Here, Ruth Hayward, who wrote the The History of The Tiffin Girls' School and who was a teacher at the school during Sandra's time pays tribute. 

Few Headteachers can have been as much loved as Mrs Buchanan and few can have known so many of their pupils personally. The affection and admiration were mutual. At Speech Day in 1993 Mrs Buchanan declared “Tiffin girls are very special. Not because of their academic ability but because of other qualities that are far more endearing. They are considerate, unassuming and very supportive of each other. They are conscientious, generous and very good company.”

Mrs Buchanan’s time as Head Teacher coincided with the introduction of national league tables based on public examination results. Unsurprisingly they shed light on the outstanding academic success of TTGS - no secret to generations of pupils and parents - and raised the profile of the school enormously. Around the same time there occurred a momentous change in the morale of pupils and their pride in themselves. This transformation in the self-confidence and aspirations of the girls was engineered in large part by Mrs Buchanan. She had a clear vision of how Tiffin students could be prepared for adult life.

The seven years in secondary school should be spent “in a challenging, but supportive environment, and the girls should feel happy and fulfilled….. We do not focus exclusively on academic achievement. We place a high value on courtesy and consideration for others. We help the girls to develop self-discipline, a sense of self-worth, independence of thought and confidence in expressing themselves. We encourage participation in a wide range of activities outside the classroom, and we hope that every girl will enjoy the experience of being a member of our school community.”

Like many able young women in the eighties and earlier, Tiffin girls had often been painfully shy and self-conscious about voicing an opinion in group situations. They tended to follow capably rather than to lead, afraid of seeming pushy. Mrs Buchanan had a strategy to remedy this. She made it her business to get to know as many pupils as possible, chatting to them over lunch where she listened to their current preoccupations and challenged them to defend their views. She made them laugh and showed how much she enjoyed their company. She also continued to teach, despite the onerous demands of headship.

The seven years in secondary school should be spent “in a challenging, but supportive environment, and the girls should feel happy and fulfilled….. We do not focus exclusively on academic achievement. We place a high value on courtesy and consideration for others. We help the girls to develop self-discipline, a sense of self-worth, independence of thought and confidence in expressing themselves. We encourage participation in a wide range of activities outside the classroom, and we hope that every girl will enjoy the experience of being a member of our school community.”

Like many able young women in the eighties and earlier, Tiffin girls had often been painfully shy and self-conscious about voicing an opinion in group situations. They tended to follow capably rather than to lead, afraid of seeming pushy. Mrs Buchanan had a strategy to remedy this. She made it her business to get to know as many pupils as possible, chatting to them over lunch where she listened to their current preoccupations and challenged them to defend their views. She made them laugh and showed how much she enjoyed their company. She also continued to teach, despite the onerous demands of headship.

As an appropriate legacy of Mrs Buchanan’s leadership, Tiffin alumnae are now to be found in top jobs in every walk of life. Many relish returning to school to inspire current pupils with first-hand accounts of their career paths. Mrs Buchanan had told her pupils they could achieve anything they wanted, and they believed her.

The most memorable moments from school days scarcely ever concern lessons or exams, and Tiffin girls of the early nineties may well look back on a variety of fundraising events which provided tremendous fun: pyjama days, comic relief days (with staff and pupils carrying on with normal lessons dressed as clowns or cartoon characters) and the never-to-be-forgotten Shakespeare-athon.

This was a sleepover at school with Shakespeare read aloud continuously for 24 hours. Only Mrs Buchanan could have persuaded dozens of girls and members of staff to go along with that idea! A less exhausting innovation was ABV day, when all normal activities ceased and the whole school took part in outings and excursions, some with educational purpose, but others unashamedly for fun.

A private viewing of Art works to be submitted for public exams brought a new level of sophistication to school life. Similarly, the first Leavers’ Ball in 1990 enabled sixth formers to show off their poise and elegance in evening dress. Such events were perhaps to be expected under the “cool” head teacher who caused astonishment on her first day with her glamorous appearance, her stunning smile and her white sports car. Former pupils expressing their sadness at Mrs Buchanan’s death have cited these memories, plus her kindness, approachability and sense of humour. At a TOGA event not long ago a group of alumnae proudly declaimed: “We are Buchanan girls!” Sandra would have loved to hear them.