We opened our Spring Term with one of our highly anticipated annual traditions – Prize Giving.  We were delighted to welcome our Year 11 and 13 leavers and their families to Jubilee Hall to celebrate their achievements. Our chair, Simon Chamberlain, opened the event followed by a welcome and message from Head, Heid-Jayne Boyes,  remarks from our current Head Girl, Hooriya Fida-Hussein,  and reflections from our 2021/22 Head Girl, Eleanor Bowen.

Four key observations were shared at our ceremony:

1. the inner drive of our prize winners: to excel, stand out, prove yourselves, question and challenge
2. the endless opportunities our prize winners all embraced, within and beyond the curriculum
3. the commitment of our teaching body
4. the relationships which develop over time that make Wakefield Girls’ feel like an extended family. Over the last year in particular, our prize winners really looked out for each other and even in times of difference of opinion, the foundations of their friendships kept everyone together, getting on with things together and succeeding.

A special thanks goes to alumna and CEO of Confused.com, Louise O’Shea, who joined us as a special guest and keynote speaker, inspiring attendees with her powerful speech about finding passions and channelling purpose.

Music and tradition are a big part of school life and, of course, our traditional ceremonies.  Thank you to Grace Hillier and Antonia Madden for their performances on saxophone, guitar and vocals and to all for a rousing rendition of the School Hymn and National Anthem.

The Head’s farewell message to all as they continue to embark along their different paths: “Be true to yourself and be your best self. Be 10% braver than you are already; practise and push yourself to be even better. Whatever path you choose,  I hope you choose to put your best, authentic self forward, that you use your voice on behalf of yourself and others and that you are proud of you.”