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The News 12 September 2025

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The News 12 September 2025

College

St Bede's

St DO's

St Aidan's

St CT's

Junior House

St John's

St Hugh's

St Margaret's

Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents, I have just returned from a walk around the College looking in on various activities which were going on - of which there were many and varied options to choose from. I managed to scratch the surface at the following: Y9 pupils having their first taste of the CCF, either the army or RAF section; pupils playing RISK and Chess as part of the early days of the Warhammer society; Green Room making plans for the staging and lighting of our school musical (please do look out for updates on our focus of all things theatrical as the weeks go by); sewing, textiles and art activities in the Sunley Centre; one of our service activities 'Design for Good' creating products the pupils can design and sell for charity as the year goes on; baking club where boys and girls were making banana bread (despite dropping many a hint I am still awaiting to taste the fruits of their labour); service around campus through litter picking and gardening activities. The last one listed helps us make the campus look suitably presentable ahead of our first Open Morning of the year tomorrow. We are looking forward to welcoming over thirty families to our Open Morning tomorrow; this comes on the back of a very successful recruitment event in Lincolnshire last night with lots of families interested in the unique education we offer. Special thanks to those current parents who came to support and to Sarah and Rupert Greig for hosting and organising. This weekend we look forward to fixtures on Saturday in Hockey and Rugby against Pocklington School as well as a Cross-Country Orienteering event in Teesside. On Sunday our annual inter-House Raft Race takes place at the lakes. This is always a highlight of the year and a brilliant House-bonding opportunity. Just a reminder to any parent visiting over the weekend that we serve coffee and tea in Main Hall after Mass on Sunday morning, all are welcome. You are also most welcome to come and hear our brilliant choir perform at Schola Mass every Friday at 7pm. Do look out for the September edition of the Catholic Herald, where you will be able to read an interview with me by William Cash. Best wishes, Jon

Tug of War 2025

The annual Inter-House Tug of War brought plenty of house spirit to the Valley on Sunday. After some closely fought rounds, the finals saw St Aidan’s take on St Bede’s, while St Hugh’s faced St Dunstan’s & St Oswald’s. Congratulations to St Aidan’s and St Hugh’s who were victorious in the competition.

Cambridge Chemistry Awards

We congratulate Noelle (13B), Hattie (13A), Jonty (13DO), and Gabrielle (13A) on their success in the Cambridge University Chemistry Challenge. Designed to take students well beyond the A-Level syllabus, the challenge encourages participants to think like university scientists. We are very proud of these four exceptional chemists for achieving such impressive results.

Message from Mrs Dent

It's been a whirlwind of a first 10 days of term and wonderful to have the house full once more. I love this image from the Tug-of-War last Sunday. It would be hard to pick out new girls from old - an illustration of the swift settling and integration of our 21 new house member into the fold - Benedictine Hospitality at its best. Getting up to speed at the start of a new academic year is always exciting, but also exhausting - the girls will certainly be ready for a breather at Exeat. That said, they have hit the ground running and there's promise of a fantastic year ahead. We look forward to sharing highlights with you in future newsletter pages. Ceri Dent, Housemistress St Aidan's House

Tug-of-War winners

Chemistry Awards

Huge congratulations go to Hattie and Gabrielle for receiving the Gold and Silver award in this year's Cambridge University Chemistry Challenge competition. It is wonderful to have their quiet efforts celebrated as role models of true Benedictine Scholarship.

Message from Mrs Dent

Service to the community is at the heart of our collective college life. No better is this demonstrated that at Sunday Mass. We are proud that no fewer that 14 Aidan's girls sing in the Schola, a huge weekly commitment and a much cherished aspect of our collective worship. Clover serves as a Candle Bearer this year and at the first Sunday Mass of the term, Martha and Maggie were commissioned as readers. Maggie did an excellent job delivering the first reading.

We love to hear of the girls' achievements outside of term time. This Summer, Stephanie (Y13) took part in the British Youth Musical Theatre production of 'Sense and Sensibility', performed at the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter. Stephanie says: "It was an amazing and exhilharating experience. It was intense, but very enjpyable working with many talented people and directors. I played one of the middle leading roles, Mrs Palmer, who has 'an eager desire to be happy and see everyone well'. Although tiring, this experience was amazing and I'd love to do it again". Stephanie is a dedicated member of the college Schola and also sings in the Chamber Choir. Her love of singing and performing it carried through all aspects of her life here and Stephanie can often be found singing with others in the house.

Showcasing talents

We love to hear of the girls' achievements outside of term time. This Summer, Stephanie (Y13) took part in the British Youth Musical Theatre production

Getting to know each other

It was lovely to host the the Year 9 girls on Sunday evening for hot chocolate around the fire-pit. We know how important new friendships are to settling, so opportunities to get to know each other as a wider year group are invaluable and help to develop connections made in classrooms,activities and the games pitch. We look forward to piling round to St Bede's this Sunday for part two.

A reminder that if you'd like to keep up with the goings on of the House and girls, then do find us on social media. Please do also feel free to drop me line with news or pictures of interesting or note-worthy things the girls have been up to in the holidays. It's always nice to share their experience more widely on these pages to celebrate the many gifts and achievements of the girls.

Dear Parents,

We have had another full and fantastic second week here in St Bede’s, and I can really see the girls settling into their routine. With some great study sessions and the support of our excellent tutors, we’ve had some wonderful feedback. The girls have really shone in sports this week—special congratulations to Sophie Lund for being player of the match in hockey! We also celebrated a birthday, congratulations to Dina. Last Sunday the girls made it to the final of the tug-of-war, which was just bursting with house spirit. Honestly, we are so proud to be a St. Bede’s girl. Looking ahead, we’ve got another fun-filled weekend. We’re all excited for the raft race—it’ll be my first one, so I’m looking forward to experiencing that with our new boarders. On Saturday evening, the St Bede’s are hosting the Year 9 social with a disco and hot dogs, and on Sunday evening, we’re bringing together all the girls from different houses for a fun games’ night. Plus, inside St Bede’s, we’re setting up a games room so the girls can socialize and relax together across the house. So yes, lots happening in St Bede’s and plenty to look forward to! Mrs Du Randt St Bede's Housemistress

Year 9s socialising in the house study

Tug of War 2025 Finalists!

Welcome!

As is always the way, a new term and year starts with a bang. The boys seem excited and happy t be back in the valley. New starters have been welcomed with the usual happy, hospitable manner which has become a part of everyday life in House. Boys have thrown themselves into the new year, with many being given roles of responsibility in school, the Abbey Church and House. I have been particularly impressed with the number of activities being signed up to. I hope we can all continue to encourage the boys to keep them up this year, they will gain so much from all of the activities. The start of year mass is always a wonderful opportunity to settle the house and set the tone for the year. The boys really embraced this and it was wonderful to see so many involved in the service. Tug of War may not have gone the way we hoped, but the spirit and enjoyment was clear for all to see. We hope for more success on the lakes over the weekend with the annual Raft Race. I look forward to seeing many of you over the coming weeks and, believe it or not, must remind you to please complete the travel form for the upcoming Exeat weekend!

Y12 Activities Week - Last term!

Y12 Activities Week - Last term!

Y12 Activities Week - Last term!

Summer Joiners - Chicks!

Rugby Preseason

New Pupils Settling in...

The Feast of St. Cuthbert - Ice cream celebration

The Feast of St. Cuthbert - Ice cream celebration

The Feast of St. Cuthbert - Ice cream celebration

Whole School Welcome Mass

Whole School Welcome Mass

Year 12 - First Social

Sunny Sunday = BBQ!

School Assembly - Kofi read brilliantly

Tug of War

Tug of War

Pupdate

Message from the Housemaster

We have had a busy week, with 48 boys continue to settle into the Ampleforth routine. There were lots of highlights and the week flew by like a flash.

Mens sana in corpore sano

In the previous week on the first morning of term, the boys ran the traditional morning run at 7am. Excellent team spirit was on display throughout.

Mens sana in corpore sano

Mens sana in corpore sano

Week 1

Our juniors enjoying themselves. And who can blame them?

Week 1

First breakfast of the new school year.

Week 1

Our new Deputy Head Pastoral Mr Glendon-Doyle with some of our Year 12s.

Week 1

Assistant Housemaster Mr Butler leading the induction for our juniors.

Week 1

As does Mr Harrison with his year 13 tutor group.

Week 1

Our Year 9s keeping their dorm area tidy. Long may it last.

Week 1

La pareja espagnola: Pablo y Juanito

Week 1

Eddie photobombing.

Week 1

Reading during house silentium

Saturday Social

On Saturday night, we had the year 10s over in DO's for their social. As per usual, we put up the disco including out trusted smoke machine. However ...

Saturday Social

...since the weather was so nice, everybody socialised outside in our gardens. And who can blame them...

Saturday Social

After the social, Alvaro experimented with the smoke machine and an empty water bottle, creating smoke rings.

Saturday Social

While Rupert impressed with his cue action.

Sunday Mass

On the way to mass.

Sunday Mass

Freddie, Freddie, Bart and Oliver as candle bearers.

Sunday Night is Deli Night

Sunday Night is Deli Night

Happy Birthday

Nolan celebrated his 17th birthday on Wednesday.

Happy Birthday

What a cake!

Happy Birthday

Eating German sausages with one hand is not easy! Justus looking on in awe...

Party, party, party

Our year 11s bonding with "newby" Hector.

Routines

Deanery Leader Antonius with his own way of doing morning wake up.

Rewards

Oliver was voted student of the week by the Head of House.

Rewards

Jonty was awarded the copper award in the Cambridge Chemistry competition.

Fun and Games

Oliver and Bart having fun with the new Scalectrix.

Tug o' War

Barmy Army on the march.

Tug o' War

Bart showing who is boss.

Tug o' War

DOSSY, DOSSY, DOSSY! OI, OI, OI!

Tug o' War

Final against Hugh's.Head of House Benny doing his best to encourage the team...

Tug o' War

Disappointment in persona.

Improvements

Our new Creativity Room is coming along nicely.

Triple Birthday

On Thursday, we celebrated three birthdays: Pablo (15), Caspar (19) and yours truly (35, or was it the other way round?).

Triple Birthday

No idea what sentiment they are trying to express...

Last but not least

Some of our GCSE cohort working hard in the school library.

Last but not least #2

We were delighted to receive our new house hymn and prayer books, published and donated by the family of former Head of House Alois (DO'25).

A message from Mr Viesel

Preparing to work as a team...

Arrving in style...

Total focus. Total teamwork.

Success!

Congratulations to Jack (Y13) for represeting Guernsey in the Island Championship against Jersey!

...and we'll have a Hugh's golf net in place before too long to ensure more international success...

And then every day is full of colour & life...

Follow us on social media for updates!

Message from Ms Paterson

Dear Parents, Welcome back to a new school year at St Margaret’s House. It has been a joy to see the girls return full of energy, and I would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to the new families who are joining our community for the first time. The term has begun with much to celebrate. St Margaret’s achieved both the best GCSE and the best A-Level results, a reflection of the hard work and dedication shown by the girls and their teachers. Over the summer, we also received some especially exciting news. Chloe Grace has been shortlisted for the final of the prestigious John Locke Essay Competition, an international competition that attracts entries from thousands of students worldwide. Her essay stood out amongst an extraordinary standard of submissions, and reaching the final represents an exceptional academic honour. Chloe’s success demonstrates not only her intellectual ability but also her creativity and determination to engage with complex ideas. Meanwhile, Arabella Hunt achieved national recognition in the Young Catholic Writers Award, an achievement that is equally inspiring. This award celebrates thoughtful and original writing from students across the country, and Arabella’s work impressed the judges with both the quality of her prose and the depth of her reflection. To be recognised on a national stage is a remarkable accomplishment, and one that brings great pride to the House. Not all competitions brought us success - the tug o’ war did not go our way this year but spirits remain high and we are looking forward to the raft race this Sunday, where we are hopeful of a win. The glorious weather in the valley has provided an excellent start for outdoor activities. It has been a pleasure to see so many of the girls eager to try new opportunities: a large number of Year 9s have signed up for the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and others have taken on fresh challenges such as fencing and joining the pipe band. As we look ahead to a busy week leading up to Exeat, I want to thank you for your continued support. The enthusiasm and positivity with which the girls have started the year promises much for the months to come, and I look forward to sharing many more successes with you. With warm regards, Rebecca

First Whole School Mass

Hannah (Y13) reading, Chloe (Y13) serving and Tallulah (Y9) in schola

Tug o' War

Essay success!

Chloe (Y13) and Arabelle (Y10)

Birthdays since we've been back

Happy Birthday to Grace, Arabella and Sofia!

Junior House Newsletter 12/9/25

See what our Junior House has been up to this week...

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Message from the Housemaster

It's been another fantastic week in Junior House, and the children are well into the swing of lessons and getting to know the campus. This week also saw the start of our activities programme, giving the children a chance to broaden their curriculum even further. Over the weekend, the BBQ and tug-of-war provided a great opportunity for students to build on the friendships they've already made. On the sports front, fixtures are now well underway, with students proudly representing Junior House. We look forward to seeing the continued progress and enthusiasm from our students in the weeks to come.

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Science Challenege

This week in Science Club, we embraced our inner engineers! The children had a fantastic time designing and building their very own catapults. This hands-on project wasn't just about launching objects across the room—it was a brilliant way to explore key scientific principles.

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Sport

The past week was filled with exciting sporting action. Our girls' hockey teams faced off against Ashville, with the A team securing a convincing win and the B team playing a very close match to suffer a narrow defeat. On the rugby pitch, our boys' team fought hard against a strong Ashville side, putting in a fantastic effort despite a narrow loss. It's great to see so much passion and determination on display from all our athletes.

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Tug of War

What a fantastic display of strength and spirit we saw on Sunday! The Junior House tug-of-war teams put in an incredible effort in front of the whole school. The cheers were deafening as they pulled with all their might, showing not just their physical strength but also a wonderful sense of teamwork and determination. It was a brilliant opportunity for the children to demonstrate their house spirit, and the camaraderie on show was a true highlight of the weekend. Well done to everyone who took part!

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Reading

Reading is a big focus for us this year, and it’s been wonderful to see such a positive start. The children enjoyed a trip to the library to choose a book that suits them, and have already begun building good habits — reading quietly before prayers and bedtime. A great foundation for a year of growing imaginations and literacy!

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Nature Walks

Following a busy week in Junior House, we wanted to highlight the importance of stepping away from screens and getting out into nature. A simple walk offers a wealth of benefits for our children's wellbeing and development. A walk in the fresh air can be a fantastic way for our young explorers to reset and recharge. It's a sensory feast that can't be replicated indoors, offering a chance to see, hear, and feel the world around them. Whether you're exploring a local park or finding an interesting path in the woods, these moments foster curiosity, problem-solving, and a deep connection with the environment.

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Upcoming Events

Saturday 6th September – Open Morning Match Day Excitement: Girls’ Hockey U13 A/B vs Pocklington – Home fixture, 12:30pm pushback. Boys’ Rugby vs Terrington Hall – Home fixture, 2:30pm kick-off. Games Night for Boarders Sunday 7th September – House Raft Race

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Sports Fixtures Please follow this link to keep up to date with all our fixtures.

Password - Benedictine 1802

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