From 6 – 10 October, the Senior School came alive with colour, compassion, and creativity during our annual House and Community Week. Designed to celebrate wellbeing, connection, and kindness, the week offered a vibrant mix of activities for pupils and staff alike -reminding us all that when we come together, we thrive.
Empowering Young Minds: James Shone’s Inspiring Message
A highlight of the week was the visit from James Shone, founder of Empowering Young Minds: Build Resilience & Self-Belief. His powerful story of overcoming adversity captivated pupils across multiple year groups. Through his sessions, James encouraged young people to nurture self-belief and resilience; core themes that resonated deeply during Thursday’s SCOPE lesson. Year 7 and 8 explored these ideas through creative classroom activities like the “Bravery Shield” and “Kindness Cranes,” while older pupils reflected on personal growth and emotional strength.
Alumnae Inspiration: Amelia and Molly Return
We were thrilled to welcome back two Surbiton High School alumnae whose impact continues to ripple far beyond our school gates. Amelia Vegting spoke to Year 11 about her journey since leaving SHS, including her work with the Real Junk Food Project and her role as host of The Being Human Podcast. Her talk was both heartfelt and motivating, offering pupils a glimpse into how compassion and community engagement can shape a meaningful life.
Meanwhile, Molly Shapley led a dynamic leadership workshop that sparked thoughtful discussion and collaboration. Bex, who attended the session, shared that Molly’s approach was both empowering and practical—encouraging pupils to explore their own leadership styles and values.
Sixth Form Creativity and Connection
The Sixth Form embraced the week with a rich carousel of activities. Year 12 relaxed with a Sound Bath in the gym and colouring in the study area, while Year 13 rotated through sessions including yoga and breathing, skincare, board games, slime and dry clay, and quad games and even had a visit from some furry friends! The Sixth Form Common Room was transformed into a hub of creativity and calm.
Silent Discos, Duck Crafts, and Origami
Across the School, pupils engaged in a wide range of activities designed to spark joy and reflection. Year 9 danced through a Silent Disco and crafted wooden ducks, Year 10 folded origami before joining James Shone’s second session, and Year 11 explored leadership themes with Amelia and in classroom follow-ups. The Quad echoed with live music from our talented school bands, adding rhythm to the week’s celebrations.
House Traditions and Sweet Endings
Beloved House traditions returned in full force: the duck and spoon race, House dodgeball, and House colours non-uniform day brought friendly competition and school spirit. Bake sales popped up across School, and Friday’s McMillan Cake Sale in the staff room was a delicious finale to a week of generosity and joy.
The week featured a wide range of activities – from Curie’s thrilling penalty shootout (where Mr Sebastian proved to be a formidable opponent), to classic sack races, goal shootouts, and the hilariously chaotic “Find Your Way to the Cake” challenge. Austen’s obstacle course added a mischievous twist, allowing pupils to pay for teacher handicaps -Miss Haji was spotted crawling across the netball court on her hands and knees.
All Houses came together with true community spirit, baking their hearts out for charity. Halloween-themed cakes, cake pops, cookies, brownies, banana bread, and more flew off the tables. The School Charity Krispy Kreme sale was a runaway success, with hundreds of students flocking to the quad to claim a coveted doughnut.
The official competitions were equally packed with excitement. The Duck and Spoon Race was a nail-biter, with Pankhurst narrowly clinching victory. Pupil helpers acted as VAR officials, filming the finish line to confirm the result. House Dodgeball brought together pupils from Year 7 to Year 12, joined by a group of teachers including Mr Close, Mr Paynes, Miss Haji, and Miss Booth who were all determined to prove their worth. Miss Rogers kept spirits high and the crowd amused with her lively commentary on the mic- equal parts cheerleader, referee, and entertainer. After a fierce and intense battle, Parks and Austen were declared joint winners, rounding off a week of fun, teamwork, and community.
Staff Well-being
To support staff well-being, a dedicated programme of activities ran throughout the week under the theme “Together We Thrive.” From Monday’s tea and book swap in the staffroom to Tuesday’s crafting session, Wednesday’s colourful river walk, and Thursday’s rejuvenating Sound Bath and Silent Disco, each day offered a chance to pause, connect, and recharge.
The week concluded with a warm and welcoming Macmillan Coffee Morning on Friday, bringing colleagues together over cake and conversation. These moments of shared reflection and joy reminded us that wellbeing isn’t just for pupils -it’s a whole-School commitment.
