Communications Home

In June this year the government took legal steps to prohibit students access to phones throughout the school day.  Government guidelines have clarified and strengthened expectations around the use of mobile devices in schools, emphasising the need to minimise distractions, improve behaviour, and support a focused learning environment.

In line with this national direction, our existing policy remains unchanged: mobile phones and smart devices must be switched off before students enter the College site and kept out of sight throughout the school day. Devices may only be switched on again once students have left the College grounds.

Students may only bring a smartphone to school provided both the student and parent agree to uphold the following expectations:

Phones and Devices Must:

·        Be switched off before entering the College site.

·        Remain out of sight at all times whilst on site.

·        Not be used at any point during the school day, including break and lunchtime.

·        Not be used during after-school clubs or activities held on the College site.

·        Only be switched on again once students have left the College site.

This Means:

·        No use during lessons, including as calculators, cameras, or for research.

·        No checking the time, timetable, homework, notifications, or messages.

·        No use of apps or other phone functions during the day.

If parents need to contact their child urgently during the school day, they should telephone the College office, and a message will be passed on promptly.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

If a student is found using a phone or smart device, or if there is reasonable suspicion that it has been used, the device will be confiscated immediately and secured in a locker within the Sanctuary.

Confiscated devices will only be released to a parent or carer and will not be returned directly to the student.

Students who repeatedly fail to comply with government guidance and College expectations will be required to hand their phone into the Sanctuary at the start of each school day. The duration of this arrangement will be determined at the College's discretion.

Persistent disregard for warnings and expectations may result in a student being prohibited from bringing a mobile phone or smart device onto the College site altogether.

Why We Are Taking This Approach

We know that many parents are increasingly concerned about the impact of smartphones on children's wellbeing, confidence, and development, and you are certainly not alone.

Our smartphone-free approach forms part of a growing national movement of families, schools, and organisations choosing to delay smartphone use and give children the time and space to grow without the pressures of constant connectivity.

We strongly encourage parents to explore the work of Smartphone Free Childhood, a parent-led initiative that supports families seeking a more thoughtful and collective approach to children's smartphone use: https://www.smartphonefreechildhood.org/

This approach is not intended to be punitive. Rather, it is about:

·        Reducing distraction

·        Supporting positive behaviour

·        Creating calm and purposeful classrooms

·        Enabling all students to learn effectively

Research also suggests that excessive phone use can negatively affect attention, sleep, wellbeing, and resilience. By limiting device use during the school day, we are helping students to develop healthier and more balanced relationships with technology.

Please take some time before term starts to talk to your child about how phone misuse will be managed at St Benedict’s.

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring that our college community continues to thrive and that all students can achieve their full potential.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs J E Santinelli

Principal

Dear Parents/Carers

Open evening early closure – Thursday 24th September 2026

On Thursday 24th September we will host our annual college Open Evening.  To allow staff and student volunteers sufficient preparation time, the College will close after lunch, at the earlier time of 1.50 pm on this day.

If your child is unable to make their way home independently, or you are unable to arrange for suitable transport, we are able to provide a limited number of spaces for supervision between 1.50 pm – 3.30 pm.  If you would like to request a space, please click the link and complete the form – please complete one form per student.  Early Closure - Thursday 24th September 2026 – Fill out form

If at any time you no longer require this space, please email admin@stbenedicts.essex.sch.uk to let us know.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J E Santinelli

Principal

11th September 2026

Dear Parent/Carer 

Year 7 Camp: Trip to The Bushcraft Company in Cuffley: Wednesday 7th July – Friday 9th July 2027 
We are delighted to offer Year 7 students the opportunity to take part in an exciting Bushcraft and Outdoor Education experience. This programme is designed to develop students' confidence, resilience and teamwork through hands-on learning in a natural environment. 

Led by experienced and fully qualified instructors, students will participate in a wide range of practical bushcraft activities, including shelter building, fire lighting, woodland navigation, survival skills and team-building challenges. Throughout the experience, students will learn how to work safely outdoors while gaining an appreciation for the natural world. 

The programme provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop new practical skills that many may not have experienced before. As well as learning essential outdoor skills, students will build communication, leadership and problem-solving abilities, increase their independence, and develop resilience by working together to overcome challenges in a supportive environment. We are confident this will be a memorable and rewarding experience that will inspire a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. 

The total cost per student for the visit will be £250 which includes board, lodging and activities. A non-refundable deposit of £50 is due by 2nd October 2026. 

Financial assistance enquiries should be made to Miss Smit by 11th September 2026. 
Payment schedule: 

£40 by 31st October 2026 
£40 by 30th November 2026 
£40 by 31st December 2026 
£40 by 30th January 2027 
£40 by 28th February 2027 

Trip Details: 

Venue: The Bush Craft Company - Cuffley 
Dates: Wednesday 7th July – Friday 9th July 2027 
Travel: Coach transport. Drop off 9:00am on 7th July and collection 2:30pm on 9th July. 
Agenda: Three days of activities and two nights camping. Equipment list to follow. 
Cost: £250. 
If oversubscribed, a random ballot will be held. 

If you have any questions please contact Miss Willett or Mr Carr at St Benedict’s College. 

Yours faithfully, 
Miss L Willett 
Trip Leader 

Dear Parent/Carer

We are excited to take our Year 7 students on their end-of-year camp trip with The Bushcraft Company.

To help parents and carers find out more about the trip, we are hosting an online information evening with a member of The Bushcraft Company team.

Date: Tuesday 22nd September
Time: 5.30pm
Location: Microsoft Teams see link below
Duration: 45mins

During the evening, a member of The Bushcraft Company will give a short presentation about the company, the camp location and the activities students will be taking part in. This will then be followed by a short Q&A session, where you will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Bushcraft team.

Please use the Microsoft Teams link below to join the meeting:
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/329334407377740?p=5LmaGVmwXe23RGcXTv

Meeting ID: 329 334 407 377 740

Passcode: pS2Hi7MW

If you are unable to attend the session, the presentation will be recorded and a copy will be emailed to you afterwards.

Please note that this evening is specifically focused on what students will be doing and where they will be staying. Please refer to our previous letter which was sent out on Friday 11th September regarding the trip information. The letter is also available on our website: https://www.stbenedicts.essex.sch.uk/parents-and-carers/communications-home/

We hope you are able to join us and find the evening useful as we begin to prepare for what promises to be a fantastic experience for our Year 7 students.

Yours faithfully

Mr Carr

Year 7 Raising Standard Leader

Dear Parent / Carers,

I am writing to inform you about the content of English lessons and English home learning for year 7 students as well as the pedagogy that underpins our approach.

At St Benedict’s Catholic College, we begin Year 7 with a ‘fast-read’ of a fiction book. This approach is based on recent research from the University of Sussex, which involved English teachers reading novels at a faster pace than usual in 12 weeks. The researchers found that, as a result of this, students made 8.5 months’ mean progress, with poorer readers making 16 months’ progress.

Students’ reading age is something that we continuously work on improving in all year groups at St Benedict’s. This is important to access GCSEs in all subjects; for example, students need a reading age of 15 years and 8 months to be able to fully access their GCSE papers in all subjects, including Maths!

One significant change from primary to secondary school is the sheer volume of non-fiction texts students will read in almost every subject. This is another contributing consideration to the English Department’s choice of fiction novel – ‘October, October’ by Katya Balen - to help your child with their transition into secondary school. You can read more about  the way the study was successful in another school here.

Your child might also talk to you about:

Home Learning

Whilst we are Fast Reading in class, students will be set Home Learning tasks that link to ‘October, October.’ These will be creative or reflective tasks that might ask students to give their opinion or create something in response to the novel, its characters and the ideas. This will normally take no more than 30 minutes per week.

In addition, all students at St Benedict’s are expected to complete 30 minutes careful reading per fortnight using Sparx Reader – this is part of our whole school literacy approach.

Library Lessons

Year 7 students will spend one of their 7 lessons per fortnight in our college Library where they will be expected to read independently as well as regularly being provided the opportunity to read aloud to their teacher or to a member of our support staff. Students may bring in a book from home to read for this lesson or they can browse and borrow books from the wide selection we have available.

The 200-word Challenge

We use one of our fortnightly lessons to complete ‘The 200 Word Challenge’ - students are given a particular brief for a piece of writing – it could be fiction or non-fiction and are asked to try to write 200 words in 25 minutes, building their stamina, confidence and knowledge of a range of genres and forms.

We would encourage you to talk to your child about what they are reading and writing. Furthermore, ask your child to read it out loud to you at home to practice their reading accuracy and auracy. Making confident readers is the bedrock of being successful students. 

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact your child’s English teacher, or myself directly on p.bishop@stbenedicts.essex.sch.uk.

Yours faithfully

Mrs P Bishop

Head of Communications Faculty

Dear Parent/Carer
Year 7 visit – Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition, The British Museum
Date of visit Monday 7th December 2026
We are very pleased to invite your child to visit the British Museum in London, to experience the Bayeux
Tapestry exhibition on Monday 7th December 2026.
As part of our levelling up strategy we are offering this opportunity to 45 year 7 students to experience
a visit to a London Museum and witness a travelling historical exhibition and we are not seeking any
contribution to the cost of the visit from you.
The Bayeux Tapestry is a historical record of the Norman Conquest, commissioned by William the
Conqueror’s brother in the 11th century. It normally resides in Normandy, France, however it will be on
loan to the British Museum for a short time. This is an amazing opportunity for our students to see the
tapestry and see a number of other fantastic historical artefacts in the British museum.
We will travel to the British Museum, by coach, leaving St Benedict’s at approximately 8.30 am and
hope to arrive back to college by approximately 5.00 pm. We will be able to provide a more accurate
ETA on the day.
Students will need to bring with them a packed lunch, however if your child receives free school meals,
a lunch will be provided for them.
Students will need to wear college uniform, including a coat. They are able to wear alternative
footwear, such as trainers, as we will doing a fair amount of walking around. Should your child wish to
buy any small souvenirs, they may take a small amount of money to spend with them, but no more
than £10 please.
If you would like your child to take part in this exciting opportunity, please consent via ParentPay to
confirm you would like your child to be allocated a place. The visit deadline for you to reply by is 9.00
am on Thursday 8th October 2026. If the trip is oversubscribed places will be allocated by ballot. We
will contact you by Friday 16th October 2026 to confirm whether your child has secured a place.
We look forward to hearing from you by 8th October 2026.
Yours faithfully
Mrs K Wallis
Head of Humanities

Year 9 & 10 Five-Day Pilgrimage to Rome

Friday 2^nd October – Tuesday 6^th October 2026

We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a pilgrimage to Rome for Year 9 and 10 students who wish to grow in their faith. We are working with NST School Trips to organise our itinerary and we will be staying at the MEININGER Roma Termini hotel for the duration of our time in Rome. The itinerary will include daily Mass and moments of prayer as well as opportunities to explore the historical and spiritual city of Rome. We will be flying from London Stansted to Rome Ciampino and a coach will provide transport to and from the airports in London and Rome.

The total cost of the visit will be £1,220 per student. This covers the cost of all travel, four nights’ half-board accommodation at the MEININGER Roma Termini hotel, excursions and admission fees. Should the College cancel the visit, a full refund will be made; however, all monies are non-refundable should you cancel the place yourself.

The maximum number of places available is 30 and should the trip be oversubscribed, places on the trip will be allocated by ballot. If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s pastoral lead within one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail themselves of this enrichment opportunity.

In order to confirm our booking with NST School Trips and secure our reservation, we will need a response from parents by Friday 26^th September at the latest. If you would like your child to be considered for this visit, please pay the non-returnable deposit of £122 by the 26^th September. If your child is not offered a place on the trip the deposit will be refunded. We kindly ask you to use the ParentPay website, where you can pay online using your credit or debit card.

Payment Schedule

• October 25^th 2025 – £122
• November 25^th 2025 – £122
• December 26^th 2025 – £122
• January 26^th 2026 – £122
• February 26^th 2026 – £122
• March 26^th 2026 – £122
• April 26^th 2026 – £122
• May 26^th 2026 – £122
• June 26^th 2026 – £122

Please ensure that payments are made on time. Contact if making the payments on time causes you difficulties.

Proposed Itinerary

Friday 2^nd October 2026:
Depart college and travel by coach to London Stansted airport. Students will need a packed lunch for the flight. After we arrive at the airport in Rome, a coach will take us to the hotel and settle in, followed by our first evening meal and prayer service.

Saturday 3^rd October to Monday 5^th October 2026:
During the week, there will be daily Mass at various locations around Rome, as well as visits to:

• St Paul’s Outside the Walls
• The Colosseum
• Santa Maria Maggiore (resting place of Pope Francis)
• Basilica of St John Lateran
• St Peter’s Square (including Papal audience)
• Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain
• St Peter’s Basilica
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel

Friday 6^th October 2026:
Return home and scheduled arrival back at college in the late evening (subject to flight times and any traffic).

If you require any further information at this stage please contact me at the College. There will also be an information evening for parents in the Summer term, as we approach the date of departure. Please note that students will require their own passport, valid for at least three months from departure from the UK, and that it might be necessary for your child to obtain a visa for this visit. Information is available at: and .

The College reserves the right to refuse any student a place if their conduct leading up to the trip is unacceptable.

I am sure this pilgrimage will be a time of deep spiritual growth for our students—an opportunity to encounter their faith in a new and living way, to walk in the footsteps of saints, and to experience the universal Church at its heart. Our prayer is that this journey will inspire them to grow closer to God, strengthen their sense of vocation, and deepen their commitment to living out their faith in daily life.

Yours faithfully,
Mr Fusi
Lay Chaplain

Dear Parent/Carer.
Year 9 and 10 GCSE Textiles trip to Knit + Stitch Show - Thursday 8th October 2026
We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a trip to Knit+Stitch Show at
Alexandra Palace on Thursday 8th October 2026.
The total cost of the trip will be £39.70 This is to cover the cost of transport to and from
College and the admission fee. Students will be escorted by staff around the venue,
including exhibitions and trade stands.
The trip will give learners the opportunity to see and meet contemporary Textile makers. In
the past this trip has inspired stimuli for GCSE projects. There are exhibitions and a Live
Stage of meet-and-greets with artists. I find students respond well to the Graduate
Showcase, displaying work from top art universities.
We will depart St Benedicts at 8.00am by coach and return to college by 4.30pm Should the
College cancel the trip, a full refund will be made, however all monies are non-refundable
should you cancel the place yourself.
If you would like your child to take part, please pay using ParentPay by Friday 10th July
2026. If we do not receive sufficient interest and payment for the trip by the deadline, it is
probable that the trip will not be able to go ahead. Consent will be completed as part of the
ParentPay process.
If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s Pastoral Lead within
one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail
themselves of this enrichment opportunity.
Students will need to bring a packed lunch. Students entitled to free school meals will be
provided with a packed lunch. Students wishing to make purchases on the day of any
materials or embellishments to use in their studies may bring with them a small amount of
money to spend, no more than £10 please.
Students will be in full school uniform. We also ask that students have access to a phone
throughout the day for the use of camera, but I would like to ask this use is for educational
purposes only and for learners to refrain from photographing other learners.
Yours faithfully.
Mrs Holloway
Subject Co-Ordinator of Textiles

Year 9 five-day trip to the Opal Coast, France – Monday 15th March to Friday 19th March
2027
We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a trip to the Opal Coast in France for our
year 9 students of French. We are working with Voyager School Travel to organise our itinerary
and will be staying in the Hotel du Moulin aux Draps Activity Centre for the duration of the
visit. We will have dedicated Animateurs who will work with us during our stay and organise
various activities at the centre. Our students will be encouraged to speak French throughout the
stay and we are sure they will enjoy using the language in lots of different situations. We will
travel by ferry and coach and then go on excursions and local trips during our stay, including
visits to Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Nausicaa Sea World Centre and a local market.
The total cost of the visit will be £690.00 per student. This covers the cost of all coach travel, four
nights’ full board accommodation at the Hotel Moulin aux Draps, excursions and admission fees.
Should the college cancel the visit, a full refund will be made, however all monies are non
refundable should you cancel the place yourself.
The maximum number of places available is 60 and should the trip be oversubscribed, places on
the trip will be allocated by ballot. If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your
child’s pastoral lead within one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so
that all students can avail themselves of this enrichment opportunity.
In order to confirm our booking with Voyager School Travel and secure our reservation we will
need a response from parents by the 10th July 2026 at the latest. If you would like your child to
be considered for this visit, please pay the non-returnable deposit of £115.00 by the 10th July
2026. If your child is not offered a place on the trip the deposit will be refunded. We kindly ask
you to use the,ParentPay website, where you can pay online using your credit or debit card.
The remaining payments for this trip will be due in instalments as follows:
31st August 2026
30th September 2026
31st October 2026
30th November 2026
31st December 2026
£115.00
£115.00
£115.00
£115.00
£115.00
Please ensure that payments are made on time. Please contact Pastoral Lead if making the
payments on time causes you difficulties.
Our proposed itinerary is as follows (this may be subject to change and we will of course send
you a final itinerary nearer the time):
Monday 15th March 2027:
Depart College and travel by coach for the crossing to Calais. Students will need a packed lunch
for the journey. From Calais, we will continue to the hotel and settle in, followed by our first
evening meal and language activity.
Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th March 2027:
Activities organised by staff at the activity centre, with visits to:
• The Nausicaa National Sea Centre in Boulogne
• Boulogne-sur-Mer- visit to the old town ramparts
• Opalaventure- trekking through the treetops, guided by instructors
• Local market mission with a challenge to buy food for lunch using only French
• Étaples military cemetery
• Bakery
• Le Touquet seaside town
• Chocolate Factory
Friday 19th March 2027
Return home and scheduled arrival back at College before the end of the College day (subject to
traffic and any changes in timings by the ferry operator)
If you require any further information at this stage please contact me at the College. There will
also be an information evening for parents in the Spring term, as we approach the date of
departure. Please note that students will require their own passport, valid for at least three
months from departure from the UK, and that it might be necessary for your child to obtain a visa
for this visit. Information is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport
https://www.france-visas.gouv.fr/en/
The College reserves the right to refuse any student a place if their conduct leading up to the trip
is unacceptable.
I am sure that the trip will be an exciting experience for your child and that it will give them the
opportunity to practise their French, to get to know more about French culture and way of life and
also to see the beautiful landscape and towns of the Opal Coast.
Yours sincerely
Ms Lesto
Trip Leader

Year 9 & 10 Five-Day Pilgrimage to Rome

Friday 2^nd October – Tuesday 6^th October 2026

We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a pilgrimage to Rome for Year 9 and 10 students who wish to grow in their faith. We are working with NST School Trips to organise our itinerary and we will be staying at the MEININGER Roma Termini hotel for the duration of our time in Rome. The itinerary will include daily Mass and moments of prayer as well as opportunities to explore the historical and spiritual city of Rome. We will be flying from London Stansted to Rome Ciampino and a coach will provide transport to and from the airports in London and Rome.

The total cost of the visit will be £1,220 per student. This covers the cost of all travel, four nights’ half-board accommodation at the MEININGER Roma Termini hotel, excursions and admission fees. Should the College cancel the visit, a full refund will be made; however, all monies are non-refundable should you cancel the place yourself.

The maximum number of places available is 30 and should the trip be oversubscribed, places on the trip will be allocated by ballot. If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s pastoral lead within one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail themselves of this enrichment opportunity.

In order to confirm our booking with NST School Trips and secure our reservation, we will need a response from parents by Friday 26^th September at the latest. If you would like your child to be considered for this visit, please pay the non-returnable deposit of £122 by the 26^th September. If your child is not offered a place on the trip the deposit will be refunded. We kindly ask you to use the ParentPay website, where you can pay online using your credit or debit card.

Payment Schedule

• October 25^th 2025 – £122
• November 25^th 2025 – £122
• December 26^th 2025 – £122
• January 26^th 2026 – £122
• February 26^th 2026 – £122
• March 26^th 2026 – £122
• April 26^th 2026 – £122
• May 26^th 2026 – £122
• June 26^th 2026 – £122

Please ensure that payments are made on time. Contact if making the payments on time causes you difficulties.

Proposed Itinerary

Friday 2^nd October 2026:
Depart college and travel by coach to London Stansted airport. Students will need a packed lunch for the flight. After we arrive at the airport in Rome, a coach will take us to the hotel and settle in, followed by our first evening meal and prayer service.

Saturday 3^rd October to Monday 5^th October 2026:
During the week, there will be daily Mass at various locations around Rome, as well as visits to:

• St Paul’s Outside the Walls
• The Colosseum
• Santa Maria Maggiore (resting place of Pope Francis)
• Basilica of St John Lateran
• St Peter’s Square (including Papal audience)
• Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain
• St Peter’s Basilica
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel

Friday 6^th October 2026:
Return home and scheduled arrival back at college in the late evening (subject to flight times and any traffic).

If you require any further information at this stage please contact me at the College. There will also be an information evening for parents in the Summer term, as we approach the date of departure. Please note that students will require their own passport, valid for at least three months from departure from the UK, and that it might be necessary for your child to obtain a visa for this visit. Information is available at: and .

The College reserves the right to refuse any student a place if their conduct leading up to the trip is unacceptable.

I am sure this pilgrimage will be a time of deep spiritual growth for our students—an opportunity to encounter their faith in a new and living way, to walk in the footsteps of saints, and to experience the universal Church at its heart. Our prayer is that this journey will inspire them to grow closer to God, strengthen their sense of vocation, and deepen their commitment to living out their faith in daily life.

Yours faithfully,
Mr Fusi
Lay Chaplain

We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a trip to a London art gallery, Les

Misérables and a French church on Thursday 1st October 2026

The total cost of the trip will be £73.00. This covers the cost of transport to and from college

on the day as well as tickets to see the West End Production of Les Misérables. At the art

gallery, students will learn about the works and lives of French master artists through fun

group-based activities. In the West End students will have the opportunity to watch the iconic

musical based on French author Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables, which is set in a

significant period of French history and explores the themes of social justice, kindness and

forgiveness. At the French-speaking Notre Dame de France church, students will learn about

the church’s mission and refugee work in London. I am confident that this trip will be an exciting

and rewarding experience for students and an opportunity for them to engage with French

culture beyond the classroom.

We will depart St Benedict’s at 8.00am by coach and return to college by 7.30pm.  Should the

College cancel the trip, a full refund will be made, however all monies paid are non-refundable

should you cancel the place yourself. In the event that the trip is oversubscribed, places will

be allocated by ballot.

If you would like your child to take part, please pay using ParentPay a deposit of £36.50 by

Thursday 30th April 2026 the second payment of £36.50 will be due on 31st August 2026.

If we do not receive sufficient interest and payment for the trip by the deadline, it is probable

that the trip will not be able to go ahead.  Consent will be completed as part of the ParentPay

process. 

If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s pastoral lead within

one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail

themselves of this enrichment opportunity.  

Students will need to bring a packed lunch. Students entitled to free school meals will be

provided with a packed lunch. Students may wear appropriate non-uniform for the day. 

Yours faithfully

Ms Lesto

Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Dear Parent/Carer.
Year 9 and 10 GCSE Textiles trip to Knit + Stitch Show - Thursday 8th October 2026
We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a trip to Knit+Stitch Show at
Alexandra Palace on Thursday 8th October 2026.
The total cost of the trip will be £39.70 This is to cover the cost of transport to and from
College and the admission fee. Students will be escorted by staff around the venue,
including exhibitions and trade stands.
The trip will give learners the opportunity to see and meet contemporary Textile makers. In
the past this trip has inspired stimuli for GCSE projects. There are exhibitions and a Live
Stage of meet-and-greets with artists. I find students respond well to the Graduate
Showcase, displaying work from top art universities.
We will depart St Benedicts at 8.00am by coach and return to college by 4.30pm Should the
College cancel the trip, a full refund will be made, however all monies are non-refundable
should you cancel the place yourself.
If you would like your child to take part, please pay using ParentPay by Friday 10th July
2026. If we do not receive sufficient interest and payment for the trip by the deadline, it is
probable that the trip will not be able to go ahead. Consent will be completed as part of the
ParentPay process.
If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s Pastoral Lead within
one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail
themselves of this enrichment opportunity.
Students will need to bring a packed lunch. Students entitled to free school meals will be
provided with a packed lunch. Students wishing to make purchases on the day of any
materials or embellishments to use in their studies may bring with them a small amount of
money to spend, no more than £10 please.
Students will be in full school uniform. We also ask that students have access to a phone
throughout the day for the use of camera, but I would like to ask this use is for educational
purposes only and for learners to refrain from photographing other learners.
Yours faithfully.
Mrs Holloway
Subject Co-Ordinator of Textiles

Dear parent/carer

We are delighted to continue our heavily subsidised digital device scheme which we hope will provide an equity of access that supports all our GCSE students to have access to all the resources they need to study and revise for their GCSE exams while also equipping them for Further Education.

Once the laptops are distributed; students will be trusted to bring their device to and from college and are expected to use it during lessons as a means of enhancing learning and centralising notes and draft assignments and must take special care of the device especially when it’s in their bag.  We will not be able to replace damaged devices however, if a screen is damaged or a replacement charger is required, IT can support at an additional cost which is payable via ParentPay.  The college will provide access to filtered Wi-Fi, which will be monitored by our IT staff.  During lessons, student laptops will be monitored via the classroom cloud application, which enables our staff to monitor the screens of all laptops at any given time.  Out of lesson time, college staff will not be able to connect to the laptop.

We request that students take responsibility for charging their laptop each night at home, bringing it with them ready to use during the college day.  All documents should be stored on OneDrive, which is automatically backed up by our IT systems.  Teachers will use office 365 to collect work, assess work, and return it to students electronically.

Payment

We are heavily subsidising a Lenovo 100w (4th Gen) Laptop and asking all parents/carers to make a £75 contribution towards the costs of the device, via ParentPay.  As this item is available now, it would really help the college if you would make the contribution as soon as possible.  The device is yours to keep and will support your son/daughter through their post 16 study. 

If you are in a position to support further, you may make an additional contribution to support other students, and to reduce the cost of the subsidy to the college.  These items are available on ParentPay.

Remember, students may only bring the laptop to college, no other device will be permitted on the College WiFi.

We would also recommend that students purchase a protective case like the one linked below to help protect it while travelling to and from college. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rapesco-1691-Germ-Savvy-Antibacterial-Laptop/dp/B09NYC27D2  We have created a user guide document that offers a range of advice on how to effectively use and take care of the laptop that we would encourage both you and your son/daughter to read.

This is an exciting opportunity that we really hope our students will take full advantage of.

GCSE Laptop Programme

Yours faithfully

Mr J Callaghan

Vice Principal

Dear Parents/Carers of Year 11 GCSE Geography Students,
As you may recall, the Year 10 Human Geography field trip to Stratford, originally scheduled
for June 2026, had to be postponed due to issues with the coach company.
We are pleased to confirm that the trip has now been rescheduled for Wednesday 23rd
September 2026.
Date: Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Time: Students should meet at the Bell Tower at 8:20am for an 8:30am departure. We
expect to return to school by 3:30pm (15:30).
Location: Stratford, East London
Purpose: To investigate urban regeneration and its impacts on people and the environment.
This fieldwork experience is an essential part of the GCSE Geography course and will help
students develop the skills and understanding required for their final examinations. During
the visit, students will collect, analyse and evaluate data relating to urban change in a real
world context. They will also be expected to complete follow-up work in class and at home,
which will provide valuable preparation for examination questions.
Students will travel by coach with members of staff and will be fully supervised throughout
the day. Further information regarding equipment, clothing, lunch arrangements and consent
procedures will be sent closer to the date.
We cannot emphasise enough the importance of attendance on this trip. Students who do
not participate in the fieldwork will be at a significant disadvantage when preparing for and
sitting their final GCSE Geography examination.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the
Geography Department.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Mr G. Muttock
Assistant Principal and Trip Leader

Year 11 three-day Christmas market trip to Northern France – Friday 4th December to Sunday 6th December 2026 

We are very pleased to inform you that we are planning a Christmas market trip to Northern France for our year 11 students of French. We are working with Halsbury Travel to organise our itinerary and will be staying at the Auberge de Jeunesse HI Amiens for the duration of the visit. Our students will be encouraged to speak French throughout the stay and we are sure they will enjoy using the language in lots of different situations. We will travel by ferry and coach and then go on excursions and local trips during our stay, including visits to a Christmas Market, a biscuit and sweet factory, the historical Wellington Quarry at Arras and Amiens cathedral. 

The total cost of the visit will be £350.00 per student. This covers the cost of all coach travel, two nights’ full board accommodation at the Auberge de Jeunesse HI Amiens, excursions and admission fees. Should the college cancel the visit, a full refund will be made, however all monies are non-refundable should you cancel the place yourself. 

The maximum number of places available is 60 and should the trip be oversubscribed, places on the trip will be allocated by ballot. If you will find it difficult to pay at this time, please contact your child’s pastoral lead within one week of receiving this letter and we will endeavour to assist so that all students can avail themselves of this enrichment opportunity. In order to confirm our booking with Halsbury Travel and secure our reservation we will need a response from parents by the 8th December 2025 at the latest. If you would like your child to be considered for this visit, please pay the non-returnable deposit of £60.00 by the 8th December 2025. 

If your child is not offered a place on the trip the deposit will be refunded. We kindly ask you to use the ParentPay website, where you can pay online using your credit or debit card. The remaining payments for this trip will be due in instalments as follows: 

30th January 2026 £58.00 28th February 2026 £58.00 31st March 2026 £58.00 30th April 2026 £58.00 31st May 2026 £58.00 

Please ensure that payments are made on time. Please contact the college within one week 

of the date of this letter, if making the payments on time causes you difficulties. We will try to assist you where possible. 

Our proposed itinerary is as follows (this may be subject to change and we will of course send you a final itinerary nearer the time): 

Friday 4th December 2026: 

Depart College and travel by coach for the crossing to Calais. Students will need a packed lunch for the journey. From Calais, we will continue to the youth hostel in Amiens, with a visit to a biscuit factory on the way. After settling in we will have our first evening meal. 

Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th December 2026: 

Visits to: 

• Amiens – tour of old town and cathedral 

• Christmas market 

• Sweet factory 

• Wellington Quarry 

Sunday 6th December 2026 

Return home and scheduled arrival back at college before 9pm (subject to traffic and any changes in timings by the ferry operator). 

If you require any further information at this stage please contact me at the College. There will also be an information evening for parents in the Autumn term, as we approach the date of departure. Please note that students will require their own passport, valid for at least three months from departure from the UK, and that it might be necessary for your child to obtain a visa for this visit. Information is available at: 

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport 

https://www.france-visas.gouv.fr/en/ 

The College reserves the right to refuse any student a place if their conduct leading up to the trip is unacceptable. 

I am sure that the trip will be an exciting experience for your child and that it will give them the opportunity to practise their French, to get to know more about French culture and way of life. 

Yours faithfully 

Ms Lesto 

Head of Modern Foreign Languages

8th July 2026

Dear Parent/Carer

Year 11 Geography Field Trip to Stratford – 23rd September 2026

Students will be attending the visit to Stratford, London on Wednesday 23rd September 2026. They should wear sensible non‑uniform and comfortable shoes, and bring a school bag containing lunch or snacks, water, pens, pencils, and a clipboard if they have one. Students are reminded to remain aware of their surroundings throughout the day and to stay close to their group leader.

The schedule is as follows: students and staff will meet at the Bell Tower at 8:20am, leaving from the bus turnaround at 8:30am. Arrival in Stratford is expected between 9:45 and 10:00am, with departure at 2:00pm. The group will return to St Benedict’s at approximately 3:30pm.

Yours faithfully,

Mr N Maher

Subject Leader for Geography

As part of the preparations for our upcoming trip to France, I would like to invite you to an
information meeting for parents/carers and students on Monday 19th October at 6.00 pm in
the Manning Hall to give you information regarding the travel arrangements and itinerary for
our trip to Amiens in December. We will also be able to give advice about pocket money and
what to pack.
Please could I remind you to ensure that you have made payments for the trip, provided all
information concerning dietary requirements/ medical details/ emergency contact numbers
and that your son/ daughter's passport and GHIC/EHIC Health Card are up to date.
We kindly ask that you check your child's passport to ensure it meets the necessary
requirements:
1. Passport Issue Date: Please ensure that the issue date of your children's passport is
less than 10 years from our date of departure to France (Friday 4th December 2026).
2. Validity: Your child's passport must also be valid for at least three months beyond the
date of departure from France (Sunday 6th December 2026).
If your child holds an EU passport you will need to provide proof of their settled status/
permanent leave to remain. It is important that we have a copy of this in order to avoid any
potential complications on re-entry to the UK.
If your child does not hold a UK passport, you will need to provide proof of their settled
status/ permanent leave to remain. They may also require a visa to enter France. Please
ensure that you contact the French Consulate for more information and to arrange this, if
necessary. It is important that we have a copy of both of these documents in order to avoid
any potential complications at the border.
Since all students are required to have their own valid passport, please bring your child's
passport to the information evening so that we can make a copy for our records. We will
also need to make copies of their GHIC/EHIC Health Card, proof of their settled status/
permanent leave to remain (for non-UK passport holders) and visa (for passports requiring a
visa to visit France).
If you require any further information at this stage, please contact me at the college.
Kind regards
Ms Lesto
Head of MFL