Award-winning journalist, author and content creator Sophia Smith Galer returned to STAHS on 3 May as guest speaker at our Year 13s’ Valediction ceremony.

Sophia delivered an impressive speech on gender inequality in the workplace, something she said her time here had given her the confidence to challenge.

She also name-checked Mrs Taylor for her prediction that Sophia would one day be on TV, following her success in a School debating competition.

Best-known for her pioneering TikTok journalism, Sophia won the British Journalism Award for Innovation of the Year in 2021, was named among British Vogue’s 25 most influential women in the UK in 2022, and made the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for Media and Marketing in 2022.

After leaving STAHS in 2012 she worked for the BBC and VICE News and is now freelance, with more than 800,000 followers across both TikTok and Instagram.

The Valediction celebration of our Year 13s’ contributions and achievements took place in the Jubilee Hall, with a welcome from Mrs Waite, an additional address from Chair of Governors Alison Arnold, and a vote of thanks from former Head of School, Sophie.

Forty prizes were awarded for everything from enterprise in extra-curricular activities to epitomising High School spirit, and music by Vivaldi, Rachmaninoff, ABBA and Billy Joel was performed beautifully by our Year 13 musicians.