30 Years of Co-education at Malvern College
In 1992 the history book of Malvern College, which dates back to 1865, added a brand new chapter. Although girls from neighbouring Ellerslie Girls’ School had shared sixth form science lessons from the 1970s on the Malvern College site, it wasn’t until 1992 and a merger with Ellerslie Girls’ School and Hillstone Preparatory School that Malvern became fully co-educational.
Over the last 30 years, five girls boarding houses have been established and now stand proudly in the grounds, home to an outstanding community of female Malvernians.
Throughout the 2022-23 academic year Malvern College will recognise many of its illustrious female alumnae who have helped shaped the school into the vibrant establishment it is today, while also celebrating current female pupils and empowering them to set their future sights high.
Keen to invite back relevant and inspiring ex-pupils, the year-long celebration launched with a bang when Lara Vafiadis, who had been at the school from 2003-06, returned to give a talk about her upcoming challenge of taking on ‘the World’s Toughest Race’, rowing solo across the Atlantic. When Lara left Malvern College, she trained as a yacht skipper and her career lead her to working in the male-dominated world of cyber security. A love of the water and a passion for adventure, Lara set a challenge of competing in the 3,000-mile solo row – a feat that just 20 women have ever completed solo. Rowing up to 18 hours a day in temperatures often exceeding 30 degrees, more people have climbed Mt. Everest than have rowed across the Atlantic. It is undeniably a high-risk challenge and Lara and her determination to row and raise awareness of good causes perfectly sum up what it means to be a Malvernian. Pupils who attended the event in September were also treated to a close up look at the boat that will be used for the challenge. Marvelling at the tiny space Lara will sleep in; the lack of mod cons and the stripped back and isolated conditions she will be confined to for the duration of the row, really shone a light on Lara’s resilience and ambition – again both qualities of a Malvern pupil.
Further outstanding characteristics were in abundance when former Malvern College pupil, Rose Harvey, returned for the second talk in the series. When Rose Harvey was at the school (2008-2010) she won the school’s legendary cross-country event, ‘The Ledder’. Over a decade later, Rose who has had a very successful career in Law, put her job on pause to concentrate on her talent of running marathons. Taking a risk is something Malvern College encourages all pupils to do, and this has certainly paid off for Rose, who is now a professional runner and runs for Great Britain.
Malvern College is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is embraced by the glorious Malvern Hills. It is this protection and unspoilt countryside that affords its pupils a happy and healthy environment in which to thrive, as it did Rose who enchanted pupils with tales of how she missed a weekend Chapel service due to being lost whilst running on the hills. Rather than get into trouble for her lack of attendance, she was recognised as a pupil, not just with a raw talent, but perhaps more importantly as a pupil with a passion to improve and deepen this new-found skill.
30 years on and all pupils are encouraged to discover their own passions and believe in their ambitions. This is what makes the school what it is today. It’s a place that not only delivers academic intelligence but also nurtures cultural and emotional intelligence, ensuring its young people are ready for the opportunities – and challenges – modern life brings.
There are more fabulous females lined up to take part in the celebration year, which is testament to the affection Old Malvernians have for their school. 30 years is only a short period of time in the school’s 157-year history, but it’s been three decades where results have been smashed, records have been broken, friendships have been forged and futures have been shaped. It only takes one trail blazer to ignite a spark and Malvern College is fortunate to have set countless ambitions alight.
05.12.22