Students are nominated to receive a Head’s Praise for exceptional achievements and contribution to school life.

Head’s Praise – 21 March 2024

21 March 2024

Today 13 pupils received praise:

  • Lucas (Lower 6th) for being part of a team that won a distinction in the Cambridge Biology Challenge Round 1. The judges said “Wow – an incredibly original and innovative response; we were impressed with your mathematical analysis of the problem.”
  • Tom (1st Year) for being involved in wellbeing dog walking over the last two terms, boosting other people’s mood as he stops around site to chat to individuals with Luna by his side.
  • Leo (Lower 6th) for being awarded a Gold in the Biology Olympiad. This puts them in the top 5% of applicants and is very hard to achieve. Leo did this a year early s well, which makes it even more impressive.
  • James (Upper 6th) for being awarded a Gold in the Biology Olympiad. This puts them in the top 5% of applicants and is very hard to achieve.
  • Rayn (Upper 6th) for being awarded a Gold in the Biology Olympiad. This puts them in the top 5% of applicants and is very hard to achieve.
  • Charlie (3rd Year) for taking part in his first gala for the school and earning a swim team hat. Charlie swam really well in two individual races and relays. Really impressive as it was against much older opposition at Radley.
  • Jaden (3rd Year) for taking part in his first proper gala for the school and earning a swim team hat. Jaden swam really well in two individual races and relays, against much older swimmers.
  • Michael (4th Year) for taking part in his first proper gala for the school and earning a swim team hat. Michael swam really well in two individual races, nearly won one of them! And great effort in both relays. Great performance.
  • Xavi (4th Year) for taking part in his first proper gala for the school and earning a swim team hat. Xavi swam really well in two individual races without much rest and put in a great time in the U15 FS relay against strong opposition.
  • Enoch (5th Year) for taking part in his first proper gala for the school and earning a swim team hat. Swam 100 Backstroke and 100 FS, really great effort and the FS was a really good time. Swam both relays too. Against much older and stronger opposition at Radley, Enoch did really well. He should be proud of himself.
  • Justin (4th Year) for awesome swimming in his first gala for the school, 100 FS was brilliant and also swam 50 BK and 50 FS races. Huge effort to also swim both relays for U18. Even fought through some painful cramp as he was so tired. Hugely impressed by him! Amazing effort!
  • Alex (Lower 6th) for supporting a friend in need.
  • James (Lower 6th) for hosting the Easter tea party for the first time.

Head’s Praise – 15 March 2024

15 March 2024

Today 10 pupils received praise:

  • Can (Upper 6th) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Thomas (Upper 6th) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Yubo (Lower 6th) a sustained and outstanding contribution to running the Primary Science Club.
  • Charlie (5th Year) a sustained and outstanding contribution to running the Primary Science Club.
  • James (Upper 6th) for an excellent optional physics prep on modelling “radioactive decay” using popping popcorn.
  • Christian (Upper 6th) for an excellent optional physics prep on modelling “radioactive decay” using popping popcorn.
  • Henry (4th Year) for making an extremely positive, hands on contribution to building the second Greenpower F25 car in collaboration with Fitzharrys and John Mason Schools and engineers from GKN Automotive Ltd.
  • Alex (5th Year) for making an extremely positive, hands on contribution to building the second Greenpower F25 car in collaboration with Fitzharrys and John Mason Schools and engineers from GKN Automotive Ltd.
  • Lucas (Lower 6th) for being part of a team that won a distinction in the Cambridge Biology Challenge Round 1. The judges said “Wow – an incredibly original and innovative response; we were impressed with your mathematical analysis of the problem” for their analysis and explanation as to why organisms do not have wheels.
  • Sasha (Lower 6th) for being part of a team that won a distinction in the Cambridge Biology Challenge Round 1. The judges said “Wow – an incredibly original and innovative response; we were impressed with your mathematical analysis of the problem” for their analysis and explanation as to why organisms do not have wheels.

Head’s Praise – 29 February 2024

29 February 2024

Today 13 pupils received praise:

  • Toby (Upper 6th) for being a J14C, J15C, J1 B and 2nd VIII rower. He has been a quiet role model of resilience, commitment and dedication, and has made consistent progress throughout his school rowing career. This weekend he has been selected to race for in the 1st VIII as stroke man.
  • Harry (5th Year) for stepping up into a senior CCF position a year early.
  • Charlie (5th Year) for stepping up into a senior CCF position a year early.
  • Zaki (3rd Year) for showing leadership within the U14A football team.
  • Sam (Upper 6th) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Scott (Upper 6th) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Ollie (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Luke (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Xien (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Kit (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Paddy (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Dan (5th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.
  • Alex (4th Year) for winning the national U18 waterpolo semi final.

Head’s Praise – 22 February 2024

22 February 2024

Today eight pupils received praise:

  • Conor (Lower 6th) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly in front of others about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.
  • George (3rd Year) for winning joint 1st Prize in the 3rd Year History Competition about family in WW1 or WW2.
  • Arran (3rd Year) for winning joint 1st Prize in the 3rd Year History Competition about family in WW1 or WW2.
  • James (Lower 6th) for being Deputy Stage Manager for A Monster Calls, a technically heavy show (over 1000 lighting, sound and AV cues) and was responsible for calling them all and coordinating the student crew to ensure they all happened at the right time.
  • Ayo (Lower 6th) for his outstanding 6th form assembly “Audiences don’t hate diversity, they hate bad writing”.
  • Sam (Upper 6th) for helping a sixth former at SHSK with their coding and electronics A Level project.
  • Ronnie (Lower 6th) for excellent improvement in art.
  • Evan (3rd Year) for a fantastic contribution to the running and organisation of the Creativity in the Community Group (3rd Year Service) by managing and maintaining the programme of poets and musicians.

Head’s Praise – 8 February 2024

8 February 2024

Today seven pupils received praise:

  • Max (3rd Year) for going beyond expectation to write a 300 characters essay with his current knowledge, even though he has only learnt Mandarin for a term.
  • Fin (Lower 6th) for being selected for the GB Junior Commonwealth Fencing Team.
  • Oliver (Upper 6th) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly in front of others about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.
  • Nathan (5th Year) for outstanding efforts in preparation for and performance in 5th year mocks.
  • Edgar (4th Year) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly on record about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.
  • Will (Upper 6th) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly on record about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.
  • Tommy (Lower 6th) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly on record about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.

Head’s Praise – 30 January 2024

30 January 2024

Today four pupils received praise:

  • Will (5th Year) for outstanding efforts in preparation for and performance in 5th Year mocks.
  • Toby (1st Year) for piping in the haggis at the ASPA Burns Night Dinner and Ceilidh.
  • Tye (Upper 6th) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly in front of others about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.
  • Harry (3rd Year) for taking part in Soundbite recordings for the ND Week film with the AFU. Bravely speaking openly and honestly in front of others about his neurodiversity and how he finds school.

Head’s Praise – 26 January 2024

26 January 2024

Today five pupils received praise:

  • Sasha (Lower 6th) for editing Issue 5 of the Evolve Magazine.
  • Alex (3rd Year) for winning 1st Prize in the 3rd Year History Competition about family in WW1 or WW2.
  • Ed (Upper 6th) for securing a distinction in his singing diploma at the end of last term.
  • Jamie (Upper 6th) for securing a distinction in his singing diploma at the end of last term.
  • Jaden (3rd Year) for writing an exceptional essay in Mandarin Chinese.

Head’s Praise – 19 January 2024

19 January 2024

Today eight pupils received praise:

  • Will (Upper 6th) for hosting the Community Service Christmas tea party.
  • Harry (Upper 6th) for writing and directing the Staff Panto! Huge amounts of creativity, energy and commitment shown.
  • Boco (Upper 6th) for writing an excellent essay on the science behind antimicrobial resistance.
  • Harish (3rd Year) for writing an excellent analysis of the economics behind antibiotic resistance that was at a 6th form level (if not higher!).
  • Eric (Lower 6th) for being part of the commended team having got through to the final stage of the national Ritangle competition for 6th form mathematicians.
  • Maelo (Lower 6th) for being part of the commended team having got through to the final stage of the national Ritangle competition for 6th form mathematicians.
  • Lucas (Lower 6th) for being part of the commended team having got through to the final stage of the national Ritangle competition for 6th form mathematicians.
  • Freddie (Lower 6th) for being part of the commended team having got through to the final stage of the national Ritangle competition for 6th form mathematicians.

Head’s Praise – 10 January 2024

10 January 2024

Today six pupils received praise:

  • Aarav (Upper Sixth) for hosting the Community Service Christmas tea party.
  • Tom (Upper Sixth) for writing and directing the Staff Panto! Huge amounts of creativity, energy and commitment shown.
  • Toby (Upper Sixth) for writing and directing the Staff Panto! Huge amounts of creativity, energy and commitment shown.
  • Philip (Upper Sixth) for writing and directing the Staff Panto! Huge amounts of creativity, energy and commitment shown.
  • Luca (2nd Year) for singing a nuanced and beautiful rendition of “Once in Royal’s David City” in the boarders and whole school carol services.
  • Tom (1st Year) for singing a beautiful rendition of “Once in Royal’s David City” in the Lower School Carol service, to parents and the entire Lower School.

Head’s Praise – 12 December 2023

12 December 2023

Today 10 pupils received praise:

  • Can (Upper 6th) for coming 5th in the English schools swimming national championship finals.
  • Ethan  (5thYear) for coming 5th in English schools swimming national championship finals.
  • Chung Nam (Lower 6th) for coming 5th in English schools swimming national championship finals.
  • Ralph (5th Year) for coming 5th in English schools swimming national championship finals.
  • Luca (Upper 6th) for an incredibly eloquent and professional presentation on attitudes to climate change in a 6th form assembly on behalf of the Eco Committee. The scientific detail and academic rigour of his presentation landed well with his audience.
  • Felix (Upper 6th) for neuro-diverse mentoring in Learning Support. Felix has met with two newly-diagnosed younger students and used his experience of living with neuro-diversity to advise and support others lower down in the school. Speaking openly like this is brave and provides a truly relatable source of support for members of the neuro-diverse community.
  • Khadim (Upper 6th) for leading, creating and recording a comprehensive and honest PSL presentation for the 5th form on Study Skills ahead of the Mocks, to be played in tutor time.
  • Bertie (Upper 6th) for creating a comprehensive and honest PSL presentation for the 5th form on Study Skills ahead of the Mocks, to be played in tutor time.
  • Toby (Upper 6th) for creating a comprehensive and honest PSL presentation for the 5th form on Study Skills ahead of the Mocks, to be played in tutor time.
  • Alex Wan (5th Year) for receiving full marks in a vocab test.