Word from the Head – 5 September 2025

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the new year and, for some of you, welcome to Channing! It has been lovely to see the parents of Years 7, 10 and 12 at our Welcome Evenings this week and I look forward to seeing Year 8 and 9 parents next week at their events, along with Year 11 parents at the Sixth Form A level options evening on Tuesday. I have no doubt that we have an exciting year ahead.

Before we go forward, however, I’d like to start with a brief look backwards. In August we were delighted by an outstanding set of A level results from our Class of 2025. This year our total A*-B grades stand at 94.6%, outperforming many local schools who might be considered to be more academic than Channing. These outstanding results enabled 92% of the year group to achieve their first choice university offer, climbing to a staggering 97% first choice and insurance offers confirmed on the day.

Highlights included five of the 73-strong cohort achieving straight A* grades and a further 30 students with all A and A* grades, including one with 4 As. The girls in the year group who had been with us since the Junior School achieved 95% A*-B with 15 A*s, 12 As, 11 Bs and 2 Cs. We also saw very strong results from the seven girls who joined us for the Sixth Form, who between them achieved 17 As and 5 Bs.

In addition, Channing students took an EPQ in Year 12 rather than Year 13 for the first time this year and a staggering 92% of the entries achieved A*-A grades.

At GCSE our headline figures continue to be strong, with the total percentage of results awarded at grade 9 at 35.9%. 63.0% of all grades were achieved at 8 & 9, while the total percentage of 7-9 grades was 81.2%. The standout statistic this year is that 51% of the year group achieved a full set of results at grades 7-9 (up from 39% last year). There were also significant departmental successes at both GCSE and A level.

I could not be more thrilled with this spectacular outcome and must offer my thanks and congratulations to the students and staff whose hard work and dedication have certainly paid off. These achievements demonstrate that it is possible to twin inspirational teaching with a pastoral approach: a kind, warm school can also be highly academic. Congratulations on making the excellent choice of being a Channing parent and getting the best of both worlds!

The summer holiday was busy for those running trips and expeditions. Ms Yun and Mr Hill accompanied the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award groups on their assessed expedition: a challenging 4 day, 3 night hike in Wales which included wild camping and some wild weather! All the girls passed and many are on course to complete their Gold awards before they leave school, which is a marvellous achievement.

Immediately after the end of term Mr Raine and Ms Pavlopoulos organised and ran the Year 10 History & German trip to Berlin. They covered a huge amount of ground and learned a lot, while soaking up the culture of the city. You can read full reports from many of the participants in the section below. My thanks to them and to Mr Boardman, Mr Bowman and Ms Marcu for accompanying them.

One of the aspects of the Channing community of which I am immensely proud is our long standing tradition of community service and over the last three years we have been building strong relationships with our local community which provides fantastic opportunities for our own students to see beyond the gates of Channing and meet people from very different circumstances to their own. In July we hosted our third annual Summer Camp with our partners at HNCP for pupils from four local primary schools. I am grateful to Mr Felder, our Partnerships Coordinator, for overseeing this with support from Mrs Blase, Estates Manager, Mr Hill, the Bursar, Diego and Mo from our catering team and Mr Marshall in IT.

This term I am delighted to launch our first Social Impact Report detailing some of the ways in which we are making an impact and helping to widen access to a Channing education and the fabulous opportunities your daughters have access to. It paints an inspiring picture of the breadth and depth of our activities and the impact they have on our students and the wider community. The value and strength of our partnerships programme is reflected in the exciting news that we’ve been shortlisted for the Talk Education Awards in the Community Engagement category. I offer my huge congratulations to the whole team of staff and students involved – this recognition is a testament to their incredible dedication and hard work in making a real difference in our community.

I would urge you to have a read of the Social Impact Report and think about how you and your daughter might like to support this important and valuable aspect of life at Channing.

The start of term is always an exciting time: there is an extraordinary rush of energy as the girls come into school after our days of preparation and an air of optimism about the year ahead. For school leaders and teachers it’s a time to ensure that expectations are well understood and that’s why the chance to meet you in person in these first two weeks, as well as spend time getting to know the girls in our classes, is so important.

On Wednesday morning Miss Hamalis, the Head of the Junior School, and I were joined by the Junior School and Senior School Head Girls to lead our first whole school assembly of the year. We focused on the Channing Promise, a special commitment that everyone in the Channing community shares. It’s a promise that helps create a school environment where everyone feels safe, respected and valued. Written by the girls and upheld by all, we believe this promise is essential to our pupils’ personal growth, not just their academic learning.

The Channing Promise is made up of five core principles. In the Junior School version each of them is linked to a Channing Character animal to help students remember and apply them.

  1. Treat everyone with respect and kindness (Respectful Hedgehog): This promise is about using kind words, helpful hands, and friendly actions. In assembly students were encouraged to give a genuine compliment to the person next to them to practice this value.
  2. Think of others and be aware of their feelings (Empathy Rabbit): This principle reminds students to look after one another and make sure everyone feels included. It takes courage to be brave and do the right thing, especially when others are silent.
  3. Create a supportive environment with freedom for thought and voice (Curiosity Fox and Resilience Robin): Students were encouraged to be curious and open-minded, like the fox who loves to ask questions. The robin reminds them that it’s okay to make mistakes and to just try again.
  4. Make the most of all the opportunities we receive with a positive and appreciative attitude (Independence Owl and Perseverance Squirrel): This promise teaches students to make the most of every opportunity, try new things, and keep going even when things are difficult.
  5. Uphold fairness and inclusivity in all we do (Responsibility Badger and Bravery Mole): This final promise emphasises making sure everything is fair and inclusive, so that everyone feels valued and welcome.

The Channing Promise isn’t just a set of words on a poster; it’s something we are all expected to live out every day through our actions. In the words of our founder, Matilda Sharpe, ‘Life expects much of you and me’, and the Channing Promise helps students live up to that expectation and be the best versions of themselves. As I explained to the girls, these five promises are the sum total of our school’s rules. The values of kindness, respect and inclusivity should be a guide for their actions, both in the classroom and in their conversations with one another. I have no doubt that you will help us in ensuring that they do so.

Finally this week, a brief introduction to some of the key people who are new in role, or have new titles, and play an important role in your child’s life at Channing. Many of you already know Mr Meier, who has the new title of Senior Deputy to reflect the significance of his role in the school. His assistant, Mrs Matharu, is on maternity leave and her role is being covered by Miss Dorey, who you can contact on edorey@channing.co.uk if you need to make an appointment to speak with him.

I am also delighted to introduce our new Deputy Head (Academic), Ms Flint. Ms Flint joins us from Burgess Hill School for Girls, where she was Assistant Head Academic for the last 6 years. Prior to that her CV includes the remarkable experience of being the founding Deputy Head of a new independent school in Kent. I have no doubt that she will bring an exciting new perspective to the leadership of the academic life of the school.

We also have some new pastoral staff to introduce: Mr Raine takes on the role of Director of Sixth Form this year as maternity cover for Mrs Tomback, while Mr Waring becomes Head of Year 8. We are delighted to welcome Miss Richards, our new Head of Pupil Wellbeing, and Ms Sealy, our School Nurse, who is known to the girls as Nurse Kay. There are a number of new teaching staff in addition to those mentioned above, whose details I have included below. I know that you, and your children, will make them feel welcome at Channing. As always at the start of the year, here is our useful Who should I contact 2025:26.pdf document, which is also readily available on the Parent Portal for reference.

I have had the unusual experience of writing not one but two Friday missives this week, the second being my first letter to my fellow Heads as President of the Girls’ Schools Association. I take up that role with the privilege of speaking on behalf of all GSA Heads about the power and importance of all-girls schools, and the responsibility to champion the extraordinary education which we provide. I finished my letter to them with this: ‘Someone told me recently that the new parenting trend is to ask your child ‘Would you like to be hugged, heard or helped?’ – we’re here for all three.’ The same is true for your daughters at Channing – and for you.

With best wishes for the year ahead and for now a restful weekend,

With warmest wishes,

Lindsey Hughes
Headmistress

Welcome to our new Staff

Senior & Junior School Staff

In the Junior School:

Miss S Micallef – Head of Early Years and KS1
Ms B Doyle – Co Form Teacher
Miss D Moore – Reception Teaching Assistant
Ms P Oliver – Reception Teaching Assistant

In the Senior School:

Mr A Morgan – Head of History
Mr C Gunning – Head of Politics
Mr D Davies – Head of PSHE & Music
Mr G Martin – Head of Religion, Philosophy & Ethics (RPE)
Miss A Lam – Art
Ms T Benns – Classics & Oxbridge Coordinator
Mr P Bale – Maths
Mrs C Berry – Maths & STEM Coordinator
Miss F Dias – Maths
Mr L Raschke – Maths
Ms S Naseer – Physics
Miss K Corbin – PE Graduate Assistant
Ms K Sealy – School Nurse (known to the girls as Nurse Kay)

Notices

Hanna Fathers’ sponsored 142 mile walk - Completed!

Many of you will have corresponded with Mrs Hughes’ PA, Hanna Fathers. In the first week of the summer holiday she and her friend Amie completed a charity walk, covering 142 miles from Dublin to Galway in Ireland to raise money for the David Nott Foundation, in memory of Amie’s mother who passed away from peripheral vascular disease. If you would like to read Hanna & Amie’s story or donate please click on this linkYou can also purchase commemorative t-shirts for the walk with all proceeds going to the David Nott Foundation.

Hanna and Amie are very grateful for all your support.

SOCS (School Online Communication System)

We are pleased to introduce SOCS (School Online Communication System), our new digital platform designed to streamline communication and organisation across our school calendar, co-curricular programmes, and sports fixtures. SOCS provides a centralised hub where you can easily view upcoming events, track your child’s participation in clubs and activities, sign up your child for paid activities and trips. In addition, access up-to-date information on sports fixtures, including team sheets, match locations, and real-time results. This user-friendly tool enhances transparency, reduces missed communications, and allows you to stay fully engaged in your child’s school life. We encourage all parents to explore SOCS and take advantage of the clarity and convenience it offers. The system will also provide you with instant news and updates should there be any unforeseen last-minute changes to your child’s/children’s fixtures or activities.

Parents and guardians just need to use the email which the School has registered for them in order to set up an account (full details below). Once you’ve activated your account, you will be able to access all the information relevant to your child/children.

Logging in is quick and easy via the Firefly parent portal where there is a permanent link to SOCS on the dashboard.

If for any reason the link does not work, you can access the SOCS login page by searching for Channing School on the following link https://www.socscms.com/login.

Follow the next steps:

Once logged into SOCS, you can select My Calendar from the navigation menu on the left of the page and you will be able to sync your child’s/children’s sports and activities calendar with your own.

If you have any questions about SOCS or if you are experiencing issues activating your account, please email Mrs Bhamra-Burgess (gbhamra-burgess@channing.co.uk).

 

Non-Uniform Day Donations

Our Charities Officers have been busy getting in touch with a number of local charities and will present their shortlist to the pupils to vote for this year’s chosen cause. We are looking forward to announcing the winner in a few weeks time.

As you may be aware, we add the donations for non-uniform days to your fee invoice in April (£17 in total to cover all of them). If you have any questions about this or wish to opt out please contact me in the first instance via my assistant, Ellie Dorey at edorey@channing.co.uk.

Mr Meier
Senior Deputy

Forthcoming Events

Sixth Form Open Evening, Tuesday 9 September

Our Sixth Form Open Evening is next week. If you have friends with girls in Years 10 or 11 please do encourage them to book and come and visit us, we’d hate for anyone to miss out! Sixth Form Open Evening

Francesca Happé CBE Psychology Lecture and Wine & Cheese Reception Thursday 18 September 2025, 6-7:45pm in the Arundel Centre/Founders Hall

We would like to extend an invitation to Channing students and parents to hear renowned Autism researcher Francesca Happé CBE. She will be giving her first of an annual lecture at Channing on the most recent research and findings into Autism with a focus on girls. Professor Happé is the namesake of Channing’s A Level Psychology Award, The Francesca Happé Women Shaping Minds Award.

The lecture will run from 6-6:45pm, and will be followed by a wine and cheese reception in Founders’ Hall where you will have the opportunity to chat informally to Professor Happé. The event will end at 7:45pm.

Here is the link to book tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/92269. There is no charge to attend but this is a ticketed event. Space is limited so please book early.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Mr Starr, Head of Psychology
pstarr@channing.co.uk

Free Parent Webinar: The Flu Vaccine in Children and Young People

Vaccination UK is offering a free Flu webinar on 17 & 18 September. All parents with children in Years 7 – 11 to invited to attend. Further details can be found on the linked poster; Flu Webinar with QR.pdf

 

Channing Association Notices

Welcome

Welcome to our new Co-Chairs of the CA: Dr Ahmed (daughter in Year 7), Mrs Clarke (daughters in Year 7 and Year 10), Mrs Parker (daughters in Year 7 and Year 9 and Mrs Wenniger (daughters in Year 9 and Year 11). We are very grateful for your leadership in volunteering to take on this important role and look forward to the year ahead.

Class Reps Call-Out (2025-2026)

Dear Parents,
We are now inviting volunteers to serve as class representatives for the 2025-2026 school year. Class reps play an important role, so we would be very grateful for your help.

We are currently looking for representatives for the following classes:

Year 8

Y8AK – 1 rep needed

Year 9

Y9AM – 2 reps needed
Y9EGi – 1 rep needed
Y9TB – 2 reps needed
Y9EHI – 2 reps needed

Year 10

Y10GM – 1 rep needed
Y10HG – 1 rep needed
Y10NK – 1 rep needed

Year 11

Y11CS – 1 rep needed
Y11MG – 2 reps needed
Y11SF – 2 reps needed
Y11ZB – 1 rep needed

Year 12

Class reps needed (we currently only have 2 across all Year 12 classes)

If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know by contacting us via Classlist or by volunteering as a class rep in your “members” section of your class in Classlist.

Your support would be greatly appreciated, and it’s a wonderful way to contribute to our school community.

Thank you very much for considering.

The CA

 

Year 7 Parents Coffee morning 12 September, 8:15-9:30am in the Senior School Dining Hall

Year 7 parents are welcome to join us for a morning coffee on Friday 12 September. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other Year 7 parents.

Second Hand Uniform Sale, 12 September, 8:30-9:30am in the Senior School Dining Hall

The CA will be holding a Second Hand Uniform Sale in the Senior School Dining Hall. The sale is open to parents/guardians. Donations of clean, gently used uniforms can be left with the school office. Please only donate official uniform items. We do not accept shoes or school bags. If you are able to help with setting up or during the sale, please DM Alex Bennington via Classlist.

Girls Enjoying Success

Sixth Form News

Sixth Form Induction
The past few days have been a wonderful start to the new Sixth Form year. It has been a real pleasure to welcome our new Year 12s on Monday afternoon for their induction and to see our Year 13s return with such confidence.

On Tuesday we enjoyed team building and problem-solving activities in the morning, followed by a lively BBQ in the Secret Garden. Wednesday’s Welcome Evening for Year 12 provided a fantastic opportunity to meet families and share our vision for the year ahead. We rounded off the week on Thursday with our Sixth Form breakfast, where Year 12 and Year 13 students came together in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

What has stood out most is the way students have supported one another, thrown themselves into new challenges and begun to build the spirit of community that lies at the heart of our Sixth Form. I look forward to seeing that spirit flourish in the year ahead.

LAMDA News

LAMDA Examination Results
We are excited to share the brilliant LAMDA results that arrived at the end of term. The students worked enthusiastically, imaginatively and collaboratively throughout the year. Their bravery and perseverance has certainly paid off. All 62 candidates passed with honours: 16 were awarded high Merits; and a record breaking 46 achieved the top level Distinction mark; with 6 students earning an impressive 90+ out of 100 marks. So, with 74% of Channing students achieving Distinction level, this puts them in the top 10% of LAMDA entrants around the country.

It is always fascinating to hear the students’ experiences through their course evaluations: Comments repeatedly highlighted the students’ enjoyment in the freedom of choosing characters and scenes to work on and the pleasure of developing new skills. Excitement that they had learned how: to go outside their comfort zone; to analyse and evaluate in detail; to understand subtext. Also, how glad they are at having improved their ability to express their ideas more confidently through extending their vocal and physical skills. All while having fun and making new friends! They can all proudly celebrate their results, as well as all they learnt on the way.

MFL & History News

Berlin Trip

On July 5, 2025, a group of 41 students and I were given the incredible opportunity to travel to Berlin, Germany, to explore the city while deepening our knowledge of History and German. After an early start, we quickly found our way through Berlin, and there was never a dull moment. We visited many famous and historic landmarks, including Checkpoint Charlie and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, where we were able to immerse ourselves in Germany’s fascinating history. We stayed at the Generator Hostel, which was excellent and conveniently located in the heart of the city. Overall, it was a trip like no other, and we are all extremely grateful to the five teachers who made it possible. We created unforgettable memories and cannot thank them enough for providing such a wonderful experience.

Amelia S, Year 11

Checkpoint Charlie, The Reichstag and its Dome
Our visit to Berlin gave us the chance to see history right in front of us. At Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin, it really helped us to picture how tense it must have been during war. It gave us the opportunity to reflect on how families were once separated by the border that ran through this spot. Later, we went to the Reichstag, which felt completely different. The building itself was impressive, but the highlight was the Glaskuppel (glass dome). Walking up the spiral ramp gave us an amazing view across the whole of Berlin. It also symbolises democracy in Germany, as visitors can look down into the debating chamber. I found that seeing both places in one day showed the contrast between Berlin’s divided past and how it is today.

Lili B, Year 11

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is in the middle of the city of Berlin and is a place of remembrance for the up to six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. As we walked through the rows it created a sense of unease and isolation reflecting the horror experienced during the Holocaust. It helped us to reflect on the fear, confusion and loss that many Jewish families were experiencing at the time. The slabs have no names because the memorial is meant to represent all the victims equally. The design is also this way to encourage visitors to think in their own way. It has a very powerful and symbolic meaning and is also a way of keeping the memory of all those who died alive.

Amelia D, Year 11

Brandenburger Tor & Unter den Linden
The Brandenburg Gate was a symbol of division, but now symbolises the reunification of Germany. We really enjoyed strolling Unter den Linden (‘under the linden trees’) which was originally a bridlepath. It is a grand boulevard and a crucial site for tourism, containing landmarks, famous museums and the Humboldt University, showcasing Germany’s relevance on the world stage.

Elfie W, Year 11

Sachsenhausen
During our trip we were able to visit the concentration camp Sachsenhausen. Visiting this camp was a really powerful experience that helped us all understand the true scale and horror of what happened to the people sent to concentration camps. Walking through one of the barracks, with a small room that would fit over 200 Jewish people, walking through grounds with hanging poles and looking at the gas chambers that were disguised as a doctor’s room, made the history seem very real and personal in a way learning about them in lessons can’t. It was incredibly difficult and upsetting to see such a site, but it was also an important opportunity to reflect on history and remember the victims of these places.

Caye B-F, Year 11

East Side Gallery
During our trip to Berlin, we visited the East Side Gallery, which is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall. It was like stepping into history in an open-air art gallery. Originally it was part of the Berlin wall but then 100 artists from 21 countries were invited to paint on the preserved section of the wall to celebrate the fall of the Wall and the end of the Cold War. Each artwork represents freedom, hope and most importantly the unification of the city. My favourite artwork was definitely the famous picture of Brezhnev and Honecker kissing as it represented the special relationship between Communist countries.

Leila A-H, Year 11

The DDR Museum
During our trip to Berlin, we got the wonderful opportunity to visit the DDR Museum in the centre of Berlin, where we were brought back in time as the interactivity and detail of the museum made us think we were in a flat in East Germany. This made us contemplate what everyday life would be like and how different it is to ours. The many installations invited us to join in and interact, discovering unique objects. We were able to experience the history and former life of the German Democratic Republic (DDR) first hand and learn about the Stasi Surveillance. Both the positives and the negatives of the DDR were portrayed.

Regina G, Year 11

KaDeWe 
During our trip to Berlin, we had the opportunity to visit KaDeWe. KaDeWe is a luxury department store on the west side of Berlin. It is the most famous department store in Germany and one of the largest in Europe. The luxurious and modern area of West Berlin proved to be an interesting comparison to the historic architecture of the East. We looked around the six floors of the store, looking in the windows of many designer brands. We were able to look in many different shops and some of us bought some things as well. We were so thankful for the teachers for allowing us to go shopping, we had so much fun!

Eleanor C and Matilda W, Year 11

The German Programme
German students also enjoyed a trip to the Gendarmenmarkt, an outing to a show at the Tipi am Kanzleramt, another to the iconic Zoo Palast Cinema to watch ‘How to train your Dragon’ in German and of course a stop at the chocolate shop RitterSport. Musical delights were planned for Year 12 students: a masterclass by baritone Thomas Quasthoff, Liszt and Richard Strauss conducted by Christian Thielemann at the Philharmonie and a concert by the children’s choir of the Berlin State Opera.

On the last day, all the German students visited the Stasi Museum (Staatsicherheit, meaning state security) museum in East Berlin, at the former Ministry of State Security headquarters, where the Stasi operated. It was an extremely interesting and somewhat surreal experience for example, seeing the preserved office of Erich Mielke, the former head of the Stasi, and other original equipment. We had the opportunity to learn about their methods of surveillance, control, and repression, which gave us a better understanding of life in East Berlin and the DDR regime. One cool fact was that Tatjana Besson from the punk band Die Firma (The Firm) was actually a spy for the Stasi.

Aurora H, Year 12

The German students also had the opportunity to meet with three very interesting people: the lutenist Wolfgang Katschner, who was born and brought up in the former GDR, and Herr and Frau Bühler kindly invited us to their home in Berlin for dinner and a conversation in German about their experiences with the East/West divide before we had to leave for London. They had many entertaining and sometimes tragic stories to share, and Frau P helpfully provided translations when necessary. After dinner, we thanked them for the delicious ice cream and waved goodbye to Germany.

Ellie S, Year 11    

Channing Archives

I wonder if this photo from the academic year 1914-15 was taken at the start of the academic year, just as new photos are taken at the start of term now? Welcome back everyone!