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Alleyn’s School 
The Alleyn’s alumni community gathered for the 128th Edward Alleyn Club (EAC) Annual Dinner on Friday, 14 November in the Alleyn’s Great Hall – one of the most iconic spaces in the heart of Alleyn’s that holds so many memories and resonates for many of us.
The event brought together alumni spanning the decades, going back to leavers from the Class of 1953 and was a wonderful reminder of the strength, warmth, and continuity of our alumni community. The dinner was hosted by EAC President 2024-25 and double BAFTA-winning casting director, Aisha Bywaters (Brown’s 2002).
During the event Aisha reflected on her pleasure at serving as President and how it has reminded her just how special Alleyn’s is.
She said:
“The buildings have changed, the facilities have grown, and the world around us has moved forward – but the spirit of Alleyn’s remains exactly the same. There is a warmth here, a sense of curiosity and humour and kindness, that is unmistakable. You feel it the moment you walk through the gates. It's in the way people greet you, in the pride students take in their work, in the joy of seeing old friends reconnect as though no time has passed at all.”
She continued:
“Alleyn’s is, and always has been, a place that stays with you long after you leave. It gives you roots and wings at the same time – and for that, I will always be grateful.”
Head, Jane Lunnon warmly welcomed the guests who had gathered for the evening. She updated everyone on the School’s recent achievements, from the record-breaking GSCE and A level results, to the honour of being named Co-ed Independent School of the Year 2025 – which is especially meaningful this year as we mark 50 years of co-education at Alleyn’s. She spoke about the widening of an Alleyn’s education – through the opening of Alleyn’s Regents Park, Alleyn’s Oakfield (and next year - Alleyn’s Hampstead) as well as the growing impact of the bursary programme. This programme now supports 118 pupils—the highest in the School’s history. Mrs Lunnon thanked alumni for the generous contribution that many have made towards this.
Despite so much growth, Mrs Lunnon also reflected on the rock-solid foundations on which Alleyn’s is built,including our enduring values, respect, kindness, sense of purpose and camaraderie and community. She said:
“We have come a long way but the stuff that has always mattered, continues to be right at the heart of this school and this community and an Alleyn’s education.”
The current School Captain, Chloé (Brown’s 2026), also spoke during the evening, touching on what an honour it was to be there to represent the current school community. She spoke of what she loves about Alleyn’s today – from playing cricket to taking part in Model United Nations to CCF and House events – including a fiercely competitive inter-House Dance Off, which had taken place in the same space earlier that same day.
And she thanked the alumni community for the role they play in giving back to current students - gifting their time and expertise in the classrooms, through careers guidance, delivering inspiring TedX talks, and supporting pupils in so many other ways.
The dinner was rounded off with some fun and quirky TaskMaster-inspired games run by Aisha. From creating a new school motto complete with an emoji, which brought back memories for many of school Latin lessons as they tried to apply their knowledge to the motto, to a highly competitive EAC Portrait Artist of the Year challenge. The final task involved guests trying to throw a tea bag into an Alleyn’s mug across the width of the Great Hall stage - to much laughter and applause!
Thank you to everyone who attended, especially to those who travelled so far for the occasion and to those who generously donated on the night to the Alleyn Benevolent Fund (ABF), supporting Upper School bursaries.
A big thank you also goes to our wonderful prefects who joined us to share their experiences of Alleyn’s today, and a special thank you to Maya (Spurgeon’s 2026) who played the piano so beautifully at the start of the evening.
And the final thank you goes to Aisha for her dedication to the role of President of the EAC over the past year. We have been so grateful to Aisha for her support, and we look forward to the year ahead as award-winning food and drinks journalist and author Nina Caplan (Spurgeon’s 1991) takes on the role of President for 2025-26.
Photos from the EAC Dinner can be seen below and are also available on the Always Alleyn’s Flickr page.
