Alumnae Newsletter

Stars, created by our students 🌟  All part of the Christmas trail at Waddesdon.  Further details below. 

Dear Alumnae

Welcome to our December Newsletter 2023; I hope it finds you well.

As you may have heard, we have just, this week, been visited by HMI Ofsted.  Whilst we are not allowed to share the outcome with our wider community until the report has been published (probably in February 2024), I would like to let you know that I am immensely proud of AHS, the students and staff, and that the Ofsted Inspectors were glowing in their praise for our very lovely students.  They were also delighted that the School has started to engage with our Alumnae Community again, and particularly impressed with the kind offers of careers help from our old girls; a very sincere thank you to all who have generously offered to do so. We will, in the first instance, use your kind help to support our students from under-resourced backgrounds; those young people who might not otherwise be able to access such careers, but we will also support every one of our unique students in a wider way too.  We would particularly, but not exclusively, like to reach out to anyone who has had a career in the arts or humanities, as we have many students who are interested in this career path.  

I believe that Mr Potkin, the Careers Lead, is hoping to set up an event around March next year and will be inviting some of our volunteers to come into School to talk to the students.  We are trying to build a database of alumnae who are willing to give us their time in this way too so if you would be able to assist in any way, please can you contact Hilary Osgerby, my PA, at secretary@ahs.bucks.sch.uk.  Thank you.

Shout out for the Class of 94!

One of our alumnae, Tejal, is trying to get in touch with anyone who finished School in 1994.  If you would be interested in contacting her, then please email my PA, Hilary, at secretary@ahs.bucks.sch.uk and she will pass on your details.

Can you  help?

Julia, one of our alumnae from the 1969-1976 cohort, would like to get in touch with anyone who was at AHS during that time.  She would very much like to hear from two alumnae who she has been trying to track down, whose maiden names were Mary Oake or Julie Craker.  If you can help or would like to get in touch, please email Hilary, at the above address.  Julia and the alumnae that she is already in contact with, held a very special day on Sat 25th November.  Julia told us 'Our reunion on Saturday was wonderful, quite emotional. We had 25 there in person and 8 joined from on Zoom from USA, Canada, Europe and Australia, something we couldn’t have imagined 50 years ago.'  Thank you so much Julia for letting us know.  It is always a joy to hear from our alumnae!   

Are you interested in joining the Alumnae Steering Committee?  

We are delighted in that we have had 7 volunteers to join our Alumnae Steering Committee.  We hope this will be the building block for an active and enthusiastic committee of ‘old girls’ who will help us run AHSAlumnae and create and maintain close contacts with the School. We plan to meet two or three times a year (with the AGM in September). However, most communication and activity will be conducted by email and phone. 

If you would like to be involved and missed the previous call-out, we are still welcoming volunteers to bring new ideas and expertise to the mix. The first meeting will be held virtually at 2.45 pm on Wednesday 13th December.

We would love to hear from you so if you would be interested in joining, please contact my PA, Hilary, at secretary@ahs.bucks.sch.uk. 

Waddesdon - Welcome to Winter Light

Year 13 students were privileged to have the wonderfully talented artist Michelle Dufaur in the Summer Term to teach them how to use willow and tissue paper to create 3d forms.  The students selected an animal from the story 'The Lights that Dance in the Night', written and illustrated by Yuval Zommer.  We were really pleased to be able to make links with Art, Design and English as part of this workshop, looking at how an Illustrator can use text to develop a design.  AHS students chose a puffin as their animal and worked away to create the shape and form.  They also made some stars!  All of this work is part of the Christmas trail, which we enter each year and is now on show, https://waddesdon.org.uk/welcome-to-winter-light/

Huge congratulations to the students and a special thank you to Esme S , our Art Ambassador in Year 13, for running a Willow Star lunch club for Year 7s. Esme taught the students how to use willow and they made stars for the trail, as well as their own festive decorations.  

Suzanne Hartwell, Head of Art 

Images from last week's Santa Dash, which was a  joy!

Wishing all very well for the Christmas Season, and the New Year.

Thank you to you all for your support,

Marieke Forster
Headmistress

#AHSAlumnae

#AHSWalksTall

Telephone: 01296 388222
Email: ahsalumnae@ahs.bucks.sch.uk