Last week, we had the honour of welcoming Old Grangonian Claudio Véliz (Class of 1947) back to the School.

During his visit, he was received by Mr Francisco Planella, along with our Head Boy, León Peñafiel, and Head Girl, Amaya Selman, who guided him through the School, revisiting spaces and memories from his time at The Grange School.

Below, we are pleased to share a reflection from León Peñafiel:

“Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Claudio Véliz (OG47) and guide him through the halls where he once studied and lived. We had the opportunity to speak with him not only about school, but also about the world, which made the experience truly enriching.

He arrived from The Mackay School in 1941 and later graduated from The Grange School in 1947. Claudio was a Light Blue and participated in various sports activities; athletics was his main sport, in which he successfully earned a Colour.

Claudio is a Historian and a Writer who has authored several books shaped by his rich experiences around the world. He has lived not only in Chile, but also in Australia and the United States. He generously donated a couple of signed books to the new school library, which speaks about his character and his commitment to giving back to the community.

It was a real pleasure to have the opportunity to talk with an OG like Claudio and learn about what the school was like during his time at The Grange. However, what I value most from our time together was the advice he shared with Amaya and me.”

The visit concluded with a conversation with our Headteacher, who presented him with a selection of School gifts, marking a meaningful close to a very special occasion for our Community.