You are reading the online edition of the Old Camdenians Newsletter, Autumn 2025

Dear Old Camdenians

We are writing to keep you updated on a key development at Beacon High. As you may be aware, in the summer term Beacon High’s Governing Board planned to apply to the Department for Education (DfE) to become an academy and join Lift Schools. Lift is a national trust of 57 schools, including four secondary, three primary and two SEMH special schools in the London region, with a number of high performing schools locally in nearby Enfield and Haringey.

I am pleased to confirm that, following last Thursday’s DfE Advisory Board meeting, our application to join Lift Schools has been approved. This marks an exciting new chapter for Beacon High, allowing staff to build on the progress the school has made in recent years.

Both Beacon High and Lift Schools remain committed to working in close partnership with our educational partners and partnership schools across the Local Authority. We will now start the process of Beacon High converting to become an academy with the intention of joining the trust in January 2026.

We thank you for your support and look forward to continuing our partnership,

With kind regards, Dan Shotter Vice Chair of Governors Alan Streeter Headteacher

Press release on behalf of the Beacon High Governing Board:- Press release – Beacon High (DfE outcome)

Alan Streeter

Much of my childhood was spent in a house in that part of Annette Road, Holloway, which abuts the huge viaduct carrying the main London and North Eastern(LNER) lines in, and out of Kings Cross. From my bedroom window, I had a wonderfully clear view of the trains picking up speed after leaving Finsbury’s Park, and rumbling powerfully down to the terminus at Kings Cross. I also had a great view of the top of Arsenal’s old stadium at Highbury. So it was hardly surprising that I became an ardent train spotter and a lifelong Gooner. In 1940 I was just four years old, but do still have some memories of the London Blitz by the Luftwaffe and desperately trying to take shelter with my parents as the bombs rained down. Fortunately our house escaped being hit, as, I believe, did the railway. With such a large target to hit, the German bomb aimers certainly never went to Specsavers.

In those days, of course, all the railway engines were steam powered, and while magnificently powerful, almost human beasts, were very dirty. Quite regularly a hail of sooty smuts would land on my mum’s line of beautifully clean washing, much to her annoyance. I never knew her to swear, but that brought her mighty close to it!

By now, you are probably wondering where all this is leading. Well as you may or may not know, the BBC (bless their hearts), are featuring the 200-year history of British railways, which has started on Radio 3, but with Michael Portillo doing one of his weekly TV programmes as well. I for one will be glued to my Radio and TV lapping up the feast of information on offer. Maybe, some of you older readers can join me with your recollections of that great steam era, and, perhaps, younger readers recalling the more recent, and cleaner, generation of railways. Remember, but for George Stephenson and his Locomotion No.1, we might still be going about on horseback.

Talking of the younger element, can I, on behalf of all OCs, welcome this year’s new intake of students and wish them a happy and productive time at the school.Those good wishes go equally to all other students, whatever you are studying. Good luck to you all. Alan Meyer

I have an early memory of my parents taking me on the bus to Upper Holloway station where we would get a steam train to Gospel Oak and Hampstead Heath!

Anyway, back to the present: that is dramatic late-breaking news from Alan about the school being cleared to join the Lift academy group. We wish all concerned the very best for what promises to be a bright future.

Ray and I had the pleasure of attending the school’s GCSE results day in August, where we met many pupils celebrating their achievements after what must have been a challenging post-Covid period. We hope to see some of them at our annual lunch on October 31. See Ray’s report below.

Earlier in the summer Ray and I met up in a north London pub once again with some of our contemporaries from 1963-70 when we were at the school (see the picture below). It’s important to stay in touch like this to reminisce and keep tabs on each other. We also have a chatty WhatsApp group which lets us get things off our chests and swap jokes.

If any other readers of this newsletter indulge in something like this, do let us know. Some of your old pals may want to get in touch. Denis Piggott

A new academic year has started bringing with it challenges; some new, others continue through the years. This year OFSTED has announced a new approach and inspection regime. It is too early to fully understand what this will mean. Some have said that it is pretty much the old regime but with different words.

As Alan Streeter notes above, the school is joining an academy to ensure its ongoing future. Essentially it means not being part of Islington schools, so the borough cannot close Beacon High. More on this in the next update.

There will be an ongoing initiative to improve and maintain attendance levels. There is a strong link between attendance and achievement. We would be failing our students if we slacked in this respect.

The finance committee has noted the school’s senior leadership team‘s good management of the budget process. A surplus is predicted this year helping to reduce the overall deficit. The surplus will be about £30,000.Panos Nicolaides

We wish our President and all at Beacon High School the very best in their transition to academy status. Also, we look forward to working with you all and continuing support from the Old Camdenians in the future.

I wish to thank Alan and Bev Shearn for sharing their recent escapades with us and talking so candidly about Alan’s health issues in ‘The English Letter Sept 2025′. See below and click to read their diary.

I too have something to share that both my wife and I cannot understand. Sometimes our fingers go numb, turn white and are painful. “Raynaud’s syndrome” is what they call it. Well, this summer we took the Scledroderma & Raynaud’s UK (Charity Nos.116828) SRUK’s 19-mile walk challenge to raise awareness and funds for further research. Wearing our Garmin Swim 2 smart wristwatches we clocked up 140 miles each in the month of August! We, the ‘White Finger Research Team’, raised £50; see the certificate and medal.

The White Finger Research Team certificate and medal.

If you feel inclined to know more or make a donation please click here: http://www.sruk.co.uk

Denis Piggott and I were invited to attend Year 11’s GCSE Exam Results Day, at the school, on 21st August. Once again our President, Alan Streeter, had included a letter in their envelopes inviting them as ‘new’ Old Camdenians to meet us and discuss the benefits of the club and to join us for our Annual Lunch, Hopefully, Anisa, Archie, Ayyub, Celino, Feriel, Hamad, Lok, Maria and Sky will be there. Come and join us – book your table and have fun.

Also, you will be pleased to know that our 98th Annual Lunch will be held at the school on Friday 31st October 2025. The 116th AGM will be at 12 noon. This will be followed by the Annual Lunch provided by Ann Tennant and her team. Tickets are available so put it in your diary. If you cannot attend you can support a school Sports Leader in your place. They will have just embarked on their college studies.

Christopher Leroy Ramsey MBE, an Eminent Old Camdenian, is a former professional footballer and the Football Association’s Professional Development Phase (PDP) Lead across England teams. As such, Chris will be at the under 17s England v Sweden game and unable to attend our lunch this year, but he is booked for 2026.

Brian J. Heard, an Eminent Old Camdenian, is an author and teacher of all aspects of forensic ballistics, forensic firearms and toolmark examinations, gunshot residue analysis and the use of these techniques in criminal investigations at police training establishments. Brian is an an expert witness in ballistics and forensics and will be our guest speaker at this year’s lunch.

I do hope that all OCs read the school’s weekly newsletter, ‘The Beacon’, since it is a window on what is happening now with everything at the school including our Sports Leaders, girls’ football teams and other worthy recipients of donations from the club.

Lastly, I wish to thank all contributors to this, our quarterly newsletter, and look forward to receiving future contributions from all Old Camdenians who have a story to tell. Ray Rowe

OLD CAMDENIANSCRICKET CLUB – SEASON 2025

For the first time in many years the Club fielded four teams in the Saracan Hertfordshire Cricket League.

The first team, playing in Division 3B, finished second on 442 points behind Cockfosters first team on 444 points.

The second team, playing in Division 8 East, won the title on 447 points ahead of Little Berkhampstead on 420 points.

The third team, skippered by Roger Gravett, played in Division 11 East and finished runners-up on 393 points to Broxbourne 4th team on 417 points.

The fourth team played in Division 13 West and finished second from bottom having to concede a couple of games due to poor availability and two games to rain. At least we provided cricket to a large number of players.

Looking forward to next season. John Maskell

The club is very grateful for any and all donations that we receive to make our donations to the school. However, since we do not have a members’ subscription fee our only other source of income is through the George Ives 50+ Club membership. Please help us to realise future causes and help change a life by joining the George Ives 50+ Club, which is £60 per year or a standing order of £5 per month. A number between 1 and 59 is selected and that is entered into a monthly draw which is determined by the first two numbers drawn in the National Lottery. Prizes are £100 (£200 in November) and £20 (£50 in November).

It’s £60 per number for the year; and you choose the numbers. Some members have more than one number. Indeed, some of our members love to hear that they’ve won, but give their winnings as a donation to the club. George Ives 50+ Club is our only regular source of income. Please let me know if you want to have a go and keep us supporting the students and the school. For more information contact us here.

The OCC Committee are pleased to announce that £60 per annum will be used from George Ives’ very generous donation of £1000 to the club, so that George can keep his number and continue winning. All George Ives’ winnings will be donated back to the club. Sadly, with the recent death of Dennis Warwick there are now eight more numbers available for you. Please consider continuing to keep George’s and Dennis’s legacy of using the draw to generate funds. It is these that we use and they certainly make a difference.

I look forward to meeting you all at the Annual Lunch in October and tell you the good news about my results. Once again many thanks for all the advice and support that you have given me. I wish Micah all the best in his studies. Marta

https://oldcamdenians.info/club/bill-nora-wraight-fund/

I am looking forward to seeing you guys at the Old Camdenians Annual Lunch. Micah

You too can request details from our members to locate friends from school – just ask!

Thank you to the following for getting in touch:-

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE., Michael Dawson, Mike Welch, Chris Ramsey MBE., and James Simpson

The 116th AGM will be held in the Camdenians Hall at the school on Friday 31st October 2025.  The AGM will be followed by our 98th Annual Lunch under the stewardship of Ann Tennant and her team at Beacon High School.

Our guest speaker, Brian J Heard, an Eminent Old Camdenian, is an expert forensic and ballistic witness. Brian will give us a very interesting account of his time since leaving school.

We do need your support to keep this yearly tradition going. So please put it in your diary for Friday 31st October 2025 and, if you cannot come, donate a seat so our new Old Camdenians at college can attend. The format for the day includes a tour of the school, followed by a reception with drinks, the AGM and then a sit-down meal with friends. Also, if you are interested in attending an evening event during the year, such as the quiz night or formal dinner please let us know and we will see if we can organise something for you. Use the ‘Contact’ button, Old Camdenians Annual Lunch Form 2025 or drop me an email. Ray Rowe