Who are we?
I am Tyla-Rae and I have been at Sydenham High since Reception. The school has developed my love for reading, rowing, debating in MUN and leading clubs such as Think Tank. I am in Year 13 and studying Politics, Philosophy, French and Economics and have found that the school has helped me to sufficiently manage my academic studies and become more integrated with the school’s culture. When I was in lower school, I enjoyed participating in the school’s choir, playing the guitar at concerts and being in school theatre productions such as Alice in Wonderland, where I relished the opportunity to play the Queen of Hearts! Through these activities, I was able to make friendships with students from a variety of year groups in the school and hope to encourage this bond as Head Girl.
I’m Freya and I’ve been at Sydenham since year 2. It’s amazing how much the school has changed and improved over the years – it’s a fantastic environment to be a part of. Currently, I am studying 3 A levels: History, Drama and Philosophy, and last year I wrote an EPQ on Breast Augmentation surgery and the physical and social consequences of undergoing plastic surgery. As one of the drama scholars here I have really enjoyed being involved in the school plays both behind the scenes and on stage, working with the younger years to create a performance is always so much fun. As of last year I became the co-host of LGBTQ+ Society which is a wonderful safe space in which to discuss queer issues and connect year groups. I’m enjoying my time as head girl and the opportunities it brings to connect with students and teachers across the school!
What do you do and what are your aims for the year?
We work with the Deputy Head Girls and the rest of the YLT to implement new schemes within the school in order to continue student pride for Sydenham High. We are currently arranging a Round Table with the student representatives of each year to find out directly the opinions of all the years in the school and listen to what they are proud of, new ideas and what they would like to change in the school. Additionally, we represent the school at Open Days by making speeches and in GDST conferences which are sometimes daunting but always extremely fun! As Head Girls we aim to be role models and help the students throughout the school to feel at home and prosper in the school’s environment.
What are you focused on? What do you want to achieve?
One of our main goals is to create a sense of interschool unity. We hope that the upper and lower schools can connect with each other as well as establishing a better connection with our prep school. We are aiming to do this by starting the pen-pal programme during form time to get students more connected and to develop friendships with students in other years.
We also want to continue to improve our school’s goal to make Sydenham High a safe and comfortable environment for all students to learn and flourish. This means educating our community about different identities and putting a focus on de-stigmatising mental health.
Something that is very important to us is giving back to our community and those in need. At Sydenham, the students always show remarkable generosity when it comes to donations and we enjoy hosting many fundraising events for the whole school.
What inspired you both to become Head Girls in the first place?
We were both inspired by previous Head Girls who we have looked up to since year 7. It always seemed like an impossible feat becoming Head Girl but we both wanted to push ourselves and step out of our comfort zones. It’s amazing to think that the younger years may be looking up to us in the same way as we used to! We have both been here for many years and are eager to leave our mark and improve the school in any way we can.
Leadership Opportunities at Sixth Form
During the Sixth Form, you will have the chance to take on leadership opportunities, including Head Girl, Head of House, Charity Prefect and Subject Prefects.
We actively encourage all our Sixth Formers to take on a position of responsibility and our students relish the chance to lead and do so with genuine enthusiasm.
The Young Leadership Team plays an important role in the school, and the leadership skills gained from these roles are invaluable. Earning one of these sought after positions give you the opportunity to engage with the rest of the school community, organising a number of successful events – from talent shows to fundraising initiatives.