This Week at St Faith’s

Welcome back

It is a great pleasure to welcome back our families at the start of the new term, including all our new pupils. This year we have a total of 64 new pupils across all year groups joining the St Faith’s community, and we are helping them to settle in and find their feet. There will always be a friendly face to point someone in the right direction for their next lesson, to explain when to go into lunch, or where to store a games bag. The start of a new school year brings changes for everyone, as all our pupils find their way around new classrooms and timetables. Please do encourage your children to ask for help if they need it, whether from their teacher, a member of the support staff, their friends, or one of our more senior pupils, who will always be happy to help.

Be Curious and Give Time to Grow

One of the occasions that marks the beginning of a new academic year is our first whole-school assembly, when pupils and staff gather together in Ashburton Hall. It is always a special moment as we welcome new pupils and look ahead together to the year before us.

In our assembly on Thursday, I reminded the children that the beginning of a new academic year brings with it a sense of excitement and anticipation. For some pupils, it means joining a new year group; for others, it means new teachers, new classmates, new responsibilities and new opportunities. Whatever stage of school life they find themselves in, there are fresh experiences ahead for everyone.

I decided to illustrate our theme by telling the children a story about something that happened one summer in our garden. My wife and I noticed a chrysalis attached to our garden gate. We watched it regularly, but for weeks nothing seemed to happen. It remained still and unchanged. Then, gradually, its colour began to alter. One day, when we returned home from work, we found the chrysalis empty. A Red Admiral butterfly had emerged and flown away. We had recorded its progress with photographs, which I was able to share with the children as I told the story.

There are several lessons we can learn from this simple but remarkable event. We reflected first on the importance of patience. The children considered how we often want things to happen immediately, when in fact growth, learning and achievement can take time and require perseverance, commitment and determination.

We also considered how little we could tell simply by looking at the chrysalis. For several weeks it seemed as though nothing was happening, yet inside an extraordinary transformation was taking place. This prompted us to think about how the same might sometimes be true of people: we cannot necessarily see the progress someone is making, or know what is happening beneath the surface, simply from outward appearances.

Finally, we reflected on how easy it can be to become so busy that we fail to notice some of the remarkable things happening around us every day. The natural world is full of wonder if we take the time to notice. Our Bible reading from The Book of Job this week also invited pupils to consider what we can learn from the natural world.

As we look ahead to the year before us, we considered the new interests and talents that pupils might discover along the way. A subject, activity or hobby that previously held little appeal might become a new enthusiasm, and some of the most rewarding experiences can come from being willing to try something new and keep an open mind.

As we begin this new school year, I encouraged everyone to be curious, to keep looking up and around, and to embrace the opportunities that come their way. Above all, I asked pupils to give themselves and others the time and space to grow.

A man speaks at a lectern to an audience of children in striped uniforms; behind him, a screen displays Welcome! and an aerial view of buildings.

A large group of students in red and black striped uniforms sit on the floor of a hall, watching a speaker give a presentation beside a projected image. Some pupils raise their hands.

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Year 8 Prefect Tie Presentation

At the start of the school year, I have the happy privilege of conferring prefect status on our Year 8 pupils. On Wednesday morning, I presented each Year 8 pupil with their distinctive red tie. The prefect role is a very important one at St Faith’s and offers all our Year 8 pupils new opportunities for leadership and responsibility, such as buddying, supporting and mentoring younger pupils. Further roles for our prefects will be introduced later this term.

With the theme of ‘being our best selves’ carried through from Preschool to Year 8, we look to our prefects to be excellent role models for the younger children. I am grateful to the families of all our Year 8 pupils for their ongoing support with this message at home, and I wish our new prefects every success as they take on their responsibilities.

A man in a suit speaks to a group of students in matching red and black striped uniforms seated in rows in a school hall.

A boy in a red-striped blazer shakes hands with a man in a suit, who is handing him a wrapped item at an indoor ceremony. A table with similar items and empty chairs are in the background.

A student in a red and black striped blazer smiles and shakes hands with a man in a grey suit during a school ceremony. Another student in a similar blazer stands nearby.

A student in a red and black striped blazer shakes hands with a man in a suit whilst receiving an award in a school hall. Other students wait in queue.

Two students in red and black striped blazers shake hands with a man in a grey suit during an indoor awards ceremony.

A boy in a red and black striped blazer shakes hands with a man in a suit whilst receiving a rolled certificate at an indoor ceremony. Plaques and chairs are visible in the background.

A man in a suit shakes hands with a smiling girl in a red striped blazer, handing her a tie across a table with more ties on it, in a brightly lit room with wooden plaques on the wall.

A man in a suit shakes hands with a student in a red and black striped blazer at an awards ceremony. Another student stands nearby, and folded blazers are on a table. Wooden plaques hang on the wall in the background.

A student in a striped blazer shakes hands with a man in a grey suit holding a red walking stick, in a hall with folding chairs and a wooden plaque on the wall.

A student in a red and black striped blazer receives an award rosette from a man in a suit during a ceremony, with chairs and plaques in the background.

A girl in a red and black striped blazer receives a striped tie from a man in a suit during an indoor ceremony. Empty chairs and plaques are visible in the background.

A man in a suit shakes hands with a boy in a red and black striped blazer whilst handing him a red tie at an indoor ceremony.

A group of students in matching red and black striped blazers sit on folding chairs indoors, talking and adjusting their ties, with some looking at each other and others looking down.

Boys in red and black striped blazers sit on chairs, helping each other with red ties. Other children in similar uniforms are seated behind them, chatting and smiling.

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First Days of School

As always, the first day of term brings some lovely moments as children renew friendships, find their new classrooms and settle back into the routines of school life. For one group of children in particular, Friday was a very memorable day as the Reception children arrived for their very first day at St Faith’s.

Accompanied by their parents and greeted by their teachers and the wider Early Years team, the children began exploring their new classrooms and getting to know one another. We hope that they thoroughly enjoyed their first day and will be looking forward to returning on Monday.

Speaking of Monday, we will be welcoming our youngest pupils to the St Faith’s community when eight new Preschool children begin their St Faith’s journey.

We do hope that you enjoy this selection of photographs capturing some of the activity around school during these first few days of term.

A young child in a red jumper sits on the floor, reaching into a plastic bin filled with toy cars, while an adult and another child play nearby in a classroom setting.

A young girl and a woman play with sand and plastic toys at a blue sand table. The girl holds a blue scoop, and the woman shapes sand. The background is a colourful outdoor play area.

Three children in red and black striped blazers and ties sit and lean on wooden playground equipment, smiling and looking content on a sunny day.

Two students in white shirts and red ties sit on a bench outside, smiling and holding papers. Both wear black shorts and have rucksacks beside them.

Two boys in school uniforms play football on a grassy field, competing for the ball, while several other boys in similar attire watch or play in the background. School buildings and trees are visible behind them.

Two young girls in red tops and checked skirts play at a table with small baskets and utensils in a brightly lit classroom. One girl uses tongs whilst the other watches.

Two boys wearing glasses and matching red, black, and white striped blazers and ties sit on a bench, smiling in the sunshine.

A teacher sits on the floor, interacting with two children playing with toys, whilst other children in red jumpers work at tables in a warmly lit classroom.

A young girl in sports kit practises hockey indoors, focusing on hitting an orange ball with her stick. Another child and cones are visible in the background.

Two young girls in matching red shirts and checked skirts hug and smile whilst playing outside on a paved surface. Yellow steps and other children are visible in the background.

Children in a classroom sit at desks with open books. Two children in the centre appear to work together, while others focus on their own tasks. Sunlight comes through the window in the background.

Three girls in school uniforms with striped ties stand arm-in-arm and smiling outside on a playground, with other children and school buildings visible in the background.

A young boy in a red jumper sits at a table in a library, reading an open book about space and pointing at the pages. Shelves of books and a door are visible in the background.

A young boy in a white shirt, tie, and shorts sits on a wooden playground structure, smiling whilst holding onto green ropes, with trees in the background.

A young child in a red jumper sits at a desk, smiling whilst reading a colourful book. Other children and classroom decorations are visible in the background.

Three young students smiling and working on drawings at their desks in a bright classroom, with books, coloured pencils, and papers in front of them.

Four girls in red and black striped blazers laugh and play on a climbing frame outdoors, with other children and trees in the background.

A young boy in a red shirt sits at a yellow table, picking up colourful shapes from plastic bowls for a craft activity. Other tables and chairs are visible in the background.

Young girls in black uniforms with hockey sticks stand on an indoor court, facing a man with a beard who is also holding a stick. A yellow ball is near them, and a basketball hoop is visible in the background.

Three boys in school uniforms and ties laugh whilst balancing and hanging on blue ropes outdoors, with a football goal and other children in the background on a grassy field.

Children in red uniforms play outside. One girl pulls two kids in a black wagon, whilst others run or walk nearby. Trees and a shed are in the background.

A group of young girls in red tops and checked skirts play outside with a woman. Some children are near trees in the background. The ground is covered with fallen leaves.

A group of boys in sports kits play football on a grassy pitch near a school building. One player is taking a shot at the goal whilst others are positioned to defend or watch.

A young child in a red shirt hangs from red monkey bars on a school playground, with other children playing in the background.

Three young children wearing red shirts and headbands smile and play together on red ropes at a playground, with blurred playground equipment and other children in the background.

Three children in red uniforms play on a wooden playground structure with a rope net. Two girls face the net whilst a boy smiles at them from the other side. Trees and fallen leaves are visible in the background.

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Inside Science

Mrs Pritchard writes:

“It has been wonderful to welcome all of the children back after their holidays and to see the laboratories full of pupils once again. We have certainly hit the ground running, with pupils across all year groups already engaging in exciting practical work and developing their scientific knowledge and skills.

Year 5 pupils have begun their very exciting journey into science within a laboratory setting. They have been learning about essential laboratory rules, identifying and using equipment safely, and building anticipation for gaining that all-important Bunsen burner licence later in the term.

Year 6 students have been putting their survival skills to the test by applying their knowledge of chemistry to investigate how fresh water can be obtained should they ever find themselves stranded on a desert island. This topic has provided an excellent opportunity to develop both practical and problem-solving skills.

Year 7 pupils have officially embarked on the Key Stage 3 curriculum. They have been carrying out food tests using Benedict’s solution to identify the presence of reducing sugars and iodine solution to determine whether starch is present in a variety of foods. These investigations have encouraged the children to think critically about the science behind everyday items.

Year 8 students have stepped up to a new level of challenge by investigating the affinity of different metals for oxygen and relating their findings to the reactivity series. They have also begun identifying and describing redox reactions, developing a deeper understanding of the chemical processes that underpin these important concepts.

It is already shaping up to be a fantastic year in Science, and we look forward to seeing all our pupils continue to develop their curiosity, confidence and enthusiasm for the subject in the months ahead.”

‘Meet the Tutors’ and ‘Introduction to the School Year’

At St Faith’s we value greatly the support that we receive from our parents in building and maintaining the partnership between home and school. Our ‘Meet the Tutor’ and ‘Introduction to the School Year’ evenings are part of this process, as we help families navigate the new school year. This week I greatly enjoyed meeting families in Years 1-3 and 5 & 6 and I do hope that these evening events were helpful and informative.

A classroom screen displays St Faith's Cambridge: Meet the Year 5 Tutors and an Introduction to the New School Year. A pinboard with posters and pupil work is visible on the right.

A group of adults sit in a classroom, listening to a man speaking at the front. A woman stands nearby. A large monitor displays text. Bunting hangs from the ceiling, and noticeboards decorate the walls.

A classroom with a screen displaying Introduction to Year 1, pupils seated, colourful bunting hanging, and decorated noticeboards on the walls.

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Old Fidelian Barbecue

This evening, our annual Old Fidelian (OF) BBQ will be held in the Headmaster’s Garden. It is a happy opportunity for former pupils to catch up with old friends and to share stories about their time at the school. Some of our guests will remember St Faith’s as an all-boys’ boarding school, whilst for others their experience will be much more recent, following the school’s transition to a co-educational day school.

We also look forward to being joined by members of the current and former teaching staff – and of course it is just possible that some of our former teachers will be reunited with their former pupils! If you are an Old Fidelian, and would like to keep in touch about our events, please register your details on our alumni database, Update Your Details – St Faith’s Cambridge.

Our next events will be the OF v Parents 5-a-side football on Friday, 13^th November and the Steele Bodgers match on Wednesday, 25^th November. Please do save the dates.

Whole School Open Morning, Saturday, 10^th October

As we look forward to the term ahead, our next Open Morning will take place on Saturday, 10th October. You may already have seen our banners displayed outside school. Although the event is predominantly for families who wish to join St Faith’s in September 2027, we will also welcome families who are looking ahead to 2028, when they would be joining the new all-through school, The Leys School, Cambridge. Bookings are now open and families can register via our website, Visits & Open Mornings – St Faith’s Cambridge

I warmly encourage you to share details of the Open Morning with any friends or colleagues who may be interested in finding out more about St Faith’s for their children.

And Finally…

My thoughts return to the Red Admiral from Thursday’s assembly. Its story gave us an opportunity to think about curiosity, patience and the value of taking time to notice what is happening around us — all useful thoughts with which to begin a new academic year. I hope our pupils enjoy discovering the many interests, activities and opportunities that await them over the months ahead.

I look forward to meeting with parents, both new and familiar, during the coming days and weeks. More immediately, I hope you and your family enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

With all best wishes,

Crispin Hyde-Dunn

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