Secondary Transition Evening

Last night we welcomed hundreds of visitors to the school for our Secondary Transition Evening. Visitors were treated to some amazing performances by the talented students we have here, and a had chance to get a sense of what learning is like at St Mary’s across all subject areas.

Tours were lead by our students, and we had subject ambassadors in each area to talk to the Y6 students and their parents/carers about our work. Staff were also on hand to answer questions.

Our vision is that we are the rich soil in which seed flourish and roots grow and you got a real sense of how we help children in Y7 flourish into young adults in Y13. As one parent recently said:

“I highly recommend St. Mary’s both as a secondary school and a sixth form. 1 has graduated from 6th form and has a fantastic place at University. The other is currently on his GCSE journey and excelling. I personally cannot find fault with the staff or the level of education that is taught. It is of a high standard. The children are judged on their individual merit and their abilities, league tables( though they matter ) take 2nd place to each individuals aspirations. My children of completely different characters and academic strengths had 2 very different experiences.”

Whilst another said:

“We are looking forward to viewing the school on Thursday for our youngest son. Our eldest is in year 11 and he loves the school. We have been impressed with St Mary’s thus far and would recommend the school. We are hoping St Mary’s impresses our youngest on Thursday, as it is his choice to choose which secondary school he goes to, just like it was for his brother.”

If you are interested in a place in St Mary’s but did not come to our Secondary Transition Evening, please call 01992 629124 and book a place on one of our School in Action tours. These start at 9am and run for about an our on the following dates:

  • Tuesday 3 October
  • Thursday 5 October
  • Tuesday 10 October
  • Wednesday 11 October
  • Tuesday 17 October
  • Thursday 19 October

The tours have been busy so please book ahead of time to ensure you get a place.

/by

Young Enterprise 2022-2023 Finals

In 2022/23 our Aspire Business and Enterprise Academy managed our Young Enterprise team where they achieved outstanding results; they were recognised for their fantastic teamwork and making over 800% increase to their individual initial investment for themselves they also raised £80 for Broxbourne Foodbank.

The Young Enterprise programme is a competition that students can create their own business with their own product and/or service ideas which they then run themselves towards making a profit and inline with our Christian Ethos they ensure that there is money raised each year for a local charity. The team is supported by our internal lead and an external business advisor Dave Smith. The competition is against other schools in Hertfordshire where ultimately at the final students have to present to a large audience their business result and journey.

The business was called ‘Majestic gifts’ and their slogan was “Gifts for any occasion or just because…”. Throughout the competition the team came up with different ideas for products including Christmas baubles which they personalised for customers, St Valentine’s and Mother’s day cards and gifts, Easter woollen chicks and wrist bands and magnetic bookmarks.

The students ran an exciting campaign on their social media with photos of the sales they managed.

As well as selling at school and online the team attended the Dickensian Evening in Ware in December 2022 and the Atrai shopping centre in Watford on a busy Saturday where they were outstanding in setting up their stall and selling direct to the public.

The pride in seeing these amazing young people growing their skills is fantastic and their feedback confirms what they have gained from participating in the experience: Tallie: “I have learnt new skills including online skills, social skills and time management skills. I think these skills are important because they taught me to be more independent in my own work and more confident when talking to people face to face”, Rosie: “I have learned how to work better in a team and communicate my ideas whilst also cooperating, including and building upon other members of the teams’ ideas”, Olivia: “I also developed greater confidence from presenting the presentation at the Young Enterprise regional final.”, Jayde: “I have also been able to meet a variety of different customers, pushing myself out of my comfort zone”

Last year’s team have provided advice for this year’s students as we have two teams representing our school and they have already identified business gaps for products which we are sure they will be successful throughout the programme. We will keep you updated with their progress.

In the meantime, we would like to congratulate last year’s team – very well done we are extremely proud of you all; Jayde, Olivia, Kristina, Kayleigh, Shenese, Eli, Tallie, Taylan, Lucy, Rosie, Akwasi, Daniel, Donell, Christian, Ali and Jesse.

/by

Festival of learning: Dewhurst St Mary’s Primary School Scholars visit St Mary’s for a Drama and Art workshop

Young students from Dewhurst St Mary C of E Primary School visited as part of our Festival of Learning Programme.

They continued their study of Van Gogh with a monoprint technique inspired by the wonderful painting ‘The Starry Night’. Across in the drama department they rehearsed a choral speaking piece leading to a fantastic performance. Students learned about antiphonal and unison speaking and some even performed from memory. What a great opportunity to make bridges and connections with the Key Stage 2 curriculum and so we look forward to further collaborations in the near future.

/by

Year 8 Student’s Trip to Cedar’s Park

On a beautiful, and unusually warm September morning, a selected group of Year 8 St Mary’s students walked to Cedar’s Park. St Mary’s is so fortunate to have this historic and award-winning Park in such close proximity.

The students took part in a Wild Wellbeing trip organised by Mrs Buxton, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at St. Mary’s. Wild Wellbeing focuses on improving the emotional wellbeing of young people by taking part in a range of mindfulness activities, such as breathing exercises, tasting, natural art and soundscapes.

Educating young people of these strategies enables them to improve their mental health by connecting to nature.

By the end of the session everyone felt calmer and more relaxed and had learnt some strategies to take away with them.

 

/by

Y10 GCSE Art

Year 10 GCSE artists have made a fantastic start to their new course, revisiting the formal elements in art.

Here are some beautiful examples from their portfolios.

/by

Canoe Slalom World Championship

45 students from year 8, 9 and 10 attended the Canoe Slalom World Championship on Friday 22nd September.

The event was being held at the Lea Valley White Water centre, built for the 2012 Olympic Games. Students were nominated for the trip by their PE teachers following their hard work and commitment to the subject last year.

The students spent the day watching athletes from all over the world compete in their respective events on the white water course. They took part in a water safety session with the local police and fire department and watched a live practice rescue. Ashlea Macaughlin enjoyed enthusiastically informing the fire department that somebody had fallen in to the water whilst the practice rescue was being conducted, much to everyone’s amusement.

The day concluded with students picking up paddles and kayaks and taking to the water. They all really enjoyed this section of the day and even managed to persuade the teachers to join them!

A great experience for students and lots of good memories made.

/by

Year 12 and Year 13 Students Embark on an Exciting Media Studies A Level Journey

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that our Year 12 and Year 13 students have embarked on an engaging and thought-provoking journey as they delve into the world of Media Studies A Level.

As we welcome them into this new academic year, we are pleased to report that our students are settling in remarkably well, eagerly embracing the challenges and opportunities that this subject has to offer.

In Media Studies, students explore the multifaceted landscape of the media, from traditional forms like newspapers and television to the ever-evolving digital platforms that dominate our modern world. One of the highlights of this course is the introduction of new concepts and theories, providing students with the tools to critically analyse and understand the powerful influence of media in our society.

As we move forward in this academic year, we are excited to witness the growth and development of our Year 12 and Year 13 students in Media Studies. We have no doubt that they will continue to excel in their studies, gaining a deep understanding of the complex world of media and its profound impact on society.

We want to express our gratitude to you, parents and guardians, for your continuous support in nurturing the intellectual curiosity and academic excellence of our students. Together, we look forward to an exciting and rewarding journey ahead as our students explore the world of Media Studies and its ever-evolving landscape.

Warm regards,

St Mary’s High School Media Department

 

 

 

/by

Black History Month at St Mary’s

October marks Black History Month and the History department will be provided students with the opportunity to study inspirational figures from Black History.

Students at St Mary’s encounter Black History on a frequent basis. Currently in Year 9 students are studying Decolonisation in Africa. Students have been able to study significant figures such as Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana, Joseph Chilembwe in Malawi and the Aba Women’s War in Nigeria.

At GCSE, Year 11 pupils have studied Black British History in a great deal of depth. The students were extremely interested in events such as the development of the arrival of the SS Windrush in 1948, the development of the Notting Hill Carnival in the 1960s and the Brixton riots in 1981. The students will be sharing their research on figures involved in these events in our upcoming assemblies for Black History Month.

At A-Level, some students are currently carrying out their research on the fight for civil rights in the USA. The students are researching well known figures such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X but are also looking at the contribution of the African American community.

The theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Celebrating our Sisters’. Students will be able to research important heroines such as Claudia Jones, Mary Seacole, Doreen Lawrence and Dina Asher Smith.

The History Department will be running a competition on who can produce the best profile of an important figure from Black History and the deadline for entries is Monday 16th October. The profile can be presented as a poster, a speech or a PowerPoint presentation.

The History department looks forward to sharing this celebration of Black History with all of you.

 

/by

Summer 2023 KS5 & KS4 Art Exhibition

The St Mary’s Art department proudly curated and presented their first KS4 & KS5 Art & Design Summer Exhibition in July 2023.

The show presented a breadth of beautifully creative work by our 7 A Level Art and Design students and 49 BTEC Level 2 Art students. There was a mixture of both large pieces as well as sketchbooks and sculptures created over the two-years. The exhibition was thoroughly enjoyed by students and parents exhibiting work as well as colleagues, governors, and friends of the school.

/by

Unsolved – Young Writers

Just before the summer break we promoted the ‘Young Writers’ competition entitled, ‘Unsolved’.

Students were asked to write a short story based on or around mystery and crime and needed to do so in exactly 100 words. It is a difficult task to tell an entire story in 100 words so we really should praise these students for their amazing work.  Entries were submitted online and, having now received word from the organisers, I am delighted to tell you that two of our students’ stories have been selected for publication! Once permission has been granted by parent/carers their stories will appear in book format which is a compilation of all winning entries. All winners are given the opportunity to buy their own copy to keep at home but a copy will also be available in the LRC for all students to view. Our winners came from years 9 & 10 and we are enormously proud of their achievement. Please join me in congratulating Gabriella and Zam.

/by