Year 11 students travelled to the Palace Theatre, Southend to see a production of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as part of their GCSE English Literature revision.

Students were treated to the cast of six actors highlighting key characters, quotations, and themes from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic thriller in an enjoyable and engaging evening.

 

From 9–15 February 2026, schools and communities across the UK marked Children’s Mental Health Week, a national annual campaign. The week shines a spotlight on the importance of young people’s mental wellbeing, encouraging open conversations about emotions, challenging stigma, and reminding every child that they are not alone. At its heart, the campaign empowers children to understand that their feelings matter — and that support is always available.

This year’s theme, “This is My Place,” invited children and young people to reflect on where they feel they truly belong. Whether that sense of belonging is found with friends and family, within school, through sport, faith, creativity or hobbies, the theme encouraged pupils to explore the connections that help them feel safe, valued and understood.

As always, St Mary’s CE High School embraced the campaign wholeheartedly. We focused on fostering a strong sense of belonging, identity and community across our school. Research consistently shows that when young people feel connected and secure, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Creating a culture of inclusion and care remains at the centre of our mission.

Supported by our dedicated Student Wellbeing Ambassadors, a whole-school activity brought students together in a celebration of individuality and shared experience. Students were invited to create their own “My Place” maps — thoughtful and creative pieces of artwork identifying the people, places and activities that help them feel comfortable, confident and supported.

Students also engaged with inspiring video resources created by artist Ricky Martin, best known to many as Art Ninja’s Art Ninja. His creative approach encouraged pupils to express themselves through art as a positive outlet for emotions and self-discovery.

It was wonderful to see students coming together to celebrate their uniqueness while recognising the shared need for belonging. The finished artwork beautifully reflected the diversity of our school community — each piece different, yet united by a common message: everyone deserves a place where they feel accepted and valued.

Children’s Mental Health Week serves as an important reminder that supporting mental wellbeing is not limited to one week in the year. At St Mary’s, we remain committed to nurturing an environment where every student feels heard, supported and proud to say, “This is my place.”

 

Our GCSE Drama students enjoyed an inspiring trip to see Stranger Things on Friday 6th February 2026, where they proved themselves to be outstanding representatives of the school community. The production offered a wealth of material for the live theatre analysis component of the GCSE Component 3 written exam; showcasing an impressive range of techniques that included lighting, sound, projection and set design as well as the physical performance by a fabulous cast of actors. The stage adaptation linked seamlessly with the wider Stranger Things franchise, giving students a rich and engaging example of how a story can be reimagined for a new medium. Their enthusiasm, focus and exemplary behaviour made the visit both enjoyable and academically valuable.

Year 12 Media and English Language students recently enjoyed an inspiring trip to the Sky Up Academy at Sky Studios Elstree, where they explored the fast-paced world of film and television production.

Working in teams, students took on a range of industry roles from director, producer and editor to stylist as they developed and pitched their own film ideas, which they had prepared ahead of the visit. They threw themselves into the challenge with real energy and enthusiasm, gaining first-hand insight into the creative and technical stages of the filmmaking process.

The day also included an in-depth careers session, opening students’ eyes to the many roles that exist behind the scenes in film and TV. Alongside creative roles, they learned about careers such as marketing managers, assistant producers, location managers, production accountants and sound technicians highlighting just how many people it takes to bring a film to life.

To round off the experience, students toured the impressive site, seeing the vast soundstages and learning about recent productions filmed there, including Wicked and Paddington. A memorable and motivating visit that brought classroom learning vividly to life.