Pictured Above: HRH Duke of Kent meeting the students who will exhibit at The Royal Society’s summer exhibition
On Saturday June 30th, Charters School, Sunningdale , Charters School in Sunningdale celebrated its 60th birthday with a Summer Celebration in its extensive grounds. Gilbert Homes sponsored a marquee in the central grassed area where a great line-up of bands played throughout the day, creating a festival vibe that entertained both young and old. Jewell Windows kindly sponsored the hay bales, which provided the perfect setting to sip a cocktail or eat an ice cream for those who watched the hourly dance shows as the sun shone. Ex-Head Girl, Martha Collison, returned to Charters to judge a Bake-Off style competition which was won by Lauren Rossitor-Kidd in the Showstopper category and Mrs Metson in the Cupcake category; both winners were each presented with a signed copy of one of Martha’s books. Ollie Chell and his team, all of whom left Charters in 2017, won the football tournament and the Class of ’63 did a sterling job staffing the Alumni Hub throughout the event.
HRH the Duke of Kent was the guest of honour and was shown the innovative pastoral support the school has developed. He began his tour in the garden of the Maine Centre, the school’s pastoral hub, before visiting the Reflection Garden that was created by members of the Sixth Form following the death of a student who experienced mental health issues. The school’s Emotional Wellbeing Champions, who are trained to recognise signs of emotional fragility in their peers and signpost help for them, were presented to the Duke before he met the science students who are exhibiting at the Royal Society’s summer science exhibition. Prior to the Duke’s departure, the Choral Scholars performed a pitch perfect rendition of ‘The Gloria and Et in Terra Pax’ from Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’. Before leaving the school, the Duke unveiled a plaque commemorating his visit.