Well, what a wonderful year we have had here at St Mary’s! The most notable change has been the addition of our gorgeous dog, Bertie, who has been in training all year to be our SMS Well-being dog.
I collected him as a puppy at the start of last year’s summer holiday and he has really fitted in to school life, and family life with me at home. He is intelligent, alert and very nosy! He is already making a huge diference to the staf and students who work with him regularly.
I hope you enjoy the images of him throughout this magazine, another one full of amazing memories and achievements!
The academic year 2023/2024 was one of enjoyment, innovation and empowerment for St Mary’s.
As ever the pages of this magazine are brimming with the life, warmth and exuberance of our St Mary’s Spirit. There were many stand-out moments, including the outstanding examination results in the Summer of 2023, the spectacular Gym and Dance Show and the highly intense performance of Lord of the Flies. By reading this magazine, I hope you will also absorb the atmosphere that pervades our school; one of purposeful happiness and the reaching out in kindness, each to the other.
I thank the many staf and whole team who enable our students to experience an education of the very highest standard; their commitment and dedication are second to none.
I continue to burst with pride at the achievements of each and every one of our students and their many contributions to our school community, be they on the stage, on the sports field or in their academic success; I hope you enjoy reading this delightful flavour of our life at St Mary’s.
Paricia Adams
As Year 9 were learning about Food Choice, so we booked the highly recommended Animal Aid to come and educate our students with their talk titled The Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture The talk covered complex issues such as food security and climate change. The lesson prior we discussed sources of information and bias, where the students drew upon their knowledge from History. The students fully understood that the talk would be one-sided. Mrs Jenkinson was so impressed with their level of questioning which demonstrated a real need for them to be able to fully understand what they were hearing. Every Year 9 student will get a chance to experience a talk from Animal Aid this year.
The GCSE and A Level Business Studies classes visited Cadbury World in Birmingham in October. As we explored the world of chocolatemaking, our students gained a unique perspective on the business and marketing aspects of a global confectionery giant. The trip provided an insight into the history of Cadbury and its evolution into a thriving international brand. Students were able to witness the manufacturing process, understand supply chain logistics, and delve into the secrets of Cadbury’s successful marketing strategies. It was a great experience where we learnt lots and enjoyed lots of yummy chocolate!
“On the 4th of October Lynne Snowdon from Animal Aid came to talk to us in our Food & Nutrition lesson about the downsides of animal farming, and how it afects our planet. She also spoke to us about sustainable diets and veganism. Some of the things she explained to us were quite upsetting, but it was really interesting hearing her point of view. One thing that we were really surprised by was that every year over 10 million pigs are killed each year for their meat in the UK. The week before we cooked an amazing vegan bean stew and quinoa; we all enjoyed it. Not only was it packed full of protein, but it was also super delicious, and it wasn’t containing any meat, so it was good for the planet. Overall, we learnt a lot from the Animal Aid visitor, and we were able to ask lots of questions afterwards which we all found engaging.”
Eliana and Georgina - Year 9
Our annual, and much anticipated, KS3 House Netball Tournament took place in October. The sun came out and the girls brought their house spirit in droves as they competed against each other to be the new champions. We were very impressed with the teamwork, support, and skill displayed by all students - well done girls!
Year 8 and 9 went to the U13 and U14 GSA netball tournament in September. There were 28 schools across two competitions and lots of netball to be played. We had a jam-packed weekend in which the girls played 12 or more matches against a variety of other schools. There was also an opportunity for the girls to take part in outdoor adventure activities including; a high ropes course, archery, climbing, abseiling, leap of faith, and zip lining. Within the main house, they could also do a laser maze and tunnelling.
The girls showed true teamwork throughout the weekend and fantastic resilience as the standard of netball was incredibly high. We also had the opportunity to meet pro netball players who have played for the England squad. We had a Q+A session with Nat Panagarry, Loughborough Lightening Captain, who has played for England. Her career was fascinating as she was in the England squad in the U21s but when it came to the adult league, she was not selected at all. She took a break, went to university and tried again at 26 and got into the England squad. She showed true resilience in her pursuit of excellence and the girls were truly inspired by her story.
The girls represented St Mary’s fantastically all weekend and should be very proud of their achievements.
In September, Year 8 and 9 took part in a One Day Film School Challenge. In this action-packed day, students learned the essentials including Film History, Fight Choreography, Screenwriting, Camera and Editing before making short films in groups which were premiered at the end of the day, with the Best Picture Oscar presented by Mrs Adams. It was a fantastic experience - well done to all involved!
A selection of the Prep Gym squad attended their first competition of the year in Milton Keynes, representing their club. The girls did a grand job and all came away donning medals!
Our new Year 7 netball team had a fantastic time at their tournament at Dr Challoner’s High School. The girls played a variety of matches and spent time working on their attacking and defensive strategies. They all learnt a lot and worked excellently as a team, working towards our TAKECARE values. Some great results were achieved!
Year 13 were blessed with sunny, dry weather for their Biology field trip. They visited the field studies centre at Amersham and collected data using a random sampling method to compare biodiversity in a young and mature sycamore woodland, analysing their results with a statistical test. After lunch, they used a sweep net to investigate species richness in diferent zones of a nearby freshwater pond. A productive and enjoyable day was had by all, learning outside of the classroom!
Senior House Heritage Day was a huge success. Students came to school in dress traditional to their heritage and some ran stalls during lunchtime to allow students to experience diferent heritages - whether through experiences, workshops, art, or food. It was truly wonderful to be able to educate each other and to see, experience and celebrate the diversity throughout our school.
On a lovely bright and sunny day the Years 10 and 12 Art and Textiles students spent the day exploring the beautiful botanic gardens of Kew in southwest London.
Founded in 1840, Kew Gardens house the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world. The trip was an opportunity for students to record and see first-hand the magnificent natural forms and structures housing the world-renowned collection of natural forms reflecting our planet’s diverse climates.
In addition to photography, the students recorded their ideas by sketching the structure of the Temperate House and surrounding buildings. Within the Temperate House and displayed in situ with the natural forms was the mixed media hanging artwork by artist Jefrey Gibson entitled ‘House of Spirits’. The spectacular hanging artwork was an intricate, layered collage of fabric, illustrations, text, colour, and pattern. The bright light reflecting through the glass ceilings of the Temperate House highlighted the writing and patterns on the fabric which created a visually stunning, harmonious efect with the surrounding foliage.
The whole of Prep had the opportunity to get up close to some of nature’s craziest animals - everything from a tree frog and hissing cockroach to a stick insect, tarantula, and a snake.
The girls could touch the animals, and some were brave enough to hold them. They learnt all about them - we are sure they came home eager to share their new facts!
The animals were brought in by Zoolab who are experts in ethical hands-on animal encounters - a number of the animals they had with them had been rescued and rehabilitated.
As part of their Windrush Child studies, Mrs Burton’s Year 6 class wrote descriptions of settings in Jamaica and the journey of a young child from Jamaica leaving their home and heading to England for the first time, travelling on a ship called the Arosa Star based upon Windrush Child by John Agard.
Look behind you
Child of the Arosa Star
Luscious, emerald forests wave goodbye
As the Jamaican wind whispers
Be brave, have courage, be kind
Look beneath you
Child of the Arosa Star
Your feet buried in the golden sand
As the drums beat to the rhythm of your heart
Singing be brave, have courage, be kind
Look beside you
Child of the Arosa Star
Your mum takes your hand
Her gentle voice whispers
Be brave, have courage, be kind
Look around you
Child of the Arosa Star
Grandma’s arms wrapped tightly
She is reminding you
To be brave, have courage, be kind
Look inside you
Child of the Arosa Star
Butterflies dance in your stomach!
Calm them with the words
Be brave, have courage, be kind
These words are my shield of gold
Protecting me as my journey continues
They are my blanket
Keeping me warm, keeping me strong
Through a whirlwind of adventures
Inside my world
Child of the Arosa Star
Everything changing, pages turning rapidly
Deep within my bones
Child of the Arosa Star
Memories of Brother Book’s stories
Waking to eat ripe, juicy fruit
Look at me now
Child of the Arosa Star
Being brave, having courage, being kind
In a miraculous meeting of snow and sun
The riverbank is a bustling city for all who live there. Vibrant birds soar across the glistening river, projecting colours of scarlet, violet and gold all around, while emerald frogs camouflage in the vivid banana trees, discussing their cunning plans. Exhilarated by the ripe fruit, the monkeys create a cacophony of screeching and yelping, waking the tranquil, olive river from his slumber. Further along, the forbearing crocodiles hide behind the grimy rocks, waiting for their unsuspecting pray to show up.
The river contains a myriad of tropical fish which dart away as the bronze men row their handmade raft, collecting lush mangoes and juicy pomegranates, not to mention the sweet bananas and rose-pink lychees. The swift dragonflies soar through the sky like the wind as the mosquitoes’ buzz aggravates the long stalking trees that stay as still as statues. The majestic Red Billed Hummingbird feasts on the saccharin Cape Fushia, which flies like a kite with beaming colours.
The river is a kaleidoscope of life and colour; it is now, and it always will be.
A glorious eye-catching waterfall shimmers in the scorching sun while crashing into the crystal-clear water filled with fascinating fish dotted around their sparkling coral home.
Around the lagoon, the willows weep all their sorrow as they reach their gentle palms into the water as birds of paradise sing their harmonious songs. A handful of animals join in with the chorus as petals and lily pads dance on the surface of the lagoon. Baby monkeys appear from the treetops and scatter all over the forest floor, scouting for all types of juicy berries and nuts.
The lagoon is swarming with a kaleidoscope of life. Lurking in the deepest, darkest shadows, a midnight black panther forages the forest floor for prey. Terrified, animals scatter in all directions to seek shelter as they hear the thumping of the beast’s paws. The panther stops and leans over the glittering lagoon, narrowing its glaring eyes on a colourful fish. It swipes its deadly paw and seizes its prey.
Silence once more. The lagoon is as quiet as a door mousenot a single sound.
In Humanities, Year 4 were set a challenge of campaigning for their favourite Roman Emperor. The girls split into teams and worked together to create posters and deliver a speech in favour of their Emperor and after some very persuasive speeches, the Emperor with the majority vote was Trajan!
After neutralising acid with alkali, Year 8 students were set the extension task to get as many colours as they could on the Universal Indicator Scale. As you can see, Year 8 have fine pipetting skills!
Girls from Year 3-6 joined Thorpe boys, showcasing their creative writing prowess in an engaging English workshop in November. With a shared story outline, they crafted short stories, descriptions, and poems on the given theme. An inspiring morning of collaboration and creativity!
Zahra and Yusra hosted our first ever Arabic Masterclass. The session was very well attended by students wishing to learn something new and broaden their skills, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Girls learned basic phrases and even started to learn the Arabic alphabet with some games. We were so impressed with the level of planning that went into the session, and think Mr Keenan might be lining the girls up as his next MFL teachers! Yusra and Zahra displayed fantastic leadership and teamwork !
Our Prep and Senior Head Girl Teams laid a wreath on behalf of all at St Mary’s at the remembrance parade in Gerrards Cross on Remembrance Sunday. We thank them for representing our school community at this special event which is so important in remembering those who have fought for our country.
In school, Annabel, Ava, Olivia and Marina, Year 10 and 11 historians, also hosted a poignant assembly for Senior House. The assembly was opened by the Chamber Choir, who sang For Good beautifully and was followed by some information about the importance of Remembrance Day and poetry recitals of Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen, The Death Bed, by Rudyard Kipling and Flanders Field, by Siegfried Sassoon.
Year 9 headed out to explore Kew Gardens which fitted perfectly with their classroom learning. The trip provided an excellent opportunity for the girls to extend their geographical and scientific understanding of ecosystems and species adaptation. As the girls were studying African biomes, this trip allowed students to experience first-hand a range of African flora and also discover how people use these diferent plants in their everyday lives. The girls shared what they learnt from the day:
“I learnt that certain types of fungi can live for up to 2,000 years!”
“I liked learning about the diferent biomes, and particularly enjoyed learning about the carnivorous plants.”
“It was interesting to learn that diferent types of plants can be used as part of cancer treatments.”
On the last Friday before half term, Year 6 and the whole of Senior School embarked on the biennial 12km sponsored Harvest Walk. The weather wasn’t kind initially, but the rain let up just after we left, and in true St Mary’s spirit, girls set of smiling and in high spirits. It is safe to say the hot chocolate at the end of the walk was hugely appreciated! The money raised was shared between Buckinghamshire Mind and the British Red Cross. Thank you to all staf and parent helpers for making the walk such a success - we are already looking forward to 2025!
Before half term, the senior musicians had their Autumn Concert, and all the students played and sang to their very best. It was lovely to see Year 7s getting involved in both Junior Chamber Choir and Senior Choir and volunteering for solo spots. Two bands also performed; Year 9 played Happy by Pharrell Williams and the newly formed Year 8 Band played Lush Life
There was a theme to the concert which was Musical Theatre and the Senior Orchestra performed a Mamma Mia medley, Chamber Choir For Good from Wicked and there were many wonderful singing solos taken from musicals. Some Sixth Form students requested a Sound of Music medley in Senior Choir which ended with the So Long Farewell song with some very confident solos to say ‘goodnight’ to the audience!
The evening concluded with the older girls singing beautiful solos and the Singing Scholars performed a hilarious Musicals Medley to round of a very entertaining evening!
Year 12 and 13 Psychologists and Biologists had a fascinating day on ‘Brain Day’. Dr Guy Sutton is the Founder and Director of Medical Biology Interactive, which ofers seminars and tutorials in applied science and medicine to schools and universities as well as to the health, legal, and business sectors.
He delivered a full-day workshop that included fascinating talks about how the brain works, brain damage, brain function after death, and the impact of brain damage on society to name a few. The girls then got the chance to dissect a sheep’s brain, putting into practice the theory they had been learning in class. This was a fascinating and hands-on experience which will support girls through their Sixth Form studies.
In Forest School, Mrs Smith read the girls the story Stick Man and then discussed with them how their imaginations can turn a stick into anything!
Everybody decided to go and find a special stick that they would turn into anything they wanted. We had sticks that were wands, potion sticks, and even a broom to brush all of Leafette’s leaves!!
Year 5 students embarked on an unforgettable adventure to the fascinating world of Sky Studios. The purpose of their journey was to immerse themselves in a captivating reporting masterclass session that revolved around the vibrant and joyous celebration of Diwali.
The students were organised into small, dynamic groups, with each member taking on a crucial role such as reporter, producer, camera operator, director, and editor. Together, they collaborated to craft a captivating script that would bring the essence of Diwali to life.
The day’s activities included an eye-opening visit to the costume department, where our young reporters got the chance to truly step into the shoes of their roles, donning costumes that added an extra layer of authenticity to their reporting.
When they were all set and ready, they were introduced to a world of industry-standard equipment, including state-of-the-art cameras, auto cue software, reporters’ desks, and even a green screen to transport their audience to diferent locations with just a flick of a switch. The students’ creativity truly shone as they utilised these professional tools to capture the magic of Diwali.
Once the filming was complete, the diligent editors took charge. They meticulously selected the perfect music and images to enhance the overall impact of their report.
But the adventure didn’t end there! After their reports were finalised, our budding journalists were treated to an exhilarating tour of the live news and sports studios within Sky Studios. Witnessing the behind-the-scenes action of a live broadcast was nothing short of enthralling.
This trip ofered our Year 5 students an inspiring opportunity to ignite their passions for the world of reporting and broadcasting. We hope this unforgettable experience will be a cornerstone in their educational journey, encouraging them to explore new horizons and embrace their creativity.
In November, girls in Year 1 - Year 6 enjoyed a Diwali workshop hosted by Meghan from West End for Schools to mark the religious festival. The girls started the session learning about Diwali and had a wonderful time retelling the story of Rama and Sita through mime and dance.
Mrs Mann came in to talk to Year 1 and 2 about Diwali. With her beautiful assistant Jasleen, Mrs Mann spoke about why Hindus and Sikhs from all around the world celebrate light. She showed the girls how to make a Diva Lamp and shared some of the traditions their family have at home over the 5-day celebration. Mrs Mann and Jasleen then gifted the girls with their own Diva Lamp and a little sweet treat!
On the eve of half-term, the Year 13 Art Historians jetted of to Rome to enhance their knowledge of the Italian Renaissance. After checking into our charmingly authentic hotel, yards away from the columns lining St Peter’s Square in the Vatican City, we crossed town into the busy centre to take in the ancient Pantheon. We were awed by the power of this magnificent dome, a classical source of great importance to the artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth century who we study in our A level content. The evening finished with a delicious gelato and an obligatory walk by the Trevi fountain.
The following day we were at the doors of the Vatican Museum as they opened, and were led on the most incredible guided tour of the papal apartments and the Sistine Chapel where we were treated to the work of Raphael and Michelangelo in a way that
went far beyond our usual appreciation of them on the smartboard screen in the classroom. After exploring St Peter’s Basilica we explored the vibrant neighbourhood of Travestere, and had a delicious lunch with the locals. A hike up to San Pietro in Montorio aforded us a breathtaking view of Rome from its elevated vantage point, where we marvelled at Bramante’s exquisite Tempietto. A cab ride across to the Colosseum gave us the chance to take in some of the Ancient Roman structures, before we headed to San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome, to see our final work for the day, Michelangelo’s ‘Moses’.
Florence awaited us, so we jumped on the train with our delicious paninis and were there in two hours. Our new hotel was located a minute from the Accademia, so Michelangelo’s ‘David’ was our first stop and he didn’t disappoint. To break up our exploration of the
past, we took in Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at the local cinema and danced the night away!
The following day was busy with Donatello at the Bargello, Ghiberti at the Museo dell’Opera and Brunelleschi’s Duomo. Post lunch, the Palazzo Medici and its beautiful Magi Chapel were a real treat. After queuing to enter the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, we were initially disappointed to see that our much-revised work, Masaccio’s ‘The Holy Trinity’ was behind scafolding, but delighted when told that for a euro we could climb it to see it up close as the restorers were on a break. An amazing opportunity we will never forget! The day finished with a phenomenal contemporary show, Anish Kapoor at the Strozzi Palace.
On our final day we saved the best, in my opinion, for last - the Botticelli’s in the Ufzi. After lunch in the Florence food markets, we took the train to Pisa, and flew back to Heathrow. This wonderful itinerary was made all the more enjoyable by the Year 13 art historians who were an absolute joy to spend five days in Italy with. Special thanks indeed to the incredible Miss Tarbert, whose fluent Italian, local knowledge and wonderful humour made her an exceptional co-teacher on this trip. Thank you for ordering me all of those cappuccinos!
Mrs Alex Francisco, Head of History of Art/Head of Sixth Form
The History trip to Washington DC over the half-term break was a whirlwind of excitement. We had an action-packed itinerary. We must have set a new school record for the number of steps taken because we averaged a whopping 16 kilometers per day. We certainly got fitter, and we all earned a few extra treats from the supermarket each evening!
Our adventure began at Arlington Cemetery and the memorials of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Our excellent guide was a fountain of knowledge and made history come alive for all of us. We then explored the American History Museum, which was full of fascinating artefacts, including the First Ladies’ Inaugural Gowns and the original Star-Spangled Banner. A stand-out favourite was our visit to the remarkable African American Museum. We were deeply impressed by the powerful stories and exhibits that showcased the history and achievements of African Americans. It was a truly eyeopening experience and a privilege to spend time there. Our journey took a poignant turn as we visited the Holocaust Museum. This was an emotional experience, as it gave us a stark reminder of the importance of tolerance and understanding in our world today.
We marvelled at iconic landmarks such as the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and the inspiring Martin Luther King Memorial. The history and symbolism at these sites left a lasting impact on us all. Our Capitol tour was a hit, and we learned all about its rich history. We even stopped by the Supreme Court.
Each night, we dined in fantastic places, and one favourite was Ben’s Chili Bowl. It’s a local legend, because it has played a significant role in the city’s cultural and civil rights movements. It is a restaurant that dates back to 1958 and has become famous because it was included in the Green Book - an annual guidebook for African-American travellers that provided information about safe places to stop, sleep and eat during the era of Jim Crow. Delicious food with an incredible history; what more could we ask for?
In summary, our trip to Washington DC was an absolute triumph. Our students were a credit to the school, and made memories that will last a lifetime.
Mr Oliva, Head of History
In November, we were treated to an outstanding performance of Lord of the Flies. “The play really highlighted the character virtues that we have been exploring this half term. The students showed great ambition, as they challenged themselves with difcult roles and intense subject matter. They also demonstrated incredible resilience as they attended physically exhausting rehearsals, explored difcult subject matter and achieved all of this alongside their usual studies and activities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every student involved in Lord of the Flies and I am really looking forward to working with our fantastic girls again on our next production. Watch this space!”
Mrs A Birkett, Head of Drama
Sophia, Assistant Director, said:
“It was amazing to be given the opportunity to interact with younger years and collaborate and contribute creatively to create a play we are all really proud of. Watching from the wings, as rehearsals progressed, girls gained the confidence to shine with the support from the rest of the cast and Mrs Birkett. It was so important to create a safe space in which everyone felt capable of doing their best at embodying their various roles. Playing with diferent ideas and taking inspiration from previous productions and features helped to piece together our definition of the lost world of The Lord of The Flies. It was exciting to merge so many creative outlets (set design, sound, lighting) and watch hard work and so much planning come together on stage.”
Olivia, who played the role of Sam in the play
“It was such an incredible experience. As a cast I felt that we adopted the character virtues that we have been looking at in school this half term. We all had to be ambitious with ideas when it came to important and complex scenes, and we had to challenge ourselves in our acting. We had to have resilience throughout the process because certain choices for a scene sometimes didn’t work and we would have re-do the scene again and again. We spent a lot of time going over and over our lines to learn them as the script is one of the most difcult that I have worked on. Lord of The Flies was an amazing experience and I enjoyed every second!”
Thank you to all staf, students and parents who contributed to and joined in with our Children in Need activities in November. We had a pyjama day in Prep, a cake sale in Senior House, lots of maths-based challenges and even Stitch teaching Tag Rugby! The pictures capture the sentiment of the day perfectly!
In December, we were incredibly lucky to welcome Laura Bates, author and founder of the #everydaysexism project, to talk to students in Year 9 - Year 13 about her work and new book. Laura’s talk was incredibly emotive and got every member of the audience thinking. Laura inspired our girls to speak up if something isn’t right and raised awareness about everyday sexism in our world. She ended the experience with a book signing and talking to each student individually.
Lucy P in Year 11 wrote:
On Tuesday 5th December, students in Years 9-13 were lucky enough to have feminist writer and activist, Laura Bates, deliver a talk on her latest young adult novel, “Sisters of Sword and Shadow”, and her motivations for writing the book, which ranged from an interest in King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to attitudes towards women, both modern and medieval, the latter being the time period in which the book is set; this also provided us with interesting knowledge about medieval history, such as jousting and archery. As well as this, Laura spoke to us about issues faced by women today, including misogyny and assault, along with means of combating these issues and how to speak up about them. We also learnt about the everyday sexism project; this is a website, started by Laura in 2012, which serves not only as a means for women and girls to share their experiences with assault, sexism and much more, but also for others to learn about these experiences and broaden their understanding of what it means to be a woman in the 21st century.
Our Year 12 and 13 Mathematics students embarked on a day excursion to London, where they participated in a ‘Mathematics in Action Day’, alongside hundreds of other A Level Mathematicians. The day consisted of a series of 5 very diferent lectures which provided them with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts and explore new mathematics areas to enhance their classroom studies.
The experienced speakers guided them through a range of topics, from advanced calculus to mathematical modelling.
There was also an exam masterclass session tailored explicitly for A Level Maths students, which provided students with strategies and tips for approaching and solving problems commonly found on A Level Maths exams.
Year 7 had the day of timetable for their Enterprise Day. Always a favourite with students, this year was no exception as girls came to school in business dress ready for a challenging day.
Once split into teams, the girls assigned each other roles and then set about creating a business plan for a new subscription box. They manned stands at lunch for the rest of the Senior House to learn about each product and vote for their winner, and then pitched their products to a Dragons Den-style panel of investors. The girls worked maturely as teams and rose to the challenge brilliantly. Well done, girls!
In November, Year 2 were studying Claude Monet’s beautiful landscape paintings to complement their learning of nature in other subjects. They learnt how to sketch and add detail, before building up colour using paint. They even mixed their own colours to complement the photographs they used as inspiration.
A Level Politics students attended the Politics Student Conference 2023 at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. The packed programme allowed our students to hear from a range of top MPs including Sajid Javid, Ed Davey and Jacob Rees-Mogg to name a few.
The experience was fantastic for our students to see politics in action and give them an insight into current political issues faced by the government today, as the next general election approaches.
In November, the Music Department welcomed Hannah Lewis to the school to lead a music workshop on songwriting. As a professional singer/songwriter, Hannah was ideally qualified to share her experiences of how to find an agent and producer. It was fascinating to hear about her musical journey and we were treated to a performance of her latest song, which she hopes to release in the new year.
The students who attended were encouraged to create their own song in groups. They worked together for an hour or so and then performed their song. Some had even managed to create an entire song, which was so impressive bearing in mind the time constraints!
Our annual Christmas Shoe Box Appeal came to an end with four busy days of visiting local care homes, giving out shoe boxes filled with gifts that our community kindly donated. The visits were heart-warming when our students interacted with the residents and spread Christmas joy. Thank you to everyone who donated a shoe box, we received 127 in total, they really do make a huge diference.
As always, St Mary’s was full of Christmas cheer over the festive period, from parties to pantomime and quizzes to carol services.
House Charity week took place in January and the event was a great success.
Fundraising included a wide range of sponsored activities throughout the week for Prep students, a whole school Mufti Day, and a vibrant Charity Fair for students in Senior House on the Wednesday during the lunch break.
House Captains and 6th form students led engaging activities for students, including a bake sale, henna tattoo, hot chocolate, jewellery-making, and a Vinted style stall selling second hand clothing, amongst other things. There was a real buzz of excitement and enthusiasm around the school!
All funds raised from these events will benefit RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Beautiful Gate Lesotho, and Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, and will have a significant impact. We raised a huge £1,022 for these four charities. Thank you for being an integral part of our vibrant and caring community.
Your involvement and your daughter’s involvement in events like these truly make a diference, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Miss Sweeney’s Eco-Warriors club was extended to welcome girls from Senior House. They made bird feeders to help our feathered friends during the cold snap! The group is making a diference not just to our school community but also the wider community by covering a range of activities from planting flowers, litter picking and encouraging recycling, to being green with our energy use!
At the ISA Young Musician of the Year Competition, Simran and Roselyn were put forward to represent St Mary’s. They are both extremely talented musicians and performed very well. Here they are with their certificates of participation. Well done, Simran and Roselyn!
In February, 14 dancers from Years 7 to Year 12 embarked on an inspiring journey to Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London to witness Matthew Bourne’s dance adaptation of Edward Scissorhands.
The production, a witty and bittersweet portrayal of an incomplete boy navigating a strange new world, captivated our students. The girls were particularly enthralled, expressing their joy and inspiration upon returning. This theatrical outing wasn’t just about watching a performance; it was a transformative experience. The intricate choreography and mesmerising set design left a lasting mark, sparking creativity and passion among our young dancers.
35 girls from Year 7 to Year 13 took part in House Music with categories for singers and instrumentalists in three diferent age groups, plus an Ensemble category. So many girls put on stunning performances and it was a very tough competition to judge for our visiting adjudicator, Mrs Whitely from Bute House. With so much talent on show, it was often difcult to choose an overall winner for each category, but the eventual winners were as follows:
Year 7 and 8 singing: Lara (Kirk)
Year 7 and 8 instrumentalist: Amrit (Temple West) and Amy (Kirk), joint 1st
Year 9 and 10 singing: Ava (Temple West)
Year 9 and 10 instrumentalist: Kanak (Latham)
Year 11, 12 and 13 singing: India (Butler)
Year 11, 12 and 13 instrumentalist: Lottie (Kirk)
Ensemble class: Jess and Madison (Latham)
Congratulations to all the girls who took part.
Before Christmas, we were delighted to welcome many of our Nursery and Reception parents for breakfast at Little St Mary’s. The morning was a fantastic opportunity for parents to see the work that the children do in class. The girls showed of their learning environment with such pride and excitement and even got some of the parents involved with activities!
Girls in KS1 had a fantastic experience in a Wild West themed drama workshop. After warming up with some line dancing, they went on a desert adventure where they overcame sandstorms, came face to face with some desert animals and even rode on horseback!
Year 9 students embraced a wonderful opportunity to satisfy their curiosity as they spent the day exploring the GCSE Options on ofer to them to study from next year.
After a fascinating start from two guest speakers, they enjoyed taster lessons in new subjects such as Media Studies and Business and spoke with subject teachers at the Options Fair.
GCSE Options Day is a hugely important part of the Year 9 calendar as students start to hone their subjects based on their personal interests and even future ambitions. We were incredibly impressed with how all the girls approached the day with great enthusiasm and maturity and we are sure their positive approach to the day made it incredibly valuable and enjoyable for them all.
Year 6 spent Michaelmas term designing and making soft toys. They learnt several diferent stitching, joining, and decorative techniques, as well as how to use templates and create a seam allowance. The finished soft toys are absolutely fantastic - well done girls - what a great new skill to learn!
During Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, the topic was all about ‘my voice matters’. My Voice Matters is about empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves.
Mrs Deadman and students from Sixth Form led an interactive and thought-provoking assembly to raise awareness of positive mental health and options available both in and out of school if someone feels they need support.
They spoke about the importance of speaking up, voicing concerns for themselves and others, and how they can go about this.
Year 4 learnt about the importance of brushing their teeth properly in Science. They brought their toothbrushes and toothpastes into school and gave their teeth a brush and then used a disclosing tablet to see if they had missed any bits!
Adding a refreshing twist to the end of the mock exam season, Year 11 students were treated to a Well-Being Day.
This unique day featured a wintry Scavenger Hunt around the lovely Gerrards Cross, providing an opportunity for the students to connect with their peers and the local community. The day continued with a pizza lunch from At Home Pizza, fostering a sense of togetherness and enjoyment. But the excitement did not stop there! In the afternoon, our students glided into an icy adventure at the ice-skating rink. Laughter echoed through the air as friendships were strengthened, and the joy of shared experiences embraced.
Building on this momentum, the following day unfolded with the much-anticipated Sixth Form Taster Day. This immersive experience allowed our Year 11 students to explore a variety of A Level subjects and get a glimpse of life in our Sixth Form. The day was designed to fuel their curiosity, encouraging them to envision their academic journey beyond GCSEs.
Prep students and staf enjoyed an engaging and varied week to celebrate World Book Day in March. M G Leonard Visit
We welcomed esteemed author M G Leonard to St Mary’s. After an engaging assembly, girls in Year 3 to 6 enjoyed a creative workshop where they worked together to come up with a murder mystery story. Imaginations ran wild and some fantastic story lines were emerging as the girls worked collaboratively to generate ideas. The day ended with a book signing and we are sure the girls started reading their new books that very bedtime!
Book Fair
Prep was visited by the Scholastic book fair to use their World Book Day book voucher to choose books from a wide range of titles. This is another way we promote reading in the school - what better way to decide on a book than to have it in your hands to see, feel, and experience it!
Pros and Verse Final
Two representatives from each class went head-to-head in the final of the prose and verse competition. Each student had to memorise a section of a book or poem and perform it to the rest of the school. There were some fantastic accents, actions, and intonations and all performances were delivered with great confidence!
Well done to Betsy, in Year 7, who researched the religious significance of hot cross buns, and then had a go at making her own, achieving her RS Accolade. Well done Betsy, these look delicious! Here is what Betsy found out:
The significance of the buns is that the bun marks the end of the Christian season of Lent. Diferent parts of the hot cross buns have diferent meanings. The orange zest/peel inside represents the bitterness of this time. And, most famously, the cross signifies the cross that Jesus died on.
The person, (or in this case, animal) I would share my chocolate with is my dog, Helen. OK I know what you’re thinking. Chocolate can kill dogs and poor Helen would die a tragic death, a victim of a chocolate that was never supposed to pass her lips. However, not this chocolate. Not this captivating canine concoction. My dog once gulped down a whole bar of chocolate and was rushed off to the vet that very same morning. Not a great Christmas for her, or me. So that is why I have invented a chocolate that every dog will howl for: The Barking Bon-Bon Bone. It is bone-shaped and bursting with flavour. To my pampered pooch it tastes like a rare, juicy steak, but to me, it is like moreish chocolate caramel with tangy notes of raspberry. Never forget, there is some classic Wonka magic in there too. On consumption, Helen and I will magically be able to converse with each other! Imagine that! As Roald Dahl says, ‘Scrumdiddlyuncious’!
A team of our students headed to the Bucks Cross Country Competition at Stowe School. They ran 1600 metres with great determination and resilience in tricky conditions (it was cold and muddy!).
A huge well done to all the team and a special mention to Scarlett in Year 6 who finished in the top 10 and was selected for the Nationals! Scarlett ran 1.6km in just 7 minutes and 24 seconds!
A HUGE well done to Minnie who won the Wonka: Who would you share it with?, run by Into Film, out of over 500 entries! Minnie wrote a fantastic piece explaining that she would share her Wonka chocolate with her dog, Helen. You can see Minnie’s entry here (left). She won herself (and her family!) a £100 cinema voucher and a copy of the Wonka book for herself and her entire class. Here’s what Minnie thought about winning: I am over the moon about winning, and I am looking forward to watching some new films at the cinema with my family! I enjoy being creative whilst writing, and I loved having the chance to create my own chocolate that I could share with my dog.
Roselyn, Ella and Daria from Prep and Ayaanah from Senior House, competed at the Chesham Music Festival in March and all did exceptionally well! Ella, Daria, and Ayaanah were awarded certificates of commendation, and Roselyn a certificate of distinction due to winning her class! Well done to all the musicians - we are very proud of your achievements.
A huge well done to our Gym Squad who competed at the Acrobatics Pairs Competition in Southampton in March. The girls worked hard in a tough regional category with 15 pairs.
Lois and Maci came 3rd
Liberty and Summer came 7th
Madison and Sophia came 10th
Alice and Lily came 12th
Girls in Year 6 came together with peers from Thorpe House, Gayhurst and High March School in the annual Rotary Club Youth Speaks competition. They spoke with confidence and conviction about historical crimes including Guy Fawkes, Colonel Blood and the Crown Jewels. Our judging panel was blown away by the calibre of entries and thoroughly enjoyed their evening - they awarded our girls second place beaten only marginally by Thorpe House. Well done to the girls - public speaking is such an important skill to develop.
At the beginning of February, eight students and two staf set of on a four-day language trip to Berlin. After a good flight, we were met by our tour representative, Tatiana, who helped us get to our hotel by train. Staying in the Mitte district of Berlin made travel around the city very easy; we soon got used to taking the U8 from Gesundbrunnen station each morning!
We were up and out early and enjoyed a walking tour of the city with Tatiana. We learnt so much about German history and the language through her infinite knowledge and interesting stories. Next, she took us to Alexanderplatz for a language trail. The girls had great fun and did very well. We were then ready for our 368m ascent by lift up the Fernsehturm (TV tower). From here we had amazing views of the city and beyond. Everyone slept well after a delicious home cooked meal at the hotel and some souvenir shopping.
The next day, we visited the Wall Memorial at Bernauerstasse and the DDR Museum, where students gained a real appreciation of what life was like in East Germany between 1961 and 1989. After lunch by the river Spree and some more souvenir shopping, we headed to the Reichstag for our guided tour. It was a real privilege to be able to visit such a beautiful and iconic state building. Students showed true SMS spirit as they asked and answered questions with great enthusiasm and curiosity. Sunday night was Quiz night and a great way for them to interact with each other and reflect on what they had learnt. Sehr gut!
Throughout the trip students developed confidence in their language skills as they ordered food and drink in German, including the famous German ice cream dish Spaghettieis! Our final visit was to Rittersport for a chocolate workshop. This was conducted in German and provided yet another invaluable language opportunity for the girls, alongside a very enjoyable experience. Danke Berlin und auf Wiedersehen!
Well done to Emilia and Vienna who entered the ISA Comic Strip Competition and were awarded certificates in March. Girls entering these competitions often complete their entries in their own time which shows a wonderful commitment to their passions and to extending their skills beyond the classroom.
Our wonderful Drama Scholars took part in the National ISA Drama competition at King’s High School in Warwick. They performed an energetic and comical extract from ‘Annie’ and completely blew the audience away.
Lara sung a beautiful solo of ‘Maybe’ and the whole ensemble including Madison, Annie, Caoimhe, Betsy, Poppy and Jorja performed a dramatic rendition of ‘Hard-Knock Life.’ Ava also performed the iconic role of ‘Miss Hannigan’ with commitment and flair. The students worked incredibly hard on their performances and should be very proud of what they achieved.
On 2nd February, seventeen pupils and three teachers set of on a four-day trip to Madrid. After an early start, we met our city guide Josune and made our way to Hotel Mediodía, close to Atocha train station.
Our hotel was located close to the main tourist attractions and on Friday afternoon we made the short walk to the Reina Sofia museum. Here, our guide talked about many famous paintings and artists, and we learnt about Salvador Dalí and Ángeles Santos. We also saw Guernica, the famous painting about the Spanish Civil War by Pablo Picasso. We made the most of the good weather by walking around Retiro Park. After a bufet meal at FrescCo, we made our way back to the hotel and got ready for day two.
On Saturday morning the girls had some time to explore El Mercado de San Miguel and try some typical Spanish food that they have learnt about throughout their studies, and have churros con chocolate from Chocolatería San Ginés. After spending time on the main avenue Gran Vía and visiting other sites such as the royal palace and Templo de Debod, we took the metro to Real Madrid’s stadium, Santiago Bernabéu and the girls had a chance to take pictures with the Champions League trophy.
On Sunday the group walked through the city to spend time at El Rastro flea market, before getting lunch and taking the metro to Madrid’s zoo.
The final day brought two rewarding experiences. The first was a cooking workshop at Apetit Oh! delivered in Spanish, and the girls prepared paella, tortilla española and Tarta de Santiago (a Spanish almond cake) which was then served as lunch. In the afternoon the girls had a two-hour Spanish lesson at Inhispania. We were really pleased to hear how much the girls enjoyed their Spanish lesson and over the course of the trip they impressed us with the amount of Spanish they used.
This was a great opportunity for the girls to use their language skills and grow in confidence in new situations. It was a very enjoyable trip for all involved!
Year 13 enjoyed a well-deserved wellbeing day following their mock exams and before the start of exam season. The work ethic of this group of students is aspirational, and we have no doubt their hard work will pay of. But, there is always time for some R&R! The girls chose to watch The Princess Diaries at the Everyman cinema and then take on an escape room (great for team building). It looks like a great day was had by all!
The whole of Year 10 ventured to the Emmanuel Centre in London for a unique experience designed to bring the GCSE Maths curriculum to life through engaging and interactive sessions led by renowned mathematicians and educators.
The ‘GCSE Maths in Action’ event is designed to make mathematics more accessible, enjoyable, and applicable to real-world scenarios.
We believe that experiences like these play a crucial role in fostering a love for learning and helping students see the relevance of their studies in the broader context.
The girls had a great day and Vienna ended up winning the penalty shoot-out, on stage, in front of the whole auditorium!
In March, girls in Years 6 - 9 took on an escape room style Maths Challenge! The activity was designed to introduce students to the practical applications of mathematics through hands-on activities and engaging challenges. We believe that providing opportunities for students to apply mathematical concepts in real-world contexts is essential for fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the subject.
Students worked collaboratively to problem solve and think critically as they solved various mathematical problems and puzzles. Great fun was had by all!
Year 9 students let their creativity run wild during Food and Nutrition lessons.
The theme was ‘British Cuisine’ and girls could choose which dish they wanted to create. With everything from chicken pie, to Victoria sponge and millionaire’s shortbread, there was a huge amount of variety and skill on display (not to mention the amazing aromas!). Well done all!
On Shrove Tuesday, Prep had a House Meeting with a diference as they talked tactics for the inaugural pancake day celebrations! Whether it was deciding who could flip the most, or flip the highest pancake or how to run the pancake relay the quickest, competition was strong and the stakes were high! The Houses went head-tohead under the strict eye of Miss Sweeney.
In their Art lessons the Year 8 girls had fun analysing the amazing work of the famous artist Salvador Dali - with a diference.
Rather than use the traditional method of writing about the work of the artist, instead, the girls worked in groups to produce a visual response inspired by their previous research.
This was a fabulous opportunity for ‘talk for learning’ and to practice the important skills required for successful team work!
Year 4 learnt about perimeter in Maths. They discovered that they could work out the perimeter of rectangles by only measuring 2 sides. We tried this method out on the MUGA.
The girls worked out that the perimeter of the pitch was 220 metres!
On 7th February, Year 9 took part in an Enterprise Day at St Mary’s. The students came to school wearing smart business dress with lots of excitement and great enthusiasm for the day ahead. The girls had to compete in groups and come up with an idea for a new business they could set up and run to enter the national ‘Tycoon Enterprise Competition’.
All the groups did really well and they developed lots of enterprise skills throughout the day. These included working efectively in groups, time management, writing business plans, and presentation skills. They created marketing materials, and a trade stand, and even had to complete some tricky financial accounts for their business plan document.
Staf were impressed with the work Year 9 produced and enjoyed seeing their work at lunchtime. All their business ideas were innovative and creative. However, there could only be one winner, and this was Team 2, Sage Jewellery. A big congratulations to them and all Year 9s for completing this important day!
We were delighted when our Modern Foreign Languages department, along with delegates from a number of local schools, enjoyed a CPD session with Dr Gianfranco Conti who is a wellknown language teaching specialist with trailblazing methods of teaching languages in secondary school.
Dr Gianfranco’s passion was infectious and all those attending left full of ideas and inspiration! Thank you to Mr Keenan for organising the day.
Our exploration of AI continued in the classroom…
Unlocking history’s mysteries with AI! Year 5 students delved into the past by engaging in virtual conversations with none other than Henry VIII himself. Using AI technology, they asked burning questions about his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, gaining invaluable insights to fuel their historical narratives. We witnessed the power of blending tradition with innovation as they crafted captivating diary entries in Henry’s voice.
We welcomed a group of students from Thorpe House to take on the emerging technology that we all know as ‘AI'. In teams, students were challenged to write descriptions of themselves and enter them into AI to create self-portraits. Not stopping at the first image of themselves, students refined their descriptions and kept reentering them to get as accurate a portrait of themselves as possible!
Year 5 and 6 took part in the Arts Society Chiltern’s young artist painting competition this term with the theme ‘My Favourite View’ and the standard of work from St Mary’s girls was phenomenal.
Jessica M in Year 6 and Zara W, in Year 5 attended the prize giving at Chalfont St Peter Library, where Jessica won Best in school and Zara won 1st place overall out of all of the schools that took part. They received medals, certificates and their paintings beautifully printed onto canvases. We are immensely proud of the girls!
We would like to congratulate all of the Year 5 and 6 girls for taking part and producing superb paintings.
Three of the entries are below, coupled with photos of our two happy winners!
Senior House Book Club members attended the annual Bucks Book Award ceremony. The girls had been shadowing the shortlisted titles in each category since the beginning of the academic year. The two best books were announced during the morning - Five Survive by Holly Jackson won the Sue Harris Award and The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens won the Children’s Award. We were greeted by some wonderful Aylesbury Grammar students and divided into groups for the Literary Quiz.
The day started with a talk by an author who engaged the room with her anecdotes about how she became a writer and some of the pitfalls and highlights along the way. After a short break all the girls were split into teams for the quiz that contained some tricky categories for example picture puzzles, book villains and trivia.
St Mary’s finished 2nd and 3rd in their respective teams of Avonlea and Valhalla - a great result! Everyone had a fantastic morning, well done to all the book club girls.
Year 10 GCSE students spent part of their Religious Studies lesson in the Chapel to consolidate their learning about the Eucharist.
They were able to pass around the chalice and paten and recall the diferent beliefs and practices of diferent denominations.
We had a wonderful end to Book Week in March. We welcomed author Liz Fost, and her friendly ‘Goldy the Gecko’ to talk about her book ‘The Gecko and the Echo’.
To finish the day, girls (and staf!) enjoyed a fashion show to showcase their costumes. Last but not least, the deserving winners of the Prose and Verse final were announced as: Tabitha in Year 1 and Tabitha in Year 2.
Both girls gave engaging and confident performances, and won a poetry book and a voucher to spend on a book of their choice!
We were treated to a wonderful spectacle of talent from girls aged 3 to 18 in our Gym and Dance show. The standard of performance was truly incredible, as was the preparation involved and skill displayed. We thank everyone involved for their hard work in putting on such a fantastic evening of entertainment. We think the pictures say it all - don’t you?
On 22nd March, our Head Girl Team hosted students from four local student leadership teams for an evening of networking and ‘switch of’ ahead of the onset of exam season.
The evening started with a talk from guest speaker Pam Banwait, who gave an inspiring talk about her leadership journey, before moving to the Common Room where visitors networked over pizza and brownies. It is fair to say this evening was a huge success and we look forward to watching the event grow in the coming years.
Thank you to students from Pipers Corner, Dr Challoner’s, The Chalfonts Community College and Chesham Grammar for attending.
Our Year 10 Netball team played in their end of season tournament at Kingsmead at the end of term. They finished 3rd in their group and went on to win the Plate! They were undefeated in the Plate and were outstanding!
They worked collaboratively and were respectful to one another, the opposition, and the ofcials throughout the entire competition.
Year 9 headed to their end of season tournament too. After a series of incredible wins, they got through to the plate, but unfortunately lost to Beaconsfield High School at the last moment.
Both teams showed incredible sportsmanship and team spirit this season - their determination and enthusiasm was fantastic!
Well done girls.
We came together on 20th March to celebrate our wonderful school’s 152nd birthday. With a cake (not quite big enough to feed everyone!) and an assembly to mark the occasion where the candles were blown out by the oldest and one of the youngest members of our school community all students then enjoyed a cupcake at break to celebrate!
We look forward to celebrating the next 152 years of educating young women of the future!
The Maths department marked Pi day in March. We started with a guest speaker Colin Stuart who sparked intrigue with examples of how Pi and other concepts can be used in real life scenarios. During lessons, girls took on a range of tasks based around Pi from creating beads and Pi skylines to measuring circles using strawberry laces.
During break time, girls were challenged to recall Pi up to 50 place values - we were delighted at how many of the girls managed to do it! This was a fantastic day to bring to life a key mathematical concept.
During Science week in March, Year 5 and Year 6 headed to the Science Museum in London for an immersive day exploring all the diferent realms of Science - everyone was surprised by the broad range of topics that are classed as Science!
Later in the week, Prep girls enjoyed a full day of timetable.
Years 3-6 worked collaboratively on a ‘Fly High’ STEM day. After splitting into groups to be engineers, news-reporters or researchers the girls came back together to use their ground work to create a flying machine that would either fly the furthest or stay in the sky for the longest.
Pre-Prep had a wonderful time completing fairy-tale themed STEM challenges including making an edible cottage for Hansel and Gretel, a bridge for the Billy Goats and even a raft for the Gingerbread Man.
These hands-on experiences provided many benefits to our girls as they explore science in action: Hands-on discovery, confidence boost, career exploration and teamwork & communication. We champion practical learning for girls in science and create a community where every girl feels empowered to explore, innovate, and conquer the world of STEM!
During the Century Spring Challenge for Years 3 to 6, girls answered 29,000 questions which placed us in the final top 4% in our category in the country!
A special mention went to Ramneet in Year 5, Charlotte in Year 4 and Kaira in Year 3, who all answered the most questions!
Over the 4 weeks of the challenge, Ramneet answered 1056 questions, Charlotte answered 904 and Kaira answered 1402. Very well done!
At the start of May, Senior House came together to watch the traditional Flag Ceremony which saw us thank, and bid farewell, to our outgoing Head Girl Team and welcome in our new Head Girl and Prefect Team for the school year 2024 - 2025.
After the formalities in the Senior Hall, we gathered in the Rose Garden and witnessed Elise, Head Girl 2023 - 2024, bring the flag down and Sophie, Head Girl 2024 - 2025, raise it again, ending proceedings with three cheers for our Head Girl Team.
After the ceremony, the newly appointed group got to work on their first ofcial duty and served cupcakes at break!
We were delighted to welcome Teach Rex to school to talk to girls from Nursery to Year 6 about climate change, and what we can all do to make a diference.
Along with their furry friends, our visitors brought to life some of the issues faced by wildlife such as sloths, parrots and gorillas with an immersive experience to really hit home about how important our planet is to us, and the impact humans are having on their futures.
The girls had a fantastic day, and we can’t wait to welcome the Teach Rex team back in the future and to meet some more of their collection of animals!
Year 1 and 2 were very excited to welcome Zara’s mum to learn all about the celebration of Eid!
The 3-day celebration includes visits to places of worship, thinking about those who are less fortunate as well as exchanging presents with friends and family.
During the holidays, Zara and her family went to Iran and Iraq and visited a children’s orphanage where they distributed toys and food. Thank you so much for joining us!
Year 5 and 6 had a brilliant afternoon at the netball festival arranged by our own Year 10 Sports Leaders.
They played some fantastic netball against several of our local primary schools, showcasing the skills they have been working on in PE and netball club. Their teamwork and hard work was fantastic to see - well done girls!
Year 9 pupils were treated to a wonderful afternoon of Shakespeare at The Playground Theatre in London in May.
Talented actors from The New Chronicle Theatre Company introduced the girls to the plot of Macbeth through a series of interactive activities and group discussions.
The girls learnt about the key characters and themes and were encouraged to consider a variety of interpretations of the play. Mrs Callaghan was extremely impressed with all the girls who readily took part in all of the activities, showing fantastic SMS spirit.
They tackled the challenging Shakespearean language in performance and showed an impressive understanding of the context and genre of the play. This was a hugely valuable experience for the girls and will hopefully have inspired and engaged them in readiness for their study of the text next year!
There is always a mix of sadness, excitement and nervousness as we say good luck to our Year 11 students as they head of on study leave.
Huge congratulations to all of D of E Bronze students who undertook their assessed expedition in the Chilterns. They were so lucky to have fabulous weather for the trip!
Thank you to Miss Crossland, Miss Warburton and Mrs Jobson who went along to support the girls.
We are delighted to announce that they have all passed their Expedition section of their award with flying colours! Well done to you all!
Before Easter, piano students were challenged to compose a piece of music and then perform it to their fellow piano students.
Mrs Phillips, Director of Expressive Arts, and Amy in Year 13 came along to judge the competition giving the girls some really constructive feedback about their pieces.
We were blown away by every new piece of music and couldn’t believe how diferent each one was!
On Sunday the 31st of March we all woke up nice and early and embarked on an exhilarating journey to the snowy mountains of Jay Peak Resort for our 2024 ski trip. With lots of excitement and anticipation, both students and staf set of ready for an amazing trip filled with new experiences, amazing thrills and lots of snow!
After a long and tiring 6-hour flight from London Heathrow to Boston Airport, we jumped straight onto a coach for a 4-hour journey watching the landscape change from city to endless forests until we finally made it to Jay Peak resort.
Everyone settled in well and cherished the sleep they could get before we hit the slopes early the next day. We got our equipment fitted and organised and were ready to go. Whether a beginner or an advanced skier, there was plenty of fun to be had on those slopes with our amazing instructors who taught us the best tips and tricks and had loads of fun helping us become better skiers.
But the adventure didn’t stop at skiing! We were able to go to the waterpark twice, going on all the waterslides, around the lazy river, having a go at the wave rider, or sitting in the outdoor hot tub. We went to a Clip and Climb where there was lots of friendly competition between students, as well as staf, to see who could scale the wall the quickest. When we weren’t climbing, we could play all kinds of arcade games that were available. On one of our last nights, we went to the local cinema and saw Wonka. It was a great movie and a well-deserved rest for both students and teachers after an intense week of skiing.
On the last day, everyone participated in the quiz which was very competitive between all Year groups (even the teachers got involved). It all came down to the bonus round which was a group gymnastics balance. We had to involve all of our team and hold the balance for 3 seconds. It was very funny and a great way to end the week. After adding up all the scores the Year 12 group won the quiz with the staf team close behind, and we won some cuddly moose and husky teddies. On the Friday, we hit the slopes one last time before leaving to travel back down to Boston.
The skiing was brilliant! We skied in all sorts of diferent conditions with some sunny days. We had a 2-day snowstorm so we had 3 feet of fresh powder to ski on and we had some cloudy days. Our instructors were patient and supported all of us to make so much progress in just a week. The only bad thing about the snowstorm was the Wi-Fi went down for 48 hours!
On Friday after skiing, we got back on the coach and embarked on our journey back to Boston. We arrived at the hotel and played board games while we waited for pizza before getting an early night. The next day our breakfast was interrupted. Firefighters came into the hotel as four Year 9 students got stuck in the lift! This delayed our departure but it added an element of excitement to the trip and we are pleased to say they all got out safely!
We then had a busy day in Boston ahead of us. We visited an outlet to pick up some last-minute presents, then we went to see Harvard University and were able to spend some time in the Quincy market before heading to the airport to get on our night flight home.
On 20th April, Bertie turned 1 and was the most spoilt dog in the whole of Buckinghamshire! Mrs Taylor made him a cake (with a dog-approved recipe!), and he had some presents to open. At lunch, the girls who attend Lunch with LEAPS made him some cards and sang to him.
Turning one was a big milestone for Bertie, as he has now ofcially started his IIAAPT training which will qualify him to support students who are experiencing high levels of anxiety, or stress, and those who have ASD.
The full training is being administered by Mrs Taylor and will take 2 years. Once qualified, Bertie will work for two hours a day assisting multiple students across all Year groups with their emotional and social regulation.
Early in May we took girls from Year 6 and 7, to the GSA/ISFA Football Festival at Kings High School in Warwickshire. They had a fantastic day of football, winning some games and losing some.
They worked fantastically as a team, and played with smiles on their faces despite competing against some very strong club players.
The day was a great way to build up their confidence and resilience.
The cuteness factor in Prep reached new levels when Little St Mary’s took a very special delivery of some duckling eggs which hatched! Girls in Little St Mary’s named the ducklings, learnt all about the life cycle of an egg, and completed lots of activities around the topic. Further up the school, girls in Year 5 were learning about life cycles, so the chicks (carefully transported by Mr Cavill!), took a trip to the Prep Science lab. Year 3 and 4 even snuck a visit to Little St Mary’s to see them!
Prep marked ‘The Great British Bark Of’ - an initiative from global charity ‘Underdog International’ who specialise in enhancing education through therapy dogs. The event aims to raise awareness of diversity and celebrate each individual’s uniqueness by acknowledging that all dogs are diferent, yet we simply can’t live without them - they each bring something diferent to the world. We had lots of activities including:
An assembly led by Miss Connell where girls could dress up as a dog and bring their favourite cuddly dog to school.
An activity book to take home, from Underdog International.
A class visit from our very own Therapy Dog in training: Bertie.
A guess the name of the dog competition - with a very lovely cuddly dog for the winner to take home.
A Bertie drawing competition.
We hope that these activities raised awareness about diversity in our school (and beyond), and the notion that everyone should be celebrated.
Years 8 - 10 Historians took a trip to Belgium and France to visit the Battlefields in June. Joined by Mr Oliva, Mrs McNally and Ms Stacey, girls visited a range of sites relevant to their learning. Whilst there was lots of fun and laughter, girls often find this trip hard hitting as the reality of the events of our relatively recent past hit home. Girls visited sites including Wellington Quarry and Passchendael Tyne Cot. Thank you to Mr Oliva for organising this trip for our Historians.
Year 2 were learning about famous explorers in Humanities. To complement their learning, they completed science experiments that matched the ‘Explorer’ theme of the week. When learning about Neil Armstrong they designed rockets and tested them in the playground to see which rocket design could reach the moon. When learning about Robert Scott and Antarctica, they made their very own ice cream!
Nursery and Reception had their final forest school session of the year! Wow, how fast this year has gone!
We combined the classes to go out with a “Pop”! We made sweet popcorn on the fire. It was a fantastic way to end our session and the girls enjoyed reflecting on the year.
In June, we hosted our first ISA Rowing competition in the Sports Hall. Thorpe House joined us for this competition. Four girls from each year group had to row for a certain amount of time and see how far they could get. Boats were on the interactive screen to represent where they were in the race. This was really exciting and the girls were all fantastic at encouraging one another throughout. We had some outstanding performances in the individual rounds:
Year 7: 2nd place to Helen, 3rd place to Grace
Year 8: 2nd place to Marley
Year 10: 2nd place to Alice
We did some relays after this in which all of the teams came 2nd.
This was a really fun competition and we hope to repeat this next year!
Following the hustings a number of weeks ago, and then the vote, we are pleased to introduce our new Prep Head Girl Team for the 2024 -2025 school year:
Beatrix – Head Girl
Jaya, Minnie, Preet – Deputy Head Girls
Lara – Games Captain
Ramneet – Pastoral Prefect
We are excited to see the girls develop into a team of young leaders and see how they represent the voice of our current student body.
In May, our Gymnastics Squads headed to the ISA National Competition at Adcote School and came away with a whole suite of silverware!
Our Under 11 Squad came 1st in their group sequence and 1st overall as a team. Rosabella was placed 3rd individual and Gabriella and Jodi came joint 4th.
Our Under 9 Squad placed 1st with their group piece and 1st overall as a team. Mia was crowned national champion, 2nd place was Hermione and 4th place was Georgie as individuals.
In Senior House, our Over 11 Squad placed 2nd overall with Betsy placing 5th individually.
A huge well done and thank you to all staf and students involved in securing these fantastic results. Our gym squads are getting quite the reputation with their long list of accomplishments this year!
Year 10 students completed their physical Geography data collection at 8 sites along the River Chess at the end of term. They were looking at the changing characteristics of the Chess and its channel in relation to Bradshaw’s model. The girls took various readings including width and depth, to obtain their data. This was followed by lesson time back at school to analyse the data collected. It was a beautiful day on the river and the slightly wetter weather over the last few months meant we had some of the best conditions we have had for years. The data collected will be used in the girls’ final examinations next summer where they will be asked questions about their findings. We had a great day of bringing the classroom to life!
In May, Year 7 and 8 went on an overnight residential to Hill End in Oxfordshire. This overnight stay (and digital detox!) was the perfect end to a busy half term and whole school exam week. Girls turned their hand to a range of exhilarating activities, laughed and made memories and put their independence and resilience to the test! Here’s what some of the girls thought:
Hill End was incredibly fun and exciting. We learnt how to do many new things like build a swing, dens and start a fire. On the first night, we had delicious food and went into the fields to do a scavenger hunt and play some very silly games. We played Year 7 vs Year 8 tug-of-war - Year 8 won! It was very enjoyable and memorable experience.
Marley - Year 8
Hill End was such a great experience for us to connect with each other and even the Year 8s! This included: marshmallows, being free, relaxation, games, chatter, den building, and much more. When we got there, we went straight to our cabins to put our bags down so we could run in endless fields and enjoy the fresh air as soon as possible. The sunset was beautiful and made the day even more perfect. Overall, I really enjoyed Hill End and I would definitely recommend it!
Betsy - Year 7
It was an enjoyable trip that included swing-making and den-building. In the evening, we had fun playing games and making delicious s’mores where some of us tried our first ones ever! After our s’mores, we sang campfire songs with silly lyrics, but everyone was having fun. We spent the trip with Year 7 and made some new friends.
Darcey - Year 8
It was a great way to clear our heads after a week of exams. We embraced the great outdoors, and it was a really fun and enjoyable experience. We played various games in the field, did a scavenger hunt, and made s ‘mores. Out of these activities, making s ‘mores was my favourite because not only were the s ‘mores delicious but we also sang lots of songs. Back in the rooms, we had lots of fun before the lights went out. We would tell each other jokes and giggle until our tummies hurt. Overall, we were very grateful for this experience and we all had lots of fun.
Harleen - Year 7
In June, we hosted our first ever ‘Make a Diference Day’ throughout the whole of St Mary’s as part of our commitment to our local community. Every year group was of timetable taking part in activities ranging from planting flowers around our school, and gifting plants to staf as random acts of kindness, creating pictures for residents in our local care homes, litter picking on Gerrards Cross common, and raising money doing a sponsored obstacle course to name just a few! Dressed as their own superhero inspirations, our girls in Prep experienced how giving back makes them feel. The excitement and energy across the school were palpable as students immersed themselves in these meaningful activities. Mrs Lasocki was thrilled to witness the collective eforts and the positive impact made by our students.
The day truly encapsulated the values of kindness, courage, and social responsibility, leaving a lasting impression on everyone involved.
Together, we created ripples of kindness and community spirit, spreading positive change far beyond our school. We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication and hard work.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this day a tremendous success.
In June, a group of Year 7 students took part in our Youth Speaks Competition which is supported and judged by the Rotary Club. With the support of Ms Gallagher, the girls worked hard to prepare their arguments for and against their chosen topics and presented their speeches with confidence and conviction – they spoke about the following topics: “Legalise euthanasia in Britain”; “It’s time to abolish animal testing”; “Disney films damage girls”, and “Feminism has become toxic”.
The purpose of the event was to enable young people to gain valuable experience in public speaking, and help develop skills and confidence.
The judges evaluated the performance of each team as a whole and as individual contributors, based on criteria such as clarity of speech, style, construction, and content.
Well done to all involved!
St Mary’s girls from Years 5 and 6 visited Silverstone Museum! This hands-on experience brought STEM to life in the most exhilarating way. Here, girls were not just spectators; they were encouraged to embrace their curiosity and dive headfirst into the world of engineering.
Exploring the race track, the girls witnessed Formula 2 Driver Antonelli push the limits, attempting to beat his fastest lap time right before their eyes. They experienced first-hand the adrenaline-pumping reality of racing.
But the adventure didn’t stop there. They then saw a vibrant screening detailing the evolution of cars, complete with a 4D cinema experience that put them right in the heart of the action, racing on the iconic Silverstone track.
And what’s a trip to the Silverstone Museum without encountering the legends of the track? The girls marvelled at real-life F1 vehicles, igniting their passion for the possibilities of engineering. Through an engaging STEM workshop, the girls explored the intricate details that power racing cars, inspiring them to unleash their potential in the world of science and engineering.
Year 7 visited Maidenhead Mosque. The trip ofered an excellent opportunity for the students to deepen and consolidate their Religious Studies learning from the Trinity term, as they came to the end of a comprehensive unit on Islam. The visit included a guided tour of the Mosque and an opportunity for a Q&A session.
St Mary’s enjoyed another informative and busy Mental Health Awareness Week. With a focus on moving more for mental health, it was great to see so many of our students continue to enjoy our extensive programme of co-curricular sports clubs before school, during lunchtime and after school. Cedar Lawn was decorated with bunting and gazebos equipped with pop-up well-being activities every lunchtime. From crochet to clay modelling, walking with Bertie to well-being jars, there was something for everyone.
We welcomed well-being professionals from local schools for a conference dedicated to the concept of whole-school well-being. Dr Sian Salek provided a powerful presentation on managing anxiety in our young people. We are fortunate that our parents are eager to contribute their expertise to help us better support our students.
Some of our students also give freely of their time to support mental health and well-being within school. The Mental Health Peer Supporters informed parents about the work they do. They have to apply for the position and undergo rigorous training before they begin to assist in a range of interesting ways.
On a beautiful, sunny, June evening, Cedar Lawn was transformed into an outside theatre as Year 5 families were treated to a performance of Alice in Wonderland by our Year 7 students, with the technical support from Year 12.
The sun shone, and our catering team created a tea party to remember before the student-produced show. There was a wonderful buzz on Cedar Lawn, and we look forward to seeing these budding actresses flourish and take up roles in future productions!
Year 10’s charity initiative, SMS Give, where students compete to win £500 for their chosen charity, concluded in a wonderful final in June.
The finalists presented to a judging panel about their charity, how they fund raised, and why their charity deserved the £500. In the week leading up to the event, they fund raised and visited their chosen charities to see them in action.
We had fundraising initiatives ranging from ice cream sales to guess the sweets in the jar. The charities in the final were:
All the girls presented with confidence about their chosen charities. After much deliberation, the winning team was Bucks Search and Rescue who were over the moon to be able to present representatives from the charity with a £500 cheque.
We said a fond farewell to our wonderful Librarian Sue Murray as she retired. Sue was with us for 12 years and transformed the library space, and reading, within St Mary’s.
Sue organised many author visits, ran multiple book clubs each week, and was heavily involved with the Carnegie and Bucks Book Awards. Mrs Williams wrote a wonderful poem for Sue that captures her impact on the school perfectly:
There is a librarian, Sue, Who has read everything – even you! She can see right inside us
Knows just how to guide us
Especially if you’re feeling blue.
If you’re looking for something to read Sue knows the book you will need
With a twinkle of her eye
Round the shelves she will fly Gathering gems, all at lightning speed.
On World Book Day, Sue really excelled With costumes, quizzes, fairs as well Everyone welcome
To join in the fun
And be in a book for a spell.
The authors that Sue’s brought to lead us Have inspired generations of readers
Remember Laura Bates, Teri Terry, Frances Hardinge – so many!
Sue’s the GX Bookshop genius.
On trips, Sue led like a tornado –Never (well, hardly ever) left anyone behind, though…
At the Carnegies Sue jammed
With Kwame Alexander (unplanned) And nattered with Elizabeth Acevedo!
She’s as comfortable chatting to daughters
As quizzing great prize-winning authors
Her book clubs were legend They’d always extend And challenge even the cautious.
Let’s not forget a particular coup
Sue helped launch the Bucks Book Awards, too
So the pupils themselves
Could choose what went on the shelves
With that special sticker in blue.
Not just in the library; Sue’s a whizz
On the netball court, too, she’s the bizz
The SMS sixth form there
Were no match for Sue’s flair
She had them all in a tizz.
As an eco-warrior Sue is a queen
She’s a champion of all things green
A friend of the earth
Sue knows its true worth –
Her activism has us all joining in!
Thanks to Sue, after 12 years’ curation (Though she did lose her shoes on occasion)
The SMS girls
Can travel the world
Without leaving the library station.
Sue’s made our library a safe space
For anyone needing a place
To relax and unwind
Her listening ear they’ll find –
She’ll put a smile on anyone’s face.
Sue’s kindness and wisdom and fun
Is just the beginning – she’s not done
It’s not really ‘retirement’
But more ‘re-inspirement’
Thank you, Sue, for being a wonder woman.
We were blown away by the talent displayed by girls across Prep at their annual showcase in May.
From beginners, to those who have made huge progress since they performed for us a year ago, their hard work and commitment to their instruments certainly doesn't go unnoticed – well done to all who performed!
Our Expressive Arts Scholars put on a show to remember for friends and family. Having chosen and rehearsed their acts, be it singing, a monologue, or a piece played on a musical instrument, they took to the stage and showcased their talents, and how far they have come in the last year!
As always, we were incredibly proud of all of our scholars - their dedication, skill and confidence shone through and we are already looking forward to next year!
Walk to School Week in May ended with an SMS walking bus!
We met at the Tesco in Gerrards Cross and walked to school together. Fortunately, the sun shone and we arrived at school fresh and ready to learn after loosening up and enjoying some fresh air to start the day!
Year 8 had a fantastic time at their Enterprise Day in June. In groups, they had to come up with an idea for a new business they could set up and run to enter the national ‘Tycoon Enterprise Competition’.
All the groups did well and developed many enterprise skills throughout the day. These included working efectively in groups, time management, writing business plans and presentation skills. They created marketing materials, and a trade stand and even had to complete some tricky financial accounts for their business plan document. All the staf were really impressed with the work Year 8 produced and enjoyed seeing their work at lunch time. All their business ideas were very innovative and creative. A big well done to them and all Year 8 in completing this day!
The Year 1 girls enjoyed a wonderful visit to Windsor Castle in June. They explored the state rooms, paid their respects to Elizabeth II in St George’s Chapel and took part in a fantastic workshop entitled ‘Meet the Monarch’. They learnt about the line of succession and the King’s duties, before re-enacting his coronation in costume!
The Year 3 girls spent a wonderful time at their first ever residential! We think the pictures say it all...
We were simply blown away by the Mary Poppins show! Despite soaring temperatures, every student in Year 3 - Year 6 gave it their all and delivered a show to remember for their families.
We were so impressed with the Year 6’s commitment to learning their lines and rehearsing until they reached perfection! This is certainly a highlight every year for our Year 6 students and a wonderful farewell gift to the rest of Prep as they move on to Senior House.
Of course, these wonderful shows wouldn't be possible without our committed staf who direct the girls, manage the sound and mics, and create the sets! A very well done to all involved.
St Mary’s Captain of Games, Megan, took time out to write about this year’s fantastic Sports Days…
Senior House Sports Day this year was split into two sections; In the morning the girls in each year group competed against each other in throwing events such as javelin, shot put and discus. Long jump and high jump also took place in the morning with some brilliant heights jumped. In the afternoon, all the girls headed down to Thorpe House playing fields to compete in the running events. These included hurdles, relays, sprints and fun novelty races. All the girls had a brilliant time and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Kirk took the overall win and were awarded the Sports Day Cup. Well done to everyone who took part!
Prep sports day this year was fantastic! The girls competed in year groups in houses in a series of diferent sporting activities in a carousel which included events such as high jump and throwing events. There was a brilliant atmosphere with parents coming to support and cheer along their children. After the carousel had finished, there was a series of running races including relays and hurdles which were brilliant to watch and were very competitive! The relays were so exciting as each house had a relay team with a mix of all year groups getting involved, it was a brilliant display of house spirit and teamwork. Everyone took part and tried their best but, in the end, it was Kirk that won it for their house and took home the Sports Day Cup. Well done, to all the girls!
Staf and students from Years 5 and 6 alike had a fantastic time at their PGL.
Residential trips, whilst sometimes daunting for parents and children, present so many benefits to our students. They foster key skills including independence, team work, and resilience. In a structured and supportive environment, girls develop critical life skills such as time management, responsibility, and self-discipline - getting up and ready for morning activities is always challenging! And, far beyond the skills development, the week provides a unique opportunity for lasting friendships to form and a sense of community and camaraderie to build. Additionally, the immersive nature of residential living encourages self-discovery and determination, equipping young people with the confidence and capabilities to navigate future challenges efectively.
On Friday 5th July we were delighted to celebrate our fantastic year with our whole school community on Speech Day. Parents, governors, staf and of course our students all came together to reflect on another wonderful year at St Mary’s and to recognise the achievements of so many of our hardworking and talented girls. We were honoured to welcome our VIP guest speaker, Alex Danson-Bennett MBE who gave an inspiring talk to the congregation in the Sports Hall. The rain didn’t stop us from enjoying ice creams on Cedar Lawn at the end of the day!
Well done to all of our GCSE students on their results! We are very proud of you and your achievements.
Year 5 studied Jackson Pollock in art and experimented with diferent paint application efects. They had lots of fun and the art they created is amazing!
Well done to all of our A Level students, we are very proud of you! Good luck for your university adventures!
