Hidden Highlights

At the end of a long and very busy term, I would like to thank all of you for making my first term at South Hampstead such a happy one. I really do feel at home here already. There have been so many special moments, so many things to celebrate both in and out of the classroom. Parents and pupils will know of all the big celebratory achievements already because they’ve attended the concerts and plays and have seen me give out plenty of certificates and silverware. I spoke in January, on the day Mr Trump became President, of the Power of Introverts. I am going to return to that theme now by choosing some of my less obvious highlights from Term 1 at South Hampstead. Hidden Highlights you might call them, things that don’t necessarily get celebrated in any formal way but which nonetheless make up the fabric of our community. In no particular order, here are my top Hidden Highlights:

• The number of girls who have appeared mysteriously outside my office or requested meetings with me to suggest a whole range of interesting initiatives. Either they think I am a very soft touch and will buy anything they are selling or agree to any new club they want to start up, or else (the more likely option, I think) they are girls with plenty of get-up-and-go and lots of ideas. At any rate, I hope they keep the initiatives flowing – I am really enjoying them.
• Watching our pupils in lessons with our teachers and seeing how incredibly keen they are. I have measured their keenness by the number of questions I have heard them asking out of sheer curiosity (possibly as a distraction technique, but all extremely interesting). I have measured it by the number of hands flying up and ‘pick me’ faces in Year 7 and the natural ebb and flow of intelligent and enthusiastic debates in Sixth Form lessons. Impressive.
• The cake – it has to be said. And the pastries. And the cookies. And the crumble. And the fruit platters. And the random bowl of porridge Catering made for me one day when I hadn’t had time to eat breakfast. It was quite simply the best bowl of porridge I have ever tasted. Every Friday there is cake in the staffroom. Quite how fond the staff are of their Friday cake become obvious last week when the cake trolley went missing. It had disappeared like a ship into the Bermuda Triangle… “but we saw it leaving the kitchen” said anguished colleagues. The trolley was eventually located… on the wrong floor.
• The staff vs students netball match – not exactly a hidden highlight but certainly an unexpected one. To see Mr Wilson gallivanting gazelle-like across the court, Miss McDougall’s terrifying look of determination, and Mr Hansford’s noble defence of the staff goal area brought tears to my eyes. Tears of laughter mainly. To ensure our victory next year, I now know what I need to look for when recruiting new teachers to South Hampstead. Only tall ones need apply from now on. You’ve been warned, girls. In the meantime, I am hoping to secure similar triumphs in the Staff vs Students University Challenge competition next term.
• Watching the interesting and colourful array of coats weave their way up Trinity Walk every morning. Our students’ interpretations of the colours blue and black have really pushed new boundaries, broken new ground and indeed redefined the very meaning of the words blue and black. Some Heads dream of boaters and blazers with piping and perfectly preened pony tails. Logos and crests and badges. What I love about South Hampstead is that all our pupils are unique; there are no factory settings here.
• Discovering the secret talents and passions of many of your teachers at lunch and in general conversation. From archery to mermaid diving and ballroom dancing to calligraphy, I feel that I have only just scratched the surface of their talents and interests. Just like our pupils, they are people who engage with things. And, just like our pupils, they are very much their own people. Yes we have a lot of cookies, but there are no certainly cookie cutters here.
• Hearing about the fox cubs that were discovered yesterday at our Sports Ground. And Mila the Wellness Week Woofer. A very South Hampstead dog I felt – smart, friendly, kind, loves to talk, a tiny little bit messy but gets away with it through sheer charm.
• The seemingly effortless ease with which the girls pack in so many activities and so many achievements. Just as I was recovering from the sheer brilliance of the concert at St John’s, Smith Square, I heard that two of the choirs had won the Midsomer Music Festival, and then we had the incredible Wind and Brass Concert on Wednesday. I don’t think many other schools would attempt pieces on quite the same scale. The sense of ambition, both creative and intellectual, that pervades this school makes it a truly exciting place to work in.
• Most of all it has been the friendly faces of the people here: their warm welcome, their willingness to chat, and their infectious sense of fun and energy. And by that I mean girls, staff, parents and the wider South Hampstead community.

Blog post by Vicky Bingham, Headmistress from 2017 to 2023.