Brighter Sounds at the Royal Albert Hall

We are incredibly proud of the 140 pupils and students from Saint Cecilia’s Musical Theatre Club, Concert Band and Choir who took part in this week’s concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Our school had the honour of leading the ‘West Side Story’ collaboration, and every player and singer rose to the challenge, delivering a spectacular performance of this demanding music. The Choir also shone in their breath-taking renditions of ‘O Fortuna’, ‘Sway’, ‘Lullabye’ and a Beatles medley, performed alongside other secondary schools. Click on the links to view the magical performances: ‘Tonight’, ‘Somewhere’ and ‘America’.

The Wonders of The Spring Concert

Before the Easter holidays we held our Spring Concert; a superb evening of outstandingly high quality performances from all the soloists, duets, groups and our larger ensembles. Thank you to all the pupils and students involved, the Friends for organising refreshments and to the parents and families who came along to support. The small selection of photos below (taken by Grace E Year 13) reflect the vibrancy and energy of the evening.

Year 9 Football Finalists!

We are delighted to report that on Tuesday this week, the Year 9 boys beat The London Nautical School 2-1 in the South London Schools’ Cup semi-final. It was a tight and nervy game, resulting in a victory that takes the team through to the final thanks to two goals from Kishon C. Well done to the whole team! 

Student Wins Prize in Prestigious King’s College London Writing Contest

A huge congratulations to A Level student Bethan B, who impressed judges in the annual writing competition hosted by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at King’s College London! Challenged to explore the theme of food and migration, Bethan took a bold and creative approach with her imaginative article, ‘What If Christopher Columbus Had Been a Woman?’  Her thought-provoking take on historical revisionism stood, earning her an impressive second place.

Bethan’s achievement was recognized with a £50 voucher and the publication of her article in ‘Jargon – Comparative Literature’, a platform celebrating creative and academic writing. She also attended a special workshop and prize-giving event at King’s College. Her success highlights the power of originality and critical thinking.

Year 7 Eco Champions

Year 7 Prefects (with a little help from Year 12 Prefects) made bird boxes this week as part of their eco responsibilities, which they embraced with enthusiasm. They put the bird boxes up around the school site and we hope to see lots of birds making use of them in the spring. 

Year 8 Get a Taste of University Life at Roehampton

Year 8 pupils got a glimpse of student life during a fun-filled visit to Roehampton University. From budgeting and choosing accommodation to tackling the challenge of making a bed, they explored what it takes to live independently in activities based on ‘A day in the life of a student’. After a campus tour, they quizzed Roehampton’s Student Ambassadors and wrapped up the day by pitching their own creative university designs. A fantastic introduction to higher education!

Artist of the Week - Hannah H

This beautiful submission for the Royal Academy Children's Summer Exhibition was painted by Hannah H in Year 9. She has drawn from one of her own photographs of a seaside town, showing not only a photographic likeness, but a real sense of atmosphere. Small brushstrokes show the movement of waves and shimmering light, with a strong light and dark contrast that creates a calming effect. Well done Hannah for this extremely skilled piece and good luck in the competition!

Year 8 Explore Rainforest Ecosystems at Kew Gardens

Well done to all our Year 8 pupils who took part in last week’s trips to Kew Gardens, bringing their ‘Tropical Rainforests in Africa’ topic to life. In a hands-on workshop, they compared the lush, humid environment of the Palm House to the UK’s climate, deepening their understanding of rainforest ecosystems. They also explored Kew’s other glasshouses, looking at the different features of biomes, discovering the unique features of deserts and temperate forests. Throughout the day, pupils showed great curiosity and represented the school brilliantly.