SCHS celebrates the season with joyful carol services

11/12/2025

Earlier this week, our Prep and Senior Schools gathered for three uplifting Carol Services at All Saints Church, Tooting, led by the Reverend Claire Whitmore. The church provided a stunning backdrop for the celebrations, adorned with softly flickering candles, festive red ribbons and vibrant poinsettias.

The Prep School Carol Service on 8 December featured a series of captivating performances from pupils across all year groups. Year 3 and Year 4 delivered a spirited rendition of Go Tell It on the Mountain, filled with energy and confidence. The Year 5 and Year 6 Chamber Choirs, along with the Schola Cantorum, brought a beautiful stillness to the church with Hodie Christus Natus and The Lily and the Rose. Thoughtful readings—including Sara Teasdale’s Peace and Katrina Shepherd’s In the Stillness—shared by pupils offered poignant reminders of the enduring message of Christmas.

The Senior School Carol Services, held on 9 and 10 December, continued the celebrations with a rich selection of traditional carols and lesser-known hymns. Performances by the Schola Cantorum and the Madeleine Dring Consort filled the church with exquisite music, including O Magnum Mysterium and Glorificamus Deum. Pupils from Year 7 through to Sixth Form read passages from Isaiah, Luke and other reflective texts, encouraging moments of contemplation throughout the service.

Each service was a meaningful expression of SCHS’s core values: kindness, integrity, compassion and respect. Much-loved congregational hymns such as Once in Royal David’s City, O Little Town of Bethlehem and We Three Kings of Orient Are brought the whole community together in a shared celebration of hope and joy.

In keeping with the spirit of the season, both schools raised funds for charities making a real difference. The Prep School supported PHASE Worldwide, which works to empower girls and improve access to education in remote regions of Nepal. The Senior School chose to support Women’s Aid, a national charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse against women and children. These endeavours reflect SCHS’s ongoing commitment to helping communities both near and far.

As the final notes of the organ resonated through All Saints Church, a sense of warmth, reflection and festive joy filled the space. The carol services were a powerful reminder of the importance of community, generosity and the enduring light of love at Christmas. SCHS is very proud of all pupils, staff and families whose dedication and enthusiasm made these services so special.

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We don’t all seek the spotlight, although it’s vital that all children feel seen and are given their time to shine. When I observe lessons, I love how teachers tease out contributions from the girls so that each of them finds their moment to test their understanding, share their interpretations, and debate contrasting views. This week I had the privilege of watching a Year 9 girl perform her first ever music solo, and I hope that each day we are giving girls the chance to try new things, take new risks, and have a go, even when it doesn’t all go to plan.