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Earlier this month Sixth Form students from across

Earlier this month Sixth Form students from across six of our secondary schools (Haberdashers' Abraham Darby, Haberdashers' Adams, Haberdashers' Hatcham College, Haberdashers' Borough Academy, Haberdashers' Crayford Academy and Haberdashers' Knights Academy) gathered at the Hall to take part in the Livery Academy Awards Heats—an exciting annual evening designed to showcase innovation, teamwork and entrepreneurial talent. Each team was challenged to pitch a fully formed business idea with the aim of securing a place at the prestigious Livery Academy Awards Grand Final at Mansion House in January, where they will represent the Haberdashers’ Company against other Livery schools in this Dragon's Den style competition.

The Livery Academy Awards is a well-established programme designed to strengthen links between City Livery Companies and state schools by developing business and enterprise skills among sixth form students.

This year’s brief was to ‘create a product or business which will encourage individual aspiration and boost job or career opportunities for the school leaver’.

Students were tasked with developing a business or product capable of attracting up to £2 million of investment. Their idea needed to offer a clear benefit to a community, use technology creatively, and demonstrate genuine commercial potential. Each team assigned roles to research, develop and plan their product or service, producing financial projections, growth plans and a clear explanation of the technology involved. A panel of judges assessed not only the originality of the idea, but also the quality of the presentation, the robustness of the business plan, and how convincingly the team handled questions.

To support them in preparing industry-standard pitches, teams received mentoring from professional Haberdasher members working in finance, marketing, advertising and the creative sectors.

It was a very tough call for the judges, but the final winners announced were Haberdashers' Crayford Academy!

We wish the team every success as they prepare to compete against students from other Livery schools at this landmark event in the City calendar.

On 20 November, Haberdashers’ Hall came alive with

On 20 November, Haberdashers’ Hall came alive with colour, creativity, and collaboration as students from across the Haberdashers family of schools gathered for the Haberdashers Character: Art Day.

This event is part of the wider Haberdashers’ Character programme, designed to nurture confidence, broaden horizons, consider learning beyond the classroom and develop essential life skills in every pupil. The Art Day exemplified this vision by offering opportunities for self-expression, collaboration, and skill-building. Students not only created art but also engaged with professionals from the art world, gaining insights into creative careers and the role of art in shaping society.

Students enjoyed talks and immersive workshops, given by Haberdasher artists. Students then participated in a Career in Art Q&A, featuring company members, scholars, and alumni who had forged successful paths in the arts. This discussion provided practical advice and personal stories, helping students envision their own futures in creative industries.

All in all a wonderful day celebrating Haberdasher creativity!

At Haberdashers’ @abrahamdarby, staff community is

At Haberdashers’ @abrahamdarby, staff community is at the heart of school life. This month, we were reminded once again of the profound impact our colleagues have on the lives of our students—and the importance of supporting them when they need us most.

Recently, the Company was contacted regarding support for a long-serving teacher, Tom, who has been part of the Abraham Darby team since 2009. Tom was born with a significant hearing impairment, having lost around 70% of his hearing at birth. Despite this challenge, he has built an exceptional career in music education, inspiring countless young people through his teaching, leadership, and dedication to the school’s musical life.

The Haberdashers' Foundation is a charity and grant making fund which supports our schools and their pupils, often meeting the needs of young people on free school meals, offering enrichment or cultural capital opportunities. The financial support that we are able to offer our schools in this way are a fundamental part of the Haberdashers' Advantage - the value and benefit felt by all connected to Habs.

The Company was delighted to be able to support Tom and Haberdasher's Abraham Darby though this fund.

"I am extremely grateful for the most generous award towards the cost of my much-needed new hearing aids. These new aids will help me massively continue to teach music at this school as the new models will improve my ability to assist the amazing young people whom I work with.” - Tom

Gifts from past Haberdashers including William Adams, Robert Aske and William Jones – as well as Thomas Arno – continue to enable significant impact for our schools.

A gift left to the Haberdashers' Foundation in your Will could do something similar. For more information about leaving a gift in your Will please contact our Director for Charities: Susan@haberdashers.co.uk

@hadsixthform

From April 2026, St Martin’s School – a prep schoo

From April 2026, St Martin’s School – a prep school in Northwood – joins Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools (Haberdashers’ Boys’ School and Haberdashers’ Girls’ School and Lochinver House School).

Both schools are in strong positions, and the merger between St Martin’s and Habs is a strategic decision which brings together schools with strong traditions, reputations for academic excellence, and a shared commitment to the holistic development of young people. This merger reflects the profound respect these schools have for one another and outstanding reputations enjoyed by them, both locally and nationally.

A large number of St Martin’s pupils already move on to Habs for secondary school, and welcoming St Martin’s into the Habs family feels like a natural and exciting next step. It allows increase of scale whilst retaining the highest levels of selectivity and academic standards in this catchment area. This is an enormously exciting move for pupils and families.

Gus Lock, Executive Principal, Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools:
“We are truly delighted to announce the joining of these two outstanding schools who share a common ethos and commitment to excellence, whether it be in academic studies or in pastoral care. I am enormously excited by the prospect of strengthening our relationship with St Martin’s in the coming months and years.”

Simon Dunn, Headmaster, St. Martin’s School:
“This is a significant and welcome development—bringing together two outstanding schools with a shared commitment to excellence. Joining the Habs family presents an exciting opportunity to build on our strengths, enhance our provision, and continue offering exceptional opportunities within the supportive context of a larger educational family.”

James Penney, Chair of the Education Committee, the Haberdashers' Company:
“On behalf of the Company I am delighted to welcome St Martin’s into the Habs family. A significant amount of work has been done by all concerned throughout this process and it is a pleasure to see the project completed successfully. We look forward to collaborating further over the coming months.” - James Penney, Chair of the Education Committee, the Haberdashers' Company

This November, 90 Year 12 students from across the

This November, 90 Year 12 students from across the Haberdashers’ family of schools came together for Careers for 2030 — a two-day event designed to spark ambition, expand horizons and give young people a clearer sense of the world they were stepping into.

Young people are being bombarded with media AI anxiety and graduate unemployment is becoming an increasing issue. The Haberdashers' Company, in partnership with our schools, want to support our young people in their future ambitions and endeavours, and to alleviate some of this stress.

The Careers for 2030 event was therefore planned to support young people in making choices about how they would plan their future careers in a fast-changing context – with the benefit of practical advice and skills development from young professionals who had adapted to, or sometimes side-stepped, technology.

Students also took part in hands-on workshops that focused on skills every young person needed — communicating clearly, networking in a world shaped by AI, and standing out in applications and interviews. Alongside industry insight, the event encouraged students to pause, think and ask: What could my future look like? What steps can I take now to get there?

“The workshops lifted my confidence in speaking socially and interviewing.” – Year 12 Crayford student

https://ow.ly/C0hE50XyK85

On Tuesday 25 November we celebrated Publication a

On Tuesday 25 November we celebrated Publication and the Feast of St Catherine. This annual tradition takes place each November when the new Prime Warden and Wardens of the Haberdashers' Company are elected for high office.

The Company has elected the following officers for the ensuing year: Prime Warden: Caroline Davis; Wardens: Mr Simon Cartmell OBE, Mr Nick Scarles, Miss Helen Gough and Mr Roger Miners.

We were also delighted to be joined by our members, Charity Partners, School Principals and Heads Students from our Habs Schools for the occasion.

The core purpose of the Company is to empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.

This is a modern expression of what this Company has been doing since its foundation in 1448. From the training of our first apprentices in the haberdashery trade to supporting more than 12,000 students across 16 schools today, for nearly 600 years we have used our network and resources to tackle disadvantage and create opportunities for young people and their communities. We work with our schools, churches and partner charities, enabling them to encourage and support one another.

Our Senior Non-Exec Team will lead the wider Executive Team as we embark on the new Haberdasher year!

#OnceAHaberdasherAlwaysAHaberdasher

We are proud to announce Elevate, a Haberdashers'

We are proud to announce Elevate, a Haberdashers' Advantage Futures programme, in partnership with @murrayedwardscollege, Cambridge.

Elevate unites a community of bright, ambitious young women from the Haberdasher family of schools, inspiring them to be bold in shaping their futures and resilient when facing challenges.

Delivered in partnership with Murray Edwards College, the programme connects students with role models, offers guidance on academic pathways, and provides a glimpse into university life. Through workshops, visits, and online sessions, Elevate seeks to raise aspirations, build confidence, and foster a supportive network of women committed to academic excellence.

We were delighted to be joined by so many young stars of the future, for the launch the programme at Haberdashers' Hall earlier this month. As always, our sincere thanks to our Haberdasher membership, without whom, exciting events like this simply could not happen.

Empowering young people from every background to fulfil their potential

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