Parents are reminded that school is closing early this Thursday, October 5, at 12.30pm due to our Open Evening event that night.

Students are not allowed to stay in school  and they must go home. Boys who have been asked to help out should return to school for 5.15pm. The evening should finish at 8.30pm.

A reminder that the following day, Friday October 6, is a late start for everyone with registration at 9.45am instead of the usual 8.45am.

Today our St Bonaventure’s Young Mayor of Newham hopeful, candidate Jamie Halliwell, who’s in Year 12, began his election campaign in earnest.

He spent three days last week at Building 100 and took part in workshops, a photocall and recorded his manifesto on video.

Today he took his campaign on the road as he began visiting classrooms to speak to students about why voting for him makes sense. We hope we can count on your support and vote for your school representative.

He popped into Ms Hillan’s German class this morning and chatted to some Year 7 boys about his promises to help reduce street crimes and gang crime in Newham by updating youth centres, to refurbish and revamp sports facilities as well as building new facilities and to encourage Newham’s music scene to grow.

Look out for the green posters around school. and say ‘hi’ to Jamie if you see him around school and feel free to ask him any burning questions you might have.

Voting takes place in school on October 10.

Vote well, Vote Halliwell.

Andrew Barnardo from Gideons International came in to school on Friday, September 29, to distribute the English standard version of the bible to new Year 7 students at a special Welcome Mass at St Antony’s.

Andrew comes every year to hand out the pocket sized Gideon bibles and each student received one at the end of mass.

Mr Halliwell added: “I would like to thank Andrew for coming every year and doing this for our students. I love it when I see the older students, our 15 and 16 year olds who still walk around school every day with their Gideons in their blazer pockets having collected them from Andrew years before. I know these young students will treasure them too.”

A photocall in the Sports Hall this morning was called for our eight new Sports Captains when badges were distributed and their duties laid out for them.

The Year 11 boys were named as Kasim Aidoo who is Atkinson’s Sports Captain, Anthony Nkpa for Bell, Iuri Barbosa who is Colman’s, Jeffery Njuguna for Forest, Ebube Agu for Gregory, Philip Szcygielski for Heath, Teon Edwards for Wall and Franklyn Agu for Kolbe.

Head of Curriculum for PE, Mr Bartlett, said he had high hopes for the boys and wanted them to become excellent role models for the rest of the school. 

The boys received their badges and promised to support the younger students in their sporting activities throughout the year.

After a morning’s interaction with students and lessons, our German visitors met with Mr Halliwell to bid farewell before leaving for the airport to catch their flight back to Germany.

Miss Hillan said it was a very successful trip with lots of new friendships formed and lots learned.

They had a week packed with interesting events and visited Brighton where they had fish and chips before seeing the Pavilion. A trip to Greenwich Observatory and Greenwich Park was on the agenda as well as a boat trip along the Thames to Westminster Pier where they took in all the famous London sights.

The group were treated to a farewell meal at Pizza Express last night, Wednesday September 27,  and had a great time. Miss Hillan added: “Our students got so much out of the visit and it was fantastic to see them all conversing and learning new things. I’m sure their vocabulary will be all the richer now after this week and it will really help them in their exams.”

Our school has a long history with Kaiserslautern and this exchange has been taking place for many many years. Our students visited the town last September and they were made to feel at home and loved every minute of the visit.

Thanks to Miss Hillan for organising it all and making it such a success.

Here are the official photos from last night’s glittering Jack Petchey Awards Ceremony for Newham Schools at the O2.

Well done to all nine winners and Geography teacher, Mr V.I. who won the Leader’s Award and was there with Ziggy and Mrs Halliwell for picking up a special plaque  for “excellence in operating the scheme”.

It was a lovely evening, attended by our recipients’ families and a proud night for St Bonaventure’s.

Here are some photos capturing the reunion last Thursday, September 14, of our Class of 2017 Presentation Evening which was a wonderful affair with dozens of boys gathering for one last time – The Year 7 new starters of September 2012 and now the 2017 leavers.

Most boys have stayed on to continue their studies in our 6th Form but some came back from other 6th Form providers for the evening and it was lovely to see them all again.

Former Headboy Ashley Singh came back to help present prizes and certificates as our Guest of Honour and we would like to thank him for his time.

This Thursday, September 14, last Year’s Year 11 students – the Class of 2017 – are invited back to school for the annual Presentation Evening which is being held at 5pm in the Sport’s Hall.

It will provide an opportunity for the boys who sat their GCSEs this summer to get together and celebrate their achievments as well as each student being presented with a graduation certificate.

Lots of students have stayed in St Bon’s 6th Form to continue their studies but others who have gone on to other 6th Form establishments will be returning for the evening.

One last Form photo with their Form teachers will be taken.

Parents are invited to come along also and share in the occasion. Two guests per student are allowed. Refreshments will be provided.

The Guest of Honour, Former Headboy,  Ashley Singh, will present prizes and certificates.

Please reply to Ms Norman as soon as possible to confirm your attendance on s.norman@stbons.org.