February 10

Head's Blog - February 2026

Natalie Argile GDST Heads 2025I can’t believe we are already at half-term, it feels like last week we were preparing for the Christmas break! It was lovely to see so many of you at our annual BHSA quiz at the Junior school last Friday; as ever, I am incredibly grateful for your support of our school and the additional opportunities the funding provides for our girls. 

I am delighted to announce that Blackheath High School can now benefit from becoming an HMC school. HMC (The Head’s Conference) is a members’ association that dates back to 1869 and is unified by its shared educational values and commitment to quality, innovation and excellence in education. Membership brings a wealth of benefits for our staff and students, both directly and indirectly, and I look forward to being able to share some of those with you in the future. 

It has been lovely to have a number of events running across both the Junior and Senior School this half term – our Big Sister, Little Sister initiative is in full swing! Year 5 visited the Senior School and took part in the hugely popular CSI morning in the Science department – ably accompanied by some of our older students. Year 10 students have been busy developing their mentoring and leadership skills making their way across the Heath to deliver lessons at the Junior School, in French and German for the Language Leaders Award, and fun and energetic PE sessions for Reception pupils. In celebration of Lunar New Year, Year 8 Mandarin students delivered a beautiful, colourful display of culture, song and poetry, which they then took to the stage for their younger peers at Junior School.   

Science has been high on the agenda this half term. The Junior School celebrated International Women in Science Day with an inspirational assembly with researcher Georgia Yiasoumi, whose pioneering work in climate-resilient wheat is helping to tackle global food poverty. The assembly, alongside curriculum work on figures such as Mary Anning and immersive VR workshops exploring the oceans and Solar System, reinforced a clear message: girls are vital to the future of scientific discovery. 

Continuing the theme at the Senior School, I was so impressed with the Academic Scholars’ Symposium organised by Ms Day and Miss Banks, which focused on AI and the future of humanity. Our Academic Scholars, along with girls from several other GDST schools, had a day full of ideas, innovation and inspiration. A big thanks to Ms Day and Miss Banks, and also to the many teachers who created incredibly inventive workshops to challenge the girls. The impact of AI on molecular biology was a particularly intriguing one for me. 

And finally, we were delighted to host two other significant events in our calendar this week: our showcase annual Fashion Show Eclipse (another stunning delivery from our Art & Textiles students – well done to all!) and our annual Greenman Public Speaking Competition. Our much-revered Greenman competition welcomed pupils from Year 6 through to Year 9, who took to the stage to deliver speeches they had crafted themselves, addressing thought-provoking topics such as whether fast fashion should be banned, whether social media should be restricted for young people, and whether books may one day become a thing of the past. The speeches were delivered with such confidence, poise, and persuasion – we definitely have lawyers, lobbyists, and writers in the making!

I do hope you enjoy this snapshot of just some of what happens throughout the school. With ever developing programmes and opportunities on offer, I hope it gives parents of our younger pupils a sense of the exciting journey ahead at Blackheath High School – a journey very much designed around your girls.

Have a wonderful break and I look forward to seeing your daughters fresh and ready to learn as Spring arrives.

Best wishes, 

Natalie Argile 

Head 

 

Read some of this term’s highlights:  

  

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