Madeleine Wickham is better known as Sophie Kinsella, author of Confessions of a Shopaholic. She left Putney in 1984.

 What was it like growing up at Putney? I walked to school every day and had a lot of local friends which was great.

What are your fondest memories? I remember at Lytton House we had 'hobbies' twice a week. The whole afternoon was spent doing something like acting or pottery and you could change your choice each term. I often chose acting, and there was a gold tutu in the costume cupboard that I was particularly fond of.

How has your experience contributed to your subsequent success? Looking back, I realise I did a lot of creative writing at Putney and, although I didn't realise it at the time, it was where I started to get a feel for it. It was a school stuffed full of bright, funny girls, definitely a good place to hone a sense of humour.

Did you always know you wanted to be an author? I really had no idea that I would become an author - I didn't even do English A-Level. I always loved words though, and became a journalist. Then, travelling to work, I started reading endless paperbacks and felt this instinct that I wanted to write a novel. I had a few false starts but then had the idea that became my first book. I sent it to agents and was lucky enough to be accepted.

What have you been up to since you left education? I was briefly a financial journalist, and then I started writing novels, which became my full-time career. I have written seven under the name Madeleine Wickham and ten under the name Sophie Kinsella. I was Associate Producer on the film Confessions of a Shopaholic and am currently working on my next book. The paperback of Mini Shopaholic came out in July.

Botanist and broadcaster Pippa Greenwood, attended Putney from Lytton House through to Sixth Form, leaving in 1979. She has appeared with Alan Titchmarsh on a gardening slot for BBC1’s Daytime Live and is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time.

 What was your fondest memory of being at Putney? Biology lessons and sitting on the window sill in the Sixth Form common room with my friends at break times, drinking coffee and chatting.

What was your favourite subject? Biology by about a million miles, I loved it and the teacher Mrs Pam Sherratt (recently retired as Putney’s Chair of Governors) was brilliant, inspirational and I owe her a lot.  With her teaching it was quite hard not to get the coveted A grade at A-level.  I also loved Latin and German.

What were your interests and goals at school? I loved languages and biology. My aims were to do something biological.  I still recall three of us (friends at Putney) deciding that when we grew up, one would design a massive greenhouse, the other would fill it full of plants and I would add the insects. Of those two friends, one went into finance and the other became a doctor.

How has your experience at Putney contributed to your subsequent success? Being the youngest in my family I was reasonably confident anyway, but Putney High School helped and taught me how to deal with a wide range of people, to stand my ground and make my own decisions.

What have you been up to since you left education? I spent 11 years at The Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Garden at Wisley, as the plant pathologist. Then I started my freelance career as a gardening presenter, broadcaster, writer and journalist. I did this at the same time as my job at The RHS’s garden so it was exhausting but fun. However, for the past 16 years or so I have worked freelance. In 2007 I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by Durham University.

You can sign up as a 'friend of Pippa' by checking out her website www.pippagreenwood.com and have a go at growing your own vegetables, with ‘Grow Your Own With Pippa Greenwood’, just click on the luscious carrot picture on her website.

Fashion designer Edina Ronay left Putney in 1959. Edina’s daughter also came to Putney, and her grand-daughter currently attends the school.

What was it like growing up at Putney? We had great teachers and I really enjoyed the social aspect. I had fun with the other girls, but I was very conscientious and worked hard for my exams.

What was your favourite subject? I really enjoyed English, art and languages. Being Hungarian, it was easy for me to pick up languages. I was learning German at home anyway, and for my exams I did Hungarian, German, French, Spanish and English.

How has your experience at Putney contributed to your subsequent success? I think it was the discipline I learnt, as you had to work very hard academically. I am a disciplined person and you have to work awfully hard in fashion. When I think back, a good education such as that I received at Putney is very important.

Have you always wanted to be a fashion designer? I knew I always wanted to do something with art, throughout school I always enjoyed drawing and painting. I left Putney to go to Art College.

What have you been up to since you left education? I became an actress for a while appearing in films and theatre, after which I started modelling which brought me back into the fashion world where I focussed my attention. I redesigned vintage clothing and, with a friend, we set up our first clothes stall in King’s Road. I have been designing clothes ever since, and create two collections a year.

Edina’s website www.edinaronay.com is currently selling her knitwear collection.

Musician Tennessee Thomas left Putney in 1999 (in Year 9) and relocated to Los Angeles, California, with her family.

What was it like growing up at Putney? Looking back, I had a particularly idyllic childhood in west London with endless walks along the Thames and in leafy parks!

What was your favourite subject? I loved history, English and art! And being in the famous choir. I also loved drama.

What was your fondest memory of being at Putney? A favourite moment was winning a drama prize for playing the mother of a prison inmate in Not about Nightingales by Tennessee Williams. It was a short piece directed by Sixth Formers and performed in assembly in front of the whole school.

How has your experience at Putney contributed to your subsequent success? It was an excellent school, with excellent teachers and lovely students. A part of me wishes I hadn't had to leave. I'm still in touch with lots of the girls.

What have you been up to since you left education? When I was 16 I formed a musical group called The Like, in which I played the drums. We built up a following and were signed to Universal Records. We spent the past nine years recording albums and touring the world! It was an incredible experience, we got to visit lots of countries and meet and work with lots of our heroes! Two months ago I moved to New York where I'm working as a session musician and starting a clothing line.