St Aloysius' College

Dear families,

It is this time of year again, where we send our wonderful examination classes into the hall for their GCSEs and A Levels. The year has passed so quickly but, as a community, we have so much to be thankful for. The dedicated teaching staff at the College have prepared our students for every eventuality – a huge thank you to the teachers who have done so much to ensure our students secure the best possible outcomes this August. The joy of learning is central to our mission, but we all know that working hard is key to success.

Covid feels like a distant memory now, but our Year 11 students and Year 13 students have shown courage and diligence in their approach to their studies over the past three years; this is a credit to both the teachers, and to you, as parents. I look forward to the summer results and, no doubt, it will be another time to celebrate the achievements of the boys in this vibrant community.

I understand that learning is only part of our culture at St Aloysius. This May, as we celebrate the month of Mary, we are mindful to always look out for the most vulnerable in our community. Once again, our links with Food Bank Aid demonstrates how St Aloysius is a community for everybody – families and students are nurtured and supported at every possible opportunity. I am deeply proud of the school’s commitment towards the Common Good. I have always indicated that St Aloysius is invested in every aspect of our students’ development. Whether we refer to the continuing successes of the basketball academy, or learning about the latest football and athletics achievements, this College is a place where success and hard work equate to a thriving and growing community of learners, in every facet of school life.

In the words of St Francis of Assisi, during this half term, let us sow peace, joy and faith amongst our friends and family.

Ms P Whyte
Headteacher

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are brimming with St Aloysius' College news. All our social media accounts are updated on a daily basis, making sure that you are kept in the loop about our many exciting activities. Please find the links to all platforms at the bottom of this newsletter. St Aloysius' College on socials - join the community.

Great news from one of our alumni: Ex-St Aloysius student Samuel Iling Jr scored a goal on his full debut for Juventus FC in May. “I’m proud to be at Juventus. [Massimiliano] Allegri is a top coach”, the talented England winger said during the post-match media round. We are obviously very proud as well: to have such an inspiring role model to talk to our current students about is fantastic. Samuel even donated a signed shirt to his former college, clearly showing that he will always remember his roots on Hornsey Lane. We are wishing Samuel the very best for his future and can't wait to see what he's up to next.

Find your feet, go far - this was the motto of a workshop for our Year 11 students to talk about all things Sixth Form. Students from the current Year 12 & 13 cohorts shared their experiences of what it means to be a St Aloysius' Sixth Former and did so with great eloquence, passion and generosity. The feedback was positive all round: "I'm impressed to hear that our Sixth Form is both caring and supportive and also has high ambitions for the students", was just one of the Year 11 voices we gathered on the way out of the assembly hall. Being part of St Aloysius' Sixth Form is a path to success: 60% of our students managed to secure a place in a Russell Group university in 2022. Find more information about our Sixth Form college by visiting www.sta.islington.sch.uk.

And we have a winner - three, actually! Daniyal, Tashveenn and Harry are proudly showing off their models of the Globe Theatre on London's Southbank. The Year 7 boys were inspired by their recent trip to see the Shakespeare play The Tempest, giving them a chance to experience the theatre and its Elizabethan layout from the inside. Big congratulations to the boys on their winning designs - they look brilliant!

A special mention goes to Tashveenn: he won the competition by adding lots of intrinsic details to his auditorium, including a balcony above the stage and stands for the audience that are true to their original Elizabethan design. He even thought of recreating the thatched roof of the real thing! The winning model is currently on display in the school library, together with Harry's and Daniyal's. A massive Well Done from the whole English department to our talented designers.

Big #shoutout to our fantastic team of science teachers! They turned Science Week 2023 into an invigorating & fun learning experience for our students. Pictured here are Mr Rana and Mr Mesfin, preparing a fizzy reaction for a circle of Year 9 students in our outdoor learning arena. The younger students had a chance to find out more about insects as a potential new addition to our diets. Packed with minerals, fiber, essential amino acids, omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants, they make for a very nutritious snack - even though it took our Year 8 students a moment or two to get used to this rather unconventional novel food source.

Exciting times for the next generation of Aloysians: on Thursday 25th May, headteacher Paula Whyte introduced the school in more detail to September's Year 7 cohort and their families. Her address was based on the warm and welcoming atmosphere that the school prides itself on, helping our future students to settle into their new learning environment with more confidence and ease. Mrs Whyte spoke about the importance of the Common Good - a deeply held value that allows each and every member of the school community to make a positive contribution from day one. 'Each student at this college is seen and nurtured as an individual', the headteacher went on to say. 'We very much look forward to working with you and making great things happen for your children.'

Our Year 12 BTEC sports student Louis Edwards experienced the King's coronation on 6th May first hand: he took part as a member of the London Fire Cadets (the 'ceremonial operational display team', to be more precise). "We had a viewing platform at the far end of the Mall, where we were the last to see King Charles III before he began travelling to Westminster Abbey", he reports. And it didn't stop there: "We were also the first group to see the King, and the rest of the Royal Family, return to the Mall after [the coronation]." Louis is pictured here holding the medallion he received after being part of a parade at the Old Royal Naval College. This additional event was laid on to celebrate the King's coronation two days after the big ceremony at Westminster Abbey. A truly unforgettable bank holiday weekend for Louis, and we congratulate him on his dedication and sense of service.

Different perspectives: Year 9 recently paid the East London headquarters of Grimshaw Architects a visit. They were particularly impressed by the folded roof the award-winning architects built over Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg. Formed by twelve 18-metre-wide bays, the roof is especially engineered to cope with Russia's notoriously harsh winters as it evenly distributes heavy snow loads. The students had a chance to marvel at the impressive structure from all sides, even from underneath the model! A truly inspirational learning experience for our DT students, organised by their teacher, Mr Harvey.

Email: enquiries@sta.islington.sch.uk
Website: https://www.sta.islington.sch.uk
Location: St Aloysius' RC College, Hornsey Lane, London, UK
Phone: 020 7561 7800