Sophie Waylen Memorial Tree

As members of our school community will remember, last year we lost Sophie Waylen weeks after she had left our sixth form to begin her undergraduate studies at University West of England in Bristol. Since Sophie’s passing, the school and Sophie’s family have collaborated in continued remembrance of her many wonderful qualities including her vitality, good humour and dedication to studying. In July, the inaugural Sophie Waylen Prize for Excellence in English was awarded to namesake Sophie Campbell, and the school’s staff and students completed sponsored runs to further fund the Peace and Hope Initiative in Kigali, Rwanda, an education project in a country that Sophie was keen to support.

Further to this, on Sophie’s birthday, family members, friends and Purbeck staff gathered to celebrate Sophie’s life with the planting of an Acacia tree. The Acacia will produce yellow flowers, her favourite colour. Together, we will continue to celebrate Sophie’s inspiring life.