School Profile – Alleyns

When asked, by the students, what her hopes and dreams for Alleyn’s were, new Head, Jane Lunnon (who joined the school in January 2021) said, “I hope that every single pupil contributes to the wider good of the community, learning how to be good citizens.”

Alleyn’s has a long history of being progressive, diverse, and inclusive. When the ‘Everyone’s Invited’ forum steered the national conversation to the treatment of women and girls, the school galvanised to create a gender equality charter – a set of guidelines – informed not just by members of staff, parents, and alumni but most importantly by the students themselves.

“Through the bumpy ride of adolescence, the school encourages us to have the confidence to create our own views of the world and how we want it to look, treating one another with respect along the way,” said 20/21 School Captain, Morgan Le Fevre.

Jules Lanari-Collard, 20/21 Vice Captain, added, “Participating in the tough but crucial discussions about gender equality and the school’s role in promoting it was really productive. The new Gender Equality Charter will hopefully be a springboard for further progress.”

When it comes to equality and diversity, students are also leading the charge. Members of the Minority Student Union (MSU) ran their own webinar earlier this year, attended by over 150 young people from Alleyn’s and other local schools, looking at what’s next in the Black Lives Matter movement.

Recent MSU Chair, Esther Akinyomi, said, “Everyone’s opinions are important. To form an opinion, you actually have to question your thoughts, and research and listen and learn.”

The school will soon have its own diversity and inclusion logo designed by a student as a symbol of its efforts in this sphere. The final design, selected and refined after consultation with the Student Council, the MSU and the LGBTQ+ Society will be visible around the school.

Young people at Alleyn’s can be whoever they want to be, to pursue their own interests and passions and to make their own mark on the world. Testament to this is its 200 plus co-curricular clubs, where there is something for everyone, from the traditional to the alternative – fish tank club, for example. Students are welcome to start new clubs and societies if they don’t already exist and many of the clubs in the lower school are run or supported by the older pupils.

The school continues to break barriers in terms of social mobility and accessibility too. It has partnered with the Royal National SpringBoard Foundation in a pioneering pilot to provide bursary places to looked after or vulnerable children, in addition to the 10% of students currently receiving help with fees, many through transformational bursaries up to 100%.

“At Alleyn’s we have a culture of mutual understanding, kindness and respect. Our young men and women are heard and are encouraged to use their voices. Only in this way can they feel confident, happy and empowered to make a positive change both at school and in the world outside,” says Lunnon.

There is a unique buzz in the corridors at Alleyn’s with its enriching academic and co-curricular programme where excellent exam results are a by-product of its creative, vibrant environment and its contagious energy inspires students to stand tall and use their voices.