28 Feb 2025

St Cedd’s School Pupils Quiz the Prime Minister at Downing Street

On Tuesday 18 February 2025, pupils from St Cedd's School went to 10 Downing Street to question Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on issues that mattered to them.

34 students aged 9 to 12, from 9 schools, questioned the Prime Minister at the heart of Westminster on topics including housing and healthcare, sports pitches and music lessons, and even what he liked to do when he was young.

Before sitting down with the Prime Minister, the children were given a tour of No 10. They saw historic parts of the building, like the Cabinet Room, and even met another famous resident, Larry the Cat.

The press conference was posted online by No 10 Downing Street and is being reported in First News, the UK’s only children’s newspaper, and on FYI, the award-winning weekly news show from Sky Kids and Sky News presented ‘by kids for kids’.

Emma, aged 10, from St Cedd’s School on New London Road in Chelmsford, asked what the government was doing to make sure schools protected arts subjects as well as core subjects like maths. The Prime Minister reflected on his own experience learning an instrument, saying it gave him a “lifelong love of music.” He added the subject was “really important, because I think there’s a lot of joy in music, there’s a lot of joy in learning how to play an instrument, and that will stay with you for life.”

At the end of the press conference, the Prime Minister turned the tables, asking the children what they liked best about their tour of Downing Street. They discussed the history of the building, including prime ministerial portraits hung on the main staircase and furniture used by Winston Churchill.

FYI News Club is one of a number of lunchtime and after-school clubs run by St Cedd’s School to enrich pupils’ learning experience.

For further information, visit www.stcedds.org.uk, call 01245 392810 or email [email protected].

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12 Dec 2024

St Cedd’s School Celebrates NACE Challenge Award Third Accreditation

St Cedd’s School has been reaccredited with the prestigious National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE) Challenge Award. The independent co-educational preparatory school on New London Road in Chelmsford is the 40th school to receive this award for the third time, which is given in recognition of school-wide commitment to high-quality provision for more able learners, within the context of challenge for all.

NACE CEO, Rob Lightfoot, says: “St Cedd’s School has worked hard to attain the NACE Challenge Award for a third time. It has continued to display a thorough commitment to developing an effective environment in which all learners are challenged and supported to reach their full potential.”

The award, which the school was first accredited with in 2018, is based on the NACE Challenge Framework, which is available as part of the NACE Challenge Development Programme – a suite of resources developed by NACE to help schools evaluate and improve their provision for more able learners.

In addition to completing a detailed self-evaluation and submitting a portfolio of supporting evidence, St Cedd’s School was visited by a NACE assessor who observed lessons, spoke with staff and pupils, and carried out a thorough review of pupils’ work.

The NACE assessor who visited St Cedd’s School reports, “The senior leadership team places the children at the centre of all they do. Even though achievement is high, there is never a hint of complacency but instead a desire to adapt to the changing needs of the children, year on year. Challenge and high expectations for all pupils are evident across the school.”

“Pupils talk of ‘always striving to do your best’ and enjoy hard work and success. Learners are confident and relaxed in their learning. They apply themselves enthusiastically because they feel safe, supported but also challenged.”

Rob Lightfoot adds, “The Challenge Award is presented in recognition of whole school commitment to and achievement in providing effective challenge and support for all – spanning school leadership, curriculum, teaching and learning, processes for identification and tracking, extra-curricular opportunities, strong communication and partnerships, and ongoing evaluation.”

Mrs Rachel Weaver, Head of Academic at St Cedd’s School, who champions the NACE Challenge work within the School, says, “We are delighted to be reaccredited with the NACE Challenge Award for the third time. The award is a testament to the dedication and passion of our staff in ensuring that all learners are challenged, supported and inspired to achieve their very best, in an environment where high expectations and a love of learning are central to everything we do.”

St Cedd’s School will remain part of the international community of Challenge Award-accredited schools that have demonstrated a sustained and effective commitment to meeting the needs of more able learners, and an interest in sharing expertise for the wider benefit of the education community.

The experience and evidence gathered by Challenge Award-accredited schools shows that effective strategies to improve provision for the more able are likely to have a positive impact on the achievement of a much wider group of learners.

For further information, visit www.stcedds.org.uk, call 01245 392810 or email [email protected]. Visit www.nace.co.uk/challenge to find out more about NACE.

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26 Apr 2024

St Cedd’s School Hosts Inaugural Book Festival

St Cedd’s School in Chelmsford enjoyed a five-day literary extravaganza, welcoming three renowned authors into School for its inaugural Book Festival.

The week-long celebration of books, which incorporated World Book Day on 7 March 2024, was jam-packed with exciting assemblies, workshops, activities and competitions to engage all children, age 3-11, in reading for pleasure.

James Mayhew, best known for his Katie picture book series, kicked off the festivities with captivating live painting and storytelling performances from his new book, Once Upon a Tune.

S F Said, the author of the highly acclaimed Varjak Paw series, Phoenix and Tyger, took pupils on an insightful book-writing journey, sharing his experience and advice with the School’s young writers.

Maisie Chan, the writer behind book series Tiger Warrior and books Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths and Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu, led a lively assembly and engaging pupil workshops, fostering a love for reading that children will carry with them long beyond the Book Festival.

On World Book Day, which the children celebrated by dressing up as their favourite book characters, Maisie took great pleasure in officially opening the School’s new Reading Cabin, which is nestled in the Quiet Zone of the School’s playground offering calm lunchtime activities.

Throughout the week, pupils were fortunate to browse and purchase books at the School’s pop-up bookshop, run by Brentwood-based independent booksellers Chicken and Frog, and, excitingly, the authors signed books for children to take home as special keepsakes.

St Cedd’s School’s Book Festival was a celebration of reading, writing and storytelling. The School encourages children to delve into a diverse array of literary experiences all year round and, this year, St Cedd’s School was awarded SATIPS Handwriting School of the Year, receiving the coveted Handwriting Shield, plus four individual winners in the SATIPS National Handwriting Competition. The School also celebrated outstanding success in this year’s Queen's Commonwealth Essay Writing Competition with 12 Year 5 pupils announced as winners. A record-breaking 34,924 children entered from across the Commonwealth and St Cedd’s School’s pupils scooped three gold, two silver and seven bronze awards. Most recently, St Cedd’s School was awarded a Special Mention in the Juniper Book Awards’ Most Innovative School category.

St Cedd’s School’s Librarian, Mrs Lynne Wheater, who organised the School’s inaugural Book Festival, says: “Our whole school reading culture is fundamental to staff and pupils, it promotes academic excellence and supports wellbeing, and we are delighted that everyone was able to meet the visiting authors, enjoy all the activities on offer and feel part of the reading community. It was a very positive experience for everyone involved and we were thrilled to receive a Reading for Pleasure Award by The Society of Authors as a result of the Book Festival and our work throughout the School.”

Mr Matthew Clarke, Head of St Cedd’s School on New London Road, says: “At St Cedd’s School we are committed to fostering holistic growth and embracing the world of books is a key part of every child's educational journey. Beyond the acquisition of knowledge, books cultivate imagination, empathy and a lifelong love for learning. As parents and educators, our collective role is to nurture not just readers but thinkers, dreamers and compassionate individuals.”

For further information, visit www.stcedds.org.uk.

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