From the Headmaster

Robin Silk

In September of this year we reached a key milestone in regard to the ‘new St Bees’. We welcomed our 100th student through the door – a phenomenal growth rate of over 1,100% in four years. Not only do we currently have this cohort of 100 – we can certainly testify that each and every one of those 100 young people are thriving at the school and will indeed find their own paths in life through the guiding hand of St Bees; a journey we are fiercely proud to be a part of. Completely unmeditated, and purely fortuitously – our 100 students split themselves perfectly between a boarding life and the life of a day student – with 50 students calling School House, ‘home’. Alongside our English students, some of whom are boarding themselves, we are home to students from over thirteen other nations. St Bees is truly becoming one of the most multicultural areas within Cumbria!

The autumn term was full of various different activities, with the formation of our Parent Support Group hosting an incredible Quiz and Cheese & Wine event; a hugely popular ‘Taster Day’, full of the bangs, whizzes and pops of science explosions, art attacks and lots of laughter for new families looking ahead to 2024, and an OSB chat from Ewan Frost-Pennington to inspire our students. We have taken St Bees ‘on the road’ to far-flung countries, spreading the word to our international families – and our numbers for 2023 are looking strong. We were proud runners up in the ‘Best Secondary School’ category for the coveted ‘Golden Apple Awards’ and Mr Keep, our Deputy Head, also came runner up for ‘Pastoral Lead of the Year’ – a national award; beating off thousands of contenders. 

Next term will see more marketing events come to fruition in order to continue spreading the St Bees’ word. We have a Chinese New Year event in January, a big Science Fair – and we continue to host ‘breakfasts at St Bees’ to prospective families once a term.

I really enjoyed the OSB North East Dinner at the beginning of November. I always enjoy meeting Old St Beghians and listening to their stories of the school as it once was. I was disappointed that the London Dinner was postponed and the Edinburgh Dinner was cancelled. I was also sorry I could not make it to the London drinks, which were waylaid by the NHS intervening by offering me a hernia operation at short notice. I continue to try and press OSBs to help in our fundraising efforts, but it is, understandably, ‘a slow burner’ at the moment, but we will continue to try and engage with you and build your trust in the new St Bees.  

As far as the students are concerned, there have been some real highlights to the term: A trip to Iceland for those that went will, I am sure, be unsurpassed, not least as they got to see whales and the much-heralded Northern Lights. For all the students, beating the staff at football would have been up there, although I am pleased to say that the staff levelled the score in this multi-sport competition by narrowly winning the recent staff v students volleyball. Academic trips, Wainwright Walks, the Inter-House Competition and the daily grind of lessons and homework also deserve a mention, and student behaviour has, on the whole, been excellent throughout.

Two developments deserve special mention - the fact all our leavers achieved their first or second choice universities, with King’s College London, Brunel, Manchester and Royal Holloway, London being among the destinations; and the election of our first student Head of School since the reopening of St Bees.  It really was fantastic to see the whole school engage in a proper democratic process, complete with nominations, campaigning, hustings and the electoral process itself. This was an excellent learning process for the school and important for the development of Student Voice, which continues to progress through the School and House Councils, alongside other means. 

With so many events going on, including the Christmas Fayre, A Charity Christmas Jumper Event, Cross Country and Inter-House Badminton fixtures, the Christmas lunches and, of course, the Carol Service, the final week of term was particularly special. I wish all the OSBs a fine 2023 and I hope to see many of you at the various OSB events this year, including the Dinner at Armathwaite Hall, the Dinner in London and our Dinner and OSB Weekend in June.

 

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The St Beghian Society    
St Bees School,    St Bees,    Cumbria,    CA27 0DS.

         Tel: (01946) 828093      Email: osb@stbeesschool.co.uk      Web: www.st-beghian-society.co.uk