it would be beneficial for other year groups. 66% of pupils would like to learn more about the topic of ‘Relationships and the Law’ with 93% believing that parents should also be offered this information to some level. The pupils seemed to really enjoy the real-life case studies and examples Ciara talked about, with many pupils also citing Ciara’s engaging approach and honesty about her own experiences as a key positive of the presentation.

In the feedback, pupils were also able to let staff know if they were affected by any of the topics that were raised in the session and/or if they would like to speak to a member of staff about any issues raised.

If you would like to learn more about Ciara and her business please have a look at her website for The Real Project. You can also find helpful support links to external agencies via the support page on website.

Ms Nerys James
Head of Psychology & Sociology, Director of Pupil Wellbeing & Head of Lower Sixth

On Thursday, 18 April, Reception took part in a hands-on learning experience in the class led by Cairis from the Wiggly Wild group. During the session, she spoke to us about each of the animals, and we got to touch many, including a giant snail, cockroach, corn snake and leaf insect, to name but a few. The girls learnt lots of facts about all of the creatures. The workshop has allowed us to think about the similarities and differences of these animals as we discuss them in more depth over the term.

Mrs Amanda-Jane D’Aranjo
Reception Class Teacher
Early Years Leader

The program aims to address the under-representation of women in financial markets, striving to inspire and empower the next generation of female investment professionals.

Over a span of six weeks, they engaged in a series of events designed to instruct them in crafting a stock pitch for a business. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that this initiative was entirely spearheaded by the students themselves, involving the coordination of meetings, securing venues, and working collectively to formulate a thorough and polished stock pitch for Ocado and Marks and Spencer. Moreover, the group received guidance from an industry expert who provided invaluable support throughout the process, serving as a critical sounding board for their ideas.

“From taking part in the GAIN investment challenge, I have had the opportunity to broaden my skills within leading and working in a team. This project gave me a new insight into the process of analysing a company and making investment decisions. I enjoyed exploring the area of investment and have learnt many valuable lessons from it. I am grateful to the GAIN organisation for making this experience possible and their work promoting young women to discover the career of investing.”
-Zara G

“The ‘GAIN Investment’ challenge gave me a valuable insight into what it would be like to work within the financial industry. My team and I were given the challenge of deciding whether to buy or sell Ocado shares, in which we had to listen to zoom presentations and research the company, in order to develop a final report which had to contain a SWOT analysis, (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats), a financial analysis and eventually an evaluation. Alongside this, we also had to create a short video explaining what we had chosen to do and why. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and working as part of a team, as it gave me the opportunity to network with different people and learn more about the different sectors of the financial world.”
-Alisha F

Lower Sixth pupil, Raadhikhaa K, has been honoured with the GDST Pearson Award and has secured a coveted place at the Bryanston JACT Summer School.

In recognition of her exemplary academic performance and commitment, Raadhikhaa was awarded a monetary prize towards the Bryanston JACT Summer School, a prestigious two-week residential course. This summer school offers an intensive academic programme focusing on Ancient Greek studies, providing students with a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of this ancient language and culture.

The GDST Pearson Award recognises exceptional talent and dedication, and Raadhikhaa’s success is a testament to her hard work, passion, and academic prowess. Her achievements highlight the high standards and commitment to excellence that Croydon High School encourages and nurtures among its students.

Congratulations, Raadhikhaa, on these remarkable achievements! Your commitment and passion are truly commendable, and we are proud to have you represent Croydon High School.

Mr George Flower
Teacher of Classics

Are you aged 15-18 and interested in finding out more about creative careers?

At NPG, we work alongside colleagues with different interests, skills and journeys – all of whom help look after the Collection, deliver programmes and exhibitions, and welcome visitors every day.

This 3-day insights programme offers behind-the-scenes access to NPG, where you will meet and work with different teams across the Gallery, gaining a deeper understanding of what type of careers and pathways are available.

Going Pro is an open call for ten young people. Read on to find out more and apply. Applications close on 17 May, 12 noon.

Find out more

Running Free is a wartime tale of love, friendship and drama at sea, written by long-term Orpheus volunteer Ann Lovelace MBE, and it will be staged at the Millenium Theatre in Woldingham on 2 November 2024.
It’s a fantastic show and a great opportunity to work with professionals and other young people to raise funds for an amazing organisation.

Open auditions for ages 10 to 18+ are being held at Dayspace in Caterham on 28 April at 2pm.

For more details or to sign up for audition, please refer to the appropriate forms below or for any further information, please email Perform4orpheus@gmail.com

Audition form for ages 18+

Audition form for ages 10-17

Book your place today