An interview with the Catering Manager
Members of the Food Committee caught up with Richard Hope to find out about his work at St Mary’s.
How long have you worked at St Mary’s?
I started on Open Day in 2023 – quite a busy day! Prior to this I was looking after the catering in a prestigious London venue – so quite a change, but challenging and rewarding nonetheless.
What do you like about your job?
Working in a school like ours is a wonderful experience: the pupils and staff are very responsive to what we do, and it gives us a lot of satisfaction when we get it right. People respond to food in a very emotive way - a good ‘day’ of meals and snacks can lift you, and we can feel that energy in the refectories. We’re conscious that the girls live here for a few weeks at a time, so we try to create a ‘home from home’ atmosphere, and do everything we can to keep menus interesting and fun.
What does an average day look like?
Well, each day is never the same as the last! The school is a busy place, and we need to make sure that every event is catered for, be it sports fixtures, trips, governors’ lunches, speaker dinners and society meetings in the evening, or hospitality for parents at music and theatre events.
My day starts at about 7.15am: I check that breakfast is going well in the pupil ref, and that the team have everything they need for morning break, lunch, afternoon tea and then supper. We map out the whole term in advance, so we can see what is upcoming and there are no surprises! Each afternoon, we preview the next couple of days, to make sure we have everything we need.
What is the process of creating meals for so many people?
It starts with menu-writing during the holidays: Head Chef looks at the dishes across a week, making sure there is a mix of protein and suitable vegetables and starches and then the all-important puddings, making sure there is a nice variety each week.
Ingredients are ordered to come in about two days before we need them. We have deliveries every day, so there is a lot to process. Head Chef briefs his team each week and the menus are on display so everyone understands what is required of them.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
We want to have the same offer available from the first person through the counter to the last, balancing this with the desire to keep food waste to a minimum. Making sure we have the right amount of food available is key to keeping everyone happy.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? When school events go well, such as the Sixth Form Ball or Christmas lunch. Feedback is really important for us, so to know that people are happy is very rewarding.
The Food Committee is a great chance for pupil representatives to sit down with us and discuss what works well, and what the pupils would like to see more of or less of!
What keeps you motivated? Motivation comes from knowing that the small part the catering team plays in school life helps keep the school moving and the pupils and staff happy and full!
Richard Hope was interviewed by Shannon Law and Minna Saunders, UVI and Chairs of the pupil Food Committee.
All about Classics
Year 9 Classics Activity Day
Just before half term, the Classics Department held an Activity Day for Year 9. We were excited about the prospect of getting a glimpse into the lives of people who lived thousands of years ago.
The day started with a Greek breakfast which included yoghurt and honey and gave us the opportunity to try other authentic foods. Visiting writer Phillip Womack then gave a talk about how Latin and Ancient Greek are woven into both our language and culture. and how Latin is essential to understanding languages. After break, our group activities included playing a video game exploring the ancient world, and doing an escape room where the task was to steal back Prometheus’ fire. Mrs Inskip ran a Greek mythology writing session where we twisted ancient myths to a modern setting. After lunch, we enjoyed some physical activities that relied on teamwork and puzzle solving. Building a wooden block Parthenon was a highlight, along with answering questions about Latin as fast as we could.
The activities gave us a thoughtful insight into the lives of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, providing a clearer picture on how life would have been, which helped us understand Classics on a deeper level.
Alexa Fry, Year 9
The Classics Society
The Classics Society has attended multiple tragedy plays, starting with a performance of Medea in London. Medea tells the story of the Colchian princess who followed the hero Jason to a hostile country, where she was ostracised, with catastrophic consequences. We were then whisked to the house of Agamemnon and the tragic tale of Electra, with both a heartrending, dissonant performance of Strauss’ opera at the Royal Opera House, and then a contrasting but nonetheless riveting show at the theatre in Sunninghill, performed by the local dramatics group. Following in the vein of amateur drama, we saw The Bacchae at UCL, the story of Dionysus’ wrath and vengeance. However, the climax of our year came in the form of Robert Icke’s rendition of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, where Mark Strong led an incredible cast in a modern political take of the twisted, psychological legend. The unravelling of the story provided a cathartic experience in the true fashion of Greek tragedy. Not to worry though, our spirits were kept high by our in-school events, namely our showings of the new Percy Jackson series to the Year 7s and 8s, which proved to be a well-attended favourite. We want to say a massive thank you to Mrs Povey and the Classics Department for an incredible year!
Matty Ingall and Penelope Ceccato, UVI
Greece Trip
Nineteen Sixth Form classicists went to Athens for a five-day trip in October.
Our trip began at the 5thC BC Temple of Poseidon, sacred to sailors – a beautiful bucket list moment with which to start our adventure, as the sun set over the ancient temple.
On the second day we hiked up to the Acropolis, and through the grand entrance of the Propylaea, where the masterpiece of the Parthenon came into view. The Parthenon itself was beautiful, although the other, smaller temples surrounding it were just as breathtaking. We also saw the theatres on the south side, the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus, and the long colonnade of the Stoa of Attalus.
In the early evening, we indulged in all the Acropolis Museum had to offer, most notably the archaic sculpture rooms and the Parthenon friezes. The quiet evening atmosphere and night-time view of the Acropolis helped us understand how powerful an emblem of Greek culture this temple continues to be.
On Day 3 we visited the oracle site of Delphi. It did not disappoint, with ruins covering the mountainside including the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, the Sanctuary of Apollo, the theatre and an athletic stadion. The museum included many of our A Level sources such as the Kleobis and Biton kouroi and the architectural sculpture of the Siphnian Treasury.
On the fourth day, we were lucky enough to see Hadrian’s Arch, an emblem of the Roman legacy of Athens, and the statue of the English Romantic poet Lord Byron, who rallied to the cause of Greek independence in the 1820s. We took shade in the portico of the Zappeion, where Greece’s membership of the European Economic Community was signed in 1979. Then it was up Ardittos Hill to the Panathenaic Stadium, venue for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. From there we strolled through the National Garden to Syntagma Square to witness the changing of the guard ceremony outside the parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In the afternoon, we explored the Archaeological Museum, a grand neoclassical structure housing one of the world’s largest collections of ancient artifacts. Highlights included Greek kouroi and korai statues, intricate vases, funerary reliefs and the famous golden mask of Agamemnon, discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in 1876.
On our final day, we took a ferry ride to Aegina, known as “pistachio island”, to see the Temple of Aphaia, passing the monastery of St Nectarios en route, an important Orthodox pilgrimage site. We also visited the solitary column of the Temple of Apollo before concluding the day with a talk by a local archaeologist about the port of Piraeus and an evening meal, marking the perfect end to our Greek adventure. Merrill Fitzgibbons and Fenella Rawlins, LVI
Getting Down to Business
The Finance Society
The School’s newest club, the Finance Society, has been an instant hit - described by the Head of Co-curricular (unofficially!) as “the bestrun society at St Mary’s.” In the latest talk, Norman Fiore, Co-founder of Dawn Capital, provided an engaging whistlestop tour of key financial concepts and industry trends.
The pupils learned how venture capitalists focus on the future, investing in bright, innovative, tech-driven firms. Girls benefitted from career advice about the growing role of AI in recruitment, where algorithms scan CVs, identify overlaps in career paths, and help create smarter professional connections.
Another key topic was patent trolls — entities that acquire patents and sue companies for infringement, often forcing settlements due to high legal costs.
A highlight was comparing different perfumes – Ariana Grande’s and a generic high-street brand. We learned that premium branding and name recognition allow firms to charge higher prices, while costs are reduced as there is no need for a large advertising budget.
The Entrepreneurship Society
This
year I started the Entrepreneurship Society that aims to encourage and empower pupils by hearing from fascinating female entrepreneurs about their journeys and achievements.
With entrepreneurship constantly gaining popularity as a career choice amongst young people, I realised the importance of everyone understanding what it truly means to be an entrepreneur. The challenge lies in the fact that entrepreneurship cannot be easily taught; it is best understood through the experiences and insights of those who have thrived in their industries.
To address this, the society invites successful female entrepreneurs from various relevant industries in to speak once a term, sharing their journeys and offering a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be an entrepreneur in today’s world. There is no single, clear-cut definition of entrepreneurship; it varies depending on the industry and
Overall, the session was an eye-opening look into the financial world, leaving all of us inspired to think critically about business, technology and investment strategies.
Liza Semenenko, UVI
individual. This is why it is so important to bring in these speakers because without first-hand understanding, it can be challenging to determine whether it is the right career for you.
Our first guest speaker, Julietta Dexter, delivered a captivating and insightful talk a few weeks ago, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who attended. Julietta is currently the CEO of the international brand agency Brand Potential, and she also founded The Communications Store, a world-leading brand development agency that has collaborated with some of the most renowned brands and industry leaders in fashion, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle. In addition to her entrepreneurial achievements, Julietta authored Good Company: How to Build a Business Without Losing Your Values, chairs Smart Works Charity, the UK’s leading charity supporting unemployed women, and serves on the No. 10 Downing Street Roundtable on Creative Entrepreneurship.
Her talk centered on the ethical dimensions of business, offering invaluable advice on how to present oneself in the workplace to foster success, insights that are applicable to all aspects of life. Julietta shared her personal experiences of navigating the industry,
working with a diverse range of people, and achieving remarkable success while remaining steadfast in her values and principles. She is truly a force for good in the business world, and her story not only deepened our understanding of entrepreneurship but also provided valuable lessons on resilience and how to face life's challenges.
In the summer term, we look forward to welcoming more inspiring entrepreneurs, including Anabella Chan, the founder of the first fine jewellery brand to champion laboratory-grown gemstones. Later in the Michaelmas term, we will host the world-renowned perfumer, Jo Malone. When selecting speakers for this year, I aimed to feature powerful women with relevant and inspiring experiences who can serve as role models and show us the extraordinary potential within ourselves.
Aryana Cadbury, LVI
Julietta Dexter Smart Works Image
Behind the Scenes
Helping organise this year’s Shrove Tuesday celebrations was certainly challenging, but also an incredibly rewarding part of being in the Lower Sixth. It strengthened our ability to work together as a year group and helped us develop skills which will be useful later in life, such as organisation and adhering to deadlines.
From start to finish, the whole process involved a huge number of people, and our sincere thanks must go to the editing team who made sure all the videos were put together, the presenters who crafted a hilarious script, and of course Ms Toner, Ms Kelly, the Rose Theatre team and the catering team, who all worked behind the scenes to ensure the entire day ran as smoothly as possible.
From the very beginning, everyone in our year group was excited to get started on Shrove Tuesday, which was amazing because it meant we had a huge collection of ideas to work with. For the LVI entertainment, we wanted to be faithful to some of the classics from Shrove videos of the past, while adding our own twists, and incorporating new elements. Everyone who contributed videos worked really hard in organising and filming them, and although everything was a bit of a rush towards the end, it was still incredibly fun.
We also worked closely with the catering team who of course had amazing ideas for our Men in Black themed dinner, and how to decorate the pupil ref. They were able to pull it off perfectly, and the chicken nuggets and curly fries are always a hit. Many of us felt that one of the best parts of the day was dressing as Men in Black for our lessons, which, much to the delight of our teachers, still fit the Sixth form dress code.
Shrove Tuesday would not have been complete without the involvement of all the girls and staff who took part in the videos, the fancy dress competition and the live acts, which helped make the day truly spectacular.
Lucia Strangemann and Cordelia Dwyer, LVI
Fundraising Trek
Emma
Moreira tells of the trek she completed
in Nepal to raise funds for the charity Facing the World.
My trek followed the Mardi Himal base camp route along a steep ridge where we got up to 4500 metres above sea level and saw the most spectacular views of the tallest mountains in the world!
Nepal has a wonderful blend of Hindu and Buddhist religions with over 300 festivals celebrated each year. I was lucky enough to witness the Festival of Holi: the capital Kathmandu was overwhelmed with colour as happy people threw powder at each other and the city streets and squares became one big party. We watched the main congregation from the steps of an ancient pagoda temple in Durbar Square as clouds of vivid red, yellow and blue rose from the dense crowd below. It was only a matter of time before we also ended up with our faces smeared with a kaleidoscope of colour!
To begin our trek, we flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara where we saw the most spectacular views of Annapurna. We began the week-long trek in a small village, climbing a steep flight of stone steps in the hot sun and soon the road was lost from our view. Each day we ascended higher up into the Himalayas through forests of red rhododendrons and moss-covered rocks, spending our nights in the small lodges we encountered along the way. We got used to waking up at the crack of dawn to witness the most spectacular views of snowy peaks before the clouds rose up and they were gone. As we gained altitude there were days when the clouds were so dense that even seeing the path was difficult and we had to be extremely cautious about where we stepped.
was by far the best. We had left roads far behind us and saw countless mules carrying up provisions such as gas, food and building materials, their jangling bells warning us to let them pass.
One morning we put on head torches and started walking at 4 am with the rain pelting down and the wind lashing our faces. However, it was worth the effort - the view of Machupachere, the holy mountain,
In total, I raised around £2000 for the Vietnamese charity Facing the World, which performs reconstructive surgery for children with cranio-facial abnormalities. I am so happy to have made an impactwhen I spoke to the charity's CEO: she told me that the money I raised allowed at least six children to undergo this surgery as it funded the purchase of screws and plates which are in acute shortage, but essential for their reconstructive surgeries.
Emma Moreira,
Y11
Working Hard for Success
St Mary’s U16A netball team has had an exceptional season, making history as the first team at St. Mary’s to reach the England Netball National Finals.
The final competition day took place on Sunday, 16th March, and resulted in our team gaining 13th place in the tournament, which consisted of the top 18 teams in the country.This is an amazing position to be in and the girls in the team should be incredibly proud of themselves.
• Sienna Sodi
• Allegra Hopkirk Colomar
• India Webb
• Angel Takaindisa
• Cressida Roberts
• Sophia Sinik
• Thomasina Henman
• Irene Keswick
• Audrina Droefenu
• Rose Keswick
Staff Pantomime
There are not many things that will keep girls in their seats once the final Assembly of term has ended on that last Friday morning of term. They were bemused, therefore, when, two years ago at this time, Mrs Staunton’s final speech turned into doggerel verse. That confusion gave way to surprise and delight when the curtain then rose on a wholly unexpected staff pantomime.
So when the same rhyming bug infected Mrs Staunton’s speech this time, the girls knew how to diagnose it, and roared in anticipation. The performance did not disappoint. Scripted and directed by Ms Oakden, it was of course full of craziness and colour (and plenty of cross-dressing). Canon PJ was a ferocious Captain Hook, Mr Wells improvised his way flamboyantly through the role of Wendy with a passing nod to the actual script, and Ms Oakden herself led from the front, in every sense, as Pan. Teachers, residential staff, support staff and grads populated the rest of the cast, including the Lost [apparently from a well-known local school for] Boys. The hilarious ‘battle’ that ensued involved much swooning.
It was not quite the Peter Pan that J M Barrie originally wrote, but it was our Peter Pan, and we loved it. A huge thank you goes to Ms Oakden, the energetic and spirited mastermind of the whole project, and to the huge number of staff who came together for this joyous and generous gift to us all.
C J Ellott
