A student won a citywide public speaking competition with a speech about how she coped with her mother passing away.
Fifteen-year-old Matilda Kitenge, who is a student at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby, lost her mum when she was in Year 6 at primary school.
The 15-year-old (pictured right) won Derby Schools Public Speaking Competition, which is open to secondary schools across the city.
Matilda said: “I really struggled to talk about losing my mum in Years 7 and 8 as I was angry and I was quite moody but I feel like it made me stronger and I wanted to share why I am so strong now. She’s my inspiration and I think she would be proud of me.”
Matilda is a strong advocate for youth voice and said that young people should not be afraid to speak out.
She said: “I think people are too embarrassed and scared to speak out because other’s opinions are at the back of everyone’s minds. I would tell them to let go of the fear of what other people think because we only live once.”
Matilda aims high in school and even has aspirations of becoming a future Prime Minister.
Teacher Daniel Thornhill, who is Matilda’s Head of Year, said: “Matilda is a student whom I see as one with a great future ahead of her. Without a doubt, she has lived out the message of her speech and she serves as an inspiration to others. I feel immensely privileged to have been there to witness it, and I am immensely proud to be her Head of Year.”
Derby Schools Public Speaking Competition is run by Derby City Council. Students work with the Lost Boys Theatre company who deliver workshops and offer advice ahead of the final.
Matilda and other students from across the city made it to the final after delivering speeches in front of their peers and they then performed in front a panel.
Saint Benedict CVA and Matilda’s family and friends are immensely proud of her, but the school is no stranger to taking this trophy home, as this is the 6th victory out of the 10 years that the competition has been running.
Hazel Boyce, Headteacher at Saint Benedict, said: “We are delighted that a pupil from Saint Benedict has once again won this prestigious competition.
“The bravery and confidence with which Matilda spoke was incredible she is such a force for good! We are all incredibly proud of Matilda and know she will go forward in life, setting the world on fire.”
High School Musical
29th June – 4th July
We are excited to inform you that tickets for this years annual school show ‘HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL on stage’, will go on sale this Saturday (June 8th) at 8am.
Our students have been working incredibly hard to bring you this popular, high energy show, and they are really looking forward to sharing their talents with you.
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL on stage will be performed in our school Theatre from June 29th to July 4th for six shows only.
To book your seats please go to: www.ticketsource.co.uk/robertludlamtheatre
Show times and further information can see on the flier below (if you cannot see the poster please enable images on your settings)
We would love you to support our wonderful cast.
Please book early to avoid disappointment.
A Year 11 student at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy has been appointed as Derby’s new Youth Mayor.
Sam Thiruvathilil, 16, said he was thrilled to win the vote and hopes to make a real difference during his one-year tenure.
The teenager heard about the opportunity to become Derby’s Youth Mayor at school and decided to submit an application.
He had to outline three areas in which he wanted to make an impact and he said they were mental health, job opportunities and advocating for the rights of young people.
Sam was invited to give a speech in front of Derby’s Youth Council and councillors and this was recorded and sent to schools across Derby, along with three other candidates. Students across the city were then asked to vote and Sam came out on top.
He said: “I was really pleased when I found out I’d won the vote. As part of the role I have to attend Derby City Council cabinet meetings, there will be meetings with the people in charge of services for children in the city and I also have to assist the Mayor. There will also be lots of events where I will be representing young people.
“The three main areas I would like to focus on are improving job opportunities for young people in the city, mental health and advocating for young people’s rights in schools. I will be looking to make small changes which will hopefully all lead to bigger changes.”
Sam officially starts his new role in May and will be supported by a Deputy Youth Mayor.
He said: “A lot of my time is taken up with council meetings and it will depend on how much I can take on but I’m focused and determined and I’m looking forward to it.”
Mrs Boyce, Headteacher at Saint Benedict, congratulated Sam on his achievement.
She said: “We are thrilled Sam has been elected as Derby’s Youth Mayor. It is a reflection of his hard work and passion and a very proud moment for Saint Benedict.”
Students at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy are celebrating their GCSE results today.
Mrs Boyce, Headteacher at Saint Benedict, said: “We are very pleased with our results and they reflect many hours of hard work from our students and staff.
“60% of students achieved maths and English at grade 4 or above which matches our 2019 results.
“Results in Science, History, Music, Dance, Engineering, Food and Business Studies are also extremely strong.
“Three quarters of all students are able to access Level 3 qualifications as a result of their achievements today. This is a phenomenal success.”
Franco Afriyie achieved grades ranging from 4 to 5.
He said: “I didn’t feel very confident after my exams and I was worried that I hadn’t passed some of them. I am pleased to pass English Literature and Language and this means I can go on to do what I want to do next.”
Anna Quince-Fleming achieved grades ranging from 7 to 9.
She said: “I thought my exams went well but last night I felt really nervous.”
Anna is going on to study Geography, Media and English Combined at Saint Benedict.
Matthew Mosley achieved grades ranging from 7 to 9.
He said: “I thought my exams went well but not this well. I’m really happy with my results.”
Matthew is staying at Saint Benedict to study Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
Manjott Basram achieved 9s, 8s and a 7.
She said: “I felt so nervous today as some of my exams were really hard. I felt sick this morning. I am just relieved and shocked.”
Manjott is staying at Saint Benedict to study Chemistry, Biology and English Literature and would like to study Dentistry at university.
At the beginning of Year 11 Brooke was diagnosed with ADHD and despite all of the challenges she has faced, she secured 5s in all of her subjects.
These fantastic grades mean that Brooke will be able to move on to the next exciting stage of her life. Well done Brooke!
Students at Saint Benedict are celebrating their A-level results today.
Mrs Boyce, Headteacher at Saint Benedict, congratulated everyone on their results.
She said: “We have seen an increase in the number of A*-B grades compared to the results of 2019, which was the last cohort to sit full examinations. Results in Chemistry, English, Sociology and History are particularly strong. Our students have performed exceedingly well in vocational subjects with 80 per cent of all students being awarded a Distinction. We would like to congratulate all of our students and thank the staff who have supported them. We wish everyone the very best for the future.”
Mrs Peden, Head of Sixth Form at Saint Benedict, said everyone should feel proud of what they have achieved.
She said: “As a team, we are so proud of our Year 13s and everything they have achieved today. Across the board – in A-Levels, Applied and Technical courses – students have exceeded our expectations, with many moving forwards onto Higher Education or Degree Apprenticeships. It has been a tough road for this cohort, considering the picture of the last two years, but they have shown consistent resilience and drive to achieve their dreams and be who God meant them to be. I’m so happy for all of them. This has been a very special year group to lead – we are going to miss them so much.”
Maisie Litherland, 18, achieved an A* in Religious Studies and As in History and English Literature. She is off to the University of Warwick to study History.
She said: “I logged on to UCAS before I came in but I couldn’t get in so I was in limbo until I got the email to say I had been accepted at Warwick.
“It was such a relief and when I saw my results I literally wanted to cry. I think as a cohort we have all been through so much as we didn’t sit our GCSEs. These were the first formal exams that we have sat since SATs so I think everyone has done amazingly well.”
Tabitha White, 18, will be going on to study Film at Falmouth University after achieving Bs in Geography and Art and Design and a C in Design Engineering.
She said: “There aren’t many universities that offer Film as a degree and I only applied to two places which is a bit risky. I got the email at 8am to say I’d got into Falmouth which is where I wanted to go.”
Elijah Tumelty, 18, was celebrating three As in Maths, Physics and Computer Science. He is going to the University of Newcastle to study Cybersecurity.
He said: “I got the email at 8am to say that I’d got into uni and I was ecstatic. I was very happy as I needed A, A, B. When I saw that I’d got three As I was very shocked. My mum was with me and she was really happy. I rang my dad and got him out of a meeting and he was happy too.”
Jonah Macrae, 18, achieved an A* in Maths and As in Computer Science and Physics. He is going on to study Computer Science at the University of Nottingham.
He said: “I woke up at 7.30am and when I got the email saying I’d got into uni I was very happy. That took a lot of the pressure off and I didn’t care too much about my results but when I saw them I was really pleased.”
Anum Irfan, 18, is going on to study Pharmacy at the University of Nottingham after achieving Bs in Biology, Chemistry and English Literature.
She said: “I was checking the UCAS website from 8am, constantly refreshing my screen and then I got the email to say I’d got into uni. I felt really relieved, it was very nerve-wracking. I had managed to switch off a bit after the exams but it started to hit me again in August and particularly when I walked into school.”
Christopher Godwin achieved three As in Maths, Physics and Computer Science. He is two weeks into an apprenticeship in Edinburgh with a software engineering firm which creates software for the emergency services.
He said: “I’m really happy with my results. I wanted A, A, A although it didn’t affect what I will do next because I had an unconditional offer. I applied to 40 companies and had the offer from the company in Edinburgh, each application took about two hours so I was really pleased to get the offer. I didn’t want to go to university because of the debt. I’m really enjoying the apprenticeship, it’s good and Edinburgh is a great city.”
Josh O’Dell, 18, (pictured far left) achieved a D in Geography, a C in Biology and a B in Chemistry. He is going to the University of Derby to study Professional Policing.
He said: “I have always wanted to be in the police and I was happy to get what I needed to get onto the course. I knew I had got in before coming to collect my results so that took the pressure off. I woke up at 6.30am and could log on to UCAS at 8am but because there were so many people logging on I didn’t find out until 8.20am that I’d got in.”
Well done to Mrs West and her team for creating yet another amazing school show! Frozen Jr has wowed audiences and our pupils have been incredible. Thank you to all those back stage who helped to make the show possible and to everyone who came along to support our students and staff.
Costumes by Molly Limpet’s
Derby Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition Winner
Congratulations go to Maria Rowlands in Year 7, who is the 2023 Derby Book Festival Flash Fiction Competition Winner in the 12-17 age category.
Students were challenged to write a poem on the theme of light in 50 words or less and Maria’s poem really stood out. There were 557 entries from across the city in the various age categories, so competition was strong. Maria wins a £50 book token and has had her winning poem published on a bookmark, which was distributed to the public during this year’s festival.
Maria’s Winning Poem
Light
Is it a feeling? An emotion? An object?
I’ll tell you.
It’s when you understand Pythagoras;
When people like you for who you are;
When your sibling comes running to you at the end of the day.
It’s when you feel loved, respected.
This is light: indescribable yet perfect.
Maria with Mr K Greig (Head of KS3 English)
There is now a further recruitment drive at Saint Benedict due to expansion
We are recruiting to a number of roles due to exciting multi-million pound expansion plans.
Current vacancies include:
Closing Dates: Sunday 25th June 2023
Teacher of Design and Technology
Please visit the vacancies section of our website for more information Vacancies – St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust (srscmat.co.uk)
Saint Benedict students have won a once in a lifetime opportunity to sing on the same stage as West End stars, in front of a 2,000 strong audience at a European theatre festival.
Thirty-eight pupils will perform a song from Frozen at Music Theatre International’s Junior Theatre festival, Europe’s biggest celebration of musical theatre for young performers.
Hundreds of youth groups and schools from across the country submitted applications to be in with a chance to perform at the festival and take part in workshops with West End professionals, as part of a programme backed by Disney.
News of our students’ success was shared on social media and prompted a kind-hearted donation of costumes for the performance, all the way from America.
Mrs West, Director of Performing and Creative Arts at Saint Benedict, said she burst out crying when she found out that her students would be performing at the festival.
She said: “I couldn’t speak I was so choked. I was just thinking about how this will mean so much for our children and it will enable them to see what opportunities there are for them in the arts, and what can happen if you believe you can do something.
“This is a once in a lifetime event for them, how often will they get to perform on the same stage as West End performers in front of 2,000 people.
“I tweeted a video of the students’ reaction when I told them the news and then a few days later I got an email from a lady in America whose theatre group had already performed Frozen. She has all the costumes and has offered to ship and lend them to us for free, which is wonderful.”
The festival takes place at the ICC in Birmingham on Saturday, April 29th and our students will take to the stage in the afternoon, followed by two performances from West End stars.
Mrs West said: “We are taking students from Years 7 to 12. In the morning they will do some work with other youth groups at the festival and in the afternoon they will take part in dance, drama and music workshops with West End professionals. Then they will do some tech on the main stage, followed by their performance.”
Students will sing the song ‘Fixer Upper’ on stage, a song from Frozen that they submitted as part of their application to perform at the festival.
Ryan Macauley, producer and director of the MIT Junior Theatre Festival, paid a visit to Saint Benedict to help students prepare for their performance.
He said: “Saint Benedict was chosen to perform at the festival because the application from the staff there was exemplary and the children are all ages and from all backgrounds and they are doing it together. We really saw that in the application and they deserved the chance to perform. We will have workshops from Aladdin, Les Mis and Wicked and there will be West End directors and choreographers.”
Student Lucy Finnegan, who is playing Anna, said working with Ryan had been a great experience.
She said: “We were all so excited when we found out that we were going to perform at the festival and to work with someone like Ryan has been amazing. We wouldn’t normally get the chance to go through our performance in so much detail.”
Mrs Boyce said: “This is another fantastic achievement for the Performing and Creative Arts Team. At Saint Benedict, we recognise the positive impact the Arts have on young people and we are incredibly proud of our pupils and staff who have won this competition.”
The students will be performing Frozen as our school show at Saint Benedict, in Duffield Road, Derby, from 1st to 5th July 2023. Information about tickets will be released soon. Please keep checking our websit efor more details.
Recruitment drive at Saint Benedict due to expansion
We are recruiting to a number of roles at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby due to exciting multi-million pound expansion plans.
Current vacancies include Higher Level Teaching Assistant – Physical Needs and Learning Support Assistant (Level 1).
Please visit the vacancies section of our website for more information Vacancies – St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust (srscmat.co.uk)
