A message from the Head
Ms Davies warmly welcomes back all the pupils and staff into the new academic year of 2023-24.
Read MoreWeekly News
Ms Davies warmly welcomes back all the pupils and staff into the new academic year of 2023-24.
Read MoreI cannot believe it is now September and that we will soon be using the word Autumn! In true British style, the summer is clinging on for a little longer and it has been lovely to see the grounds awash with sunlight and the girls enjoying themselves as they get back into school life after the summer break.ย
It has been a very busy summer at Croydon High with a large number of renovations taking place, including a new 3D Design classroom and Year 11 Common Room,ย a new Science Laboratory and a new changing room in the Sports Centre. That is not to mention new carpets in K Block, new LED lighting throughout the school and new furniture in the Sixth Form. All these additions will add to the pupil experience and I hope continue to foster their love of their learning and the excitement they feel about school life.ย
In my first assembly on Monday, I talked to the Senior School about aspiring without limits which underpins the philosophy of a Croydon High education. I know that there will be so many different aspirations throughout the school but it does form the foundation of what we believe in. I have heard everything from handwriting aspirations in the Junior School to university aspirations in the Sixth Form – and I am inspired by every one!
I love that all our girls have their own goals and dreams and the belief that they can reach them. Our commitment to you, their parents, is that we will nurture and develop these aspirations so that they can become a reality.ย
Our belief in aspiration is now established as one of the four core values of our school. Over the course of the last year, I have worked with our staff and spoken to pupils, parents and alumnae to identify what it is that is fundamental and unique to Croydon High. For me, as a new Head, it was so important to listen and learn from others about what they believe makes their school like no other. Consistent themes and descriptions soon became apparent and together we have been able to formalise our collective ideas into these four strong values.
Aspirational – We believe that everything is possible and we set no limits as to what each girl can achieve.ย
Empowering – We develop the key skills and the confidence to ensure every girl believes in herself and that she can achieve her goals.ย
Proud – We celebrate all successes no matter how big or small, knowing that we all have a part to play in supporting each other.ย
Kind – We nurture an empathetic approach ensuring that we listen to others and are kind in all we do.ย
Since I became the Head of Croydon High a year ago, these are certainly the values which I have consistently recognised in our pupils and which I see embodied by the teaching and the philosophies of our staff. We will build on this in the coming years, so pupils leave Croydon High truly understanding the importance of these values. They are, of course, underpinned by our school mantra, Every girl, every day and reflected in our school motto, May her character and talents inspire others.
In a world that is becoming increasingly complex and busy, being true to the core values that guide us is critical if we are to stay rounded, grounded and confident. I am keen that our pupils are supported to do this and then to leave us and go on to make a wholly positive difference in the world, on whichever path they travel.
I would like to take this opportunity, as we all embark on a new year together, to thank you for your ongoing support of Croydon High School which is so much appreciated,
I hope to see many of you at an eventย in the near future. You will always be welcome.ย
Ms Annabel Davies
Head
Miss Seal joined Croydon High in September as the new Head of Mathematics, so let's get to know her a little bit better.
Read MoreIโve joined Croydon High as the Head of Maths so I will be leading the team to ensure our girls have a great experience in maths lessons.
I really want more girls to feel that they can achieve anything in maths. The uptake in the Sixth Form is currently not very consistent year on year so I hope that we can encourage more of the pupils to take STEM subjects much further.
Most days I am wearing an item of clothing that Iโve made โ be that by sewing or knitting.
You are capable.
In my first teaching job I ended up leading an assembly in the week of International Womenโs Day. I was about 4 years into teaching and working at a boysโ school. I did my assembly and at the end, one of my colleagues came up to me to say that she had never seen the boys all sit so still and attentively in assembly. I felt very proud that I was able to engage them so well in such an important subject.
Miss Rosanna Seal
Head of Mathematics
Mrs Newlands joined in September as a Junior School Teacher with the aim of having a happy and supportive classroom full of confident girls!
Read MoreI am a Junior Class Teacher, meaning that I am responsible for teaching and looking after one of the classes in Year 2, and occasionally some other classes as well.
My main aspiration is to help my students reach the highest achievements that they can attain whilst in my care. These might be academic achievements, but my job is not just about thatโฆ My biggest aim is to have a happy classroom, full of supportive and confident girls, as I believe that underpins all aspects of learning. If my students are kind to one another and make each other feel good about themselves, I will leave school every day smiling!
I am a very keen musician. I play the violin and I am the Deputy Leader of the Croydon Symphony Orchestra. I also love playing the piano, and I have taught many children how to play over the years. When I am not teaching or playing music, I love spending time with my family (I have 3 children and 3 cats!) and going to yoga classes.
If I could go back in time, I would give my 15-year-old self a confidence boost. I would tell her that her opinion matters, and that she should stand up for herself and get her voice heard – something I am much better at now!
After I had my daughter, one of my friends organised something incredibly helpful and kind for me. She asked a group of our friends whether they would be willing to make a meal for my family, so that every day for 2 weeks, a friendly face would come to my door with a meal ready to heat up. I was so touched by their generosity and so grateful (the last thing you feel like doing after having a baby is cooking for everyone in your family!). Iโll never forget how much I felt cared for, and how wonderful it was that my small community had come together to do something so helpful and kind. One of my friends put it perfectly when she said, โWell we all wanted to do this because these meals are love on a plate!โ
Mrs Sarah Newlands
Year 2 Teacher
Mrs Aitken joined us in September as the new Teacher of REP (maternity cover).
Read MoreI am delighted to be joining Croydon High for a year as a maternity cover in the REP department. I have heard wonderful things about the school and feel very luckily to avail of this opportunity.
My key aspirations are to adapt to a new teaching environment, enjoy teaching an exciting new curriculum and endeavour to live out the โevery girl, every dayโ school mantra.
I used to be a keen salsa dancer and reached the advanced level 4. Currently I am undertaking a 30-day yoga and meditation challenge which I am really enjoying. I am also completing an accredited SEND training course in my spare time. I am also studying counselling and psychotherapy, to enhance my pastoral care provision with a keen interest in removing barriers to learning.
Find out what inspires you and ignites your passion both academically and in your personal life. If you work hard donโt forget to play hard and schedule in time for rest, quiet contemplation, and personal growth. Listen to the opinions of others but always form your own opinions and follow your own path.
I was voted โMost Generous Teacherโ in my previous school for giving the most achievement points to students. I have been sponsoring a boy in Ghana for many years and have received letters from him telling me all about his studies, achievements and aspirations. I feel proud to be helping him and making a difference in his life. He has also made a difference in my life as his letters are very inspirational, uplifting and heartwarming.
Mrs Mary Aitken
Teacher of REP (Maternity Cover)
Miss Butler joined the PE department in September as the new Teacher of PE.
Read MoreI am a new PE teacher and will be teaching across Years 1 to Year 13. Iโm joining a very experienced and committed department who offer an extremely varied range of sports and fixtures to the girls. Providing the opportunity for the girls to discover their talents and find new hobbies.
Croydon High offers a vast curriculum, from netball and hockey, to athletics and badminton, enabling every girl to find a sport they enjoy. I’m excited to develop my own understanding of sports that are new to me, such as water pollo and fully immerse myself with all the extracurricular opportunities, including lots of fixtures! As I am a Year 7 form tutor this year, I am also eager to enhance my pastoral skills and get to know all my tutees.
A hidden talent of mine is that I can do the worm!
I would tell my 15 year old self to try as many new things as possible and have an open mind to new experiences. Often the most challenging are the most rewarding. Itโs also a great way to meet new friends and discover new interests.
When I was in school, I took part in a 10 day volunteering trip to Kenya. We built new classrooms and taught lots of English and sport lessons. It was an eye opening experiencing and where my aspirations to become a teacher began!
Miss Tabitha Butler
Teacher of PE
Over the summer, the school received the terribly sad news that a former member of staff, Mrs Karen Abrams had passed away suddenly.
Read MoreMrs Abrams was a much-loved friend, colleague and teacher who managed our Learning Resources Centre for almost 13 years up until her retirement in 2021. During that time, she ran countless book clubs including the Community Book Club and the Carnegie and 6th Form Books & Breakfast Club as well as setting up our strong links with Amnesty International through this club where she inspired countless pupils and staff to share her passion for social justice.
As well as her tireless work in school, Karen and her husband, Revd Len Abrams, undoubtedly lived out a commitment to their faith in their daily lives. They had volunteered with and supported the work of Positive Action in Housing since 2015 when the Syrian refugee crisis began and were ambassadors for the Room for Refugees programme. More recently, the Abrams family opened their home to a Ukrainian family, welcoming them wholeheartedly into their lives.
We would like to share this message from Karenโs husband, Len.
“Karen was a passionate supporter of the rights of others. Together we were blessed to host several super people in our home through the work of Positive Action in Housing. Karen provided friendship, comfort and support to them over the years. I know she would have liked any gifts in her memory to support the frontline work of the staff and volunteers at Positive Action in Housing.”
You can donate securely using your credit and debit card or PayPal at this Justgiving remembrance page to give a gift in Karen’s memory. Feel free to leave a message of support as well for the family.
If you prefer to donate by post, send to the following address:
Positive Action in Housing 98 West George Street Glasgow G2 1PJ
Please make cheques payable to Positive Action in Housing and include “In Memory of Karen Abrams” at the top.
Karen was universally loved and respected by absolutely everyone and her legacy at Croydon High will always be her lived example of compassion, activism and humour and her belief in the power and the beauty of humanity. We will never forget her.
Mrs Fran Cook
Director of Philanthropy and External Relations
With auditions for next year's production of Beauty and the Beast underway, this week's spotlight focuses on theatre royalty, Lady Attenborough, Sheila Sim.
Read MoreFollowing on from the exciting announcement this week about next yearโs school production of Beauty and the Beast, we thought we would go with a theatre angle for this weekโs Alumnae Spotlight. So, as our current students prepare to tread the boards for those allย important auditions, we launch our weekly celebration of alumnae achievements by remembering a genuine legend of stage and screen, who began her journey at Croydon High.ย
Sheila Sim was an actress and also the wife of actor and Oscar-winning director Richard Attenborough. Having met at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, they quickly became inseparable and fell in love while playing in a college production of The Lady with the Lamp.ย She often appeared in movies with her husband but never merely as a talisman; in her own right, she brought charm and panache to anything she appeared in. In 1944, she played a land girl in A Canterbury Tale; fittingly, she had herself served in the Women’s Land Army in Hereford during the war. In 1952, both Richard and Sheila performed in the very first production of Agatha Christieโs The Mousetrap, the world’s longest-running play.ย
Born in Liverpool, she attended Croydon High during the 1930s. She is fondly remembered by alumnae who recall her attending special events such as the 80th anniversary celebrations in 1954 and Prize-giving. Dr. Maureen Adams, Class of 1942, once told us, โI stayed for dinner two days a week when we had games. The dining room was downstairs, next to the cloakrooms, and we sat at round tables with two senior girls at each table. Sheila was always very pleasant; I would try to sit with Sheila and her friend Jean. This would have been 1938-39 when I was in Lower and Upper 1V and Sheila in the Sixth Form. She had already taken part in some amateur acting at a little theatre across the road from the school, then in Wellesley Road.โย
Following a flourishing career, notably in films, Sheila put aside acting to provide a stable home for their children. In 1968, she was sworn in as a magistrate in Surbiton, joining the Richmond bench. She was also an enthusiastic member of the Richmond Society, a group that contributed to the thinking behind the restoration and redevelopment of the banks of the Thames at Richmond.ย
After recruitment by Noรซl Coward, Sheila served the Actors’ Charitable Trust for over 60 years. She was instrumental in the success of two redevelopments of the actors’ care home, Denville Hall, in the 1960s and 2000s, and was a Trustee and Vice-President of the charities.
In June 2012, shortly before her 90th birthday, Sheila entered Denville Hall, for which she and her husband had both raised funds. Latter years were overshadowed by the loss, in 2004, of her daughter Jane and granddaughter Lucy in the tsunami in Thailand. In March 2013, in light of his deteriorating health, Richard Attenborough moved into Denville Hall to be with his wife; Richard died in 2014 when they had been married nearly 70 years.
Her death was announced on 19 January 2016. Sheila was cremated, and her ashes were interred in a vault at St Mary Magdalene church in Richmond beside those of her husband, as well as her daughter, Jane and her granddaughter, Lucy.
Sheila certainly aspired without limits. We are proud to celebrate her success with you.
Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager
This summer, our fantastic A Level and GCSE results were handed out to students and it was full of emotion, high spirits and pride.
Read MoreWe are immensely proud of every single one of our students who collected their A Level and GCSE results this year, and all their remarkable achievements. The students were anxious, proud and resilient as they took their white envelopes and looked ahead to determine their next steps.
We look forward to hearing about their new adventures as they continue to aspire without limits.
Head of Juniors, Miss Pendleton provides some recommendations for books to share with children.
Read MoreOne of my favourite books to share is Guess how much I love You by Sam McBratney.
This reassuring story embodies the depth of a parentโs love for their child. The final line of the story, ‘I love you right up to the moon and back!’ captures this relationship beautifully. The illustrations by Anita Jeram are charming and capture the sentiment perfectly.
Another firm favourite in Reception classes all over the world is Elmer. This classic story can be used to develop an understanding of difference and shows an elephant who decides to hide his difference, but then realises in the end that she should celebrate it.
I have used the story of How to be a Lion on many occasions. It shows children that not all lions behave in the same way. Leo is a gentle lion, and his best friend is a duck. The book explores peer pressure to behave in a certain way, as the other lions tell Leo to be โmore lionโ. Children are encouraged to empathise with Leo and find a solution.
More recently, I have used the book One Girl to help the girls understand that books and education can inspire change and how one girl can make a huge difference.
In one of my first assemblies at Croydon High, I used the book The Song for Everyone by Lucy Morris, which explores the power of music to transform hearts and minds.
When exploring the very real issue of navigating friendships, I always use the beautiful story of The Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek. It is about a blue penguin, who feels just like the other penguins, but they wonโt be his friend because he is blue and not like them.
And a book I have often used when discussing acceptance, is King of the Sky which beautifully explores feelings of being an outsider from the perspective of a young refugee boy.
One of my favourite authors is Anthony Brown. He has published over 50 books, including classics such as The Tunnel, Gorilla, Voices in the Park. He has won and impressive range of awards and was the first British author to win the Hans Christian Anderson medal, an international award given to an illustrator. From 2009-2011 he was the childrenโs Laurette and he is very well known for his belief that: โYou are never too old for a picture bookโ. His books are full of messages to inspire even the oldest audience!
I highly recommend his latest masterpiece Our Girl, which is a joyful celebration of girls everywhere, sharing all the many things that girls can be.
Huge thank you to Jemca Toyota Croydon for sponsoring our Netball and Hockey Tour of South Africa.
Read MoreWe are so pleased and grateful to Jemca Toyota Croydon for sponsoring our Netball and Hockey Tour of South Africa later this year.
Thank you to The Artemis Clinic and Inwood Developments for sponsoring the Astrogazers Club.
Read MoreThank you to The Artemis Clinic and Inwood Developments for sponsoring the Astrogazers Club, your generous donations has enabled the club to purchase new GPS and Bluetooth trackers!
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 atย 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.