St Benedict's School, Ealing
St Benedict's School, usually referred to as St Benedict's, is a British co-educational independent Roman Catholic day school situated in Ealing, West London. A Benedictine Roman Catholic school, it accepts and educates pupils of all faiths.[3]
St Benedict's
Private day school
Latin: A Minimis Incipe
From The Smallest Beginnings
1902 (Renamed 1948)
Sebastian Cave
- Joe Smith (Senior School)
- Robert Simmons (Junior School)
Co-educational
3 to 18
- ~1,040 (senior school)
- ~283 (junior school)[2]
Barlow, Gervase, Pickering, Roberts
Green, Yellow and Black
The Priorian
Registration Fee (non-returnable) £125 (£250 for overseas applicants)
Option 1: 8.00 am to 1.00 pm term time only £3,850.00 per term
Option 2: 8.00 am to 3.30 pm term time only £5,498.00 per term
Option 3: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm term time only
£5,789.00 per termRegistration Fee (non-returnable) £125 (£250 for overseas applicants)
Pre-Prep Department (aged 4 to 7 years) £5,321.00 per term
Junior School (aged 7 to 11 years) £5,914.00 per termRegistration Fee (non-returnable) £125.00 (£250 for overseas applicants) £6,969.00 per term
School life[edit]
Governance[edit]
Since its foundation members of the monastic community at Ealing Abbey have taught at, and provided pastoral, spiritual and educational leadership, within the school. Until the senior school's first lay headmaster, A.J. Dachs, was appointed in 1987, all headmasters were monks of the abbey. Since 1951 the senior school headmaster has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
Following the recommendations of the Carlile report (see above) the school, which had been under the trusteeship of the monks of Ealing since its foundation in 1902, became an independent charity in the form of a company limited by guarantee, independent of the Abbey Trust. New governance arrangements, with a lay chairman, came into effect from September 2012.[13]
Student representation and the student council[edit]
Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)[20] recommended the school consider enhancing internal student representation prompting the formation by the school of a school council with its formal powers outlined in its constitution.
Students may run in elections throughout the school,[21] from the third form to the upper fifth with two representatives elected from each year. Sixth form students can run for the offices of student president and chair of the sixth form common room.
The structure of the school council consists of the student president and the student president's chapter. Members are appointed to the chapter by the newly elected student president to represent students in matters regarding food and health, estates and buildings, pastoral and equality, finance and investment, sixth form, upper and middle schools, and the vice president's office. The first codified school council constitution was signed in January 2016 by the student heads of school, student president, school chaplain, headmaster, chair of the sixth form common room, leader of the upper and middle school council and the chair of the school governing body.[13]
Ethos[edit]
The school promotes Catholic Benedictine values through its mission of "Teaching a way of living", based on the Rule of St Benedict. Registration sessions are accompanied by prayer, in which pupils participate and sometimes lead. Mass is celebrated weekly in the school chapel or in the Ealing Abbey, for those staff and pupils who wish to attend. Retreats organized for each year group give time for reflection and for spiritual growth. Trips are organized, for instance to Rome on a study pilgrimage and to Lourdes, where pupils develop their understanding or are able to express their commitment to service.[14]
The Independent Schools Inspectorate noted in its 2013 report that, at all ages, pupils' personal development is excellent. In line with the Benedictine mission, pupils show respect for themselves, for others and for the world around them, in 'learning how to live'. They enjoy relationships with peers and adults alike and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.[14]
Sport[edit]
The main sports for boys are rugby and cricket and for girls netball and hockey. The school is notably good at fencing, producing national and international fencers. Fencing is a main sport for both boys and girls. The school also offers other sports including dance, tennis, swimming, basketball, athletics and boys' hockey.[22]
In rugby the school was runner-up in the NatWest Schools Cup at under 18 level in 2008; at under 15 level it was winner in 2005 and runner-up in 1993.[23] The school XV was undefeated in 2008 in 21 of 22 league matches, finishing top of the Canterbury Rankings, and was selected by the Rugby Football Union to represent England in the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament, losing only to the eventual winner. The under 13 side won the 2012 junior champions of the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens, the world's largest rugby tournament.[24]
Co-curricular activities[edit]
In the senior school there are over 70 clubs and societies. Pupils run a debating society, staff a Combined Cadet Force and participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme,[25] as well as producing art, music and drama.[26]