GCSE and A Level Drama National Theatre Tour

Our GCSE and A Level Drama pupils and students enjoyed a rare opportunity to go backstage at the National Theatre and explore the inner workings of this world-famous venue. They toured all three stages, the Olivier, Lyttelton and Dorfman, while performances were being preset ahead of their evening shows.

The tour included fascinating discussions about the history of the building, the influence of its Artistic Directors and the complex interplay of staging, lighting, acoustics and the many roles that bring a production to life. They visited the costume and set design departments, discovering interesting details about wigs and stage props along the way. It was a truly inspiring experience, offering an insider’s view of one of the most distinctive theatres in Europe.

Make Me A Medic Day

A group of our Year 12 students attended the Make Me a Medic day at Ibstock Place School. The event offered valuable insights into pursuing a career in medicine through a series of interactive workshops. Students took part in sessions on medical ethics, a Q&A with practising doctors and advice on writing personal statements. They also prepared for the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) and practised MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) scenarios, both key parts of the medical school application process. It was an inspiring and practical day, leaving our students better informed and motivated about their future pathways in medicine.

Angel is a Published Author

We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the success of Angel S in Year 9, who has become a published author! Her remarkable journey, living with sickle cell disease, was recently featured in this BBC News article. Angel’s creativity and perseverance have brought her story to a wider audience, inspiring both pupils and staff. ‘My Blood, Your Blood’, co-written with Laura Henry -Allain, raises awareness of sickle cell disease and encourages blood donations within black communities. We could not be prouder of Angel’s dedication, courage and talent. Congratulations, Angel!

Kingston Area Lay Conference

Last Saturday, Saint Cecilia’s hosted the inaugural Kingston Area Lay Conference, led by the Bishop of Kingston and Vicar of St Barnabas Church. Over 200 lay members of churches in the Episcopal area attended workshops themed around sustainability and confident faith in a changing world. The keynote speech was delivered by the Rt Revd. and the Rt Hon. the Lord Williams of Oystermouth (Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury) who encouraged and reminded lay members to be confident in God, His promises and faithfulness. 

Operation Wallacea 2025

“Over the summer, for Operation Wallacea 2025, we went to South Africa for two weeks. For the first week, we stayed at Somkhanda Game Reserve to help Operation Wallacea (Opwall) with surveys they were overseeing. This included conducting a vegetation survey on the grass and trees in a section of the game reserve, doing a bird point count and completing game transects in a trail in the reserve. Whilst out in the reserve, we were delighted to see elephants, giraffes, rhinos and buffalos. In the second week, we went to Sodwana Bay for a diving course. We all did a skills check in a pool on the first day, then went to the beach to dive or snorkel. Whilst diving, we saw dolphins, sharks, turtles and some stingrays. Throughout the trip, we were given lectures on all of the wildlife and importance of what we were helping with; to contribute to real conservation research.”
Jack F
Year 13 and Operation Wallacea 2025 Participant

Former MFL Students

We were delighted to welcome back former students Destinie and Adrien, who are now studying Spanish and History at university. They gave an inspiring talk to our pupils and students from Years 9-13 about the importance of learning a language. They spoke with passion about their years abroad, the friendships they built, the opportunities for travel and how studying a language helped them stand out when applying for internships. They also reflected on the personal growth and confidence they gained through their experiences.

Author Visit Inspires Budding Writers

Last week, we welcomed enthusiastic Year 5 pupils from Sheringdale Primary, Southmead Primary and St Michael’s Church of England School for a special visit from best-selling author Vicky Holmes aka Erin Hunter. Vicky spoke about her books, explained why she writes under different names and answered some fabulous questions. Everyone received a signed bookmark to take home. In the afternoon, selected Year 7 pupils took part in creative writing challenges and received expert feedback from Vicky, who also talked about her career.

Competition Winner

Last term, The Sutherland Grove Conservation Area Residents’ Association (SGCARA), challenged our pupils and students to design a new logo to give the association a fresh new look. We featured the top entries and we can now announce that the winner is Sanika K in Year 11. This was her final entry. Well done Sanika!