On Friday 24 June, we held the Senior School Annual Prize Giving at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. The evening was a celebration of pupils’ achievements, recognising Achievement, Endeavour and Progress across all year groups, alongside a number of specific subject prizes.
Our Principal, Rebecca Glover, gave an inspirational speech on the power of belonging to a community and the impact of lockdowns on the happiness of secondary school children. Using the example of the people of Roseto and how, by simplifying their life and looking after each other, the power of community to create health is far greater than any clinic, physician or hospital. The best communities are those in which we can support, challenge and care for each other and look beyond the community to learn from others and bring back any relevant enhancements. Reiterating the thought that education is so much more than the academic, she emphasised the value of the community and the fun we have with friends. Her speech encouraged us all to have fun and live by the values of the Surbiton High School community by showing compassion, courage, inquisitiveness and respect in all we do.
In between the presentation of prizes, we were entertained by our talented musicians including a cellist duet, a performance by Choralia and our delightful dancers from the Flux Dance Company.
We warmly welcomed back former pupils Emilia Levett and Lucy Plenderleith as our Guest Speakers who left Surbiton High School in 2013. Having read History at Leeds and Exeter respectively, they are now working in finance, Lucy as Vice President of Morgan Stanley and Emilia as a Senior Broker at Willis Towers Watson. They are still the best of friends and now share a house in London. We learnt how both experienced bumps along the way in their educational journey but were grateful for the wonderful support they were given from so many staff at Surbiton High School who encouraged them to achieve their potential and, enabled them to grow in confidence and self-belief; to be brave and think independently. They emphasised the fact that everyone’s journey is different, and success means different things to different people. They thanked the School for the values instilled in them and the incredible long-lasting friendships that were made and encouraged all pupils to take the path that was right for them, pursue their dreams with a healthy dose of compassion and Surbiton spirit.
We are extremely grateful that they both chose to donate their speakers’ fee to our Green & Silver Bursary Fund – a fund which offers support to those who would be unable to continue their education at Surbiton High School, through no fault of their own, without financial help.
Polly Rumbold
Head of Development
Categories: Senior School