125th Anniversary Gala Concert
2025 marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of Godstowe Preparatory School, and to mark the occasion the school hosted an Anniversary Gala Concert on 25th March 2025 at the Wycombe Swan theatre. This landmark event brought together the entire Godstowe community for a magnificent evening of music and celebration.
For the first time in Godstowe’s history, children from Nursery to Year 8 performed together on stage, singing Abba's 'Thank you for the Music'. The concert also featured a choir comprising parents, alumni and staff, led by renowned soprano Natasha Marsh. Other highlights included a symphony orchestra—bringing together pupils and parents—performing a rousing rendition of the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The climax of the night was a whole-school performance of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.
During the evening, five short films were premiered. These were produced to celebrate what pupils, staff and alumni love best about Godstowe.
Guests included current and former Godstowe families, staff, and VIPs. Robert and Olga Carington were special guests, being family descendants of the Countess Carrington who laid Godstowe's founding stone in 1901. Many positive comments were made by those in attendance, reflecting the joyful and momentous nature of the evening:
"What a triumph! Warmest congratulations to all of the performers, and everyone involved in the planning, preparation and execution of the event. A huge success."
"Huge congratulations on such an incredible musical gala last night! We thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, it was wonderful to enjoy each year group perform and it was a highlight to see the School come together for an incredible performance of Hallelujah!"
"We wanted to take this opportunity to say the Gala was absolutely amazing! We had a very memorable evening watching a musical extravaganza that was led by the wonderful Mrs Martin. We felt such a sense of pride seeing the children from nursery to fourths standing on the grand stage of the Wycombe swan!"
"I was truly moved by the extraordinary effort you put into celebrating the 125th anniversary of this remarkable institution that we can call our own. The dedication, creativity and passion you brought to the occasion was nothing short of inspiring."
"You didn’t just organise an event - you wove together a celebration of Godstowe’s legacy, values and community spirit. Watching it all come together was nothing short of amazing... Thank you for your tireless work, for going above and beyond, and for creating memories that will be cherished for years to come."
As Godstowe marks 125 years of excellence in education, the Gala Concert will stand as a testament to its lasting legacy and bright future.
