Spring Highlights 2025 by Wimbledon High School

High lights

Spring Term

Macbeth

Watch our SBSM highlights video

Strong Body Strong Mind

In January our focus was on our two-week Strong Body Strong Mind (SBSM) 2025 programme of activities designed to nourish our bodies and minds.

This year’s theme was Authenticity through Vulnerability – a theme that resonates deeply in today’s world. Students were reminded that showcasing vulnerabilities is not a weakness, but a strength.

Activities were designed to fuel the brain and fuel the soul – stretching our cognitive endurance, igniting creativity and offering opportunities for personal growth. There were talks, walks and other chances to be active; brain-stretching activities (who can forget about House University Challenge!); relaxing art sessions; and of course, Sixth Form Bake Off and WimFest, our annual off-timetable day.

Authenticity Vulnerability through body Mind

this year’s Strong Body, (SBSM) programme, we are explore a theme that resonates today’s world: through Vulnerability. where perfection is often comparison is just a click courage to embrace our

Strong Body Strong Mind

WOW / Science Week / Neurodiversity

Week

Fionnuala’s blog here

Celebrating Wimbledon Week of Women and Words

March brought Wimbledon Week of Women and Words, to Wimbledon High - our week-long celebration of both World Book Day (6 March) and International Women’s Day (8 March).

This year it centred on ‘the Importance of Accelerating Gender Equality’, a topic which Ms Kennedy expanded upon in her most recent Thought Leadership blog;

“As individuals, we can all take steps in our daily lives to positively impact women’s advancement.

We can call out stereotypes, challenge discrimination, question bias, celebrate women’s success, and so much more. Additionally, sharing our knowledge and encouragement with others is key.”

WOW / Science Week / Neurodiversity Week

Read Pola’s article here Watch WHS students in the GDST WOW video

For International Women’s Day, the GDST participated in The WOW Foundation‘s 15th-anniversary celebration ‘WOW at 15’, at the Royal Albert Hall. Students from Wimbledon High and sister GDST schools were given the opportunity to quiz headlining speaker, civil rights activist Angela Davis, and submitted thought-provoking questions such as this one from Y12 student Pola;

“Your work has been instrumental in highlighting the intersectional connections between race, class and gender. How do you see the evolution of intersectionality in today’s social movements?”

WOW / Science Week / Neurodiversity Week

We had our yearly Mad4Padz donation celebration. Students brought in sanitary products to donate to the charity Freedom4Girls, who collect and distribute free menstrual products to communities in the UK and Kenya.

Students competed in Poetry by Heart, a House event which saw teams from Meredith, Hastings, Arnold and Scott go head-to-head, memorising and reciting poetry to their peers and a panel of expert judges. Performance poet Elle Dillon-Reams performed for Years 10-13, showcasing the power of spoken word and how it can be used to tell impactful stories.

And, of course, World Book Day! Students and staff dressed up as some of their favourite literary characters. We saw Jo March, Sherlock Holmes, the Tiger Who Came to Tea, the March Hare and Alice from Alice in Wonderland and many more.

Take a look at the gallery and see who you recognise!

WOW / Science Week / Neurodiversity Week

Thank you to all Science staff who created a brilliant Science Week which ran from 10 –14 March and was themed around ‘Change and Adapt’.

The activities on offer were the very embodiment of playful scholarship in action – with bath bomb–making workshops, a science quiz and a water filtration workshop, where students investigated different methods of cleaning water. The South East Rivers Trust gave an assembly to Y7 and Y8 on environmental matters and their work on the River Wandle. Miss Healey (Chemistry) led a book club in conjunction with World Book Day on Monday 17 March to discuss The God Equation by Michio Kaku.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (24-28 of March) brought an exciting schedule of activities and discussions designed for the WHS community to learn more about different ways people experience the world and included ‘NeuroMingle’ sessions, film club and yoga.

We are asking all Fair attendees to submit their feedback to help us shape the upcoming programme and also make the next Fair even better.

Futures Fair 2025

Tuesday evening (18 March), saw the hosting of a brilliant Futures Fair, themed ‘Careers of the Future’.

It was our biggest ever fair, with more than 400 students benefiting from a student-led programme, headed up by our Head of Employability and Enterprise, Fiona Lucas. It was a true celebration of the professional expertise within the WHS community with more than 60 professions represented - from cyber-security to astrophysics to textile design in the Networking Lounge and in panel sessions on Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Banking, Law and Medicine.

Keynote speaker and Financial Times journalist, Isabel Berwick, spoke to parents on how they can support students in navigating the rapidly-changing world of work. The buzz around the school was palpable and we are so grateful to the parents and alumnae who offered their time, enthusiasm and expertise to guide the next generation.

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Although the future is uncertain, there is no need to be fearful or daunted. What we must continue to do is encourage our brilliant students to embrace challenge, to learn to love and embrace knotty problems, to be flexible and agile in their approach, and – as FT journalist Isabel Berwick put it so neatly – be decent human beings. We will be sharing additional resources from the Fair after Easter. The Fair is just one part of our Futures programme - students are made aware of Futures opportunities taking place in school or elsewhere and online via the regular Futures Friday bulletin.

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Spring Term

“It’s great to see career options being presented early to students. A lot of girls were interested in STEM subjects - hopefully we can get more of this new generation of women in broadcast engineering in future.”

Laura

Wignall, Wimbledon High alumna Production and Broadcast specialist

We were delighted that this included over 25 WHS alumnae, including some of our most recent leavers who shared their experiences of degree apprenticeships and work placements and graduate placement schemes.

“I had the privilege of being invited back to my old school to speak to current students about solicitor apprenticeships and routes into law. It was an exciting opportunity to share my journey as a solicitor apprentice at DWF with the next generation of aspiring lawyers!

Nathania Olajide, Wimbledon High alumna, Solicitor Apprentice at DWF

Autumn Term Highlights

Partnerships

We marked the end of another wonderful year in partnerships across our three strands of THRIVE, STRIVE and SHINE with some memorable celebrations. The STRIVE and THRIVE Finale saw both groups come together in a showcase - highlighting mentorship across english, maths, coding, science, drama, debating and singing. THRIVE is for students in Year 6 and aims to ease the transition from primary to secondary school.

Read more about our Partnership programme here

Take a look at the gallery and see who you recognise!

On Saturday 29 March we hosted our annual SHINE Awards Ceremony, with student performances and heartfelt speeches. It was a chance to once again to acknowledge how our Year 11s and 12s support and encourage young students in our community.

“It’s been such a joy to see the laughter, kindness and learning during our Partnerships sessions. For me, the SHINE programme encapsulates how the mentees can flourish and there is always an overwhelming consensus that it’s all over too soon and we can’t wait for next year. I love the way the programme has led to me building more connections with other mentors as well as with our mentees, it definitely boosted my confidence in my own leadership skills - and it has also been just the most brilliant fun!”

Anna Y13 Co-Head Charities Partnerships and Philanthropy

Spring Term Highlights

Sports

In February our U15A Cricket squad travelled to St John’s Wood to complete in the MCC Indoor Cricket Tournament at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Not only did they play at this iconic venue, but they also had a tour of the grounds, including The Long Room, The Pavilion, and the home/away dressing rooms.

In February our U12A Netball team played in the National finals of the SistersnSport Competition in Loughborough. They played a strong Cheadle Hulme School team in their first match and St Albans School in their second. Many congratulations to the team on your achievements. Fourth in the country is an amazing achievement!

Gym and Dance

Sports Awards

View the photos here

SPOTLIGHT ON:

Rowing

Read more about the School’s Head of the River race here

What an exciting few months! Over half term we had rowers from J14-J16 competing in the trials for the inter-regional team. The girls had to win their races to gain selection. All our rowers raced extremely well and really showed just how strong we are as a squad. We came away with the following crews being selected: J15 2x, J15 4x, J15 1x, J16 2x.

The girls will race for the Thames London West team at the Junior Inter regional Regatta in April. On Sunday 23 February, Senior rowers raced at Hammersmith Head on the Tideway.

Our rowers have seen some fantastic results on the Tideway in the past few weeks, at the Womens’ Head of the River Race (WeHORR) - one of the largest women’s event in the world - two WHS teams took part for the first time in Wimbledon history and came away with 16th and 21st places. At the Schools’ Head of the River the J15 8 boat placed 1st GOLD, 1st 8 boat – 2nd SILVER and the J16 8 – 5th place. Congratulations!

Spring Term Highlights Drama

View photos from all our productions so far this year here

A wonderful term of drama productions and performances was brought to a close with Year 8’s witty, light and deft performance of ‘Madeline’.

Madeline Y8

Lord of the Flies Y9

View photos from all our musical performances so far this year here

We rounded off a wonderful term of music with our annual Sinfonia Smith Square concert. Congratulations to all our Young Musician winners pictured below.