Leavers' Day: Class of 2026

The Leighton Park annual Leavers’ Day is an emotional occasion: however long our students have been part of the LP community they have each been welcomed, supported and encouraged in all aspects of their school life. .

This particular cohort began in Fryer House in 2019 full of excitement for sharing their initial journey together only to have covid spoil their plans for the end of Year 7 and the majority of Year 8. Bonding through online lessons and a digital co-curricular programme they were delighted to return to an unbubbled normality in Year 9 and went from strength-to-strength achieving some excellent GCSE results. With a strong intake of new students joining the Lower Sixth in 2024, the year group have formed new friendships and pursued new dreams as they have been guided through UCAS process, earned their Oakleaf Diplomas and completed their A Level and IB courses ready for their upcoming public examinations. 

The ceremonial aspects of Leavers’ Day on Friday 8^th May included a Leavers’ Collect with prize giving, a drinks reception and afternoon tea shared with parents and guardians, and a final Meeting for Worship in line with the Quaker ethos, Unusually, given the usual reign of silence at our regular Meeting for Worships, a significant number of students shared their memories of their journey through secondary and Sixth Form education with the community, resulting in many smiles and the dabbing of tearful eyes. 

Our new(ish) tradition for Leavers’ Day, ‘the Last Hurrah’, has quickly become a popular element of the proceedings. As in previous years the whole school lined the route to Main Hall for the Upper Sixth to process to Collect with clapping all the way!

Head of Sixth Form, Helen Taylor, reflected: “It is with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to this lovely group of young people as the Upper Sixth go on study leave. This has been the first cohort to spend both Sixth Form years in the splendidly refurbished Grove Sixth Form Centre and they have obviously enjoyed it. It has been a pleasure to see them finding their place within the building: collaborating in the Commons, filling the café with laughter, or seeking out quieter corners to work—from the glassy modernity of the mezzanine to the soft splendour of the velvet sofa in the Politics room. They really have brought the building to life. They have been a good-natured group with a genuine sense of fun, as well as having been outstanding leaders across the school. I wish them all the best for the exciting times ahead.”

As is tradition, the Senior Prefects for 2026-27 have been announced. Congratulations to Eva, Elliot, Harry, Maiya, Irene and Leo on their new roles!

 See more photos here

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