Visited by Ofsted at the close of 2022, St Bonaventure’s Catholic secondary school for boys in Forest Gate, London, has been awarded ‘Outstanding – in all areas’ in its Ofsted report.
The report, which was compiled in the light of Ofsted’s stringent new inspection rules, emphasises the development of the individual beyond their grades, stating that “all students are involved in charitable work to support local food banks.”
Having been founded in 1877 by Franciscan friars, St Bonaventure’s is one of the oldest Catholic boys’ schools in the country. Headteacher Christopher McCormack said: “We are incredibly proud to have maintained our Outstanding rating. Our welcoming community is committed to maintaining an environment of love and respect for all.
“We thank our staff for their continued dedication to the care, growth and development of our students; we thank our parents, partners and governors, without whom we would be unable to deliver such a high-quality offer; and above all we are thankful to our students for their aspirational attitudes, and the love they show one another and our wider community.”
Deputy Headteacher Andy Lewis said: “St Bonaventure’s is a school intent on developing students spiritually, intellectually, physically, creatively, morally and socially, as we know that school is not just a place for educational development but a foundational preparation for their next steps after secondary school.”
Deputy Head Áine Burke said she is immensely proud of the acknowledgement that “the quality of education at St Bonaventure’s is excellent” and the recognition that “teachers are committed to professional development as a means to improve and develop their skills and knowledge.” She said: “Our teachers strive to give the best to our students every day and go the extra mile to do that”.
Ofsted was keen to praise student leadership at the school., noting that ‘pupils make an active contribution to the school.’
“Many pupils in all years take on responsibility in the school, including for student leadership and fundraising. The student council is proud to have improved things for others. For example, on the school council’s suggestion, leaders have introduced an ‘Assisi tie’ to recognise pupils who embody the ‘Bonaventurian Way’ by demonstrating the school’s values,” the report said.
Head Boy Gabriel said: “The opportunities I have been given have helped me to become more confident as a student and as a person. My team has been able to make a real impact in the school, and the work we’ve done with TFL and TELCO has improved safety for teenagers across the borough.”
The school said: “The achievement of boys in school is a hot topic of discussion, with education commentators questioning why boys’ progress is slipping nationally, but St Bonaventure’s is bucking the trend, proving itself to be a beacon of excellence in education where, according to Ofsted, ‘pupils thrive in every way.’ Ofsted’s recent toughening up makes this achievement even more impressive, as only 17% of schools have maintained this first-rate accolade in recent times.”
Click here to read the full report.
Picture: ‘O’ for outstanding