Our two annual Christmas Carol Services, held at St Columba’s Church, Pont Street, were both magical occasions celebrating the wonders of Christmas and the incredible sense of community we are so lucky to treasure at Francis Holland, Sloane Square.

This year’s services centred around Mary, the pivotal figure in the story of Christ’s birth. Our Head, Alexandra Haydon, and pupils from Year 7 to 11 led the service by reading traditional Advent Bible passages and offering prayers that reflected on Mary’s vital role in the Christmas story. The Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl, Eva and Ophelia, also read poems by Malcolm Guite, exploring key moments like The Annunciation and The Visitation — the meeting of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, our guest speaker and theologian, gave an inspirational and thought-provoking talk encouraging us to view Mary, Theotokos (God-bearer), with fresh eyes.

Our Music Department enriched the service with beautiful choral pieces, including Mark Lowry’s “Mary, Did You Know?”, “The Seven Joys of Mary” (arranged by the magnificent Mr. Mercer), and “There is No Rose” from The Ceremony of Carols.

Thank you to all who contributed and all who joined us for these joyful and meaningful services – what a wonderful way to end the Autumn Term and usher in the Christmas holidays!