A Rejuvenating Spring Term for our Schools

On 26 April the Master Brewer hosted a reception at the Guildhall for prefects from Aldenham and Dame Alice Owen’s Schools.

This annual event is one of many opportunities throughout the year for the Brewers’ Company to strengthen its bonds with the two schools that it supports. It is a chance for senior student representatives to connect with the Company and its Liverymen, as well as each other, and allows the Company to thank them for their service to their respective schools.

At a Court meeting later that week, updates on the spring term from the Headteachers of both schools were presented which show a positive move towards the return of normal school life after months of disruption.

Hannah Nemko, Headteacher of Dame Alice Owen’s School, reported: “Lunchtimes and evenings have once again been a hive of musical, sporting, curriculum and interest activities ranging from the launch of our Young Librarian programme, to the more established science lectures, chess club and alike. The staff have given freely of their time, planning and accompanying visits to A level Language film study days, as well as to experience some of the English Literature texts being performed on stage. Visits to the STEM centre in Stevenage inspired our Year 7s to learn more and more about Artificial Intelligence and its uses in the future whilst the annual Brewers’ Lecture, run by the Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers, Richard Fuller, taught our sixth form that there is an awful lot more chemistry involved in brewing beer than one may otherwise have thought.”

James Fowler, Headmaster of the Aldenham Foundation, reported: “… the many events which mark this time of the year in normal times, from House Cross Country to a major School production, the major sports finals in a number of areas, as well as the Beck Music Competition have all been able to resume. Most significantly, the Dance Show went ahead in the Theatre on 23 and 24 March. This was especially important since it was the final performance of the Dance Show, on Wednesday 18 March 2020, which was the last public event to take place just minutes after the PM announced the requirement for all schools to close on 20 March. That evening was an emotional one and therefore the return of the performance with its exuberant opportunities for our pupils to express themselves to a very large audience so wholeheartedly in dance of many formats was a real celebration.”