On Thursday 2 July, the Francis Holland Regent’s Park community gathered at St Marylebone Parish Church for our annual Prize Giving, a cherished occasion in the school calendar and a fitting celebration of another successful academic year.
Bringing together pupils, staff, parents, governors and friends of the school, the ceremony recognised the achievements, commitment and contributions of pupils across every aspect of school life, while reflecting on a year defined by academic ambition, creativity, service and community spirit.
We were delighted to welcome back former Francis Holland Regent’s Park pupil and British sprinter, Renee Regis, as our guest speaker. Renee shared her inspiring journey from the classrooms of Francis Holland Regent’s Park to competing on the national and international athletics stage, speaking passionately about the importance of perseverance, resilience and embracing every opportunity. Her reflections provided a powerful reminder to pupils that success is built through determination, hard work and the confidence to pursue their ambitions.
The ceremony also featured addresses from our Head, Katharine Woodcock, and Chair of Governors, Patrick Sherrington, who reflected on another tremendous year at Francis Holland Regent’s Park and thanked pupils, staff and families for their continued commitment to the life of the school. Guests also witnessed the traditional handover between our outgoing and incoming Head Girls, marking an important moment of leadership as one generation of pupil leaders passed the baton to the next.
Music once again played a central role in the afternoon’s celebrations. The ceremony opened and closed with two of our talented Organ Scholars, while pupils in Thirds delivered a spirited performance of Coldplay’s Viva la Vida. Our Chamber Choirs then performed the beautifully expressive And So It Goes (arr. Kirby Shaw), before pupils from this year’s Junior Production, Mary Poppins, delighted the audience with a touching rendition of Feed the Birds. The order of service ended on a joyful note as the cast returned to the stage for a rousing performance of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, sending guests into the summer with smiles on their faces.
Prize Giving remains one of the highlights of the Francis Holland Regent’s Park calendar: an opportunity to celebrate not only academic excellence, but also the kindness, leadership, creativity and character that define our community.
Congratulations to all of this year’s prize winners and to every pupil whose contributions have helped make 2025-26 another remarkable year. We wish our entire community a happy, restful and well-deserved summer break!
