The Ursuline Post

Firstly, a thank you to all students, staff and parents/carers for a joyful and successful first term. Hopefully you all had a restful and enjoyable half-term holiday. We have an exciting number of new faces, who have settled in fantastically, and we anticipate a strong year ahead. Also, a big well-done to all those who completed their November mock exams, you all worked very hard.

Throughout October, our Black History Month celebrations transcended across many subjects, including Science, Food Technology and English. We celebrated the achievements and contributions of Black individuals such as Marie Maynard Daly and Maya Angelou, highlighting their lasting impact on our world and inspiring our students. The month culminated in a vibrant Culture Show, where talented students showcased music, dance and poetry celebrating Black culture and heritage. This was held on Culture Day, where all students were encouraged to wear their cultural dress. Black History Month is an important time for many of our students to see their histories and voices honoured, and for our whole school community to come together in learning, pride and unity.

Our school has also been actively encouraging careers for young women in STEM through a range of engaging events and initiatives. Recently, students were invited to attend an Emerging Tech conference and Network Rail Insights Day, both of which provided inspiring workshops and opportunities to learn from professionals within the field.

November has been off to a great start, with more exciting learning opportunities in lessons, a Leadership Training event, and a successful Odd Sock Day in recognition of Anti-Bullying week and celebrating our differences.

I look forward to the many more celebrations and events to come.

Mr O'Shaughnessy

Headteacher

Across the science department last week we were working on our Black History Month practicals, and we have celebrated the work of Dr Marie Maynard Daly and Benjamin Banekker.

In celebration of Black History Month and to learn more about multicultural dishes, KS4 students explored Caribbean food heritage through hands-on cooking. They made mini Jamaican Patties, uncovering their link to Cornish Pasties from Cornwall, and prepared Jerk BBQ Chicken while learning about the flavours and cultural roots of this iconic Jamaican dish.

Report by Ms Ball - Food Technology.

On Tuesday 22 nd October, students from St Ursula House gathered in St Angela’s to celebrate their

House Feast Day with a special lunchtime event. The room buzzed with excitement as Ursula

students came together to enjoy an afternoon of fun, friendship, and celebration.

The lunch was a wonderful opportunity for everyone in St Ursula to take a break, relax, and share in

the sense of unity that defines their house. There was music playing throughout, plenty of snacks to enjoy, and a quiz all about St Ursula that got everyone thinking — and laughing! Teams showed off their knowledge (and a bit of friendly rivalry) as they answered questions about the life and legacy of St Ursula, her courage, and her dedication to faith and learning.

The event was organised and led brilliantly by our Ursula Chaplaincy Representatives, whose

enthusiasm and care made the celebration such a success. Their effort in planning the music, quiz,

and decorations helped create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that everyone appreciated.

Moments like this remind us of the importance of house spirit — coming together, supporting one

another, and celebrating what makes our community so special. St Ursula’s Feast Day lunch was a

lovely way to live out those values and enjoy a sense of belonging within the house.

A huge thank you to the Chaplaincy reps and everyone who joined in to make the day memorable.

Happy Feast Day, St Ursula House!

- Report by Ms Murphy, Lay Chaplain

On the 23rd October, the Year 10 Chaplaincy Team had the wonderful opportunity to attend the

Pilgrims of Hope conference at Richard Challoner School. This special event took place

during the Holy Year, celebrating pilgrimage, faith, and hope, and brought together students

from Catholic schools across the diocese.

The day began with a warm welcome and the chance to meet other Chaplaincy groups,

before everyone took part in a series of thought-provoking workshops.

The first session, led by St Mary’s University, explored Faith and Science. Students discussed

how faith and reason can complement each other, deepening our understanding of the

world and our place within it.

Next, Catholic Voices delivered a session on Faith and the Media, giving students practical

tools for speaking confidently about their beliefs in public and online spaces. It was inspiring

to see how young people can share messages of faith, hope, and positivity in today’s media

landscape.

The final workshop focused on AI and Religion, prompting students to reflect on how

emerging technologies might shape our understanding of humanity, morality, and

spirituality in the future.

The conference was both engaging and uplifting, reminding everyone that being a “Pilgrim

of Hope” means bringing faith, kindness, and courage into every part of life. Our Chaplaincy

Team returned inspired to continue their mission within the Ursuline community — to live

out the school’s values of Serviam and share the message of hope with others.

Report by Ms Murphy - Lay Chaplain

On Thursday 16th and Friday 17th October, the Year 10 GCSE Geography students took part in Geography field trips to investigate the regeneration of London Docklands. The trips, which help prepare students for their GCSE Geography exam Paper 3, involved students working in small groups gathering various primary data including environmental quality surveys, land use mapping, questionnaires of local residents, service tallies and field sketching (see pictures below).

Data was collected at Cubitt Town and West India Quays to see how the impact of regeneration on these two areas vary. Students also visited the London Museum and answered questions in their booklets regarding the reasons behind and impacts of regeneration of this urban area. Students are currently writing a report in which they are analysing the data they collected to see if regeneration has had more positive or negative impacts for this community.

These trips were a huge success; students enjoyed working in groups and some valuable data was collected to help prepare students for their final exams in June 2027. A huge thanks to all of the staff who helped support this trip.

Report by Mr Edwards - Head of Geography

Below are some pictures of our Year 9 students completing workshops and presentations as part of a Network Rail careers day, on the 20th October. The students gained experience in project management, risk assessment and event planning.

- Report by Mr Mills

On Friday 17th October, we took ten of our students to St Dunstan’s College to take part in Emerging Technologies Week. It was an interesting day all about how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our world — and how we can make sure it’s used to help, not harm, society.

The highlight of the day was a brilliant talk by Laura Bates, the author and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project. She spoke about how AI is affecting gender inequality today, and how, if we are not careful, technology could make old prejudices even stronger. Laura reminded us that this issue isn’t about men versus women, but people versus prejudice, and that we all have a role to play in creating fairer systems.

She gave powerful examples of AI bias, like facial recognition software that often misidentifies women and people of colour, or algorithms that reinforce sexist stereotypes. Laura also talked about the rise of deepfakes and AI “girlfriends”, and how these things can affect privacy, consent, and even mental health. Many of us found it eye-opening to realise how social media and AI can shape how young people see themselves and others.

After the talk, students were divided into groups with young people from other schools. Their task was to come up with an idea for an AI tool that could make a positive impact on society, and then present it to everyone. It was amazing to see how creative and thoughtful the ideas were - from apps that help the environment to tools that make banking more inclusive.

Overall, it was an inspiring day. Our students came away with a deeper understanding of how technology works — and how it can be built ethically, inclusively, and responsibly. It made us all think about the kind of future we want to create, and how we can use AI to make the world a fairer place for everyone.

Report by Ms Talon Navarro - Librarian

The Leadership Training event on the 13th November was a great success. Ten student leaders from Year 9 were exceptional at the event and represented St Ursula's in all its glory. They were contributing, engaging and networking with other student leaders, giving presentations and gaining several skills throughout the workshop.

Report by Mr Gerald - Deputy Head of Year 8 and 9

During our PE lessons over the last two months, we have had the great opportunity of having Asher from ACE (Kent Cricket) come in to deliver cricket coaching to some of our Year 8 and 9 students. This has been a fantastic experience for the students, and they have gained many teaching points to help improve their cricket. Furthermore, those who have shown cricket potential or enjoyed the experience have been invited to attend additional training at the Oval Cricket Club.

- Report by Ms Clarke, PE department.

Our students rocked their brightest mismatched socks to support Anti-Bullying Week! A simple reminder to be kind, be yourself, and celebrate what makes us unique. 💛🌈