Celebrating Curiosity and Scholarship: The Jill Isaac Festival at St Swithun’s School
St Swithun’s School was honoured to welcome the Mayor of Winchester to our annual Jill Isaac Festival of Scholarship — a celebration of academic curiosity, creativity and independent learning.
The event provides students the opportunity to present projects they’ve pursued beyond the classroom, and it is a testament to the ambition and imagination thriving within our school community.
Amongst this year’s exceptional sixth form contributions were a team of three sixth-formers who took part in the Davidson Inventors challenge, a competition focused on finding chemical engineering solutions to global problems. They developed an inhaler that combats the effects of smoking by breaking down tar into nontoxic by-products. and went on to pitch their idea to business leaders as one of seven finalists in the international Micro Tyco competition. Student Tolu D commented, “We hope one day our idea could have a great impact on the health sector and wider world”.
Several of our sixth-formers visit care homes weekly to sing songs and play games with residents. Jessica W delved into researching music therapy for dementia, presenting on its benefits for cognitive stimulation. And economics student Camilla R founded The Swithun’s Times, a student-led newspaper designed to make economic and political issues accessible for students.
Senior school students have also been pursuing exciting projects, including a completely self-taught GCSE in Astronomy (Ella P), participation in the University of Southampton Junior Maths Challenge (Lower 4 student Arabella W) and several fascinating critical essays on topics ranging from The Suffragettes to Charles I.
Prep school students confidently presented to the older audience on WWII family history, including stories from relatives who were female code breakers and POW’s. “This has been a great project for me as it made me thankful for all the sacrifices my family and their generation made”, said Marylise.
Caption: St Swithun's senior and prep students with the Mayor of Winchester, Headmistress Jane Gandee and prep head Liz Norris
The mayor commented that the students’ drive to learn was “very impressive”, and reminded them that “there is no limit to education. Fulfilment in life often comes to those who continue to learn.”
The festival reflects our school’s wider vision: a world where young women see possibilities, not boundaries. Through independent projects and academic enrichment, we empower our students to ask bold questions, pursue their passions and challenge conventional thinking.
St Swithun's Headmistress Jane Gandee, remarked, "It’s a wonderful reminder of what young people can achieve when they are encouraged to go beyond the curriculum and follow their intellectual instincts."
Liz Norris, Head of the Prep School, commented, "It was a proud moment seeing our year 5’s present alongside senior and sixth form students. They showed great courage and intelligence, more than holding their own in the company of their older peers.”
May 2025