St Benedict's News - Lent Term 2024

HEADMASTERS’ INTRODUCTIONS

Dear Parents

As the days lengthen and the first glimpses of Spring appear, we look back on an incredibly positive and actionpacked Lent Term 2024.

At the end of January, we were visited – albeit not unexpectedly – by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. It was so heart-warming to hear the incredibly positive feedback from inspectors about the inclusive culture of the school, the sense of purpose of our young people, and their excellent achievements, both in the classroom and beyond.

This News publication gives an insight into the range and quality of those achievements. From the amazing production of Oliver! to the superb Junior School concert (the first time I for one have heard Zadok the Priest sung by primary school children!) via some impressive sporting achievements (the girls› hockey 1st XI coming 5th in the whole country perhaps the highlight) to the highest number of awards the school has ever achieved in the UKMT Maths Challenge, this has indeed been a term of excellence.

ISI inspections no longer give overall judgements such as Excellent or Good, but I think we can safely say that St Benedict’s is an Excellent school!

With my best wishes for a very Happy Easter

Joe Smith Headmaster

Dear Parents,

The children have been engaged in some wonderful academic and co-curricular activities throughout the Lent term, including Cosy Day, Science Week, the Spring Music Concert, World Book Day, the ‘Make £5 Grow’ Fair (which raised more than £1,500), cookery lessons courtesy of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, and the terrific Dance Shows. Day trips to places such as the Cutty Sark, Windsor Castle, and the RNLI Chiswick Lifeboat Station will also live long in the memory of the children and staff concerned. The boys and girls in Key Stage 2 have engaged energetically in their sports activities too, representing the School admirably in fencing, hockey, netball, and rugby.

You will no doubt have read the recently published ISI inspection report and its pleasing content. Thank you to everyone who completed the ISI questionnaire, for your collective insight assisted the inspectors in being able to recognise the many strengths of our school community.

As we near the end of the season of Lent and prepare to celebrate Easter, we can look back upon the splendid EYFS and KS1 Lenten Assemblies, and the moving Lenten Reflection led by Forms 1 and 2. St Benedict’s Day brought the term to an end in a most fitting manner, with considerable funds raised for The Foundation of Goodness, The Felix Project and Friends of the Holy Land.

Thank you once again for being so generous whilst supporting the Lenten charity appeal, as well as having contributed wholeheartedly to the annual Giving Week.

I am sure that you will thoroughly enjoy the latest edition of St Benedict’s News, which has captured the vibrancy of our school community from 3–18.

I wish you and your respective families a peaceful and restful

Easter

Rob Simmons Junior School Headmaster

St Benedict’s School ISI Inspection Report

An inspection of the school was carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in January 2024 and was our first inspection under the new inspection framework, which came into force in September 2023.

We are very proud to have received such a positive report and we continue to strive to maintain and exceed these levels of achievement throughout the school.

Some key headlines from the summary of inspection findings include:

• An ‘area of significant strength’ was identified, this being the school’s careers guidance arrangements. This is particularly noteworthy because very few schools – the figure of 4% has been quoted – have had an ‘area of significant strength’ identified under the new framework. That the one identified at St Benedict’s relates to our preparation of our young people for their lives beyond school is particularly pleasing.

• The school is fully compliant with the relevant law and regulations in every area inspected.

• Inspectors wrote powerfully about the school’s Benedictine ethos, and how this influences many aspects of school life and students’ wellbeing.

• Teachers’ “highly effective feedback” to students is singled out for praise, as was our unusually sustained use of peer assessment, which aids the development of students’ confidence.

“Staff, supported by the senior pupils, promote positive behaviour so that pupils almost without exception show respect and consideration for each other.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate 2024

“One-to-one mentoring of younger by older pupils is common.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate 2024

“Leaders have appropriate skills and knowledge and are not complacent. Pupils are widely consulted and their views integrated into any reviews.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate 2024

“The careers guidance arrangements are a significant strength of the school.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate 2024

MIDDLE SCHOOL ART SHOW

St Benedict’s students in Form 3, Lower and Upper Fourth showcased their wonderful artistic talents at this year’s Middle School Art Show.

From Picasso-inspired paintings to mind-blowing sculptures and creative animations, their jaw-dropping masterpieces were admired by St Benedict’s parents and children from several local primary schools.

UK Bebras Computing Challenge Awards

With around 400,000 students taking part across the UK, and over 3 million worldwide, the Bebras Computing Challenge introduces computational and logical thinking to students through a series of challenging questions, allowing them to develop a range of problem-solving skills.

48 St Benedict’s students received Gold awards in the UK Bebras Computing Challenge, successfully making it through to the next round – the Oxford University Computing Challenge which was held in January 2024.

Well done to the five students ranging from Form 3 to Lower Sixth Form: Samuel B (L6), Mehdi D (U4), Lewis H (U5), Reuben L (F3) and Xavier A (F3) who achieved the highest scores for the school in the UK Bebras Computing Challenge.

A huge congratulations to Mehdi (U4) who, following his impressive score at the Oxford University Computing Challenge, was successful in securing a place at the finals in March and was placed sixth nationally out of 9,734 participants in the Intermediate category; a truly commendable achievement.

“For only the second time in the last few years that we have offered Computer Science at St Benedict’s, a pupil has achieved a top place nationally in the Oxford University Computing Challenge Finals.”

Dr Richard Curtis, Head of Computer Science

Vex UK Nationals 2024

At the beginning of March, the St Benedict’s ‘StB Rosh Gadol’ robotics team reached the 2024 Vex Robotics VRC UK Nationals in Telford.

The highlight of the weekend’s event was undoubtedly reaching sixth place in the qualification round after a full day of matches on the Friday, where the team answered questions about their design, build, coding skills and strategies.

Our team of seven, all from Lower Sixth Form and captained by Matthew C returned to London with their UK Nationals competition medals and the incentive to qualify for VEX Worlds in Dallas in 2025.

“I am astonished that I have done so well in the Finals and am very pleased with my result. This challenge has always intrigued me through its interesting and sometimes difficult puzzles and I will continue to take part in it to hopefully beat my record.”

Mehdi D (U4)

‘Competing in Over Under 2024 has been an algorithmic odyssey, a systematic exploration of capabilities and robotic potential’

Matthew C (L6)

Team Photo L to R: Oliver F, Andre L, Matthew C, Raphael W, Isaac M, Finn O and Brandon A

UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge

This year’s UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge results have been the best St Benedict’s students have achieved in recent years.

Seventy seven certificates were awarded in total to participants from U4,L5 and U5, which is an outstanding achievement with fourteen of those students being awarded Gold Certificates.

Special mentions to Mehdi D (U4) who was awarded the Best in School certificate; achieving an outstanding score of 117 and Shuhan H (U4) also achieving a remarkable score of 105 – they both now have automatic invites to take part in the follow-on prestigious Cayley Olympiad.

UKMT Challenges are tests of mathematical reasoning and mental agility, aimed at the top third of students in the country. It attracts over 600,000 participants from more than 4,500 schools with only a very small percentage being invited through to subsequent Olympiad events.

The 77 award winners and their teachers

Some of the gold certificate winners and their teachers

“These changes have been made to strike a balance between reflecting the desire for a modern and inclusive uniform.”

“The uniform policy has been adjusted to be more equal for boys and girls.”

“Sixth Form students have the option of a more varied selection of suit colours.”

“Students and staff are essentially positive about our uniform, but felt that it could be modernised to reflect young people in London.”

Uniform Consultation

Last term an independent consultant undertook a survey of all staff and students at St Benedict’s about the uniform rules and how students wear their uniform. They spent two days in school talking to focus groups from every year group as well as to members of staff.

Taking pride in our student voice by having our students’ opinions listened to, the uniform consultation resulted in changes being made to reflect young people in the 21st century with a more inclusive and modern uniform while still maintaining a smart and positive representation of the school.

“Students are allowed to wear one necklace with a cross or equivalent religious symbol to reflect the diversity of our community.”

“Students with long hair do not have to tie their hair back except for health and safety reasons.”

Junior School Spring Concert: “Music for a Royal Occasion”

This year’s theme for the Spring Concert, Music for a Royal Occasion, was inspired by the recent Coronation of King Charles III. Music has always played a central role in any special occasion – none more so than “Royal Occasions”.

On the evening of the Spring Concert, the Junior School choirs, instrumental ensembles and orchestra performed a range of pieces and musical genres laced with royal references from the past 300 years.

From the Coronation Anthem ‘Zadok the Priest’ to Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ which was performed at the Diamond Jubilee Concert, the children’s talent and passion shone through as they performed in front of parents and guests to a packed auditorium.

The St Benedict’s Music Festival 2024 held at the start of the term was a huge success.

With over 200 students performing within age and instrumental categories, culminating in a finalist’s concert, it was the largest participation we have seen to date.

Assistant Director of Music, Miss Amy John writes:

“All the students who performed worked extremely hard to prepare their pieces and treated us to a wide variety of repertoire from Beethoven to Olivia Rodrigo and even included some original compositions.

We were lucky enough to have Gabriella Swallow as our adjudicator for the heats and George Fenton for the finalists’ concert who both gave thoughtful and insightful feedback to all the performers.

The standard of performance from the youngest to eldest competitor was sublime and the dedication, hard work and joy we saw in our students across the week encompassed the ethos of our Music Department –we are very proud of every single performer, we hope to hear them perform again next year!”

Heats adjudicator and acclaimed cellist, Gabriella Swallow spent the week at St Benedict’s listening to the students perform also provided valuable feedback.

“It was a pleasure to adjudicate the heats of the St Benedict’s Music Festival. It truly lived up to its name and was such celebration of all the budding talent at the school. I personally enjoyed how every child, advanced or beginner was encouraged by the brilliant music staff to play. Their musical journey will benefit hugely from playing in public at this stage and I was very lucky to witness it. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcome”

Gabriella Swallow, Adjudicator for Heats

“My experience in the music festival was an exciting, hard-working and memorable one. I was more nervous in the build up to it than on the day, because my friends were with me, and the adjudicator was very friendly! I was first to play, and I took that as a good thing because I got to open the concert. However, nothing prepared me for what came next…every single person who performed was so talented and so impressive…it was jaw-dropping. It was a super fun evening and I don’t remember the last time I had been so happy than when I was awarded the cup.”

Elsa M-A (F3)

“My seventh and final music festival has definitely been my most enjoyable. The standard across the board has never been higher! It’s always a privilege to have the opportunity to perform, but the music festival provides a safe, risk-free platform for all students to showcase their talent in front of a supportive audience and adjudicator and so is my favourite event of the year! I can’t thank Gabriella Swallow and George Fenton, our adjudicators, enough for their encouraging and technical guidance throughout the week.”

Ned W (U6)

WINNERS

Flohouse Cup

Sebastian Z (U6)

Guitar – 4 Spanish Suites – Arr Zecevic

Drums – Hit the Ground Running – Gordon Goodwin’s Big Band

Senior Section Cup

Ned W (U6) Cello

Song Without Words – Felix Mendelssohn

Intermediate Section Cup

Jake T (L5) Clarinet

Clarinet Concerto No1 – Carl Maria von Weber

Junior Section Cup

Elsa M-A (F3) Violin

Ladies in Lavender – Nigel Hess

ST BENEDICT’S MUSIC FESTIVAL 2024

OLIVER!

Students captivated audiences in the first whole Senior School production performed at St Benedict’s, where pupils from Form 3 through to Upper Sixth took to the stage to deliver a powerful performance of Oliver!

Over its three-night run, St Benedict’s School adaption of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! captured all the emotions and grit of Dickens’ London.

Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, Oliver! follows the story of a young orphaned boy, Oliver Twist, (Thomas L, F3) as he journeys from a desolate workhouse to the paved streets of Victorian London in search of comfort, a place to call home and most importantly, love.

As he navigates London’s underworld of theft and violence, Oliver is taken in by a gang of child pickpockets led by the conniving, yet charismatic, Fagin (Angus M, L6).

Thanks to Nancy (Kate K, U6) the villainous Bill Sikes’ (Stefan, U6) longsuffering girlfriend, Oliver is rescued by a kind, wealthy gentleman Mr Brownlow (Charlie A, U6) but with tragic results.

Featuring memorable songs such as ‘Food, Glorious Food’, ‘Oom Pah-Pah’ and ‘Where Is Love?’ St Benedict’s production of Oliver! delivered a dazzling and passionate performance taking the audience through a range of emotions.

Mr Mark Randall, Director of the Production and Head of Drama at St Benedict’s writes:

“Historically, the cast and lead roles for the School Musical Production have just involved Upper School and Sixth Form. This year, I decided to set the challenge of producing a show with students from F3 to U6. We had a cast of 45 students,

16 of which were from Form 3. Thomas L (F3), who played Oliver, performed brilliantly and has grown in confidence enormously since the start of the process. All students have worked tremendously hard, in particular, the older students, who were extremely supportive, encouraging and patient with the younger students.

I am so proud of everyone involved with the show, not just the cast, but also those supporting backstage with make-up, lighting, sound not to mention the wonderful music from the band.

All students were amazing, but I must give a shout out to some outstanding performances from some of our U6 students, where this will be their last show at St Benedict’s – Angus M as Fagin, Kate K as Nancy, Stefan K as Bill Sikes, Mak S as Mr Bumble, Charlie A as Mr Brownlow, Inigo B as Mr Sowerberry and Ella O’C as Mrs Sowerberry and many more fantastic performances.”

We asked some of the cast members to tell us about their experience from performing in the show:

“In my role as Mr Brownlow in Oliver, I had the rewarding experience of witnessing the production come

together seamlessly after many, many rehearsals. One of the most enjoyable aspects was watching the cast’s camaraderie strengthening as we all became closer friends. It was a gratifying experience to see the efforts of everyone involved come together to create memorable and joyous performance.”

Charlie A (U6)

“During my time in Oliver, I took on the role of Fagin, a character known for his wit and charm. My experience was enriched by the opportunity to meet new people and forge lasting friendships within the cast and crew. As Fagin, I revelled in the joy of performing fantastic songs that captivated audiences and brought the story to life. However, the journey was not without its challenges. Overcoming numerous rehearsals and the demands of performing to a high standard for four consecutive nights required dedication, perseverance and a commitment to excellence from every single person involved. Despite these challenges, there is not one thing I would change as it was a truly magical experience.”

Angus M (U6)

ST BENEDICT’S SCIENCE FAIR

Our L4 students had been hard at work refining their projects during their Chemistry, Biology and Physics lessons this term, ready to present to over 200 visitors, including children from local primary schools and our own Junior School pupils from Form 1.

The Science Fair was buzzing with excitement and curiosity as our labs came alive with mind-blowing experiments and interactive displays as our students showcased their innovative projects.

From discovering how many lemons it takes to power an LED to what causes brain freeze and everything in between, the displays sparked curiosity and truly ignited a passion for science. Congratulations to all the winners.

“This year’s Science Fair was a great success, the effort that all of the L4 students put in was amazing. It was a pleasure to watch them plan, conduct and report their projects. Congratulations to Charlotte, Isabelle and Abi for being awarded 1st place for their “What makes ice melt faster” project. The girls showed good knowledge and understanding of water molecules and hydrogen bonding. Their project was well- planned and they followed the scientific method to produce a range of valid results.”

Ms Patriche Bartholomew Teacher of Chemistry

WINNERS

First Place [A]: What makes ice melt faster? – Charlotte A, Abi B and Isabelle N

Runners Up [B]: What type of apples produce the most apple juice? – Archie R, Archie M and Jeremy R

Third Place [C]: How weight affects the speed of a hovercraft – Owen W, Arjun R and Rohan P

Highly Commended:

How powerful is the placebo effect in sports performance? – Tom H, Hugh W and Feras A

What the cream??? –Ava P and Mia S

Move to the beat – Edward O and Jake M

This year’s Dance Show theme of “Bennies Goes to Hollywood” saw 165 dancers from Pre-Prep to Upper Sixth Form perform an array of dazzling routines focused around iconic movies spanning the last seven decades. From Rocky and Back to the Future to Pulp Fiction and The Barbie Movie, the students’ energy and passion really shone through, taking the audience on a nostalgic journey through their wonderful performances.

“We were all immensely proud of all 165 children who took part in the show this week. They showed energy, passion and were full of smiles on stage, having a huge amount of fun, which was so lovely to see.”

Ms Ruth Kestenbaum, Head of Dance

DANCE SHOW 2024 BENNIES GOES TO

Much awaited by all, Science Week 2024 proved to be as thrilling and explosive as anticipated! Workshops were held all week, with every child encountering some new aspect of the scientific world.

Activities commenced with ‘Toxic Tim’, from Fizz Pop Science, who brought tactile chemistry to life. His Rainbow Bubbles workshop enchanted the EYFS and KS1 children with touchable bubbles and effervescent reactions. Lower Preps and Form 2 explored the fascinating world of chemicals by testing the pH (acidity) of household products and observed a myriad of chemical reactions. Needless to say, they were all eagerly anticipating the creation of their own sublime slime – oh joy!

Upper Prep and Form 1 had great fun creating strong structures from rods of newspaper with our old friend, Mr Jeremy King from Engineering in Schools. Upper Preps constructed spectacular STIXX boats. Form 1 pupils showed off their knowledge and the application of 3D shapes in the construction of ingenious free-standing shelters. The end results, for both workshops, were the best designs to date, so creative! I am confident we have a number of budding engineers in the making.

It was great to see the Early Years and KS1 children carrying out investigations during their lessons.

These ranged from exploring the wonders of Oobleck to the explosive Coke and Mentos geysers.

Over the course of four days, thirty-nine teams fiercely competed to build either a gravity defying tallest tower or a uniquely designed structure out of raw spaghetti and marshmallows in just 25 minutes. The atmosphere was intense! I was impressed with the sheer determination and collaboration.

If that wasn’t enough, other fun competitions were run alongside the practical workshops such as solving the riddle of the day and, my personal favourite, deciphering the emoji quiz.

The week finished with a BANG, (literally), in an exciting final assembly led by Miss Bartholomew who was joined by students, old and new, from the Senior School. Their demonstrations had the whole school enthralled.

Huge thanks to all those who made the week such a success: our workshop visitors, my Science Ambassadors, all the pupil helpers, staff and parents who supplied us with newspapers. Most of all it has been extremely pleasing to hear how much the week had been enjoyed by pupils and adults alike.

Ms Selina Whiteman, Junior School Head of Science

What the pupils thought of Science Week...

“The shelters workshop was amazing. It made me think about a future career as an engineer.”

Tom (F1P)

“I loved trying to solve the riddles because it was really fun and made me think. I also enjoyed building the shelters too.”

Pendle (F1P)

“My absolute favourite was the shelters workshop because it was very creative and we worked in a group.”

Olivia M (F1P)

“Thank you for this fun Science Week. I really enjoyed the spaghetti and marshmallow challenge, Toxic Tim, the riddles and more!”

Helena (LPM)

“Science Week has been awesome!”

Maia (UPP)

“I loved the Science Week assembly.” Rehmat (UPP)

“I loved everything. Science Week is the best!”

Varvara (F2P)

“Just one word, ‘amazing!’. We made slime and looked at chemical reactions, like the exploding balloon. Truly an experience to remember.”

Mikey (F2M)

“The workshop was amazing. Some of the best science I have ever seen!”

Grace (F2M)

“The riddles were fun. I loved the spaghetti towers and the workshop was really fun too!”

Sabrina (F2P)

Budding Chefs Cook with The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

Form 2 pupils were delighted to welcome Chef Ashley Marsh from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts for a series of sessions to inspire their taste buds and take them on a culinary journey of healthy eating and the joys of cooking.

In Form 2, we have been learning how to cook with Chef Ashley. During our first week we tasted all the different tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami) and the chef asked us to identify the 5 senses (touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing). He told us to name the 5 food types (dairy, fats, carbohydrates, fruit & vegetables and protein). We left this session with our minds working and thinking about cooking.

In the second session, we made a salad with chicory, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes and onions. We also learnt how to use a knife properly – the bridge and the claw. For the bigger pieces you should use the bridge and for the smaller foods you should use the claw. We added all the foods and vegetables and made a delicious salad.

On the last Friday, Chef Ashley taught us to make a tomato-ish soup with a puree of pesto on top! We really enjoyed this as our last lesson. As well as all the chopping, we also got to stir the soup in the pot above the hob. Despite the fact that some of us don’t even like soup, it was a very fun experience and it actually was delicious! We would love to do it again!

Cooking with Ashley was amazing and it was brilliant to work with a real chef. Not surprisingly, he was a very good cook!

George K, Lucas N, Sophia N and Viren M – Form 2

COSY DAY

As part of the Student Council initiative, Junior School pupils were invited to come to school dressed in their cosiest clothes and spend the day taking part in a range of ‘cosy’ activities.

From watching a movie and reading a book to drinking hot chocolate, eating doughnuts and playing board games, it was the perfect way to spend a chilly January winter’s day!

ST BENEDICT’S LECTURE SERIES

Teaching Consent

Monica Bhogal, Director, The Schools Consent Project

On Wednesday, 24 January, we were joined by Monica Bhogal, Director of the charity, The Schools Consent Project (SCP), who spoke to some of our parents about how they can best support their children by starting discussions about consent and how to make safe choices.

St Benedict’s has been proudly working with the Schools Consent Project for several years; a charity which sends volunteer lawyers into schools to teach students the legal definition of consent and normalise conversations about consent to educate and safeguard young people.

Working closely with the SCP, St Benedict’s is able to create a unique curriculum which offers individually tailored age-appropriate workshops for students in different year groups.

Speaking about the benefits of these workshops, Luke Ramsden, Senior Deputy Head and Director of Safeguarding states:

“The discussion of real-life examples, led by someone who is not their teacher and who is also an expert on the legalities of these scenarios, helps students to be more open and honest in their responses, and to ensure that all have a chance to fully participate.”

Consent is a topic that appears in the life of every pupil and young person in today’s society. As it can be such a sensitive subject, the legalities are often difficult to understand and engaging in non-consensual behaviour has real consequences.

During her talk to parents, Ms Bhogal, noted that according to recent data, reporting of sexual abuse and harassment is rare, but when it is reported, only 91% of rapes never get charged and, of those, only 2% of all recorded rapes result in a conviction.

Ms Bhogal also expressed the importance of how, as parents, we can ensure our children have accurate and comprehensive knowledge to enable them to enjoy respectful, fulfilling relationships by making the next generation confident of their legal rights and are able to communicate their boundaries, as well as be respectful of those boundaries in others.

“I was delighted to speak to St Benedict’s parents about why consent conversations are so important and how they can be a preventative measure to help drive down sexual offending rates. By sharing examples of the tools and messages we use in our workshops with young people, hopefully, I have enabled parents to support and reinforce these discussions at home.”

Through their dedicated workshops, the Schools Consent Project takes the legal definition of consent into schools to make it accessible and real for secondary school pupils by encouraging them to lead these conversations and empowering them with an understanding of their rights and responsibilities to support a wider cultural change.

Black British History in the Industrial Revolution

Professor David Olusoga OBE

We were honoured to welcome Professor David Olusoga OBE, to St Benedict’s to deliver a lecture on Black British History and some of the forgotten voices that have shaped our country.

Professor Olusoga, known for his expertise in uncovering hidden stories from the past, captivated the audience with his engaging and thought-provoking talk. He reflected on his childhood spent learning about history and how many key moments of our past offered a diluted version of these events.

As Edmund, one of our Sixth Form students who attended the talk, recounted:

“David Olusoga’s talk was fascinating and revealed historical narratives I had never before encountered. For me, the most interesting part of the talk was his exposé of the whitewashing of WW2 history. He explained how despite all the pictures and videos of the Free French Army showing them all to be white, it was in fact made up of 60% colonial soldiers. This seemingly disguised historical fact completely shocked me, and I left the talk with a reformed perspective.”

Professor Olusoga’s powerful and enlightening talk presented the importance of portraying Britain’s history correctly and truthfully, even if it meant learning about the uncomfortable past and he encouraged us to always challenge the perception of shared narratives.

Head of History at St Benedict’s, Simon Barnard commented: “It was an absolute pleasure to welcome David Olusoga for our annual History lecture. The light

David shone on some criminally underrepresented aspects of our island’s history inspired us all, staff, students and parents alike. We, in the History department have been, and will continue, to ensure our curriculum is reflective of the history of all the people who have called Britain home over the centuries.”

Speaking of the evening, Headmaster Joe Smith concluded: “What a fascinating and thoughtprovoking talk! I learned so much about “hidden histories”, from the Bristol bus boycott through the manipulation of the footage of the liberation of Paris in 1944, to the fate of statues of German military leaders after World War Two. Thank you, David, for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and insights in a superb talk.“

We are certain Professor Olusoga’s lecture not only broadened our students’ horizons but also ignited a spark of curiosity that we hope will continue to inspire them on their educational journeys and continue to challenge perceptions of Black British History.

SPORT ST BENEDICT’S

HOCKEY

This has been an extremely exciting term for our Hockey teams, not least for our 1st XI who were crowned London County winners, London Regional winners and gained 5th place in the country at the National England Hockey Finals in February! We are extremely proud of their outstanding achievement.

They ended their successful season by winning their final ever team match away to Latymer Upper on 16 March.

Congratulations to Carmela R (L5), a member of the Middlesex and England Academy netball pathway who has recently been selected for London Hockey – U14’s North Girls Squad.

U12As and U14/15As were also winners of the London County qualifying for the regionals this Lent term with the U14/ U15As having a play-off for London regional champions.

Our U13As achieved an impressive 2nd place at London County qualifying for the regionals where they reached 4th place.

TENNIS

Our F3 and L4 boys’ team faced tough competition playing against schools across Middlesex to clinch the prestigious title of U13 Middlesex League Tennis champions in January.

The team demonstrated great sportsmanship and skill throughout the competition, winning all their games in the group stage and coming first.

The team faced Latymer Upper in the semi-finals and after playing all singles and doubles matches it was a tie 6-6 rubbers culminating in a tie break shootout winning 7-6.

Playing JFS in the finals, the team’s composure and spirit remained throughout the competition, where they were victorious, winning 10-2 in rubbers.

Congratulations to Phoenix W, George W, Tom H, Nicolas G-V and Alex B.

RUGBY

Whilst the Michaelmas term concluded with a series of cancelled fixtures due to frozen pitches, thanks to the ongoing partnership with Grasshoppers RFC, the 1st XV did manage to play an exciting fixture before Christmas resulting in a really positive 24-19 win over Magdalen College which concluded an unbeaten half term series and winning 7 out of their 8 games.

The Lent term has continued for the rugby development programme with some ongoing tough fixtures as well as the diversification into Rugby Sevens. Notable results have seen the U14Cs win 10-5 over a very strong RGS High Wycombe team, the U15Bs drawing 12-12 with Hampton School.

In the shift into Rugby Sevens, each age group has a number of competitions to look forward to including the Middlesex Sevens for each age group, as well as Rosslyn Park National School Sevens for the U11s, U13s, U14s, U16s & 1st VII during the last week of term.

Congratulations to Daniel L (U5) and Freddie R (U5) who represented the RFU London and South Central England (formerly London Irish) Academy Under 16 on Saturday 9 March. Both boys played in fixtures against Bristol Bears Academy Under 16.

Middlesex Schools U18s Sevens Tournament

In the build-up to the Rosslyn Park National School Sevens, Wednesday 28 February saw St Benedict’s host the Invitational Middlesex U18s Sevens Competition at our sports fields in Perivale. This historic competition has been running for over 50 years with St Benedict’s hosting the event for the last 10 years.

16 teams made the journey to Perivale to take part in the tournament. The competition itself included four groups of 4 teams with each team progressing through to the Cup, the Plate, the Shield or the Bowl based on their standings after the group stages. Of particular note, was the strength of both Hampton and Wellington College who progressed through to the Cup Final with Hampton ultimately winning the final 31-5.

“It was a great day for a tournament with some fantastic skills on show. The care and commitment that all the players showed was so impressive. I’d also like to thank our grounds staff and catering team for all their support, as well as the London Society of Rugby Football Referees for their help in ensuring the tournament ran smoothly.”

James Coles, Tournament Director and St Benedict’s Director of Rugby

CRICKET

Ealing Trailfinders Cricket Club Partnership

We are extremely proud to announce that we have entered into a partnership with Ealing Trailfinders Cricket Club for the use of their state-of-art cricket facilities for our winter cricket programme. We will also have use of a cricket pitch at Ealing Trailfinders Cricket Club on a Saturday morning which will increase our home capacity when hosting fixtures. This partnership will allow us to grow cricket within the school by offering a cricket programme that will run all year round.

Brentham Cricket Club Partnership

We have confirmed and renewed our partnership with Brentham Cricket Club for the use of their fantastic cricket facilities for games afternoons during the Summer term. This will allow us to host more internal cricket matches, as well as give us the opportunity to improve the quality of our games offering.

Softball Girls Cricket Lady Taverners Tournaments

Our U12, U13 and U15 Girls Cricket Team participated in the Lady Taverners Softball Cricket Tournament at Lords Cricket Ground on 6, 27 and 20 February respectively.

Their day included playing in the MCC Indoor Cricket Centre located at the worlds most renowned cricket stadium, Lord’s Cricket Ground. The girls also had the luxury of taking a Stadium tour, including a visit to the Long Room and Dressing Rooms.

Huge congratulations to the U13A team who recorded their first ever girls cricket win against Lady Margaret’s.

NETBALL

They finished 4th out of 9 teams and narrowly lost out on a bronze medal in a match against Latymer Upper School.

First XI Cricket Pre-Season Trip to La Manga

Members of our First XI visited La Manga Sports Club for a First XI Pre-Season Cricket Camp in February half term. The pre-season camp consisted of 1 net session, 2 fielding sessions and 3 intense inter squad matches. The boys were treated to some outstanding cricket and leisure facilities.

We were delighted to see the continued development of Netball at St Benedict’s across the Junior and Senior school. Throughout this season we have seen an improved performance among the A–D teams from U9s to 1st VII achieving outstanding results against St Augustine’s, Kingston Grammar, Grey Court, Kew House and Notting Hill & Ealing.

Our U15s Netballers recently umpired at the Ealing borough Bee Netball finals, this was a great opportunity for the girls to give back to the community and support the development of the young talent in our borough. Well done to Mart, Lily, Ava and Freyja.

The 1st VII took part in the Middlesex finals in February after qualifying

back in October 2023, this is the first time since March 2019 that a 1st Team has qualified for Middlesex finals. The girls played extremely well with some outstanding individual performances from Ayodenu D (U6) in defence and Ivy M (U5) in attack. The team finished 6th overall in the county.

The 1st VII also competed in the Lord Wandsworth Tournament where the girls performed exceptionally, only losing to the eventual Cup winners and finishing as runners-up. Well done to 1st VII Captain Francesca N (U6) who was awarded Player of the Tournament and was particularly impressive and instrumental in the 1st VII’s strong overall performances throughout the day.

Good Luck to the U12As & U13As who are preparing for the Middlesex Finals in the coming weeks.

U13A team

First XI

1st VII at Middlesex County school finals

FENCING

Fencing has had another very successful season with our 31 teams winning more than half of the 190 or so matches they have fenced. These have been against a variety more than 20 schools and clubs. Every fencer from F1 to U6 has had the opportunity to represent the school at fixtures this term.

During the half term break, St Benedict’s organised a large national level Leon Paul Junior Series competition across eight categories in foil. We look forward to building on this with épée and sabre competitions in the Trinity half term. St Benedict’s also co-hosted two days of the London Youth Championships (the qualifiers to the national championships) in our sports hall. 41 fencers took part in these regional championships, with an incredible 18 fencers placing high enough to qualify to the national championships later in May. Six of these fencers won regional medals in the process with our senior sabre captain Oubai C being crowned the London U18 boys sabre champion.

The London Quadrangular event this year was incredibly competitive, having won last year our fencers

CROSS COUNTRY

were keen to keep the trophy at St Benedict’s for another year. Our senior teams fought off opposition from St Paul’s and Latymer Upper with victories between school almost level at the end of the afternoon. However, St Benedict’s managed to win by the narrowest margins through our senior Epee captain Matthew C. Matthew successfully scored a point in a 15 second sudden death window to secure the victory under incredible pressure.

We are very excited to have international fencing make a return to St Benedict’s. Whilst Dimitri Coutya (OP 2015) Alberto Mascioli (OP 2021) who both started fencing at St Benedict’s continue to successfully represent Team GB abroad this term, two of our current fencers have been selected to represent England at the Challenge Wratislavia in Wroclaw, Poland at the end of term. Huge congratulations to Dan R (F3) and Oscar C-R (L5) for this incredible opportunity.

54 St Benedict’s fencers took part in the Public School Fencing Championships this year across 12 categories. Standout performances

Twelve pupils from St Benedict’s were chosen to represent Ealing in the Middlesex Schools Cross-Country in February where they all performed exceptionally well.

Huge congratulations to Kara L, Jay W, Susannah O’S and Huw B who all qualified for the South East England Schools Cross-Country on 9 March.

included Ranveer S placing 6th out of 122 fencers in the Junior Epee event, and Zachary B 7th in the Junior Sabre event. St Benedict’s also scooped up the Christie Trophy for a second year in a row. The Christie Trophy is awarded to the school with the best Boys Foil performance in years 7–11 in the UK.

At the South East England Schools Cross-Country run, Kara L finished an astonishing 8th place overall in the Senior Girls rankings and 4th in the Inter Girls – a wonderful achievement!

London Quadrangular winning team

Dan R

Ranveer S

JUNIOR SCHOOL SPORT

NETBALL

As Lent Term started, Girls from Pre-Prep 3 to Form 2 switched sport from hockey to netball.

Upper Prep have made an excellent start to competitive netball against other schools, where they have been playing 4 aside BEE netball across 1/3 of a netball court. The pupils have really enjoyed the excitement of fixtures and have put in strong performances during round robin events against Little Ealing School, Ibstock Place and Orley Farm School.

Form 1 have progressed to 5 a side netball over the full court and are playing in a format that dictates that all pupils rotate around and get equal playing time. This provides pupils with the opportunity to experience all positions before deciding which are best suited to their skill set. They have enjoyed excellent fixtures against Claire’s Court, Mill Hill and St Augustine’s.

Form 2 have also enjoyed the same netball format as Form 1, and have had a busy fixture list this year, with all players being selected for at least 4 matches to date. For the first time ever, we attended the IAPS netball tournament at Cranleigh School where, after a long and exciting morning the girls played some fantastic netball against impressive sides where we qualified for the plate competition.

In the afternoon, the highlight was securing a narrow victory over a strong St Teresa’s Effingham side in the knockout stage, to take us through to the plate semi-final.

Despite continued good performances, the girls ended up placing fourth in the plate, but will no doubt have taken a huge amount of pride, as well as some lessons learned from their day out.

Junior School BEE Netball Festival

On Wednesday 13 March, St Benedict’s hosted our annual Form 1 BEE Netball Festival. We were delighted to welcome 28 Teams from 18 local primary schools in a friendly round robin style tournament across four different ability groups.

Teams were allocated Sixth Form pupils, to help running the warm-ups as well as umpiring all fixtures on the day.

All players were rotated and got the opportunity to play in all positions throughout the sunny afternoon. There was a superb range of playing abilities, from complete novices to club level players, all enjoying playing in the friendly tournament.

Each team was awarded a player of the tournament, with St Benedict’s players Millie, Eden-Rose and Olivia receiving the awards.

A huge thank you to Miss Maynard for organising such a brilliant event, our amazing Sixth Form helpers and to all the schools who took part who helped make the afternoon such a great success and hopefully played a part in inspiring the next generation.

“A huge thank you for inviting us to the Netball Festival. It was really well- organised and our children loved it. I can imagine how much work went into it, so just wanted to thank you for the huge effort. We will have to set up a netball club at school so we can learn the rules properly before next year.” Local Primary School

RUGBY

The Upper Prep boys have had their first taste of competitive Rugby, with a fixture away to Harrodian School, where the boys had a great experience and represented the school well on their first outing.

They were also able to participate in the prestigious Caldicott Sevens festival, with notable standouts; Leo R, Floyd L, Mikey H and Luca B.

Form 1 boys have also had a taste of Rugby Sevens this term at Hampton Prep. Notable performers for the year group were Leo J, Mark and David P and Lawrence O.

At the beginning of March, our Form 2 U11A Sevens team took part in the 50th Annual Donhead Sevens Festival. They had a great day at a challenging tournament against some stiff competition, resulting in draws with Twickenham Prep and Dulwich and narrow losses to Donhead, Chinthurst and Cranmore. We were able to beat Rokeby with a last play of the game interception from Freddie C. Well done to whole team, with particular mentions to players of the day, George K and Oliver H.

There is great excitement from the team with the opportunity to represent the school,later in March, at the Rosslyn Park National School Sevens – the largest competition in the world, with over 1,000 players attending over the course of a week.

We look forward to hearing how the team performs.

CCF

Recruits and NCOs set up harbours, conducted night patrols and carried out blank-firing patrols on Exercise Recruit Thunder III which took place during half term on 10–11 February and the Exercise Winter’s Bite on 11–13 February.

“My son came back from his CCF camp absolutely exhausted but so happy. He had the most amazing time. He does suffer from a lack of confidence, but he looked and felt about ten feet taller on his return and is talking about wanting to be an NCO in the future! I am extremely pleased he has chosen to take part in the CCF and wanted to thank you for the wonderful opportunity. I know this is your spare time that you are giving up for these children but, for us, it is very much appreciated.” Parent of CCF recruit

“I have great memories of the camp and the instructors and staff were all kind and extremely helpful.”

Stanley W (U4)

“I think that the best part of this exercise was the constant feeling of joy when we did anything. I thought that although it was cold and the ground was completely wet, I didn’t mind because I felt like I was having the time of my life.“

Lucian D (L5)

DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS NEWS

Dear Parents,

I want to express my gratitude to our community for the unwavering support during our Giving Week in March. Your generosity has truly made a considerable impact on our Bursary Fund and various School projects, benefiting both the Junior and Senior School.

I am delighted to share that thanks to your contributions, we are making significant progress, and we will provide a detailed update early next term on the smaller school projects scheduled for implementation in the Trinity term.

I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to our students who played a pivotal role in this year’s campaign, Making Spaces-Changing Futures. Their dedication, whether through volunteering their time for photographs and filming or actively participating in fundraising activities, has been instrumental in the success of Giving Week 2024.

Finally, I would like to take this moment to wish all our families a peaceful Easter break.

Best wishes,

Tara George Development & Alumni Engagement Director

OPA Annual Rugby Festival

The culmination of Giving Week was celebrated at our Alumni Rugby Festival under the floodlights at Perivale. Our Alumni Club – OPRFC, competed against an Ealing Trailfinders Invitational Side, with our Old Priorians emerging victorious and securing the Ray Codd (OP 1966) Memorial Cup for the second consecutive year.

St Benedict’s Connect

I would like to extend a warm invitation to all Sixth Form students to join our Alumni Platform –“St Benedict’s Connect.” This platform offers a comprehensive career mentorship program along with various features such as university and interest groups, sports fixtures, and event information. With over 1,500 members already onboard, “St Benedict’s Connect” serves as an invaluable link for life after Sixth Form.

Forthcoming Events...

SPF Quiz Night: Friday, April 26

Annual St Benedict’s Golf Day: Friday, June 14

Annual SPF BBQ: Saturday, June 15

Annual Old Priorian Dinner: Friday, June 21