Sustainability programme – Solar Panels

Over the last few weeks the school contractors have been installing solar panels on a large proportion of our roof space.  This work is nearing completion and we are looking forward to the energy savings this will provide the school.  It is anticipated that around 35% of the school’s electricity will be supplied through our solar panels.  This initiative, in addition to the complete replacement of our internal lighting to LED (already completed and working effectively) and the installation of a two bay Electric Vehicle Charging station, supports the school’s Environmental and Sustainability impact vision and ensure our building is as energy efficient as it can be and is future proofed for the next 10 years.

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year 9 club 9 geographers

Year 9 geography students participated in a mock climate summit to show the difficulties in finding a global solution to climate change. Divided into groups each took on a different role, ranging from advanced nations to fossil fuel companies. They had to present and collaborate to generate influence they could then use to make alterations to the en-ROADS climate software, the same software that real policy makers use to make decisions about climate every day. Although they didn’t manage to stop the climate crisis due to the efficiency of the fossil fuels group, they did manage to slightly reduce its impact! The students understood their roles and hopefully took away the difficulty and nuance of a global problem requiring a global solution.

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Sixth form Law students visitor

This week our Year 12 and 13 Law students were fortunate to welcome Guner Gumus, a practising solicitor, who delivered an engaging and inspiring talk about his journey into law.

Guner spoke about what first inspired him to pursue a legal career, his study path through university and professional training, and the realities of life as a solicitor. Students were particularly interested in hearing about his day-to-day responsibilities, the skills required to succeed in the profession and the importance of determination and resilience when entering such a competitive field.

He praised our students for their excellent behaviour, insightful questions and genuine enthusiasm for the subject, commenting on how impressed he was by their focus and maturity.

Following his visit, Guner has kindly offered two students the opportunity to complete a one-week work shadowing placement at the firm he works in during the Christmas holidays. This placement will allow students to gain first-hand experience of legal practice and strengthen future university or apprenticeship applications.

We are very grateful to Guner for his time, generosity and commitment to supporting our students’ career aspirations.

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Sixth Form Politics and Law Trip to the Houses of Parliament

Our Sixth Form Politics and Law students recently had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament. The day began with a guided tour, giving students the chance to explore both the House of Lords and the House of Commons while learning key facts about the history and daily workings of Parliament. Experiencing these historic spaces brought their classroom learning to life in an inspiring way.

Following the tour, students took part in a lively Snap Election Workshop. Working in groups, they created their own political parties and manifestos, each addressing key social, educational, and environmental issues. The three parties: Restore, The Blue Party, The People’s Party and Fiesta, then went head-to-head, with each group’s election candidate delivering a persuasive presentation of their policies before facing questions from their peers.

This trip was not only an excellent extension of their academic studies but also an important part of careers education. By engaging in real-world political debate and decision-making, students were able to see how the skills they develop in the classroom – such as critical thinking, teamwork, public speaking and problem-solving – link directly to careers in politics, law, public service, and beyond.

Opportunities like this help our students to connect their learning to the wider world, building confidence and giving them a clearer vision of the many pathways open to them in the future.

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Victoria & Albert Museum

Last week, 33 of our talented Year 10 Art students visited the world-renowned Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington as part of their ongoing coursework and artistic development. Travelling by train, the students demonstrated fantastic behaviour throughout the day, representing the school with maturity, keen interest, and genuine enthusiasm for the arts. While at the museum, students spent time sketching directly from classical artworks, including a focused session drawing Michelangelo’s iconic ‘David’ and exploring other significant pieces across the museum’s vast collection. The visit was a hugely successful experience, inspiring creativity and deepening their understanding of art history and observational drawing. We are incredibly proud of our students for their positive attitude and engagement during the trip.

Well done to all involved!

Miss Papadopoullos

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The ‘Skye’s’ the limit

We are proud to share that Skye in Year 9 has been featured in Pan Podium the International Steel Pan Magazine for her success and achievements as a steelpan player, below you can read a section of the article.

Skye started playing the steelpan because her parents are involved, her mother plays and father tunes them; so it has always been part of her life.

In 2025, Skye travelled to Switzerland with Steel Pan in Motion to perform at the Cudrefin Steel Band Festival. One of her dreams is to go to Trinidad and Tobago and play with Renegades Steel Orchestra in the Trinidad & Tobago National Steelband Panorama competition.

So far, Skye has played with Steel Pan in Motion, Croydon Steel Orchestra, Pan Nation Steel Orchestra and Pantonic Steel Orchestra. She has performed in two UK National Steelband Panorama competitions in 2024 with Croydon Steel Orchestra and with Pan Nation Steel Orchestra in 2025. They were some of her most  challenging but inspiring experiences she has had. Skye also played at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2023 and 2024 as well as Luton and Ware Carnivals with Steel Pan in Motion. She also performed with Pantonic Steel Orchestra at 2025 Notting Hill Carnival.

Looking ahead, Skye would love for steel pan in the UK and worldwide to grow, reach new audiences, and fuse with other styles of music. Her dream is to become a professional pan player and build a career in music. She thinks collaborations with musicians from different genres is the way forward to get steel pan recognised on a bigger musical platform.

We at St Mary’s are really proud of Skye and look forward to seeing her perform at various events over the year to both students and parent/carers.

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