I want to wish you all a peaceful and holy Easter period.

Little did we know this time last year, as we entered lockdown one, that we would still be facing up to the challenges presented by Covid. It has been a year that has tested us all in one way or another. I know that some families have been affected more by the loss of loved ones and the long term impact of illness. I pray that these families will find peace and we keep their loved ones in our prayers at this time.

The efforts of our pupils, families and staff over the past year have made me proud. Many have had to show strength and resilience to find new ways of working and supporting each other. Many actions that would have seemed very alien to us all a year ago have become the new norm and as a community we have tried to turn potential obstacles into opportunities.

Thank you again for all of your support, by pulling together we can continue to do the best for the children we serve. I believe that our pupils will continue to flourish and become people who reach their full potential and are ready to go into the world and make positive contributions to the common good and social justice. I have been pleased with the attitude with which our boys and girls have returned to school this term. They are a credit to their families and themselves.

During Lent we have been focusing on our journey towards Easter. Pope Francis recently reaffirmed the importance of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. He wrote “Fasting, prayer and almsgiving, as preached by Jesus (cf. Mt 6:1-18), enable and express our conversion. The path of poverty and self-denial (fasting), concern and loving care for the poor (almsgiving), and childlike dialogue with the Father (prayer) make it possible for us to live lives of sincere faith, living hope and effective charity.” For me the message of hope at this time is important. As a community of faith we must continue to focus on the future with hope in our hearts even in very testing times.

I pray that our children will have hope that, rather than being a lost Covid generation, they will aspire to go on and achieve great things. Please remember that we are here to help in any way that we can.

Please get in touch if you need our support.

Happy Easter and God Bless.

Christopher McCormack

Headteacher. 

Students finish school at 12.30pm today for the Easter holidays don’t forget.

They will bring home with them the latest copy of the school magazine too that has the return to school date and other important dates on the back page.

Our Headteacher, Mr McCormack, wrote to all parents and carers this week as our students returned to school and face to face lessons once more.

He wrote to thank them for their cooperation and support and added: “Both pupils and staff have been fantastic and it is lovely to have them back in school looking so well.

“Testing is going really well and has enhanced our already effective Covid measures. Teachers have been so glad to be teaching face to face and the lessons have proved how hard pupils were working during lockdown and what a fabulous job parents have done in supporting the boys and girls.”

He finished off by thanking everyone for all the messages of support that have come in to school this week.

Our Headteacher, Mr McCormack, spoke this week about the end of homeschooling and the staggered and safe return to school from Monday, March 8.

This long-awaited return has taken detailed planning and he wanted to thank staff and parents for their cooperation during the difficult past few months.

Of course, students have been superstars too and their resilience and the the way they have adapted to the changes thrust upon them has been truly humbling.

We always knew our staff, students and parents were wonderful; these past few months has strengthened that belief.

We want to thank them for their continued support.

May God bless them all and keep them safe always.

St Bonaventure, pray for us.

Mr Bartlett and Mr Robinson  loaded up our school minibus with parcels and packages this morning, December 16, with food, essentials and treats to take to Newham Foodbanks and Homeless Projects.

All staff  and 6th Form students have been collecting items for weeks to make up the food parcels as part of their Advent Charitable Giving push.

Highway Vineyard Church received a visit today and staff there were pleased to receive the donations.

We also donated:

Mr McCormack added: “We will always support our local Foodbanks who do so much to help the less fortunate at this time of year.”

The GCSE and A Level Exam Certificates from Summer 2020 are ready to be posted home.

These will begin to arrive in the next few weeks so please can you make contact with school if you have moved and need to change the address of where the certificates will be sent.

Due to the current restrictions on visitors to school, it is not possible this year to collect these in person too.

Thanks for your understanding.

Mrs Ashton.

Unfortunately our U15 B Team National final against Cardinal Heenan School from Liverpool has been cancelled due to the current strict lockdown restrictions in their city.

“Although we are bitterly disappointed not to be able to play in this final, I am incredibly proud of the boys for their hard work and achievements this year.

“These boys have become the first St Bon’s football team to be crowned National Champions.” Said Mr Firth.

Well done to them all.

Mr Firth is incredibly proud of the boys and rightly so they have done amazingly well.

👏 🏆👏🏼⚽️🏆👏🏼⚽️🏆👏🏼⚽️🏆👏🏼⚽️🏆👏🏼

The Under 15 National Final for B teams has been rearranged for next week on Wednesday, October 14, at Lilleshall National Sports Centre near Telford in Shropshire. St Bon’s boys have won all six of their National Cup fixtures so far without conceding a goal. This includes away wins at Monks Walk School (Hertfordshire), Forest School (Waltham Forest) and Van Dyke Upper School (South Bedfordshire).

The boys have been equally formidable at Wanstead Flats, seeing off Simon Langton Secondary School and Bishop Thomas Grant Secondary School on their run to the final.

Having already created St Bon’s history by being the first team to reach a national football final, the boys will be looking to go one step further and bring the trophy back to East London in what would be a fitting tribute to their departing coach Mr Ashman.

I’m sure you’ll join with me in wishing them the very best of luck next week. They wil be in our thoughts.

School has had to close today, Wednesday, October 7, due to a problem with the water outage in the local area that is affecting a large number of schools, homes and businesses.

Staff and students have been told to work from home today and updates will be given via SchoolComms.

Thank you for your understanding.

Over the next few days we plan to feature a series of soundbites recorded for us by some of our alumni on why they love St Bon’s so much  

Today’s alumnus is former Headboy James Appiah who popped in to school yesterday, October 1, to speak to our Headteacher and say farewell before he makes his way to Cambridge University.

it was fantastic, as always, to see  a former student  and James also met up with our Director of 6th Form, Mr Templeman, who commented: “ We are delighted to wish James well before he moves into his accommodation at Cambridge. His mum and dad could not be prouder as he begins his Human Social and Political Sciences degree at Pembroke College.

“James is already signed up to the African Caribbean Society and has formed a good support network of Year 2 and 3 students. We wish him well and hope he can continue to inspire our girls and boys in the future.”

Best of luck at uni James.

CHECK OUT  OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO SEE THE VIDEOS