Wednesday 5th March 2025 saw the official opening of the recently refurbished senior school library by the illustrator, author and Tormead alumna, Emma Dodd. Speaking about her own time at Tormead and her career, Emma spoke passionately about the importance of the arts in schools and encouraged the girls to continue reading, writing and being creative.

Emma was joined by Year 7 pupils to celebrate the opening of the library and awarded prizes to Addie (Y7), Lily (Y8) and Liza (Y9), winners of a creative writing competition held by the English department to coincide with the event.

The library has been named the Parsons Library after two sisters who were among Tormead’s earliest students, Betty and Claudia Parsons. Both sisters went on to publish a number of successful novels and these inspirational women also forged careers in teaching and engineering at a time when there were few opportunities afforded to women.

Read more about the Parsons Library here.