Author Anthony McGowan kindly offered to speak to our Year 10 Book Club about one of his books they had been reading together, following his popular visit to St Benedict’s during Book Week in November.
Throughout my academic life, I have attended co-ed schools. It is a system that I whole heartedly believe in, and now, 5 years on from when I joined Bennies, as I prepare to leave secondary education, I have come to appreciate the profound benefits that I experienced from attending a school which welcomes all. Co-education fosters respect between peers of any gender and ultimately represents a more modern workplace. Co-education in a sense, therefore, represents a transition into a more realistic and equal society – one where men, women, or however individuals choose to identify themselves, can work in harmony together. Through shaping individuals in their formative years to be accepting of a more diverse workforce, in turn, we mould a better society for our children and future generations.
How can we help children to form positive healthy relationships, rooted in respect for themselves and for others? St Benedict’s Headmaster, Andrew Johnson, talks to the Head of PSHE and School Counsellor, Andrea Loaiza-Palacio about how to support pupils’ personal happiness, safety and wellbeing, helping them to withstand some of the negative pressures they are exposed to – in school, out of school, and online.
To mark World Book Day, St Benedict’s Librarian Emma Wallace talked about books which have been banned, for social, cultural, religious and political reasons over the centuries, such as Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’, the Harry Potter series, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Congratulations to Georgia (Year 7), who has won First Prize in the latest Helikon Centre Writing Competition - A Myth For Our Time.
St Benedict’s students have been considering the pros and cons of making vaccination mandatory in the fight against Covid-19, as part of the latest online ‘Thinking Forum’.
Books have an important role to play in providing comfort and support, believes St Benedict's Librarian, Emma Wallace. The school's new eBook collection of over 1250+ titles is an invaluable resource for pupils during the current pandemic.
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How has St Benedict's supported pupils' wellbeing during lockdown and in school over the last year? The Headmaster, Andrew Johnson, writes about the particular challenges Covid-19 has presented, and how he and his staff have tried to address them.
Eighty years ago, a Benedictine monk and chaplain to the forces was killed as he stayed with the wounded at Dunkirk. A teacher at St Benedict’s for 10 years, Father Gervase volunteered as a military chaplain because so many of the boys he had taught had sacrificed everything to serve their country.