Portsmouth High School girls shall go to the ball at socially distanced garden prom

Portsmouth High School’s Year 11 girls had been due to celebrate the end of their GCSEs at the Marriott Hotel.

Many of the pupils had already purchased dresses before the pandemic arrived in the UK. However, with lockdown measures being eased and determined to recognise the landmark occasion, Year 11 pupil, Madeleine Oliver, 16, decided to organise her own garden prom at her Southsea home.

Madeleine said: ‘We were all really sad when we heard the prom was cancelled and that we wouldn’t get the chance to wear our dresses. I bought mine in December but some of my friends got theirs in September. We didn’t get to experience those end-of-school events and some girls didn’t get the chance to say those final goodbyes.’

‘When I suggested the garden prom to my friends they were really happy.’

Friend, Alex Cells, 16, added: ‘I’m glad I got the chance to wear my dress and have pictures for memories. It was the perfect day’.

It was the first time the girls had seen each other since schools prematurely closed.

Lauren Sutton, 15, said: ‘It was great to be able to to put on our dresses and have a laugh with my friends because we hadn’t seen each other since school shut.’

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After music and nibbles the girls enjoyed a photo shoot in the Rose Garden at Canoe Lake before having the treat of sitting in a Ferrari.

Madeleine said: ‘We were going to take some photographs in our camper van but one of the girls had a family friend who said he would bring his Ferrari along. It was a unique experience.’

It has been a challenging time for the city’s teenagers, many of whom now have to wait for their GCSE grades to be calculated based on teacher predictions and past school attainment.

Madeleine said: ‘It was frustrating at first but I’m now more confident we’ll get the grades we deserve. I really hope we get to experience prom when we finish sixth form.’

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