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APPLY NOWWord from the Head – 22 May 2026
Dear Parents,
It has been an incredibly busy yet rewarding fortnight. Over the past two weeks, my calendar has taken me from two national conferences to an international visit to our sister school. Taking a moment last night to reflect on these experiences has reinforced both the logistical realities of school leadership, and the core mission that drives everything we do here at Channing.
Last week, I spent three days in Cardiff at the ISBA (Independent Schools Bursars’ Association) conference, the first (and probably only) time I have had the chance to do this. It was absolutely fascinating to view the educational landscape through the eyes of our bursars. They naturally see things slightly differently to Heads, but it provided a vital perspective on the operational elements that keep our school running smoothly, from catering, IT, HR and finance to long-term strategy.
This week, my focus shifted to the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) New Heads Induction. As President of the GSA this year, it was my privilege to host the Class of 2026, some of whom have just stepped into their roles, while others will begin their tenures this coming September. We were also joined by the Classes of 2024 and 2025 for the second and third days, and together we enjoyed sessions on all aspects of modern school leadership, including admissions, using coaching techniques in schools, preparing for inspection and understanding finances.
What struck me most was the palpable strength of collaboration and community, as conversations over coffee and lunch provided space to share experiences and ideas. I know that there will be lots of schools whose Heads have returned to school this morning with some new ideas and inspiration, proving once again why girls’ schools are uniquely effective at building supportive networks for pupils and adults alike.
Between navigating seminars on marketing, strategy and employment law, I found myself reflecting on the school as a business. I have previously described myself as the Chief Executive of a thriving company with a large turnover, 200 staff, c. 1,000 clients, and approximately 1,650 customers (and I will leave you to work out which order those last two go in!). But while schools must operate effectively as businesses, our core business is children. Our pupils remain at the very heart of every decision we make.
In between these two conferences, I had the delightful duty of visiting our sister school, the János Zsigmond Unitarian College in Cluj-Napoca (known historically in Hungarian as Kolozsvár), Transylvania. As many of you know, every year we welcome a Unitarian scholar from the college to Channing for the first half of the Autumn Term in Year 12. It is a wonderful tradition that allows them to make lifelong friends, experience London, and offer our own pupils a fresh perspective on the world.
My visit coincided with their stunning Graduation Ball for the Class of 2026. I was incredibly fortunate to see not just one, but three, of our Channing scholars: from left to right below, Borbala, who joined our Year 12 cohort in Autumn 2024; Kincső, who was with us in September 2025; and Dorka, who will be joining us this coming September. Seeing the graduating class – the girls in their beautiful ball gowns and the boys in white tie and tails – dancing their traditional waltz was an absolute joy. If you have ten minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching the video of the Ball; it is steeped in the history and tradition that both our schools value so dearly (although I am not sure that the Year 13s would necessarily want this to be the opening number at their Leavers’ Party in June!).
While at the ball, I had the honour of meeting the Unitarian Bishop of Kolozsvár. He asked me how our Unitarian heritage and ethos manifest at Channing today. I spoke to him about the Channing Promise, which is firmly rooted in the Unitarian values of kindness, respect, tolerance, and inclusivity. I shared that our school’s vibrant community reflects the changing demographics of North London; for instance, while 20% of our pupil population is Jewish, we have growing numbers of students from Christian (both Protestant and Catholic traditions), Muslim and Hindu families. Yet, twice a week, the entire school gathers for Assembly. We sing hymns about God, Lord, and Father – Jesus is never mentioned – and absolutely everyone joins in (more or less – we are talking about teenage girls, after all!). To my mind, this collective spirit of community is the truest reflection of our Unitarian heritage.
Unitarianism is a declining religion in Transylvania, with only 65,000 practicing individuals remaining, which means finding future scholars will become an increasingly complex task. However, the enduring impact of this relationship was beautifully highlighted on Friday night. Amanda Davidson, the Channing alumna and former Governor who instituted the scholarship, hosted a dinner for past scholars. Ten of the fourteen current and past scholars were able to attend, ranging in age from 18 to 33. It was deeply moving to hear how their time at Channing shaped their lives, careers, and perspectives. A particular highlight was listening to every young woman around the table offer their heartfelt advice to Dorka on how to make the absolute most of her Channing experience when she arrives this September.
We are exceptionally fortunate to be part of such a wide, forward-thinking community that continually challenges us to open our eyes and look at the world differently. Whether one identifies as Unitarian or not – and indeed, we do not currently have a single pupil or staff member who regularly attends a Unitarian chapel – subscribing to the Unitarian ethos of inclusivity and mutual respect has never been more valuable than it is in the 21st century.
On that note, I would like to send warm wishes to all families celebrating Shavuot today, preparing for Hajj and looking ahead to Eid al-Adha next week. These are deeply meaningful occasions for many within our community and we wish all those celebrating peace, joy and special time together with family and friends.
There are four particular pupil successes that I must highlight this week. We are very proud of our joint Channing and St Aloysius’ College Young Enterprise company, Seeds&Greetings, which was crowned winner of the Young Enterprise London and Essex Regional Final at the Amazon HQ on 15 May. This talented team will now represent London and Essex at the UK Finals in Cardiff in June.
Seeds&Greetings impressed judges with their innovative and environmentally conscious greeting cards made from recycled paper embedded with wildflower seeds. Designed to tackle waste and support biodiversity, the cards can be planted after use, while the team’s creative ‘Seeds Sounds’ feature allows customers to include a digital voice recording as a keepsake. Well done for such innovation and good luck at the final!
I am also absolutely delighted to share the news that our Year 10 TeenTech team of Roxy, Rafaella and Amandine has progressed through to this year’s national final. In their feedback for the project, Sakai Clear, the judges noted: “This project is a well researched and thoughtful exploration of a complex global issue, demonstrating strong scientific curiosity and disciplined decision making.” We are incredibly proud of their hard work and wish them the best of luck in the final.
One team that had already made it to the finals in their specialism was our U13A football squad, who travelled to the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall yesterday to compete in the Sisters n Sport National Finals Plate Competition. Playing at the home of elite UK sport was an extraordinary experience for the team, and they didn’t let it faze them. I’m delighted to share that they won the Plate, keeping a clean sheet through a 3-0 semi final victory against Oxford High and beating Orleans Park 2-0 in the final. This is the culmination of a highly successful season for a team that has really gelled over the year – congratulations to all of them, and especially to Poppy L who was player of the match.
Finally, twelve of our current Year 13 and former Channing pupils celebrated completing their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Buckingham Palace today. This was one of our largest group visits to the Palace so far and the girls deserve huge congratulations for completing their Gold Award, even before most of them have completed their A levels. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh hosted the event with approximately 600 guests within the Gardens: a fabulous experience for them all.
As we head into half term I hope you have lovely plans for the warm weather coming our way. In case you have not yet had the opportunity to visit, this weekend provides your last chance to view the stunning exhibition of work by the teachers from Channing’s Art Department. It’s at the Avivson Gallery at the top of Highgate High Street and is open from 1 – 5pm daily until Sunday 24 May. This link has more detail about the artists and their work – I hope you will make time to pop in and see it before the end of the weekend.
I wish you and your families a wonderful week ahead.
With warmest wishes
Lindsey Hughes
Headmistress
