Year 8 & 9 Girls Inspired by Airbus Trip for International Women in Engineering Day

A group of our Year 8 and 9 girls recently had the incredible opportunity to visit Airbus in Stevenage as part of International Women in Engineering Day celebrations. The visit aimed to raise aspirations, challenge gender stereotypes and highlight the exciting career opportunities available for women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths).

During the day, students explored the fascinating Mars Rover Yard, where they got to see a replica of the Mars surface and examine prototypes of the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Rover. Developed by the European Space Agency, this rover is designed to search for signs of past or present life on Mars and is set to take part in the next mission to the Red Planet.

The girls also took part in a series of hands-on workshops, including one focused on drones and their many capabilities. They explored real-world challenges such as tackling space debris, before being set their own mission: design a drone. The girls could choose a number of scenarios from tracking polar bears, to mountain rescue, to monitoring the rainforest.

The creativity and teamwork on display were outstanding, with one group particularly impressing the team. Their innovative idea to design a drone that not only monitored illegal logging but also released seeds into sparse areas of the rainforest sparked real interest. One of the Raytheon employers even commented that in all his years running this workshop, he had never heard that idea before — a fantastic achievement for our students!

The day concluded with the chance to meet and talk to Airbus engineers and STEM ambassadors. Hearing directly from women working in engineering and technology helped to inspire the girls and show them that the STEM industry is full of exciting possibilities for everyone, regardless of gender.

We are proud of the enthusiasm, confidence, and creativity our students showed throughout the day. Hopefully, this experience has sparked new ambitions and shown that the next generation of women engineers and scientists could well be sitting in our classrooms right now.

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Year 12 Explore Their Future Pathways

Over the past few weeks, our Year 12 students have taken part in a series of events designed to help them explore the wide range of opportunities available to them after Sixth Form and to start preparing for life beyond Year 13.

The first of these was a visit to the UEL UCAS Discovery Day, where students had the opportunity to speak directly with representatives from a wide variety of universities and apprenticeship providers. This event gave students valuable insight into the different routes they can take, whether that’s heading to university, pursuing an apprenticeship, or exploring alternative pathways.

Following this, students attended a Taster Day at the University of Hertfordshire, where they got to experience university life first-hand. Students chose from a range of subject-specific taster lectures, including nursing, physiotherapy, engineering, law, and many more. They navigated the campus independently, attended informative talks, and toured the university’s impressive facilities — giving them a real taste of what it’s like to be a university student.

Finally, Year 12 took part in a Personal Statement Workshop, delivered in school by a representative from the University of Hertfordshire. This session helped students understand what makes a strong personal statement and how to stand out in competitive university or apprenticeship applications.

These experiences have provided Year 12 with valuable knowledge and practical advice, helping them feel more confident and informed as they plan their next steps.

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Art & Textiles Exhibition, Tuesday 1 July, 4-7pm

We are delighted to invite the St Mary’s community, family and friends to an inspiring evening showcasing the creative achievements of our Year 11 Fine Art, BTEC Art and Textiles students, alongside the exceptional work from our A Level Fine Art and Photography and Textiles groups.

This free exhibition features a diverse collection of art, ranging from intricate handmade books and vibrant paintings to beautifully crafted garments, large-scale canvases, and striking photographs. The show celebrates the talent, hard work, and passion of our students over the last two years.

Join us for a wonderful evening of creativity, community, and celebration as we come together to admire and support the artistic journeys of our young artists.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Year 7 club 9 geographers

On Tuesday the 24th of June Year 7 Club 9 geographers participated in a workshop about vulnerability. Each student was given a personal profile and were asked to consider which factors made them more or less vulnerable to natural hazards, before heading out onto the field to see the stark contrast between levels of susceptibility around the world. In the second portion of the workshop students had the opportunity to explore a GIS system and research the data behind natural hazards and vulnerable populations in a variety of countries. It was a pleasure to see the Year 7’s so engaged and to really start understanding inequality and global variation in disaster risk and vulnerability.

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Summer Concert – Friday 11th July 7pm

🌞 St Mary’s CE High School Presents: Annual Summer Concert 2025 🎶

Date: Friday 11th July 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Central Amphitheatre Courtyard, St Mary’s CE High School
Admission: FREE

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and summer celebration in the heart of our beautiful courtyard!

Featuring performances by our renowned school choir, the Phoenix Singers, alongside soloists and a live band of professional musicians.

This family-friendly open-air concert promises sunshine, song, and a warm community atmosphere. Refreshments and a licensed bar will be available, so come early, bring your friends and family, and enjoy a magical evening of music under the summer sky.

No booking required – just bring a smile and enjoy the music!
For more information, contact the Music Department at St Mary’s High School.

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Level 3 Health and Social Care students visit Nursing Home

Sixth form St Mary’s students spent the afternoon doing various activities with elderly residents at Kingfisher Nursing Home. The Health and Social Care students were welcomed by the senior care team and made to feel at home. The students had planned activities to interact and communicate building positive relationships with residents.

They started by meeting the residents and got to know some of them through the discussions they were having on a one to one basis. It reflected the skills the students had developed of being caring, compassionate and communicating effectively.

Finally as a group they played Bingo with most of the residents in a respectful manner and it was amazing to see them having a great time. We look forward to cooperatively working together with our local Healthcare providers in Hertfordshire and St Mary’s CE High School. A big well-done to the girls and thank you to Kingfisher Nursing Home for allowing the Health and Social Care students placement

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Students help run St Paul’s Primary Sports Day

On Monday 16th June, a group of Year 10 students went to St Paul’s RC Primary School to help run their Sports Day. The students had various roles, from running the different activities, to helping give out stickers and keeping scores. Our St Mary’s students showed great leadership and enthusiasm, encouraging all of those who were taking part. Well done all.

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Walton on the Naze geography fieldwork

Year 8 and Year 12 students recently went to Walton on the Naze as part of their geography studies. The aim of the fieldwork was to explore coastal processes covered in the curriculum and to enhance their fieldwork skills through hands-on learning.

During the trip, students visited both managed and unmanaged sections of the beach. This allowed them to compare the differences in coastal management and its impact on the environment.

As part of their fieldwork, students carried out a variety of primary methods. These included a wave count, a longshore drift test, a field sketch, and an environmental quality survey. Year 12 students also conducted a beach profile and groyne height test. The data collected helped students apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting and gain valuable experience in data collection and analysis.

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Year 8 prepare for fieldwork

This week, all Year 8 students were given the opportunity to practice their fieldwork techniques on the school grounds in preparation for their visit to the beach next week. Students were given a demonstration of how to measure slopes and then they got to work. The geography team were very impressed with the way students conducted themselves and were able to think through the maths behind the geography.

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Teachers Take on Escape Room Challenge – and Love It!

Teachers Take on Escape Room Challenge – and Love It!

Last term, Year 12 and 13 Business students, lead by Mrs Achilleos, delivered an unforgettable event as part of their BTEC National Foundation Diploma coursework — a themed Escape Room experience designed especially for teachers.

With the aim of injecting some fun and light relief into a busy term, the students transformed a classroom into a mind-bending puzzle zone under the theme: “The Greatest of All Time.” Clues were cleverly crafted around iconic figures who inspire our students — including Alan Turing, Lewis Hamilton, and Albert Einstein — challenging staff to think, collaborate, and unlock their inner genius.

Though excited by the concept, students admitted they were nervous when they first began planning the event. It was a big undertaking — from developing the puzzles to managing logistics and promotion. However, their nerves soon turned into confidence as the pieces came together. The experience proved to be incredibly rewarding, helping them grow in organisation, communication, and teamwork. They expressed gratitude for the opportunity to apply their learning in such a real and impactful way.

The event wasn’t just about fun and games. It also carried a deeper purpose: raising funds for The Christoforos Charity Foundation, a cause close to the students’ hearts. The charity works to protect young people from the hidden dangers of social media — a mission that strongly resonates with both students and staff alike.

Teachers jumped at the chance to get involved, and their enthusiasm quickly turned into competitive spirit. The school corridors buzzed with laughter, focused teamwork, and a fair amount of friendly rivalry. After a tense but entertaining showdown, the Maths and Business team — represented by Mrs Johnston, Miss Johnson, and the fiercely competitive Mr Price — emerged as the victors.

The feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive, with many already asking when the next event will be. One teacher remarked, “It was such a refreshing break — fun, clever, and for a great cause. We loved every minute!”

Congratulations to the students for organising such a professional and enjoyable event — a brilliant demonstration of creativity, teamwork, and enterprise.

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