St Bonaventure's
October Edition
Dear St Bonaventure’s Community,
As we come to the end of what has been another busy, exciting, and fruitful half term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and to share some reflections on the start of the academic year.
It has been a real joy to welcome our new Year 7 and Year 12 students into the school community. They have settled in exceptionally well, approaching this new chapter with enthusiasm, maturity, and a genuine eagerness to contribute. Alongside them, our new members of staff have quickly become an integral part of our school family, bringing energy and a shared commitment to our school.
The beginning of the year was marked by our Welcome Masses, which were celebrated with reverence and joy. These beautiful occasions reminded us of the importance of gathering as a faith community, grounding our year in prayer, thanksgiving, and a spirit of togetherness.
Across the school, all year groups have returned with a renewed sense of purpose. Students have shown excellent attitudes to learning, and their behaviour has been exemplary. It is heartening to see our Franciscan ethos lived out daily through kindness, respect, and a strong sense of shared responsibility.
As we pause now for the half-term break, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to you—our parents and carers—for your ongoing collaboration and the many kind messages of encouragement we have received. Your partnership is vital in all that we do.
I wish you all a well-deserved and restful half term, and we look forward to the weeks ahead as we prepare to enter the season of Advent and come together once again for our annual fundraising events and celebrations.
With every blessing,
Mr C McCormack
Headteacher
TfL Travel for Life Gold Accreditation
We are thrilled to have achieved the prestigious TfL Travel for Life Gold accreditation until August 2028, recognising the hard work of our School Council members over the past few months to promote safer, smarter and more sustainable travel. Captured here are the proud students alongside the wonderful banner we have received from TfL, now prominently displayed on our school railings to demonstrate the school’s commitment to creating a culture of sustainable travel within our community.
Sparx Learning
Year 13 Religious Studies students recently attended a Theology Conference in West London. Catching the first Jubilee line service after tube strikes, 15 students and 2 staff attended a stimulating day of talks at St Mary's University, Twickenham, hosted by its department of Theology. Lectures on "Augustine", "Secularisation" and "The Scientific Revolution" gave a taste of academic life, and students had a fabulous tour of the campus of the Catholic-foundation university, consistently scoring "Outstanding" for student satisfaction.
Visit By Sir Stephen Timms
We were honoured to welcome Sir Stephen Timms, Member of Parliament for East Ham and Minister for Work and Pensions, for an engaging workshop with our students. Sir Stephen shared reflections on his 31-year career in politics, outlining both the challenges and achievements of serving as an MP and Minister. Students received valuable advice on pursuing careers in government and public service, as well as practical guidance on how young people can actively participate in democracy.
Guests of High Performance Foundation
We were honoured to be invited as special guests at the inaugural roadshow event of High Performance Foundation. Hosted by Jake Humphrey, a prominent broadcaster and co-founder of the High Performance Podcast, the event also featured several other high-profile guests, making it a truly inspiring and impactful occasion for our students.
Trip to Design Museum
Our Year 10 GCSE Fine Art groups recently had a fun and inspiring trip to The Design Museum in Kensington for their 'Natural Forms' project. The students thoroughly enjoyed exploring the exhibitions and gathering creative ideas for their work
Jubilee Youth Mass
It was wonderful to join other schools from across our diocese at Brentwood Cathedral for the Jubilee Youth Mass, celebrated by Bishop Alan. We were especially proud to have our very own Chaplain, Mr Chan, leading the Gospel Choir, whose music added to the beauty and spirit of the Mass. Our students also took part by reading during the liturgy, making the celebration even more special for our school community.
Jack Petchey Foundation Award
We are incredibly proud to celebrate our amazing Jack Petchey Award Foundation Schools and Clubs winners, Ajay, Ajel, Ashton, David, Emmanuel, Halsey, Jindu, Nana and Zoe. These outstanding young people have shown dedication, kindness, and leadership, inspiring everyone around them. Our winners attended the fantastic Jack Petchey Celebration Event at Cineworld 02, where they were recognised alongside other incredible young achievers from across Newham.
Trip to Kaiserslautern - Germany
In September, Year 10 students from St Bon's and St Angela's had a wonderful trip to Kaiserslautern, Newham's Twin City. We reunited with our friends from Rittersberg Gymnasium, who visited us last year. The highlight was an evening spent at the homes of the German host families, where students were welcomed with open arms. We would like to thank the UK German Connection for helping to fund some of our activities.
Scholarships at Football clubs
We are super proud that four of our Year 11 students were awarded scholarships at Football clubs at the end of the last academic year. These four boys were part of a hugely successful school football team that won an Essex Cup, a London Cup and reached the National Cup final. Well done to David (Leicester City), Emmanuel (Hull City), Justin (Millwall), and Barack (Swindon Town).
Start of the year Masses
To mark the beginning of the new academic year, each year group had the opportunity to attend Mass at St Antony’s Parish. These celebrations provided students and staff with a meaningful opportunity to come together as a community, reflect on the year ahead, and reaffirm their commitment to faith, friendship, and service. It was inspiring to see our students actively participating in the liturgy, joining in prayer, and supporting one another as they began a fresh chapter in their school journey. These Masses serve as a reminder of the importance of spiritual growth alongside academic development, and the value of coming together to celebrate our shared faith. We are grateful to St Antony’s Parish for hosting us and look forward to carrying the spirit of these celebrations into the year ahead.
Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi - Year 7 Drop Down Day
Our Year 7 students enjoyed a special Drop Down Day to celebrate the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi. Throughout the day, they explored the Franciscan roots of our school, learning about St Francis’ life, values, and commitment to faith, service, and creation. The day concluded beautifully with Mass, bringing together reflection, prayer, and celebration. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to engage with the Franciscan tradition in a meaningful and inspiring way.
Redemption Beats
In collaboration with the Newham Deanery Youth Partnerships Coordination, a number of our pupils are piloting a new programme, ‘Redemption Beats’ — an exciting new initiative where students creatively rewrite popular secular songs to reflect the truth of the Gospel. In a world where music powerfully influences thought and identity, Redemption Beats invites young people to engage critically with what they hear and to respond through faith and creativity.
By reimagining familiar lyrics as messages of hope, love, and redemption, students learn that faith is not confined to church walls — it speaks into every beat, lyric, and life experience. The project helps them develop discernment toward cultural influences while discovering how Christ can transform even the most ordinary parts of our world.
As a joint venture between the Music Department and Chaplaincy, Redemption Beats offers young people the platform for turning culture into a canvas for the Gospel.
Adoration/ Confession
This month, we were blessed to begin our first monthly lunchtime Adoration and Confession for staff and students. This beautiful new initiative offers everyone in our school community the opportunity to pause during a busy day, spend quiet time with Jesus in the church, and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Taking place on the first Thursday of every month, these moments of prayer and reflection help us to centre our hearts on Christ and deepen our sense of peace and gratitude. It is wonderful to see students taking time to pray, reflect, and grow in faith together. We are so thankful to everyone who made this possible and look forward to continuing this special time of prayer each month.
Home/ school/ parish Mass
It was wonderful to celebrate our first monthly Home, School, and Parish Mass. Coming together as one community to share in the Eucharist was a truly special way to begin the day. This Mass will take place on the first Friday of every month, offering a regular opportunity for prayer, reflection, and connection between our school and parish family. We are so grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make this celebration so meaningful.
Diocesan Jubilee Youth Mass at Brentwood Cathedral
It was truly wonderful to join other schools from across our diocese at Brentwood Cathedral for the Jubilee Youth Mass, celebrated by Bishop Alan. The celebration was a beautiful opportunity for young people to come together in faith, prayer, and joy — filling the cathedral with energy and hope. It was inspiring to see so many students participating and representing their schools with pride. We were especially proud to have our very own Chaplain, Mr Chan, leading the Gospel Choir, whose music added to the beauty and spirit of the Mass. Our students also took part by reading during the liturgy, making the celebration even more special for our school community. A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in making this diocesan celebration such a memorable and faith-filled experience for our young people.
Sacre RE Matters Workshop
Our Year 10 students joined other schools from across Newham for their first RE Matters workshop this week. The day was a wonderful opportunity to engage in interfaith dialogue, develop leadership skills, and reflect on the importance of understanding and respecting different faith perspectives. Our students represented the school fantastically, showing maturity, curiosity, and enthusiasm throughout the day. We’re so proud of how they contributed to meaningful discussions and worked collaboratively with others.
CAFOD Young Leaders
Our Year 12 students had the wonderful opportunity to attend their first CAFOD Young Leaders training session this week. The day was both inspiring and insightful, helping students to grow in confidence as leaders of faith and social action within our school community. They explored how they can make a real difference through awareness-raising and justice-focused projects, and came away full of creative fundraising ideas to support others around the world. We’re so proud of their enthusiasm and commitment, and we look forward to seeing how they will continue to lead by example throughout the year and the fundraisers they will organise. The students organised their first fundraiser - CAFOD Family Fast Day Soup Lunch. We thank all those who participated, and thank you to Olive Dining for their contribution of delicious soups.
Fr. Paolo Benanti
A Third Order Regular Franciscan and priest, Fr Paolo Benanti, is a theologian and expert in ethics and artificial intelligence. Based in Rome, he advises both the Vatican and the Italian government on the ethical implications of technology and AI. His work brings Franciscan social teaching into critical conversations about the future of humanity.
Franciscan Prayer of Praise
Thou art the Holy Lord God; Thou art God of gods who alone dost marvellous things;
Thou art holy, Father, King of heaven and earth.
Thou art Three in One and One in Three, Lord God of gods.
Thou art Good, all Good, Highest Good, Lord God Living and True.
Thou art Love, Charity, Thou art Wisdom, Thou art Humility.
Thou art patient. Thou art Fortitude and Prudence; Thou are Security;
Thou art Quiet, Thou art Joy and Gladness; Thou art Justice and Temperance.
Thou art all our Riches and Plenty; Thou art our Protector; Thou art our Guide and Defender.
Thou art Beauty. Thou art Gentleness. Thou art our Refuge and Strength.
Thou art our Faith, our Hope and our Charity; Thou art great Sweetness to us.
Thou art our Eternal Life, Infinite Goodness, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Loving and Merciful Saviour.
Contact Us
Email: info@stbons.org
Website: https://www.stbons.org/
Location: Boleyn Rd, London E7 9QD, UK
Phone: 020 8472 3844