Head's blog - October 2024

More than ever, I am grateful for the inspiration I take every day from our community. This first half term is probably the busiest time at Blackheath High as we settle new students into school, transition our existing girls into their new year groups; we have been setting up new Student Councils, Peer Mentor groups and other positions in school for the year ahead and of course, it is also peak season in Admissions. 

With the dark evenings drawing in, it can become difficult to jump out of bed in the morning and start your day, but there is always so much joy in the air here and many reasons to celebrate every single day in our school. I have just returned from our Harvest Festival this morning at the Junior School, leaving with a spring in my step!   

At Juniors, the girls and staff have made Ms Comerford (and her cavapoo Pip!) feel very welcome and I know that she is already having a great impact and developing the path ahead with much aspiration and gusto – exciting times lie ahead! With Year 6 taking on new leadership roles, our budding mathematicians attending the Oxford Maths Conference, Year 3 engaging in the 'Magic of Autumn' experience and celebration assemblies for Black History Month and Harvest Festival, it has been a true hub of activity. 

At Seniors, our girls are training for Duke of Edinburgh, flying off to New York today to study Art in the city, sharing stories of the amazing 'Camp Peru' over the summer and participating in assemblies for Dyslexia Awareness Week. We have also hosted a delightful community afternoon tea for our friends from Leah Lodge in Blackheath. After celebrating our best-ever results for GCSE and A-level, our academic accolades continue with awards for Crest Award in Gold and the University of Cambridge Chemistry Challenge Awards for Sixth Form students (as a Chemistry graduate, I can vouch for how challenging these are!).   

As always, our girls - and staff - very much deserve a rest to recharge, spend time with friends and family and reflect on their many successes this half term. 

I look forward to seeing you in school in the run up to Christmas (if it's not too early to mention that word yet!).

With best wishes,

Natalie Argile

Head