St Bonaventure's
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St Bonaventure's | |
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Franciscans | |
Local authority | Newham |
Department for Education URN | 102787 Tables |
Ofsted | Reports |
Chair | Timothy Campbell |
Head teacher | Christopher McCormack |
Staff | 148 (approx.) |
Gender | Boys (girls in the sixth form) |
Age | 11 to 18 |
Enrolment | 1,258 as of April 2016[update] |
Houses | Atkinson, Bell, Colman, Forest, Gregory, Heath, Wall |
Colour(s) | Brown, gold, red and black |
Diocese | Brentwood |
Former pupils | Bon's Boys |
Website | http://www.stbons.org |
St Bonaventure's is a Roman Catholic boys' secondary school located in the Forest Gate area in London, England. Founded in 1875, the school has a long history of providing education to boys in the local community.
History
St Bonaventure's was founded as a private Roman Catholic school in 1855, by members of the
Following the
School patron
The school is named for
Grammar school
It became a state secondary school following the
Comprehensive
The school was called a "multilateral" in the
Teaching school
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Agnus_Dei_Teaching_School_Alliance.gif/220px-Agnus_Dei_Teaching_School_Alliance.gif)
The school was designated as a teaching school in February 2016. This means that the school has been judged as high performing and can take a lead role in training the next generation of school teachers, providing school to school support and supporting other teachers with their professional development.
There are other schools within a St Bonaventure's Teaching School Alliance and these are a range of secondary schools from across the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, these include;
- St John's Special school, Chigwell
- St Angela's Ursuline School, Forest Gate
- St John Payne, Chelmsford
- St Thomas More, Westcliffe-On-Sea
- The Campion School, Hornchurch
- New Hall School, Chelmsford
- The Palmer Catholic Academy, Seven Kings
- St Benedict's Catholic College, Colchester
- De La Salle School, Basildon
- Holy Family Catholic School, Walthamstow
The schools have formed a Teaching School Alliance that is called the Agnus Dei Teaching School Alliance and St Mary's University, Twickenham is the Higher Education Institute partner.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/St_Bon%27s_Teaching_School_Signage.jpg/220px-St_Bon%27s_Teaching_School_Signage.jpg)
Admissions
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Brown_Blazers_outside_St_Antonys.jpg/220px-Brown_Blazers_outside_St_Antonys.jpg)
The vast majority of pupils are
Forms
Prior to 1969 the school's four houses were named Catherine, Clare, Francis and Mary after the four Saints on the school badge. For most of the sixties and seventies, the houses existed in name only. The current houses are listed below; Kolbe was introduced in 2014.
- Atkinson –
- Bell – Roman Catholic, he was held in Newgate Prison and later hanged, drawn and quartered.[3]
- Colman – Roman Catholic and held in Newgate Prison, he was condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered, but died of starvation before the sentence could be carried out.[3]
- Forest – John Forest, died 22 May 1548. Franciscan friar held in Newgate Prison. He was tortured and burned over a fire while being hung by a chain around his waist.[3]
- Gregory – Cardinal.[3]
- Kolbe – Naziguards.
- Heath – Henry Heath, died 1643. He was convicted of being a priest and a Roman Catholic, held at Newgate Prison and hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn.[3]
- Wall – John Wall, died 1679. A Franciscan friar ordained in Douai Abbey, and convicted for being a priest and a Roman Catholic. He was beheaded on 22 August.[3]
School uniform and colours
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/St_Bons_Black_Blazer.jpg/220px-St_Bons_Black_Blazer.jpg)
The students in years 7 and 8 wear a brown
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/St_Bons_Brown_Blazer.jpg/220px-St_Bons_Brown_Blazer.jpg)
The students in years 9–11 wear a black blazer with gold edging to the lapels. Students wear a white, collared formal shirt with the school tie. The trousers are black with black leather shoes worn. A black pullover V-necked jumper is compulsory for year 9 but is optional for years 10 and 11.[5]
The standard tie is a solid gold colour with a black diagonal stripe going down from right to left. A selection of ties is available to be awarded to boys that excel in particular subjects. These are given following excellence shown in the areas of sport (an additional green stripe), technology (an additional red stripe), languages (an additional blue stripe) and art (an additional purple stripe).[5] In September 2011, a new tie for excellence in English and mathematics was awarded (an additional a pink stripe).[5] In 2013 a new RE tie was introduced that will have an additional white stripe. In 2014, ties have been awarded for excellence in science and humanities. From 2015 the school has also awarded colours for success in social sciences and computing.
The students in sixth form wear a dark-coloured business suit with a formal shirt. Boys must also wear a neck-tie. Students on the sports science course must wear the designated black PE kit when having practical sports sessions.[5]
School arms
![St Bon's Crest](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5b/St_Bons_logo.jpg/180px-St_Bons_logo.jpg)
The school badge and
The motto at the base of the coat of arms states In Sanctitate Et Doctrina, "in holiness and learning", showing that all "Bon's Boys" should be faithful at all times and always try to discover something new each day throughout their lives.[5] The motto has changed in the past; during the period as West Ham Grammar School through to the end of the Second World War the motto was Animo Et Fide (in courage and faith).
Headteachers
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Christopher_mccormack.jpg/220px-Christopher_mccormack.jpg)
- Christopher McCormack (2019–present)[3]
- Paul Halliwell, (2010–2019)
- Paul C. Doherty (interim; 2010)
- Stephen Foster (2003–09)
- Sir Michael Wilshaw (1985–2003)
- Owen Craddy (1974–85)
- Howard Docherty (1957–1974)
- Hugh Lawrence O'Connor (1949–1957)
- Charles Edward Gourley (1919–49)
- A. W. L. Harrison 1907–1920
- David Fleming 1885–
- Germain Verleyen 1873–
Academic performance
The school performs well in the local and national league tables at GCSE level, and in 2012 over 99% of year 11 Pupils achieved five or more A*–C passes, above the national average.[6][7]
As a
At the end of year 9 students choose their options from a wide range of different GCSE subjects, including history, geography, PE, business studies, sociology, art, music and a selection of design technology subjects.
Sixth form
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/St_Bon%27s_6th_Form_Head_Boy_and_Head_Girl_2016.jpg/220px-St_Bon%27s_6th_Form_Head_Boy_and_Head_Girl_2016.jpg)
St Bonaventure's has a sixth form which gives access as a preference to the boys in year 11, as long as boys meet the entry requirements for the courses that they choose. All other places are filled by students that apply from other Secondary schools.
The sixth form offers various qualifications, from the traditional GCE
Sport
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/St_Bons_PE_Kit.jpg/220px-St_Bons_PE_Kit.jpg)
In 1965 the school football team won the Thomas Lipton Trophy (London & S.E Schools Cup) winning the final 7–0 against Beaufoys at the Old Spotted Dog Ground. Over the past few years the school's football and basketball teams have reached numerous national finals, such as the London Cup Final in football and the Essex Cup Final in both football and basketball.[3] The school's cricket team have also won the Newham Cup several times. Many representatives of the school's football team have gone on to forge careers as professional footballers.
Athletics
In 2014, the school was the overall winners of the Simmons Cup, an elite athletic invitational featuring the best schools across London. The school was also joint athletics champions of the 2015 inaugural Indoor (winter) Simmons Cup with Dulwich College. In 2015, the year 9 team won the summer Simmons Cup and went on to win the indoor Simmons Cup in January 2016 as a year 10 group. In May 2016, all competing year groups won in the Newham Athletics finals, meaning that St Bon's will represent Newham for year 7, year 8, year 9 and year 10.[citation needed]
Basketball
In 2008 St Bonaventure's became English Schools Basketball Association Under 14 boys national champions, and in doing so became the first team to achieve such a feat in the school's history.[3] It repeated the feat in 2015, with the under 15 beating Holy Trinity and City of Leicester in the finals.[9]
In 2016, St Bon's beat all previous English basketball records by all five year groups becoming Basketball England national champions. The year 7 competed in the Junior NBA winning the final on 22 March 2016. On the weekend of Friday 6 May 2016 to Sunday 8 May 2016, year 11 won, then year 10, followed by year 9 on Saturday then year 8 on Sunday. In September 2016, the school was accepted onto the elite Academy Basketball League (ABL) for post 16 due to the success of the school in all year groups below the sixth form.[10]
Football
In 2013, the year 10 team won the Dewar Shield.[11] In 2015, the year 9 football team became the under-14 Essex FA Jubilee Cup Champions[12] and the year 7 football team won the Lyca Mobile WHUFC Community Cup. The finals were held in the Boleyn Ground and St Bon's beat WHUFC under-12's 2–1.[13]
Bon's Boys
Alumni of St Bonaventure's are known as Bonaventurians and informally as Bon's Boys. The following people have been educated at St Bonaventure's:
- Chuba Akpom, footballer
- Southend West
- Chuks Aneke, footballer
- Charles Babalola, actor[14] Winner of the prestigious Alan Bates Bursary in 2014.[15][16]
- Alex Bailey, former footballer
- Peter Bakare, volleyball player
- Timothy Campbell, The Apprentice 2005 series winner and businessman, current chair of the governing body of St Bonaventure's[17]
- John Chiedozie, former footballer[citation needed]
- Ted Childs, film and TV producer
- Jermain Defoe, footballer
- D Double E, musician
- Anthony Edgar, footballer
- Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police
- Edward Fennessy, electronics engineer, developer of the radar[18][19]
- Desmond FitzGerald, Irish nationalist politician, father of Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.
- Clayton Fortune, footballer
- Amos Foyewa, former footballer
- Chris Hughton, former footballer, football manager
- John Junkin, actor
- Denis King, musician
- Terry Lawless, boxing manager and trainer
- Martin Ling former footballer, football manager
- Stephen Mulhern, TV presenter and entertainer
- Glen Murphy, actor
- Billy Murray, actor
- Divin Mubama, footballer
- Bondz N'Gala, footballer
- Bobby Seagull, TV Celebrity & Mathematician[20]
- Steve John Shepherd, actor
- Kiell Smith-Bynoe, actor
- Alex Stavrinou footballer
- Tinchy Stryder, musician
- Alton Thelwell, footballer
- Les Thompson, footballer
References
- ^ St Bon's Website Archived 29 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Headmaster's Introduction, stbons.org. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ^ a b "St Bons – Headteachers Introduction". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "St. Bons -Prospectus" (PDF). St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ "St Bons – GCSE Admissions". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "St Bons – School uniform". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ "St Bons – GCSE Result". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Curriculum Overview". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ "St Bons – Welcome to the Sixth Form". St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School. London, UK. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
- ^ "Basketball England Final Results 2015".
- ^ Team on the ABL website
- ^ Year 10 Archived 21 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Dewar Shield Winners.
- ^ Essex FA News May 2015
- ^ "West Ham United FC Website".
- ^ "Biography" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2014.
- ^ "News & Advice".
- ^ "Charles Babalola, winner of the Alan Bates Bursary 2014". Archived from the original on 19 December 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ School Magazine [permanent dead link], New Year 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ^ Sir Edward Fennessy obituary, The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ^ Sir Edward Fennessy obituary, The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ^ "Bobby Seagull: The teacher who wants Britain to love maths". Tes. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
External links
Media related to St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School at Wikimedia Commons
- Official website
- Profile, EduBase.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2014.