This term started, somewhat improbably, with the ‘Christmas reunion’ for the classes of 2024, 2023 and 2022 which had been put back into January to coincide with university holidays.

It was an absolute joy to welcome back so many recent alumnae and to hear their news. Their delight at seeing one another and at catching up with teachers was evidenced by the sheer volume of noise in the Sixth Form Centre.

I cannot imagine better ambassadors for The Abbey. Every former student there was thoughtful, articulate, impressive and fun. They were unabashedly seizing and making the most of all of the opportunities available to them in their post-school lives.

It was genuinely inspiring to hear what they are doing. The class of 2024 achieved places at 20 out of 24 Russell Group universities, 88% of them at their first-choice university. They are clearly already making their mark. Amongst many other successes, this includes winning debating competitions and being awarded music scholarships in their first term and participating in societies as varied as board games, bell ringing and Japanese. Their musical involvement ranges from orchestras to rock bands to playing the bagpipes in the Manchester Pipe Band. One alumna told us of her joy at being able to travel into the Peak District for spectacular night-time stargazing.

I spoke with students who are undertaking fascinating-sounding independent academic research on topics as varied as investigation of a largely unknown pan-Asian artefact and the history of dungarees. Others made me envious with amazing tales of gap year adventures in places as far-flung as Budapest, Argentina and Australia.

They reflected on what they had most enjoyed in their time at The Abbey. This started and ended with people, most of all their friends and the wonderfully supportive Abbey staff. Many spoke powerfully of the confidence the school had given them and the ability to be themselves. Others spoke of valuing the fact that at our school it is ‘cool to work hard’ and that they appreciated being taught to aim really high. Their memories of school were suffused with fun, humour and joy.

German teacher Uli Byrne commented: “I had the privilege of reconnecting with some of my former German students and tutees, and it was truly heartwarming to catch up with everyone. Hearing about their university experiences, not only academically but also socially, was both fascinating and inspiring.

What stood out most was the sheer joy of everyone seeing one another again. The strong, enduring friendships forged during their time at The Abbey were evident, as was their genuine pleasure in reconnecting with us, their former teachers.

The Abbey’s network continues to thrive, providing valuable support across the years. For instance, I was delighted to assist Jess, who is currently reading History and German at Edinburgh, as she prepares for her year abroad in Berlin. Thanks to the network, Jess will be connecting with Jana, a 2020 Abbey alumna now pursuing her Master’s degree in Berlin. Jana has kindly offered to help Jess acclimatise to life in the German capital.

Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with my former colleagues, Miss Cook, Mrs. Lesbirel, and Mrs. Robinson. Hearing about their latest adventures and updates added another layer of warmth to an already memorable event.”

Director of Abbey Ideas & Passion, Mike Dalton, was inspired by the returning students: “The alumnae reunions always remind me why I’m so glad to teach at The Abbey. It’s impossible not to be impressed by the wit, intelligence and kindness of the returning students. It was a great event, and it was wonderful to hear everyone’s stories.”

Charlotte Hart, Director of Sixth Form, commented: “It was wonderful to see so many of our alumnae join us for the evening, and to hear about the marvellous things they have been up to. I hope that they will return again next year to keep us updated on all their exciting news.”

It wasn’t only teachers whom our new alumnae were delighted to see again; Nora was undoubtedly a star of the evening. Nora’s Cafe is at the heart of the Sixth Form Centre and Nora said that she: “really enjoyed seeing all the girls again. It’s a great chance to catch up, have a chat and see how they’re getting on and how their lives are going now. Seeing that they were doing so well meant the world to me as I’ve known many of them as they grew up through the school.”

Opportunities to reconnect like this are much valued within our Abbey alumnae community and are events to be eagerly anticipated. The Magnolia Tea and Tours is fast approaching on 22 March, followed by our London Drinks Reunion on 19 June. You can find more details at https://connect.theabbey.co.uk/ and we would love to see you there.

I cannot think of a more joyful way to start the new term and year. The event was a heartwarming and inspiring reminder of who we are as a school community. We seek to equip our students with confidence, purpose and joy as well as life-long friends. We are so proud of them, of what they do, of where they go on to after leaving us and, most importantly, of who they are. The Abbey family is for life, not just for Christmas.

Dr Sarah Tullis, Senior School Head