A Message from the Director of Admissions

Dear friends and partners,

The academic year has drawn to a close with glorious weather; a College bathed in positively Mediterranean heat and the poignancy of farewells to our leaving Upper Sixth and of welcome events for the families joining us in September. It was excellent to see the Fifth Form return in the final week of term for their Transition to the Sixth Form programme, and to gather the Upper Sixth back after the completion of public exams for final House celebrations, the Leavers’ Service and the grand finale of the Leavers’ Ball.  

All our Upper Sixth participate in an individual ‘exit interview’ and the collated feedback from this makes for heart-warming reading. This cohort identified what ‘Lancing does exceptionally well’ and topping the lists were community and a sense of belonging; pastoral  care; academic support (assisting each individual to succeed), and opportunities beyond the classroom (for leadership and for a breadth and depth of Co-Curricular pursuits). The warmth with which they reflected on their time at Lancing painted a wonderful picture of an education with a profound and positive impact. 

In Admissions, we also see departures and arrivals this summer. Mrs Diana Cree, who many of you know and have worked with closely as Lancing’s Executive Director of External Relations and Communications, steps back from her full-time role at Lancing after 10 transforming years; and Mrs Victoria Deadman Gatt joins us from mid-August as our Director of External Relations. In this role she leads Lancing’s Marketing, Admissions and Development teams, across the family of schools, and will work closely with our Head Master, Dr Scott Crawford. She joins us from the Royal Russell School and I am sure will be known to many of you from her work in key global markets. 

The term ahead sees the Admissions Department out and about and we look forward to linking up with you in Hong Kong, Romania, Saudi Araba, Dubai and Turkey (Hilary); in Lagos (Karen Andrew – Assistant Head Co-Curricular) and in Vietnam and Montenegro (Heather). Our pupils next year look set to come from 46 different countries, and this mix of the cosmopolitan and the local is something we cherish at Lancing. 

Dr Scott Crawford has completed his first academic year as our Head Master and I hope you enjoy his summary of his time here thus far and the vision he outlines for the future.  

The stories which follow speak to the busyness and excellence of the past half term; from an inspiring lecture series to sporting triumphs to an incredible run of musical and dramatic events spanning Amadeus to rock concerts; from the CCF overnighter to pupil writing in the Lancing Geographer, this has been a half term which has been jam-packed.  This year has seen the success of our Home and Away Exeat provision – and we look forward to the first cohort for our Year 11 Pre Sixth Form Programme joining us in September. The day after the close of the year we waved off our Malawi expeditioners for 5 weeks of travel and charitable engagement, and the start of next term incorporates the Malawi Walk, raising monies for our ongoing links in that country which span nearly 5 decades. August sees the publication of exam results for this year’s Fifth Form and Upper Sixth and the fruit of their hard work. 

Endings, beginnings, continuity, service, high aspirations and education in the round: these last weeks have reflected Lancing’s essence. I know your work will not stop over the summer break but wish you a very good summer and the chance for at least some rest and relaxation. 

With best wishes,

Hilary Dugdale 
Director of Admissions