Welcome from Candy & Emmy
From mid-March we will be selecting four Lower Sixth students to take part in the annual Dukes Scholars Symposium, this year hosted by Verbier International School, Switzerland. Students will fly with us on Tuesday 2 June and the programme will begin at lunchtime on Wednesday 3 June, concluding in the evening of Thursday 4 June, after which we will fly home on Friday 5 June. Students from all the Dukes’ colleges will take part in workshops, collaborative challenges, and reflective sessions designed to broaden their perspectives and strengthen their academic and personal growth.
Trip to Abbey Road
On Wednesday, Jonny, one of our music tutors, took Upper Sixth Music Technology students to the famous Abbey Road Studios, formerly EMI Recording Studios, to observe a live recording session. They were able to watch the orchestral and percussion recording for the forthcoming film Ladies First. This session marked the final recording for the film, which made it a particularly special experience for the students.
Big Idea Challenge Boot Camp with Natwest
Our Big Idea finalists will be representing Hampstead Fine Arts College in the next round of London Metropolitan University’s Big Idea Challenge this Friday. Students will be teaming up with other schools and colleges to take part in workshops to develop, refine and pitch their business ideas. Students will have a dedicated mentor for the day from one of London Met’s incredible partners, including NatWest and successful startups. It is an amazing opportunity to develop skills within a very supportive environment and will look fantastic on CVs and UCAS applications.
Next week’s Enrichment Talk
Next Tuesday our visiting speaker will be Sian Harris from University of the Arts London. She will explain the differences between the six colleges that make up UAL and advise on how to prepare a winning portfolio of creative work. The talk is particularly useful for Lower Sixth and Year 11 students.
Study trip to Florence and Venice
Next Wednesday, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth History of Art students are going on a study trip to Florence and Venice for four days and three nights. They will be seeing first-hand some of the art works they study at A level – an invaluable and enriching experience.
Trip to Museum of Brands
Next Friday, Lower Sixth Business and Graphics students will be visiting the Museum of Brands. The focus of the day will be on marketing, branding and graphic design. During the visit the students will complete ‘treasure trail’ style workbooks around the museum’s ‘Time Tunnel’ of products. They will also take part in a museum-led workshop on packaging design.
First Round Auditions for the Summer Production
Following the success of last term’s all school performances of The Watsons we are holding auditions for our end-of-year production. First round auditions will be held next Friday 6 March from 1.15pm-3.45pm with Bryony in The Law Theatre, Parkhill. All years from 9 through to Foundation are encouraged to apply. (Students in exam years 11 and 13 are also welcome but will require agreement from parents and the college to be involved). The audition will be an informal group workshop with recalls to follow. Students can speak to Bryony for further details and find an application form at reception at Parkhill and Centre Studios. We look forward to seeing you there! There will also be openings for backstage and crew positions including assistant directing, costume, set design, hair and makeup, technical, stage management and publicity. Please speak to Bryony, Hattie or your head of year if you are interested in these opportunities.
Fine Arts Summer Courses
Our Summer Programme runs from Monday 13 July to Friday 7 August and offers a range of inspiring two-week courses for students aged 12–19. These include Portfolio Preparation for aspiring art and design students, Preparation for Drama School for those considering actor training, and Art & Design for Aspiring Artists for younger creatives, all combining practical tuition, professional guidance and opportunities to showcase work at the end of the course. Courses are available in person and online to current students or young people from outside the College. They include all materials and are now open for applications. More information here.
Congratulations to Max, on his new channels
We are pleased to highlight Upper Sixth student Max, who has recently launched his own tennis content across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Inspired by leading football content creators, Max is aiming to bring tennis further into the social media spotlight, building his channels and exploring partnerships to connect with a wider community of tennis fans.
“My goal is to show the lighter side of the sport, connect with people, and make tennis enjoyable for everyone watching.”
Alum, Eliza Doolittle, set to release third studio album
We are thrilled to share that our alum Eliza Doolittle, now making music under the stage name Eliza Lovechild, is releasing her third studio album The Darkening Green on Wednesday 4th March. The record — rooted in soulful, thoughtful alt-R&B and shaped by her experiences (including motherhood and artistic independence) — follows the eagerly received singles “Anyone Else” and “Cheddar” and marks an exciting new chapter in her career.
