St. Francis' College

Then and Now

The top photograph, taken in the 1960s, captures the games room when the boarding house served as a student dormitory. Fast forward to 2026, and the space has been transformed into a vibrant, multifunctional hub where students come together to cook, enjoy arts and crafts, relax with films, play games, and socialise.

It is remarkable to see how this room has evolved over the decades, continuing to support and enrich student life in new and meaningful ways while remaining at the heart of the boarding community. St Francis' College Boarding House

A fantastic day of fieldwork for Year 8 yesterday at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park! Working with Lorna from the Field Studies Council, students explored the story of Stratford's regeneration and saw first-hand how geography shapes communities and places.

In our Maths Meeting this week, Reception have been exploring number tracks!

We talked about the order of numbers on a number track and used a variety of number representations to create our own giant number track together. The children enjoyed discussing how numbers can be shown in different ways and placing them in the correct order.

Today, we focused on moving along a number track. Using a dice, the children counted carefully to work out how many spaces to move, helping to develop their counting and number recognition skills through fun, practical learning.

Looking for the perfect nursery place for your little one? ✨

We have limited spaces available for children aged 9–18 months at St. Francis' College Nursery, with a September 2026 start available.

Come and discover our warm, nurturing environment where children are inspired to dream, dare and achieve every day.

Contact Nursery Manager, Natalie Green, to find out more or arrange a visit.
📧 [email protected]
📞 +44 (0) 1462 670511 (option 6)

Looking for the perfect nursery place for your little one? ✨

We have limited spaces available for children aged 9–18 months at St. Francis' College Nursery, with a September 2026 start available.

Come and discover our warm, nurturing environment where children are inspired to dream, dare and achieve every day.

Contact Nursery Manager, Natalie Green, to find out more or arrange a visit.
📧 [email protected]
📞 +44 (0) 1462 670511 (option 6)

We are delighted to congratulate Zoe, Maddie, Eloise, Holly, Martha and Izzy, who attended the Gold DofE Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace. This remarkable achievement reflects months, if not years, of dedication, resilience and personal growth as participants completed challenging expeditions, volunteered in their communities and developed new skills. Representing our school at such a prestigious event is an honour, and we are incredibly proud of their commitment and determination. Well done to all involved!

We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the incredible achievement of Year 10 students Carys and Adela, who have both been longlisted for the prestigious Girls' Schools Association Senior Writing Competition.

Having two students recognised from one school is an outstanding accomplishment and a real testament to the creativity, talent, and originality of our young writers. Carys was entered into the competition by Mrs O'Donnell, while Adela was entered by Mrs Kelly-Reid, and we could not be prouder of their success.

Carys' entry, The Ballad of AI, and Adela's piece, Custodian, were both written in response to this year's thought-provoking theme, Girls in 2026: A Life in Robotics and AI, which invited students to explore the role girls might play in a future shaped by artificial intelligence. The competition provided a fascinating opportunity for imaginative and forward-thinking writing, and both students approached the challenge with originality and flair. In the English Department, we are passionate about encouraging students to experiment with their writing, take creative risks, and develop unique perspectives, and both girls embraced this brilliantly.

Congratulations to Carys and Adela on this remarkable achievement!

Looking for an exciting way to keep your child active, engaged, and inspired during the holidays? Summer Camp at St. Francis' College is here to deliver days packed with non-stop fun! 🌞

When: 27th July to 21st August 2026
Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm
Cost: £44 per day

Activities include arts and crafts, sporting fun, challenges and outdoor adventures.

Sibling discounts and reduced rates for week-long bookings are available.

To find out more and to register your interest, click the link below!
https://www.st-francis.herts.sch.uk/summer-holiday-club/

Having accepted that we would not have a blue tit family to watch this year, and with the camera being out of action for a while, we checked it this week to the wonderful surprise of six little blue tit chicks.

Quite how the parents flew in and out, eggs were laid, incubated, and chicks were hatched without us noticing is a mystery.

The female would have laid one egg a day earlier this month, then, once they are all laid, she would have started to incubate the clutch, sitting on the eggs for about two weeks while her male brought her food. She would also have had some time out of the nest box to find her own food.

The naked, blind chicks hatched, looking like mobile baked beans. Each chick can eat 100 caterpillars a day, so these parents are now extremely busy. We will share more photos, as proud parents always do, and we hope that some or all of our babies will fledge soon after half term.

If you walk past the building on Broadway, please look up at our nest box. You may well see the parents flying back and forth as they feed their ever-growing young. When they have fledged, you may see and hear the family in the nearby trees.

It was the last full day in Amsterdam for Year 6 today before they begin their journey home tomorrow, and what a busy day it was! The children went on a scenic boat ride along the famous canals and then visited the Anne Frank Museum. Later on, they went up the Lookout Tower to see the city views and then explored Vondelpark. A great time has been had! Please also enjoy some lovely, fun photos from yesterday’s visit to Zaanse Schans.