On Thursday 30th November I visited Duchesne House in Roehampton to interview Sister Mary Hinde. Everyone who lives at Duchesne House belongs to the Order of the Sacred Heart. The Sisters have a long association with the school as they came here as part of the novitiate programme and taught here after their final profession, with Sister Mary Hinde, becoming Headmistress from 1972-1985. 

We had a lovely chat over tea, and I asked her a series of questions about her memories of Woldingham. She shared many lovely stories of her time here, and it was obvious that she still has so much love and affection for our wonderful school.  We spoke about the school’s history and future, the Sacred Heart values, as well as the strong sense of community among students and staff. Sister Hinde shared a fond memory of when she and another nun took to the school stage, dancing rock and roll with their microphones, leaping about! Naturally, the school’s response was nothing short of wonderful.

I will be writing up the whole conversation for the school’s archives, but this is a comment made by Sister Hinde that particularly resonated with me: “Clearly, the school has evolved enormously in activities, interests, motivations, responsibility…There is lots of social involvement, and that’s so important. You build this rounded person, not just academic. That has all developed hugely, but it came from a tradition.”

We feel very proud of our long association with the Sacred Heart Sisters, and we also feel blessed that we are continuing to build on the wonderful legacy which the Sisters left for us when they moved on from Woldingham in 1985.