The News 28 November 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
Our pupils returned from exeat to find that the snow had melted but temperatures remained low. Celebration suppers for all pupils who represented the College in Girls' Hockey or Boys' Rugby soon warmed them up. Each team was celebrated and awards given out; the 1st XI girls were particularly happy after their victory in the North East finals held in Leeds on exeat Monday. Their commitment was impressive as many had to change their exeat plans to ensure they could play. They won a close semi-final 3-2 and went on to win the final 5-0 in what was a tense match until the first goal was scored. This excellent result means they now travel to Nottingham for the national finals in February. Mr Metcalfe is very happy indeed! We've enjoyed really inspiring and energetic visitors this week. First came an imaginative day-long workshop for drama students across the year groups courtesy of Kat Mary Productions. This was followed today by a strings masterclass from Matthew Sharp, an internationally acclaimed cellist, who also treated us to an incredible recital. It was a brilliant experience for our pupils and it was great to include musicians from local schools too, with over 100 external students joining our string players. Two OAs also visited today, Barnaby Wiener (E84) shared his experience of running a social impact foundation, and Anthony Glaister (J) spoke about his work with the charity ABCD Bethlehem. Both are fantastic examples of agents for change in the world. It's been busy in the valley as we've also been hosting 31 external candidates (and their families) for Year 9 Basil Hume Scholarships. It was lovely to see pupils arrive from all over the country with their pencil cases, sports kit, and musical instuments, initially feeling nervous about the assessments ahead, but over the course of 2 days of activities gradually relaxing, having fun, and making new friends. What a great group of children - we are looking forward to them joining us next year. Year 13 have had their first set of trial examination results back and it is assessment season for most other year groups. Our staff work very hard on providing constructive feedback which will help pupils to improve. Please do check in with your sons and daughters on how their assessments have been going.
Best wishes, Jon
Hockey North-East Champions
Huge congratulations to our Girls 1st XI, who have been crowned North East Champions in the England Hockey competition. The team now progresses to the national finals in February, where they will compete against the top regional squads from across the country. It has been an excellent term for Hockey at Ampleforth. Our U16 Cup Team also enjoyed success last week with a strong victory in the Yorkshire Finals, securing their place in the North East Finals in December. The dedication, teamwork and resilience shown by our players across the board has been outstanding, and it is a pleasure to see their hard work reflected in such impressive achievements.
Drama Workshop
Our Drama students enjoyed a fascinating theatre workshop today led by the brilliant team from Kat Mary Productions.
The company specialises in bringing imaginative and interactive theatre to schools, and our students were fully immersed in their production of Woyzeck, set during the First World War. The workshop introduced the styles of Brecht, Berkoff and Artaud, giving students the chance to explore these techniques before stepping into the performance themselves in the afternoon.
The opportunity for our students to work alongside professional actors gave them a memorable insight into a powerful story that still resonates more than two centuries after it was written.
Martin's House Hospice Visit
Beth Sampson from Martin House Children’s Hospice visited our Year 12 Service Group, Design for Good, to share insight into the vital care the charity offers and to highlight the impact that student fundraising will have on the families they support. During her visit, Beth spent time with the group as they worked on handmade soaps and joined in as they created Christmas decorations. These decorations will be sold at the Martin House Christmas party and fair to help raise further funds. We look forward to visiting Martin House in the coming months, particularly once their new children’s wing is completed.
Message from Mrs Dent
It's only been 3 days since the return from Exeat and so much has already happened this week: Well done to our Hocky Award winners, who were celebrated at the annual Hocky Dinner on Tuesday. Our medical school applicants have been put through their paces this afternoon in a round of mock interviews in preparation for the real thing, with universities inviting for interview over the next few weeks. Members of the house have been taking part on the 'Strings Day' masterclasses hosted by the music department and featuring a cello recital from Matthew Sharp. Antonina and Connie travelled to the JCB Headquarters to find out more about their scholarships. Year 13 have been receiving feedback from their trial examinations and planning ahead for their revision over the Christmas break. House Wellbeing Ambassadors Ellie-Rose, Penny and Aggie have been planning initiatives. Edie travelled to Recar for a CAFOD Young Leaders training day.
Hockey Awards Edie: Players' player of the season Mary: Most improved player of the season Emma: Hockey player of the year Liza: Coaches player of the season
Ceri Dent, Housemistress St Aidan's House
House Voice:Deanery Lunch Discussions
For House Lunch each Wednesday, the girls sit with their Deanery Groups - mixed groups from Years 9-13, a sort of family within the family. This term we have added an element of student voice to these lunches, with the girls having the opportunity to discuss and put forward their thoughts on a range of topics and issues raised by them. This involves responding to a set of questions relating to a specific area of house life and, as well as providing feedback, suggestions of changes they think would benefit our community are offered. Depending on the topic of discussion, these ideas might feed through to the 'question of the day', another in-house student voice opportunity though the use of an anonymous brief survey relating to a single question. Last quarter term, themes for discussion were 'Stewardship of the House Kitchen' and 'the food available in house'
St Cecilia Concert
It was lovely to see such a good number of the house represented at the annual St Cecilia concert before Exeat.
In other news....
Drama students and scholars have today been involved in a workshop performance run by a visiting professional theatre company.
Not only did Emma win Hockey Player of the Year, but she also came away with a fab and fancy stick - no stopping her now!
We took advantage of the opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. house members past and present, whilst conjouring up some mini pumpkin-pie treats for our post chaplaincy period treat
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.
Annual Hockey Awards Dinner
Our winners - Phoebe, Poppy and Ignacia
Annual Hockey Awards Dinner
Proud of you all!
Xanthe - Year 10, is part of the 1st XI Team that are North East Champions. They progress to the National Finals in February 2026.
A few from the Hockey Season
A few from House Hockey
House Hockey
House Hockey Squads for Seniors and Inters
House Supporters for Hockey Season
Our talented Girls in Music and Drama
Thursday's are our Deanery Lunch day. An opportunity for the girls to be with each other and not just in Year Groups.
Dates for the diary:
Monday 1st December: Team Photos and Senior House Badminton. Tuesday 2nd December: Team Photos. Monday 15th December: Christmas Jumper Day. This year we are wearing festive jumpers for Martin House Children’s Hospice. Tuesday 16th December: House Christmas Dinner. 6.30pm - 9pm. Year Group Secret Santa.
Dates for the diary:
Wednesday 17th December: Carol Service - 3.30pm in The Abbey. Wednesday 17th December: Departure from 5pm - all rooms must be completely clear. Get travel forms in ASAP - travel@ampleforth.org.uk Thursday 18th December: Departure by 9.30am - all rooms must be completely clear. Get travel forms in ASAP- travel@ampleforth.org.uk
Keep up to date:
Please follow our Social Media.
Instagram
Facebook
St Bede's House, Ampleforth College
@stbedeshouseampleforth
Have a Lovely Weekend
Another short week after exeat but we have lots planned for this coming weekend. A few photos to keep you up to date pending a bigger newsletter next week...
Kofi read brilliantly
Scholars Visit...
Scholars Visit...
Views for miles...
Pupdate
Message from the Housemaster
Dear parents, The countdown to the Christmas holidays is on, the house Christmas trees have been delivered and we are looking forward to a busy but also reflective advent with lots of Christmas music and carols, treats and the House Advent Calender full of daily surprises. I also hope we will get the boys to bake Christmas biscuits for all to enjoy and to make this special time of the year truly special.
Wine and Cheese Evening
On Thursday night, the year 13 boys came together for their first wine and cheese event of the year.They sampled a French Picpoul de Pinet (ideal with seafood), a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (a zesty classic) and an Argentinian Malbec (full bodied, ideal with steak). They also enjoyed a selection of Yorshire cheeses and a large pork pie. Part of the evening were cards provided by yours truly with conversation starters. We are looking forward to the next wine and cheese event in the spring term.
Wine and Cheese Evening
The boys were joined by Mr Jackson who returned from a training session with his "goodie" bag...
Year 9 parents' conference
On Friday morning, Freddie and Bart performed in front of the year 9 parents as part of the year 9 pipe band. They did extremely well and we shall hear more of those two in December, when they will pipe the house into the refs for our Christmas Dinner.
Weekend activities
On Saturday, a very proud Paddy was wearing his tweed on his first shoot as a rifle. Upon his return, he assured me that no animal had been hurt by him. Nice!
Inter House Rugby
A very sad day for the House. Since St Dunstan's and St Oswald's were joined 8 years ago, we have always won the inter house rugby - both juniors and seniors. It pains me to report that our reputation of invincibility has suffered a terrible hit. The juniors were only runners up and the seniors came third. The photo above was taken before the tournament, and will be deleted from my computer and hopefully my memory.
Happy birthday
On Saturday, our fine chaps in year 13 celebrated Elliot's 18th birthday in style by being chauffeured to the Durham Ox for dinner.
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Sunday lunch
A new initiative on Sundays is a joined lunch with St Aidan's after mass. They sit mixed in year groups and enjoy their roast together.Lovely occasion which will become a weekly occurance.
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Community Spirit
On Monday morning, Hector and Alex took it upon themselves to surprise our Sixth Formers with expertly made French pancakes (crepes). The boys were immensely grateful for this random act of kindness.
Community Spirit
Community Spirit
Community Spirit
One happy customer!
St. Cecilia Concert
Jonty fronted the School Band which performed for staff, parents and fellow pupils in our Performing Art Centre.
St. Cecilia Concert
Antonius and Rebecca sang with the Chamber Choir.
St. Cecilia Concert
Antonius oozing with musical talent and sartorial elegance.
St. Cecilia Concert
Ambrose and Bart performing with the Ampleforth Highlanders.
First snow of the season
This is what we woke up to on Thursday morning. I had been wondering why so many boys were running through the house before wake -up...
First snow of the season
This is what they were up to.
First snow of the season
The moment Mr Jackson made the mistake of stepping outside...
First snow of the season
Proud boys with their first snowman of the season (or do we have to say snowperson these days?).
First snow of the season
Oliver and Hugo on their way to lesson 1.
First snow of the season
Minnie was not lazy either and created a new member of our house community.
Exeat
Rebecca and I enjoying our Exeat in the Dales.
Exeat
And also using the opportunity of an empty house to do some necessary paint and repair jobs.
Exeat
Now, I have seen some extraordinary slipper in my lifetime, but Juan's latest purchase beats them all.
Tuck Shop
Tuck Shop Monitor Caspar doing his best to boost sales.All profits go back into the house, so it is almost a charity...
It's curtains
I am indebted to Richard's mother Cath for making beautiful curtains for the Study. It feels more and more like a Scottish gentlemens' club (except the teddy bear).
Rugby Dinner
The boys enjoyed the annual rugby dinner on Wednesday. DO's did really well regarding awards with Freddie I (9), Fredie P (10) and Teddy (13) being awarded "Players' Player", Joshua (12) "Most Improved Player" and Richard (13) both "Players' Player and "Coaches' Player.
Rugby Dinner
Charles receiving his Rugby colours
Rugby Dinner
Richard: Players' Player and Coaches' Player
Rugby Dinner
Freddie: Players' Player
Rugby Dinner
Freddie: Players' Player
Drama Workshop
On Thursday, a number of our boys took part in a Drama Workshop.George and Ambrose with an uplifting performance as per ususal.
Drama Workshop
Hang in there, Jonty!
Drama Workshop
Luke and Paddy. Paddy's performance was simply to die for...
Drama Workshop
That looks painful.
Drama Workshop
The End.
Future DO's boys?
On Thursday evening, we were joined by Liam and Bertie who had a taster day (and night). Apart from being really friendly and open, they also are very talented (academic, sports and music). What's not to like? Our year 9s did a stellar job in looking after them.
Future DO's boys?
Future DO's boys?
It seems, Oscar has found a fan!
Last but not least
Another glorious sunrise baking the house in a beautiful light.
Follow us on social media for updates!
Welcome back
We haven't been back long, but even though the snow has gone, it's become Christmassy very suddenly (what with Advent already here!). We even had some gallant cadets to help with the challenge of putting up the tree. How many Hugh's boys does it take to put up a tree...?
Phone details for Hugh's
if you would like to speak to me at any point, please can I ask you to use this number, which will always go through to my mobile if I'm not at my desk. This number will be different from one you may have used in the past.
+44 (0)1439 766755
Message from Ms Paterson
Dear Parents, We’ve had a lovely week (4 days) here at St Margaret’s House, with everyone feeling mostly refreshed and recharged after the exeat. It’s been wonderful to see the house full of energy again as we head towards one of the most exciting times of the year. We’re looking forward to the start of Advent this weekend, along with our upcoming socials and the always-popular wreath-making activity. It promises to be a warm and festive way to welcome the season together. If all goes to plan, our Christmas decorations will also be going up this weekend bringing a bit of sparkle and cheer to the house as we count down to the end of term. Wishing everyone a cosy and joyful start to Advent! Warm regards, Rebecca
Snow Day for the Exeat Travel
Y11 iGCSE Drama practical
1st XI North East Champions!
Birthdays since the last newsletter
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA & AVA!!!
Junior House Newsletter 28/11/25
See what our Junior House has een up to this week...
Start!
Message from the Housemaster
It's wonderful to have all the children back in Junior House, looking refreshed and revitalised after the Exeat weekend!
This week has been marked by a return to focus and high effort. We've seen great dedication across the board as the students prepare diligently for their upcoming topic tests. For our Year 8 cohort, the intensity is particularly high as they navigate the challenging and rewarding scholarship process.
Beyond the classroom and study halls, we’ve also had cause for celebration! Our annual Hockey and Rugby Dinners provided a fantastic opportunity for the children to mix, mingle, and share stories with the older students in the Senior School, acknowledging the hard work and team spirit demonstrated throughout the season.
It has been a busy, productive, and memorable week! We look forward to another successful week ahead.
Start!
Next
Back
Ecosystem Competition
This task required innovative thinking and a deep understanding of how different organisms coexist and compete within a balanced environment. Congratulations to everyone for their brilliant and well-researched designs. The top winners were: • 🥇 1st Place: Isabel and Abena • 🥈 2nd Place: Bea and Alice • 🥉 3rd Place: Sabine Excellent work, scientists!
Start!
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RevisionFocus
Junior House revision focuses on turning passive reading into active learning through engagement and application.
Active Revision Techniques
Revision centers on visual and recall methods to consolidate knowledge: • Flashcards and Mind Maps: Used for key terms and to visually connect scientific concepts. • Active Recall: Methods like "Brain Dump," where students write down everything they can remember after studying, actively test their knowledge and find gaps.
Start!
Next
Back
RevisionFocus
Start!
Next
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Hockey Dinner
The annual Hockey Dinner was a hugely successful and enjoyable event! It served as a wonderful way to celebrate the commitment, skill, and sportsmanship of our girls across all age groups. It was fantastic to see the Junior House girls interact with the senior teams, sharing in the wider school sporting spirit.
A huge round of applause goes to our deserved prize winners from Junior House: Ettie, Sabine, Kiki, Christina, Isabel, and Abena. These girls have shown exceptional dedication and represented the House brilliantly on the pitch throughout the season. Their hard work has truly paid off. Congratulations to all!
Start!
Next
Back
Rugby Dinner
The annual Rugby Dinner was a magnificent evening and a wonderful celebration of Ampleforth Rugby across all age groups, from the U13s right through to the 1st XV. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Junior House students to meet, hear from, and be inspired by the senior players, reinforcing the strong sense of community and tradition within the school.
The evening was filled with enthusiasm and applause, and we would like to extend a special congratulations to our prize winners from Junior House: Freddie, Will, Tony, and Juan. Their dedication, teamwork, and commitment to the sport have been exceptional this season, and they are truly deserving of this recognition. Well done, boys!
Start!
Next
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Photos
Start!
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Photos
Start!
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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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The News 28 November 2025
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Transcript
The News 28 November 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
Our pupils returned from exeat to find that the snow had melted but temperatures remained low. Celebration suppers for all pupils who represented the College in Girls' Hockey or Boys' Rugby soon warmed them up. Each team was celebrated and awards given out; the 1st XI girls were particularly happy after their victory in the North East finals held in Leeds on exeat Monday. Their commitment was impressive as many had to change their exeat plans to ensure they could play. They won a close semi-final 3-2 and went on to win the final 5-0 in what was a tense match until the first goal was scored. This excellent result means they now travel to Nottingham for the national finals in February. Mr Metcalfe is very happy indeed! We've enjoyed really inspiring and energetic visitors this week. First came an imaginative day-long workshop for drama students across the year groups courtesy of Kat Mary Productions. This was followed today by a strings masterclass from Matthew Sharp, an internationally acclaimed cellist, who also treated us to an incredible recital. It was a brilliant experience for our pupils and it was great to include musicians from local schools too, with over 100 external students joining our string players. Two OAs also visited today, Barnaby Wiener (E84) shared his experience of running a social impact foundation, and Anthony Glaister (J) spoke about his work with the charity ABCD Bethlehem. Both are fantastic examples of agents for change in the world. It's been busy in the valley as we've also been hosting 31 external candidates (and their families) for Year 9 Basil Hume Scholarships. It was lovely to see pupils arrive from all over the country with their pencil cases, sports kit, and musical instuments, initially feeling nervous about the assessments ahead, but over the course of 2 days of activities gradually relaxing, having fun, and making new friends. What a great group of children - we are looking forward to them joining us next year. Year 13 have had their first set of trial examination results back and it is assessment season for most other year groups. Our staff work very hard on providing constructive feedback which will help pupils to improve. Please do check in with your sons and daughters on how their assessments have been going. Best wishes, Jon
Hockey North-East Champions
Huge congratulations to our Girls 1st XI, who have been crowned North East Champions in the England Hockey competition. The team now progresses to the national finals in February, where they will compete against the top regional squads from across the country. It has been an excellent term for Hockey at Ampleforth. Our U16 Cup Team also enjoyed success last week with a strong victory in the Yorkshire Finals, securing their place in the North East Finals in December. The dedication, teamwork and resilience shown by our players across the board has been outstanding, and it is a pleasure to see their hard work reflected in such impressive achievements.
Drama Workshop
Our Drama students enjoyed a fascinating theatre workshop today led by the brilliant team from Kat Mary Productions. The company specialises in bringing imaginative and interactive theatre to schools, and our students were fully immersed in their production of Woyzeck, set during the First World War. The workshop introduced the styles of Brecht, Berkoff and Artaud, giving students the chance to explore these techniques before stepping into the performance themselves in the afternoon. The opportunity for our students to work alongside professional actors gave them a memorable insight into a powerful story that still resonates more than two centuries after it was written.
Martin's House Hospice Visit
Beth Sampson from Martin House Children’s Hospice visited our Year 12 Service Group, Design for Good, to share insight into the vital care the charity offers and to highlight the impact that student fundraising will have on the families they support. During her visit, Beth spent time with the group as they worked on handmade soaps and joined in as they created Christmas decorations. These decorations will be sold at the Martin House Christmas party and fair to help raise further funds. We look forward to visiting Martin House in the coming months, particularly once their new children’s wing is completed.
Message from Mrs Dent
It's only been 3 days since the return from Exeat and so much has already happened this week: Well done to our Hocky Award winners, who were celebrated at the annual Hocky Dinner on Tuesday. Our medical school applicants have been put through their paces this afternoon in a round of mock interviews in preparation for the real thing, with universities inviting for interview over the next few weeks. Members of the house have been taking part on the 'Strings Day' masterclasses hosted by the music department and featuring a cello recital from Matthew Sharp. Antonina and Connie travelled to the JCB Headquarters to find out more about their scholarships. Year 13 have been receiving feedback from their trial examinations and planning ahead for their revision over the Christmas break. House Wellbeing Ambassadors Ellie-Rose, Penny and Aggie have been planning initiatives. Edie travelled to Recar for a CAFOD Young Leaders training day.
Hockey Awards Edie: Players' player of the season Mary: Most improved player of the season Emma: Hockey player of the year Liza: Coaches player of the season
Ceri Dent, Housemistress St Aidan's House
House Voice:Deanery Lunch Discussions
For House Lunch each Wednesday, the girls sit with their Deanery Groups - mixed groups from Years 9-13, a sort of family within the family. This term we have added an element of student voice to these lunches, with the girls having the opportunity to discuss and put forward their thoughts on a range of topics and issues raised by them. This involves responding to a set of questions relating to a specific area of house life and, as well as providing feedback, suggestions of changes they think would benefit our community are offered. Depending on the topic of discussion, these ideas might feed through to the 'question of the day', another in-house student voice opportunity though the use of an anonymous brief survey relating to a single question. Last quarter term, themes for discussion were 'Stewardship of the House Kitchen' and 'the food available in house'
St Cecilia Concert
It was lovely to see such a good number of the house represented at the annual St Cecilia concert before Exeat.
In other news....
Drama students and scholars have today been involved in a workshop performance run by a visiting professional theatre company.
Not only did Emma win Hockey Player of the Year, but she also came away with a fab and fancy stick - no stopping her now!
We took advantage of the opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. house members past and present, whilst conjouring up some mini pumpkin-pie treats for our post chaplaincy period treat
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.
Annual Hockey Awards Dinner
Our winners - Phoebe, Poppy and Ignacia
Annual Hockey Awards Dinner
Proud of you all!
Xanthe - Year 10, is part of the 1st XI Team that are North East Champions. They progress to the National Finals in February 2026.
A few from the Hockey Season
A few from House Hockey
House Hockey
House Hockey Squads for Seniors and Inters
House Supporters for Hockey Season
Our talented Girls in Music and Drama
Thursday's are our Deanery Lunch day. An opportunity for the girls to be with each other and not just in Year Groups.
Dates for the diary:
Monday 1st December: Team Photos and Senior House Badminton. Tuesday 2nd December: Team Photos. Monday 15th December: Christmas Jumper Day. This year we are wearing festive jumpers for Martin House Children’s Hospice. Tuesday 16th December: House Christmas Dinner. 6.30pm - 9pm. Year Group Secret Santa.
Dates for the diary:
Wednesday 17th December: Carol Service - 3.30pm in The Abbey. Wednesday 17th December: Departure from 5pm - all rooms must be completely clear. Get travel forms in ASAP - travel@ampleforth.org.uk Thursday 18th December: Departure by 9.30am - all rooms must be completely clear. Get travel forms in ASAP- travel@ampleforth.org.uk
Keep up to date:
Please follow our Social Media.
Instagram
Facebook
St Bede's House, Ampleforth College
@stbedeshouseampleforth
Have a Lovely Weekend
Another short week after exeat but we have lots planned for this coming weekend. A few photos to keep you up to date pending a bigger newsletter next week...
Kofi read brilliantly
Scholars Visit...
Scholars Visit...
Views for miles...
Pupdate
Message from the Housemaster
Dear parents, The countdown to the Christmas holidays is on, the house Christmas trees have been delivered and we are looking forward to a busy but also reflective advent with lots of Christmas music and carols, treats and the House Advent Calender full of daily surprises. I also hope we will get the boys to bake Christmas biscuits for all to enjoy and to make this special time of the year truly special.
Wine and Cheese Evening
On Thursday night, the year 13 boys came together for their first wine and cheese event of the year.They sampled a French Picpoul de Pinet (ideal with seafood), a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (a zesty classic) and an Argentinian Malbec (full bodied, ideal with steak). They also enjoyed a selection of Yorshire cheeses and a large pork pie. Part of the evening were cards provided by yours truly with conversation starters. We are looking forward to the next wine and cheese event in the spring term.
Wine and Cheese Evening
The boys were joined by Mr Jackson who returned from a training session with his "goodie" bag...
Year 9 parents' conference
On Friday morning, Freddie and Bart performed in front of the year 9 parents as part of the year 9 pipe band. They did extremely well and we shall hear more of those two in December, when they will pipe the house into the refs for our Christmas Dinner.
Weekend activities
On Saturday, a very proud Paddy was wearing his tweed on his first shoot as a rifle. Upon his return, he assured me that no animal had been hurt by him. Nice!
Inter House Rugby
A very sad day for the House. Since St Dunstan's and St Oswald's were joined 8 years ago, we have always won the inter house rugby - both juniors and seniors. It pains me to report that our reputation of invincibility has suffered a terrible hit. The juniors were only runners up and the seniors came third. The photo above was taken before the tournament, and will be deleted from my computer and hopefully my memory.
Happy birthday
On Saturday, our fine chaps in year 13 celebrated Elliot's 18th birthday in style by being chauffeured to the Durham Ox for dinner.
Happy birthday
Happy birthday
Sunday lunch
A new initiative on Sundays is a joined lunch with St Aidan's after mass. They sit mixed in year groups and enjoy their roast together.Lovely occasion which will become a weekly occurance.
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Sunday Night is Deli Night
Community Spirit
On Monday morning, Hector and Alex took it upon themselves to surprise our Sixth Formers with expertly made French pancakes (crepes). The boys were immensely grateful for this random act of kindness.
Community Spirit
Community Spirit
Community Spirit
One happy customer!
St. Cecilia Concert
Jonty fronted the School Band which performed for staff, parents and fellow pupils in our Performing Art Centre.
St. Cecilia Concert
Antonius and Rebecca sang with the Chamber Choir.
St. Cecilia Concert
Antonius oozing with musical talent and sartorial elegance.
St. Cecilia Concert
Ambrose and Bart performing with the Ampleforth Highlanders.
First snow of the season
This is what we woke up to on Thursday morning. I had been wondering why so many boys were running through the house before wake -up...
First snow of the season
This is what they were up to.
First snow of the season
The moment Mr Jackson made the mistake of stepping outside...
First snow of the season
Proud boys with their first snowman of the season (or do we have to say snowperson these days?).
First snow of the season
Oliver and Hugo on their way to lesson 1.
First snow of the season
Minnie was not lazy either and created a new member of our house community.
Exeat
Rebecca and I enjoying our Exeat in the Dales.
Exeat
And also using the opportunity of an empty house to do some necessary paint and repair jobs.
Exeat
Now, I have seen some extraordinary slipper in my lifetime, but Juan's latest purchase beats them all.
Tuck Shop
Tuck Shop Monitor Caspar doing his best to boost sales.All profits go back into the house, so it is almost a charity...
It's curtains
I am indebted to Richard's mother Cath for making beautiful curtains for the Study. It feels more and more like a Scottish gentlemens' club (except the teddy bear).
Rugby Dinner
The boys enjoyed the annual rugby dinner on Wednesday. DO's did really well regarding awards with Freddie I (9), Fredie P (10) and Teddy (13) being awarded "Players' Player", Joshua (12) "Most Improved Player" and Richard (13) both "Players' Player and "Coaches' Player.
Rugby Dinner
Charles receiving his Rugby colours
Rugby Dinner
Richard: Players' Player and Coaches' Player
Rugby Dinner
Freddie: Players' Player
Rugby Dinner
Freddie: Players' Player
Drama Workshop
On Thursday, a number of our boys took part in a Drama Workshop.George and Ambrose with an uplifting performance as per ususal.
Drama Workshop
Hang in there, Jonty!
Drama Workshop
Luke and Paddy. Paddy's performance was simply to die for...
Drama Workshop
That looks painful.
Drama Workshop
The End.
Future DO's boys?
On Thursday evening, we were joined by Liam and Bertie who had a taster day (and night). Apart from being really friendly and open, they also are very talented (academic, sports and music). What's not to like? Our year 9s did a stellar job in looking after them.
Future DO's boys?
Future DO's boys?
It seems, Oscar has found a fan!
Last but not least
Another glorious sunrise baking the house in a beautiful light.
Follow us on social media for updates!
Welcome back
We haven't been back long, but even though the snow has gone, it's become Christmassy very suddenly (what with Advent already here!). We even had some gallant cadets to help with the challenge of putting up the tree. How many Hugh's boys does it take to put up a tree...?
Phone details for Hugh's
if you would like to speak to me at any point, please can I ask you to use this number, which will always go through to my mobile if I'm not at my desk. This number will be different from one you may have used in the past.
+44 (0)1439 766755
Message from Ms Paterson
Dear Parents, We’ve had a lovely week (4 days) here at St Margaret’s House, with everyone feeling mostly refreshed and recharged after the exeat. It’s been wonderful to see the house full of energy again as we head towards one of the most exciting times of the year. We’re looking forward to the start of Advent this weekend, along with our upcoming socials and the always-popular wreath-making activity. It promises to be a warm and festive way to welcome the season together. If all goes to plan, our Christmas decorations will also be going up this weekend bringing a bit of sparkle and cheer to the house as we count down to the end of term. Wishing everyone a cosy and joyful start to Advent! Warm regards, Rebecca
Snow Day for the Exeat Travel
Y11 iGCSE Drama practical
1st XI North East Champions!
Birthdays since the last newsletter
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA & AVA!!!
Junior House Newsletter 28/11/25
See what our Junior House has een up to this week...
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Message from the Housemaster
It's wonderful to have all the children back in Junior House, looking refreshed and revitalised after the Exeat weekend! This week has been marked by a return to focus and high effort. We've seen great dedication across the board as the students prepare diligently for their upcoming topic tests. For our Year 8 cohort, the intensity is particularly high as they navigate the challenging and rewarding scholarship process. Beyond the classroom and study halls, we’ve also had cause for celebration! Our annual Hockey and Rugby Dinners provided a fantastic opportunity for the children to mix, mingle, and share stories with the older students in the Senior School, acknowledging the hard work and team spirit demonstrated throughout the season. It has been a busy, productive, and memorable week! We look forward to another successful week ahead.
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Ecosystem Competition
This task required innovative thinking and a deep understanding of how different organisms coexist and compete within a balanced environment. Congratulations to everyone for their brilliant and well-researched designs. The top winners were: • 🥇 1st Place: Isabel and Abena • 🥈 2nd Place: Bea and Alice • 🥉 3rd Place: Sabine Excellent work, scientists!
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RevisionFocus
Junior House revision focuses on turning passive reading into active learning through engagement and application. Active Revision Techniques Revision centers on visual and recall methods to consolidate knowledge: • Flashcards and Mind Maps: Used for key terms and to visually connect scientific concepts. • Active Recall: Methods like "Brain Dump," where students write down everything they can remember after studying, actively test their knowledge and find gaps.
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Hockey Dinner
The annual Hockey Dinner was a hugely successful and enjoyable event! It served as a wonderful way to celebrate the commitment, skill, and sportsmanship of our girls across all age groups. It was fantastic to see the Junior House girls interact with the senior teams, sharing in the wider school sporting spirit. A huge round of applause goes to our deserved prize winners from Junior House: Ettie, Sabine, Kiki, Christina, Isabel, and Abena. These girls have shown exceptional dedication and represented the House brilliantly on the pitch throughout the season. Their hard work has truly paid off. Congratulations to all!
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Rugby Dinner
The annual Rugby Dinner was a magnificent evening and a wonderful celebration of Ampleforth Rugby across all age groups, from the U13s right through to the 1st XV. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Junior House students to meet, hear from, and be inspired by the senior players, reinforcing the strong sense of community and tradition within the school. The evening was filled with enthusiasm and applause, and we would like to extend a special congratulations to our prize winners from Junior House: Freddie, Will, Tony, and Juan. Their dedication, teamwork, and commitment to the sport have been exceptional this season, and they are truly deserving of this recognition. Well done, boys!
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Photos
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